Oh Really!!! Part iii (Alexander Nicholas Hilliard versus the Legion)

Below is the document Alex had composed just prior to his death in regard to false accusations about him by the commander of the legion and others involved with it. Needless to say he couldn't use the Legion's printer (which he had donated to the legion) because he had been banned from the legion by the commander. Therefore, he had been to several people in the area to see if they could print it for him. Although he never (as far as I know) had a chance to sign the document before his death there are plenty of witness to prove that he did author the document. At least five or more of his friends were given the digital documents by him.

With all the rumors and BS going around after Alex' death it has been real hard trying to sift through all of it to try and find out exactly what happened. The fact that the Sheriff's department has been pretty tight lipped about the whole thing hasn't helped although I was told by one deputy that there will be a meeting to try and dispel all the rumors and let the truth be known. I have been out of the area with medical problems so I can't say for sure whether this has already happened or is still pending? I'd been holding off on this blog post waiting for that, but I have gotten tired of waiting. The problem with this meeting is that it was supposed to be at the legion and most people that I know refused to go there for it and wanted it moved to some other place. I my self have little desire to go there to.

Back a few days before the last election for officers at the legion I posted a thread on Facebook (Our Terlingua). In that thread I did all but beg any members in the area to show up at that election and vote, but unfortunately it didn't happen. One of the officers at the time wasn't even able to be there because of being out of the area for medical appointments. For that reason he should have been included in the election as that post officer again. No one ran for his post anyway, but that was what the commander intended since he was planning to get reelected as commander again come hell or high water. In other words he had the deck stacked in his favor and wanted to keep it that way. There were not enough members there to prevent it so now we have a dysfunctional legion as far as it being a BIG community support group for any and ALL locals to go. (As it was for many years.)

In the thread I mentioned above the commander's wife was sitting outside during the next meeting along with a good number of other people who were not allowed to vote to keep the legion as it has always been. It was decided by the few officers that had (in my opinion) stolen the election the month before. Anyway I made the comment to several people there that her husband was wearing a Vietnam Vet cap and was not a Vietnam vet. (Fact) The commanders wife went ballistic and stormed over to the table where we were sitting, slammed her fists on the table (which startled everyone at the table to the point that they nearly jumped out of their chairs.) That included me. She said that her husband was a Vietnam vet and I said "No he isn't" She then said You had better quit lying about my husband." Oh really... Since when is the truth a lie? All I said to her after that was "I'm not going to argue with you." Three times as she kept up ranting. Next thing I know she had gone inside to tell a totally different story evidently because one of the people in the meeting came out and told me that they had called the Sheriff's department and were going to ban me and have me thrown in jail for VERBALLY ASSAULTING A WOMAN??? You've got to be kidding! They did ban me from the legion despite the fact that that didn't happen and there were plenty of witnessed to prove it. They also banned several customers, employees and ex employees including Alex, Karen and a number of others for no reason at all.

Below is the response from the commander's wife to my post trying to get members to show up to the election and my response to hers.

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Lynnette Dawson 7:20pm May 4
Save the Legion? David Smith has done nothing but try to destroy the Legion for the last three years. Before District came and took the Commander-ship from him he told all the locals the Legion was closing he was giving all the beer and food away with a big party. He was not even going to renew the beer licence. Then after the last election he is telling all the Locals not to come to the Legion and to not support them. The Legion is going to survive and it has a lot of good people in position to make a difference.

My reply:
Ok... Time to shoot holes in all of above bullshit lies and Defamation of my character. First off I have not been trying to destroy the legion for the last three years! I have been heavily supporting it for the past six years. It was doing fine while I was the commander. Put the blame where it belongs. District came and did the usual CHANGE OF COMMAND and it was NOT two months early it was two weeks early. Never the less it was still the normal change of command ceremony. The sheriff's department had nothing to do with it. Patric was there (Probably at the request of a very insecure person), but the only conversation he and I had was about a young lady that had been living in the desert in her car and was dangerously close to dying from the heat. He told me they had to escort her out of the area. My reply was "Good she didn't belong here and would have died here." Now I was stepping down as commander and it was up to the next commander to take care of anything coming up that would effect his command. (Including renewing the beer license, the Non Profit organization status and so on. Don't be blaming that on me! I did NOT give away all of the beer and food. I didn't even have a party. The bar tender quit and walked out which left some customers in there that weren't ready to leave. I did give away three pizzas (Shared by the customers) and maybe a case of beer to the customers that were still there before closing it down. I was still the commander at the time and that was an executive decision to keep from pissing off customers. I've seen a lot worse executive decisions lately and if the legion shuts down I won't be responsible for it. I haven't been the commander in over a year. As far as me telling people not to go there? More BS. IF I told anyone not to go there they would probably do it to spite me.
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Now after I made my reply her reply to my thread mysteriously disappeared, but Hey! You know it was on the internet and once you post something you can't take it back. That was actually a quote in an email I got through Facebook. I also have the digital from showing that it was posted there (Which I put back where it couldn't be deleted.)

