Marvin Joseph “Joe” Zinsmeyer, of Natalia, Texas, passed away on August 27, 2022, at the age of 75. He was born September 25, 1946 in San Antonio, Texas. He was the second youngest of the six children born to William Martin Zinsmeyer and Irene Theresa Schmidt Zinsmeyer. Marvin graduated from St. Louis Catholic High School in 1964. He attended St. Mary’s University briefly to play baseball. After leaving St. Mary’s University, he enlisted in the United States Air Force at 20 years old. He trained at Lackland San Antonio Air Force Base. Marvin served in Vietnam and was stationed in various locations throughout his service. He was honorably discharged after serving his country. Marvin went on to work in construction, where he retired as a Superintendent for J.M. Davidson in 2012 after over 30 years. Many of the projects he worked on can be seen throughout the state of Texas. There were not many cities you could drive through where Marvin wouldn’t have a story about the work he had done on certain buildings, electrical substations, etc. In his spare time, Marvin was an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing and hunting. Survivors include his wife, Margarita “Margie” Caseres Zinsmeyer of Natalia; children, Rebecca Ann Grace and Jamie Rasbury (Casey) of Mathis, Marvin Zinsmeyer, Jr. (Sonya) of Aransas Pass, Brittainie Zinsmeyer (Buck Wallace) of Houston, Paulette Yracheta-Marazzini (Josh) of San Antonio, and Krystle Regalado-Gutierrez (Robert) of Castroville; grandchildren, Trevor and Troy Grace and Ryan and Peyton Rasbury of Mathis, and Jacqueline and Karl Kennedy, III of Castroville; brothers, Melvin W. Zinsmeyer of Castroville and Mervin Zinsmeyer (Deborah) of Yorktown, Virginia; several in-laws; and numerous nieces and nephews. Marvin was preceded in death by his parents, William and Irene Zinsmeyer; his children, Sean Alexander Moore Zinsmeyer, Shane Michael Zinsmeyer, Seth Zinsmeyer, and Kaywanna Fawn Brown; his sisters, Marilyn Grace Zinsmeyer and Carolyn Mary Kowalik Dillon; his brother, Emil Zinsmeyer; and his sister-in-law, Jo Ann Koch Zinsmeyer. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, September 9, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Parish Hall in La Coste. Inurnment will follow at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Cemetery in La Coste. Memorials may be made in Joe’s memory to the charity of your choice. Arrangements by Tondre-Guinn Funeral Home. Visit www.tondre-guinn.com.
Been an excellent week or two. Black Creek metropolis got around 4 inches of rain since July 14th and that fell between August 10th and August 25th. Hallylooya!! Had an oak tree that measured about 5 feet through the center come down on CR 653 just down from Fred Yanta’s hay farm. During the process, one of Ernest Kruger’s (hope it’s spelled right) calves got caught under it and is no longer with us. Took out power lines across the road from it and the fence under it. Took us three days to clear it up. Ok’d Judge Bubba in Pct 3 to expand his JP office in the old Courthouse so that his clerks could move without running into each other. We approved 14 contracts with Juvenile facilities so that we could have a place for juvenile criminals to be housed. Their parents did not raise them right and now the County and the State have to. We also passed a Resolution calling for measures to secure our border, protect our communities and its residents, support the Governor and request the Federal government to do its duty. Fat chance. Just another reason to not vote for Democrat incumbents. We voted (3-0-1) to go out for bids on constructing a parking lot at the SW corner of 14th St and Ave N in Hondo. Also voted on speed limits and stop signs at several locations so that enforcement would be legal. Went by our Post Office the other day and whoever is maintaining the grounds needs to be fired. The grass needs mowing, the shrubs need trimming or need to be removed and replaced. Not to mention the mud swallows mess at the entrance. When asked about improving the condition, you either get a look of indifference or “it’s not my job”. Looks like a third world country type location. Sure would be interested in the job…after January 1. Saw where Devine, Natalia and Natalia ISD rejected the Appraisal Districts Budget. If more of the taxing entities would reject it, they would have to re-do it. I sure hope enough of them reject it. It hasn’t come to Comm. Ct. yet….and I aint in favor of approving it. More rain is predicted for this week so, keep prayin. Aint it amazing how we go from a dried up wasteland to a green oasis in a matter of days after the Man-in-charge tends his creation? Only 69 more days until we get the chance to vote out incumbent Democrats, 116 days until Christmas and 121 days until the lady out on CR 7720 gets her wish.
