Category: Commentary

We’ve Got This!

Our four days at the beach, was sure easy on the eyes. We went to a new place this year, and it turned out to be very nice. At the end of the board walk, there was a massive but beautiful little hill of sand to go over to get to the beach. Or as Tucker called it, “sand mountain”.
I braved the mountain on almost every walk to the beach, but pretty much everyone else preferred taking the golf cart on the little nice and flat side street. That sandy hill is definitely a thigh burner, but it was so picturesque at the top. It looked just like a calendar.
I love the beach, through and through. I could literally sit there and watch the waves roll in all day long (if and when I am not trying to keep up with my busy toddler Tucky man). Relaxing is not in his nature. While at the beach, he approached every pretty girl he saw, bringing an offering of beach toys to share and make friends. It was too funny.
On one of our last evenings at the beach though, my daughter went down there, just us two, and we set up our beach loungers on the second sand bar when it was real shallow in the evening. And we just sat there for hours, watching the waves crash against our feet. It was simply the best.
The day before that, Tucker and I had gone down to the beach by ourselves, and we had a different kind of good time. There wasn’t much lounging involved, but actually got to see a fisherman reel in a shark. Everyone on the beach ran and surrounded him to see it. After a few minutes, he took it back out to sea. What a feeling it was to watch him walk back out into the water and release sharkey around the second sand bar! The girls weren’t with us, which I was thanking God for, but don’t worry, Tucker made sure to tell them all!
Grandma caught a whole herd of hermit crabs for the kids to play with. They got caught and released many times before they made their way back to the sea. Tucker and Audrey loved them.
I would say that Tucker got the biggest kick of all out of the quick and shifty sand crabs running around the beach at night. We went “crabbing” after dark with our herd of kids and armory of flashlights. My little sister Pauline with a sock on her hand became the crab picker-upper. Oh how those kids screamed every time one of those crabs scurried a little too close to their toes. I’m convinced Tucker has got a lot more octaves than the rest of us in his screamer. Tucker is kind of like a puppy, he loves to chase things. It is his greatest thrill.
I even got a concert from my daddy and husband on our last night in paradise, with the sound of the waves in the background. It was too perfect.
Shortly before we left Sunday morning, something really special happened on that old “sand mountain”. Sticking up out of the sand, I found a little post it note, half buried in the sand. On it, in big bold letters were the words “We’ve got this!”
For the past year, these words have become a motto for our whole family, beginning the day our sweet little Audrey girl was diagnosed with a horrible disease called A-T. On that day, her family cried all around her, but she kept smiling, singing and dancing, letting her little light shine like she always has. Instead of crying, little Audrey looked up at her teary-eyed grandmother and said “We’ve got this!” while giving her a thumbs up. So that saying is engraved on all our bumper stickers, t-shirts, and most deeply, on our hearts. To find it coming up that big steep hill was really something else.
I couldn’t wait to hand that little piece of paper to my sister when I got back up to the house. It brought her a needed smile, and I agreed wholeheartedly when she said, “I think God is trying to tell us something.”

Half an inch rain

Last measurable rain we got was half an inch on May 26. That made the total for the year 4.9 inches…pretty bad. This time last year, we already had 19.6 inches. Some of y’all ain’t prayin hard enough or often enough.
Very short meeting last week. Guess the main topic of discussion was Corrections Officer wages. Getting someone to work with these caged misfits and paying them enough to do it has become difficult…to say the least. I realize that some are there as a result of a mistake or a bad decision but, most are there because they cannot function in society and follow its rules.
We extended the temporary employee position in the Auditor’s Office through the end of the Fiscal year, approved a grant application for bullet proof vests and all the other pomp and circumstance that goes with Commissioners Court meetings.
We are going to start on our Budget soon. There are four meetings scheduled at this time…June 23rd at 10 AM, June 28th at 10 AM, June 30th at 1 PM and July 5th at 10 AM. These meetings are open to the public and I invite those interested to attend. This year is gonna be interesting.
By now, folks should have received their appointed date to protest their ridiculously high appraisals. Be sure to take some type of justification for your protest because without some type of substantial argument, it will fall on deaf ears.
I missed the meeting where the Appraisal District voted on and passed their proposed Budget for next year. Will have more on this later.
Happy upcoming birthday to Bobbie DuBose and Johnnie Fay (Mawmaw) Evans. I think they both have reached at least 45.

