Superintendent Thomas` explanation of Central High

Transcription

Vol. 16, No. 50
50 cents
March 1-7, 2012
Workforce
Good jobs wait for
‘good’ employees
Page 11 A
The Independent Voice of Southeast Texas
Boys and boas?
chINa
Former mayor
speaks out on
allegations
Page 8 A
MISS Pearl
Another supply boat
runs into trouble
Page 12 A
NederlaNd ISd BoNdS
Special meeting called
Page 10 A
Superintendent Thomas’ explanation of
Central High program doesn’t add up
Page 6 A
2A
March 1-7, 2012 The Examiner
3A
409.892.4888
KinselToyota.com
Bring your W-2 to Kinsel
Toyota this Friday and
Saturday and receive $50!
3255 Eastex Freeway • Beaumont • (409) 892.4888 • KinselToyota.com
Liberty Tax Service will pay $50 to customers who bring in their W-2 to Kinsel Toyota for tax preparation.
4A
CONGRESS PASSES FULL-YEAR
EXTENSION OF PAYROLL TAX CUT
Though they could not agree on how to pay for it,
Congress did agree on passing an extension of the 2%
cut in payroll taxes for some 160 million Americans.
The tax cut had been extended for just two months,
through February 29, 2012, in a law passed in
December 2011. Now workers and self-employed individuals will pay social security tax at a 4.2% rate, rather
than 6.2%, through December 31, 2012. The tax cut
does not apply to employers’
share of social security taxes;
their rate on employee wages
remains at 6.2% for all of 2012.
RyAN C. HARkey, CPA,
iS A PARTNeR AT
POllANS & COHeN P.C.
Because Republicans and
Democrats were unable to agree
on how to pay for the extended
tax cut, the law included no
spending cuts to offset the estimated $93 billion cost of this provision.
THE EXAMINER
MANAGING
EDITOR
Jerry Jordan — ext. 225 • [email protected]
METRO EDITORS
Jennifer Johnson — ext. 231 • [email protected]
Fred Davis — ext.227 • [email protected]
CONTRIBUTORS
Michele Brooke • [email protected]
Melanie Dishman • [email protected]
Albert Nolen • [email protected]
Robert Sloan • [email protected]
Brenda Cannon Henley • [email protected]
SPORTS EDITOR
Chad Cooper — ext. 241 • [email protected]
COPY EDITING
AND PAGE DESIGN
Joshua Cobb — ext. 224 • [email protected]
Amber Vasquez — ext. 234 • [email protected]
GRAPHICS
Justin Rabb — ext. 228 • [email protected]
SALES
Diane King — ext. 240 • [email protected]
Joey Armstrong — ext. 229 • [email protected]
Taryn Sykes — ext. 245 • [email protected]
Dana Craig Moore — ext. 237 • [email protected]
Felisha Davis — ext. 244 • [email protected]
CIRCULATION
BUSINESS
Receivables: Taryn Sykes — ext. 232 • [email protected]
Web site/Business: Brent Morton — ext. 221 • [email protected]
ARCHIVES
Edna Hetzel — ext. 243 • [email protected]
Another provision in the law will prevent a scheduled
27% reduction in Medicare payments to doctors.
Nederland ISD calling for three bonds .............10A
&
POLLANS
COHEN, P.C.
Certified Public Accountants
470 Orleans Street • Beaumont, TX 77701
(409) 832-7400
www.theexaminer.com
The Examiner is audited by:
Donna Littrell — ext. 242 • [email protected]
Kirk Dickey — ext. 238 • [email protected]
Former mayor addresses trouble in China ..........8 A
The new law also repeals certain shifts in the timing of
corporate estimated tax payments that had been included in prior-year tax legislation.
Phone: (409) 832-1400
Fax: (409) 832-6222
E-mail: [email protected]
Don J. Dodd, publisher and CEO [email protected]; (409) 832-1400, ext. 223
The law, the “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation
Act of 2012,” also included a provision setting longterm federal unemployment benefits at a maximum of
73 weeks in states with the worst unemployment and 63
weeks for other states.
The unemployment benefits and doctor payments will
be paid for by government sales of broadband spectrum,
requiring federal workers hired after this year to contribute more to their pensions, and cuts in certain health
programs.
795 Willow St.,
Beaumont, TX
77701
On the Inside
Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing or reputation of any person, firm
or corporation which may occur in the copy of
The Examiner will be gladly corrected upon
being brought to the attention of the editor.
Published Thursday, 52 weeks a year. ISSN
1551-9198. The Examiner is published by The
Examiner Corporation. Copyright 2011 The
Examiner Corporation. All rights reserved.
Who Is This?
Homeowner left “high and dry” in Vidor ...........9 A
Jobs aplenty - for the right employees..............11A
Miss Pearl runs aground ...................................12A
News Shorts ......................................................16A
CASA welcomes new volunteers .....................17A
“Unbelievable” Editorial...................................18A
Go for the Gold ...................................................4 B
Trans-Siberian Orchestra ....................................5 B
Game Plan ...........................................................7 B
In the Dark ..........................................................8 B
Out and About ...................................................12B
Dining Out ........................................................17B
Sounds ...............................................................30B
Letters to the Editor
We want to know what you’re thinking! We welcome snail-mail, emails and phone calls. Please,
address your correspondence to Letters to the Editor, 795 Willow, Beaumont, Texas, 77701, email
[email protected], or call (409) 832-1400. As
the Independent Voice of Southeast Texas, we look
forward to continuing to provide the area with indepth coverage of local news.
This week’s “Who Is This” looks like
trouble, but he also looks handsome
enough to talk his way out of it. Born in
Beaumont, he was raised in Moss Bluff,
La., alongside five siblings. He was into
riding motorcycles and playing football
and baseball, and his first job was flipping burgers at Wendy’s. Wanting more
for himself, he would eventfully make his
way back to Texas and attend Lamar University. Today, he still has his boyish
good looks but largely avoids trouble,
instead helping his clients when they
encounter difficulty.
Answer on page 14 B
5A
6A
Feminine decor for boys seminar at Central?
Photographic evidence, interviews suggest money actually spent elsewhere
By Jerry Jordan
Managing Editor
Organza, tulle, feather boas, hot
pink cheetah fabric, bunting, star glitter spray, hundreds of yards of satin,
rhinestones, silver lame, white teddy
bears, twinkle netting, silver heart
puffs and tiaras with gold wire and
jewels – just some of the things needed
to help transform boys into responsible
men at Central High School, according
to BISD Superintendent Carrol Thomas.
These items were all part of a list
that was questioned by trustees Tom
Neild and Mike Neil at the BISD board
meeting Thursday, Feb. 22. The two
board members wanted more information about bills and party supplies that
were purchased from Johnsen’s Wholesale Florists and Party City after public
information requests showed more
than $8,000 was spent on page after
page of decorating and party supplies.
Thomas, however, appeared to soothe
most everyone’s concerns about the
bills, saying it was to cover the costs
associated with a banquet designed to
help transform boys at Central High
School into responsible members of
the community – into men. But his
comments didn’t match-up to what
most people would think of as a being
used to educate male students. And the
banquet he referenced occurred months
after the supplies were purchased.
“They call it a banquet, but it is
more of a seminar, if anything, that
Central has for its students – for its
male students,” Thomas said during
the meeting. “That seminar probably
has about 700 to 800 people there for
the students. You have preachers there,
you have judges there, you have city
councilman, you have doctors there
and what they are trying to do is teach
young men to be men. They had a fashion show to show kids what appropriate dress is and not to be slabbing and
all of that. That is all she spent was
$8,000 trying to get that point across.
“Keep in mind that some of our kids
have issues and problems that we have
to deal with. Being an economically
disadvantaged district, those things are
TEXAS
805 P ark
The florist who sold BISD its decorations said the photo from the Urban Education Summit contained similar items that were purchased by the district.
important. That is why we have sitebased management where we allow
principals to budget their monies and
spend those funds where they need to
be spent on designated things they are
trying to accomplish.”
His explanation of the endeavor was
so well-received that members of the
board agreed unanimously that the
program should be held for all boys in
BISD, and Thomas said he would have
his staff look into it.
“If ever there is a problem, because
there is a pipeline from the cradle to
prisons, of what happens to AfricanAmerican males or Hispanic males or
economically disadvantaged males,
period,” Thomas said. “The effort is to
have a special program, that program
was just, I think any of us would have
been so proud because not only did it
teach students but it taught us, the
superintendent of the school district,
things that I need to be doing and we
need to be looking at working with
young men to keep them focused on
going to college and having a productive life versus having a life of going to
prison. You have more African-American men in prison than you have in
college.
“That program she had over there
was for that particular purpose. I
applaud the principal, I applaud the
school, I applaud those teachers and
everybody. If you wanted to see a firstclass program to really get to the core
of some of the issues and problems,
even what we talked about here, with
the brawl or whatever, and try to prevent that from happening, then they
had it at Central High School and that
expenditure was for decorations and
things that she had that particular night
for that particular program. So that is
what that expenditure is about. I wanted to be sure to explain that to you.”
But the banquet or seminar Thomas
spoke so passionately about was in
January – just last month. The items
purchased by Central High School
were bought in August and delivered
in September. Why would the school
need the items delivered in September
if the event wasn’t until January? And
why would a program designed to
teach boys how to become responsible
men in the community need tulle,
organza and feather boas? Those were
just two of the questions raised after
the meeting when Neild and Neil met
with a reporter from The Examiner.
“I want to make it perfectly clear
from the start that I am 100 percent in
support of the program that Dr. Thomas referred to during the meeting,” said
Pradaxa
Neil. “But what he said doesn’t add up
when you start looking at the list of
items that were bought and what they
were supposedly used for. We were
assured by Dr. Thomas that the expenditures that were questioned were used
for the boys to men seminar. But the
list of items that I have seen proves to
me that obviously that is not 100 percent the case. I want answers. I want to
know where the items we purchased
on those invoices were used at in this
school district.
“The question still needs to be
answered with regards to who benefited from the money we spent on this
material. If they come back and prove
that was where these items were actually used, then it was for a good cause.
I think that program for young men is
a good cause, but I don’t think that
there is any question in anyone’s mind
whether feather boas and pink glitter
were used to actually teach young men
how to become responsible men. With
that being said, I don’t think his explanation was correct. But I have found
that when I ask Dr. Thomas something,
he generally tells me like it is whether
I like what he says or not. In this case,
I think someone probably provided
him with bad information.”
Photos of the prior year’s banquet did
not show the delicate materials Thomas
said were used at the encore event in
January 2012. Instead of tulle and organza at the 2011 event, folding tables were
aligned in the gym and covered with
silver or maroon table cloths. A silver
and maroon ribbon ran the entire length
of each table but there was no glitter, no
stars, no puff hearts, no bunting and
surely no twinkle netting, rhinestones or
tiaras with gold wire and jewels.
An excerpt from an article in the
Central High School Jaguar Journal
stated, “The annual Father Son Banquet is a time for students, fathers or
father figures to bond with each other.
This is an opportunity to help them
form a stronger and tighter relationship
together. It not only helps fathers and
sons come closer together, it helps the
entire Central Medical Magnet High
See DECOR on page 7 A
Clay Dugas
board certified personal injury trial lawyer
Hablamos Español
serious or Fatal side eFFects
• B eaumont • www . claydugas . com • 409-813-1111
DECOR
from page 6 A
School come together as one
big family. The Father Son
Banquet gives us more ways
to learn more about each individual and understand what
people are going through outside of school.”
Invoices from Johnsen’s
Wholesale Florists showed
that aside from the items with
a feminine flare, which dominated the purchases, there
were also items to construct
homecoming corsages and
mums and enough material for
table coverings, backdrops and
other decorations.
Did someone use BISD
money to buy material for corsages? Were there other events
that these items were used for?
According to BISD’s calendar,
the two major events involving Central High School during August, September and
October were homecoming
and the Urban Education Summit sponsored by the Beaumont Area Alliance of Black
School Educators (BAABSE).
Neil said he believes the
items were likely used for the
Urban Education Summit and
7A
that BAABSE benefited from
it.
“If I find out that these
items were used for the education summit, then I have a
huge problem with that,” Neil
said.
BAABSE sells table space
for the event and collects
donations. The money is supposedly used to fund scholarships and other activities for
black students in the district;
however, BAABSE’s president, BISD executive director
of personnel Sybil Comeaux,
has repeatedly refused verbal
and written requests to allow a
review of the group’s financial
records. Those records are
public because BAABSE is a
not-for-profit entity with
501(C)(3) status. The same
records have also not been
filed with the Internal Revenue Service, according to
Guidestar, which chronicles
all financial documents for
non-for-profit groups. In fact,
the Web site still has the contact person as Mae JonesClark, who died nearly five
years ago in 2007.
BISD posted several photos
from the education summit on
its Facebook page. In those
photos it showed glitter cov-
A photo from the 2011 Father/Son banquet at Central High
School doesn’t show the use of tulle and tiaras that Thomas
claimed were used in 2012 to help boys become men.
ered stars, tulle and other
materials similar to, if not the
same as, the items listed on
invoices from Johnsen’s
Wholesale Florists. The district has not posted photos
from the banquet on its Facebook page and a request for
copies of the photos it does
have in its possession has not
yet received a response.
So, The Examiner took the
invoices back to where they
originated and asked if anyone
remembered who placed the
order and what it was for.
When “Jo” Johnsen, the
owner of Johnsen’s Wholesale
Florist looked at the invoices,
she said she remembered the
order. She said that at the time
she was concerned because the
items stayed in the back for
some time before they were
delivered. Johnsen said she
thought the materials were for
a floral or decorating class but
when she called over for the
woman who took the order,
she found out differently. She
had even complimented BISD
on its staff’s ability to decorate
the stars and others items
shown hanging in photos of
the BAABSE event.
“This is a lot of ribbon and
when I started seeing it piled
up back there and it stayed
there for a month or two, I was
afraid we wrote it up and they
were going to give it back to
us and we could have been
selling it,” Johnsen said. “They
come and they pick it out and
then they say they have to get
a purchase order. I see a lot of
football stuff on here, and they
got a pan of glue. They even
had boas; it looks like they
were probably used on football mums.
“You see those wire baskets
and wire shoes? I don’t know
what they used that for other
than to put stuff in. They must
have a class they were teaching or something.”
One of the young ladies
who took the orders, Daneen,
said she had never been told of
a floral class but she did
remember the order.
“On some of them (invoices) they said it was homecoming and mother’s day out and
whatever function they were
having there,” Daneen said. “I
have never heard of a floral
class at this school. I remember her saying the education
summit and mother’s day out
See DECOR on page 15 A
Sales • Service
Installation & Repair
Commercial/Residential
teen drivers costing you a bundle?
start saving today! call for a free quote!
Bobby Counts, Agent
5955 Caswell Suite B
Beaumont, Tx 77708
P (409) 924-0050
[email protected]
www.myinsurancecounts.com
409.722.4200
www.windstormdoor.com
CASH
pAid for
junk or
wreCked
CArS &
truCkS
656-7575
8A
Former mayor addresses ‘big trouble’ in China’
By Jennifer Johnson
Metro Editor
When former city of China Mayor
and Councilman John Walker read The
Examiner article last week titled “Big
Trouble in Little China” (Feb. 23-29
edition, page 10A), he was appalled at
the implication his administration was
responsible for any of the city’s financial woes.
In the Feb. 23 article, China Mayor
Pro Tem Edwin Broussard said the
city’s financial hardship stems partially from an inherited problem due to
former City Council panels allowing
fiscal responsibility to wane in the
years prior to the current board taking
over. But, Walker respectfully disagrees.
“When I resigned from there last
year,” he said, “we had money.”
Furthermore, Walker said should the
city find itself
strapped for funds,
citizens should look
no further than the
leaders currently on
the China City Council and Mayor Margaret
“Peggy”
Harkrider.
“I would like to
share a number of
facts with you and Walker
your readers, which may shed new
light on the fiasco they call an administration currently serving in China,”
Walker said. “While there is much
dodging of responsibility by the mayor
and council in your article, what they
and you fail to mention is that the
mayor and some of the council members have been on the council for a
number of years. Mayor Harkrider, for
example, even served as Mayor ProTem under both my administration and
the administration prior to mine. If, in
fact, there were financial issues so
many years ago, why then were none
of those addressed or even spoken of
prior to now?”
Harkrider has been a staple on the
China City Council, but this is her first
run as mayor.
“When I left office,” Walker continued to explain, “our budget showed an
$80,000 surplus. Every year, council
agrees upon a budget and votes to
accept it. Every single councilperson
has access to that budget all year and
reviews every expenditure on a monthly basis. If there were discrepancies in
that budget or the expenditure reports,
those discrepancies fall to one person
and one person alone, the city secretary (Cindy Flores).”
Walker cited other discrepancies in
Flores’ bookkeeping such as allegedly
paying for all of her health insurance
with city funds although 50 percent of
the insurance premium should come
from Flores. Although no official
investigation into Walker’s allegations
has been documented, when confronted Flores did not deny the allegations
and former Mayor Butch Sanders confirmed Walker’s assertions. Walker
added that he had fired Flores prior to
his Feb. 2011 resignation from office.
According to him, Harkrider (who was
Mayor Pro-Tem at that time) overrode
his executive decision because he was
out of town on a family emergency at
attention lot owners!
no down payment • no closing costs
Camellia Homes builds
completely finished homes
on permanent slab
foundations and
offers 100% financing
on your land.
more financing & building options available
Photos by Jennifer Johnson
China City Council (from left) Robert Murff, Edwin Broussard, Peggy Harkrider,
Kewpie Comeaux and Cecile Wright
the time. Further problems Walker
experienced with Flores, he said, were
detailed in his resignation letter dated
Feb. 24, 2011. However, most of the
allegations were directed at current
Mayor Peggy Harkrider.
Among the charges lodged against
Harkrider in his resignation letter,
Walker stated the current mayor was
responsible for using “snipping and
lies” to oust employees, and said she
named many other city workers in
“nefarious plots” against herself and
Flores.
“But, that February is when all hell
broke loose,” Walker said. “I got a call
from a council member saying she was
in fear of her life. I had enough. I
didn’t have the will or the need to battle these people.”
Walker said he resigned the same
day he received that call.
“The immature, middle-school,
mean-girl tactics,” used by Harkrider
and Flores were eventually too much
to bear, he said. “Evil, it seems, has
won the day.”
Exactly one year after he penned his
resignation, Walker spoke with The
Examiner to stand behind those words,
and to let the community of China
know their city leaders might not be
looking out for their best interests.
“If there are water and sewer issues,
I would submit that – at least in part –
they are due to the harassment of our
former water and sewer operator (Ed
Burrell) by both Mayor Harkrider and
Ms. Flores. He was challenged at every
turn and both his professional and personal life relentlessly and mercilessly
attacked,” Walker said. Additionally,
he said, “The list of frivolous and
capricious expenditures continues.”
And while Walker said he has no
plans of ever entering back into China
politics, he is hopeful others in the
Keith R. Stewart
District Chief, City of Beaumont Fire Department
LIT Alumnus
“Indisputably, Lamar Institute of Technology’s Regional Fire
Training Academy prepared me for the challenges of being
in the fire services.”
Keith Stewart, Class of 1981
free generator including installation
with every new home built while supplies last!
A Member of The Texas State University System
855 East Lavaca Beaumont
866-347-0053 • 8110 eastex frwy • beaumont
Visit our website www.camelliahomestexas.com
(409) 880-8321 1-800-950-6989 www.lit.edu
Lamar Institute of Technology is an equal opportunity/affirmative action educational institution and employer.
See china on page 13 a
9A
By Jennifer Johnson
Metro Editor
What started as a simple project to
put up a workshop in his backyard has
now led to questions of whether Orange
County resident David Duncan will be
left holding the bag, and the responsibility, for a $200,000 home built without proper FEMA certification in a
mapped floodway.
Although initially told his home was
in Flood Plain A, the most restrictive
of flood plain designations, Duncan
would ultimately learn his pricey
investment was located directly in a
floodway where improvements of any
kind are strictly prohibited without
prior no-rise certification from a qualified engineer. Although not familiar
with the jargon of FEMA’s flood plain
regulations, it didn’t take long for
Duncan to do his homework – even
though the fruits of his labor have
yielded more mysteries rather than
answers to his questions.
To start with the basics, FEMA
defines a regulated floodway as “the
channel of a river or other watercourse
and the adjacent land areas that must
be reserved in order to discharge the
base flood without cumulatively
increasing the water surface elevation
more than a designated height.” The
agency further states, “Communities
must regulate development in these
Caney Creek
North Main
Waterford
‘High and dry’ homeowner in floodway
Simmons Rd.
Ashford Drive
Smith
Lake
105
Vidor
Photo by Jennifer Johnson
David Duncan’s $200,000 home sits in a beautiful subdivision in Vidor’s Wexford Park. Unfortunately, it’s also located in the middle of a floodway.
floodways to ensure that there are no
increases in upstream flood elevations.
… Any project in a floodway must be
reviewed to determine if the project
will increase flood heights. An engineering analysis must be conducted
before a permit can be issued. The
community’s permit file must have a
record of the results of this analysis,
which can be in the form of a No-rise
Certification. This No-rise Certification must be supported by technical
data and signed by a registered professional engineer.”
More information on floodway designation is listed with FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, which
classifies a floodway as intended to
“assist communities in managing
floodplain development and its impacts
on other property owners. The community is responsible for prohibiting
encroachments including fill, new construction, and substantial improve-
ments within the floodway unless
hydrologic and hydraulic analyses
show it will not increase flood levels
within the community.”
That admittedly wasn’t done for
Duncan’s 1.3-acre property or any of
the other roughly dozen properties