Lytle P.D. managed 47 calls for service last week. Officers conducted 83 traffic stops. Those traffic stops resulted in 72 citations and 11 warnings. We only had one property crime reported last week! It was an internal theft at NAPA Auto Parts. It is always nice when people don’t get their stuff ripped off by some crook, so I really like the low theft numbers. Officers made three arrests last week: #1 – Ofc. L. Diaz (assisted by Ofc. J. Cortez) conducted a traffic stop on McDonald St. and determined the driver to be intoxicated. He was arrested for DWI. #2 – Ofc. A. Lopez conducted a traffic stop on Adams St. and determined the driver had an active felony warrant (Agg. Assault w/a Deadly Weapon) out of Bexar Co. #3 – Ofc. J. Cortez (assisted by Sgt. G. Hanson) conducted a traffic stop on Mains St. for speeding. The female driver was arrested for DWI. All three of those were booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail in Jourdanton. It may not seem like a lot when you read it, but stopping and arresting an intoxicated driver in the middle of the night is a stressful and dangerous event. Your officers are out there keeping you safe 24/7. Sorry for the short and boring report, so what else is going on? We are getting close to our annual National Night Out event. It will be held at the Lytle Community Center on Priest Blvd. The date is October 4, 2022, and we will start at about 6 PM. You can expect a free hotdog and something to drink. You can mingle with our officers, and we will also have some folks from the fire department as well. We welcome businesses or organizations that want to set up too. Just call or email so I can reserve a table for your group. In addition to a free hotdog, you will score some other free stuff. Bring out the whole family! Everyone is welcome, even if you don’t like the “police” I am sure you will like a free hotdog.
I have the very special honor of being a god mother again, or “fairy god mother” as one of my little ones calls me. Little Kenneth didn’t even cry when deacon poured the holy water over him. His eyes just got real big. I guess just about anybody is ready to cool off with this sweltering heat we’ve been having. There was a pool party afterwards. As Pop Capps came out to enjoy the kids playing in pool, he joked “Well, it’s nice and cool out here!” I guess a little wishful thinking can go a long ways! As a child, I can remember, I loved the summer heat. It was a hundred degrees, and I had a canteen full of cold Big Red, and I was ready to go ride my horse. Me and old Dan went on a lot of fun adventures together, and that heat didn’t bother me back then. I imagine our little boys, Kenneth and cousin Tucky, will have lots of fun adventures running around grandpa and grandma’s ranch in the boiling heat where I once did. What a treasure that place is. The red dirt roads, where you leave your tracks, the cactus where you see the old jack rabbit peeking out, the brush where you never know what’s gonna jump out, the open fields where you can just BE, without another person or building in sight for just a few moments. Speaking of adventures, I got to interview the landowners and explorers who found the awesome cave underneath a ranch near Hondo. As a young girl, I did plenty of “treasure hunting” myself, so it was really fun to hear about the discovery of this cave–hundreds of thousands of years old. You just never know what you are gonna find out in the middle of nowhere–but one thing’s for sure–you’ll find big blue skies and a simple kind of peace you can’t find anywhere else. That’s close enough to treasure for me, even if I never find anything else out there.
