Walker County Press 12-31-2020

VOL 5 ·ISSUE 9

WALKER COUNTY

PRESS

PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Permit #60 WINNIE, TX

Thursday December 31, 2020

Congratulations Hornets on a Great Season

By Wade Thibodeaux season came to an end gars 29-32 in overtime Woodforest Bank Sta- Hornets on a great sea- that gave it your all and The Huntsville Hor- last Saturday as they in the Regional semi-fi- dium in Shenandoah, son and on being a great left it all on the field. nets varsity football fell to the Crosby Cou- nal game played at Texas. Congratulations group of young men Go Hornets!!!!!!!

Shooting PBR and Discovering America

By Andrew Giangola More than 40 years ago, in a small town in France, little 7-year-old Chris Elise sat with his grandfather, watching dubbed TV westerns and falling in love with cowboys.

He began dreaming of coming to America.

Chris had always been fascinated by photography, a hobby of his father. In 1997,

his father tragically passed at 46, and Elise took possession of his dad’s Nikon FE camera and one 50mm lens. He shot portraits, including musician Ravi Coltrane – son of John Coltrane – and dabbled in wedding photography.

One day a girlfriend asked about his biggest dream. Chris finally heard his voice saying aloud what had always

been deep inside: “My dream is to live in America.”

It was go time. He’d need to support himself.

He loved that Nikon.

And sports. Why not put the two together and make a run at a new career using the universal languages of pictures and sports to cross the ocean?

“French was my (contd on page 8)

Thursday December 31, 2020

THEME: INTERNATIONAL MENU

ACROSS 1. Arithmetic operation 6. Romantic getaway destination 9. “Hold on!”

13. Foolish 14. Unit of electrical resistance 15. Ann Patchett’s

Community

novel “Bel ____” 16. Parallel grooves 17. New Zealand’s bygone bird 18. Daisy-like bloom 19. *En ____, cooked and served in individual pot

Solution on page 7

21. *Raw fish 23. Like Second Testament 24. Archipelago unit 25. Fool’s Day mo.

28. “Days” in Havana 30. Just one of

TV’s “American ____” 35. Russian mountain range 37. Urban haze 39. Spiral-horned African antelope 40. Aggressive remark 41. 10 percent to charity, e.g.

43. Milk choice 44. Burnt ____ 46. “Nobody ____ It Better” 47. London art museum 48. Evening party 50. Boll weevil, e.g.

52. Dianne Feinstein, abbr.

53. Windmill blade 55. “... ____ he drove out of sight” 57. *It’s battered and fried 61. *Cheese and potato dumplings 65. Loudspeaker noise 66. Sheep sound 68. Frank Wright’s middle name 69. Atones, archaic 70. Days of ____

Walker County Press-Page 2

71. Containing fat 72. Cut the crop 73. College degrees 74. Stainless material DOWN 1. Catchall abbr.

2. Gung-ho about 3. DEA agent 4. Jimmy Hoffa’s organization 5. Position while landing 6. A few 7. *Vietnamese soup 8. Accumulate 9. Done in loads 10. Opposing prefix 11. Unit on a list 12. Torus, pl.

15. Milk protein 20. *Cocktail garnish 22. Mont Blanc, e.g.

24. Heavy hydrogen, e.g.

25. *With jus 26. First-rate 27. Browning’s “____ ben Ezra” 29. In the thick of 31. Benign lump 32. New Zealand parrots

33. Like NCAA’s eight 34. *Japanese noodle soup 36. Suggestive look 38. *Clarified butter 42. Ruhr’s industrial center 45. “The Dean Martin Show” and “The Carol Burnett Show” 49. Lobe locale 51. Ogres of the Norse 54. Bigwig in the Orient 56. Approval of the audience 57. Tow rope alternative 58. River in Bohemia 59. Comedian Rudolph 60. “Dead Poets Society” school, e.g.

