Good morning, Kerr County!

Ok, good news — we may get rain. May. There's a chance of thunderstorms today and Saturday as we gear up for the Fourth of July holiday. It's just a 20% chance, but it's there. However, don't expect things to be cool anytime soon. The underlying forecast for the next two weeks is hot and hotter. Here's the forecast:

On today's The Lead Live!

Arcadia Live's Stacie Leporati and Meredith Crook will storm unto the show today — as is their right. They will break down the big holiday weekend of entertainment headed our way, with Band of Heathens on Saturday and Robert Earl Keen's big Fourth of July show on Monday. The Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Julie Davis will update us on all of the other stuff headed our way in the next few days. Join us at 9 a.m.

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Today's newsletter is sponsored by:

If you haven't stopped by Mustang Sally's — Kerrville's destination for Southwest-style furniture, goods and clothing — you've really missed something fun. Please stop by and visit them today and mention The Lead sent you.

Featured event at Arcadia Live

The Band of Heathens

7:30 p.m. Saturday!

• The Band of Heathens — Arcadia Live, 7:30 p.m. Information: https://www.thearcadialive.org/ The details: With their professional lives on hold during the pandemic, The Band of Heathens found a year-long creative workaround. Every Tuesday night, the five-piece group came together via Zoom from their respective homes–from L.A. to Asheville-to host the Good Time Supper Club, a ninety-minute variety program. "It was nice to be able to use music as a connective thread and something that's healing," says guitarist-vocalist Ed Jurdi. Guitarist-vocalist and fellow founding member Gordy Quist agrees. "The show was like a release, where we all connected and forgot about the stuff going on around us. At some point, we decided to bring in guests for an interview, and that turned into 'Hey, let's pre-record a music video of a cover song with each of them.'"

Today's Texas stories

A new definition of slavery

• In a world gone wild, a committee advising the Texas Board of Education recommended defining slavery to second graders as "involuntary relocation." Fortunately, board members pushed back against this assertion, but here's more on the story from The Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/30/texas-slavery-involuntary-relocation/

Uvalde leaders unhappy with DPS leadership

• The Lead dug into Thursday's Uvalde City Council meeting, and it featured some fascinating fingerpointing at the Department of Public Safety. https://kerrcountylead.com/uvalde-city-council-expresses-frustration-with-dps-investigation-arredondo-vacates-seat-on-council

Group wants to build baseball stadium in San Antonio

• An investment group is floating a plan to construct a minor league baseball stadium in downtown San Antonio. https://saheron.com/weston-urban-pursuing-land-sports-stadium/

Texas saw some split decisions in the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who plans to defend the state's overturned sodomy laws, lost in the Supreme Court in his effort to keep immigrants in Mexico. The court ruled 5-4 to overturn the Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" plan. The court essentially kicked it back to the state court, but it's a win for the Biden administration. The other case Texas lost was one involving a qualified immunity case where a former Department of Public Safety trooper said the agency discriminated against him when his military service left him disabled. Then, we suspect, you can call the court's decision to limit the regulatory authority of the Environmental Protection Agency a win for Texas' energy sector, but it's not clear if it's a win for the environment. https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/29/supreme-court-migrant-protection-protocols-remain-mexico-biden/

Today's events

Markets

• Kerrville Farmers Market — A.C. Schreiner Mansion, 4 p.m. Information: https://kerrvillefarmersmarket.com/ The details: Come down and enjoy a complimentary beer, or buy a handcrafted pizza and enjoy the market.

Swimming

• Dive-in Movie — Olympic Pool, 9 p.m. Information: 830-257-7300 The details: Looking for a unique treat that the whole family can enjoy? Why not go to a dive-in movie? You read that right… "dive-in." Families can attend and swim, float, or just dip their toes while a family-friendly film plays on a large poolside screen.

Live Music

• The Travis Pierce Band — Pint and Plow, 6 p.m. Information: https://www.pintandplow.com The details: Molded from the clay of a Guadalupe backwater, under the Pecans and Cypress and guided by the wisdom of the stars, hometown talent Travis Pierce taps in and pours it out.
• Colleen Miller — Cafe at the Ridge, 6 p.m. Information: https://www.shopsattheridge.com
• Matt Daniel — Southern Sky Music Cafe, 6:30 p.m. Information: https://www.facebook.com/southernskymusiccafe
• Blue Oak Band — The Hunt Store, 7 p.m. Information: https://www.thehuntstore.com
• Charlie Bravo — Pier 27 River Lounge and Pizzeria, 8 p.m. Information: 830-896-7437
• Bill Mahko — Joanne Marie and Me Wine Boutique, Ingram, 6 p.m.

Want to see more events: https://kerrcountylead.com/the-red-white-and-blue-of-kerr-county-events-through-july-4

Hunting for art? Look at Hunt!

Nancy Huffman knows some terrific artists call Hunt home and getting them together for a show would be a satisfying trick.

And that's what Huffman and her friends have done — the first-ever Hunt Community Fine Art Show and Sale. The show is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday through Monday at the Hunt Pavillion — right next to the Hunt Store.

