EDITOR’S NOTE: This is Part I of a two-part look back at the past 12 months of Boerne Star coverage of people, events and happenings in Boerne and Kendall County. “Review Part II” is set for Sunday, Jan. 12.
Every year contains 12 months of joy and sorrow, pleasure and madness, elation and anger, just to tap a few sentiments. 2024 proved no different.
JANUARY
The month started with a change in leadership, a new face at the top, and closed with anger and frustration toward an unwelcome neighbor.
Dr. Kristin Craft hit the ground running in her new role as Boerne Independent School District superintendent, selected in December to replace retiring Superintendent Dr. Thomas Price.
Craft, who is the first female Superintendent in the history of Boerne ISD, has been an educator for over 28 years, and has served as Associate Superintendent of Academics and Chief Academic Officer in Spring Branch ISD in the Houston Area since 2018.
One of her first meetings came with the district’s safety and security chief, Rick Goodrich and the district’s school resource officers.
The month closed with a highly contentious meeting in Comfort, where representatives from a battery storage site, applying for a county tax abatement, met with more than 275 angry residents who oppose their effort.
Key Capture Energy plans to build battery energy storage systems in Comfort. More than 30 area residents spoke during the meeting, blasting the firm over battery safety, fire safety, water table maintenance, and incident response times.
“I don’t believe Key Capture can guarantee that their fire suppression system will always protect the community,” Alex Rudd added. “Even the best technology can fail. This is not the right site for your facility.”
Fair Oaks Ranch jumped into the fray, closing a key “cut-through” path through a subdivision, used by parents dropping off and picking up their children from Van Raub Elementary.
Motorists found the intersection at Noble Lark Drive and Dietz Elkhorn closed to traffic to start the year, a decision made in December.
The Boerne ISD marching band won a contest it entered, banging out three Metallica songs and winning $15,000 worth of new instruments for the school.
An Arctic blast paralyzed the city Jan. 14, with temperatures plummeting into the teens. Slick roads and icy landscaping made for treacherous travel, closing down a vast majority of businesses in the city. Residents prepared and stayed indoors, minimizing emergency calls and runs.
The month’s major crime incident involved eight men arrested in a prostitution ring sting.
Boerne Police joined Texas Department of Public Safety officers in the sweeping arrests Jan. 25, wrapping up a month-long investigation.
FEBRUARY
Boerne Police opened the month announcing the arrest of a 16-year-old on three felony counts after he called in a bomb threat to Champion High School on Jan. 31. Students huddled in closets, darkened rooms and stairwells as Boerne Police stormed the school in a search for a student with an AR-15 rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and pipe bombs.
That student did not exist. The threat was neutralized and school was dismissed — to the relief of hundreds of parents gathered across FM 46 from the school, awaiting word from their teens.
Police served a search warrant Feb. 1 and announced the teen’s three felony charges at a press conference the following day.
A DPS stop and arrest on I-10 Feb. 3 netted four criminals charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a second-degree felony, and money laundering over $30,000-less than $150,000, a third-degree felony, as well as possession of marijuana and unlawful carrying of a weapon charges.
Fair Oaks Ranch residents received word that reconstruction projects for four major thoroughfares would be placed on the May ballot for voters to approve or reject.
Mayor Greg Maxton outlined the projects during his Feb. 7 “State Of The City” speech. He said a bond advisory committee recommended a $16 million bond to complete the four road projects: Reconstruction of the eastern portion of Dietz Elkhorn Road, a portion of Ammann Road, Rolling Acres Trail and a portion of Battle Intense.
The Geneva School of Boerne honors its top two graduating students, as Will Muck was named valedictorian and Jake Plesko as salutatorian for the Class of 2024.
Election season was underway as the Boerne City Council and Boerne Independent School District saw all their positions end up with contested races. However, two school board incumbents, Joe Tidwell and Jessica Davila, chose not to run for re-election, resulting in “fresh faces” to be selected in the May election.
The long-awaited opening date for the Fair Oaks area H-E-B was announced. The superstore, which fronts the 118-acre Lemon Creek Ranch development on Interstate 10, will have its Grand Opening on March 6.