61. Cowboy’s prods 62. Apple leftover 63. Jekyll’s alter ego 64. Bucolic poem 67. *____ ____ mode

Walker County Press-Page 3

Business Directory

Thursday December 31, 2020 2801 Old Houston Road 936-435-0303 www.tomorrowspromise.com email: tpms1@msn.com fax: 936-730-8278

TEXAS MEDIA CORP Huntsville

Wade Thibodeaux (936) 581-5161

P.O. Box 149

Huntsville, Tx 77342

wade@txmediacorp.com

Auto

Tomorrow’s Promise

Covid may have changed things, but children still learn the same way!

Our hours have changed to 5:00am - 6:30pm

Home

Texas Tidbits From Historic Tours of Texas

Commercial

Sam Houston was baptized twice?

Life Health Office: 936-295-6000 Email: huntsvilleoffice@ rolloinsurance.com Steven R. Gregory - Agent www.rolloinsurance.com 1010 University Ave. Huntsville, TX 77320

Did you know...?

The rest of the answer can be found at historictoursoftexas.com

Thursday December 31, 2020

Arrest Report

Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home -All Prearranged Services Honored -Prearranged Funeral Sales

Joetta’s

Women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories Home Decor and gifts Tyler Candles and Glamour Wash

office: 936-661-6125 www.joettas.com

Walker County Press-Page 4

1700 Normal Park Huntsville, TX 77340

Located in West Hill Mill

936-291-7300

From the office of Walker County Sheriff

Clint McRae Thirty-One individuals were arrested and booked into the Walker County Jail between Friday, December 18 and Wednesday, December 23.

Continued indictments from last week are also as followed.

The individuals named have been magistrated and formally informed of the charges

against them. However, just because these individuals were arrested and magistrated does not mean they are guilty of the crimes they are charged

with committing. Also not everyone charged with a crime is alleged to have committed the crime in Walker County, but perhaps was simply ar-

rested in Walker County on outstanding warrant(s) while in Walker County.

In instances in which individuals were arrested on out-

standing warrants, their original conviction and the reason they are on probation or parole, if available, is included in parenthesis set.

Walker County Press-Page 5

Arrest Report

Thursday December 31, 2020

Personalizing Your Events...Since 1957 www.huntsvilleheartfieldflorist.com office: 936-295-5448

Baptist: -University Heights Baptist Church worship services every Sunday at 9:30am and 10:45am -First Baptist Church Hunts-

ville every Sunday bible study at 9:30am, worship at 10:50, and 6:00pm Catholic: -St. Thomas the Apostale Catholic Church Rosary

Church Services

at 5:00pm and 5:30pm (English) every Saturday and every Sunday at 7:45am (English), 10:45am (English, and 12:30pm (Spanish)

Methodist: -First United Methodist Church worship every Sunday at 8:30am, 9:45am and 11:00am

Presbyterian: -First Presbyterian Church Huntsville classes every Sunday at 9:15am and worship at 10:30am

Corner of 16 and 31 Sam Houston Ave.

Non-Denominational: -The Ark Church. 10:30 am service. Loman’s Student Center, 1717 Avenue J. Lead Pastor - Luke Cunningham. 936-463-8416

Community

Thursday December 31, 2020

Community Calendar

The Huntsville Public Library will reopen to the public on Monday, October 26, 2020, under the modified hours of 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Mondays through Fridays, following the guidance of City officials.

The facility, located at 1219 13th Street, will only be able to accommodate 50 patrons inside the

building at one time.

Per Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order 28, all persons must wear a mask unless they are under the age of 10 or have a medical condition.

Citizens will also be able to take advantage of the library’s book sale which will be also reopened.

Computer access will be available on a first-come, firstserved basis with

limited use to social distance. In light of the safety of staff and citizens, personalized computer assistance will be offered on a limited basis.

Unfortunately, the ever-popular meeting rooms and study room reservations will not be available, and the library’s reading furniture will be inaccessible.

Dorothy Lorine Hoke For more information, Dorothy Lorine Norcall 936-291-5472. wood Hoke went to be

Obituaries

Boyce Dean Stalter Sr.

Boyce Dean Stalter Sr was born in Athens, Texas on December 18, 1944 and died at Memorial Herman Hospital in the Woodlands from a complication of a knee infection from a total knee replacement done on October 26th, 2020.

Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home of Huntsville, Texas will have a visitation on Tuesday, 12/29/2020 from 5:00pm-7:30pm and a Memorial Celebration of Life Wednesday 12/30/2020 at 2:00pm.

Survived by his wife Sally Jane Stalter of Huntsville, Tx, son Boyce Dean Stalter Jr of Houston, step sons Ted Edward Cole of Fort Lauderdale, FL and Kent James Cole of Huntsville Tx. Three granddaughter McKenzie Marie Stalter of Montgomery Tx, Kailie Rene Stalter and Allison Dean Stalter of Houston Tx and 4 great grandchildren Wyatt Keith Sellars, Leovanni Skye Ramirez, Emma Gracie Marie Cooley, Wesley Theodore Cooley. In addition to ALL are many supported friends. Boyce was proceeded in death by his father, Freeman Stalter and mother Allie Mae Chambers, sister Sue Ella Williford and special Aunt Ruby Lee Tevebaugh. Boyce attended Lee College

the Funeral Director.

In lieu of flowers donation can be made to Shriners Hospital for Children815 Market Street, Galveston Tx 77550.

in Baytown where he obtained his Associates Degree. He was employed by DuPont Chemical Plant for 37 years both at the Orange, Texas plant and the La Porte, Tx plant and retired from these as the Production Supervisor over the Sulfuric Acid Division. After retirement he and Sally moved to their beautiful retirement farm on 20 acres in Huntsville, Tx. Not yet completely ready for retirement Boyce continued to work for the next 5 years for the State of Texas TDCJ, Region 1 as their Maintenance Supervisor. Then he worked at Bauer, a German based drilling company in Conroe, Texas. Last but not least Boyce worked for the Sam Houston Funeral Home as an Assistant to

with the Lord on December 21, 2020. She was born in Huntsville on June 10, 1926 to William Chester and Maggie Allen Norwood. She is preceded in death by her parents, three brothers; Geroge, Lester, and Carl and one sister; Velma Lee Norwood. Per her wishes, Dorothy passed away in the home she and her husband Sterling Hoke built. Dorothy and Sterling were married for 50 years, Sterling passed away in 1997. Dorothy is also preceded in death by her daughtersin-law Brenda Jo Hoke and Tammy Hoke.

Loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt, she was known to everyone as Mama or Ma Hoke. Her door was always open to her “babies” and if she knew you were coming to visit your favorite food

Walker County Press-Page 6

would be on the table.

She loved to cook and bake and her chocolate pies were requested at every family/church gathering. Dorothy was an accomplished gardener; she loved plants and flowers and could take a twig and turn it into a beautiful gardenia bush.

Dorothy is survived by her children Rita Craft of Diboll and husband Gordon, Cecil Hoke of Huntsville and wife Terri, Jimmy Hoke of Huntsville, and Marilyn Phillips of Conroe and husband Hal. Rita and Gordon’s children Kevin Craft and wife Mary, Brian Craft and wife Christine, James Craft and wife Lori Lea. Jimmy’s children Tonya Griffin and husband James and April Frodsham and husband Les. Marilyn’s children Shelly Owens and Clint Cowart and wife Cara. Dorothy is also survived by a dozen great-grandchildren, many nieces, and nephews, and a multitude of friends in Huntsville, A special thanks to all the of people who helped care for Dorothy including JoAnn Norwood, Pat Oliphant, Dorothy Harrison, the First Choice hospice staff. The family wishes to express deepest gratitude to Dorothy Harrison for the loving way she cared for our mother during the last months of her life.

Sharon Kaye Durbin

Sharon Kaye Heartfield Durbin was born in Huntsville, Texas to Blanche Wyser and G. A. Heartfield, Sr. She was the youngest of their four children and enjoyed an idyllic childhood in the family home on Avenue N and later the Heartfield Farm on HWY 30. She and her family were longtime members of First Christian Church.