Now... With all of this said I am calling for the resignation of ALL current officers of American Legion post 653  and a new election to be held with different (HOPEFULLY) reputable members to once again restore the legion to what it has been. (A place of support for the community and not an embarrassment to it.)

That's it for now Folks.

Oh Really??? Part II of III or IV.

Still mo good answers as to the cause of Alex' death. From what I hear (Reasonably good intel) The toxicology report was negative, No cause of death has been determined yet and the hold up now is a report from the Texas Fire Marshal's office I suppose on the cause of the fire. There are still all sorts of rumors floating around about it.

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And now debunking the rest of the BS on the flier in the last post.

(4) Alex quit his job as Bar Manager at the legion because the commander would not let him do his job and he was tired of his BS. Alex and Karen were good friends at the time of his death.

(5) Alex had good reason to turn his back on the legion and the commander. He was tired of the BS.

(6) Alex turned his back on the Vice-Commander??? That is more BS! The Vice-Commander and Alex got along fine. As a matter of fact he did work for the Vice-Commander after he quit the legion.

(7) Oh and I did say that Alex was NOT kicked out of the military he received an Honorable Discharge.

(8) Alex was never a member of the legion, but he could have been. He told me he didn't want to have to put up with all the BS so wouldn't join. Can't say that I blamed him!

(9) The protesters were perfectly within their rights to protest. They were also doing it on private property, were given permission to have it there and you had no control over it. It could still be going on and you couldn't do a damn thing about it. You sending the young deputy over there to tell them you wanted it shut down by midnight was a total joke.

(10) Most of the protesters weren't in the military during war time? Look who's talking. You may have been in the service during the Vietnam Era, but that DOES NOT make you a Vietnam Vet! You wearing the Vietnam Vet cap is lying by deception and is also called Theft of Valor.

(11) Whoops... MORE BS about the Big Bend Valley Volunteer Fire Department.

Fact is that Wes was on scene within 15 minutes of receiving the call about the fire. Terlingua Fire and EMS were already on scene as well as the sheriff's department which means that who ever was SUPPOSED to contact BBVVFD contacted Terlingua Fire and EMS at least 45 minutes before the BBVVFD was contacted. Now this opens you up for scrutiny over the things you have pulled trying to sabotage BBVVFD and I'll make that a totally new post for that.

As for Lee getting arrested? Lee was doing what Lee does. Trying to help out people in need. That whole thing reeks of a setup! Lee has done more for American legion Post 653 than you could ever imagine or ever hope to do yourself. He has also done more for this area than anyone else. As far as BBVVFD it was started by him and 99% of its support comes from his pocket. Where does Terlingua Fire and EMS get their support? State and Federal grants which they don't want to share with BBVVFD!

OH! And one thing I had forgotten about is that flier was more than likely printed on the printer Alex donated to the legion. Now ain't that a kick in the head???

Oh Really???

The flier above was posted on the American Legion Post 653's (Terlingua, Texas) bulletin board. This was a month after the protest over the way the legion handled Alex and for that matter other veterans needs. I say a month after, but I didn't see it until the flier was handed to me. That protest was after Alex' death.

I feel it my duty to get the truth out about this BS! First off NO I didn't break the law by going there because I am banned from there over trumped up BULLSHIT charges even though there were plenty of witnesses to dispute those claims. Alex was banned from there a couple of days later. The fliers were handed to me by a woman who is still able to go there.

(1) Yes Alex was given a job there. (First by me because the woman he bought the land from emailed me asking me to watch out for him because he was having a rough time. I gave him a job as bartender.)

(2) The motor home purchased by the commander was NOT for Alex it was purchased because the commander got a good deal on it and planned to use it for his own use later. Alex was charged RENT on it. Alex got help from quiet a few other people including me.

(3) Alex was given Food and Money???

Alex WORKED for his MONEY both as a bar tender and working with other people on his off time.

