The residents of Devine are saddened by the passing of a dear friend. Michael James Oberdick (Mike) went to meet his Lord on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at the age of 68. Mike served our community as the Animal Control officer since 2008 and will be remembered for his kindness toward the many animals he dealt with through the years. Aside from the many animal control calls, Mike received calls from people requesting the removal of a skunk or other furry critters, a particular canine began a ritual with Mike by getting out of his yard so he could be picked up and get a ride home in the animal control truck.
Mike was born in New Jersey on September 5, 1955. After graduating from Colonia High School, he went to work at CITGO Petroleum eventually becoming a terminal manager and was licensed in multiple disciplines. He also worked on Petty’s Island in his long career with CITGO. Mike was eventually transferred to the San Antonio area by CITGO.
His love of country took him to Moore, Tx. He sold his place in Moore and moved outside of Devine where he and Patti Oestreich established a Tennessee Walker breeding ranch business. Every aspect of working with the horses became a passion and a love, especially the foals. Mike loved horses and he loved to ride. He participated in many trail rides including the Pony Express Ride and was a proud member of the Laredo Trail Ride. He also played the part of a ranger in a movie about Texas Rangers.
Michael is survived by Patti Oestreich with whom they shared almost twenty years together. He is also survived by his parents Cornelius and June Oberdick of New Jersey; daughter, Allison Pirelli and husband of Pennsylvania; sisters Kathy, Lori, and Lisa; brothers, Tom, Richard, and Neil; granddaughter and grandson; step-daughters and husbands, Misha and Rodney Clark and grandchildren and Hether and Kevin McCullar and grandchildren; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and a special aunt, Rose Cherego of New Jersey. And of course, his many beloved dogs and horses whom he had frequently wished to be with for eternity.
Author: admin
Angela (Judy) RoseShirley-Holcomb-Law
Angela (Judy) Rose Shirley-Holcomb-Law died at the age of 86 on June 10, 2023. She was born April 4, 1937 in Philadelphia, PA. She spent the beginning of her life there until she met and moved to Texas with her late husband, Harvey Holcomb. Here they raised 3 children, whom she loved and cherished until her last day. She gave everything she had to provide the best life she could for them.
She later went on to marry her second husband, John Law, the love of her life. They spent their years together in the Catholic Church spreading the word and love of God while spoiling and loving their grandkids and pets. He passed before her, but she is now in Heaven, reunited with her loving husband.
Judy was the sweetest woman in the world, the best God-loving wife, mother, aunt, friend, and most importantly Mawmaw. She had no greater joy than watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow. She would tell of all of their successes and memories to anyone who would listen. There was no greater supporter than Mawmaw.
She was a brilliant woman who spent her time giving. Her most proud years of work are when she was working in low-income apartment management and worked into her 80s. She loved numbers and doing all the math that most people would rather not deal with, but more so, she loved helping those in need have a place to call home.
She once had a dream where she showed up to the pearly gates greeted by all of her beloved animals who passed before her and I have faith that that’s exactly how she was greeted the day she left this Earth for Heaven.
She is preceded in death by spouses John Law and Harvey Holcomb, parents Joseph and Angela Shirley, grandson Joey Carroll, sister Joan “Sis” Searcy, brother Dan “Danny” Shirley and brother-in-law Don Leist.
She is survived in death by her 3 children; Harvey Holcomb Jr., Cindy Holcomb Carroll and Eric Holcomb; her 5 grandchildren; Beau (Traci) Carroll, Dawn (Joshua) Walker, Whitney (Jayson) Williams, Cheyenne (Joe) Holcomb and Erica (Welden) Rappmund; her 9 great-grandchildren; Paige Walker, Preslie Walker, McKenna Williams, Ian Walker, Heston Holcomb, Kolton Schroat, Kynzli and Tenley Carroll, and Katie Rappmund; siblings; Phina Leist, Joe “Jr” (Dotty) Shirley, sister-in-law Gail Shirley,and brother-in-law Bill Searcy.