In her senior year of high school, Sharon was named a Duchess in the Neches River Festival in Beaumont, Texas. She graduated from Huntsville High School in 1966, having been named a Class Beauty and HHS Twirler her junior and senior years. Throughout high school Sharon worked at her mother’s business, Heartfield Florist.

While she was in school she met and began dating her future husband, Denny Durbin.

Sharon attended Sam Houston State University and was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority. In 1968 she married Denny and after several moves settled in Panama City, Flor-

Thursday December 31, 2020 ida. Sharon began her working career as Assistant to the President of the Angleton Bank of Commerce, Angleton, TX. and continued in banking with a move to Huntsville National Bank, Huntsville, TX. In Florida Sharon accomplished a personal goal and graduated from Gulf Coast State College with honors in Accounting.

Sharon had a tender spot in her heart for dogs.

There was not one she could not love and bring into her home. She was also an accomplished gardener and especially known for her African Violets and orchids.

She was an excellent cook and loved to make family members laugh out loud. Sharon had a natural talent in fashion design and was known to find the best bargains when shopping. She will truly be missed by many.

Sharon is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, G. A. (Jerry) Heartfield, Jr., her sister, Patricia Heartfield Pierce, and her in-laws, Johnny and Eldena Durbin. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Denny, her brother, Bob (Anne), her brotherin-law, Chuck (Jane) Durbin, and numerous nieces and nephews who all lovingly called her “Aunt Kaye.” She is also survived by her beloved dog, Baby.

Patricia Beaty Blevins

Local News

Patricia Betulia Elizabeth Beaty Blevins, 84, of Huntsville, Texas was called home by the Lord on Friday, December 25, 2020, there to rest in Him with peace and joy until the great Resurrection Day. Patricia was born May 20, 1936 to Flavious and Pearl Beaty. Before graduating high school early she already met the love of her life, Harold Blevins. They married in 1952, and together over the next 59 years raised seven children, gained three more daughters and two sons through childrens’ marriages, and saw the blessing of a multitude of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Patricia (also known as Mama or Granny) was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, g r e a t - g r a n d m o t h e r, friend, and servant of God. She was a member of the Primitive Baptist church for most of her life; joining the Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church in Ider, Alabama, and then the Grace Primitive Baptist Church in Houston and Fellowship Primitive

Baptist Church in Madisonville, after she and Harold moved to Texas. She loved everyone deeply, and sought to treat everyone as a child of God. In addition to her service to her immediate family and loved ones, she also loved to serve the children of the Huntsville ISD through the food service, from 1984 to 1995, retiring in that year.

Patricia was preceded in death by both of her parents, her brothers Loma and Khomer, her sister Murial, her husband Harold, her son Anthony, and grandson JD Grant. She is survived by her children: Priscilla (Blevins) Hawks (wife of Anthony) of Belton, Texas; Allan and wife Patsy of Huntsville; Lindsey Blevins of Huntsville; Lisa (Blevins) McDonald and husband Thomas of Sadler, Texas; Stephanie (Blevins) Colunga and husband Richard of Centennial, Colorado; Christopher Blevins and wife Catherine of Anna, Texas; and Jonathan Blevins of Huntsville, Texas.

She is also survived by many grandchildren: Paula Valdez and husband Dario; Olivia Powell and husband Kevin; Amanda Lee and husband Jack; Donnie Grant; Stan Miller; Pamela Weiland; Angela Smith; Virginia Innes and husband Paul; Thomas A. Mc-

Donald and wife Mindy; Melissa Colunga and Hai Truong; Sarah Joyce; Elizabeth Colunga; Emmeline Blevins;

Walker County Press-Page 7

Abigail Blevins; Elijah Blevins; Asher Blevins; Ella Blevins; many great-grandchildren, great-great grandchil-

dren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends she counted every bit as family.

Sam Houston Memorial

Funeral Home

1700 Normal Park Huntsville, TX 77340

936-291-7300

Thursday December 31, 2020

Local News

Shooting PBR and Discovering (contd)

mother language, so if I drop the pen and pick up the camera, I don’t have the language barrier,” he explained.

“I had always loved sports, so it was an easy way for me to walk into the USA and not have that barrier.”