with improvements on Duncan’s street,
Ashford Drive in Vidor’s Wexford
Park. Jimmy Smith of Flair Realty is
on record as the property developer.
According to Smith, he was unaware
the subdivision was erected in a floodway and the homes, one of which he
assisted in brokering to Duncan, were
built after receiving clearance from
county and city officials.
“I went to the Corps of Engineers
and they signed off,” Smith said, adding
See FLOOD on page 14 A
ThE BEnEFiTs OF PrEvEnTATivE MAinTEnAnCE
Lower Energy Bills • Lower Repair Costs
Extended Equipment Life
Spring iS around the corner!
Get your maintenance done today, to prevent being hot tomorrow!
Ask about Steril-Aire Germicidal UVC Solutions
Bubba’s
Air Conditioning
& Appliance Services
Kevin e Bohm
John P PARKeR
8121 Gladys Ave
Beaumont, TX 77706
(409) 860-0098
229 Dowlen Rd., Ste. 13A
Beaumont, TX 77706
(409) 860-3547
Financial Advisor
Financing Available
TACLB003830E
Locally Owned & Operated for Over 30 Years
136 Nederland Ave. • Nederland, TX 77627
Financial Advisor
10 A
“EponToday.com has put
Sanderson’s Restaurant
in the spotlight of
Southeast Texas Diners”
Maggie Yoder,
General Manager
Sanderson’s Restaurant
Hwy 69N • Nederland
Opportunities available to help grow your business. Call 409.832.4178
CARLITO’S
A TASTE OF MEXICO FOR THOSE
WHO LIKE IT HOT
2610 COLLEGE BEAUMONT
409-839-8011
Vote could
come this
week on
NISD bonds
By Fred Davis
Metro Editor
To renovate – or not to renovate.
That question has been thrown
around for the last two years and is
popping up again as the Nederland
Independent School District School
Board grapples with putting three
bond measures on the May ballot
that would renovate some of the district’s crumbling infrastructure while
building a new elementary school.
After a handful of meetings, a
special meeting has been scheduled
for Thursday, March 1, at 6 p.m.
where the school board has the
option of voting to put three bond
measures totaling roughly $45 million on the ballot in May.
“The bond is very important;
we’ve got aging buildings,” said
NISD superintendent Robert Madding by phone Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 29. “There are some
people who want to build new and
some people want to renovate, and
what we’re trying to do is reach a
happy medium and give them a
choice to vote on. Whether they
vote on one of them, or all three of
them – it doesn’t really make a difference; we’re at a point where we
have to do something.”
The first proposition is to add
energy efficient lighting to Nederland High School, two middle
schools as well as to four elementary schools and an alternative
school. There would also be safety
renovations made to all
eight existing campuses. The cost for
proposition one is
not to exceed
$7,325,000.
The second
proposition
includes replacing the heating and
air conditioning systems at all eight
campuses in addition to making electrical and technology upgrades. The
Nederland High School Home Economics Department would also be
remodeled; the cost of proposition
two is not to exceed $21,265,000.
Finally is proposition three,
which would partially affect the
first two propositions only because
See BONDS on page 17 A
11 A
Jobs … for the right candidates Texas Offroad
& Suspension
By Jennifer Johnson
Metro Editor
As Southeast Texas maintains a steady pace,
hovering just over the state and national average for unemployment, many out-of-work residents ask where all the jobs have gone. But
according to some officials who make it their
business to know local business, the jobs
haven’t necessarily left – there’s just not
enough “good” employees to fill the positions.
Others claim “Big Business” doesn’t want to
pay for these so-called “good” employees, and
it shows in the number of skilled workers wasting away as jobs are outsourced or left unfilled
while companies preserve the bottom line.
HT Staffing’s Nikki Hillyer sees both the
supply and demand side of the Southeast Texas
labor market on a daily basis. According to
Hillyer, “If you want a job in Beaumont,
there’s one out there for you.”
HT Staffing CEO Mark Turpin, a graduate
from West Orange-Stark High School and the
University of Texas, said his company specializes in being a traditional staffing unit that
offers temporary, temporary-to-hire, payrolling, on-site management and direct hire
services. Turpin also analyzed data that shows
HT Staffing growth from 2011 vs. 2012 at a
233 percent increase, with growth of internal
staff since 2009 at a 50 percent increase. And,
when staffing agencies experience growth, he
said, the community benefits.
“We are proud to be a part of the growth of
the Golden Triangle region,” he said. “We have
seen tremendous growth in all three of our divisions over the last 18 months and expect this
trend to continue in the future.”
Texas Workforce Commission deputy director of communications Mark Lavergne said
employment data from December 2011 does
support Turpin’s claim that more jobs are being
added to the market, although it is “tough to
quantify statistically” as to why those jobs are
still not filled two months later.
Cynthia Buckles, regional manager of HT
Staffing, said it is her experience that “good
employees are becoming hard to come by.”
According to Buckles, HT Staffing tries to
overcome that barrier by offering their candidates interviewing skills classes, access to job
training, and access to programs typically used
in the job market to learn how to operate equipment.
“A lot of people have been out of the job
market for a while now,” Buckles said. “They
haven’t been interviewed for a job in a long
time and maybe they aren’t as familiar as they
should be with what employers are looking
for.”
Buckles recommends sticking to professional accomplishments and background rather
than personal anecdotes when interviewing for
a position, dressing for the part, and researching the position before the interview for optimum success. And, she added, most employers
will require a drug screen.
Beaumont Chamber of Commerce President
Jim Rich said passing a drug test is becoming
increasing more uncommon, which precludes a
• Lifts • Drops
• BeDLiners • tint
• ALL Accessories
• suspension service
(ALL vehicLes)
203 S. Hwy. 69 • nederland
409-727-3804
faris Technical insTiTuTe
Computer • Secretarial • Medical • Legal • CAD Training
Beginning or Refreshing Single Courses Also Offered
Financial Aid if Qualified
409-722-4072
great portion of the workforce from finding
employment.
“Failing drug tests is not just a Beaumont
problem,” though, he said. “It’s a U.S. problem. It’s like that all over the nation.” Additionally, Rich added, “Our area has more jobs that
require Homeland Security clearance than
probably anywhere else in the world. If they
can’t get that clearance for whatever reason,
it’s hard to find a job in a lot of these markets.”
Rich said mistakes that people make early in
life have a way of haunting them when it
comes time to get the TWIC card issued by
Homeland Security, as required at all the local
refineries. “It’s really sad, but we need to get
the word out to the youth to make the right
choices now for their future,” he said.
Buckner Children and Family Services case
manager Shaye Barry said her agency has seen
the examples of the difficulties Rich highlighted and is working to try to get kids into workforce training before they are led astray.
“We will work together to overcome those
barriers,” Barry said. She said her agency is
now partnering with local companies to offer
training to children served by Buckner with the
promise that these youth will have employment
available to them when they complete the training courses. “We have to make strides somewhere, and I believe this is good for our children and for the companies that will get good,
trained workers in the end.”
The flip side
While the report from TWC’s Lavergne
does show jobs added to the Southeast Texas
market in 2011, the only areas with significant
growth were in construction and professional
services. Other areas, such as the “local” sector
See JOBS on page 20 A
12 A
Miss Pearl runs aground off Sabine Pass
Second supply boat incident in
area in less than three months
By James Shannon
Special to The Examiner
On Friday, Feb. 24, the 135-foot
long offshore supply vessel Miss Pearl
reported grounding on the west side of
the Sabine Jetties.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector
Houston-Galveston office received a
call at 6:17 a.m. that the vessel had run
aground and that the four-person crew deck that can accommodate 183 metric
had suffered various injuries.
tons of cargo.
A 45-foot response boat and crew
More important for authorities to
from nearby USCG Station Sabine was know was that though the fuel capacity
immediately dispatched along with a of the Miss Pearl was up to 12,206 galMH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter lons, the vessel was only transporting
from USCG Air Station Houston. The 6,000 gallons that morning.
crew of the rescue helicopter hoisted
The U.S. Coast Guard and personthe four crewmembers to safety and nel from the Texas General Land
transported them to
Office (GLO) along
awaiting EMS personwith representatives of
nel at the Jack Brooks
vessel owner SEACOR
Regional Airport. The
arrived on the scene
crew of the Miss Pearl a weekly column from the editor of the and established a unisuffered only minor
command to overUSINESS OURNAL fied
injuries not requiring
see
the
incident
hospitalization.
response efforts. The
The Miss Pearl is owned by SEA- Sabine Jetty Channel was temporarily
COR Marine, which operates a fleet of closed and a 1,000-yard safety zone
offshore marine support vessels serv- was established around the grounding
ing the global offshore oil and gas site. A Broadcast Notice to Mariners
exploration and production industry was placed in effect to alert transiting
with an extensive fleet deployed off- mariners.
shore in the Gulf of Mexico, Latin
“The Coast Guard is working with
America, the North Sea, West Africa, the vessel owner and will supervise
Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
and direct cleanup efforts,” said Capt.
Built for SEACOR in 1993 by Joe Paitl, commanding officer of MSU
Breaux Brothers Enterprises of Loreau- Port Arthur. “Our No. 1 one priority is
ville, La., the Miss Pearl has a top the safety of everyone involved in the
speed of 25 knots. It can carry 62 pas- recovery and cleanup operations. Our
sengers in what it describes as “busi- goal is to salvage the vessel while
ness class” in addition to four crew mitigating environmental and economcabins with a total of 10 berths. The ic impacts.”
ship can transport 17,154 gallons of
The grounding took place in the predrilling/potable water with a cargo dawn darkness around 6:11 a.m., about
setx BIZ
B
J
The supply vessel
Miss Pearl sits on
the Sabine jetties
near Port Arthur
after running
aground Feb. 24.
Crews from the
Coast Guard
responded with air
and water assets to
evacuate the fourman crew and
assess pollution.
six minutes before the first distress call
was received by the Coast Guard.
Although no preliminary report on the
cause of the grounding is available,
conditions at the time were far from
ideal. In addition to being dark, there
was as a small craft warning in effect
with high seas and high winds along
with the collision hazard at the jetty
wall. The wind was blowing to the
north at 29.9 knots with wind gusts up
to 34.0 knots.
Of the 6,000 gallons of fuel on
board, the first GLO incident report
said an estimated 4,000 gallons of fuel
was released from a damaged tank on
Friday; sheen from the initial spill has
dissipated. In order to address any possible environmental impact, containment and clean up equipment is on
stand-by at the site of the grounded
vessel.
By Monday, Feb. 27, a damage survey of Miss Pearl was completed
allowing vessel salvage and recovery
plans to be developed. USCG Lt. JG
Jason Radcliffe said lightering vessels
had arrived on the scene to remove the
remaining fuel from the stricken ship.
Lightering is the same process routinely used to offload crude oil from
super tankers that are too large to navigate the Intercoastal waterway.
The grounding of the Miss Pearl is
the latest reminder – as if any were
necessary – that life in the Gulf of
Mexico can be dangerous business and
it doesn’t take a perfect storm for a
seemingly routine trip to suddenly turn
serious. Factor in the heavy maritime
traffic generated by the oil and gas
industry off the Texas and Louisiana
Gulf coasts and it is a testament to the
machines and their human operators
that disasters are relatively few and
normally far between – but not always.
On Dec. 13, 2011 – less than three
months before the Miss Pearl incident
– another supply boat roughly similar
in size and function ran into trouble off
Sabine Pass. International Marine’s
120-foot vessel the Intl’ Hunter was
about 25 miles offshore when it struck
a submerged object at 4:30 p.m. The
ship quickly began to take on a large
amount of water. Within about five
minutes of the collision with the
unknown object, the captain gave the
order to abandon ship. The seven men
aboard abandoned the vessel in lifeboats, were rescued within the hour
and received medical attention upon
arrival ashore in Cameron, La. They
were released without serious injuries.
The submerged Int’l Hunter was
located by its sister ship Int’l Navigator, an International Marine vessel that
has been monitoring the area, at a location is 24 miles SE of the Sabine Pass
Jetties. Despite delays caused by poor
weather conditions, International
Marine and the Coast Guard worked
cooperatively to locate, secure and
recover the vessel, while also minimizing navigational disruptions and threats
to the environment.
Business Journal editor James Shannon offers a weekly column of business
news for readers of The Examiner. For
more details, see the editions of the Business journal published monthly in Beaumont, Port Arthur and Greater Orange.
Check out the blog at setxbiz.blogspot.
com or e-mail [email protected].
REDUCE YOUR
ELECTRIC BILL
ATTIC FOIL InsULATIOn
FREE EsTImATE
CALL FOR InFO
409-866-9666
McDOUGLE CHILDRENS SHOES
You took your kids
to McDougle’s when
they were little.
Shouldn’t your
Grandkids be as lucky?
5888 EASTEX FREEWAY
TARGET SHOPPING CENTER
MON-WED 10-6 • THURS - SAT 10-7
892-4531
13 A
From left,
Mary Ellen
Robertson,
board member; John
Gaulding,
Farm Bureau;
Pat Coldewey,
Anayat House
director; and
Hubert Oxford
IV, board
president
www.myparkavenuecleaners.com
mon-Sat
7am-7pm
Courtesy photo
Farm Bureau gives
so others may eat
By Jennifer Johnson
Metro Editor
Jefferson County Farm
Bureau made a $400 donation
to the Anayat House of Beaumont to buy groceries for
houseguests this past week to
little fanfare but much appreciation.
“Combining philanthropy
with nutrition,” the generosity
of the Farm Bureau was heralded by Anayat House staffer
Adrienne Ryherd, who added
that the donation came as part
of the Farm Bureau’s celebration of National Food CheckOut Week celebrated Feb.1925. The purpose of Food
Check-Out Week is to recognize that farmers and ranchers
are unmatched in their ability
to consistently produce an
abundance of safe, nutritious
and affordable food.
“Even though agriculture
producers confront significant
uncertainties including inclement weather, damaging insects
CHINA
from page 8 A
and other challenges on a daily
basis, they and others involved
in the agriculture industry
work together in an environmentally sustainable way to
help feed people here in Jefferson County, our nation, and
in other countries around the
world,” she said.
Ryherd added the donation
will go a long way in the
Anayat House mission to offer
a medical hospitality house
that provides overnight accommodations to patients and family members of patients in area
hospitals.
“The Anayat House wants to
thank the Jefferson County
Farm Bureau not only for their
monetary contribution, but also
for a renewed emphasis on
using that money to buy food
that is affordable and nutritious.
We are proud to be the recipient
of such a charitable and meaningful gift,” Ryherd said.
The Anayat House of Beaumont, 2675 Mcfaddin St., can
be reached at (409) 833-0649.
position in the city, and said
past city leaders had an ax to
grind.
“I’m not surprised at the
mudslinging,” she said. “I
know they are out to get me,
but the things they say simply are not true.”
The city of China has regular meetings scheduled for
the third Tuesday of the
month, starting at 7 p.m., at
the City Hall located at the
corner of Broadway and Lee
streets.
community will get involved
and take charge of their city
before it is run into the
ground.
“The responsibility for the
city’s unnecessary water and
sewer user fee hike and any
possible property tax lies
squarely on the shoulders of
those in charge, and no
amount of dodging and shirking will change that fact,”
Walker concluded. “I just
Jennifer Johnson can be
hope the citizens can see reached
at (409) 832-1400, ext.
that.”
231, or by e-mail at jennifer@
Harkrider defended her theexaminer.com.
1
Same day Service
in by 9am
out by 5pm
$
2608 calder
838-6220
99
expireS 03/29/12. no
limit. prepaid. pluS tax.
6755 phelan
866-0263
4105 dowlen
924-8778
any garment
dry cleaned
and pressed
Plan for Fall
Financial Aid
Apply by Mar. 31
"Lamar University offers everything
I need and more. I was surprised by
how many resources are available."
Alex Edgerly, Pre-Dental
Scan with your smartphone
to see Alex Edgerly’s video.
Or go to http://bit.ly/jl65e3
(409) 880-8888 • BeACardinal.com
14 A
FLOOD
from page 9 A
that city and county officials also signed
on the dotted line when he was seeking
certification to build in the Ashford
Drive area. “It was all done with their
approval and their supervision.”
Smith no longer owns or is brokering
any property from Duncan’s neighborhood, he said.
Orange County Health and Code
Compliance director Joel Ardoin said
his agency believes the developer was
not malicious in the oversight, and he
anticipates the problem will be remedied since it appears to be accidental in
nature. Still, Ardoin is hesitant in stating
all will be rectified to the benefit of the
unsuspecting homeowner.
“It was an honest mistake to the best
of my knowledge,” Ardoin said. “In this
situation, we wouldn’t penalize the
homeowners, but if it were done maliciously without regard for the rules,
there would be a non-compliance order
taken and the property wouldn’t be eligible for National Flood Insurance until
the problem was remedied.”
As it stands, although Duncan’s
home is located in a floodway, Ardoin
said the property’s current flood insurance designation as Flood Plain A would
be sufficient due to the county not
marking the property as out of compliance.
In the worst-case scenario, Ardoin
said, the county itself would face stiff
repercussions. According to Ardoin, if a
county is “significantly” out of compliance, FEMA could deny National Flood
Insurance coverage for the entire county. And, he added, “should there be a
natural disaster, the county wouldn’t be
eligible for FEMA assistance.”
However, Ardoin said he is fairly
certain a solution can be reached without such drastic measures.
“We’ve never had an issue like this
in Orange County,” Ardoin said, “so
there’s really too many unknowns to
give a firm answer as to what will happen next. We need to try to get our stuff
together before we can give any useful
information on where to proceed from
here.”
Ardoin said the county is waiting on
further instructions from FEMA as to
how to bring the subdivision into compliance but doesn’t anticipate any word
coming from the federal agency before
next week.
FEMA spokeswoman Jacqueline
Chandler echoed Ardoin’s optimism for
rectification, saying, “If FEMA identifies violations in the community’s
administration of its Flood Damage
Prevention Ordinance, we work with
the community to identify solutions. In
most instances, FEMA and the community can successfully work together to
resolve violations.”
She also backed up Ardoin in asserting that the individual homeowner
wasn’t the one FEMA would penalize
in the event the violations couldn’t be
rectified satisfactorily. According to
Chandler, “Flood insurance is available
for structures located in NFIP partici-
pating communities (such as Duncan’s).
A structure in a floodway is rated as in
a Special Flood Hazard Area (high risk)
as it would if there were no floodway
designation.
“In terms of FEMA compliance, a
no-rise certification is required for any
proposed development in a designated
floodway. If a community did not properly permit and require a no-rise certification, it could be jeopardizing its good
standing and/or participation in the
NFIP in the long-term.”
Duncan said his insurance representative didn’t leave him with the impression he would still be covered under his
current flood insurance, which would
put him in technical default of his
home’s mortgage.
“I really just don’t know what to
think at this point,” Duncan said. “I’m
out money for the building and concrete
work I was starting on my property, but
right now I feel like I have even bigger
issues to worry about.”
Orange County Appraisal District
staffer Susan Fruge said she wasn’t
familiar with what happens when subdivisions are constructed without proper
clearance but is familiar with what
floodway designations mean to property values.
“You would think this will have
some effect on (Duncan’s home) value,” she said. “And it could in the future
have a real impact on the sale of that
property.”
FEMA’s Chandler said the properties
constructed in the floodway aren’t the
only properties in Wexford Park that
will be impacted, either.
“Multiple homes in a floodway,
especially without no-rise certification
proving no impact to other structures in
the special flood hazard area, could
increase flood levels both in the special
flood hazard areas and potentially areas
outside the special flood hazard area,”
she said, meaning those in low-lying
areas of that flood plain may be more
prone to flooding now.
Ardoin said figuring out exactly how
many residences are impacted by this
oversight will be part of the county’s
plan on addressing the issue. That,
along with other pertinent information
gathering, will be instituted after the
county meets to accept new flood maps,
which will be issued at the Orange
County Courthouse at 2 p.m. Thursday,
March 1.
“I just don’t want them to come in
and put a band-aid fix on this, though,”
Duncan said of his plight. “I want to
know they’re going to do something to
actually rectify the problem for good.”
Orange County Judge Carl
Thibodeaux said he, too, wants a fix
that will stick as opposed to patchwork.
“Right now this looks to be even bigger than just one homeowner with a
problem,” he said. “I don’t even think
everyone that’s affected even knows
that there is an issue yet. But we need to
get this under control as soon as possible.”
Thibodeaux said a workshop will be
set up to address the non-compliance
issue after Thursday’s maps are released.
15 A
Doctor tells of literature’s
importance in all careers
By Jennifer Johnson
Metro Editor
The Guidestar Web site points out several warning indicators about the
validity of the BAABSE organization.
his comments at last week’s board
DECOR
meeting.
“The answer that Dr. Thomas
from page 7 A
gave me at the meeting shows that
and homecoming. They bought his financial cabinet was incompesome Styrofoam stars and stuff and tent in generating or giving him the
glitter and Mylar strips, a bunch of right information,” Tom Neild said.
stuff.”
“When a board member asks a
When told about the link to superintendent for backup on inforBAABSE, Neild and Neil
mation, he at least
were both upset and
needs to provide the
planned to bring the issue
right information so it
back up to Thomas. They
doesn’t make the superalso questioned the legality
intendent look foolish.
of BISD paying for the
If I knew there was an
items if BAABSE was the
invoice that people
beneficiary or if someone
were raising questions about I
made football corsages and possi- would sure do my due diligence.
bly sold them for a profit.
“As for BAABSE, since we
“In my mind we should not be seem to be funding them and they
spending money on that summit,” are operating out of our building, I
Neil said. “That is extremely upset- would like to see a line item on our
ting.”
budget where we show how much
Neil said he believes Thomas money we are spending to fund
failed to check out what he was BAABSE. I want a copy of their
being asked about before making budget and check registry.”
“Mankind should be our business,
Ebenezer.”
That quote from Charles Dickens’ “A
Christmas Carol” has stuck with
Beaumont physician Mark
Toups throughout his
career in medicine, but
literary works of Dickens aren’t the only
written words to permeate Toups’ daily
life. For that reason,
Toups said he was happy to
be a part of Lamar University’s series of
lectures, presentations and colloquies
sponsored by the Department of English
to show just how important literary
works of art are in everyday life to the
everyday person. The series, “Belles
Lettres in the Business World,” is bringing volunteers such as Toups to the Dishman Art Gallery so speakers from various businesses and professions can discuss how aesthetic literature plays a role
