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The monster in the canyon: What the storm actually was — and what was never asked
Nine months after the flood, federal meteorologists tell the full story. In 15 hours of legislative testimony this week, none of it came up.
The Lead’s stories
BREAKING: Flood Watch in effect for Kerr County tonight; state weather briefing warns of multi-day flooding threat
NWS and Texas Division of Emergency Management flag Friday as greatest flash flood risk; river flooding threat extends into next week
Camp Mystic withdraws 2026 license application, will not operate this summer
The announcement comes one day after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick publicly called on the camp to stand down and two days after 13 hours of devastating legislative testimony
Lt. Gov. Patrick calls on DSHS to stop Camp Mystic from operating, demands Eastlands withdraw license application
The state’s second-highest official enters the fray — and Camp Mystic’s own attorney has already called him a Judas
Severe storms possible in Kerr County today; threat continues through the week
National Weather Service places Kerrville in Level 2 of 5 severe weather risk zone through this evening
Camp Mystic faces mounting pressure to close as nine hours of testimony culminate in mother’s extraordinary plea
From legislative scolding to a surgeon’s indictment to a grieving mother turning her back on the Legislature to face the Eastlands directly, Tuesday’s hearing left little doubt about where the investigation is heading
State emergency chief details Kerr County failures, calls for overhaul of Texas disaster response
Chief Nim Kidd, director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, testified before the joint General Investigating Committee on the July 2025 Flooding Events, delivering both a frank accounting of local failures and a set of proposed legislative reforms he said are long overdue.
“Y’all will not be an operator next season”: Legislators scold Eastland family over flood deaths, compliance failures
The blunt assessment set the tone for a four-hour hearing in which legislators admonished the operators of Camp Mystic on multiple fronts — from the failure to evacuate 27 people who died in the July 4, 2025, flood to an ongoing violation of state law that has persisted for 10 months.
The general investigating committee examining the July 4, 2025 flood
It is charged with identifying strategies to strengthen Texas’ disaster preparedness and response, examining actions taken at youth summer camps in flood zones, and recommending legislative reforms.
What Monday’s Camp Mystic hearing was — and wasn’t
The Camp Mystic legislative presentation was a systematic accounting of failures. For families of the other 91 who died on July 4, it was not their day.
The Lead is honored for its July 4 flood coverage by Texas Managing Editors
The award included a prestigious Texas Headliners Foundation award for breaking news coverage.
Legislative committee details systemic failures at Camp Mystic in first session of flood hearing
Morning testimony cites staffing cuts, absent evacuation plans, and culture of complacency; hearing continues this afternoon
Hunt residents plan Highway 39 demonstration as state lawmakers tour Camp Mystic on Monday
Organizers say flood survivors outside Camp Mystic have been left out of the investigation
Federal meteorologists detail the science behind the flood that killed 28 at Camp Mystic
The National Weather Service released a comprehensive analysis Thursday of the atmospheric conditions that produced the July 4 disaster — data that now maps directly against testimony from this week’s wrongful death hearings
KPUB breaks ground on new power plant in Colorado County
Joint venture with Sky Global Partners aims to stabilize utility costs for Kerrville customers by summer 2027
Kerrville’s long-awaited river center reaches 90% funding mark
The two-building campus will anchor Granger Macdonald Park, a one-acre riverfront parcel donated by Justin McDonald in honor of his father. That land gift and a $2.2 million allocation from Kerrville’s 2023 Quality of Life bond have helped lay the groundwork for a facility organizers say will be unlike anything the river has seen.
Arts and Culture
Arts, outdoors events fill Kerr County calendar for week of April 6-12
The Cailloux Theater bookends the week with two marquee performances. Swan Lake arrives Thursday at 7 p.m., followed Sunday at 4 p.m. by Waterloo: A Celebration of ABBA. Tickets for both are available at caillouxperformingarts.com.
Pint and Plow puts on a party, community responds in kind
After a decade on the job, brewing beer and building community spirit, Pint and Plow owner Jeremy Walther decided he needed a party to give back and celebrate the Clay Street eatery and brewery’s status us a community destination.
Playhouse 2000 to stage hometown send-off performance of award-winning one-act before regional competition
The performance serves as a send-off ahead of the company’s trip to Carlsbad, New Mexico, where it will compete in the Southwest Theatre Conference — the regional competition of the American Association of Community Theatre.
The Lead Live Podcast
The Lead Live Podcast: Monday, Feb. 23, 2026 Episode
Kerr County is set to receive a significant boost to its infrastructure after securing a $14.7 million grant for “middle mile” broadband expansion, according to a recent broadcast summary of The Lead Live. The funding was one of several key local developments highlighted on the Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, episode of the show hosted by Louis Amestoy.
The Lead Live Podcast: Friday, Feb. 20, 2026
The Pot O’ Hot Festival, a soup-tasting competition, is scheduled for Feb. 28 at the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University. Walther noted the event is capped at 25 soup makers and is on pace to sell out its 300 tasting tickets.
The Lead Live Podcast: Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026
Parks and Recreation Director Jay Brimhall reported that Guadalupe Park is undergoing a complete refresh, which includes fixing handrails damaged during the July flood.
The Lead Live Podcast: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 episode
The episode opened with breaking news that Center Point ISD had canceled all classes that morning due to a lack of running water at the school. This unforeseen issue allowed Center Point teacher and local yoga instructor Sara Cotton to join the broadcast as a last-minute guest.