Last week, I promised you more about our vacation. The trip up and down the mountain on the ski lift was fabulous, and not the least bit frightening. The scenery was as spectacular as all the rest of it had been. Later this same day, we got to go out to the stables and see the beautiful Percheron horses that would be pulling the carriage that we would be going sight-seeing in. They are among the largest horses used for many things. The carriage had three bench seats and we were scattered among them. Everyone had a wonderful time, as our driver, a sweet lady named Nancy drove us around several back roads. We not only got to see some scenery, we also saw several deer and I’m not sure, but I think we saw an elk. When we finished the ride, she allowed the children on board to pat the horses and her assistant helped hold some of them up so they could see better. I know that the little young man who turned four that day is the only one who will remember it. It was a truly wonderful day all around! We went back to the house for the evening and started getting clothes ready to be loaded the next morning, only problem was, it began raining during the night the guys had to load all three vehicles as well as the trailer in the rain. It was not pleasant to say the least, they were all soaked. We all pitched in where we could from inside the house and tried to keep the more mobile of the little boys out of the way, sometimes it worked and sometimes not. Anyway, everything was finally loaded, including all the people and we went down the mountain. We stopped in the town of Angelfire and went into a really nice shop where we could buy souvenirs and such, everyone had a great time in the shop and the lady who was running it was friendly and helpful, and loved our stories about the bears. I got the impression she had heard various stories before and she added a couple of things herself. Soon we were back on the road and in about eight or so hours, we were back in Texas at my granddaughter’s home. We spent the night there and on Sunday, it was back to Devine, and on Monday, it was home for me to face a busy week. It culminated in having part of this same group at my home for a true birthday party for my four year old great grandson. He loved his presents and his birthday cake and ice cream. Thanks again, family, for a wonderful vacation! This coming Monday is Labor Day. This is the only holiday that has always been on Monday, so therefore it has not fallen to the changes that some of our other holidays have. It is still celebrated on the first Monday of September, just as it has been for many years. The Knights of Labor in New York City first celebrated Labor Day in 1882 and 1884. Labor Day is now a legal holiday throughout the United States and Canada. It is just about midway between July 4th and Thanksgiving, which is why the first Monday of September, was chosen as this holiday. Labor Day has always signaled the official end of summer fun. In the past, school always began the Tuesday following Labor Day. This no longer holds true in most school districts, with some having begun classes on the 14th of August. Many families plan their last get-together of the summer, their last trip to the lake or coast, or their last camp out for Labor Day weekend. In south Texas, we will have lots more weekends with good warm weather (hot, actually), however, we will still be having days of 85ºF to 90ºF well into November, and we won’t be surprised if we can wear shorts at Christmas. Now, I know I’ve said this unlimited times, but, if you go on any type of outing and take food along, be sure to keep hot foods hot, and cold foods cold. Did you know that you could use your ice chest to keep foods hot? Pour a gallon or so of hot water into the ice chest, close the lid for a few minutes, then drain the water out. I always put several sections of newspaper in the bottom before setting hot casseroles or pots in to keep from damaging the ice chest. I have not tried this with anything other than the cooler type, not the foam; however, they would probably work just as well. Also, if you have casseroles and they are fairly flat on top, you can cover them with foil and then use your cake/cookie cooling racks to add another layer. This works well and I’ve done it in the past, I just forgot about it until I saw how my daughter brought us food this weekend. Here are a couple of our favorites for picnics/get togethers that are good hot or cold. They’ve both been around for a long time. Enjoy! Uncle Ben’s Baked Beans 5 to 6 strips thin-sliced bacon 1 can (32-oz) pork and beans 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup barbecue sauce Cut bacon cross-wise into 1/4-inch pieces and fry until crisp, remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Pour beans, onion, bell pepper, sugar and barbecue sauce into a 2-quart casserole, stir to mix. Sprinkle bacon on top. Bake at 350ºF until thick enough to suit your taste. Jo’s Baked Beans 3 cans (15½-oz) size 1 envelope onion soup mix 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons prepared mustard 3 or 4 strips thin-sliced bacon Mix beans, soup mix, brown sugar and mustard together in a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with bacon slices. Bake at 350ºF 30 to 45 minutes or until bacon is cooked and crisp. Layered Spinach Salad 1 package fresh spinach 1 medium-size head of lettuce 8 green onions, sliced, including tops 1 box (10-oz) frozen peas 1 can chopped water chestnuts (optional) Dressing: 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup salad dressing 1 cup sour cream 1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix 8 slices, cooked crumbled bacon 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (not the kind in the green box) Wash spinach and lettuce; drain well. Place spinach in large bowl. Shred lettuce and place on top of spinach, top this with frozen peas and water chestnuts (if used). Mix dressing ingredients together and spread over top of salad, all the way to edges of bowl to seal it. Just before serving, top with Parmesan cheese and bacon.
