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The heat is building. So is something good.
Screwworm alert for livestock owners · Mason Hot Rod Night · Pumpkin needs a home
Julius Dulalia
June 11, 2026
The heat is building. So is something good.
Mason's at 18 inches of rain for the year — well above average — and the grass and creeks are looking better than they have in a while. But it's been bone dry for a week, and summer is arriving on its own terms. This issue is about what the Hill Country does with that.
Cattle prices are near historic highs. The screwworm threat has reached Gillespie County. Hay is expensive. The grass is slow between rains. None of those things cancel each other out — and that's the story this week.
New World Screwworm confirmed in Gillespie County. Governor Abbott has issued a Disaster Proclamation. Every livestock owner in the Hill Country needs to see this week's Agriculture section. TAHC hotline: (800) 550-8242. Full details in the edition.
In this edition:
The Summer Ledger — What it costs to ranch through the heat. Cattle markets, hay prices, drought stress, and the screwworm layer that arrived in the Hill Country this week.
⭐ This Saturday: Mason Hot Dog & Hot Rod Night (4 PM, Mason Square), Menard River Rat Fest with Pat Green & Cory Morrow (9 AM–11:30 PM), plus a Fort Mason gem hunt and Aaron Stephens live at the Odeon — all in Mason on the same day. Plus: Fourth of July roundup, Mason Roundup Rodeo, Gillespie County Fair, Brady Goat Cookoff, and more.
Seven things worth knowing this week: Weather (YTD rain well above average, but bone dry this past week — Llano River back to normal after a mid-May spike), screwworm policy update, economic outlook (80% of TX small biz owners expect growth), peach crop alert (call ahead — 10–20% normal yield), cattle market snapshot, grant deadlines (June 15, 17, 23 & 30), and tourism pulse.
Biz Insights: When drought is a balance sheet problem — not just a weather condition. Plus a data snapshot: franchise tax threshold raised, cattle near historic highs, and what that actually means for Hill Country operators.
Hazel Mae & Fern on watering wisely — your yard AND yourself, and when to let things go brown. Horoscopes: "What you're thirsty for" — what each sign is craving as summer settles in.
Pumpkin is a Red Heeler mix, almost 2, smart, athletic, and in leash training. She came in with her best friend Cookie. She is ready to commit. Second Chance Mason Animal Rescue · (325) 347-6929.
🗓 Save the date: Venture Fest, October 1, Mason County. Details still being finalized, but if your business is interested in sponsoring — or you're a student who wants to participate — reach out early. More soon.
The Business Circle goes deeper on drought economics, screwworm operational planning, and Hill Country market data. $10/month.
Join →Read the full Townie edition — the featured story, all 31 events, and the full Hill Country Briefing.
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