I have written several articles about meeting people at important times in their lives - and this one is no different.

James Spurgeon “Jim” Scarborough, Jr. was the second Sheriff of Kleberg County with that name in South Texas, following in the footsteps of his father, Jim Senior, who served as the first Sheriff of Kleberg County from 1914 to 1922.

Jim Senior had a well-deserved reputation as a “shootist” from an earlier stint as a Texas Ranger and Sheriff of Lee County, Texas. He pursued one outlaw all the way to Chicago, shot him dead in a gunfight at the train station, and posed for newspaper photos with his guns drawn.

His son, James Scarborough, Junior, made a name for himself by never carrying a gun during the 37 years he was in office from 1935 to 1972. That unusual stance earned him a place on the front page of the Houston Chronicle on January 23, 1957:

Here’s how he explained his philosophy of unarmed policing to Houston Chronicle reporter Stan Redding:

“The way I see it -- there never was a problem that could be solved by a six-shooter.” -Kleberg County Sheriff James S. Scarborough, Jr.

That doesn’t mean the unarmed Sheriff of Kleberg County never had to arrest someone who was carrying a weapon. Such was his reputation that on several occasions, when wanted men with guns held his gun-toting deputies at bay, they surrendered once he arrived at the scene and announced himself.

“Somehow or other, I always got the guns from them. If I had a gun, someone might have been killed!” -Kleberg County Sheriff James S. Scarborough, Jr.

I grew up in Kleberg County. Sheriff Scarborough, Jr. was a family friend, as was his replacement, who arrived while I was in High School in 1972:

The Sheriff’s son, James S. Scarborough, III, became the third Kleberg County Sheriff with that familiar last name after retiring from a 28-year military career as a US Air Force Security Forces Command Sergeant Major, spanning World War II through the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.

Sheriff “Jim” -as many of his acquaintances came to call him - DID carry a gun, and modernized his father’s department to include wearing uniforms and driving marked Sheriff’s vehicles. He served as Kleberg County Sheriff for 16 years.

The Scarboroughs served as Kleberg County Sheriffs for more than 60 years. And the dynasty could have gone on for much longer:

Like the three generations of Scarboroughs before him, James Spurgeon Scarborough IV wore a badge as a Texas lawman for more than two decades (as a state game warden and Deputy Sheriff in Kenedy County, just south of Kleberg County).

Those who knew him tell me he loved law enforcement, but not the politics he saw his father endure as an elected official (hence his decision not to run for Sheriff in Kleberg County, with a name that surely would have propelled him into office. And, unlike his grandfather, this Scarborough (like his father and great-grandfather) also carried a gun.

Why Kleberg County Sheriff James Scarborough, Junior, Never Carried a Gun:

And in case you were wondering, Sheriff Scarborough, Junior’s famous aversion to guns arose from his service as a US Army Rifleman during fierce and bloody battles in World War I. He told his family that he pledged to himself that if he ever left the battlefield alive, he would never raise a weapon against another man again.

He never did.

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Abrazos,

Jack Beavers

This is the “fun” section of our otherwise “serious” website - because my lifelong ties to the US-Mexico border (in my case the Texas-Mexico border) have always gone through the kitchen.

I am an unabashed consumer of “Tex-Mex” cuisine who became aware of its nuances when I moved from Texas to California, walked into a “Mexican” restaurant, and was presented with a platter that featured pickles instead of the jalapenos I expected. (And don’t even get me started on the chili!)

So let’s turn our attention to the most controversial “Tex-Mex” (largely Anglo) dish of them all: King Ranch Casserole.

I was raised in Kingsville - the home of the legendary King Ranch - and was often served this dish as I grew up. I came to expect it at South Texas church potlucks - but had to move halfway across the state to find out it was as steeped in controversy as it was smothered in melted cheese.

(Update: Several of my friends who also grew up around the King Ranch reminded me that the dish is also often locally called “King Ranch Chicken” - even when it is cooked with other proteins like turkey).

Texas Monthly describes it as a “steaming mass of melted mush - not a pretty dish.” The magazine reports that King Ranch heir “Mary Lewis Kleberg, the widow of Dick Kleberg, (admitted) her heart (sank) every time a well-meaning hostess prepared it in her honor.”

Word to the wise: if you are ever invited to dinner at the King Ranch “Big House” in Kingsville (headquarters) or are treated to a meal at their very-upscale bougie-branded “King Ranch Texas Kitchen” in Houston (which serves extremely-fine steaks) - do NOT under any circumstance order King Ranch Casserole. It’s akin to pouring catsup over a “Grade-A” steak while the chef looks on in horror.

That said, let’s dive into the recipe for this favorite (although maligned) South Texas dish, which McAllen’s Junior League’s famous La Piñata cookbook rightly honors its place as a “great way to enjoy that leftover Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey.”

Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 medium white onion, diced

• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced

• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons sour cream

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder

• 1 (3 pound) cooked chicken, torn into shreds or cut into chunks

• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese

• 10 (6 inch) corn tortillas, cut into quarters

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Saute onion and bell peppers in the hot oil until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Add both cans of condensed soup, diced tomatoes with chile peppers, chicken broth, sour cream, cumin, ancho chile powder, oregano, and chipotle chile powder; mix until sauce is well-combined.

4. Spread a few tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer with 1/2 of the chicken, 1/2 of the sauce, 1/2 of the Cheddar cheese, and 1/2 of the tortillas.

