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Kinney County: Early morning weekend crash claims life of Uvalde woman

admin — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 20:13:59 +0000

Hesperian note: Texas DPS included the name of the deceased driver. The Uvalde Hesperian has withheld the victims name since the crash occurred earlier today. Texas DPS and other officials do not release victims names unless family members have been notified.

Press Release Texas DPS

08/08/26

DEL RIO – THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY (DPS) is investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash that occurred on August 8, 2026, at approximately 5:02 am., 16 miles west of Brackettville in Kinney County.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2024 gray Dodge 350 pickup truck was traveling westbound on US 90, and a 2022 blue Chevrolet Equinox sport utility vehicle was traveling eastbound in the westbound improved shoulder. The Chevrolet drove on the wrong side of the roadway.

The Dodge took evasive action to its left to avoid going head-on with the Chevrolet. The Chevrolet struck the Dodge’s front-right quarter panel. Due to injuries sustained, the driver of the Chevrolet, a 25- year old woman from Uvalde, Texas, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The driver of the Dodge pickup truck reported minor injuries as a result of the crash. DPS Troopers continue to investigate this fatal crash.

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Camp Mystic and the Guadalupe River: One-Year Later

admin — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 18:37:34 +0000

August 7th, 2026

News report with commentary by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

One year and a few weeks after the Guadalupe River suddenly rose over 25 feet above its normal levels, houses and buildings built along the banks of the south fork of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, still show signs of destruction. many with broken and boarded up windows after powerful currents gutted many structures including resort guests.

After watching Left to Die | The 2025 Camp Mystic Flood Disaster on YouTube, I drove up to see the camp myself.

I was surprised to learn Camp Mystic is closer to the Uvalde area than I thought: a mere 30 minutes drive from the Lost Maples State Natural Area.

A year later a civil lawsuit against Camp Mystic is still ongoing, but is now paused as the owners of the Camp filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on June 24th, 2026 according to the Associated Press according to an WNG article.

The article states, “The camp’s debt was listed at more than $10 million. Camp Mystic and its owners face several wrongful death lawsuits from families seeking over $1 million in damages over the July 4, 2025, flooding disaster. Two counselors and 25 young campers died in the floods, along with camp owner Dick Eastland.”

Having parked along a two lane highway facing the Guadalupe River and the brick cabins and a larger hall built near the river on a low lying area it looked like a postcard. Nearby, a small memorial was found on the side of the highway with wide eyed stuffed animals, candles and other remembrances left at the base of a large wooden cross.

Some have stated the devastating flood was an “Act of God”and could not have been predicted.

I wanted to go see the area myself. I chose not to go in the immediate aftermath of the July 4th flood because I didn’t feel like as a news reporter I could offer any unique story perspective that already wasn’t being covered by the larger news outlets. Also I felt like my presence would get in the way of emergency response and recovery efforts.

I waited a year.

Beauty and the Beast

The view of the Guadalupe River and the land where Camp Mystic is located looks like a picture from a postcard. However, the beauty and the danger are connected.

Yet, as I drove along Highway 39, I could see signs that the Guadalupe River was in fact a proverbial sleeping lion that would on occasion awake from its slumber. Here is what I noticed:

The Limestone Bluffs: South Fork of the Guadeloupe River was bordered by towering stone bluffs that were covered by the river over tens of thousands of years. Even after the 2025 flood, the awesome force of the water ripped out huge chunks of limestone likely weighing thousands of pounds. Those bluffs presented an ancient message: This river becomes violent and floods.

The Low Ground: At Camp Mystic, several brick cabins were built on low ground. One building named Giggle Box, was the sleeping quarters of some of the youngest girls camping at Camp Mystic. It was the cabin that had the most loss of life. It was obvious that many of the cabins were built in a low lying area.

The Highway: Highway 39 follows the Guadeloupe. It crosses the river numerous times. During a large flooding event like 2025, most of that highway would be flooded and impassable.

Contributing to the geological dangers there are indications that the owners of Camp Mystic, Richard “Dick” Eastland and the Eastland Family did not have a viable emergency plan to evacuate the campers or the counselors situated in the structures located on the low ground nearest to the river.

The Evacuation Plan Failure

According to San Antonio Express News Reporter Peggy O’Hare, she tweeted, “Richard “Dick” Eastland exerted tight control over Camp Mystic’s operations, according to a report prepared for Texas lawmakers. So when a deadly flood struck one year ago, camp staff waited for his instructions. But most were never told what to do,”

In a Tweet by Federal Courts Reporter Elizabeth Zavala, she wrote, CYMI — Report: Camp Mystic did not call any of the 39 adults on its grounds to help evacuate.

Screenshot from the Overcast Documentary:: Left to Die | The 2025 Camp Mystic Flood Disaster. Pictured is Cici Williams Steward, the mother of 8-year old Camp Mystic Flood Victim Cecilia “Cile” Steward.

It was also reported in the documentary,Left to Die: The 2025 Camp Mystic Flood Disaster, Camp Mystic had a “Shelter in Place” order for a flood event. Information in the documentary also states the camp counselors were not allowed to have their own cell phones.