A rosary and service is planned for Saturday, July 15, 2023 at 9:30am at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 108 S Washington Dr, Devine, TX 78016 with a private burial to follow.
Minute of Angle vs Minute of Deer
I grew up in a family torn between two attitudes related to the importance of a rifle’s accuracy. My Grand Father, Charlie Rosenauer believed if a fellow had a good .22, 12 gauge shotgun, and a 30 caliber deer rifle, he needed 0, nothing, nada, zilch more! “Learn to shoot ‘em good boy and you will do just fine” was his consistent motto to me.
My Dad, Johnnie Sr. felt like he should “tinker” with a gun until he had just the right handload that would generate the best possible performance out of the firearm. Once that was accomplished, he would lose interest in 90% + of his guns and trade around for a new one to mess with.
When it came to sighting in a rifle for deer season, the same differing attitudes prevailed. Charlie was good to go if he could hit the red dot on one of those old Texaco Oil cans from about 40 steps off the front porch of his old farmhouse. I came to understand that viewpoint as Minute of Deer. Johnnie Sr. wanted to have one jagged hole for 3 to 5 shots that was only 1 inch across in size. That was Minute of Angle.
Like many other things in my Life, I ended up somewhere in between their perspectives. As the years have gone by my 20/15 vision has deteriorated into something a good bit less than that. Not yet at the Seeing Eye Dog with a White Cane level, thank the Good Lord, but sure enough no Eagle Eye anymore.
A dimension I like to visualize when sighting in on a mature deer is that of a volleyball right on and just behind the shoulder. Obviously, an elephant or a cotton tail rabbit would have a different sized “kill zone”. But I have yet to come across an elephant out in La Brasada, and I am not much on shooting at the bunnies.
Now for those pesky old hogs, I tend to enjoy giving them an “ear exam” with a Nosler or Federal Accubond bullet. Sometimes I go for a shoulder shot but prefer not to damage that much meat. Sort of like the Stop and Go Store, but my goal is for the chosen animal to Stop and Drop, cause looking after wounded stuff in La Brasada is NOT my idea of a picnic, especially in the dark. As the candles keep increasing on the BDay Tortilla, that is no longer the kind of fun and adventure I am seeking!
In reviewing this Tale, I have stumbled and fumbled upon the conclusion that my attitude is one of Minute of Adequate. The Good Lord has blessed us with some magnificent animals to roam our acres and if we can harvest the excess for food and stewardship purposes in a respectful manner, I reckon that is about all I could wish for.
P.S. The rains have sure been timely so far this year in our little part of the world, and I am excited about what Fall 2023 might hold for us. Good horn development and a healthy fawn crop sure sound real nice in my way of figuring out things!
Beep…Beep…Beep
Grandpa and Grandma were babysitting Saturday, so I had a free morning to relax. So what did I do? When I found a good deal at the flea market, I got the wild idea to replace all of our dressers. I completely underestimated how much work it would be to move out the old ones and clean the spot where they had been and bring the new ones in, and then my favorite part, re-folding all of the clothes to put into the new dresser. Long story short, it was an exhausting definitely-not-relaxing full day project.
In fact, I was still in my bedroom cleaning that evening when I began hearing what sounded like my oven timer, except exponentially louder. I can burn food with the best of em. So I’ve been known to go on about my day without even noticing the oven timer, but this time it was extra loud and a little funny sounding so I went to the kitchen to investigate.
When I walked in the kitchen/living room area I found my son just happily playing with his legos on the floor and imitating the oven alarm as loud as he could…beep….beep….beep.
I can remember it vividly, and I can’t stop smiling. I bet every time I hear the oven timer go off, I will think of that day. Tucky is so comical. He didn’t think for a second to let me know the oven was going off; he was just enjoying the sound of it I guess and singing its praises.
Oh well, I guess either way, he saved supper.
