News

Using existing aquifers to store rainwater isn’t something that’s been done yet in Hays County, but it has in Kerrville, a representative of the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD) told Hays County Commissioners on Tuesday.

Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) is a “proven technology around the world,” and is in use in three places in Texas, Senior Hydrologist Brian Smith, PhD, said in comments preceding a court vote to support BSEACD’s bid for a Texas Water Development Board grant. “It’s something that could be applied to aquifers almost any- where.”

The idea is simple: Store rainwater under- ground, where it will not evaporate, rather than in above-ground reservoirs. Smith said the project would be planned in coordination with other groundwater districts “so we’re not duplicating time and effort.”

Strong sales tax numbers continue to show signs of a strong local economy for the city of Wimberley. The November allocation from the Texas Comptroller, which represents sales in September, shows an 18.95 percent increase over the same month last year.

Wimberley has seen a very strong year when it comes to sales tax allocations, which makes up a large portion of the city’s operating expenditures, but the most recent allocation shows an even rosier picture.

The last few months have each showed around a 14 percent increase over the previous year’s totals for Wimberley and that number is represented in a 14.6 percent increase year to date over last year. That makes this most recent allocation’s nearly 19 percent increase an even more impressive number.

Before the dual flood tragedies, the Barnabas Connection was formed as a way to connect people in need with the organizations that can help. After the flood, they became a clearinghouse for $1.2 million in donations. It was a big change to say the least.

From their inception, some of Barnabas’ major efforts included providing to low-income families toys and clothes for Christmas, providing backpacks with school supplies in August, and providing information and channels for clients about obtaining needed social services.

Wimberley ISD’s Veterans Day program is always fun and patriotic to watch. From the Honor Guard and the singing of the National Anthem and watching the kids from all grades is a special one day a year.

On November 11, 1918 at 11:11 a.m. the armistice was signed where hostilities stopped and Germany and its allies surrendered. “This was supposed to be the war that ends all wars,” said VFW Commander Don Wheeler. As is the way of the world, it didn’t happen.

American military has fought many wars since then, but Wheeler’s patriotic lesson was about the sacrifices of all WWII survivors - home front and in the military. This program was especially dedicated to “those still living WWII veterans.” There are 52,000 WWII veterans in Texas, but due to age, we lose many each day.

What a difference a week off makes.

After a regular season filled with key injuries and a slow start in non-district, the first round of the playoffs signaled a new beginning for the Texans.

A well-rested Wimberley squad left no doubt on the Edgewood Stadium turf as sensational sophomore tailback Hunter Williams rushed for four touchdowns and the Texans defense rose to the occasion to help deliver a 35-7 bi-district win over Pearsall.

“We rested up (over the two weeks) and tried to focus on what we do best and that’s running the ball at people and we were able to establish ourselves early.” Texans head coach Doug Warren said. “I didn’t think we were sluggish coming off the bye week at all.”

Long-time Wimberley resident Jack Hollon died in a car accident that occurred at around 4:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon. According to the driver of the other truck, Hollon’s vehicle hydroplaned around a corner on Wayside Drive during a brief rain before crossing into the oncoming lane of traffic and being struck. Hollon was transported to the University Medical Center Brackenridge where he was pronounced dead early Tuesday morning.

Wimberley will be losing a very interesting, wise, hardworking and very humble friend of the community. Nancy Cusack, who is “87 and still clinging,” will not only be leaving Meals on Wheels (MOW), but the other volunteering she has done in Wimberley since 1997. She’s also leaving Texas for Colorado. 

She has been living with her daughter and after surviving the ’98 and ’02 floods, this year the Memorial Day has done them in and washed their residence away. She’ll be leaving behind “a ton of friends which I love,” and be living in “Pagosa Springs close to the southwest part of Colorado, near New Mexico. It is cool in the summer and when you are cooking (in the heat), I’ll think of you,” says Nancy with a laugh and smile on her face. 

Wimberley was once again hit by a historic flood, but this time it was largely Cypress Creek that raged out of the river banks. 

No local fatalities were reported from the flood and nobody reported missing, according to Wimberley Fire Chief Carroll Czichos. 

The city of Wimberley current estimate is that 26 homes and 28 businesses suffered some form of damage in the flood, and both the city of Wimberley and Hays County have officially declared the floods a disaster.

“From a commercial perspective, those businesses that were substantially damaged, the dollar totals will not be low,” Wimberley City Administrator Don Ferguson said. “From a residential stand point, it looks like anywhere from six inches to two feet of water got in for the most part.”

Some areas got much more.

Thursday night started off rough for Donna Harley. Friday morning got worse in a hurry.

Harley used to work at Ino’z so when she ran out of gas near the Wimberley Square, she wandered over to see if she could get some help. They were able to spare a little change to help, but her problems double when she got back to her car. 

The car was parked in the lower parking lot of Ozona Bank. Once she got gas in it, she realized the battery was dead. At this point, she decided to hunker down for the night. 

It turned out to be the wrong night to sleep in that parking lot.

With the window just barely cracked, Harley woke up the next morning to water hitting her face. When she sat up, she realized that rain wasn’t the only problem.

Her car was surrounded by water.

Over the years Creekhaven Inn has seen it’s fair share of floods. In fact, in 1998 Cypress Creek made it about 18 inches inside the main house and in the Halloween Flood of 2013 the creek came in about six inches. 

Still, there was comfort. Those were two serious floods. There is only about four miles of the Cypress Creek watershed upstream, meaning there is only so much room for the water to collect and raise.

That was the thought, at least, before the most recent Halloween flood. 

There was a group of 16 people from Richardson staying in Creekhaven Inn on Thursday evening. One of them had a friend-of-a-friend connection to the Chabra family that lost their lives in the Memorial Weekend Flood.