Opinions

Café Chris: Rising from the ashes

Audio Article
Local Matters


Monday night will go down in Atascosa County history as the night Café Chris caught fire. I received a call from Pleasanton Express Sports Editor Cade Andrews around 11 p.m. Monday that Café Chris had a structure fire. I thought, “Oh, heavens!” but my first instinct was that it would all be o.k. Well, I was wrong. The fire caused […]

Shaping tomorrow, together

Audio Article
Atascosa County Judge


I ’ve come to deeply understand and appreciate the County’s history and its significance in shaping our future. I often express this sentiment, and for good reason. Like other rural areas across America, within our county there exist various social gatherings where locals come together to discuss anything from local politics to federal policies. They are the smalltown coffee groups […]

Mayor’s Message – Pleasanton

Audio Article


I hope you are all having a great week. Tomorrow is our regularly scheduled council meeting at 5:30 p.m. Please attend if you have the time. If you can’t make it in person, you can always watch it live stream off of the city website. Following is an abbreviation of the agenda. There will be three public hearings on voluntary […]

Women’s history, their fighting spirit

Audio Article
Historically Speaking


With the second week of Women’s history month, I want to revisit a story I wrote about two years ago with a little details more or less than before. Let’s reminisce and remember our own. Because when you read this, it most assuredly will remind you of someone you know. Vamos a la pisca! That was the phrase heard in […]

Chief Priest Report – Lytle

Audio Article


Here is what happened last week: Lytle P.D. officers handled 55 calls for service and conducted 98 traffic stops. Of the 98 stops, 52 resulted in citations and 46 were warnings. Arrest: L.P.D. Officers made 7 arrests last week. #1 – A stop for speeding on FM 2790 at Blume resulted in the arrest of a 73-year-old male for an […]

Massive wildfires ignited by power lines

Audio Article
State Capital Highlights


Two wildfires that burned more than 1 million acres in the Panhandle were caused by downed power lines, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Juan Rodriguez, with the service, told the Texas Standard that its law enforcement investigators had concluded their probe into the source of the Smokehouse Creek and Windy Deuce fires. “In this case, we saw winds […]

It’s almost turkey time

Audio Article
Possum Cop

This past Sunday was a Possum Cop Chronicle first. After church, my wife, youngest son and I were walking to our vehicle in the parking lot when a man and a woman in a yard across the street started waving and trying to get our attention. They didn’t seem to be in distress; heck, they were smiling. I looked back […]

March is Women’s History Month

Audio Article
Local Matters


March is Women’s History Month, which celebrates the vital role of women in American history. Annually in March, the Pleasanton Express publishes a free ad recognizing the hundreds of women-owned brick-and-mortar businesses in Atascosa County. I have included in my column the list of womenowned businesses from our 2023 ad. Please peek at this list of women-owned businesses and make […]

State of the County 2024

Audio Article
Atascosa County Judge


The County plans to host the second annual State of the County event, set tentatively for October 24, 2024 (subject to change). As I take a moment to reflect on the success of last year’s inaugural gathering, it was a time when we honored the trailblazers and leaders who have shaped Atascosa County’s history. Together, we explored the County’s past, […]

Mayor’s Message – Pleasanton

Audio Article


I hope you are all having a great week. Let’s talk about volunteerism. In rural Texas, the spirit of volunteerism thrives as a connection to your community. While bigger cities boast numerous volunteer opportunities, the significance of volunteering in rural areas cannot be overstated. Here, amidst the brush country and small-town atmosphere, volunteers play a pivotal role in addressing community […]


Category Pages are limited to 180 days. Please use the archive page or the search box to find older articles.