Good morning, Kerr County!
The rain was nice, but now it's behind us. Wednesday cooked up at 95 degrees. The bottom line here? The next 10 days will be hot. Hot and hot. Did we mention it will be hot?
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On today's The Lead Live!
Nancy Huffman will visit us today to tell us about the Hunt Community Fine Art Show and Sale, which starts Saturday morning. The show features Pat Gordinier, Deanna Eixman, Janet Reinwald, Janelle Lindley, Laura Williams, Jane Beyer, Jone Jones, Nancy Viola, Doreen Shann, Juan Leal, Trudy Eberhardt and Rob Christy. The show and sale start at 10 a.m. and run through Monday at the Hunt Pavillion. We're also joined by Hill Country River Rat folks, who will update us about their unique business that patrols Nimitz Lake — or creates plenty of good times. It will be a fun morning of conversation. Oh, by the way, Leslie Jones will give us an update on all of the Fourth of July activities this weekend.
Texas stories we're following
Texas newspapers disappearing — so are the readers
- The state of Texas newspapers is alarming — the Dallas Morning News and Houston Chronicle have less than 70,000 subscribers each. https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/29/death-local-news-texas/
Bexar County Sheriff urges Biden to act
- The Bexar County Sheriff sent a letter to President Biden urging him to take control of the border situation — mainly so they can keep Gov. Greg Abbott from meddling. https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Bexar-sheriff-Abbott-migrant-deaths-17274072.php
Here's a snippet from the letter by Sheriff Javier Salazar.
- "Governor Abbott has wasted excessive assets and personnel on an ineffective farce of an effort. I know it’s ineffective, because my deputies and surrounding county sheriffs deal with the aftermath every single day in the form of vehicle pursuits and even rescue operations with dozens of victims at a time. Abbott has jailed countless immigrants on worthless charges that have only served to clog an already over-taxed state prison system, which has had a trickledown effect on overcrowded local jails."
Rocket on the moon raises questions
- The Houston Chronicle reports that NASA is investigating a crashed rocket on the moon — one that no nation will claim responsibility for the mess. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/mystery-rocket-NASA-moon-crash-country-origin-17273903.php
Hospital building boom in San Antonio
- The San Antonio Report highlights a building boom of Bexar County hospitals in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. https://sanantonioreport.org/new-hospitals-san-antonio-region/
Mariachis help ease the pain in Uvalde
- Another story from the San Antonio Report profiles San Antonio mariachi groups working in Uvalde to provide comfort in the wake of the Robb Elementary School shooting. https://sanantonioreport.org/watch-san-antonio-mariachis-travel-to-uvalde-to-offer-songs-for-healing/
Today's newsletter is sponsored by
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Let's try this again!
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The first Health, Wellness and Beauty Show on The Lead Live will be on July 21 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Pint Plow Brewing Co. in Kerrville. We originally planned this for June, but COVID-19 got in the way. So, we're ready for a restart!
We will also offer 20-minute segments versus our previous schedule because we feel this is a better fit to tell your story and share your services. The theme, of course, is health, wellness and beauty. We encourage you to bring examples, demonstrate and bring guests. We will ask some questions, but you have the floor in this segment to tell us about your business, services, treatments or products.
Each segment is $50. We will make an on-demand version available for you to place on your website or social media.
The Lead Live is our weekday webcast that can help connect you to our audience. In the past, shows involving health, wellness and beauty were among our most popular offerings. We look forward to seeing you on July 21.
To be on the show, please complete this form:
https://forms.gle/gYymStRoeQvj4FoW7
To pay for your appearance please click here:
https://square.link/u/Af3e0tqV
We've got you covered with events today-Friday!
Today!
Trivia
- Thirsty Thursday Trivia night — Arcadia Live, 6:30 p.m. Information: https://www.thearcadialive.org/
Live Music
- Greg Wall — Southern Sky Music Cafe, 6:30 p.m. Information: https://www.facebook.com/southernskymusiccafe
Science and Nature
- Nature Nights — Riverside Nature Center, 6 p.m. Information: 830-257-4837 The details: What's that? Check the app.
Friday, July 1
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
- Colleen Miller — Cafe at the Ridge, 6 p.m. Information: https://www.shopsattheridge.com
- 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.
