Karnes County – again – was not on the list of counties awarded state grants for courthouse restoration.

The Texas Historical Commission (THC) announced Round V grant recipients of its Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program on Jan. 25, and although this was Karnes County’s third time to apply for grant funding, THC chose not to award a grant for the restoration of the Karnes County courthouse.

By Jason Clay Jansky

Infrastructure problems have delayed the construction of a Holiday Inn Express in Kenedy, but local economic development leaders insist the project is still in the works.

The hotel will be built on the lot across from the Kenedy Wal-Mart Supercenter on the east side of U.S. Highway 181, but economic development officials aren’t yet sure when construction will begin.

"The lines were placed on the Wal-Mart side and they were supposed to be placed under the street. That has not happened. It’s not necessarily a problem with the hotel, it’s the infrastructure," Karnes County Economic Development Corporation Board President Vi Malone said.

The San Antonio Express-News has returned to delivering Karnes County. While they’re not throwing newspapers into yards just yet, they’ve taken what area economic leaders are calling a good first step back in that direction.

Two new vendor locations — The Fillin Station in Falls City and The Tote in Karnes City — now will have the Express-News delivered daily. Delivery to a third location in Kenedy also is in the works.

The decision to service just a small portion of the county came more than a month after the Express-News discontinued all area subscriptions and canceled daily delivery to all Karnes County vendor locations in favor of promoting their new online edition.

Street improvements and tax freezes were on Karnes City council members’ minds during their regular meeting Jan. 22, thanks to several area residents in attendance.

The meeting hall was close to full with many of the residents in attendance there to support a freeze on their taxes.

Represented by Karnes City resident Bobby Busselman, the group claimed to have a signed petition asking Karnes City council members to freeze the tax rate of residents disabled or over the age of 65.

Busselman said the petition would require Karnes City by law to hold an election on the subject matter and he suggested council avoid the cost involved in the election process by approving the freeze before an election becomes necessary.

Schools in Runge and Kenedy were under lockdown status on January 23 after a masked man cleaned out two cash drawers at Prosperity Bank in Yorktown.

The bank was hit by a lone masked gunman around 11 a.m. that day and after he made his getaway, word got out to Runge and Kenedy schools. The entire Runge school district was on full lockdown and the Kenedy high school and middle school both were on a "silent lockdown" as a safety precaution.

Yorktown schools were also on lockdown.

The Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenedy is hosting a "Ladies Tea" with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society.

The event will feature "The Apron Lady" of Shiner with her collection of over 600 aprons.

Also, there will be a fashion show presented by Neva’s Boutique.