Yet another trip!

Have you noticed that our year is very close to being half over? I was looking at a calendar the other day and all of a sudden it dawned on me…2022 is already half over, where has it gone…I know we can’t get it back…guess we just have to live with it! At least, it was lot’s better than two years ago!
Last week, I had yet one more road trip. My daughter, my sister, and I set out on the 11th of June for a road trip to North Texas. My brother lives in a town that is about half way between Sherman and McKinney, and he was hosting a birthday party for my precious sister-in-law who was celebrating a major milestone. It was a wonderful weekend with as many of their children and grandchildren who were able to be there with them and a couple of truly awesome surprises for her! First and foremost, one of their granddaughters slipped in wearing a banner that proclaimed her to be a “Bride to Be”. I had been asked by her mother to keep my sister-in-law occupied, this was not difficult as she was making dinner and all I had to do was ask about the casserole she was making. There were a couple of times that I wondered what was going on, but I kept her talking and cooking…sure enough, in just a little while, a couple more people came into the kitchen and got her to look at the group that had just arrived, her expression was priceless, as she realized what the banner actually said! We had lots of hugs and tears of happiness going on. The weekend progressed in this same fashion, we moved around, visited with this group, visited with that group and it was truly great. There were well over twenty there for the actual party, with a wonderful meal. Someone declared that it was time for cake and gifts and that’s when another big surprise came out, her oldest granddaughter and her husband had face timed, and announced that they were expecting…this caused more tears, laughter, hugs, and we go on and on. Our group got ourselves together about 10:00 a.m. on Monday and headed back to this part of the world, worn out, but happy. The traffic wasn’t bad and we had a good trip home, then, Tuesday morning, it was back to the grind for me! Tuesday was gift shop time, and today, I’ve been totally lazy, a little laundry, a stint at the therapy pool and then back home for a nap. Now, I just thank the good Lord for getting us through everything safely and have lots of memories.
INTERESTING STUFF
A SHOT OF WHISKEY
In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a “shot” of whiskey.
THE WHOLE NINE YARDS
American fighter planes in WW2 had machine guns that were fed by a belt of cartridges. The average plane held belts that were 27 feet (9 yards) long. If the pilot used up all his ammo he was said to have given it the whole nine yards.
BUYING THE FARM
This is synonymous with dying. During WW1 soldiers were given life insurance policies worth $5,000. This was about the price of an average farm so if you died you “bought the farm” for your survivors.
IRON CLAD CONTRACT
This came about from the ironclad ships of the Civil War. It meant something so strong it could not be broken.
PASSING THE BUCK/THE BUCK STOPS HERE
Most men in the early west carried a jack knife made by the Buck knife company. When playing poker it as common to place one of these Buck knives in front of the dealer so that everyone knew who he was. When it was time for a new dealer the deck of cards and the knife were given to the new dealer. If this person didn’t want to deal he would “pass the buck” to the next player. If that player accepted then “the buck stopped there”.
RIFF RAFF
The Mississippi River was the main way of traveling from north to south. Riverboats carried passengers and freight but they were expensive so most people used rafts. Everything had the right of way over rafts which were considered cheap. The steering oar on the rafts was called a “riff” and this transposed into riff-raff, meaning low class.
COBWEB
The Old English word for “spider” was “cob”.
SHIP STATE ROOMS
Traveling by steamboat was considered the height of comfort. Passenger cabins on the boats were not numbered. Instead they were named after states. To this day cabins on ships are called staterooms.
SLEEP TIGHT
Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a criss-cross pattern. A straw mattress was then put on top of the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing the bed to sag. The owner would then tighten the ropes to get a better night’s sleep.
SHOWBOAT
These were floating theaters built on a barge that was pushed by a steamboat. These played small town along the Mississippi River. Unlike the boat shown in the movie “Showboat” these did not have an engine. They were gaudy and attention grabbing which is why we say someone who is being the life of the party is “showboating”.
OVER A BARREL
In the days before CPR a drowning victim would be placed face down over a barrel and the barrel would be rolled back and forth in an effort to empty the lungs of water. It was rarely effective. If you are over a barrel you are in deep trouble.
BARGE IN
Heavy freight was moved along the Mississippi in large barges pushed by steamboats. These were hard to control and would sometimes swing into piers or other boats. People would say they “barged in”.
HOGWASH
