Bandera Area Local News Headlines & More!

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In just two short months, the Medina Lake Cajun Festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, (always the fourth Saturday of September!), from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., at the Lakehills Community Center!
Every ticket purchased helps support the Lakehills Community Center, a nonprofit organization serving the community year-round with senior and youth programs.   Click here for the full story.

If you want more information, just click here to visit and get all the information you need at the Medina Lake Cajun Festival website including how to get tickets and information.

Now that the Medina River is flowing again, the annual Medina River Cleanup is back. August 22 will see paddlers from throughout the state gather at the Bandera City Park with local residents in an effort to cover 40 of the 50 miles within Bandera County.  This will be the 20th cleanup since becoming an annual event in 2001.  Click here for more on how you can help and this story.  

The Bandera countywide burn ban is no longer in effect. Following a recommendation by Bandera County Fire Marshal Jason Rutherford, commissioners removed the ban, which has been lifted.

Click here to learn how to be "fire-safe" when on your own property or traveling.  

 The cattle are coming. On Saturday, Sept. 5, the annual Bandera Round-Up Longhorn Cattle Drive and Parade will proceed down Main Street. The parade begins at 11 a.m.   Click here for more information about the upcoming parade weekend.

Click here to read about how after an estimated 300,000 gallons of water mysteriously disappeared, stumping repair operators and halting water flow for four days to reportedly more than 100 households, neighbors Mark Hall and Mike Ruiz teamed up to discover the missing leak. 

The new school year is just around the corner, and the Frontier Times Museum is excited to launch a brand-new educational program for students - Fridays at the Museum. Designed with Bandera ISD students in mind—but free and open to all students—this weekly program offers hands-on learning experiences every Friday from noon to 2 p.m. throughout the school year.  Click here for more on this new program!

The unthinkable has happened.  Our wonderful County Commissioner, Bandera County Precinct #2 Greg Grouthes passed away in January 2026.  He left a void in our community that needs to be filled?  Most would think that there will be an election to replace him?  A political campaign of local candidates to push forward and vote for the best of all the candidates?   But Texas law overrides our thinking on elections and mandates we follow a specific procedure - but what is it?  Click here to find out more and understand how Texas Election Code works on this thankfully rare situation.

Thanks to all the volunteers who worked so hard for a week with the BISD and Hill Country Samaritans this past Saturday insuring that BISD kiddos were prepared for the new school year!   The first day of school is Tuesday, August 4 and you can click here to see the BISD Official School Calendar!   The Lakehills Community Center was buzzing with excitement this past weekend as hundreds of families from across the county gathered for the annual Back to School Bash. Co-sponsored by the Hill Country Samaritans and Bandera ISD, the event drew a crowd of nearly 1,400 attendees, marking another successful year of community partnership and preparation. Click here for the photos and full story.

A survey of U.S. Citizens show that most people don't know how to escape a sinking car.  Stop and think and review the steps now to save you and yours (Note:  These are general safety rules - each situation is different based on speed and depth of the water.  Click here for the full story.  

Where is Jordan Tomkins?  Jordan Tomkins was walking alone along Park Road 37 in Lakehills in April 2022.  She vanished over four years ago without a trace, and still hasn't been found.  For more details on this story, click here.  It's time to talk.    Editors Note:  A body found in Whartons Dock a few months ago has been confirmed as a black female, thus not Jordan.

From dire service in Vietnam, World War II Service, and even a bull attacking a patrol car, Bandera County Veterans have poignant stories to tell.  The local Bandera Prophet has a strong commitment to the military and to the Veteran stories.  Click here to learn about the exposure that Bandera County Veterans, active-duty assignments of Bandera County residents and other military updates including Veterans stories.  

As a Veteran, the Bandera Prophet would like to hear your story.   Please join this great storytelling archive!   Click here to hear the Veteran stories or to get more information.