One Week Out! Darkness Is Coming!
Two minutes, two seconds. That’s how long the moon will block the sun in downtown Wimberley on April 8 at approximately 1:35 p.m. That fleeting moment has prompted city and county officials, businesses, volunteers, and residents to spend the last several months making preparations before the darkness -- and crowds -- descend on Wimberley.
The heaviest traffic will likely begin on the morning of Saturday, April 6, for Market Day, and will grow to its peak on Monday. Many residents are stocking up on gas, groceries, and other essentials to ride out the three-day eclipse weekend at home. Hospitality and retail businesses are planning for a wave of visitors by stocking up on merchandise, food, and beverages. Most lodging is sold out. Many businesses that are not essential or don’t cater to visitors have opted to close their doors.
Residents and visitors are urged to sign up for traffic and emergency information at haysinformed.com. Area wireless networks could become overloaded, so residents and visitors are encouraged to tune their radios to KWVH 94.3 for critical updates.
In addition to providing real-time updates, KWVH is airing an eclipse-focused edition of 72 Hours, hosted by Mike Crusham, tonight from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday, Mike will host an Eclipse Special from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. that features a slew of guests that'll help make sure you're ready for the big weekend.
Hays County law enforcement and Wimberley Fire and EMS are all making plans for the long weekend, including extra staffing and positioning resources so that they can respond to any emergency in a timely manner. Tuesday may see additional traffic, as eclipse goers empty out of their viewing sites across the Hill Country and make their way to I-35 and points east.
The Wimberley Square and Quarter Shops will be closed to all vehicular traffic beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday, April 6, and continuing through the evening of April 8. In addition, Old Kyle Road, from Ranch Road 12 to the entrance to Blue Hole Lane, will be closed during those same hours. All county and state highways, including Ranch Road 12, will remain open, albeit slow-moving.
Paid public parking is available at the Oak Park lot and in Blue Hole Park. The Lions Club and numerous other private property owners downtown will also make areas available for paid and free parking. No overnight parking is permitted, and RVs and trailers are only allowed in designated RV parks.
Food trucks, tables, and trash receptacles will be positioned along Old Kyle Road. The soccer fields at Blue Hole Park are anticipated to be a prime viewing location for the eclipse. Live music is planned outside many businesses throughout the three-day weekend. Click here for a complete schedule and eclipse weekend map.
Keeping You Prepared Year 'Round With the Empowered Community
The eclipse is just the latest event that aims to test the preparedness of the Wimberley Valley. But anyone who's spent any time here knows our Little Slice of Heaven faces all sorts of potential calamities, including fires, floods, ice storms, and more.
Since January 2023, The Empowered Community, hosted by longtime KWVH champion Dee Rambeau, has been helping Wimberley find ways to get ready for those dark days that inevitably come. The show airs every Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m., and it's chock-full of guests who share valuable insight about resiliency. And the show never takes itself too seriously, either, mixing fun with facts.
KWVH's Salwa Khan caught up with Dee to talk about the show.
The Wimberley Lady Texan Soccer Team Takes the Area Championship!
Big shout out to the Lady Texan footballers, who whupped up on Pleasanton last Saturday 5-0 to claim the Area Championship.
Wish them luck as they face the Boerne Greyhounds tomorrow night in the 4A Region 3 and 4 Tournament at Smithson Valley.
Go Texans!
We Salute the KWVH Veteran of the Week,
Brought to you by VFW Post 6441
This week we salute Clayton Alexander - a distinguished veteran of the U.S. Army, whose unwavering courage and dedication shone brightly during his deployments in Afghanistan and in Iraq. His selfless service and sacrifices exemplify the qualities of our armed forces, and we express our deepest appreciation for his service and unwavering commitment to defending our nation.
If you want to salute a local veteran on KWVH, contact Mike Russett at vfw6441piofficer@gmail.com.