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3 DAY FORECAST TODAY 100/76
August 20, 2026
Volume 61 l Number 143
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The Voice of Seguin
WEEKEND EDITION
TODAY
Seguin council approves land-use changes for proposed Walmart, major retail development Photo courtesy McQueeney Elementary
Darren Dunn
(Seguin) -- The Seguin City Council Tuesday night approved a general land use plan and zoning change request that could pave the way for a major new retail development on the city’s northwest side, including a new Walmart Supercenter. The proposed multiuse development would be located at the intersection of State Highway 46 and Pecan Parkway, in an area south of Rudeloff Road. The council heard from citizens both for and against the project before spending a couple of hours asking questions and debating the proposal. James McKnight, of the municipal and land use law firm Ortiz McKnight, represented the developers during the council meeting. He offered an apology for perhaps prematurely revealing that Walmart wanted to build at the site. Development, pg. 2
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Development, continued. He says he hopes that doesn’t take away from the fact that this is an exciting project. The new Walmart would be different from most of its existing stores and represents the next generation of supercenters. “It’s really unfortunate because, it’s the opposite of what we wanted to show about this site, which is that we’re really excited. We’re really excited about what’s really going be a flagship high class development,” said McKnight. “We are under contract to work with Provident (Realty Advisors), who we have worked with on other stores. They are a developer that we’ve actually worked with. closed on a property, and started a property in Liberty Hill, outside Austin. So, they’re somebody we work with, they develop other parts around the Walmart site. The information that I’ve gotten about the Walmart is…it’s the store of the future. That’s what they’re calling it. It is the newest prototype. There’s a prototype in Cypress that has been opened. This is supposed to be like that.” Thor Thornhill, president and CEO of HMT Engineering, was also on hand to help answer questions about the proposed project. Thornhill says Walmart is just part of what’s planned for a much larger retail development. “We keep talking about the big box (store). The big box is just one component of this. It is (a total of ) 179 acres. It’s one component on…15 acres. You’re talking about 12 restaurants and pad sites, maybe an Academy or a Dick’s Sporting Goods. There are sites for those. So, you’re talking about a lot of different uses. You’re talking some nicer restaurants, some strip centers, all kinds of things,” said Thornhill. Walmart and the developers are very interested in the site, but there are still some significant issues to work through. The general land use plan and zoning change were a big part of that process. Thornhill explained the steps involved in moving a development like this forward. “The first thing you do is put a project under
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contract. So Provident did that. Then you try to find buyers. Provident found their big box buyer. Then the buyer has to get the zoning. If we don’t get the zoning, Walmart cancels the contract, game over. That’s how it works. The next phase is when they start spending about $500,000 in geological and engineering and traffic study. We’ve actually done a 200 page traffic study already, in case you are asked about it. You don’t spend hundreds of thousands of dollars until you have the proper land use to be able to even consider the site. So, zoning in every city across the country, that’s what happens first, day one, because you can’t even plan out a site and do too much…the zoning in every case always comes first,” said Thornhill. The council voted 8-0 to approve both the zoning change and the land use plan, but that vote came after a couple of hours of deliberation. Questions were raised about when city staff knew Walmart was the interested company and why that information wasn’t shared with the council before the proposal appeared on the agenda earlier this month. There were a number of back-and-forth exchanges on the issue, with the developers and city staff assuring the council that nothing was being hidden and that the confidentiality was simply part of the economic development process. As the discussion continued, City Manager Steve Parker pushed back against repeated questions from Councilman Paul Gaytan about when the city knew Walmart was involved. The answer appeared to be about two months, but Parker says city officials were asked not to reveal the company’s identity, which he says is not uncommon for economic development projects. “We purposely never would hide anything from you and it’s insulting to think that we would do that. I promise you, we would never ever do that. But we also want to make sure that we are doing our job as economic development people to make sure that these developers Development, pg. 3
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Photo courtesy SISD
