BROWNSVILLE BIKE BRIGADE IN FRONT OF EL HUESO DE FRAILE

AHUMADA ATTEMPTS TO REMAIN CURRENT IN 2023

 

As Daniel Lenz observed, not a single smile on an Ahumada supporter. . . . . 

It brought a smile to my face the other day reading a quote from former Mayor Pat Ahumada condemning "wokeness."

I know "70 is the new 50," but reading a Pat Ahumada quote recently blasting "wokeness" evoked the image of an old geezer with his ball cap on backwards.

It's not that Pat shouldn't be allowed to mouth the new Republican talking points, but originality beats regurgitation, like when he called city commissiors "blocking lineman" and referred to himself as the "quarterback."

That was a line worth repeating.

Anyway, if "wokeness" means being alert to and concerned about social injustice and discrimination what's wrong with that?

Is it better to be alert, awake, aware, cognizant than to be asleep, ignorant, blind and uninformed?

In reality, "wokeness" is anything a politico doesn't like.

It's a catchall.

It's a cliche.

Or, if you want to use one cliche to define another, it's a nothingburger.

LISTEN TO WHAT RON DESANTIS SAYS HE WILL DO IF ELECTED PRESIDENT

 

Ron DeSantis

Forget for a moment Ron DeSantis' ongoing fight with Mickey Mouse.

Let's not even mention DeSantis stated desire to "whitewash" the history books, removing any trace of our country's abominable 400 year love affair with Black slavery.

In a recent Fox News interview with Martha MacCallum, DeSantis states that, if elected President, he wants to eliminate four federal agencies;  the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, the Department of Educatin and the Internal Revenue Service.

MacCallum, acting somewhat surprised, repeated the statement back to DeSantis and he responded:

“But what I’m also going to do, Martha, is be prepared if Congress won’t go that far, I’m going to use those agencies to push back against woke ideology and against the leftism that we see creeping into all institutions of American life,” he said. 

In other words if Congress won't agree to eliminate four federal agencies, DeSantis will use those agencies to destroy his political enemies.

How reminiscent of Hitler's Nazi Germany!  

Who of us really wants to live in DeSantis' version of America?

"THE BOYS FROM WEST BROWNSVILLE ELEMENTARY~PLAYING CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL WITHOUT GLOVES" by Rene Torres

 

Rene Torres

In 1941, Brownsville and the entire valley enjoyed the game of softball and the kids from West Brownsville Elementary (today, Russell Elementary) were just as passionate about the game.

With no uniforms, no score board, no fences and with no cries from parents as none were in sight,the game was a game. 

There were no white lines marking the diamond, but rather old running paths established by the generation of players that came before.

The ward school softball competition was a serious proposition with kids playing for city bragging rights. 

While Little League baseball in Brownsville did not emerge until the early 1950s—elementary soft-shoe softball and youth playground ball were popular choices for kids back then.

Although football was also part of the elementary curriculum —softball at West Brownsville was a spring sport that dominated all available space on the playground.

Jimmy Pace, who played the hot corner for the Westside boys said then: 

“We didn’t use gloves, maybe just the catcher and it was not by choice—as these were tough (financial) times.”

Playing fields at West Brownsville were plenty as back then buildings did not swallow the landscape. 

From first grade to the fifth grade, each grade level owned their piece of the perfect diamond.

As the first graders moved through the seasons and bloomed with every play, their goal was to make it with the big squad, the major leagues or the fifth-grade team that participated in formal league against other city ward schools.

All games were played during school hours so there was always a healthy crowd to support the home team. 

It was common for kids, teachers and staff to line the foul lines.

Joe Huerta, a former ball player himself, and the school’s custodian, would lay his broom aside and take a break from his regular routine to call balls and strikes.

Mrs. Russell was a “natural” in the classroom and a coach that led her team through a season of brilliant victories. 

Her college transcript did not show that she had matriculated in baseball 101, but she was a person of strong character and a disciplinarian that got things done on and off the field. 

She was Casey Stengel of elementary coaches.

If you stepped out-of-line, she was a master at using the “board of education,” a piece of an old water hose, recalled one of her students, that measured precisely 3 feet. 

