San Marcos - Buda - Kyle Edition | September 2023

The e-edition is an exact replica of the newspaper with interactive and searchable articles from all your favorite sections.

San Marcos Buda Kyle Edition VOLUME 13, ISSUE 5 SEPT. 15OCT. 18, 2023

Jacob’s Well in Wimberley has stopped owing for the fth recorded time in history.

ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Extreme drought conditions strain water supply

stopped owing again,” said Katherine Sturdivant, Hays County parks education coordinator. “This is the longest extended period of zero ow that we have ever experienced.”

in Wimberley, has been closed for swimming by the Hays County Parks Department since August 2022 as low water levels and visibility deemed it unsafe. It stopped owing for the fth recorded time in history. “A few months ago, we could tell Jacob’s Well had

BY ZARA FLORES & KATY MCAFEE

Central Texans are surviving one of the hottest summers recorded with blazing grass res and extreme drought conditions this year. Jacob’s Well, a popular spring-fed swimming area

CONTINUED ON 18

Also in this issue

Impacts: Got Toys opens San Marcos location (Page 6)

Education: STAAR scores show mixed results (Page 13)

Development: St. David’s acquires land for new hospital (Page 16)

Business: Stoke Cold Pressed Juice brings unique approach (Page 22)

Your journey to

brings out our best.

Find pneumonia care ranked among the best in the nation at BSWHealth.com/Buda.

5330 Overpass Road, Buda, TX 78610

Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers or Baylor Scott & White Health. ©2023 Baylor Scott & White Health. 99-ATX-881580 L/GD

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

NOW SELLING FROM THE HIGH $300'S! KYLE MODERN FARMHOUSE COMMUNITY

160 Buckle Cove $459,950 3 BED + STUDY / 3 BATH / 2,201 SQ. FT.

245 Brooks Ranch Dr. $544,950 4 BED / 4 BATH / 2,938 SQ. FT.

WITH FIXED INTEREST RATES AS LOW AS 5.75% AND $11K IN CLOSING COSTS! APR*

Hey parents, worry less about your undergrad this year! 24/7 Virtual Urgent Care | Doctors treat allergies, cold, flu & COVID-19 symptoms, rashes, headaches, pink eye, nausea, UTIs, minor injuries, STIs, strep throat and much more.

1 MUST PURCHASE A BLACKBURN HOME DURING THE AUGUST MONTH. PURCHASER MUST USE BLACKBURN'S PROVEN LENDER, HOMEOWNER'S FINANCIAL GROUP. Annual Percentage Rate (APR) current as of current as of 09/2/2023 is subject to change daily without notice, and assumes a minimum FICO score of 620, no HOA fees, and a maximum debt-to-income ratio of 43% on a single family residence.

DIRECTOR OF SALES DARREN CHILDERS dchilders@blackburnhomes.com

(512) 975-0139

NormanMD.com

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

About Community Impact

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.

Readers, your newspaper has a

this month.

Market leaders & metro team

What is CI Simple? • Our Design & Editorial leaders have planned a complete overhaul of our content, and we've named the transformation CI Simple. • Each page has been re-envisioned to ensure information is presented in a concise and easily digestible format. Why? • In an age of ever-shortening attention spans and new information accessible at the swipe of a thumb, CI Simple addresses the demands of modern readers. • There’s nothing quite like reading local news straight from your mailbox, and with this change we’re making every word and image count even more. Exciting changes • Revamped front covers with eye-catching imagery alongside a story that truly matters, plus new features like CI Foodie and CI Texas

Reporters Brittany Anderson Elle Bent Amanda Cutshall Zara Flores Kameryn Griesser Sierra Martin Katy McAfee Hannah Norton Brooke Sjoberg Ben Thompson Amira Van Leeuwen Zacharia Washington Chloe Young Graphic Designers Alissa Foss Gloria Gonzalez Roger Ibanez Melissa Johnson Sabrina Musachia Brendan Rodriguez

Heather Demere General Manager hdemere@ communityimpact.com

Joseph Veloz Copy Editors Adrian Gandara Beth Marshall Kasey Salisbury Account Executive Adrian Martinez Managing Editor Miranda Jaimes Art Production Manager Rachal Elliott

Eric Weilbacher Editor eweilbacher@ communityimpact.com

• More subheads (called Impactisms) and bullet points to easily consume news • Strategic use of design layouts, labels, colors and more to guide your experience

Travis Baker Publisher tbaker@ communityimpact.com

What else? Join CI Patron to receive exclusive Saturday news and swag.

Email newsletters communityimpact.com/newsletter Support us Join your neighbors by giving to the CI Patron program. Funds support our journalistic mission to provide trusted, local news in your community. Learn more at communityimpact.com/cipatron

16225 Impact Way, Ste. 1, Pugerville, TX 78660 • 5129896808 CI Careers communityimpact.com/careers Press releases sbknews@communityimpact.com Advertising sbkads@communityimpact.com communityimpact.com/advertising

Proudly printed by

communityimpact.com

@communityimpactnews

linkedin.com/company/communityimpact

SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION

BLANCO RIVER

Impacts

4 Tailgate Central Texas State University relocated Tailgate Central back to the large lot along Aquarena Springs Drive due to upcoming construction for the Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Complex and William Trevillion IV Weight Room for the 2023 football season. • Relocated in August • Corner of Aquarena Springs Drive and Jowers Access Road, San Marcos • www.txst.edu

AQUARENA SPRINGS DR.

San Marcos

JOWERS ACCESS RD.

1984

Closings

WONDER WORLD DR.

