Good morning, Kerr County!

We got a bit of intriguing news from American Red Cross meteorologist Richard McAlister during Thursday's segment on The Lead Live, and that a tropical storm in the Pacific could give us some rain — maybe. Tropical Storm Orlene will become a hurricane later this week, according to the National Weather Service. McAlister said he's hopeful for rain in the Hill Country. "Now, we're going to get some moisture from this but the models are still kind of mixed," McAlister said. "I'm hoping that what we get is maybe some beneficial moisture, less than an inch or two up into the western hill country maybe out into the Big Bend area." Fingers crossed! Otherwise, we can expect sunny and warm. We will continue to see pleasant mornings with lows in the mid to low 50s.

On today's The Lead Live!

We're talking entertainment today! Arcadia Live's Stacie Leporati and Meredith Crook take over the show to share the details of the upcoming programming at the downtown entertainment venue — it's a lot. Most notably, Arcadia Live will play host to Leigh Brennen and Asleep At The Wheel on Nov. 18, but you're not going to want to miss the show today. The Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau's Julie Davis will update us on the weekend's events. Texas Hill Country Advisor Andrew Gay updates us on the financial markets.

Upcoming Featured Events

Mark your calendar for Public Power Week Oct. 2-8, and the Bucket Truck Rides

The Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) is hosting a family-friendly event to meet our heroes in hardhats while we celebrate Public Power Week!

Please mark your calendars for Saturday, October 8, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., to join us in Louise Hays Park for a free community event!

This will be a free community event with family-friendly activities that will include taking a ride in one of KPUB’s bucket trucks, arc & spark demos, line worker tool displays, photo ops with our linemen, face painting and more.

KPUB will be providing free hot dogs, chips and refreshments on a first-come, first-served basis, as well as a free t-shirt for the first 100 attendees. For more information: https://www.kpub.com/community/public-power-week/

Caged up display at the library — literally

The display of Banned Books at the Kerrville Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library.

When those opposing the placement of banned books at the Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library got up to explain what they saw, it was all about the shocking sex scenes in the book "Gender Queer."

"There was a book on the library floor with two young men with their penises in their mouths," exclaimed speaker Joy Molina at the Kerrville City Council meeting on Tuesday.

It reminded me of a scene from the 1977 movie "The Bad News Bears 2," when juvenile pitcher Carmen Rozonni (played by Scott Baio's kid brother, Jimmy) rolls into a liquor store and nonchalantly grabs a Playboy magazine. When the clerk tells him he can't sell the magazine to him because he's underage, Rozonni says, "what am I going to do drink it?" The reasoning sways the clerk, and the baseball player walks out with the magazine to share with the rest of his puberty-stricken teammates in a Houston motel.

Instead of the liquor store clerk, the image was of Kerrville librarians happily handing out Gender Queer, a 250-page autobiographical comic book on the general misery of growing up non-binary in a gender-conforming society. The difference between Playboy and the book is that you'd have to search hard for the scene in question rather than going right to the centerfold.

"The child could have picked this material up and been exposed to the harmful material before the parent could have prevented it," Brandon Aery told the City Council. Aery, of course, also said parents need to be aware of what their children check out.

There are several problems with the banned book narrative — chiefly, none of the books had sexually explicit material on the covers. And to make matters even more complicated or inconvenient, the one book, Gender Queer, with a page of graphic sexual material, was in a bird cage with three other books. You'd have to be a master of the game "Operation" to extract it from the display.

There were other sexually-related books on the display, including one called "Sex is a Funny Word," which has no graphic illustrations but attempts to explain sex in a thoughtful way for teens.

So, how did the book get on the floor? We're not sure. We suspect that those who are upset aren't sure either. The outrage isn't about the sex; it's about the content — LGBTQ+. The reason these books are banned is that reason — they're LGBTQ+ themed, and people remain uncomfortable about that topic.

Some consider and scrutinize the LGBTQ+ community as nothing more than a political agenda. Texas has approximately 1.8 million residents who identify as LGBTQ+ — the nation's second-largest population. The conversations about equity, inclusion and diversity are upsetting to many longing for the status quo of the closet, and this pushback is hardly comforting to this small minority.

The outrage over LGBTQ+ books designed for that audience is not proportional. There's no outrage that David Baldacci's action adventure thrillers are three of the six most popular books checked out of the library.

