Rainwater harvesting is a great way to help the environment and reduce your dependency on municipal water sources. Dry, hot summers and light winter rains have caused some Texas cities to enact water restrictions in hopes of preserving this precious resource. Luckily, Texas encourages residents to harvest rainwater to reduce the burden drought conditions cause Texas’ already limited water supply.
Why We Need to Harvest Rainwater in Texas
As Texas’ population continues to grow, maintaining a stable water supply is crucial. Drought conditions and excessive pumping of groundwater are impacting the water levels in aquifers. Texas started the year with notably low water levels with another hot, dry summer in the forecast. To alleviate the burden on overtaxed municipal water sources, Texans must increase their water conservation efforts, which include collecting rainwater.
Benefits of Harvesting Rainwater
Conserves water. • Can be used to water landscapes when outdoor watering restrictions are in place. • Rainwater has zero hardness and is healthier for plants. • Reduces your water bill. • Lowers demand on water resources. • Reduces the need for new water infrastructure (reservoirs) and extends the useful life of existing water resources such as aquifers and rivers. • Reduces stormwater runoff that can lead to flooding and groundwater pollution. • Acts as a backup source in case of emergencies. • The water is free!
How to Harvest Rainwater at Home
When planning to collect rainwater at home, consider these factors: 1. What is the average rainfall in your area? Use this resource to find your county and determine what your average rainfall is per year. 2. What is the surface area of your roof? The general rule is that for every 1,000 square feet of roof, you can collect 0.62 gallons of water per inch of rainfall. The calculation would be (square feet x 0.62 gal/inch x inches of rainfall/year). For example, for a 2,000-square-foot roof in Travis County where the average rainfall is 33.65 inches, 41,726 gallons of rainwater can be collected annually. 3. What will you use the rainwater for? Knowing what you plan to use the water for will help you determine how much water you’ll need to collect. This will help you decide what kind of infrastructure will work best for your needs.
The most common system for rainwater capture is a simple rain barrel placed under a downspout that catches rainwater runoff from roofs and gutters. If you want to learn how to build a rain barrel, watch this video. With a little upkeep, these rain barrels can supply safe, high-quality water for your yard. Follow the tips in this blog to learn how to keep your rain barrel clean. Larger tanks called cisterns can also be installed to collect even more rainwater. They are typically placed underground or partially underground and are made from durable materials such as concrete, fiberglass, and steel. Cisterns are usually built to hold thousands of gallons of water, whereas rain barrels are much smaller, holding roughly 50-100 gallons of water. Knowing how much water you’ll need and how much you can collect will help you determine which collection system is best for you. For more guidance on calculating your house’s potential for rainwater capture, read this blog.
Uses for Harvested Rainwater
TCEQ recommends using collected rainwater for outdoor use only, such as: • Landscape irrigation, like lawns and ground cover. • Watering indoor and outdoor plants, like shrubs, flowers, and trees. • Filling water fountains and other water features. • Washing cars. Note: Harvested rainwater may not be safe for consumption. Rainwater collected from roofs may contain bird droppings, bacteria, parasites, viruses, and chemicals that can make you sick. To reduce the risk of getting sick, the CDC recommends avoiding using harvested rainwater for drinking, cooking, or brushing your teeth.
How Texas Supports Rainwater Harvesting
Every year, Texas has a Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday during which you can purchase a rain barrel or alternative collection system without paying state sales taxes. Other water-efficient products, such as soakers, drip irrigation hoses, and moisture control irrigation systems are eligible—even plants, grasses, soil, and compost are included! Texas Property Code further promotes rainwater harvesting by preventing homeowner’s associations from prohibiting water capture systems. In addition to state incentives, many Texas municipalities also have financial incentives such as discounts and rebates to encourage Texans to collect more rainwater. Check out this blog to see if your city offers rainwater harvesting incentives and discover more ways Texas supports this practice.
The Lifeway Youth community recently transformed a Sunday morning into a celebration of food, fellowship, and philanthropy. They recently hosted a delightful brunch that not only tantalized the taste buds of attendees but also supported a cause close to their hearts.
A Feast for a Cause For a contribution of just $10, attendees were treated to a culinary delight. Each plate, heaped with hot, fluffy pancakes and savory sausage, and complemented by a glass of refreshing orange juice, was more than just a meal. It was a symbol of the community’s commitment to nurturing their youth.
A Sunday Well Spent Recognizing the hustle and bustle that often characterizes Sundays, the event offered the flexibility to enjoy the brunch in a manner that best suited the attendees. Whether they chose to dine amidst the lively chatter of the Lifeway community or take their meal to-go, the event catered to all preferences.
A Resounding Success The Lifeway Youth Fundraiser Brunch was a testament to the power of community. Every pancake served and every dollar raised brought the youth one step closer to their goal – an enriching camp experience. For more details about the event or to extend your support for future initiatives, feel free to reach out to the event coordinators, Greg or Linda Johnson.
A Note of Gratitude The Lifeway Youth Fundraiser Brunch extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone for their generous support. Your contributions have paved the way for our students to learn, grow, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Here’s to more such delightful Sundays!
The Splash Pad project at Alexander Park is making significant progress, with construction advancing rapidly over the past few weeks. This project promises to be a major addition to the park and is expected to be completed by the end of June 2024.
Pools Unlimited, Inc., owned by Randy Morrow and based in Bulverde, Texas, was awarded the contract for this ambitious project. The company’s bid of $198,500 was the winning entry, receiving approval from the Cuero City Council at their meeting on March 25, 2024.