It was a tool she did not have to use that often, but when she did, it was with much compassion to deliver a good old-fashioned spanking.

Under her tutelage,the boys finished the elementary softball competition undefeated and untied, trouncing their archrivals from Victoria Heights twice and doing the same to the boys from First Ward School (now, Skinner Elementary).

Every team has a big stick, that kid that could hit the ball consistently and for the Westside boys, it was John Clough, who also had a big chest, at shortstop.

He had sure hands like Phil Rizzuto of the Yankees, but, unlike Phil, he did it barefooted and without a glove.

Marshall Alford, without a doubt, was the best all-around athlete on the team. 

He could throw the softball just as he did a football, with accuracy and for long distances. 

Marshall went on to establish himself as a star football player with the Brownsville Eagles and Baylor Bears.

Every season must come to an end and, for the softball boys of the Westside, it meant graduating from the sixth grade and closing the curtain to a competitive league.

West Brownsville kids would have to transfer to Clearwater Elementary to attend sixth grade.

The crack of the bat and the sounds and sights of softball were left behind as that school did not field a formal team.

Note: One former team member, who is no longer with us, was interviewed for this story and when asked why there were no Latinos on the team, responded: 

“School officials expected all kids to speak English by the time they got to the fourth grade, but, unfortunately, a great majority of them failed to do so, causing them to prematurely drop out of school before they got to the fifth grade to try out for the team.”

Soon after leaving school, many of the kids that left school were seen on the fields doing stoop labor, leaving behind the dreams of playing America’s game.

See you at the park!

Photo: Front row, L to R: John B. White, outfielder; Billy Dorris, catcher; Wayne Cooper, outfielder; Russell Harwood, outfielder; Malcolm Graham, second base and John Clough, shortstop.

Back Row, L to R: Marshall Alford, outfielder; Junior Dumal, pitcher; Melvin Stovall, outfielder; Walter Fortune, outfielder; Freddie Schmidt, first base; and Jimmy Pace, third base. 

Not shown: Mrs. Russell, principal and the coach of the team.

DIVERSE TEXAS CITIES AND CONTROLLING VOTER SUPPRESSION MAY SOON TURN TEXAS BLUE

 

The graphic above shows the Trump(red), Biden(blue) divide among Texas' 254 counties in the 2020 election.

To the untrained eye, the red/blue differentiation should give Republicans solid hope for the future, but it doesn't.

While the red, mostly rural counties, voted overwhelmingly for Trump, some with as high as 89% plurality, the population centers of El Paso, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and the RGV, were solidly blue, from mid-50's to high 60's percentage points.

Stirring the entire mix into a single pot, Texas went for Trump over Biden 52-47(kid math whizzes will instantly note one missing percentage point, which I can explain if you have the time).

While the red/blue split looks like an urban/country differential, it's not that simple.

Texas cities tend to be more ethnically diverse, while many sparsely populated rural counties are more than 95% white. Those more diverse urban areas are rapidly increasing in population while rural counties remain essentially stagnant.

Back in 2015, Trump's speech at Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for President was racist as Hell, implying that Mexico was "sending" bad people, "rapists" into the U.S.

That appeal to racism in his campaign was totally intentional, premeditated, just has his theme, "Make America Great Again" really conjures up Make America White Again, as it harkens back to an era of totally white control.

It blows my mind that many Hispanics, a solid minority, let the overt racism fly over their heads and embraced Trump.

Many Blacks did the same despite Trump's obvious condescention at campaign rallies, shouting "Where's my Black?" 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

Stupidly, indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took credit for hindering the Texas voting process just enough in 2020 to keep Texas red.

As we reported in the Brownsville Observer August 20, 2021:

If you recall, in 2020, AG Paxton filed 12 lawsuits in various counties of Texas, specifically Democratic strongholds like Harris County(Houston) and Travis County(Austin), not to totally stop voting, but to make it much more difficult, hinder the process, etc.

Paxton now claims those lawsuits initiated by the Texas AG were what secured victory for Trump.

It's looking less likely by the minute that Paxton will still be in office next election, so, if his braggadocio has any merit, Texas may slide ever closer to blue if voter suppression becomes less of a factor.