Regardless of where you sat Tuesday, we heard many good and bad ideas. There were conciliatory measures and reasonable questions about the appropriateness of the display and defense of the LGBTQ+ community. Some of the ideas shared included:

• Instituting a rating system similar to movies and television that advises parents about the content.
• That Texas is a bastion of hardline conservative values, and if people don't like it, they should go back to California, New Jersey or wherever the Bad News Bears came from (California).
• We don't ban books in America! That's correct, but we will do our best to repress or remove them. And this isn't an issue of conservative or liberal values — this is a shared issue. The best example is "To Kill A Mockingbird," challenged in every possible way. Although some don't believe it, "To Kill A Mockingbird," is still being questioned.

There's the idea that someone forces beliefs on others, but what happens when the aggrieved force their beliefs back in return? It's the slippery slope of outrage. Be careful what you wish for because the unintended consequences could be staggering. Maybe, we should all read a good book.

So, what's next in this debate?

As we reported Wednesday, it's clear there's a 4-1 majority on the Kerrville City Council to accept Library Director Danielle Brigatti's recommendation on moving forward with banned book week. It's also clear there's a 3-2 majority on the Kerr County Commissioner's Court to end the quid-pro-quo contract between the city and county that exchanges library and animal control services. The two sides have a 90-day out on the agreement.

But who is going to lose here? Uh… the taxpayers. So, if you live in the county, as about 40% of the library's patrons do, they could face paying for library services moving forward. The city of Kerrville would have to consider an animal control solution — about $1 million yearly in expense.

And if Kerrville has to shoulder that expense, why would the city of Kerrville taxpayers support Prop. C, which is a $5 million bond to replace Kerr County's animal shelter with something approaching modernity.

This will take some leadership and smoothing, but it's doable with capable leadership — something we certainly have in Mayor Judy Eychner and Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly. The taxpayers of this community deserve both things each entity provides — a library and compassionate animal control.

Can Tivy right itself?

Tivy quarterback Kale Lacky has been under pressure this season, but has still produced on the ground and through the air for the Antlers.

Coming off one of its worst losses in recent program history, Tivy High School's football team returns home tonight to play host to winless Bastrop. Last week, we noticed a lot of folks questioning the Tivy coaching staff after the 63-6 loss to Liberty Hill. The game is at 7 p.m.

Early in the season, there were clearly some issues with the Antlers and discipline — mostly personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct calls. Those issues are improving. In the first three games, the Antlers had 34 penalties, and in the last two — just 10.

However, you have to look at this objectively — Tivy could easily be 4-1, rather than 2-3. Last week's loss was against a program that routinely makes deep runs into the state playoffs, including a runner-up finish in the UIL's 5A Division II last season. Liberty Hill's offense averaged 15.9 yards per carry and didn't need to throw a single pass.

The Antlers' other two losses — Fredericksburg and Davenport — were the tales of second halves. Tivy collapsed in the second half against Fredericksburg and couldn't complete a second-half rally against Davenport.

Tivy also faces the reality they give up lots of yards on the ground — a statistic slightly inflated by the ground-oriented attack of Marble Falls and Liberty Hills. However, Tivy's defense allows 291 rushing yards per game.

But with five games left in the season, the Antlers are now in a race for second place in District 13. The next three Tivy opponents are 1-14. Overall, the Antlers face an 8-16 schedule in their final six weeks (Tivy has a bye on Oct. 14). So, for those who doubt the coaching staff, the real work begins in the next five weeks with a chance to go to the playoffs on the line.

Here are some things to watch:

• How many carries will senior running back Logan Edmonds get? Last week, he boldly took the ball out of the end-zone late in the game — much to the dismay of the Tivy coaches in the press box — and raced 42 yards to help set up the Antlers' only score against Liberty Hill. On the scoring drive, Edmonds rushed seven times, including the touchdown. It was only the second game where he's had more than 10 touches on the night, and when he does, he's near 100 yards rushing.
• Can the Antlers convert on third down? Last week, the Antlers were just 5-of-13 on third down, and extending drives has been a problem. Tivy was 0-for-4 on fourth-down attempts last week.
• The rotation of quarterbacks. Senior quarterback Kale Lackey is effective, but he's also running for his life because of bad snaps. Lackey finished with negative rushing yards, but so did backups Jaxson Kincaid and Gunnar Abel. Lackey made plays last week, completing 20-of-23 passes, but most were short-yardage plays. If the receivers can extend those plays, that's an efficient attack. However, some of those plays came when Tivy faced long yardage to a first down.
• And then there's Bastrop, which is 0-5, but get this — the Bears have lost all five games by a combined 34 points. Yes, they're 0-5, but every game was a battle.