Steamboats carried both people and animals. Since pigs smelled so bad they would be washed before being put on board. The mud and other filth that was washed off was considered useless “hog wash”.
CURFEW
The word “curfew” comes from the French phrase “couvre-feu”, which means “cover the fire”. It was used to describe the time of blowing out all lamps and candles. It was later adopted into Middle English as “curfeu”, which later became the modern “curfew”. In the early American colonies homes had no real fireplaces so a fire was built in the center of the room. In order to make sure a fire did not get out of control during the night it was required that, by an agreed upon time, all fires would be covered with a clay pot called a “curfew”.
BARRELS OF OIL
When the first oil wells were drilled they had made no provision for storing the liquid so they used water barrels. That is why, to this day, we speak of barrels of oil rather than gallons.
HOT OFF THE PRESS
As the paper goes through the rotary printing press friction causes it to heat up. Therefore, if you grab the paper right off the press it is hot. The expression means to get immediate information.
We don’t see this anymore since the papers are all done with computers, but if you’ve been or worked in the “print shop” part of The Devine News, you can see tiny bits of lead in the walls. It took me a while to figure out what they were!
Here is a great brisket recipe that has been around in our family for quite a while, and we’ve always enjoyed it. I don’t make it very often anymore, because I don’t always have a crowd to feed, and it feeds a large group of people!
Oven Baked Brisket
1 brisket (6-8 pounds)
1 bottle liquid smoke
Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder (if desired)
Thoroughly season brisket well on both sides. Place in a roasting pan and bake at 250ºF to 300ºF, uncovered, for 4 to 5 hours. Pour one-half of the bottle of liquid smoke over the meat, turn meat over and pour the remaining liquid smoke over the meat. Cook, covered for an additional 1½ to 2 hours. Remove from oven, let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Be sure to slice across the grain of the meat to have nice slices. When the grain changes, give the brisket a one-quarter turn and continue slicing.
Here are two cakes that I’ve recently taken to bake sales or group meals, I entered the first one in a little competition that was going on at the hospital, and while it didn’t win any type of prize, they ate all of it!
The carrot cake is an old recipe and it’s a favorite with most of the men in my family! The chicken salad is a version of a salad that I got from a microwave cookin school in the 70s! I’ve served it to bunco groups, meetings, etc.
Summery Chicken Salad
Dressing:
1/2 cup bottled chili sauce (Heinz, DelMonte)
4 tablespoons picante sauce (mild, medium or hot)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
Mix above ingredients together and set aside.
Salad:
2½ to 3 cups cooked, diced chicken
4 sliced green onions (tops too)
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
Mix these ingredients together, add dressing and mix lightly until all ingredients are coated. Garnish with additional avocado, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.
Southern Pecan Praline Sheet Cake
Ingredients:
Cake
1 box Betty Crocker butter pecan cake mix
16 oz. can Betty Crocker Coconut Pecan Frosting
4 large eggs
3/4 Cup canola or coconut oil
1 Cup half-and-half for increased flavor instead of water
1/2 Cup chopped pecans
Butter Pecan Glaze
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 Tbs butter
1/2 Cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease or spray a 9×13-baking dish with cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, combine all the cake ingredients except for the chopped pecans. Mix well.
Add chopped pecans and stir to combine.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Butter Pecan Glaze:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
Add condensed milk and stir.
Heat thoroughly, then add chopped pecans.
Stir again to combine and remove from heat.
Spoon sauce over individual slices of cake or spread over the entire cake (much easier).
Carrot Cake
2 cups flour
1½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1½ cups cooking oil
2 cups finely shredded carrots (use blender to grate & drain well, or shred by hand)
1 can (8½ size) crushed pineapple (undrained)
½ cup chopped toasted nuts
1 can (3½-oz) coconut (I use ¾ to 1 cup from a plastic bag, as you can’t always find coconut in a can any longer)
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; add eggs and oil and mix well, stir in carrots, pineapple, nuts and coconut and mix just until combined. Pour into 9×13 baking pan or Bundt pan and bake at 350ºF for 35 to 40 minutes. If using a Bundt pan, bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool, either in the pan, or remove from pan and place on cake rack to cool completely. For Bundt pan, cool about 5 minutes in pan and them remove and cool completely.
Frost as desired, but is best with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup butter or margarine (at room temperature)
1 block (8-oz) cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, beat in powdered sugar gradually beating until creamy and of spreadable consistency, if too stiff, add a few drops of milk.