The splash pad has a functional and aesthetically pleasing design. It includes a spacious 31’x31’ area for water play, complemented by an 8’x15’ equipment room, which will be fully covered. For safety and visual appeal, ornamental fencing with gates will encircle the splash pad, and a 30’ sidewalk will provide easy access for all visitors.
The collaborative efforts of the city council and Pools Unlimited, Inc. have resulted in the creation of this new recreational facility. Once completed, residents of Cuero can look forward to a fun and refreshing way to beat the heat during the hot summer months.
Claudia González was 15 when she crossed the border into Texas to reunite with her mother. Now she’s back in Mexico, separated from her 15-year-old son and her husband in Houston.
TAMAULIPAS, Mexico — Claudia González was living a quiet, comfortable life in Houston with her husband and their son. She worked as a data entry clerk at an elementary school and went to church every Sunday with her son.
But something always nagged at her — her immigration status.
After crossing the border illegally as a teenager to rejoin her mother, she had lived undocumented in the U.S. for 15 years until she applied for a work permit through an Obama-era program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals in 2018. Even though the program gives recipients temporary protection from deportation, it is not a permanent solution for immigrants who want to live in the U.S. long term.
Because her husband is a U.S. citizen — citizens can sponsor a spouse for a green card — she hired an immigration attorney and paid about $6,000 in fees to apply for permanent legal residency in 2018. For González, it meant freedom from her greatest fear, being deported and separated from her family. And it meant “being legal in a country I call home,” González said.
In June, she traveled from Houston to Ciudad Juárez, where an American consulate officer interviewed her — she had to do this in Mexico because she didn’t have a legal entry into the U.S. But in August, five years after initially applying for her green card, she was hit with a 10-year ban from reentering the U.S.
“It was really hard to receive that message; I was heartbroken,” she said. “I thought about my son. He just started high school, so my thought was that he’ll be 24 by the time I can return and he probably already will have graduated college.”
González, 36, returned to the village where she grew up to live with her mother, Guadalupe González, 50 miles from the Texas border and near the Gulf of Mexico.
Like many undocumented people trying to legalize their immigration status — an estimated 11 million people live in the U.S. without legal status — González had to navigate a bureaucratic and expensive immigration system.
In her mind, it was a chance to correct the mistakes of the past, when her mother asked her to get in a car with strangers who drove her across the Rio Grande and helped her talk her way past U.S. immigration agents. She was 15 at the time.
But the current system can be fickle and unforgiving even for those who want to do it the right way. And unlike the criminal justice system, there is no way to appeal the 10-year ban, and immigration officials don’t have to provide the evidence they have to support their decision.
“It’s not fair and it’s not logical. it’s not something that anyone should go through if they want to get legal status in the U.S.,” said Naimeh Salem, an immigration attorney in Houston who recently took González’s case. “If they have never committed a crime in the U.S., they pay their taxes, they’re good citizens. Why can’t we make it possible for them to become permanent residents?”
Guadalupe González, her 66-year-old mother, said it weighs on her now, the situation she put her daughter in. She said she did it because she hoped her daughter would get a better education and have a chance at a more successful life in the U.S.
“I try to tell her positive things, and that everything has a solution, even though I too feel bad,” Guadalupe González said. “I try not to show the same emotions as her, because then we both end up crying.”
In January, Guadalupe González requested U.S. asylum after suspected drug cartel members began breaking into people’s homes; four years earlier her oldest son was kidnapped from the ranch where he worked by men the family believes were cartel members, in front of his wife and children. He hasn’t been heard from since.
Guadalupe González was allowed into the U.S. while her asylum case is pending and she moved to Bay City, 80 miles southwest of Houston.
Back in Houston, 15-year-old Gerardo Garza, Jr. is about to complete his freshman year of high school. He was born in Houston and he said he wonders why the immigration system has separated him from his mother. And if he’ll one day get to live with her again in Texas.
“I was just having a hard time accepting that she’s not with me,” he said. “I was in my head like: ‘Why? Why is the government like this? Why can’t it be simpler than it is now?’
Top: Claudia González left her 15-year-old son with his father in Houston while she lives in Mexico and tries to find a legal way to return to her family. Bottom left: González plays lotería with family after church in Tamaulipas. Bottom right: Bottle caps on lotería cards.
In October, Salem filed a request for humanitarian parole, which would allow Claudia González to reenter the U.S. and resubmit her green card application. The request remains pending with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Salem said there were better options for González, who as a DACA recipient could have applied for permission to travel to Mexico, then legally reenter the U.S. That would have allowed her to stay in the U.S. as she applied for her green card without having to go to Juárez.
González said she didn’t take that route because her previous lawyer advised against it. She said she trusted him. But now she regrets not pushing for that option.
“I feel so ignorant now. I should have done more research,” González said.
Now, three generations of the González family are separated as Claudia tries to find a way to reunite with her son in Houston and her mother awaits a decision on her asylum petition.
Life in Tamaulipas
For the past nine months, Claudia González has lived in a remote village where she grew up before leaving for Texas. She lives with her godmother, whose house is next door to her mother’s house.
It’s secluded, surrounded by undeveloped land, some farms and a few ranches — including the one where her missing brother worked. There is a convenience store, a taco restaurant and an evangelical church within a few minutes’ walk of the house. There’s a nearby school and a small plaza that stays mostly empty unless there’s a major celebration.
There’s’ very little work; many locals depend on money sent home by relatives working on the other side of the border.
The area is also a hot spot for drug cartel activity. Neighbors and González said at night, unmarked vehicles patrol the area — they suspect cartel members keeping an eye out for rival cartel members. It’s common to hear gunfire in the middle of the night, González said.
