Uvalde County Visitors Guide Summer 2022

Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

Visitor’s Guide Uvalde County • not just a summer destination

Chalk Bluff River Resort Uvalde Leader-News

Open Year Round

60 Furnished Cabins • 103 Campsites • 32 Full Service RV Sites • 14 RV Sites w/ Water & Electricity Only Day Use • Camping Fishing • Hiking • Tubing • Kayaking • Bird Watching Exotic Petting Zoo • Safari Hay Rides • Jump Pillows • Play Ground • Summer Dances • Pet Friendly • Historical Marker Butterfly Migration • On Site Store, Gift Shop and Laundry • Pavilion Rental • Family Reunions • Weddings • Field Trips

1108 Chalk Bluff Road • Uvalde, Texas

830-278-5515 • chalkbluffriverresort.com

CONTENTS

Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

Visitor’s Guide 2022 ADVERTISERS

4 Ghosts also frequent historic stage

27 Community fundraisers bring crowds

6 Fishing license not required at state parks 8 Festivities abound in Uvalde, Utopia 9 Disc golfers, skateboarders welcome 10 Organizers bring back queen contest 11 Briscoe-Garner Museum open 12 Facility serves as cultural center 13 Group organizes music festival & barbecue cook-off 14 Uvaldeans take on Hollywood, pro sports RIVERS ARE FOR FISHING, TOO

28 Photographer shares information about preferred sites

INDEPENDENCE DAY

30 Chamber carries on popular event

UVALDE MEMORIAL PARK

30 From Army Post to weekend park

UVALDE GRAND OPERA HOUSE

UVALDE HONEY FESTIVAL

WILD HOGS & ANGRY BULLS

BIRDING IS POPULAR PASTIME

HUNTERS’ ROUNDUP

FORT INGE

31 City-owned site is popular GOLF COURSE

POLITICAL GIANTS PUBLIC LIBRARY

UVALDE FESTIVAL & EVENTS ASSOCIATION STAR POWER

18 Summer fun from May to August 20 Site rife with finds 22 Wildlife abounds at 200-acre park 22 County-owned site offers breathtaking views 22 Fellowship, dancing, crafts and exercise on tap 23 Garner Park on state list 23 Garner State Park & Lost Maples among best sites in state 24 Downtown events, benches are hallmarks of program PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG

Amy's Attic ........................................................... 11 Bottle 'n Bag ........................................................... 9 Capital Farm Credit .............................................. 29 Chalk Bluff River Resort ......................................... 2 City of Uvalde........................................................ 10 Concan River Lodging .......................................... 27 El Progreso Memorial Library .............................. 18 First State Bank of Uvalde .................................... 19 Frio Bat Flight........................................................ 22 Frio Country Resort ................................................ 5 Frio's Dry Fifty ...................................................... 24 Frio River Escape .................................................. 12 Horner's on the Square ........................................ 23 Joe's Plumbing ............................................21 Julien's & Mi Vida................................................. 30 Los Alamos Store .................................................. 18 Main Street Uvalde .............................................. 25 Maxey Energy Company ...................................... 13 Neal's Dining Room ............................................. 26 Open Range Bakery & Cafe .................................. 31 Pat Haby Realty .................................................... 18 Rebekah James REALTOR® .................................. 11 Redback Pest Management. ................................ 18 Regal Meat ............................................................. 7 Roadrunner Energy, Inc...................................... 18 Skyway Entertainment ...................................... 32 Southern Lace Marketplace/Encina Realty .......... 20 SSGT Willie De Leon Civic Center ......................... 29 Texas Hill Country River Region ............................. 8 TJ Moore Lumber Yard .......................................... 17 Tree City Tea & Water .............................................. 4 Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce.................... 16 Uvalde Convention & Visitor's Bureau ............... 23 Uvalde County Cornhole ..................................... 18 Uvalde County Fairplex ....................................... 21 Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco .................. 6 Uvalde Memorial Golf Course ............................. 18 Uvalde Memorial Hospital .................................... 6 Veranda Senior Living ......................................... 18

COOKS SLOUGH

Special Sections are available online www.uvaldeleadernews.com

COOKSEY PARK

HERBY HAM ACTIVITY CENTER

VISITOR’S GUIDE IS A PRODUCTION OF THE UVALDE LEADER-NEWS .

Publisher/Owner: Craig Garnett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cgarnett@ulnnow .com General manager: Pete Luna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pluna@ulnnow .com Managing Editor: Meghann Garcia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mgarcia@ulnnow .com Advertising Executive: Brittany Arp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . barp@ulnnow .com Classified Manager: Norma Ybarra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .nybarra@ulnnow .com Staff Writers Melissa Federspill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mfederspill@ulnnow .com Julye Keeble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jkeeble@ulnnow .com

PUBLIC HUNTING STATE PARKS

MAIN STREET UVALDE

Cover: Photo of Uvalde Downtown Plaza at Christmas by Meghann Garcia Page 3: Uvalde resident and novice angler Kimberly Rubio holds up a three-pound bass she reeled in at Wes Cooksey Park on the Nueces River . Photo by Felix Rubio .

110 N. EAST STREET UVALDE, TX 78801 facebook.com/uvaldeleadernews

Phone: 830-278-3335 | Fax: 830-278-9191

www.uvaldeleadernews.com

@uvaldenews

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Uvalde Leader-News

OPERA HOUSE STAGE A BEACON FOR GHOSTS

‘The worker explained that he was on the ladder cleaning when he saw a lady in a red cape with blond hair and big earrings.’

Local residents may flock to the Uvalde Grand Opera House for theatrical performances on the stage, but multiple sets of paranormal investigators have visited the West North Street building to track down ghosts.

City of Uvalde employees, including police, maintenance workers, and former facility managers have all shared stories with the newspaper about odd encounters.

Uvalde Leader-News Newspapers in Education coordinator Olga Charles, who previously managed the opera house, said she once witnessed an extremely frightened probationer after he encountered a ghost.

“He was upstairs on a ladder cleaning the mini-blinds and all of a sudden I hear the rumbling of someone running down the stairs,” Charles said. “When he reaches the bottom I come out of my office and asked Olga him if he was okay. He was having trouble Charles catching his breath. I told him to calm down, as he began to ask me if I knew someone lived upstairs.”

Charles said the worker explained that he was on the ladder cleaning when he looked down and saw a lady in a red cape with blond hair and big earrings.

