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Kerr County Engineer Charlie Hastings dies; County issues statement
In a statement, county officials remembered Hastings as a key figure in the flood emergency response and its ongoing aftermath.
The Lead’s stories
New nonprofit launches to protect Guadalupe River watershed, takes over local trail system
the foundation has assumed oversight of The Kerrville Urban Trail System, which had previously operated as a fund within the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. The trail system was established in 2018.
Kerrville Pets Alive! pet food pantry strained by flood surge, seeks donations
KPA!, has operated the free pantry since 2020 for Kerr County residents facing financial hardship. The pantry is designed to help pet owners care for their animals without surrendering them to the shelter system.
Pot O Hot soup festival draws crowd to Schreiner’s Trailhead for third year
Abram Bueche of BBQue Texas, LLC took first place in the juried competition with his Rajin’ Texas Cajun Bayou Gumbo.
Rain chances return to Kerr County mid-week, with higher odds by weekend
The better rain chances arrive by the end of the week. Friday brings a 40% chance of showers, rising to 50% Friday night.
Warm stretch ahead for Kerr County with no rain in the forecast
Kerr County residents can expect a significant warming trend that will push temperatures well above seasonal averages .
Economic summit Thursday to feature flood recovery panel, AI keynote
The summit runs from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with coffee and a hot lunch provided.
Pot O’Hot, economic summit highlight busy week in Kerr County
Trailhead Beer Garden hosts Pot O’Hot on Saturday from noon to 8 p.m., bringing together hot soup, cold beer and live music.
Symphony of the Hills brings Prokofiev, Mussorgsky to Cailloux Theater Thursday
Dorokhova, a Russian-born pianist who won the Audience Favorite Award at the Gurwitz International Piano Competition, will perform Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto. She describes the work as a showcase of the composer’s full range.
Pot O’Hot Fest returns Saturday with 300 tickets, 25 soup makers and a simple rule: if it’s in a bowl, it counts
The festival runs noon to 8 p.m. with live music throughout the day from Simon Flory, Jonivan Jones and Matthew Payne. Even attendees without a soup-tasting ticket are welcome to come out, listen to music and, as Walther put it, “watch people eat soup.”
Kerrville to skip election for second straight year as all races go uncontested
The move marks an unprecedented period for the city, after decades of sometimes contentious, frequently competitive races. The City Council will likely approve the cancellation of the election next week.
Candidate profile: Tom Jones, Kerr County Judge
Jones was candid about the county’s difficult financial outlook, describing the upcoming budget cycle as “rough.”
Candidate profile: Guy “Bubba” Walters, Kerr County Commissioner, Precinct 4
“I missed serving,” Walters said. “I wanted to continue serving, but I wanted to help in a different way. I didn’t want to get back into public education.”
Candidate profile: Randy Murphy, Kerr County Commissioner, Precinct 4
Murphy is running on a platform of fiscal reform, specifically advocating for “zero-based budgeting,” where expenses must be justified from scratch rather than carried over from previous years.
Candidate profile: Wayne Uecker, Kerr County Commissioner, Precinct 1
Uecker described himself as a collaborator who plans to utilize his experience as a self-employed business owner to manage county affairs.
Candidate profile: Brenda Hughes, Kerr County Commissioner, Precinct 1
Hughes cited her work on the City Council, specifically regarding the new Public Safety Complex and equipping police with better tools, as her primary qualification for the commissioner position.
Arts and Culture
March brings full calendar of arts, music, community events to Kerr County
The week’s most prominent community gathering may be Thursday’s Soup’s On! dinner at Dietert Center, a soup supper and silent auction benefiting Meals on Wheels. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets and online auction bidding are available at dietertcenter.org.
Schreiner’s PopCon brings free weekend of gaming, cosplay and pop culture to campus
The event runs Saturday, Feb. 28 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, March 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the CCAC on the Schreiner campus. Admission is free. Organizers encourage attendees to RSVP at schreiner.edu.
