Something to Curl up with and Sink Your Teeth Into
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ELPASOTIMES.COM | TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021 | 5A TEXAS More Texas news Get the latest headlines and updates at elpasotimes.com. Many power Something to curl up with units that and sink your teeth into failed during with the twisting and hissing “viboras” freeze also that meander through South Texas as if they were the kings of the Brush failed in 2011 Texana Reads Country. Dr. Manuel Flores Stories like “My Guardian Angel In- Bob Sechler Guest columnist tervened” and “A Murder by Rattlesnake” Austin American-Statesman will have you cowering behind your out- and Philip Jankowski South Texas folklorist Hernán More- door hut in hopes you won’t be the next Austin American-Statesman no Hinojosa has told many a creepy tale victim. USA TODAY NETWORK – TEXAS about purported ghosts and phantoms Snakes are sneaky, Moreno Hinojosa that roam the Brush Country between claims. He calls them “deceivers” in re- As people froze to death or lost Corpus Christi and Laredo and just spect for their Biblical origin. In the “Gar- limbs to frostbite across Texas this north of the Rio Grande. den of Eden” it was a serpent who tricked February, dozens of the power plants He writes about them in his books Eve into eating the forbidden fruit which entrusted to keep residents warm and with a daredevil spirit of discovery and Adam also ate later. The serpent is pun- safe faltered amid the unrelenting certainty that these manifestations are ished by God for its role and changes the freeze — just like they did in 2011. more than just a person’s impression or serpent into a snake to crawl on its belly Nearly 75% of power generation imagination, but true-to-life occur- and eat dust for eternity. units that sustained outages 10 years ago, rences that make us shiver when we That is what we must think of when when another snow-and-ice storm hear or see things we cannot explain. The Deceiver book cover CONTRIBUTED we see a snake hiss and rear its head packed unusual force, also had shut- These flashes of presences that do PHOTO back to strike us with its forked tongue downs or reduced electrical production not exist (or do they?) are talked about as it bears its fangs, venom dripping. during February's freeze, according to an by Moreno Hinojosa with a foreboding But, like people, there are many differ- American-Statesman analysis — and this reverence in campfires and homes “SNAKE!” we cry out. ent types of snakes. Of the approxi- time they contributed to a near-collapse throughout the state and, indeed, the Each time we see them we want to – mately 3,000 snake species in the of the electricity grid that serves the bulk nation. Big Foot, El Cucuy or the bogey well – kill them. Husbands run to the world, less than 15% are venomous. It’s of the state as many additional units man, La Llorona (the Crying Woman). wood shed to get axes and rakes and send the venomous ones like the rattle- foundered as well. Werewolves, Moth Man, “Lechuzas,” the women and children inside. Some snake, copperhead, water moccasin The Statesman found common fail- “La Chupacabra” and other bizarre crea- quickly head for the gun closet to secure and coral snake that are the most dan- ures in the 2011 and 2021 emergencies that tures seem as real as the stars in the sky the 30-30 rifle which they haven’t used gerous. Of those only the rattlesnake include: for many people. since their last hunt but is ready to go for comes with a warning device, its rat- h Insufficient winterization: Frozen But, the South Texas Folklorist didn’t occasions such as this – SNAKES! tler. The rattler ironically sounds like equipment was pegged as the main cul- have to go too far to find a subject for his Moreno Hinojosa’s book comes just in an innocent child’s toy. prit for the problems at generation facil- new book – “The Deceiver.” In it he talks time for “snake season,” which starts in Moreno Hinojosa will tell you there ities a decade ago and likely will be again about what probably is the most danger- March round these parts and is in full- is nothing harmless about that sound this year. Already, a preliminary report by ous and ominous creature in the land. It is swing by April and beyond in South Tex- and he will relate stories of wonder the operator of the state's power grid in- more dangerous and deadly than the as. By now you’ve heard stories of people and excitement of encounters with dicates that more than 60% of plant out- creatures any nightmare, daydream or observing snakes from their backyards to these creatures that will surprise and ages leading up to the emergency in Feb- folk tale