Good Old Summertime!
This past week was pretty quiet, I spent a couple of afternoons in the gift shop and the other three going to the therapy pool for some exercise. Next week, the activity picks up as I have places to be both on Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday, hopefully I can get back to the pool. Thursday, I will be in the gift shop and on Friday, company is on the way, and I can hardly wait to see them!
Several years ago, at lunch time, way, way before, Covid, when meals were cooked at the Senior Citizen center, and since the weather is always a good topic, I asked one of the men if he thought we were ever going to get rain. His answer was different to say the least, as he replied, “Yes, just as soon as this dry spell is over!” We both had a good laugh and went to our tables to wait for our food. I have to agree with what he said, way back then, as we have had clouds several days this week and part of last week and only about 15 drops of rain.
These cobblers are all delicious, especially the lemon one, and it’s the one I’m taking to my meeting on Tuesday. My co-hostess has never heard of Lemon Cobbler and she’s excited to get to try it. These are all pretty “kid-friendly” recipes, by which I mean a child can help you measure and maybe even spoon fruit on top of the dough mixture.
Where cobblers got their name is unknown to me, but I firmly believe it was some rushed housewife who decided to ‘cobble’ some flour, sugar and milk together and add some fruit from her pantry, who made the first one. Cobblers can be found in cookbooks dating from the early parts of the 20th century and possible even before. They are simple to make and always delicious as you can use any fruit you have on hand to make them. I have made them with apple pie filling, cherry pie filling, canned peaches or almost anything. (In fact, at one point in time, my daughter promised her lunch mate teachers peach cobbler for dessert the next day at lunch. She got ready to make it the next morning and had no peaches at home. So, since it very early in the morning, she had to get creative, and used a couple of cans of fruit cocktail that were in her pantry and had a hit on her hands!).
Here’s a recipe for One-Bowl Peach and Blueberry Cobbler that could be the easiest cobbler you’ll ever make. Simply throw all the ingredients in an oven-safe dish and top with any fruit you have on hand. Serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
One-Bowl Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
Prep time: 5 minutes; hands-off cooking time; 30 minutes. 4 servings.
¼ cup butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk pancake mix
½ cup sugar
½ cup milk
3 cups sliced peaches (fresh, frozen or canned, such as jarred peaches in light syrup)
½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Select an 8×8-inch square ovenproof dish or a glass 9-inch pie plate for the cobbler. If you’re feeding a crowd, double the recipe and use a 9 X 13-inch baking dish. Melt butter right in the baking dish and use the dish as a mixing bowl. 3. Add pancake mix, sugar, and milk to melted butter. Stir with a fork until just combined. Batter will be lumpy-do not over mix. 4. Scatter peaches and blueberries evenly over batter. Lightly sprinkle cinnamon evenly on top. 5. Bake for 30 minutes or until light golden brown.
You can use apples, pears, plums or mixed berries. Frozen or canned fruit works just as well as fresh fruit in this recipe.
The following cobbler recipes are some of my family’s favorites, with the first recipe for peach cobbler being from my Mother.
Peach Cobbler
1 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
¼ cup margarine
2 to 3 cups sliced peaches
½ to 1 cup additional sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt the margarine in a 9 X 9-inch baking pan. Peel and slice peaches into a pot, adding ½ to 1 cup granulated sugar depending on the sweetness of your peaches. Heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in the extract and set aside while you mix the dough.
Mix together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Add the milk to make a soft dough, and pour the dough mixture into the prepared pan. Top the dough with the peach mixture, (if it has made a lot of liquid, don’t use all of it); sprinkle with some cinnamon and sugar if desired, bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until done.
Cherry or Apple Cobbler
1 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
¼ to ½ cup margarine
1 can apple pie filling or cherry pie filling
1 teaspoon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon almond flavoring
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Melt margarine in 9 X 9-inch pan. Set aside. Combine flour, sugar and baking powder, add milk and vanilla. Mix to make soft dough and pour into pan with melted margarine. Stir cinnamon into apple pie filling or stir almond flavoring into cherry pie filling. Spoon fruit onto the top of the dough, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if desired. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold with whipped topping or ice cream.