Cici Williams Steward, the mother of 8-year old victim Cecilia “Cile” Steward was 8 said, “Shelter in place was a death sentance camoflaged as safety. Dick Eastland enfoeced a culture of obedience so powerful that there staff including the directors of the camp and his children were afraid to assist helpless children if it meant defying Dick’s orders.”

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Uvalde County issues press release on County flood debris pickup process

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 15:49:16 +0000

Top Pictures Credit: Diana Olvedo-Karau

Press release from Uvalde County Acting Judge Jerry Bates

08/05/26

August 3, 2026

INFORMATION FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY THE RECENT FLOODING
Uvalde County is continuing recovery efforts following the recent flooding and is asking residents to follow the guidelines below to help ensure debris is collected safely and efficiently.
Residents who experienced flood damage should separate debris into the following categories before placing them in the County right of way:

• METAL/HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES
• HOUSEHOLD AND CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS
• BRUSH

To assist with collection efforts, we ask that you call the Road Department at (830) 278-9213 and give your name, phone number and address to schedule a day and time for pick up.
Residents should place debris at the edge of the public right of way, away from mailboxes, utility poles, trees, and other obstacles. Do not place debris in the roadway, where it could block traffic.
Remember to separate debris into the categories listed above. Mixing debris will delay collection. County crews will begin debris collection when scheduled with the Road Department.
The County appreciates the patience and cooperation of all residents affected by the floods. Working together will help ensure debris is removed safely and efficiently.
For additional information or questions regarding debris removal, please contact the Uvalde County Road Department at (830) 278-9213.

Press Release for August 3, 2026

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Uvalde CISD Schools to Implement Community Eligibility Program (CEP) for 2026–2027

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:55:05 +0000

Media Release from Uvalde CISD

08/04/06

The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District and Uvalde High School, Crossroads Academy, Morales Jr. High, Legacy Elementary, Uvalde Dual Language, Dalton Elementary and Batesville School announced today it will operate the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program for the 2026 – 2027 school year.

Schools qualifying to operate CEP serve breakfast and lunch to all children at no charge and eliminate the collection of meal applications for free, reduced-price, and paid student meals. This approach reduces burdens for both families and school administrators and helps ensure that students receive nutritious meals.
For additional information please contact the following person:

For additional information, please contact:

Uvalde CISD

Attention: Norma Luna, Food Service Coordinator

Uvalde CISD Food Service Department

1000 N. Getty St.

Uvalde, TX 78801

(830) 591-4913 ext. 1412

nluna4234@uvaldecisd.net

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When the Punishment Causes More Harm Than the Crime

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 17:16:17 +0000

Top image generated by Grok AI

Commentary piece submitted by Stormy Dawn Stewart

08-04-26

Stormy Dawn Stewart

There is a question our justice system should always ask before creating or increasing criminal penalties:

Does the punishment fit the crime?

For violent crimes, most people agree that protecting the public is a priority. Assault, robbery, sexual violence, and murder directly harm victims and often require incarceration to protect others.

But when the offense is nonviolent—particularly simple possession of marijuana—the answer becomes much less clear.

Sending someone to prison is not a neutral consequence. Prison is a violent punishment. Prison removes people from their families, jobs, and communities. It leads to lost income, lost housing, damaged mental health, and long-term barriers to employment. Parents miss birthdays and graduations. Children grow up without a parent at home. Entire families absorb the emotional and financial cost.

Prison is also a violent place to be. It is a very violent punishment.

Large criminal fines can have similar effects. A person who cannot afford thousands of dollars in fines and court costs may fall deeper into debt, lose transportation, struggle to keep housing, or face additional legal consequences simply because they are poor. Add in a new felony charge, limit a person’s ability to find gainful employment and the cycle is never ending.

These are serious government-imposed consequences. While they are legal punishments, they can profoundly disrupt a person’s life.

The purpose of criminal justice should be to protect the public, hold people accountable, and reduce future crime. When a nonviolent offense results in years of incarceration or crushing financial penalties, we should ask whether those outcomes actually make our communities safer?

Texas already classifies many offenses involving real harm to others as misdemeanors under certain circumstances. That raises an important policy question: if conduct that directly affects another person can sometimes be treated less severely than certain marijuana offenses, is the system applying punishment proportionately?

Reasonable people can disagree about marijuana policy. Some believe it should remain illegal. Others support legalization. But regardless of where someone stands on that debate, we should be able to agree on one principle:

Punishment should be proportional to the harm caused.

If the goal is public safety, then our laws should focus the harshest penalties on those who commit violence, exploit others, or threaten the safety of the community. Nonviolent offenses deserve accountability, but accountability does not always require imprisonment or life-altering financial penalties.

A justice system is measured not only by the laws it passes, but by whether those laws produce outcomes that are fair, effective, and consistent with the values of justice they are meant to serve.

Whether someone supports or opposes marijuana legalization, this is a conversation worth having—not because it excuses illegal conduct, but because every criminal penalty should be examined with the same question:

Does this punishment fit the crime, or does it create more harm than it prevents?

