News
Comal County Friends of the Night Sky
Comal County Friends of the Night Sky (C.C.F. N.S.) was formed in March, 2020 by a group of concerned residents who first met using Zoom. The purpose of C.C.F.N.S. is to promote and encourage the protection and preservation of the night sky (as defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary as a place where the darkness of the night sky is relatively free of interference from artificial light) in Comal County. C.C.F.N.S. promotes and encourages municipalities (including extraterritorial jurisdictions),
Three Comal ISD campuses rank in San Antonio area’s Top 5
Comal ISD has three campuses among the best of the best in the San Antonio area according to the rankings by Children at Risk. Hoffmann Lane Elementary School was ranked the Top Elementary School in the San Antonio area for the third time in the last six years; Memorial Early College High Schoolwas ranked second among high schools; and Kinder Ranch Elementary was ranked fifth among elementary campuses. “It is an honor to be ranked as the #1 elementary school in the San Antonio area,” says
Let Hope Hospice Help You Understand Palliative Care
Hospice and palliative care programs are often misunderstood, seen as “giving up,” or even feared by many. However, hospice and palliative care is intended to provide pain management, symptom control, psychosocial support, and spiritual care to patients and their families when a cure is not possible or practical. In hospice, nurses, social workers, chaplains, physicians, and certified nursing assistants aim to meet people where they are in the end-of-life, with a focus on living to the fullest despite a
Two Comal ISD artists among top 25 at Western Art Contest
Two Comal ISD artists were among the top 25 honorees for the annual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Western Art Contest this year which had more than 600 entries. In the drawing/graphite category, the entry of a barrel racer by Emily Ingram, a senior from Smithson Valley High School, received a first-place ribbon and was selected as a Top 25 finalist. Ingram has been entering the Western Art Contest for the past three years and has received first place and Top 25 finalist every year. Ingram’s
Customer Loyalty: The One Thing Every Business Owner Wants This Year
If every small business owner had the opportunity to write a letter to Santa (or whoever grants Christmas wishes to business owners), they would likely all ask for the same thing—more loyal customers. Sure, the ask may sound different in each form of correspondence. It may be a request for more customers, higher revenue, more reviews, and the like. But all those things boil down to loyalty. Loyal customers spend more, tell others about their experience, refer people to your business, post to social media
9 Success Strategies for Young Businesses
Launching a business is a thrilling journey filled with possibilities and challenges. While no year is without challenges, the first few are particularly so for most businesses. Many naive owners think that if they can make it through the first year, their success is guaranteed. However, that isn’t the case. The first year actually has the lowest failure rate. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 20% of small businesses fail within their first year. The failure rate increases to 30%
“To Freeze or Not to Freeze” Tips for Weather Guarding your Plumbing System This Winter
Patrick A. and Laura Feely, Owners, Shamrock Plumbing As we approach the instability of the Texas winter months, Shamrock Plumbing Company and its staff get asked the age-old question, “What can I do to keep my pipes from freezing?” Unfortunately, in some cases, nothing. The age, type of pipes, exposure, and a wide range of building standards all have varying effects on how sustained sub-freezing temperatures impact plumbing systems. Simply letting your faucets drip may not necessarily be the answer,
Twenty student athletes sign National Letters of Intent
Today, 20 student athletes from Canyon High School, Davenport High School, Pieper High School and Smithson Valley High School signed National Letters of Intent to play the sport of their choice at the collegiate level.This marked the first signing day event at Pieper High School which is graduating its first senior class this spring.Surrounded by family, teammates, coaches and friends, these athletes celebrated this milestone with balloons, hugs, handshakes and lots of photos. This day represents a
Smithson Valley High School journalists win awards at annual convention
Student journalists from Smithson Valley High School brought home six awards for their photography and yearbook design from the Texas Association of Journalism Educators’ annual Fall Fiesta convention in San Antonio.More than 600 journalism advisers and student journalists participated in the convention Oct. 7-9, including Margaret Edmonson, who is the SVHS adviser and serves as the treasurer on the TAJE executive board.The SVHS student honorees include the following:Danny Grant received an ‘honorable
Comal ISD’s music program receives national recognition for fourth year
For the fourth year in a row, Comal ISD’s music program has received the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the National Association for Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation.“We are proud to receive this honor for a fourth consecutive year,” said Gary Cooper, Comal ISD fine arts director. “This is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our 71 music educators from elementary to high school.”The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to school districts that
The Power of Office Ergonomics: Boosting Productivity the Healthy Way
At Taproot Chiropractic, we believe in the power of the human body and its ability to heal and thrive when provided with the right conditions. While many people may think of ergonomics as just another corporate buzzword, it's much more than that. Currently, 86% of Americans work behind a computer making ergonomics an essential aspect of our daily lives that impacts our health, well-being, and efficiency. Understanding Office Ergonomics. Office ergonomics is about designing workspaces to fit
Local Student Graduates from Texas Boys State
One of 1,000+ future leaders that assembled for the prestigious programSpent week at University of Texas learning about government AUSTIN, Tex. – The American Legion, Department of Texas, today announced that Ryder Bonser, Rowen Hamilton, William Martin, Jake McAnelly, and Maxen Powell of Smithson Valley High School have graduated from the American Legion Texas Boys State. Rowen Hamilton was elected as Speaker of the House and Jake McAnelly elected as County Judge. Rowen Hamilton was one of two young men
You Can't Take It With You
As an attorney and an estate settlement specialist I often gently remind our clients that once you pass away, you can’t take your business or assets with you! This article is to briefly discuss what may happen if you die in Texas without a basic estate plan. Finally, a few recommendations on basic legal documents we should have while we are alive. Death affects people in many ways. It never is timely. Death confronts the family with bereavement, with the need to readjust emotionally and
Does Your Bulverde/Spring Branch Business Have a Fourth Quarter Plan?
As the year comes to a close, it's time to start thinking about wrapping up the fourth quarter. For small businesses, this means evaluating your goals for the year, outlining new year goals, planning holiday marketing, updating your website and social media profiles, assessing your inventory and supply chain, reviewing your accounting practices, preparing for tax season, and reevaluating your business structure. Use these tips from the Bulverde Spring Branch Area Chamber of Commerce to ensure that your