Limiting STRs could be key to housing market

As we have been publishing a series of stories about affordable housing (or the lack thereof) in Fredericksburg, one thing has become clear: There isn’t any, at least not for working-class people.

Fredericksburg has struggled with the affordability of homes for many years and the situation is only getting worse, especially in this post-pandemic buying frenzy that is happening everywhere, not just here. The average sales price of a home in Fredericksburg crossed the half million-dollar mark this year and is continuing to rise.

This is a problem on many levels, but mostly because the people who wait tables, teach children, drive buses, clean hotel rooms, cook meals and perform thousands of other vital roles in the community cannot afford to buy or rent a home here. Even many of the long-time residents couldn’t afford the home they live in if they had to buy it at today’s prices.

It’s a simple matter of supply and demand. The supply is low and the demand is high. The supply is low because we cannot build new homes fast enough and because a high number of homes that do come on the market get snatched up and converted to a bed and breakfast, or short-term rental (STR).

The demand is high because we have a lot of people freed from the constraints of having to report daily to an office now fleeing big cities in search of a tranquil, rural way of life where they can work remotely. We also have a lot of people moving in from other states (primarily California) where the cost of living has become unreasonably high. When they move here, what we see as expensive home prices are cheap compared to what they left, so they can pay more and drive prices up.

Although it is highly unlikely that housing prices will drop to an affordable level, there are steps that can be taken to decrease the rapid rise in prices.

The main thing is to increase the inventory of homes on the market. The key to making that work is to limit new ones from becoming STRs and consider a cap on the number of STRs already in existence here.

That last thing any Texan wants to be told by the government is what they can and cannot do with their property. It’s a sacred right highly valued here. And we know one restaurant owner whose business was shuttered during the pandemic and her STR was an important source of income for her family.

But consider that we have reached a threshold where property values are doing more harm than good. If — or when — we reach the point where more businesses close and the service industry suffers from a lack of workers, many of these STRs will sit idle, costing their owners money.

There are a few steps the Fredericksburg City Council can consider in this regard.

The first is a moratorium on new STRs to help stabilize the situation.

The second is to encourage the development of affordable homes with a homestead requirement, meaning they must be owner-occupied or at the very least used as long-term rentals where the occupant uses the home as a primary residence.

The third proposal would require a change to zoning laws to prohibit STRs in certain residential neighborhoods. Existing STRs would be grandfathered in, but lose their STR status if there is an ownership change or frequent violations of current noise and nuisance laws.

Acknowledging that STRs do play an important role in our community, we don’t want to deplete the inventory. That’s why there should be a sunset evaluation of the rules every five or 10 years to see if they are still necessary.

The purpose of these proposals isn’t to encourage government control of private property but to protect those negatively impacted by current prices and practices.

STRs are a relatively new thing in the last few years and their popularity is growing. Regulation of STRs must also increase to keep the playing field level. We support efforts to find solutions to this issue, in both regulating them and increasing our housing supply.

Right now, the laws are very lopsided on the side of STRs and we’re seeing the harm that causes, as some neighborhoods have few permanent residents. We need to make changes or all of us will continue to suffer the consequences. – J.S.

(This editorial ran in the June 23, 2021, edition of the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post)

Recruiting future Former Texas Rangers

Members of the Headquarters Company of the Former Texas Rangers Association and Foundation stand ready for action on the grounds of the Texas Rangers Heritage Center in Fredericksburg. Pictured from the left are Marvin Schroeder, Bruce Ferguson, and Jeff Nichols. – Standard-Radio Post/Joe Southern

Preparing for the future of the Former Texas Rangers Association and Foundation hinges on recruitment, especially for people who like to dress as a cowboy and demonstrate historic firearms.

“We’re looking to recruit,” said Marvin Schroeder, who heads the Living History Headquarters Company of the Former Texas Rangers Foundation. “We’re looking for the best.”

The Headquarters Company is widely known locally for making appearances in 1800s-era cowboy duds and conducting camps and demonstrations at different festivals and events in the region. They do educational programs at schools and also conduct memorial cross ceremonies at the graves of Texas Rangers. Mostly, they keep the history and traditions of the Texas Rangers alive and relevant to new generations of Texans.

