A t this time of year, when summer sun is doing its annual roasting of central Texas, I am often thinking of the best ways to keep all of my lovely plants alive. As gardeners we must try our hardest to conserve as much of our precious water for our landscapes as possible. Drip irrigation, without qu...

As an older sibling, Kyle resident Bud Allen understood the gravity his actions have on his immediate family. From the moment he was bitten by the motorcycle riding bug at a young age, Bud knew it was a “natural evolution” for his sister, Kim, to get involved in the culture, too. And so Kim did, mak...

Roughly 90 local students entering the 1st through the 5th grade completed their week at Barton Middle School’s Camp Invention. The annual summer camp is led by Director Guy Gandre and Assistant Director Karen Sinor. The Camp Invention program allows students to “explore with fun, hands-on activitie...

Dreams of one day possibly reaching for the stars got a little bit closer for a Kyle 12-year-old. Earlier this summer, Isabel Nordyke, of Kyle, fulfilled a dream by attending an American Girl Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “I’ve thought about being a part of m...

urprise and confusion filled Buda resident Shelly O’Donnell’s mind when told in August 2017 that she had contracted multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer. It was a jarring moment for O’Donnell, a longtime Hays High educator, whose diagnosis came as the result of blood work drawn during a routine che...

In May, Hays High senior Taylor Cooper earned the incredible distinction of Outstanding Performer at the UIL Texas State Solo and Ensemble Competition at the University of Texas at Austin. Of the 100,000 who participated at regional UIL music contests and the 25,000 musicians who performed at TSSEC,...

drastic food shortage at the Hays County Food Bank is sparking a community effort to restock the shelves that help curb food insecurity in the county. The initial plea for help came June 25 after a Facebook photo showed empty shelves at the food bank. Within two days, 3,000 pounds were donated for t...

arly July gets me in the mood to plant fall tomatoes. Texas A&M’s Vegetable Garden Planting Guide advises gardeners to get their fall tomato transplants in the ground between July 7 and August 7. (Larger transplants in 1 gal. pots or larger can be planted as late as Sept.1.) I prefer to plant determ...

olan Ryan was one out away from pitching his second no-hitter in as many months on Jul. 15, 1973 when the Detroit Tigers’ Norm Cash strolled to the plate carrying a table leg instead of a baseball bat. The umpire was not amused.   “You can’t use that up here,” he gruffly informed the prankster. “Why...

Area residents came out in force to celebrate Independence Day at local parades and firework shows. Check out some snapshots here.  (photos by Hays Free Press staff)