61.11 Howe Enterprise July 24, 2023

Grayson Publishing, LLC

© 2023 The Howe Enterprise

Volume 61, Edition 11, Monday, July 24, 2023 Howe Middle School’s Meet the Teacher Night is Monday, August 14 for seventh and eighth grade at 6:30-8:00. Sixth Grade Orientation (two sessions) will be at 5:30 or 6:15 at the cafeteria. ***** At the Howe Community Pep Rally on Aug. 19 at 7:30, the 1998 Howe Bulldogs team members and coaches will be recognized and honored on their 25th anniversary.

Their 28-14 win over Pilot Point in bi-district at Denton is still one of the most remembered games in school history. Those already confirmed to be in attendance will be Head Coach Davey DuBose, Josh DuBose, and Nathanael Falls.

Many more are expected. ***** The community brush pile at the end of E. Davis Street will be closed to the public on Monday, July 24 as the Howe Fire Department will perform a controlled burn of the existing brush piles and participate in training exercises. ***** Starting in August, city council meetings will now have microphones for the mayor, council members, and podium.

EDITOR’S NOTE—This column is reserved as an editorial column and may not necessarily reflect the policy of this publication.

INSIDE

Howe Fire Department, pg. 6 School board update, pg. 7 Hot Jobs, pg. 7 Jessie Brown Agency, pg. 8 Reagan McKinney, pg. 8 Back to School, pg. 9 KHB meets mayor, pg. 11 Local Churches, pg. 12 History/Christian, pg. 13 Patriot Pony, pg. 14-15 Chamber Members, pg. 16 Past front pages, 17-24

READERSHIP Jan. 1 - July 22, 2023 Impressions: 151,437 Reads: 28,380 Data—Issu.com Photo views—4,143,205

Mayor releases statement From the Mayor's Office: On Friday I, Mayor Karla McDonald, filed multiple amended formal written complaints based on months of investigations, reviews of public records, and written and oral citizen complaints into the conduct of multiple municipal officers of the City of Howe. As Mayor it is my duty to see that the law is properly followed by our city officials. Section

22.042 of the Texas Local Government Code states Mayor that, in Karla our McDonald strongmayor form of government, “(a) The mayor is the chief executive officer of the municipality. The mayor shall at all times actively ensure that the (Continued on page 8)

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Abby’s Eighth grade band program Restaurant claims state championship to be closed the month of August

Due to a surgery to the owner Lilly Avilla, the popular home cooking downtown restaurant will be closed for the month of August.

Howe ISD Band Directors (L-R) David Bilyeau, Angie Liss, and Julie Cook. Brandon Manuel (not pictured. Courtesy photo.

The Howe Middle School Eighth Grade Band was named state champion in the Outstanding Performance series with their submis-

sion of David Holsinger's, "The Cluster, Fluster, Bluster March".

One small step for the City of Howe; One giant leap for the Howe EDC Mayor saga continues at In the shadows of the political standoff between the old regime and the new

By Ashley regime at Husbands the City of Howe, one battle was won that will have a monumental impact on the future of the 151-year-old city. In a unanimous vote, the city council approved new board members Dana Nixon, Janie Finney, Clay Wilson, and Kevin Crosson to the Howe Community Facilities Development Corporation (HCFDC), known simply as the economic development board. The previous administration had let all board members’ terms expire which left the corporation without any board members and only a director who has had no oversight over the budget or expenditures, or a say so in the way the city uses the economic development funds.

(Continued on page 10)

Tuesday’s council meeting

The Howe City Council at Tuesday night’s meeting at Summit Gardens. Enterprise photo.

Howe Public Works repairs water leak on FM 902

A live water leak to a faulty pipe joint on a sixinch water main along the 100 block of E. FM 902 was fully completed as of 3 pm Monday.

Some residents along the area were without water service from 8 am until the completion. Crews will be monitoring pressure and disinfectant residual levels and following its TCEQcompliant Pressure Loss Procedure Manual dur(Continued on page 2) ing repairs.

City of Howe Public Works Director Mickey Phillips tries to fight the water pressure from the pipe. Courtesy photo.

Attorney Micah Belden addressed the city council Tuesday at the monthly meeting. Enterprise photo.

In the city with the highest elevation from the Red River to the Gulf of Mexico along the rail line, the peak of local political drama hopefully will see resolution soon.

But if Tuesday’s city council meeting is any indication, the train might be climbing Howe hill for a little bit longer.

Just as the city council and mayor entered executive session behind closed doors, Howe Police Sergeant Keith

Milks made his way to the KXII-TV reporter in a conversation that lasted nearly the entire 30minute session. Later that night Milks was quoted on the news as saying the Howe PD couldn’t comment on a “criminal” investigation.

Meanwhile McDonald’s attorney Micah Belden says there’s no evidence of any criminal investigation that he knows of.

“Mayor McDonald was called to the Howe Po(Continued on page 3)

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EDC board (Continued from page 1)

Monte Walker, the economic development director says that the previous board was selected by the previous mayors and approved by previous councils and he was never made aware of the board meetings and never was asked for input for the economic development budget.

“We are now heading in a direction that all other EDCs (economic development corporations) operate and how the citizens that voted the corporation into existence in 1996 expected they were getting,” said Walker. “Tonight was a big win for the newly elected city council and mayor on getting control of how the use of funds will be invested and will begin the process of allowing for planning and development that benefits the citizens of Howe.”

Walker said that the nine years as economic development director have been difficult as he’s had no insight into the spending that the city has been using the EDC funds for.

“Mayor McDonald and the council allowed me to choose these board members which is a strong indication that we are correcting an ongoing problem with how this budget has been set and approved,” said Walker The current bylaws state that the qualifications of board members are such that require participants to reside within the corporate boundaries of the city limits. Walker wants to amend the bylaws to match the Texas EDC qualifications to allow Type B EDC board members that reside outside of the corporate boundaries for cities with a population under 20,000. The four new board members will undertake a review of the bylaws and make those adjustments. It is expected that a slew of seven new board members will then be taken in front of the city council in August for approval and a true budget will then be adopted by the HCFDC board and taken for approval by the city council. This assures that the citizens will have their economic development funds spent in accordance as outlined by the State of Texas and that the funds will no longer be transferred to the city as “just in case funds” which was previously told to the council by City Administrator Jeff Stanley during last year’s budget approval.

Monte Walker, Director of Economic Development

“There’s a lot going on during this transition period and this was a small item on the agenda, but it’s a monumental win for the citizens and future of Howe,” said Walker. “The four that were chosen to serve that live in the corporate boundaries have a vested interest in the future of the city and if they don’t serve on this future board, they are quality candidates to move to P&Z (Planning & Zoning Commission board) if they have a desired interest.”

One of the budget items Walker will push for is an updating of the city’s comprehensive plan which was last updated in 2010.

“The city has some challenges in regard to infrastructure that the EDC can continue to support such as water expenses. I certainly don’t want to take away necessary funds from those areas, but it will allow for the city to operate on a clearer budget for those expenditures moving forward.”

Walker initially put forth seven board members for council approval in the June city council meeting but was instructed by Councilwoman Sarah Myrick that the HCFDC board would have to update the bylaws before moving forward. The approval of the four new members creates a quorum that will then address that situation as well as work towards a new budget.

Walker expects the budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year to be in the neighborhood of $138,000. The income of the HDFDC for this year is currently $127,704 with an additional $24,000 expected in the final two months.

“This is one small step for the City of Howe, but one giant leap for the EDC,” said Walker.

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City Council (Continued from page 1)

lice Station on June 2 under false pretenses,” said Belden in a written statement that went on to say, “She wasn’t charged with any crime and there was no active investigation as of a few weeks ago.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Belden spoke to the council and pleaded for them to them to investigate the ongoing city matters.

“It’s very important for this board to fully investigate. Everybody is entitled to due process, every officer is entitled to due process—a fair investigation, a fair finding of the facts. “When you’re sitting as a city council, you have full investigatory powers,” said Belden who told the council that he was the first person to report the incident with Mayor McDonald to the Texas Rangers to his knowledge.

Belden went on to say there is no active criminal investigation of McDonald as he has reached out to the District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Rangers for clarification.

“I don’t believe anyone is under criminal investigation,” said Belden. “It sounds like this is an internal city matter and it sounds like the facts of the case are internal city matters.”

Belden said that the allegation against Mayor McDonald is that she viewed an internal document of the Howe PD

that was accessible to anyone with a City of Howe email address.