“It’s a lot of fun, especially when you get either the tourists or the kids. And the kids, you know, let’s face it, we all grew up watching Roy Rogers and that kind of stuff,” Schroeder said, noting that Westerns are making a cultural comeback.

“What kid doesn’t like cowboys on horses, you know? It’s just that mantra of the good old America here. Here’s a cowboy on a horse,” he said.

Based out of the Texas Rangers Heritage Center, the Former Texas Rangers consists of two levels of membership. Foundation membership is open to anyone. Association membership is limited to current or former Texas Rangers, their spouses, or anyone of direct lineage to a Texas Ranger. It’s from the foundation and association that the Headquarters Company draws its membership. Everyone in the Headquarters Company is a member of the foundation or association, but not all foundation and association members are in the company.

Jeff Nichols, who served 22 years in the military, joined the foundation four years ago.

“I was invited to a meeting,” he recalled. “It looked like Matt Dillon and Festus were coming up to the house.”

After hearing them out, he participated in a couple of events and decided to join.

For Bruce Ferguson, being a retired sheriff’s deputy, the law enforcement aspect is in his blood.

“The camaraderie is something that you miss when you’re a service man,” he said.

Ferguson said he can strongly relate to what the Texas Rangers, both current and of old, experience.

“Personally, I have been involved in two shootings on my own and everything. So I understand what these guys went through and I actually lived part of their stuff,” he said.

 

Education

For the members of the Headquarters Company, teaching and learning never stop.

“What’s fun is doing the research,” Schroeder said. “If you quit doing the research, you’re hurting yourself.”

He said going to schools and conducting educational programs, especially ones like the annual spring break event at the Pioneer Museum, allows members to share their love and passion for the Texas Rangers and their history. He said people are drawn by the guns and horses but are often captivated by the stories of the likes of Rangers John Coffee (Jack) Hays and William (Bigfoot) Wallace.

The Texas Rangers got their start in 1823 and the Headquarters Company depicts them from that time until 1935. Rangers up through the Texas Revolution in 1836 used flintlock rifles, followed by cap and ball rifles, and later revolvers.

The outfits, weapons and other accoutrements serve as props to allow the Rangers to tell their story.

“Schools don’t have time to teach them this kind of history, so we get into the nuts and bolts of it pretty deep,” Schroeder said.

 

Suiting up

Clothing and other essentials are part of the program. With several years of experience working in the movies, Schroeder has accumulated a large wardrobe of period-correct clothing and equipment. Schroeder loans them out to new recruits so they can see what it’s like before investing in their own gear.

“It can cost two grand just to put one costume together,” he said.

That includes shirts, vest, pants, boots, hat, bandanna, holster and gun, for starters.

 

Not for everyone

The association and foundation are made up of individuals from many walks of life. All have a love of the Texas Rangers and their history, but not all of them want to dress the part.

“People have this, we call it the Hollywood vision of a cowboy. Let’s face it, they’re all mean or they’re all really nice. And you know, we’re clean today, but I guarantee you if you get out there and live it (camping), you ain’t coming away clean,” Schroeder said.

He said last year before the pandemic hit, they did a nine-day camp.

“After nine days, you get a good feeling of what that was like,” he said.

The main difference, he said, is back then, the Rangers were scouting for Indians and bandits on the frontier. The elements of danger and survival are not there for the living historians.

Schroeder also noted that some people dress up for an event or two and discover that is not where their interests lie. That’s why Schroeder loans out gear before they dive in with their wallets.

 

Bicentennial celebration and new museum

The members of Headquarters Company expect to see a rise in interest in the Texas Rangers next year as they reach the bicentennial milestone.

That’s one of the reasons why there is a push for new members.

There are also plans to open a new museum on the grounds of the Texas Rangers Heritage Center next year, which will require more volunteer help when it opens up.

 

A history of history

If Schroeder seems familiar, he should, even without the cowboy garb. Most people in Fredericksburg will remember him from the National Museum of the Pacific War.

