2009-01-01

New Year brings another lawsuit against state AG

By Judith Pannebaker

Just in time for the New Year, Bandera County has found itself embroiled in yet another lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.

2009-01-01

Commissioners give Cielo Rio 4th extension

By Judith Pannebaker

Bandera County Commissioners begrudgingly approved developer Don L. Apostolo’s request for an unprecedented fourth extension on a letter of credit necessary for completing roads in his upscale subdivision.

2009-01-01

January to June 2008

By Judith Pannebaker & St

This editorial recap recalls events in Bandera County from January to June 2008. It proved to be an interesting year. Bet you forgot some of the year's quirkier happenings.

2009-01-01

Audit delivered early Christmas present to city

By Judith Pannebaker

With dire financial portents swirling about their heads and money sometimes seemingly slipping through their fingers, the Bandera City Council received a welcomed Christmas present

2009-01-01

Bandera reports good shopping season

By Stephanie Parker and J

Citing images of flushing toilets, television’s talking heads quickly proclaimed this past Christmas retail season as abysmal due to the economy’s downward spiral.

2009-01-01

Taxes, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act and you

Contributed

With another tax filing season quickly approaching, the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) is advising taxpayers about details of the recent Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

2009-01-01

New HHS Secretary portends significant changes at FDA

By Jonathan W. Emord, Esq

Emord has litigated before federal courts and agencies for the past 23 years. He has defeated the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a remarkable six times in federal court.

2009-01-01

Cancer group offers support through education

Contributed

The Medina Area Cancer Support Group meets at 7 pm, the first Monday of the month in the Medina Community Library on Highway 16 North.

2009-01-08

Fire destroys home - no one injured

By Judith Pannebaker

The New Year began inauspiciously for a family living just off FM 3240 – known by county old-timers as Ridge Route.

2009-01-08

Okie court action puts Heinen back on the roads

By Stephanie Parker

Immediately after being acquitted on a charge of intoxication manslaughter, John Heinen was extradited to Oklahoma to stand trial on three counts of driving while intoxicated.

2009-01-08

Forsooth, yet another lawsuit cometh

By Judith Pannebaker

As the proverbial rhyme goes, “for want of a nail,” a kingdom was eventually lost. However, as occurred recently in the County of Bandera, for want of a correct address, another lawsuit was launched.

2009-01-08

Cyclist seriously injured

By Stephanie Parker

Department of Public Safety Trooper Damon Derr investigated a motorcycle accident that occurred at approximately 12:30 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 31 on Highway 16 north of Medina.

2009-01-08

Commissioners look for more authority during 2009 legislative session

By Judith Pannebaker

When it comes to managing growth, Bandera County Commissioners are clearly caught between a rock and a hard place.

2009-01-08

2008 – It’s a wrap, part 2

Staff

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality scheduled a contested case hearing on a proposed wastewater treatment facility to be constructed for Hills of Castle Rock

2009-01-08

TCEQ contested case hearing announced

Contributed

Commissioners with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality have scheduled an evidentiary contested case hearing on an application by BP Real Estate Investments, Ltd. to construct a sewer treatment plant at the Hills of Castle Rock subdivision.

2009-01-15

Jr Livestock Show & Sale scoffs at bad economy

By Stephanie Parker

Bandera County Extension Agent Warren Thigpen said that preliminary estimates of the 73rd Bandera County Junior Livestock Show & Sale put it “well over $200,000,” down only slightly from last year’s $215,000.

2009-01-15

173 work leads to wrecks

By Stephanie Parker

Two vehicles were involved in an accident along a road construction site on Highway 173 North at approximately 2:55 pm, Friday, Jan. 9. Kathy Tonner, 71, was cited for failure to control speed and driver inattention after she plowed into the back of a vehicle in front of her.

2009-01-15

Flying L property owners want action

By Stephanie Parker

Approximately 30 Flying L property owners converged on the Thursday, Jan. 8, meeting of the Bandera County River Authority and Ground Water District (BCRAGD) demanding action.

2009-01-15

County animal control making progress & dispelling rumors

By Judith Pannebaker

Jennifer Gaertner, community liaison on animal control issues, recently offered Bandera County Commissioners a status report of the county’s lost and found four-legged critters.

2009-01-15

New District 73 Rep holds ‘grip & grin’ session

By Judith Pannebaker

An ebullient Doug Miller paused in Bandera during his whistle stop swing of District 73 prior to being sworn in as state representative Tuesday, Jan. 13, in Austin.

2009-01-15

Cow tax’ for methane emissions fails to pass Courier's smell test

By Judith Pannebaker

For those not “in the know,” an idea supposedly floated by the Environmental Protection Agency included plans to tax livestock annually to the tune of $175 for each dairy cow,

2009-01-15

City Council agenda announced

Contributed

City of Bandera Council will convene a regular meeting at 6 pm, Thursday, Jan. 15 in the municipal building on Main Street.

2009-01-15

R&B facility – ‘good time to pursue this work’

By Judith Pannebaker

Work on a new Bandera County Road and Bridge Facility is slowly, but inexorably, inching closer to a start date, according to Wayne Gondeck, AIA, of San Antonio’s DRG Architects.

