Today as we hit the ranch road, and I braced myself for some big bumps, the kids began laughing and chuckling and making noises like they were on a rollercoaster. In anticipation of each hole coming up, they shrieked, “Get ready! Here it comes!” And oh man, as we approached the cattle guard, they really got excited. They were making noises so funny and loud I couldn’t help but laugh and get into it. It kind of got me to thinking about lemons and lemonade. When life gives us lemons, they say, “make lemonade.” So when life gives us bumps, pretend like you are on a fun rollercoaster. I can remember when I turned 18 and went off to college in San Angelo, I felt so out of place. There were one way streets and smooth sailing roads, none of the familiar potholes of Devine. I remember actually writing an essay about it, because I kind of missed it. When I hit a pot hole, I know where I am. It’s always fun seeing life through the eyes of a child. Every little bump in the road is exactly what you want to make of it. You can groan, or you can make the best of it.
My daughter finally got me to sit down and play some cards the other day. It’s something she always wants to do, but with a rowdy little brother, it isn’t always easy to do, so I have put it off for quite a while. I had forgotten how much fun it is, and how many happy smiles I would get in return for a few minutes of my undivided time. Grandpa and Tucker caught a big bass this weekend. Grandpa hooked it, and Tucker reeled it all the way in, and boy was that little boy proud of it. “That fish was a biiiiiig one. He was strong, but he wasn’t as strong as me,” he said, flexing his little would-be muscles. I went fishing this weekend too. It was such a nice day, so I decided to take my shoes off and sit on the edge of the dock and dip my feet in the cool water while I fished. It was very relaxing, for a while. Unfortunately, the only bite I got was a bite to my toes from a smart aleck fish! I can just see that little perch down there under the water laughing and telling his buddies, “So she thinks we’re gonna bite that hook, huh? I’ll give her a bite alright.” Tucker and I carved out some time to go on a picnic at the ranch too this week. There are lots of super friendly dogs out there who liked the smell of the burgers we brought for our picnic, so before we could eat me and Tucker jumped on the mule and tried to outrun the dogs to a spot where we could eat in peace. We went this way, and we went that way, but dogs have pretty good noses, so they kept finding us before we could even take a bite of our burgers. Eventually we drove near the pond, and the floating dock caught my eye. So we had our picnic out on the floating dock, just a few feet off shore, dog-free. I thought I was pretty smart until one of those golden retrievers jumped right into the pond and swam to the dock to shake off on us. Oh well, at least we got to eat most of our burgers before the dogs got to us. Note to self: sit down and play cards more often, let the kids reel the fish in, don’t put your toes in the water, and remember, golden retrievers love to swim as much as they love the smell of hamburgers!
Lytle PD officers managed 73 calls for service last week, which is on the high side. If it is not a record, it would be close. There were 48 traffic stops. Those stops resulted in 42 citations and 6 warnings. Our officers handled a few interesting arrests last week. Here are the simple ones: Two different traffic stops resulted in the drivers being cited and released for possession of drug paraphernalia. There were also two traffic stops that resulted in warrant arrests. A 31 YOA female had marijuana possession warrant out of Medina Co., she was transported to the Medina Co. Jail in Hondo, or as we call it the “Hondo Hilton”. A 56 YOA female was arrested for a prostitution warrant out of Bexar Co., she was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail, sorry …. We don’t have a clever nickname for that one. These are a little more interesting: On Wednesday, April 27 at 1:42 AM Sgt. Hanson stopped a 2004 Ford F250 and discovered it to be stolen out of San Antonio. The driver was detained; there was also a female occupant. During the incident, dispatched reported a 911 call for woman being chased by a man with a gun at H.E.B. A Medina Co. Deputy checked on it for us and nobody up there saw anything. Sgt. Hanson was able to determine that the female passenger called 911 in hopes Hanson would let them go and head to the call. Her phone number showed up on the 911 call as did her location, she didn’t think that one through very well. So, Hanson booked them both into the Atascosa Co. Jail, him for the stolen vehicle and her for the false 911 call. Sgt. Hanson, assisted by