Elise hooked up with a photo agency in California and began covering the NBA for the French basketball magazine Reverse. Several sports agencies took notice.

He became a French photo correspondent in the U.S., covering pro hoops while going on assignment to cover sports in exotic places like the Sahara desert, Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

Elise is now a renowned sports photographer, and in mid-November, he drove his Chevy pickup from Los Angeles to Texas to shoot the PBR World Finals as his new favorite sport played in a giant football stadium usually hosting the Dallas Cowboys.

And when PBR announced that the 2021 season would start with a southern swing through iconic smalltown outdoor rodeo grounds, the first media member to ask for credentials was none other than Chris Elise.

“My first love was the cowboys, so yes, (contd on page 3)

Waylon Jennings tattoo on his arm who was I have come full circle,” PBR is eager to introduce increasingly often seen he said in a heavy the sport to writers on tour.

French accent with a and photographers An impromptu meeting good laugh. covering other sports. at T-Mobile Arena Elise initially became He was immediately during the 2018 World Finals would show intrigued with bull credentialed. riding after seeing “It was my first time an open and intimate a single picture – in Sioux Falls, my first sports culture Elise has a soaring bull and time shooting PBR, and come to cherish. sprawling bucked-off I loved everything about “I’m leaving the arena rider, captured from it,” he said. “I would and some guy shouts ground level. come to experience out, ‘Hey!’ It was Cody “I was really impressed how PBR takes care of Nance,” Elise said. by the picture. Realizing the media like nobody “He’d seen me before and wanted to know these men were riding else.” bulls, I wanted to see With his afro exploding who I was. We had a this sport and shoot it,” to the heavens, French good chat – he wanted he said. accent, tattoos, and to know more about And so, in 2017, fingers dangling with me, so he said he’d see while in Las Vegas conspicuous silver me tomorrow.” to participate in a rings, Elise brings Elise had been in sports documentary pilot for a a coolness quotient for 15 years. Yet this French TV show and out ratcheting up the was an experience with for a drink, Elise looked hipness level of any an athlete he’d never up at the TV and saw a night’s PBR media had.

“In LA, I’d shot the cowboy hanging on to a contingent. furiously bucking bull. Working press same team for six years, It was the PBR World normally don’t make it and a player never had Finals. into the slate of zany said hello once,” Elise He took out his phone hijinks that goes down said. “This guy had had and bought a ticket for between death-defying just gotten on a bull the next night. rides, but he drew at the most important “I didn’t know a thing the attention of PBR event in the sport, about it, but I go there Official Entertainer and he’s genuinely and fall in love right Flint Rasmussen. The interested in me. The away,” he said. “PBR funny back and forth values in this league knows how to put on banter between rodeo aren’t marketing BS; a show. It was really clown and French it’s totally real.” fantastic.” photographer by way of The cowboy he enjoys A few months later, in LA and Denver went up shooting the most, the sport’s biggest Denver to shoot the on the video board.

Nuggets, he decided While the NBA star, two-time world to contact PBR for remained Chris’ bread champion J.B. Mauney, credentials for its event and butter, his PBR also befriended Elise. in Sioux Falls, South immersion would “J.B.is one of a kind,” says.

“His Dakota. Elise explained continue. The cast and Elise that he may be an NBA crew barnstorming the attitude and approach specialist, but he loved country week to week personify the hero that cowboys and always were eager to learn more is a cowboy. He never wanted to be involved about the tall, affable disappoints me. If I with the PBR. photographer with the could be one cowboy, I

Walker County Press-Page 8

would be J.B. Mauney.”

The consummate professional who’s routinely been around stars big as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James has to contain his enthusiasm when in Mauney’s presence.

“I’m going to be 50 years old next year, and I can say that I feel like a kid, and he is my John Wayne,” Elise said Elise was becoming more fascinated with the sport, but he didn’t expect what would happen next as he covered the rides.

Friendships began to blossom.

“I’ve never met real friends in other sports organizations like I have in the PBR,” he said. “Everyone is outward and friendly.

