News & Updates
Celebrating the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan
On May 6, local biologists will lead guided hikes through the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the program that created the project—the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan. In 1996, Travis County became the first area in the...
How Austin-San Antonio commuter rail backers plan to get back on track
Reports of the death of commuter rail between Austin and San Antonio have been greatly exaggerated, according to officials with the Lone Star Rail District. At a meeting Friday in San Marcos, the Lone Star Rail board unveiled new options for a potential route and...
The College That Ate a City
"San Marcos, population 58,000, was listed as the fastest-growing city in America according to 2014 census data. The growth is mostly thanks to an expanding Texas State University — the largest employer and largest property owner in the city. With the anchor...
SAWS: Banks Not Cooperating On Renegotiating Vista Ridge Loan
By mid-week the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) expects to know whether it will be able to easily move ownership of the Vista Ridge pipeline to a different company. Because of financial problems current owner Abengoa has agreed to sell 80-percent of the water project...
Spicewood eyes municipal status
According to Burnet County Judge James Oakley, Spicewood is a part of “God’s country.” The native Central Texan, who has lived in the Spicewood area for more than two decades, said he has witnessed the unincorporated area’s expansion that has replaced fishing cabins...
Why dark skies matter
Light pollution not only effects our ability to see the stars at night, but studies show it can also have negative effects our health, wildlife and the economy. This article from MNN discusses the effects of light pollution and what communities around the world,...
The Source: More Questions In SAWS Vista Ridge Deal
Last night, the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) held the first of four public meeting on the changes to the 142 -mile Vista Ridge Pipeline. The $3.4 billion deal, which covers 50,000 acre feet of water per year for 30 years, will have a change in ownership. Spanish...
One Vista Ridge Loan Application Approved; A Second Denied
In 2013 voters approved the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas, commonly referred to as SWIFT. The fund provides highly sought-after low-interest loans for building water projects. Qualifying for a SWIFT loan can save utilities and taxpayers a lot of money....
Vista Ridge Pipeline Opponents Win Small Victory
Opponents of the city of San Antonio’s Vista Ridge water supply project scored a minor win this week when Texas Water Development Board staff announced the 142-mile pipeline was ineligible to seek an $885 million low-interest construction loan. Abengoa Vista Ridge,...