MARCH
The March Republican primary was the month’s first “hot topic,” as House Rep. Ellen Troxclair prevailed in her bid for the Dist. 19 nomination despite losing Kendall County.
Kendall County Commission challenger Jennifer McCall surged back from a slim early voting deficit to post her victory.
McCall fell behind Kendall County Precinct 1 Commissioner Christina Bergmann in early voting by the slimmest of margins, 646-641. But McCall pulled it out, topping Bergmann 436-376 with Tuesday’s voters to take the win, 1,077 to 1,022 (51.3-48.7%) Troxclair beat opponent Kyle Biedermann, ‘outpolling’ her opponent 20,763 to 17,162 in Dist. 19 for the win. But in Kendall County, Biedermann won by a double-digit percentage, 54-41%.
Elsewhere, Boerne Fire Department shipped three firefighters to the Stinnett, Texas area, to help battle the biggest wildfire in the state’s history. Assistant Chief Walter Bell and firefighters Mark Cross and Cal Wallace made the trip for 14-to-21-day shifts to battle the Smokehouse Creek wildfire, which was 3% contained and had already covered an estimated 1.075 million acres, the largest blaze in Texas history.
Kendall County joined a growing list of Texas counties issuing disaster declarations ahead of the April 8 solar eclipse — the latest in a string of Texas counties issuing disaster declarations to help manage the detrimental impacts of such a significant tourism boom.
Kendall joins Kerr, Bell and Travis counties in enacting the disaster declaration, as required by the Texas Department of Emergency Management for local municipalities to take advantage of state resources.
The city of Boerne combined with a Texas A&M extension program to push the topic of rainwater harvesting at a March 7 seminar. Drought has been a real problem for the area, said Ryan Bass, the city of Boerne’s environmental program manager. Since March of 2022, the area has been in the “extreme drought category.”
Attendees to the seminar were briefed on the benefits of rainwater harvesting in terms of saving dollars, conserving water and helping the environment.
Boerne Community Police Officer Chris Dingman received the Boerne Police Department’s “Officer Of The Year” award during the department’s March 6 annual awards ceremony.
The city released March 25 as the date for a “soft opening” of the River Road/ Cibolo Creek bank restabilization project completion. Drained in October, water was flowing once again and the city touted the park’s new features, including a new expanded walkway, two fishing piers and new wide sidewalks. A rededication ceremony is being planned for mid-April.
Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kim Blohm, chamber president and CEO since 2019, added a new title to her resume: 2024 Small Business Champion of the Year, recognized March 8 by the San Antonio District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration with the award.
Boerne police arrested a suspect in the March 22 burglary of the Random Hangers Thrift Shop, operated by Hill Country Family Services. Suspect Edgar Ajcac, 24, was charged with burglary of the building sometime March 29.
Hill Country Family Services officials turned over video taken the night of the break-in, which shows the thief “shopping” through the store for more than an hour. Officials expected the value of stolen items to top $10,000.
A former Comfort Independent School District high school coach was arrested March 28 and charged with three counts of improper relations between an educator and a student. Tye Rexrode, 38, who resigned in February as an assistant baseball coach and history teacher at Comfort High School, was arrested. The Kendall County Sheriff ’s Office said investigators determined that the educator had a sexual relationship with a student on multiple occasions.
APRIL
The event of the year lasted ... 8 to 12 seconds, depending on who you talked to. The total eclipse of the sun, obscured by heavy clouds and mid-morning sprinkles, still delighted the thousands of Boerneites and visitors who trekked from points nationwide, hoping to get a glimpse of the spectacular event.
But heavy clouds limited the moment to just mere seconds, as a hole broke in the dark, heavy skies just as the eclipse began.
The city, county and businesses did not realize the massive throng of people expected, which was watered down by weather forecasts 24-48 hours earlier, telling of the heavy cloud formations.
While in town, visitors could stop by any of three local destinations that took top honors in the fourth annual Texas Travel Awards, celebrating top travel destinations and attractions across the state. The Kendall Inn won Best Unique Lodging; Dog & Pony Grill was named Best Live Music Venue in the award’s small market category. And statewide honors went to Cibolo Creek Brewing Company for Best Brewery.