Quick and Easy Peach Cobbler
1 box yellow cake mix
2 cans (12 to 14-oz) cans peaches or 1 large can that equals this amount
1½ sticks butter
Melt butter in 9 X 12-inch pan. Pour peaches with juice into pan. Sprinkle cake mix on top, press down into pan a little. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350ºF for about 45 minutes. Hope you enjoy these recipes, they are simple and easy to make, and most also carry well to a family outing.
Magical Lemon Cobbler
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk (or soured milk*)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 can lemon pie filling (21-ounce)
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Place the stick of butter into a 9 X 9-inch square baking dish and place it in the oven to melt while you mix up the batter. (Keep an eye on this, you don’t want it to get brown, just melt!).
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, (flour, baking powder, salt and sugar). Pour in the buttermilk, vanilla and lemon extracts and stir or whisk until just combined. Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter in the pan, do not stir; spoon the lemon filling over the batter, bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the edges of the cobbler are golden brown. Cool before serving. *To sour milk, place 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a measuring cup and fill the cup to the 1-cup line. Stir to combine and allow to sit until it thickens.
To make this recipe for a 9 X 13-inch pan:
DO NOT double the filling, make 1½ times the dough as follows:
1½ sticks butter, 1½ cups flour, 2¼ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1½ cups sugar, 1½ cups butter milk or soured milk, 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 1½ teaspoons lemon extract, follow above directions for mixing.
Snapshot
In the week ending July 9, 2023, Lytle P.D. officers handled 56 calls for service and conducted 95 traffic stops. Of those 95 stops, 73 resulted in a citation and 22 were warnings. This doesn’t even come close to describing everything we did, but it is the best “snapshot” I can come up with.
Officers took three reports of property crimes. #1 – Officers took a report of a damaged city-owned manhole and cover. The damage occurred during the construction on IH-35 @ FM 3175. #2 – Big Tex Trailer (IH-35 Access Rd.). The officer on patrol arrested three people for stealing tires and wheels (more details below). #3 – H.E.B. Plus reported a theft, and the suspect was cited (more details below).
Officers also took a report of debit card abuse. The card was taken from the victim, who lives outside the city, and was used numerous times in our jurisdiction. Surprisingly, we haven’t had a lot of these lately.
L.P.D. officers made five arrests last week. Numbers 1, 2, and 3 were from the same incident. Ofc. Roger Garcia was on patrol (just after midnight) and checked the Big Tex Trailer sales and located a suspicious vehicle parked in the back, next to the fence. Upon further investigation, and listening to a bunch of lies, he found the truck bed loaded with new tires and rims. Three suspects were arrested for theft, and their vehicle was impounded, and one of the suspects also picked up a felony dope charge. All three were booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. Sgt. Hanson assisted him. That was first-class police work! Excellent job Roger! I wish your mother would have had triplets…I would have hired all three of you. Arrests #4 – Ofc. J. Cortez conducted a traffic stop on Main St. for no vehicle registration and determined the driver had a felony drug warrant out of Medina Co. He was booked into the Hondo Hilton. Arrest #5 – A suspect was cited for theft (class C) and released at the H.E.B. Plus. He almost got away with fajitas, cream cheese poppers, and beer…. instead, he took home a citation. Just reading the report and looking at the evidence pictures makes me hungry.
Please remember that the FM 3175 lanes under I-35 will be closed effective 12 July and should re-open on Monday, August 7th. All this means is that you will need to detour up to the FM 2790 underpass, the one by Lytle State Bank/H.E.B. The access roads should both be two-way, so it shouldn’t be too complicated. This one-way road stuff has been driving me crazy.