5 Anchor Bar Anchor Bar permanently closed its doors after just over a year of business. The closure was announced via Facebook. There are still two other open local locations: one in Schertz and the other in San Antonio. The chain was founded in 2009 in New York and sells wings, pizza, burgers and more. • Closed July 17 • 1400 Aquarena Springs Drive, San Marcos • www.anchorbar.com/locations/san-antonio-tx 6 Stellar Coffee Co. Stellar Coffee Co. has closed its doors after a decade of business in the San Marcos community. The owners made the announcement via Instagram, stating they will be focusing on their family. • Closed Sept. 9 • 232 N. LBJ Drive, Ste. 101, San Marcos • www.stellarcoffeecotx.com 7 Studio San Martian Studio San Martian closed its doors after celebrating its fifth anniversary, Studio San Martian founder Kelsey Huckaby said. The studio held a wide range of art workshops, yoga classes, tea sits, live music, meditations, poetry nights, film screenings, vending events and more. Individuals could also rent the studio for private events.

THERMON DR.

123

SAN MARCOS RIVER

1979

MAP NOT TO SCALE

• 1204 Hwy. 123, San Marcos • www.universalinsurancetexas.com

Now open

1 Katz On The Go Cafe Katz On The Go Cafe offers an assortment of breakfast tacos as well as pastries. It also offers a variety of hot and cold coffee beverages. • Opened July 21 • 201 S. LBJ Drive, San Marcos • 512-214-8007 2 Universal Insurance Services Universal Insurance Services opened a new location. The company provides insurance for cars, motorcycles and contractors as well as title transfers. • Opened Sept. 1

Relocations

3 Hays County Local Health Department The Hays County Local Health Department fully relocated to its new location in August from 401 Broadway St., San Marcos, to Thermon Drive, which gives the department the ability to expand its services to include STI treatment and childhood immunizations as well as serving as a safety net for uninsured and underinsured residents. • Relocated Aug. 5 • 101 Thermon Drive, San Marcos • www.hayscountytx.com/departments/ local-health-department

• Closed at the end of August • 1904 Old RR 12, San Marcos • www.facebook.com/studiosanmartian

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ZARA FLORES & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Coming soon

Now open

8 Got Toys Got Toys held a soft opening Aug. 19 and a grand opening celebration Sept. 1. The New Braunfels- based toy store sells a wide range of toys for newborns to adults, including hats, mugs, coloring books, children’s books, gourmet scented markers, yo-yos, candles, socks and more. Got Toys has two other locations in the New Braunfels area at 180 W. Mill St. and 1714 Hunter Road. • Opened Aug. 19 • 202 N. LBJ Drive, Ste. 103, San Marcos • www.facebook.com/gottoysinnewbraunfels

9 Tantra After nearly a year of reconstruction, Tantra, formerly known as Tantra Coffeehouse and now under new ownership, will be reopening its doors after closing in 2020. Tantra has been remodeled from the ground up, including the releveling of the foundation, a stage for

live music and more. Owner Jeff Colasurd said a wrap- around porch and a walk-up window were also added. • Opening in October • 217 W. Hopkins St., San Marcos • www.tantrasanmarcos.com

Amenity Center

lacimatx.com AVAILABLE NOW!

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION

Impacts

4 Hobby Lobby The national decor and fabric chain opened a new location in Kyle. It offers a plethora of home decor. • Opened Aug. 21

967

45 TOLL

• 5777 Kyle Parkway, Kyle • www.hobbylobby.com

Buda

5 Inta Juice The smoothie and juice franchise Inta Juice opened a new location in Kyle and sells a variety of fruit smoothies, acai

1626

bowls and juices. • Opened Sept. 2 • 5401 FM 1626, Ste. 185, Kyle • www.intajuice.com

2001

WINDY HILL RD.

Coming soon

2001

150

6 Academy Sports + Outdoors The Texas-based sporting goods chain will open a new location in Kyle. Academy Sports + Outdoors offers a variety of health and fitness equipment, athletic gear, outdoor items, and apparel. • Opening Sept. 22 • 5755 Kyle Parkway, Ste. 200, Kyle • www.academy.com XCharge North America The company will be opening a 3,500-square-foot facility in Kyle, according to a media release. The business specializes in the research and development of electric vehicle-charging solutions. The location and opening date are yet to be determined. • Opening TBD • www.xchargeenergy.com

KYLE PKWY.

BLANCO RIVER

Kyle

MAP NOT TO SCALE

150

offers a weekly rotating menu with various cookie flavors. • Opened Sept. 9 • 5180 FM 1626, Ste. 110, Kyle • www.crumblcookies.com 3 CTRUS The family-owned lemonade business opened a new truck in Buda. Owner Hector Serrano and his wife own various CTRUS stands and trucks throughout Austin. • Opened Aug. 15

Now open

1 Black Rock Coffee Bar The Oregon-based coffee chain opened its newest location in Kyle. It sells a variety of coffee beverages,

Closings

smoothies and teas. • Opened Aug. 25 • 5160 S. FM 1626, Ste. 120, Kyle • www.br.coffee

7 Violet’s Home Goods & Gifts Violet’s Home Goods & Gifts, a local antique store opened by, Modesty Vidal, a co-owner of Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, has closed. The shop sold a variety of secondhand items, such as furniture and glassware. • Closed at the end of July • 310 Main St., Buda

• 15300 S. I-35, Buda • www.drinkctrus.com

2 Crumbl The cookie store opened a new location in Kyle. Crumbl

RICK COFER AUSTIN’S GO-TO CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY

COFERCONNELLY.COM • 602 W. 11 TH ST., AUSTIN, TX 78701 • 512-200-3801

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ZARA FLORES & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Now open

8 Carbon Health The urgent care center Carbon Health opened in Kyle. It offers a range of urgent care, primary care and virtual care services. The center specializes in women’s health care, including gynecological checkups, pap smears, mammograms and more. Carbon Health also specializes in LGBTQ+ health and diabetes care. • Opened Aug. 1 • 19220 S. I-35, Ste. 300, Kyle • www.carbonhealth.com

9 Progress Coffee + Beer The Austin-based coffee shop expanded to a new location in Buda in August. The shop sells a variety of hot and cold coffee drinks, such as its signature Lightning Coffee and Lavender Agave Latte. Aside

from coffee, Progress Coffee + Beer also has a full bar featuring local beer and wine as well as cocktails. • Opened Aug. 25 • 750 FM 2001, Buda • www.progresscoffee.com

CROSSWINDSTEXAS.COM

CHECK OUT OUR NEW AMENITIES: PLAYGROUND STRUCTURE, SPLASH PARK, AND SPORT COURT WITH PICKLE BALL! Out where gentle breezes blow across the rolling Texas prairie, there’s a place for families to connect in an active community with all the comforts of home. Crosswinds features a swimming pool, splash area, dog park, hike & bike trails and playgrounds – and even more exciting new additions coming soon to this beautiful master-planned community!

AT CROSSWINDS IN KYLE

Life’s a

Breeze

AUSTIN

VISIT OUR NEW MODELS!

131

SPECIAL PRICING AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME! PACESETTER HOMES • MILESTONE COMMUNITY BUILDERS BRIGHTLAND HOMES • HIGHLAND HOMES • PERRY HOMES

WINDY HILL RD.

✪

KYLE

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION

Government

New law could change course of Buda property The city of Buda and MileStone Community Builders could be nearing the end of negotiations regarding the proposed 775-acre Persimmon development, as a new state law might allow the master-planned community to move forward. The background The city and the developer have been working on the terms of the Persimmon development for around six years. The development is located in Buda and Austin’s extraterritorial jurisdictions, or ETJs, off RM 967 and FM 1626. The ETJ is an area of land generally located outside of a city’s limits wherein cities have limited authority. The development has consistently been met with opposition from the council and residents. Ultimately, city officials would like a maximum of 2,250 housing units compared to the proposed 2,800 units the developer is seeking to build.

New City Hall part of $321M budget The city of San Marcos could have new chambers in the coming years as the council prepares to adopt the proposed fiscal year 2023-24 budget, which includes $2.8 million to go toward a new City Hall, on Sept. 19. The context City Council approved $6 million in the FY 2022-23 budget to go toward the start of design concepts for the new facility. Accord- ing to the city’s 10-year capital improvements plan—which was released in April—an addi- tional $80 million in funding will be sought through a potential 2026 bond. The property tax rate will remain the same at $0.603 per $100 valuation, which will generate nearly $50 million of revenue for the city.

1626

PERSIMMON DEVELOPMENT

967

SOURCE: CITY OF BUDA/COMMUNITY IMPACT

As a result of the 88th legislative session, Senate Bill 2038 went into effect Sept. 1, which allows residents and landowners in an ETJ to leave the city’s authority through a petition or an election. MileStone has already provided the city with “notice of their intention” to leave the Buda ETJ and move forward with Persimmon without the city’s input, regulatory authority or utility connections. MileStone founder and CEO Garrett Martin said that despite plans to pull out of the city’s ETJ, the company still willing to work with Buda.

Caring for in every phase of life you ARC Ob/Gyn is here to support you by providing care for your reproductive health.

• Prenatal • Delivery • Postpartum • Annual exams

• Birth control • Screenings • And more!

ARCobgyn.com

Find an ob/gyn near you: ARC Center Street

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ZARA FLORES

Several positions up for a vote in Kyle, San Marcos Candidates have filed to run for open positions in the cities of San Marcos, Buda and Kyle. In a nutshell The filing period for the general election Nov. 7 ended Aug. 21. More than a dozen individuals have applied to run in the upcoming election for their respective races. The city of San Marcos will have races for City Council places 3 and 4. The city of Kyle have the mayor and Districts 2 and 4 on the ballot. In Buda, the terms for mayor and two City Council members are up. However, the incumbents were the only ones to submit applications by the filing deadline, according to the city’s website. Therefore, Buda City Council voted to cancel the races since there are no opponents.

Oct. 10 Last day to register to vote

GARISON PARK

967

Oct. 23-Nov. 3 Early voting

Oct. 27 Last day to apply for ballot by mail

Buda acquires land for Garison Park The city of Buda announced Aug. 8 that it acquired 4.5 acres of land that will be added to Garison Park, which will be completed through the city’s 2021 bond. What they’re saying “Acquisition of this property was a priority for City Council as it creates opportunities to better connect our trail system and to build out the future Garison Park,” City Manager Micah Grau said in the release.

Nov. 7 • Election Day • Ballot by mail must be received

SOURCE: HAYS COUNTY ELECTIONS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

What to expect Readers should be on the lookout for Commu- nity Impact’s upcoming Voter Guide, which further breaks down the upcoming general election, including who’s on the ballot and where to vote. Voters across Texas will also find 14 propo- sitions to amend the state constitution on the Nov. 7 ballot.