According to Charles, the man said ghosts then floated PLEASE SEE EXPERIENCE, PAGE 31

UVALDE GRAND OPERA HOUSE, 104 W . NORTH ST ., M-F 9 A .M . TO 4 P .M ., 830-278-4184

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

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Uvalde Leader-News A current fishing license is required for anyone wishing to fish in the public waters of Texas, but one is not required to fish in state parks.

Game fish may be taken only by pole and line.

It is unlawful to take, kill, or disturb endangered fish such as paddlefish, shovel-nose sturgeon and sawfish.

MELISSA FEDERSPILL|LEADER-NEWS

The Nueces River at Wes Cooksey Park

e om c Wel toUvalde THERE ARE PLENTY OF FISH IN THE NUECES, FRIO,

County

Uvalde County Sheriff ’s Office 339 King Fisher Lane Uvalde, Texas 78801

AND SABINAL RIVERS

Fishing is a fun option for spending time outdoors, and options abound for finding a fishing spot in the Uvalde area with Nueces, Frio and Sabinal rivers nearby.

Lost Maples State Park in Vanderpool allows fishing on the Sabinal River which runs through the park, while Garner State Park in Concan also allows fishing on the Frio River.

Garner State Park also participates in the Texas Parks and Wildlife on-site fishing tackle loaner program, which allows visitors to borrow rods, reels and tackle boxes complete with

hooks, sinkers and bobbers.

Individuals fishing in state parks do not need a license to fish from a shore or pier, per Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

To fish on the Nueces River, Uvalde County’s Wes Cooksey Park in Camp Wood, offers a day use option for visitors.

Although there is a pier near the boat ramp at the park, fishing is perhaps more successful by boat or kayak. A fishing license is required to fish at this location, as it is not a state park.

Fish that can be found in Uvalde County’s rivers include black bass, Rio Grande cichlid, spotted gar, and carp.

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

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Uvalde Leader-News

UVALDE COUNTY TAKES ITS FREEDOM SERIOUSLY

Uvalde and Utopia communities host festive Fourth of July fireworks displays, the Uvalde County Bar Association stages a reading of the Declaration of Independence in the downtown plaza, and a parade rolls through the streets of Utopia, ending in time for spectators to gather at the park which many locals think is the perfect spot to watch the fireworks.

Uvalde’s show takes place at the Uvalde County Fairplex. The fireworks begin around 9 p.m., but Firecracker Fest begins early. Organizers are planning a children’s pageant, cornhole tournament, chili cookoff, car show, vendors and live music.

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

MEMORIAL PARK OFFERS PLETHORA OF ACTIVITIES DISC GOLFERS, SKATEBOARDERS AND MORE HAVE PLAY SPACES Uvalde Memorial Park is one of approximately a dozen recreational spaces maintained by the City of Uvalde, and it offers a lit amphitheater on the Leona River, a volleyball court, playground equipment, a walking trail and a nine-hole disc golf course.

Located on East Main Street in Uvalde, between Wood Street and First Street, the sprawling park has been in existence for more than 100 years. In the 1990s, a walking trail was added to the river bed along with new playground equipment, benches, a pavilion and picnic tables. The original tennis courts were

converted to sand volleyball courts.

In 2015, a skateboarding ramp area was added to what was originally known as Grove Park and the local landmark is a memorial to fallen World War I soldiers.

The disc golf course was completed in 2013, opening in November at the south end of Memorial Park, and discs may be purchased at the golf course shop.

Disc golf is a sport in which players throw a disc at a target using rules similar to those in golf. Players complete a hole by throwing discs from a tee area toward a target, then throwing again from where the

previous throw landed until the target is reached. The number of throws a player uses to reach the targets are tallied in relation to par, and players seek to complete each hole in the lowest number of total throws.

The game is played in about 40 countries and, as of 2019, there are 53,366 active members of the Professional Disc Golf Association worldwide.

PARK HISTORY

In 1927, the Grove Park was utilized for a Texas Under Six Flags pageant.

While directing the pageant, Mrs. Guy Dean became interested in creating a park in the Grove. Then-Mayor H.P. Hornby, founder of the Uvalde Leader-News, created a park commission with Dean serving as chairman.

Plans were then made to dedicate the park on Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1927, in honor of young men from Uvalde County who had given their lives in World War I. An entrance gateway was designed by Henry T. Phelps, who also designed the Uvalde County Courthouse, with four native stone columns with electric lights on top. Between the gates was to be a monument topped by a cast concrete eagle on top of a globe. A prisoner at the county jail, who turned out to be a stonemason, was enlisted to work on the park.

Nowadays, Uvalde Memorial Park is used for community cultural and sporting events, family celebrations and recreation, offering picnic tables and barbecue stations.

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Uvalde Leader-News

For more information visit the Uvalde Honey Festival website at www. uvaldehoneyfest. org, or their Facebook page, https://www. facebook.com/ uvaldehoneyfestival.

HONEY HISTORY SWEETENS DOWNTOWN FESTIVAL The Uvalde Honey Festival is set to be held June 10-11, centered at the downtown plaza square, offering food, music and family fun with a street dance, bake off, a 5K race, a cornhole tournament, educational booths on pollinators and more.

The festival, presented by the non-profit Uvalde Honey Festival Inc. organization, celebrates Uvalde’s rich history as the “Honey Capital of the World.”

Uvalde Honey Festival Inc. has partnered with the Uvalde Good Eggs Enterprises Inc. to bring back the Miss Uvalde County Honey Queen pageant, set June 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There will be live musical performances, and vendor booths featuring food, beverages, merchandise, and pollinator education stations. Charlie Agar of the Charlie Bee Company television series is scheduled to attend the festival, according to organizers.

The event will begin at 6 p.m.

on June 10, and is set to run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on June 11.

Contestants in the “Bee in Your Bonnet” hat competition are asked to show up in their flashiest hat at the street dance on June 10. The hat contest participants must report to the stage between 6:30-7 p.m., and judging begins at 7 p.m.

A Breakfast with the Bees event for children is set from 9-11 a.m. at the Uvalde Grand Opera House annex, 104 W. North St. Tickets are $8 per child, and there will be a photo booth, face painting, prizes and the opportunity to view bees and plants under a microscope.

The Uvalde Honey Festival 5K race will kick off at 8 a.m. on June 11 at the downtown plaza, as will the children’s fun run, starting at the same time.

