Good morning, Kerr County!
If you were lucky to be in parts of downtown on Sunday, you got a moment of rain — the rest of us were not so fortunate. That's what they mean when they say "chance of showers." The they is the National Weather Service — or it if you're so inclined. So, look at it this way: There's a 50% chance you won't see rain this week. The National Weather Service is forecasting unsettled weather for the week, and we're only unsettled by the fact that the moisture will probably miss us.
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On today's The Lead Live!
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Dr. Kendall Young will join us to discuss Wednesday's International Night of Remembrance at Arcadia Live! The 5:30 p.m. event remembers those who have lost their lives to drug addiction. We'll also be joined by our Monday cast of characters, Andrew Gay and Gilbert Paiz of Texas Hill Country Advisors and Leslie Jones of the Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau.
In case you missed last week's shows
We were sort of loud about this last week, but we had five days of shows dedicated to Kerr County and surrounding area nonprofit organizations. We interviewed 71 people from 38 nonprofit groups over more than 19 hours of programming. If you missed any of the episodes they are right here: https://kerrcountylead.com/watch-our-episodes-from-forging-connections-a-guide-to-nonprofits-in-kerr-county
Highlight of the weekend
It was a bit warm Saturday afternoon, but that didn't stop hundreds of people from visiting Louise Hays Park to see the River Roadster Show. They also showed up to get a root beer float thanks to HCTC and the Kerrville Police Department. The most unique car in the show had to be the 1974 Saab.
The Saab. |
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Some folks were cruising the parking lot. |
HCTC employee volunteers had to to work extra hard to get the ice cream into the cups. |
Unleash the Kraken! Or the Krakens!
With a 5-0 Republican majority on the Kerr County Commissioner's Court, the so-called patriot groups appear to worry that one member — county Judge Rob Kelly may not be "red" enough.
Even though the court will likely approve a memorandum of understanding with the state to declare an illegal alien invasion, the right-wingers in "We the People, Liberty in Action" plan to swamp today's 9 a.m. commissioner's court meeting.
"We've had plenty of headlines in Kerr County of arrests for human smuggling and trafficking," wrote Liberty Action's chief operator Terri Hall. "Bail-outs along certain corridors are now the norm. There's been enough fentanyl seized to kill every American multiple times over. Our Congressman Chip Roy declared an invasion at the border on Fox News in July. What more does Judge Kelly need to see to declare an invasion So you're either with us or the cartels."
The MOU allows the county to seek reimbursement from the state for indigent defense — that means the 20 or so illegal immigrants locked up in county jail can have a lawyer. In July, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that an additional $16 million would be available for counties that wanted funding. Initially, funding was only available to adjacent border counties.
However, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha argues that the connection of Texas Highway 41 to Interstate 10 makes Kerr County a vital link in the trafficking of people both east and west.
Hall intends to ensure every one of her group's members gets a chance to speak, and in an email to supporters, she laid out a plan to challenge Kelly on restricting the number of speakers.
"Since we showed up to object to the county accepting, and now obligating, ARPA funds, Judge Rob Kelly has invoked a rule the commissioners passed limiting the number of speakers on a single issue to five," Hall wrote. "However, they have no legal basis for doing so. The Texas Legislature passed a bill in 2019 specifically prohibiting governments from limiting the number of speakers. The City of Kerrville changed its rules when the law passed; it's time the county does, too."
Of course, the flip side of Hall's argument is the frequent incivility shown to the court, particularly Kelly, who received at least one threat from a speaker last week (Robin Monroe, for those keeping track at home).
For the adults in the room, the real meat of today's meeting is adopting the budget and setting the tax rate. Kerr County faces several fiscal challenges, including an estimated $3 million deficit. If it weren't for the acceptance of American Recovery Act Plan funds, it would be much worse — like $10 million worse.
Hey by, the way, did you notice this?
Kerr County Pct. 1 Commissioner Harley Belew was annoyed when community activist and journalist Irene Van Winkle wanted to light up the court house blue and yellow for Ukraine. Belew, the mustachioed patriot, champions all things on the right, including his selective use of the rules. He's been parking his old Hummer celebrating his right-wing radio show along a key spot at the corner of Main and Sidney Baker streets in the court parking lot.
A little free advertising never hurt anyone right? |
The return of the short-term rentals for P&Z
There's a great scene in the Godfather Part 3 when Michael Corleone despairs that he's being sucked back into the mafia. "Just when I thought I was out. They pull me back in."
That is precisely what Kerrville's Planning and Zoning Commission faces on Thursday when it conducts public hearings on eight (that's right) short-term rental conditional use permits. They are located at:
- 1602 Quinlan Creek,
- 2101 Arcadia Loop,
- 1701 Deer Trail,
- 1425 Lois St.
- 2234 San Jacinto Dr.
- 130 Loop 13.
- 309 Guadalupe St.
- 337 Guadalupe St.
The residence on Loop 13 already has three letters of opposition filed against it with the city.