For a few months, starting in December, she worked at a local stationery store, but quit after receiving a phone call from a man who González said was threatening to shut down the store if it didn’t pay certain “fees.”
“That scared me and gave me a panic attack,” González said.
Claudia González visits a store near her home in Tamaulipas, roughly 50 miles south of the Texas-Mexico border.Claudia González visits with her neighbors in her Tamaulipas village. Her older brother was kidnapped from a nearby ranch in 2020 and is presumed dead. González and her neighbors say it’s common to hear gunfire at night. Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune
Before being forced to move to Mexico, she had some money saved. She recently filed her U.S. taxes and received a refund. Once that money dries up, she doesn’t know what she will do, she said.
She spends most of her time researching ways to return legally. She’s contacted the office of a member of Congress in Houston asking for help. She also goes to church and plays lotería, a board game similar to bingo, with an aunt who lives in the same village.
On a Sunday afternoon in September, González wore a green dress and carried a Bible with a black leather cover as she walked the dirt road to the local evangelical church.
The pastor, Estela Prieto Covarrubias, 71, invited congregants to the podium to share a Bible verse or sing. González went to the front to read from Psalm 139. She told the congregation – about 40 people — that the verse helped her fight through her depression, especially after she was hit with the decade-long ban from the U.S.
“Sometimes I feel like I lost a lot of things,” she said through tears. “I lost my job, I am far from my son, but God is the one who has sustained me by his grace and with his mercy.”
The congregation applauded. Some shouted: Amen!
Covarrubias said she was impressed by González’s perseverance.
“I believe her testimony is impactful. She doesn’t look devastated,” Covarrubias said after her sermon. “Instead, you see her with an infectious smile, because she has faith in God who is going to open the door for her and put the right people in place to be able to fix her situation and return home with her son.”
Crossing the border
In 1998, Guadalupe González, then a single mom after separating from her ex-husband, who she said was physically abusive, got a tourist visa and began crossing the border to work in McAllen. She would leave Claudia with her sister and her brother-in-law, who had two children of their own. Her ex-husband took Claudia’s older sister and brother to Dallas.
On the weekends Guadalupe González would return to the village to visit Claudia, then relatives would drop her at the border on Sunday afternoons so she could return to work in Texas.
“I needed to pay for [Claudia’s] education and to feed her, that’s why I left,” she said.
When work slowed in McAllen, she said she headed north to Bay City and picked cotton for a few weeks before moving to Houston, where she worked at different restaurants before she started to clean houses in 1999. She would work two months at a time, then return to Mexico for a week at a time.
But the trips were tiring and time-consuming. So in 2003, she sent for Claudia. Her two older children, then 20 and 23 years old, had returned to Mexico and decided to stay.
An aunt dropped off Claudia González at the Texas-Mexico border where a coyote — a human smuggler — put her in a vehicle with a couple who drove her across the border. González said she remembers being in the car with the couple and two other children. She didn’t speak to the U.S. agent at the bridge and doesn’t remember what the adults told the agent about her, but she remembers the agent waving them through.
Guadalupe González, who remarried in 2005, said she didn’t know at the time how that car trip would affect her daughter’s future. She just wanted to be with Claudia in the U.S. and give her a shot at a good education.
“I thought as long as she didn’t cross the desert or get detained, everything would be fine,” she said.
Pastor Estela Prieto Covarrubias leads the worship at her church in Tamaulipas on Sept. 17, 2023. Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas TribuneClaudia González sings at the church. Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune
Building a life in Houston
At Ross Sterling High School in 2005, Claudia González met the boy she would marry. They sat at the same table in the cafeteria with mutual friends. She remembers him “acting like a clown to make me laugh.”
They began to date. Then she started attending an evangelical church with his family, she said. At first, it was just to spend more time with him, but eventually, she became a born-again Christian, leaving behind the Catholic traditions she grew up with.
When she was 17, Claudia González moved in with her boyfriend’s family. Her stepfather was physically and emotionally abusive toward her mother and she wanted to leave that environment, she said. She dropped out of high school, but earned her general educational development degree.
In 2009, the couple had a son, Gerardo Garza. Jr.
Meanwhile, Guadalupe González had separated from her second husband, and in 2011 she returned to Tamaulipas to take care of her father, who was battling pancreatic cancer. Her visa had expired, and there was no guarantee that U.S. officials would renew it, so she went back knowing she would likely not be able to return to Houston.
She took care of her father for 11 months before he died.
“I’m happy I was able to take care of him in his last days,” she said.
Interview in Ciudad Juárez
Claudia González stayed in Houston and built a life. She and her partner got married in 2013. She successfully applied for DACA in 2018, which allowed her to work legally in the U.S.
DACA also allowed her to get a Social Security number, pay taxes and get a Texas driver’s license.
She delivered food for DoorDash. She worked as a cashier at a Subway. Then she found a job she loved at an elementary school, as a data entry clerk. Her coworkers and the teachers soon came to depend on her to act as an interpreter for the Spanish-speaking parents of some of the students.
“I always wanted to make a difference and help people that don’t speak English,” she said. “My English is not perfect, you know, but I always tried to help them.”
Every Sunday morning, González and her son would go to church, then head to Olive Garden and share a plate of chicken fettuccine alfredo before ending the afternoon shopping for clothes at Goodwill.
“Those were our mommy-son dates,” she said.
Top: Claudia González speaks with church members after Sunday service. Bottom left: González and her mother, Guadalupe González, prepare breakfast at their home. Bottom right: González holds her chick, Mushito. Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune
She was able to renew her work permit four times, paying $495 in fees each time. But she knew that if she wanted to be secure, she needed a green card. Her husband, who was born in Mexico and became a naturalized citizen, sponsored her.