I don’t make the news…I just report it

Thankfully, we dropped down to 59 calls for service this week, that’s a lot easier to manage than the 91 from the previous week. We were still busy, there always seems to be a lot going on. Officers conducted 142 traffic stops, which resulted in 123 citations and 19 warnings.
We had 4 arrests last week. #1 – Sgt. Hanson conducted a traffic stop for “no headlights” and determined the driver had a felony warrant out of Burnet Co. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. I bet that guy will run his headlights 24/7 after that little lesson. #2 – Sgt. Hanson conducted a traffic stop for speeding and determined the driver had an active warrant out of Harris Co. for Carrying a Prohibited Weapon. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #3 – Ofc. J. Cortez conducted a traffic stop on Main St. for speeding, the driver had an active warrant out of Bexar Co. for felony theft, and he was booked into the ACSO Jail. #4 – Sgt. Hanson (assisted by Ofc. L. Diaz) conducted a traffic stop on Railroad St. for a defective headlight. He determined the driver to be an unlicensed 14 YOA male. An adult male occupant was determined to have a warrant out of Bexar Co. for Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. I guess the guy figured “I got a warrant, you drive,” the plan might have worked had the headlight been working.
Reported property crimes, we had 9. #1 – A complainant reported that someone entered her unlocked vehicle and took a purse, backpack, Air pods, and a pack of smokes. The incident occurred in the 15000 Blk. of Main St. #2 – Saddle Ridge Estates reported that copper AC lines were taken from 5 homes that were under construction, the loss was valued at $5,000. #3 – John’s Small Engine Repair on Main St. reported that 2 small gas cans, both full of gas, were taken. Gas is the new gold standard, I guess. #4 – Saddle Ridge Estates reported that 78 sheets of decking material were stolen from a job site. The loss was valued at $4,400. #5 – A complainant reported that a tire was “slashed” on her vehicle while she was at work at Bill Miller BBQ. #6 – A resident in the 15000 Blk. of Main St. reported that 4 wheels and tires valued at $1,120 was taken from his yard. #8 – A Cottage St. resident reported that someone tried to forcibly enter the driver’s side door of their vehicle. #9 – A Bruce St. resident that two of their tires had been “slashed”.
We have one subdivision under construction with some residents already calling it home, there are still lots of homes to be built. We have one other subdivision that is already doing site work and another that is close to starting. For the next several years we will have a lot of residential construction and we will be challenged with keeping the crooks away. They will come from near and far to visit our “after hours” lumber yard where you pick your own product and load it yourself.
Don’t forget the 4th of July Fireworks Show at John Lott Park. Fireworks when the sun goes down. Food trucks and live music start at 5 PM. Should be a lot of fun, I would bring plenty of water to stay hydrated.
As a reminder, it is illegal to discharge fireworks within the city limits. If you have a fireworks complaint, please call our 24-hour dispatcher: The Atascosa Co. Sheriff’s Office in Jourdanton @ 830-769-3434 (Option #1). They have direct radio contact with all our on-duty officers.
Stage 3 Water Restrictions are now in place for City of Lytle Water Customers. Visit the city’s website or call city hall for more details. It’s dry, and it doesn’t appear rain is in the forecast.
Sorry for the long report, I don’t make the news…. I just report it in a not very concise manner.

