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After nearly 5 years on the run, a wayward Kerrville feline is reunited with her people
Kerrville’s Sara Cotton got a surprise on Wednesday, one that cleared up a nearly five-year-old mystery — whatever happened to the family cat S’Mores? S’Mores was alive and well and ready to come home. After disappearing in November 2021, S’Mores was reunited with Cotton and her daughter, Charlie, on Wednesday after the wayward feline was […]
Symphony of the Hills Fourth of July Performance
The Lead’s stories
Kerrville Christmas Lighting Corp. expands Merry on the Square, kicks off Christmas in July push
The Second Annual Merry on the Square is set for Saturday, Nov. 21, starting at 4 p.m. around the Kerr County Courthouse and running through the Annual Holiday Lighted Parade and Courthouse Lighting Ceremony.
Academy Sports + Outdoors sets August opening for River Hills Mall store
Academy Sports + Outdoors plans to open its first Kerrville store in August, the Katy-based retailer announced Monday, finalizing a plan the City Council set in motion last year.
Kerrville’s superintendent carries “Tivy Fight” to the National Cathedral
“Those school buses became lifelines of comfort, reassurance and hope,” Ringo said, describing drivers, coaches, teachers and staff who didn’t wait to be asked twice.
As Ruskan heads to the ESPYs, the story of his Camp Mystic rescue has outrun the record
The Coast Guard rescue swimmer has stayed consistent and modest about what he did on July 4. The narrative built around him — shaped from the first week by Department of Homeland Security officials and amplified from the floor of Congress — has not. What it left out is the question Kerr County has been asking all year.
A day of remembrance as Kerrville marks the Fourth of July
In between, the county moved through a full day of events that carried an unusual double weight: the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, and the first anniversary of the flood that killed 119 people in Kerr County and altered the landscape of the Guadalupe River for good.
July 4 Holiday weekend DWI arrests set 2026 high-water mark in Kerr County
Eight arrests came July 4. Five involved DWI charges, including one with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 or higher and two second-offense DWI charges. Bond on those ranged from $1,000 to $2,500, set as surety bonds.
Drone show will honor 137 flood victims across the region, capping the Fourth
The drone show is the finale to a full day of Fourth on the River programming at Louise Hays Park, hosted by Arcadia Live, running from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday. Symphony of the Hills performs “Stars, Stripes and Spirit: Remembrance & Resilience” at 4 p.m. at the Cailloux Theater, and the park will host live music, food vendors and children’s activities throughout the afternoon and evening.
HTR TX flood lawsuits set for June 8, 2027 trial as case grows
At least 36 people died at HTR TX, more than at any other site in the county, including Camp Mystic’s 27 deaths. That toll makes the sprawling litigation against the resort’s ownership and management the largest single-location wrongful death case to come out of the flood.
From There To Here: A year in review
We’ve told the stories of this flood for a year now. Our tragedy made worldwide news and the devastating losses of that day and those that followed are again being told for the one-year anniversary. We haven’t forgotten — and never will — but, we also want to look back through a different lens.
Video: The Year, a look back at the year since July 4, 2025
In this video, we look back at the year that changed Kerr County.
Gov. Abbott to read flood victims’ names at Symphony of the Hills’ free July 4 concert
Abbott is confirmed to attend and will read the names of the 119 flood victims as the symphony performs Bach’s “Air on the G String,” dedicated to those lost and affected on July 4, 2025.
Texas’ new school-choice program begins funding accounts July 1
The Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, or TEFA, was created by Senate Bill 2, the education savings account measure — a voucher-style plan critics call vouchers and supporters call school choice — that the Legislature passed and Gov. Greg Abbott signed in 2025, after years of resistance led largely by rural Republicans.
A year on, Habitat Kerr County expects 30 flood-impacted families home
The nonprofit says it has directed more than $5 million into the local economy through its recovery work, funded largely by the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund — with 10 families still on its caseload.
Supreme Court says political party spending limits unconstitutional
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the conservative majority, said so-called coordinated expenditures — party spending on advertising and other campaign activity carried out in consultation with a candidate’s campaign — are core political speech that the government may not broadly restrict.
Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship
Justices rule 6-3 that the executive order is unlawful; five find it violates the 14th Amendment
The Year: The Flood’s Impact on Kerr County
The Lead’s Special Report
The monster in the canyon: What the storm actually was — and what was never asked
Nine months after the flood, federal meteorologists tell the full story. In 15 hours of legislative testimony this week, none of it came up.
At 12:56 a.m. on July 4, 2025, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Austin sent a message through its professional communications platform: “Some cell mergers about to take place in central Kerr County. This will be an area to watch for potential flash flooding.”
Eighteen minutes later, a flash flood warning went out to cell phones across the Hunt area — the ninth such warning issued for the Guadalupe River corridor since 2020. The previous eight had all expired without a mass casualty event.
By 4:03 a.m., NWS had upgraded that warning to a Flash Flood Emergency — the most urgent alert the agency can issue. Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator Dub Thomas was home sick that night. Whether anyone else in Kerr County’s emergency structure was actively monitoring professional NWS channels during those critical hours remains unknown. Read more: https://kerrcountylead.com/the-monster-in-the-canyon-what-the-storm-actually-was-and-what-was-never-asked/
The Lead’s Special Sections
Arts and Culture
What’s coming up at Arcadia Live for the rest of July
Arcadia Live has a full slate on tap for the back half of July, mixing free family matinees, trivia and bingo nights, and two screenings tied to the one-year mark of last year’s flood.