Being a fan is easy because (contd on page 8) PBR is true. The sense of a family is very rich and real. The cowboy values you see PBR pushing; they live by these values. The values and slogans you see the other leagues push, they don’t live by it.”

He lives in Los Angeles with a famous, beautiful and sassy novelist wife, driving his beloved muscle cars – a 1968 Chevelle SS and a 1969 Dodge Super Bee – as well as his modern pickup to cover PBR in Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Texas, Wyoming and South Dakota.

“Those flyover states, that is America,” Elise says. “I tell people all the time that LA and New York are not America.

Some people may think the worst about those other places, but go there and you’ll see honesty and sincerity in the small places all across this country. In the real America, people like you for who you are, for how you treat them.

People in America are much easier to talk to than a place like France. I’ve never had a bad experience in all my years of traveling across America.”

When Elise gets to the next city and settles into his position next to the dirt, the lights go down and the “Be Cowboy” video comes up on the video screen, and the dragonslaying cowboys strut through fire for rider introductions, he gets chills. Every single time.

Elise’s magazine work trained him to be ready for anything that might happen on the field of play.

“I’m a good enough photographer at covering different sports to get some super-good photos and some that are just good,” Elise said. “With PBR, what happens in front of you is spectacular in any second. You could have a ride for only two seconds and still get a

Walker County Press-Page 9 spectacular picture.

“When I get on the floor of the NBA, it’s my happy place. I always enjoy that. PBR is the only other sport where I get the same feeling.

Every time I shoot PBR, I get excited. I feel being with my grandfather again, when the western movie started.”

Elise wanted to use his camera instead of a keyboard in America.

He thought he’d do better with pictures than words. But he borders on poetic in describing the objects of his lens.

“PBR is this strange dance, this clash, this fight of a man and an animal,” he said.

“And that animal is a magnificent beast.

There’s a mythology to this bull. They’re beautiful and dangerous.

And then you have these cowboys, most of them skinny and tiny, not like football players or UFC fighters. You put them together, the cowboy and the bull, and the chemistry of their dance is completely unique.”

Along with the westerns airing on three TV channels available in France long before

Local News

satellite TV and the internet, Elise learned about America by reading about baseball.

“Bull riding is like baseball: two sports that are like a painting – the colors and shades, the confrontations on the field,” he said. “In bull riding, you have the beast and the man.

Baseball has the pitcher staring down the batter, which is like how the cowboy looks at the villain in a showdown.

It’s a very interesting combination for a photographer.”

As Elise shoots more PBR events – he was the only photographer outside of PBR’s official lensman Andy Watson to shoot the Monster Energy Team Challenge closed-tofans events at South Point Arena throughout June – he is expanding his canvas.

“Every photographer has his eye and his aesthetic,” he said.

“You want a photo of a good ride – the hand is up, he’s in control, everything is looking good. That doesn’t always transfer to good photography.”

Like that first photo that attracted him to PBR, he is in search of the next picture revealing something entirely new.

“Catching the bull looking through the slats of the chute can be a great moment,” Elisa said. “After the big picture of a great ride, the magic is to focus on something else. Maybe when the bull is running in the arena after jerking the rider down on the dirt.”

At every event, his curiosity grows. He’s eager for more rides, new paintings, the next discovery.

“I get more and more interested in the possibilities every time,” Elise said. “It’s 8 seconds, but there’s many interesting things going on in every single one of those seconds.”

As a youngster in France, his first love was cowboys. He’s grown up in America now, in his own boots, photographing cowboy magic.

And amid the wonder of heroes normalized, he’s still feeling all the little boy.

Thursday December 31, 2020

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Walker County Press-Page 10

Lifestyle

Sunday Observations by Christy

2020..... it is winding down quickly. This is after all the last Sunday of the year. Brings to mind, what was 2020?

What is the earmark of this last 12 months?

The utter chaos of the year that has developed its own designation.

Will the year be known as the moment of a virus? Whether you still believe it’s a hoax, or you are on board with masks and hand sanitizer, this year has been marked by a virus.

Will the year be known as a moment of change in the civil rights issues that America

continues to struggle with? Whether you still believe we don’t have issues, or you are on board with a change and justice for all, this year has been marked by a civil rights movement.