in their careers.
Born and educated in Beaumont,
Toups graduated from Lamar University
and later attended medical school in Dallas where he also completed his resi-
Was your business hit
hard by the hurricanes?
We can help.
HBRC offers free and
confidential business
consulting
Rethink…rebuild…reinforce
your business
dency training before returning to his
hometown in 1980. His performance in
the series was based on poetic selections
from the work of Carl Sandburg held
Feb. 27.
“Reading in the old Tyrrell Library
when I was a boy is still a vivid memory for me,” Toups said. “I would like
to share the importance of such
reading with students who may
think that literature has nothing to
do with their careers. As for me,
haunting the homes of writers is an
entertainment and
a solace. The
words of great writers
continue to help me
better understand the
shadows of thought
and the shades of all
colors in my life. I particularly enjoy Carl
Sandburg, a poet of the
people, and hope that
my presentation of
some of his work will inspire young men
and women who are studying for careers
that seem to them, at this time, far from
the words they will hear, but are really
well within them.
“Various writers are an inspiration for
me every day.”
TECL 28475
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
Residential • Commercial • Industrial
- Residential & Commercial Electrical Repairs & Trouble Shooting
- Industrial: TWIC, Insured, and able to work in all local plants
- New Construction
- Remodels & Add-ons
- Electrical Meter & Breaker Box Replacement
- Parking Lot Lighting, Installation, and Maintenance
- Electric Motor Controls Repair & Trouble Shooting
- Standby Generator Installation
- Fiber Optic Installation, Termination, & Testing
- Tele-Data Cable Installation, Termination, & Testing
- Estimates Available Upon Request
www.hbrc.uh.edu • 1-877-660-7826
1640 Industrial Park Drive • Nederland, TX 77627
16 A
NEWS SHORTS
Man arrested for
shooting his brother
On Saturday morning, Feb. 25,
Patrol Division Officers from the
Beaumont Police Department responded to an apartment complex in the
3800 block of North Major in reference to what was originally described
as an accidental shooting.
Officers found a 29-year-old victim
suffering from a gunshot wound to his
lower left abdomen. Beaumont EMS was summoned and they transported him to Christus
St. Elizabeth E.R. where
he underwent surgery.
Following surgery, the
victim was listed in critical condition.
Officers arrested Isac Garcia, the 21-year-old brother of the victim. Investigators determined that Garcia used a handgun to shoot his brother
and that alcohol was a factor in the
assault. Patrol officers located the
handgun used and it was turned over to
crime scene technicians.
Buna man appointed
by governor to office
Local attorney Craig Mixson, candidate for District Judge, First Judicial
District of Texas, has been appointed
by Gov. Rick Perry to preside over the
court recently vacated by Judge Gary
Gatlin. A swearing in ceremony will be
held on Thursday, March 1, in the Jasper County Courthouse,
District
Courtroom. Former
First Judicial District
Judge Joe Bob Golden will swear Mixson in. Beaumont
attorney and San
Augustine County
native Gilbert “Buddy” Low will speak
about the history of Mixson
judges to serve the First Judicial District. The public is invited to attend.
“I am humbled by Gov. Perry’s
appointment and am looking forward
to serving the citizens of Jasper, Newton, Sabine and San Augustine counties as judge. My roots in the district
are deep and I promise to work hard, to demic of child sexual exploitation and
be fair and impartial and do my best to abuse.
treat everybody the same,” Mixson
said.
Fight over man lands
woman in hospital
Teacher arrested for
alleged relationship
with LC-M student
Hardin County man
pleads guilty to child
porn violations
Beaumont woman
arrested in stabbing
of her husband
Less than a week after Valentine’s
Day, Beaumont Police received a call
from the 2800 block of Edmonds in
reference to a stabbing. Information
relayed to the department stated two
women became involved in a
disturbance over dating the
same man. The disturbance
became violent when one of the
females, 37-year-old Kythia
Moten pulled out a razor blade
knife and cut the other white
female, an unidentified 31-year-old
rival. The victim received a serious
cut to the inside of her left forearm that
was bleeding profusely. The victim
was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital to receive treatment for non-life
threatening injuries.
Dean Bailey Swift, 45, of Lumberton pleaded guilty to possession of
child pornography Feb. 23 before U.S.
District Judge Thad Heartfield and
now faces up to 10 years in federal
prison. A sentencing date has not been
set.
According to information presented
in court, on April 12, 2011, law
enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Swift’s Lumberton
residence. During the search, a desktop
computer was seized. A forensic analysis of the computer revealed 64 images
of child pornography in allocated space
and 59 images in unallocated space.
Additionally, the computer was found
to contain 1,318 images of “child erotica” – images that generally depict
semi-clothed children in provocative
or sexual poses. At least one image
depicted a prepubescent minor under
12 years of age engaged in sexually
explicit acts.
This case was brought as part of
Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide
initiative to combat the growing epi-
Bryan Lee Hyde, 32, was arrested
Feb. 23 for two counts of improper
relations between an
educator and student
and two counts of
sexual assault of a
child after an outcry
to Little CypressMauriceville CISD
high school administrators alleged the
teacher was having
an
inappropriate
relationship with a Hyde
16-year-old student at the school. Hyde
faces a punishment range from two
years probation up to twenty years in
prison and a $10,000 fine on each
count. Bond has been set at a total of
$30,000.
Beaumont Officers responded to the
500 block of Langham on Feb. 26 in
reference to a stabbing. A 32-year-old
black male said that
his wife had stabbed
him with a knife, and
he was cut and bleeding on the back of his
left arm. The wife
was identified as
Shareena Hampton,
27, from Beaumont.
Hampton
The investigation
revealed that Hampton and her husband were arguing over a set of keys
and she stabbed him as he turned to
walk away. The knife was located in
the kitchen. EMS was called to the
scene to treat the husband for his injuries. He declined to go to the hospital
and did not wish to pursue charges.
Hampton was placed under arrest
for aggravated assault family violence
with a deadly weapon and was transported to Jefferson County Jail.
Walker fights
venue change
By Jerry Jordan
Managing Editor
After first asking for a change of
venue and saying that people in
Southeast Texas were too racist to
give him a fair trial, Calvin Walker’s attorney Dick DeGuerin is now
taking a different tone.
Walker is under indictment on 37
counts of fraud and other charges
alleging he over-billed taxpayers by
submitting falsified invoices to the
Beaumont Independent School District for electrical work. He was
tried in December 2011 but jurors
were deadlocked, failing to reach a
verdict, and U.S. Judge Ron Clark
declared a mistrial in the case. Clark
reset the case for July.
In his most recent filing,
DeGuerin now argues against a
change of venue that was requested
last month by the U.S. Attorney’s
Office for the Eastern District of
Texas. DeGuerin said his client got
a fair trial the first time around and
things should be no different in July.
“Calvin Walker, Defendant,
opposes a transfer of this case to
another division for trial. The Court
and the parties now have the benefit
of hindsight,” DeGuerin wrote in
his filing with the court. “A fair jury
was found and a fair trial had in the
Beaumont Division. There is no
existing reason to suspect that the
same cannot occur again. A thorough voir dire did not unreasonably
delay the process and it resulted in a
perfectly suitable jury.
“Voir dire was a sufficient tonic
for prejudice in the first trial, so
should it be in the second. The government’s motion should be denied.”
But prosecutors claim that pretrial publicity and rancor in the
community could affect how jurors
deliberate the case. Prosecutors
filed more than 100 news articles
that were written during the first
trial with their request for the case
to be moved to Lufkin.
Judge Clark is expected to have a
hearing on the issue in the near
future.
DaviD Self MotorS
409-296-9600 • 1-800-323-3591
2009 Ford Edge SEL
Extra Clean $18,888
Financing
Available!
Deals of the Week!
Warranties
Hwy. 124 • Winnie • davidselfwinnie.com
2009 Dodge R1500 Quad Cab TRX
4x4, 5.7 Hemi, Sunroof, Nav.
$25,888
17 A
CASA volunteers ready to give their time, emotion
By Fred Davis
Staff Writer
There’s a real sense of pride that
comes from helping others, but it takes
a little something extra to be a volunteer, whether it’s at a soup kitchen, a
hospital or just helping out a local
organization.
Seven new Southeast Texan CASA
volunteers sworn in by Judge Randy
Shelton this past Monday will be giving up not just their time, but also
plenty of emotion and energy. They
have become the latest group of CASA
volunteers who will assist children
BONDS
from page 10 A
navigating through the oftentimes
emotional and difficult CPS Foster
Care process.
This was the first class of
2012.
“It’s easy to volunteer money, or be a part of a project,”
said Judge Shelton on Monday
at the Jefferson County Courthouse, speaking to the newest
CASA representatives, “and
there are going to be times when you
finish working with a child where you
don’t feel good about how things are
going, but those kids need you.”
CASA, which stands for Court
The key is trying to
appease the renovation and
the build-new crowds. Either
way, if the bonds don’t pass,
Madding said the maintenance crews will have to do
the best they can with what
they have, and the city would
have to expect a bond
vote again in the
future to address
the issue.
“We’ll have to
come back again in
two to five years and present
another bond issue,” Madding said. “Right now, costs
are pretty low, and we’ve got
construction people looking
for work.”
instead of making the renovations to Hillcrest Elementary School, proposition
three calls for Hillcrest to be
demolished and a new
Hillcrest to be constructed. Prop. 3 is
not
to
exceed
$16,510,000.
Madding said he’d
like to see all three pass. If
all three do pass, the school
tax rate would increase 15
cents for $100 of property
valuation. For example, if all
three passed, a Nederland
resident with a $100,000
Fred Davis can be reached
house would pay $150 more at (409)
832-1400, ext. 227, or
in school taxes, Madding by e-mail at fred@theexaminer.
said.
com.
One year • $25
CCV2#
Appointed Special Advocates, came
about in 1977 in Seattle, Wash., after a
juvenile judge there decided he
had insufficient information
regarding the juveniles he was
working with and came up
with the idea of citizen volunteers who would work with the
children on their behalf and
help the court make better
informed decisions as to the
child’s placement.
Thirty-five years later, CASA continues to represent children in 49 states
across the country, including right here
in Southeast Texas, where the South-
east Texas Chapter is celebrating its
20-year anniversary this year.
Lanis McWilliams, executive director of CASA of Southeast Texas, said
the feedback she and others from
CASA have received from judges
across the state indicate how helpful
the volunteers are.
“The judges feel like they’re getting
more complete information,” McWilliams said, and that stems from CASA
folks being able to spend more time
with the children and obtaining that
information. McWilliams added that a
See CASA on page 19 A
18 A
Commentary
The opinions that appear directly below are the official
views of The Examiner and its publisher/CEO, Don J. Dodd.
Opinions expressed elsewhere on these pages are the views of
the writers only and not necessarily those of The Examiner.
Unbelievable
The idea of bunting, tulle, satin and organza being used
in an educational setting at Central High School is not outside the spectrum of reality, but claims that these items and
more were used to help boys become men is a little farfetched.
But that is exactly what Beaumont Independent School
District Superintendent Carrol Thomas told board members
and the citizens of Beaumont last week at the Board of
Trustees monthly meeting. Has he reached a point where
now instead of trying to do an end run around the truth that
he would just blatantly lie to the public and the board of
trustees?
Thomas is no stranger to dishonesty. Remember he is the
person who had three homestead exemptions, used the
school to cater his private Christmas party and has been
dragged before, at least, two grand juries.
However, in this case he made one of two choices, he
either recited the information given to him by someone else
or he just didn’t care about the truth and said the first thing
that came to his mind. If the latter is not the case then perhaps someone is trying to sabotage him on his way out. Did
Jessie Haynes, Thomas’ special assistant for communications, or Robert Zingelmann, his chief financial officer, give
him bad information?
Surely, Jessie Haynes, APR, with her credentials and
experience as a communications expert, knows better than
to send the boss into the lion’s den armed with a paper
sword of misinformation.
And Zingelmann has a master’s degree, as pointed out by
U.S. Judge Ron Clark during testimony that raised the
judge’s ire in the Calvin Walker trial.
Don’t misunderstand. Thomas is not blameless. In fact,
all of the blame lies with him because he is the head of the
school district. He has ruled over BISD as if it were his own
private fiefdom for more than a decade and a half. When
challenged, he fired back or cried foul even when he didn’t
have the facts on his side – much like the situation with the
boys-to-men seminar at Central. While the program is
worthwhile and probably needed for all young men in BISD
and around the state, there is no way that $8,000 worth of
dainty satin and tulle was used to show anyone how to
become a man.
Somehow Thomas didn’t get the right answers to relay to
the board or he just didn’t care. He knew he was going to be
interrogated about the matter after invoices from public
information requests got leaked to the media. At least two
BISD trustees said they wanted to know why the district was
spending so much money on party supplies.
One would think, however, that someone smart enough to
sit at the helm of the National Association of Black School
Educators would be able to get a straight answer from his
minions. And if he is not smart enough to demand the truth
and he is determined to let himself be made to look like a
fool, then perhaps he should resign now and save the taxpayers the nearly $400,000 salary he intends to draw over
the next year.
Fight for those already born
When I was growing up, I religious belief on others with
had a considerable amount of different theological views or
contact with my aunts, uncles on those with no religion at
and cousins. We lived not far all. I’ve been told by some
apart, and my first cousins very smart women that my
were more like my brothers attitude and that of many men
and sisters than cousins. would change were we sadGrowing into my teen years, I dled with the burden of bearbecame more aware of my ing children.
religion mainly due to
However, through
the fact my mother,
the years, one of my
being a strict Baptist,
observations focuses
had attempted to raise
on the hypocrisy of
me as such. Because
many of my so-called
of differences in the
“good
Christian”
denominations
of
friends. It seems many
many of my relatives,
of those most adamant
many of our visits
about protecting the
Carl
would erupt into a
unborn seem comgreat theological argu- Parker pletely unconcerned
ment. I had an aunt
about how we treat the
who for more than 50
already born. Eviyears was a preacher in one dence of their hypocrisy in
Christian denomination, and this regard is seen throughout
an uncle who was a part-time the policies and laws estabpreacher in a different Chris- lished by our state legislature.
tian denomination. Neither
It is widely reported there
were Baptist. They were both are hundreds, if not thouconvinced that members of sands, of abused children,
their particular faith were the many of whom lose their lives
only ones who would be due this abuse. It has been
accepted into Heaven. While hard for me to fathom why a
the religious debates probably legislature made up of men
gave me a better insight into and women who have such a
my own beliefs and teachings, reverence for life have never
I never could figure out in the past 50 years adequatewhether or not they were ly funded Child Protective
right. I always wondered how Services with professionals.
they knew their people were Child Protective Services
the only ones due for salva- remains, as it has for many
tion.
years, severely under-funded.
The point is that, thankful- The number of caseworkers
ly in America, there are vari- assigned to ferret out abuse of
ous religious beliefs, many children and protect them has
very strongly held - many been completely inadequate
radical. Additionally, there are to address the need for as long
those individuals who have no as I can remember.
religious beliefs. This leads
The Texas policy and supme to the current debate about port for children’s health is a
abortion and allowing women matter over which all Texans
in America access to contra- should hang their heads in
ceptives.
shame. At last count, there
I have my own inner con- were over half a million Texas
flicts about abortion. Person- children lacking adequate
ally, I do not believe, if I were medical insurance or access
a woman, I could ever bring to decent health care. Texas, if
myself to have an abortion. I not the leader, is among the
certainly would not condone leading states of the union in
it or recommend it for any of teenage pregnancies and high
my daughters. On the other school dropouts among teenhand, I have a hard time plac- age girls. In spite of this fact,
ing a religious belief into law, our governor and our current
and thereby imposing one’s Republican Legislature advo-
cate doing away with Planned
Parenthood and rail against
any health course in our public schools that would inform
children of the hazards leading to out-of-wedlock children. They seem to believe if
you don’t talk about it, it will
go away.
Another area in which our
top leadership appears to give
little concern for hazards facing children is in the area of
our environment. Only a short
time ago, it was documented
that children who live within
the reach of many of our refineries, which have been grandfathered in to continue spewing pollution in the air, suffer
incidents of leukemia and
blood diseases at a dramatically greater rate than those
children fortunate enough to
live in areas whose environment is not polluted. It has
been recently documented
that many power companies,
in spite of EPA regulations,
are contaminating our atmosphere with mercury, which is
resulting in hundreds and
hundreds of ailments for children. These facts abound in
Texas even while our governor and his fellow travelers
advocate doing away with
regulations or regulatory powers of agencies such as the
EPA, thus putting our children
at risk in an unwholesome and
unhealthy atmosphere.
While I do not condemn
advocates of the idea that life
begins at conception, I do fervently wish we could pay
greater attention to children
we know are alive because
they have already been born.
Carl Parker has practiced law
in Port Arthur since 1958. He is a
1958 graduate of the University
of Texas School of Law. Elected
to the Texas House of Representatives in 1962 and the Senate in
1976, Parker continued to practice law while writing and sponsoring hundreds of bills that
became laws relating to every
aspect of life in Texas, including
many regarding consumer safety.
19 A
Doonesbury
By Garry Trudeau
Judge Randy Shelton (far right) swore in seven new Southeast
Texan CASA volunteers this past Monday, Feb. 27.
CASA
from page 17 A
CASA representative being
assigned to every case is also
indicative of the positive
impact they provide.
McWilliams
estimates
around 400 CASA volunteers
have been trained during those
20 years while serving more
than 5,000 children.
In order to become a CASA
volunteer, one must first complete a basic background
check, a 33-hour training
course and agree to stick with
a case until its completion.
According to the CASA Web
site, an average case takes
about a year and a half. Volunteers generally commit to a
year once they’ve completed
training and are sworn in.
Once a child – depending
on his or her situation – is
placed in the care of Child
Protective Services, that child
is assigned a CASA volunteer
who is that child’s advocate,
spending time with the child,
attending court dates with the
child and ultimately is a
spokesperson for the child. It’s
a very important role, and one
that can be very gut wrenching
at times.
According to CASA, volunteers sometimes say that
there is a greater amount of
work in the beginning of the
case, when they are conducting their initial research. On
average, a volunteer can
expect to spend about 10
hours a month on a case.
For Tomica Burney and
Qourtnee Davis, both students
at Lamar with ambitions in
the social work field, the
opportunity to help youngsters in the CPS system was a
no-brainer.
“I’ve worked with juveniles
before, and it just saddens me
to see kids with no voice,” said
Get involved
Orientation for CASA of
Southeast Texas’ next training
will be April 17 at 6 p.m.
Training will be April 24 – May
22 every Tuesday and Thursday,
6-9 p.m., plus one Saturday.
Visit www.casasetx.org for more
information.
Burney, 33, a Beaumont
native. She added that she’s
had other jobs working with
juveniles, and so working with
CPS would be nothing new to
her. She just wants to help prevent children from living in
unhealthy or dangerous conditions.
Brian Cain, a 25-year-old
New Orleans native who’s in
the Coast Guard and stationed
in Port Arthur, said the opportunity to help kids prompted
him to volunteer.
“It’s just doing the best for
the community and looking
out for others, and I hope I can
help a kid’s life like others
looked out for me,” said Cain.
Etty Haiston, at 83, has
been volunteering most of her
life, and at age 73, she had
completed volunteering with
an agency and wanted something else to do. She found out
about CASA and decided to
give it a try.
She said it’s been the most
rewarding and difficult volunteering she’s ever done.
“It gets in your blood,” she
told the group Monday, “and I
want to say congratulations.”
Ten years into volunteering
for CASA, Haiston said she
has no plans of slowing down.
“I’m going to continue to do
this as long as I can breathe.”
She offered a cautionary note
to the newest CASA members.
“When a little bit of your
heart goes out with one child,
remember this – there’s another child waiting.”
20 A
21 A
JOBS
from page 11 A
and health services, waned
in 2011. At the end of the
year, Southeast Texas
boasted a 10.1 percent
unemployment rate, compared to the state unemployment rate of 7.2 percent.
State Representative Joe
Deshotel said the reason
for the high number of
unemployed
workers,
however, has nothing to do
with their inability to pass
a drug test.
“The strong move to
destroy labor unions has
hurt more than most people know,” he said firmly.
“These unions still have
strong apprentice programs and they train
skilled workers who are
qualified for these positions.
“But what happens is
they get these people
trained and then there’s
nowhere for them to work
because ‘Big Business’
doesn’t want to pay a living wage. Sure, there are a
lot of minimum wage jobs
out there, but no one is
going to make a life change
like that for minimum
wage,” Deshotel said.
Deshotel said Southeast
Texas is full of good
employers who don’t follow this pattern, and a few
of those are even now taking the initiative to train
workers once thought to be
“unemployable,” such as
welfare recipients who
have never had a job, or
parolees. His next remarks,
though, are meant for those
companies with a track
record of caring more
about the bottom line than
the community it is operating in.
“There is a ‘corporate
mentality’ at work. They’d
rather move jobs overseas
than keep communities
whole and lose a couple
bucks off their bottom
line,” he said. “For those
that are complaining about
not finding qualified workers, if they were to put
some of their record profits
into training these markets,
they would have the workers they claim to seek.”
What's Bruin
in the Magic
Kingdom?
ORLANDO – The West
Brook High School Choir participated in the Walt Disney
World Performing Arts Program this past week, singing in
front of hundreds of people at
the Waterside Stage in Downtown Disney. Additionally,
members of the West Brook
High School Band marched
in a parade at Magic Kingdom.
The school's performing arts programs were accepted
to perform at Disney
World as part of the