OUR COUNTRY'S ANGRY DIVIDE WON'T HEAL SOON

 

Our country won't heal in my lifetime.

The divide is not information-based, but emotional.

A brilliant con was played on the populace, a con embracing two sacred symbols for hardcore, working class Americans, the Bible and the Flag.

Spit on the flag in rural Arkansas, Oklahoma or north Texas and you're in for an ass whipping.

Hold up a Bible, even upside down, in those territories, and you'll be invited inside out of the cold, to stand by the wood stove.

The magnificently beautiful Yell County in Arkansas, the valley of the Petit Jean River, stretching from Mount Nebo on the West to Petit Jean Mountain on the East, voted 80% for the con artist in 2016 and 2020.

Many of their sons, now full grown, tattooed and angry, showed their strength at the January 6 insurrection.

But, isn't the Ku Klux Klan, neo Nazism and the Confederacy incongruent with the Southern Baptist, Pentecostal, Assembly of God and Church of Christ religions?

No, they coexist, if not actually blend.

Elvis sang about it, laying down your life for the cause.

"Hush little baby, don't you cry.  You know you daddy's bound to die.  All my trials, Lord, will soon be over."

Jimmy Swaggart, Jim and Tammy Faye Baker made millions clutching the same flag, holding up the same Bible.

They were con artists too, but don't tell that to a Bible-believing Arkie, Okie or north Texan unless you want to be looking down the barrel of a shotgun.

HOW TO GET A FREE 15 PACK OF BUDWEISER, BUD LIGHT, BUDWEISER SELECT OR BUDWEISER 55 FOR JULY 4

 

In the case of a recent Anheuser-Busch promotion, people looking to celebrate the Fourth of July on the cheap can get beer nearly for free, but they are going to have to put forth a little effort.

The promotion is a $15 rebate option on 15-packs of Bud Light, Budweiser, Budweiser Select or Budweiser Select 55. The beers have to be purchased between June 15 and July 8 and money is reimbursed in the form of a prepaid card.

Here's the link:  https://www.budlight.com/budlightonusrebate

CLARENCE THOMAS CARTOON BY ED WEXLER

 

2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IMPORTANCE HEIGHTENED BY CONTROL OF SUPREME COURT

Justice Clarence Thomas

The upcoming, pending presidential election in 2024 takes on an added layer of momenti, that is, importance, with potential control of the Supreme Court for decades in the balance.

The learned men of politics speculate that retirement may be close for Supreme Court justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, not simply because they are "bought" men, basking in gifts from billionaires wanting to shape their decision-making, but more so because they are old, 75 and 73, respectively.

Justice Samuel Alito

Pundits looking ahead to retirement for these two geezers, warn that, if they're replaced by two young conservatives, men or women of similar ilk, the Supreme Court could remain in Republican control for decades.

The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade illustrates the damage such a Supreme Court inbalance could do.

The possibility of a 2024 Democratic loss in the Senate, and vulnerable seats will be contested in West Virginia, Montana and Ohio, makes the stakes even higher.

IS PASTOR BRAD A VICTIM OF BIBLICAL PORNOGRAPHY?

 

Pastor Brad Burkes

Perhaps blogfather Jerry McHale was a bit premature, maybe even reckless, in his recent evisceration of Brownsville's foremost Christian, Pastor Brad Burkes.

From this corner, it appears that Pastor Brad has done his part in blessing and praying over the City Commission at least a thousand times with his hand squarely on a Holy Bible.

Is it the good pastor's fault if the Almighty God of the heavens chooses to ignore his pleadings?

Do we blame the pastor for Brownsville's last three mayors, Ahumada, Martinez and Mendez all endeavoring to use the City of Brownsville as their personal ATM machine?

Could it be that the prayers were well-worded, offered in sincerity, but simply not heard?

Non-Pastor McHale in a pensive mood

Jerry also takes issue with some alleged anti-LGBTQ remarks made by Pastor Brad on the Captain Bob Show.

I'm not qualified to comment on Pastor Brad's statements since I did not watch the show.  

To be honest, I've never been able to get past the show's strident introduction, time-worn phrases about Brownsville being the country's southernmost continental city, on the border, by the sea.  Something about the cadence used to present those opening remarks rattles my spinal column.