Will the year be known as the death of the American voting system? Whether you believe the election was rigged, or are on board with a new coming administration, this year has been marked by a level of electoral fighting not seen before.

Will the year be known as the time scientist developed a vaccine in

record speed, for the betterment of human kind? Whether you believe the Covid19 vaccine is of harm, or are in line to get your shot now, this year has been marked by the joint efforts of scientist and medical experts worldwide.

Whether you believe that this is just how America is now, or you long for the days when we all had the ability to stand together for a common cause, this year has been marked by division. A year of fighting. A year of bashing. A year of showing the world the finer parts of America.

Said with much sarcasm.

Happy New Year peeps.....my wish for 2021 is a return to decency. There are many ways to view any situation, but we have to respect those differing views. To allow one another the independence to live our lives. To prosper.

To lawfully coexist and lift one another. I’m not stupid, a sheep, ignorant, a homophobe, a liberal, a right wing extremist, racist, superior, a know it all, or follower. I am however a lover of peace. A respectful individual of all races.

An inquisitive person who desires knowledge to better understand.

I have a deep love for

anyone different, for the underdog, for the mistreated. I’m also a person who is horribly

Thursday December 31, 2020 disappointed in the I’m doing my part.... overall hate I see in our are you? world. May we find a way back to decency.

WOODS, WATERS, and WILDLIFE

ANCIENT ARMAMENT

By John Jefferson

I saw an exhibit of historic weaponry at the Metropolitan Museum of Art a few years ago. It was -- to be honest – frightening. Wars were once fought with crude weapons that created severe maintenance problems. Recovery was usually not an option. Even the horses wore armor.

I don’t recall seeing crossbows, but there might have been a few, though overshadowed by battle axes, bludgeons, and other accessories. Be glad crossbows survived and the others were relegated to museums.

Just a few years ago, Texas legalized crossbows as permissible choic-

es during the special archery-only season for deer, turkeys, and javelinas.

Except in Grayson, Collin, Dallas, and Rockwall counties. See the TPW Outdoor Annual for other regulations.

That has opened the door for other hunters to use crossbows who might not have hunted with a rifle or compound bow.

I think that’s good.

One family I know agrees.

Phillip Walker was an active hunting and fishing guide in Central Texas.

When he met and married non-hunting-Cathy, both their lives changed.

Avery arrived later and Walker became infatuated with fatherhood. I’d call him to ask where the fish were biting,

and he’d talk nonstop for 10 minutes about what little Avery had done that week.

I didn’t mean to sound critical; a friend once asked me if I didn’t ALSO have two sons. He wondered why I didn’t talk about them. Little girls can do that to a daddy.

Flash forward to 2020. Avery is now in high school, beautiful, has learned to hunt and fish, and is still her father’s most animated conversation subject.

Just ask him how she’s doing on the High School Bass Team tournaments and sit back and listen. And she also hunts.

With a crossbow.

And very efficiently. Phillip accompanied her on a

Walker County Press-Page 11

crossbow hunt on the second weekend of 2020 deer season in the Hill Country.

They had just gotten comfortable in the blind when a nice buck appeared.

Phillip had seen two larger ones in the area when scouting it, but this one was there, and in crossbow range. He gave the go ahead, and she released the bolt.

For you rifle hunters, she wasn’t using a bolt-action rifle.

Projectiles for crossbows are

called “bolts”. And that one struck its target! Elated over her first buck, after a short interval to make sure it was terminally down, she started to dismount the blind. As she did, Phillip spotted the biggest buck he had scouted, and frantically began whispering Avery back into her seat while re-cocking her crossbow.

Then he realized he had left the cocking device at home. It almost cut his fingers to do so, but

Lifestyle he managed to recock it without mechanical help. She steadied herself, took aim, and filled her second buck tag.

The entire hunt took fifteen minutes.

After Thanksgiving, Cathy took her first buck with the same crossbow.

And then, after observing “Ladies First”, Phillip hunted, shooting a buck that scored 213 B&C points and had a 25-inch-antler spread!