As for given food? Guess what folks everyone else was to after it was donated to the public at the legion as a food bank and not by the legion. (exception would be food purchased by the legion for pot luck suppers (and a lot of times by the bartenders.) About all of them did that INCLUDING Alex (out of their own pockets.)

Thanks Chuck and Cathy for the groceries that supported this area along with Mike at the Family Crisis Center. And of course the Bar Tenders, Members and customers.

I'll address the rest of the BULLSHIT on that flier on the next blog (With a lot more BS exposer)

OH! BTW Alex was not booted out of the army. He was HONORABLY discharged, but the AHs at the legion keep wanting to defame him.

Latest on Alex.

A post on FB from his mother.

We are ALL still looking for answers.

More bad news from Terlingua Ranch.

From the Brewster County Sheriff's Blotter on FB. Alex was a good guy and we will miss him.

Alex...

EB...Short of (Extra Big) Dog

Gate Party & More

I'd been intending to put up gates on both ends of the road that runs through my property every since the Suber ruling, but doing it myself was out of the question and lack of funds postponed it also. Recently some of my friends offered to put the first one up free of charge (including the material) Now how  could I turn down a deal like that? Anyway I'd been having to put up with a few speeders flying through my property kicking up dust, rocks and turning the little sharp rocks that cause flats and blowouts up. I have a few videos of that happening. I'll be adding the front gate as soon as I can, but it will more than likely just be a chain gate. Disregard the birdies behind the gate. Seen in the lower picture are my friends (left to right) Phil, Judy, Mike, Lisa and Ron. Thanks a bunch guys and gals!

As you can see in the above picture all the wild flowers have gone away and the yuccas seem to be about the only things blooming now. I want to try and get the trike going again soon where I can chain something to drag behind it and drag down the remnants of the wild flowers around here. They could lend to wild fires real easily. Of course I'd only do that up around the cabin and trailer area.

One of my aunts suggested some time back that I try one of the screen curtains for a screen for the cabin so the last time I went to Alpine I found one at the hardware store there. I had my doubts as to how long it would last with the high wind, but it has done pretty good so far. The magnets are just snapped together through the curtain and the wind blowing them around and slamming them up against the building some times has caused them to pop off. I've been using super glue to put them back on so once all are done like that I hope all will be well. It does catch most of the bugs and insures that no bats fly in here during the evenings chasing bugs.

Another one of my friends (Hollywood) brought by the two geodes yesterday and gave them to me. One of his friends cut them for him. After looking at them I'm pretty sure I've seen some of the raw ones around here, but where I've seen them who knows. Looks like I need to use the range extenders and go looking. The pictures do NOT do justice to the crystals inside them.

The heat is getting here slowly, but surely. Its 100 degrees here right now, but I can deal with that with a fan blowing on me in here and in a breeze outside. I'm not looking forward to the 115+ temps again, but I can run the AC when need be.

Mo Pix 04/30/2015

Foliage is trying to over grow my dam. That's ok though might help it hold water. I still need to extend it about another 20 feet to ever have a good sized pond after rains.

The Lechuguillas are doing good as is everything else after the wet winter. I tried my best to find some of the other types of cactus that I have seen here before, but this is a big place and I couldn't remember where I'd seen them before so maybe later? (Probably after the blooms are gone) Grrr.

Below are my Range Extenders. (Crutches I picked up off the porch at the legion) They have extended my range of hunting by a bunch, but now I need a back pack and folding stool to be able to do much now days.

And below is a picture of the target I'm using now. I was shooting an M1 Garand from almost 100 yards away using open or battle field sights. (No Scope) I love those M1 Garands!

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Just a few pictures.

That's all for now Folks.

Green & Yellow

Things are Green and Yellow around here. This is the greenest I've ever seen around here. Some areas are Green, Yellow and Blue with the Bluebonnets. Looks like its going to be a beautiful year down here!

For those who are members of the American Legion Heads UP. I've found that some people who hang out at the legion don't know this because they have not read the flier on the bulletin board there. All members that can need to show up and either vote or throw your hat in the ring for one of the officer's positions. Having one person in control of too many posts is not a good thing (Especially when it is the top three posts!) I've done a year as commander and don't care to run for that post again mainly because of all the politics and back stabbing involved. If you are a member do your best to attend and VOTE and if you are not a member and know people who are please bring this to their attention and urge them to attend. The legion can also always use more members so if you are qualified please join and help out.

03/08/2015 Is Spring Sprung?

