Opinion

In part two of the interview with Congressman Roger Williams (Sept. 2nd View), editor Dalton Sweat repeatedly took the congressman to task on the question of whether he was against partisan gerrymandering in the upcoming redistricting session of the Texas Legislature. The point of the questions seemed to be whether the republican-controlled Legislature would take the high moral road or succumb to the idea of “To the victor go the spoils” approach. Mr. Williams refused to be pinned down to one side or the other of the question stating that what one side would call gerrymandering the other side would “redistricting”.

I have known Aurora LeBrun, Nancye Britner, and Bob Hambrick through my volunteer work with the City of Woodcreek, and I support their candidacies to serve on the Woodcreek City Council.

Response to Rep. Williams interview

For all the years I have known Lori Olson, she has championed the safety, health, and education of the children of Wimberley. Her reliably sensible work on the Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees has been invaluable and her steady, trusted voice in the community is an asset beyond value.

Recently, I knocked on every door in the Brookmeadow section of Woodcreek, asking citizens if they knew about the proposed subdivision The Oaks (formerly The Grove). I had my clipboard with a petition to oppose the development, and documents that the developer presented to the City.

Thank you so much for the wonderful color illustration and story about the expansion of the Wimberley Village Library that appeared on the front page of the July 15 issue of The View. We at the library Foundation would like to piggyback on that good news by reminding your readers that even though the library district has borrowed a substantial sum for the project, we still need to raise about $1 million to get to the finish line.

I am writing to express my utter frustration and outrage regarding the recent appointment of a replacement for Judge Millie Thompson at the Hays County Court at Law #3.

I read the article by Gary Zupancic on Candy Wellins’ book: The Stars Beckoned” in the 4/29/21 View. Very informing and, I’m sure, inspiring to young readers interested in space, NASA and STEM subjects! However, having been at NASA in Houston from 1962 until 2011, I feel I must comment on a slightly deceptive paragraph:”,,,students wanted to know who was first. The Russians were first in many areas, first in space, first woman and so on. But what about a space walk?” Then, Gary goes on to tell of Ed White’s EVA, etc. Yes, it was the US first attempt, but it was in response to the cosmonaut, Alexi Leonov’s EVA first a month or so earlier! I worked w Leonov and the US crew (Stafford, Brand & Slayton) on the joint US-USSR (Apollo/ Soyuz Test Project) international mission successfully flown in July1975–a first in itself! Leonov was a great guy, and he almost died on that first EVA when his suit was too inflated and he barely managed to make it back inside! But it WAS another Russian first. Btw, I also was on the team for Gemini 6a/7- world’s first space rendezvous of two S/C in Dec. 1965! We DID beat the Russians at that by about two years!

Early European, Texian, and American explorers made a point of staying away from the Hill Country. This is why Del Weginer, in his book The Explorers’ Texas— The Land and Waters, reports few to no early descriptions of Hill Country streams except when they poured out of the hills and onto the Gulf Coastal Plain. The terrain was difficult for horse and wagon, Comanches roamed its ridges and valleys, and bears beckoned amongst the briars. With the Comanches and the bears driven out of the hills and trails cleared for transport, the Hill Country opened up to settlement and growth.

The Texas Legislature mandates the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (HTGCD) protect the long-term reliability of groundwater in Western Hays County -- one of the top-5 fastest growing counties in the US, where the population’s drinking water supply is served almost entirely by groundwater. Family homes, businesses, schools, livestock, vineyards, orchards, businesses such as concrete production and breweries all rely on the same limited groundwater supply originating in the Trinity Aquifer.

My husband Solon and I moved full time to Wimberley in 2009. He spent the past nearly 12 years using his talents and his servant’s heart filled with a love for God and a joyful, compassionate, caretaker’s spirit to meet needs of all kinds in our community. On Good Friday, April 2nd, in the parking lot of HEB, the needs shifted and his community reached out to help him.

As a retired teacher, I have had the opportunity to watch so many young people in Wimberley grow up to become wonderful adults.

I am Debra Hines, a member of the Citizens’ Comprehensive Planning Committee. I am here to offer an alternative perspective and clarification on statements made by Council during the discussion on March 3rd regarding the survey created by the Citizens’ Comprehensive Planning Committee (or CCPC for short) and Pegasus.