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State Representative Jason Isaac has come out in support of the decriminalization of marijuana, but clearly stated that does not mean he supports legalization.

“Some people get confused on legalization very quick,” Isaac said. “I don’t support legalization.”

Currently, possession of less than two ounces can result in up to a $2,000 fine and up to 180 days in jail. 

Decriminalization of marijuana would simply remove criminal penalties for possessing certain amounts of marijuana and replacing them with a smaller fine. It would also be a civil offense, as opposed to a criminal offense, so it would not go on a person’s criminal record. 

Isaac said he believes there are reasons that being caught with small amounts of marijuana should be a lower level misdemeanor.

The more than 27-year-old Hays County Jail is aging each day, and officials are working to make the updates that they can. Hays County is set to call a bond election in November, part of which would enlarge the jail on Uhland Road by 192 beds and refurbish and modernize the existing facility with special attention on the intake and booking area, infirmary, kitchen, food service areas and other spaces. 

Currently, each section of the jail is being repainted and updated with new relays and inputs for “state of the art” systems. 

“It’s all just lipstick,” Hays County Lieutenant John Saenz said of the new paint. Inmates are being used to make a lot of the repairs at the current facility. 

The Central Texas area around the Interstate 35 corridor is expected to get heavy rains over Saturday night through Sunday evening.

According to the National Weather Service, they are expecting four to eight inches of rain throughout the region with some areas possibly reaching isolated totals of up to 15 inches.

“This would have to be an area that gets hit multiple times with heavy showers,” Eric Platt, Meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said.

The expectation is for showers and thunderstorms to move up the I-35 corridor over night, but a cold front is moving down.

“We think that additional showers are going to be showing up from that cold front,” Platt said.

The ground is currently saturated from consistent rainfall over the last week. This increases the chance of flash flooding from the rains.

A dud explosive device was found under the Fischer Store Bridge last week. 

The Austin Bomb Squad was called out to inspect the potentially explosive device and they found that it was not a threat.

“It was filled with silt and mud, “ Clint Browning, Hays County Fire Marshal, said. “Whatever was in there had washed out long before.”

Browning said the device was about three inches long and likely used to be black-powder based. 

The device was found by two fisherman who recognized it as a potential pipe bomb. Browning said he believes it may have been intended to be used as a fishing device. 

“The intention we don’t know, but it was only about three inches long, so it wasn’t going to do much damage,” Browning said. “It wasn’t an attempt on the bridge. That is just where it ended up.”

Hays County voters will likely be asked to approve $108 million for a public safety bond election in November. Hays County Commissioner’s Court did not take action on the agenda item on Tuesday before the Wimberley View’s time of press. To see the updated story, visit www.wimberleyview.com.

The Aug. 16 meeting was the deadline to place the bond election on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The plan at least two commissioners indicated they would support was the “middle” of three options presented by consultants. Option “A” came in at $99 million but would provide little in the way of the additional space Sheriff Gary Cutler has said he needs. Option “C” came in at $166 million and would include tearing the current jail down and rebuilding.

Hays County Judge Bert Cobb, M.D., has lifted the burn ban on outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of Hays County.

Persons planning to burn outdoors should be aware of wind conditions and delay burning if winds are expected to be gusty or high. Fires should always be attended by an adult and a water source should be available nearby.

Property owners planning to burn should notify the Hays County Emergency Communications Office at 512-393-7896, their local fire department, and as a courtesy their neighbors. More information about outdoor burning is available at www.co.hays.tx.us, choose Fire Marshal under the Law Enforcement dropdown.

A compelling presentation to the Hays County Commissioners Court Tuesday by a committee formed to look at public safety facility issues and solutions verified the need to renovate and expand the current county jail and add a separate communications (9-1-1 dispatch) and law enforcement center for a Hays County that has exploded in population since the existing facilities were built. 

The Hays County Jail was built in 1989 when the population was some 65,000 people – now close to 200,000 – and is plagued with issues from aging safety electronics to space for related functions, such as evidence processing and storage, in addition to lacking space for a growing inmate population that necessitates the costly housing of prisoners in other county jails. 

Even with the recent rains, the current trend shows that local aquifers are down. 

Though the rains will help, the aquifers are experiencing the dryness of a long hot summer.

After a strong winter and full in terms of rain, aquifer levels look healthy.

No area in Central Texas is currently in drought conditions, which is a positive sign at this point in the summer.

This is a direct result of the wet winter and spring, which has led to some near-historic rainfall totals pushing up lake and aquifer levels. 

Groundwater levels in the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers reached their peak elevations in mid-June, and are now declining with the lack of rain in much of central Texas.

But as the summer has worn on, those aquifer levels are dropping. 

The Back to School Fiesta was another success as nearly 500 students received free school supplies, backpacks, Payless Shoes gift cards and a free book last weekend.

“It went great, just like most years,” Vicki McCuistion, with the Back to School Fiesta, said. “We had a lot of great help from our area partners and sponsors, and it is really another example of Wimberley coming together and taking care of our students in need so they can be excited about starting school.”

The Lions Club also held vision screenings for 97 students with 16 of them needing referrals for vision assistance. 

There were nine hairdressers that volunteered to give back-to-school haircuts. Samantha Kingsley, Regina Rogers, Joffa Wubbena, Kelsey Griffis, Rashana Lynn, Leesa Stafford, Jennie Horvath, Brooke Herrada and Bridget Cook provided at least 80 cuts.

The 18th home built by Wimberley’s Habitat for Humanity is now finished, but it has a unique Wimberley touch that rest can’t claim.

Lane and Beverly Hartsock had their home washed away in the flood. They lost everything – everything but the front door.

“We usually don’t accept stuff like this because everything has to be up to specs, but we couldn’t pass this up,” Misty Moore, events coordinator for Wimberley Habitat for Humanity.

The Hartsocks donated the front door to Habitat for Humanity and it now sets the tone of the front of the 18th house. The donation is not out of character for the Hartsocks.