5. Spread the remaining chicken over the tortillas. Spread all but 1/2 cup of the remaining sauce over the chicken, then top with another 1/3 of the Cheddar, and the remaining tortillas. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup over top, and sprinkle with the remaining Cheddar.

6. Bake casserole in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 40 minutes.

7. Turn on the broiler and broil until the top is golden, 2 to 3 more minutes.

8. Serve hot (but not to any members of the King Ranch family) and enjoy!

PS: Despite being unwelcome on the ranch for which it is named, when properly prepared, I consider it a reliable South Texas comfort food, albeit one I would never ask for if invited to dine at the King Ranch Headquarters - or in its signature Houston restaurant.

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Abrazos,

Jack Beavers

After Christmas Day, our thoughts turn to New Year celebrations - and along the US Border with Mexico - the holiday is celebrated with a Spanish accent. Here are some Spicy Cocktail Recipes to ring in 2026 with a bit of a punch!

You can rim any of these drinks with lime juice and Tajin or Cayenne Pepper for an extra kick. ¡Salud!

Jalapeño Margaritas:

• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and sliced (muddled)

• 1 1/2 ounces reposado tequila

• 1/2 ounce brandy-based orange liqueur

• 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice

• 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar

• 1 dash orange bitters

• Jalapeño slice (for garnish)

Add the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, agave nectar, and orange bitters to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. -Shake away!

Strain into a glass (remember the Tajin Rim first if you want that). Add fresh ice cubes. Garnish with a jalapeño slice. Let the party begin!

Micheladas Calientes:

(For added fun consider using different hot sauces ranging from mild ("Anglo") up to five-alarm ("Puro Mexicano") to create a flight of these - and dare your friends to taste their way up to "mucho caliente").

• 1 ounce lime juice

• 3 dashes hot sauce

• 3 dashes soy sauce

• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

• Ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican beer

• Lime slice, for garnish

Fill chilled beer mugs halfway with ice.

Add lime juice, sauces, & pepper.

Stir well.

Top with beer (slowly).

Garnish with a lime slice.

Bloody Marias:

• 2 ounces tequila

• 1 teaspoon horseradish

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional

• 3 dashes Tabasco sauce, or other hot sauce

• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

• 3 dashes celery salt

• 3 dashes ground black pepper

• 1 dash lime juice

• 4 to 6 ounces tomato juice, to taste

• Lemon and/or Lime Wedge for garnish

• Celery stalk, for garnish

In a highball glass: Add tequila, horseradish, Dijon mustard (optional), Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, black pepper, & lime juice,

Stir well to combine.

Add tomato juice

Add ice & give it a final stir.

Garnish with a lemon and/or lime wedge and celery stalk.

Red Pepper Margarita Sangritas:

For the Pepper Mix:

• 2 cups tomato juice

• 1/3 cup sour mix

• 1/3 cup roasted red pepper purée

• 1 dash habanero hot sauce, or to taste

In a small bowl, stir the tomato juice, sour mix, and red pepper puree together. Chill in the refrigerator in a sealed glass container.

For the Margarita:

• 1 1/2 ounces Blanco tequila

• 2 1/2 ounces pepper mix

• Lime wedge, for garnish

• Red bell pepper slice, for garnish

Combine the tequila and pepper mix with ice in a cocktail shaker. Stir or shake.

Strain into a chilled Margarita glass.

Garnish with a lime wedge and/or red pepper slice.

Habañero Martini:

• 2oz vodka

• 3/4 oz dry vermouth

• Ice

• Finely chopped habañero (seeds optional)

In a shaker, combine vodka, vermouth & ice. Shake well.

Strain into a martini glass.

Add habañero,

Stir with a swizzle stick.

Garnish with a habañero slice

Serve & enjoy!

Want a non-spicy New Year Cocktail? Here you go:

Cranberry Margaritas

• 4 1/2 ounces Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail

• 1 1/2 ounces Blanco tequila

• 1 ounce triple sec or Cointreau

• 1/2 lime coarse sea salt (for rimming glass)

• Ice

Run a lime wedge around the rim of a glass and dip in salt.

Fill the glass with ice.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add cranberry juice, tequila, triple sec, & the juice of half a lime.

Shake to combine.

Strain the cocktail over the prepared glass and garnish with lime wedge.

Thanks for reading US Border News! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

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¡Salud y Feliz Año Nuevo!

Abrazos,

Jack Beavers

Growing up in South Texas, I heard my share of spooky tales but only encountered one of them myself - well, maybe.

La Lechuza

I’ve seen my share of Las Lechuzas (which means barn owls in Spanish) but some of my more superstitious friends warned me I may have been in the company of witches. As the story goes, an old woman (a witch) shape-shifts into a giant owl, La Lechuza, to take revenge on those who wronged her in life.

So feared was La Lechuza that a giant owl actually made headlines in South Texas during the 1970s for terrifying the residents of Alice, Banquete, and Robstown (where the local paper reported she liked to hang out in a wooded area west of town near Bosquez Street and Rabb Road).

Eventually, she flew off to the residents’ relief and the reporters' disappointment.

El Chupacabra

Which brings us to the more famous tales of the feared Chupacabra, which literally translates to “goat-sucker.”

The chupacabra has been variously described as a strange breed of wild dog or a reptilian creature that hops like a kangaroo. Most tales of Texas Chupacabras favor the dog-like form. Whatever shape it takes, everyone agrees it seems to favor goats from which it sucks their blood.