theme park's ongoing
commitment to the arts. High
school and middle school
groups from around the nation
are encouraged to apply for an
audition to be selected to perform at various places throughout the parks.
As the choir sang, members
of the band watched from the
audience and cheered on their
classmates. In return, the choir
cheered as the band marched
in the parade. And both groups
joined together in voting to
help one of their own, Vaughn
Mugol, finish runner-up in
the American Idol Experience competition held daily
at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios theme
park. Just a few more
votes and Mugol
would have
received a “Dream
Ticket” allowing him
to go to the front of the
line at any American Idol
audition in the nation.
West Brook’s choir director
Lynnda Castolenia was overcome with pride as she walked
off the stage shedding tears of
happiness at how well the
group performed.
Photos by Jerry Jordan and West Brook High School students
22 A
S PORTS
Regular hoops season to
end with double-header
Will Spidle
Examiner file photo
Tickets for LU vs. McNeese $1 at Rao’s
Both the men’s and women’s basketball team will end
the regular season at home on
March 3 with a double-header against league rival
McNeese State beginning
with the Lady Cards at 1 p.m.
While supplies last, tickets
for the double-header can be
purchased for $1 at participating Rao’s Bakery & Coffee Café locations,
which
includes
4440
Dowlen
Road, 2596 Calder
in Beaumont and
Highway 365 in
Nederland.
The Lady Cards
lost to McNeese
State in Lake
Charles, 58-45, on
Jan. 11, which marked the
third consecutive loss to the
Cowgirls, who lead the alltime series 37-25.
Lamar will honor three
outgoing seniors including
Ang Green, Monique Whittaker and Brateicka Mock.
During halftime, 6-yearold Lane Hoffpauir will be
honored by the Lady Cards
as he has become an adopted
member of the team. After
being born a healthy baby
boy on Nov. 21, 2005, some
six weeks later Lane was
diagnosed with a genetic
blood disorder called beta
thalassemia. At the age of 2,
Lane started receiving blood
transfusions every 2 to 3
weeks and was told that he
would need a bone marrow
transplant.
The doctors turned to the
Be The Match bone marrow
registry program where they
found several potential
matches. Within a few weeks,
doctors found the perfect
match and received a bone
marrow transplant just before
his fourth birthday.
During this time, Lady
Card head coach Larry
Tidwell heard about Lane and
quickly jumped on board to
help with fundraising events.
The team quickly fell in love
with Lane and made him an
honorary team member.
Lane is now a healthy
6-year-old kid attending kindergarten.
The men will tip off at
3:30 p.m., and they
too have had past
trouble
with
McNeese State.
The
Cowboys
defeated the Cards
57-54 on Jan. 11
and have won the
last three meetings,
as well. Lamar
does hold the series
advantage, 48-43, and is
33-12 against McNeese State
in Beaumont.
Six Cardinal seniors will
be honored including Brandon Davis, Charlie Harper,
Mike James, Devon Lamb,
Anthony Miles and Vincenzo
Nelson.
Lamar students are encouraged to take part in Big Red
Mania this weekend beginning March 1 with the showing of “Sherlock Holmes 2”
at Provost Umphrey Stadium
at 7 p.m.
Festivities on March 2
include a spirit rally and
crawfish boil at the Setzer
Student Center from 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m. There will be a ’90s
themed dance from 9 p.m. to
midnight later that evening.
Tailgating will begin at 10
a.m. on March 3 in the parking lot of the Montagne Center. A prize of $250 will be
awarded to the best tailgate.
LAMAR
LOOP
Women’s golf
The Lady Cards finished
second at the Island Classic
in Corpus Christi on Feb. 28.
See LAMAR on page 27 A
Lone Star Indoor Gun Range
concealed Handgun licenSe
Hours: Tues - Fri 10am - 7pm • Sat 10am - 6pm
409.755.4867 • 4940 Hwy. 69 • Lumberton • Lonestargunrange.net
Packed with power
Locals ready for combat in
Texas Rage in the Cage 13
Eight local mixed martial arts fighters will Beaumont, had no problems in January as he
step into the octagon Friday, March 2, and dis- finished his opponent Dat Tran in the first round
play their skills in front of thousands at Texas at G1 Global Fights at Coushatta.
Rage in the Cage 13 at the Beaumont Civic
“Will has had a great camp,” said ATT-BeauCenter.
mont head trainer Mike Berryhill. “He’s been
As of press time, 10 matches are scheduled very crisp. He has worked on everything from
including a fight for the 145-pound title as Port sprawling, wrestling and reach, plus he is a carArthur’s own Joel Scott (3-0) faces Ricardo dio machine and he’s been wearing the elevation
Palacios (3-0) of Mission. The title was last held mask. He’s been coming in early and staying
by Beaumont’s Cody Williams, but when
late.”
he turned professional in 2011, the title
Montiel, who once fought Cody Wilwas vacated.
liams for the 145-pound title, trains at
Scott, 29, is a state and national powerProgressive Scientific Fighting. PSF also
lifting champion who has transitioned
teaches Jeet Kune Do, which was created
over from boxing to MMA. He’s a cousin
by Bruce Lee in 1962. Jeet Kune Do is
of Olympian and current WWE wrestler
described as “minimal movement with
Mark Henry.
maximum effect and extreme speed. It’s
Scott’s opponent has also made the
fixed or patterned.”
The not“This
transition over from boxing. “Palacios
is going to be Will’s toughest
fought last weekend at a Golden Gloves Bottom opponent to date,” said Berryhill. “He is
event down in the Valley and won by
to be stronger than Will, so we are
Line going
TKO,” said Cage Rage 13 promoter Noe
going to try to catch him slipping.”
with
Beltran. “That’s hard to do. Those guys
Also from American Top Team-BeauChad
Cooper mont, Ryan “Superman” Spann is comuse 10-ounce gloves and wear protective
headgear. On Friday, we are using Sports Editor ing off an impressive win as he used a
4-ounce UFC gloves and, of course, there
standing guillotine to defeat his opponent
will be no headgear. It’s going to be a great main in 16 seconds in the first round at G1 Global
event.”
Fights. He will lock elbows with Rick Martinez
The co-main event will be just as exciting as (3-1) at 175 pounds. Martinez of McAllen
Beaumont’s Will “The Spider” Spidle (3-0) fac- focuses on Muay Thai and last fought for the
es Joey “The War Machine” Montiel (4-2) of 180-pound TRCAA title.
Weslaco, and the winner will be the No. 1 con“Ryan matured and learned a lot during that
tender for the 125-pound TRCAA flyweight fight,” said Berryhill. “He has dedicated himself.
title.
See COOPER on page 27 A
Spidle, who trains at American Top Team in
Texas Rage in the Cage 13 Fight Card*
Joel Scott (3-0, Port Arthur) vs. Ricardo Palacios (3-0) (145 lbs. Title)
Will Spidle (3-0, Beaumont) vs. Joey Montiel (4-2)
Kevin Johnson (2-1, Beaumont) vs. Matt Herrera (1-2)
Ryan Spann (2-1, Beaumont) vs. Rick Martinez (0-1)
Dominique Robinson (1-0, Beaumont) vs. Chad Box (0-0)
Chad Coggins (1-5, Buna) vs. Rodrigo Martinez (3-0)
Saul Hinojosa (0-0) vs. Francisco Cruz (0-0)
Hilario Compean (2-0) vs. Sidney Cawdrey (1-2)
Jose Ceja (0-0, Beaumont) vs. Javier Galvan (0-0)
Tony Stolfa (0-0, Beaumont) vs. Joel Pena (0-0)
*subject to change
23 A
S PORTS
Beaumont’s only
professional MMA fighter,
Cody Williams, improved
to 3-1 after he defeated J.T.
Mendez at Legacy Fighting
Championship 10 in Houston on Feb. 24 at the Arena
Theatre. Williams won with
a second-round submission
via triangle-choke at the
2:58 mark of Round 2. “I
executed the game plan,”
said Williams, who trains at
American Top Team-Beaumont. “I felt strong in the
clinch and felt my wrestling
and takedowns were
unstoppable. As much as I
want to stand and throw
punches, you’ve got to win
the fight wherever you can.
No matter what, I can make
it an exciting fight.”
Photos by Mike Calimbas
Franklin Gold & Silver exchanGe
highest prices guaranteed for your your gold, silver, platinum,
jewelry, coins, watches, class rings and collectibles now!
6640 EastEx FrEEway • BEaumont, tExas • 409-791-7225
www.Franklings.nEt • rEFErEncEs availaBlE By rEquEst
24 A
S portS
Fire and rain
54th Daytona 500 not the only weird one
Over the course of the 2012 tona 500 driving the No. 17
Daytona 500 – which techni- Tide car in his 17th start of the
cally dragged out over three race – (Tide and Waltrip both
days – fans endured disap- played a role in the 2012 Daypointment, financial hardship, tona 500). Dale Earnhardt
rain, fire and celebration.
finally won the Daytona 500
I’m sure there was some after 20 years of trying in
gratuitous sex thrown in for 1998. He would lose his life
some, and more than a few three years later blocking the
intoxicating moments for oth- field as his son, Dale Jr., and
ers. In fact, the 54th running of Michael Waltrip – who both
the Daytona 500 has all the drove for Dale Earnhardt Inc.
makings of a tragic comedy – battled for the win on the
that, when set to song, would final lap of the 2001 Daytona
no doubt sell millions of cop- 500. Before the race, Dale
ies. It was a night of firsts and Earnhardt Sr. was kicked back
hopefully a night of lasts as in a chair outside his RV in the
fans saw the Daytona 500 run drivers’ lot. Talking with Matt
for the first time
Yocum, he said in
ever on a day other
a television interthan when it was
view with FOX,
schedule. Not in the
“… you’re gonna
53 years before had
see something
the race ever been
you’ve probably
with Jerry Jordan
www.kickinthetires.net
postponed. Sure,
hadn’t never seen
we’d seen four rain
on FOX.”
shortages and one shortage due
In 2002, Sterling Marlin
to the energy crisis back in the was leading the race during a
1974, but never had the race late-race red-flag delay. He got
been put off to another day.
out of his car and pulled on a
Everyone is calling this fender that was rubbing against
year’s Daytona 500 “wacky” the front tire and was sent to
or “weird” or “bizarre,” but the back of the field for worklooking back, there have been ing on his car during a red flag
many strange, and sometimes period. Ward Burton would go
tragic, events happen during on to win the race. A year later,
the Daytona 500. It took three Michael Waltrip was back in
days to determine who won Victory Lane in a race that was
the first race ever known as the shortened by rain. The followDaytona 500. In 1965, rain ing year, in 2004, Dale Earnplayed a significant role in the hardt Jr. took the checkered
outcome of the race as Fred flag six years to the day after
Lorenzen took the checkered his father won the event.
flag after rubbing wheels with
In 2007, Mark Martin was
Marvin Panch, who spun out, robbed of a win as the yellow
as the skies opened up and the flag came out to end the race
race was called. In 1976, under caution. Kevin Harvick
David Pearson and Richard won the race but some say the
Petty crashed a few yards from real winner was Martin
the finish line. Pearson inched because there was a question
toward the finish line to take about when Harvick made the
the checkered flag as Petty’s pass and when the caution was
car sat idle, unable to be thrown.
cranked. Then there was the
In 2010, the track surface at
fight between Donnie Allison Daytona International Speedand Cale Yarborough that way broke apart in Turn 2 and
overshadowed Richard Petty’s caused a major delay – and
win in the 1979 race that then it rained. As the track
marked the first time in history workers repaired the pothole
the Daytona 500 was broad- using Bondo, drivers sat on pit
cast live in national television. road, some eating sandwiches
In 1982, Bobby Allison’s bum- and talking with fans. When
per fell off, allowing him to go the race resumed, Jamie
even faster and win the race. McMurray surprised everyone
Darrel Waltrip won the Day- by taking the checkered flag.
Photo by Jerry Jordan
Water delayed the
54th Daytona 500
and ultimately
saved it, as well.
Photo by Andrew
Coppley/CIA Stock Photo
A year later, Dale Earnhardt
Jr. would sit on the pole in the
race that was 10 years since
his father’s death. Everyone
was silent on the third lap of
the race to honor the fallen
driver. Before the race,
Michael Waltrip said it would
be only fitting if he were pushing Dale Jr. to the win on that
day. But it was a relatively
unknown driver, racing for
one of the sport’s most legendary teams – the Wood Brothers
– who thought he was dreaming as he held off Carl Edwards
for the win. Trevor Bayne
became the first rookie and the
youngest driver ever to win
the Daytona 500, and the race
basically fell in his lap. He had
raced hard all day and battled
to be up front, but his goal was
just to finish the race and,
when he was out front with
then-teammate David Ragan,
he was going to push Ragan to
the win. But as fate would
have it, Ragan was black
flagged and sent to the back of
the field for an illegal crossover move on a late-race
restart. That put Bayne out
front and in a position to win.
2012 Daytona 500
Now, we get to the 2012
Daytona 500. The Sunday race
began Monday and ended on
Tuesday, Feb. 28 – delayed
first for water and then for fire.
During the race, I Tweeted it
was somewhat ironic that
water delayed the 2012 Daytona 500 and somehow, water
saved the 2012 Daytona 500.
NASCAR fought all Sunday afternoon trying to dry the
track and then again on Monday morning, but the rains
would not let up. The decision
was first made to run the race
at noon but that changed to 7
p.m. It was the first time the
Daytona 500 had ever been run
in the coveted primetime
weekday television slot. The
FOX Network would not be
disappointed as more than 36
million viewers tuned in for
the event. And unlike some
races that run dozens of laps
before things heat up on the
track, a massive crash at the
conclusion of Lap 1 saw Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s
Chevrolet destroyed. David
Ragan, Trevor Bayne, Kurt
Busch and Danica Patrick were
also involved. But that wasn’t
the only major wreck of the
race. Tony Stewart, David Gilliland and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.,
among others, would all be in a
crash sometime later.
But it was the crash by Juan
Pablo Montoya that lit up the
night sky. After complaining
about something being broken
on the No. 42 Target Dodge
and coming to the pits for his
team to check things out, Montoya accelerated down the
backstretch to catch up with
the field. The jet dryers were
on the track in Turn 3 to clear
debris and rubber from the
lane when sparks flew out of
the back of Montoya’s car and
he shot straight up the track
into a trailer carrying a jet turbine engine and 200 gallons of
jet fuel.
The impact resulted in a
massive explosion with fire
covering the track as the fuel
burned away.
Montoya limped away after
climbing from his car and the
driver of the Safety Clean
response truck was taken to
Halifax Health Medical Center
for evaluation.
It took two hours, lots of
water, Tide laundry detergent
and some sort of quick-dry
track sealant before the green
flag was thrown to restart the
race. NASCAR parked the
cars on the backstretch after
red flagging the race. That’s
when Keselowski sent out the
first-ever Tweet from inside a
Sprint Cup car during a race.
Later he would be questioned
about his actions by the sanctioning body, but it was determined his didn’t violate any
rules by having his phone in
the racecar with him, and he
wasn’t Tweeting and driving.
As the race came to an end,
Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and
Dale Jr. were all battling for
the win. Dale Jr. hooked up
with Biffle and made a last
ditch effort to pass the No. 16
and No. 17 cars, but he
couldn’t get around Kenseth,
who became only the ninth
driver to get multiple wins in
the Daytona 500.
This week, the series heads
to Phoenix for the Subway
FreshFit 500. You can get all of
the updates from the race on
www.kickinthetires.net and on
Twitter from @Kicknthetires.
The radio show is live this
week at 5 p.m. on KWUD
102.3 FM and 1490 AM and
the podcast will be posted
online.
25 A
S PORTS
White bass fishing at its best
It was raining so hard we had to put Fondren’s 18-foot G3 to a launching
on slicker suits as we launched Bill area just outside Lufkin. That’s a about
Fondren’s new G3 boat on the Angeli- a 45-minute drive from the Sam Rayna River above Sam Rayburn.
burn dam. The “ramp” was nothing
“I’ve done crazier things in my life, more than someone’s back yard that
but I can’t remember when,” said Fon- amounted to a cleared out area of grass
dren. “Usually when it’s raining, I and red dirt.
don’t go fishing.”
We made a short run upstream,
But this was not your ordinary trip maybe a half mile or so, and began
on the water. We were launching on fishing. My first cast with a 1/8-ounce
one of the hottest white bass fishing Mini Wedge Runner was whacked by a
rivers in all of Texas. Rain or shine, I big white bass. We fished small creeks
was determined to get on this river and and drains feeding into the Angelina.
see just exactly how many white bass Basically anywhere we could find
we could catch in some cold and rainy moving water, we found spawning
weather.
white bass – lots of them.
It didn’t take long for us to find out
Two of the hottest white bass fishthat the white bass spawning
ing rivers in Texas are the
run on this river was at its peak.
Sabine above Toledo Bend, and
The first spot we stopped at was
the Angelina above Sam Rayloaded with fish. They were
burn. Thanks to some timely
actually jumping out of the
late winter rains, both rivers are
water. Fondren reeled in what
up after being too low to fish
looked to be a 2-pounder on his
for months. The rising water in
first cast.
both rivers is in good shape and
“The white bass run doesn’t Robert Sloan loaded with big time numbers
get any better than this,” he Outdoors of spawning whites.
said. “I bet we’ll catch over a
Fondren runs guided fishing
hundred today.”
trips on both rivers, but his
That was no exaggeration. After favorite right now is the Angelina. It’s
about four hours on the river, three of a river that gets very little angler presus had caught and released well over sure. That’s mainly because the area
100 whites, about a dozen big crappie we fished is remote. We saw four other
and all the bar bass you could haul off. boats on the river while fishing last
At one point, we couldn’t make a cast week.
without hooking up with something.
“It’s off the beaten trail but worth
Ken Chaumont and I met up with the effort,” said Fondren. “We’ve got a
Fondren at his house that’s just down ton of white bass in Rayburn, and right
the road from the Rayburn Country about this time of year they are moving
golf club. From there, we trailered up here on their annual spawning run.
Hit the Angelina River
above Sam Rayburn
Fishing
guide Bill
Fondren
caught this
white bass
last week
while fishing with a
1/8-ounce
Mini
Wedge
Runner on
the Angelina River
above Sam
Rayburn.
Robert
Sloan photo
It’s been going on since about Christmas. The fishing should be good here
and on the Sabine River for another
month or so.”
The whites and crappie we found
last week were all caught on a Mini
Wedge Runner, a new lure that’s not
even in stores yet.
“It’s the smallest spinnerbait made,”
said Chaumont, who created the lure.
“Spinnerbaits will catch anything from
redfish to largemouth bass. And usually the smaller they are the more fish
you’ll catch. This one is a 1/8-ounce
model. It’s built to fish either a tiny
willow leaf or Colorado blade in gold
or silver. The body is a 2-inch Wedgetail minnow.”
They are tough little baits. I caught
43 white bass on one before the hook
finally snapped. We had the best luck
with the gold willow leaf blade and
black Wedgetail Minnow. This is an
ultralight lure that’s easy to cast and
very weedless.
What was surprising about our trip
last week is that crappie were mixed in
with the white bass. Fondren says
that’s not too unusual on the Angelina.
“We’ve got a lot of crappie in this
river, along with bream, catfish and
largemouth bass,” said Fondren. “Right
now they are mixed in here together.
So you can catch a mixed bag while
the whites are spawning.”
For details on fishing with Bill Fondren, give him a call at (409) 3811397.
26 A
S portS
Ugly fish with an ugly name great on the table
Leger’s
Range
On the saltwater side of the of a challenge to catch than
fishing world, the big news others that are not popular
has been the outsize speckled with many anglers. What they
trout. There have been numer- fail to realize is that fish speous articles instructing the cies such as sheepshead and
readers on how to have
gar seem to invade the
a better success scoring
Sabine Ship Channel
one of the trophy
and more so the jetty.
specks. For those of us
Even the short rigs of
who do enjoy the big
the Louisiana and Texspeckled trout but also
as coasts harbor lots of
enjoy latching onto
fish.
other fish species, there
Before heading out,
has been little pen and Billy Halfin be sure to check the
ink or airtime about Outdoors regulations on each
them. If you enjoy havspecies that you catch.
ing a fish take your bait
There are so many of
or lure and really stretching them that it is difficult to
your line, then there are some remember them all unless you
places where that will likely are a professional guide or
take place.
game warden. Many times
For some reason unknown even they are not current on
to me, fish that are ugly or less those regulations.
There is not much that’s
pretty about a sheepshead.
ooting
h
S
That is unless you happen to
Quality Guns & scopes be another sheepshead. The
We give CHL Classes & Renewals
sheep-like teeth and the heavy
We Sight in Rifles
fins do not give the fish a sleek
Tuesday - Saturday • 10am - 5:30pm look. All of that aside, those
409-866-0871 • 409-860-GUNS fish are super abundant around
File photo
almost all kinds of structure.
Those teeth are tough enough
to break practically any shellfish. Their favorite morsel
seems to be the barnacles that
latch on to the jetty rocks or
any other structure that
remains in the water for an
extended time. They can also
bite and break the shells of
small hermit crabs or conchs.
There is also a little noticed
shellfish that is almost foolproof bait for the sheepshead.
It is the limpet. They appear as
half a mussel shell and they,
like barnacles, attach to structure. The difference is that the
limpet will move up and down
with the tide. When you locate
them, it only takes a knife or
screwdriver to remove them
from the structure. The underside is soft and easy to put on
a hook. Put one of these near a
sheepshead and be ready for a
battle. I’ve never seen a
sheepshead turn down a limpet.
The flesh from those toothy
fish is white, mild and delicious. By using a sharp pointed knife and cutting along the
heavy pronged dorsal fin, it is
simple to cut along the skin
down until you hit the bones
on the anal fin. Then cut along
the backbone and you have a
beautiful piece of bone-free
white meat. Some old time
anglers call them the chicken
of the sea.
I recommend that any
angler that is going in search
of the sheepshead to use
heavy-duty steel hooks. They
do not need to be larger than 3
See halfin on page 27 a
$ now Hiring $
The auto industry is BooMinG!
We Have: Vehicles, Ready to Buy Traffic & Training!
we need you!
no experience necessary.
Be eager to learn and ready to Make Money!
apply in person. ask for:
Dave kirkpatrick, Brad Jorgensen or Bob rickard
Allen Samuels
Equal OppOrtunity EmplOyEr
Mid county across froM central Mall
1-888-409-8339 • www.allensamuelspa.com
Hwy 69 next to lowes in mid county
Ask us About guArAnteed Credit ApprovAl
27 A
S portS
Halfin
Cooper
from page 26 A
from page 22 A
or 4 ought, but they must be able to
withstand those teeth and jaws biting them. I prefer to use the single,
double extra strong, recurved style
for catching sheepshead.
Whether to use a leader or not is
always angler’s choice. My favorite
leaders are the 12 to 18 inch rubber
coated steel in 40-pound test. It is
rare for a sheepshead to actually
bite the leader, but they do live in
and near barnacle covered rocks and
other structure. These will actually
cut fishing line or at the least fray it
so that it’s weakened.
The use of either braided line or
hard finish monofilament will do a
good job. Twenty to 25 pound test
line is strong enough to handle the
fish, but they will give you a tussle.
Take along plenty extra hooks and
leaders and enjoy some great action
and super table fare.
His last fight at a Texas Rage in the
Cage event came in December of 2010
and he lost, so he wants to redeem himself.”
Beaumont’s Kevin Johnson looks to
improve on his 2-1 record as he fights
Matt Herrera (1-2) at 170 pounds. Johnson trains at Texas Punishment Crew
and Herrerra, who is coming off a firstround TKO win at TRCAA 12 in Victoria, hails from Kingsville.
If you are looking for a fighter who
likes to come out and bang like UFC
fighter Nick Diaz, look no further than
Chad Coggins of Buna. I’ve seen Coggins several times and he always puts on
a great show. He will fight undefeated
Rodrigo Martinez (3-0) of Waco at 170
pounds.
Tony Stolfa, who is a cameraman at
KBTV FOX 4, will go heads up with
Joel Pena of McAllen at 145 pounds.
“Tony actually had one fight a few years
ago,” said Berryhill. “This guy loves to
train. He is a tall 145-pound fighter, but