Boerne City Council April 9 selected Hoefer Welker Architects to design and build the city’s second fire station, to open in spring 2026. The contract for design services and fees was $1.36 million, with the entire project expected to top out at $11.27 million, according to the fire chief.
The station will be built on Esperanza Boulevard at its intersection with Lajitas Drive.
With a constant eye toward water conservation and the ongoing drought, the city of Boerne announced an irrigation rebate program that pays people for steps taken to conserve.
One of the three rebates addresses installation of irrigation system rain/ freeze sensors, which cost about $100. A second $100 rebate involves reimbursement of payment for a residential irrigation system consultation. The third is a $150 rebate toward the purchase of larger rainwater harvesting units.
After 12 years, the final curtain call was announced, as the April 22 performance by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain would be the last of the Boerne Performing Arts season -- and the last ever for the organization.
In a March 26 letter addressed to its partners, the BPA stated that a sluggish economy, high inflation, lagging ticket sales and lingering effects of the pandemic as factors in the organization’s eventual demise. A final Christmas season concert was planned.
Interest soared in the first few weeks of the new Boerne Farmer’s Market,
See REVIEW, page 3 giving customers a chance to purchase goods grown on farms and produced locally.
Every Tuesday from 4-7 p.m., dozens of vendors set up and sell their handmade and home-grown food items at the former courthouse building parking lot at 402 E. Blanco Road.
April 22 was the final day at the helm for Patrick Heath Public Library Director Kelly Skovbjerg, who retired after 22 years, having begun her career with the city in 2002. She was director by 2003 and was “overseer” as the city built its new Heath Library in 2011.
With its new Viola Wilson Elementary School due to open in August, the Boerne ISD April 15 announced a series of boundary adjustments, to bring student to the new school. Students who formerly attended Van Raub, Fabra and Kendall elementary schools will be sitting in the Wilson classrooms. The BISD plan moved an expected 469 students to Wilson, on Corley Road off Scenic Loop Road in south Boerne. Several other minor adjustments were made, to make Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary the district’s lone elementary expected to be at capacity when the new year begins in August.
MAY
In the May 4 election, three Boerne City Council incumbents were returned to their seats. Two — District 1 Councilman Ty Wolosin and District 5 Councilman Joseph Macaluso — won handily but the third, District 3 Councilman Quinten Scott turned back a solid challenge from thirdtime opponent Dan Weis for a slim 108-105 margin of victory.
In the Boerne ISD, the lone incumbent seeking re-election, District 1’s Carlton Friar, outdistanced two opponents to return to the board. He was joined by newcomers Dallas Pipes in District 2 and Courtney Darter Bruce in District 3, both winning by convincing margins.
Voters in Fair Oaks Ranch voted overwhelmingly for two bond measures addressing city streets.
Proposition A grants the city $16 million to reconstruct four major thoroughfares in town. Voters passed it with more than a 2-to-1 approval, 651288, a 69%-31% margin. Road plans are for portions of Dietz Elkhorn Road, Ammann Road, Rolling Acres Trail and Battle Intense.
The second item, a onefourth of 1% draw on local sales and use tax to provide maintenance and repair for the municipality’s streets, received more than 80% of the votes cast.
Cordillera Ranch residents stepped up the search for a lost pet monkey, Cupcake, after a Mother’s Day sighting was phoned in to the family home.
The family remained optimistic as neighbors and searchers joined the search for the 16-month-old capuchin, one of two living with the family in the high-dollar development outside of Boerne. Cupcake fled the residence April 25 when accidentally spooked by the family dog.
Boerne didn’t let it rain on their ... prayer day. A steady light rain did not deter Boerne from staging the local version of National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday of May.
The first-ever Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast was held at The Kronkosky Center, followed by a noon outdoor prayer service on Main Plaza. A steady light rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of those gathered.
About 30 people addressed the Boerne ISD school board at its May 13 meeting, defending Champion High School welding/ vo-ag teacher Dorman Vick, who was put on suspension two weeks earlier.
The speakers, who ranged in age from 17 to 70, praised the teacher for his support for his students and the program.