The Jurassic Life

Well about two weeks after our fridge and freezers failed us, our AC decided to go out too. Thankfully, my handy dandy husband was able to fix the AC himself.
I took the kids to see the new Jurassic Park movie. That was an interesting trip. Probably my most stressful trip to the movie theatre ever. My little “Tucky T-Rex” as we call him, loves dinosaurs and he has always loved Jurassic Park movies, but he was quite the little T-Rex at the theatre.
He was fine when there was lots of dinosaur fights and action, but the first part of the movie is a lot of talk, and not a lot of action, so he was really struggling to sit still or quiet. And the theatre had those new-fangled “recliner seats” too. Once Tucker discovered that up/down button, it was over. He reclined and inclined back and forth every five minutes. Then came the point when he felt he just had to try out the three empty recliners that were beside us. I knew there was a good reason I chose to sit in the back of the theatre!
I have never attempted to try to make my 4 year old sit perfectly still for a 90 minute movie before, but I thought this was the one movie he would be entertained enough to watch in the theatre.
I guess that’s what I get for thinking.
I have however, enjoyed watching Tucker act out all kinds of dinosaur scenes with his toys at home. He has grown quite the imagination, and he is in that phase where he is giving each one of his dinosaurs a different funny little voice. The other day I was watching him as his stegosaurus “talked” to his T-Rex and only God knows whata-saurus. I can’t ever remember all those dinosaur names. But soon, a pterodactyl bird came flying in and stopped right above the T-Rex’s head as Tucker deliberately made pterodactyl farting noise. He had no idea I was watching him play, but I busted out laughing at that point. I have never much enjoyed farting humor, but then again, I’ve never heard a pterodactyl fart before! It was pretty funny to hear Tucker’s version of a pterodactyl fart when he thought no one was watching him. Boys will be boys, and it’s pretty dang funny.
I won’t be going to any movie theatres for a while, but his little play acting is way more entertaining than Jurassic Park anyway! And the popcorn is cheaper at home too!

What is “tamarind”?