She began the application process in 2019.
Back in Mexico, tragedy struck in April 2020. Claudia’s older brother, José Fabian, was kidnapped by suspected drug cartel members from the ranch where he lived with his wife and two children. He is presumed dead, but Guadalupe González clings to the hope that he is still alive. The family said they don’t know why he was targeted, but the rumor around town is that he was friends with someone who was involved with the local drug cartel.
“Sometimes I tell my daughter that she at least has a chance to see her son,” Guadalupe González said. “But what about mine? I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again.”
After her brother disappeared, Claudia González wanted to return to Mexico to stay with her mother for a while. She asked her lawyer to apply for what’s known as advance parole, which would have allowed her to leave the U.S. temporarily and return legally as a DACA recipient. Her lawyer told her it was too risky, she said, so she dropped the idea.
As the COVID-19 pandemic struck, her application seemed to be stalled in the immigration system bureaucracy. Finally last year, she received an appointment with an American consulate official in Ciudad Juárez.
Her lawyer at the time assured her everything would be fine and advised her to answer the questions honestly, without elaborating too much, she said.
In June, she traveled to Juárez with her son and met her mother and older sister there. They lived in a hotel for two weeks while she did two interviews with the same officer.
She told the officer how she entered the U.S. — by crossing an international bridge with a couple. She said the officer insisted on knowing who brought her into the country and how. González said she didn’t know the people who drove her across the bridge or what documents they presented on her behalf.
After the interviews were done she went to her mother’s home in Tamaulipas to wait for the decision.
On Aug. 28, 2023, González received an email from the U.S. State Department.
She said her heart dropped and tears started to roll down her cheeks when she read it: She was denied a visa and banned from entering the U.S. for a decade because she had lived in the U.S. for more than a year without legal status. They also accused her of lying to the consulate officer and claiming to be a U.S. citizen when she wasn’t.
Her aunt dropped the towels she had just folded and immediately embraced González.
González called her lawyer.
The lawyer told her that he wrote in her paperwork that she immigrated alone, González said. But she told the officer she crossed the border with strangers. She said she believes this discrepancy is what led to her being accused of lying. She insists that she never told U.S. officials that she was a citizen.
“God knows I never said that,” she said. Then her lawyer dropped her.
“He told me that this was out of his expertise and he couldn’t help me and wished me well,” she said.
Top left: Claudia González shares her story on a live stream with members of the Dreamers 2gether group. Top right: Guadalupe González holds a photo of her son, who hasn’t been heard from since he was kidnapped in 2020. Bottom: From left: Claudia González, her mother Guadalupe González, and her sister Ma Guadalupe González at their home in Tamaulipas. Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune
Longing for his mother
Gerardo Garza, Jr. is a high school freshman now, living with his father in the south part of Houston. He plays viola in the school orchestra. Since he was separated from his mother, he texts and calls her often, sharing details about his day, his troubles with his now ex-girlfriend and how he has emotionally broken down at school.
The last time he saw his mother was in April, to celebrate his 15th birthday. His father drove him to the Texas-Mexico border, where Claudia picked him up and took him to the village. She had decorated an event hall with black, gold and red balloons and a neon sign that read, “mis quince” — my 15th.
Dressed in a brown button-down shirt, blue denim jeans and brown boots, Garza posed for a photo next to his mother in front of the balloons as music blared through the room.
They ate carne asada tacos.
“I felt at home, I knew everyone there loved me,” Garza said. “I knew it wasn’t much, but I knew my mom still tried to make it big.”
But when it was time to go home, he felt a punch in his gut, he said. His father picked him up at the bridge on the Mexican side. Garza said his father said something silly that made his mother smile.
Garza and his mother hugged, he said, as both held back tears. On the drive to Houston, he said he thought about his mother’s smile and his eyes started to water.
He put his sunglasses on, he said, so his dad wouldn’t notice he was crying.
He said he misses her a lot and reminisces often about the days they would spend together, especially those Sunday mornings when they would go to church and eat fettuccine alfredo at Olive Garden.
“I always smile and laugh when I remember those good times,” Garza said.
He’s had to learn how to take care of himself most of the time because his father works long hours as a welder.
He said he didn’t realize how much the household depended on his mother. She paid all the bills. She took him to school in the mornings. When his father can’t give him a ride to school he orders an Uber. Or a neighbor takes him.
There was a day recently when he missed his mother so much that he went into her closet and cried.
“My mom is really a good person, and I don’t think that she deserves any of this, or that we deserve any of this,” he said.
Twenty-five-year-old Jane Armstrong struggled to remain conscience as she made her way to her neighbor’s house praying someone was home. The pain was excruciating, and she knew the baby was coming, and that her child was waiting for no one. She felt the explosion of blood and amniotic fluid gushing out from her body and running down her legs. She knew she was losing a lot of blood and could feel herself getting weaker and weaker. With each step she took she was certain that someone would find her baby covered in blood and afterbirth and her heart sank because she was certain that this time, she wouldn’t live to see her baby grow up.
The doctor had warned her of these back-to-back pregnancies, and it seemed to Jane that they were blaming her for giving in to her husband’s desires. What could she do? She had no say in the matter. The year was 1960, and it was the law. Married women could not get birth control without the permission from their husbands. Despite the physical and emotional toll, the repeated pregnancies were taking on Jane, her husband who was deeply religious refused to allow her to use birth control. Each pregnancy left Jane feeling weaker, her spirit sinking into the depths of depression.