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County Commissioners OK’s Flood Debris Pickup plan from County Residents

admin — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 22:47:10 +0000

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

08/03/26

Uvalde County Commissioners voted to approve the county take action to pick up flood and storm debris from residents with property in Uvalde County.

Uvalde County Commissioner John Yeackle said, “I spoke with Joe Cardenas at the City this morning. Several of the commissioners I think, have talked with the City over time at the landfill and been out a part of the City making an offer of access to some additional acreage that was currently unpermitted; there’s a temporary permit application underway to make available for our use for the debris to be taken from the County out to their Landfill followed up on that. They are anticipating getting the greenlight between today and Wednesday for that acreage has been cleared by the County on our behalf out there by county employees.”

Yeackle also stated county residents should pile the debris on the easement outside the fenceline. Also, the debris must be sorted into the following 3 categories: appliances; bush; and construction materials. He suggested the county road department would be the contact for affected county residents for debris pick-up arrangements.

According to Diana Olvedo-Karau, a citizen who attended the meeting, said, “The primary change from today’s is that the road and bridge department employees will be picking up the trash instead of their original idea which was to contract a third-party.”

Uvalde County Emergency Response Coordinator Forrest Anderson reported to the court that Federal Office of Emergency Management (FEMA) dollars might be available to reimburse the county for flood debris removal and other fees but he stated FEMA requires specific reporting on where the debris was picked up and must be sorted accordingly.

Yeackle went on to say that the county would be obligated to pay the City for use of the new landfill site but those fees would not be due right away.

A resident of the Deer Valley subdivision spoke to County Commissioners urging immediate action on its assistance with food debris removal.

“The place we used to call home is now just a pile of rubbish so that is why I’m here today and hope we get the assistance we need and remove the debris,” she said.

We cannot justify having to spend thousands of dollars just to remove it from our property when we have to rebuild from scratch. We have to replace appliances, furniture, loss, vehicle loss, clothing, and not to mention I have a baby due in two months so it’s hard enough having to start from scratch and without your help with the huge burden.

She concluded saying, “It’s crucial that we have the debris removed so we can begin the rebuilding process. So whatever it is that you’ll have to do I ask ya’ll to please do it.”

Yeackle said the County’s debris pick-up start time is contingent upon the City’s temporary permit application’s approval

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The Net gets wider as Texas Criminalizes Previously Legal categories of THC Cannabis Products

admin — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 00:28:09 +0000

Michael Robinson
Uvalde Hesperian
Photo credit: Uvalde Photo

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

08/01/26

As of Friday, July 31st, 2026, the State of Texas effectively criminalized the selling and possession of several hemp-derived THC cannabis products.

According to a report nu Texas Public Radio, the new ban includes delta-8 and delta-10 THC variants, making these drugs illegal to possess. However, delta-9 THC, the most commonly sold THC product in Texas, will remain legal.

“The recent change stems from a Texas Supreme Court decision in May that allowed the Texas Department of State Health Services to reclassify all hemp-derived THC, except for low-dose delta-9 THC, as a schedule I drug, prohibiting its possession and sale in the state. The ruling ended a 2021 injunction that paused DSHS from enforcing the new classification, which effectively allowed stores to stock different kinds of THC for the past five years,” according to the news report by Texas Public Radio.

Uvalde has several smoke shops which recently sold these products legally. It is unclear the impact of the ban will have on these stores.

Commentary by Michael Robinson (with KIMI AI)

Delta-8 was not some underground drug lab operation. It was sold legally at gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores across Texas. Working-class people bought it because it was cheaper than pharmaceuticals, more accessible than medical marijuana, and legal. It was a marginal product for marginal people—people who cannot afford the doctor, the prescription, the therapist, the legal cannabis dispensary in another state. Now it is illegal. And the moment it becomes illegal, possession becomes the crime. Not selling it. Not manufacturing it. Not harming anyone with it. Just having it. In your pocket. In your car. In your home.

They will say this is about protecting children. About preventing impaired driving. About stopping the “unregulated” market.

But the machinery underneath is social control and economic extraction. Texas did not legalize cannabis and regulate it. Texas did not expand mental health care. Texas did not make healthcare affordable. Texas made a cheap, accessible product illegal knowing that the people who use it are the ones who cannot afford lawyers, cannot afford to miss work, cannot afford to fight.

The People Most Affected
• The warehouse worker with chronic pain who cannot afford a doctor
• The veteran with PTSD who uses it to sleep
• The single mother with anxiety who bought gummies at the gas station because they were $15 and therapy is $150
• The young man in Uvalde who has a vape pen in his car when he gets pulled over for a broken taillight
• The person already living in the margin, already outside the system, already one emergency away from catastrophe

These are not drug kingpins. These are the people the extraction economy feeds on. And now there is one more thing they can be arrested for. One more record. One more fee. One more barrier to ever climbing out.