Another Friday, and I sort of think it’s one of those “TGIF” Fridays! The week has been fairly busy as Tuesday; I started my day with our monthly Auxiliary meeting and then went to work in the gift shop, as the lady who usually has morning shift is not able to do so at this time. The morning was busy, but the afternoon was pretty slow, so I was glad when 5:00 p.m. came around and I could go home. Wednesday was a Doctor’s appointment and everything was fine, Thursday the blood bank was there and I was able to donate. On Friday, I spent a good part of the day at the Toyota place in Victoria as it was time to have maintenance done on my car. Everything went well until the lady told me that the bulb I needed in my tail-light wouldn’t be available for five days. I made a quick phone call to my neighbor who works on cars and he had a bulb! I still can’t understand why it would take them five days to get a new one! Now, my car is ready for the road trip my daughter, my sister and I are taking this weekend. My sister-in-law recently celebrated a milestone birthday and my brother is having a family party for all of us. They live in north Texas so it is a fairly long drive, not anything like the ten-hour trip of a few weeks ago. I am excited as I will get to see my nieces and nephews and their families.
This week, I’ve found a different item to tell you about, it’s called tamarind. The tamarind has been on produce aisle shelves for years, but I’ve never paid particular attention to it. Unfortunately, no recipes were on the site I used for my information and the only way that I can think of for you to find some if there are any out there is to check with a recipe finding search. For more information, and lots of pictures, just type “tamarind” in Google or whatever search engine you use and you will find lots of interesting things about this unusual ‘bean’!
How many of you have seen tamarinds in the produce section and wondered what the heck those beige colored beans with brownish seeds really were?
This pod-like, edible fruit is used in cooking in many areas of the world. A couple of other uses are traditional medicine, and, believe it or not, as a metal polish. The wood has many uses, including wood carving. The seeds produce tamarind seed oil, and the tamarind is cultivated around the world in tropical and sub-tropical zones.
The name “tamarind” derives from the Arabian language and when romanized, translates to “Indian date”. It has also, over time been written in various ways, including Latin as “tamarindus”.
In several countries, it is called “tamarindo” and is often used to make a drink of the same name. (It seems to me, in the back of my memory, that at one time, in the stores where candy from Mexico was sold, that there was a candy called tamarindo, but I am not sure).
It is mostly indigenous to tropical Africa, but has been cultivated for such a long space of time on the Indian subcontinent, that it is often reported to be indigenous there.
Tamarind grows wild in Africa in locales as diverse as the Sudan and Tanzania, as well as other locations.
In Arabia, one of the places where it grows wild is on the sea-facing slopes of the mountains in Dhfar. It reached Mexico in the 16th century and to a lesser degree South America, being brought in b Spanish and Portuguese colonists and became a staple of their diet. In our world today, India is the largest producer of tamarind. It is used to flavor chutneys, curries and many other dishes.
According to the article in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that this information is from: “Tamarind sweet chutney is popular in India and Pakistan, as a dressing for many snacks”. It goes on to say: “Tamarind pulp is a key ingredient in flavoring curries and rice in South Indian cuisine, in the Chigali lollipop, and in certain varieties of Masala chai tea”.
It is also used in savory dishes; most notably meat based stews, and is frequently combined with dried fruit, which achieves a sweet-sour tang. (Something like this is what I remember of the candy I spoke of earlier, it seems that it was plums or another dried fruit and was a very tangy sour).
If your gardens are anything similar to the ones around here, you might be looking for a couple of recipes to use the excess squash you have.
Squash Casserole
2 pounds steamed squash (cut them into pieces and steam with just a little water)
4 medium carrots (cut into circles and steam)
1 chopped onion (medium size)
1 chopped green pepper (medium size)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 package herb stuffing mix
1 stick margarine, (melted)
Stir together squash, carrots, onions, green pepper, soup and sour cream in bowl. Mix melted margarine and stuffing mix together and put half into the vegetables and stir together. Place in 13×9-inch pan and sprinkle remaining stuffing mixture on top. Bake at 350ºF for 40 minutes.
Stuffed Zucchini
4 zucchini (6-inches long)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
1 cup canned, chopped tomatoes, drained
½ cup plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped black olives
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground black pepper
¼ cup chicken broth
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and hollow out, leaving a 3/8-inch shell. Coarsely chop the zucchini and onion and mince the garlic. Set aside while you heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the zucchini, onion and garlic to the skillet. Stir together, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until tender. Add the tomatoes and cook, covered, 5 minutes longer. Uncover and stir in the bread crumbs, olives, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stuff the zucchini halves with the filling and place in a shallow baking dish. Pour the chicken broth over the zucchini and bake 30 minutes in preheated oven until tender.
Fried Zucchini
Zucchini
Salt and pepper (or seasoned salt)
Flour
Milk
Cooking Oil for deep frying
Wash and slice the zucchini into even slices about ¼-inch thick, or cut into small chunks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper or seasoned salt, (I used some Julio’s® seasoning the other day when I made this and it came out really well). Allow to stand a few minutes, and then dredge in flour until well coated. Next, dip slices into milk, and then back into flour. Fry a few at a time until golden brown and tender. Serve hot with Ranch Dressing to dip the slices into if desired.