I'm trying to get back in to blogging again, but have too many distractions. I'm also trying to get things going my way again here to. With getting the jeep back in good enough shape to make it to Alpine and beyond It is going to help everything else. I haven't been using the fridge for a good while because of lack of battery power to get me through the long winter nights with power, but I've about cured that problem. I bought another battery from one of my friends and it is actually equivalent to two of the other batteries I use. It in its self should run the fridge all night even after cloudy days. I took my four best solar panels  off of the main bank and they will now keep the big battery up to run the fridge. That will be a big boost because its usually having to buy ice to keep perishables cold or not keeping any perishables around here which severely limits what I can eat and drink. (Which really sucks.)

At the moment and for that matter for the past few days I've had a backache from hell and I'm not sure why since I haven't done any heavy lifting for a while. I did manhandle that damn BIG battery last week, but if that's what caused it then it had a several day time delay effect. Stooping down to get stuff out of the small fridge doesn't cut it now days even when my back isn't bothering me and I plan to build a pedestal to set it on with room under it for the microwave. I don't use the microwave that much. Along with that I'm going to have to build a new battery box closer to the cabin to hold the big battery and another inverter to run the fridge off of. Now with the bad backache that's all stalled to.

I'll update on this as I get the chance.

And here are a few picture on my return trip from Study Butte yesterday.

The bluebonnets haven't started blooming up here yet, but they will. I never had them here until the septic system was put in and evidently some seeds came in with the soil hauled here.

Also for the past few trips to Study Butte I'd noticed a rocky hill with several canoes on top so I stopped in a driveway to take pictures of it and along comes a friend and musician  Jeff Haislip. I pulled up further to clear the driveway and got out to talk to him. He didn't get in to why the canoes were up there, but said he had built a fire pit up there and had parties there. He then left to go to the Chihuahua dog races and I took a couple of pictures. I thought they were of the whole hill and all the canoes, but the sun was reflecting off the view finder and when I got home I discovered I only got a picture of part of the hill and one canoe.

Well folks, that's it for this time.

02/24/2015

I keep hearing the question "When are you going to post another blog?" and since its been a pretty good while I guess this will be it.

I don't really like posting blog posts without pictures and I haven't been taking any because there just haven't been any photo ops that I've thought was good enough to post. Main reason is I keep forgetting to take the camera when I go somewhere and I don't get out around here anymore because of my bad leg. Anyway so this post isn't without pictures here are some that were posted on here a good while back.

Once again the bluebonnets and other wild flowers are already blooming along 118 further south near Study Butte. Hopefully this last cold snap won't effect that, but it did get down to 27 degrees early this morning. It has been a much wetter fall and winter than normal so hopefully we will have a beautiful spring.

Remember the swimming hole? Well I haven't been there in a LONG time and there are a couple of different rumors (or possibly facts?) going around about it. I guess I'll have to try and make it out there when spring gets fully sprung to see. One is that a flood from one of the big rains filled it with silt and there isn't a swimming hole there anymore??? Another one is that one of the land owners between it and the access has fenced it off where you can no longer get to it. In either case that would be a REAL SHAME!

Pretty near since I've had the jeep it has leaked oil at a rate that I should have owned stock in oil just to offset the cost of having to buy oil for it. A while back one of the members posted on my classic car site about crankcase ventilation and what happens if it weren't there. I had known this years in the past, but had forgotten about it and because of his post decided to check the jeep for that. I found that the crankcase ventilation hose was kinked and was causing oil to blow out the filler in the valve cover.  Fixing that totally stopped the oil leak and it doesn't burn oil either so... That will save me a fortune in oil and open up being able to take the jeep out of this area again.

Well until next time that's it Folks.

Hail

Pretty good Hail storm going on.

Déjà vu

Sure hope we won't see a repeat of last weeks problems!

Happenings in Terlingua

A little late, but HAPPY NEW YEAR!

First off power outage, propane out, no Gas.

Trying to make lemonade out of a lemon.

Lee was going to shut down the legion until the power is back on which could be as late as Tuesday, but I talked him in to letting Judy open it up and use the ice that will be going to waste to ice down the beer to sell. Judy made more $ for the legion without power yesterday than she did last Thursday with power. She has also gotten one of her friends coming in today at 3:00 to do haircuts for anyone needing one. I suspect they will be free or for donations.

Had some of the wild donkeys pay me a visit and Shelah didn't like all those damn big dogs coming on her turf. Fortunately she didn't  get close to them and only barked a lot. They didn't pay no never mind to either of us.