Fees are $30 per runner.

The cornhole tournament is set to begin at 11 a.m. on June 11, with boards open at 10 a.m.

The honey-themed bake off starts at 12:30 p.m., when check-in is set at the opera house, with winners set to be announced at 2 p.m. Entries are to be cakes, cookies, brownies or pies with honey as a main flavor.

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

BRISCOE, GARNER FORGED POLITICAL CAREERS The Briscoe-Garner Museum, located at 333 N. Park St., offers an array of exhibits honoring the lateTexas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and the late U.S. Vice President John Nance Garner, who were both Uvalde residents.

Admission to the museum is free. The museum was once the home of Garner, who lived there for 30-plus years.

It is under the directorship of Richelle Runyon.

Richelle Runyon The museum is part of the Briscoe Center for American

History, a division of the University of Texas system.

Briscoe served as the Texas governor from 197379. According to the Briscoe Center for American History, during his six years as governor, he presided during a period of reform in the state government as the Texas population grew and commerce expanded.

Garner, known as “Cactus Jack,” was the 32nd-vice president of the United States from 1933 to 1941, serving with president Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The first floor of the museum documents the career of John Garner, and the second floor is dedicated to Briscoe.

Dolph Briscoe Jr., John Nance Garner and Lyndon B. Johnson have a conversation in front of Garner’s home in Uvalde.

According to the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas, Garner – who served as vice president under President Franklin D. Roosevelt – was a mentor to Briscoe, who would go on to become governor of Texas. Both Uvaldebased men became important political figures.

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Uvalde Leader-News

LOOK TO LIBRARY FOR BOOKS, COMPUTERS & MORE is also a civic and cultural From the Music on Main live music series to its free center. Hundreds of community programs, ranging from legal clinics and children’s free income tax assistance story hour, El Progreso to sewing classes, games Memorial Library offers a and book signings take place plethora of services. there every year, said library Built in 2004 and designed director Mendell Morgan. by architecture firm Hidell Further, he Associates of Carollton, the said the library $5.7 million library is an Sal is also a Salapproximate 36,000-square foot building that houses vation Army intake site for about 57,585 books, a used Community bookstore, the Virginia W. Davis Archives, the Weisman Health DevelDevel cli opment Inc. cliMuseum of Southwest Texas, Mendell ents, and has a and meeting rooms. business center El Progreso Memorial Morgan offering phoLibrary was originally tocopying, scanning, faxing founded in 1903 by a group of women with the goal of start- 3-D printing, and laminating.

Through its affiliation with ing a new civic organization, the Texas State Library, El the El Progreso Club.

Progreso also offers access to Along with offering readresearch databases. ing materials, the library

“In the most recent year, the door gate count for just the inside of the library registered over 56,800 visitors,” Morgan said, adding there are more than 20,000 registered library card holders.

Morgan said the library offerings, including its free WiFi and multiple public computers, are made possible through fundraising,

the library bookstore sales and allocated funding from the city of Uvalde and Uvalde County.

“We are grateful for the support of the city and the county. Together, they give us about two-thirds of our needs for the operating budget,” Morgan said. “Every year, we need to raise almost $200,000 to meet all of our expenses.”

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

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UVALDE FESTIVAL & EVENTS ASSOCIATION BRINGS THE HEAT ¾ PALOMINO FEST RETURNING TO FAIRPLEX IN 2022 The Uvalde Festival and Events Association, which produces the annual Palomino Fest event, has announced plans to put on the Labor Day weekend event in 2022.

This will be the first event since 2019, due to the COVID19 pandemic. The four-day event is scheduled to kick off Thursday, Sept. 1, with the carnival and continue through Sunday, Sept. 4, with professional rodeo action along with top musical entertainment each night.

Palomino Fest began in 1996 as a way for Tejano/ Norteño group Los Palominos to give back to the community that has supported them throughout the years.

Los Palominos have

• • •

reached a significant milestone in their career: the Grammy award-winning group is celebrating 30 years as a band.

Los Palominos are on the schedule to perform Sunday, Sept. 4. More bands will be announced in the coming months.

Each year, Palomino Fest attracts over 20,000 people while generating scholarship funds for Southwest Texas Junior College students. Its contributions have exceeded $275,000 in scholarship donations to SWTJC since it began in 1996.

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Shorty's BBQ team members from San Juan, Texas, prepare their barbecue rib entry for judging during the 13th-annual Briscoe Ranch BBQ Cook-Off at the Crossroads held Dec. 1011, 2021. There were approximately 123 barbecue teams competing to earn the title of making the best chicken, ribs, pork, brisket and ribeye steak. Want to compete in 2022? Make plans to head to the Uvalde County Fairplex on Dec. 9-10, 2022. Check out www.facebook.com/uvaldebbq. The contest is put on by the Uvalde Festival and Events Association.

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Uvalde Leader-News

IS IT SOMETHING IN THE WATER?

UVALDE RESIDENT OSCAR “SHOTGUN” Albarado, a bit bruised but victorious, holds the Junior Middleweight World Boxing championship trophy after upsetting Koichi Wajima on June 4, 1974. Albarado disposed of the former champ with a knockout at the 1:57 mark of the 15th round in a title match in Tokyo, Japan. Albarado, who suffered from pugilistic dementia caused by repeated concussive and sub-concussive blows, died Feb. 17, 2021, at Amistad Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Uvalde at the age of 72.

THE INFAMOUS NEWTON BOYS: UVALDE NATIVES WILLIS, WYLIE “DOC,” JESS, AND JOE Newton formed a gang which, between 1919 and 1924, robbed 87 banks and six trains across the U.S. and Canada. All four brothers, as well as their parents, are buried in Uvalde cemeteries. Matthew McConaughey, another famous Uvaldean, played the part of Willis Newton in the 1998 film, “The Newton Boys.”

UVALDE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2007 GRADUATE BROOKS RALEY, A 2009 sixth-round draft pick for the Chicago Cubs, signed a twoyear $10 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays on Nov. 30, 2021. Not long before that move, Raley made local sports history as he became the first Uvaldean to participate in a World Series. A left-handed relief pitcher for the Houston Astros, Raley appeared in four of the six series games. A standout baseball and football player for Uvalde High School, he played his college ball for Texas A&M. Most of his early years as a pro player were spent in the minor leagues. His big success came pitching six seasons in South Korea. He returned to this country in 2020 and made the Cincinnati Reds team. In December of 2018, he and his brother Cory opened Exile Firearms, located in the Uvalde Industrial Park, to craft custom rifles. In this Leader-News file photo from December of 2010, he gives a few youngsters baseball tips at a winter training camp.