"There is already an unpermitted AirBnb at 132 Loop 13 and a sober house at 134 Loop 13," wrote Loop 13 resident Teresa Golden. "Our quiet neighborhood has been disrupted by these businesses and we have a very narrow street with limited parking. Not happy."
The city is attempting to work its way through significant changes to the zoning plans on short-term rentals, but until it changes the rules, the P&Z and City Council face an onslaught of new conditional-use permits.
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And just to make things even more interesting, a controversial zoning plan is back Thursday afternoon. What was once planned as residential estate, single-family home, high-density, back to residential estate is now back to the P&Z as medium density zone.
The 36 acres along Medina Highway, just south of Riverhill, have been fought over for months, culminating in the City Council's unanimously rejecting a plan for more than 300 apartments at the site. So, a new zoning plan is in front of the P&Z, which previously said yes to the apartment idea.
Friday was for the dogs at Schreiner University
Schreiner University students got a chance to hang out with dogs and other humans on Friday. The event was hosted by Kerrville Pets Alive, which recruited 30 student volunteers. |
Friday was National Dog Appreciation Day and Kerrville Pets Alive celebrated by recruiting 30 Schreiner University student volunteers. Schreiner invited KPA back to help students relax during exams in the fall.
"We are thrilled to have so many students enthusiastic about animal welfare and taking time out of their busy schedules to serve the community," said KPA! President Karen Guerriero.
A first look at Tivy High School football
Kale Lackey rushed for two first-quarter touchdowns against Medina Valley on Friday night. |
After a four-year opening night struggle, Tivy High School's football team is off to a 1-0 start. They did it Friday night with a 28-6 victory over visiting Medina Valley, which had won its last two games against the Antlers.
Tivy ran out to a 21-0 halftime lead with senior quarterback Kale Lackey, who rushed for two first-quarter touchdowns. It was a shot-in-the-arm for the confidence of a program that slipped to a 3-16 record over the last two seasons — missing the playoffs in both years.
While Lackey ran the offense efficiently, former quarterback Jake Layton starred as a punter for the Antlers. Layton pinned Medina Valley twice at the 1-yard-line, including once with a 63-yard punt.
However, defining how the Antlers will fare in the upcoming weeks is hard to determine. This week's opponent is San Antonio Davenport — a new program that finished 6-4 last season.
You can look at Tivy's schedule in two ways — ouch, that's rough, or there are some wins in there.
The rough part is weeks three through five, when the Antlers face teams that went 31-12 last season, including state 5-A Division II runner-up Liberty Hill. After that gauntlet, the Antlers face a 13-34 schedule — all in the district. Interestingly, Tivy's schedule is one filled with unknowns. The Antlers face only four teams they've played in years past, including familiar foes Fredericksburg and Lockhart, which has lost 10 consecutive games to Tivy.
Events coming your way on Tuesday!
The arts
- Kerr Arts Exhibits — Kerr Arts and Cultural Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Information: https://www.kacckerrville.com The details: Three art exhibits. Paintings by James Crouse, “Images” KACC judged membership show, “Photoquest” a judged exhibit featuring images captured by members of the Kerrville Camera Club. Artists reception August 27th, 1-3 p.m.
- Luckenbach Legacy, Hondo's Daughter, Becky Crouch Patterson Exhibition — Museum of Western Art, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Information: The details: Becky Crouch Patterson, a fifth-generation Texan whose father was the legendary developer of historic tiny-town Luckenbach, made famous by Waylon Jennings's classic song, "Let's Go to Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love." This is Patterson's original art, described as a marriage of Texas Folk Art and Fine Art, plus textiles, memorabilia and works from her life. In addition to her work, Hondo and Luckenbach artifacts fill three cases.
- 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.
High school volleyball
- Center Point at Our Lady of the Hills, 6 p.m.
Live music
- Vinyl Night — Inn of the Hills, 7 p.m. Information: Fcampbell@innofthehills.com The details: A night of solid tunes presented through the vinyl. Good company.
Exhibits
- Hill Country Music — Kerr Regional History Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday through Sept. 8. Information: 830-258-1274 The details: An exhibition about the rich history of Hill Country music. Learn how country music was created and helped inspire other music genres, and how a German music teacher, Julius Weiss, helped inspire Scott Joplin to create ragtime and become the "King of Ragtime." The exhibit will feature the Kerrville Folk Festival and how the event inspired the music scene in Texas.
- Mexico: Splendor of Thirty Centuries — Kerr Regional History Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday through Sept. 8. Information: 830-258-1274 The details: An exhibition based on the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the San Antonio Museum of Art's international exhibition, and organized by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. In Mexico, two civilizations have lived and fought across the land and within the soul of every individual. One civilization is native to the Americas. The other originated in Europe, but now is so firmly ensconced that it has become an elemental part of the Mexican character. "Mexico" presents 3,000 years of Mexican culture and history. Photography highlights stone sculptures from prehistoric times, liturgical artifacts from Colonial Days, 19th-century portraits and landscapes, and works on canvas and paper by 20th-century muralists. The exhibition enhances appreciation of Mexico's richness and complexity and its people.