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Southwest Texas College Earns CAAHEP Accreditation, Demonstrating Quality in Health Professions Education

admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 23:40:41 +0000

7/30/26

Press Release from Southwest Texas College

Southwest Texas College is proud to announce that its Surgical Technology education program has been awarded accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). This prestigious accreditation underscores SWTX’s commitment to providing high-quality education and training that meets the national quality assurance standards established by CAAHEP.

CAAHEP Accreditation Benefits Students, Employers, and the Public

CAAHEP accreditation offers significant advantages for students, graduates, and employers alike. For students, it ensures a high-quality educational experience that equips them with the knowledge, skills, and professional competencies essential for success in their chosen health profession. Graduates of CAAHEP-accredited programs are highly sought after by employers, opening doors to enhanced job opportunities and career growth. Additionally, many professional certification bodies require graduation from a CAAHEP-accredited program for eligibility to sit for certification exams-an essential step toward licensure and professional practice.

Employers can trust that graduates from CAAHEP-accredited programs are well-prepared to meet the ever-evolving demands of the healthcare field. These graduates bring a strong foundation of knowledge and practical experience, enabling them to deliver high-quality care and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Dr. Barry S. Eckert, President of CAAHEP, emphasizes the importance of accreditation: “Choosing a CAAHEP-accredited program is crucial for students seeking a career in allied health. It ensures that they receive an education that is both comprehensive and relevant to current industry needs, ultimately benefiting their future employers and people receiving care.”

A Commitment to Excellence in Allied Health Education

At SWTX, we are dedicated to fostering excellence in allied health education and are preparing the next generation of skilled healthcare professionals. For more information about our accredited Surgical Technology program, please visit 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.

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Flood Recovery Efforts

admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 22:41:50 +0000

Jennifer Fry | Uvalde Hesperian

07/25/26

Jennifer Fry

Wilson County resident Jason Lowery was listening to the radio one afternoon last week when he heard warning of a “500-year flood” headed to the city of Uvalde, Texas. He had been watching news coverage of the storm that had set up over the Texas Hill Country and was getting worried. He knew his sister—me—lived in Uvalde, so he reached out to ask us to leave.

“I didn’t know the topography,” he told me later, “but I knew y’all were here.”

By the time he called on Thursday afternoon, most of the rain was behind us, but the floodwaters had yet to recede. That morning, both the Leona River and Taylor Slough had swelled to their fullest, overreaching their banks by as many as two city blocks on either side. The flooding was worse further downstream.

It was the most difficult day of the whole ordeal for most residents. It had rained every day since Saturday. My little rain gauge measured a combined total of 12” for the week, and we were on the lower end of rain totals. All roads leading in or out of Uvalde were closed due to flooding. Driving around town was also difficult. The river and slough had bisected the town, leaving some residents unable to go to the store or visit relatives. We were all under orders to “shelter in place.”

In his compassion, my brother urged me to get out quickly, but I couldn’t have left even if I had wanted to.

“Jason, we’re fine. We’re on high ground,” I told him—and we were. Our house sits in Old Town Uvalde, just behind the Briscoe-Garner Museum, four blocks west of the Leona River and two blocks north of Main Street, well out of reach of the floodwaters.

“As you drive around town, you start to see how protected this area is,” my husband had told me earlier in the week.

At the end of Wood St. in an empty lot across from Uvalde Meat Market, members of the National Guard unload volunteer Jason Lowery’s trailer full of debris from flood victims’ homes.

Indeed, our street, which is off West Leona St., rides high at 927 ft. above sea level, whereas East Leona St. at the river crossing is only 902 ft. My husband was quick to point out, though, that elevation is only part of the story with flood plains: The further north one is, the higher in elevation one needs to be to escape a river overflowing its banks.

In a text message, I told my brother of the severity of the plight of our city that day. “The footage you have seen does not lie,” I wrote.

“If I came down there tomorrow, do you think the city could use volunteers?” he replied.

At the time of his query, there was rain in the forecast for Thursday night—a pattern that had emerged in this extended weather event—which looked to worsen conditions for the area. I was sure we were not through the worst of it. I did not want him to start out on the two-hour drive, only to have to turn back two-thirds of the way into his trip because of road closures. I did not even have a clear idea of where to direct his volunteer efforts.

“You are welcome to come. I’m not trying to discourage, just being realistic. Please be careful,” I wrote back. “Volunteers will be needed when the water recedes and we start clearing debris, demo-ing houses, and picking up the pieces.”

More rain in Uvalde did not materialize that night, but plans solidified for my brother to come on Monday and Tuesday the following week, July 20-21. He was willing to bring others with him if they wanted to join recovery efforts, but in the end it was just himself and his trailer.

In an interview, I asked him why he chose to come. He had seen the devastation in Kerrville on July 4, 2025, he said. “I wanted to help out here… because I didn’t help then. I figured it would be easy to get in, help out, and get out.”

He was counting on whatever community contacts I might have to plug him in. I managed to connect him with a family friend, Constable Max Dorflinger, who told my brother, “Just show up. No one’s going to turn you away.”