As she made one more painful step towards her neighbor’s house, she imagined that they would find her dead body next to her newborn baby somewhere between the tall grass behind her house that was never mowed or on the dirt road leading up to her neighbor’s either way she felt her life slipping away. She had lost a lot of blood.
Jane was found near death, and her doctors reported that it was a miracle she was alive. After that close call Jane’s parents, seeing their daughter’s suffering, stepped in to help. They provided the support she needed to make a difficult but necessary decision. With their assistance, Jane filed for divorce, a bold step for a woman in those times.
Jane’s memories often took her back to that time in her life, a time of both joy and sorrow. She was on her tenth pregnancy, a journey that should have been filled with anticipation and excitement. Yet, each of her previous pregnancies had ended in stillbirth, and her tenth pregnancy met with the same fate. It was a heartbreaking cycle of hope and despair.
The Jane’s of the world are now our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. Some still remember what it was like having to ask their husband permission to get on birth control. Or they may even recall how they could get fired for being pregnant or banned from certain jobs. And while this all sounds like issues young women faced from an era long ago, they could resurface especially if we do not learn from our own history.
Women have come a long way in gaining their rights, and it was not until the 1970’s that married women were allowed to seek birth control with the permission from their husband. Even if a woman was unprepared for childbirth or motherhood, or even if she had health issues or was recuperating from a previous pregnancy, birth control could be denied without the expressed consent of their husbands.
The journey of women’s rights in the United States has been a long and difficult one. They have spent many decades in their fight marked by persistent struggle and profound change. There was indeed a time when a woman’s autonomy was severely limited by laws and social norms that placed her under the guardianship of her husband or father.
Women’s legal status was largely dependent on their marital status, with married women having very few, if any, rights independent of their husbands. Her identity, property, and right to legal action were all controlled by the man she married. This included needing a husband’s permission for contraception, credit cards, and property ownership.
The mid-20th century brought significant changes, with the women’s rights movement gaining momentum and challenging the status quo. The introduction of the birth control pill in the 1960s was a watershed moment, providing women with unprecedented control over their reproductive rights. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s that married women could get the pill without their husband’s consent.
Financial independence was another critical area of change. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 made it illegal to discriminate against anyone based on gender, race, religion, national origin, marital status, age, or because they receive public assistance. This law empowered women to obtain credit cards, loans, and mortgages without a male co-signer.
Imagine a world where you as a woman worked hard for your money. Doing whatever it is you do for gainful employment, and you really had your heart set on buying a new washer because you’re sick and tired of going to the laundromat. But because you are a woman you find yourself without rights to your wages. There was a time in American history that any earnings a woman made belonged to her husband. Unbelievable right? Well before women’s rights that was exactly how things were. It wasn’t until the Married Women’s Property Acts that women gained legal control over their property and earnings.
These milestones are part of a broader narrative of progress that includes the suffrage movement, which culminated in the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote in 1920, and the ongoing fight for equality in the workplace and beyond. The journey is far from over, and women could find themselves losing ground on that front and in as early as January 2025. It only takes one step backwards and before you know it women could lose it all from being stripped of their reproductive rights, to property rights to basic human rights.
Today, Jane Armstrong stands as a symbol of resilience and strength. Her story serves as a reminder of the struggles women have faced and the battles they have fought for control over their own bodies. It is proof of the power of the human spirit to endure, and to rise above adversity. Jane Armstrong, who is now 84 years old, divorced her husband and changed her religion.
The divorce marked a turning point in Jane’s life. It was a declaration of her fight for her own survival despite the social norms of that day, especially in a small town. It was a difficult journey, but one that Jane undertook with courage and determination. She continued to have faith in God and met her second husband at her new church. They married six years later and had two healthy boys. Jane Armstrong is not her real name, and her name has been changed to protect her privacy.
The Boys & Girls Club of Cuero is excited to host its annual golf tournament, benefiting the youth in our community. This year’s event will be held at the picturesque Cuero Municipal Golf Course, located at 1200 E Main St, Cuero, TX 77954. Here are the details:
Date: May 18, 2024
Check-In Time: 8:00 am
Tee Time: 9:00 am
Format: 4-person scramble (18-hole tournament)
Team Entry Fee: $500 per team
Sponsorship Opportunities:
Hole Sponsorship: $100
Flag Sponsorship: $250 (Flag sponsors receive a personalized flag upon tournament completion)
Donations: Donations are appreciated and can be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Dewitt County.
Lunch: A delicious lunch will be provided for all participants.
Prizes: The top two teams will receive gift cards to Top Golf.
Cart Rental: If needed, golf carts are available for rent at $24 each.
Registration Deadline: May 1, 2024 (first come, first served; only 18 teams can enter)
To sign up for the tournament or inquire about sponsorships, please contact the Boys & Girls Club of Dewitt County at (361) 524-0005 or via email at boysandgirlsclubofdewittcounty@gmail.com. You can also visit their website at www.bgcdco.org for online payment options.
Come join us for a day of golf, camaraderie, and community support! Let’s make a positive impact on the lives of our local youth while enjoying a great round of golf at the Cuero Municipal Golf Course.
For more information, you can also visit the following sources:
Cuero, Texas —Cuero Online News is delighted to announce that we were the proud sponsors of Gabriella “Gabby” Light in the recent Miss Cuero pageant. Gabby will be joining us as a summer intern correspondent for Cuero Online News, focusing on the pulse of young people in small-town Texas. Teenagers are encouraged to submit story ideas to Gabby or tell her your own story about living in Cuero.