WE CAN’T MISS MENTIONING A FEW OTHER NOTABLE CHARACTERS! JOAQUIN JACKSON, THE FAMED TEXAS RANGER WHO HELPED LAUNCH JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ’S CAREER, AND HIS WIFE, SHIRLEY, LIVED IN UVALDE AT ONE TIME WITH THEIR TWO SONS; PATRICK FLOYD JARVIS GARRETT – BEST KNOWN FOR KILLING BILLY THE KID, WAS A UVALDE RESIDENT AND COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN THE 1890S; THE REV . BEN KINCHLOW, BEST KNOWN FOR CO-HOSTING THE 700 CLUB ON TELEVISION, WAS BORN IN UVALDE ON DEC . 27, 1936, THE SON OF A METHODIST MINISTER; KING FISHER, A RANCHER, OUTLAW, AND LAWMAN WHO ABANDONED HIS OUTLAW LIFE AND BECAME A DEPUTY SHERIFF OF UVALDE COUNTY IN 1881 AND LATER ACTING SHERIFF IN 1884 . HE WAS KILLED IN A SHOOTOUT IN SAN ANTONIO AND IS BURIED IN PIONEER PARK CEMETERY AT THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH PARK AND FLORENCE STREETS; AND HOLLYWOOD ACTOR DANA ANDREWS, WHO WAS BORN IN MISSISSIPPI IN 1909, ATTENDED SCHOOL IN UVALDE, WHERE HIS FATHER WAS A MINISTER AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH .

Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

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ABUNDANCE OF STARS LIGHT UP UVALDE UVALDE-BORN OSCAR WINNER MATTHEW McConaughey, brother Mike “Rooster”, and mother Kay relate anecdotes about their time living in Uvalde. The family spoke at the centennial anniversary celebration banquet of the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce, held Feb. 7, 2020, at the Uvalde County Fairplex. The brothers were asked to name their favorite sparkling area river between the Nueces, Frio and Sabinal options: Matthew’s was the Frio River, and he said he and his wife brought their firstborn, Levi, to the Frio when he was only a few months old. Rooster’s pick was the Nueces, as he recalled youthful adventures on the water and shared it was his honeymoon destination.

HOLLYWOOD STARS ROY ROGERS and Dale Evans. Frances Octavia “Dale Evans” Smith was born in 1912 at 726 Fort Clark Road on her grandparents’ 40-acre farm. Roy and Dale, married in 1947, returned to Uvalde to visit relatives, many of whom are buried in Uvalde. She is featured on the mural at Rexall in downtown Uvalde and adorns a Main Street Uvalde downtown bench in the 100 block of North Getty Street.

7-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW appeared on Page 1 of the Thursday, Sept. 29, 1977, edi edition of the Uvalde Leader-News for winning runnerup honors at a Little Mister Texas Cowboy pageant in Bandera.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAULINE VEGA

SABINAL-BORN COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ

(right) with actor/singer Dennis Quaid and singer Tanya Tucker, with whom he collaborated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rodriguez plans to soon release “Desperado: A Piece of my Soul”, a book co-written with author Austin Teutsch. Rodriguez released 35 albums, charted 45 singles, and performed at President George H. W. Bush’s inaugural ball. Despite that success, he wondered in a 2013 interview with the Uvalde Leader-News if there was a place for him in today’s country music scene. The book and corresponding music, “Building Bridges”, a bilingual country/mariachi blended effort made in reverence of his mother, the late Isabel Rodriguez of Sabinal, should be released in late 2022.

UVALDE RESIDENT VANN MCELROY, WHO is a former Uvalde Coyote, Baylor Bear and Los Angeles Raiders free safety. McElroy’s 10-year pro career included a Super Bowl victory. He signed a contract for $75,000, which in 1982 was a sizable sum. The Raiders won Super Bowl XVIII with a 38-9 victory over the Washington Redskins in a game played at Tampa, Florida. That season, McElroy led the Raiders in pass interceptions with eight and in fumble recoveries with three. McElroy wound up ranked as the third-best safety of alltime.

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Uvalde Leader-News

Grammy-award winning Los Palominos, composed of brothers (left to right) Jorge, Johnny, James and Julio Arreola, stand next to their spot on the downtown mural.

Los Palominos began back in 1982 when the brothers’ father, Juan Sr., himself an ex-musician, founded the band.

The group played locally at parties and quinceañeras and weddings while they were still in junior high.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

340 N. GETTY ST. UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3361 info@uvalde.org

MURAL PAYS HOMAGE The Uvalde Rexall building, located at the northwest corner of North Getty and West Nopal streets in downtown Uvalde, now sports a colorful mural featuring several notable Uvaldeans. The mural was unveiled March 15, 2022, during a ceremony that featured an acoustic performance by the Grammy award-winning Los Palominos.

Artist Dan Terry of Austin and his team battled strong winds complete the mural in the days before and after the ceremony.

"Set in the style of the iconic 1960s postcard, the mural showcases many of the attri-

butes and personalities of our region, all while spelling out U-V-A-L-D-E, with each letter honoring a portrait or feature," Skyway Entertainment spokeswoman Victoria Dühring said. "The background is a honeycomb, with dripping honey and colorful giant bees, and the letter art includes our river region, aviation industry, and portrait renditions of Dale Evans, Dolph Briscoe, Jr., Matthew McConaughey, and the Los Palominos band, including their deceased brother and founding band member, Jesse Arreola, depicted eloquently in the middle of the letter they all encompass.”

Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

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Uvalde Leader-News CITY OF UVALDE SWIMMING POOL, WED-SUN 2 TO 6 P .M ., BEHIND THE WILLIE DE LEON CIVIC CENTER, 300 E . MAIN ST .

Swimming pool rental reservations may be made on Saturdays or Sundays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

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Located inside the Los Alamos Downtown Center 128 West Main | Uvalde | 830-900-2750 Mon - Fri 9a.m. - 5p.m. Sat 8a.m. - Noon

The city of Uvalde swimming pool on East Nopal Street will open to the public on May 28, offering daily swim hours from 2-6 p.m.