Upcoming Featured Events

The Kerrville Chalk Festival, Oct. 15-16, Kerrville City Hall.

Kerrville Chalk Festival is a family-friendly art event for the Texas Hill Country. More than 65 artists create large-scale chalk drawings directly on the pavement. Kerrville’s downtown becomes a festive canvas for local and regional artists, as wells as invited guest artists from around the United States.

The Festival has live music, many free activities, food trucks, as well as wine and craft beer. It attracts an estimated 10,000 attendees annually. Read about the history of chalk art.

Held at Peterson Plaza in the heart of downtown, the event encourages tourists and locals to dine, shop, and experience the beauty and charm of Kerrville, Texas.

The 2022 beneficiary is Kerrville Arts and Cultural Center (KACC). KACC was founded in 1995 by a group of artists with a mission of providing a show place for local artists and to further the arts and culture in the community. The Center is comprised of sixteen affiliated groups representing over 500 artists and has three distinct gallery spaces. It attracts over 20,000 visitors annually.

Today's events

High School Football

• Bastrop at Tivy, 7 p.m.
• Rocksprings at Center Point, 7 p.m.
• San Antonio Cole at Ingram Tom Moore, 7 p.m.

High School Volleyball

• Blanco at Ingram Tom Moore, 4:30 p.m.
• Boerne Champion at Tivy, 6:30 p.m.

Markets and sales

• Kerrville Farmer's Market — Butt Holdsworth Memorial Library, 4 p.m. Information: https://www.kerrvillefarmersmarket.com The details: There are some key changes to the market, with new management, and some additions and subtractions to the lineup. There's a wide variety of locally sourced produce, meat, eggs, bread, cheese, beer, wine and a selection of prepared food, all sourced within the Texas Hill Country.

Golf

• James Avery Invitational — Comanche Trace Golf Course, Scott Schreiner Golf Course and Riverhill Golf Course, Information: https://www.jamesaveryinvitational.com/ The details: The Annual James Avery Invitational is a 54–hole, two-man golf tournament played over three days at Kerrville's three courses. This event brings 145 teams to Kerrville and has been a full tournament with a waiting list for 14 years. Proceeds benefit local 501 (c)(3).

Performing arts

• Leading Ladies — The Cailloux Theater, 7:30 p.m. The details: https://www.playhouse2000.com Two down-at-the-heels Shakespearean actors try to take advantage of a rich Pennsylvania widow who is looking to leave her fortune to missing relatives. They plan to impersonate the lost nephews "Max" and "Steve," and are surprised when the pair turn out to actually be nieces "Maxine" and "Stephanie." Undeterred, the pair continue the ruse by assuming female form. Their ploy becomes even more complicated when love enters the picture, and the laughs just keep on coming.

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.

Collegiate sports

• Men's soccer — Schreiner University, 4 p.m. The Mountaineers play host to Southwestern University in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference match.

Live music

• Lisa Beck — Cafe at the Ridge, 6 p.m. Information: https://www.shopsattheridge.com
• Devin Baize — Joanne Marie and Me Wine Bar and Boutique, 6 p.m. Information: https://www.facebook.com/wineboutique1
• Josh Weathers — Southern Sky Music Cafe, 6 p.m. Information: https://www.southernskymusiccafe.com
• The Hitlist — Pier 27 River Lounge and Pizzeria, 8 p.m. Information: 830-896-7437
• Jake Asbury — Arcadia Live!, 7 p.m. Information: https://www.thearcadialive.org The details: Enjoy an evening on the deck at Arcadia Live!

Dance

• Learn to Belly Dance — Kerr Arts and Cultural Center, 6 p.m. Information: 830-895-2911 The details: $10 per class, or a comparable trade e.g., art, jewelry, wine or even shiny pebbles, because the teacher, a.k.a Lorien, is part crow and loves shiny things! Bring a yoga mat, a bottle of water and a friend! Come Shimmy with us!