Medina County Judge Chris Schuchart addresses supporters of a proposed anti-illegal immigration declaration during the commissioner’s regular session on Aug 25.
By Anton Riecher The Medina County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Aug. 25 to approve a resolution in support of Texas governor Greg Abbott continuing opposition to illegal immigration across the state’s border with Mexico. “Now therefore be it resolved that the Medina County Commissioners Court recognizes the failure of the federal government to perform its duties and supports Governor Abbott’s actions to attempt to Secure the Texas Border,” the resolution states. Timothy Neuman, precinct 1 commissioner, made the motion to approve the resolution, seconded by Larry Sittre, precinct 2 commissioner. However, County Judge Chris Schuchart stood firm in his opposition to the legal wording of a “declaration of invasion” supported by other Texas counties and elected officials that cites the U.S. Constitution as granting states the power to expel migrants crossing the border in the event of invasion. Schuchart, who made his opposition clear at the commissioners’ Aug. 11 meeting, restated his position to supporters of the original “declaration” version of the anti-illegal immigration document. “The document that you want us to pass is flawed,” Schuchart said. “It basically doesn’t follow the law. It cites five different footnotes that I can only confirm one of them to be fact.” At the root of the impasse is the definition of the word “invasion” as accepted by U.S. Courts.
Mona Walters addresses the Medina County Commissioners Court Aug 25 voicing her opposition
“The Supreme Court has never overruled three federal appellate courts who say an invasion is not illegal immigrants coming across,” Schuchart said. “We all agree we have a huge problem but it doesn’t fit the definition of an invasion.” Abbott, himself a former attorney general of the state, has taken no formal action on the declarations. Schuchart, a retired attorney, also took issue with the proclaiming the document a declaration rather than a resolution. Of the 18 counties that have taken a position on the “invasion” issue, six have chosen to pass resolutions rather than declarations. “There is a difference between a declaration of invasion and a resolution,” he said. “We will pass a resolution.” Speaking in support of the original “declaration,” Hank Seay of La Coste said the present immigration situation “definitely fits my definition of an invasion.” To call it anything else amounted to “playing semantics.” “I understand that politics always seems to get in the way and muddy the waters,” Seay said. “I believe that’s exactly what has happened here.” Robert Oberlender of Natalia and David Logan also spoke in support of the “invasion” declaration. “I think it’s an invasion regardless of the terminology and the definition of the word,” Logan said. Mona Walters, another declaration supporter, inferred that refusal to back the original language amounted to an attack on Medina County Republican Party chairperson Julie Clark who spoke in favor of the declaration at the Aug. 11 meeting. “Members of our Republican party who support Julie Clark have become alarmed,” Walters said. “Several have called and told me that threats have been made against Julie and her husband.” Schuchart said he and the commissioners were on the same side as the declaration supporters on the anti-illegal immigration issue. “We are all Republicans,” Schuchart said. “Everybody sitting (on the commissioners’ court) is a Republican. But for some reason the tactics that are being used against us are astonishing to me…” Passage of an anti-illegal immigration resolution will not save citizens threatened by crime in the county, he said. “That man over there (pointing to Sheriff Randy Brown) and his staff will save citizens,” Schuchart said. To aid in that effort, the commissioners have added six new deputies to the sheriff’s office, plus three more school reserve officers (in Medina Valley ISD schools) who, during the summer, become part of the sheriff’s staff, Schuchart said. The county is also buying the sheriff 14 more emergency vehicles. “We are spending money to protect the citizens,” Schuchart said. You can watch our video coverage of the meeting at: https://youtu.be/vHNS1kR4nKo
Frio County Precinct 2 Commissioner Richard Graf and Frio County Attorney Joseph Sindon address questions from the audience during a community meeting in Moore.
