In celebration of the river that unites us all, the city of Martindale hosted its second annual River Appreciation Weekend on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 18 and 19. This year's two-day festival featured local art, live music, river education and awareness booths from environmental stewardship organizations. 'Folks came from all over to learn about the treasure that is our San Marcos River, and the need to protect and preserve it through environmental stewardship,' said Chelsea James, River Appreciation Weekend committee chair.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/features/martindale-holds-second-annual-river-appreciation-weekend

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These days, getting all three of my semi-grown daughters together for a family activity is like herding cats who have cars, jobs at coffee shops and their own debit cards. So, when our girls were able to pencil us in for a quick weekend trip to San Antonio, my wife and I jumped at the chance ... or sort of hopped. Our backs hurt. Our justification for this little getaway was back-toschool shopping, which has come a long and expensive way from a new box of crayons and a Hello Kitty lunch bag. San Antonio is a good six hours' drive from our home, including bathroom breaks that always seem to involve purchases of designer bottled water and energy drinks that cost more than the outfit I'm wearing.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/opinions/summer-sendoff-san-antonio

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The Indigenous Cultures Institute, based in San Marcos held its 11th Indigenous Arts Summer Encounter from June 19 - 24 at Cuauhtemoc Hall. The annual encounter brings together youth, artists and community members of San Marcos for a week-long ceremonial experience. Local students participated in daily activities that included the history, culture, arts and traditions of the indigenous people of our area. Students learned the creation story, about food justice and engaged in visual arts, music, dance, writing and cooking/nutrition activities that tied into teachings of indigenous foodways and wellness.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/features/indigenous-culture-institute-hosts-2023-indigenous-arts-summer-encounter

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The Mean Green Curse fights on for another year as Texas State fell to North Texas, 3-0, in front of a packed house Thursday. Despite the shutout loss, Holeman said he was still proud of his team, indicating the score didn't define what the Bobcats did on the field. 'It was a great game,' Holeman said. 'North Texas is a great team. They capitalized on their chances. I certainly don't think this was a 3-0 game, but rather a back and forth game. They just ended up scoring on the pen and getting some nice goals.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/sports/bobcats-fall-north-texas-3-0-shutout

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Editor's Note: The Texas Hill Country Conservation Network has created The Hill Country Land, Water, Sky and Natural Infrastructure Plan to protect natural resources in this area. This conservation series seeks to illuminate aspects of the plan, as well as other resource protection plans, looking at best management practices. This is the third part in the series. There is hardly a gathering spot in Texas this summer where water is not a prime source of conversation. Here in San Marcos, though, people are raising the conversation to a new level of action.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/news/protecting-water-resources-central-texas

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The 2023-2024 4-H year officially kicks off Sept. 1, with early enrollment beginning Aug. 15. Hays County 4-H of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service staff said they are excited to welcome new and returning members to another year of 4-H programming and opportunity. 4-H is a club for youth ages eight to 18, in grades 3-12. All youth can join 4-H for $25 each, and young people will select one or many projects to participate in, from the categories of agriculture and livestock, family and community health, leadership and citizenship, natural resources and STEM, staff said.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/news/fall-brings-start-new-4-h-programming-year

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This has been a month for honors for Dr. Charles Johnson, as he was recently named the city of San Marcos' 2023 Outstanding Senior Citizen Volunteer and Aug. 21 was a day dedicated to him throughout the city. The volunteer award was created by the San Marcos Senior Citizen Advisory Board 'as a way to recognize and honor a senior citizen whose volunteer efforts have made San Marcos a better place in which to live,' city officials said. The award was presented to Johnson during a proclamation reading in his honor on Tuesday, Aug.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/news/community-honors-exemplary-volunteer