Wednesday through Sunday. The pool is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Swimmers younger than 10 must be accompanied by an adult at all times, and a lifeguard will be on duty while the pool is in use.

Fees for using the pool are $2 for children 13 years old and younger, while anyone 14 years of age and older must pay $4.

Swimmers are required to have all necessary attire in place before entering the swimming pool facility.

The maximum occupancy for the pool is 50 people. The pool is set to close on Aug. 21.

Swimming pool rental reservations may be made on Saturdays or Sundays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and the last day reservations will be accepted is Aug. 14.

For reservations, 10-day advance booking and payment in full is required. There is a $100 deposit, and the fee is $210 per two-hour rental. Payments must be made in person at the facility.

Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

We welcome you to play golf with us Tuesday - Sunday

Fun and challenging 18 hole golf experience Reasonable prices on all services Closed on Mondays

Uvalde Memorial Golf Course

221 E. Doughty • Uvalde • 830-278-6155 • Summer Hours: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Welcome Visitors to Uvalde and the surrounding area You have come to one of the most beautiful regions in Texas. We encourage you to spend some time here. Visit our landmarks. Shop in our area stores. Try our restaurants for some of the most delicious foods in the state. Know that you are always welcome.

Main Branch - 200 E. Nopal Uvalde, Texas • 278-6231

Visit one of our ATMs in Uvalde or one of our branches.

8 DRIVE-UP ATMs LOCATED AT • Main Bank - 200 E. Nopal, one block off Hwy 90 • Main Street Branch - 2065 E Main St. • Branch locations in Camp Wood, Carrizo Springs, Concan, Leakey, Sabinal and Utopia 5 WALK-UP ATMs LOCATED INSIDE AT • Mr. Cartender Main West Plaza • Minits - 800 E. Main • Minit-Mart - Hwy 83N • Uvalde Memorial Hospital - 1025 Garner Field Road • Dimmit Regional Hospital - 704 Hospital Drive, Carrizo Springs

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20

Uvalde Leader-News

SEEKING HISTORY 8 FEET BELOW GROUND David Calame, founder of Borderland Archaeology, is asking locals to help with the excavation and documentation of an endangered stone age site on the banks of the Nueces River in northern Uvalde County.

He said the area of the prehistoric site they are working in currently measures 30 feet by 50 feet.

The layer they are digging is called buried horizon, and is where people once David inhabited. He Calame said it’s about eight feet deep from today’s current surface.

“For many sites, that’s not very deep. I’ve seen sites of the same age that are 25 feet deep,” he said

Calame, a lifelong South Texas resident who has recorded hundreds of prehistoric archaeological sites over a wide area in Texas, said some of the levels of this

‘We know very little about these people, who they were and how they lived.’

David Calame Borderland Archaeology site have been radio carbon dated and the oldest date is approximately 10,200 years.

Calame is the recipient of the Jimmy Mitchell Award for Avocational Archaeologist of the Year, and the Norman G. Flaigg Award for Exceptional Performance as

a Texas Historical Commission Steward.

“What I am dating is a buried surface that people used to live on. The surface got covered by flooding,” he said, noting the area was covered by gravel washing down the hillside towards the river.

“It’s interesting because the hills are quite aways away, we’re talking about a quarter of a mile. It must have been a huge event that caused all that gravel to come downslope and cover this site,” he said.

He said working at this site is important because our knowledge of our past comes to a “grinding halt about 5,000 years ago.”

“We know very little about these people, who they were and how they lived,” he said.

“A site like the one... in Uvalde County is extremely

unique. Extremely unique.

It’s sealed off by gravel layers above and below it, and it’s been protected. The amount of charcoal in this site is phenomenal,” Calame said, explaining that normally there are only trace amounts of charcoal found.

In archaeological sites, charcoal is interpreted as evidence of the use of fire by past populations, and is a source for the dating of contexts, per the Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology.

“The site is large and ... I need to get as much done as possible. It’s a real opportunity for locals to get involved in very important site that has already produced information that we didn’t know before.”

Calame said he was able to PLEASE SEE DIG, PAGE 21

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID CALAME

Dusty Clark of Leakey excavates in front of the east profile wall of a stone age site that is being recovered in northern Uvalde County. Clark is working with Borderland Archaeology founder David Calame, who said the top three feet of darker soil pictured is “full of cultural materials from present to approximately the time of Christ.” He said the next 52 inches of non-steam rolled gravel he believes represents one or more catastrophic events that moved gravel downslope to cover and preserve the charcoal that has been identified in the layer of dark, ashy material Clark is working in. The team has found flint spearheads dated 8,850 years before present.

DIG: VOLUNTEERS WELCOME FROM PAGE 20

find the site because of the railroad that was built in the 1920s.

He said the railroad was used to transport mohair from the Camp Wood area to Uvalde as well as to transport cedar posts for building houses.

The railroad, Calame said, was later dismantled during World War II because the United States needed the steel.

He said he found the buried surface by hand digging shovel tests along the railroad right of way and found flint flakes about two feet deep.

Calame said he establishes relationships with individuals who hunt arrowheads, and he said the landowner where this site is located is one such

person, and that individual gave Calame permission to excavate.

“You can see evidence that Indians lived there and used this site right on the surface – the last group of Indians in the mid-1800s or 1900s.”

“It was a great location [for the residents]: There was flint available, there was lots of wildlife, game, and there was water, not just from the river, but there were three springs coming out of the hills. The Indians did not have to go down to the river to get water...”

Borderland Archaeology is a group of avocational and professional archaeologists dedicated to preserving Texas’ past.

To volunteer with the group, call Calame at 210-241-9122.

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22

Uvalde Leader-News

WETLANDS BECKON HIKERS, WILDLIFE FANS The 200-acre Cooks Slough Sanctuary and Nature Park was opened by the city of Uvalde and Edwards Aquifer Authority in 2007.

The park includes 25 acres of wetland, two wildlife-viewing stations and five shaded rest stations along its numerous trails. It has been designated by the National Audubon Society as one of the best birding locations in the United States.

Although the park has only a couple of miles of hiking trails, the covered pavilions provide an all-weather platform to see a variety of migratory and resident birds, dragonflies and butterflies. It is also possible to spot such land-based animals as deer, foxes and armadillos rooting around the brush.

Numerous species of fish, turtles, lizards and snakes can also be seen.