- 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.
The Hill Country Charity Ball delivers for Arcadia Live!
Everyone was all smiles when the Hill Country Charity Ball made its donation to Arcadia Live on Wednesday night (Photo by Alyson Amestoy) |
The Hill Country Charity Ball made its second-biggest donation in its long history on Wednesday — a $105,000 check to Arcadia Live!
The donation comes on the heels of last year's record donation of $152,000 to the Hill Country Youth Ranch, and the Arcadia Live! staff and board of directors did their own jumping for joy when HCCB President Cindy Hernandez revealed the 2022 donation. The money is being used to complete some of the long list of projects for the renovated historic theater, including new patio furniture on the deck.
The reveal was met with joy by the staff and board of directors of Arcadia Live! |
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Arcadia Live board of directors president Larry Howard was speechless over the donation. |
Learn a language
If you want to learn another language, the Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library has you covered. The library offers Mango Languages, a software-based program that will give you a better understanding of language. These are just some of the opportunities offered:
- Over 70 world languages and more than 20 ESL/ELL courses.
- Listening and reading activities for reinforcing learned material and building new skills.
- Grammar and culture insights for authentic and reliable learning.
- Assessments and chapter recaps to check understanding and learning progress.
- Personalized review that adapts to each individual's learning pathway.
- Study reminders to keep you on track and motivated to keep learning.
- Family profiles for additional parent and family engagement.
Kerr Economic Development Corp. wins award
The Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) has announced the recipients of our 2022 Workforce Excellence Awards and singled out the efforts of the Kerr Economic Development Corp.
Awarded for cities with populations of 15,000 to 40,000, KEDC earned laudation for its innovativeness, transferability, community commitment and leverage, measured objectives and secondary benefits.
The Workforce Excellence Award program recognizes exceptional contributions by a Texas community or region that has implemented successful workforce initiatives.
"Our TEDC's Workforce Excellence Award is one of the ways in which our organization honors the outstanding work done by our communities and regions, their leaders, and their economic development professionals in the area of workforce development," said Carlton Schwab, president and CEO of the TEDC."
Abbott throws down with Biden on border security
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the death toll in a truck packed with illegal immigrants rose to 53 on Wednesday, and he placed the blame squarely on one person — President Joe Biden.
During a press conference Wednesday in Eagle Pass, Abbott blasted Biden for not doing enough to staunch the flow of immigrants into the United States from and through Mexico.
Workers discovered the abandoned semi truck's trailer in San Antonio on Monday evening — initially, more than 40 people were dead inside. Officials said it remains unclear how many people were inside the truck.
"This is the deadliest migrant smuggling incident on U.S. soil," Abbott said. "It's on President Biden's watch."
Other Republicans parrotted Abbott's points, looking to peg the deaths on Biden and his border policies. However, Biden pushed back against their assertions.
"Exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit is shameful, as is political grandstanding around tragedy, and my Administration will continue to do everything possible to stop human smugglers and traffickers from taking advantage of people who are seeking to enter the United States between ports of entry," Biden said.
Most of the dead were from Mexico, but there were citizens from Honduras and Guatemala among the dead. Mexico's Secretary for Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard said his nation is working with other countries, including the U.S., to bring those who organized the smuggling operation to justice.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that three men were in custody in connection with the incident, but the investigation is ongoing.
Abbott said Texas would implement additional truck inspections led by the Department of Public Safety.
"We are going to try to step up and play a role by the state to address this catastrophe that President Biden is responsible for," Abbott said. "Today, I'm announcing that Texas is going to add additional truck checkpoints."
Abbott's previous attempt to institute a truck checkpoint along the border resulted in miles-long backups of trucks coming into the U.S. from Mexico.
"DPS will begin targeting trucks like the one that was used where these people perished," Abbott said.
Investigators said they believe the truck was cloned to look like a delivery vehicle, and those inside were covered in seasonings to hide the smell from Border Patrol dogs.
Abbott has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to fund Operation Lone Star, an effort to beef up the Texas border. Despite that effort, Abbott said the flow of migrants is due to Biden's lax border enforcement, including not fully staffing the Border Patrol.