Development, continued. can trust us and until the retailer or whoever it is or the landowner says it’s okay. We do not release that information. But if it’s something where it’s critical and we know that they’re definitely coming or we know that we’re asking you to give an incentive, you will have that information before anybody else. I can assure you that,” said Parker. Gaytan says he wasn’t necessarily opposed to the project, but he didn’t like that the council and the public were not informed about what was actually being proposed for the property. “I didn’t like that we were voting on something that was going to affect people and they didn’t know about it. That’s not right. And so when I was walking out, Attorney McKnight told me, ‘hey, we never told the city administration not to tell y’all.’ So, then I was like, what is going on? That’s why I’m asking these questions. It’s not to insult the city manager. It’s not to insult city administration. We are the elected officials. We need to know. We need to ask questions. You just don’t put something in front of us and say, vote on it. And then you tell us whenever that it was for a Walmart. That’s not okay,” said Gaytan. Seguin Economic Development Director Alora Wachholz reassured the council that there was nothing unusual about the process. She says staff presented council members with what they knew about the project at the time. “There’s a difference between whenever a company comes in and is doing what we consider kicking tires, right? But they’re not committed to a site. When a company comes in and they have a plan, a site plan, and they
actually are committed to purchasing the property, (that’s different). This was presented to us as Walmart kicking tires on a site. The request and what we learned about it was can they rezone it for the use? And I’ll stand before you and say we have a proven track record of bringing to you critical information about commercial development as soon as it becomes real and it passes the threshold of kicking tires. I can’t do my job if I have to bring you every single opportunity that’s kicking tires on property, because it happens every day all the time with all sorts of users,” said Wachholz. The unanimous approval from the council came after a handful of restrictions were added to the land use plan. Councilman Jim Lievens, who represents the area, laid out the items that were added to the plan. The restrictions are designed to provide additional protections for nearby property owners. “Limiting multi-family to 30 acres. The western end of the property, we talked about the 100-foot buffer. And then in the event that a big box retailer is located along Pecan Parkway, the back end of that, along Pecan Parkway, then it will include the subdivision perimeter wall guidelines,” said Lievens. The project remains in its early stages, and several critical issues will still need to be addressed before construction could begin. Those include the proposed expansion of Pecan Parkway and improvements to State Highway 46. Walmart is said to have chosen the site because of the rapid development occurring in that area. There are currently about 17,000 new homes in the pipeline across Seguin, with roughly half of them planned for this part of the city.
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TLU Soccer picked first in SCAC Bryce Hayes - TLU
SEGUIN, Texas -- Texas Lutheran women’s soccer was picked first in the 2026 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the conference announced Tuesday afternoon. The Bulldogs step into the role of conference favorites following a historic 2026 season. Picked first in last season’s coaches’ poll, the Bulldogs went undefeated in conference play, finishing 9-0-1 to win the first regular championship in program history. The Bulldogs set a new program record for conference winning percentage (.950) and allowed the fewest goals in a season in program history (11) with a program record of 0.61 goals against average. After clearing that milestone last season, the Bulldogs have their sights set on their first SCAC Tournament championship and the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. The squad returns 61% of last season’s goal and assists production. The SCAC Defensive Player of the Year Noelani Ajel (Cibolo/Steele) returns alongside fellow All-SCAC honorees
Aliyah Fonseca (Harlingen/Harlingen), Natalia Cortez (Edinburg/Robert Vela), Lilly Noblett (San Antonio/Warren), Alysa Marquez (Miami, FL/Dr. Michael Krop), and Caitlin Roach (Houston/Manvel). This year, four of TLU’s 17 regular season opponents made the NCAA Tournament last season, as four of the Bulldogs nine non-conference matches will come against NCAA Tournament-caliber competition. The top-picked Bulldogs play at home eight times across the months of August and September, beginning with their scrimmage against Texas A&M International on Sunday, August 23 followed by the season opener against UMHB on September 1 at 7:30 p.m. All games are free to the public. For all updates on Texas Lutheran Women’s Soccer, follow @tluwsoc on X (Twitter) and Instagram and as always you can find updates on all Texas Lutheran athletics on tlubulldogs.com and all official TLU social media channels (@tluathletics on X (Twitter), @tlu_athletics on Instagram and TikTok, and @tlubulldogs on Facebook).