Thursday December 31, 2020

“A Better Year”

As my mother-in-law advanced in years, health issues multiplied. Her youngest son, a doctor, told the rest of the family, “The most important thing for her quality of life is still good nutrition. She has to eat.”

“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the person who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8) Just what the “Doctor” ordered for quality of life in 2021!

Avery Walker and her father, Phillip, only sat in a deer blind for 15 minutes before Avery had filled the two buck tags on her license. Hunting in Comal County, Amy downed both deer with a crossbow. Phillip Walker photo.

Danny R. Biddy, Chaplain for Fellowship of Christian Cowboys and Chambers County Sheriff ’s Office

Lifestyle

Thursday December 31, 2020

Disclaimer: This column is the opinion of Publisher Wade A. Thibodeaux and may contain subject matter on a variety of topics, but usually contains humor of some description. An occasional serious thought may be thrown in to entice the reader to think.

I should have known better, I should have known better, I SHOULD have known better, but I didn’t, or It just didn’t click in this hard head of mine. It is a tradition, or a common practice for us to take off the week between Christmas and New Year’s and this year was supposed to be the same, but somehow we have managed to get ourselves into a position of producing a newspaper in all of our markets for this week that we are supposed to be on vacation. However, in this world of up to the minute news and more concerning the social media aspect of the news business, we are going to produce a digital version of the papers this week. I’m not exactly sure how they are going to look, how many pages in each publication, or just exactly what information will be contained in them, but we are going to produce a paper..... well, a publication at least and they will at least contain the stuff that we can gather and find information about during this holiday sea-

son. This all started because the Hornets were in the playoffs and I didn’t want to skip a week because then we would be a week behind as I was just sure that they were going to be playing well into January. So, instead of producing a full blown, hold in your hand newspaper, I decided that we would just produce a digital version and make it available to everyone on our social media page. That way we could cover the Hornets game, give our advertisers a little extra exposure because we weren’t going to charge them for this week, and still be somewhat in the news flow on a little more relaxed basis.

Well, the Hornets lost their game in overtime and that bad news could have certainly waited for an extra week, but I had already broadcast the digital edition in last week’s paper and I certainly wanted to keep my word, therefore we will produce the digital version. Besides that, people still get arrested, obituaries need to be published, and news continues to happen re-

gardless of the calendar, so here we are producing a newspaper. And, if we are going to do one....we may as well do all of them. So, if you are reading this, it means that you found the link on our social media sites and if you like the digital version just shoot us an email, a phone call, or even an old fashioned letter in the mail and we will be glad to include you on our weekly digital distribution list......no charge for paper subscribers and only $25. a year for new subscriptions.

Now, on to something a little funny. This is a Sonic story that’s a little backwards from the usual. I was in line at the drive thru the other day and a guy pulled up behind me and yelled out the window of his truck for me to hurry up. I looked in my rear view mirror and recognized the fellow as the pastor of one of the local churches and he and I have developed a friendship over the years. I waved to him and pulled up to the window and as I was driving up, the thought

of doing something nice for him during the holidays crossed my mind and I asked the young lady at the window if I could pay for his order.

She said that she would check to see how much it was and she came back and said that he had an “Order Ahead” and it was already paid for. Well dang, the one time that I’m going to do something nice for somebody and this new

Walker County Press-Page 12 digital world full of apps took me out of the equation. You see, once the order is placed, confirmed, and paid for on the Sonic app, there’s no going back. I wanted to pay for it and they refund his credit card, but she said that they couldn’t do that and so I just drove off, waving goodbye to my friend.

As I’m writing this column, the thought occurred to me that I guess

I could have bought him a gift card and left it for him to use next time, but I didn’t think of that option at the time. Oh well, I’ll catch him next time, because I think he is a frequent consumer of the sweet nectar from Sonic like I am and so there should be more opportunities. Till next time, I’m........Wade in the Shade.

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Walker County Press-Page 13

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Thursday December 31, 2020

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Thursday December 31, 2020

News Merry Christmas

Walker County Press-Page 14

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