A. Lopez, was at it again at 12:23 AM on Sunday May 1st. They located a vehicle leaving the Saddle Ridge subdivision loaded with lumber sticking out the back of a Suburban. This wasn’t our first time dealing with lumber theft in that new subdivision. The occupants claim they bought if from a guy named “Jose” and he wouldn’t answer the phone. People see all those new homes under construction and all that lumber, and I guess it’s just too much temptation (Like me at a Chinese food buffet). In other activity: A prescription was picked up at the H.E.B. Pharmacy using deception. All parties have been identified and charges are pending. We also had a report of a possible, attempted vehicle burglary at Lytle Apartments on Main St. We are waiting on additional information. We didn’t have any other confirmed thefts or property crimes reported. We have a city election on this Saturday, May 7. The location for voting is city hall; the polls will be open from 7 AM – 7 PM. The mayor has an opponent in his re-election bid and two new candidates are running for District 4 Alderperson. All qualified voters in the city limits can vote for in the mayor’s race and only those living in district 4 can vote for the council member position. Use caution when travelling around the IH-35 corridor access roads. TXDOT’s construction project in under way and you will see temporary one-way roads, etc. Please pay attention to the warning signs. It’s different then when I moved here in 1984, I could write a country ballad about all the changes. I already have lyrics running through my mind.
This past week was a fun week for me, other than on Monday when I ran my battery down by forgetting to turn out my lights, when I got to the hospital. It was raining a little when I left home but became a downpour during the afternoon. When I got off at 5:00 and went out to my car, I got pretty wet, and then, if possible, I got wetter still while trying to help get it jump-started. Thank goodness for a kind woman who had a daughter in ER and was waiting to see her and get information, as well as one of our auxiliary members who was helping also, I made it home! It continued raining most of the night but since my gauge broke during the ice storm, I don’t have a clue as to how much we had. In one area, I was told there was over six inches! Tuesday was an uneventful day, and Wednesday, I left my house early in the morning to head to Devine and Castroville. It was an awesome visit, and a wonderful luncheon with a friend, Thursday was a busy day also, as was Friday. Saturday, I headed back home and had a really nice trip, a little rain, but not pouring down, traffic not bad…yes, an OK trip for me. Now, it’s time to get back to the grind! May is a month with more holidays/celebrations than many of our other months. First, we have May Day on May 1. It is not celebrated in our country as much as it is in other countries. In many places, it is celebrated with a show of military arms. In others, it is celebrated with parties, May poles and May baskets. The second celebration, Cinco de Mayo is a day of celebration in much of the world, especially ones with a strong Hispanic culture, and last, but no means least, we will celebrate Mother’s Day on the third Sunday of this month, and to end the month, we will have Memorial Day, which basically begins the summer season of holidays. In San Antonio, there are sure to be some parties celebrating this day of victory for a small, ill-equipped militia, under the direction of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin in 1862. His small group of about 3500 defeated a much better equipped and trained French troop of over 4500 in the battle of Puebla. This “Batalla de Puebla” came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. The following is taken, in part, from an article entitled, “Cinco de Mayo” by Esmeralda Pulido that I found on the Internet It was on this day in 1862, that the Mexican army, for the first time, defeated the most feared French army of Napoleon III. He had been planning to take unconditional control over Mexico. Napoleon III observed how the Spaniards had controlled the land in colonial times and how they lost it. He had also seen the northern part of Mexico was later of great interest to the United States Emancipation plan. It was through the treaty of Guadalupe Hildago that Mexico lost one half of its territory. The government was split, headed by Zuloaga and another headed by Benito Juarez. Under these conditions, Napoleon III wanted the land even more. He, therefore, sent the Austrian, Ferdinand Maximilian, to take control (under Napoleon IIIs orders) as Emperor of Mexico. Mexico was not willing to have any more colonizing and ruling from other Empires settling in