Texas A&M University claims to have solved the mystery of the Chupacabra in a scientific paper that says the creatures are actually coyotes with severe mange.

Still, the legend persists.

Los Curanderos

Finally, we get to the curandero - or folk healer - which can either be male or female. Their powers are said to come from God and they often treat physical symptoms that patients believe come from supernatural causes.

The most famous South Texas curandero was Don Pedro Jaramillo of the Los Olmos Ranch near Falfurrias, who died in 1907. People came from as far away as New York City to see him, and today a historical marker and shrine (which was unfortunately badly vandalized in 2020) stand in Brooks County in his memory.

If you’d like to learn more about Don Pedrito, I’ve devoted an entire article to his story on US Border News, which you can read HERE.

Do you have some spooky Texas Tales or supernatural encounters on the border to share?

Leave them in the comments!

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Abrazos,

Jack Beavers,

US Border News Editor

Flaco Jiménez, the South Texas musician who was to the accordion what Yo-Yo Ma is to the cello, has passed away at the age of 86, according to a social media post from his family in San Antonio:

Jiménez was honored by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences with six GRAMMY awards (including for Lifetime Achievement in 2015) over a seven-decade career that electrified norteño and tejano music. Still, he also collaborated with Folk, Rock, and Country Musicians (which led to the number one country single "Streets of Bakersfield" with Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens in 1988).

His first and third Grammy Award-winning songs were written by his father, himself a pioneer of conjunto music, with whom Flaco first performed beginning at the age of seven.

During his musical journey, Flaco lit up stages with collaborations alongside other musicians, including Willie Nelson, with whom he performed a memorable version of "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" at one of Willie's famous "4th of July Picnics" in 2008.

In 1994, the Rolling Stones called upon Flaco to add his signature accordion play during recording sessions that resulted in their "Voodoo Lounge" album. Other collaborators included Bob Dylan, who accompanied Jiménez to perform Flaco's "On the Borderline" in Montreaux in 1990.

But he will forever be known for his many contributions to Tejano music that delighted fans like the video below of Flaco's performance alongside "Little Joe" Hernández:

He is also known for working alongside other legendary musicians such as Freddy Fender for powerhouse performances as a member of "The Texas Tornados:"

Condolences and remembrances are multiplying online from fans, including several Texas Congressmen:

Flaco will forever be remembered for picking up the accordion and playing it in a way that only he could:

"Years back, they considered the accordion like a party joke or even something that grandpa played. The way I learned to play the accordion was on the wild and happy side, much like Cajun and zydeco music. One of my early idols was Clifton Chenier. The way he played, it was like the accordion was yelling at you: Hey, take this. I like to make my accordion yell and scream and make it happy."
- Flaco Jimenez

How will you remember "Flaco" Jiménez?

Share your remembrances in the comments to this article.

Abrazos,

Jack Beavers

\

(The Medal of Honor has been posthumously awarded to General Richard Cavazos. This profile was originally published on the Newsbreak mobile platform in August of 2023)

One of the benefits of being a journalist is that you meet important people at important times in their lives. So it was that I met General Richard Cavazos as he assumed command of (then) Fort Hood in 1980.

General Cavazos was something of a legend by then. He was a four-star general in the United States Army. Six years earlier he had become the first Hispanic to reach the rank of brigadier general.

General Cavazos was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross twice, once as a First Lieutenant in the Korean War and again as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Vietnam War. The accounts of his heroism, which led to the medals, read more like a description of actions worthy of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

(UPDATE: his actions under fire DID result in a Medal of Honor - awarded after his death. You can read about that HERE).

I was credentialed to cover the assumption of his command of what was then Fort Hood because I had grown up in his hometown of Kingsville. General Cavazos had grown up there on the King Ranch, the son of a lowly Kineño cowhand (Lauro Senior) - who eventually became a ranch foreman, defended the ranch from raiding Mexican bandits, and later fought during World War I as an artillery battery First Sergeant.

Basically, the whole family was made up of badasses (and I say that in a respectful way).

His older brother. Lauro (Junior), went on to become President of Texas Tech University and U.S. Secretary of Education. Like his younger brother, Richard, he served in the U.S. Army in an infantry unit during the last days of World War Two.

A younger brother, Bobby, became foreman of the Laureles Division of the King Ranch and a Commissioner of the County in which they grew up.

Like all the Cavazos brothers he attended their beloved Texas Tech University, where he was an All-American football player and was named "Mr. Texas Tech University." He was a star player in a Texas Tech season that finished 11-1 and won the 1954 Gator Bowl against Auburn.

After graduation, he was deployed to Korea as an officer in the U.S. Army (like his father and older brothers before him) to satisfy his ROTC commitments at Texas Tech. He died at 82 on the Santa Gertrudis Division of the King Ranch, where he lived out the last years of his life.

But this story is about their brother, Richard - who earned those Distinguished Service Crosses in both Korea and Vietnam as well as a Silver Star in Korea (and - more recently the Medal of Honor).

The man I met at what was then Fort Hood (and could not have imagined that the post would be renamed for him in 2023) was both humble and singularly focused on the well-being of his troops.

I did not know it then, but it is clear now that I was in the presence of a historic figure who lived a quiet life of service.

General Cavazos passed away at the age of 88 in San Antonio. He could have been buried with other generals in Arlington National Cemetery but chose to be laid to rest among fellow soldiers in a simple grave at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in his beloved state of Texas.