By Anton Riecher and Kayleen Holder Opposition to a rumored solar panel farm being planned in Moore brought a capacity crowd together Thursday evening (Aug. 25) at the local community center. Ray Freitas, manager of the Moore Water Supply Corporation, told the audience that a neighbor on Black Creek Road/CR 1660 had confirmed leasing acreage for a solar farm, sometimes referred to as a photovoltaic power station, using a large array of solar panels to convert sunlight into electrical energy. In an interview afterward, Freitas expressed the concern that “one of the properties leased is part of the Black Creek system and could possibly contaminate the watershed.” A landowner in the area, Darla Bacon, explained that in all, the solar farm project could span close to 600 acres. “Solar farms form what’s called a thermal heat island effect, which increases temperature. I am surrounded on three sides so I will be right in the middle of that. It can increase temperature by 5 to 7 degrees,” Bacon said. “I am going to lose my dove hunting operation, and I am probably going to lose my cattle operation too. I have talked to a man in Deport,Tx who lives near a solar farm like this, and he said the humming sound that it makes is another thing that has driven people nuts. Replacing land with photovoltaic panels will likely increase runoff volume and reduce recharge for our water tables.” Local bee keeper David Park also lives near the proposed solar projects. “The biggest thing I am worried about is how it will de-value my property. We live in a house on a hill and can see for miles. We have lived here for 17 years. Who wants to look down on 500 acres of solar panels?” Like most residents, Graves Wallace, had more questions rather than answers. “Well, it’s certainly not something that you would expect to happen right next door to you. I did not see it coming. How will it affect the value of my property? What are the effects to our environment? And what are my rights? I truly don’t know. Those are questions I haven’t been able to find a positive answer to. One thing is for sure, time will tell us.” When it comes to progress, Wallace said, “Electricity is great. Technology is great. But that old hand-crank ice cream maker–it always works.” Moore VFD Fire Chief JD Earls has his own concerns on the firefighting side. “Equipment, extinguishing agents, training, costs…..What is needed and how do we obtain it? Where do we get specialized training we’ll need?” Chief JD Earls said. “You cannot put water on electricity.” At the meeting…. A pamphlet presented at the meeting titled “Drawbacks of Living Near a Solar Farm” set down a litany of possible issues with solar farms ranging from health concerns about electromagnetic waves, increased risk of fire from the radiated heat and the potential that harmful chemicals such as cadmium, arsenic, silicon, copper and lead could contaminate the environment. The concern is that damaged units may release contaminants into the environment. Frio County Precinct 2 Commissioner Richard Graf presided over the meeting. Also on hand to field questions were Frio County Attorney Joseph Sindon and incoming precinct 2 commissioner Mario Martinez who takes office in November. Graf told those attending that his office received nearly a dozen calls last week concerned about the rumored solar farm project. “I’d really like to say that as of this date (the county) still has not been formally asked or told that a solar company is coming in,” Graf said. “Don’t get me wrong. I don’t doubt at all that they are coming in.” However, unless the company applies for tax abatement, it is under no obligation to inform the county of its plans. Graf said he brought the rumored project before the Frio County Commissioners Court during its regular meeting on Aug. 24. “Based on all the information I’ve got it will be my pleasure to recommend to the court that we do not give them one,” Graf said. He said the commissioners were “very attentive to what I had to say and were anxious for this meeting to happen so that I could get back with them.” Graf and Sindon both stressed that the county has no regulatory authority to restrict industrial development. “We all like living in Texas because we don’t want a lot of regulation,” Sindon said. “The government lets us do what we want.” People are largely allowed to do what they want “unless it upsets the neighbors,” Sindon said. He noted that the commissioners approved tax abatement for a solar panel farm located on a large ranch with no immediate neighbors to the project (in the Pearsall area). “Nobody complained,” Sindon said. Martinez said he was in agreement with Graf in opposing the project. “For the most part I’m with everyone here,” Martinez said. “I’m not saying we’re going to please everyone 100 percent but we want to look out for your wellbeing.” Here is the link to the Moore Community Center meeting about the solar farm: https://youtu.be/qQs6pLCOX9g Please note, there was some confusion at the meeting about how much acreage the Moore solar farm would include, but has since been settled and is reflected in this article as of information we received Tuesday. The company which has leased land in Moore is based out of Chicago, a landowner said, and is not the same company that received tax incentives in the Pearsall area solar farms that are expected to become operational in 2023.