Boerne received a new designation, “Brew City Texas” as May 13-19 was declared Craft Brewers Week after Boerne received the “Brew City” honor from the The Texas Craft Brewer’s Guild.
Boerne City Council declared Saturday May 18 as Brew City Day, celebrating the city’s microbreweries: 28 Songs, Cibolo Creek Brewing, Dodging Duck Brewhaus, Free Roam Brewing, Hamby’s and Tusculum Brewing.
The Cibolo Center for Conservation announced it has a new leader after longtime CEO and founder, Carolyn Chipman Evans, retires.
Tom Mengler, who retires from his post at St. Mary’s University on May 31 after 12 years, was selected to take over the reigns at The Cibolo beginning July 8.
In the finest traditions of the former Boerne Berges Fest, Father’s Day weekend will again have a two-day festival and Hill Country Mile parade to celebrate – as Das Festival of Kendall.
The parade will kick off the busy Das Festival of Kendall weekend, with events and an evening of music planned at Random Beer Garden on Upper Cibolo Road.
Dr. Kristin Craft was set to preside over her first graduation ceremonies as Boerne Independent School District superintendent when 507 Boerne Champion High School seniors cross the stage at Boerne Stadium May 23.
The next day, Craft will see another 317 seniors graduate when Boerne High School’s seniors take part in their commencement ceremony.
JUNE
Boerne ISD teachers will receive a 1.5% salary increase for the 2024-25 school year. The school board voted June 19 to adopt the pay increase that included boosts of 2.5% for the district’s paraprofessionals and auxiliary staff.
The teacher pay raise means the district’s base pay rate will be $55,283 for the coming year.
The Geneva School of Boerne board of trustees selected Leslie Moeller as its next Head of School beginning June 18.
Moeller and her family are returning to Boerne from Virginia. She served from 2004-2015 as Geneva’s Head of School and board of trustees’ president, when she co-chaired the first Capital Campaign and helped develop the Logic School language arts program.
A memorial service was set for June 14 for Ralph Fair Jr., Fair Oak Ranch’s namesake, who died May 29 at the age of 90.
Fair Oaks Ranch was incorporated in 1988 after Fair decided in 1975 to develop a portion of the 5,000-acre Fair ranch as a residential community. The ranch was originally owned by Fair’s father, oil man Ralph Fair Sr.
After Ralph Fair Sr.’s passing in 1975, the ranch gates were locked and
See REVIEW, page 5 development began.
Natalie Shults was named the new director of Boerne’s Patrick Heath Public Library. Formerly director of the Tye Preston Memorial Library in Canyon Lake for the past two years, Shults begins her duties June 3. Shults previously worked at the Schertz Public Library as its virtual services librarian.
Natalie Morgan has served as interim library director since Kelly Skovjberg, director for the past 22 years, retired in April.
Hundreds of people, most draped in colors of the rainbow, marched the Hill Country Mile June 8 in the seventh annual Boerne Pride Walk.“Connecting Hearts, Building Unity” was the theme of the day as attendees gathered on the Patrick Heath Public Library amphitheater grounds for an hour of socializing before marching down Main Street and back. A Hunt, Texas resident was charged with intoxication manslaughter for his role in a two-vehicle accident June 8 that left a woman dead.
Blake David Wampler, 27, was driving a Chevrolet Silverado when he collided head-on with a Toyota Prius, driven by Kimberly Fawn Brasher, 55, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, at about 10:10 p.m. in the 2600 block of FM 473 in Kendalia. Brasher was declared dead at the scene.
A petition was making the rounds in Fair Oaks Ranch opposing the construction of a community center. Carole Willoughby, a Chartwell neighborhood resident in Fair Oaks Ranch, launched the petition June 13 on Change.org, seeking “to get the word out there, and to be heard” with objections to the city’s plans to construct a 5,300 square-foot community center in the city municipal complex area. More than 176 signatures were originally gathered, with a goal of 270 before Chartwell planned to present it to City Council.
Significant rainfall June 19 and 20 allowed the Kendall County fire marshal to lift the county’s fireworks ban ahead of the July 4 holiday.
However, the ban remained on the sale of aerial fireworks such as sticks, fins and missiles, due to extraordinarily dry conditions throughout the county.
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