I wish you could have met him.

Feel free to share your opinion in the comments on this article,

Abrazos,

Jack Beavers

After Christmas Day, our thoughts turn to New Year celebrations - and along the US Border with Mexico - the holiday is celebrated with a Spanish accent. Here are some Spicy Cocktail Recipes to ring in 2025 with a bit of a punch!

You can rim any of these drinks with lime juice and Tajin or Cayenne Pepper for an extra kick. ¡Salud!

Jalapeño Margaritas:

• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and sliced (muddled)

• 1 1/2 ounces reposado tequila

• 1/2 ounce brandy-based orange liqueur

• 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice

• 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar

• 1 dash orange bitters

• Jalapeño slice (for garnish)

Add the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, agave nectar, and orange bitters to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. -Shake away!

Strain into a glass (remember the Tajin Rim first if you want that). Add fresh ice cubes. Garnish with a jalapeño slice. Let the party begin!

Micheladas Calientes:

(For added fun consider using different hot sauces ranging from mild ("Anglo") up to five-alarm ("Puro Mexicano") to create a flight of these - and dare your friends to taste their way up to "mucho caliente").

• 1 ounce lime juice

• 3 dashes hot sauce

• 3 dashes soy sauce

• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

• Ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican beer

• Lime slice, for garnish

Fill chilled beer mugs halfway with ice.

Add lime juice, sauces, & pepper.

Stir well.

Top with beer (slowly).

Garnish with a lime slice.

Bloody Marias:

• 2 ounces tequila

• 1 teaspoon horseradish

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional

• 3 dashes Tabasco sauce, or other hot sauce

• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

• 3 dashes celery salt

• 3 dashes ground black pepper

• 1 dash lime juice

• 4 to 6 ounces tomato juice, to taste

• Lemon and/or Lime Wedge for garnish

• Celery stalk, for garnish

In a highball glass: Add tequila, horseradish, Dijon mustard (optional), Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, black pepper, & lime juice,

Stir well to combine.

Add tomato juice

Add ice & give it a final stir.

Garnish with a lemon and/or lime wedge and celery stalk.

Red Pepper Margarita Sangritas:

For the Pepper Mix:

• 2 cups tomato juice

• 1/3 cup sour mix

• 1/3 cup roasted red pepper purée

• 1 dash habanero hot sauce, or to taste

In a small bowl, stir the tomato juice, sour mix, and red pepper puree together. Chill in the refrigerator in a sealed glass container.

For the Margarita:

• 1 1/2 ounces Blanco tequila

• 2 1/2 ounces pepper mix

• Lime wedge, for garnish

• Red bell pepper slice, for garnish

Combine the tequila and pepper mix with ice in a cocktail shaker. Stir or shake.

Strain into a chilled Margarita glass.

Garnish with a lime wedge and/or red pepper slice.

Habañero Martini:

• 2oz vodka

• 3/4 oz dry vermouth

• Ice

• Finely chopped habañero (seeds optional)

In a shaker, combine vodka, vermouth & ice. Shake well.

Strain into a martini glass.

Add habañero,

Stir with a swizzle stick.

Garnish with a habañero slice

Serve & enjoy!

Want a non-spicy New Year Cocktail? Here you go:

Cranberry Margaritas

• 4 1/2 ounces Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail

• 1 1/2 ounces Blanco tequila

• 1 ounce triple sec or Cointreau

• 1/2 lime coarse sea salt (for rimming glass)

• Ice

Run a lime wedge around the rim of a glass and dip in salt.

Fill the glass with ice.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add cranberry juice, tequila, triple sec, & the juice of half a lime.

Shake to combine.

Strain the cocktail over the prepared glass and garnish with lime wedge.

¡Salud y Feliz Año Nuevo!

Abrazos,

Jack Beavers

If you've never experienced "Tex-Mex" Christmas traditions, allow me to be your guide as I look back (fondly) on those in my small South Texas hometown. Many of them are shared by other communities near the U.S. Southern Border with Mexico - but some of them are unique to where I am taking you.

We're in Kingsville, Texas - a community of just over 25,000 people about 120 miles north of the Rio Grande. The city was founded by the legendary King Ranch whose headquarters are just west of the city limits.

The King Ranch is the largest in the United States - occupying about 825,000 acres surrounding Kingsville and other nearby South Texas towns. As I've written before, the ranch owes much of its success to Los Kineños - Hispanic cowboys originally from the small settlement of Cruillas in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas - whose descendants still live and work on the ranch and in Kingsville.

So many Holiday Traditions in Kingsville recall its ranch roots with a distinctive Mexican accent. Today the holidays are ushered in with a series of events beginning with "Ranch Hand Weekend" in late November which honors Los Kineños and the Anglo cowboys and other ranch employees who work the ranch with them.

What began almost 35 years ago as a breakfast on the ranch to replace the once annual "King Ranch Show & Sale" (an auction of the King Ranch’s prized Santa Gertruidis cattle and thoroughbred “cow ponies”) as THE event on Kingsville's social calendar has since grown into a multi-week affair that attracts people from all over the state.

The Ranch Hand Breakfast (which has since grown into "Ranch Hand Weekend") is heavy with Tex-Mex staples such as Chorizo, refried beans, fresh tortillas, and very strong cups of coffee.