The Davis family has lived on the land for 23 years and had no idea what was hiding underneath. Now explorers will work to find any caves that could be connected to the massive cavern discovered last week. Pictured above is Matthew Taylor. Photography by Bennett Lee
By Kayleen Holder Editor MEDINA COUNTY–When landowners stumbled upon a hidden sink hole with a small hole on the Seco Valley Ranch north of Hondo, they dropped a rock inside, “and it took a long time to hit bottom.” They knew then they had found something special, but had no idea just how truly extraordinary it would be. A neighbor who had grown up exploring the ranch knew of at least one sink hole on the property, the Davis family said, so they called out the local grotto. Little did he know as a young boy, there truly was a treasure beneath the surface of the family ranch. “Located only a few hundred yards from our foreman’s residence, this sinkhole was concealed in a brushy area no-one had ever explored due to the rocky terrain,” said landowners Mr. and Mrs. Don and Debbie Davis. “We knew of one (other) large sinkhole on the property that our neighbor Randy Rugh told us about many years ago. Randy is the great-nephew of the previous landowner and grew up exploring the entire property.” Last Monday, August 22, two lucky cave explorers went inside and discovered the massive underground room, measuring about 130 tall x 70 feet around. Cave explorer, Bennett Lee was the first one in the hole, along with fellow explorer Matthew Taylor. This was certainly a day to remember for Lee, who is a computer tech man by day and a “caver” just for fun. “There are only a few caves in Texas with a room this big. It’s really rare to find a room and formations this big,” Lee said. “As a caver, you go to hundreds of sites and stick your head in, and most of the time, almost always, it’s nothing. This is one we are all looking for!” Lee has been exploring caves since the 80s and has seen a lot over the years, and he notes that any possible connecting caves could be even more remarkable. “The underground world is something that most people will never see. It’s like the last frontier,” Bennett said. “Every mountain top, every stream, someone has walked it, but these underground caves have been sealed up for hundreds of thousands of years. It’s like walking on the moon. We know we are the first people to ever set foot down there,” Lee said. “It is hundreds of thousands of years old,” he said, and there are impressive formations all over the walls of the cave. “The two main formations in there dwarf the others,” Bennett said. “One was about 30 feet high, and then there are two stalagmites that grew together about halfway up, and those are about 20 feet. The photo was taken on the uphill side, so it does not show the full height. Formations this large take a very long time to form.” Another unique feature is what he calls a “broomstick column” which is formed by a stalagmite and a stalactite which grew together from above and below. He spoke a little about how sink holes form. “Usually what happens is the ceiling of a cave collapses, slowly over time. Over hundreds of thousands of years, little pieces of rock fall from the ceiling, one after another, into this now huge cavern underground. The rock above the cave becomes weak and as it erodes and falls, eventually, you start to see this sink hole form on the surface,” Lee said. “Exploring caves is a very fun, exciting, and dangerous business!” In this stunning underground room, named Woot Cavern, explorers will search for a connecting cave, which could be even more marvelous than the initial discovery. Lee has worked on a project near Leakey, for example, where cavers found a cave spanning over six miles long, underground, with no end in sight. “With a room this size, there was obviously something there at one time,” Lee said. “We just have no idea what to expect. We have to go back down there and poke around, see if we can find a connecting cave and get past the breakdown. There are several large boulders. We may never get past the break down,” Lee said. The 1,883-acre ranch in northeast Medina County has several sink holes, but nothing like this one. When you are looking for a sink hole, you might look for “a circular depression about 10-30 feet in diameter, that’s about 6 feet lower than the ground around it,” Lee said. “Sometimes smaller, sometimes