Dorflinger directed him to three of the hardest-hit areas, Rio Seco and William off Studer Street, and Private Road 4330 off Old Pearsall Road, otherwise known as the Dodson subdivision. My brother never made it to Rio Seco, as the Leona River was still rushing over the roadway as of Tuesday morning, but he was able to help out those who live on Barry and William Streets, just to the east of the river.

“I don’t know the names of the people I helped out today,” he said. But it did not matter. With his trailer, he was able to haul six loads of debris to the dumpsters across from Uvalde Meat Market set up by the National Guard. “I feel like I helped out a lot more today than yesterday because I was able to help out more people.”

Dodson Subdivision resident Chris Cochran points to the level where the water rose in his garage, three to four feet.

As the National Guard was closing up operations for the day at two o’clock on Tuesday, my brother pulled up to a house on Wood Street across from the golf course. A second truck-and-trailer pulled up alongside him, strangers both of them, and together they hauled one final load to the dumpster.

In the middle of helping to haul trash, he noticed a ruined, mud-smeared photograph of a mother and father with their daughter in military uniform, possibly having graduated a military academy. It wasn’t just stuff he was hauling away; it was memories. “You realize people’s lives were affected in a negative way,” he said. “You want people to survive, sure, but you can’t move a house.”

In the interview, my brother talked of larger organizations that might ask volunteers to run a background check or complete other paperwork before heading out to the field. He stressed the urgency and the need of simply getting out there.

“You just need to come help these people,” he said. “You need some hands to load garbage. I have a trailer. I can devote what I have. Other people don’t have that.”

“I didn’t know I wanted to come until after the flood,” he continued. “I figured it was going to be just as bad, if not worse, than Kerrville [last year].”

After talking with affected flood victims, he concluded, “Y’all didn’t think it was going to be as bad as it was.”

My brother includes me in that assessment, and he is right. I did not know what to think. I spent the week checking on friends and neighbors as I thought of them, and praying for those I had not yet heard from. Thankful for the rain, I took notes on daily totals from my newly-installed rain gauge, reminding myself that 5” in one night is extraordinary and not to be thought of as the norm.

Looking outside my door last week, you would think there was no flood raging around me. The air was fresh and clean-smelling, the grass a bright green. I had a humming refrigerator stocked with fresh food. My children even splashed in the rain. It seemed there was no care in the world.

When my neighbor texted, “It’s bad, girl,” earlier in the week, I could hardly believe her. I did not venture out with my children until Friday when the waters began to recede and I gave them strict warning not to get out of the car. It was only through pictures my husband and others took that I realized the enormity of the tragedy.

“Nobody had flood insurance,” my brother told me after he came back from his rounds of debris-hauling. “One guy off Wood St. just built the house—he couldn’t get it. They wouldn’t sell it to him.”

My brother had come into town about 10:30 Monday morning, looking for a place to drop off a few donations he and some well-wishers had collected for the town. He made his way to the Dodson subdivision, where most of the residents and the Red Cross were busy with cleaning out flood-soaked houses. This was a hard-hit area, with some residents having had water inside their homes to the eight-foot ceilings.

Not even the Red Cross would take my brother’s donations at the time, but several homeowners took a few necessities. That is how he met the Cochrans.

“Jason pulled up to our house in his truck and asked if we needed help and offered supplies and drinks that he brought,” said Kim Cochran after the fact. “He immediately got to work.”

Chris and Kim Cochran, who hail from Fayetteville, AR and moved to Uvalde eleven years ago for work, currently live at the end of Private Road 4330 and had three to four feet of water in their home as a result of the flood. They have a 1978 split-level home located a little less than a half-mile west of the Leona River. Taylor Slough joins the Leona about a half-mile north of them.

According to David Fry with Medina Real Estate Photography, who was out last Wednesday and Thursday capturing the devastation with his drone camera, water from the swollen Leona River came within 20 feet of the south bend of Johnson Loop, which is nearly one-third of a mile (1,600 ft.) west of the center of the river and about that much further west of Private Road 4330. The footage shows the river over Old Pearsall Road up to 1,000 ft. west of the Dodson subdivision. That would make the floodwaters at this juncture 780 feet shy of a mile wide.

3 A screenshot of drone footage from Medina Real Estate Photography owner and operator David Fry showcases the raging floodwaters at the Old Pearsall Road crossing of the Leona River, taken Thursday, July 16 at 11:33 AM. FM 117 is in the background, leading to Batesville. Old Pearsall Road is in the foreground, mostly submerged by the floodwaters. On the right-hand side of the photo is the south corner of Johnson Loop, where Fry stood to capture the footage.

The elevation of the Dodson Subdivision stands between 895 and 897 feet above sea level. The elevation of the Leona River at the Old Pearsall Road bridge, located less than 1,000 ft to the west, is 890 feet. The Cochrans’ home was assessed to be “outside of the flood plain, so we expected everything to be okay,” said Kim.

Uvalde County had received a considerable amount of rain by mid-week last week. According to David Reimer with Texas Storm Chasers, almost 17 inches had fallen just north of the city between Monday and Wednesday evening. Julye Keeble with the Uvalde Leader-News recorded that “more than 14 inches” had fallen in that same time frame. And more rain was on the way.