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION

ENROLL NOW! Limited spots available

Scan for more info or Enroll now

TEACHING AND STAFF

NEW PRESCHOOL OPENING FALL 2023

• Structured onboarding program and training procedures • Experienced leadership team • Passionate, caring teachers and staff

CURRICULUM

BRAND NEW FACILITY

• 3 proprietary, developmentally appropriate curriculums • Before/ After School Program with busses for elementary school pick up • Supported by a Cognia Accredited Franchise Company

• Spacious, bright classrooms in a brand-new facility • 3 age-appropriate playgrounds and a Splashpad • Convenient location close to families

SAFE, CLEAN, SECURE

TECHNOLOGY

• Secured building via keycode entry system • Zono sanitizing machine • Rigorous cleaning procedures

• Daily contact with teachers through online tools • Real-time video monitoring (optional program)

Open 6:30am to 6:30pm | Family owned and operated | Nutritious meals and snacks provided

1190 Veterans Drive Kyle TX 78640 | 737-377-1233

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY SIERRA MARTIN & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

STAAR scores in San Marcos CISD show improvements San Marcos CISD’s school board met Aug. 21, when trustees received a presentation breaking down preliminary State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness scores, which showed slight growth but stand below state averages. SMCISD Director of Data and Accountability SMCISD STAAR results Students in the district scored below the state average in math and reading in every grade level in spring 2023. SMCISD State

Armed security requirement challenges Hays CISD The Hays CISD board of trustees met Aug. 28 to address how the district will com- ply with House Bill 3, a new law that requires an armed security officer on every campus. According to the resolution passed unani- mously by the board of trustees, the district is unable to comply. Jeri Skrocki, chief safety and security officer for HCISD, said she spoke with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, and it lacks available personnel. What’s next? The board of trustees has claimed a good cause exception for HB 3 and will work to develop alternative standards the district is able to comply with.

Beth Nash noted the 2023 Accountability Manual, also known as A-F letter accountability ratings, has yet to be finalized. What parents should know “We still do not have the final, ‘What’s going to count? What is it going to look like? How will things be factored?’” she said. Nash also emphasized the Texas Education Agency does not compare one campus to another within the district but instead uses data to compare other campuses outside the district that are similar in demographics based on enrollment numbers, economically disadvantaged student percentages and other factors.

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Math

Reading 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Hays CISD exceeds state standards in 2023 STAAR Hays CISD students in third to eighth grades per- formed above the state average in most subjects in the spring State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, based on results released from the Texas Education Agency on Aug. 16.

HCISD STAAR results Seventh grade didn’t exceed the state average.

HCISD

State

The gist Based on the data from the TEA, the subject HCISD students struggled to meet the most was seventh grade math, which at 51% fell 10 percent- age points below the state average of students who approached grade level. Parents can visit www.texasassessment.gov to see the specific STAAR results for their child.

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Math

3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade

Results for assessments in mathematics, reading and language arts in third to eighth grades; fifth and eighth grade science; and eighth grade social studies were released to parents.

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION

JOB FAIR

September 26, 2023 3pm-6pm Buda Welcome Center 303 N Main Street

Looking for a new job? More than 200 positions are open and need to be filled! Stand out from a crowd by applying in-person at the Buda Job Fair.

Best Labor Day Sale Ever! FREE DELIVERY, SETUP & REMOVAL With $699+ purchase. $149.99 Value. Not valid with any other offer.

ASHLEY SLEEP

` 10-inch profile ` Hypoallergenic memory foam ` Breathable moisture wicking fabric ` Superior support and alignment QUEEN FACTORY SPECIAL $ 499 YOUR CHOICE OF FIRMNESS WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! Others $1,049

Buy a bed with us and be a part of giving back. A portion of every sale will be donated to Austin Pets Alive! HELP US MAKE A PAWSITIVE IMPACT!

QUEEN BUNDLE Others $1,116 $ 589 Memory Foam Mattress + Power Base

0% FINANCING FOR UP TO 5 YEARS

FactoryMattressTexas.com

` Hypoallergenic ` Lumbar Support

Scan for locations throughout Austin & San Antonio u

SAVE UP TO $700 on select Tempur-Pedic adjustable mattress sets

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Transportation

COMPILED BY KATY MCAFEE & ERIC WEILBACHER

Upcoming projects

Austin-area drivers will notice billions of dollars worth of improvements along I-35 over the next decade. While many projects are still in the planning stages, drivers are already seeing the traffic impact to their commute as TxDOT adds lanes, reconstructs bridges and makes mobility improvements to over 100 miles of road from Georgetown to San Antonio.

1 I-35 Capital Express Central project Project: This Central Austin project received environmental clearance Aug. 21 and is expected to break ground in mid-2024. Update: The project will add two high-occupancy vehicle lanes in each direction on the inner sections of the highway and widen the corridor from a range of 11-18 lanes in either direction to 17-22 lanes when accounting for frontage, bypass and auxiliary roads, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Timeline: mid-2024-32 Cost: $4.5 billion Funding source: TxDOT