Built on the site of a former landfill, Cooks Slough is open seven days a week during daylight hours with no admission cost. To get to Cooks Slough from U.S. 90 in the center of Uvalde, head south on U.S. 83 and merge onto Farm to Market Road 117. Make a right on County Road 106; the parking lot is located at the end of the road.

Except for bicycles and wheelchairs, no vehicles are allowed in the park. For information, call 830-278-4115.

ROCKNROSS52|WIKIPEDIA

Nueces River dam at Wes Cooksey Park.

COOKSEY PARK IS COUNTY-OWNED Wes Cooksey Park, Uvalde County’s only county-owned public park, has been in operation since the 1960s, providing a fun retreat for families with its camping facilities and adjacent lake.

It is located off Highway 55, three miles south of Camp Wood and about 40 miles from the city of Uvalde, with an address of 33719 Highway 55.

John Wesley “Wes” Cooksey donated the park property to the county in 1962,

and the Lake Nueces Dam was built that same year.

The park offers picnic and camping sites, a playground for children, fishing and swimming opportunities, 31 camping sites – some for tent and RV, and some just for RVs. It also offers 30-and 50-amp hookups, a volleyball court, a kayak and boat launching area, and a grassy area with river access.

Call in advance to check on availability, 830-597-3223.

HERBY HAM CENTER IS ACTIVITY HUB Activities at the Herby Ham Activity Center include water aerobics, yoga, woodworking and board games. Yoga is offered every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. Beginnerfriendly classes are $10 each.

Water aerobics are held Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at various times throughout the day. There is a $60 fee per month for use of the pool and/or water aerobic classes.

Game enthusiasts gather weekly, and each Wednesday, there is a line dancing class at 1 p.m. and free crochet class at 9 a.m. The center is located at 248 FM 3447.

FMI, 830-591-2711.

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

UVALDE IS HUNTING HOT SPOT Through a Texas Parks and Wildlife initiative, hunters can help Garner State Park maintain game populations during public hunting days scheduled throughout the winter.

Garner State Park is a 1,774acre area located 31 miles north of Uvalde and 10 miles south of Leakey on U.S. 83 to Ranch Road 1050. Hunters can sign up for the opportunity to gun or archery hunt, and also utilize park shelters for camping.

During the public hunt, the park is closed to visi-

tors. Public hunting dates are offered in November, December, January and February.

To participate in the hunts, reservations are required.

Hunters must apply for permits, and TPWD offers three separate sign-up periods for exotic, archery, and youth only gun deer, either sex categories.

Hunters are responsible for the reasonable care of their game after harvest, and there is not any facilities for deer storage available at Garner.

Hunters may apply online at twpd.texas.gov.

STATE PARKS ARE WILDLY POPULAR Two state parks with breathtaking sights, sparkling rivers, hiking trail and abundant nature sightings are just a picturesque drive from Uvalde.

GARNER STATE PARK

Located about 30 miles from Uvalde, Garner State Park, 234 RR 1050, Concan, offers swimming and hiking for more advanced trekkers as well as beginners in a scenic area on 1,774 acres of Hill Country terrain with several miles along the winding Frio River.

Visitors can float the Frio River on an inner tube or hike 16 miles of picturesque trails.

The park offers picnic areas, fishing, and areas for bike riding.

Embark on a virtual tour with an interactive map at the park website, https://tpwd. texas.gov/state-parks/garner.

To enter, reserve passes in advance. Regular park access hours are from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with hours extended to 11 p.m. from this weekend through Labor Day Weekend.

Entrance fees are $8 daily for those age 13 and up, and children under the age of 12 may enter for free.

LOST MAPLES

Lost Maples State Natural Area offers abundant wildflowers, canyon walls and access to the Sabinal River. It is located at 37221 Farm to Market Road 187 in Vanderpool, approximately two hours northwest of San Antonio and about 60 miles from Uvalde.

The park features 10 miles of hiking trails including clifftops, and plentiful wildlife and scenery suitable for bird watching, photography or just making memories with loved ones.

The area houses a special stand of bigtooth maples, known for their colorful fall foliage, and is home to a wide variety of birds, including the endangered golden-cheeked warbler and the recently delisted black-capped vireo.

Cellphone service is not available in the park, but typically service can be found in the nearby towns of Utopia and Bandera.

Entrance fees are $6 daily for adults and teenagers, with children under 12 admitted for free.

Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Surrounded by adventure and brimming with personality, Uvalde sits at the crossroads of what you’d never expect and what you’d never believe.

Whether you come to hunt, float, SOAR, camp, shop or dine, there’s something for everyone, plenty to explore and at the heart of it all, an inviting community that will keep you coming back.

Uvalde is a town with a storied history, bold spirit and big heart, full of experiences you won’t find anywhere else...

830-278-4115 or www.onlyinuvalde.com

Open

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830-278-1294

Multi-vendor antique mall in historic downtown Uvalde

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24

Uvalde Leader-News

Artist Ellen Balke, a member of the first cohort of artists chosen to create a downtown bench for the Main Street ‘Park Yourself in Uvalde’ program, depicted late Hollywood star and former Uvaldean Dale Evans, ‘Queen of the West’ and wife of Roy Rogers. The bench is located in the 100 block of North Getty.

Local artist and owner of Art Lab, Abel Ortiz Art, created “Besame Bench” depicting Frida Kahlo The bench was placed on the 200 block of North Getty Street, between the Benson Guest House and Mi Vida. The project is part of the “Park Yourself in Uvalde” initiative by Main Street Uvalde.

DOWNTOWN PROGRAM IS A WINNER the Leader-News’ NewspaEleven years later, Uvalpers in Education program, de’s Main Street program was the first manager of the continues to create a posiprogram. tive and inviting atmoNaturally we are biased, sphere for shoppers and but in our view there is no visitors whose destination other Main is our city’s historic downStreet in the town.

Its 10-year anniversary, state that has as much hiswhich was marked with a celebration on April 29, toric signifi2021, showed that enthucance, natural beauty and siasm continues for the important program. vitality as the Then First Lady of Texas Susan street that Rios bisects our Anita Perry was the keynote speaker when Uvalde downtown. It is, after all, the intersecwas officially acknowledged tion of two of the longest as a Texas Historical Comhighways in the nation: U.S. mission Main Street City in 2011. Olga Charles, who now Highway 90 and U.S. Highserves as the coordinator for way 83. At their intersection

lies a downtown plaza punctuated by stately pecans surrounding a gracefullyflowing fountain.