The 4th of July event at John Lott Park was another success! There were lots of people and it looked like the food trucks were busy. I had a pepperoni and mushroom pizza that hit the spot. I saw a lot of kids with baseball gloves, baseballs, and soccer balls, having a fun time and getting in some physical activity. I sat in my patrol truck with the AC on and watched them while I ate my pizza. Lots of people of all ages were hanging out and having fun. It would have been the perfect backdrop to film a mustard or ketchup commercial.
When I am at these events, I don’t take a lot of pictures; I am laser-focused on the safety of the event and eating. Our mayor, Ruben Gonzalez is the picture guy…. check out his Facebook page.
Summer Fest at Moore Community Center this Saturday
The Moore Community Improvement Club proudly presents “Summer Fest,” a celebration of community, food, music, and fun! Mark your calendars for a day filled with excitement at the Moore Community Center this Saturday, July 15th at 11 AM.
Pitmasters and barbecue enthusiasts are gathering for another exciting competition in Moore! Showcase your skills and compete in our sizzling Barbecue Cookout Contest. Pit your flavors, techniques, and secret recipes against other talented teams for a chance to claim the title of Pit Master. The overall winning team will not only earn the prestigious honor but also take home a grand prize worth 30% of the overall entry fees! Think your team has what it takes to be crowned the ultimate barbecue champions? Sign up extended to July 14th (space limited) to secure your spot and put that to the test! The entry fee for cookout teams is $150.
Discover unique treasures and support local businesses at our vibrant pop-up marketplace. Whether you’re looking for handmade crafts, jewelry, or artwork, our talented vendors have something for everyone. If you are interested in showcasing your products and services, there are still a few spaces available. You can secure a spot for just $25. Don’t miss out on this excellent opportunity to engage with the community and expand your customer base!
Like a little friendly competition then our Cornhole tournament is sure to please. We are taking sign-ups the day of the event. Cost per player is $20 and first place teams not only get prizes but prize money! Bring your friends and head out for some friendly fun under the sun.
Car enthusiasts, this Summer Fest also has a special place for you! Marvel at the display of classic and custom vehicles at our Summer Fest Show and Shine. Admire the craftsmanship and dedication put into these stunning automobiles and strike up conversations with fellow enthusiasts. There will be chance to vote for people’s choice and give-away opportunity for those showcasing your ride.
Everyone should get ready to dance and groove to the beats provided by the Solis Brothers, along with other local bands featuring Chris and Cassandra Salinas, Hollywood and the All-Star Band and Last Call featuring Randy Brown, Kevin Langley and James Little and DJs, who will be contributing to the vibrant and energetic atmosphere throughout the event. You will be sure to enjoy a variety of music genres that will keep you on your feet, embracing the rhythm of the day. We haven’t forgotten about our littlest community members! Kids can participate in exciting games and activities specially designed to keep them entertained and smiling all day long! Those who are old enough or have parent supervision, can participate in legally vandalizing and destroying an old junkyard car, a rare opportunity for sure!
We invite you to bring your family and friends to the Moore Community Center for a day of entertainment, mouthwatering food, and community spirit. Summer Fest promises to be a joyous occasion that will create lasting memories for everyone in attendance. Don’t miss out on this incredible event that celebrates our vibrant community! Join the Moore Community Improvement Club and be a part of our 3rd annual Summer Fest experience!
Property tax freeze in Lytle on hold
By Anton Riecher
A motion to further investigate the financial impact of a proposed property tax freeze for city residents either over 65 or disabled was approved by the Lytle City Council Monday by a 4-1 vote.
The motion was made by District 4 Alderman Michael Rodriguez, seconded by District 3 Alderman David Emery, to delay taking any immediate action on the tax freeze. District 5 Alderman Charles Cate who placed the item on the agenda, opposed that motion as he wanted to move forward with the freeze.
“We’re going to have the same figures in six months that we will have in two weeks,” Cate said. “We’re only hurting our residents.”
