News

Office of the Hays County Fire Marshal, San Marcos, TX – Hays County Fire Marshal Clint Browning today issued a statement on the causes of two separate fires within seven days at businesses located in downtown Wimberley.

“The fire on May 30 at Cypress Creek Café has been determined to be an accidental fire that started in the kitchen of the café,” Browning said. “There’s no evidence of arson or other cause,” he said, noting that the two owner-residents who lived above the café were lucky to get out in time. The building is considered a total loss, with the damage estimated at $750,000.

Around 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning, fire again hit the Wimberley Square, this time at Chick-a-dees, located at the back of the Square, across from Kiss the Cook. No other buildings were damaged.

According to the Hays County Fire Marshal, the fire was caused by an electrical issue in the back left of the building about 8 a.m.  Pct. 3 Constable Cody Cheatham had just gotten on duty when he went to the back of the Square, saw the fire and called the Wimberley Fire Dept. who arrived minutes later.

Meanwhile as the fire just started, David Jacobson heard someone yell fire at the Wednesday Chamber of Commerce Breakfast at Wimberley Café. Jacobson ran out and found a garden hose and tried to contain the fire at the site. Another person also helped with the initial hosing of the building.

Many businesses owners and residents in the area of the Wimberley Square and Mill Race Lane began receiving “Intent to Sue” notices on behalf of Peter Way last week.

The letters show they were mailed out to at least 20 businesses or residents as well as the city of Wimberley alleging a violation of the Clean Water Act.

The letters say that those named are violators who have “caused and continue to cause through their acts and omissions high levels of E. coli in Cypress Creek.” 

Julius Chambers, 31, of Wimberley, was allegedly murdered in Comal County.

The Comal County Sheriff’s Department said in a release that Chambers died after suffering a gunshot wound.

The Comal County Sheriff’s Office was called to the 500 block of Oak Breeze in Spring Branch on Wednesday, May 24 at 12:38 a.m. A woman reported that her friend had been shot outside of a residence. 

Deputies arrived and found Chambers lying on the ground suffering from “an apparent gunshot wound” according to a release from Comal County.

Chambers was flown by AirLife to University Hospital in San Antonio where he was pronounced dead. 

The suspect Cater Bomer, 56, of Spring Branch was detained at the scene and transported to the same hospital by ambulance for minor injuries.

Witnesses stated that Chambers was helping Bomer move. 

Wimberley veterans along with boy scouts and girl scouts gathered at Veterans Memorial Plaza on Memorial Day to honor those Americans that have given their lives in the defense of our freedom.

The observance is a joint presentation of Wimberley Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6441 and the EmilyAnn Theatre and Gardens assisted by local boy scouts and girl scouts.

More than 100 braved the threatening weather to attend the ceremony and watched silently as the pageantry unfolded with the ceremonial raising of the flags to full staff and lowering them to half-staff in honor of the dead accompanied by bugles playing Taps.

The Graduation Ceremony of 2017 had pomp, circumstance and everything you would expect at Texas State’s Strahan Coliseum on Friday. The enthusiasm of family and friends gathered to honor the past 16 years of the 154 graduates’ lives.

Valedictorian  Morgan  Alana and  the  Salutatorian Caroline Biggs each already has resumes of accomplishments and their speeches sounded sophisticated, intelligent and very proud of Wimberley.

Rounding out the top ten students were number 10. Maria Montes, 9. Kelly Brasseaux,   8. Hunt Sparra,   7.Emily Agee, 5, Nathan Wilton, 4. Haley Shake,  and  3. Eric Sibley.

One of Wimberley’s historic commercial buildings suffered a devastating fire early Tuesday morning as Cypress Creek Café burned for hours leaving essentially nothing but the stone façade facing the Wimberley Square.

As of 6:30 a.m., the fire appears to be out, but severe damage was done. It looks as if Cypress Creek Cafe was the only building damaged, but officials have not yet spoken.

The fire was called in just before 2 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30. Owners Randy and Trish Uselton, who lived in the loft above the restaurant, were sleeping when the smoke alarm went off.

The Assisted Living project proposed for the area behind Brookshire Brothers is one step closer to reality after the Wimberley Planning and Zoning Commission voted 3-1-1 in favor of the proposal. 

The project is part of a Wimberley Planned Development District that has previously been approved by the city and includes Brookshire Brothers. 

The currently approved WPDD allows for 91,000 square feet of development on the tract behind Brookshire Brothers spread out over more than a dozen buildings. The amendment requested would be approved for 68,000 square feet over four buildings.

Multiple variances to Wimberley’s development code would be required for the building including maximum building footprint, maximum floor area, and multi-family use.

The Katherine Anne Porter School received a $48,111 grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Community Outdoor Outreach Program. KAPS will utilize the CO-OP Grant to administer KAPS Environmental Education Initiative which includes offering a variety of forestry, outdoor recreation, and wildlife conservation courses and coordinating an Outdoor Adventure club.  Through this initiative, KAPS will build opportunities for high school students by partnering with environmental stewards in the area including, University Camp at Texas State University, the City of Wimberley and the Blue Hole Regional Park, Hays County Master Naturalist, A.E. Wood Fish Hatchery, Texas Conservation Corps, and state parks in our area. Activities such as camping, environmental education, backpacking/hiking, outdoor cooking, canoe/kayaking, birding/wildlife viewing, and orienteering/geocaching.  

Local law enforcement officers stood in front of the Hays County Government Center to honor Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week. 

The Hays County Constable Precinct 3 Office, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office and other local police departments were there to pay tribute to officers who died in the line of duty and to recognize the public service that law enforcement officers provide in safeguarding rights and freedoms. 

The Hays County Commissioners officially named the week of May 14 through May 20 as National Police Week in Hays County following decades of tradition since the week was authorized by President John F. Kennedy in 1962.