A San Marcos man died June 16 after his vehicle struck another vehicle from behind on FM 81 about a mile north of the intersection at FM 1144.

Nicholas Wagener, a 24-year-old from San Marcos, was driving his 2006 Toyota Tacoma at a high rate of speed around 7:30 p.m. when the accident occurred, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Wagener’s vehicle crested a hill and, as he descended, he came up behind a 1975 Ford F350 pickup truck driven by 48-year-old Thomas Kroll of Victoria.

Council members had a heavy agenda June 13 — including proposals to increase rates for two city services — during their first meeting with new mayoral appointee Brent Houdmann.

Replacing former Mayor Vi Malone, Houdmann has served on the council several years as mayor pro tempore. Falls City council members have decided to forgo a special election and instead have Houdmann serve out the rest of Malone’s term, which will end May next year.

"We decided we’d try to hold a special election in November, and after (City Secretary Lauren Sturm) looked at the laws, she said we don’t have to hold a special election so long as somebody is willing to serve that term through the next election," Houdmann said during an interview after the meeting. "I told the council I would stay on as long as they had confidence in me."

By Elise Tennant

Karnes County officials discussed fireworks during their June 12 meeting.

In the past, there have been restrictions against anything with fins, or aerial displays.

This year, however, there will be no restrictions at all.

Regardless of restrictions, county officials still are strongly urging the public to use caution.

Also on the agenda was the distribution of money for road damages due to heavy rains in March of 2007.

The Kenedy City Council discussed arsenic levels in the town’s water supply during their June 12 meeting.

The maximum arsenic level allowed is 10 micrograms per liter. Kenedy did not meet this requirement in the first quarter of 2007 with an arsenic level of 18 micrograms per liter.

Presently, Kenedy’s arsenic levels are within the requirements, but the city will have to send a notice out to all citizens alerting them that there was a problem.

A project to eliminate arsenic from the water has cost the city $1.4 million and even though the water did not meet requirements in the first quarter, city officials remain optimistic, and said that the water is better now than it has ever been.

The Countywide has recently enhanced its web site at www.thecountywide.com.

Visitors to the web site can now view and download all of the printed pages of each week’s issue as PDF files.