February 11th, 2026

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

  Texas Hill Country River Region Executive Director Kristi Gerdes presented the organization’s quarterly report Monday, February 9th and stated that 19-Mile Crossing located on Highway 55 continues to accumulate lots of trash. Gerdes stated the garbage includes old furniture and other household trash.

See Link to Video Here.

  Gerdes stated the organization and the county are looking into placing additional dumpsters to address the trash situation. 

  The THCRR is a Uvalde County Hotel Occupancy Tax collector and the organization uses the tax monies it collects to promote the Texas Hill Country and also funds River Cleanup efforts for the Frio River and the Nueces River.

  In a previous news report on 19-Mile Crossing, it was learned from THCRR officials that studies have indicated local county residents are the ones most likely to visit 19-Mile Crossing rather than out of town visitors.

THCRR reports 4X amount of money spent on cleaning up 19-Mile Crossing than the Frio River

January 6th, 2026

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

  Kinney County residents showed up en masse at Monday night’s, January 5th meeting of the Kinney County Water Conservation District’s Board meeting in Brackettville, Residents from Brackettville and Kinney County filled the building with about a dozen standing outside of the front door as the meeting commenced. 

  Several signed up to speak during public comments, with some speaking very passionately about the board’s possible actions tonight on the aquifer management changes. The Board is asking for recommendations from the District’s hydrologist on possible action tonight.

  The issue is complicated but during public comments, several speakers are concerned with the drying up of Los Moras Springs. One or two landowners have stated their wells are going dry. A few accused the board of possibly voting on personal ambitions and not representing the people in the county.

  One board member stated the state is in a Stage 5 drought. At stake are private property rights, available water for the population, and the health of wildlife.

  According to the District’s hydrologist, the main issue is defining the optimal future conditions of the aquifer.

Option 1: Non-relevance for joint planning purposes. According to Vince the board’s hydrologist, Uvalde is considering this.

Option 2: We develop an approach that aligns with the DFC or District Flow Control or Desired Future Conditions.

   “If we don’t act, the GMA decides for us,” one board member said.

Option 3: we come up with a new DFC with the new MAG.

   “We don’t have a lot of time,” Vince said, referring to option 3.

Option 4: “Hail Mary, “one board member said.

  The district is close to hitting a deadline to update its Groundwater Management Plan.

   “We don’t have a lot of time,” Vince said, referring to option 3.

    The district is close to hitting a deadline to update its Groundwater Management Plan.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

01-01-26

If you are reading this, you made it to 2026: a new year!

It is customary for many at the beginning of each new year to think about positive changes one can make on this day forward. Like the cliche says, “This is the first day of the rest of your life.”

Today, I’m going to share my New Year’s Resolution, or better called a New Year’s anthem which is: the Pursuit of Peace.

Taking back the peace in your life by putting a solid end to rage fueled content that is dumped into water in each of our life’s aquarium’s which we swim in and draw oxygen from. Each day, there is someone or something that is waiting to red-glass you, dumping cortisol, the fight or flight stress hormone into your bloodstream, making it hard to sleep, relax, lose weight and enjoy living. It is dopamine’s evil brother. 

Aside from sex, there is a huge economy that is built on keeping you torqued off. Why? Because it gets your attention and gets you buying stuff. Social media is filled with rage bait content and YouTube has tons of channels that show videos of the proverbial Karen’s causing chaos. (Sorry to people actually named Karen)

  I confess that I have my own addiction to watching videos where people flip out and lose their cool.  If you’re going to get screwed over, get it on video isn’t bad advice but like Cookie Crisp Cereal, I don’t have to make it my steady diet of watching this type of content.

Did you know that the English language has over 200 words describing some form of anger? From being peeved to being full on enraged, English has some word for it. Why? Because society from the Government, Media, Music, to headline news to social media is filled with it. Imagine if sex related and anger filled content were removed from social media, it would be gutted, we’d all be left with cute cat videos which wouldn’t be a bad thing!

 So how does one live a more peaceful life? Start by actively studying peace and intentionally surround yourself with peaceful content and say no to rage bait content and music and media that is driven by anger. 

 For example, make it a practice to walk daily with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus.

“If you want to be peaceful. study peace,” Motivational speaker Jim Rohn said.

 Learn how to breathe. Take a big breath in and out. Fill your lungs with fresh oxygen each morning and throughout the day,

A major life truth I found is this: What you surround yourself with affects you.

  Deep clean your social media content: Start unsubscribing, unfollowing and unblocking from Facebook, Tik-Tok and Instagram channels that are built on rage and resentment. Stop sharing this content and start liking and subscribing to peaceful and uplifting content. Start following positive and encouraging content. Peace begins with you. Train your eyes to see the instigators, agitators and agent provocateurs in your life. Call them out and cut them out.

  As for news, stop subscribing from new sources that lead with the bleed, and follow new sources that offer objective and well thought out and balanced reporting. 

As for politics, stop letting the president, governor or some politician live in your head rent free.

Seek more dialogue and less debate. 

If you feel you need to act, do so calmly and deliberately without the emotional anger. Fight the good fight but be at peace doing so,

  As for the drama-mamas and anxiety filled people in your life. Set boundaries with people that push your buttons and draw you into their circuses of chaos and anger. Instead start changing your social circle and include more peaceful and loving people. 

  If you intentionally start doing these things, I have a sneaking suspicion your other goals will start becoming more attainable. You’ll find you’ll need less alcohol or comfort food.

Meet Mr. Glad in 2026

Life Changed when I met Mr. Glad by Dr, Gene Kim

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

11-12-25

Sammie Magee, the creator of Sammie’s Toy Drive will be coming to Uvalde this Saturday, November 15th from 2PM to 5PM at El Progreso Memorial Library for the 3rd Annual Sammie’s Toy Drive.

10-13-25
By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

A new non-profit civic group just recently formed that hopes to do a clean sweep of the small community of Knippa and keep the town looking beautiful and trash free.

The group is called Keep Knippa Beautiful and volunteers from the group mobilized last Saturday morning, October 10th on Avenue C located between the Knippa Volunteer Fire Department Station and the Uvalde County Farmer’s Coop.

Several Uvalde County officials were on hand for the cleanup effort, overseeing the many trucks and trailers filled with household trash as well as scrap metal and old furniture, appliances, and a variety of junk items.  A large tractor with the shovel was used to scoop up trash and junk as well as assist the many hands removing items from the bed of pickup trucks and trailers into two large collection bins.

Last weekend, the county held a similar clean-up event in Sabinal where residents there had a chance to get rid of trash and junk at no cost.

The following is posted on the group’s Facebook Page:
“To empower residents to take pride in our town by engaging in various initiatives to facilitate cleanliness, beautification, and community involvement”