“Whether it (the document) should have been viewable is an internal city matter,” said Belden. “There’s no crime for accessing confidential documents. That’s not a crime. I can’t think of any other crime that could be alleged. If people are going to be whistleblowers, I would like to know what actual crime is being alleged because I’m board certified in criminal law and I’m not aware of any from the fact patterns that I know of.”

Belden said there is video of the interrogation of Mayor McDonald that belongs to the city and that the council, as the governing body of the city, has final power over whether the video can be released.

“If you do any investigations, I would just beg you all to look at it and look at the other matters that were brought up,” said Belden. “Nobody likes these disputes in small towns where we’re all friends and neighbors and do business together. But it’s part of the job.”

Earlier in the meeting, Howe citizen Ken Svoboda addressed the council with a complaint about a March 13 water improvement project that affected his property on the 100 block of E. Young Street. He stated the improvements were intended to flush out water lines in order to fix the problems citizens were experiencing.

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City Council (Continued from page 3)

“While I’m sympathetic towards people who are receiving unclean water, the improvement that was made has damaged my property,” said Svoboda.

“The machines that were used to install said improvement has caused massive damage to my landscaping and the improvement itself has caused countless gallons of water to flood my back yard, destroy my grass, and kill my landscaping.”

Svoboda said he has attempted to contact the city multiple times in order to find a resolution and has yet to have a solution. He said he has contacted the city administrator multiple times via email and phone and in person prior before submitting a formal complaint on June 27.

“June 3 was the date of my wife’s baby shower and as a result of the damage to my property, I could not hold my wife’s own baby shower at my property and had to rent out this very venue (Summit Gardens),” said Svoboda. “I had to pay an undue price to host a baby shower for my wife because of the damage done.”

Svoboda says that he has been told numerous times to continue to wait for a work order and felt that four months is long enough for a resolution.

Moments later, Laurel Troxtell of Smith Road spoke in concern of traffic around the Summit Hill area.

“You’re not going to be able to get up and down it at all,” said Troxtell concerning the new addition of the Noble Ridge development. “We really need to discuss what we’re going to do about the traffic down Summit Hill (Parkway).

She encouraged the council members to drive along Smith Road and said the recent rain took a layer off of the top of the road and is concerned about buses traveling the road and the structure of the bridge. She suggested additional access for the new housing addition other than James Road and Summit Hill Parkway.

The final agenda item saw Debbie Nicholas voice a complaint about the city’s delay on a project at her home of 300 Tiffany Court.

She displayed a letter she sent to City Administrator Jeff Stanley on July 4 in which she copied it to the Texas Municipal League about her concerns.

According to Nicholas, after a discussion between she and Stanley, it was agreed upon that the city would do repairs to her property during the week of the April council meeting.

© 2023 The Howe Enterprise

“Nothing was done, but the council meeting for April was over,” said Nicholas who then requested to be on the May agenda which she says was totally ignored. “Just because you ignore me doesn't mean these problems go away. These were and still are the responsibility of the City of Howe to fix and maintain.”

Nicholas said she was told by Stanley that the city has no money for repairs even though being responsible.

“You stated (addressing Stanley) there is only enough to keep up repairs on the city streets. That is not my problem,” said Nicholas. “You are not even living up to that. The condition of our town is deplorable to say the least. We pay our taxes as do all homeowners in Howe.”

She then listed the items she requested to have fixed which included a water leak in her front yard quite some of time ago that left holes in the yard that need to be filled in. She said the ground has washed out and is causing the sidewalk to sink.

“The curb in front of our house is a crumbled mess and needs to be fixed. I have a 94-year-old father and a 92year-old mother-in-law that cannot visit because they cannot get up on the sidewalk,” said Nicholas who became visibly emotional. “I’m not asking for a million dollars. I’m just asking for my yard to be fixed. My dad has not been to my house since COVID because he can’t get up on my sidewalk.

This is a family thing. I want him to come to my home.

Councilman Joe Shephard spoke up and said the council meeting was not the forum to lodge a formal complaint against the city administrator.

“If the mayor is okay, I will personally talk to the city manager in the next couple of days to discuss your issue,” said Shephard. “I’m not promising your problem will be solved this week or next week, but I will tell you that you will be contacted.”

Nicholas also requested a copy of the city charter which Shephard said she would get a copy.

In departmental reports, Stanley reported that utility billing account number was 1,243 for a total of $205,016.

The court revenue was $20,787. He said there are three major developments that are active including Noble Ridge, Ponderosa Point, and Saddleback along with a 10-acre project.

He said the sewer project was a bigger project than expected because of a collapsed sewer line on one end and the gas company working on a project on the other end of the street. He stated a contractor repaired the collapsed line because the city didn’t have the equipment for the repair. About 60 to 70 feet of line was replaced. He said it would take quite some time to replace the road due to settling of the ground from the line being 25-foot deep in the ground. Asphalt on the road could go down after a month.

Councilman Billie Ingram suggested to post on the city website when a project was completed.

Code Enforcement Director Benjamin Fuhr reported for June that there were 14 courtesy letters for code violations that were mailed, and 22 tags were placed. There were two verbal warnings, and 16 code violations were (Continued on page 5)

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City Council (Continued from page 4)

option.

made and corrected by phone call.

Three were code violations made and corrected by email. Two in-person meetings were held to correct code violations. Three permits were signed off and completed. Three freedom of information requests were submitted and completed, and one code violation transferred to Bureau Veritas for a total of 66 violations.

Summit Gardens has grossed $7,785 so far in 2023. He gave an update that the chamber has 18 new members in 2023 and the next Howe Hump Day is Aug. 2 at Independent Financial. The chamber and HIT Roofing & Exteriors will also host an Ice Cream Social on Thursday, Aug. 3 at 6:30 at Summit Gardens. He reported that the porch was completed at Summit Gardens and that the donations from businesses to replace the Memorial Park fence will be completed by the end of the week (which was completed on Friday).

He stated that the fence repair at Pradera (mobile home park) will include a white nylon six-foot fence from one end to the other along Highway 5 and open an entryway to that thoroughfare.

He reminded citizens that all inground, above ground pools, spas, and hot tubs require a permit.

The Economic Development Director stated that the sales tax for July was $49,521 of which $12,381 belongs to the Howe Community Facilities Development Corporation (HCFDC).

The fiscal year totals $510,817 which $127,704 for the HCFDC. Another $100,000 is expected in the next two months of the fiscal year. He had a meeting with a home developer, but the lack of sewer capacity shut down conversations. He had a discussion with a real estate broker about a possible hospitality business and again said the lack of sewer capacity would thwart any immediate decision, however, this project could be a long term

Howe Police Chief Carl Hudman reported 175 calls for service, generated 21 reports, made two felony arrests, one misdemeanor arrest, issued 27 citations, and responded to 15 vehicle accidents.

Public Works Director Mickey Phillips reported 104 service orders for 97.5 hours of work performed of which 64 were for water, 20 hours for sewer, 10 hours towards streets, and 3.5 hours of miscellaneous tasks. He readdressed the sewer project on O’Connell Street.

He addressed the flushing of the lines that are taking place that appears to be wasteful but is necessary to improve the water quality.

The council made no decision after returning from executive session after 30 minutes.

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July 24, 2023

Council discusses fire insurance program and Bicentennial Park repairs Councilman Billie Ingram made it a point to discuss the repairs at Bicentennial Park which house the baseball fields known as Hash Field and North Field.

Ingram said that he would like to see bids made for the repairs to the fence at North Field that was pushed over during the most recent storm. Also, a light pole was blown over and currently rests near first base at Hash Field.

Some of the property near Bicentennial Park is not city owned, however, all of the damaged portions are well within the city-owned territory.

Councilman Joe Shephard made a motion to get the bid process which was second by Ingram. It was approved unanimously.

Also on the agenda was an ordinance change that would establish and implement a program to charge mitigation rates for the deployment of emergency and non-emergency services by the Howe Volunteer Fire Department for services provided rendered for the department.

Scotty Harris, from the audience, wanted greater detail of the ordinance in which Fire Chief Robert Maniet said that it would allow the fire department to bill insurance companies without billing individuals for car wrecks, hazardous material cleanups, structure fires, grass fires, etc.

“It doesn’t cost the city anything. Basically, we fill out the report and send it in and if they’re able to collect some money from the insurance, they’ll take a cut and they’ll send us some,” said Maniet. “If there is no insurance, it’s just another fire report and we deem it as a public assist.”

Harris then questioned whether the service would be exempt to citizens inside the city which Maniet replied that all calls would be subject.

The motion carried unopposed.

The Howe Fire Department also agreed to enter an emergency services agreement with Emergicon, LLC regarding the item. Emergicon is a billing company used by numerous fire departments in Texas according to Maniet.