"There were a few of us in Hunt that got together," said Huffman, a former art teacher who still loves the process of painting. "There's quite a few artists out there in Hunt and have been for many years."

The lineup is a mix of painters, furniture makers and jewelers. There may even be some surprise artists. Here's the lineup:

• Nancy Huffman (oils and watercolor).
• Bud Gordinier (oil).
• Deanna Eixman (oil and acrylic).
• Janet Reinwald (watercolor).
• Janelle Lindley (acrylic).
• Laura Williams (oil).
• Jane Beyer (jewelry).
• Joni Jones (ceramics).
• Nancy Viola (oil).
• Doreen Shann (pastel).
• Juan Leal (watercolor).
• Trudy Eberhardt (wood carving).
• Rob Christy (reclaimed wood furniture).
• Kathy Alonzo (ceramics).

Kelly questions why district attorney budgets are so different

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly chastised 216th District Attorney Lucy Wilke for her budget presentation on Wednesday, then praised 198th District Attorney Stephen Harpold for his control of costs. It was the latest sign of ongoing tension between the Kerr County commissioner's court and Wilke over finances.

"I simply don't understand why your district attorney's office requires $210,000 more in the budget than Mr. Harpold's?" Kelly said as Wilke wrapped up her presentation during a budget workshop at the Kerr County Courthouse. "He's doing something right, and I'm trying to figure out what's the reason for this."

Kelly said he wanted to meet with Wilke to understand the issues, and the district attorney agreed.

"I'd be happy to go over those numbers and our caseload as well," Wilke said.

As Wilke sat down, clearing the way for Harpold to make his presentation, Kelly chimed in by praising Harpold for keeping his budget tight.

"By the way, Steven, whatever you're doing keep doing it," Kelly said.

Harpold said he didn't have an explanation as to why his budget request was different from Wilke's.

"They're like apples and oranges, I guess," Harpold said. "I don't know."

Wilke and the commissioner's court have tangled previously over funding, including a nasty fight last year on paying a female assistant district attorney. The dispute made it appear the court was sexist in offering less money to a woman with a similar experience level. Earlier this year, the court balked at paying a veteran police officer a higher salary to be one of Wilke's investigators.

In part of Wilke's presentation, she asked for an additional $10,000 in funding to help pay for more translation and transcription services. Wilke said her office had seen an influx in illegal immigrant arrests, requiring extensive translation and transcription. In one example, Wilke said that 10 minutes of translation and transcription from Spanish to English cost $1,000.

Kerrville makes assurances fireworks show will be safe

As other cities scale back or cancel their planned fireworks shows, Kerrville is pressing on, but not without caution.

In a news release, the city said it's reducing the shell sizes it will fire from 5 inches to 4. That move helps reduce the fallout zone. Boerne and Fredericksburg have canceled their fireworks shows.

"The required fallout zone is a 360-foot diameter from the display and is never allowed to be over any homes or structures," the city said in its press release. "The fallout zone was mowed last week and will be mowed again prior to the event if necessary."

The show, which follows Monday's Robert Earl Keen concert, is managed by a vendor-approved by the state Fire Marshal's Office and verified by the city of Kerrville Fire Marshal.

At the Fourth of July event, the Kerrville Fire Department will have additional firefighters and one staffed brush truck onsite, and the Center Point Volunteer Fire Department is providing a second staffed brush truck during the fireworks display.

The KFD and the Kerrville Police Department will maintain an Emergency Operations Center in Louise Hays Park, and the Fire Marshal will inspect for proper storage of the fireworks, site location, public distancing, fire extinguishers, and inspections. He will give the final authorization for a safe and fun fireworks display on the day of the event.

Sheriff's office makes drug bust

Evidence seized in a drug bust by the Kerr County Sheriff's office on Tuesday.

The Kerr County Sheriff's Office found an online promotion to be just slightly too good to be true. So, they did what they do best — investigated.

The sheriff's special investigation unit performed a buy-bust operation in Kerrville and seized marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, a large amount of cash, and other drug paraphernalia.

Michael Aaron Trumbull, 20, of Kerrville, was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Kerr County jail on one count of possession of marijuana, one count of delivery of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. Trumbull's bond is $35,000.

"The KCSO SIU continues to work all available avenues to interdict drug sales in Kerr County," Sheriff Larry Leitha said. "A bust of this size represents a large supply being taken off the streets. Our investigators did a great job from start to finish on this case so far, with the investigation ongoing. I am proud of our SIU for their great and consistent work, both online and on the streets and highways of Kerr County."

After a consensual search of the suspect's apartment, investigators discovered 8.64 pounds of marijuana, 5.42 pounds of THC edibles, 1.06 pounds of THC gummies, 0.92 grams of Xanax, 3.5 grams of THC wax, 159 grams of THC cartridges, 1.04 pounds of suspected psilocybin mushrooms, approximately $13,000 in US currency, and six firearms. The suspect admitted to selling to over 50 people in the Kerrville area over the past eight months.

Michael Aaron Trumbull, 20, of Kerrville, was arrested Tuesday.