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9 VITAL STATISTICS
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HERZOG
Margot Lieselotte Herzog was called home to be with our Lord and Savior on August 16, 2026. Margot was born on October 13, 1930, in Schönwitz, Silesia, Germany to Emma Anna Elizabeth (Schwarz) and Alfred Max Klehr. Throughout Margot’s life she was known to obtain the title of Domestic Engineer. She loved gardening when in season and enjoyed keeping everything clean. Margot is preceded in death by her loving husband of 56 years, Herman Louis Herzog, her parents, her sister, Adelheid Aster Franke, her brother, HansJoachim Alfred Klehr, and her daughter-in-law, Donna Faye Hudson Herzog.
PROCTOR
Funeral Services for Bruce Allen Proctor will be held Saturday the 15th at Heritage Oaks Mortuary corner of Sinclair Rd and WWWHITE RD at
JACKSON
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Survivors include her children, Herman Hans-Joachim Herzog, Tink Herzog and wife Frances Herzog, Evelyn Lieselotte Lehmann, and Frank Louis Herzog and wife Irene Pacheco Herzog; six grandchildren; ten greatgrandchildren; from Germany, two nieces and four nephews; other loving family members and friends. Visitation will begin on Friday, August 21, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at Tres Hewell Mortuary Chapel followed by funeral service at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Ralph Hernandez and Pastor Rolando Del Toro officiating. Private burial will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice. You are invited to sign the guest book at www.treshewell.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Tres Hewell Mortuary, 165 Tor Dr., Seguin, Texas, 78155, 830-549-5912.
11AM. Interment will be held Friday, the 21st at Ft.Sam Houston National Cemetery at 10:30 am. He is survived by sisters,Esther Proctor, Ada Proctor, Jo Ann Proctor. Arrangements under the direction of Eunice and Lee Mortuary.
Arrangements are pending at Eunice and Lee Mortuary for Jennifer Jackson who died recently at the age of 51. She is survived by her son, Jacob Jackson.
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ACHTERBERG
Robert Lee Achterberg, age 68 of New Braunfels, formerly of Seguin, passed away on July 27, 2026. Robert was born on July 8, 1958, in Seguin, Texas to Joyce Barbara (Koenig) and Herbert Gus Achterberg. Robert was a 1976 graduate of Seguin High School. He was employed by CMC for many years where he worked as a machinist. He also owned and operated a motorcycle repair shop in Seguin. Helping anyone repairing items was a favorite job and pastime as he had many different tools to work with. He enjoyed gun hobbies and freshwater fishing. Robert is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Allen Arthur Achterberg, and his cousin, Shirley Hacker. Survivors include his children, Elaine Rose Achterberg-Rios and husband Randy, Barbara Lynn Achterberg and partner Carl Verow, and Robert Lee “Robbie” Achterberg, Jr.; grandchildren, Christian Jude Santos, Lesley Verow,
GUNCKEL
Joann “Jodi” Hall Gunckel, age 89 of Seguin, passed away on August 6, 2026. Jodi was born on April 22, 1937, in San Antonio, Texas to Elena (Vargas) and John Hall. Jodi was one of the most positive and caring person anyone could know. This was reflected in the more than 40 comments and three shares on her Facebook page. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas, in 1955 and was attending San Antonio College when she met Charles Butler, who was serving in the U.S. Air Force. They were married for 15 years before he passed away while serving in Spain, where Jodi and their two children had accompanied him. The family traveled extensively during the period as a military family, joining Charles at bases from the East coast to the West coast, and to his final assignment at a base in Spain. While in Spain Jodi and her family became immersed in the Spanish culture. In 1972, Jodi and her children returned to San Antonio and settled in the MacArthur High School area, where she purchased a home. While raising her children, Jodi enrolled at San Antonio College and earned an associate degree in 1974. She continued her education at UTSA, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1978 and a master’s degree in education in 1985. She then began a 20-year career as a history teacher at Judson High School. There, she met band director Bill Skelton, whom she married in 1980. Jodi deeply enjoyed her brief time with Bill, attending band concerts and many outings organized by band directors. He passed away five years later, leaving her a widow again. Larry Gunckel was also teaching in the history department at the time. After they had worked together for five years, Larry’s wife passed away. In time, Larry and Jodi’s friendship grew into a relationship, and they
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Robbie Verow, Lilly Verow, and Daphne Achterberg; brother, David Anton Achterberg; sister, Katherine Ruth “Kathy” Achterberg; cousins, Douglas, Caroline and Kenneth; numerous other loving family members and friends. Visitation will begin on Friday, August 14, 2026, at Tres Hewell Mortuary Chapel at 9:30 a.m. followed by a memorial service celebrating Robert’s life at 10:30 a.m. at with the Reverend Jeremy Roy officiating. Private interment will be held later in the Achterberg Family Cemetery near LaVernia. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice. You are invited to sign the guest book at www.treshewell.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Tres Hewell Mortuary, 165 Tor Dr., Seguin, Texas, 78155, 830-549-5912.