Museum of Western Art to host public reading of Declaration of Independence Wednesday
Doors open at 4:30 p.m., with the program starting at 4:45 p.m. with an introduction from the Daughters of the American Revolution. The reading itself begins at 5 p.m. sharp in the museum’s main gallery.
Enchanted Rock opens rugged new Backcountry Area to hikers July 7
The roughly 640-acre expansion, tucked behind the park’s iconic granite dome, has been years in the making as part of the state’s Centennial Parks initiative. Monday’s opening marks the first phase of public access — and it’s not for the casual visitor.
Photo galleries
Photo gallery: The 2026 Bluebell Bike Parade
Riders of all ages decorated their bikes before setting off on the charming neighborhood parade route, adding a lighthearted, family-friendly moment to the holiday.
Photo gallery: Symphony of the Hills’ “Stars, Stripes and Spirit” concert
Conductor Dr. Eugene Dowdy said the free concert was meant to honor both the tragedy and the community’s resilience, and before the performance, the public viewed nine original paintings from artist Robert R. “Bobby” Cahill’s “Freedom” series, tracing the history of the American flag since 1776.
Photo gallery: The 2026 Fourth on the River
The free, all-ages celebration featured a full day of live music — including Los Juanos, Jamie Lin Wilson, Junior Brown and William Beckmann, several of whom were booked for last year’s canceled show.
Photo gallery: Faith and Fellowship at Louise Hays Park
The free event offered space for community healing ahead of the flood anniversary, with live music from Southern Oaks Church, Briscoe and Caleb & Kelsey, plus access to trained mental health professionals for those still processing last year’s tragedy.
Photo gallery: Kerrville Pets Alive remembrance
Kerrville Pets Alive hosted a remembrance ceremony to honor pets lost in the July 4, 2025 flood in Kerr County.
Sports
Enchanted Rock opens rugged new Backcountry Area to hikers July 7
The roughly 640-acre expansion, tucked behind the park’s iconic granite dome, has been years in the making as part of the state’s Centennial Parks initiative. Monday’s opening marks the first phase of public access — and it’s not for the casual visitor.
Pat Holmes, AFL All-Star who later called Kerrville home, dies at 85
Durable as well as decorated, he started every game of his first five seasons and never missed a game in seven years with the Oilers, appearing in all 98 and starting 96.
Commentary: How a trip to Ingram helped bond, unite the San Antonio Spurs to greatness
That trip was initiated by Spurs ownership and management, but it was executed by head coach Mitch Johnson, who made trips to Kerr County in the days immediately after the flood. Johnson saw the devastation firsthand through his volunteer efforts; he connected with the community, especially Ingram Tom Moore football coach and athletic director Tate DeMasco.
Obituaries
Birgit Woodrum: Oct. 26, 1940-July 6, 2026
Throughout her career, she worked for Sears, Alpine Lodge Restaurant, The Inn of the Hills, State Aire, and Peterson Health.
Joseph Samuel “Joe” Bubnich: May 21, 1935-July 1, 2026
Throughout his life he received many awards and decorations on the state and federal level; including a letter of honorable service from the U.S. president.
James “Jim” Behling: Aug. 30, 1946-July 5, 2026
Jim “Papa Bear” will be remembered for his generous heart, contagious encouragement, and lifelong commitment to helping others discover their purpose in Jesus Christ.
Wilburn Elwood “Corky” Durst: March 29, 1945-June 26, 2026
He had a deep love for the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, and his deer lease was one of his favorite places to spend time. He was also actively involved in 4‑H, particularly the swine project, where he shared his knowledge and passion with others.
Brandon Kyle Shomette: April 25, 2004-July 1, 2026
He loved spending time in nature and enjoyed taking walks. Brandon was also an avid video and computer game player and especially enjoyed Fallout, Fortnite, and many other games.
Community voices
Editorial: A year later, the hardest comment to hear
So when “nobody told us” gets said out loud, a year on, it lands as a heavy sigh for everyone who has spent that year telling. The nonprofits that stood up relief funds within the week. The case managers. The volunteers.
Commentary: How a trip to Ingram helped bond, unite the San Antonio Spurs to greatness
That trip was initiated by Spurs ownership and management, but it was executed by head coach Mitch Johnson, who made trips to Kerr County in the days immediately after the flood. Johnson saw the devastation firsthand through his volunteer efforts; he connected with the community, especially Ingram Tom Moore football coach and athletic director Tate DeMasco.
They came for Brenda Hughes. Here’s what they used — and what the truth is.
This has been an extraordinary campaign. Not because of anything Hughes has done, but because of what has been done to her.
Op-ed: It’s time to get involved in your party, reminders for voting
And do not think your vote doesn’t matter! If you voted in the Primary, it is incumbent upon you to have your voice heard. If you did not vote in EITHER primary, you can vote in the Republican primary runoff.
Recent photos by The Kerr County Lead.
The Mission of The Kerr County Lead
Covering community news in the heart of the Hill Country.
Founded in 2021, The Kerr County Lead aims to provide high-quality journalism for Kerrville, Texas and the surrounding communities of the splendid Texas Hill Country. In the coming years, Texas faces exponential growth and the challenges of managing land, resources and water. At the same time, the Hill Country offers a robust quality of life and culture. With this mission, The Lead focuses its work on the stories that matter most to the readers in Kerr County.