Georgetown

183

Round Rock

45 TOLL

281

130 TOLL

290

Johnson City

Austin

130 TOLL

Ongoing projects

290

2 Williams Drive diverging diamond Project: Crews are adding a diverging diamond intersection, or DDI, on the Williams Drive bridge over I-35 in Georgetown. Update: The south portion of Williams Drive bridge is closed and will reopen when construction is complete by the end of 2023. Timeline: October 2020-end of 2023 Cost: TBD Funding source: TxDOT 3 I-35 southbound project Project: The project will add an auxiliary lane on the southbound I-35 main lanes between Hwy. 79 and Hesters Crossing in Round Rock. Update: TxDOT is in the final stages of the project and is installing new lighting. Timeline: March 2022-fall 2023 Cost: $8.4 million Funding source: TxDOT 4 I-35 Capital Express North project Project: This will add one high-occupancy vehicle lane in each direction between SH 45 N and Hwy. 290 East, reconstruct several bridges, add a DDI at Wells Branch Parkway, and add pedestrian and bicycle paths. Update: Crews are in the early stages and working on paving frontage roads, utilities and drainage. Timeline: March 2023-26 Cost: $606 million Funding source: TxDOT 5 I-35 Capital Express South project Project: This involves the reconstruction of bridges, relocation of ramps and the addition of two HOV- managed lanes in each direction between Hwy. 71/Ben White Boulevard and SH 45 SE. Update: Crews are working on building elevated HOV- managed lanes in the median south of Ben White. A long-term traffic shift is in effect south of Ben White near Stassney Lane. Timeline: November 2022-28 Cost: $548 million

183

45 TOLL

Buda

281

San Marcos

130 TOLL

New Braunfels

123

377

1604

Seguin

San Antonio

410

123

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

Funding source: TxDOT

retaining wall design and the contractor. Timeline: June 2022-March 2024 Cost: $6 million Funding source: Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization 8 I-35 Northeast Expansion Central Project Project: Crews closed the left lane of the southbound frontage road from Arcadia Drive to the bridge of Olympia Parkway to build elevated structures. Update: During the construction, the right lane will remain open. Timeline: May 2022-TBD Cost: $1.5 billion Funding source: TxDOT

6 I-35 at Hwy. 123 Project: TxDOT is widening the I-35 bridge over Hwy. 123. Update: TxDOT is also working on reversing and relocating several ramps along the main lanes and frontage roads between Hwy. 80 and RR 12. Timeline: August 2021-early 2025 Cost: $107 million Funding source: TxDOT 7 FM 725 turnaround at I-35 Project: TxDOT is in the process of making operational improvements at the intersection of FM 725 and I-35. Update: The original completion date was in September, but it was pushed back to March due to changes in the

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION

Development

Real estate

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON

Industrial development coming to San Marcos Whisper 35 is a five-building industrial park being built in San Marcos. The gist The project is being developed in two phases, and two of the five buildings were completed during the first phase of the project in 2021. Developer Greystar Real Estate Partners has broken ground on Phase 2 of the project, and the remaining three buildings are now under

St. David’s acquires land for new hospital St. David’s HealthCare is set to begin work on a new hospital in Kyle. The backstory The hospital group announced it was pursuing a location in 2022. A location was selected at FM 1626 and Marketplace Avenue, and a letter of intent has been signed to purchase the land, according to St. David’s. The full-service acute care hospital is estimated to open in late 2024.

78666 Number of homes sold

July 2022

July 2023

Residential market data

The home market in San Marcos, Buda and Kyle continued to balance out in July, according to data from the Austin Board of Realtors. The median costs of homes for the three cities were also down across the board with Buda seeing the largest year-over-year decrease in home sales at almost 20%.

+12.16%

78640

FLUSTERN RD.

78666

121

P O

+4.96%

78640

127

78610

Road, San Marcos. Whisper 35’s second phase is set for completion in early 2024, comprising 494,926 square feet of industrial space. What they’re saying “Our project is located in the heart of Hays County and Texas’ Innovation Corridor,” said Spencer Holcomb, Director of Development for Greystar. “The project is benefitting from the rapid growth of several industries, including automotive, semicon- ductor manufacturing, regional distribution and destination attractions.”

-6.10%

construction. A closer look

Median home sales price

Manifest Commerce—an eco-friendly logistics company offering carbon-neutral services to busi- nesses—has leased the second building in nearly 90,000 square feet of space, bringing Phase 1 to 100% occupancy. The industrial park is located at 912 Flustern

2022

2023

78666

-5.95%

$364,990

$388,082

1626

78640

-9.07%

$359,990

$395,901

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS 512-454-7636 • WWW.ABOR.COM

78610

-16%

$402,500

$479,025

SAN MARCOS 510 Barnes Dr (512) 392-0366

CREEKSIDE TOWN CENTER 263 Creekside Crossing (830) 608-1969

SOUTHPARK MEADOWS 9900 IH-35 Service Rd S (512) 280-7400

NEW BRAUNFELS 1671 IH-35 S (830) 629-0434

From the cover

Extreme drought conditions strain water supply

Diving in deeper

Two-minute impact

treatment capacity. In June, the city of Buda updated its drought ordinance to reduce water usage under certain stages. “We changed our drought triggers to where, each stage, we basically cut in half the amount of available hours [residents] are allowed to water,” Buda Public Works Director Blake Neffendorf said. To get ahead of the fluctuating water levels, San Marcos, Buda and Kyle have partnered with the Alliance Regional Water Authority to diversify their supplies of water through the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer.

As the region experiences rapid, persistent growth, water resources are in higher demand. “The worst drought we ever had was in the 1950s, and Jacob’s Well did not stop flowing then,” Sturdivant said. “We had a third of the population in Central Texas at that time. Now, we have a similar drought but with three times as many people.” Area cities have made changes over the past several years to diversify and conserve water. The city of Kyle completed its wastewa- ter treatment plant expansion after years of planning and construction to increase the plant’s water

from the Barton Springs dropped to 12 cubic feet per second, or cfs. “The lowest flow that has ever been recorded for Barton Springs is 10 cfs in the drought of record, so we don’t really know what happens beyond there,” BSEACD Communications and Outreach Manager Shay Hlavaty said of the drought of record in the 1950s. “Barton Springs has never stopped flowing in recorded history.” Canyon Reservoir in Comal County— which is one of the main water sources for various cities throughout Hays County—hit record lows Sept. 8 at 891.96 feet above sea level. The previous record was 892.7 feet in 2009.