only 2 feet deep.” “Winter time is a great time to walk the ranch. If you see any steam coming up from the ground, that’s a huge sign. Or after a huge rain, water might run down into a sink hole. Sink holes are important recharge zones for the aquifer.” If you suspect you see a sinkhole on your land, you can contact the Bexar Grotto team, and they will come check it out for free. Limestone is typical of caves and Texas is covered with limestone. From San Antonio to Austin, sink holes are actually very common, he says. The Grotto group does what’s called “karst walks”, where we have a line of people and walk across the land looking for signs “There’s a lot of caves around here, especially around the Hill Country area,” Lee said. “It’s just a matter of finding them.” Q&A with the Davis family at Seco Valley Ranch: How did ya’ll first see it? Last February, we invited members of Bexar Grotto, a non-profit caving group, to explore the cave associated with the sinkhole about which we knew. They opened up passages enough for people to crawl in and discovered a large room with ancient stalagmites and stalactites (remember your school mnemonic; Stalactites hold tightly to the ceiling and Stalagmites might make it to the ceiling someday). The Hydrologist with this group explained to us this sinkhole and others in the area were springs in the Paleolithic Era where aquifer waters were forced upwards and fed the shallow sea that covered this area. These openings now serve to direct rainfall down into the aquifer. YouTube video with images of this karst feature. https://youtu.be/t1556eJzKow Prior to initiating exploration of that karst, we named DWD Grotto, our ranch foreman Jaime Sanchez discovered a second sinkhole while clearing juniper brush. We still plan to excavate this cave that is located near a wet weather creek. https://youtu.be/B0XAGk0pgN0 The EAA uses precise satellite hill shade maps to identify depressions on the land surface. They located two more areas of interest. The third turned out to contain the small opening to this spectacular cavern. We invited Bexar Grotto out again. Bennett Lee and Matthew Taylor rappelled 80’ down from the tiny entrance and discovered a huge open room with a spectacular column of glistening flowstone and a second tower. https://youtu.be/kYWKgqm_rfU Our ranch is located along the Balcones Escarpment, an area known for its high aquifer recharge ability due to fracturing from the ancient Balcones Fault line. The aquifer supplies water to the city of San Antonio, among others. Due to climate change and increased urban water needs, the Edwards Aquifer Authority is actively seeking private lands to enroll in conservation easements, a program that pays landowners a percentage of the current land value to restrict development in perpetuity. We decided along with several of our neighbors, to conserve this significant area. As part of the research conducted by EAA, a team of Geologists and Hydrologists work in cooperation with Biologists with Green Spaces Alliance, a 501(C)3, to survey the properties, mapping noteworthy features. How many sink holes have ya’ll found in all? 4 What did ya’ll do when ya’ll first found the hole? While shining a light down the small opening, we could see there was a floor. Tossing in a rock was our first attempt to determine the depth of the cavern. It took 3 ½ seconds to hit the bottom. Next, I tied a cord to a rock and lowered it, so I could measure the length of cord. I measured roughly 70 feet. Did ya’ll imagine it was going to be anything like it turned out to be? Heavens no! We could tell the room opened up after the tiny entrance, but could only see darkness. We never dreamed this would be larger than the first karst we explored. How long have ya’ll lived there? 