91 Service Calls-maybe a record?

We were some busy cops this last week. Officers handled 91 service calls (maybe a record?) in comparison we had 48 calls last week. Your Lytle PD officers conducted 72 traffic stops; those stops resulted in 63 citations and 9 warnings. This report will take a while, too bad I don’t get paid by the word or the pound for that matter.
Let’s get the party started with property crimes that were reported last week: #1 – It was just a matter of time, before our first theft (by siphoning) of gas. A Main St. resident reported that when he went to bed his tank was full and when he woke up….it was empty. Sadly, I expect more of these and in many cases, the victims might not even realize it. #2 – Chaparral Ford reported that a fake check was used to purchase a 2021 Ford Bronco; the vehicle has been entered as stolen. #3 – A table saw valued at $100 was taken from the 14700 Blk. of Railroad St. #4 – Express rent to own reported that a renter pawned some items that belonged to them. #5 – Twin Liquors reported that a female took 2 bottles of liquor valued at $65. #6 – H.E.B. Plus reported a theft that occurred a couple of days earlier. #7 – A property owner reported that his security camera picked up a suspect in a farmhouse on FM 2790 N (near the Animal Control Facility). Officers responded and a suspect was arrested for burglary and booked into the Medina Co. Jail. #8 – A construction company working on the IH-35 Access Rd. reported that a water pump and power tools valued at $2,300 was taken overnight from their worksite. #9 – H.E.B. Plus detained a shoplifter and had officers issue a criminal trespass notice. #10 – A resident of the 18200 Blk. of Wisdom Rd. reported the theft of a bicycle valued at $200. #11 – A chipping hammer and a reciprocating saw were taken from the bed of a pickup. The vehicle was parked at John Lott Park, Adams St. entrance. #12 – H.E.B. Plus reported an attempted theft, the items were recovered. #13 – A customer at H.E.B. Plus reported that her wallet was stolen out of her shopping cart when she was unloading groceries.
These are the arrests we made last week: #1 – The fellow from the farmhouse burglary. #2 – A single traffic stop resulted in 4 adult males being cited and released for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Don’t forget the 4th of July Fireworks Show at John Lott Park! This is one of the city’s most well-attended events; we didn’t have a show in the last couple of years. There will be live music and food trucks starting at 5 PM. The fireworks will be set off when it gets dark. Bring a chair or maybe a blanket since there might be a sticker or two in the park.
As a reminder for our current residents and maybe it’s news for some of the new people moving into town: It is illegal to discharge fireworks in the city limits. If you have fireworks complaint, please call our 24-hour dispatcher: The Atascosa Co. Sheriff’s Office in Jourdanton @ 830-769-3434 (Option #1). They have direct radio contact with all our on-duty officers.
We have tried all kinds of ideas to enforce the fireworks ordinance. Having an officer on the water tower with binoculars (problem with access to restroom facilities). A drone outfitted with a camera (some punk shot it down with a bottle rocket). Satellite live feed imagery (officer manning it in the office intercepted a pay-for-view fight and missed the fireworks). My, what an imagination I have. This year will be a more traditional approach. We will be driving around and looking for violators, we are looking for compliance and hope not to have to issue any citations.

Easter in June

My son found a stash of Easter eggs the other day and got really excited. We spent the last few days playing egg and seek. It’s amazing the entertainment a basket of eggs can provide and I’m not sure why we only do it once a year.
Thankfully a lot of those egg hunts were inside our house, because every time I walk outside I feel like I am going to melt. The weather guy this morning literally said “today we are going to get a little break”, referring to the forecast with a high of 98 degrees for the day! I admire my husband and anyone who works outside to make a living, because it can’t be easy.
My sister and I are both counting down the days to our beach trip. Can’t wait to hear the sound of those waves.
We got chickens recently and I only planned on keeping them for a little while to cut down on the bug population, but we are kind of having fun with them. Farm animals are funny things. They are all entertaining in their own way. I always thought goats had one of a kind personalities, watching all their antics, but chickens have their own ways of entertaining us. Pretty soon, we will be able to hunt for their eggs. We already found one.
Well, if you get bored this summer, and no one’s talked you into getting chickens yet, just pull out the Easter eggs and let the kids hunt the day away. They are on sale this time of year!

Uvalde…evil incarnate.