Central Texas was hit with a double threat this summer: record-breaking high heat and little rainfall. The region has seen temperatures over 100 degrees nearly every day since July 8, causing increased evaporation of local water reservoirs and increased wildfire risk. Two main water regulatory agencies in the region, the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and the Edwards Aquifer Authority, have recorded dropping water levels. Entities such as the conservation district are dealing with unprecedented low water levels and “uncharted territory” as discharge Exceptional drought is the most intense drought category on the U.S. Drought Monitor and occurs when the region experiences 98% dryness. 100% of Travis, Hays and Comal Counties are in exceptional drought 1.29 million average number of people affected by the drought 3rd driest July on record in 129 years

San Marcos, Buda and Kyle 2023 water usage Water usage in San Marcos, Buda and Kyle fluctuates as demand and heat rise. The following is water usage from August 2022 through July.

350 San Marcos

Buda

Kyle

Travis County

300 250 200 150 100 50 0

Hays County

Comal County

Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul.

SOURCE: U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR/COMMUNITY IMPACT AS OF SEPT. 8

2022

2023

SOURCES: CITIES OF BUDA, KYLE AND SAN MARCOS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

CALL 512-396-CPA1 NEW LOCATION! Hello, Neighbor!

Visit our calendar for more events: www.rileystavern.com 8894 FM 1102 New Braunfels, TX 78132 9/23 Jesse stratton Band 9/30 Riley’s 90th Birthday party 10/7 Rods at Riley’s with the Georges

310 Stagecoach Trail #100B San Marcos, TX 78666

TAX SERVICES• SMALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTING PAYROLL• QUICKBOOKS CONSULTING www.jdacpa1.com

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ZARA FLORES & KATY MCAFEE

KEY

Current water restrictions as of Sept. 8

What’s being done?

SOURCES: CITIES OF BUDA, KYLE AND SAN MARCOS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

San Marcos, Buda and Kyle drought restrictions info

The Edwards Aquifer is a karst aquifer, which fills up quickly and runs out of water quickly, ARWA Executive Director Graham Moore said. “The Carrizo[-Wilcox] Aquifer is very different. It’s like a big, thick beach sand aquifer,” Moore said. “It’s got water just in between all of that packed sand. It reacts very slowly to water being taken out of it.” Many of the pipelines to connect the ARWA’s sources to cities across Hays County are under construction and expected to go live early next year. While San Marcos entered Stage 4 out of 5 drought restrictions Aug. 27, as of Sept. 8, Buda is at Stage 2 of 4 and Kyle is in amended Stage 3 of 3.

Stage

San Marcos

Buda

Kyle

Hand watering is allowed any day, any time. Automatic sprinklers are allowed once a week from 8 p.m.-8 a.m.

No watering allowed from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. All normal watering operations are allowed. Residential watering is restricted to once a week. Filling pools is prohibited Hand-washing cars is limited to twice a week. Watering is limited to 7-11 a.m. and 7-11 p.m. Hand-washing cars is limited to once a week.

Watering with an irrigation or sprinkler system is prohibited from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Hand watering is allowed at any time. Watering with an irrigation system is only allowed on designated days from 8 p.m.-10 a.m.

Irrigation is only allowed during designated times. Filling new water features is prohibited. Irrigation is limited to once every other week at designated times. Automatic sprinklers are restricted to every other week from 8 p.m.-4 a.m. Hand watering is restricted to any day during designated times only. Irrigation is restricted to once per week. Watering with sprinklers is prohibited. Irrigation is restricted to every other week. Hand watering is restricted to once per week.

Hand watering is restricted to 6-10 a.m. and 7-10 p.m. on designated days.

Residential watering is restricted to once every other week. Hand-washing cars is prohibited.

—

Minimizing water usage Residents and business owners can help reduce their water usage by:

What’s next?

“The good news about the El Niño, though, is that it will tilt our odds toward wetter conditions by the time we get into the winter time. So we can hopefully start to make up some of those deficits.” KEITH WHITE, NATIONAL

Central Texas will need to see weeks of heavy rainfall—specifically near Fredericksburg—to end drought conditions, said Aaron Abel, water services manager for the Brazos River Authority. Warmer ocean temperatures from the El Niño effect could bring more rainfall in Texas, according to the National Weather Service.

Watering only when necessary

Checking for leaks

Not watering streets, sidewalks or driveways

Using a dishwasher instead of hand- washing dishes

Additionally, homeowners should pick up and properly dispose of any brush or debris around their homes as there is a high risk of wildfires in the region.

WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGIST

SOURCE: HAYS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION

Home For All Sales Event

OR Use 6% FLEX CASH, Your Way

3.99% Rate (5.725% APR)* For Your First Year! 4.99% Int. (5.725% APR) for Years 2-30 Fixed FHA (with full price offer on select homes) Secure Your Extra-Low