2009-01-22

Drugs, alcohol detected in accident victims

By Stephanie Parker

Randall Lee Collins, 20, Tyler James Lewis, 21, Clayton Dean Oliver, 17, and John David Gaddis, 16, died in a one-vehicle rollover accident on 173 South on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2008.

2009-01-22

Peanut butter recalled

By Judith Pannebaker

Grocery chains servicing residents in Bandera, Kendall and Kerr counties have become caught-up in the latest salmonella scare – this one involving peanut butter snack crackers and cookies.

2009-01-22

Ray Marvin Hay Honored

With a proclamation that declared every Dec. 16 as Ray Marvin Hay Day in Bandera.

2009-01-22

Trinity not recharging–

By Stephanie Parker

A handful of people attended a Thursday, Jan. 8, Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District (BCRAGD) meeting to hear the results of a Medina River surface water study that pinpointed Trinity Aquifer

2009-01-22

Celebrate Bandera, RiverFest garner national, state kudos

By Judith Pannebaker

Once again, two of Bandera’s festival events have been singled out in national magazines as “not to be missed in 2009” – not bad for a municipality of less than 1,000 people.

2009-01-22

Latest grass fire – could have been a lot worse

By Judith Pannebaker

For the second time this month, local volunteer firefighters have had to rally the troops and battle a not inconsequential blaze.

2009-01-22

County dads pass on TxDOT bridge proposal

By Judith Pannebaker

Bandera County Commissioners recently – but respectfully – declined an offer from personnel with the Texas Department of Transportation to overhaul two county bridges over the Medina River.

2009-01-22

City gets new patrol car

By Judith Pannebaker

It might not be as colorful as Bo and Luke Duke’s favorite mode of transportation, but the newest addition to the Bandera Police Department looks just as good to Police Chief Jim Eigner and his crew.

2009-01-22

BISD board votes to keep Superintendent Dyes

By Stephanie Parker

Following a closed session during the Tuesday, Jan. 13 Bandera Independent School District Board of Trustees meeting, BISD board members reconvened to extend Superintendent Kevin Dyes’ contract through 2012 and to add a 3 percent pay raise.

2009-01-29

Alkek: Where there's smoke, but no fire

By Stephanie Parker

When is a thing that is not the thing it was thought to be a good thing? The answer to this convoluted riddle is: when someone smells smoke at a school and there is no fire.

2009-01-29

Public outcry over water leads to action

By Stephanie Parker

Flying L Public Utility District’s (PUD) 256 customers have been under Stage 3 water restrictions since July 2008, when both wells supplying homeowners with water had dropped to 345 feet.

2009-01-29

Fire at Blue Gene's

By Stephanie Parker

Due to the quick response of the Bandera Volunteer Fire Department, a fire that emptied out Blue Gene’s Cowboy Sports Bar on Saturday, Jan. 24, caused little damage.

2009-01-29

Dog mauling case on DA’s backburner

By Judith Pannebaker

Late last week, rumors were rife throughout Bandera County that 216th District Attorney Bruce Curry had declined to present a felony dog mauling that occurred last October to a grand jury

2009-01-29

Appraisal district reacts to slump

By Stephanie Parker

The Central Appraisal District (CAD) of Bandera County retained its board of directors during a Tuesday, Jan. 20 meeting, leaving Ray Barton as chairman, Bob Tomasini as vice chairman and Gary Johnston as secretary.

2009-01-29

County aims to stamp out puppy mills

By Judith Pannebaker

A new addition being considered for inclusion in the Bandera County Rabies and Animal Control Order is aimed at stamping out puppy mills throughout the county.

2009-01-29

Utopia begins new recycling effort

Contributed

Seven hundred years – that’s the amount of time it takes a plastic water bottle to begin to breakdown.

2009-01-29

Saving feral cats, a two-sided story with a bite

By Stephanie Parker

Lakehills resident Charity trapped a feral cat at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, Jan. 14, intending to transport it to a veterinary clinic for shots and neutering.

2009-01-29

PetSmart recalls ‘Grreat Choice’ products in all US stores

Contributed

With the recent FDA announcement of a salmonella investigation involving peanut butter products distributed through the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), personnel with PetSmart participated

2009-02-26

Fire forces evacuation of school

By Stephanie Parker

Forty students from Pipe Creek Christian School were evacuated from their school on Tuesday, Feb. 24, when flames from a grass fire that burned 125 acres came within 400 yards of the school.

2009-02-26

Prosecutor hints at more charges

By Judith Pannebaker

And the hits just keep on comin’ for beleaguered Bandera Police Chief Jim Eigner.

2009-02-26

Firebug continues to ply deadly trade along FM 1283

By Stephanie Parker

Bandera County Fire Marshal Ralph Dresser confirmed that the 1:20 pm Friday, Feb. 20, grass fire on FM 1283 across from Hill Country Drive was set by the person or persons who had previously been responsible for a total of 12 recent arson fires