Three candidates are running for the Kendall County judge seat in the Republican primary election.

The overview: Incumbent Shane Stolarczyk, Ricky Gleason and Besa Martin are running against each other for the Republican nomination in the November election.

Since no Democratic candidate ran for judge, the winner of the Republican primary will run uncontested in November, unless no candidate secures a majority vote, which would then prompt a runoff.

Candidates were asked to keep their responses under 50 words, answer the provided questions, and avoid attacking their opponents. Answers may have been minimally edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.

The Cibolo Center for Conservation, or The Cibolo, traces its roots to the late 1980s, when Carolyn Chipman Evans and her husband, Brent, sought to create a place for Boerne residents to learn about and connect with nature along Cibolo Creek.

What the experts say: Kel Hoffman, the land conservation director for The Cibolo, told Community Impact that protecting land is crucial for both preserving it from development and educational purposes.

“Protecting the Sisterdale Sanctuary secures a critical piece of the Guadalupe watershed as growth accelerates across Kendall County,” Hoffman said.

The property features several unique areas that represent the flora and fauna found throughout the Hill Country.

“This place allows you to see this really wide breadth of ecosystems in such a short amount of time,” Hoffman said.

Looking ahead: In the future, Hoffman said the long-term goal for the sanctuary is for it to become a publicly-accessible, community-focused area for residents across the Hill Country to utilize and learn from.

• Private sanctuary near Sisterdale

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, or TWPC, has approved $21.2 million to help create and improve outdoor recreational areas in over 40 communities across Texas.

The big picture: The grants are awarded through the agency’s local park grants program. The program requires a 50% local match from participating governments and mandates that funded sites remain public parkland in perpetuity, according to a news release Jan. 30.

Once completed, the projects are expected to add or enhance amenities at approximately 50 community parks statewide. Planned improvements include nature trails, native landscaping, playgrounds, splash pads, sports fields, kayak launches, piers and other outdoor recreation features, according to the release.

The grants are designed to expand access to outdoor recreation while helping local governments develop and maintain high-quality park spaces. All funded parks must be properly maintained and remain open to the public, according to the TWPC website.

TPWC administers grants based on community size and project scope, according to the release.

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Texas gained more new residents last year than any other U.S. state, recently released U.S. Census Bureau data shows. Yet the Lone Star State’s overall population growth slowed significantly amid a nationwide reduction in immigration from other countries.

The big picture: Texas grew by 391,243 residents in 2025, bringing the state’s total population to 31.7 million. This includes:

• Domestic migration: Over 67,000 people moved to Texas from other states.
• International migration: Over 167,000 people moved to Texas from other countries.
• Natural change: There were roughly 157,000 more births than deaths in Texas.