06-20-26

Editorial by Michael Robinson

Top Image: Lewis Robinson

  Mentioning Mother’s Day is fast approaching is like someone saying, “jump” and many will answer, “How high?” Mention Father’s Day in the same vein, and you will get some snickers or sneers. In one’s early childhood, mothers take the role of nurturer. Fathers, on the other hand, are often seen as stoic or as “the heavy” in the household, enforcing rules and making sure the chores and homework gets done. Sadly, many fathers aren’t around the home at all because of a divorce or abandonment or an early passing.

  As an early teen, I struggled in school and at report card time was a time I dreaded. Dad expected A’s and B’s. I brought home C’s and a few D’s, Dad kept saying I had the ability to do much better. Back in the 70’s and early 80’s, learning disabilities like ADHD and Dyslexia were not considered. A kid falling short academically was chalked up to “Lazy Student Syndrome.”

  If there is a parent in the home with a severe mental illness that also adds a detrimental factor to a student’s success.

  Overbearing fathers who are too stern with their teenage sons can result in deep resentment.

  If I see a young adult in real life or in the movies that seems maladjusted, I sometimes think, “overbearing dad.”

 Strict dads that go too far are sadly commonplace in movies and real life. Movies like The Dead Poet’s Society, The Great Santini, and Ragamuffin are three movies that have messed-up dads in them. 

  A highlight of the week for me was riding with dad on a Friday night to pick up two large Pizzas from Pizza Inn or Ken’s Pizza. We’d get there and he’d pull out his wallet and pull out a “working man’s $20 bill” to cover the damages. 

   In my early teen years, my dad got so frustrated with me he told me I’d end up in prison because I wasn’t earning good grades in school: That really hurt me.I wasn’t a trouble maker. I just struggled in school.

  At 59, and thankfully never ended up in prison, yet those words left a deep scar in me. 

  My father grew up in a dysfunctional and troubling household. My dad bore deep psychological scars from his dad. My dad was imperfect and scarred to  

  Despite this, my dad, like other dads, worked hard and sacrificed to make sure we had a roof over our heads, clothing on our backs and food on the table. On many evenings, he put on a baseball glove and played catch with me in the front yard before dinner. 

  My father suffered with terrible migraine headaches so debilitating there were countless days he stayed in bed in a dark room. Because he worked in my Grandfather Burl (my grandfather on my mother’s side of the family) business, he was able to keep his job. 

  My dad spent time with me, but it sadly wasn’t always enough. Oftentimes, he was so damned tired from working even the few moments he could offer were a sacrifice. 

  Later when dad was in his 40’s when my grandfather’s business faltered, my dad looked for work. Despite possessing a brilliance for mathematics, engineering and structural design, my dad got looked over for jobs because of age discrimination and the fact he didn’t have a degree.  Things eventually worked out but that was a hard reality that dad faced. My dad was a working-class guy with no affluent family or country club connections to bail him out.

 In a way, my Dad stood as a buffer between us and the hardness of the world.

 Thankfully, in my adult years, my dad and I found common ground. We had thoughtful conversations about life, Star Trek TNG, politics and many other topics either in person, over the phone or via email. 

 At the end of our conversations, we felt like all the world’s problems were addressed only to see that by the next weekend, the problems remained. 

 In my dad’s late 60’s and early 70’s my dad got sick with colon cancer and pulmonary fibrosis. Over many months, my dad grew progressively weaker. It was hard to bear, My dad passed away in December 2014.

 I love my Dad and miss him dearly.    

 My dad left a scrap piece of paper with my name on it and things he wanted to do with me: Go to the old glass plant in my hometown of Fort Smith and go rock hounding were on the list. Sadly we didn’t get to do them in his living years.

 While Fathers Dad rings hollow for many, I don’t think any one day could truly honor good fathers. Dads are the glue that holds everything together and glue sadly doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves. 

  If your dad is still alive, take the time now to mend fences or make the effort to forgive dad for the mistakes he made as a father. He likely has or had it much harder than you realize. 

