Good morning, Kerr County!
Here's the best news from the National Weather Service: "Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m." That's the forecast for today, and it looks like we're still on track for storms through Saturday. However, there's not a lot of rain in the forecast — that's the bad news.
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On today's The Lead Live!
Anything goes today! The folks from Grace Academy will stop by to tell us about their preparations for the 2022-2023 school year. Andrew Gay will give us an update about the world of finance. Either Leslie Jones or Julie Davis will join us from the Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau to update us on events.
Speaking of events
Today's events
Science and Nature
- Nature Nights — Riverside Nature Center, 6 p.m. Information: 830-257-4837 The details: Nature Jeopardy
Friday, Aug. 12
Science and Nature
- 1-on-1 with a naturalist — Riverside Nature Center, 10 a.m. Information: https://www.riversidenaturecenter.org The details: Naturalist, author, and columnist Jim Stanley and Texas Master Naturalist and native plant enthusiast John Hucksteadt will be available to meet one-on-one to answer questions, and discuss various topics, or listen to ideas about nature.
Dance
- Learn to Belly Dance — Kerr Arts and Cultural Center, 6 p.m. Information: The Cheeky Peacocks Dance Company The details: Bring a yoga mat, a bottle of water and a friend! The class is $10.
Markets and sales
- Heart of the Hills Farmers Market — River Hills Mall parking lot, 8 a.m. Information: 830-370-7476
The Arts
- Hill Country Arts Foundation Member's Show — Hill Country Arts Foundation, Ingram, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Information: https://www.hcaf.com The details: Featuring art by HCAF member artists.
Live music
- Allora Leonard — Cafe at the Ridge, 6 p.m. Information: https://www.shopsattheridge.com
- Jimmie Lee Jones — Southern Sky Music Cafe, 7 p.m. Information: 830-367-2735
- Carlos and Dan and The Silver Bullets — Arcadia Live, 7 p.m. Information: https://www.thearcadialive.org The details: This is the first of the "Happy After Hour Acoustic Sessions" on Arcadia's back deck. It should be a marvelous night of music with a stunning sunset view overlooking the Guadalupe River.
- Rick Reyna — Pier 27 River Lounge and Pizzeria, 8 p.m. Information: 830-896-7437
- Mark 2 — Joanne Marie and Me Wine Boutique, 6 p.m. Information: https://www.facebook.com/wineboutique1
Water woes hit Skyline Drive area of Center Point
About 90 homes in Center Point were without water after a well ran dry this week, according to several sources. The Salvation Army offered showers at its Social Services Building, 855 Hays St.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said he was aware that two wells had run dry or were barely operational at the end of Skyline Drive — an area just south of the Guadalupe River and just west of Texas 430. Leitha, however, said the problem was a civil issue, and the Sheriff's Office was not involved.
COVID-19 claims 2 more Kerr County residents
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The Texas Department of State Health Services said a Kerr County resident died July 24 and another on July 28 from COVID-19. Three Kerr County residents died from the virus in July. COVID-19 has infected more than 10,000 people in Kerr County, but tracking the virus' activity has become difficult due to a relaxation of contact tracing efforts. More than 200 people may have died from the virus in Kerr County.
Across Texas, more than 9,000 people tested positive for COVID-19, but several indicators of the virus' growth have settled. More than 3,300 people remain hospitalized across the state, including 184 children.
Missing girl from Center Point
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A 15-year-old girl from Center Point has gone missing, and Kerr County Crime Stoppers Inc is looking for help getting information about her return. Priseis Thomas, 15, of Center Point, is believed to be voluntarily missing, but her parents would like her to return. In a social media post, the Kerr County Sheriff's Office said that Priseis is believed to be in the Center Point, Comfort, or Boerne area. Kerr County Crime Stoppers Inc. cannot pay rewards for tips about missing people, but they would sure appreciate the help. To provide information, call 830-896-8477 or use their website at www.kerrtips.com.
Stone's enthusiasm for space in infectious
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When Jeff Stone was growing up in Indiana, he seemed set to follow in his father's footsteps to become an engineer. Yes, an engineer trained at Purdue University.
That didn't exactly go according to plan!
"I flunked out," Stone says with a grin. We could say he took the scenic route to become an engineer — of course, his father disputed the title.
"NASA said I was an engineer," Stone said with a laugh before we interviewed him on Tuesday's episode of The Lead Live!
OUR VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH JEFF STONE
After a 29-year career at NASA, Stone left Houston and settled in Kerrville, where he's now engaged with the Kerrville Dark Skies group and is sitting on planning groups for the eclipses in 2023 and 2024. The 2024 eclipse is total, and city leaders expect as many as 100,000 people to see the April 8 event.
"We're the best place in the U.S.," Stone said of the eclipses. We're right on I-10 and I-35, and if you look at where those highways go. It's accessible for the whole country."
Those reasons and Stone's experience and enthusiasm are just some of the triggers for long-term planning. The city of Kerrville allocated $50,000 to plan for the expected crush of people.
Stone has joined travel groups to see other eclipses, and with more than four minutes of total darkness, it should be a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle for many.
"We are in the middle of the country and probably have the best weather possible," Stone said.
Stone's journey to space took a circuitous route from flunking out of Purdue — a university known for producing astronauts — to finding his way in the U.S. Air Force and then into NASA. His niche was solving problems, and he worked with groups that frequently solved some of the space program's toughest yet sometimes unappealing jobs. One of Stone's specialties — toilets.
Stone helped solve problems related to the toilet on the Space Shuttle fleet and the International Space Station, but his work often veered into other areas. It was purpose-driven work and he loved every minute of it.
Now, he's actively engaged in astronomy programs at Schreiner University, eclipse planning and an array of other activities.
Check out: https://kerrvilleeclipse.com
More events to consider
Here are the three events we're definitely going to be at this weekend, and if you've got a family or a dog, you might want to be there too:
- Kerrville Kids Triathlon — Singing Wind Park and the Olympic Pool, 7:30 a.m. Information: https://www.kerrvilletx.com The details: Boys and girls ages 18 and under are welcome to participate in this swim/bike/run event that has launched several Hill Country kids into sanctioned triathlon events. A bike helmet is required for this event. Event sponsored by Hill Country Bicycle Works.
- Back to School Bash — The Salvation Army Kroc Center, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Information: https://kerrvillekroc.org The details: This free event is open to all in the community and a great way to get the whole family ready for the new school year. This will be a one-stop shop for you and your family by providing multiple family resource vendors to help with back-to-school preparations.
- Wet and Wag — The Olympic Pool at Singing Wind Park, 5-7 p.m. Information: https://www.kerrvilletx.gov The details: Bring your swimsuit and favorite four-legged friend to the Olympic Pool to enjoy a refreshing afternoon swim. Current proof of rabies vaccination is required upon registration. This is a free event.
Want more events? Check out our 33 things to do in Kerr County this week: https://kerrcountylead.com/33-things-to-do-in-kerr-county-this-week-aug-8-13/
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