Guest Article submitted by Diana Olvedo-Karau

Top Picture by Diana Olvedo-Karau

01-06-25

  2024 has come to an end and as a community advocate, I am reflecting on politics in Uvalde County and how it will affect us into 2025. Take time to read these thoughts and remember, you have to look beyond the obvious.

    2024 was a presidential election year and in Uvalde County every person that ran for a county office, except maybe one individual, ran on the Republican ticket; after being lifelong Democrats. And almost every individual that ran for an elected office related to law-enforcement, and was present at the Robb School mass shooting, was elected to office.

   City politics had many ups and downs in 2024 beginning with Cody Smith winning the mayor’s race in November 2023 and resigning in April 2024, after defeating Kimberly Rubio, the mother of a child killed in the Robb School massacre. This placed the city council in a position of appointing Lalo Zamora as mayor pro tem, until a runoff election for the mayor’s position had Zamora defeated by Councilman Hector Luevano, a retired DPS officer.

    As happens almost every year, property taxes went up again. In the middle of all this, the Uvalde CISD petitioned the voters for an increased tax rate to help offset a $2 million deficit and Uvalde County commissioners approved a request by the Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department to petition the voters for the creation of an Emergency Service District, which would create another taxing entity. Voters said no to more taxes and defeated both propositions in the November 2024 election.

   The City of Uvalde closed out the year by considering a petition by the Carper Capt family and other investors for the creation of a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) to develop land surrounding the new Legacy Elementary School. The Capt’s donated the land for the new school, which provided a significant tax break for them and also created a burden for the City of Uvalde on how to deal with inadequate streets and infrastructure to handle expected increased traffic and growth in the area. So the perceived solution by too many on the city council is approving the TIRZ to pay for burdens created by accepting the donated land for the new school; thus allowing the Capt’s to develop the land for a profit. In a nutshell the Capt/investors get to use public funds for private gain.

   2025 will be an interesting year to watch in local politics, with the big question being, will Bill Mitchell run for reelection after being County Judge since 1987? There are plenty of people waiting in the wings hoping to take his place; but only if and when Mitchell decides to step down.

   Good old boy, status quo politics was alive and well in Uvalde County and looking to transition smoothly into 2025. Will Uvaldeans continue to sit back and do nothing to change this reality? I for one will continue to work towards change because it’s the only right thing to do. What about you?

 

 

 

  I cannot remember a time that I was afraid of guns or gun violence.

  I grew up in Virginia in the 70s, so we were left alone as latchkey kids to think and feel – and do – pretty much whatever we wanted as children. On top of that, I  was raised by a very Republican, radically Pentecostal, single mother who worked all the time and literally dragged me to church at least at least 3 times a week.

  We had guns in our house – or at least my brother did, and I had no fear that I would be hurt, or I would hurt anyone else with those weapons. They were in the closet or under my brother’s bed, and of course leaning against the wall behind his bedroom door. Almost all my neighborhood friends had guns in their houses. And most of my family members had a gun or two in their homes, too.

  I was not afraid of guns.

  I am still not afraid of guns. I am not afraid of holding one, shooting one, hunting with one, or thinking that I might need one to protect myself from some random intruder with one, but for the first time in my life I am keenly aware of what a gun can do to a fourth grader.

  When I think of fourth grade, I think of my first year in public school. I think of my teacher, Mrs. Woodby, and how she smoked those long Virginia Slims in the classroom and read to us everyday from the King James. I went home from school every day smelling like I had been out all night at the bar with a good story about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ruminating in my head.

  What I don’t remember about fourth grade was being killed. Shot in the face. Dead.

Now here we are six months after the Robb Elementary Shooting in Uvalde, Texas. An assault style gun was used to kill 19 children, two teachers, and injured 15 others.

  These guns that mowed down these precious souls were purchased legally. The person who bought them was young, troubled, not living with his parents, had dropped out of school, angry, and was known by his handle, “school shooter” on social media. This young person did not buy the guns to hunt or protect his home  – he bought them to kill humans. And now we know it was mostly little humans.

  So ask me now how I feel about guns…

  I feel like our state government is failing us by not passing laws that would restrict and control the sale of – not outlaw – assault weapons. Raise the age to purchase to 21 and institute red flag laws. If you sell guns, why not institute your own red flag policies. I am sure you can have a lawyer figure that out for you.

  I feel like our school district, our school police, our city police, our city government, our county sheriffs department, some state law enforcement just absolutely failed this community and none of them, not individually or collectively, has the spine enough to stand up, take responsibility for their personal and professional failures and fucking resign. Go sell cars, but leave the protection of humans to the brave. Yall are not brave. If we need parking meter attendants, we will be sure to call.

  I feel like we all feel sad, tortured even for the lives that were lost, but we certainly do not feel bad enough for anyone to lose their jobs because they choked on duty. We have a lot of “forgive him” or “he tried” or “there’s still more information out there that will exonerate mijo” attitudes out there that are insulating these law enforcement officers from feeling badly about not protecting or serving little kids.

  I feel like everyone, including me, have made huge, life changing mistakes along the way in this life, and the consequences are real, swift, and even harsh. Did these local law enforcement officers even get a letter in their HR file? The audacity that exists amongst our local law enforcement personnel is at a level I believe a good dose of humility and self-awareness would help cure. I want the cops in the Robb Elementary hallway to not have guns anymore.

  This is how I feel about guns.

LeighLatrelle@gmail.com