the land. It was a time to fight back and be respected. All their gold and silver was under the Spanish power when they had first colonized the land. President Juarez decreed that no man between the ages of 20 and 60 would be excused from taking up arms. He was determined not to lose his people’s land. He made it clear to the citizens that any traitors would be taken prisoner, and have his possessions confiscated by the State. He guaranteed to protect the lives and property of French citizens who lived in Mexico. The French proclaimed General Almonte as president of the Republic of Mexico. No all of the citizens of Mexico accepted him as President. Those who were loyal to their country still depended on their only president, Benito Juarez. Juarez sent a warning to Napoleon III, who later denied receiving it. In it, Juarez indicated that the citizens did not want a monarchy and did not want to be controlled by the French Empire. He also warned Napoleon III that if the nation’s sovereignty were attacked, the citizens would resist, and sooner or later freedom and justice would win. Napoleon took all of this as a joke because he did not recall his army back to France, but continued his aggression into Mexico City. On April 12, 1862, President Juarez had no other choice but to make his nation aware of the French invasion. He asked the people to support the Mexican army in the impending battle and to defend their independence. He reminded them that, in war, everyone suffered, but no type of misfortune was greater than the loss of freedom. General Ignacio Zaragoza was appointed to gather forces at Puebla to defend Mexico City. Zaragoza and Juarez, as well as the French, knew that the only way to Mexico City was through Puebla. If the French were able to gain control of Puebla, Mexico would be in their hands. General Lorencez was put in charge of taking Puebla. IN many instances he was informed that the citizens of Mexico were willing to accept the French in their land and that there was not going to be any combat at all once he reached Puebla. Lorencez had no idea that the inhabitants of Puebla were actually waiting for him. Puebla had over 80,000 inhabitants and over 150 churches and was surrounded by a chain of five forts. Zaragoza had an army of about 6,000 men who were placed in the forts. The others were held in reserve in the city, where he had erected barricades in most of the streets. He knew that at this time of the year, showers were to be expected frequently. The rains made the roads almost impossible to use, causing heavy cannons to get stuck on mountain roads. The hail storms would also make life miserable for the soldiers, and if there was an outbreak of disease, such as small pox or tyhoid fever, this would also wreak havoc. The Mexicans knew their territory, which gave them a great advantage, in spite of the fact that they were short on supplies and weapons. On May3, 1862, Zaragoza arrived at Puebla and discussed with the citizens the possible tactics that the French would use. On May 4, Lorencez arrived at the village of Amozoc, a few miles north of Puebla. He did not know where to attack. Almonte advised him to attack from the west, and added that Puebla had never been taken from the north. Others advised Lorencez to attack from the north. The French army arrived near Puebla at 9:00 a.m., on May 5, 1862. Once there, Lorencez’s army was attacked by a small group of Mexicans. The French took a stand and realized that they were not going to be as welcome as they thought they would be. At 11:00 a.m., the battle of Cinco de Mayo began. To get into the city of Puebla, the French army had to bring down the Fort of Guadalupe and also Fort Loreto, which was about half a mile away. For hours they kept advancing closer to the fort’s walls and did not seem to be doing any damage. After about an hour and a half of fighting, they had spent nearly half their ammunition, and the French infantry was sent in to capture the fort. They were under strong musket fire from the Mexicans in the fort, and from others sheltered by rising ground halfway between the two forts. The Mexican artillery in Fort Loreto was also turned on them. Acting on orders from Zaragoza, Porfirio Diaz led a charge against the French infantry in front of the fort. That afternoon a heavy thunderstorm drenched the combatants, obscured visibility and made the ground slippery. Lorencez did not have a chance and he knew it. He was running out of weapons and losing soldiers. To save his army, he knew he had to retreat. At around 7:00 p.m., the French army retreated from Fort Guadalupe to a position at the foot of the hill and waited for a Mexican counter attack. The French erected their tents and spent the light listening to the