When devastation strikes,responsible reportingis imperative to readers

By Leesa Teale
LPR Publisher

Above, volunteers at Mill Scale pack and organize the donations that have been dropped off and ready to be delivered to affected flooding areas. Courtesy Photo.

“Today will be a hard day. It… will ….be…. a hard day,” said an emotional Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. on Saturday, July 5, the day after one of the most devastating events in recent Texas history. Catastrophic flooding swept across Central Texas in a record-breaking manner leaving hundreds of people stranded and fighting for their lives and a death toll that grows daily.
Never wanting to get “scooped”, various media outlets including print, digital and social media are desperately “trying to cover the story” of the events that occurred in Kerrville and surrounding areas on July 4, in the latest breaking way possible.
Just “trying” to cover any news story is something that no journalist likes to admit. In a situation like what the residents and families in Central Texas are facing, where details and news changes not just day to day or hour to hour but minute to minute, “trying” to cover the story is all one can do at this point.
Coverage of something of this magnitude is one of the hardest parts of the job of a reporter. Currently you have local, state, national and world news sources reaching out to officials in those areas affected. These reporters are doing their jobs in the manner of gathering facts from multiple sources.
Not wanting to get scooped can sometimes lead to not having the time to do your due diligence and make sure what you are reporting is up to the minute and accurate. One piece of information could come from a thought to be reputable source and quickly spread like wildfire. But are the sources credible? That is where it gets hard when breaking news occurs and you need to get the story out.
An event such as this is a major newsworthy event and should be reported on with confidence, accuracy and as quickly as possible to inform the public of the on-going emergency situation.
Having said that, the Lockhart Post-Register is aware that being a weekly newspaper that gets put to bed on Tuesday night, printed and out to our readers on the stands on Wednesday and has subscribers finding the LPR in their mailbox on Thursday, we have an obligation to our readers not to report facts that we know will definitely be untimely when the newspaper is in their hands. In this instance that could be miraculous rescues, further revelations of those who have been found alive and unfortunately a certain rising death toll.
As this is being typed, there were reports of two girls who were found 27 foot high in a tree after riding a mattress downstream. This news was leaked by an unknown source to media outlets. Doing their jobs, news sources went with what they were told and reported this news which gave much hope to others. But then only to be sadly retracted as it was found to be incorrect. Although unfortunate this does happen.
Striving to bring the readers information that is useful and factual, the LPR does know the following.
•The Guadalupe River rose over 25 ft in the span of just 45 minutes before daybreak on Friday morning while many were asleep. With it being a holiday weekend, an accurate number of campers along the river and other locations is hard to estimate.
•Texas officials are conducting one of the largest search and rescue and unfortunately recover efforts in Texas history. Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed that authorities will “stop at nothing” to ensure that every missing person will be found.
•The United States Coast Guard has been assisting with search and rescue efforts. There have been over 850 rescues conducted in those areas affected. •H-E-B deployed a caravan of 18 wheelers loaded with supplies to help victims in Kerrville. H-E-B is going back to its roots as it was originally founded in 1905 in Kerrville.
•Dallas Cowboys, The Houston Texans and the NFL Foundation have all pledged $1.5 million collectively to aid in efforts to help those in need.
•FEMA has set up 7 shelters in the Kerr County area providing food and water to those in need.
•James Avery Artisan Jewelry, founded in Kerrville, announced that it’s committing $1 million to support the needs of the community. They have also stated that from now until Aug. 4, the company will donate 100% of the proceeds from its “Deep in the Heart of Texas” charm to relief efforts. As of yesterday the charms were now on back order due to the large quantity of sales.
Locally in Lockhart, Mill Scale Metalworks has stepped up by teaming up with Treaty Oak Distillery in Dripping Springs. Mill Scale has turned their location at 800 N. Commerce into a donation drop off site for items to support those victims in need.
They are actively taking donations for cleaning and recovery supplies including bleach, heavy duty trash bags, 5-gallon buckets, mops, brooms, gloves, paper towels, toilet paper and disinfectant sprays and wipes.
In the way of food and water they are asking for fresh bottled water, non-perishable foods, baby formula and food as well as pet food and supplies.
Emergency supplies like batteries, flashlights and tarps are also listed as needed.
Personal hygiene items like shampoo, conditioner, soaps, toothpaste and toothbrush, deodorant, baby supplies like diapers and wipes are also listed.
Hardware supplies like shovels, rakes and hand tools are also needed.
Lastly if you would like to provide monetary donations those are asked to be in the form of gas, grocery or hardware gift cards so that items that are not donated can be purchased.
If you have questions about how to give at the local level, contact Kaye Askins at Best Little Wine and Books at 817-706-9639. Also watch for updates on Instagram as there have already been updates as to what is not needed currently.
Also, Rebecca Pulliam of State Farm Insurance in Lockhart is reminding everyone “It is time to be a Good Neighbor.” Her office located at 201 S. Main Street will be collecting items Monday-Wednesday and delivering to affected areas on Thursday. The same items, as listed above, are amongst the State Farm needs list.
Dedicating their proceeds this week from their veggie sales, Westy’s Veggies will donate proceeds from their sales as well as match them and add another $100 to the cause for victims.
Caldwell County will soon begin accepting donations to help victims of the disaster wrought by deadly flooding. Updates will be given to the public with the drop-off times, dates and location when they iron out the details.
In the meantime, they have begun compiling a list of verified places that are already accepting monetary donations to aid flooding victims. Visit the county website to access the list: https://www.co.caldwell.tx.us/page/article/1168
If you would like to suggest an addition to our list, please email our communications director. Contact information can be found here: https://www.co.caldwell.tx.us/page/MediaCenter
The Lockhart Evening Lions Club is also doing their part for the Kerrville Flood Relief. They will be accepting donations from July 7-12 at 220 Bufkin Lane. Their focus is on cleaning supplies including mops, brooms, shovels, buckets, long kitchen gloves (no latex please), face masks, bleach or cleaners with bleach and heavy duty bags, For more information please email lockharteveninglions@gmail.com
The Kerrville Chamber of Commerce Foundation has established a Rebuilding and Recovery Fund for those wanting to give monetarily. Visit business.kerrvillechamber.biz to donate online or you can mail your check to Kerrville Area Rebuilding and Recovery Fund, 1700 Sidney Baker St., Suite 100, Kerrville, TX 78028. For large donations or more information please call 830-896-1155.
Benefits, fundraisers and other events to raise money are already being planned. The Bellamy Brothers almost canceled a concert due to flooding in Bandera, Texas just up the road from Kerrville but at the last-minute collaborating with 11th Street Cowboy Bar they decided to turn the show into a fundraiser where they passed the boot and raised over $10,000 for disaster relief so far.
As with all good efforts that are being implemented, there are those who will try to take advantage of the situation and create fraudulent accounts. It is encouraged that if you can help that you research those taking donations to assess their validity.
Gov. Abbott and local government officials in the affected areas are giving regularly scheduled briefings with the latest happenings. The Lockhart Post-Register will continue to share these updates on our social media and our website at www.post-register.com. Continue to keep those families who have lost loved ones, lost their homes and are still waiting to hear news in the next few days in your thoughts.
Pope Leo XIV offered a special prayer from Rome on Sunday stating, “I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were in summer camp, in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States,” the pontiff said. “We pray for them.”