02-23-26

By Michael Robinson| Uvalde Hesperian

Top Photo: Diana Olvedo-Karau; Uvalde Hesperian File Photo

Diana Olvedo-Karua spoke to the Uvalde County elected officials where she addressed issues that she claimed might not be illegal but are, in her opinion, unethical.

Karau addressed the county court during citizens’ comments portion of this morning’s meeting.

“A few years ago, County Commissioner Mariano Pargas moved from Precinct 2 to Precinct 1 and the argument from Judge Mitchell was that he already been elected and he’d finish out his term,” Karau said,

She added that a few more years passed, and the court decided, during required redistricting, the court decided to gerrymander, a little nook out of the east side of Uvalde so that Commissioner Pargas could continue to be in Precinct 2.

“Then a few years more…County Attorney John Dodson no longer lives in Uvalde County, but there’s loopholes, and he continues to be in that position though he no longer lives in this community and is not adequately serving the residents of Uvalde County,” she said.

Additionally, she pointed out that Uvalde County Commissioner John Yeackle filed to run for Uvalde County Judge in November 2025, the same month, Uvalde County Judge William “Bill” Mitchell was suspended. “There was no judge to fill that seat, she said.”

“This court has always argued that if someone is running for an election, it gives them an unfair advantage to remain on the court.” she said.

Karau went on to say Interim Judge Jerry Bates has the ability to appoint someone to fill the Precent 1 seat on the Uvalde County Commissioner’s Court held by Yeackle.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

11-26-24

At a public hearing following Uvalde County’s acceptance into the State of Texas Countywide Polling Program, Diana Olvedo-Karua spoke critically about the Uvalde County Elections Office failure to adequately inform registered voters of the change of two polling locations and how the Countywide Polling Program works.

“I was very surprised and very disappointed that the (polling) locations were announced right before the election,” Karau said.

Uvalde County Election Administrator Melissa Jones said, “There is a swath of people that made it to the Civic Center (to vote).”

Jones said that on election day, some of of the precinct polling locations within the County only had votes in the single digits

Rhonda Vigil blasted the Court calling the Countywide Polling Program illegal as it reveals how voters vote.

“Under the Constitution, this countywide voting is illegal at the State and Federal level,” Vigil said

She continued saying that many voters had no clue where to go and that the community does not know about Countywide voting.

Vigil continued making the claim that a non-citizen with a green card was allowed to vote with an ID.

Judge Mitchell informed Vigil she was then speaking off topic and her public speaking time was revoked. Vigil defiantly kept speaking saying, “This is my court.” Mitchell then summoned the court bailiff to remove Vigil from the Courtroom but Vigil sat down before the officer could approach her.

Jones countered Vigil’s claim citing the the non-citizen in question was provided a provisional ballot and that when the ballot board reviewed the provisional ballots, the non-citizens vote was rejected.

Uvalde County Commissioner John Yeackle disagreed with Karau and Vigil.”Countywide voting worked out perfectly. Where ever you showed up, you could vote,” he said.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

Top picture captured from the SWTJC livestream

  Uvalde County Commissioner John Yeackle spoke as a citizen at February’s Southwest Texas Junior College Board Of Trustees Meeting on Thursday, February 15th concerning SWTJC
Law Enforcement Academy Coordinator Johnny J. Field and  Law Enforcement Academy Instructor Emmanuel Zamora concerning their departures from a candidate forum sponsored by SWTJC and the

Uvalde Leader-News and their respective roles and accountability at Robb School on May 24th, 2022. 

 “My perception having been in the room with them, was that a certain point early in the event, staff from the college came and just notified them (Field and Zamara)… that there was… potentially an emotional conflict in the room with some of the folks who might be upset by their presence. I think they made the decision, as I understood it, to leave in the best interest of the event itself,” Yeackle said.

  “For the two individuals in question here, that would be an instructor, Emmanuel Zamora and the Director Johnny Field, both individuals also happen to be constables; elected offices. In the scenario in which they were involved May 24th, their involvement…the position of constable is essentially one step above a security guard.

  They serve civil paperwork. They act as a bailiff in a JP court and they assist other agencies. There is no scenario, by which regardless of their previous history, experience or education are

ever in a position where they give direction or take control of any event.  There is no scenario in which a sheriff or a police chief would defer to a constable,” Yeackle said.

   Yeackle continued saying, “At the end of the day, the people that have to be held accountable primarily was the shooter, the person that caused the act which was so heinous; he is criminally culpable; the individuals who were in charge or their relevant organizations that day, are accountable to the institutions that employ them, or in case of the county where I am your representative, to the voters since we do not supervise or control those individual offices.”

 “I feel like the bulk of the gentlemen and women were there that day, regardless of what they wish they could have done. It is a paramilitary organization and you follow the rules and you follow orders and you don’t have the luxury of making your own decisions no matter how awful the outcome is,” Yeackle said.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constable_(Texas)

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian 

Two empty seats were seen at this morning’s Monday, February 12th Uvalde County Commissioners Court meeting held on the third floor of the Uvalde County Courthouse.

Among the agenda items discussed were extending the contract for Servpro for fire damage remediation services for the 2923 arson fire contained in the Uvalde County Tax office located on the 1st floor of the Courthouse. 

It was stated at the meeting the flooring of the offices contains asbestos.

A second Servepro contract for the Uvalde County Justice Center was approved to remediate leaks which are preventing the Grand Jury from holding meetings at the courtroom located at the Center. Currently, the grand jury is meeting at another location nearby at the Uvalde County FairPlex.

Commissioners also approved the purchase of a new sound system for the Uvalde County Fairplex. Fairplex Director Wendy Speers presented the purchase request stating the new system was needed for sound to reach the entire arena. 

Commissioners also approved a bid of $1500 for the sale of a small plot of land located in a residential area near Oppenheimer Street. The bid which was placed at a courthouse steps property sale  was lower than the minimum bid price. According to a source,  the  property was so small it would not be suitable to build anything on but would only be of value to expand the size a neighboring property effectively putting the property back on the tax rolls.

The mother of a Robb School student injured during the May 24th, 2922 tragedy spoke to the Court stating that Comissioner Pargas  should not receive payment for his position on the Court going on ti say he can’t make meetings and is incapable of leading.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

  Uvalde County Commissioner Precinct 1 John Yeackle who is running for re-election for his seat as a Republican responded to the Uvalde Hesperian regarding his decision to switch his political party affiliation from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party  Uvalde County Citizen Diana Olvedo-Karau wrote a letter to the editor which was published in a local Uvalde newspaper and on the Uvalde Hesperian questioning the reasonings and motivations of two candidates (including Commissioner Yeackle) for choosing to leave the Democratic Party and run as Republicans in the upcoming March Republican Primary election. Texas will hold its 2024 primary elections on March 5 with early voting beginning on February 20th.

  Candidate/Commissioner Yeackle responded saying,