(It's also not lost on locals that this is the only time of the year they can drive their private vehicles onto King Ranch Headquarters without prior permission).

Over the past 30+ years, this event has grown to include a Downtown Kingsville
"wine walk," a country concert, a symphony concert, and a festival, leading to Kingsville's official Christmas Tree Lighting.

But the crowning Holiday Event is La Posada de Kingsville & its illuminated night parade that has replaced a decades-old annual Christmas Parade through Downtown Kingsville with an even BIGGER parade for more than 30 years.

The original parade was what you would expect in a small town: High School & Junior High bands marching down "main street" (Kleberg Avenue - named for the Kleberg family whose heirs currently own the ranch).

Today's event is an over-the-top illuminated event featuring lighted floats by Kingsville organizations and surrounding South Texas communities:

Beyond these community celebrations are some individual holiday observances with Tex-Mex influences I remember from my childhood well into my adult years (many of which are shared with other communities along the Southern Border with Mexico).

First - is the enduring tradition of "Christmas Tamales,." For families making Christmas tamales brings many generations together to shape masa, meat, and corn husks into a traditional holiday treat.

For those of us unlucky enough to not have a tía or abuela in the family (or a close family friend) to accommodate this annual tradition it's enough to have a local "connection" to purchase homemade tamales.

On Reddit, I was amused to read about how to obtain homemade Christmas tamales in much larger Texas cities than Kingsville:

"People in the know have a "tamale lady" who sells them in nondescript packages from the back of an old station wagon in a transaction that looks suspiciously like a drug deal."

"The only way you can get a GOOD tamale is buying it from a tía's trunk. I fully stand by this. I won't eat one unless it comes from a trunk!"

Tamale acquisition methods aside, my go-to method for separating newly arrived South Texans from natives centers around a (now) extremely popular Tex-Mex Christmas anthem:

In 1970 José Feliciano - a very homesick Puerto Rican recording artist - took a break during a long L.A. studio recording session to record a Spanglish Christmas tune called "Feliz Navidad" he quickly wrote that he thought would never be released. It went on to become a holiday standard and one of his most popular songs.

When "Feliz Navidad" hit the South Texas radio airwaves that year it became an instant hit in communities like Kingsville along the US Border with Mexico.

As hard as it is to believe now, "Feliz Navidad" was a "regional song" that did not hit the US national playlists until almost two decades after José Feliciano originally recorded it.

"Feliz Navidad" made the top 10 for the first time in the U.S. (at No. 10), becoming Feliciano's first top 10 hit on the Hot 100 chart in August 1968. Two weeks later, the song climbed to its all-time chart peak in the USA of No. 6 on Billboard's Hot 100.

As for me (and my classmates) in Kingsville, Texas - we've been rocking out to this Spanglish Christmas tune for more than 50 years now.

Do you have some Christmas Traditions you'd like to share?

Share your opinion in the comments on this article!

¡Feliz Navidad, Próspero año y felicidad!

Abrazos,

Jack Beavers

Tex-Mex Roast Turkey:

At the heart of everyone's Thanksgiving meal is the turkey - and for our Tex-Mex take on that, we've found a recipe from Jennie-O that will bring a Southwest spin to the big bird at the center of your table. Jennie-O brings the heat with a rub that includes chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. ¡Ay, Caramba!

Cranberry Margaritas

Now that we've brought the heat - it's time to cool things down - and for that, we've got a recipe for Cranberry Margaritas -from (who else) but the Ocean Spray cooperative of 700 family farmers who bring us cranberry juice (and sauce) for the holidays. For this recipe, you'll need cranberry juice. ¡Salud!

Now let's spice up those leftovers!

Leftover turkey is always a challenge once Thanksgiving passes, so we have several suggestions for you to spice that up, border style!

Thanksgiving Tacos:

From the National Turkey Foundation comes a recipe for Thanksgiving Tacos that will turn all your leftovers - turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce into tacos that will scream "Thanksgiving" when you serve them at your table! ¡Buen Provecho!

Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Enchiladas

The folks bringing us Old El Paso Tex-Mex foods bring us a recipe for turning leftover Thanksgiving turkey & dressing into tasty enchiladas. These will have your family shouting "¡Más Por Favor!"

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Nachos

If you'd like to turn leftover Thanksgiving turkey into finger food, H-E-B offers up a recipe for leftover Thanksgiving turkey nachos. The ingredients include cranberries, cilantro, and jalapenos - so these are sure to add a Tex-Mex flavor to the turkey you served on Thanksgiving day.

So there you have it! Five fantastic recipes that are sure to add a Tex-Mex accent of flavor to your Thanksgiving meals. -Happy Holidays!

Abrazos,

Jack Beavers

Confession time: I grew up in rural South Texas in the 60's & 70's. It was a time of demographic & cultural upheaval. When my small town became majority Hispanic it resulted in headlines in the nearest "big city" newspaper in Corpus Christi: “Majority now the Minority in Kingsville, Texas” it read.

That was an earth-shattering headline for a lot of the parents and grandparents of my fellow Anglo & Mexican-American classmates alike - but not so much to those of us attending their public schools (and living the changes that were underway).

Ours were among the first generations there to widely socialize, date & marry regardless of ethnicity after decades of segregation by race and class (much to the consternation of many of our Anglo & Mexican-American forebearers).