Councilwoman Myrick abstained and Billy Ingram denied the motion due to a contract not being signed by both parties, however, the motion carried 32.

“This is preparation for us to get everything set up through our computer software that we’re working on. That way when day one hits, we’re ready to roll,” said Maniet.

The council then approved another agreement with Emergicon, LLC with a the motion carrying 3-0 with Ingram and Myrick abstaining from the vote once again due to contracts not being signed.

A personal service agreement was approved for Malachi Development for a housing subdivision along Ponderosa Road near Bethel Baptist Church.

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July 24, 2023

School Board meets The Howe ISD Board of Trustees met Monday where deep-throated Superintendent Kevin Wilson, sporting a summer cold, gave an update that he has received resignations from Billy Dusenberry and Teresa Upchurch. He has hired five staff members including John Anderson—ag teacher, Michelle Davis—intermediate schoolteacher, Brandon Ozuna—police officer for Summit Hill Elementary, Natalie Gomez—special ed aide, and Brittany Williams—intermediate school cafeteria. Four positions are still posted which include another cafeteria worker, maintenance worker, intermediate school aide, and high school special ed teacher.

There were two purchases which were air conditioning cooler in the kitchen at the middle school at $26,000, and the annual software package for student services and business for $42,800 which is an annual expenditure.

Business Manager Julie Snapp reported that the last month of the fiscal year showed over $1,000,000 in CDs. Total cash in investments available is $5,023,905. The general operating fund showed revenues of $15,595,883 and expenditures were $14,572,148.

The board then moved to adopt a resolution to identify hazardous conditions and areas for student transportation.

Wilson said the district receives funding from the state for students that live more than two miles from their campus. He stated there is an avenue to transport the students within that circle of campuses if the districts designate a path. Wilson would not recommend students walking along the access roads or FM 902 due to the small shoulders. The northern portion of Highway 5 doesn’t have sidewalks and Wilson considers crossing the railroad tracks dangerous.

“This allows us to get partial funding for our town routes,” said Wilson.

The board also adopted a 2023-24 Professional Development Plan which is a requirement that began last year. The district is to satisfy all the professional development topics that are included in the Texas Education Agency (TEA) clearing house which includes suicide prevention, conflict resolution, UIL safety training for coaches, sexual

a

abuse and sex trafficking and other maltreatment of children, trauma informed care, and opioid antagonists such as trained nurses and police officers.

The board apHowe ISD proved a PACE Purchasing Coop- Superintendent erative Resolution. Kevin Wilson It allows for price breaks and an opening for more vendors. It does not have anything to do with picante sauce that Middle School Principal Clay Wilson was curious about.

The principals gave an update on the District Handbooks. Clay Wilson said the principals met in June to go through the changes which were minimal. Major changes include CTE endorsements which include nursing to reflect the new nursing program that is being installed at the high school. Another was related to EpiPen AutoInjector that allows schools to have unassigned EpiPens. The nurses will be handling that and providing training where certain staff members will be trained for that procedure.

High School Principal Phil Kempson said there were no changes to the handbook. However, the dress code was updated to add tights and leggings that are not see-through that are accompanied by a shirt that extends beyond the fingertips fully extended. The prior rule was that a shirt or dress had to be three inches above the knee.

They also added a policy that includes “no costumes which includes animals or animal-related accessories” (which Kempson gave credit to Clay Wilson for the wording. The middle school dress code matches the high school.

The middle school handbook changes reflect a small change to the bell schedule regarding sixth period.

The intermediate school will introduce a placement test for new students attending after being home schooled.

The $15 fee for cell phone reclaims was removed from grades K-4th grade.

Job Title LINE TAKEAWAY TECHNICIAN workintexas.com Posting ID 16092932 Location Sherman Posting Close Date09/29/23 Posting Link https:// bit.ly/3NPKjcH Description A local company is looking for a LINE TAKEAWAY TECHNICIAN who will remove pallets of product from the production line, scan them into the computer inventory system, and, using a fork truck, place them in designated warehouse racks. At times, this role assists warehouse technicians loading/unloading trucks.

Job Title IN-CENTER HEMODIALYSIS LVN workintexas.com Posting ID 16085585 Location Denison Posting Close Date 10/09/23 Posting Link https:// bit.ly/3NNbWmN Description A local company is looking for an IN-CENTER HEMODIALYSIS LVN who will deliver care to patients who are often dealing with multiple co-morbidities which require unique treatment plans and the ability to leverage a broad range of nursing skills and knowledge.

This position requires a High School Diploma or Equivalent, and a minimum of 1 year of related experience.

This position requires a current license, and a minimum of 1 year of related experience.

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July 24, 2023

Farmers agent settles in Howe on Haning Street very involved in Howe since opening up his business. He’s a member of the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce and actively participates in the Howe Hump Day networking breakfasts on the first Wednesday of each month.

He’s also placed a full-page ad in the Howe Athletic Booster Club’s Black & White GAMEDAY program.

Howe has their own insurance agent at 403 W. Haning Street. Jessie Brown, who once was a Howe resident, has moved his Farmers Insurance Agency from Van Alstyne to Howe recently.

Brown started his agency in Whitesboro in 2018 then moved to downtown Van Alstyne in 2020 and now has settled on Howe as he’s purchasing the property on Haning Street.

Having owned Liberty Bail Bonds for 30 years, he was introduced into the insurance business then having to have an insurance license.

“I had intended all along to not only have the bail bonds company but to have an insurance company as well,” said Brown.

As well as insurance and bail bonds, Brown is also a private investigator for his company Bulldawg Investigation where he has practiced for over 20 years. He says that the bail bonds and insurance businesses are very labor intensive as far as maintenance is concerned.

For Farmers, Brown says that to be successful, you have to sell all of your product lines such as the standards— home, life, and auto insurance. But Brown also is able to offer protection for business, RV, boats, motorcycles, farm, ranch, mobile homes, and commercial.

“Life insurance is very important. People don’t understand the importance of life insurance until someone loses their life and they don’t have it,” said Brown. “When I left the corporate world and started my own business, that’s one of the first things I did was buy life insurance.”

Often times one can scroll on Facebook and see a GoFundMe account set up for burial expenses. Brown says policies can be very inexpensive for young families.

“I had a 23-year-old young lady come

Jessie Brown in here the other day that has two children. I was able to write them a $150,000 life insurance policy for $16 and some change per month. She’ll have that for 30 years,” said Brown.

“She has that security now that if something were to happen to her, there will be some money there to take care of her kids’ well-being.”

Brown says it’s important to have life insurance policies for the children as well as he has first-hand experience of losing his stepson in a car accident in 2007.

“Everybody had to pony up money to his dad and we had to come up with money for the funeral services because there was no life insurance,” said Brown. “Life insurance on a child can provide emergency income for a family and also pay for the funeral services.

A lot of people think it’s morbid, but it’s really not. And if you get a whole or universal life insurance policy for a child, they’re insured for the rest of their life regardless of their health or anything and the rates and premiums don’t change.”

The Jessie Brown Agency has become

Mayor statement (Continued from page 1)

laws and ordinances of the municipality are properly carried out. The mayor shall perform the duties and exercise the powers prescribed by the governing body of the municipality. (b) The mayor shall inspect the conduct of each subordinate municipal officer and shall cause any negligence, carelessness, or other violation of duty to be prosecuted and punished.(c) The mayor shall give to the governing body any information, and shall recommend to the governing body any measure, that relates to improving the finances, police, health, security, cleanliness, comfort, ornament, or good government of the municipality.”

Complaints to which I am a personal witness have been referred to Mayor Pro Tem Sarah Myrick for investigation. Internal police department complaints have been referred to Chief Carl Hudman for initial investigation,

who will report to both Mayor McDonald and City Administrator Jeff Stanley regarding the same. I pledged as a candidate and was elected by the citizens of Howe to thoroughly investigate and improve the city administration, and to also do my part in removing any municipal officers who engaged in misconduct. I have reviewed a large amount of public records, have interviewed many people, and I look forward to working with the governing body on ensuring that the City of Howe is administrated at the highest level of integrity and efficiency. Those suspected of misconduct have the right to due process, to respond and be heard all the way up to the governing body regarding the allegations. As you can see from the statute above, I and the governing body will make any appropriate recommendations and take any appropriate actions regarding the findings of the investigations.

Mayor Karla McDonald

“I think the importance of being active locally is you get to do business with local people that you consider friends or family, it’s kind of like being a family,” said Brown. “If they supported me, then I support them. If you have your insurance through Geico or Progressive instead of your local agent like me, they aren’t going to participate in your booster club or chamber or sponsor your youth sports teams. I’m already getting into that because I want to be a part of the community. Your online insurance companies aren’t going to do that.”