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Let's devote today's column to a collection of fascinating factoids and interesting items about wildlife and nature. Here goes: Artist/author Ralph Steadman has developed a tongue-in-cheek list of birds he thinks may be headed for extinction. These include the unsociable leftwing and the orange-beaked spotted emulsion cootflake. Other birds he thinks may already be extinct are the gob swallow, long-legged shortwing and the needless smut. On a more realistic note, one of the nation's best birding festivals is scheduled for November 8-12 this year.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/features/exploring-nature-interesting-tidbits

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The Texas State University System Foundation Board of Directors has named five Texas State University representatives recipients of the 2024 TSUS Regents' Awards. The annual Regents' Awards recognize outstanding faculty, staff and students from the seven TSUS member institutions. Arzu Ari, associate dean for research in the College of Health Professions and a professor in the Department of Respiratory Care; and Cyrus Cassells, a professor in the Department of English, received the Regents' Professor Award.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/news/tsus-regents-awards-announced

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Pornography seems ubiquitous now that the Internet is available at any time and via so many devices, from computers to smartphones, at school, home or work. Regularly viewing pornography can stimulate dopamine in the brain, leading to addiction, depending on use. For adolescents, because their brains are still developing, repeated porn use can lead to emotional, psychological, social, and physiological disorders. It is not a net good for society or families for pornography to be easily accessible to teens, but a new lawsuit is challenging a Texas law that should make it harder for teens to access porn.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/opinions/lawsuit-may-threaten-how-new-texas-law-seeks-protect-family-rights

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San Marcos traveled to Hutto Memorial Stadium for their first match up of the 2023 football season against the Hippos. The Rattlers fell 66-35 to Hutto in a shootout that passed the century mark in overall scoring. In what became an offensive showcase for Hutto senior quarterback and Texas Tech commit Will Hammond, the Hippo offense moved at will throughout the first half. Hutto did incur a handful of self-enforced penalties that propelled a 92-yard San Marcos touchdown drive ending in an 8-yard score from senior running back Stefan Stennett — but the Hippos were able to respond every drive.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/sports/rattlers-fall-hippos-offensive-shootout

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Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell saved the best news for last. During the State of the City address, Mitchell announced on Tuesday, Aug. 22, that Tesla will soon be moving to Kyle. The electric vehicle maker has plans to lease three buildings for warehouse storage and light assembly at the Alliance Industrial Park in Kyle, Mitchell revealed. 'When we heard, Tesla was coming to southeast Austin, we got excited,' Mitchell said. 'When there's a major employer coming into the area there's an ‘effect.' The ‘Tesla effect' was huge, they have subcontractors and suppliers, all who provide services to the Gigafactory.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/news/tesla-making-its-presence-known-hays-county-warehouse-move

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Grace Pactanac delivers the block during the Rattlers 2-0 win over San Angelo Lake View. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo The Lady Rattlers got back on the floor inside the Snake Pit for the first day of the Ragin' Rattler Tournament Thursday.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/sports/san-marcos-splits-opening-games-ragin%E2%80%99-rattler-tournament

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Clean energy alternatives aren't the enemies of fossil fuels. The sun is shining and the Texas power grid is surviving some of the hottest days in this state's history. And that's a delivery on the promise of solar energy in Texas, says Pat Wood, who once headed the Public Utility Commission and the Federal Electric Regulatory Commission. In a recent interview with The Dallas Morning News, Wood called the rapid rise of solar energy in Texas 'a beautiful addition' to the state's energy basket. Indeed he is right.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/opinions/texas-growing-solar-industry-keeping-lights

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Acclaimed playwright Carlos Morton will be the subject of a career tribute during the 21st annual Black and Latino Playwrights Celebration Aug. 28-Sept. 3 at Texas State University. The Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance hosts the annual event in collaboration with Humanities Texas. The BLPC will celebrate Morton as the 2023 Distinguished Achievement honoree. Additionally, BLPC will host a playwriting workshop and two staged readings of new works: 'Escobar's Hippo' by Franky D. Gonzalez and 'Hurt People' by LaDarrion Williams.

https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/news/playwright-will-take-center-stage-during-celebration-devoted-his-lifes-work-commitment-written

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