There were exemplars among the generations that preceded us:

My (Anglo) uncle - for example - used his Ph.D. to mentor first-generation Hispanic students at what was then "Texas A&I University" in Kingsville and went on to found what became Texas A&M International University in Laredo - one of the first Hispanic-majority universities in Texas. He will forever be one of my role models.

My small hometown also produced some giants of Texas Hispanic History: Hispanic "Kineño" cowboys who built the legendary King Ranch:

A son of a Kineño who went on to become the first Hispanic elected Sheriff of my county:

And a Kineño Korean and Viernam war hero - who went on to become the United States Army's first Hispanic four-star general - for whom "Fort Cavazos" in Killeen was renamed (from “Fort Hood”) in 2023.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a"Tejano" as a "Mexican American inhabitant of Southern Texas" but looking back on my experiences I believe it also defines the shared cultures many Anglo and Hispanic children experience there to this day: a mixture of "Anglo" and "Hispanic" traditional lifestyles and histories that must be lived to be appreciated.

For example, whenever any unfortunate Anglo kid from "up north" arrived at our South Texas schools, we'd all (Anglo & Hispanic alike) helpfully instruct them in Spanish ---- except every "common Spanish phrase" we taught them was an extremely profane one.

It was a devilish pleasure to watch our newly arrived classmates demonstrate their newfound "Spanish" skills to the horror of our teachers and parents.

In our (meager) defense we were mischievous junior high & high school students. Would you expect any less from us?

And - since "Taco Bell" was not a national thing yet- we also got to torture the hapless yanqui snowbirds who wandered into what (to them) were our mysterious "Mexican Restaurants."

“Ma’am, have you tried one of these Mexican pickles?” we’d innocently ask -as we dropped a potent jalapeño (or two) onto her plate.

Or: "Sir, please try the "Mexican Ketchup" we'd helpfully suggest, as we slid a squeeze bottle of homemade Chile Pequin Salsa toward their plate. (The Pequin Pepper is about 30,000-60,000 on the Scoville Scale - almost ten times hotter than a Jalapeño).

We also reveled in watching Northerners attempting to eat their first tamale - which they invariably bit into without removing the corn husk - a faux pax that Gerald Ford committed while campaigning in San Antonio in 1976 that many believe cost him the Texas vote as well as the Presidential election.

This "Spanglish" upbringing would haunt me at one of my first full-time jobs in Arkansas when the General Manager who hired me at his television station wondered if I was not a "New Yorker" because I "talked so fast." (I spoke English with a Spanish cadence familiar to many South Texans).

I also caught myself "counting down" a puzzled Arkansas TV crew to roll a tape in Spanish while producing a newscast - something I did without thinking at my previous job in Corpus Christi. (I left for a job at a TV station in California where "Spanglish" was more acceptable shortly afterward).

It's been decades since I lived in South Texas, but it instantly feels familiar whenever I return. My Spanglish is a bit rusty, but at least I know to remove the husk from a tamal whenever I eat one -- as well as to (very) cautiously apply any homemade salsa (or not take a big bite of any “Mexican pickles”) offered to me.

Do you have any Border Stories you’d like to share? Feel free to leave a comment on this article!

Abrazos,

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Growing up in South Texas I encountered all sorts of folk legends, but the story of Don Pedro Jaramillo is in a league of its own. Understand, I grew up in a predominately Hispanic ranching community. Folklore about brujas (witches) and curanderos (medicine men) abounded. -But Don Pedro Jaramillo's legacy endures.

First, so strong is his memory in South Texas, that the Texas State Historical Survey Committee has erected an official Texas Historical Marker in his honor in Falfurrias, Texas. His marker was the first to be written in both English and Spanish in Texas.

He is also a presence in Downtown Falfurrias, Texas where a mural honors him. But who is this "folk saint" who still inspires followers more than 115 years after his death?

First, it is important to understand the heritage of the curandero (folk healer) in Hispanic history and culture.

A curandero can treat the negative consequences of encounters a person has had with a duende (a "spirit creature"). A person can "lose their soul" when being frightened or experiencing a frightening experience. This is called espanto or susto.

Don Pedro Jaramillo believed he heard a voice telling him God had given him the power to heal. His story as a healer begins in the 1800s when he arrived at the Los Olmos ranch near Falfurrias, Texas, announced he was a curandero, and began treating the Mexican families in the region. At the height of his career, families from as far away as New York City would travel to this remote area in South Texas to seek his help. At the height of his reputation, 200 letters addressed to him arrived each week.

Today a shrine stands at his burial spot in Falfurrias, Texas. The faithful still come more than a hundred years after his death to light a candle and say a prayer for healing. Visitors often leave flowers, photos, and candles to honor his memory and petition him for blessings.

Don Pedrito - as many of the faithful call him - lived and died in a small adobe hut near the banks of Los Olmos Creek in Brooks County. He has been gone from this remote corner of South Texas for more than 100 years - but the legend (and legacy) of Don Pedro Jaramillo ("Don Pedrito") lives on.

I’m interested in your thoughts about Curanderos like Don Pedro Jaramillo. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section of this article.

Abrazos,

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Legends are a fickle thing. Some - like the legends of the Texas Rangers - (the lawmen, not the baseball team) grow and endure. They are celebrated in books and movies and inhabit tales passed from one generation to another.

Others endure but are recounted in whispers - if at all.

Such is the case of Los Kineños - the most important cowboys in Texas history that most have never heard of. It is more likely you've heard of the vast real estate they tamed - The King Ranch - the largest in the United States - occupying about 825,000 acres in South Texas.