(Editor’s Note This is a press release from Texas DPS. There are no photos from the accident scene, but the accident details are disturbing.)

  06-15-26

Press Release from Texas Department of Public Safety

  DEL RIO – THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY (DPS) is investigating a one-vehicle fatal crash that occurred on June 14, 2026, at approximately 3:16 a.m., on US 83 approximately 4-miles north of Carrizo Springs, Texas, in Dimmit County.

  Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2024 gray Hyundai Sonata was traveling southbound on US 83 and Midway Park Road (County Road 101). The Hyundai failed to drive in a single lane and crossed into the northbound lane of travel. The driver left the traveled roadway, veered into a bar ditch, and struck a concrete embankment.

  The Hyundai rolled over, ejecting the driver who was lying in the northbound lane and was run over by a truck tractor, avoiding the crash vehicle in the southbound lane. The driver, Brandon Lee Frausto, 29, from Carrizo Springs, was pronounced deceased on scene as a result of this crash.

  The passenger was transported to Dimmit Regional Hospital. DPS Troopers continue to investigate this fatal crash.

Press Release from Southwest Texas College                                                                                                                                                       

06-15-26

  (Uvalde, Texas) Southwest Texas College (SWTX) has announced its President’s and Dean’s Lists for the Spring 2026 semester, recognizing students for outstanding academic achievement across the college’s service area.

A total of 272 students were named to the President’s List and 245 to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2026 semester, representing 517 students recognized for academic achievement.

  Students named to the President’s List achieved the highest level of academic excellence by earning a grade point average of 4.0 while completing a minimum required course load during the semester. Students on the Dean’s List also demonstrated strong academic performance by meeting high GPA standards.

  Honorees represent communities throughout the region, including Uvalde, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Crystal City, Carrizo Springs and surrounding areas, highlighting the college’s broad impact across Southwest Texas.

  “We are proud to recognize the dedication and hard work of our students who have earned a place on the President’s and Dean’s Lists,” said Dr. Hector Gonzales, president of Southwest Texas College. “Their commitment to academic success reflects the values of excellence and perseverance that define our institution.”

  The recognition underscores SWTX’s mission to support student achievement and provide quality educational opportunities throughout the region.

  A complete list of students named to the Spring 2026 President’s and Dean’s Lists is available online at:

Dean’s List

President’s List

  For more information about Southwest Texas College programs and student success initiatives, visit www.swtxc.edu.

About Southwest Texas College 

  Southwest Texas College is a regional, “open door” institution serving an 11-county area that stretches from the Texas Hill Country to the US-Mexican border. Since 1946 SWTX has provided accessible, affordable, high-quality education that prepares students to successfully transfer to senior colleges and universities; enter the job market; pursue their professional and personal goals; and contribute to the economic growth of the region. The college’s mission is to enrich lives and advance growth through the education of our diverse communities.

 To learn more about SWTX, visit swtxc.edu. For more information on this story, contact Ismael Martinez, SWTX Social Media/Public Relations Specialist at 830-591-2942 or imartinez@swtxc.edu.

06-15-26

Article and photo by Diana Olvedo-Karau

Every second Saturday of the month, volunteers gather at Uvalde Dual Language Academy to prepare food for local families. Cars line up early, and the pace of the distribution depends largely on one thing: how many volunteers show up to help.
Lead organizers have built an efficient system, and once the line begins moving, the process runs quickly. Still, every step depends on volunteers working together to keep food flowing to the families who need it.

The San Antonio Food Bank began building a formal, recurring presence in Uvalde in December 2019 by supplying regional pantries. After the tragedy of May 2022, it expanded emergency support and established monthly drive-thru distributions, typically hosted at UDLA.

According to food bank representatives, 200 families were served in May 2026. In June, that number rose to 275 families, reflecting the higher need often seen during summer months.