Mexicans cheering and celebrating their victory by singing Mexican songs and the “Marseillaise”, which to the French was “our Marseillaise”. Lorencez waited for Zaragoza to make the next move, staying for two days in the city of Puebla. But, after seeing that Zaragoza was not coming, Napoleon’s army had to walk through the silent mountains, defeated, with 462 men and eight of their prisoners taken. President Juarez decided to make the Battle of Puebla a holiday, along with Mexican Independence Day (September 16). The battle came to be known as the “Batalla de Puebla”, in which civilians of the poor Pueblo de Puebla defeated the great French army of Napoleon III. The following recipe was originally from TABASCO and is for a snack which is similar to a quesadilla, but it is called Sincronizadas, and this seems to mean sandwich! Sincronizadas 2 tablespoons TABASCO brand Green Pepper Sauce (divided use) 12 flour tortillas 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (divided use) Thin sliced cooked ham, cut into ½-inch strips 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced ½ cup chopped (drained) tomato ¼ cup chopped cilantro. Place six tortillas on flat surface. Spread about ½-teaspoon of TABASCO® Green Pepper sauce on each. Equally sprinkle one-cup of the cheese over the tortillas. Layer on the ham strips, avocado slices, chopped tomatoes, cilantro and remaining cup of cheese. Spread one side of remaining six tortillas with remaining TABASCO® and place sauce side down on layered tortillas, forming sandwiches (sincronizadas). On a griddle or in a medium sized skillet, cook sincronizadas, one at a time over medium heat, until tortillas are crisp and lightly browned on each side, and cheese is melted. Remove to a platter, cut into wedges and serve with additional sauce if desired.
A group of illegal aliens in Texas has filed a lawsuit claiming their arrests on local and state charges are “unconstitutional.” Adding to this class-action chutzpah, they want more than $5 million in compensation.
Your friends at Lytle PD responded to 64 calls for service last week. Officers conducted 36 traffic stops, 33 were citations and 3 were warnings. Property crimes – Here is what was reported last week: A couple of mini-storage units had their locks cut; items were missing from one of the units. A guy drove into the gate at South Texas Hardware on Main St., he then fled the scene. There was another incident at the park, a partition in the men’s restroom was damaged and a small fire was started in the water fountain dish. H.E.B. Plus also reported an attempted theft; the guy was going to try to take a basket full of stuff but left it by the door and took off. Maybe, he was stealing some stuff for an Easter event and then realized he was a week early. These are the arrests from last week: #1- A traffic stop on Main St. resulted in a warrant arrest on a male for Driving While License Invalid; the warrant was out of McMullen County. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #2 – Officers responded to a report of an assault on CR 6843, a male was arrested for assault causing bodily injury after he assaulted a co-worker. The male was booked into the Medina Co. Jail. #3 – A male was arrested for striking the gate at South Texas Hardware and then fleeing the scene, officers were able to locate him quickly. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #4 & #5 – Officers responded to John Lott Park for a report of “people smoking marijuana in a vehicle”. The incident resulted in a 17-year-old male being arrested on a felony dope charge and a 32-year-old female being arrested for tampering with evidence (felony) and resisting arrest (misdemeanor). Both were booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #6 – Officers arrested a male for public intoxication; he was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. That’s it for the crime stuff this past week. Property crimes were not too bad, and the arrests were enough to keep us busy. What else is going on? The state has started work on the IH-35 access road project, and the intersection of FM 3175 and IH-35 has been shut down. I believe they will move up the FM 2790 and IH-35 next. So that area along IH-35 will be interesting for the next year or so. Who knows, the way we are growing we may have to get accustomed to ongoing TXDOT projects. Doesn’t that just put a smile on your face? Easter is approaching and this year the egg hunt at the park is back on! After 2 years of no hunting, we are back in action. The event will be Saturday, April 16 from 1P-3P at John Lott Park. Kids ages 1-8 can participate. The registration fee is one canned good or $1 per child. I bet it will be fun and I am hoping that the candy is not from 2019.