Michelle Berdeaux, chief appraiser for Atascosa County, told the council that fast action to approve the ordinance would be necessary since the appraisal district is scheduled to certify the tax roll by July 21. Values must be presented to the taxing entities by July 25 to start budget workshops and rate hearings.
“We’re getting ready to start the tax rate calculations,” Berdeaux said. “If you don’t move quickly it will not be on the tax roll before we mail bills.”
In Atascosa County which carries the largest portion of the city’s taxable value almost 200 property tracts or nearly 13½ percent would be eligible for the tax freeze, Cate said. Rodriguez expressed concern that until certified values are available the financial impact of the tax freeze remains unknown.
“I don’t see the rush in trying to get this done by this timetable,” Rodriguez said.
Cate noted that many Texas municipalities have implemented similar measures to stem the impact of rising property taxes on the elderly.
“It does not exempt them from paying taxes,” Cate said. “It freezes their tax value once they turn 65. We’d still be collecting taxes but it would just help alleviate the folks who may be on a fixed income.”
Berdeaux explained that the freeze does not apply if the property owner either acquires more adjoining property or expands their home.
“Then the freeze would be adjusted by the amount of tax that was added,” she said.
Lytle has previously implemented a homestead exemption for property owners over 65 who received a $10,000 exemption, Berdeaux said.
“What you are talking about will freeze that tax amount at the (age 65) level, whatever is established,” Berdeaux said. “If it goes down, the property owner automatically pays less.”
Cate said that Devine passed a similar tax freeze for its eligible taxpayers in June, Cate said.
“While it is able to help the residents I think it also makes the city an attractive place for people to move to,” he said. “If one city has this in place and we don’t they might go there. I just see it as a means for us to help folks out and take care of our own people.”
The council also voted to conduct a workshop to discuss a proposed tax abatement program at 6:30 p.m. July 25.
In other items added to the agenda by Cate, the council voted unanimously to develop plans for replacing and upgrading the city’s water distribution lines. However, action on a proposal to upgrade and improve city road and streets to accommodate future development was tabled.
The council voted to award a $5,046 contract to Advanced Water Well Technologies to remove the wellhead and pump from long dormant City Water Well No. 1 to accommodate the Edwards Aquifer Authority in its plans to use the well to better monitor the aquifer.
City Administrator Matthew Dear reported that the authority had agreed to cover half the cost of the wellhead and pump removal.
Dear reported to the council that the city had received a violation notice from the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality regarding the need to complete mandatory water quality testing for copper and lead in its newest water well.
Mayor Ruben Gonzales stressed that the violation was not based on findings but due to a testing oversight.
Dear explained that the new water well required a specific set of tests to be performed quarterly during its initial year of operation. The tests are performed both at the well and again at where water goes into the distribution system.
Ordinarily the testing is only done three times a year, Dear said.
“We did one and were expecting to do it like we normally do but we missed one in between,” Dear said. “We’ve already done the missed test so we can go back to the normal routine.”
During the information items portion of the agenda District 2 Alderman Richard Hughes asked if additional lighting could be installed at the city park baseball fields for evening hours. Dear said that plans to improve the lighting had been postponed due to other city issues.
“We started down that path a while back but had to put the stop to it because of some major improvements needed at the sewer plant,” Dear said.
He said the city staff has been investigating the use of hotel occupancy tax money to fund the ball field lighting improvements. However, that can only be justified if it can be shown that the park had effectively generated funds for the hotel industry.
The estimate on improving the lighting is nearly $300,000, city finance director LaNet Hester said.
Mayor Gonzalez reported that the Veterans of Foreign Wars is planning the ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new post on July 19, the 100th birthday of local Pearl Harbor attack veteran Gilbert Meyers. Meyers, to whom the post is dedicated, also contributed the land for the new building.
Gonzalez also gave an update on Texas Department of Transportation improvements to Interstate 35. Beginning Tuesday new stripping will be added to convert access roads from one-way to two-way traffic.