the weight cut has been easy for him.
Port Arthur’s Jose Ceja will make his
MMA debut as he fights a first-timer to
the cage in Javier Galvan. According to
Beltran, Ceja is a two-time Golden
Gloves boxing champion, and his opponent is also making a transition from
boxing.
Tickets for this event are $45, $30
and can be purchased at the Beaumont
Civic Center box office or any Ticketmaster locations.
“I’m a fight fan, so I like to match
good fighters together,” said Beltran.
“The fans want to see a good show, so I
do my best to put two exciting fighters
together.”
Fishing instruction
Since 1989, Sam Rayburn bass
fishing guide Will Kirkpatrick has
been instructing anglers working to
be more consistent bassers. Kirkpatrick hosts several bass fishing
instruction classes. These classes
begin on March 2 and run through
March 4. After that, they will be
held on March 18 -23, March 25-30,
and April 19-22. These classes are
held at the Stephen F. Austin State
University Piney Woods Conservation Center near Powell Park. All
lodging and meals are included in
the fees. These classes are part
classroom and part on-the-water
fishing on Lake Sam Rayburn.
Anglers need to bring their boats
and other fishing equipment, but
classroom material and instructions
fees are included. Should you be
interested in attending one of these
fishing classes taught by an expert
in the fishing business, contact
Kirkpatrick at (409) 584-3177 or
online at www.fishingenet.net.
Billy Halfin can be reached by e-mail
at [email protected].
Will Kirkpatrick, fishing school
instructor
Photo by Coady Photography
Jockey Eddie Martin Jr. won his 3,500th career race on Feb. 23 while aboard Heroic Divide in Race 7 at Delta Downs.
The 48-year-old native of New Orleans began riding in 1980 at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Coincidently, his first
win came in 1980 at Delta Downs with Morality. His biggest career victory came with She Says It Best in the Grade 2,
$500,000 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland in 2005.
lamar
from page 22 A
um. LU lost two games to Illinois, 9-2
and 9-8, and dropped two games with
Gonzaga, 6-1 and 6-5.
Lamar (2-4) will next travel to Waco
to compete in the QTI Baylor Classic
and will play four games against UC
Irvine and Baylor. The Cards will play
UC Irvine (4-3) on March 2 at 2 p.m.
and March 4 at 11 a.m. The Anteaters
went 43-18 last season and lost in the
NCAA Super Regional.
LU will then tangle with host No.
25 Baylor (6-2) on March 3 at 2 p.m.
and March 4 at 3 p.m. The Bears finished 31-28 in 2011 and lost in the
NCAA Houston Regional.
The Cards will finish up their nonconference schedule on March 7 at
Louisiana Tech in Ruston at 6 p.m. As
of press time, the Bulldogs were 6-3.
Junior Julie Aime helped the team with
a second place finish, her second of the
season, with a three round total of
11-over 227. UTSA ran away with the
team title with 24-over 888 and the
Lady Cards followed that with a 64-over
928. The individual winning score was
4-over 220, which belonged to Summer
Batiste and Taylor Newlin of UTSA.
Other Lamar golfers that competed
were sophomore Katelyn McDougal
(T13, 231), freshman Nghi Ngo (T13,
231), senior Sarah Nicholas (T35, 239)
and sophomore Lauren Van Gerven
(T43, 243).
The Lady Cards will next play in
the Ladyjack Crown Classic on March
Track and field
5 in Nacogdoches.
The men’s team finished fourth at
Baseball
the Southland Conference Indoor
The Cardinals were swept four Track & Field Championships last
games in the YMBL Cardinal Classic weekend in Norman, Okla., and the
on Feb. 24-26 at Vincent Beck Stadi- Lamar women’s team was sixth.
On the women’s side, Samantha
Walkow won the mile in 5:02.84 seconds. Lamar’s Ashley Idunoba was
second in the women’s 200 meters in
24.74 seconds and Leslie Beard was
fourth in the women’s pole vault with
a leap of 3.55 meters (11 feet, 7.75
inches).
In men’s action, Lamar placed four
in the top eight of the 3,000-meter run,
led by Tom Wade, who won the race in
8:22.90; Matt Johnsen was second in
8:26.36, Joe Wade was fifth in 8:32.53
and Ryan Creech took eighth in
8:35.13.
Joe Wade won the men’s mile run in
4:08.85. Chris Smith took fourth for
Lamar in the men’s 800 meters in
1:54.38. Jamal Nash of the Cardinals
claimed fourth in the 60-meter hurdles
in 8.22 seconds.
UTSA won the men’s team title
with 134 points, with Lamar totaling
75 points for its fourth-place finish.
Stephen F. Austin’s 117.5 points were
enough to win the women’s championship. Lamar finished with 51 points.
28 A
B
U
R
T
N T I
O R N
N O F
E G L
L A
C O T
O D E
H Y S
I T
B E Y
A S A
N
K
E
E
S
A
M
O
K
A
S
E
C
L
I
P
O
S
Y
P
H
O
N
A
N
E
W
C
D
L
I
M
A
R
T
P
A
S
O
L
E
E
R
A
T
L
I
M
F
E
Z
S
C
O
P
E
D
A
N
G
S
T
R
E
B
E
C
C
A
N
O
D
E
S
L A C
E X A
A L S
D
H
U C
P R E
T I N
O P S
P L
L E
I E R
R
A L G
Q U E
I R E
S E Z
D E
D
R
R O
E D
I E
L
O
O
M
S
A
T
O
N
A
L
P
R
A
T
T
L
E
A S A
C T S
H O P
I M O
E A T
S S
T
V
W H
E A S
N S
S
L
H A
E O G
E N
S
G A B F
E V E R
T O N I
M
N E A
I N
T R
L A V
Y
I D A L
E E L I E
U R E P R
T R E
A P S E
I R
A M
R A
D A
O I D
J
U R E R
T I C H O
E L O N
S
A D S
H E W A T
O N E
A
W E D
R
P
E
R
U
I
A
M
A
R
O
C
K
A
R
T
S
E S
M O
B R
R E
Y
O W
S O
U
N
D
E
D
K
N
E
E
C
F
O
S
E
R
O
O
R
H
E
E
E
A
C
H
A
L
B
I
N
O
Z
I
R
C
O
N
T
R
A
S
S
E
X
T
Adoption fee $95
for mixed breed
dogs and puppies, and $150
for pure breeds.
This includes the
first round of vaccinations, bordetella vaccination,
worming, flea
treatment, spaying or neutering,
and a veterinary
wellness exam.
All animals will be
spayed or neutered before
going to their
new home.
Adoption is a
15-year commitment. Please
adopt responsibly. For information, call the
Humane Society
at (409) 833-0504
or visit 2050.
Crossword solution – Puzzle on page 37 A
HUMANE SOCIETY OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS
Pet of the week
COMMUNITY LISTINGS
Nederland book sale
The Nederland Friends of the Library will
hold their annual book sale March 5-10 at the
Marion and Ed Hughes Public Library located
at 2712 Nederland Ave. Library Friends preview night will be Monday, March 5, from
5:30-8:30 p.m. Memberships are available at
the door. The book sale will be open to the
public on Tuesday, March 6, at 10 a.m., and
will continue through Saturday, March 10,
from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Proceeds from
this sale will be used to purchase items not
covered by the library budget. For more information, call (409) 722-1255.
Free mammograms
Saturday Adventure Series
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature
Center announced upcoming programs for the
Spring Saturday Adventure Series this week.
Many of these programs are hands-on activities
and explore the natural world through informative natural history lessons from Shangri La
educators. March 3, Off the Beaten Path at
Shangri La will give visitors a view of historic
images of the artist’s cottage, old swimming
pool, historical ferry crossing and more. The
Saturday Adventure Series has programs for
the young and young-at-heart. For those interested in attending, R.S.V.P. by calling (409)
See LISTINGS on page 34 A
The Julie Rogers “Gift of Life” Program has
lifesaving opportunities for medically uninsured or underinsured Southeast Texas women
with free mammograms available at upcoming
mobile mammography van sites throughout
Southeast Texas. The free mammograms are
provided to
women with
limited income
who do not
have private
insurance,
Medicaid or Medicare. The program is currently accepting client applications. Appointments are required as space is limited. Call
(409) 860- 3369 for more information.
Go for the Gold at AMSET
My name is Mason. I am a 2-year-old
male Dalmatian/Lab mix. At 68 pounds, I
am a large dog. I came to the shelter as a
stray, and no one has claimed me. I’m
ready for a new home. I have one blue eye
and one brown eye. I am good with kids,
most dogs, I know commands and I like to
fetch! I am very sweet and love to go on
long walks! Please consider adoption today.
Pet of the week sponsored by
A l l P Aw s
V e t e r i n a ry C l i n i C
Suzi Hahn, DVM
409-838-2510 • In front of Humane Society
WHY subscribe to EponToday?
Get Amazing Daily Deals for
Restaurants, Spas, Events & More!
Koi Japanese Sushi Bar & Lounge
Nicholson Photography and Design
Catfish Kitchen
Frankie’s Italian Grill
were a few of our “deals” this last week.
what will EponToday have tomorrow?
Email is the best way to get the daily deal.
Subscribe for free today
EponToday.com
The Art Museum of Southeast Texas
(AMSET) invites Southeast Texans to Go for
the Gold on Thursday, March 8, for a chance to
win $10,000 in gold or other prizes. One ticketholder will turn their $100 entry into $10,000
in gold in just one night.
For the 17th annual Go for the Gold Party
and Reverse Drawing, AMSET will bring
together local sidesplitting duo Brad Klein and
Clark Winslow to serve as the night’s emcees.
Guests are encouraged to enjoy this amusing
comedic performance while
they dine on a delicious dinner donated by Cheddars
Casual Café of Beaumont
and dessert provided by
Two Magnolias Cafe.
For the ticket cost of
$100, guests receive admission, dinner and cocktails for
two along with one entry into the most exciting
drawing in town. Go for the Gold is a reverse
drawing, meaning that the last three ticket
stubs drawn from the hopper are the winners.
Third place receives $1,000 in gold, second
place $1,500 in gold and first place $10,000 in
gold. The gold prizes are given in American
Eagle coins and have a value that depends not
only on the price of gold, but also their value
on the collectors’ market.
Only 500 tickets will be sold for the event;
advance purchase is recommended. To purchase tickets, visit www.amset.org or call (409)
832-3432.
Calder Baptist congregation gives
to help mothers and their babies
As part of the WMU Children’s Ministry
month celebration, the Children-in-Action
group at Calder Baptist Church sponsored a
collection of items to fill baskets for lowincome moms and their newborns. The
members of Calder Baptist Church filled the
church’s “sharing barrow” to overflowing
with diapers, blankets, towels and books for
both moms and babies as well as an
assortment of layette items. The children
sorted and organized the items and made
cards for the baskets. Fifteen baskets were
filled by families attending Calder’s Family
Fun Day on Saturday, Feb. 25. Fun Day
participants enjoyed a pancake breakfast,
created a wall mural of a flower-adorned
cross, music and games. Pastor James
Fuller’s devotion encouraged the children to
follow Jesus’ example to serve and share
with others. The ministry project gave the
children a concrete expression of sharing
the love of Jesus with others. The baskets
were distributed by Baptist Beaumont
Hospital.
Introducing Volkswagen’s 2012 Jetta GLI
Michele Brooke
Auto Writer
The 2012 Volkswagen Jetta garners
attention for many things, including its
good looks and an attractive pricing
strategy. With a starting MSRP of
$16,645, the 2012
Jetta S offers
exceptional value.
And the value story continues all
the way through
the Jetta range,
with the extremely well equipped 2012 2.0T Jetta GLI
starting at just $23,745.
And, it’s the latter, the GLI that was
parked in our driveway for a test drive
this week. Touted as the sportiest, most
performance-focused Jetta, the turbocharged GLI has a powerhouse under
its hood that’s sure to impress.
Golf GTI. Generating 200 horsepower
and 207 pound-feet of torque, the GLI
delivers impressive drivability. It is
also efficient with its EPA-estimated
fuel economy of 24 mpg city and 32
mpg on the highway when equipped
with Volkswagen’s fast-shifting DSG
dual-clutch automatic transmission.
A six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment, while Volkswagen’s
aforementioned DSG dualclutch automatic transmission, offered with steeringwheel-mounted paddle shifters, is
optional.
The Jetta GLI benefits from a tracktuned independent performance suspension that includes a multilink rear
setup, re-tuned spring and
damper settings and a
15-mm lower ride
height. Volkswagen’s
XDS cross differential
system that debuted on
the GTI is standard on
the Jetta GLI.
The GLI features a
more dynamic look
than the regular Jetta,
courtesy of a new honeycomb
grille, a deeper front spoiler, and GTIstyle vertical fog lamps and red-painted brake calipers. At the rear, there are
29 A
For 2012, the Jetta range has been expanded to no fewer than 12 unique models,
with a choice of three gasoline engines – 2.0L, 2.5L and 2.0L TSI turbo (below,
left) – plus the 42-mpg highway TDI Clean Diesel. Shown is the Jetta GLI (above).
smoked taillights and dual exhaust
tips.
Like the exterior, the interior of the
Jetta GLI stays true to its performance
roots. Side-bolstered sport bucket seats
feature bright red stitching; there’s
matching red stitching on the flat-bottom steering wheel; and aluminum pedals, shift knob, dash and door trim.
Wheel design is also important to
performance enthusiasts, so the Jetta
GLI offers 10-spoke 17-inch alloys as
the standard wheel, with a
wide-spoke 18-inch design
for the GLI Autobahn model. An 18-inch Motorsport
Black rim is available as an
option on all GLI models.
Available in three trim levels,
the Jetta GLI has a starting
MSRP of $23,745. The GLI
Autobahn, with an MSRP of $25,795,
adds 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, dualzone climate control, heated V-Tex
leatherette seats, and Fender Premium
Audio System.
The top of the line Jetta GLI
Autobahn with Navigation adds the
RNS 315 navigation system and
keyless access with push-button
start technology for an MSRP of
$26,695.
by adding the remarkable new Fender
Premium Audio System to the 2012
The arrival of this all-new 2012
Jetta line-up.
Jetta GLI rounds out the Jetta famDeveloped through collaboration
ily. With a rich heritage that dates
between Fender and Panasonic, the
back to 1984, the new Jetta GLI
system cranks out 400 watts of power
appeals to both automotive enthusithrough nine speakers, including a
asts and everyday drivers alike.
trunk-mounted subwoofer, to bring the
The Jetta GLI boasts the awardemotion of a live music performance
winning 2.0L TSI turbocharged fourto the driving experience.
cylinder gasoline engine that sets the
And the same
performance benchmark in the iconic
cool,
chromed
Fender logo that has
graced the guitar
amps of some of the
world’s greatest rock legends
is featured on the A-pillar tweeters
on the Jetta’s Fender sound system.
Fender Premium Audio comes standard with the 2012 Jetta GLI Autobahn, and GLI Autobahn with Navigation models.
•••
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of
America Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Va. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg,
Germany. Volkswagen is one of the
world’s largest producers of passenger
cars and Europe’s largest automaker.
Volkswagen sells the Beetle, Eos, Golf,
GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat,
CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan vehiJetta GLI tunes
cles through about 600 independent
The interior features a flat-bottom steering wheel and aluminum pedals, shift
Volkswagen is changing the mean- U.S. dealers. To learn more about the
knob, dash and door trim.
ing of the term “performance vehicle” Jetta GLI visit www.vw.com.
Jetta expansion
30 A
SETMA to participate in Guidelines Advantage
SETMA has begun participating in The Guideline
Advantage, which is jointly
sponsored by the American
Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association and
the American Cancer Society.
The Ideal Measures analyzed
by the program cover the following areas:
• Atrial fibrillation
• Cancer
• Coronary artery disease
• Diabetes
• Heart failure
• Peripheral artery disease
• Preventive care and
screening for chronic disease
and stroke
• Metrics developed specifically for the Guideline Advantage
The Guideline Advantage is
another program with which
SETMA will challenge all
healthcare
providers
to
improve the care that our
patients receive. As with all of
the quality metrics we track,
we will publicly report the
results of each of SETMA’s
provider’s performance on
these measures.
Guidelines Advantage
benefit to SETMA —
Benchmarking
James
Holly,
M.D.
Your Life, Your Health
not available.
The great value to SETMA
of The Guidelines Advantage
program is that quarterly, we
will receive benchmarked
results on our performance.
Like the RTI International
study of SETMA’s Medicare
Fee-for-Service beneficiaries
(published at www.setma.com
under In-The-News) this
benchmarking can reinforce
where we are doing well and it
can guide us where we need to
improve. Remember, as in
travel, in healthcare we need a
GPS, which can tell us where
we are in relationship to where
we want to be, and which can
give us signpost along the way
so that we can know if we are
going in the right direction and
if we are making progress.
The program
Formerly the AHA’s Get
With The Guidelines-Outpatient (GWTG-Outpatient) program, this program works with
practices’ existing EHR or
health technology platform
(system where the site enters
clinical or administrative data)
to seamlessly extract relevant
patient data and provides quarterly reports and benchmarking on adherence to guidelines. The program re-launch
the week of March 28, 2011
will incorporate the data collection and reporting of relevant cancer and diabetes elements to the existing cardiovascular elements outlined in
GWTG-Outpatient.
This
expansion in data collection
will allow participating practices and clinics the ability to
submit information across several chronic disease conditions. In addition, our oversight Steering Committee now
includes volunteer leadership
from both cancer and diabetes
specialties.
Why another quality metric
set for SETMA to track? When
we completed SETMA’s application for the National Quality
Forum’s National Quality
Healthcare Award, we found
that a great deal of stress was
placed on quality reporting,
transparency of performance
and benchmarking. SETMA is
fully transparent and committed to measure quality by natural standards. The one deficiency we found in our data
was benchmarking. The
Guidelines Advantage program will begin filling in that
benchmarking.
Some quality metrics have
national standards established
such as in the case NCQA’s
Diabetes Recognition Program
and the Josllin Diabetes Affiliate performance standards.
The HEDIS quality metric set,
also an NCQA product, publishes benchmarks for its quality metric set also. Often, however, benchmarking, which is
highly desirable for measuring Benefits to participating
quality and for designing qual- physicians/practices
• Valuable analysis of
ity improvement programs, are
patient care using proven
guidelines known to improve
quality of care
• Longitudinal care analysis
• Enhanced teamwork and
camaraderie among staff as
you improve performance
together and celebrate measurable gains
• Official AHA recognition
for commendable patient care
• Additional opportunity for
you to secure financial incentives or reimbursements
• Professional education
opportunities, including Webinars and networking events
• Full access to AHA patient
education materials
• Ongoing contributions to
research that can further scientific knowledge and improve
standard medical practices
sure sets. SETMA already
reports on many PCPI Measure Sets as can be seen on our
Web site.
• ACCF – American College of Cardiology Foundation
IDEAL MEASURES
Atrial fibrillation
• Assessment of thromboembolic risk factors: Patients
with an assessment of all of
the specified thromboembolic
risk factors documented during the 12-month reporting
period. (AMA PCPI/AHA/
ACCF 2007)
• Chronic anticoagulation
therapy: Patients who were
prescribed warfarin during the
12-month reporting period.
(AMA
PCPI/AHA/ACCF
2007)
• Monthly INR: Number of
Role of the Duke Clinical
calendar months in which at
Research Institute (DCRI)
least one INR measurement
The Duke Clinical Research was made. (AMA PCPI/AHA/
Institute is a non-profit organi- ACCF 2007)
zation whose mission is to
Cancer
share knowledge and improve
• Screening mammography:
patient care through innovaPercentage
of women aged 40
tive data analysis. DCRI is the
through
69
years who had a
largest organization of its kind
mammogram
to screen for
and will provide data warebreast
cancer
within 24
housing, analysis and confimonths.
(PQRS-comparable)
dential, secure reporting to
• Colorectal cancer screenparticipating physicians and
ing:
Percentage of patients
program administrators.
aged 50 through 75 years who
received the appropriate
Requirement of SETMA
colorectal cancer screening.
providers
(PQRS-comparable)
There will no additional
requirements for providers. As
Coronary artery disease
we analyze the data that will be
• Oral antiplatelet therapy
extracted from our database, prescribed for patients with
we may add some clinical CAD: Percentage of patients
decision supports so that you aged 18 years and older with a
can be sure that you are fulfill- diagnosis of CAD who were
ing the measures judged by prescribed oral antiplatelet
The Guideline Advantage. As therapy. (PQRS-comparable)
those Guidelines change, we
• Beta-blocker therapy for
will update that in the EHR.
CAD patients with prior myoThe following is a summary cardial infarction (MI): Perof the ideal measures that will centage of patients aged 18
be measured in the Guidelines years and older with a diagnoAdvantage program. Several sis of CAD and prior MI who
abbreviations are used:
were prescribed beta-blocker
• PQRS – Physician Quality therapy. (PQRS-comparable)
Reporting System, previously
• Angiotensin-converting
the PQRI, measures similar to enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or
those SETMA has reported for angiotensin receptor blocker
four years
(ARB) therapy for patients
• AHA – American Heart with CAD, diabetes and left
Association, measures devel- ventricular systolic dysfuncoped by AHA
tion (LVSD): Percentage of
• PCPI – The Physicians patients aged 18 years and
Consortiums for Performance older with a
Improvement, the AMA-led
• diagnosis of CAD who
program that develops mea- also have diabetes mellitus
and/or LVSD (LVEF < 40 percent) who were prescribed
ACE inhibitor or ARB therapy. (PQRS-comparable)
• Drug therapy for lowering
LDL-cholesterol: Percentage
of patients aged 18 years and
older with a diagnosis of CAD
who were prescribed a lipidlowering therapy (based on
current ACCF/AHA guidelines). (PQRS-comparable) •
Symptom and activity assessment: Percentage of patients
aged 18 years and older with a
diagnosis of CAD who were
evaluated for both level of
activity and anginal symptoms
during one or more visits.
(AMA
PCPI/AHA/ACCF
2005)
• Symptom control: Percentage of visits for patients
aged 18 years and older with a
diagnosis of CAD who are
angina-free OR are prescribed
at least two anti-anginal medications. (AMA PCPI/AHA/
ACCF 2005)
• Cardiac rehabilitation
patient referral from an outpatient setting: All patients evaluated in an outpatient setting
who within the past 12 months
have experienced an acute
myocardial infarction (MI),
coronary artery bypass graft
(CABG) surgery, a percutaneous coronary intervention
(PCI), cardiac valve surgery,
or cardiac transplantation, or
who have chronic stable angina (CSA) and have not already
participated in an early outpatient cardiac rehabilitation/
secondary prevention (CR)
program for the qualifying
event/diagnosis are to be
referred to such a program.
(AACVPR/AHA/ACCF 2010)
Diabetes
• Hemoglobin A1c poor
control: Percentage of patients
aged 18 through 75 years with
diabetes who had most recent
hemoglobin A1c greater than
9.0 percent. (PQRS-comparable)
• HbA1c good control:
Comprehensive diabetes carepercentage of members 18
through 64 years of age with
diabetes (type 1 and type 2)
whose most recent hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level is less
than 7.0 percent (controlled).
(NCQA)
See holly on page 32 A
Another free Office alternative
Over the years, I have written about several soft Office files. Since I already have Microfree alternatives to Microsoft Office. Many of soft Office installed, I chose not to make
my students cannot afford the roughly $100- Kingston my default program to open those
plus that it costs for a student version of Micro- files, but for anyone who does not have the
soft Office, and a lot of senior citizens, small Microsoft product installed, allowing Kingsoft
businesses and individuals that I work with to be the default office program is a reasonable
cannot afford the $250-plus for
choice. The total install time
a commercial version of Microwas only about a minute, and
soft Office. All of the major
then it was ready to use.
free alternatives to Office can
The first Kingsoft program
Ira
read and write Office files,
Wilsker that I opened was Writer, the
have a menu and command
word processor, and it opened
structure similar to Office,
very quickly, much faster than
which simply means that anymy Microsoft Word opens. My
one who can use Office can use
first impression was that it
Technology
one of the free alternatives,
looked just like my Microsoft
with zero learning curve.
Word, with the ribbon or menu