married during spring break in 1988. They remained married until Jodi’s passing in 2026. Friends often joked that her full name was Jo Ann Hall Neumann Butler Skelton Gunckel. After retiring, Jodi and Larry purchased an RV and traveled to all 48 contiguous states. They spent much of their time in Tucson, Arizona, where they bought a mobile home in a 50-and-over community. They still maintained residence, first in Bulverde and for the last 20 years in Seguin. They made many friends in these locations, age and difficulty in traveling forced them to stay in Seguin. Jodi was a devoted Catholic who remained active in her church wherever she lived. About four years ago, health issues prevented her from participating, but her faith stayed strong. As her life neared its end, she remained positive. On the last day she could communicate verbally, although she could no longer speak in complete sentences, she repeated, “It’s OK, it’s OK,” and “I did my best, I did my best.” Yes, you did Jodi and your best was fantastic. Jodi is preceded in death by her parents, her son David Butler, and her step-sons, Forrest Gunckel and Gary Gunckel. Survivors include her loving husband of 38 years, Larry Gunckel, daughter Cathi Barnes, stepdaughters Cindy Curnel and husband Avery, Terry Atkinson, sister Helen Reynolds and husband Roy, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other loving family members and friends. Visitation will begin on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 9 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church in Seguin, with the recitation of the Holy Rosary at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. with the Reverend Joss Randriamiharimanana officiating. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. Private interment will be held at a later date at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be made to St. James Catholic Church, 505 Camp St. Seguin, Texas 78155, or the charity of your choice. You are invited to sign the guest book at www.treshewell.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Tres Hewell Mortuary, 165 Tor Dr., Seguin, Texas, 78155, 830-549-5912.
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Vaccine Exemption Rates For Kindergarteners Has Risen (Atlanta, GA) -- The vaccine exemption rate for U.S. kindergarteners has seen a jump. That’s according to new data from the CDC, which says the rate during the 2025-26 school year was four-point-two percent. That’s up from three-point-six the year before. The data also shows the majority of exemptions were for non-medical reasons. Meanwhile, the percentage of kindergarteners who received the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine came out to 92-point-four percent. That’s below the 95-percent rate seen pre-pandemic. Scientists Link Premature Birth To Slower Development Into Teens (Atlanta, GA) -- Atlanta researchers are finding premature birth can slow brain development well into middle school. Scientists at Georgia State, Georgia Tech, and Emory published a study this week tracking brain scans of nearly three thousand children. Researchers discovered kids born early show lower activity in brain areas that control movement, focus, and learning between ages nine and 12. The lower brain activity was linked to weaker reading and vocabulary skills as children grow. Authors say recognizing these early brain patterns can help doctors and teachers give premature kids targeted support sooner. Expert Warns Of Hot Car Danger For Children (Hershey, PA) -- An expert is emphasizing the dangers of leaving children in a hot car. Amy Bollinger, an injury trauma prevention coordinator at Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center, says a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than healthy adults, so they can become overheated a lot faster. She emphasizes that cracking the window will not help much and says to always bring the child with you even if it’s only a quick stop into a store. She also recommends leaving vehicles locked when leaving a vehicle. Last year, more than children in the United States died in hot cars. Half of them were accidentally left in the car and the other half entered an unlocked car on their own. Poison Center Calls Involving Kratom On Rise (Milwaukee, WI) -- There’s a growing number of calls to poison centers involving Kratom. Use of the plant based drug that can give off an opioid like effect has increased over the last decade in new research published in Society for the Study of Addiction. Data shows there were only a handful of kratom exposures reported to poison centers in 2010 but that number climbed to more than 12 hundred cases in 2023. Author of the research Dr. Ryan Feldman of the Medical College of Wisconsin says legislatures across the country are debating the best ways to regulate its use. Kratom can cause seizures, breathing and heart issues and other serious medical issues.