“Understand that the rivers out here are already forecast to be a major flood stage,” Reimer said as a warning to his viewers in the Uvalde area in his July 15 evening update. “Any additional rain will just exacerbate that and just push things that much higher.” His models predicted an additional 10 inches of rain in or near the Uvalde area in the overnight hours of Wednesday into Thursday.

“Given what we’ve seen the last couple of days, it’s entirely possible someone could get a foot, a foot and a half of rain tonight… If you live in an area that is near the river, creek, streams, pay attention and skedaddle if you need to skedaddle because this is going to get rowdy real quick overnight,” he warned.

According to my brother, the Cochrans did not think they were close enough to the river to be affected by its floodwaters. “Prior to the flooding, we actually discussed it among our neighbors and a few others in the area on Wednesday afternoon,” Kim wrote in an email interview. “The consensus was that it would probably flood the slough and we would be cut off from town, and the field to the side of our house would be boggy, but that we would be okay.”

Wednesday night saw the heaviest rainfall totals of the severe weather event. The rain gauge at my house, which is 3.2 miles northwest of the Cochrans, recorded 5 inches that night. Three point two miles due north of them is Garner Field Road, where Carol Kothmann reported “more than 11 inches overnight into July 16.” It seemed David Reimer’s predictions had come true.

All that water flowed south. By 5 A.M. Thursday morning, many along Private Road 4330 had evacuated their homes by boat, but no one had been able to get in touch with the Cochrans to see if they were all right.

“My family had slept through the storm and all the notifications on my phone, as well as the neighborhood text thread trying to get ahold of us as everyone on our street evacuated,” Kim wrote. “My next door neighbor Crystal Alejandro-Jiminez called me at about 5 AM… and told me all the neighbors down the street were actively being evacuated by boat.

“We declined evacuation from [the Texas Game Warden’s] Game & Fish swift water rescue,” she continued. “We discussed it and made a ‘plan b’ to evade water if it continued to come up. The east side of our property is higher, and the neighbor’s house to the southeast a little higher, so we still had a place to go if the water continued to rise even if we had to cut the fence to get out.”

Plan B proved unnecessary, but the floodwater ravaged their home. “The entire first floor of our home and large four-car carport workshop was flooded with over 3 ft. of water,” Kim reported. “The septic tank was totally flooded and a retaining wall was washed away. We saw on a home security camera feed that our old Volvo was floating like one-to-two ft. off the ground and set back down about three ft. to the left of where it was, so that’s a total loss.” Additionally, the carport acted as a catch-all for whatever the river had collected and floodwaters filled it with all manner of debris.

“We do plan to stay,” she added, “but plan make significant modifications to try to prevent this from happening again.”

Thankfully, by 9 A.M. that morning, the storm had fizzled out and no more rain came. By 3:20 that afternoon, the floodwaters had started to recede. By late Thursday night, the Cochrans were able to make it out of their subdivision.

It was life-saving that the Cochrans stayed behind in their home. Their next-door neighbor contacted them about cats, a fifteen year-old senior and six foster kittens, trapped in the adjacent home. Immediately Chris jumped into action, and waist-deep floodwaters, to rescue them. He found them in a bathroom, soaking wet and exhausted from trying to keep their heads above water, and floated them out of danger in a plastic bin he had scavenged among the debris.

A screenshot of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model of predicted rainfall totals for the night of July 15-16, taken from Texas Storm Chasers David Reimer’s July 15 evening forecast for the same time period. The purple color indicates a prediction of 12” of rain. In his forecast, Reimer is quick to point out that the location of these rain totals could shift as much as 30 miles east of what is depicted in the model. As indicated by totals later reported, the overnight storm shifted 19 miles to the east.

“To say I was relieved to see him coming back down the street intact is an understatement,” his wife wrote, “since, if the water was too strong for him, there was no way I could get to him quickly and I couldn’t leave my girls.”

“It probably meant the world to those people I helped yesterday,” my brother told me later.

Indeed, it did. Both Chris and Kim assured me that my brother was “a massive help” in their recovery efforts. “Jason was such a blessing in both physical help and boosting our spirits,” Kim said. Not only did he help them with the “huge job” of debris-hauling, “He also helped immensely by simply visiting with us while we were working, especially my husband. Most of our friends and all our families live 700 miles away or more, so my husband shoulders a lot by himself. During the course of the day, Jason and Chris discovered they have so much in common interests…”

“We could be twins,” my brother told me when I dropped off his lunch. “I know we’re twins,” he stressed—which is true—“but he and I could really be twins. He even loves Star Trek!”

Because the floodwaters only reached the lower portion of the house, the Cochrans are able to stay in their home, which is not the case for some flood victims. They were certainly among the more fortunate in this disaster.

“I’m usually the one helping others,” Chris Cochran told me. “It’s hard to be the one to accept help.”