All of the free alternatives are feature rich, bar mimicking the various Microsoft products.
and generally offer a comprehensive spelling The paid Professional version, but not the free
and grammar checker, the ability to write PDF version, also allows the user to choose a ribbon
files without the use of other third-party soft- (menu bar) that appears identical to the one
ware, and can read and write multiple formats in used on the newest versions of Microsoft
addition to all of the various Microsoft Office Office, but the classical menu is virtually idenformats. I am frequently asked about how to tical to the one historically used by Microsoft.
open .doc, .docx, .ppt, and .pptx files (Microsoft I opened several previously created Word
Office formatted word processor and Power- documents in Writer, and they all opened
Point files) that were either attached to an e-mail quickly and looked exactly like they did in
or downloaded from the Internet, and these free Word. I tried several of the Word keyboard
alternatives are ideal for that purpose. Just to be shortcuts that I typically used, and all worked
fair, Microsoft does offer
flawlessly in Writer. All of
free readers for its Office
the pull-down and context
products, but as they are
sensitive menus in Writer
“readers,” that is all they
appeared precisely as they
do – open Office files.
do in Word, corroborating
Many users would like to
the fact that anyone who
do more than simply open
has used Word can also
Office files; they would
use Writer with no addilike to edit or create them as well, without tional training or experience. One interesting
spending a small fortune on Microsoft software. feature in Writer (and the other Kingsoft Office
That is explicitly what these free office suite components) is the ability to quickly and easily
alternatives are excellent at.
create PDF files directly from the document.
One of the newer free Office alternatives, Clicking on File and then Export to PDF will
already joining an active and crowded field, is immediately create a PDF file from the exista well-reviewed Hong Kong product, Kingsoft ing document, maintaining all formatting,
Office Suite Free 2012. Available as a free fonts, colors and other features of the original
82.5mb download (Windows 32 and 64 bit ver- document, which can then be open and read by
sion) from www.kingsoftstore.com/kingsoft- any PDF reader.
office-freeware.html, this program included a
I then opened Presentation, which opened
fully functional version of a word processor, much faster than PowerPoint, and looked
spreadsheet program, and presentation utility exactly like a PowerPoint window. I opened a
that, by default, looks a lot like Microsoft’s PowerPoint file that I had been working on,
Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. For those who and all of the features, animations, embedded
may want a more comprehensive and powerful audio and video files, and other items that were
office suite, Kingsoft also offers a Standard in my original Microsoft file were accessible in
version ($50) and a Professional version ($70), the Presentation window. The menu at the top
but for most individuals, the free version is of the window, and the right-click context sentotally adequate. For those with Android devic- sitive menus were exactly as they were in
es, there is also a free version of Kingston PowerPoint. All of the slide transitions, backOffice Suite Free available for download from grounds, and other features available in Powerwww.kingsoftstore.com/kingsoft-office- Point were available in Presentation. As an
android.html. The free Android version can experiment, using Presentation, I opened a 68
read and write all Office versions of Word and slide PowerPoint file that I recently made (my
Excel (as well as other formats), but can only latest Identity Theft presentation) that was in
open and view PowerPoint files.
.pptx format, and it opened very quickly. I
I downloaded and installed Kingsoft Office checked several of the animations and other
Suite Free 2012 version 8.1.0.3010. The 82.5 effects in the slides, and all worked and could
mb file downloaded and installed quickly. The be created or modified in Presentation. I clicked
only major choice during the installation pro- on File and then Export to PDF, and created a
cess is to check the box to make Kingston
See TECH on page 34 A
Office the default program for opening Micro-
31 A
Magnolia
Garden
Club has
been tending this
azalea
bush area
at the
Phelan
Mansion
for 10
months.
Garden club to host guest
speaker at Phelan Mansion
Bart
Brechter,
where he had been
curator of Bayou
manager at Callaway
Bend Gardens in
Gardens. As a strong
Houston, will be the
believer in his organguest speaker at the
ic program, he has
upcoming Magnolia
discovered that not
Garden Club “Bounonly is it successful at
ties of Black Gold”
Bayou Bend, but
Flower Show. His Garden organic gardening has
topic will be organic
almost 50 perGate saved
gardening, a techcent on irrigation
nique he has used to
costs.
with
transform
Bayou Joette Reger
Brechter met the
Bend Gardens into
club last spring in the
“the state’s only forEast Garden of the
mal organic public garden.” Phelan Mansion to discuss
His work with the River the possibilities of reclaimOaks Garden Club has ing an old garden (original to
helped to maintain the integ- the house from the early
rity of Bayou Bend Gardens 1920s) and restoring it in an
as Ms. Ima Hogg, its crehistorical manner. As
conversations conator, intended. The
tinued, the Magnodrought during this
past year presented
lia Garden Club
members began to
special challenges to
the 14 heavily
understand Brechter’s message of the
wooded acres and
importance of organthe eight formal
gardens.
ics in the lawn and
garden. This is espeA native Houstocially true in a hospinian, Brechter has
tal landscape.
been back in Houston
Brechter is returning
since 1991 when he
returned from Pine
See GARDEN on
Mountain,
Ga.,
page 34 A
Strings & Things
Fine Yarn & Supplies
229 Dowlen, Ste. 12B
Beaumont, TX
409.225.5185
Monday, 2-9pm
Tues - Sat, 10am-6pm
Classes Available
Knit Night Mondays at 7pm
32 A
Texas Consumer Complaint Center can help you
Q. I remember reading all types of consumer comabout an organization at the plaints, from debt collection
University of Houston Law and defective cars to plumbCenter that can help
ing problems and landwith consumer problord-tenant issues. If
lems. Can you please
you have a problem
give me its name?
and need help, go to
A. The organization
www.TexasCCC.com.
is the Texas Consumer
Complaint Center, and
Q. If my parents
in the past year it has
pass away, are my
helped more than 1,500
Know brother and I responsiconsumers
resolve
for their mortgage
Your ble
problems with busieven though we did not
nesses. The Texas CCC Rights sign on it? If so, what
was founded by the
can we do to protect
Center for Consumer with Richard our assets?
Law with an award Alderman
A. Unless you
from the Texas Attorsigned and agreed to
ney General’s Office. It is pay, you are not individually
staffed by attorneys and Law liable. Your parent’s estate is
Center students who handle responsible for their debts. If
Holly
from page 30 A
• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C)
control: Percentage of patients aged 18
through 75 years with diabetes who
had most recent LDL-C level in control (less than 100 mg/dl).(PQRS-comparable)
• High blood pressure control: Percentage of patients aged 18 through 75
years with diabetes who had most
recent blood pressure in control (less
than 140/80 mmHg). (PQRS-comparable)
• Dilated eye exam: Percentage of
patients aged 18 through 75 years with
diabetes who had a dilated eye exam.
(PQRS-comparable)
• Urine screening for microalbumin
or medical attention for nephropathy:
Percentage of patients aged 18 through
75 years with diabetes who received
urine protein screening or medical
attention for nephropathy during at
least one visit within 12 months.
(PQRS-comparable)
• Foot exam: The percentage of
patients aged 18 through 75 years with
diabetes who had a foot examination.
(PQRS-comparable)
Heart failure
• Left ventricular function (LVF)
assessment: Percentage of patients
aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of heart failure who have quantitative or qualitative results of LVF
assessment recorded. (AMA PCPI/
AHA/ACCF 2005)
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme
(ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) therapy for left
ventricular systolic dysfunction
(LVSD): Percentage of patients aged
18 years and older with a diagnosis of
they don’t have any assets in
their estate, the mortgage does
not get paid. Of course, the
bank can foreclose on the
mortgage and sell the house. If
you and your brother wish to
keep the house, you will have
to make arrangements with
the bank to pay the mortgage.
Q. I just rented an apartment. The landlord did not tell
me that the upstairs neighbor
is extremely noisy and that is
why the former tenant moved
out. Do I have any legal
rights?
A. In my opinion, the landlord has violated the Texas
Deceptive Trade Practices
Act, our state’s consumer protection law. Under this law,
HF and LVSD (LVEF
• < 40 percent) who were prescribed
ACE inhibitor or ARB therapy. (PQRScomparable)
• Beta-blocker therapy for left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD):
Percentage of patients aged 18 years
and older with a diagnosis of heart
failure who also have LVSD (LVEF <
40 percent) and who were prescribed
beta-blocker therapy. (PQRS-comparable)
Hypertension
• Blood pressure control: Percentage of patients with BP_140/90 or who
are taking or were prescribed two or
more antihypertensive agents at most
recent visit during the previous 12
months. (ACCF/AHA 2009)
Peripheral artery disease
• Cholesterol-lowering medications
(statin): Drug therapy for lowering
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in
patients with PAD. (AHA/ACCF/
ACR/SCAI/SIR/SVM/SVN/SVS
2010)
• Smoking cessation: Smoking-cessation intervention for active smoking
in patients with PAD. (AHA/ACCF/
ACR/SCAI/SIR/SVM/SVN/SVS
2010)
• Antiplatelet therapy: Antiplatelet
therapy to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, or vascular
death in patients with a history of
symptomatic PAD.
• (AHA/ACCF/ACR/SCAI/SIR/
SVM/SVN/SVS 2010)
Preventive care and screening for
chronic diseases and stroke
• Body Mass Index (BMI) – screening and follow-up: Percentage of
patients aged 18 years and older with a
calculated BMI in the past six months
anyone who sells or rents anything, including a landlord,
must disclose information he
knows would matter to the
other party. If the landlord
knew the upstairs tenant was a
problem and did not tell you
so you would rent, he has violated this law. If it was necessary to sue, you could be
entitled to three times your
damages.
My guess is that you will
not have to take any type of
legal action. I suggest you let
the landlord know you know
about this law, and work out
an agreement to move out or
move into a different apartment.
The thief charged $2,500 to
my credit card. Am I responsible?
A. Good news. Under federal law your maximum liability for the unauthorized use
of your credit card is $50. In
fact, you have no liability for
any charges made after you
report the loss. If your card is
stolen, be sure to immediately
call the credit card company.
Q. My wallet was stolen.
See rightS on page 39 A
or during the current visit documented
in the medical record AND if the most
recent BMI is outside parameters, a
follow-up plan is documented. (PQRScomparable)
• Inquiry regarding tobacco use:
Percentage of patients aged 18 years
and older who were queried about
tobacco use one or more times within
24 months. (PQRS-comparable)
• Advising smokers to quit: Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older
and are smokers who received advice
to quit smoking. (PQRS-comparable)
• Unhealthy alcohol use – screening: Percentage of patients aged 18
years and older who were screened for
unhealthy alcohol use using a systematic screening method within 24
months. (PQRS-comparable)
• Influenza immunization for patients
≥ 50 years old: Percentage of patients
aged 50 years and older who received
an influenza immunization during the
flu season (September through February). (PQRS-comparable)
• Pneumonia vaccination for patients
65 years and older: Percentage of
patients aged 65 years and older who
have ever received a pneumococcal
vaccine. (PQRS-comparable)
• Blood lipid therapy and control:
Proportion of patients who meet current LDL-C treatment targets OR who
are prescribed _1 lipid-lowering medications at maximum tolerated dose.
(AHA/ACCF 2009)
• Weight management: Counseling
to achieve and maintain ideal body
weight at least once within the past two
years. (AHA/ACCF 2009)
• Blood pressure measurement:
Measurement of blood pressure in all
patients. Patients for whom blood pressure (BP) measurement is recorded at
least once in the last two years. (AHA/
Q. I was recently laid off
from a small company where
I worked for two years. How
much am I entitled to for
vacation and severance pay?
A. You may not be entitled
to anything. Although this is a
ACCF 2009)
• Aspirin use in patients without
clinical evidence of atherosclerotic
disease who are at higher CVD risk:
Patients who were advised to use aspirin. (AHA/ACCF 2009)
Metrics developed specifically for
Guideline Advantage preventive
care and screening
• Colorectal cancer screening: The
percentage of adults 50–75 years of
age who had appropriate screening
with tests and intervals (based on ACS
guideline) for colorectal cancer.
• Cervical cancer screening: The
percentage of women 21–69 years of
age who received one or more Pap
tests to screen for cervical cancer during the past 2 years.
• Breast cancer screening: The percentage of women 41-69 years of age
who had a mammogram to screen for
breast cancer.
• Ongoing low-density lipoprotein
(LDL-C) control: Percentage of
patients aged 18 years and older with a
documented LDL-C _ 100 mg/dl and
with a prior history of diabetes mellitus, peripheral artery disease, coronary
artery disease, stroke or TIA whose
most recent LDL-C level is in control
(less than 100 mg/dl).
• Calculate time to lipid control
• Preventive care and screening:
Percentage of patients aged 18 and
older with prior history of peripheral
artery disease, coronary artery disease,
heart failure or prior stroke who had
most recent LDL-C level in control
(less than 100 mg/dl) who are on
maximum dose statin or multiple lipidlowering drugs.
Dr. James L. Holly is CEO of Southeast
Texas Medical Associates, LLP (SETMA) in
Beaumont.
33 A
R ELIGION
The grace of the father
We have been looking at while we were yet sinners,
stories from life that Jesus Christ died for us. Much
told. Today we are
more then, having
looking at the wonnow been justified by
derful story of the
His blood, we shall be
prodigal son, and we
saved from wrath
focus on the father’s
through Him. For if
amazing grace. I am
when we were enereading from Romans
mies we were recon5:6-11. “For when we
ciled to God through
Pastor
were still without
the death of His Son,
Delmar
strength, in due time,
much more, having
Dabney
Christ died for the
been reconciled, we
ungodly. For scarcely
hall be saved by His
1925-1994
for a righteous man
life. And not only that,
will one die. Yet perbut we also rejoice in
haps for a good man some- God through our Lord Jesus
one would even dare to die. Christ, through Whom we
But God demonstrated His have now received the reconown love toward us, in that ciliation.”
And now from the story of
the prodigal, this amazing
word about amazing grace.
“While he was yet a long
way off, his father saw him
and had compassion on him.”
(Luke 15:20)
No Christian should ever
be able to hear or to read this
story of the reconciliation
that took place between a
waiting father and a prodigal
son without a shiver of joy
and of recognition. The hopes
and fears of all the years of
human history are met on
that road in one magnificent
embrace.
See DABNEY on page 34 A
It’s gonna be OK
This past October, Ted and I drove to the
Atlanta area for several reunions of family,
friends, a large church group, and my high
school class. These annual meetings are getting more precious by the year as many of our
family members are getting up in age, some
suffering health issues, and
many deaths seem to have
happened in the past three
years. My high school classmates and I have a three-day
reunion because so many travel now from so far to be present. We have more fun than the
law allows but never get into
Brenda
serious trouble of any kind.
Cannon
Normally we rent a state
Henley
park and have found that these
Senior
locations meet our needs nice- Correspondent
ly. We have the conference to The Examiner
center or main lodge for a banquet and dinner dance and nice rooms for the
couples or close friends, plus beautiful scenic
grounds to enjoy. Often there is a lake or
river, and this year we had the spectacular
treasure of Unicoi Falls. Hiking, boating and
golf take up free time, and the ladies always
get in some shopping, too. This year, Ted and
I were able to rent a mountainside lodge
where we hosted four smaller reunions along
with the larger group gatherings.
One of the special treats of this year’s Forrest Hills Baptist Church reunion was getting
to meet so many of the children and grandchildren of old friends. My special friends,
Dixie King Babbs from Dalton, Ga., attended
and she was accompanied by her 50-year-old
son, Jim. We had such fun, made wonderful
memories, took lots of photographs, and
laughed at old stories shared among the many
friends. Jim was a special person. He was in
Photo by Ted Henley
Dixie King Babb, Jim King and Brenda Cannon Henley enjoying the Forrest Hills Baptist
Church Reunion on Oct. 1, 2011, at Unicoi
State Park in Georgia.
real estate, the president of his homeowners’
association in Chattanooga, the voice of the
high school football, baseball, and basketball
teams, and an avid worker at his church. He
hugged me tightly as the family left the hall
and said how much fun he had enjoyed it. “I
love you, Miss Brenda, and always have. See
you soon.”
When Ted and I returned to the beach, not
quite two weeks later, I received a telephone
call from Dixie. “Brenda, Jim is dead,” she
said straight up.
“What do you mean? Jim who? Who is
dead?”
“My son, Jim, who was just at the reunion
died a little while ago, and I wanted to tell
you myself. He was visiting his mother- and
father-in-law and they were sitting at the table
laughing and talking and he clutched his chest
and slumped over,” Dixie calmly explained to
me. “By the time the emergency service
workers arrived, they knew he was dead.”
See HENLEY on page 39 A
The sanctuary on Procter Street used 1951-76 and (inset) the
new building at 4401 Jimmy Johnson Blvd., shown in 1978
CHURCH NOTES
Procter Baptist Church in
Port Arthur to celebrate its
75th anniversary
Procter Baptist Church,
founded as Procter Street Baptist Church 75 years ago, will
celebrate its anniversary with
a special service, luncheon
and music program on Sunday, March 4. Leading the 10
a.m. service will be two guest
ministers returning to the
church where they grew up.
And after a lunch served on
church grounds will be a short
music program featuring a
singing quartet and classical
guitar selections from Dr.
Gene Jones. These events are
free and open to the public.
Procter Baptist Church is at
4401 Jimmy Johnson Blvd. in
Port Arthur. Call the church
office at (409) 722-8097 for
more information or visit
www.procterbaptisthome.org.
Dedication of memorial
piano at First United
Methodist, Beaumont
First United Methodist
Church in Beaumont invites
the public to attend the dedication of the Hugh E. Thompson
memorial grand piano on Sunday, March 4, at 3 p.m.
John Tarver, formerly of
Port Arthur, will present a
short musical program and
share memories of his many
years of piano and organ studies with Thompson. A reception will then be held in the
narthex.
First United Methodist
Church is at 701 Calder St. in
Beaumont. Call (409) 8320295.
Hugh E. Thompson
Inspirational stage play
hosted by Paradise Baptist
Paradise Baptist Church in
Beaumont will play host to the
stage production “If It Ain’t
One Thang ... It’s Another” on
Saturday, March 10. Advance
tickets are $10 each and are
available at Paradise Baptist,
4390 Fannett, or at Kirkwood,
Bernard & Associates, 2740
N. 11th St.
The play features artist Jermaine Sellers. Doors open at 4
p.m., with tickets at the door
going for $13. Call (409) 6179400 for more information.
Sunday • 10:30 AM
Tuesday Family Prayer 7:00 PM
Wed. Night • 7:30 Bible Study
Everyone Welcome!
Pastor Michael LaBrie
Gospel Tabernacle
1225 Glendale • Beaumont
409-866-2000
www.GospelTabernacleBeaumont.com
34 A
tech
dabney
Web sites
from page 31 A
PDF file of my presentation; Presentation created a 68-page PDF file in only three seconds.
I opened the newly created PDF file in FoxIt
(my default PDF viewer), and every slide
looked perfect, with Presentation creating each
page in the PDF in landscape format, with one
very clear slide filling each page. The performance was impressive.
The third component of the Kingsoft Office
Suite Free 2012 is the spreadsheet software,
aptly called Spreadsheets. As with the other
components, it opened faster than Excel, and
looked just like my Excel desktop. I opened
several of my spreadsheets in both .xls and .
xlsx file extensions, and they all rapidly opened
and appeared identical as they did in Excel. As
with the other components, I tried using the
graphics and database functions, and all worked
just like they did in Excel. All of the menu
www.kingsoftstore.com/kingsoft-office-freeware.html
www.kingsoftstore.com/kingsoft-office-android.html
items and context sensitive menus worked
exactly like Excel. As with the other components, since I am already familiar with Excel,
there was nothing new to learn to use Spreadsheets. The Export to PDF function also worked
identically as it did in Writer and Presentation.
For anyone who might need a Microsoft
Office compatible, fully featured office suite
that includes the three most widely used components, a word processor, presentation program, and a spreadsheet, Kingston Office Suite
2012 may be a wise choice.
The Examiner has archived many of Ira Wilsker’s
recent columns online. They are available on the
Examiner Web site at www.theexaminer.com/feature/ira-wilsker Also, listen to his weekly radio show
on Mondays from 6-7 p.m. on KLVI 560AM.
Garden
from page 31 A
to the Phelan Mansion on
Tuesday, March 20, to share
his message and explain the
components to being a successful organic gardener. The
public is invited at no charge
to the 3 p.m. lecture. The
mansion is adjacent to Christus Hospital-St. Elizabeth in
Beaumont. Rear parking from
the North Street entrance is
encouraged.
The lecture is a highlight
of the Conservation Exhibit/
Education Program in the
“Bounties of Black Gold”
Flower Show presented by
the Magnolia Garden Club.
The Flower Show will be
open to the public on Tuesday, March 20, from 1-4 p.m.
Club members Kit Ohmstede and Susan Simmons help
reclaim the garden at the Phelan Mansion in Beaumont.
and on Wednesday from 9
a.m. – 3 p.m. in the house.
The East Garden will be open
for self-tours.
and prides herself on staying
up-to-date on the latest gardening activities and tips. To share
your gardening news with Joette,
call (409) 832-1400 or fax her at
(409) 832-6222. Her e-mail is
Joette is an avid gardener [email protected].
listinGs
from page 28 A
670-9799. Located at 2111 West
Park Ave. in Orange, Shangri La is
open to the public Tuesday through
Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
and Sunday from noon until 5 p.m.
For more information, visit www.
shangrilagardens.org.
Spring Break Art
classes for children
Registration is now open for Art
Quest, free youth art classes offered
by the Stark Museum of Art. The
classes will be available for students
in grades 1-8 and will take place during the week of Orange County public school spring break, March 12-16.
Art Quest participants will learn
about the paintings and sculptures at
the museum and gain hands-on experience creating art. Advance registration is required and application
forms are available on the museum’s
Web site, www.starkmuseum.org.
Application forms are due by March
5, and class space is limited. Each
class takes place over two half-days.
Amelia Wiggins, educator for
public programs at the Stark Museum of Art, encourages local families
to sign up for Art Quest soon. “We
are very excited to offer extra-curricular art classes for children once
again this spring. Classes fill quickly, so we encourage families to apply
as soon as possible by filling out the
application form available on our
Web site,” said Wiggins.
Classes will be kept to a maximum of 20 students each, and sessions will be filled on a first-come,
from page 33 A
We usually miss the point
when we read this story. We
think about the son and his
repentance. What a fine boy,
coming to himself, getting
his act all together, girding
up his loins and his tattered
reputation in order to come
back across the weeks and
months and say, “Father, I
have sinned.” He’s a fine
boy to repent like that.
Actually, the story is not