The story of the Kineños (Spanish for King's people) begins in 1854 a year after its namesake - Captain Richard King - bought the first tract of land along the only body of water in South Texas between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River 150 miles to the north: The Santa Gertrudis creek.

King needed livestock for the 15,500-acre Spanish Land Grant he purchased (The Rincón de Santa Gertrudis). So he traveled 240 miles south to a ranching community in Northern Mexico (Cruillas, Tamaulipas) suffering from a severe drought. The townspeople were not only willing to agree to sell him their entire herd but for many of them to accompany the cattle back to his ranch in exchange for pledges of food, shelter, and income.

Once on the King Ranch, the former townspeople of Cruillas became known as Los Kineños. The Kineños were already experienced horsemen and cattlemen when they arrived at the King Ranch and their knowledge about tending to a herd in the austere environment of what was then known as El Desierto de los Muertos - the Desert of the Dead - allowed his enterprise to thrive where few others had before.

Among the Kineños were expert cowboys, cooks, weavers of saddle blankets, and leather workers who crafted saddles for the ranch (and whose handiwork is still much sought after today).

I lived in the late 1950s to the early 1980s in Kingsville, Texas - headquarters and namesake of the King Ranch. The ranch and its Kineños were ever-present then, less so now (although their history, businesses, and economic impact still loom large).

A lot of what I took for granted then is gone now: fleets of trucks displaying the ranch brand whose many occupants were conducting business in town - buying provisions for the ranch, working at ranch-owned media enterprises (a newspaper & radio station), a lumberyard, a bank, and a John Deere dealership in a neighboring city. Only the John Deere dealership has survived as part of the King Ranch Corporation. The bank also endures - but it is no longer owned by the ranch family that founded it.

The Kineños and their families were familiar faces and names around town and in my classrooms (despite the fact the ranch operated its own school districts for Kineño children who lived on ranch property).

There was the Maldonado family, related to Beto and Librado Maldonado - "cattle whisperers" who mastered the "showing" of thousand-pound-plus King Ranch livestock from the annual King Ranch auctions in Kingsville to a Chicago television studio to the Dallas–Fort Worth airport. They even boarded a plane with the cattle en route to the International Fair in Casablanca, Morocco, where they introduced the King-Ranch-bred Santa Gertrudis cattle to the African continent.

Or the Villas - whose forebearer Faustino Villa, worked with Captain King on the Rio Grande before following him to the Santa Gertrudis ranch. Villa lived to be 118, and rode horseback until two weeks before his death.

Or the Cavazos family -descendants of the man awarded the original Spanish grant that includes the southern divisions of the King Ranch. One went on to become the foreman of the King Ranch Laureles Division and County Commissioner. Another went on to become President of Texas Tech University & U.S. Secretary of Education under President George H.W. Bush - the first Hispanic to become a cabinet member, despite being a member of President Bush's opposing party (Democrats). A third went on to become a decorated soldier, general, and namesake of Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood).

Or the Muñoz family - who raised a son on the ranch who became the first Hispanic Sheriff of their county as well as the first Hispanic Executive Director of Texas Governor Ann Richards' Criminal Justice Division, and the first Hispanic to serve as Executive director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

I could (and should) go on --- but hopefully, I have conveyed how the Kineños and their families became ingrained in King Ranch and Kingsville lore and the greater community that built up around them.

Where once there used to be hundreds of Kineños tending the cattle - now there are dozens. A helicopter now takes half a day to gather a pasture that once took 30 kineños two days. Many descendants of the original Kineños now live in town instead of on the ranch (though some remain in modest houses there carrying on the kineño tradition as part of a diminished but still important workforce).

For me, the saddest part about their history is how poorly their story was taught in Kingsville schools - and how I have had to learn about their contributions in the years since I left that part of the state. I would like to report that their stories are now part of Texas History curriculums in Texas Primary, Secondary, and University classes --- but sadly I have not seen evidence of that. -Feel free to correct me.

In any case, I hope this story has introduced you to an often-ignored group of people in Texas history who I am proud to call my neighbors and friends.

Abrazos,

Jack Beavers - US Border News

If you think elections rarely change the status quo, let me introduce you to Adan Munoz, Junior. Adan was a friend who broke barriers in my South Texas hometown of Kingsville - and made the State of Texas a safer place along the way.

He was the son of a Kineño (the Hispanic cowboys who have kept the legendary King Ranch in operation since the 1800s) who grew up on the King Ranch in Kleberg County.

After a stint in the Navy, Adan returned to Kingsville to work as a law enforcement officer. He served as a city police officer, a Kleberg County Sheriff's Deputy, and a District Attorney's Investigator for more than fifteen years.

His next career move would make history.

In 1988, Munoz declared his candidacy for Kleberg County Sheriff.

No Hispanic had ever held that position - and to win he would have to run against another friend of mine (and his former boss) - Sheriff Jim S. Scarborough, III.

Sheriff Scarborough had not only held that position for 16 years, he took over that office from his father who served as Sheriff before him for 37 years- J.S. Scarborough, Jr.

As if that wasn't enough, Sheriff Scarborough's Grandfather (James Scarborough, Senior) served as Kleberg County Sheriff from 1914-1922.

To say the incumbent Sheriff Scarborough had the benefit of name recognition in his campaign for reelection was an understatement. The Scarboroughs held that office in Kleberg County for over 60 years.

