The cattle egret really gets around. Originally, this bird was only found in Africa, Asia and southern Europe, but in the late 1870s, it first showed up in South America. It is speculated a flock may have been caught up in a tropical storm that moved them across the Atlantic. Keep that in mind durin...

L ook at the yards signs in Mountain City. Many yards (like ours) have both red and blue. Former Mountain City Mayor Beth Smith (blue) has an opponent for the position Justice of the Peace. Judge Smith sponsored this week’s National Night Out, as she has every year for 35 years. (That’s a lot of fee...

1. Plant fall-flowering perennials Look around and see what’s blooming this fall. Some good choices are Mexican bush sage, pineapple sage, Mexican mint marigold, Copper Canyon daisy, and fall asters. Don’t forget to check out fall blooming ornamental grasses. Tops on my list are Gulf Coast muhly, bi...

Your vote counts, but your words count even more. The Hays Free Press and News-Dispatch have received nominations of more than 60 people in the Buda, Dripping Springs and Kyle areas that have gone above and beyond to benefit the institutions they care about most. We are asking for input from our rea...

St. John Harvest Festival St. John Lutheran Church on Hwy 21 will host its annual festival on Saturday, Oct. 13, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. German Sausage Dinner will be served with all the sides. Activities include pumpkin painting, scarecrow making, children’s story time, Raffle and local vendors. Seton He...

The Friends Foundation 25th annual barbecue at the Salt Lick’s Pecan Grove will be held 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 11. This event will be an evening of western swing music, Salt Lick BBQ buffet, a live and silent auction, and an opportunity to support the Foundation’s programs benefiting the elderly in t...

When 15-year-old   Scout Hendrix noticed an issue affecting pedestrian traffic at Wimberley High, he rose up to the task to rectify it. With the help of a handful of volunteers, Hendrix this summer constructed a new pedestrian footbridge between Wimberley High and Danforth Junior High. The bridge, p...

On Sept. 29, 1872, Sgt. William Wilson won his second Medal of Honor in six months of combat against the Comanches. One of less than two dozen fighting men to receive a pair of American’s highest military decoration, the obscure cavalryman earned both on the battlefields of Texas. In its 157-year hi...

Organizers close the gate on memorial event An electric feel coursed through the air at Dripping Springs Ranch Park Sunday as bull riders mounted their rides and tried to tame close to a ton of sinew and muscle. Over the course of two decades, bull riders and fans have come to expect such a feeling ...

T he memory of a longtime law enforcement officer who also once served as Kyle’s mayor will now live on within the masonry of Historic City Hall.  On Sept. 18, the Kyle City Council unanimously passed a resolution to rename Historic Kyle City Hall to the Krug Activity Center. In addition, city leade...