The downtown plaza is also surrounded by architecturally important buildings, most especially the Grand Opera House. Completed in 1891, the city has carefully maintained the structure, so that today it is probably more beautiful than on the day that it opened. The county courthouse flanks the plaza on the east and is a stately overseer to all that passes the city.

Initiatives inspired by the Main Street program have resulted in a vast number of

improvements to the businesses that form the downtown, from facade paint to flower pots, benches and the Four Square Friday event.

Business owners can feel confident that the program is a real partner to help foster a dynamic retail climate.

That partnership has been solidified by current Main Street manager Susan Rios.

These efforts are extremely important at a time when brick-and-mortar merchants face increased competition from online sales.

Uvalde’s downtown would cease to thrive without the stores that form the backbone of the historic district.

Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

25

San Antonio musicians Dennis Dietz and Danny Garcia perform in the courtyard between Mi Vida and Julien's on North Getty during a December Four Square Friday event coordinated by Main Street Uvalde.

Carol Morrison plays a dulcimer at Encina Art Center for listeners, including Getty Street Church of Christ pastor Tim Myers and Barbara Dillahunty (center), during a Christmasthemed Four Square Friday event.

FUN EVENTS ¾ FOUR SQUARE FRIDAY: DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS STAY OPEN from 6-9 p.m. on the second Friday of each month ¾ PARTY ON THE PLAZA: VENDORS CONGREGATE AT THE DOWNtown plaza for a block party-like setting on the last Friday of the month.

Photos on Page 24: 'Farm to Table' depicts a goat and cow alongside sunflowers and a representation of Texas. The bench was painted by Arlene Nanney and is located in the 100 block of South Getty Street, in front of City Hall. 'Fiesta de Abejas' celebrating bees and honey by artist and Robb Elementary teacher Elina Garza may be seen at 229 N. Getty.

Nestled in between what you’d never expect and what you’d never believe is Downtown Uvalde. This intersection of culture, history, and spirit will lead to experiences you can’t find anywhere else.

Main Street Uvalde Celebrating Perseverance, Preservation, and People since 2011

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Uvalde Leader-News

38TH SUMMER ON THE FRIO

Frio’s Dry Fifty “IT’S A SUMMER TRADITION ON THE FRIO” Largest selection of T-shirts on the Frio (Frio River, Garner State Park, Concan)

Patagonia, Howler Bros, Staunch, Lazy J, Red Dirt Hat Co, Burlebo, Free Fly, Chacos, Teva, Cobian, Bogg Bags, Consuela, Maria Victoria, Pura Vida, Brighton, Buddha Girl, Caps, Hats, Clothing, Yellow Box Shoes, Water Shoes, Sunglasses, River Hats and River Gear, Signs, Tyler Candles, Children’s T-shirts and shorts, Rock Shop, Gifts, Crosses, Concan Mining Company • 38 years on the Frio

• SNACK SHACK • • Drinks • Blue Bell Ice Cream • Hawaiian Shaved Ice • Snack Items

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Summer Hours 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. 7 Days a Week

Hours subject to change. Please check out our Facebook page for updates.

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

(Above) To the delight of his built-in cheering section, ‘Wild’ Willie Walling places the cowboy hat he had just plucked from atop his own head over the eyes of the raring bull that failed to buck the young competitor in requisite time during Mini Jack competition of the 10th-annual Cactus Jack bull riding fundraiser. (Top right) Diego Valdez, son of Bel and Gil Valdez of Sabinal, is focused on the goal as he hoists a wild hog from his shoulder toward the bag his partner has open and ready during the second of three 2021 hog-catching sessions, the hallmark of the Sabinal Lions Club Wild Hog Fest fundraiser. (Right) Visitor Elliot Morris, who prefers the name Tex Weaver, grins after seizing a coveted piglet, earning himself another blue ribbon during the Sabinal Lions Club's Wild Hog Fest. Tex's triumph came during the 2021 event, during the second of three contests for the day.

Swim, Kayak, Float, Tube, Relax on the Frio River

YOUR FAMILY VACATION AWAITS! PO Box 45 Concan, TX 78838 (800) 591-3421 www.concanriverlodging.com

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Uvalde Leader-News

THE UVALDE LEADER-NEWS ASKED PROLIFIC PHOTOGRAPHER AND birder Bob Shackleford to divulge his secrets for finding the best spots for wildlife photography: I do a lot of backroad birding, just poking along. Cooks Slough, but you have to do a lot of walking. It’s tough in the summer. The fish hatchery is best in the winter and you have to catch them open. Weekends, Ft. Inge. Concan can be good also – Neal’s and Garner State Park. Lost Maples up near Utopia. West of Uvalde, La Lomita

Wildlife Photography Ranch has a great setup for birding and wildlife. They charge by the day and you need reservations. I am always open to having people come out and sit in my blind if I’m around. I’ve had hundreds of them over the years. No charge: I’m not in it for the money. Anyone is welcome to call me if they’re in town to find out where the hotspots are at any particular time. The time of year makes a lot of difference. A lot depends on the physical ability of the birder.

BIRDS LOVE THE RIVERS AND REGION, TOO Due to its prime location, Uvalde has become a hotspot for bird watchers, both the professional kind and the recreational. Birders took a heightened interest in this area in 1992, following the first sighting of the collared plover in the United States in Uvalde County. Popular areas for birding include Fort Inge, Lost Maples State Natural Area, the National Fish Hatchery, Chalk Bluff and Cooks Slough Wetlands Park.

Several birders had confirmed sightings of a rufous capped warbler at Park Chalk Bluff on Highway 55 northwest of Uvalde in April of 1995. A native of southern Mexico, Honduras and Central Guatemala, the bird had only been sighted twice in the United States before. Green jays, a more tropical species, are now routinely sighted in Uvalde County.

Almost 10,000 species of birds have been identified worldwide and more new species are being discovered constantly. More than 800 of these birds breed north of the Mexico border, visit the continent regularly or drop in occasionally as the collared plover did in 1992. About 600 of these bird species have been recorded in Texas. This is where

birds funnel in from throughout Canada and the United States en route to southern wintering grounds or on the way north to breeding grounds.

