Opinion

To Council Members Bill Scheel, Brent Pulley, and Aurora LeBrun,

Recent events involving a neighbor of 7A Ranch have the Wimberley Valley in the news yet again, for all the wrong reasons. Last week a group of concerned residents and business owners from different backgrounds, industries and political leanings came together to begin to address the issues associated with racism in our community.

I am very angry! I just saw Gloria Whitehead’s post that some combination of BLM, Wimberley Democrats, and/or Wimberley Indivisible supporters protested in front of her residence yesterday. Someone even came on her property and rang the doorbell. The fact that they chose to do it on Father’s Day when families should be honoring dads and families makes it all the worse. They have stepped over the line.

The mayor of Woodcreek has remained silent to the concerns and demands of the people of Woodcreek and the Wimberley community at large.

Early Saturday morning, June 20, the day after our country celebrated Emancipation Day, an African-American family staying with us at 7A was subjected to a hate crime from someone trespassing onto 7A grounds. At 7A, we welcome all families and support equality and justice for all. The cowardice of the individual that threatened our guests is intolerable. We ask that all of us step up and do more. Make your friends, family, and neighbors aware that you will not tolerate bigotry and hatred in any form. We must all hold ourselves accountable to ensure our community is one of inclusiveness and openness.

Gov. Greg Abbott pledged to institute police reforms when he met with the Houston family of George Floyd, who was handcuffed and killed by police in front of a Minneapolis convenience store on May 25.

The protestors of the public killing of George Floyd remind us again: Silent support for justice is not support. Even here in Wimberley Valley.

Dear Mayor and City Council members:

The mayor of Woodcreek, Gloria Whitehead, must resign!

Texans have been witnessing things that would have been unthinkable until now: Surge teams, testing of nursing homes for COVID-19 and the National Guard helping to disinfect nursing home facilities around the state.

As Tropical Storm Cristobal moved north in the Gulf of Mexico from the Yucatan Peninsula toward Louisiana, the weather system’s potential impact on East Texas grew and Gov. Greg Abbott on June 5 addressed the situation in a news conference.

The U.S. Department of Defense has tapped Texas State University to conduct a study assessing the threat of Chagas disease to military bases.

We moved to Wimberley from Austin in 2019 and transferred all our insurance to a local agent – Byron Echols of State Farm. Last Sunday night, 05-24-2020, a windstorm blew down the largest tree next our house which fell across our deck. Although the expense to cut the tree up & fix everything was going to be high, our deductible is even higher. When we spoke to Mr. Echols, he said he would come out & take a look. He came out the next day and told us he would be back at 9 am the next morning and he would cut the tree up. He and his helper, his young son, Hollis, showed up promptly with their chain saws and cut and removed the tree. They cut pieces up small enough to fit our wood burning stove and even sliced a section in half for my wife to create a bench. If you type “above & beyond” into Google, it brings up all kind of info on an English electronic music act but it ought to bring up Byron Echols. We should’ve moved here sooner!