1 2 3 4

Purchase Price Reduction* $0 Closing Costs $0 Down Long Term Rate Locks

New Homes $ 2 5 0s - $ 500s+ HomeWithBrohn.com | 512-580-8199

© 2023 CMG Financial, all rights reserved. CMG Financial is a registered trade name of CMG Mortgage Inc., NMLS #1820 in most, but not all states. CMG Mortgage, Inc. is an equal opportunity lender. Registered Mortgage Banker with the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending. To verify our complete list of state licenses, please visit www.cmgfi.com/corporate/ licensing and www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. All loans subject to credit approval and only eligible with CMG Financial, Brohn’s lender partner. This incentive only valid on select spec homes that are contracted on or after 9/5/23 and close by 9/30/23, and finance with CMG Financial. The rates shown above are for educational purposes only, not a commitment to lend, please contact LO to see your qualified rate. Rate may change or may not be available at time of rate lock. CMG Mortgage, Inc. dba CMG Home Loans, NMLS# 1820, is an equal housing lender. Registered Mortgage Banker with the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending. To verify our complete list of state licenses, please visit www.cmgfi.com/corporate/licensing and www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. If the down payment is less than 20%, mortgage insurance may be required, which could increase the monthly payment and the APR. Estimated monthly payment does not include amounts for taxes and insurance premiums. Adjustable-rate loans and rates are subject to change during the loan term. That change can increase or decrease your monthly payment. The rates shown above are the current rates for the purchase of a single-family primary residence based on a 45 day lock period, 740 credit score and 80% LTV. These rates are not guaranteed and are subject to change. This is not a credit decision or a commitment to lend. Your rate will depend on various factors including loan product, loan size, credit profile, property value, geographic location, occupancy and other factors. Offer is for a limited time only and can be stopped at any time and with no prior notice. Offers only valid when financing through Brohn’s lender partner, CMG Financial. Please see a Brohn Homes Sales Consultant for complete details. Offer may not be available with all programs in all states. All figures are estimates and subject to change at any time. The information here is provided as a general guide to help you determine if a property may be viable for you. Rates, APR’s & programs are illustrations subject to change at any time. These do not constitute a ‘Loan or Good Faith Estimate’ for payments and closing costs. Everyone’s situation is different and it’s best to be pre-approved for a range of potential prices, payments or loan programs. Flex cash offers vary per home and per community. The flex cash amount is contingent on the price of the home and only valid on participating homes and in participating communities. Speak to a Brohn Homes Sales Consultant for details on participating homes and participating communities. If using flex cash to reduce the price of the home, the reduction cannot bring the home price below base price. FHA Quick Move-In Payment example: Stated rate may change or may not be available at time of rate lock. If you bought a $589,990 home with a down payment of 3.5%, for a loan amount of $579,303 (including FHA insurance premium), on a 30 year loan at a fixed rate of 4.990% (5.725% Annual Percentage Rate), you would make 360 monthly payments of $3,126.28. Payment stated does not include taxes, homeowners insurance, and mortgage insurance which will result in a higher payment. Example is based off of a home in Double Eagle Ranch priced at $589,990. Buying down interest rate is just one way to use flex cash. Rates are as of 08/25/23 and can change daily. The flex cash amount is contingent on the price of the home and only valid on participating homes and in participating communities. Speak to a Brohn Homes Sales Consultant for details on participating homes and participating communities. The flex cash can only be used in one of the five ways shown in this advertisement, including reduction in purchase price (not being less than base price of home) or applying towards closing costs or move-in costs or long term rate locks or buying down the interest rate (specific interest rate and associated APR fluctuate on a daily basis and change due to individual situations). A 30 year loan would result in 360 monthly payments. A 20 year loan would result in 240 monthly payments, and a 15 year loan would result in 180 monthly payments. This is a limited time incentive program that can be stopped at any time and with no prior notice. Exterior home renderings are for representation purposes only and subject to change. The Brohn Group, LLC (DBA Brohn Homes) reserves the right to make changes to pricing, floor plans, specifications, features, materials, dimensions, and incentives without prior notice. Stated dimensions and square footages are approximate and should not be used as representation of the home’s precise or actual size. Copyright 2023 Clayton Properties Group, Inc. DBA in Texas as Brohn Homes.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Events

BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

September

Hispanic Heritage Exhibition Walk The walk will kick o Hispanic Heritage Month at Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos. Attendees will walk to the Hays County Historic Courthouse, where there will be music, food and vendors. Event proceeds will go to local students in the form of scholarships to support and further their education. • Sept. 16, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. • Free • Centro Cultural de Hispano San Marcos, 211 Lee St., San Marcos • www.visitsanmarcos.com/event/hispanic-heritage- exhibition-walk/3325 Snakefessst! Participants will learn about and interact with the snakes in the San Marcos area. They can also attend lectures to learn about snakes, snake safety and more. • Sept. 16, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. • Free • San Marcos Discovery Center, 430 Riverside Drive, San Marcos • www.sanmarcostx.gov/3695/Snakefessst/snakefessst Ballet Folklórico performance The Buda Public Library will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a performance from Texas State University’s Grupo Folklórico Ocotochtli. This traditional style of dance is used to tell the story of Mexican culture. • Sept. 22, 6:30-7:30 p.m. • Free • Buda Public Library’s Multipurpose Room, 405 Loop St., Buda • www.budalibrary.libcal.com/event/11052201 Autumn Equinox Family Fun Day Community members are invited to experience the changing of the season. This family-friendly event will have nature-themed games and crafts for attendees to learn about the equinox. • Sept. 23, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. • Free • The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, 201 San Marcos Springs Drive, San Marcos • www.meadowscenter.txst.edu

Doggie Dip The city of Kyle Parks and Recreation Department will host the fth annual event at the James Adkins Pool. Community members who register can bring their dogs to the park to let them cool o after a hot summer.