Award-winning Austin burlesque troupe brings show to Lazy Days Canteen Saturday
The Jigglewatts Burlesque Revue performs Saturday at 8 p.m. at Lazy Days Canteen at Roddy Tree.
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: Schreiner University flag football season debut
The Mountaineers are playing as a club team in 2026 before transitioning to NCAA Division III in 2027.
Photo gallery: The Third Annual Pot O’ Hot Festival
Hundreds gathered at the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University to sample nearly 30 pots of soup during the third annual Pot O’ Hot Festival.
Photo gallery: Symphony of the Hills performs Prokofiev, Mussorgsky
Gurwitz Silver Medal pianist Tatiana Dorokhova joined the Symphony of the Hills Thursday at the Cailloux Theater for a program anchored by one of the 20th century’s most celebrated piano concertos.
Photo gallery: The Leading Ladies of Broadway
The Leading Ladies of Broadway took to the Cailloux Theater stage on Sunday afternoon for a memorable performance of some of Broadway’s greatest hits
Photo gallery: Run for Riverside 5k
The event, which serves as a primary fundraiser for the Riverside Nature Center, featured a course that wound through the scenic areas surrounding Francisco Lemos Street.
Sports
After sweep by Dallas, Schreiner baseball features critical stretch with season on the line
The numbers from the Dallas series are stark. Schreiner was outscored 30-15 across three games and committed 13 errors — including six in the series finale — converting what should have been competitive ballgames into lopsided results.
Dallas sweeps past Schreiner baseball with offensive push
The Schreiner University baseball team was swept in a three-game Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference series at the University of Dallas
Schreiner softball sweeps Dallas in three-game set
With the sweep, Schreiner sits sixth in the SCAC standings at 4-5 in conference play, tied with Austin College.
Run for heart health awareness produces fast times, and community spirit
Lohmeyer won the 10K in 44 minutes, 55 seconds — a 7:04-per-mile pace — finishing nearly six minutes ahead of Travis Linscomb, who was second in 50:58. Jared Pulliam took third in 52:19.
Kerr County runners compete in Austin Marathon weekend
In the marathon, Hugo Castorena of Kerrville posted the fastest local time at 3:17:57, placing 296th overall among 5,155 runners. The 23-year-old averaged 7:33 per mile.
Obituaries
Alan Jay Fisher: May 10, 1961-Feb. 23, 2026
One of Alan’s greatest loves was being on the water in the Port Aransas and Rockport Bay areas in his boat on the flats, fly fishing for redfish and trout.
Elton Spencer Root: July 16, 1936-Feb. 24, 2026
Known for his generous heart and servant’s spirit, Elton never turned away a child, a family member, or anyone in need.
Asa Hickman Jewell: July 25, 1940-Feb. 22, 2026
While stationed there in San Antonio he met Donna Staffeld. She became the love of his life; and they were married June 16, 1979.
Louetta Jane Maples: Nov. 12, 1955-Feb. 13, 2026
At the heart of Louetta’s life were her children and grandchildren, whom she loved deeply in her own unique, loyal, and enduring way.
Barbara Ann Wilson: Jan. 16, 1960-Feb. 23, 2026
She loved traveling with her family, the Texas Longhorns, quiet times on her porch, and her dogs.
Community voices
The Lead’s Editorial: Political group continues to mislead the public
Don’t let activists who consistently misrepresent local government finances tell you how to vote.
The Lead’s Editorial: Vela, Longenbaugh deserve the chance to serve this county
Both candidates bring essential experience to positions that require deep institutional knowledge and operational expertise.
The Lead’s Editorial: Four years of Rich Paces’ chaos is enough
For four years, Kerr County taxpayers have funded Paces’ personal crusade against facts, expertise, and democratic accountability.
The Lead’s Editorial: Three candidates peddle false narratives about Kerr County finances
Candidates Jack Stewart, who is running for county judge, and Precinct 1 candidates Clayson Lambert and George Baroody—a persistent Kerrville City Council gadfly and former councilmember who routinely accuses the city of baseless illegality—seemed bent on depicting the county budget as wasteful and that county residents are overtaxed by the county.
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.
