Presidio JP offers thanks, will not run for reelection

Family, friends and Presidio County voters in Precinct 2,

With a heavy heart, I am announcing that I will not be seeking reelection as your justice of the peace this coming election.

Serving this community has been one of the greatest honors of my life. However, due to ongoing health challenges and the toll they have taken, I must step back from the responsibilities of public office to prioritize my recovery.

For years you have placed your trust in me to serve with fairness, compassion and integrity. It has been my privilege to preside over matters great and small and to play a part in upholding justice and representing our community. 

I want to thank God, local state and federal law enforcement agencies, Presidio and Marfa EMTs, the funeral homes and the Mexican Consulate of Presidio who have worked and served alongside me doing a job that is difficult for all of us. I would also like to thank my deputy clerk, Flor Franco, for her dedication, professionalism and always being here for me. Most importantly, I would like to thank those that believed in me all these years. Your confidence has meant everything. 

Though I will not be on the ballot next term, I remain deeply committed to this community. 

With humble and heartfelt gratitude,
Juanita Urias Bishop
Presidio County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2

Prioritizing coal puts grid in danger

Representative Morales,

I am concerned about the current status of the Texas power grid. Grid failure in February 2021 was a disaster causing statewide outages, shutdown of businesses and schools, and leaving homes without heat for a week. 

ERCOT’s plan for 2025-26 relies heavily on output from the Sandy Creek Coal Plant in Waco. This plant is currently shut down until sometime in 2027. Ownership of the plant is not readily available because of recent sales.

The history of Sandy Creek is riddled with unreliable research, lack of accountability and poor decision-making as well as reliance on fossil fuels as the major source of energy in Texas. In October 2011 the plant experienced an explosion from overheating, causing a shutdown.

The current shutdown of the coal plant requires ERCOT to scramble for renewable wind and solar solutions to ensure power availability this winter. This is made more difficult by recent cuts in renewable source funding by the federal government and by Texas state government insistence on prioritizing coal as the main source of electric power. 

Contact your representatives and let them know this is an immediate priority.

Respectfully,
Genie Mitchell
Fort Davis