So, I don't know what derisive comments, if any, Pastor Brad may have directed toward those with different sexual preferances than his own, but, in his defense, I submit that the human mind can be influenced by degraded, unwholesome reading material, including pornography.

Either of two volumes may have contributed to Pastor Brad's mindset and both are dangerously pornographic.

We're referring, of course, to the King James and Catholic Douay Versions of the Holy Bible, not actual translations from the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, but merely "versions" based on the Latin Vulgate.

Both of these books contain explicit pornography that may have twisted or wrecked havoc with Pastor Brad's moral values.

Jerry mentioned the decadence associated with the Biblical story of Lot, his wife and two daughters.  Hopefully, no minors are reading this, but Lot, supposedly a "friend of God," offered his two daughters to be gang-raped by "angels" who'd likely become demons after breaking free from God's employment.

Then, in the same account, Lot's daughters got him drunk, had sex with him and both bore children from the incestual relationship.

Speaking of drunkenness, righteous Noah, one of only 8 people God thought good enough not to kill when he brought a global flood on Earth, got himself totally shitfaced on wine, only to have his genitalia exposed by his supposedly grown son Ham.

Certainly, all of us can see how reading shit like this could affect a person's judgement.

There's more.  

The so-called love story of David and Bath-sheba epitomizes a lack of moral values.

Here's the shortened version of the story:

David, a King in Israel and a "man after God's own heart," catches a glimpse of the beautiful, married Bath-sheba bathing and immediately feels a "lust" for her, subsequently seduces her and murders her husband.  Bath-sheba is pregnant and gives birth.

BTW, both adultery and murder are capital offenses, worthy of death by stoning, in the law given to Israel binding on both David and Bath-Sheba.

But, God ignores his own law and merely slaps his friend David on the wrist, punishing him by allowing him to experience some unstated "trouble" from one of his sons.

Bath-Sheba also gets off scot-free and gets to live now like a queen.

God, though, in his infinite wisdom, decides one person needs to suffer the ultimate penalty for their wickedness.  He kills the only innocent party in this whole shitty episode, the innocent child of David and Bath-Sheba.

Now, I submit, anyone reading or even perusing a book promoting the moral values of the stories mentioned above, may have serious judgement issues.

Whatever indiscreet comments Pastor Brad may have made on the Captain Bob Show can easily be attributed to reading Biblical pornography.

SUPREME COURT REJECTS STATE CONTROL OF ELECTIONS WITH "UNCLE TOM" AMONG THREE DISSENTERS

Your 2023 U.S. Supreme Court

Whew!  Did we just dodge a bullet or what?

Just heard that the Supreme Court had rejected a Republican-inspired proposal to allow individual states to control how federal elections are handled.

The concept was a glorified, perhaps, more legally digestible twist on the hastily-thrown-together fake electors scam.

The underpinning for state control of elections was the "independent state legislature" theory, something proponents thought the contitution hinted at, but the Supreme Court rejected, 6-3.

As we've harped on here at the Observer, the diversification of the U.S. is a real problem for Republicans.

Former Grand Wizard of the KKK David Duke used to call for Blacks to have their own country with actual borders, but that "solution" was not workable.

Now, with Hispanics nearly the majority in Texas and U.S. Asian populations on the rise as well as that of other ethnicities,  the "Make America White Again" movement is losing steam.

Chief Justice John Roberts announced the Court's decision while "Uncle Tom" Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was one of three dissenters.

GETTING INTO THE HEADS OF TRUMP CULTISTS

 

35% of the electorate believe Donald J. Trump actually won the 2020 election, that the election was "rigged" and "stolen" from him.  

Trump himself keeps repeating what's been called "the Big Lie" in campaign appearances and speeches and his followers knowingly nod their heads.

Tad Hasse

Former friend Tad Hasse, a stalwart Republican idealogue, bet me $100  Trump would win the 2020 election and he never paid up, likely because, in his heart of hearts, he “knows" Trump won.

History is filled with accounts of large groups of people being simultaneously duped, tricked and fooled by a cult leader.

