Opinion

My husband, Peter, and I are back in our little place in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Of course, it is not really “our” place.

“You know it used to was even hotter than it is right now, don’t you?” Windy looked up from his lunch. Oh boy, professorial mood. We’re gonna get it. “I used ta pack mules, a-course. Well, I packed ‘em ‘til the accident, anyway.”

Our next exciting business coming to Wallis will be Marini’s Catering Kitchen and food truck. Mr. Sergio Marini has purchased the building Wallasites call the Jones building, or the original bank building. And for those that have been in the building the original vault and safe were still there because the safe was cemented into the floor and the vault walls were designed as support structure for the roof. For the rest of us it is the corner building on first street with the arched window openings. I’ve heard many fond memories of the Jones family’s hamburgers being served there.

I had a big birthday, and it got me to thinking, as big birthdays will, about what would change and what would stay the same in the decade to come. I found my list of selfimprovement chores much shorter than in previous years.

As we cross the halfway point of July, wildfire danger continues to increase across the state. On Friday, Texas A&M Forest Service firefighters responded to 15 new wildfires that burned 651 acres. As of Sunday, there were eight active wildfires; the largest was the Nethery Road Fire in Kimble County, involving an estimated 3,500 acres. It has been 70% contained.

“He was a Good Man” Dominick Aloysius Zientek was called home to be with the Lord at the age of 84 on July 22, 2022. Dominick was a very soft-spoken and kindhearted gentleman.

Our City and Staff are incredibly busy in this season of growth as well as in preparation for the typical weather-related incidents we may experience. The ongoing drought conditions have created many hardships for farmers and ranchers as well as those citizens who are spending time and money in an effort to keep their landscaping alive. In spite of the dry condition, mosquitoes have found a way to continue to pester any of us brave enough to spend time outdoors. The city will continue to spray for mosquitoes on a regular basis. Tips to consider include wearing repellent and long sleeves, and remembering mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn (the only time we can get a little relief from the heat.) Those of us watering should do our best to provide fresh water for pets and eliminate any stagnant water.

My mother has found the perfect pet. She just doesn’t realize it yet. A clever little red squirrel has been trying to get my mother’s attention for months. “He’s such a pest!” my mother complains. But the squirrel does not give up.

Greetings, the summer heat has recently stirred up more than usual calls to the biologist and me on a topic that is always hot: Mountain Lions and Black Panthers. This month’s summer topic can be controversial and is sure to generate some arguments. Every month, the biologist and I are contacted with mountain lion or black panther sightings, and we are yet to have solid evidence that they are currently present in the county.