The Lead Live Podcast: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 episode
Leah Westra of the Hill Country Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse joined the show to discuss the “Rest and Reset” event, a free, two-hour session for 8th- through 12th-grade students on Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Kroc Center.
Photo galleries
Photo gallery: Symphony of the Hills explores the planets
A Schreiner University astrophysicist will join the Symphony of the Hills on Thursday as the orchestra closes out its 25th season with a nearly sold-out multimedia performance of Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” at the Cailloux Theater.
Photo gallery: Flamenco fantastic at the Cailloux Theater
The Cailloux Theater played host to the Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana presents QUINTO ELEMENTO (Fifth Element), an evening-length work choreographed by Patricia Guerrero with an original score by Francis Gomez.
Photo gallery: Jane Ragsdale Memorial Polo Match at Camp Stewart
Schreiner University played host to the Jane Ragsdale Memorial Polo Match on Saturday at Camp Stewart, which is owned by Ragsdale’s family.
Photo gallery: 39th annual Hill Country Charity Ball draws community together at Sendera Springs
In the four decades since, the association has distributed more than $2.1 million to Kerr County nonprofits — an average of more than $50,000 per year — touching nearly every corner of community life, from youth athletics and literacy programs to habitat restoration, hospice care, and disaster response.
Photo gallery: Swan Lake at the Cailloux Theater
International Ballet Stars performed Swan Lake on Thursday night at the Cailloux Theater as part of a North American tour presented by Classical Arts Entertainment.
Sports
Schreiner softball split doubleheader against visiting McMurry
Mendoza (7-8) was at her sharpest through the evening’s second game, holding the War Hawks to five hits and issuing just one walk. Her 88-pitch complete-game effort — 64 of which found the strike zone — gave the Mountaineers (12-24, 9-17 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) their first win of the series.
Lackey sparks Schreiner’s offense as Mountaineers correct course on the road in Arkansas
Kale Lackey, a Tivy grad, was the series’ most productive bat, going 6-for-16 with two home runs, two doubles and six RBI. Blake Juarez backed him in the opener with a 3-for-4 afternoon that included a home run, a double and three RBI.
Schreiner University men’s track program turns in solid early performances
The Schreiner University men’s track and field team put together a productive two-week stretch in late March, collecting several podium finishes and individual standout performances at the TLU Invite in Seguin and the Charles Austin Classic in San Marcos.
Stautz win singles title; two Lady Hawks doubles teams advance to state
Jane Stautz won the girls singles championship, going 5-0 on the day and defeating her opponent 8-6 in the finals.
Schreiner softball breaksthrough with series victory against visiting Ozarks
The two-of-three series victory gave the Mountaineers their most productive stretch in recent weeks and improved the program’s confidence heading into the back half of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule.
Obituaries
Cynthia “Nan” Schiavo: Jan. 15, 1946-April 27, 2026
Nan worked throughout her life as an advocate for children’s and women’s rights, primarily as a lobbyist with the American Academy of Pediatrics in Washington, D.C., where she worked to improve national child and women’s health policies.
Robert Gonzales: May 7, 1927-April 22, 2026
A rosary will be held at 6 PM, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at Grimes Funeral Chapels, officiated by Deacon Jimmy Bill and Deacon Richard Armendariz.
Johnny Walker Finch: May 17, 1938-April 22, 2026
Working on his land outside of Kerrville was where he spent a lot of time and if not there, you could certainly catch him meeting up with buddies for coffee at various cafes between Kerrville and Center Point.
Tyler Blake Everett: May 1, 1979-April 23, 2026
Tyler was one of the funniest people you could ever meet, the kind of person whose laugh filled a room and whose bear hugs you never forgot.
Gary Lee Becher: Dec. 28, 1938-April 19, 2026
A man of many talents and interests, Gary found joy in spending time in nature at his property in Leakey, Texas, in golfing and was an avid fan of Astros baseball.
Community voices
The Lead’s Editorial: A note to our readers about flood misinformation
The science is not ambiguous, and the math is not close. We know this not because we commissioned expert analysis or spent weeks on investigation, but because the basic research required to refute these claims is available to anyone willing to do it.
The Lead’s Editorial: Hughes cutting the ribbons is sign of the leadership we need in Kerr County
The party that lectures about Reagan’s 11th Commandment is actively working to defeat a three-term city council member with a documented record of delivering results — because she has the independence to govern rather than perform.
The Lead’s Editorial: Rich Paces and the law he keeps forgetting
The procedure is known. The requirement is known. The infrastructure to execute it exists. It simply wasn’t followed.
The Lead’s Editorial: For Precinct 1 Commissioner, the choice is clear — Brenda Hughes
Which is precisely why the Kerr County Republican Party apparatus — led by the increasingly inept Helen Herd and her attack dogs at We The People Liberty In Action — is desperate to stop her.
The Mission of The Kerr County Lead
Covering community news in the heart of the Hill Country.
Founded in 2021, The Kerr County Lead aims to provide high-quality journalism for Kerrville, Texas and the surrounding communities of the splendid Texas Hill Country. In the coming years, Texas faces exponential growth and the challenges of managing land, resources and water. At the same time, the Hill Country offers a robust quality of life and culture. With this mission, The Lead focuses its work on the stories that matter most to the readers in Kerr County.