Gabriella’s remarkable journey through the world of pageantry is featured in these heartwarming pictures with a young Gabriella during her third-grade year—a time when dreams were taking shape.
Gabriella’s path led her to the Miss Princesa America pageant that was held in Austin, an empowering platform that celebrates Hispanic heritage and fosters positive role models. Her dedication, grace, and commitment shone brightly as she represented her heritage with pride.
In one captivating snapshot, Gabriella Light receives guidance from none other than Miss Latina of Texas herself—a mentorship that fueled her passion and prepared her for the spotlight.
As the curtain rises on her story, we celebrate Gabriella’s journey—from a spirited third grader to a Miss Cuero Contestant. Her legacy inspires us all to reach for the stars.
Emily Woods was crowned 40th Miss Cuero 2024 (first contestant left to right)
Cuero, Texas — The spotlight shines on elegance, poise, and talent as the Miss Cuero Pageant graces our community. This celebrated event, steeped in tradition, brings together young ladies from Cuero and its surrounding areas.
The Miss Cuero Pageant extends beyond glitz and glamour. It fosters camaraderie, self-confidence, and leadership. These young women become ambassadors for Cuero, embodying its spirit and values.
In 2024, the pageant witnessed a record-breaking number of contestants—36 talented individuals aged 4 to 18. Their performances, interviews, and camaraderie showcased the essence of Cuero’s vibrant community.
Your donation to The Texas Tribune will help investigative journalism that impacts state policies and politics. It is the last week of our Spring Member Drive, and our newsroom relies on readers like you who support independent Texas news. Donate today.
KEY DATES FOR THE TEXAS PRIMARY RUNOFF
April 29 May 17 May 24 May 28
was the last day was the last day for until early voting ends Election day
to register to vote counties to receive
mail-in ballot requests
There were 32 state and federal elections during the March primaries in which no candidate won more than half of the votes. During the May 28 runoffs, voters in those districts can return to the polls to vote on who they want to appear on the ballot for the November general election.
Here’s who’s facing runoffs and how to vote if there’s one in your district.
There are no runoffs for statewide offices. The most significant runoffs are in some Texas House of Representatives races, where Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking revenge against Republicans who voted to impeach him. Gov. Greg Abbott is also working to unseat House Republicans who voted against school vouchers, one of Abbott’s legislative priorities in 2023. In total, eight House Republican incumbents were forced into runoffs, including House Speaker Dade Phelan.
There are also a few runoffs for seats in the Texas Senate, the Texas State Board of Education, which is responsible for determining curriculum standards for Texas’ 5.5 million public school students, and the U.S. House of Representatives.
The candidates who advance to the general election and are elected in November will have the opportunity to affect public policy and Texans’ lives in areas such as education, health care and immigration
Use our address lookup tool below to see if there are any bond or runoff elections in your community. (Note: We don’t collect your data.)
No runoff races in the U.S. House, State Senate, State House or State Board of Education were found in your area. However, there may still be local runoff races. Visit the county website, or call the election office at (956) 544-0809 to learn more about the county’s local elections and see a sample ballot.
You can also visit our ballot lookup page to see how many runoff races there will be statewide.
What dates do I need to know?
April 29 is the last day to register to vote and to submit an address change for the runoff elections.
You can report an address or name change online. You should do this if you’ve moved since the last time you voted, especially if you have moved to a different county or political subdivision or have legally taken a different name.
How do I check if I’m registered to vote?
You can check to see if you’re registered and verify your information through the Texas Secretary of State’s website.
You’ll need one of the following three combinations to log in:
Your Texas driver’s license number and date of birth.
Your first and last names, date of birth and county you reside in.
Your date of birth and Voter Unique Identifier, which appears on your voter registration certificate.
Read more about voter registration requirements further down in this story.
May 17 is the last day to apply to vote by mail.
This option is limited in Texas. Read more about who qualifies here.
When do I need to drop off or mail an application?
Applications must be received by the early voting clerk in your county — not postmarked — by May 17. Applications can also be submitted by fax or email, but the county must receive a hard copy within four business days. They can also be dropped off in person.
You can download an application here or request one to be mailed to you here.
If you’re looking to vote by mail, give yourself as much leeway as possible. You’ll need to budget for the time it will take your county to get your ballot to you in the mail after you apply.
When do I need to drop off or mail an application?
Applications must be received by the early voting clerk in your county — not postmarked — by May 17. Applications can also be submitted by fax or email, but the county must receive a hard copy within four business days. They can also be dropped off in person.
You can download an application here or request one to be mailed to you here.
If you’re looking to vote by mail, give yourself as much leeway as possible. You’ll need to budget for the time it will take your county to get your ballot to you in the mail after you apply.
What is the deadline to mail my ballot?
The deadline for mail-in ballots to be returned to the county is election day, May 28. If a ballot is postmarked by 7 p.m. locally that day, it’ll be counted if the county receives it by 5 p.m. on May 29.
Absentee ballots can also be delivered to the county elections office in person with a valid form of ID while polls are open on election day.
Completed ballots from military or overseas voters are accepted if they’re received by June 3. (Military and overseas voters can go through a different ballot request and return process.)
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
What is the deadline to mail my ballot?
The deadline for mail-in ballots to be returned to the county is election day, May 28. If a ballot is postmarked by 7 p.m. locally that day, it’ll be counted if the county receives it by 5 p.m. on May 29.
Absentee ballots can also be delivered to the county elections office in person with a valid form of ID while polls are open on election day.
Completed ballots from military or overseas voters are accepted if they’re received by June 3. (Military and overseas voters can go through a different ballot request and return process.)
