DON'T MESS WITH BERTRAM, TEXAS

Just up the road from us and through three draws is the town of Bertram. This is the world famous town that holds an annual oatmeal festival, complete with country music and an oatmeal eating contest. The oatmeal issue is based on the town of Oatmeal just around the corner which basically no longer exists, so Bertram absconded with the honors.

The town of Oatmeal was named for the Three Minute Brand of oatmeal which had its factory and world headquarters in the town.

Well, Bertram ranchers are also known for their hay crop. Somehow some bales of hay made their way from one lady's ranch onto the truck of another rancher. The local cop caught up with the "hay you" thief, and he ordered the hay napper to take the bails back to the lady. The thief declined, so the cop threatened to reveal the thief's sins into the public record, that is, the Bertram grape vine at the El Rancho cafe. 

This is very persuasive law enforcement in Texas, but it also happens to be a felony for a cop to use this method of making order. James JJ Wilson is the Sheriff's deputy who is in hot water now over this action. Yesterday, James turned himself in to the Sheriff's office, and he at once received due process. He is now out of jail on $101,000 bond. 

This may affect James' career as a Sheriff's deputy, but then again, this is Texas. After some time in rehabilitation James may someday find his way back into a patrol car and looking for hay thieves.

Those of you who read here regularly know, only too well, that the best source for Texas news is right here at this blog.

And, hay, don't mess with Texas.