Opinion

Behind the Martha Knies Keep Wimberley Beautiful Park, located next to the Wimberley Radio station, you can walk down a ramp to the Cypress Creek Nature Preserve Trail. This 7.2 acre Preserve is owned by the City of Wimberley. The trail leads up to The Blue Hole Park and eventually to the parking lot near the swimming hole. The land in this Preserve has never been developed or farmed and gives you an opportunity to view a pristine riparian landscape, which is a unique ecosystem.

As time runs out next week on the fourth special session, Gov. Greg Abbott said he will continue to fight for school choice, despite the Texas House once again decisively rejecting it when 21 Republicans largely from rural districts joined Democrats in stripping it from a $7.6 billion education bill. The Austin American-Statesman reported it is unclear what Abbott’s next move will be.

Capital Highlights by Gary Borders

At this time of year, we reflect on the year’s bounty and events. We all give thanks in our own ways. At KWB, we are thankful for many things. The recent rain has greened up the area and added much needed water back into our waterways and aquifers. We are hopeful that we will be able to get out soon and consider new plantings. One project will be the area by the Wimberley Square sign, giving it some care after the recent rebuild of the wall.

The Texas Legislature, conceived as a part-time body to meet every other year for 140 days, is now in its record fifth session (counting the regular session). When the impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is included, legislators have been in Austin pretty much the entire year, as the Texas Tribune noted. While legislators are paid just $7,200 a year in salary, per diem payments – meant to cover their expenses while in Austin – have mounted. If the fourth special session goes a full 30 days, taxpayers will have spent $4.8 million keeping lawmakers in Austin.

The rains and cooler weather came in time for us to enjoy our fall flowers. The asters survived the drought as did the lantana, white boneset and purple cenizo.

As the clock ran down on the Legislature’s third special session, Texas House and Senate leaders exchanged barbs over Gov. Greg Abbott’s school choice bill and border security proposals, the Austin American- Statesman reported.

It’s not too late to plan for a blue bonnet (lupinus texensis) patch in your yard this spring.

Gov. Gregg Abbott and the Texas House are at loggerheads over which will come first – vouchers for parents to pay for private school tuition, or funneling more money to public schools, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Today, pumpkins are a sign of fall and the coming holidays, and no thanksgiving table is complete without a pumpkin pie. But pumpkins have not always been associated with Thanksgiving.