After assisting the Cochrans most of the day Monday, my brother was finally able to give his donations to the community by way of the staff at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, who eagerly received them. Sacred Heart has set up recovery efforts at the CCD building on its Ft. Clark Road campus. Please contact the church office at 830-278-3448 for more information.

As I think about the flood and its impact, what keeps coming back to mind is a verse from Ecclesiastes: “The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all (9:11).”

In the coming weeks, months, and years, no doubt there will be plenty of blame to smear in people’s faces in regard to this storm, but sometimes life just throws us a curve ball and the best we can do is swim for dear life while praying God sends us rescue. Sometimes that rescue comes in the form of an out-of-towner—or a twin brother—just looking for a way to help out his fellow man. It may takes weeks for Uvalde to get back on her feet, but with friendly volunteers like Jason Lowery, there will be no shortage of helping hands to go around.

The post Flood Recovery Efforts appeared first on Uvalde Hesperian.

Those Who Rewrite History are Doomed to Regret It

admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 21:47:18 +0000

by Jennifer Fry | Uvalde Hesperian

07/02/26

Top Image Credit: Public Broadcasting Service

Jennifer Fry

The costume and setting is meant to invoke in viewers’ minds a sense of authority on the historical time period presented, in this case the Revolutionary War.

I recently came across a PBS Origins short-form documentary that fills me with a deep sense of ire, especially on the eve of our nation’s birthday. The presentation, posted to YouTube nine months ago from PBS’ “Rouge History” series, is called “The Founding Father They Don’t Teach You About.” The description of the episode identifies its purpose: it is “part of PBS’ America@250 collection, celebrating the country’s 250^th anniversary.” What was presented is a story of the founding of a different country entirely.

When I read the headline (which is itself a snob-appeal fallacy), I was intrigued. I am student of history and pride myself on my knowledge of the events that shaped the country in which I live. I had, in fact, clicked off in my head the events of that history as recounted on a recent podcast I had listened to. Is there part of this history I didn’t know? Perhaps I should know it.

The fallacy worked. If you click on me, the video seemed to say—as it was indeed designed to do—I will impart to you the knowledge necessary to look smarter than all of your friends. The serpent in the Garden could not have said it better, or been more misleading.

I clicked on the video expecting to find new information to enlighten my understanding of the events surrounding July 4, 1776. “Founding Father” in this context meant everything I understood it to mean: One of the 56 delegates to the Continental Congress who signed the Declaration of Independence on that day, or, conversely, the framers of the Constitution and, thus, our government. By using the phrase “founding father” in its title and coupling the video with the 250^th anniversary of the United States, this is indeed the association that PBS meant to invoke in its viewers’ minds.

Instead of a rousing retelling of the antics of Josiah Bartlett or Button Gwinnett—signers of the Declaration who get little, if any, mention in the history books—the host, Joel Cook, regales his audience with the story of a black man named Thomas Peters, an escaped South Carolina slave who fought on the British side of the Revolution, attempted settlement in Nova Scotia (a British colony), and later led a band of Black Loyalists to settle Sierra Leone with a British charter.

Cook calls Peters an “Egba prince” (a Nigerian people), the details of whose early “life in his homeland aren’t well known.” Cook presents him as the noble underdog who endures unimaginable hardship at the hands of the white man with unmatched strength (to say nothing of the Africans who first enslave him!). Without any reference to the United States—but, again, with that association firmly established in viewers’ minds—Cook proclaims of Peters that “his courage would soon make him the father of a nation.”

I listened to the entire story expecting the narrative to somehow turn back to the U.S. and Philadelphia; that turning point never came. Cook gets the timing right. According to him, Peters is born in Africa in 1738 and sails with his charter to Sierra Leone in 1792. But Cook’s assessment of Peters’ importance in American history is dead wrong.

Before today, I had not heard of Thomas Peters, and perhaps that is to my shame. I am not as well-read as I should be. Biographies are fascinating, and this one is quite intriguing. I certainly have not endured the trials which Peters was asked to endure. He did, indeed, play a significant role in the founding of a nation. But it is no wonder that I had not heard of him in my studies of the founding of the United States—because he did not found the United States! He may have been a founding father, but not of my country.

At the close of his video, Cook says the quiet part out loud: “For people like Thomas Peters, the American Revolution wasn’t the independence movement we celebrate today. While his enslavers preached a fight from liberty at their tables” (a phrase that appears in the original video, emphasis mine), “their hypocrisy forced him to pick up arms against the revolution. Thomas’ story reminds us that while the American Revolution is called a fight for freedom, that included the freedom to own human beings. For Black Americans who remained in the U.S., their revolution would continue for years to come.”

The message is clear: The United States is not a nation worth celebrating, the truth of its founding irrelevant to the plight of black people today. The reason this story is not taught in American history class is because of racism.

Talk about a bait-and-switch!

Liberals tend to think that white people don’t want to hear about stand-out black men and their histories. That could not be further from the truth. Men of integrity and grit of any color deserve to be celebrated, praised, and studied for their heroics. Thomas Peters certainly lived through more than I ever will, and his grit is to be commended. I will gladly retell his story in its proper context. But I will never claim that he is a “forgotten founding father” of my nation—because that is a lie.