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Read more about vote-by-mail requirements in this section.
Early voting in person runs from May 20-24. If you can’t vote inside of a polling place because of COVID-19 or a disability, curbside voting may be available to you. Read more about what qualifies as a disability and about curbside voting options here.
Who is eligible to vote early?
Anyone registered to vote may vote early, but it must be done in person unless you qualify to vote by mail.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Where am I allowed to vote early?
Voters can cast ballots at any polling location in the county where they are registered to vote. Check your county election office’s website for early-voting locations.
Election day is May 28.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Are polling locations the same on election day as they are during early voting?
Not always. Check which polling locations are open in your area before you head to cast your ballot. In some counties, election day voting may be restricted to locations in your designated precinct. Other counties allow voters to cast their ballots at any polling place on election day.
Read more about voting options for those affected by COVID-19 in this section.
What do I need to know about voter registration requirements?
Who can register to vote in Texas?
U.S. citizens in Texas can register to vote in the election if they are 18 or older or if they will be 18 by election day.
Citizens in the state cannot register to vote if they have been convicted of a felony and are still serving a sentence, including parole or probation, or if they have been deemed mentally incapacitated in court. Here are more specifics on eligibility.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
How do I register to vote?
You must complete and submit a paper voter registration application by April 29.
You can request a postage-paid application through the mail or find one at your local county’s voter registration office and some post offices, government offices, or high schools. You can also print out the online application and mail it to the voter registrar in your county.
Additionally, you can register to vote through the Texas Department of Public Safety while renewing your driver’s license. You may be able to register to vote online if you’re also allowed to renew your license online. This is the only form of online registration in the state.
After you register to vote, you will receive a voter registration certificate within 30 days. It’ll contain your voter information, including the Voter Unique Identifier number needed to update your voter registration online. If the certificate has incorrect information, you’ll need to note corrections and send it to your local voter registrar as soon as possible.
The voter registration certificate can also be used as a secondary form of ID when you vote if you don’t have one of the seven state-approved photo IDs. More information on that here.
Do you have to reregister to vote?
Once you register to vote, you generally remain registered, but there are various reasons why you may want to verify your registration status. For example, you need to update your registration after a name or address change. You can make those updates online here.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
What does it mean if my voter registration is in “suspense”?
If a county receives a non-deliverable notice after sending a voter registration certificate or suspects an address change, a voter is placed on a “suspense list” and asked to confirm their address. Voters on the suspense list can still vote if they update or confirm their address before the voter registration deadline for an election or fill out a “statement of residence” when voting. They may have to vote at their previous polling location or vote on a limited ballot. If no action is taken by a suspended voter, they are removed from the voter rolls after about four years, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s office.
Federal law prevents the state from removing registered voters within 90 days of a federal election unless the voter has died, been convicted of a felony or been declared mentally incapacitated.
If you’re concerned about your voter registration, you can verify it online here.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
What if I moved after the voter registration deadline?
You must reside in a Texas county by the voter registration deadline to vote in the upcoming election unless you qualify for absentee voting. You can read more about absentee and mail-in voting here.
You can vote at your previous polling location if you moved within the same county or political subdivision. Or you can vote at your new polling location on a ballot limited to the elections you would qualify to vote in at both polling locations, such as statewide races.
Limited ballots are available only during early voting at a “main early voting polling place,” which is usually the office of the election administrator or county clerk who runs elections in your county. The main early voting polling place should be noted in a county’s list of early voting locations.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Eligible people experiencing homelessness can vote, as long as they provide an address on their registration and a description for where they are residing, such as a shelter or a street intersection. If needed, their mailing address can be different, but a P.O. Box address is usually not considered a residence address.
What do I do if I run into issues with my voter registration?
If you have questions or concerns about your registration, you can find your county’s voter registration contact here.
Inside polling locations, there are typically “resolution desks” where poll workers can address registration issues.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
You can also find more information on frequently asked questions from the secretary of state’s office at votetexas.gov.
What do I need to know about mail-in voting?
How do I know if I’m eligible to vote by mail?
This option is fairly limited in Texas. You’re allowed to vote by mail only if:
You will be 65 or older by election day.
You will not be in your county for the entire voting period, including early voting.
You cite a sickness or disability that prevents you from voting in person without needing personal assistance or without the likelihood of injuring your health.
You’re expected to give birth within three weeks before or after election day.
You are confined in jail but otherwise eligible (i.e., not convicted of a felony).
College students who are registered at a residence in Texas, such as a parent’s home, but are studying out of state can apply for absentee ballots. Students studying in Texas who are from other states can also choose to register to vote in the state with their dorm or Texas address.
If you are voting absentee, such as from overseas, and want to see what will appear on your ballot, you can get a sample ballot from your county. In most cases, sample ballots can be found on your county’s election website.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
What identification do I need to vote by mail?
Texas rules for voting by mail require voters to provide an ID number on both their application for a ballot and the carrier envelope used to return a completed ballot. This must be one the following ID numbers:
A driver’s license number
A state ID number
The last four digits of their Social Security number
Texas election ID certificate number (issued by DPS and which is different from the number found on your voter registration certificate)
If they don’t have any of these, voters can also check a box indicating they have not been issued that identification.
This identification rule was added by the Texas Legislature in 2021, and some voters have had their ballots or applications rejected because they didn’t provide an ID number or the number they provided did not match the one the state had for the voter.
If you don’t have a license number on file or are unsure about which ID number you provided, the secretary of state has suggested contacting your local voter registrar to ask about how to add one of the required numbers to your voter registration record.
