Opinion

In the April 23, 2020 edition of your newspaper is an article quoting a Kinder Morgan spokesperson. The article is highly critical of my report regarding contamination in a water well proximate to the drilling mud spill by Kinder Morgan. However, most of their critical remarks are incorrect, misleading, or out of context. The bottom line is that based on the data at the well owned by the Albright family, 4 of the sampled values (those for aluminum, arsenic, beryllium, and lead) are carcinogens for which the sampled values greatly exceed drinking water criteria or regulations. As a footnote,

One recent Monday morning, while walking in a light rainstorm, I quickly identified the wildly swinging, long blonde ponytail flashing through misty showers as belonging to my neighbor, an energetic young wife, and mom of five. She was flying along with her handsome husband who was pedaling furiously alongside on one of their kids’ small bicycles. They were reveling in the periods of sun, cloud, and rain that added new experiences at every turn. Most times, she had her children along, the family dog once, too. When she and the girls ran, swinging their ponytails, they reminded me of young thoroughbred ponies cantering by.

The Covid 19 pandemic has rekindled awareness of the ravages that epidemics bring and what we should do to stay safe and healthy. This pandemic has also brought back some long forgotten memories from my childhood; stories about how our family faced health crises. When I was growing up in Houston in the 1950’s, my mother, brother and I lived with our grandparents. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and remember many stories they told me. But one event in particular has been whispering to me for several weeks now – how my grandmother and her family dealt with the horrific 1918 Influenza pandemic.

Let me begin by stating that my background is public health administration in North Carolina. I was in charge of all communicable diseases among other programs including: pediatrics, adult health programs, geriatrics orthopedics, prenatal clinics and post natal clinics.

Texas is more invested every day in promoting increased and thorough hand washing, disinfecting surfaces and social distancing to reduce cases of the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

As the worldwide threat of novel coronavirus increased, state agencies already were working together to ensure the health and safety of all Texans, Gov. Greg Abbott said Feb. 27.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Feb. 20 established a clemency application specifically for survivors of human trafficking or domestic violence.

We’ve heard it and said it ourselves – we treasure Wimberley for its smalltown ambiance and strong sense of community. There are few places of large public encounters, where we see friends, neighbors, familiar faces. How many times do we see someone with a cane, a walker, someone who seems to have a tremor, perhaps a bit unsteady as they walk? If they’re not an acquaintance, we passingly wonder what condition they have.

What a truly lovely article about Chase and Courtney Philmon. It is such a Wimberley story, with the two meeting while working together at the restaurant, and then eventually marrying, and now becoming owners of the restaurant. You can’t get a better story than that.

Today as I approached one of those crosswalks with a Yield to Pedestrians sign on the square, there were two women CLEAR- LY waiting to cross. (I know sometimes it’s hard to figure out the intentions of pedestrians, but not this time.) So I stopped and the woman behind me honked at me and gestured her dis approval that I was going to let these people cross. Then from the other side, five cars went flying by without even slowing down. What??? Sadly, this is not the first time I have seen this happen.

For ten seasons, Wimberley football radio and internet commentators Mike Blackwell and Jerod Robinson, gave the many Texan fans a touchstone Friday night tradition to be proud of. Exciting play by play regardless of the elements or location. For many years I have been glued to my phone while in west Texas, unable to attend the games in person. Home or away we could tune in to follow all the ups, downs, wins, losses, penalties and championships. What fun! Moreover, it is difficult to accept my understanding that our little treasure of a broadcast may have signed off for a final time together from AT&T stadium calling the state championship. We have all grown together in a positive way due in part to kind, generous, energetic and reliable folks like Mike and Jerod. Also, all the others who made it happen. Many of our kids experienced Texan football in one way or another. We were very lucky to have had the pleasure of going along for the radio ride. For the entire Wimberley valley, I say: well done! Thank you for your effort! Keep doing cool stuff.

Thank you for your unbelievable Community support! With your help, Wimberley Gold Santa again provided a Merry Christmas to 102 deserving families and their 245 children! Your spirit of giving was remarkable! Over 700 toys were distributed along with a local grocery store gift card to each family! Everyone associated with Wimberley Gold Santa greatly appreciates your many, many contributions to this year’s effort. A Big Thanks to the Businesses that provided Donation Box space for your overflowing toy donations which included Ace Hardware, Broadway Bank, Brookshire Brothers, Country Fresh Cleaners, Cragg’s Do It Best, Dollar General, Edward Jones (Cade Wright), Maximum Wellness Chiropractic, Mima’s, Ozona National Bank, Sonora Bank, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Texas Regional Bank, Village of Wimberley Library, Wimberley Café, Wimberley Chamber of Commerce, Wimberley Community Center and Wimberley Home Health as well as to the cash Donation Jar locations which included Inoz, Instyle, Linda’s Fine Foods, The Wooden Spoon and Wimberley Gardens. Special thanks go out to the Wimberley Lion’s Club for their financial support and to their members who donated toys. Many thanks to VFW Post 6441 for their generous financial support and for allowing us to use their facility for our Distribution! Also to their VFW Auxiliary and the many members who also donated toys. Thanks to the Wimberley Community Civic Club, The Knights of Columbus, and Wimberley Village Library for also offering the use of their adjoining acreage for our December Parking Fund Raiser and our own Wade Dahl for mowing it for our use! Many thanks as well to the WISD Staff and Administrators and the wonderful Jacobs Well Student Body and Teachers who gave so many toys and assistance to the program! Thanks also go to the many other generous individual donors who gave toys and financial support to this year’s Program! Special thanks go out to the Agents of Century 21 Randall Morris & Associates for their time and effort to coordinate this worthy program. We also express our gratitude to Naya Garcia, retired WISD Teacher, for helping us with our Spanish speaking recipients. To all these Individuals, Businesses and Organizations, your support was overwhelming and again exceeded all expectations!

It is a new year, a new decade and another special milestone for us at CASA of Central Texas, our 35th Anniversary! We have big goals to serve more abused and neglected children in 2020 with more volunteers! But, we need the community, we need you, to help us reach those goals.