The need is significant. Uvalde County continues to face high food insecurity driven by poverty,
vulnerable populations, and reliance on SNAP benefits. The county’s poverty rate is estimated
at about 22% to 24%, higher than state and national averages. Child poverty is roughly 31%,
and about one in four residents relies on SNAP to buy groceries.

Editorial Remarks:

After volunteering at the May and June distributions, I saw firsthand how many of our
neighbors depend on this support, especially elderly residents and families facing difficult
circumstances. But in the middle of that need I also saw gratitude, dignity, and hope. Having
experienced food insecurity myself, I know the value of a helping hand. Whether you have
walked in those shoes or simply want to serve, consider volunteering at this distribution or
another local opportunity. Let’s be the hands and feet of Jesus; the rewards are eternal.

06-12-26

Top photo: file photo by Michael Robinson

News reports submitted by Diana Olvedo-Karau

The Uvalde City Council met Tuesday, June 9, before a packed chamber. Most attendees came to address rezoning or conditional use permit requests seeking final council approval.

Two residents also asked the city for help with long-standing flooding on their properties in the 800 block of North Camp Street, near the Uvalde CISD practice fields.

The council discussed potential City Charter changes. City Manager Joe Cardenas presented issues raised over the past year, including council terms, term limits, officer compensation, insurance, boards and committees, and city manager residency requirements. Any changes would require voter approval.

Cardenas also reviewed issues from the June 3 public workshop, which was a result of the request by EMC Strategy Group to add lobbying services to their contract. The concerns mirrored those residents have raised for years, with street improvements topping the list. “Obviously the City has many needs; with needs comes ways of financing some of those items,” Cardenas said, noting similar studies completed 20 to 30 years ago. “I go back and there are several studies that we’ve done that go back to the late 90’s and early 2000’s and if we compare what was discussed then, what was discussed this past week, they pretty much mimic one another.”

Editorial Remarks:

The reality is clear: Uvalde does not have the resources to tackle major street repairs without either taking on debt or aggressively pursuing state and federal grant funding. Adding lobbying services to EMC’s contract would give the city a stronger path to turn identified needs into actual funding opportunities, especially when paired with the agreement’s grant-writing component. EMC has already met with city departments to assess priorities and with TxDOT to explore future funding. Now the council needs to quit treating this issue as political theater, act in residents’ best interests, and remember that three council seats will be on the ballot this year.

Article submitted by UvaldeRadio.net

06-26-26

  A Traditionalist in a New Generation

  Raised in the Honky Tonks

  Accomplishing More Than Most By Age 19

  The New EP and “Beer Drinkin'”

  What to Expect Saturday Night

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

06-10-26

About 300 plus attended the NW Screwworm Community Meeting sponsored by Spear AG during the morning session and over a hundred attended the evening session held at the Uvalde County Fairplex Events Center. Texas State Senator District 80 Don McLaughlin appeared with two other State officials at the evening meeting covering recent updates on Texas Counties where Screwworm cases have been confirmed as well as what animals are at risk.

The two-hour meetings discussed the animals at risk and steps ranchers, farmers, pet owners and locals should take to identify possible screwworm larvae infections on animals and how to report the problem. One official stressed the key way to address the problem is to keep “eyes-on” animals. They went on to stress the importance of looking for any odd behaviors and monitor any wounds that the NW Screwworm larvae could infect.

The Uvalde Hesperian will post additional information presented at the meeting in a future report.

June 8, 2026

Guest Column by Jennifer Fry

Dad.  For some, the word may strike fear in the heart.  For me, it strikes the funny bone.

While my brothers and I were growing up, Dad’s favorite band was Trout Fishing in America.  If you Google the name, a mix comes up of angling advice and lyrics to nursery rhymes, re-imagined for the kid at heart.  Their song “The Window,” for example, features Little Miss Muppet and the spider who sat down beside her and “threw her out the window!”  And don’t forget Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, who who “put [his wife] in a pumpkin shell and threw her out the window!”  You get the idea.

