News

The Wimberley City Council has preliminarily voted in favor of a Hotel Occupancy Tax. 

The council will need to have a second vote during the Sept. 3 council meeting to officially adopt the measure. 

The council voted three to two in favor of a five percent HOT. Council members Pam Showalter, Cindy Anderson and Bob Dussler voted in favor of the tax. Johnny White, who owns 7A Resort, abstained from voting while Mac McCullough, who generally spoke in favor of the potential tax during discussion, voted against it without citing a specific reason.

Around 65 members of the public showed up to a special city council meeting for Woodcreek to show their support for City Manager John Sone while largely insulting and berating the city’s Mayor.

Sone offered his resignation at the last regularly scheduled Woodcreek City Council meeting before a council discussion on his employment status took place, which subsequently did not take place during the meeting.

“My hope was that whatever emotions were running at that moment, that with a little bit of time before that next meeting in September, they would have the opportunity to decide whether to accept it or not,” Sone said. “I was encouraged by the fact that, upon receiving my letter of resignation, they lost the appetite to discuss my future employment status.”

Homes in Wimberley that were previously not in the floodplain may soon be after FEMA announced new Advisory Base Flood Elevation maps, which could increase the floodplain more than eight feet in Wimberley.

While the data for the new maps was already being taken before the flood occurred, the Memorial Weekend Flood was factored into the data. Now, homes that were not previously in the 100-year floodplain, or potentially even the 500-year floodplain, may require extra steps for rebuilding or possibly new flood insurance.

Dylan Meek, pianist/vocalist who grew up in Wimberley and now lives in New York City, will highlight the annual fundraiser of the Wimberley Players on Sunday, Oct. 18, at the Leaning Pear restaurant. The public is invited to the party from 6 to 9 p.m.

“Dylan is a perfect headliner for our celebration,” said David Bisett, board chair of the Wimberley Players. “We wanted our annual benefit to focus on our community this year, and what better way to do that than by inviting a local young man back home. We’re celebrating what makes Wimberley strong, including the vibrancy of the arts in our community, with special thanks to our friends and supporters.” The Players have named the fundraiser, Celebrate! An Artful Evening at the Leaning Pear.

After almost six years, the Montagnes are in the process of earning their black belts in Chayon Ryu Karate.  They began the journey in 2010 with all four members of their family, all of them reaching the rank of purple belt.  Due to health and other reasons, only the two men, Mike and Heston (10 years old) continued their Chayon Ryu journey past purple belt, and have now attained the rank of 1st gup brown belt.  

Homeowners, renters and business owners in Hays County are encouraged to look over newly released Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) maps in order to determine their flood risks and make informed decisions as they rebuild after recent flooding. Using data developed by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA), the State of Texas, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has created Advisory Base Flood Elevations to depict a more current picture of flood risk.

The maps that will be presented at the meeting include the Blanco River basin west of San Marcos and do not include the City of San Marcos.

Three men arrested for arson following a house fire in April are now facing a second first degree felony charge — attempted capital murder.

 The Hays County Grand jury, during its second meeting in July, returned true bills on both offenses against Augustine Angel Sosa, 20, of Wimberley, Bryce Roberson, 20, of Corpus Christi, and Ralph Colten Olle, 19, of Wimberley. Both Sosa and Roberson have former addresses listed in Driftwood.

 The trio were arrested on April 21 in the wake of a fire on the porch of a home on Sagewood Trail that authorities determined was intentionally set. There were three people at home at the time of the fire and the indictments charge that the suspects set the fire using a flammable liquid “with specific intent to commit the offense of capital murder” as well as the intent to destroy the residence. 

The City Manager of Woodcreek John Sone submitted his letter of resignation during the last Woodcreek City Council meeting amidst what was has turned into a controversial situation between the city’s head employee and Woodcreek Mayor Mike Steinert. 

The resignation’s effective date is currently set for Jan. 13, 2016.

In a memorandum called “Amplifying Loss of Confidence,” Sone outlined behaviors he alleges are a “pattern of executive disregard for the laws of” Woodcreek.

“It’s a toxic leadership environment, plain and simple,” Sone told the Wimberley View after last week’s meeting. 

The memorandum goes on to detail instances over the last six weeks involving Steinert. 

(The full memorandum and the full written response from the Mayor can be found below)

It was 100+ degrees outside, but inside the Wimberley Community Center it was Christmas complete with Christmas carols, elves, Mrs. Clauses and Santas, lots of Santas. Gifts and smiles were everywhere for children. The Lone Star Santas Charities, Inc. and their ‘Convoy of Toys’ had arrived. 

The Lone Star Santas are a group of volunteer Santas who deliver gifts to children who are victims of disasters. Started in 2007, they provide “love, joy and toys, all wrapped up in a Big Santa Hug directly to children and families affected by disasters,” according to their brochure. Who else but Santa can help bring a little joy to children after the devastating floods and the tragic memories that the floods left behind.

It is the middle of August, the heat is almost unbearable and school is right around the corner. That means it is time for the Barnabas Connection’s Fiesta. The Fiesta helps provided needed school supplies to Wimberley children in need from Kindergarten to 12th grade.

On Saturday August 15, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., at the United Methodist Church, local volunteers help pass out supplies including backpacks, toothbrushes, school supplies appropriate to each grade, and provided haircuts, eye testing and other school-necessary services.

Although the students were apprehensive and shy at first, they quickly got into the swing of things by picking out a backpack, eating snacks and trying their best to enjoy a haircut.