But Munoz - with his King Ranch roots and by then a 17-year history in local law enforcement - was also well-known and well-respected in the community.

And so, Adan Munoz, Jr was sworn in as the first Hispanic Sheriff of Kleberg County in 1989. And - not only did he break barriers - Sheriff Munoz left a legacy that would make a lasting impression despite serving in the position for just six years.

Sheriff Munoz targeted drug smugglers moving dope through his South Texas County as well as the dealers selling it there. He formed the County's first SWAT Team as well as a multi-county task force (which still exists) to take on the illicit drug trade. He also made frequent appearances at schools as part of a D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program he established in Kleberg County.

Munoz will also forever be known in Kleberg County for campaigning for - and winning - passage of a $4.5 million bond for a new law enforcement center to house the sheriff's department and a new county jail.

Munoz continued to break barriers after leaving the Sheriff's office as the first Hispanic Executive Director of Texas Governor Ann Richards' Criminal Justice Division, and the first Hispanic to serve as Executive director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

While in charge of the Jail Standards Commission, his investigation of a suicide at the jail in Nueces County (a neighbor of Kleberg County) so enraged the Sheriff there that he engineered a felony indictment of Munoz - which was later dropped amidst the outrage it caused.

"(Munoz) is a public servant who takes his job seriously, even if that means taking on some powerful interests. In today’s Texas, that’s pretty unusual." -The Texas Observer, (Sept. 21, 2010)

Munoz also served in the Texas Attorney General's office for six years, and - in 1996 came close to breaking another barrier when President Clinton nominated him to the position of United States Marshal for the Southern District of Texas. Unfortunately, the Senate Judiciary Committee failed to act on the nomination and the President did not renominate Munoz when the next Congress convened.

Munoz retired after a 41-year career in law enforcement in 2012.

In March of 2018, Kleberg County named its Law Enforcement Center for the sheriff who proposed its construction and successfully campaigned for voters to approve the bonds to finance its construction.

Kleberg County is so proud of Munoz's accomplishments that - as the Corpus Christi Caller-Times noted - on the building that now honors him his name is much larger than the name of the Law Enforcement Center itself.

Adan Munoz, Jr. died in January of 2020.

I am proud to have called him a friend.

Abrazos,

-Jack Beavers, US Border News

This is the “fun” section of our otherwise “serious” website - because my lifelong ties to the US-Mexico border (in my case the Texas-Mexico border) have always gone through the kitchen.

In my case, I am an unabashed consumer of “Tex-Mex” cuisine who became aware of its nuances when I moved from Texas to California, walked into a “Mexican” restaurant, and was presented with a platter that featured pickles instead of the jalapenos I expected. (It went downhill from there as I discovered my favorite dishes contained shredded instead of ground beef - and don’t even get me started on the chili!)

So I thought it only appropriate that I begin with the most controversial “Tex-Mex” (largely Anglo) dish of them all: King Ranch Casserole.

I was raised in Kingsville - the home of the legendary King Ranch - and was often served this dish as I grew up. I came to expect it at South Texas church potlucks - but had to move halfway across the state to find out it was as steeped in controversy as it was smothered in melted cheese.

(Update: Several of my friends who also grew up around the King Ranch reminded me that the dish is also often locally called “King Ranch Chicken” - even when it is cooked with other proteins like turkey).

Texas Monthly describes it as a “steaming mass of melted mush - not a pretty dish.” The magazine reports that King Ranch heir “Mary Lewis Kleberg, the widow of Dick Kleberg, (admitted) her heart (sank) every time a well-meaning hostess prepared it in her honor.”

Word to the wise: if you are ever invited to dinner at the King Ranch “Big House” in Kingsville (headquarters) or are treated to a meal at their very-upscale bougie-branded “King Ranch Texas Kitchen” in Houston (which serves very-fine steaks) - do NOT under any circumstance order King Ranch Casserole. It’s akin to pouring catsup over a “Grade-A” steak while the chef looks on in horror.

That said, let’s dive into the recipe for this favorite (although maligned) South Texas dish which McAllen’s Junior League’s famous La Piñata cookbook rightly honors its place as a “great way to enjoy that leftover Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey.”

Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 medium white onion, diced

• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced

• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons sour cream

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder

• 1 (3 pound) cooked chicken, torn into shreds or cut into chunks

• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese

• 10 (6 inch) corn tortillas, cut into quarters

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Saute onion and bell peppers in the hot oil until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Add both cans of condensed soup, diced tomatoes with chile peppers, chicken broth, sour cream, cumin, ancho chile powder, oregano, and chipotle chile powder; mix until sauce is well-combined.

4. Spread a few tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer with 1/2 of the chicken, 1/2 of the sauce, 1/2 of the Cheddar cheese, and 1/2 of the tortillas.

5. Spread the remaining chicken over the tortillas. Spread all but 1/2 cup of the remaining sauce over the chicken, then top with another 1/3 of the Cheddar, and the remaining tortillas. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup over top, and sprinkle with the remaining Cheddar.

6. Bake casserole in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 40 minutes.

7. Turn on the broiler and broil until the top is golden, 2 to 3 more minutes.

8. Serve hot (but not to any members of the King Ranch family) and enjoy!

PS: Despite being unwelcome on the ranch for which it is named - when properly prepared I consider it a reliable South Texas comfort food, albeit one I would never ask for if invited to dine at the King Ranch Headquarters - or in its signature Houston restaurant.