The city of San Marcos will widen a stretch of Hunter Road between Bishop Street and Wonder World Drive, replacing a low-water crossing over Purgatory Creek where flooding frequently closes the major thoroughfare.

Homebuilder Ryan Thomason and academic adviser Lisa Marie Coppoletta will face each other in a Dec. 15 run-off election for San Marcos City Council Place 5 after late-arriving ballots failed to push Thomason over the top.

Fresh from Washington where he cast a vote for the House’s historic healthcare bill, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett will headline a rally at Texas State University on Tuesday in support of health insurance reform.

Incumbent pulls down 63.6 percent while Thomason fails to avoid runoff by three votes.

Preliminary election results for the 2009 San Marcos City Council election.

Incumbent John Thomaides and home builder Ryan Thomason were solidly in the lead of their respective San Marcos City Council races in early voting results released at the close of polls at 7 p.m.

Seeking to capitalize on Seton Medical Center Hays’ opening last month in Kyle, San Marcos city leaders have expanded a forgivable home loan program to include employees of the hospital who earn at least $40,000 a year.

Candidates for San Marcos City Council Place 5 and Place 6 answered written questions from the League of Women Voters and the Council of Neighborhood Associations. Those voter guides are here.

PLACE 6 | Incumbent John Thomaides and challengers Monica Garcia and Anita Fuller square off for the Place 5 seat.

Early voting in the Nov. 3 City Council election is being conducted on weekdays from Monday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 30 with Saturday hours slated on Oct. 24.