about the boy and his repentance at all. It is about the
father and his amazing love.
The boy may have been genuinely sorry or he may not
have been. He may have
“come to himself “ only
enough to know that he was
hungry and cold and miserable. He may have “come to
himself “ only enough to see
that even his father’s servants were better off than he
was.
Was that the prodigal’s
attitude? We don’t know.
The story isn’t really about
him. So his attitude is not
important. While he was
“yet a long way off,” while
there was a lot of distance
between him and his father,
and before a word was spoken, the father was running
toward this sin-marred son,
kissing him, welcoming him
back and offering the makings of a huge feast and a big
party for him.
This is depictive of the
love of God. This is the
first-served basis.
Shangri La offering
public birding program
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and
Nature Center is home to thousands of
nesting native and migratory birds.
More than 200 species of birds found
in Shangri La throughout the year and
over 17 different species than nest
annually at the heronry on Ruby Lake.
On March 13 and March 15, Shangri
La will offer programs about the stateof-the-art heronry and the birds of
Shangri La. These educational programs are free to the public, and children 12 years of age and older are
welcome if accompanied by an adult.
Space is limited and an R.S.V.P. is
required to attend. To reserve a space,
call (409) 670-9799 or visit www.
shangrilagardens.org.
uncalculating love, which
lives 99 sheep in the fold and
goes into the wilderness to
hunt for one miserable straying sheep. This is the lavish,
profuse prodigal love, which
does not wait for us to love
or repent or do any good
works, but love us first,
while we are still sinners.
This is amazing grace,
and our lord has no more
wonderful word for us than
this. And the church has no
word as important. God
loves you, my unsaved
friend, and He is seeking
you, even through these
inept words of mine. Will
you respond? Will you come
to your senses and recognize
where sin and rebellion
against God is taking you?
Will you look honestly at
what it is doing to your relationship with others, with
your job, with your conscience and with your concepts of right and wrong?
Will you see the toll that it is
taking on your mind and
body? The Savior is waiting
to enter your heart. Why
don’t you let Him come in?
Lord, Your love is more
than our minds can fathom.
Only our hearts, touched by
the Holy Spirit, can hold
love like yours. Through
Christ, amen and amen.
The Rev. Delmar Dabney
was a spiritual inspiration in
Southeast Texas for many years
before his death in 1994. This
and other messages from his
daily television show, “Coffee
with Pastor Dabney,” are featured here regularly.
Su•do•ku
35 A
• Fill the cells in such a way that each row,
column and 3x3 subsquare has digits 1-9.
• Some digits are already given as clues.
Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.56)
5
7
Medium — Puzzle No. 1
4
2
8
3
6
1
7
8
2
6
8
2
5
3
6
3
7
4
6
5
7
56)
7
9
6
5
7
1
Medium — Puzzle No. 2
4
2
9
9 rating 0.41)
7
Puzzle 3 (Easy, difficulty
4 2 7
6
7
2 4
3
6 8
3
6
1
8 34 8 29
5
8
9
3
5
8 2 63 1
6 3
8 1
7
5
2
4
17
6
8
7
4 38 9 9 2
5
1 6
3
7
8
5
2
5
1
Puzzle 3 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.41)
5
8
6
4
5
4
3
7
Easy — Puzzle No. 3
7
1
7
4 3 9
5 2 (Medium, difficulty
7 8rating2 0.49)
Puzzle
9
2
2
9
8
2
2
7
8
5
6
6
3
9
8
9
3
1
6
8
9
2
5
1
2
6
4
7
2
5
4
47
5
9
5
8
6
For solutions, visit www.theexaminer.com
7
27
9
4
5
7
9
63
4
1
8
6
4
3
7
7 remains
2 3 in force until
tract
replaced).
7Part-time 2Devon,
4 England,3 • In February, Kenneth
vicar Gavin Tyte, who serves
churches in Uplyme and Gunn, of the U.K.’s Scottish
1
4
Axmouth, recently produced a Borders Council, decried the
budget
cutbacks that closed
rap video of the Nativity, in
down
local
8
9
5 4offices that had
which he plays a shepherd,
an
previously
posted marriage
angel and the narrator. Sample
notices.
By
5 Mary placing her
9 making it more
lyrics (about
difficult
for the public to be
baby in a cattle trough and
aware
of
specific marriages,
angels
8 1calming the7 frightened5 Gunn feared
an inevitable
shepherds): “No hotel, motel,
increase in incest. “I am aware
custom6baby-changer 8/ She in my own ward of brothers
wrapped the baby up and laid sitting beside sisters they do
him in a manger”5and “Chill
1 not6 know in 9primary school.”
out, my
friends, difficulty
there’s norating
Puzzle
2 (Medium,
(The0.49)
problem is more serious
need for trepidation / Got a in Iceland, whose 300,000
9
7
5
2
message for the world, and it’s people are far more self-conelation information.” 9
7 2However,
3 a new Web
tained.
site containing genealogical
Government in Action!
7
2 4
3 data back 1,200 years is
• Apparently, not only will expected to help reduce the
there be fewer overall resourcrisk of incest.)
1
4
es for disabled people in
Greece (due to government Great Art!
8 resources9
5 4
austerity), but the
• But, Why? (1) Two British
will be spread over a larger designers (who claim they had
9 independently and
number5 of recipients. The the idea
Labor Ministry in January learned of the other only after
expanded
8 1 the category
7 of eli-5 they finished) recently progible
“disabled”
(with duced elegant
reduced-amount
payments)
6
8 to pieces using
include pyromaniacs, compul- parts from a
sive gamblers, fetishists,
sado5
1 2012
6
9
Ford
masochists, pedophiles, exhi- Focus. Judy
bitionists and kleptomaniacs. Clark made a dress and a biker
9 National
7 5Confederation
2 of
The
jacket adorned with car keys,
Disabled People said the radio and dashboard compochanges would inevitably nents, seat covers, a speedomreduce funds available for the eter and red taillights. Katherblind and the crippled and oth- ine Hawkins created a necker traditional categories of lace using dials, springs, butneed.
tons, seat materials and instru• Even at a time of school- ment panel switches. (2) Swiss
teacher layoffs nationally, the artist Christoph Buchel has
Buffalo, N.Y., school system
continues to cover all costs for
cosmetic surgery for teachers.
The benefit was established in
the calmer 1970s, and no one,
it seems, anticipated the facelift and liposuction crazes that
subsequently developed. The
annual expense in recent years,
for about 500 benefit-takers a
year, has been from $5 million
to $9 million (equivalent to the
average salaries of at least 100
teachers). The teachers’ union
said it is willing to give up the
benefit in a new collective bargaining agreement, but a quirk
in New York law lessens the
incentive of teachers to negotiate such a contract (in that the
current, highly lucrative conLead Story
9
now secured local permits to
bury a Boeing 727 38 feet
under a patch of California’s
Mojave Desert, near Bakersfield. Visitors will take a tunnel down in order to tour the
153-foot-long plane.
• In February, a German
court awarded artist Stefan
Bohnenberger the equivalent
of about $2,600 from the
Munich gallery that had previously housed his work, “Pommes d’Or,” which consisted of
two ordinary french fries contrasted with two golden-leafed
ones. The gallery returned the
golden-leafed ones but claimed
it could not find the ordinary
fries, and, anyway, pointed out
that they were nothing but old
french fries.
Police Report
• Police officers are of
course generally forbidden to
engage in sex acts in order to
gather evidence. Thus, a scandal erupted in the U.K. in January when The Guardian
revealed that two undercover
officers had fathered children
(to enhance their credibility) while infiltrating protest groups beginning in
the 1980s. After the two
women learned in late 2011
who their kids’ fathers really
were, they filed lawsuits
against the responsible police
agencies. (In Sydney, Australia, a state contractor operated
under no such restriction when
it hired a brothel inspector in
See WEIRD on page 37 A
36 A
Annie’s withMailbox
Kathy Mitchell & Marcy Sugar
Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and
Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers
column. Write to Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators
Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700,
Los Angeles, CA 90045 or e-mail your
questions to [email protected]
Dear Annie:
My spouse and I are in a
40-year same-sex relationship.
Seven years ago, we had a
legal marriage, but my family
refused to recognize it. My
brother’s wife went so far as to
write letters to the local newspaper urging repeal of the law.
My youngest sister said, “We
were ordered not to deal with
you any longer.” Needless to
say, I ended all relationships
that did not accept my new
husband.
Following retirement, my
husband and I moved to another state. I recently heard that
my mother is in very poor
health. Since I was always the
one who helped and organized
things in my family, I feel the
need to assist. But, Annie, I
struggled for 30 years to be
able to say “I do.” Their lack
of recognition makes it hard to
have anything to do with them
until they first apologize to me
and, in particular, to my husband.
Should I take the higher
road and contact my mother,
or hold to the firm ideal that
my spouse is more important
and I must put him first?
— Gay and Proud Son
Dear Proud Son:
have told him this, but he says
I’m exaggerating. Yet, in the
summer when the windows
are open, we have had complaints from the neighbors.
Every mention of his hearing ends in a fight. He gets
defensive, says he’s being
picked on and generally acts
like a 5-year-old. Our 23-yearold daughter is in the process
of relocating, and instead of
staying with us, she prefers to
sleep on a friend’s sofa. Ralph
is up late every night watching
TV. I use earplugs, but our
daughter can’t use them or she
won’t hear her alarm. We even
bought him a cordless headphone set for the TV, but he
tried it twice and stopped.
Even the suggestion of hearing aids sends him into a frenzy
of denial. He reads your column. Maybe he’ll see himself.
— Stressed Out from Loud TV
Dear Stressed:
Many people are in denial
about their hearing loss. It
makes them feel old and
unhealthy. But it is a common
problem — even rock stars
have it — and refusing to
address it won’t make it go
away. You might tell Ralph
that the longer he waits to deal
with his hearing issues the
harder it will be to adjust and
the more isolated he will
become (and the more irritated
you will be). If you would provoke an argument by suggesting he check out the American
Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (asha.org) or the
Hearing Loss Association of
America (hearingloss.org),
leave the information on a
piece of paper taped to the TV.
There is no reason this must
be a zero-sum game. You
already have put your husband
first. It doesn’t mean you cannot stay in contact with people
you love (and who, presumably, still love you) within limited, controlled boundaries. If
visiting Mom with your husband is not possible and visiting without him is not acceptable, you do not have to see
her. But please call. You may Dear Annie:
not get another chance, and
This is in response to “Kanyou shouldn’t have any regrets.
sas,” who is not interested in
Dear Annie:
sex with his wife because she
I’ve been married to has gained 100 pounds. My
“Ralph” for 30 years. His hear- type-A husband also withheld
ing has gotten worse, and the sex from me because of my
TV is so loud that I end up weight gain.
See ANNIE on page 37 A
with a headache every night. I
By Darby Conley
ANNIE
from page 36 A
I told him my weight was the
only thing about me that he
could not control. When he
backed off and accepted me as I
was (for better or worse), our
marriage was much better, and
our sex life improved greatly. I
even started losing weight when
I felt he loved me for the person
I am instead of how I look.
— Just Sayin’
Dear Annie:
37 A
should have to help me in any
way with the household
chores. He absolutely refuses.
I have asked him numerous
times to please put dinner on
before I get home from work,
but it falls on deaf ears. I
might add that he’s an excellent cook when he is so
inclined. A number of his
friends are also retired, and
they joke among themselves
about how domesticated they
have become around the
house, but my husband just
won’t budge. I even mow the
lawn in the summer and shovel the snow in winter.
I may as well be living on
my own. I’m not getting any
younger and am simply too
tired to keep up with everything along with my full-time
job. All I ask is that he take
over a couple of chores so I
can have a little downtime on
the weekends. Is this too much
to ask? Don’t suggest a housekeeper. He would never allow
it. Nor would he ever go for
counseling.
— Tired, Worn Out in Canada
BACK TO THE START By Daniel A. Finan / Edited by Will Shortz
20
A c ro s s
1 B u l b h o l d e rs
6 P a rt o f t h e n a m e
of many a
Spanish
re s t a u ra n t
1 2 C o n fa b s
2 0 S t e rn t a k i n g a
b o w (i n t w o
senses)
2 1 D e m a n d s (fro m )
2 2 E t e rn a l l y
2 3 Ai d e fo r a V. I. P.
customer
2 5 M u l t i p l e Gra m m y
w i n n e r wh o wa s
a contestant on
“ D a n c i n g Wi t h
t h e S t a rs ”
26 Paper nautilus,
e.g.
2 7 Wo rd s m o u t h e d
t o a T V c a m e ra
29 Like the pen or
pencil you might
re a c h fo r
3 0 P. T. A . i n t e re s t
32 One of two
o p t i o n s a t a fa s t
fo o d re s t a u ra n t
34 Sample
3 5 P ro z a c , fo r o n e
4 0 W. C .
4 2 “ O h b a b y !”
4 6 E v e ’s o p p o s i t e
4 7 Wo rk a s s i g n m e n t
4 8 G o re i n fi c t i o n
5 0 D i rt y
5 1 K i n d o f s wi t c h
53 Special ___
RELEASE DATE: 3/04/2012
Our son’s first marriage
ended in divorce 10 years ago.
From that union, we have a
13-year-old grandson.
Our ex-daughter-in-law,
“June,” remarried quickly, and
that marriage failed about 18
months ago. Apparently, she
used our names as a credit reference because we’ve been
getting calls from several collection agencies asking for
June by her most recent married name. After the first call, I
told the agency I would not
give out her phone number but
would have June call them. I Dear Tired:
For any three answers,
call from a touch-tone
sent her a letter with the pertiFor1-900-285-5656,
solution,
phone:
Might
your
husband
be
$1.49 each minute; or,
nent information. She phoned
see
page
28 A
with
a
credit
card, 1-800and said I should tell these depressed since retiring? It is 814-5554.
not
uncommon
and
could
callersBACK
I don’t
know
her.
TO THE
START
By Daniel A. Finan / Edited by Will Shortz
explain his lethargy and intran- 1 2 3 4 5
Lately, BACK
I’veTOresponded
THE START Byto
Daniel
A. Finan / Edited by Will Shortz
2
3
4
5
20 1
these agencies by saying June sigence. But you should not be
exhausted because
he cannot 23 20
24
A
cross
I t m a family
y be poppefor
d 105 Unive r sity in
19 Send s ome
hasn’t
been in5 4 the
or
If
you
are
for fun
Norwill
th C anot
r olinahelp out.
pixxx?
1 B u l b h olA
dec rr so s s
23
24
5
4
It
m
a
y
b
e
p
o
p
p
e
d
1
0
5
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
t
y
i
n
1
9
S
e
n
d
s
o
m
e
10 years and I don’t know
how 106 R e aNr o r t h C a r o l i n a 24 Network
26
a rrefau n
p i x x x house?
6 P a r t o1f Bt huleb nhaoml dee r s 5 6 M e t r o fo
earning enough to hire
26
to
reach
her.
Lying
isn’t
my
connections
o f m6 aPnar
y tao f t h e n a m5e 7 X X
110 Ge
al
5 6XMlove
e t r o ra?r e a
1 0 6neRaelogic
a r help,
Ne t w o rk
30
keeping
we2 4recommend
Snormal
p a n i s hof m a noperating
study
connections
5 9 F r e5u7dprocedure,
i a nX cXonc
y a
X
l o ve pt
er?
11 0 G e n e a l o g i c a l 28 E nvirons
30
r e s t a urSp
a n at n i s h
whether
35
36
37
38
Ar tic
a r e n’t
31 Incapacitate
sdo
tle
u dsyso
2 8he
E n vapproves
i ro n s
6 2 L i e5 9a bFout
r eitu d iseems
a n c o n c e112
p t you
but in this instance,
1 2 C on f a bsr es t a u r a n t
f ound
35
36
37
38
11 2not.
A in
r t i citlYou
e s a r e nalso
’t 33 Subject
3 1could
In c a pof
a c iminitate
the
or
L i e of
about
6 3 T h e6 2“ L”
46
47
the
know
what 117 London
onnfga bas I don’t
found in it
2 0 St
e r12
n tsafest.
aCki
3 Subject of the
S .L
6 3.R.
The “L” of
mize
your
efforts3documentary
around
the 46
47
btype
ow20( i Snof
o t a k i n g a6 4 Tr a m
tr11
a nspor
“An
t et w
r nretribution
7 L o nta
d otion
n
d o c u m e n t a ry
.
there
pSle. L . Rwould
51
52
s e n s e s )bow ( i n t w o
tlon
r a nso
sBproarthat
t a t i o n youUnreas
“ An onable
house
handle
your
119
M
a
r
ndo
6
4
Tr
a
m
p
l
e
51
52
6 our
5 I n v egrandson
r n e ss na tive or
bem afor
s enour
Un re a s o n a b l e
Man”
11 9 M a r l o n B r a n d o
2 1 De
n ds
(sfer so)mson,
)
f ilm
57
58
e r nnds
e s s n a t i v e own
laundry and
meals
6 7) F u n6 e5 rIn
al vsta
M a n ”kelterand
m a n d s (thought
from
35 Helter-s
use r21
iflDl yeJune
we
turned
57
58
2 2 Et
na
121 S e t ffirleme
6
7
F
u
n
e
r
a
l
s
t
a
n
d
s
6
9
R
u
n
o
ut
3
5
He
l
t
e
r-s
k
e
l
t
e
r
leave
him
to
cook
and
clean
E t ear V.I
n a l l.P.
y
2 1heSeerts”f r e e
62
36 Bar ___
2 3 Ai
de22f or
122 “1C
her
in.
The
calls
getting
6l9are
R
u n olie
u ts”
62
3
6
B
a
r
_
_
_
7
2
“
Te
l
___
1 2r te
2himself.
“ C hre eSras m
” Of37
for
course,
c us t23
o mAeird e f o r a V. I . P.
ba
nde
Cavemenhe still
“ Te l l _ _ _ l i e s ”
65
66
67
more
frequent,
and7 2we’re
cus
tomer
bartender Sam
37 Cavemen
i e R odgetired
rs
2 5 M ul t i pl e Gr a m m y 7 3 J i m7m
M ovienot
dr oidlift a38finger,
Blows up but at 65 66
67
may
3 x
Ji m
m i ens,
R o d g e r s123
o
r
Te
Owe
25
Mu
l
t
i
p
l
e
G
r
a
m
m
y
1
2
3
M
o
v
i
e
d
r
o
i
d
3 8 B l o ws u p
ofi nnthem.
do
you
suggest?
w
e r w h o What
was
39
E
ve
who
wrote
124
F
a
ste
ne
r
o rlly
Te x O w e n s ,
73
74
m
u
s
i
ca
w
i
n
n
e
r
w
h
o
w
a
s
3
9
E
v
e
wh
o
wro
t
e
least
1 2te4nte
F ayou
r won’t be
74
“T hedoing
Vagina his 73
a c on t e s t a n t o n
mu s i c a l l y
pa
ds t einn e1939
“ T h e Va g i”n a
n t e s t a n t o7n5—
patented in 1939
B u nEx-In-Laws
c o nte nts
Monologues
“ Da nc ian gc oWi
th
work
7 5 B u n c o n t e n t s 125
M oown.
n o l o g u e s ” 78 78
P ivoteas
d well as your
“D a n c i n g Wi t h
125 Pivoted
41 Has parked
Dear In-Laws:
t he S t a r s ”
7 6 M a k e ___ da sh
t he S t a r s ”
7 6 M a k e _ _ _ d a s h 126 ___- Ja pa ne se
1 2 6 _ _ _ - J a p a n e s e 43
2 6 Pa pe26
r na
utei rl unsa, u t i l u s7, 8 M o7u8n M
ta oins,
P ap
untains,
e . g.
r i v e r s,ri vpla
e. g .
e r sins,
, plains,
Down
44
etc. etc.
Down
2 7 Wo r27
d s Wo
m ou
r dtsh emdo u t h e d
1 Alte
1 rAna
l t tive
e r n a tto
ive to
t o a TVt ocaa m
siniste
TeVr ac a m e r8a2 M o8r2e M
o r e s irn i s t e r
die ting,
dieting,
2 9 Li ke29t he
j alca kc k j a c k
inf orim
L i kpee nt hoer p e n o8r 5 B l a8c5kB
45
n faolly
rmally
p e n c i l pen
yo uc iml iygohut m i g h t d e c i s idon
ecision
2 “ Just
___!
2 “ J u s t _”_ _ ! ”
r e a c h fror
ea c h f o r
8 6 “ T h8 e6 Ma
“ T hgnif
e M ic
a gennt
i f i c e3n tB a r3teBraing
r t e rloc
i n galle
o c a l e 48
3 0 P. T. 30
A . P.
i nT.
teA
r e. sitn t e r e s t
S e v e nS”ecvoe nsta
” cro - s t a r
_ _oble
_ R os,b lCe as ,lif
C.a l i f 49
.
4 ___4 R
n e o f t w o 8 7 S u ff
8 7i xS uwith
ff i x w i t h
3 2 On e32
of Ot wo
5
C
h
e
c
k
e
d
(
o
u
t
)
5
C
he
c
ke
d
(
out)
o pt i o nsopt
a ti oa nfsa sa t a f a s t h u m a nh u m a n
6A
tecede
c ende
52
f oo d r efsoo
t adu rraens t a u r a n8t9 A c 8t o9r AHcill
t o r of
H i l l o f 6 Ante
_ _ose
_ Rose
o nll”
e y b a l l ” 7 ___7 R
3 4 Sa m34
pl eS am p l e
“ M o n e“ M
yba
54
8 B iel .l g.
s, e.g.
8 B ills,
3 5 Pr oz35
a c ,P rfoorz aocn, ef o r o n9e0 M i 9n0d M i n d
9 M17o s tDown
1 7 - D o w n 55
n i s h w i n d s 9 M ost
4 0 W. C40
. W. C .
9 2 S p a9n2 i S
shp awinds
1 0ntP lpor
a n teps o r e s
i l l e dà -v i s - à -10 P la
4 2 “ O h42
b a“Oh
b y! ”b a b y ! ” 9 3 D i s9t3i lD
l eids t vis58
11 “ Yo u m i s s e d
vis tap
46 E ve ’s o p p o s i t e
11
“
You
m
isse d
v
i
s
t
a
p
4 6 Ev e ’s op po s i t e
___”
spel singer
47 Wo r k a s s i g n m 9e n5 t G o9s 5p eGl osinge
___”
r
4 7 Wo r k a s s ig n m e n t
12 Grok
nans
60
48 G o r e i n f i c t i o n Wi n a nWi
12 Gr ok
s
4 8 Go r e i n f i c t i o n
13 Sir Anthony
96 Like the “ng”
61
50 D i r t y
13 S ir Anthony
9 6 L i k e t hsoeu“nng”
Eden, 1st Earl of
d
5 0 Di r t y
51 K i n d o f s w i t c h s o u n d
Ede n,
1st
Ea r l of
_
_
_
9
8
“
_
_
_
w
h
o
?
!
”
5 1 Ki nd o f s w i t c h
___
53 S pe c i a l _ _ _ 9 8 “ _ _ _ who? ! ”
14 Pulitzer winner
99 Fancy salad
5 3 Sp e c i a l __ _
14 P ulitzf oerr “winne
John r
9 9 F a n c y i sa
65
n gla
r edd i e n t
f
or
“BJohn
r o w n ’s B o d y ” 66
i n g1r0e1d O
ierg
nt. m a k i n g
For any three answers,
B
r
own’s
B
ody”
1 5 B r o t h e r ’s p l a c e
ts to
call from
a touch-tone 1 0 1 O rg . gmr a nking
For any three
answers,
15 B 1r othe
1-900-285-5656, g r a n t smu
6 E a rr l’sy pla
l i f ecfeo r m s ?68
tos e u m s
call fromphone:
a touch-tone
$1.49
each
minute;
or,
phone: 1-900-285-5656,
16 Ea1 r7lyS elif
mns?
m u1s0e3um
sg f a u c e t
e 9e -fDor
ow
B
i
with
a creditor,card, 1-800$1.49 each
minute;
17 S e1e8 91 0 3 B i g fma
a ucke tr
R eDown
frain syllables
814-5554.
with a credit
card, 1-800maker
18 R e f r a in sylla ble s 69
814-5554.
There are laws in place to
prevent harassment of third
parties by collection agencies.
Keep in mind, however, that if
the collection agencies have
reason to believe you are lying
to them about June’s location,
you might not have much
recourse in getting them to
stop. Report any problems you
have with a debt collector to
your state attorney general’s
office and the Federal Trade
Commission (www.ftc.gov).
Dear Annie:
My husband recently
retired, but I still work full
time at an office. My problem?
My husband does not feel he
Dear Annie:
5 4 It m a y b e p o p p e d
fo r fu n
5 6 M e t ro a re a
5 7 X X X l o v e r?
5 9 F re u d i a n c o n c e p t
62 Lie about
63 The “L” of
S.L.R.
6 4 Tra m p l e
6 5 In v e rn e s s n a t i v e
6 7 F u n e ra l s t a n d s
69 Run out
7 2 “ Te l l _ _ _ l i e s ”
7 3 J i m m i e R o d g e rs
o r Te x Ow e n s ,
musically
75 Bun contents
76 Make ___ dash
78 Mountains,
ri v e rs , p l a i n s ,
etc.
8 2 M o re s i n i s t e r
85 Blackjack
decision
8 6 “ T h e M a g n i fi c e n t
S e v e n ” c o -s t a r
8 7 S u ffi x w i t h
human
8 9 A c t o r Hi l l o f
“Moneyball”
90 Mind
92 Spanish winds
9 3 Di s t i l l e d v i s -à vis tap
9 5 Go s p e l s i n g e r
Wi n a n s
96 Like the “ng”
sound
9 8 “ _ _ _ w h o ? !”
99 Fancy salad
i n g re d i e n t
1 0 1 Org . m a k i n g
g ra n t s t o
museums
1 0 3 B i g fa u c e t
maker
6
7
216
7
8
8
___
1 0 5 Un i v e rs i t y in
No rt h C a rolin a
106 Rear
11 0 Ge n e a l o g i cal
study
11 2 A rt i c l e s a r en ’t
fo u n d i n i t
11 7 L o n d o n
t ra n s p o rt a t io n
11 9 M a rl o n B ran d o
fi l m
1 2 1 S e t fre e
1 2 2 “ C h e e rs ”
b a rt e n d e r S am
1 2 3 M o v i e d ro i d
124 Fastener
patented in 1939
125 Pivoted
1 2 6 _ _ _ -J a p a n e se
Do w n
1 A l t e rn a t i v e t o
dieting,
i n fo rm a l l y
2 “ J u s t _ _ _ !”
3 B a rt e ri n g l o cale
4 _ _ _ R o b l e s , C alif .
5 C h e c k e d (o u t )
6 Antecede
7 ___ Rose
8 Bills, e.g.
9 M o s t 1 7 -D o wn
1 0 P l a n t p o re s
11 “ Yo u m i s s e d
___”
1 2 Gro k
1 3 S i r An t h o n y
E d e n , 1 s t Ear l o f
___
1 4 P u l i t z e r w i nn er
fo r “ J o h n
B ro w n ’s B od y ”
1 5 B ro t h e r ’s p l ace
1 6 E a rl y l i fe for ms?
1 7 S e e 9 -D o wn
1 8 R e fra i n s y l l ab les
9
10
11
12
9
10
11
12
22
21
13
13
14
14
27
31
31
27
39
28
28
32
32
40
39
48
33
33
15
15
16
16
40
41
41
48
53
34
34
49
55
60
59
64
64
68
69
68
69
70
70
71
72
71
72
75
76
75
79
80
80
s ubs idiary
76
81
77
77
82
81
82
87
88
87
83
83
84
84
89
88
93
93
89
9494
9595
100
100
105
105
111
111
112
112
113 114114 115115116116
113
120
120
123
123
126
126
102 Feeling
102 Feeling
p e rv a d i n g Br at
pervading B ra t
Pack movies
Pack movi e s
1 0 4 To w e rs
104 Towers
106 Reynolds of
106“ Reynolds
B o o g i e Nigohf ts”
“Boogie N i g h t s ”
1 0 7 F ro m t h e t o p
From
the
1107
08 M
i d fi ft
h- top
108c Mid
fifth
e n t u ry
y e ar
1 0 9 century
H o fb rä u yea
h a u rs
109c Hofbräuh
aus
ro wd ?
111 crowd?
P l a c e a ft e r
p
l
a
c
e
111 Place afte r
place
5
6
7
8
9
10
21
from page 35 A
24
M in . o r max .
Win d ” b ad g u y s
9 3 Yammer
9 4 F ir st TV sh o w to
d eb u t at # 1 in
th e N ielsen
r atin g s
9 7 Ey e u p an d d o w n
9 9 D isco r d an t
1 0 0 G en er al M o to r s
su b sid iar y
Least Competent Criminals
61
63
4
D rAn
ew in elite squad of six ChiO ld - timer
nese
soldiers, performing a
S o me M . I . T.
training
ritual for a public
g r ad s
P er
audience
in Hong Kong in
K o r ea’s S y n g man
January,
stood
in a circle and
___
No. 0226 passed a satchel of live gre17
18
19
nades from man to man, count17
18
19
ing down to the expected
moment of explosion. At the
last possible second, the man
caught holding the satchel discards it, and all dive into a
hole for protection. At the
43
44
45
exhibition, according to Chi43
44
45
nese Central Television, it
56
worked out fine.
56
61
60
63
79
50
50
55
54
59
42
42
49
54
53
3
S w eets
Awesome!
Cap t. ’s su p er io r
29
29
2
11
12
22
25
January. Brothels are legal
and
27
28
regulated 30in Sydney,
and
if
31
32
33
off-books facilities are provid36
37
38
39
40
ing sex illegally, the inspector
can testify 47from first-hand 48
knowledge.)
52
53
54
• Mayor Jim
Preacher
of