Brown also loves the fact that local people will stop by just for a visit. He’s been able to write several policies through that situation.

Back in 2001, Brown lived on Timbercreek Drive and his son was a graduate of Howe High School. He then bought some property in Bells where he resides now. His son has since moved back to Howe and has two children in Howe High.

“I’m back,” said Brown. “I wouldn’t mind living here but I already have a place in Howe.”

He says the people of Howe are very warm and welcoming and says a lot of towns aren’t that way.

“If you weren’t born there and have family all the way back to your greatgreat grandpa, you’re an outsider,” said Brown. “But I don’t get that feeling here at all.”

Brown, who jokingly said he really

hasn’t grown up yet, was reared in Durant. He was born, however, in the southwest small Oklahoma town of Hallis. The family moved around until he was 12 years old and settled in Durant where he graduated with honors.

He attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University before joining the US Navy where he volunteered for submarine service where he spent six years in service. He then worked for the US Government for four years before moving back to this area where he was an electronics technician at Texas Instruments and later Fischer Controls.

While at Fischer, he started his bail bonds office with help from his brother Johnny Brown who was an assistant county attorney at the time. When his brother built a law office next to the Grayson County Justice Center they partnered where Jessie Brown opened the bail bonds company.

“That’s when I had to get an insurance license to satisfy the county’s needs,” said Brown who said that’s how his life in insurance and investigations began.

Brown says that one thing that made him successful quickly was that his brother bought so much advertising in the phone books at the time that he received a lot of bonus advertising which allowed full-page and half-page ads for the bail bonds business.

“That boosted my start up and made us grow faster than if we had to grow through word-of-mouth,” said Brown.

During the COVID outbreak, he said the insurance company did well, but the bail bonds company suffered because arrests were way down.

“The courts all shut down and they stopped arresting people. It all just stopped. If it had not been for the government assistance (paycheck protec(Continued on page 9)

Howe girl a team member of the Super 64 National Champions

Reagan McKinney of Howe was a member of the Campbell Elite basketball team that won the Super 64 National Championship.

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Jessie Brown (Continued from page 8)

tion loans) programs, we’d have had a hard time making it,” said Brown.

“But all my people stayed with me and no one quit. They had to live on reduced wages, but they’re still with me.

I try to build a relationship with my employees where it’s like a family unit.”

One employee at the bail bonds office has been with him for 26 years where he’s seen her kids grow up and grandkids be born, and her grandkids have kids.

“The key is, you have to treat people the way you want to be treated,” said Brown who made a car payment for an employee who was fighting illness.

“I can’t offer a lot of benefits because I’m a small business, but if they need something, I help them. That builds loyalty.”

Brown is a 7-year elder at King’s Trail Cowboy Church where he’s been attending for 11 years. Since he’s been there, the church has constructed a large children’s building, and a charter school which is kindergarten through sixth grade. They’ve also covered their arena so that they don’t have to cancel events due to inclement weather.

“We’re just getting started. We’ve obtained some property across the street and are going to start building over there pretty soon,” said Brown.

Brown, who was a trustee at Friendship United Methodist Church was asked by a friend to check out King’s Trail and he and his wife loved it.

“It was different, night and day, from what I was used to,” said Brown. “It took me a few times to settle in. It took me about two years to volunteer for anything because I had done so many things with my previous church that I was kind of burned out.”

School starts August 16

But upon volunteering for ministry, it was no time before he was nominated as an elder after never being a team leader or pastor.

Back to School Checklist:

“I went from 0-60 in no time,” said Brown. “But they knew of my leadership in other churches.”

Brown believes his business moving to Howe was a God thing. He didn’t want to leave Van Alstyne, but the owner of the building he was in wanted to remodel the property. Without any other options in Van Alstyne, he began looking at all other nearby small towns including Bells.

“Howe was really what I wanted. I saw the sign in the window so I called the old boy up and he met me over here,” said Brown who asked the building owner if he would sell the property instead of renting it. The deal was done, and Howe has a local insurance agent.

The Jessie Brown Agency at 403 W. Haning wants to invite anyone in the community to stop buy and visit. The office phone number is 903-482-4063.

© 2023 The Howe Enterprise

At HoweISD.net, go to “Parents” and “Enrollment” to register your new student or reverify your information for the 2023-24 school year.

Do you have a 5th-12th grade student? Make sure to pick up their device on August 4th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at Howe High School (please use the event entrance).

Need a school supply list?

Check out News and Announcements for campus lists.

Make sure to check out the campus registration events on August 2nd. Go to News and Announcements for more information and specific times.

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July 24, 2023

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Band (Continued from page 1)

The ATSSB (Association of Texas Small School Bands) Outstanding Performance Series is a program designed to select annually the most outstanding Class 1C, 2C/3C, 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A concert band programs in the state of Texas each year. Directors submit recordings from performances at an approved contest in one of two categories: concert march and concert selection. Recordings are adjudicated and must place in the top two in the march category and top three in the concert selection category in order to advance from the region level to area to state.

Just under 900 entries were submitted in all classifications this year.

The Howe Middle School Eighth Grade Band also advanced to the state finals in the Texas Music Educator’s Association Honor Band Contest where they ultimately placed 7th among very fierce competition. The TMEA Honor Band Contest is also done by recording where directors submit a complete program consisting of a concert march and two concert selections.

All of the band’s selections were recorded in May by Probst Audio at the Soundpost Music Festival at Canton High School.

Directors for the band are Julie Cook, David Bilyeu, Brandon Manuel and Angie Liss.

"With a united effort we can make the place in which we live clean, wholesome, attractive. We can make the crowded city dweller homesick to come back to us and real living. We can bring new life, new business, new beauty, to the little towns." - Mame Roberts

City of Howe SECONDS COUNT IN AN EMERGENCY! That's why the City of Howe has instituted the CodeRED Emergency Notification System - an ultra high-speed telephone communication service for emergency notifications. This system allows us to telephone all or targeted areas in case of an emergency situation that requires immediate action (such as a boil-water notice, missing child or evacuation notices). The system is capable of dialing 60,000 phone numbers per hour. It then delivers a pre-recorded message describing the situations to a live person or an answering machine in the affected area possibly including instructions requiring action on the part of the recipient. Once the situation is remedied, another call will be placed to the area signaling that the issue has been addressed and that normal activities can be resumed.

The following information is required to add a telephone number into the "CodeRED" database: first and last name; address (physical address, no P.O. boxes); city; state; Zip Code; and primary phone number. The system works with cellular phones but requires a valid street address. When entering information, please fill out all of the screens because the newest data entered will replace the old data.

Sign up by visiting http://www.co.grayson.tx.us/page/oem.cred

2022-23 Local taxation State Sales Tax General Revenue Sales Tax Economic Development (Type B) Sales Tax Total

6.25 % 1.00 %

City of Howe Tax Rate Howe I.S.D Tax Rate Grayson County Tax Rate Grayson College Tax Rate Total (per $100 valuation)

$0.54 $1.27 $0.31 $0.15 $2.27

1.00 % 8.25 %

City Hall 116 E. Haning St., 903-532-5571 Mayor: Karla McDonald City Council: Michael Hill, Rodney Hough, Billie Ingram, Sarah Myrick, Joe Shephard City Administrator: Jeff Stanley City Secretary: Regina Harris Utility Billing and Municipal Court 116 E. Haning St. 903-532-5571 Utility Clerk: Beccy Roberts Court Clerk: (After hours night drop available) Public Works 317 S. Hughes St. Public Works Director: Mickey Phillips Code Enforcement 317 S. Hughes St. Code Enforcement Officer: Benjamin Fuhr Howe Fire Department 118 E. Haning 903-532-6888 (nonemergency) Fire Chief: Robert Maniet Howe Police Department 700 W. Haning St. 903-532-9971 (non-emergency) Dispatch 903813-4411 Police Chief: Carl Hudman Police Sergeant: Keith Milks Economic Development 100 E. O’Connell St. 903-532-6080 EDC Director: Monte Walker City Council meets third Tuesday at 100 E. O’Connell St. at 6 pm.

Planning & Zoning Commission Meets third Monday as needed Howe Community Facilities Development Corporation Meets as needed For more information visit the city website www.cityofhowe.org

Cityofhowe.org 2022-23 City of Howe Water, Sewer, Refuse collection rates - one bill

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July 24, 2023

Mayor meets with Keep Howe Beautiful

Mayor Karla McDonald met with board members of Keep Howe Beautiful Thursday in preparation of the Veterans Rock to be unveiled at Memorial Park November 11. Show are (L-R) Mayor McDonald, Gage Hendrickson, Donna Wormsbaker, and Diana Inurria. Enterprise photo.

