For as long as I can remember, my family has spent holidays in Koosharem, Utah, a town of just 300 people. It is where I learned to love the outdoors and where I feel most connected to my family heritage. Six generations ago, my ancestors settled nearby Central Valley, Utah and established a home in the desert sagebrush for […]
JMAT Bernal
Kerr County seeks more federal aid as Hill Country flood recovery continues
KERR COUNTY, Texas — Flood recovery is far from over in the Texas Hill Country, and local leaders are asking for more federal help as communities continue rebuilding. The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country is expected to provide an update Thursday morning on its recovery efforts following the devastating flooding along the Guadalupe […]
Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country announces recovery plan following July 2026 floods
KERRVILLE, Texas – The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country announced its next steps weeks after severe flooding ravaged the area for the second July in a row. Earlier this month, foundation leaders also launched a relief fund for 10 Hill Country area counties impacted by the flooding. During a Thursday morning news conference at Gibson’s Discount […]
Restoration work continues along Guadalupe River after flooding setback
KERRVILLE, Texas – Efforts to restore the Guadalupe River are moving forward after recent flooding erased some of the progress made by nonprofits and landowners working to heal the river corridor. Last winter, groups worked with hundreds of property owners along the Guadalupe River to plant native grasses, sedges, wildflowers and grown plants. The work was […]
“Where are all the volunteers?” Kerr County faces worse flood damage with fewer resources
Kerr County residents are cleaning out homes and businesses this month after the second devastating flood in as many years — but this time, some nonprofits and community leaders say they’re facing more destruction with less financial assistance and volunteer help than last year. As of Tuesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency hadn’t approvedfederal aid for […]
Community Foundation has deployed $80 million in flood relief. The question that won’t go away: why not just give it to the city and county?
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has now deployed just over $80 million in flood relief grants since the July 4, 2025 disaster, according to a full accounting of the organization’s published grantee data — a figure that lines up closely with the $82 million CEO Austin Dickson cited to Kerrville City Council […]
Your questions about Kerrville’s disaster tax rate, answered
The Lead’s live Facebook coverage of Friday’s Kerrville City Council budget workshop drew dozens of comments from readers, many raising the same core questions about the likely disaster tax rate and the city’s flood recovery finances. Here, The Lead answers them directly. What exactly is a “disaster tax rate,” and how is it different from […]
FSB accepting flood relief donations
First State Bank of Uvalde is accepting flood relief donations for the Texas Bankers Foundation Flood Relief Fund and the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country’s Uvalde County Flood Relief Fund. Both organizations raised money for Uvalde after the Robb Elementary shooting. The Texas Bankers Foundation website states it will work to identify the […]
Flood recovery begins with asking for help
The devastating floods that swept through Gillespie County last week left many local businesses facing difficult days ahead. For some, the damage was obvious—water inside buildings, damaged equipment, and interrupted operations. For others, the impact has been less visible but equally significant as canceled reservations, reduced tourism, and lost revenue create financial strain. The good […]
Do it for your neighbor: Record your damage with the state, even if you do not need assistance
The economic health of Kerr County depends on many things, but the most important step victims of the most recent flood can do is report property damage to the Texas Division of Emergency Management iSTAT website, according to Todd Bock, executive director of the Kerr Economic Development Corporation, regardless of whether the property owner needs […]