He spent a combined 22 years (1990-1999, then 2004-2017) working at the Pacific Combat Zone, which he helped create. He served as the museum’s living history coordinator from 1990 to 2017.

“What I created here at the Nimitz Museum has never been done before,” he said.

He was recruited to the Nimitz after officials saw what he did with programs on the battleship USS Texas. His resume also includes work on several Hollywood films in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including “Friday Night Lights” and Mel Gibson’s “The Patriot.”

Many of his credits are as a weapons master, armorer, props supplier or as an uncredited extra. He trained the red coat extras in “The Patriot” how to handle their weapons and perform like British soldiers. He also has the distinction of having worked on both John Wayne’s “The Alamo” and the remake in 2004.

 

Not re-enactors

One common mistake people make when they see the men of Headquarters Company in public is to refer to them as re-enactors. They’re not. They are living historians, meaning they don’t act out a particular event but rather display and demonstrate camp life and the equipment and tools of the time.

“Someone might say, ‘I’m gonna shoot my gun and all the bad guys are gonna die.’ You don’t do that. That’s what re-enactors tend to get into,” Schroeder said.

 

How to join

Anyone wanting to get involved with the Former Texas Rangers ahead of the bicentennial celebration and the opening of the museum can do so at any time.

There is an initiation fee ranging from $500 to $5,000, depending on what rank is desired (private to major), and annual dues are $100. The fees apply to both the foundation recruits and anyone qualified to join the association.

Joining the Headquarters Company and gearing up requires whatever commitment the member wishes to make.

“So you say, ‘Well, how much should I do?’ As much as you can; it’s volunteer,” Schroeder said.

He is especially interested in recruiting younger members, since the rangers were generally young men.

Application forms and other information can be found on their website at http://trhc.org/index.html.

 

Memorial Cross Program

The Former Texas Rangers Association has planned a Memorial Cross Program for Saturday, June 12, at 10 a.m. In commemoration of the service rendered and the sacrifices made by Gottfried Ottmers of Company C, 3rd Battalion, Texas State Troops, the FTRA has given a special grave marker. It will be placed at Ottmers’ grave at St. Paul Lutheran Church Cemetery at Cave Creek by his descendants.

The last to cross the finish line finished first

There’s a black sheep in every family and I don’t know if this one is it, or the only white sheep in the bunch.

Colton James Southern — the youngest of my four children — graduated from B.F. Terry High School in Rosenberg on May 21. He is unique among his siblings because he is the only one to go through the same school system from elementary to high school. He’s also the second of our clan to graduate with honors and the first as a member of the National Honor Society. He ranked 10th in his class of over 500, and if you think I’m bragging like a proud papa, you bet I am!

I’m proud of how well all four of my children did, especially considering the paths they were dragged through to reach that finish line. Each had unique challenges to overcome. My oldest child and only daughter had to deal with the divorce of her parents and attended seven schools across three states before graduating with honors. In that time between her two families, she lived in 11 different houses.

My oldest son, whom I adopted as a stepparent, is also a child of divorce and did his schooling in five school districts across two states (three states if you consider that he finished online while living in Florida with his grandparents). My middle son, who graduated two years ago, started in Amarillo and finished in Rosenberg but had his share of personal challenges along the way.

Colton, however, was on more stable ground and took advantage of it. We lived in the same house for his first 10 years in school, and although we moved before his junior year, he didn’t change schools. He was almost always a straight-A student and made every single A/B honor roll. I don’t think it was the stability of a home that made the difference; I credit his mother with that. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees while getting the kiddos through school.

As a three-sport benchwarmer in high school, I regret that none of our children participated in athletics. Considering that my wife was a musician, it’s also a letdown that none of the kids learned to play an instrument. Colton, however, was in JROTC for all four years in high school and excelled at it, even earning an academic letter. He was also the leader of his school’s rocketry club. That is truly where his interest lies.

This fall he will attend Texas A&M University, where he has been accepted into the engineering school. He was recently placed in Squadron 12 in the Corps of Cadets and will join the ROTC. This is a path he chose for himself back in junior high. His ultimate goal is to graduate and go into the Air Force or Space Force and help design rockets.