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July 24, 2023

Attend the Church of Your Choice

Each Sunday...

Times are subject to change. Please check with each church for any possible changes

First Baptist Church Dorchester Zach Poling, pastor 11831 FM 902, Dorchester, TX 75459 903-476-5525 Wednesday 6:30 pm - Worship service Sunday 9:00 am - Men's Prayer Time 9:45 am - Sunday School 10:45 am - Worship Service 5:00 pm - Evening Service Summit View Church Brett and Deb Hetrick, pastors

Community Bible Fellowship Jeremy Moore, pastor

Howe Methodist Church of Howe JB Bryant, minister

415 S Collins Fwy, Howe, TX 75459 Wednesday 6:30 pm - Food and Fellowship 7:00 pm - Community Kids (ages 3 6th grade, nursery available) 7:00 pm - Youth and Adult Bible Study Sunday 10:30 am - Worship Service

810 N Denny St, Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6718 Tuesday: 8:30am - 1:00pm WeeCare Daycare (Registration needed) 9:30am - Women's Bible Study 6:30pm - Boy Scouts Wednesday: 9:00am - Wednesday Workers 6:00pm - 1st and 3rd Wednesdays Family Night Thursday: 8:30am - 1:00pm - WeeCare Daycare (Registration needed) Saturday: 9:00am-12:00pm - Feed My Sheep (1st & 3rd Sat. of each month) Sunday: 8:30am - Coffee and Donuts 9:00am - Sunday School 10:00am - Worship Service 3:00pm Cub Scouts

First Baptist Church Howe Roger Tidwell, pastor 100 E. Davis St., Howe, TX 903-5325504 Wednesday 5:30 pm—Free Meal 6:30 pm - Team Kid 6:30 pm - Youth Ministry 6:30 pm - Adult Bible Fellowship Sunday 9:15 am - Bible Fellowship 10:30am - Worship Service 6:00 pm—Potluck Fellowship and Bible Study

910 S Denny St, Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6828 Wednesday 7:00 pm - Radiate Youth 7:00 pm - Sanctuary of for prayer Sunday 9:30 am - Sunday School (kids, youth, women, men) 10:30 am - Worship Service 10:30 am - Kids Church Howe Church of Christ Aaron Alsbrook, minister 1205 N Collins Fwy, Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6441 Wednesday 7:00 pm - Bible Classes (all ages) Sunday 9:00 am - Bible Classes (all ages) 10:00 am - Worship Service 5:00 pm - Worship Service

Isaiah 25:7-8 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.

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July 24, 2023

Texas History Minute Barbara Jordan was a woman of many firsts in her career. In her relatively short time in Congress and the Texas State Senate, Ken Bridges she left an immeasurable impact and in a cynical and dark age in American politics, she became for many across the nation a voice of conscience.

Jordan was born in Houston in 1936, the youngest of three children. Her father was a respected Baptist minister.

The church was a central part of her life in her youth, and she excelled in school. She graduated with honors from the segregated Phillis Wheatley High School in 1952.

She could not attend the University of Texas, her first choice, because segregation was still in effect. However, she went to Texas Southern University instead, studying history and political science on her way to becoming a lawyer. She became a champion debater, easily beating contenders from the most prestigious universities in the nation. After graduating with high honors in 1956, she entered Boston University School of Law, gaining a law degree by 1959.

After serving as a professor of political science for a year at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, Jordan returned to Houston to practice law. She dove into politics, but lost two races to the state legislature in the early 1960s. In 1966, she was elected to the State Senate, the first black woman to receive such an honor in Texas. She was widely respected by her colleagues and rose to the position of president pro tem.

Over the years, it has become a tradition in Texas that both the governor and lieutenant governor leave the state for a day so that the president pro tem of the State Senate becomes acting governor for a day. On June 10, 1972, Gov. Preston Smith and Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes left Texas for a day as part of that tradition. In what became a footnote in a life of achievement, Jordan thus became the first AfricanAmerican woman in American History to serve as a governor, even as only an acting governor for a day.

Later that year, she was elected to Congress, again the first black woman ever elected from Texas. She sponsored or co-sponsored hundreds of laws during her six years in Congress.

Jordan was given a place on the House Judiciary Committee, and the committee undertook the grave task of considering impeachment for President Richard Nixon for his activities during the Watergate scandal. Jordan quickly became a leader in the debate. In one famous speech in 1974, in a steady, careful voice, Jordan expressed her belief in the Constitution and the rule of law over politics. As she said to her colleagues and a nationally televised audience, “My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total. I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution.”

Nixon resigned before an impeachment vote could be taken, but Jordan became a respected leader across the nation in the process and the reforms that followed. In 1976, she became the first African-American woman to give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, an address that was met with thunderous applause. In 1992, she again spoke to the convention, reminding the delegates and the nation of the need for change.

Jordan decline to run for a fourth term in 1978. She returned to Texas and began teaching at the University of Texas. She served as chairman of the U. S. Commission on Immigration Reform for two years under President Bill Clinton. In 1994, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Jordan remained a beloved figure on the UT campus in her later years.

However, her health continued to decline. She died in January 1996 at the age of 59. Some scholars have since listed her speeches as among the best ever spoken by an American politician.

In the years since her death, a number of schools and streets have been named in her honor, including in her native Houston. As for the university she could not attend as a youth because of her skin color, the University of Texas has since erected a statue to her on campus.

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Do others respect your relationship with God? The Christian and the nonChristian are supposed to be different. In fact, so different, the Bible says that once a person becomes spiritually transformed Dr. Billy Holland they become an entirely new creation. His includes the potential for their minds to be renewed into a way of thinking that is much more in line with God than the natural world. The born-again followers of Christ are considered His disciples, while those who have not yet had this spiritual experience, remain in bondage, serving the dark side within their default condition. Since there are only two different spiritual identifications, they are not cozy with each other and have little in common.

lukewarm, and the fear of a judging God and the demand for repentance was no longer a threat to the sinner, the lost felt comfortable and now we can hardly tell them apart.

Over the years, many Christians have not embraced this idea of being somewhat weird and generally incompatible. So, they reasoned that compromising was a great way to blend in with everyone else. However, it’s not mentioned anywhere in the Bible about trying to figure out a way to be accepted by the world. The Apostle in I Peter 2:9, when discussing the Christian life writes, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” A critical point in being a new creation is to not be ashamed so that others notice there is something unique about you. This special something is the love of Jesus Christ.

Since God has temporarily allowed the devil to manage the world, he is using technology as a part of his strategy to distract and lure Christians into a love affair with pleasure. He realizes the carnal mind wants to be entertained, and is always vulnerable to selfsatisfaction. If he can convince God’s people that doing whatever they want is alright with God, he has already won the battle. Remember, Satan tempted to Eve with a deceptive and clever line of reasoning. This is spiritual warfare.

Yes, there are pockets of Christians who have awakened and rededicated their lives to God. This remnant is now singing, “I have decided to follow Jesus” and this excitement of spiritual revival is needed now more than ever.

May I ask, where do you stand today?

Are you drifting down the river of complacency? If you were to face God today, would you be filled with joy, or would you be embarrassed with how you are living? Talk to Him today and ask Jesus to change you into what He died for you to be. Giving Him control of your life is the best decision you will ever make.

Just a few years ago, society had a considerable amount of respect and reverence for the things of God. Of course, it’s not like this today and much of the decline is blamed on Christians not walking the talk, along with science and scholarly historians criticizing God’s existence. Hypocrisy over the years was being closely monitored by the world and today most people are just not impressed. All of this on top of the tremendous surge of immorality and a new wave of aggressive social politics causes some Christians to feel intimidated to stand for what they believe. Many have allowed the fire of the Holy Spirit to cool off because they secretly desire to live in sin. As church members became more

When the Holy Spirit is ignored, spiritual discernment fades. Our hatred for sin dissipates along with our agape love, a desire to pray and worship God, and a burden for lost souls among other things. It’s called drifting away from the shore, while others describe backsliding as a fire that burns down to just embers and ends up just smoldering.

How does this happen? Instead of continually praying for a stronger awareness of God’s presence, people decide they love the world more than they love God. As the passion and determination to obey divine truth becomes less important, the conscience defended all sense of guilt. Free will unanimously voted to embrace the darkness and serving self became the accepted way of living.

Dr. Holland lives in Central Kentucky where he is an ordained Christian minister, community chaplain, and author.

