Staff Reporter

County enters partnership to protect the Blanco River and Cypress Creek

Fri, 03/01/2024 - 12:00am

With various river towns across Hays County, protecting those natural resources is of top importance to residents. With that in mind, the Hays County Commissioners voted unanimously to form a new interlocal agreement with the city of Wimberley, the city of Woodcreek, The Watershed Association and the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment in order to implement the Blanco Cypress Watershed Protection Plan.

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Graphic courtesy of the city of San Marcos

The projected site of Buc-ees would be south of Yarrington Road on the west side of Interstate 35.
Graphic courtesy of the city of San Marcos

Council supports incentives for new Buc-ee's

Thu, 02/22/2024 - 12:00am

The famous beaver could be coming to San Marcos, and he’s bringing with him sweets, treats, restrooms and anything else an Interstate 35 traveler may need. The San Marcos City Council voted unanimously in favor of an Economic Development Incentive Agreement with Buc-ee’s San Marcos, LLC., which will provide incentives in the form of refunds of 50% of sales taxes generated by the company over 15 years for the construction of a new Buc-ee’s Travel Center along IH-35 south of Yarrington Road at the regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday. This vote was on the first of two readings, so it is not yet final.

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Council to consider incentives for Buc-ee's

Tue, 02/20/2024 - 12:00am

Final vote on can ban in river

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Primary election early voting to begin Feb. 20

Sun, 02/18/2024 - 5:00am

The primary election is right around the corner. Election Day is on March 5, and early voting runs from Feb. 20 to March 1. This election will include the federal, state and local positions on both ballots and propositions on the Republican Primary ballot alone.

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Sales up for month, down for year to date

Fri, 02/16/2024 - 12:00am

San Marcos is one of the most populated cities in Hays County, so it is no surprise that the sales made in December, which show up in sales tax allocations paid in February, exceeded the other cities in the county by millions of dollars. But not all news was good as the payment year to date is down from 2023, although only by less than one percent.

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Council moves plan for single-use container ban forward

Thu, 02/08/2024 - 12:00am

Litter is a major problem in the river. One of the biggest culprits is empty cans. Any river rat can tell you that you will likely find at least two to three of them if you spend an hour wading in only one location — move around and the number will increase exponentially. With that in mind, and after much consideration of a single- use beverage container ordinance that includes stipulations on cooler size, and public comments in support of the idea, the San Marcos City Council voted six to zero with one absent in support of the proposed ordinance on the first of two readings. The ordinance uses 'go' and 'no go' zones in certain parks to allow for the use of single-use containers in sections of the park while keeping them out of the river. In the previous meeting in which it was on the agenda on Jan. 16, council provided direction to staff as to what the specifics of the ordinance would entail.

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District Clerk not held in contempt, judge said he was ‘incapable’ of carrying out duty

Wed, 02/07/2024 - 9:45am

Hays County District Clerk Avrey Anderson was not held in contempt by Judge Tanner Neidhardt of the 483d Hays County District Court who said instead that he was “incapable,” on Tuesday.

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SMPD car chase ends in juvenile death

Fri, 02/02/2024 - 12:00am

A San Marcos Police Department car chase following two juvenile suspects ended in a wreck, a foot pursuit and ultimately the death of the passenger who fell 70 ft. into an open quarry pit in Comal County early in the morning on Tuesday, Jan. 30, according to city officials.

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Council to consider $800,000 home repair, rehabilitation program

Tue, 01/30/2024 - 12:00am

In an agenda with only six items, the San Marcos City Council is set to possibly approve an $800,000 funding agreement to establish a Home Repair and Rehabilitation Program for the community, rezone approximately 18 acres from Character District 5 to Light Industrial, create an amendment to the city code so the city manager can remove COVID-19 pandemic provisions that are no longer necessary and consider the allocation of remaining Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Action Plan funds to different categories or projects at the regularly scheduled meetings at 6 p.m. today. Based on the scope of the items, a shorter agenda may not equate to a shorter meeting.