Moonies Mass Wedding

In the 70's, followers of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon of the Unification Church, Moonies, as they were called, believed their leader to be the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, someone who would initiate a new earthly family free from sin.

Reverend Jim Jones

In 1978 the charismatic Jim Jones led over 900 of his followers in a mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana.

Groupthink can be dangerous, if not deadly.

Fervent, but misguided Trump followers demonstrated that January 6, 2021 spurred on by Trump's incendiary words:  

"Fight much harder" against "bad people," "show strength" and stop the steal!!!!!"

AVELO AIRLINES ANNOUNCES $69 FLIGHT FROM BROWNSVILLE TO LAS VEGAS

 

From Rio Grande Guardian:

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Following on from its “wildly successful” flights to Burbank, California, and Orlando, Florida, Avelo Airlines is launching a nonstop Brownsville to Las Vegas route.

Starting Sept. 8, Mondays and Fridays, air passengers will be able to fly direct to the entertainment capital of the world for a low, introductory, one way, fare of $69.  

A news conference to announce the route and the fares was held at Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport on June 22. Appropriately, Elvis was in the building. 

“This is a momentous day for the Brownsville community,” Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr., said, from the podium. “Avelo Airlines’ decision to establish a third (direct) route connecting us to the City of Las Vegas not only represents a vote of confidence in our city but also a great opportunity for economic development and tourism.”

Cowen added: “This is an exciting time for City of Brownsville, Texas, and we are proud to see our Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport airport grow.”  

Interviewed by the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service after the news conference had ended, Cowen said Avelo is building on the momentum achieved with its first routes from Brownsville.

“They (Avelo) have shown that this market is an untapped resource for the airline industry. I think they’ve experienced very strong success with their Burbank and Orlando flights and they know Vegas will be even stronger. They know that this is a very good bet for them.”

Cowen said he and Brownsville City Manager Helen Ramirez visited Avelo’s Houston headquarters last week to meet with their CEO and executive team. 

“They announced this (Brownsville to Vegas route) to us last week. So they’re moving fast. They’re agile. And we’re reacting to them as well. And so we’re being good partners, and I think we’re very well positioned for success here.”

Cowen pointed out that the Brownsville routes are the only ones Avelo flies out of Texas. He said the airline is looking to grow out of Brownsville. “Hopefully, one day, Brownsville will be a base for them,” Cowen said. 

Asked what he meant by “base,” Cowen said: “Having their crew operate out of here. Instead of the other cities that we fly to.”

Asked if the arrival of Avelo in Brownsville shows that it was a good decision, a few years back, to improve the infrastructure and facilities at the airport, Cowen said: 

“It shows that there is a huge demand for air service out of Brownsville. I know our numbers show that we lose about 60 percent of our traffic to other airports in the Valley. So this is all about retention of what we already have. So I think being enable to grow that, being able to use this as a selling tool for corporate investors as well, as they will have more connectivity now, and also for quality of life (shows that expanding the airport was a good thing). People want to get out and experience easy destinations to get to and I think Vegas is top of the list for a lot of people.”

Asked about his 60 percent remark, Cowen confirmed that 60 percent of Brownsville residents that fly use other airports in the Valley. 

“And it’s because of lack of options. So this (new destination via Avelo) will just help retain that existing business that we are currently losing to other airports.”

Asked where travelers can currently fly directly to from Brownsville, Cowen said Burbank and Orlando with Avelo, Houston with United Airlines, and Dallas with American Airlines. 

Avelo perspective

---

Daniel Camejo is general counsel for Avelo Airlines. In an interview with the Guardian, Camejo said his company’s intention is to keep growing out of Brownsville. 

Camejo confirmed that it was the success of the Burbank and Orlando routes that led Avelo to add Las Vegas.

“We’ve had great load factors so far on both routes, nonstop to Burbank and Orlando. That is testament to the hard work of our crew members and to the partnerships we’ve developed here in the city. And today we’re announcing this third new nonstop route to Las Vegas and we hope to keep growing out of Brownsville.”

Camejo said the Las Vegas route will start with a low, introductory, fare of $69. 

“We’re known for everyday low fares and that’s our intention. We want to keep those low fares always down.”