I can remember the day Uncle Bill—near-spitting image of my dad, and even today, hard to tell apart from him at first glance—first introduced Trout Fishing to my family.  The year was 1991; my twin brother and I were seven years old.  The five of us were over at Uncle Bill and Aunt Liz’s house to let the kids play together, when all of a sudden Uncle Bill blurted out, “You gotta hear this new band, Jim!”

Soon, cassette-tape lyrics like “It’s mine!  I won’t share it!” whined into the room.  From then on, my dad was hooked.  He owns all the CD’s and more signed T-shirts than he can wear in a day.  He’s been to eight concerts, the last of which filled the room with all 81 eager listeners.  In their 60’s now, Mom and Dad might have been the youngest ones there, including the band members.

Formed in 1979, the two-member, Texas-based band is composed of acoustic-guitarist Ezra Idlet and upright-bassist Keith Grimwood.  Idlet stands tall at 6 feet 8 inches, while his band partner Grimwood only reaches 5 feet 5 on a good day—a difference of about 15 inches that only adds to the comedic element of their performance.  The pair depend heavily on word-of-mouth for their success.  As of 2020, they had released 25 albums and were nominated for four Grammy awards.

In the band members’ own words, it is “impossible to tell you what sort of music Trout plays.”  Their website lists inspiration from “rock and roll, blues, folk, country, bluegrass, funk, Latin, and reggea” to flavor their music.  In a word, it’s weird, which is all the more fitting for my dad.  Their music caters to children as well as adults.

Through the years, Trout Fishing’s lyrics have come in handy for me.  As a parent now, they seem all the more apropos.  If my child rubs his face with grimy fingers, my impulse is to belt out, “Don’t get it in your eye-o!”—a nod to a song they once wrote about pico de gallo.  Or, if two of my children are fighting over a toy, I might sing defiantly, “It’s mine!” and stomp my foot like a five-year-old.  Indeed, the apple falls not far from the tree.

I complained one day that my husband didn’t appreciate “Mine!” as a song.  My dad replied, “Your husband has never been a child.  And I have never grown up!”

Truer words have never been said.  I should have expected as much from my dad, knowing how my parents met.

In 1979, Jim had a roommate named Howard whose girlfriend Rita (affectionately called “Rita-babe” by my dad) had a best friend named Marie.  In the days when landlines put limits on telephone communication, Howard would call Rita from the shared apartment phone, sometimes while Jim was awake; Jim worked night shifts.  Ever the jokester, Jim wanted to make Rita-babe laugh, so he’d steal the receiver from Howard.  Unknown to Jim, sometimes Marie was over at Rita’s house and was privy to her end of the conversation.  Upon hearing Rita laugh, Marie wanted to laugh, too—so she stole the receiver from Rita.

What started out as Howard talking with Rita became Marie talking with Jim.  She married him two years later because he made her laugh.  Sadly, the very thing that drew her to him was a source of conflict throughout their marriage.  The conflict didn’t stop us kids from having fun with Dad, though.  Mom, we thought, was just a stick-in-the-mud.  As a wife myself now, I’ve come to see Mom in a more sympathetic light.

I remember sharing jokes with Dad that I had gleaned from the Reader’s Digest “Laughter, the Best Medicine” section.  Usually, he’d have read them already.  When the punchline didn’t come out right (it almost never did), he would say with an emphasis on each word, “Timing is everything.”

I did the same with the Peanuts comic strip from Dad’s collection of six volumes.  He would, of course, have already read those, too—many times over.  The set was the only thing he remembers ever asking from his dad.  It was a special set.  The jokes and comic strips, and later movie lines, became a sort of culture between us.  It was an echolalic habit—“movie-speak,” for those unfamiliar—that somehow encompassed life’s great variety.

We have all heard the adage, “God must have a sense of humor.”  If he does, I want it to be like my dad’s—off-beat, but not off-color; unexpected, but not out-of-character; child-like, but not childish.  And in the end, right as rain.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad.  May I never grow up to be just like you.