Improvement plans also call for closing down FM 3175 lanes crossing beneath I35 for extensive repair.
“It’s the only way to get that road done before school starts up again,” Gonzalez said. “It’s going to hurt for several weeks.”
Update…Devine Water violations “rejected”
In regards to an article titled “Water violations for City of Devine cite ‘failure to test,’” we have learned new information.
The violations applying to the LC Martin well have been “rejected” since the TECQ has learned the well has been offline since the last big snowstorm in Devine.
The following is a response from TECQ after another inquiry: “As of July 10, 2023, and based on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Water Supply Division compliance data, the City is in compliance with the Revised Total Coliform Rule, Groundwater Rule, the Lead and Copper Rule, and all primary and secondary chemical drinking water standards. The City received two monitoring and reporting violations for failure to monitor nitrate and volatile organic compound samples at one entry point during calendar year 2022.
“Upon further review, the applicable entry point was inactivated as the plant was offline and the associated monitoring and reporting violations were rejected. The City’s three other active entry points were monitored during calendar year 2022 and sample results were reported as required.
“The City received a violation for failure to conduct triggered source monitoring under the Groundwater Rule during October 2022. This violation was rejected as the corresponding well, associated to the entry point in question, was not online.
“Both the two monitoring and reporting violations and the triggered source monitoring violation were rejected by TCEQ and are no longer valid. The annual consumer confidence report (CCR) requires systems to only include valid violations for notification to customers. Rejected violations are not required to be included in the annual CCR.”
Parachute Team to jump in Lytle July 19Honoring local 100-year-old Pearl Harbor Survivor
Everyone is invited…Please join the Lytle Memorial VFW Post 12041 on July 19th at 4:00 PM at 1425 FM 2790, Lytle TX 78052 (the new location of the VFW Post). Help us celebrate and honor Mr. Gilbert Myer, of Lytle, on his 100th birthday and watch the famous Wonder World Parachute team powered by the All Veterans Group jump in his honor.
Mr. Myer is a Pearl Harbor Survivor who served on the USS Utah when it was hit and sunk. He stayed at sea the remainder of the war on the USS Detroit until the signing of the peace treaty. Mr. Myer is a Lifetime Member of the Lytle VFW 12041.
The All Veteran Parachute Team will be jumping from a helicopter as a way to honor Mr. Meyer as one of the last few survivors of Pearl Harbor. They will jump around 5:00 p.m.
Sunnydale Hyde, Director of Operations for the All Veteran Group shares a little about the jump.
“We travel all over the world doing over 100 shows a year. We have helped raise $7 million dollars annually to help veterand their families,” Hyde said.
There will be 2-3 jumpers who will jump from about 1 mile up. The jump itself will last about 5-7 minutes and the crowd will see “cold smoke grenades” deploy as the parachuters come down.
The Wonderworld Parachute team is powered by the All Veterans Group.
To put things into perspective, this is the same team that jumped for President Bush, the Green Bay Packers and many others.
In addition, the City of Lytle will be presenting a Proclamation to Mr. Gilbert Myer proclaiming July 19th as “Mr. Gilbert Myer Day” in Lytle. With the generosity of HEB, there will be hamburgers, hot dogs and chips served.
You are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.
A new home for Lytle VFW post
(Reprinted from March 2023)
By Anton Riecher
Many a war story is destined to be told inside Texas’ newest Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12041 once it is completed east of Lytle. But none will be as harrowing as that told by the man for whom the post is named – Pearl Harbor survivor Gilbert Meyer.
On March 22 members of Post 12041 and many others from Lytle gathered at Meyer’s farm on FM2790 for the groundbreaking ceremony. Of the five-acre farm, Meyer donated four acres as the new home for the local VFW.
“We would not be standing here today if it were not for the generosity of one local hero – Mr. Gilbert Meyer, who is in the house directly behind you, is a 99-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor,” said post commander Chris Clouser. “Unfortunately, due to health reasons, Mr. Meyers is not able to attend the ceremony.”
