News

“We hold up Blue Hole as one of the best examples of Sustainable Development.” – Michelle Bertelsen, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Land Steward

The final major phase in the decade-spanning Blue Hole Regional Park Master Plan was quietly launched last Friday with a day-long training session at the Park Pavilion. Restoration of the Park’s Uplands will see the “not the swimming hole” areas of the 126-acre park returned to a classic example of authentic Texas Hill Country environment.

It happened on Saturday, November 18. Volunteers by the swarm came out to plant trees to firm up the shores of the Blanco River. TreeFolks is concerned about saving the river and its banks. One way to stabilize the banks is by planting trees, a lot of them, in a small area. 

Volunteers and a little elbow grease are the way the trees got planted. TreeFolks hopes to plant 100,000 of them in the next year. Lots of smiling volunteers were there with shovels in hand, ready to plant the little stalks of trees. 

“There were about 45 volunteers on Saturday and we planted about 950 trees,” Matt Mears, Reforestation Manager of TreeFolks said. Native varieties of trees were planted as they have the best rate for survival. The acreage on which the trees were planted were just out of town.

The city of Wimberley is now flush with cash for the wastewater treatment plant and collection system as the loan from the Texas Water Development Board was finalized last week. 

“The loan is done, the money is in the bank and we are ready to go,” Wimberley Mayor Mac McCullough said. 

With the Texas Water Development Board loan of $5.255 million, a $243,000 “Green Grant” and $1 million from both the U.S. Economic Development Agency and the Way Foundation, the total amount of funds collected for the project is just under $7.5 million. McCullough said that there is a misconception about the U.S. EDA grant, and that the grant funds are available upfront and can be used for construction.

Funding education is like the weather, everybody talks about it but nobody does anything about it. But that is where the Wimberley Education Foundation comes in. The WEF has been a helping hand to all of Wimberley ISD’s schools.  

They’re big event is this Sunday November 5 at the Leaning Pear with the 

4th Annual Evening for Education from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday 

“We have two fundraising events per year. The one at Leaning Pear…is more about the education foundation, learning what is the foundation, we go through the grant process and the benefits to teachers and students,” Chris Smith the WEF President said. Auctions have helped raise the foundation’s account and now it is in good shape.

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while educating the public about the potential for abuse and medications.  This was Wimberley’s fourth Drug Take Back Day and was put together by It Takes A Village Community Outreach, Keep Wimberley Beautiful, and Hays County Constable Precinct 3.  Yesterday 10/28th, another 115 pounds was collected from Wimberley and Woodcreek area residents. 

“We take allegations seriously and as such have conducted a thorough review into the complaints received that were in our purview,” Texas Water Development Board Executive Director Jeff Walker told the TWDB Board on Tuesday afternoon. “We have found no evidence of fraud, waste or abuse.”

Walker recommended that the Texas Water Development Board continue moving forward with the $5.5 million loan to the city of Wimberley for the wastewater treatment plant and collection system. He said that all parties believe they can close the loan before the Oct. 31 deadline. If a problem arises, a TWDB meeting is already scheduled for Oct. 31 and an extension will be on the agenda just in case.

Hays County Judge Bert Cobb, M.D., has appointed Lon Shell to succeed outgoing Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Conley, who officially resigned the position he has held since 2005 in order to run for County Judge in 2018. Cobb is not seeking re-election to a third term as Judge.

The initial results from the first Bacterial Source Tracking Study on Cypress Creek were released last week and did show at least some sewage related pollution, but the results are far from conclusive. 

The first of three tests was made while it was raining. The next two tests will be during dry weather.

“Lets be cautious at looking at any one sampling event to draw any conclusions,” Nick Dornak, an environmental scientist contracted by the Meadows Center to oversee the project, said. “We need to wait until we have all the data and then we will be able to find out if we have any trends that we need to focus on in the future.”

The bacteria counts were high, but that is expected during a rain event.

Barnabas Connection will be under new leadership for the first time, as Executive Director Vicki McCuistion will be leaving the position to take a new job.

“It is with a mix of grief and gratitude that the Board of Directors announces Vicki McCuistion’s departure as Executive Director of The Barnabas Connection October 23, 2017,” a press release from Barnabas said. “Since 2004, Vicki has played a critical role in the development and success of the organization, and while we will miss her and her inspiring leadership.”

McCuistion will take over as the Disaster Response Logistics Coordinator for the Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. She will be coordinating and developing resources to aid in the recovery from Hurricane Harvey.

A few months ago, an Arabian foal named Barbara was born with a defective nose and snout. This was due to her leg being in the wrong position over her snout in the womb. It was a serious condition, as the foal could not nurse properly.

The original owner wanted to euthanize the horse, but Martha Carroll-Talley would have none of that, as she became attached to the animal. Barbara, named after Barbara Streisand, would live and be normal after she had an operation at about six months. It was hard to keep her alive and it took some doing with lots of expenses.