Discover more about the Christian life and his new book about miracles, “Receiving Our Healing” at billyhollandministries.com His email is psalmz103@gmail.com and you can support this ministry at PayPal.Me/psalmz103

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July 24, 2023

The Patriot Pony From White House cocaine to J6 pipe bomb, Secret Service drawing intense scrutiny during Biden era

Secret tapes and coerced payments: Top 10 Biden -Burisma bombshells from FBI informant memo The House Oversight Committee previously issued a subpoena to obtain the document, with which FBI Director Christopher Wray did not comply. worry Hunter will take care of all of those issues through his dad."

Lawmakers and a former Secret Service agent wonder why a pipe bomb suspect still hasn't been identified released.

By Nicholas Ballasy Long the gold standard for security, the Secret Service is facing some unflattering scrutiny and skepticism during the Biden era after it was unable to solve who brought cocaine into the White House or recognize a potential danger in the path of one of its most famous protectees.

The latest questions surfaced Friday when Just the News unveiled neverbefore-seen U.S. Capitol complex security footage showing that the Secret Service brought Vice President-elect Kamala Harris into a garage at the DNC headquarters on Jan. 6, 2021 only a few yards from where a pipe bomb had been planted the night before by an unidentified suspect.

The video footage has raised concerns with experts on presidential security and top lawmakers in Congress on how the explosive device was overlooked during standard security protocol. Just the News reviewed the several angles of security footage the FBI collected showing the planting of the bomb the evening before the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, security sweeps the next morning, and then the arrival of the Harris motorcade late that morning, about three hours before the Capitol was breached.

The suspect sat at a park bench near the DNC's garage entrance the night before, taking out the explosive device and planting it between the bench and a bush about 10 yards from the driveway before walking off. The park benches have since been removed from that area.

"When you look at the video, and you see the still pictures from the FBI, that pipe bomb was placed to be found," said Georgia GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk, chairman of the House administration subcommittee on oversight. "It wasn't placed to be in an area to do damage. You would put it inside the bush all the way under the bush.

This thing was left so it would be found. How in the world was it not found before they brought the future vice president into the Democrat club there?"

The footage, which you can watch in the player above, was made available

by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's office and Loudermilk's committee. It was reported in 2021 that Harris had to be evacuated from the DNC when the bomb was found but the footage of the motorcade was never before publicly

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., told Just the News that FBI officials recently informed Congress that phone data that would typically help in such an investigation was corrupted. "They weren't able to use phone data to find out who the suspect was that they think may have planted it on Jan. 5. So it's like the Keystone Cops or they're not trying," Massie said Friday.

Charles Marino, a security expert who worked with the Secret Service for more than 20 years, said the video footage is "concerning" given that agents normally sweep the area before the president or vice president arrives.

"It's obviously concerning, to be sure, because if the sweep was conducted of the area, how was it missed or was it not there? And if it wasn't there, then how was it missed while the vice president-elect was there?" Marino said during an interview with Just the News. "It was in very close proximity, as you can see from the video, to where the vice president-elect was."

Marino said it "would have been a bad day" had the pipe bomb gone off while the vice president-elect was onsite at the DNC. He also said he's surprised that a pipe bomb suspect has still not been identified.

"Even more disturbing is that we still don't have an identified suspect for this going on now well over 2 years," he said.

According to Marino, one has to wonder why the pipe bomb suspect is still unknown considering the "overall net that's been cast" and the vast efforts federal authorities have taken to identify Jan. 6 riot suspects, including reviewing video footage and social media activity.

"Why isn't the same true for this person?" he said. "I mean, we're talking about the same types of technologies that are in play for this type of person and caught on video, right? And, you know, we've got a time frame of this individual in the area, and still nothing."

Marino and the lawmakers also are skeptical about why the Secret Service folded up tent in just eight days and declared earlier this month it can figure out who brought a bag of cocaine into the Biden White House, one of the most secure facilities in the world.

"I'm surprised because, you know, (Continued on page 15)

By John Solomon and Ben Whedon Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley on Thursday published an unclassified FBI document containing confidential human source information related to an alleged bribery scheme involving Joe and Hunter Biden in which a Ukrainian gas company hired Hunter Biden to secure access to his father to help the firm stifle an investigation into its dealings.

The House Oversight Committee previously issued a subpoena to obtain the document, with which FBI Director Christopher Wray did not comply.

Though he ultimately permitted the committee members to view the FD1023 in a secure location, the contents remained unpublished until Grassley's Thursday release.

The document shows that the bureau had a trusted source privy to Burisma's efforts to quash a probe from thenUkrainian Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin and its plans to expand to the U.S. and secure a company for IPO purposes.

File fd_1023_obtained_by_senator_grassle y_-_biden.pdf Here are the key takeaways from the CHS claims outlined in the document.

Burisma Holdings hired Hunter Biden to have his father "protect" the company During CHS's first meeting with Burisma leaders, senior official Vadim Pojarskii reportedly stated that Burisma had hired Hunter Biden to "protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems," though Pojarskii declined to elaborate.

In another meeting, the CHS conversed with CEO Mykola Zlochevsky about President Joe Biden's recent declaration that Ukrainian Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin, who was investigating Burisma at the time, was corrupt and ought to be removed from office.

Zlochevsky, in that instance, told the CHS not to fret about the adverse impact such a declaration may have on Burisma's prospects, saying "[d]on't

Biden ultimately succeeded in getting Shokin fired after threatening Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that he would withhold $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees if he did not remove him.

Burisma feared Shokin's probe would stop its efforts to get publicly traded in the U.S. The energy company sought to purchase an existing U.S. firm for IPO purposes. An initial public offering refers to the original sale of stock in a company when it first becomes a publicly traded company. Firms often opt to make such a move as a means of raising capital to finance expansion.

The CHS debated the sense of CEO Mykola Zlochevsky's plan to by a U.S. company rather than forming a new U.S. entity or to purchase an already listed corporate shell company to which the CEO retorted that Hunter Biden had advised that such a plan would result in raising more money.

The CHS was concerned about the prospect of raising capital through an IPO in America given the ongoing corruption probe from Shokin and advised Zlochevksy to settle the case in Ukraine, though the Burisma executive dismissed the idea because he was not convinced Burisma would win the case.

Zlochevsky told the CHS that he need to retain Hunter Biden "so everything will be okay" and that the Shokin case "will go away anyway."

Burisma knew Hunter Biden had no experience, thought he was dumb, and sought additional counsel During the CHS's first meeting with Burisma officials, the company discussed the composition of its board and the aid of the Bidens, to which the CHS questioned why they sought additional assistance.

"Pojarskii replied that Hunter Biden was not smart, and they wanted to get additional counsel," the FBI document reads.

During a subsequent conversation with Zlochevsky, the CHS advised him to at least hire more conventional U.S. oil and gas advisors, citing the Bidens'

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July 24, 2023

The Patriot Pony Biden Burisma (Continued from page 14)

lack of experience in the industry.

Zlochevsky acknowledged the Bidens' shortcomings, called Hunter stupid, and suggested that the Burisma CEO's dog was smarter than the first son.

The CHS believed the payments made to the Bidens were 'illicit' in nature During the conversation with Zlochevsky, the CHS asked as to Burisma's efforts to purchase a U.S. company to secure a listing on the stock exchange.

The company had sought to purchase a U.S. entity, an effort with which the CHS took issue due to the expense.

The CHS proposed alternate approaches amid the ongoing investigation and discussed the legal prospects of Burisma in relation to Shokin's investigation.

The CEO dismissed the CHS proposal that they pay a lawyer $50,000 to litigate the case in Ukraine, an idea that elicited laughs from Zlochevsky, who quipped as to the expense related to paying the Biden's to handle matters. "[I]t cost 5 (million) to pay one Biden, and 5 (million) to another Biden," he said. CHS repeatedly warned Zlochevsky against retaining Hunter Biden and not to make an international incident of the Shokin case, though Zlochevsky contended that it was too late to change course and that both Joe and Hunter had pressed him to keep Hunter on the board.

"Don't worry, this thing will go away anyway," the Burisma executive added.

The CHS inferred from the "too late" comment that Zlochevsky had already paid the Bidens, presumably to "deal with Shokin" and asked that Zlochevsky keep the CHS out of Biden-related matters. CHS advised Burisma to fire Hunter Biden and told Zlochevsky not to pay them, stating that to do so would complicate matters.

Burisma executives believed they had been coerced into hiring Hunter During a phone call after the 2016 presidential election, Zlochevksy expressed disappointment in former President Donald Trump's victory, prompting the CHS to press the Burisma CEO on whether he was worried about the company's connection with the Bidens.