Arrangements had been made for Meyer to view the groundbreaking by video from his sickbed.
Next month Texas Senior Vice Commander Larry Sanders takes charge of the Texas VFW as state commander. But before those high ranking jobs Sanders was commander of Post 12041. As commander he had the pleasure of counting Meyers among the local members.
“One day I was at the park getting ready for our fourth or fifth festival,” Sanders said. “I met this gentleman walking across the sidewalk over there. He had USS Utah on his cap. He was very proud of it. He said ‘Come over and sit down young man.’ We sat down and talked for about an hour about what he did. He was at Pearl Harbor.”
Fortunately, Meyer committed his story to video as an oral history during a USS Utah reunion in Las Vegas in 2015. Born in 1923, he dropped out of high school in Goose Creek, TX, now Baytown, when he was 17. With his parents’ consent he joined the Navy.
The USS Utah is often referred to as the forgotten ship sunk at Pearl Harbor. Commissioned as a battleship during World War I, the Utah had long since been converted into radio-controlled vessel used for aerial target practice.
Meyer arrived in Pearl Harbor aboard the Utah in September 1941. Recently refitted, the Utah only made two voyages from Pearl before that fateful day on Dec. 7, 1941, when Japanese pilots slammed two torpedoes into her side.
“I was sleeping on the starboard side,” Meyer said. “I woke up when the first torpedo hit but I was so sleepy I went back to sleep for just a few seconds. Then, shortly after that, the second one hit. When it hit all the lights went out.”
With the ship already listing, Meyer had to find his way topside in the dark wearing only his skivvies, i.e., his undershirt and underpants. He also grabbed a pair of shoes he had just bought.
“I had shined them for about three days,” he said. “And I had my shoes and lost them somewhere along the way. I probably needed two hands to try and climb and get myself topside.”
Debris made it impossible to lower himself into the water off the port side of the ship. The only thing to do was to follow the ship around as within 12 minutes it capsized.
Then the Japanese pilots started strafing the survivors with machine gun fire, Meyer said.
“The projectiles hit the bottom of the ship and made such a racket I knew I had to get the hell out of there,” he said. “So I started sliding down. I looked up behind me and there was this big old chief electrician who looked like he weighed 300 pounds crashing down. I had to swim like hell to get out of the way.”
Meyer swam to nearby Ford Island and took cover in an open trench. Between bombings he and others would sneak between the buildings to see what was happening on Battleship Row.
“We just watched the world war from there,” Meyer said.
Fifty-eight of Meyer’s comrades did not survive to tell their tale. An incident later brought the magnitude of the disaster into focus. Meyer had caught some shrapnel in a finger and went looking for medical help.
“The nurse ran me off,” Meyer said. “She said guys with their arms missing and all blackened from being burned and you were worried about one finger. Later I thought about it and she was right. I shouldn’t have been there for just a little bleeding finger.”
Meyer’s next ship proved to be far luckier. For three years and nine months he served aboard the USS Detroit. At Pearl the Japanese torpedoes missed the Detroit and she never took a hit during the war after that. And, the Detroit was sitting in Tokyo Bay when, aboard the USS Missouri, General Douglas MacArthur signed the peace treaty ending World War II.
“That was the best 18 seconds of my life,” Meyer said.
During the groundbreaking, Clouser said the mission of the VFW is to “foster comradery among United States veterans of overseas conflicts and to serve our veterans in our communities and to advocate for all veterans.”
Now that Lytle has its first ever VFW home the post will be able to “advance the ability to serve our veterans and our military in our community,” he said.
“The members of the Lytle VFW are excited for the future and look forward to the ability to serve veterans by giving them a safe place to come for assistance,” Clouser said.
The youngest servicemen in the 1941 attacks, who were 17 years old, would be turning 99 this year. It is unknown how many survivors are still here to share their stories with younger generations.