We had a very nice Saturday at the ranch with my kiddos, cousin Audrey, and grandpa and grandma. As I sat on the porch swing with my little niece and a puppy, the breeze was blowing, and it felt just like the perfect day. I looked down at Audrey as we were swinging and said, “What a beautiful day. Nice breeze, pretty sunshine, cousins…” and before I could say anything else, she chimed in loud and clear, “And a puppy!” So there you go, I guess that’s the recipe for a perfect day We ran and ran around grandma’s house a thousand times in games of hide and go seek. We sat in grandma’s little pretend Frio River (which we built with a load of rocks in a stream coming from the water well faucet). We built rock castles. We floated their boats down the stream. We bar-be-qued. And as the day was winding down, we even got a surprise visit from a one-armed crawdad, who came meandering up from the fishing pond. That really put a thrill and a shrill in Tucker and Audrey. Uncle Sherman and Hannah walked up right around then, and he showed them how to handle Mr. One Armed Crawdad. After lots of careful inspection and some high-pitched shrieking, Audrey and Tucker got the fish net and relocated Mr. Crawdad many, many times in the bucket, under the bucket, in the stream, out of the stream. He eventually made it back to the muddy shore of the pond, but I’ll bet he was plenty dizzy. It was a perfect day, but not a perfect day to be a crawdad!
So far the weather is holding with beautiful spring days, however, I still haven’t spotted a single scissor-tailed swallow! The “mud birds”, aka bridge swallows and several other names are flying around everywhere. We really need rain, but all the clouds that show up are blown away be the gusty winds, I have no clue what the wind speed is, but today seems more like “windy March” then “showery April” and it doesn’t seem to be dropping.
Shifting our lens now to wildfires and Medina County’s massive emergency response to “Das Goat” fire that has made for a very long and difficult weekend. We are very fortunate to have our local emergency responders working around the clock for us. There aren’t enough thank you’s for those that put their lives in jeopardy to help others and protect our homes and property. Seeing State emergency responders stepping in and a visit from Governor Abbott with a local disaster emergency proclamation on Sunday was amazing. Shelters were opening in some churches and Medina Valley Loma Alta Middle School opened its doors as a Red Cross Shelter on Saturday. Few utilized the shelter at MV Loma Alta Middle School Saturday night but were very appreciative of having that place to go and thankful to the Medina Valley staff present. Many residents brought in food, drinks, animal kennels, and dog and cat food and were ready to offer more or help out. The Red Cross Shelter moved to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Sunday afternoon so the school could be in session Monday. Lake Hills United Methodist Church had opened its doors over the weekend as well with plenty of room for those in need. As of Monday morning and my writing, Medina County Public Health is out and about getting status updates on shelters.With fire emergency response continuing this week, our community and surrounding counties will be working together to help those families affected and to stand by if and when needed. Everyone, if you haven’t signed up for local emergency alerts, please do so now! In situations like this you would receive evacuation notices. I recommend getting them on your phone as a text and also as an email. COVID Forecast The 7-day COVID forecast is looking good with cases falling, low hospitalizations, and a low positivity rate. Key Messages: (CDC DATA Tracker as of 3/28/2022 prior report date was 3/21/2022) How many cases are there? Total cases over the last 7 days: 38 cases down from 63 Transmission? Positivity rate: 3.96%slightly up from 3.09% How many total deaths are there? 197 up 1 death from last week What can we do about it? Monitor hospitalization rates, continue to watch the next variant BA.2 for changes in the severity of disease, and monitor transmission rates. COVID-19 vaccines are available for ages 5 and up. Visit the Medina County website under “Coronavirus” or “COVID-19 Vaccine” for more information.