Zlochevsky retorted that he had not wanted to pay the Bidens and that he was "pushed to pay" them. The term Zlochevsky used, according to the CHS, was Russian slang for a coerced payment.

During that conversation, Zlochevsky indicated he had recordings and messages related to being forced to pay the Bidens and asked the CHS whether it would make a legal difference if he

had been forced to make the payments or did so voluntarily.

Zlochevsky bragged he had covered his tracks on the Biden payments The Burisma CEO questioned the CHS during the 2019 phone call as to whether CHS was an "oracle" in light of CHS's prior advice not to pay the Bidens and reports of investigations into their links with the company.

It was during this exchange that Zlochevsky confirmed he had not made any payments directly to the "Big Guy" and bragged that "it would take them (Investigators) 10 years to find the records (i.e. illicit payments to Joe Biden)," the FD-1023 reads.

The FBI received a lead involving cryptocurrency The FD-1023 includes information regarding Oleksandr Ostapenko that noted he worked in the administration of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the time and also for Valery Vavilov, the founder of cryptocurrency and blockchain firm BitFury.

The FBI began receiving information on the Bidens and Burisma as early as 2017 A footnote in the FD-1023 refers to a March 1, 2017, exchange in which the CHS reported some of the information and stated that Zlochevsky briefly discussed Hunter Biden, but that his comments had not been related to the company's efforts to purchase a U.S. firm.

CHS also acknowledged that Burisma assigned Pojarskii to manage that effort.

The bureau's former intelligence chief believes the memo warrants a criminal investigation of Joe Biden During an appearance on the "Just the News, No Noise" television show on Thursday, former FBI Assistant Director of Intelligence Kevin Brock opined that the allegations detailed in the memo would warrant a criminal investigation into the president.

Secret Service (Continued from page 14)

we're talking about agents that are extremely intelligent, dedicated, and exceptional criminal investigators. If you tell them to go out and get to the end of something, that's exactly what they're going to do," said Marino, a former supervisory special agent. "You've got a designated timeframe, you've got the holiday, Fourth of July holiday weekend in which this occurred. We're fairly certain that this item did not linger for a long period of time in the West Wing, based on the security measures that we know are in place in terms of checking on that area and conducting sweeps.

"So my question is, why is this being treated as if this dime bag or eight ball of cocaine was found on a street corner in a major city?" he added. "And why isn't it being treated that this was found in the White House? And also, if you didn't think it was a threat, or could be a threat, why was the hazmat team called?"

Former FBI Assistant Director of Intelligence Kevin Brock pointed to the use of cryptocurrency for covert payments and suggested it might form a lead to trace the payments.

"You have enough here for a full field criminal investigation. No doubt," he said. "But beyond that, we have assertions by the CHS that the CEO of Burisma, Zlochevsky... tape recorded a lot of the conversations that he had with Hunter Biden to include two conversations directly with Joe Biden. The FBI needs to know what's on those tapes."

"Using cryptocurrency back in 2015, 2016, was still kind of new and leading edge," he said on the "Just the News, No Noise" television show. "The advantage of cryptocurrency is it does afford a degree of anonymity, but there's still money trail. It's a ledgerbased system."

Zlochevsky claims to have 17 recordings related to the Bidens, two of which include Joe Biden while 15 feature only Hunter. He also claimed to possess documents, which the CHS believed were bank records and wire transfer statements, to prove that the payments occurred.

"So any payments, once you know who's making the payment and you've got the Bitcoin numbers, you can ... follow that money and you can see how it is laundered and how it's cashed out and converted back into normal crash and where it goes from there. So it's not impossible to follow cryptocurrency trails," he added.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aghast with House Democrats: "This is an attempt to censora censorship hearing"

The FBI long knew that Joe's associates called him the "Big Guy" During a 2019 phone call, Zlochevsky referred to Joe Biden as the "Big Guy" while claiming to have never sent any payments directly to him. The CHS understood the term to reference Biden.

Given that the CHS date of contact was June 30, 2020, the form seems indicate that the bureau was aware that Biden's business associates referred to him as such well before Hunter Biden business partner Tony Bobulinski came forward to make the claim.

Bobulinski came forward in October 2020 in connection with the notorious business deal involving the nowdefunct CEFC China Energy company. Bobulinski confirmed the legitimacy of a 2017 email stated "10 held by H for the big guy," which he stated was a reference to Joe Biden.

Fox News: House Democrats on Thursday tried unsuccessfully to remove Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. from a hearing on federal government censorship, after claiming he was in violation of House rules aimed at preventing defamatory or degrading testimony.

That effort and others by Democrats to silence him at the hearing prompted RFK, Jr. to say, “This is an attempt to censor a censorship hearing.” RFK, Jr., who is running for president against President Biden, was invited by Republicans to testify at a hearing at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. But after his opening remarks, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DFla., moved to take the hearing into executive session to discuss RFK, Jr.’s alleged violation of a House rule aimed at banning testimony that defames or degrades others (Fox News).

Benny Johnson: RFK Jr. gives his opening statement before the Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, gets ROARING applause (Twitter). Blaze: RFK Jr: “They had to invent a new word called ‘malinformation’ to censor people like me. Malinformation is information that is true but is inconvenient to the government that they don’t want peo-

Derek Johnson @rattletrap1776 Soo… if I’m a Conspiracy Theorist for showing ALL current Laws and Orders… does that make Joe Biden a Conspiracy Theorist for extending all 12 Executive Orders with National Emergencies by DJT? Especially Election Interference which will DAMN his office and party

ple to hear” (Twitter). Post Millennial: House Democrats voted to censor RFK Jr during a hearing on censorship at which he was invited to speak (Twitter).

“The Chosen” television series given permission to keep filming despite Hollywood strike Daily Wire: “The Chosen,” a series about the life of Jesus Christ, has been granted an exemption and will be allowed to continue filming despite the ongoing writers’ strike and actors’ strike in Hollywood. The Angel Studios series has been granted one of the first exemptions from the Screen Actors Guild to continue filming its fourth season despite the fact that the strike effectively shut down the production of most TV shows and movies. Creator and director Dallas Jenkins made the announcement that filming would continue (Daily Wire).

Grayson -Collin Electric Cooperative, Inc. P.O. Box 548 Van Alstyne TX 75495 www.grayson-collin.coop 903-482-7100 mmcginnis@gcec.net REAL ESTATE

ADVERTISING/MARKETING Howe Enterprise P.O. Box 595 Howe TX 75459 howeenterprise.com 903-339-0100 news@howeenterprise.com AGRICULTURE Norman Farms 4871 Mackey Rd Howe TX 75459 903-815-5545 ajnorm4@aol.com ANTIQUES Howe Mercantile 107 E. Haning St Howe TX 75459 facebook.com/Howe-Mercantile1639767196252428/ (817) 313-2168 georgiacaraway@aol.com

CHILDCARE Koti Academy of Howe 105 Doyle Street Howe TX 75459 https://www.kotiacademy.com/ 903-532-9663 cassie@kotiacademy.com

FIREARMS Guns N More 281 Celtic Road Howe, TX 75459 GunsNMore.net (903) 267-1091 jared.c@gunsnmore.net

CHURCHES

FUNERAL HOME

First Baptist Church Howe 100 W. Davis Howe TX 75459 http://www.fbchowe.org/ 903-532-5504 info@fbchowe.org

Scoggins Funeral Home & Crematory 637 W. Van Alstyne Parkway Van Alstyne TX 75495 scogginsfuneralhome.com 903-482-5225 tommywscoggins@hotmail.com

First United Methodist Church 810 N. Denny St. Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6718 Church@fumchowe.org https://www.fumchowe.org/

AUTO

CONSTRUCTION/BUILDING SERVICVES

Bob Utter Ford 2525 Texoma Parkway Sherman TX 75090 bobutterford.net 903-892-3555

DIFY Home Services 204 Tate Circle Sherman, TX 75090 9037440435 ernie@difyhs.com

BANKING

Hunter Knephsield of Texas, LLC P.O. Box 759 Van Alstyne, TX 75495 https://www.hkparkandplay.com/ 8004514138 (Main) hktexas@flash.net (Main)