Voting advocates have suggested voters include both their driver’s license or state ID number and the last four digits of their Social Security number, if they have both, to avoid issues.
Does lack of immunity to COVID-19 qualify as a disability during the pandemic?
While a lack of immunity to COVID-19 alone does not allow a voter to request a ballot based on disability, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that it was up to voters to decide if lack of immunity, combined with their medical history, meets the state’s eligibility criteria.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Note that the Texas election code’s definition of a disability is broader than other federal definitions. A voter is eligible to vote by mail if they have a “sickness or physical condition” that prevents them from voting in person without the likelihood of “needing personal assistance or of injuring the voter’s health.” It’s up to the voter to decide this, and election officials don’t have the authority to question a voter’s reasoning.
What kind of postage do I need to return my mail-in ballot?
It depends on where you live. Postage for mail-in ballots will vary by county because the style and size of the ballot could be different from county to county — and some counties may pay postage for you. Local elections offices should have the specifics once ballots are finalized. That said, if you don’t have enough postage, your ballot is not supposed to be returned to you. Instead, the Postal Service is supposed to deliver the ballot and bill the county for the insufficient or missing postage.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.
What if there’s an issue with my mail-in ballot?
Texas allows voters to correct their mail-in ballots if the ballots are at risk of being rejected for a technical error, including missing information or signatures. This also applies to issues with mail-in applications. County officials are responsible for alerting voters if there is a defect with their application or ballot.
Voters can use a new online ballot tracker to check the status of both their application to vote by mail and their ballot. The tracker can also be used to make corrections. You can access the tracker here. The deadline to correct mail-in ballot applications is May 17. The deadline to correct a mail-in ballot is June 3.
What do I need to know about going to the polls?
How does primary voting work?
Primary elections are used to designate who will be a party’s candidate in the general election in each race, so you’ll be selecting among members of the same party in casting your vote. If you voted in the March primaries, you can only vote in runoff elections for that same party.
If you didn’t vote in the March primaries, you’ll have to choose whether you want to vote in the Republican or Democratic runoffs. Some counties will host what’s known as a joint primary, which means everyone checks in at the same desk and uses the same voting machines. In other counties, there will be separate check-in stations and lines for both parties.
How can I find which polling places are near me?
County election offices are supposed to post on their websites information on polling locations for election day and during the early-voting period by May 7. The secretary of state’s website will also have information on polling locations closer to the start of voting. However, polling locations may change, so be sure to check your county’s election website before going to vote.
What form of ID do I need to bring?
You’ll need one of seven types of valid photo ID to vote in Texas:
A state driver’s license (issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety).
A Texas election identification certificate (issued by DPS).
A Texas personal identification card (issued by DPS).
A Texas license to carry a handgun (issued by DPS).
A U.S. military ID card with a personal photo.
A U.S. citizenship certificate with a personal photo.
Voters can still cast votes if they sign a form swearing that they have a “reasonable impediment” from obtaining a proper photo ID. However, those voters will also have to present one of the following types of supporting identification documents:
A valid voter registration certificate.
A certified birth certificate.
A document confirming birth admissible in a court of law that establishes your identity (which may include a foreign birth document).
A copy of or an original current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other document that shows the voter’s name and address. (Any government document that contains a voter’s photo must be an original.)
If you have a valid photo ID but forgot it, you can cast a provisional ballot but will have to visit the local voter registrar’s office within six days of the election to present an acceptable ID or documentation in order for the ballot to be counted. A registered voter without a valid photo ID or any of the supporting documents can also cast a provisional ballot.
How can I make sure my ballot is counted?
How do I know if my provisional ballot was counted?
If you voted through a provisional ballot because of an administrative issue or photo ID problem, you should receive a notice by mail letting you know if your ballot was counted in the local canvass, which is the official tallying of votes. These notices must be mailed by June 17, according to the state’s election law calendar.
What about regular ballots?
Counties keep track of voter history, but votes are anonymous once ballots are submitted and added to the vote counts, said Chris Davis, the voter registration division director for Travis County.
To ensure vote counts are accurate, counties test election equipment multiple times, including in a public test conducted before an election.
“If that county has performed a successful logic and accuracy test before that election and that voter in that county has actually marked their ballot and cast it, I believe they can safely assume that their vote is counted,” Davis said.
What voter data is public?
Voter history, or whether a person voted in a previous election, is public. This includes primary election history, during which voters have to pick either the Republican or Democratic primary. This means the primary you voted in may be disclosed in the rosters of voters that counties are required to post. Your ballot choices are not public.
Disclosure: The Texas Secretary of State has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
Tickets are on sale now for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival, happening in downtown Austin Sept. 5-7. Get your TribFest tickets before May 1 and save big!
Wait! We need your help.
More than 2 million people read Texas Tribune articles every month, but only 12,000 of those readers also donate to support the news they count on. Not even 1% of readers! If you are one of the 99% of Texas Tribune readers who hasn’t made a donation before in support of independent Texas news, you can change that today. A small donation makes a big impact.
Our Spring Member Drive is an important time to help our newsroom plan for what resources will be available for them to tackle longer investigations and bigger projects later this year. Texas Tribune journalists need the support of readers to write the articles, take the photographs and create the data visualizations that impact Texans and Texas policy.
We have a goal to have 500 readers become Texas Tribune members during our Spring Member Drive. As the Tribune member community grows, the journalism you read here is better protected. Will you make a donation today to show your support of independent Texas news?
Benefits of Harvesting Rainwater 
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/2024_Maria_Mendez_2x3.jpeg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/Yuriko_Schumacher_TT_01.jpeg)