Lifestyle

DRIPPING SPRINGS — Families can start making plans to attend the second annual Western Wonderland at Dripping Springs Ranch Park for the holiday season. Following DSRP Manager Emily Nelson’s presentation on Tuesday, May 7, Dripping Springs City Council unanimously approved bringing back the Western Wonderland event for a second year. Last year’s event brought a total of $153,058.48 in revenue, with $110,258.48 coming from fees and $42,800 from sponsorships and Hotel Occupancy Tax funds, according to Nelson’s presentation. The expenditures, which totaled to $297,594.47, compared to the $252,425 that was budgeted, were as follows: • Personnel Costs: $13,962.58 actual; $25,000 budgeted • Advertisements/Marketing: $8,150 actual; $8,800 budgeted • Event Costs (Contract, electricity, HCLE, supplies, merchandise/concessions and signage/graphics): $219,392.72 actual; $232,192 budgeted • Other (Sponsorship costs, banners and appreciation; lodging and fuel): $56,089.17 actual; $20,500 budgeted Nelson explained that after a smooth first year of Western Wonderland, several lessons were learned to create even more positive changes and growth for years to come. • Increase the dates to include the week of Thanksgiving. • Turn over marketing to the city of Dripping Springs marketing team • Expand special events • Create more time slots for community performances during non-peak times • Expand ice skating lessons • Really analyze the traffic patterns to set the hours • Increase party/table rental opportunities • Add skate assists for our small and/or less experienced skaters for a rental fee • Increase merchandise • Offer special discount cards before the rink opens for holiday gifts • Sell frequent skater punch cards throughout the season “We are definitely still in the planning phases. We are actually going to grow upon the ice skating lessons and our special events that we already had started with last year. We're just going to enhance those and bring up more special opportunities where people can come in and have smaller amounts of people on the ice because they're there during a special event time,” Nelson said. “We'll continue growing those programs, they were very popular last year. And then we are excited that we're getting the skate assists, so that any of the new skaters will be able to have a little bit more of a balancing opportunity, they'll build to use those skate assists.” The estimated total cost for the rink is $187,679, with an option to add an ice technician for $41,490 if DSRP decided it needed one. Last year, the total cost — with an ice tech already included — was $203,442. “Currently, we're not going to step forward with an ice tech. Our staff trained last year, which is what we were hoping that they would do, since they handle everything in our arena. So, we're hoping that that would translate a little bit over into our ice rink,” Nelson said. While she was unable to provide the total number of people who attended the 2023 Western Wonderland event, as there were some who came in organically from the trail of lights and community performances, Nelson said that there were a little more than 8,000 skaters. “The positive feedback in-person and [on] social media, it was amazing. The few customer issues I had to navigate with people, it was all reasonable,” Nelson explained. “I never had such an experience where I didn’t have somebody with a lot of negative feedback to give us. Everything out there on social media and just in-person were people asking if there was any way we could have a rink the entire year.” “It was a fun experience for it to be such a happy moment and just seeing [on] social media and seeing the community enjoy it, that definitely warmed our hearts,” she continued. The estimated dates for the event are Nov. 22, 2024, through Jan. 5, 2025. However, the event is still in the planning phases and the dates are subject to change.

SAN MARCOS — During National Pet Month, the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter took the opportunity to share its current conditions and how community members can get involved. SMRAS is the stray animal open-intake facility for all of Hays County, explained community engagement coordinator Minnie Buckhaults, meaning that any animal within the county gets transported to the shelter, due to ongoing contracts with the animal control departments. Along with the responsibility of being the county intake shelter, the increasing amount of strays within the cities also causes overcrowding. Buckhaults described the lack of resources as the reasoning behind the high number of stray dogs and cats, citing lack of low cost spay and neuter, low cost vaccination and a general “lack of awareness from our community.” “We are trying to find as many positive outcomes for the animals that enter our facility, whether that be through adoption, transferring them to rescue partners, [etc.],” said Buckhaults. “We just want to get as many animals out [as we can]. A shelter is no place for an animal.” Part of this initiative is the creation of Space Force, a program within the shelter that aims to promote positive opportunities for the animals. “We make sure that anyone that hits the 30-day mark has a bio, they have new photos [and] they have notes that we can talk to a doctor about. And when they hit a 60-day mark, we will make sure that they’ve been on a Dog’s Day Out, that they’ve had a foster plea and a rescue plea. Then, we also identify dogs that may need a little help being advertised, more rescue pleas sent out, more time in the yards or medically checked out,” said Buckhaults. For example, a dog at the shelter named Candidia will be receiving a hospice plea due to the discovery of cancer. Veterinarians estimate she only has six months to a year left to live. Despite the efforts of the shelter, the 93 kennels are filled with more than 160 dogs, some of which are stationed in pop-up crates. During the interview, Buckhaults revealed the stacks of crates in her office filed with puppies, as the shelter is attempting to fill every space to accommodate the amount of dogs. When these numbers rise too high, the shelter has to unfortunately consult behaviorists to determine if any animals must be put on a euthanasia list. In early May, six dogs were planned with a deadline for Thursday, May 9. Prior to the list being posted on social media, three were picked up by rescues. Through various posts and tags from community members, two of the animals were adopted and the last, Jackson, left with a foster. “The only way we could operate is with community involvement,” said the coordinator. “Whereas our team has the one person reaching out to rescues over and over for Jackson, when the community adds their hundreds and hundreds of voices, it really makes a difference.” Buckhaults said that the communities, along with cities, are doing a lot in attempt to aid SMRAS. According to the coordinator, the city of San Marcos recently instated an ordinance which requires all animals to be microchipped in an effort to return dogs to their owners and prevent them from going missing. The city also required pet stores to provide animals from a shelter rather than a breeder if there is going to be an adoption event.