the
58
59
60
town62 of Norway, 63S.C., was
pulled over by a state trooper
68
in66 January 67 for
speeding. 69 70 71
74
75
Preacher was
unable to convince the trooper79 that
80
81 his
speeding was
necessary in the
86
87
performance of a mayoral
91
92
93
duty, and their encounter
99
apparently97 ended98 bitterly. As
102
103
10
soon as101the trooper
drove104off,
the
turned
own
107 mayor
108
109 on his
110
111
blue lights, chased the
trooper
118
119
12
down and accused the trooper
of speeding. (Norway 122dis125
banded its police department
last year, and a question
Clear th e
8 8 Likthe
e so memayor 1 0 2 F eelin g
remains
whether
atmo sp h er e o f
h o u secats
p er v ad i
has
powers.)
S o d police
h o u se lo cale
P ack mo
9 1 “G o n e With th e
25
25
WEIRD
23
1 9 S en d so me
p ix x x ?
26
2 4 N etw o r k
co n n ectio n s
2 8 En v ir o n s
35
3 1 I n cap acitate
3 3 S u b ject o f th e
46
d o cu men tar y
“A n
51
U n r easo n ab le
M an ”
57
3 5 H elter- sk elter
3 6 Bar _ _ _
3 7 Cav emen
65
3 8 Blo w s u p
3 9 Ev e w h o w r o te
73
“Th e Vag in a
M o n o lo g u es”
78
4 1 H as p ar k ed
4 3 S o u th D ak o ta
85
memo r ial site
4 4 M o d er n
90
D ecemb er
b ir th sto n e
96
4 5 W h ite elep h an t,
e. g .
4 8 TiVo p r ecu r so r
106
4 9 “Eav esd r o p ”
f r o m acr o ss th e
117
r o o m, say
5 2 I t’s f elt o n th e
121
h ead
5 4 “Time _ _ _ …”
124
5 5 P o etic
p r ep o sitio n
5 8 O n ly H itch co ck
70
f ilm to w in Best
P ictu r e
6 0 M in n eso ta tw in s? 7 1
74
6 1 S o n g th at star ts
“A w in ter ’s d ay
75
in a d eep an d
77
d ar k D ecemb er ”
79
6 5 D r aw ( o ff ) : Var.
80
6 6 P r emiu m Cu b an
81
cig ar b r an d
6 8 N atio n als w h o se
83
f lag d eclar es
“G o d is No.
g r eat”02268 4
6 9 W h at ech o es d o
22
4 1 Ha s p a rk e d
South
86
4 3 S o uDakota
t h Da k o t a 85 85
86
memorial
m e m o risaite
l site
Modern
90
91
9292
4 4 M o d e rn
90
91
December
De c e m b e r
births
tone
96 96
9797
9898
99
b i rt h s t o n e
99
White
4 5 W h ielephant,
te elephant,
e. g.e . g .
101101
102
103
104
102
103
104
TiVo
precurs
4 8 Ti Vo
p re c uor
rs o r
106106107107108108
109
110
109
110
“E
4 9 aves
“ E a vdrop”
e s d ro p ”
froacros
m a c ro
ss the
from
s the
118
119
117117
118
119
ro o m
, say
room,
s ay
5 2 Itfelt
’s feon
l t othe
n the
It’s
121
122
head
121
122
head
5 4 “ Ti m
e _ _…”
_ …”
“Time
___
125
124124
125
55 Poetic
Poetic
p re pition
osition
prepos
5 8 OnHitchcock
l y Hi t c h c o c k
Only
88 Like some
0 Clear the
l m t o wi n B e s t 707Clear
88
L ike s ome
filmfi
a t m othe
s p h e re o f
P ito
c t uwin
re Bes t
housecats
atmos phere of
Picture
hous ecats
6 0 M i n n e s o t a t wi n s ? 7 1 S o d h o u s e l o c a l e
9
1
“ Go n e Wi t h t h e
hous e locale
Minnes ota twins ? 717Sod
91
“Gone
4 Min. or max.
6 1 S o n g t h a t s t a rt s
Wi n d ”With
b a d gthe
uys
or max.
Song
Wind” bad guys
“ Athat
w i nst etarts
r ’s d a y 747Min.
5 Sweets
9
3
Ya
m
m
e
r
“A iwinter
757Sweets
n a d e e’sp day
and
93
Yammer
7 C a p t . ’s s u p e ri o r
9 4 F i rs t T V s h o w t o
in ad adeep
rk Deand
c e m b e r” 77 Capt. ’s s uperior
94 Firs
7 9 Dre w i n
d e bt uTt V
a t s#how
1 i n to
December”
6dark
5 Dra
w (o ff): Va r. 79 Drew in
debut
t h e Niat
e l s#1
e n in
8 0 Ol d -t i m e r
Draw
(off):
Var.
6 6 P re m i u m C u b a n 80 Old-timer
the
ra t iNiels
n g s en
8 1 S o m e M . I. T.
Premium
c i g a r bCuban
ra n d
9 7 ratings
E y e u p a n d d o wn
81 Some
g ra dM.
s I. T.
cigar
brand
6 8 Na t i o n a l s w h o s e
97
yes cup
9 9EDi
o rdand
a n t down
8 3grads
Per
fl a g d e whos
c l a re se
Nationals
cordant
1 0Dis
0 Ge
n e ra l M o t o rs
4 Ko re a ’s S y n g m a n 99
d i s g re a t ” 838Per
flag“ Go
declares
s u b s i d i a ry
Motors
_ _ _ Syngman 100 General
6“God
9 W h is
a t great”
e c h o e s d o 84 Korea’s
I read the letter from “Heartbroken Mother,” whose daughter thinks her family will be an
embarrassment at her upscale
wedding.
I chuckled because, recently, a friend was extremely
worried about her “rough and
tumble” blue-collar family
behaving properly at her wellplanned and expensive wedding to a wonderful professional man.
Well, liquor can even the
playing field. Her family
behaved perfectly. The groom’s
upscale family, however, nearly ruined the event.
— Michigan
What echoes do
1
11 3 H o me o f th e
11 3 H o m e o f t h e
N o r te Ch ico
N o rt e C h i c o
civ ilizatio n
civilization
11 4 P ar t o f 1 0 1 11 4 Pa rt o f 1 0 1 A cr o ss
A c ro s s
11 5 Co r p . mo n ey
11ty
5 pCes
o rp . m o n e y
types
11 6 S w itch
11attach
6 Sw i men
t c h t?
a teter
t a c ed
h mpe rnaise
t?
11 8 M
Me
e re
d to
p ra
1 211
0 8Ch
ar tlo
tte- ise
1 2Raleig
0 C h a rl
t e -t o h odtir.
R a l e i g h d i r.
Not Ready for Prime Time:
(1) An unidentified man fled
and is still at large after
attempting to break into the
change machine at the Busy
Bubbles laundromat in Winter
Haven, Fla., in January. The
surveillance video showed the
man shooting at the machine
four times with a handgun, but
no money came out. (2) Two
men were arrested in Albuquerque in January after being
caught in the act of a home
burglary by a neighbor, who
called the
police. The
men were
apprehended
with various
burglarized
goodies
as
they made their
getaway in a grocery
store shopping cart.
1 0 4 To w er s
1 0 6 Rey n o l
“Bo o g ie
1 0 7 F r o m th
1 0 8 M id f if
cen tu r y
109 Hofbrä
cr o w d ?
111 P lace a
p lace
38 A
Legal
notices
LegaLs
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Notice is hereby given that
original
Letters
of
Administration for the Estate
of Sonita Juanita Harris,
Deceased, were issued on
February 21, 2012, in
Cause No. 9520, pending in
the County Court of Hardin
County, Texas, to: Brenda
Renee Taylor.
All persons having claims
against this Estate which is
currently being administered
are required to present them
to the undersigned within
the time and in the manner
prescribed by law.
Brenda Renee Taylor,
I n d e p e n d e n t
Administratratrix of the
Estate of
Sonita Juanita Harris
c/o: April C. Lindsay
Lindsay, Lindsay & Parsons
710 North 11th Street
Beaumont, Texas
77702-1502
Telephone: (409) 833-1196
Facsimile: (409) 832-7040
Dated the 27th day of
February, 2012.
April C. Lindsay
State Bar No.: 24056113
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Notice is hereby given that
original
Letters
of
Administration for the Estate
of Brenda Faye Trainer,
Deceased, were issued on
February 22, 2012, in
Cause No. 104406, pending
in the County Court of
Jefferson County, Texas, to:
Jennifer Trainer=Preston.
All persons having claims
against this Estate which is
currently being administered
are required to present them
to the undersigned within
the time and in the manner
prescribed by law.
Jennifer Trainer-Preston,
I n d e p e n d e n t
Administratratrix of the
Estate of
Brenda Faye Trainer
c/o: April C. Lindsay
Lindsay, Lindsay & Parsons
710 North 11th Street
Beaumont, Texas
77702-1502
Telephone: (409) 833-1196
Facsimile: (409) 832-7040
Dated the 27th day of
February, 2012.
April C. Lindsay
State Bar No.: 24056113
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Sealed
Request
for
Proposals (RFP) will be
received by the City Clerk of
the City of Beaumont, 801
Main Street, Room 125 until
2:00 p.m., local time,
Thursday, March 29, 2012
and all proposals will be
opened and publicly read in
the City Council Chambers
on that date for:
information may be obtained
from
the
Purchasing
Division, City Hall, 801
Main, Room 315, Beaumont,
Texas 77701, or from its
web
site.
Vendors
requesting RFP packets
should call the Purchasing
Division at (409) 880-3720
or you may download the
specifications from our
website at:
http://www.cityofbeaumont.
com/Purchasing/
purchasing_bids.htm
Proposals
shall
be
submitted to the City
Clerk’s Office, 801 Main,
Room 125, prior to the
above stated time.
The City reserves the right
to reject any or all proposals
or to accept any proposal or
combination of proposals
deemed advantageous to it.
Please make reference to
RFP Number: MF0212-21
RFP Closing Date:
March 29, 2012
Tina Broussard, TRMC
City Clerk
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Groves Chamber of
Commerce has filed the
Form 1099 and it is available
for review at 4399 Main
Avenue, Groves, Texas.
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE IS
HEREBY GIVEN
IN
ACCORDANCE
WITH THE
TERMS AND
PROVISIONS OF
THE TEXAS
ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGE
CODE THAT
W2007 BRV
TEXAS SPE LLC
HAS APPLIED
FOR A MIXED
BEVERAGE AND
ANCILLARY
PERMITS, TO BE
ISSUED TO
COURTYARD BY
MARRIOTT,
LOCATED AT
2275 IH 10
SOUTH, IN THE
CITY OF
BEAUMONT,
JEFFERSON
COUNTY,
TEXAS;
RUSSELL, III –
PRES/MGR
DAWNA
COMEAUX – VP/
MGR
Nolan, Monaca
Chapter 13
Filed 1/12/2012
Jefferson County
Gunn, Dennis L.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/13/2012
Jefferson County
Morales, Experanza
Chapter 7
Filed 1/13/2012
Jefferson County
Bankruptcies
Williams, Zachary C.
Williams, Tracy M.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/13/2012
Jefferson County
Lynne, Sharene
Chapter 13
Filed 1/2/2012
Jefferson County
Batista, Jehu N.
Batista, Carolina H.
Chapter 7
Filed 1/17/2012
Jefferson County
Lee, Susan Christine
Chapter 13
Filed 1/2/2012
Jefferson County
Aaron, Christopher
Chapter 13
Filed 1/2/2012
Jefferson County
Hill, Duane William
Chapter 13
Filed 1/2/2012
Jefferson County
Davis, Dennis Wayne
Chapter 13
Filed 1/2/2012
Orange County
Morris, David E.
Morris, Angela D.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/2/2012
Jefferson County
Jones, Rosetta
Chapter 13
Filed 1/2/2012
Jefferson County
Stites, Richard Ray
Chapter 13
Filed 1/2/2012
Orange County
Johnson III,Junius R.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/3/2012
Orange County
Luciano, Leeda M.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/3/2012
Jefferson County
Wright, Jessie L.
Wright, Lorene
Chapter 13
Filed 1/3/2012
Orange County
Lewis, Lionel C.
Lewis, Laurie O.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/18/2012
Orange County
Spears, Jan E.
Chapter 7
Filed 1/19/2012
Hardin County
Fruge, Norma L.
Chapter 7
Filed 1/19/2012
Jefferson County
Randall, Thomas R.
Parfait-Randall,Patricia J.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/19/2012
Piert,Marion L.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/20/2012
Jefferson County
DeHerrera, Calvin D.
DeHerrera, Kristie L.
Chapter 7
Filed 1/20/2012
Hardin County
Charmain, Tonya
Chapter 13
Filed 1/20/2012
Jefferson County
Barron, Sheelagh M.
Chapter 7
Filed 1/20/2012
Orange County
Guillory, Mary Ann
Chapter 13
Filed 1/20/2012
Jefferson County
Alston, Joan
Chapter 7
Filed 1/23/2012
Jefferson County
Cole, Cassie L.
Chapter 7
Filed 1/4/2012
Jefferson County
Jones, Mildred Y.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/25/2012
Jefferson County
Jacobs, Dale Renee
Chapter 7
Filed 1/5/2012
Jefferson County
Shepherd, Jesse E.
Shepherd, Shirley A.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/30/2012
Orange County
Chaney, Dawndre R.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/5/2012
Jefferson County
Dixon, Vera Denise
Chapter 13
Filed 1/9/2012
Jefferson County
Price, Eric G.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/12/2012
Jefferson County
W2007 BRV
TEXAS SPE LLC
Mayberry, Alice G
Chapter 13
Filed 1/12/2012
Hardin County
RFP for Online Benefits
Enrollment System
DALE TURNERVP/SECY/AT/
MGR
RFP forms, specifications
and
all
necessary
CARSON
LeBlanc, Jeffrey
LeBlanc, Lacy J
Chapter 13
Filed 1/12/2012
Orange County
Jasso, Benito
Granger, Deborah A.
Chapter 13
Filed 1/30/2012
Jefferson County
Assumed
Names
Hardin County
Stephens, William E
Stephens, Maria I
Dba Natural Soaps N
Sundries
PO Box 13
Sourlake, TX 77659
Filed 12/02/2011 cert no
9841
Domino, Karyn
Dba Karyn Domino Studio D
Main Street Suite 622
Lumberton, TX 77657
9842
Spradley, Deane
Dba Curvy Couture
1615 MO DR
Lumberton, TX 77657
9843
Jones, Amanda
Dba Lone Star Family
Health Cli
1494 Robinson RD.
Silsbee, TX 77656
9844
Cole,William F
Dba B.C. Consulting
139 Willow Bend
Silsbee, TX 77656
9845
Everett, Richard W
Everett, Kim
Dba B&K Trucking
17197 Guidry Cemetery RD
Batson, TX 77519
9846
Sligar, Perry
Dba Dippity’s
900 S Main Suite 948
Lumberton, TX 77657
9847
Newsom, David
DCN Investments
Dba Baby Smooch
2709 Oak Hollow Circle
Kountze, TX 77625
9848
Dennis, Carl Dexter
Dba Carls Home Repair
and Remod
17363 Roadway
Sour Lake, TX 77659
9849
Alfaro JR, Pete R
Dba Golden Triangle
Concealed H
137 Glenshire Street
Lumberton, TX 77657
9850
Nguyen, Suoi
Dba SV Nails Spa
213 S Main ST
Lumberton, TX 77657
9851
Tweedel, Terry
Dba T.A.T. Trucking 5494
Timberwolf
Lumberton, TX 77657
9852
Rowe, James W.
Dba Freedom USA
Merchant Service
4775 Old Evadale RD.
Silsbee, TX 77656
9853
Booker, Phyllis
Dba PPS-Services
Professional P
111 Wade Street
Silsbee, TX 77656
9854
Rowe, James W
Dba Capital Bankcard
4775 Old Evadale RD
Silsbee, TX 77656
9855
McCarty, Roger
Shackelford, Derold
Dba Chrome Illusions
114 Kendrick
Lumberton, TX 77657
9856
Smith, Alicia
Dba Bella Décor
5745 Springfield Circle S.
Lumberton, TX 77657
9857
Malone, Tresha
Dba Street Sweets
3622 Ironwood DR
Kountze, TX 77625
9858
Weatherton, Stacy
Dba This-N-That Resale
507 N LHS DR
Lumberton, TX 77657
9859
Fracht, Mattew
Dba Texstream Resources
1026 Pinewood BLVD
Sour Lake, TX 77659
9860
Kersh, James
Dba KNS
7695 S Boardwork
Lumberton, TX 77657
9861
Orange County
Verde, Damien
Verde, Christina
Dba Straight Up Nutrition
1073 N. Main Street,
Pavilion Plaza
Vidor, TX 77662
16762
Gauthier, Aaron D.
Dba Red Goat
1208 Edwards ST
Houston, TX 77007
16763
Roux, Jack
Dba Jack Roux Foundation
PO Box 921
Orange, TX 77631
16764
Jones, James R
Dba Texas Star
3150 N. Main ST
Vidor, TX 77662
16765
Gilbeaux, Richard
Dba CustomTowing
16527 HWY 62 South
Orange, TX 77630
16766
Dowell, Jason
Dba Dowell Transportation
280 Hebert ST
Vidor, TX 77662
16767
Melancon, Russell
Russell Melancon New &
Old Car
8550 Lob Lolly Road
Orange, TX 77632
16768
Sylestine, Terry L
Dba Sylestine
2239 S Duhon
Orange, TX 77632
16769
Cowart, Lloyd
Dba Lloyd’s Safe & Lock
707 W Cherry Ave.
Orange, TX 77630
16770
Williams, Paige
Dba Big Bang Fireworks
5145 Daniel Circle
Orange, TX 77630
16771
Lovall, Derrian
Dba Hey Young World
8618 Brookwulf
Houston, TX 77099
16772
White, Terry T
Dba Kingdom Connection
Sand and Gravel
534 BAronkeel Road
Deridder, LA 70634
16773
Gann, Tonia
Dba Tonia Gann
Photography
330 Walden RD
Vidor, TX 77662
16774
White, Terry
Dba God’s House of Glory
1220 Dupont Drive
Orange, TX 77630
16775
585 East Interstate 10
Vidor, TX 77662
16791
Karunanith-Jacob, A. Joy
Dba C&E’s Let’s Party/
Joyful Occasions Rentals
2309 MacArthur Drive
Orange, TX 77630
16792
Jefferson County
Taliaferro, Aletha
Dba Essentials Unlimited
PO Box 2
Mauriceville, TX 77626
16777
Avery, Yolanda
Dba Nan’s Dance
5410 Avie Lane
Beaumont, TX 77708
Filed 12/30/2011 cert
no80428
Sepalnado, Robert
Dba Robert’s Truck Farm
414 Dayton St
West Orange, TX 77630
16778
Dugas, Bobbie
Dba Dugas Miller Property
Management
1151 Boston Avenue
Nederland, TX 77627
80430
Castellanos, Christian
Dba Southeast Texas CNC
282 Yupon St
Vidor, TX 77662
16779
AlamSharif, Amatur
Dba Sunmart 363
333 Lutcher DR
Orange, TX 77632
16780
Shah,Tajamal
Dba TJ’s ATM
2605 Waterford Way
Vidor, TX 77662
16781
Wallace, Charlene
Dba Tin Top Farm
4078 Tin Top Arena RD
Orange, TX 77632
16782
Sung, Muyheng
Dba Happy Donuts
985 W Round Bunch RD
Bridge City, TX 77611
16783
Murphy, Carmen
Dba Stark Smart
Investments
575 South I-10
Beaumont, TX 77701
80431
Polito, Christopher
Dba Mu Shu Skate Shop
6155 Eastex FRWY
Suite B206-A
Beaumont, TX 77706
80432
Flatten, Gerald
Dba Rienstra Dowell &
Flatten
5955 Ventura LN
Beaumont, TX 77706
80433
Jones, David R
Dba Spine and Sports
Medical Center
610 Strickland DR
Suite 320
Orange, TX 77630
80434
Shelton, Seth
Dba Coupique Farms
3901 Thompson RD
Sulphor, LA 70665
16784
Vincet, Barbara Jean
Dba Cooks Lake RD Flea
Market
4689 69 South
Lumberton, TX 77657
80435
Gallatin, Raymond Ralph
Dba South East Texas PC
Experts
2929 Clark Circle
Orange, TX 77632
16785
Taylor, James T
Taylor, Elizabeth Ann
Dba Taylor Enterprises
5790 Viking Drive
Beaumont, TX 77706
80436
Parsley, Card R.
Dba C and D Farms
7714 N.Linscomb Road
Vidor, TX 77662
no16786
Paschal, Fatiha Veronica
L
Dba One Corner at A Time
Wellness Group
3436 Fannin ST
Beaumont, TX 77701
80437
Perkins, Clint
Dba Affordable Air
Solutions
191 Lafitte
Bridge City, TX 77611
no16787
Woolwine, Darla
Dba Gold Star Cleaning
Service
4421 West Edgar Street
Orange, TX 77630
16788
Branum, WW
Dba B&B Farms
5980 Rebel Road
Vidor, TX 77662
16789
Shah, Kashif
Dba Vidor Superette #2
2410 North Main Street
Vidor, TX 77662
16790
Nolan, Joel T.
Dba Nolan’s Food Store
Breaux, Crystal
Dba Your Fitness Designer
311 Tyler
Lumberton, TX 77657
80438
Gutierrez, Adriana
Dba Infity Hair Salon
219 N Twin City Hwy
Nederland, TX 77627
80439
Randle, Diane L
Dba Randle & Associates
Tax Services
2365 McFaddin Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
80440
Smith,Christie
Dba Edges
4260 Highland AVE
Beaumont, TX 77705
80441
HENLEY
from page 33 A
39 A
vince Dixie and Steve that Jim did
not purposely leave that message for
them to help cheer them after his
death. His wife Rhea said she remembered the stickers, shirts and other
objects with the same writing on
them being given out at church. “Jim
loved that hope,” she said. “He had
been in real estate for years, but these
past two years had been rough. The
economy and the market in Chattanooga was down and he was struggling, so he put that logo everywhere
he spent time to remind him that
things would work out because God
is in control.
I have no way of knowing what
any of our readers
might be dealing
with today as I write
this column, but I
do know that somehow, some way,
things will work
out for each of us if
we put our faith and
trust in God, our
creator and keeper. I do know several
that are in the fight of their lives with
cancer, others who have chemotherapy treatments scheduled, surgeries,
family issues, financial frights, loss
of jobs, and hurting children. I know
folks who are struggling to pay the
month’s bills and do not know where
the next groceries will come from to
their home. God knows, and He is in
control. Trust Him and everything
will work out. It might not be exactly
as you planned it, but things can happen that we cannot foresee. I am so
grateful that we planned that reunion,
drove to Georgia, and that we got to
spend time with Jim who went to
heaven only two weeks later. God
bless his family and all those who are
hurting today.
Jim’s lifeless body was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Everyone
was simply stunned.
As far as everyone knew, Jim was
healthy, worked every day at his busy
office, took part in so many activities, and was such an outgoing,
friendly, fun guy, with a smile on his
face always. He called his mother
every day of the year to check on her
and often cooked meals to share with
his family.
His lovely wife, Rhea, and stunning teenage daughter, Madison,
were in states of shock.
No one could quite
register the news.
Jim’s
younger
brother,
Steve,
could not come to
grips with what he
had been told in the
early hours but rallied and was great support for the
entire family. Jim had suffered a
major coronary and died instantly,
the family was told.
Funeral arrangements were made
at his home church and on the night
of Jim’s visitation, more than 600
people filed through the funeral home
to offer respect and condolences. It
fell to Steve and Dixie to clean out
Jim’s real estate office a few days following the burial. Upon entering the
office, the first thing that caught their
eye was a bright pink sign with the
letters “igbok” Steve asked his mom,
“What does that mean?” Each made a
guess and later confirmed that it was
a sticker given out by Jim’s home
church offering hope to those who
read it. “It’s gonna be OK.” “Whatever happens,” according to the
designer, “God is in control and it is
Brenda Cannon Henley can be
going to be all right.”
reached at (409) 781-8788 or at brendaYou’ll never in this lifetime con- [email protected].
RIGHTS
from page 32 A
developing area of law, your
rights basically depend on
whether you have a contract. If
you have an agreement with
your employer regarding vacation and severance pay, the
employer must live up to its
side of the deal. On the other
hand, if nothing was said about
vacation pay or severance pay,
you are considered an “employee at will” and can be fired or
laid off at any time. There is no
legal requirement that an
employer give an employee
vacation or severance pay.
Jefferson County Grand Jury
BEAUMONT CRIME STOPPERS
Crime of the week
This week, Beaumont Crime Stoppers needs
help locating Caleb Wayne Broussard.
Broussard is an 18-year-old black male with
two outstanding aggravated robbery warrants.
He is accused of robbing two elderly ladies at
gunpoint in front of their residence in the Old
Town neighborhood of Beaumont, taking their
purses. Broussard is considered armed and
dangerous, and he is a suspect in other felony
crimes in Beaumont. Caleb is 6-foot-3, 165
pounds and is from Beaumont.
Anyone with information about where
Broussard can be located is asked to contact
Beaumont Crime Stoppers at (409) 833-TIPS,
visit www.BeaumontCrimeStoppers.com or
text BMT plus the tip to CRIMES. All tips are
anonymous and could be eligible for a cash
reward of up to $1,000.
Port Neches Police
weekly activity log
FEBRUARY
21-27, 2012
Feb. 21
• Officer investigated a
report of a dangerous
dog in the 2000 block of
11th Street.
report of information in
the 1000 block of Van.
subject in the
2700 block of Nall
for public intoxication.
report of identity theft in
the 2500 block of 11th
Street.
Feb. 22
report of identity theft in
the 2700 block of Miller.
Feb. 25
• Officer arrested a female
subject for public intoxication in the 3100 block
of Greenwillow.
Feb. 23
Feb. 26
report of a barking dog in • Officer arrested a male
subject for public intoxithe 1900 block of 19th
cation in the 2700 block
Street.
of Merriman.
Feb. 24
• Officer arrested a male
report of telephone
January Term, 2012
harassment in the 700
block of Avenue B.
subject in the 2400 block
of 10th Street on warrants
from another agency.
• Officer arrested a female
of Port Neches Avenue
for warrants from another
agency.
Feb. 27
of Merriman for disorderly conduct.
report of disorderly conduct in the 2000 block of
11th Street.
Criminal District Court
Cases indicted by the grand jury on Feb. 23, 2012
Indict.
12-13567
12-13568
12-13569
12-13570
12-13571
12-13575
12-13577
12-13578
12-13580
12-13581
12-13582
12-13583
12-13584
12-13586
Defendant
Terrance Lynn Prince
Kristina Renea Palmer
John Toby Abbott
Joshua Dylan Dewees
Thomas C. Ainsworth
Amanda Joyce Blackwell
Miguel Angel Castro
James Covarrubia
Richard Charles Edwards Jr.
Melinda Egland
Gary Stephen Engel
Thelma Kay Gilbert
Michael Jamar Jones
Reginald James McBride
Birth date
10-12-81
05-07-82
04-26-71
11-12-92
11-03-81
07-09-85
09-26-81
08-19-93
04-01-70
02-21-91
10-09-58
12-03-79
03-02-84
09-26-73
Charge
Robbery-Aggravated
Robbery-Aggravated
Theft SJ*
Theft SJ
Assault-Family-Felony
DWI w/ Child Passenger SJ
DWI w/ Child Passenger SJ
Poss Of Prohibited Weapon
Burg-Building SJ
Credit/Debit Card Abuse SJ
Burg-Building SJ
Credit/Debit Card Abuse SJ
Evading Detent-Mv Prv Conv
Burg-Building SJ
Indict.
12-13587
12-13588
12-13589
12-13591
12-13594
12-13595
12-13598
12-13599
12-13600
12-13603
12-13604
12-13606
12-13607
Defendant
Birth date
Mikael McGee
12-13-91
Tryon Moates McInnis
08-06-60
Mark Anthony Jakobi Newell 01-11-95
Charles Snyder
07-05-55
Travis Wade Ralls
06-26-58
Travis Wade Ralls
06-26-58
Paul Edward Westbrooks Jr. 06-25-92
Malachi Lloyd Sparks Wright04-24-93
Joseph Issac Breaux
08-08-94
Lakisha Annette Harrell
03-23-84
Jalisa Monae Harry
06-05-90
Raheem Rashaw Winn
03-14-94
Raheem Rashaw Winn
03-14-94
Charge
Burg-Building SJ
DWI/3rd
Robbery
Forgery SJ
Assault-Aggravated
Assault-Aggravated
Evading Arr/Det Prv Conv SJ
Burglary-Habitation
Poss C/S Pen Grp 1 SJ
Theft From Person SJ
Theft From Person SJ
*SJ = state jail felony
An indictment is not an indication of guilt or innocence; it’s only a step in the criminal justice
process that allows a case to go forward to trial.
The Examiner • March 1-7, 2012
795 Willow
Beaumont, TX 77701
Change Service Requested
MORE GOING FOR
Life today means packed schedules, changing balances, busy families
and unscheduled financial needs. But armed with a CommunityBank
account and your favorite mobile phone, you can meet the challenges
24/7/365. Check your balance, transfer funds, pay bills, move money
and more on your phone and on your schedule. Mobility on your
account is what makes CommunityBank better.
bank
green with paperless eStatements.
Sign up online today.
communitybankoftx.com

Superintendent Thomas` explanation of Central High

Transcription

Similar documents

your tax return and save a tree.

CCA STAR tourney starts May 25

FYI Beaumont_Oct2014

Student filmmaker suspended for post, bus driver

South East Texas Transit

BISD official stories contradict in ongoing audit

Declaration of Douglas M. Brooks in Support of Motion for

english - Sunpan

Q:\MDL 2179\Special Master\MDL 2179 Order re Appoint Louis

Bandit News - École Secondaire Beaumont Composite High School