FYI: Kenedy County aka The Scene of the (Deadeye's) Crime...

[Junkdrawer]

Maybe there is a simple answer to this, but if so, it escapes me. Why does Kenedy County have a Sheriff and why is it a county?

More than 22 million people live in Texas. According to the Census Bureau, the population of Kenedy County is 407 persons. There are approximately 138 households. There are 4 non-farm privately owned businesses with employees.

But it has received 1,441 federal grants. Here are more statistics.

Did the ranchers buy themselves a county government? It sure looks like it.

...

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/014023.html

Well. I was wondering why the local sheriff was so accommodating. Waiting until the next day to interview, and then immediately exonerate Cheney. I wonder no more.

[rusty_parts2001]

1. Heres the answer...

Its a small county, populated by a few very very rich landowner families that run the county like a fiefdom. If you've seen the movie "Giant", you get the picture. Every Texas county has a county seat (courthouse), and a sheriff who has a jail, no matter what the population. But as you can imagine, the county officials are largely beholden to the local big shots. These are some immensely wealthy people we are talking about who have had their huge landholdings for generations. Even the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.'s game wardens act more like private security guards than state law enforcement agents, patrolling the landowners' ranches, and strictly enforcing game laws against poaching and other minor crimes. Do not be shocked that Cheney got VIP treatment from the local constabulary, including TPW, since its a conditioned response from many generations of obsequiousness to the powerful.

[Jacobin]

4. Is the King Ranch in parts of Kenedy County?

And thanks for the info in your post

[Gman]

6. Yes, probably most of the King Ranch

is in Kennedy County.

There's a stretch along Hwy 77 of about 60 miles with no towns, no stops, no nothing. There's a sign that says "Next Gas Station 60 miles".

IIRC, back around the 1890's or early 1900's places like Brownsville were largely inaccessible by land or rail because the big ranches spanned the entire width of S Texas. The landowners wouldn't let the state cut roads through there. The state and feds finally forced the landowners to allow the roads. Still, there only maybe 3 main roads running north and south. They are Hwy 83 that runs along the Rio Grande, US Hwy 281 which runs from McAllen up through Wichita Falls and US Hwy 77. which basicly parallels the coast. There are only a very few small two lane roads running east-west through there.

[MoJoWorkin]

2. Looks like it includes some of the Padre Island National Seashore

I imagine some of the grants would be for that.

Otherwise, it deserves some scrutiny.

[Junkdrawer]

3. Now, not saying that he did, but if Cheney wanted to blast someone...

and get away with it, regardless of the circumstances, Kenedy County would be the place to do it.

[Ganja Ninja]

9. He could afford to buy and sell the place several times over ...

with just his walking around money.

[Gman]

5. A Cat 3 or 4 hurricane went into Kennedy County

several years ago. No one noticed. There was some wind damage in Kingsville and Falfurias but that was about it. There is nothing there, literally. It's a lot of King Ranch too. The King Ranch is bigger than Rhode Island.

[Junkdrawer]

7. .

[Junkdrawer]

8. .

[RazzleDazzle]

10. I wanna know what some of those grants were for, and to whom