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17 COMMUNITY
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United Way Red Barn Bash BBQ The United Way of Comal and Guadalupe Counties will host its Red Barn Bash BBQ from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Red Barn, 250 Cordova Road in Seguin. The event will feature barbecue from Burnt Bean Co., drinks from Blue Lotus Winery and live music by the Brushy Creek Boys. Tables seat eight and are $2,500. For more information, call 830-620-7760.
Explore advanced cyanotype techniques during Cyanotype II on Wednesday, Aug. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Seguin Art League. Participants will create mixed-media images using watercolor, cyanotype, stencils, turmeric and salt. The class is open to ages 16 and older, costs $45, and all materials are provided. Wear old clothes or an apron and non-slip shoes. Register by calling 830-305-0472.
to 7 p.m., or Saturday, Aug. 29, from 4 to 5 p.m. The class is open to ages 14 and older, costs $15, and includes all materials. Register by calling 830-3050472.
Senior Resource Fair Planned at Seguin Public Library Area seniors, caregivers and families are invited to attend the Senior Resource Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the Seguin Public Library, 313 W. Nolte St. The free event will connect attendees with local organizations offering services and resources that support older adults and their families. For more information, call 830-4012422 or visit the Seguin Public Library.
Vendors Wanted for Kingsbury Farmer & Artisan Market The Pioneer Flight Museum is seeking vendors for the grand opening of the Kingsbury Farmer & Artisan Market on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Pioneer Flight Museum, 190 Pershing Lane in Kingsbury. The market is being hosted as a fundraiser for the nonprofit Pioneer Flight Museum. Vendor booth fees are a $25 donation to support the museum’s mission. Organizers are looking for farmers, artisans, crafters, bakers, makers, vintage vendors, woodworkers, jewelry vendors, specialty food vendors and other local small businesses. Anyone interested in becoming a vendor can register by scanning the QR code on the event flyer or by visiting the Pioneer Flight Museum’s social media pages for additional information. Come shop local, support area vendors and help benefit the Pioneer Flight Museum.
Brotherhood of Cross Church Barbecue Fundraiser The Brotherhood of Cross Church will hold a barbecue meat sale fundraiser benefiting college scholarships. Choices include two barbecue chicken halves for $15, one-and-a-half pounds of Granzin’s barbecue sausage for $15, or one pound of grilled chicken tenders for $10. The deadline to purchase tickets is Sunday, Aug. 23, at the Cross Church office, 814 N. Bauer St., or following Sunday worship. Meat pickup will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, at the church. Cyanotype Art Class
Bead and Cord Bracelet Class Create a traditional bead and cord bracelet during a fun make-and-take class at the Seguin Art League. Sessions are offered Friday, Aug. 28, from 6
Seguin Sunrise Lions SINGO The Seguin Sunrise Lions will host its fourth SINGO fundraiser from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Silver Center, 510 E. Court St. Tickets are $20 for five rounds of songs and prizes and will be sold at the door beginning at 3:30 p.m. Cards are limited. Proceeds benefit local charities and service projects. Faith Lutheran Church 60th Anniversary Celebration Faith Lutheran Church, 1326 E. Cedar St, invites members, former members, friends and the community to join them on Sunday, August 30th, 2026 as they celebrate 60 years of faith, fellowship and wonderful memories. The celebration begins with a church service at 9:00 am, followed by a special day filled with celebration activities, games, historical photos and memorabilia displays, a delicious barbecue lunch, and a special anniversary program. Come reconnect with old friends, share cherished memories, and help celebrate this incredible milestone. To ensure non-profit organization’s meetings and events appear in this calendar, send information to: communitycalendar@kwed1580.com, or drop off the information at the Seguin Daily News/ KWED offices located at 609 E. Court St. in Seguin. For best results, submit information at least two weeks prior to the event.
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