can produce. the highways and other places. strike even the most experienced ruary were directly "weather related," a Moreno Hinojosa is talking about Moreno Hinojosa, a lifetime resident hunter roaming the brush. figure that stands to grow as additional SNAKES! of South Texas, knows a thing or two So, be careful out there. A snake information becomes available. We all have a snake story or two. We about these creatures. In his new book may be lurking in the brush or under h Widespread vulnerabilities: Gen- may have seen them crawling in our back- “The Deceiver – Snake Tales and Bites” dead branches of bougainvilleas eration units that had outages or re- yards, spotted them while hunting or he takes his knowledge to the next level, which were beautiful last summer but duced output in both years are key seen them slithering across the lonely examining not only the history of the now are dead after the losing their bat- components of more than 40 power highways of South Texas. Each time we sometimes-deadly serpent but relating tle to the ice storm in January. plants, with owners that include For- see them we are startled. 26 stories of survival and encounters Hiss.. tune 500 companies. Ex-sheriff’s deputy arrested in Austin shooting rampage Ryan Autullo, Tony Plohetski and John Bacon USA TODAY AUSTIN, Texas – The former sheriff’s deputy suspected of killing three people in a shooting rampage near an apart- ment complex in Northwest Austin was taken into custody Monday without in- cident, police said. Stephen Nicholas Broderick, 41, was arrested along a rural highway in nearby Manor. Police said authorities received two 911 calls around 7:30 a.m. about a man walking along the road. Manor Po- lice Chief Ryan Phipps said Broderick had a pistol in his waistband. Manor po- lice released video of the arrest. The Elgin school district on Monday identified two victims as Alyssa Broder- ick, who left Elgin High last year, and Willie Simmons, who was a senior there. Details of the shooting Sunday were scarce, but interim Austin Police Chief Joe Chacon described the incident as “domestic violence.” Stephen Broderick Austin police, SWAT and medical personnel respond to a reported active-shooter situation at Great Hills Trail in Northwest had been free on bail on charges of sexu- Austin, Texas, on Sunday. A suspect was arrested Monday. BRONTE WITTPENN/AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN VIA AP al assault of a child. That bail was re- voked Sunday, and Travis County Dis- trict Attorney José Garza said Monday department on March 16, 2008. On ball for the University of North Texas. someone, he would know how.” that he will request Broderick be held March 12, 2013, Broderick was one of “He was an exceptional young man Months after his release on bail, with without bail. two officers involved in shooting and and leader among his peers. Strong, his case still pending, a Travis County “Because Mr. Broderick committed critically injuring an elderly man. He both academically and athletically, he judge on Nov. 5 ordered the removal of this heinous crime after he paid a mon- was placed on administrative leave with represented the very best of Elgin ISD,” Stephen Broderick’s tracking device. ey bond to be released on charges relat- pay pending an investigation, according the district said. Broderick’s lawyer argued in a written ed to sexual assault against a child, Tex- to the Bastrop County sheriff’s office at Records show that Stephen Broder- motion to the court that Broderick had as law permits his detention without the time of the incident. ick already is facing charges of sexual worn the electronic monitor for 142 days bail,” Garza said. Broderick, a property crimes detec- assault. Broderick was booked into jail with no substantial violations and that Police responded to a 911 call from an tive, resigned after his arrest last year in June and spent 16 days behind bars it should be removed. State District address near Arboretum Oaks Apart- on child sexual assault charges, accord- before posting bail. Court and public Judge Karen Sage agreed, a decision ments and an upscale shopping district. ing to Travis County Sheriff’s spokes- records show that Broderick’s wife filed that left Broderick largely unsupervised Officers found three gunshot victims, woman Kristen Dark. for divorce and for a protective order af- months after his wife said she feared for and an emergency medical team at- Chacon declined to release the iden- ter her husband’s arrest. the safety of the family with Broderick tempted CPR before pronouncing them tity of those killed in the carnage but did The protective order, agreed upon by out of jail. Broderick’s bail conditions dead.