The day after Colton graduated, we held a party for him. That morphed into a Boy Scout Court of Honor where he was presented with his Eagle Scout rank. That makes him a second-generation Eagle Scout and the second of my sons to earn the rank.

Yeah, at this point you have to know that I am bragging. I think it’s every parents’ desire to have their children do better than they did, and I’ve had it happen four times. Heck, I could even say five times if you consider that my wife crushed me academically in college (not that it was a difficult thing to do).

So, with all of this success in my family, why would I even think of calling Colton the black sheep? I think that is because out of all the spirited and unconventional ways the rest of us got through school, Colton was the one who trekked the straight and narrow path. He devised a plan early on and has stayed true to his calling, nailing each milestone with aplomb. The rest of us took more circuitous routes.

In a normal family, Colton would be one of the white sheep. Mine is more of a black sheep family (not in a bad way, but in a quirky sense), which really makes Colton stand out. And I hope and pray he will continue to stand out and achieve great things as he moves onto this next chapter of life.

Colton, your family is very proud of you and loves you very much. Aim high, my son, and Gig ’em!

 joe@fredericksburgstandard.com

Colton Southern, a 2021 graduate of B.F. Terry High School in Rosenberg, Texas.

A game of firsts

Thursday, May 13, marked a milestone in the history of baseball in Texas.

The Sugar Land Skeeters played the Round Rock Express at Dell Diamond. This is a first for a number of reasons. To begin with, it’s the first time the state’s two Major League teams — the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers — have had both of their Triple A Minor League teams located inside the state.

The Express has been the Triple A affiliate for both the Astros and the Rangers in the past and is once again under the Rangers umbrella. Sugar Land, which spent its first nine years in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball as an independent ballclub, is in its first season as the Astros Triple A affiliate.

Secondly, it was the first meeting between these two teams. Thirdly, it was the first time the Skeeters played in Texas outside of Constellation Field.

Although Triple A affiliates of both teams have played each other in Texas on a number of occasions, this is the first time they’ve done so while both call the Lone Star State home.

OK, that may not sound like such a big deal, but considering the long history of baseball, it’s hard to come up with firsts anymore. In this game, I found three of them. It’s kind of like coming up with a small nugget of gold in a field of iron pyrite.

Once the game started, more firsts continued to unfold. The first pitch of the game by Round Rock’s Jason Bahr became the first hit as Sugar Land’s Jake Meyers sent it to deep left field for a single. Five batters later, Sugar Land’s Jose Siri hit a three-run double. I know that’s not a first, but what he did in the second inning was a first for the Skeeters. Once again, Siri came to bat with two outs. This time the bases were loaded and he blasted a grand slam, the first in Skeeters history as a Triple A team. By the time the second inning was over, Siri had accounted for seven of the Skeeters’ nine runs.

I couldn’t tell you if there were any more firsts in the game. There were a couple of firsts for me, though. It was my first visit to Dell Diamond, which is a magnificent ballpark. It was my first Express game. It was also the first time I watched the Skeeters play an away game.

I’ve lived southwest of Houston in Rosenberg for the last 12 years. Sugar Land is nearby and I have been following the Skeeters from their start in 2012. I took my family to the first game and we have been to many others since. I’ve been covering them as a photographer and writer for the last five years. I know I’ve felt like part of the organization, and the feeling is mutual. When they won their second Atlantic League championship in 2018, the team gave me an official championship ring. It’s one of my most prized treasures.

But getting back to the game, there was something surreal about it for most everyone there. The last time the Express played in 2019 (COVID canceled the 2020 season), they were the Astros Triple A affiliate. Many of the players wearing Skeeters uniforms were playing for the Express back then. And many of the fans were wearing Astros-themed gear but cheering for the Rangers’ squad.

It was weird for me to see a team I’ve been following for 10 years and not recognize a single person. All of the old indy ball players and coaches had to move on once Major League Baseball reorganized the Minors in the off season, which allowed for the Skeeters to become an affiliated team.