Asked if there was anything else he would like to add, Camejo said: “We’re happy to be here and we’re excited about the continued growth out of Brownsville. We look forward to adding more frequencies and more new routes.”

Aviation administrator’s perspective

---

Bryant Walker is assistant city manager for Brownsville and aviation administrator for Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport. He gave an in-depth interview to the Guardian at the news conference.

“Today is very exciting. We have an Elvis in the building. We’re headed to Vegas. So, absolutely exciting,” Walker said. “Starting in September, Mondays and Fridays, you can get to Vegas. You get there early in the day so you have an extra day there to play. And, with the low fares that Avelo offers, I think that it (the Las Vegas route) it going to be very, very popular.”

Walker confirmed that it was the success of the Burbank and Orlando routes that caused Avelo to grow their footprint in Brownsville.

“So, we’ve been talking with Avelo for, well, months and months. And it was always said that depending on the performance of the Orlando and Burbank routes, that we would bring in another city. So they were not very definitive on what city or anything but they knew they wanted more routes,” Walker said.

“So, as we continued to talk and the routes that we have, the performance of those, showed that they were very successful, then we escalated those discussions.”

The discussions zeroed in on Las Vegas, Walker explained.

“We started talking about Vegas specifically. And so it has probably been for about a month and a half that we’ve really been focusing on that. And at the same time watching the performance of the existing routes. They’ve been wildly successful to this point.”

Walker urged the people of Brownsville to continue to fly with Avelo.

“We really need the community to continue to support (Avelo), to continue to travel. Honestly, it’s a great fit for the airport and for the community. These nonstop flights, going to both coasts and now to the entertainment capital of the world… this is ideal for the community and we just need to continue to support to make sure that (Avelo) sticks around.”

Asked to define “wildly successful,” Walker said: “Some of this is a little bit proprietary. But, the DOT will release the information within a few months. However I can tell you that the load factors for both destinations (Burbank and Orlando) exceed 90 percent. Continually.”

Walker said, typically, when an airline starts a new route, it will see load factors start off in the 50 percent or 60 percent area. And then they grow over time as people realize it’s a dependable route. 

“I think the (Brownsville) community has really been starved of these types of connections, and, honestly, of these fares. So, as soon as they came online, and the airline will actually tell you this themselves… as soon as they came online and started operating, their reservations went through the roof. We’ve just seen the community really come out and support it.”

Walker said he is confident Avelo will see the same results with its Las Vegas service. 

“In fact, Vegas, according to our data, is actually the stronger route of the three that we’re serving. So, I think we’ll definitely be able to enjoy it (the Las Vegas route) for a long time to come.”

Asked about Mayor Cowen’s comments that Brownsville is losing 60 percent of it air travelers to other airlines, Walker said: “So, prior to Covid, prior to the pandemic, we saw 70 percent flying out of other airports. We recovered ten percent during Covid. We’ve been able to reclaim some of our passengers back to this airport. So that 60% that we are leaking to other airports, we’re just going to be recovering it every day. We’re recovering more and more and more of those passengers because it (the service offered by Avelo) is more convenient. And it’s a better fare.”

Walker said his airport’s legacy carriers (United and American) are “amazingly dependable.” However, he said their fares are really aimed at the business community. 

“So, they’re less flexible. They’re not necessarily direct routes for where people are wanting to go, on vacation or to travel and certainly not visiting friends and family. So, business travelers don’t mind connecting through those hubs (Houston and Dallas). So for the community, they really want these direct flights to the places they want to go to and and having a low cost carrier come in and serve those nonstop routes, that’s going to be the key to recovering the traffic and providing the right fit for the travel option for our community.”

Asked what Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport’s next goal is, Walker said: “The next destination we would like to get to would probably be in the northeast but I can’t really pin it down. We have very good connectivity now to the west coast. I think that we really need to either look at the extreme northwest, like Seattle or Portland maybe, or we need to look into the northeast and maybe the Michigan area or even somewhere like Newark.”

Walker added: “I think those are the areas we will be targeting. But, we will have to sit down and see how these flights perform in conjunction with the other flights; (we need to look at) how much traffic we begin to recover and see where they (the air travelers) are connecting to. So, we will sit down with our consultants and look at the data. Like our city manager, Helen Ramirez, said, all the decisions we make are data driven. We don’t just randomly try things. We actually do targeted efforts. So, yeah, that’s the direction we’ll go.”