I find myself surprised at presentations like Cook’s, but I shouldn’t be. Not only are we moderns facing an onslaught of “AI slop” these days—made-up facts and skewed perspectives generated by machines touted to replace God Himself—we are also facing increasing deception from the human-kind. But this is an old war. In Scripture, Jesus calls Satan “the father of lies” and those who perpetuate falsehood, Satan’s children. This is a stark warning against bearing false witness against one’s neighbor, even if the falsity is an elevation of status and the neighbor has been dead more than 200 years.

Not only does Cook lie about Thomas Peter’s legacy in his closing remarks, in order to do so he plays a game of comparison that podcaster Jack Henneman names “presentism.” Henneman, who calls himself a “humble history podcaster” instead of a bona fide historian, is the creator of the successful Spotify podcast “The History of the Americans,” which specializes in early American history prior to its founding in 1776. Henneman was recently on the conservative podcast “Dad Saves America” (DSA) to talk about the history of the United States being “weaponized” against her people. “Presentism” is one such tool by which this is accomplished.

Presentism is an anachronistic placement of an object, a person, or idea into a certain time in history which would not have existed at the time. Suggesting that Columbus sailed the ocean blue because he couldn’t afford jet fuel is an absurd example. But there are more subtle plays, which sometimes show up as a presenter’s own biases coming out in the narrative he tells. Recognizing this behavior by historians and those who write about history is what Henneman calls one’s “BS detector.” Depending on how developed the skill is, “you start to see people who write frivolously as having an axe to grind.”

Case in point: Joel Cook.

As Cook sets the stage for Peters’ heroics later in the narrative, he says at the beginning, “Now, as you might imagine, a prince didn’t take too kindly to being sold halfway around the world to harvest sugarcane. His first escape attempt resulted in a severe whipping, which probably isn’t the best way to convince someone they should stay.”

In this case, presentism appears as, first, Cook’s, or PBS,’ own views on slavery: not “tak[ing] too kindly to” it. Of course, no one wants to be forced into anything against his will; it should go without saying. This, though, is a modern judgment call. Historical fact should be presented without comment. Additionally—laying aside whether Peters was indeed a “prince” and whether he attempted escape prior to 1776, the facts of which are in doubt—the phrase “to harvest sugarcane” is out of place.

Cook is speaking of Peters’ early life, which he records as Peters being sold into slavery at 22 and sent to work in French Louisiana sugarcane fields. The year might have been 1760, if Peters was indeed born in 1738 as is claimed (a likely scenario). The historical record is in doubt about this development. Of the five accounts of Peters’ life which I have consulted, including Cook’s, three of them mention the French Louisiana narrative, although only Cook’s adds the detail about sugarcane fields.

This detail is speculative at best. It is unclear whether there would have been any sugarcane fields in Louisiana for slaves to work at the time Peters was sent there, provided his being sent there in the first place is historically accurate. The Louisiana State University Ag Center asserts that sugarcane was introduced to Louisiana agriculture in the early 1700’s but was not a widespread cash crop until 1795, well after Peters would have been in the area, if he was there at all. The Jesuits were the first to be successful with this crop in the 1750s; it is unclear whether they owned African slaves to accomplish the task.

Sugarcane, a tropical plant, is difficult to cultivate in Louisiana because of its subtropical location. According to the Ag Center, Louisiana is “the northernmost latitude” in which the crop is grown and has a much shorter growing season due to climate. The crop is still harvested in Louisiana today. Hundreds of years of cultivation have produced a hardier sugarcane plant able to withstand Louisiana’s less-than-ideal growing conditions. This would not have been so in the 1760’s.

Inserting a dubious detail like working the sugarcane fields in Louisiana long before there were such cultivation is not solid historian’s craft. It is simply an embellishment of the story to make the hero look better. Indeed, as John Papola, from Dad Saves America, points out, sugarcane fields were the “coal mines” of their time—brutal work. Having one’s hero first work sugarcane and later turn millwright (a detail confirmed by the historical record) makes him seem larger-than-life and all the more worthy of praise.

Softening or adding to the details of a historical narrative actually changes the story entirely into an interpretation instead of a representation of the truth, which holds implications for studying and writing about history for this and all future generations. I could go on about Cook’s misuse of the historical record, but I digress. Peters’ story needs no embellishment to be worthy of praise.

It is far more academically honest and accurate to state when the details of an historical account are not clear. Modern scholarship is full of embellishment when certain details are missing or in doubt; people tend to fall on one side of the debate or the other. But historian’s craft is not the place for taking up sides, but rather discovering the truth.

Though conversational in its tone, and, thus, more palatable to the masses, Cook’s scholarship is sloppy at best. But therein lies the danger: One cannot be so conversational as to betray the truth of history to the whims of the people.

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Those Who Rewrite History are Doomed to Regret It

Dressed in colonial-era costume on a dimly lit set is Joel Cook, a professed historian and host of PBS Origins “Rogue History” video series.