Now that I’m here in Fredericksburg, the Express is now the closest AAA team and I’m sure I’ll make it to a few more games as the season progresses. I’d also like to head south at some point as see some Double A ball with the San Antonio Missions.

Last week, the Skeeters had their home opener against the state’s third AAA team, the El Paso Chihuahuas. At the game, I caught up with Astros owner Jim Crane. He told me he was happy to have the AAA team located just 23 miles from Minute Maid Park. He also complimented the Rangers organization and said there should be a good rivalry between Round Rock and Sugar Land in the years to come.

“I think it’ll be a great rivalry with the Rangers and their organization and they’re just up the road, so it’s not that far,” he said.

I don’t know what the interest is in Fredericksburg for Minor League Baseball, but I’d like to find out. I know it doesn’t help that the nearest teams are an hour or two away, but I’m sure there must be a few fans that make the trek a couple times a season or more to watch America’s favorite pastime. If anyone knows of a local connection to Minor League Baseball, please let me know.

Midway through the first inning in Round Rock I got caught on their Smile Cam. There I was, grinning with my dirty, beat-up, black felt cowboy hat on my head and a goofy grin across my face.

The stadium announcer said something like “it was nice of Indiana Jones to join us today.” That got a good laugh.

All in all, it was a beautiful evening for a ballgame. As a Skeeters fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the 10-4 victory. As an observer of the sport, I can’t help but wonder if this game wasn’t the first in what is likely to become a rather passionate rivalry. I know they play each other 30 times this season and both teams are under long-term contracts to be their respective club’s Triple A team.

After a game with so many firsts, I can’t wait to go back for seconds. This is going to be a lot of fun!

Sugar Land Skeeters left fielder Bryan De La Cruz (16), fouls off a ball as Round Rock Express catcher John Hicks and umpire Malachi Moore look on. The Skeeters beat the Express 10-4 May 13 in the first game between the two ballclubs at Dell Diamond in Round Rock. — Standard-Radio Post/Joe Southern

Sugar Land Skeeters relief pitcher Ralph Garza Jr. throws to Round Rock Express short stop Anderson Tejeda during the May 13 game at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock. The Skeeters won the inaugural game between the two Triple A ballclubs 10-4. — Standard-Radio Post/Joe Southern

Congratulations to the class of 2021

It’s that time of year when across the land high school and college seniors cross the stage to receive their diplomas and degrees and begin a new phase in their journey called life.

Graduation is a milestone. It’s a marker indicating achievement and advancement. It’s the finish line of formal education and the starting line for what comes next. For many, especially those graduating from high school, the next step is continued education. For some in college it’s the move to a more advanced degree. Still others will move on to military service or entry into the workforce.

Whatever the case may be, spring is a season of change. This change isn’t to be feared but embraced. This is, after all, what the graduates have worked for all this time. For the class of 2021, this year presents opportunities that rarely come along. The COVID-19 pandemic changed many things. Right now there are more jobs available than at any point in recent history. Too often graduates walk out into a crowded workforce with little chance of finding a job right away. Thanks in part to the pandemic, jobs, college, and military service opportunities are in abundance.

Another advantage of the pandemic is that the class of 2021 has learned to be one of the most creative and adaptive classes in history. The ability to seek and find new ways of doing things is a skill they will use the rest of their lives as they move forward in an everchanging world. For all of the things that the pandemic took from them in the last year, it has also opened new doors and new avenues of success.

Some sage advice to our graduates is to enjoy the moment but don’t rest on your laurels. This is the time to keep those academic and creative juices flowing as you move into the next chapter of your life. Pardon the cliché, but the only constant is change and you need to be prepared for it. No one can control what life throws at them but they can control how they respond. Life threw a pandemic at us last year. How you respond to it, how you adapt to its challenges, will dictate how successful you are going forward.

To the class of 2021, we congratulate you on your achievement, the accomplishment of a major goal. We wish you continued success and prosperity. You’ve earned this moment. Enjoy it. Make the most of it.

Carpe diem! – JS

This is an editorial for the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post that ran May 26, 2021.