23 years Please share any ranch history or interesting stories? We are about 2 miles northeast of the large Valdina Sinkhole on the Seco Creek. There are numerous caves in this area. This ranch was pieced together in the 1930’s by Charlie Rugh. He left the property to his two nephews that divided the ranch. We purchased half from one brother and our neighbor Randy and his brother inherited their side from their parents Ronnie and Carolyn. Charlie was a sheep and goat farmer. His nephews leased the grazing for cattle and goats. When we took over management, we converted to a cattle operation where we produce grass-fed beef on a small scale for sale to end users. What is it like–knowing there could be a massive cave running underground across your ranch from this site? Very, very exciting. We are conservation ranchers. We manage our grazing holistically to sustain soil health while raising a Critically Endangered breed. In a drought year such as this one and the previous two, it is hard to regenerate the soils, but we do our part not to cause damage to soil health and maintain groundwater retention. We already were making plans to create some kind of land trust, so when we are gone, a living herd of conservation genetics Texas Longhorns will be perpetuated for public appreciation, education and scientific research. The Texas Longhorn is the only breed that evolved in this region by natural selection. They are uniquely adapted to thrive in this environment and promise to be of economic importance to the future of our nation’s food supply as our climate changes. Although there are tens of thousands of horned cattle in this country, only perhaps 3000-3500 animals possess Iberian-descent genetics not mixed with other breeds. These are the cattle we raise. Protecting and developing these karst features for the same public use falls right into our conservation goals. Our ranching operation is also Audubon Certified Bird Friendly Land. This area is sanctuary for endangered Golden-cheeked Warblers and many colorful songbirds. We do not have any children to inherit our property, so our focus is conservation for the public good.
Frio County deputies Matthew Cuellar and the late Corp. Justin Longria.
By Kayleen Holder When Patrol Deputy, Matthew Cuellar stepped into his vehicle this past Tuesday, August 23, he had only one thing on his mind– protecting the citizens of Frio County. That night, he and other deputies encountered a human smuggling operation, and he was involved in a dangerous pursuit that left his vehicle totaled and Deputy Cuellar unconscious. It was a night that he won’t soon forget, for more reasons than one. “Yesterday was a very scary one,” he said. “It’s still eating me up inside to see how careless this subject was that we were in pursuit of. These people don’t care about vehicles, lives, property or anything for that matter, only about the money they’re making to commit this crime.” Cuellar noted that deputies are facing multiple pursuits every day and week, but this one ended a little differently. “I lost control of my patrol unit while in pursuit of a suspect and went into a tree,” Cuellar said. “I was unconscious.” When he awoke, he found himself “alone on the county road with everything destroyed”–but in that moment he also realized something special had just happened. Suddenly he recalled “seeing a unit approach from the east, the opposite direction my team went. As it approached, I realized it was my best friend Justin (Deputy Justin Longoria who died in a vehicle accident last year). Justin put his arm out and said ‘You’re going to be alright come on.’ “Once I touched him, I woke up and heard the radio going off.” At that point, he awoke from unconsciousness, and was able to crawl out and call for help, he said. “This moment still has me torn because I miss my brother so much, but to know when people say he’s always there, and having experienced that, I believe it,” Cuellar said, still emotional thinking about what happened. Deputy Cuellar thanked his fellow heroes and community for the unwavering support they have shown. “Thank you to Sheriff Mike Morse and Chief Peter Erica Salinas for being there throughout the night at the hospital,” Cuellar said. “And of course thank you to my community, the love and prayers that have been sent my way have kept me strong. I woke up this morning feeling like a train hit my body. I’m grateful I was able to leave with a few cuts and a minor concussion. It’s going to be a long week but I will get better. Love everyone.”
Ever wanted to foster, but don’t have a large enough home or money for required repairs? HANK INC, which operates three community foster homes in Medina County, is searching for loving adults who would like to foster sibling groups in one of their three community homes in Devine and Hondo. Currently one of the homes is full, but the other two homes are in need of foster parents to make the house a home for a loving sibling group in need of a place to stay. Their third home is opening soon.