Texas has more birds than any other state. This attracts bird watchers from everywhere, both in the U.S. and around the world. More than half the birds recorded for Texas have been seen in Uvalde County, indicating the importance of the area for birds as well as the economic potential for Southwest Texas. To many who have practiced birding, no other creature can offer the bird’s variety of color and beauty of song. Some birds even seem to enjoy performing for an audience.

Anyone can enjoy bird watching. To get started, set up a backyard feeding station. Learn to identify the common birds that come in to partake of the free food. Increase the variety of bird species visiting feeders by using various types of feed. Protect your backyard friends by keeping the feeders and water containers clean by periodically washing and scrubbing them. Then, all you need is a pair of binoculars and a field guide for helping to identify birds.

Above: Photo of Bob Shackleford by Bryce Gaudian.

Page 29: Photos of painted bunting in the bath, cardinals, green jays, and Eastern screech owlets by Bob Shackleford.

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

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Uvalde Leader-News

CALLING ALL HUNTERS

Suzanne Zapata (left) and Mark Roberts answer questions about the variety of sausage available for sampling during a Hunters' Roundup event organized by the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce.

Hunters from across the state will make tracks to Uvalde on Nov. 4 for what has become a ritual night of fun and information for sportsmen visiting our game-rich region.

Hunters’ Roundup, hosted by the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place at the Uvalde County Fairplex from 6 to 10 p.m. Hunters’ Roundup began in 1981 as an appreciation dinner to welcome hunters and to celebrate the opening of deer season.

The main draw to the event

is the expo, which features comprehensive information for sportsmen. Guns, ammunition, knives, blinds, game calls, camouflage, ice chests and much more are highlighted. A large variety of food booths, live music and family-oriented activities are also part of the evening’s events.

FORMER ARMY POST IS NOW WEEKEND PARK Fort Inge Historic Park, located south of Uvalde off County Road 140, is filled with history and natural beauty. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on week-

ends. There is a day-use fee of $2 per adult, $1 per child or $5 per car.

A drop box for park fees can be found on the park information board next to

Summer Shopping Headquarters

the white storage building inside the park.

Fort Inge was the southernmost U.S. Army post active during the mid 1800s. The fort was actively garrisoned from 1849-1869. Afterward, the fort was used by the Texas Rangers until 1884. In 1961, the site became the Fort Inge Historical Site County Park.

The park is dominated by a 140-foot volcanic plug on the northern most boundary of the park. This extinct volcano dates back several million years. Visitors and weekend adventurers might enjoy the challenge of hiking to the top of Mount Inge.

The trail head leading up the mountain is found near the main park road. Wearing sturdy shoes, hiking boots, jeans and other durable clothing is recommended.

The trail is rocky with a variety of thorny cacti. Those making it to the flag pole at the top of Mount Inge will be treated to scenic views overlooking the surrounding farmland and city of Uvalde.

Activities at the park include fishing, hiking, climbing, bird watching, and picnicking. Deer and other wildlife can also be observed at the park as the Leona River serves as a water source for them.

ROUGH AND TUMBLE

Largest Independent Authorized Retialer 212 N. Getty • Historic Downtown Uvalde 200 N. Getty • Historic Downtown Uvalde (830) 278-3537 (830) 278-2925

¾ THE MONTHS OF MARCH (SOMETIMES APRIL) AND MAY BRING THE SABInal Lions Club's Wild Hog Festival and the Cactus Jack Foundation's bull riding events. Both designed as fundraisers for non-profit groups, fans love to watch children and adults alike clamber after wily hogs in Sabinal and see the best cowboys try to outfox angry bulls in American freestyle bullfighting or outlast them in professional bull riding ventures. Both events have already taken place in 2022, but check out the Leader-News in early 2023 for more on next year’s events.

SEE PAGE 27 FOR PHOTOS

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Visitor’s Guide • Summer 2022

EXPERIENCE: OPERA HOUSE IS TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK FROM PAGE 4

over the stage. He described seeing a tall man in a gray military suit, complete with gold bars on his shoulder and a gold sash around his waist.

“He left that day and said he would never return Jerry because he Martinez was scared and did not want to ever see them again,” Charles said.

Former Uvalde Police Department lieutenant Jerry Martinez said his first encounter with spirits at the opera house happened in October of 2016 when he responded to a call at Gree’s Boutique, located across the street from the opera house.

“I was outside standing by my patrol car waiting for a keyholder,” Martinez said.

“I observed an older female peering down at me from a window on the second story floor of the opera house.”

Martinez, who served 22 years in the local police force, said the woman was wearing what appeared to be vintage clothing, so he assumed she was taking part in a theatre performance.

“A couple of minutes later I finished up the call and realized there were no cars in front or on the side of the opera house, so no one should be there,” Martinez said. “I had a keyholder for the opera house make the location and I cleared the building. No one was located.”

Furthermore, Martinez discovered the window where he spotted the woman was

covered in a black cloth used to keep the room dark.

“The way it was attached to the window frame, there is no way anyone could have

theatre was built in 1891 and first used for high school graduation ceremonies, dances and programs by local musicians.

‘I observed an older female peering down at me from a window on the second story floor of the opera house... [but] The way it was attached to the window frame, there is no way anyone could have been standing there.’

Jerry Martinez, former police lieutenant been [seen] standing there,” Martinez said.

The opera house, located at 104 W. North St. on Uvalde’s downtown plaza, is Texas’ oldest functioning theater. Constructed in Gothic style, complete with a dragon on its cupola, the

GOLF COURSE, 221 E . DOUGHTY ST ., TUES-SUN 7 A .M . TO 8 P .M .

The theater building is a recorded Texas Historical Landmark and a National Registered facility.

The building faces Uvalde’s four-plaza downtown area at the intersections of Highways 83 and 90.

Burgers, Sandwiches, Salads & Home Cooked Specials

TEE OFF IN UVALDE Golf is a great way to enjoy some fresh air, and visitors can get in some exercise while taking in the lush greenery on the 18-hole Uvalde Memorial Golf Course.

Built in 1940 and maintained by the City of Uvalde, the course is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The course is located along

the Leona River at 221 East Doughty St., and the club house may be reached to arrange equipment rentals and tee times at 830-278-6155.

Full of large trees and inviting emerald grass, the golf course is a great place to spend a day relaxing in Uvalde, tooling around on a golf cart and enjoying your good walk, spoiled, as the saying goes.

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