Welcome to the Thanksgiving Edition of my weekly report. Lytle PD Officers handled 49 calls for service last week and conducted 58 traffic stops. Those stops resulted in 52 citations and 6 warnings.
We do not have much to report on last week, no arrests and only two calls that might qualify as property crimes. #1 – H.E.B. reported a forged check for $206 and the H.E.B. C-Store reported that someone hit the ice machine with their vehicle and took off. If we can remain at that level through the holidays, I will be one happy fellow.
It is with great joy and sadness that I announce the retirement of Capt. Frank J. Reyes. Frank began his service with the Lytle Police Dept. on July 7. 1998! He has served as my second-in-command for over 23 years and has done an outstanding job. There is no way to do his service justice by simply writing a few lines. He will always be part of our family; he will still be around …. just wearing a uniform of brown. He has assured me he will still be available if I have a question, he was our “go to guy” for case law. But I think he told some of the other guys he was going to change his number! That’s okay, I know where he lives. Nothing lasts forever and we knew this day would come, Frank has earned his pension and will now start working on another one. He has accepted a position with the Atascosa Co. Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff in the Courthouse Security Division. So, if you have jury duty or on trial for something be sure and say hello to him.
Lt. Dear completed his probation and the “interim” has been removed from his title as City Administrator. He will remain commissioned as a Peace Officer and will assist us as needed both as the Asst. Fire Marshal and as a Police Lieutenant. I’m sure he will enjoy some occasional police work to relieve the stress of being at city hall all day.
With Capt. Reyes retiring I decided I better sneak in a family trip. We packed up the family, my wife and I with 4 kids ranging in age from 17 years to 15 months and headed off. Our first stop was in Bells (TX) to see my brother Chance and his family. He showed us around his factory where he makes action figures that go with his comic book line. He showed us how they make the molds, then the figures and finally they are hand painted. His imagination is about like mine, but he uses his to make money and I use mine just to pass the time and annoy people.
More important information / Traffic Related: Starting on Nov. 29th, the I-35 North exit ramp to Lytle (exit 131) will be closed for one week. Drivers should use the Natalia (FM 471) exit ramp (exit 127) then follow the frontage road northbound for about four miles to Benton City Road (FM 3175). In addition to the Lytle exit ramp, the southbound frontage road will be closed between FM 3175 and a quarter of a mile south of FM 3175 for the same one-week period.
We then headed off to Eureka Springs (Arkansas) for a 4-night stay. We made it in right before the snow hit! It was cold but we had a good time, we shopped downtown (Tee Rex Vintage Toys is always a cool place) and visited a lot of good places to eat, try Red’s Pizzeria on Main St. We made a day trip to Silver Dollar City in Branson, as far as theme parks go this place is the best in my opinion. We visited two caves as well. On the way home we made a stop at the Pea Ridge Battlefield. We had been there before but never with snow on the ground. After 6 nights on the road, we sure were glad to be back home. There is no telling how much weight I gained; my new uniform may be sweatpants and a hoodie.
Special Notice for City of Lytle Residential Garbage Customers
Garbage will not be picked up on Thursday due to the holiday, it will be picked up on Friday.