Independent Financial 100 South Denny Howe TX 75459 independent-bank.com (903) 532-5521 aanderson@ibtx.com Legend Bank 201 W. Grand Whitewright, TX 75491 legend-bank.com 903-532-4778 Brandon.grooms@legend-bank.com First National Bank of Tom Bean 109 S. Britton St. Tom Bean, TX 75489 https://www.fnbtb.com/ 903-546-62752 rbridges@fnbtb.com First United Bank 2011 Texoma Parkway Sherman TX 75090 firstunitedbank.com 903-813-5760 sarah.myrick@firstunitedbank.com BARBER SHOP Good Fellas Barber Shop 105 E. Haning Howe, TX 75459 9725020559 goodfellasbarbershoptx@gmail.com BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Provider Business Partners 106 W. Young St. Howe TX 75459 providerbusinesspartners.com 903-487-2248 sharla@ providerbusinesspartners.com Smith-Garner, PC 609 N. Denny St., P.O. Box 1019 Howe TX 75459 http://www.howecpa.com/ (903) 532-1040 amanda.garner@howecpa.com BUTCHER Don’s Smokehouse 111 E. Haning Street Howe, Texas 75459 Donssmokehouse.com (214) 881-8377 DonsSmokehouse@gmail.com CATERING Tracy Events Catering & Carryout Shop 211 S Preston Van Alstyne, TX 75495 Tracyevents2006@gmail.com

RockExpress, LLC 1434 Schneider Rd Howe, TX 75459 https://rock-express-llc.business.site/ 903-818-2386 rockexpressllc@gmail.com TLD Design Consulting LLC 103 E. Haning St. Howe TX 75459 http://www.tld -dc.com/ 903-436-4601 tdefrange@tldconsulting.net CONVENIENT STORES Quick Check #4 411 W. Haning Street Howe, TX 75459 903-532-5265 zackwilks82@yahoo.com DENTAL Anna Kids Dentistry 2016 W. White St. Anna, TX 75409 214-831-2400 Annakidsdentistry.com info@annakidsdentistry.com Howe Family Dentistry 100 S. Collins Freeway, PO Box 960 Howe TX 75459 howefamilydentistry.com 903.532.5545 EDUCATION Howe Community Library 315 S. Collins Freeway Howe TX 75459 www.howeisd.net/Page/83 903-745-4050 atchison.melissa@howeisd.net Howe Independent School District 105 W. Tutt St. Howe TX 75459 howeisd.net/ (903) 745-4000 ELECTRIC Rapid Electric, LLC (903) 421-8100 http://www.RapidElectricCo.com/ brent@rapidelectricco.com ENTERTAINMENT Chill Out Shaved Ice Howe, TX 75459 Chillout903@hotmail.com 903-436-0708

HAIR SALON Good Fellas Barber Shop 105 E. Haning St. (972) 502-0559 goodfellasbarbershoptx@gmail.com HEALTHCARE

Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, Loretta Anderson – Agent 1363 S Waco St Van Alstyne TX 75495 https://www.txfb -ins.com/ insurance/agent/grayson/ 23242/lorettaanderson 903-819-1041 landerson@txfb-ins.com INTERNET TekWav 223 N. Walnut St. Sherman TX 75090 http://www.tekwav.com 903-375-9787 jj@tekwav.com IT/DATA Texas Data and VoIP Security 109 W. Tilton Blue Ridge, TX 75424 https://www.tdavinc.com/ (972) 924-5010 dana@tdavinc.com

ER of Texas 115 W. Travis St Sherman, TX 75092 http://oroftexas.com/ 903-770-9099 tiffanyr@eroftexas.com

MORTGAGE

HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING

NON-PROFIT

Baker A/C & Heating, Inc. 215 N. Denny St. Howe TX 75459 903-532-6225 bakerac.mark@yahoo.com

Goodwill Industries of Northeast Texas 2206 E. Lamar St. Sherman, TX 75090 goodwillnorthtexas.org spierce@goodwillnorthtexas.org

Essential Home Performance, LLC 509 Borrow Way Van Alstyne, TX 75495 https:// www.essentialhomeperformance.com/ 14695459125 Info@essentialhomeperformance.com HOUSING Bainbrook Apartments 511 S. Collins Fwy Howe, TX 75459 (469) 712-4082 bainbrook75459.com M&M Properties 901 N. Denny St Howe TX 75459 903-815-8355 mariecurtis16@gmail.com.

INSURANCE Cory Hernandez State Farm 2114 Texoma Parkway Sherman, TX 75090 http://insurancequotetexoma.com/ 9038938400 cory@insurancequotetexoma.com Ed Meacham, State Farm 1303 N Sam Rayburn Frwy, Ste. 200 Sherman TX 75090 https://www.statefarm.com/ agent/US/TX/Sherman/EdMeacham-3TGY5753JAK 903-892-3923 ed@mredinsurance.com Jesse Brown Farmers Insurance 403 W. Haning St. Howe, TX 75459 https://agents.farmers.com/tx/howe/ jessie-brown 9034824063 jbrown9@farmersagent.com Kathy McGarry, Mayo Agency 215 S Ray Roberts Pkwy, P.O. Box 519 Tioga TX 76271 940-437-2378 kathy.mayoagency@gmail.com Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, Darren Foster – Agent 1363 S Waco St Van Alstyne TX 75495 https://www.txfbins.com/ insurance/agent/grayson/ 32707/darrenfoster 903-436-2470 dfoster@txfb-ins.com

The Wood Group of Fairway – Lacey Tucker https://homeloanbylacey.com/ 469-910-0375 lacey.tucker@fairwaymc.com

Bill French Properties 315 N Travis Suite B-3 Sherman TX 75090 billfrenchproperties.com 903-893-BILL (2455) bill@billfrenchproperties.com Sheryl Bentley, Coldwell Banker (903) 821-7653 yourrealtorsheryl@gmail.com Maureen Kane, REALTOR®, Paragon-REALTORS® 614 E Lamberth Rd Sherman, TX 75090 402-202-1540 maureen@paragonrealtors.com Michael Taylor – Keller Williams Realty P.O. Box 575 Howe TX 75459 mtaylor@kw.com Nicole Faye Sells Texas, LLC 215 N Quinlan St Howe, TX 75459 https://nicolefaye.fathomrealty.com/ 972-872-0529 nicolefayesellstexas@outlook.com The Llama Realty Group Dana Thornhill 204 Tate Circle Sherman, TX 75090 903-821-6890 llamarealtygroup@gmail.com RESTAURANTS El Patio Escondido Mexican Restaurant & Cantina 495 W. Van Alstyne Pkwy, P.O. Box 637 Van Alstyne TX 75495 elpatioescondido.com 903-482-5538 williampacheco519@yahoo.com

United Way of Grayson County 713 E. Brockett P.O. Box 1112 Sherman, Texas 75091 903.893.1920

Palio’s Pizza Cafe 303 W. Haning St. Howe TX 75459 https://www.palioshowe.com/ 903-532-0390 paliospizza@att.net

PARTY RENTALS/DÉCOR

ROOFING

Chase’s All Time Jumpers 2519 CR 4215 Bonham, Texas 75418 https:// www.chasesalltimejumpersllc.com/ 903-227-6488 Coltonlawrence24@yahoo.com PERSONAL SERVICES AND CARE Debby Edwards Pink Zebra 1403 S. Travis St. Sherman, TX 75090 https://pinkzebrahome.com/ debbyedwards 903-820-8914 debbyedwards2@gmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY Beyond the Barn Photography 3354 FM 902 Howe, TX 75459 469-951-4054 Sara@beyondthebarnphotography.co m PLUMBING Brother Plumber 708 Maple St. Howe, TX 75459 469-968-4487 trent@brotherplumber.com http://Brotherplumber.com/ Torque Plumbing 102 S. Collins Frwy Howe TX 75459 (972) 658-1515 torquemayes@yahoo.com PUBLIC UTILITIES Atmos Energy 5111 Blue Flame Rd. Sherman TX 75090 http://www.atmosenergy.com/ 1-888-286-6700 (Main) 1-866-322-8667 Natural Gas Emergency Jan.Rugg@atmosenergy.com

Definitive Roofing & Specialty Coatings, LLC 1094 Marlow Rd Bells, TX 75414 9038202110 roofingsc1@gmail.com HIT Exteriors, LLC Howe, TX 75459 972-977-1523 sergio@hitexteriors.com Southern Cross Remodeling & Roofing Howe, TX 75459 Roofingbysoutherncross.com 972-800-9383 roofinbysoutherncross@gmail.com STORAGE Howe Mini-Storage 609 N. Denny St. Howe TX 75459 903-532-7867 amanda.garner@howecpa.com TV SERVICES Cavender Home Theater DISH 6202 Texoma Parkway Sherman TX 75090 http://www.cavendertv.com/ 903-892-3499 chris@cavenderht.com TOWING Adams Automotive & Towing 85 Redden Rd Van Alstyne TX 75495 adamsautotow.com 903-482-5784

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