Kendall County commissioners approve tax rate decrease
The Kendall County budget and tax rate have been approved following the Aug. 26 Commissioners Court meeting.
The tax rate for fiscal year 2025-26 will be $0.377 per $100 valuation, a decrease from the 2024-25 rate of $0.3825 per $100 valuation.
What you need to know: Despite a half-cent decrease in the overall tax rate, homeowners may pay higher taxes than they did last year, depending on their home's appraisal value.
County staff said the average home value in the county is $593,556. At this value, the homeowner would pay approximately $2,237 in annual county taxes. A home valued at $500,000 would pay around $1,885 in annual county taxes.
A new meat market has made its home off Main Street in Boerne, owned by Black Rifle Coffee and Apache Rifleworks owner Mason Mainz.
About the business: Mainz Meat Market offers premium meat sourced from Texas ranches and farms, alongside a selection of local produce and wine.
The business specializes in high-quality cuts of beef and offers a variety of other meat products, including smoked sausage and bacon.
The Mainz Meat Market is currently in a soft opening phase, as of publication time, and will be expanded with additional meat and product selections as the store nears its grand opening.
New flyover ramp opens Aug. 28 on Loop 1604 North Expansion
The Texas Department of Transportation opened a new flyover ramp at the Loop 1604 and I-10 interchange in Northwest San Antonio at 5 p.m. Aug. 28.
Zooming in: This latest development is part of the Loop 1604 North Expansion project, a $1.4 billion project that includes the expansion of main lanes from a four-lane to a 10-lane expressway.
Drivers will be able to access the flyover ramp on Loop 1604, just past Northwest Military Highway, and connect to I-10 before the De Zavala Road exit. The new ramp will provide drivers with an easier connection when traveling from westbound Loop 1604 to eastbound I-10, according to a news release from TxDOT.
The background: In the last eight months, three flyover ramps have opened, with more planned for the future. A fourth flyover is anticipated to open later this year, with all eight being completed by the end of 2025, according to the news release.
FOODIE FRIDAY Check out these new restaurants and bars opening across the San Antonio area.
A new Korean barbecue restaurant has officially opened its doors in Live Oak this week. KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot opened on Aug. 28 at 7741 N. Loop 1604 E., Manager Jerry Stone told Community Impact.
Items like beef bulgogi, short ribs and prime brisket, along with fresh vegetables, soups and a variety of noodles are available.
Customers create dishes in a build-your-own meal fashion, which are then heated on stoves at dining tables with assistance from restaurant staff, according to their website.
A home-based cottage bakery specializing in desserts is now serving the New Braunfels and surrounding areas.
Taste Heaven on Earth—owned by Avion Moore—began operating in June and serves patrons in the New Braunfels, Northeast San Antonio and San Marcos areas.
“I love to cook, but I especially love making banana pudding,” Moore told Community Impact.
Amid Democratic criticism, Texas lawmakers vote to overhaul STAAR and launch new tests in 2027
Both chambers of the Texas Legislature have voted to overhaul the state’s standardized testing system, putting public school students one step closer to taking new exams in the 2027-28 school year.
The details: House Bill 8 would eliminate the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and replace it with three shorter tests, which students would take at the beginning, middle and end of each school year.
Bill author Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said HB 8 would “reduce test anxiety, provide teachers with immediate feedback and create a pathway for trust in our system again." The majority of House Democrats and a few Republicans disagreed, arguing Aug. 26 that the bill would increase the amount of time students spend on exams and essentially create “another STAAR test” developed by the Texas Education Agency.
Next steps: After state senators passed HB 8 with a 21-7 vote Aug. 27, the bill returned to the House for consideration of a Senate amendment. If House lawmakers sign off on the changes, HB 8 will be sent to the governor.