, , Riffs, Roams and Raves uncovers the creative, noteworthy and accomplished in the Wimberley Valley and beyond with tips on who to hear, where to go and what to see from managing editor Teresa Kendrick. The intense, powerfully wry and introverted singer-songwriter James McMurty took to the Wimberley Players stage along with gifted performer Betty Soo in the second event of the 2024 season of the Stars over Wimberley Concert Series. Onstage first was Betty Soo, stunning in four-inch stilettos, who, with a minimum of chit chat, took up her guitar and sang for the packed audience her song, “Blackout.” A...

Five speakers shared their knowledge of the avian world in the second annual Migratory Bird Seminar hosted by the Wimberley Parks and Recreation Department. Attendees learned that the Texas Hill Country is a rest stop for migrating birds such as the Blackedcapped Vireo and the endangered Golden- cheeked Warbler. Topics included migration, conservation, habitat management, insect pollinators and native pollinators. “We hope to create a new tradition in Wimberley by presenting this seminar each year to engage birders, edu-cate new people and to ignite a passion for bird conservation among our local citizens,” said Rachel Littleton, Recreation Manager for WPARD. The seminar ended with a tour of the Patsy Glen Refuge.

The 3rd Annual Migratory Bird Festival took flight on May 11 in San Marcos, celebrating feathered friends that grace Texas skies. The festival aimed to teach attendees the importance of bird conservation as well as promoting bird-safe procedures to make San Marcos a safer habitat for all. Niki Lake, Discovery...

This week, Wimberley Parks and Recreation director, Richard Shaver announced the beginning of the swim season at Blue Hole Regional Park. Swimming passes, unlimited season passes are now available for purchase and summer camp registration is open. “The start of the swim season at Blue Hole marks the beginning of cherished memories and endless summer fun,” said Shaver. “We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the beauty of nature and the joy of community at this beloved Wimberley gem.” Adult swimming passes can be purchased in five categories: Adult, ages 13 to 59, are $12; Youth ages 4 to 12 are...

Join Wimberley humorist Susan Rigby as she attempts to navigate “the small stuff.”. I should have expected it. It’s like when my kids started kindergarten - something changed. Prior to that, they thought I knew everything, and pretty much worshiped me. Then came the big change. They walked in the Kindergarten door an innocent child and came out a know-it-all, mom knows nothing, punk kid. I was in shock the first time that happened but by the time my second child started school, I was dreading but expecting the change. Now I understand why parents want to home school.

Logie's On The Square will be located at 150 S. LBJ Drive in San Marcos. (Amira Van Leeuwen/Community Impact) Logie's On The Square will opening a location in downtown San Marcos at the former Aquabrew location. Owner Joe Bendetti said he will be expanding the restaurant by adding a large...

Driftwood, Texas is an essential Hill Country town in Hays County, full of beautiful vistas, — there’s a reason why there are so many wedding venues out here. And, for Eater purposes, it’s a bastion of Texas wines as well as strong distilleries, breweries, Texan cuisines, and a go-to barbecue spot. Driftwood, Texas. With that, we put together this handy guide to the best eating and drinking destinations in Driftwood.

BUDA, Texas — The Central Texas Food Bank and Hays County Pet Resource Center gave away food to those in need on Saturday morning. The goal of the drive-up event was to help eliminate the barrier of pet food affordability, in order to keep families and pets together. "The...

Have you been contemplating pet adoption, or simply love perusing adorable pets? A myriad of delightful pets are available for adoption at various animal shelters in the vicinity of san marcos..

Have you dined at the most stunning restaurant in all of Texas?

At 104 years old, Ernie Columbus could be called a thrill seeker.

At 104-years-old, Ernie Columbus could be called a thrill seeker. KXAN caught up with the WWII veteran as he was gearing up for his second ever sky diving trip in San Marcos.

Have you dined at the most stunning restaurant in all of Texas?

In the wake of a Texas fisherman hooking what appeared to be a bull shark in the Guadalupe River, the City of New Braunfels has come forward to quash any fears of a finned menace lurking in the waterways of Comal County. As the rumor mill churned out visions of tubers dog-paddling among sharks, city officials made it clear that social media's exaggeration had gone overboard.