---

FREE HEALTHY MEALS THIS SUMMER FOR BROWNSVILLE KIDS 18 AND UNDER

 

TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR LITTLE VLADIMIR

 

JUST DISCOVERED ANOTHER FRIEND FROM MY YOUTH WHO BECAME ACCOMPLISHED AND YES, FAMOUS

Dr. Tony Zaveleta

Brownville rightfully takes pride in Dr. Tony Zavaleta, published author, educator, expert on all things border including curanderismo research.

David Bercot

Harlingen also produced a published author with an extensive bibliography, specializing in the history of Christianity prior to the Council of Nicaea in 325 Anno Domini, an international lecturer and a specialized attorney dealing primarily in land ownership issues involving, not only title search, but historical documents and proofs.

But, I'm not sure that many in H-town remember David.

I was perhaps 19 when Cameron County road construction supervisor and San Benito resident Doug Cornelius gave me a call.

"My wife and I met a young man who's just like you.  We want you to meet him," Mr. Cornelius said on the phone.

I did meet David.  

He was definitely interesting, someone like Tom Robinson, but wired more tightly perhaps.  He wanted to show me this and show me that just like Tom does.  He was totally enraptured with learning, study, words, ideas.

I could say this bright young man almost became part of the family, but that wouldn't be true.

He and my sister Sandy had one date, but David later insisted it wasn't really a "date," probably because of his fundamentalist religion's over-the-top rules on courtship and marriage.

David's religion of birth was anti-higher education, so it wasn't until David broke free from those shackles that he sought more learning, graduating from Stephen F. Austin summa cum laude, then obtaining his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree cum laude from Baylor University.

Next, David completed theological studies at the University of Cambridge and was ordained as an Anglican priest.

Bercot now considers himself an Anabaptist, a group he feels most represents the actual beliefs and practices of the early Christians.

We'll publish his bibliography below, but Bercot's most popular book is A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, a 704 page volume containing 7000 excerpts from the writings of the early Christians.

Another of his books, originally published in 1989, but now in its 3rd edition, is Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?

• Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up (1989) ISBN 0-924722-00-2
• The Pilgrim Road (1991) ISBN 0-924722-03-7
• Common Sense (1992) ISBN 0-924722-06-1
• A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs (1998) ISBN 1-56563-357-1
• Let Me Die in Ireland (1999) ISBN 0-924722-08-8
• The Kingdom that Turned the World Upside Down (2003) ISBN 0-924722-17-7
• Plain Speaking: How to Preach and Teach Effectively (2007) ISBN 978-0-924722-19-6
• Will the Theologians Please Sit Down (2009) ISBN 978-0-924722-24-0
• In God We Don't Trust (2011) ISBN 978-0-924722-25-7
• Secrets of the Kingdom Life (2014) ISBN 978-0-924722-28-8

ELEVEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK~FRIENDS PAID THEIR LAST RESPECTS TO THE CRESCENT MOON

 

Henry Lee performing at the Crescent Moon

With all due respect to analog and digital, there's no substitute for live music, especially when that sound is made in a 150 year old building of Mexican brick with natural ventilation allowing Gulf breezes to flow through from East to West.

Ben Neece

Ben Neece's Crescent Moon, just a couple hundred yards from the border on 11th Street in downtown Brownsville was our go-to place for music for several years.  

It was just such a damn, welcoming place with Ben's assistant J.J. Strubelt setting that comfortable tone.  

J.J. Strubelt

Without fancy refurbishing, that old, small building on a side street had perfect acoustics, acting like a speaker that pushed the music through you and then out onto the street.

There was no air conditioning, but during Brownsville's hot sweaty nights, Ben would open both the front and back doors to allow the ocean breezes to cool the place.

I don't know how he did it but Neece brought in bands from all over the area and from as far away as Dallas, not just Tejano or conjunto, but rock and roll groups, blues and even a brilliant Mexican rapper on drums.

A few photos, some from June 23, 2011, the Crescent Moon's final night: