Category: Commentary

Pay Me by the Pound

Lytle Police news from last week …… Officers managed 52 calls for service and conducted 128 traffic stops. The result of those stops was 113 drivers received citations and 15 received either a written or verbal warning.
Officers took reports of 3 property crimes: #1 – The male restroom at John Lott Park was graffitied. #2 – A 2008 Ford Expedition had the catalytic converter cut from it; the vehicle was in the 15100 blk. of Main St. #3 – An attempted burglary of a vehicle at the H. E.B. Plus resulted in damage to a door lock on a 2005 Chevy P/U. The crooks did not gain entry.
Officers made 5 arrests: #1 – A traffic stop on a speeding vehicle in the 17900 blk. of Wisdom resulted in the recovery of a stolen vehicle. A 2005 F250, reported stolen out of Devine) was recovered. The female driver was arrested, she said she just bought the vehicle a few days ago but could not remember who sold it to her. #2 – A traffic stop for speeding on N. Prairie St. resulted in the arrest of a female driver for D.W.I.
Arrest #3 – A traffic stop for speeding (38 in a 30) at 1:30 AM on Main St. resulted in an arrest for human smuggling. The driver, a Honduran citizen (who lives in Houston), had 12 other Hondurans packed into his Chevy Equinox. Ofc. John Cortez (who did a great job!) was the only officer on so I was called out to help. Fortunately, an Atascosa Co. Sheriff’s Deputy was in the area and helped as well. The group ranged in age from 18-59 and included one married couple. I mostly just stood around and waited for the U.S. Border Patrol to do their thing. I speak very little Spanish and zero Honduran, so I was not much help. I can only imagine, coming all the way from Honduras and your trip ending in downtown Lytle, Texas because the driver was going 8 miles over the speed limit.
Arrests #4 and #5 were cited and released for class C misdemeanors. An adult male on Wisdom Rd. was cited for discharging a firearm in the city limits (ordinance violation). An adult male was cited for public intoxication and released. He was on a golf cart near the intersection of FM 3175 and the IH-35 access road. The golf cart was impounded.
TXDOT Update: The NB access road in front of Best Western is now open to two-way traffic! The NB access road just south of the city will be down to one lane for a few weeks. There will be a temporary traffic control signal, so expect delays.
This weekend is our annual Easter Egg-Travaganza at John Lott Park. The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 8. Registration opens at 1:00 PM and the egg hunt starts at 2:00 PM. The registration fee is 1 canned good or $1.00 per child. I think that has been the cost for about 20 years so this is one place where inflation hasn’t paid a visit, heck it might be the only place. The Easter egg hunt is for children ages 1 thru 8.
Last Thursday I was over in the Jourdanton/Pleasanton area all day. I had three stops to conduct background investigations on police applicants.
I also attended a meeting at the courthouse that the new County Judge hosted, a lot of high-powered criminal justice professionals like me were in attendance. It was nice (even though there were no refreshments) to see and hear from some folks I seldom see. I even visited Charlotte Texas for the first time! I have been listening to police and ambulance calls on the radio down there for 30 years, but I had never been there. It was a lot nicer of a place in person than it sounded on the police radio.
I saw that the Pleasanton Police Chief is retiring, I am sure some people thought I was down there scoping the job out. I want to stop that rumor; I have no intention of applying for that position. I am happy where I am, and they probably have high standards and want somebody that can wear a tie. Furthermore, there are way too many good places to eat over there. To take that job the city would have to agree to pay me by the pound and increase my salary as my weight went up.

Weed Whacking

I did some mowing with the good old fashioned push mower this weekend. It’s quite the workout when there’s overgrown grass, let me tell ya. I hope I lost some weight or something! I tried to teach my teenager how to use the little electric weed whacker, but it broke about five minutes into it of course.
I lost the battery, so I had to order a replacement. Then I couldn’t find the string, so I had to order a replacement. And now a little tiny piece broke off inside the thing that holds the spools of string. Some projects are just like that. I thought I was gonna teach my teenager another great “life skill” but it just wasn’t meant to be that day.
At one point, I told her if she didn’t whack all of the weeds in a certain area, I would make her pull them out by hand one at a time. As hard headed as she is, she said she would rather do it that way. Long story short, after the weed whacker broke, she got to pull a lot by hand after all! Of course, she still insisted it was easier. My achy lower back says otherwise.
I have a feeling she will soon change her mind about how easy it is to pull weeds versus whack them!