Decided to put the Commissioners Court update on hold for a week or so. The Devine News Reporter does a great job of in-depth reporting and stealing what little thunder I have to offer so, I’m gonna rant if KK will print it.
Uvalde…evil incarnate. Enough said. Even with a Law Enforcement and SWAT training background, I was not there and have no discussion or points of emphasis to offer. My opinions will remain with me.
Guns. I have my share. They tend to sit where they are placed and the only change that they undergo is that their temperature changes with the room temperature until they are taken in hand. At this point, depending on the handler and his/her intentions, they become a weapon for good or evil.
Laws. There are laws on the books that, if followed, will prevent the misuse of guns. Why do we need more gun laws if the ones we have are not being followed and ENFORCED? Criminals have no regard for laws pertaining to guns and will get one no matter how many laws are passed. If you have guns in the house, educate your children on their use and the consequences of their misuse.
Schools. Schools are an institution for learning. We need to go back to “old school”. Teachers are entrusted with educating our children. Let them teach. If your child does not learn and achieve academic standards, they should fail. Sometimes, failure is a learning tool. Let the school discipline when needed. Some of your kids need a good old fashioned whippin sometimes. This is something that is almost non-existent nowadays.
Mommy and Daddy. You need to realize that Little Johnny and Mary are different people at home than at school. They have learned that they are not responsible for their actions and can get away with talking back, disrespecting elders and doing whatever suits them at the time and if they are disciplined, they call Mommy and Daddy and tell on the teacher for being mean to them. Let the school do its job. There is a difference between discipline and abuse. If they are brats at home, they are brats at school…probly worse.
Cell phones. I do not believe that children of any age should be allowed to carry their phones while at school if the school is secure. It is a major distraction and a detriment to their learning. You cannot change my mind.
On last week’s Commissioners Court meeting that involved several School Board members and Superintendents….have not heard from either school district in my area about any roundtable discussions about school security. I offered to sit in and be a representative from Commissioners Court but, I am not going to organize, chair or decide on when to discuss school safety.
I have children and grandchildren who are educators. They have done well and agree with me on the sad state of schools nowadays. Guess Sandy and I did something right.
On a positive note, we got to go to Annapolis, Maryland this past week and watch Rooster (his mama calls him Andrew) graduate from the Naval Academy. Extremely proud of this young man. His mama and daddy did a good job raising him.

Way to go Chad!

I published a children’s book recently, one of my life long dreams. It is illustrated by a young man in California who is battling a terrible disease called A-T. My niece, Audrey, also battles this rare disease. This summer, I had hosted an Art contest for A-T kids and families and Chad was one of our winners. I was in awe of how many hours and how hard he worked to color his sea creatures, and that sparked the idea to write a story to go along with his illustrations and make a book.
He is over the moon excited and so am I. Chad’s most ambitious dream is to see scientists find the cure for A-T, so we decided to chase that dream too, by donating all profits from the book to the AT Children’s Project. Because A-T is such a rare disease, the ATCP is one of very few funding sources of A-T research. In fact, it was started by a group of parents whose children had A-T.
When your family is faced with such a dark diagnosis, it is easy to get hung up on statistics and the doctor’s devastating prognosis. But A-T warriors like Chad inspire all of us and remind us that no disability can put a limit on how far you can chase your dreams. You can do whatever you set your mind to, as long as you work hard at it.
This weekend, I got some exciting news. Chad’s mother, Louise, sent me a picture of a huge front page article in Chad’s hometown newspaper. I was so excited! It is so fun to be on the receiving end of a front page story! I could just hear Chad’s smile as I saw that huge front page story in California. It was a good reminder that while the news business can be a stressful one, especially when it comes to politics, that what we do is important. Because we get the opportunity to be that huge smile maker….to give people like Chad the special honor they deserve.
If you know a local person who is an inspiration, please feel free to reach out to us. I love those stories.
If you would like to buy the book written by me and illustrated by Chad, you can find it at TheBookPatch.com by searching for my name or the title “Hello! From the Great Blue Sea.”