• Sept. 16, 10 a.m. • $12 • Gregg-Clarke Park’s James Adkins Pool, 1231 W. Center St., Kyle • www.cityofkyle.com/recreation/doggie-dip-02023

lms and features. • Oct. 12-15, times vary • Prices TBA • Price Center, 222 W. San Antonio St., San Marcos • www.thelostriverilmfest.org C/10 Fly-In Mike Billet Mirrors is putting on the fourth annual C/10 Fly-In. The event is open to 1918-87 C/10 Chevrolet/GMC trucks, Suburbans and Blazers. Vintage ghter planes will also be available for photos. • Oct. 21, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. • $25 • San Marcos Regional Airport, 1807 Airport Drive, San Marcos • www.c10flyin.com

October

Sacred Springs Powwow This annual celebration of Native American culture has been a part of the San Marcos community for decades. Native dancers from across the state will gather at the Sacred Springs and perform intertribal dances. • Oct. 7-8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. • $5-$16 • 211 San Marcos Springs Drive, San Marcos • www.sspowwow.com Lost River Film Fest The Lost River Film Fest will spotlight independent cinema for its seventh year. The fest will exhibit short

EXPERIENCE "THE WAY SHOPPING SHOULD FEEL!"™ Hollydays Market October 12-15th NEW BRAUNFELS CONVENTION CENTER

First Call Shopping Thursday 11 am-7 pm General Hours Friday 9 am-6 pm Saturday 9 am-6 pm Sunday 11 am-5 pm Shopping Tickets: General: $6 First Call: $10

SHOP LOCAL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON WITH SMALL BUSINESSES TO FIND FALL, THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, AND EVERYDAY GIFTS!

BRING THIS COUPON & RECIEVE A FREE ADMISSION TICKET TO OUR SPRING MARKET! EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE! INPUT CODE "HOLLY" FOR $2 OFF FIRST CALL SHOPPING TICKET.

SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION

Business

BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Buda-based Stoke Cold Pressed Juice innovates on freshness Stoke Cold Pressed Juice, a locally owned juice company, started o as a farmers market venture in 2019 before expanding to the wholesale retail side of juice in 2021—but it was tricky. “Juice is a dicult product to work with wholesale because it’s 100% legal to sell raw juice [directly] to a consumer. ... As soon as I am selling it wholesale to another business and they’re keeping it on their shelf and selling it to someone, it is illegal to sell raw juice,” co-owner Jonathan Laing said. The options Two of the most common ways to sell juice in a grocery store are through heat pasteurization and high-pressure pasteurization, Laing said. As he began doing more research, he discovered another method that would give him the ability to sell juice: ultraviolet light ltration. “It was a bit of a gamble to use UV because there was almost no literature out there. It was very hard to nd actual peer-reviewed studies on the eects of ultraviolet light on dierent juice compounds,” Laing said. Once Laing put the UV method in practice, the gamble proved itself to be a success. A closer look Stoke Cold Pressed Juice oers an assortment of juices along with juice cleanses. All of Stoke Cold Pressed Juice juices are made in-house. Although the UV method reduces their juice shelf life to two to three weeks.

The Warrior has lemon mixed with alkaline water, orange, turmeric, ginger, honey, cayenne pepper and Himalayan salt.

AMIRA VAN LEEUWENCOMMUNITY IMPACT

RO BE RT S. LI GH

967

1705 Robert S. Light Blvd., Unit 104 https://usa.stokejuice.com

Jonathan Laing packages Stoke juices.

COURTESY STOKE COLD PRESSED JUICE

Coworking Series Join fellow entrepreneurs & remote folks at the Buda Welcome Center! This free event includes desk space, outlets, Wi-Fi &

303 N Main St. September 21 9am-5pm

coffee. An optional “HR for Small Business” workshop will be hosted at noon.

Sponsored by: Buda Economic Development Corporation & Splash Coworking

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Dining

BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Pick 2 ($22) includes two items from Lazy J Cajun’s new fried menu with fries and hushpuppies.

Big Couillon ($47) includes two snow crab clusters and 1 pound of jumbo shrimp.

PHOTOS BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWENCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Eatery Lazy J Cajun oers more than just crawsh

From left: Owners Josh and Adam Smith stand in front of Lazy J Cajun.

The brothers recently expanded Lazy J Cajun’s menu, adding fried alligator, frog legs, oysters, shrimp, catsh, boudin balls and hush puppies. Lazy J Cajun’s crawsh are always live. “A lot of people out here are like, ‘Are they frozen?’” Josh said. “We almost threw away $4,000 worth of craw- sh during the freeze because we thought they were frozen,” Adam said. What’s special about it? The brothers said Lazy J Cajun’s hospitality, authenticity and ambience make them stand out from other Cajun restaurants in the area. “We make you feel like you’re in your neighbor’s backyard,” Adam said.

Josh and Adam Smith, two brothers from Southeast Texas, wanted to bring the Cajun avors they grew up with to the Hill Country. In April 2021, they opened Lazy J Cajun, a fam- ily- and pet-friendly outdoor restaurant located in New Braunfels. On the menu Year-round, Lazy J Cajun oers what they call “TexMeCa” foods, which is a blend of Texan-, Mexican- and Cajun-inuenced food, including pulled pork nachos, “Cajunized” elote, po’boys, hamburgers, seasonal gumbos, crawsh and more. Although crawsh is seasonal, the Smith brothers are determined to be the “rst and the last” to oer crawsh each season.

1102

6390 FM 1102, New Braunfels www.lazyjcajun.com

Easily promote your goods and services to Central Texans while growing your business! Online marketplace available exclusively to Central Texans

Free business software suite Built-in digital marketing tools Custom online storefront

Let's chat!

512-900-1633 howdy@centraltexas.com

SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16-17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32

communityimpact.com