Bluebonnet Festival a success

I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who came out for this year’s Bluebonnet festival! From the Bluebonnet committee, the city staff, the NMDD staff, Natalia Fire Department, and Sheriff Randy Brown and his deputies for their aid with traffic control, and to all of the parade entries. I would like to give a special thanks to Mr. Rene Garcia, for the loan of his trailer (again) for a band stand, and to Mr. Josh Edge for the loan of the Portable Structure, which housed all the bands while they played. I owe a special thank you to the sponsors! Without them, none of this would be possible without their support! But most of all, a huge thank you to all who showed up to first watch the parade, to those who purchased from the vendors.
We are already looking forward to next year’s Bluebonnet festival, as it will be a three day event. It will begin Saturday April 6, 2024, with the parade, and culminate on Monday April 8th, with completion of the “Total Solar Eclipse”! There will be more information to follow on both.
Chip Bluemel
Mayor City of Natalia

YOU DO YOU

It has always been interesting to me, and yet a bit confusing to listen to “new phrases” utilized by the younger folks in my life. Of course, as a Bona Fide Baby Boomer, there are several generations of them by this point of time.
Our Grand Daughters, ages 8 and 6, use the phrase You Do You on occasion. I have come to understand that is NOT an expression associated with acknowledgment of their unique personalities. And be assured they ARE very different in some ways. It is more akin, in their language, to mean “Go Ahead and be Stupid”.
I have learned that trying to wear a Black and White Shirt, AKA be The Referee, is NOT a wise approach, so I just sit back and observe. If there becomes some danger of bodily harm being inflicted, I will intervene, but mostly am amused that they go from Mortal Enemies to Best Buds in about 60 seconds on some days.
But pondering on that term caused me to think back to “my younger days” of what that saying might have translated into. Let me quickly acknowledge such a consideration is ALWAYS dangerous for an old guy who sometimes is stuck with how to respond to the greeting of Good Morning.
It strikes me that a common phrase back then was “Do Your Own Thing”. Free Speech, Flower Children, and several other labels were used to describe that period in our history as a nation. Far be it from me to appear to convey any skill or pretense as a Sociology Expert. I spend far more of my time looking for my keys or cell phone and checking for rain forecasts than pondering the implications and meanings of words associated with and to varying groups of people.
But a thought did come through the foggy spot called my brain that there might be a better way to use the term. Now I want to acknowledge there is a fine line between Inspiration and Indigestion in my world these days, so this idea might be off course in the viewpoint for some of you fine readers.
How about if we change the wording to: YOU DO THE BEST YOU. By focusing on developing into the best possible version of yourself, a person can contribute in a manner that brings some good to others as well as themselves. Seems to me that is a double win!
I spent a whole lot of years observing very well-educated people in colleges and universities debating the “finer points” of many subjects. Many seemed, at least to me, quite insignificant in terms of the “bigger picture”. But in keeping with the above concepts, if the collection of these ramblings are way off base from your point of view, well all I can say is YOU DO YOU!

Wad of Cash

Here is your weekly dose of “What Lytle P.D. did last week and other stuff the Chief throws in”: Officers handled 60 calls for service and conducted 118 traffic stops. Of those 118 stops, 102 resulted in a citation and 16 resulted in warnings.
Lytle P.D. arrested 5 people last week, and all were booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #1 & #2 – Ofc. Cortez and Ofc. Diaz – A disturbance at the Railhead Café resulted in a female being arrested for D.W.I. and a male being arrested for criminal mischief. The male broke out a glass door and the female drove him away, but they didn’t get far. An officer was able to stop the vehicle and made the arrests. #3 – Ofc. Cortez assisted by Ofc. Diaz – A disturbance at H.E.B. resulted in the arrest of a male who had active theft warrants out of Bexar Co. and Wilson Co. #4 – Ofc. Diaz – A traffic stop for running a red light resulted in the discovery that the driver had an active warrant out of Bexar Co. for failing to Report Highway Damage. #5 –Ofc. Pena assisted by Sgt. Hanson – initiated a traffic stop for running and red light and the driver then crashed into a drainage ditch. He was arrested for D.W.I.
Property Crimes: We had a total of 5 property crimes reported last week: #1 – In the Railhead Café incident mentioned above, a glass door was broken out. #2 – A resident of the Pecan Grove Apts. (14900 Main St.) reported a window was broken out. #3 – A business on Adams St. reported that they took a $20 bill for payment and didn’t realize it was marked “play money”. #4 – Dollar General reported that they received a counterfeit $20 bill. #5 – On Sunday, a man reported that on Saturday he went to South Texas Hardware on Main St. to purchase and few items and accidentally left a Ziplock bag with $3,000 cash sitting on a stack of bottled water. Let’s be honest, haven’t we all done the same thing? I know a lot of people tell me about losing a wad of cash….but it is normally followed by “at the casino”. But this story has a good ending. Sgt. Lopez and Cpl. Robison were able to track down the person that “found” the money. They went to his house and recovered $2,759, still in the same Ziplock bag.
Congratulations to Natalie Pacheco for placing 1st in the state for Powerlifting. We were able to escort the team out of town last Wednesday. I have to be careful; the school is turning out so many winners if I start trying to keep track of them in my weekly report I won’t have any room for my “police stuff”.
Your wait is over! This weekend is the first annual Lytle Music Fest. The event will be held at John Lott Park on Friday (March 24) and Saturday (March 25). Friday is from 6P-10P and Saturday starts around 10A and runs to 10P. There will be live music, over 40 vendors, and 10 food trucks. The headliner is the group Kin Faux, there is no admission charge and I don’t think anyone is charging for parking either. If you can resist the vendors and food booths, you can get by without spending any money. As for me, I can resist the vendors most of the time and the food booths none of the time.

UGLI® Fruit? What’s That?

This past week has been a medium one for me. The Auxiliary is having their annual spring drawing, so, in addition to working a couple of afternoons in the gift shop, I also worked Friday afternoon helping sell tickets. We have some awesome prizes this year, including a Grand Prize of outdoor furniture and a fire pit, a 1st prize of a smaller fire pit with chairs, a 2nd prize of a $300.00 live oak tree, a “date night” gift certificate, and last but by no means least, a basket filled with cup towels, potholders, cooking utensils and an Auxiliary Cookbook. Our drawing date will coincide with the Annual Tom Tom festival the first week of June.
The coming week will be a busy one, as I have a couple of appointments, in the middle of the week and the list just seems to keep growing. To start my week, my sister invited me over for lunch and we had a great time eating and visiting, and now it’s time to get to work!
UGLI® Fruit is one that goes under several different names. Jamaican tangelo is only one of about half a dozen that were listed.
Jamaican tangelo is a natural cross between an orange and a grapefruit. (One source had it being a hybridization between an orange and a tangerine). However, I’m basing this on the orange and grapefruit hybridization. The Jamaican tangelo first appeared nears Brown’s Town Jamaica and that is where it is mostly grown today. The UGLI® Fruit was first discovered growing in 1917, and after much budding, grafting, etc., was first exported to Canada and England in 1934, came to the United States in 1942.
(The name UGLI® is a registered trademark of Cabel Hall Citrus Limited who distributes this fruit, and the word itself is a take-off of the word ugly). It refers to the fact that his citrus family fruit is not particularly appealing to look at. The rind is a rough surface, greenish yellow that peels easily, the ones I saw in the store was light yellow, but looked as if it had some type of dark stain rubbed on it, that made it look totally unappealing and dirty. I touched one to see and that was the actual color. The flesh is yellow/orange in color and is separated into segments, just as are oranges, tangerines, lemons and other citrus fruits. According to the information I found the taste is sweet, like that of the tangerine but with a hint of the bitterness of the grapefruit.
Parts of this article are from Wikipedia; the free Encyclopedia and other parts are from typing UGLI fruit into my computers search program. The stories are interesting and vary greatly. There were no recipes in any of the articles, so, I just found a couple that can be made and set out for snacks at Easter. The first is “Puppy Chow”, I’ve never met a child and just a few grown-ups who don’t like it! The first time I tasted it, was at Bunco in Devine and I think Sherry Davis was the lady who was hostess that night.
Puppy Chow
(aka Kibbles & Bits)
1 cup butter or margarine
1½ cups peanut butter (crunchy or regular)
12-oz package chocolate or butterscotch chips
1 box Crispix cereal (or Rice Chex, Corn Chex or mixture of both)
1 box (1-lb) powdered sugar
Melt butter or margarine, peanut butter and chocolate chips together. Place cereal in a large mixing bowl and pour melted ixture over it. Stir and toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand for 5 or 19 minutes, then place in a large plastic bag, add the powdered sugar and shake and mix until well coated.
Almond Bark Cookies
24 oz almond bark
2 cups dry roasted, unsalted, peanuts
2 cups pretzels (short straight ones)
2 cups (peanut butter flavor, Capt’n Crunch Cereal
2 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups miniature marshmallows (optional, but very good)
Place almond bark in a very large Pyrex bowl and microwave 2 or 3 minutes, stir and put back for 2 minutes longer. Have all other ingredients mixed together in a large container. When almond bark is melted, dump the other ingredients into it and stir until well coated and then drop by spoonfuls on to foil. You can substitute chocolate bark and use pecans instead of peanuts for another delicious cookie.

The Challenge

Man it sure can go from hot to cold in a hurry around here. Had to put up the old shorts and pull out the old jacket.
I enjoyed writing this week’s feature story about the Davis family who is raising genuine, pure Texas Longhorns. One of the pictures they sent me looks just like an old Longhorn cow that was one of my daddy’s first cows, or at least the most memorable. I hated that Longhorn because she would turn and chase after us when I rode by on my horse if we were anywhere in the vicinity of her calf. She was quite protective of her babies and it was pretty terrifying to see those horns coming toward you. I doubt she ever got too terribly close. It was “appeared closer than she was” in all my young terror, I’m sure.
But now, ten years later, I miss that old beautiful Longhorn cow. They are so iconic.
This weekend started off kind of interesting. I had my niece Audrey over at my house and we go to talking about her big “party” aka fundraiser that’s coming up April 15th to support research to find a cure for Audrey and other kids battling A-T.
Anyway, some craaazy people (you know you who are) created the Princess and Protector challenge, where you are supposed to dress up like a princess or superhero and make a funny (aka embarrassing) video so other people will share it and help promote Audrey’s event. I had no intention of becoming a singing princess, but let’s just say, I guess Audrey can talk me into anything. She is such a darling child. I have long hair so they often call me Rapunzel. I mentioned the idea of ordering some really, really long 4 foot real Rapunzel wig hair and Audrey got really excited really fast. Before I knew it, I was asking what Rapunzel sings anyway, and she immediately burst out into a song called “I have a dream.”
I have to admit, it is the perfect song for this challenge and it’s quite catchy. So we pulled it up on Google, and I started humming along and before we knew it we were singing a little parody about Audrey’s event, which she even helped me write, so then I had to sing it….. “I have a dream, I have a dream, to find a cure for A-T. And with every passing hour, I’m so glad I left my tower. Come to Devine Acres Farm for Audrey April 15.”
Long story short, the Rapunzel wig was atrocious, so I won’t be wearing that, but you can soon indeed look forward to the release of the musical renditions of a not-so-good singer called Rapunzel, who really, really, really loves a little girl named Audrey (who is also featured in the video and now calls herself Rapunzel’s helper).
Don’t laugh too hard…you might be challenged next…. Aunt Debbie!

OPINION: Texas rural lands evaporating at alarming rate

By State Rep. Justin Holland
Every year, Texas loses nearly 250,000 acres of land to development. Rural working lands that make up the wide-open spaces definitive of the Texas character are evaporating at an alarming rate.
Not only are these lands meant to be enjoyed by Texans, but they work every day to provide the food we eat and the water we drink. I consider it our responsibility as Texans and custodians of this land to pass on a state where my great-great-grandchildren will be able to enjoy the Texas outdoors, parks, wildlife and nature. That’s why I am proud to introduce landmark legislation in the Texas House calling for the creation of the Texas Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The fund is a once-in-a-generation opportunity afforded to us because of the excess in our state’s Rainy Day Fund. As my colleagues and I carefully consider important priorities like infrastructure investment, we must also make a meaningful and lasting investment in Texas lands and waters.
Our state continues to attract new people and new industry. We are blessed to have weathered tough times and continue to be one of the nation’s strongest economies and attractive places to do business. Our economic success comes in part because of the unique lands that make up Texas. I truly believe that our land is our greatest asset, and it cannot be replicated once it is lost.
We must take bold steps to preserve the landscape and culture that makes Texas a great place to live. Texas is home to 7 of the top 15 most rapidly growing cities in the country. Research also shows that 78% of Texas counties will not have sufficient parks in the coming decades.
Texas needs additional parks, open spaces and natural habitats to preserve our quality of life, provide food and fiber and clean water, and to support the multibillion-dollar agricultural and outdoor recreation economy.
The Texas Land and Water Conservation Fund would provide a significant, long-term state funding source for enhanced conservation efforts across the Lone Star State. The $2 billion investment can be dedicated as either a trust fund or an endowment.
It would provide grants for projects that support, enhance and protect state and local parks and recreation areas, working agricultural lands, water resources, wildlife habitat areas, and more. The fund could support the acquisition of land to expand state parks.
The bill provides base eligibility guidelines for funded projects and ensures that 50% of the funds go toward the conservation of agricultural lands, water resources and wildlife habitat, while the other 50% of the funds go toward state and local parks, wildlife management areas and other public access conservation projects.
The legislation would also establish a governing board for the fund led by a representative from the General Land Office and including others from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and Texas Water Development Board.
More than 50 of the state’s leading land and water conservation, agricultural, wildlife and sportsmen’s organizations have formed the Texas Land and Water Conservation Coalition to support this effort. These groups represent thousands of Texans from all walks of life, connected by a desire to protect Texas for the next generation.
I am confident my fellow lawmakers will pass this important and historic measure and give Texas voters the opportunity to codify this investment with a constitutional amendment. We have a unique chance to fund meaningful land and water conservation that will echo for generations to come.
Justin Holland is a state representative from Rockwall. He wrote this for The Dallas Morning News.

A Single Flower and Fawn

Unless you have pulled a Ryp Van Winkle of some sort, you probably noticed it has been hot and dry for a good spell lately. The water well levels, both private and public, have been dropping like crazy and water rationing; either self-imposed or mandated is the norm right now.
We still have a few potted plants out in the back yard. Some are pots of herbs The Boss Lady uses those in cooking, and some are …. I don’t know what they are.
My job is to keep them a little bit watered given they bear the brunt of some western sun exposure in the afternoon. Like the rest of our yard, they have had their fair share of pale green to yellow wilting leaves some days this summer.
While outside doing my watering routine, I noticed that in spite of looking just a little bit like “death warmed over” one of the plants had produced a vividly colored flower. It was a testimony to its resilience and sacrifice in this time of stress to somehow manage to do its intended function rather than conserve internal resources. Driving through Landa Park early this morning I noticed one of the “Park Does” standing there with her big healthy fawn, born in about early June, I suspect. The baby, that was still trying to nurse, looked nearly as big as Mom and was in far better physical condition. Momma Doe looked pretty ragged, much like that plant in our back yard.
Those two observations rattled around in this old Aggie Brain until a small light bulb turned on. Likely not “on” for long or with a great illumination, but what I saw became clearer and made sense to me.
Both these living things made a great sacrifice to produce something brighter and healthier by an offering of self on behalf of another. They gave of themselves in order that an important part of who they were could flourish.
Now I don’t know if that pot plant will make it through the summer, or if that doe will survive the winter. But I do know one thing for sure. Both placed themselves into a serious “strain” so that something could develop, and Lord willing, thrive because of their willingness to do what Nature intended, no matter the outside conditions or internal challenges.
Seems to me that may be a good reminder for us all.

Nothing yet…

Nothing yet…got sprinkles on my window this morning between Lytle and Natalia. Too late to do the Bluebonnets any good but, we sure could use enough rain to fill Medina Lake and make Francisco Creek run.
How you like our situation in America so far? The current Administration has totally messed up America as we used to know it and their only excuse is that it was someone else’s fault. Gas, groceries, utilities and such are steadily going up in cost as the value of our dollar is declining. Soon, looks like money will have no value at all…may have to rely on cards that tell us how much money (“credits” in the Sci-Fi movies) we have available and there’ll probly be restrictions on how it can be used.
Talked about reform last time and the need for reform (rather, the return to the old ways) in our educational institutions. Since the summer of love in Portland and Seattle this past year, Law Enforcement has been under constant attack by the purple haired crowd with degrees in philosophy and political science as being too brutal. This is the same crowd that believes that there are 47 different genders. Guess professional protesting has its advantages…they scream and squawk and get lotsa attention.
There are bad apples in every profession, and they need to be eliminated. Our government is overloaded with crooked politicians out to enrich themselves at the tax payers’ expense. Look at how many went to DC and came out millionaires. Our small-town school districts employ pedophiles, and these folks should be fired…from society. Police departments have officers that should be in jail.
With the development of GPS tracking and body cameras and society moving toward the softening of consequences, Law Enforcement is becoming ostracized. I remember when the GPS tracking was implemented and sold as a method of greater safety for officers. But the Supervisors, some of which had never been on the streets longer than the period between promotional tests, used it as a means of discipline for things like staying in one location too long or being out of the area assigned.
The folks that stand by and watch a law enforcement officer fight for his life by whatever means necessary (and filming the incident so they can post it on social media) without lending a hand are worthless. AND, once the handcuffs are on…the fight is over…or should be. Unless you have fought for your life in the middle of the street at midnight or tried to control a meth head who did not want to be arrested, your opinion has no weight with me in an incident like this. I took an oath once that still applies. I will jump in. I will help. I will use whatever means necessary.
And to make a few other folks mad…there is only one race and it’s called the Human Race. Also, there are only two genders…male and female.
On a lighter note, looks like Commissioner Lawler and his crew are ready to put the finishing touches on CR 777. Gonna be nice. Heard George Alexander and Ron Outlaw had to free a bull what got caught in a cattle guard last week. They shoulda put in a bull guard instead. Congrats to the Lytle HS basketball teams for making it to the State Tournament…heckuva accomplishment.