THE
LUFKIN NEWS (936) 632-6631
L U F K I N D A I LY N E W S. C O M
Andy Adams, Editor • (936) 631-2623 • aadams@lufkindailynews.com
March 17, 2014 Judges, TransCanada's pipeline projects made for big national news in 2013, and I believe our reporting staff did a fantastic job of breaking down the local impact of the projects. In our entry you'll find several stories about local pipeline protests and county commissioners' meetings, to show you the breadth of our coverage, but I'd ask that you focus on the big package we produced on Feb. 3. In that Sunday edition, our reporters — Steve Knight, our city/county government reporter; Jessica Cooley, our crime reporter; and Rhonda Oaks, our education reporter — performed a true team effort in explaining where the pipeline will go in our region, how it would be constructed and what the environmental impacts might be (based on arguments from people on both sides of the issue). I was extremely pleased at how thorough the reporters were in their coverage, and how well they worked together on the package. It made for a Sunday paper that was worth much more than the $2 cover price, I thought. Thank you for taking the time to help judge this year's Texas Better Newspaper contest.
Andy Adams Editor
Oregon beats Kansas state in fiesta bowl page 1B the friday
lufkin news
ja n ua ry 4 , 2 0 1 3
college football
Cotton Bowl Texas A&M faces Oklahoma tonight in Cotton Bowl. PAGE 1b
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keystone xl pipeline
Authorities arrest 5 pipeline protesters 10-hour standoff mostly peaceful By JESSICA COOLEY The Lufkin News DIBOLL — A 10-hour standoff between Angelina County law enforcement and TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline protesters resulted in the arrest of five Thursday including a Colorado woman who was retrieved from a tree stand by county officials in a cherry picker near a Diboll weigh station.
■ Video of the standoff is available on The Lufkin News' Facebook page. The five arrested have been identified as Audrey Campbell, 22, of Boulder, Colo.; Murtaza Nek, 25, of Missouri City; Dakoda Benson, 21, of Kalamazoo, Mich.; Gerald Sproehlich, 22, of Random Lake, Wis.; and Patrick Boyle, 30, of Denver, Colo. Campbell, the “tree sitter” and the four others were among more than 20 protesters representing the Tar Sands Blockade visible along U.S. 59 south throughout the day Thursday. In a Tar Sands Blockade press release, Campbell said tree sitting, though dangerous, became a moral necessity for her in response to the environmental toll of a tar sand spill. “Protecting the living systems which we’re a part of is a moral necessity,” she stated in the release. “Extraction of the tar sands is the most destruc-
Jessica Cooley/The Lufkin News
Angelina County Sheriff Greg Sanches tells Tar Sands Blockade legal adviser Burke Moore what options protesters have about 5:30 p.m. Thursday. tive project on the continent. It threatens the integrity of the entire biosphere, not to mention the First Nations dependent upon access to clean water, land, and air for the health and food for their tribal communities.” Protester Elizabeth Chiaravalli of Kalamazoo, Mich. said she has seen first hand the toll a tar sands spill takes on a community. Her hometown was and is still plagued by a tar sands spill as a result of a pipeline accident in 2010. “Tar sands isn’t Texas crude. It comes from Canada and you mine it like coal. They have to mix it with a lot of different chemicals — neurotoxins and carcinogens,”
she explained. “Sadly, some women had miscarriages and it is especially hard on little kids. They get asthma and seizures that can’t be explained. You know you were really healthy before the spill and now you’re sick. You have emphysema, constant nosebleeds and your pets are dying.” Tar Sands Blockade spokesman Ron Seifert said the Angelina County protest, which had been in the works for weeks, was executed in the early morning hours Thursday. “The blockaders and local community members have come from across Angelina and Nacogdoches counties to show support,” he said. “We will be here as
Jessica Cooley/The Lufkin News
Angelina County Sheriff’s deputy Randy Ware, accompanied by Lufkin firefighters Larry Christensen and Jesse Pickett, escorts Audrey Campbell down from her tree stand via a cherry picker around 6:30 p.m. Thursday. long as the blockade is in place. The tree sitters themselves are committed to staying as long as it takes to stop this pipeline.” The protest turned into a standoff as the day wore on, with Sheriff’s Office Lt. Pete Masku-
nas heading up negotiations with Campbell. “If I could speak to a local government official about the pipeline, maybe I would come down on my own,” she called down to him her 40-foot vantage point.
By 5:30 p.m. the situation grew tense as Angelina County Sheriff Greg Sanches, on his second official day in office, along with Lt. Bryan Holley, tried to comSEE PROTEST, PAGE 6A
east texas
East Texas leaders discuss needs for legislative session By STEVE KNIGHT The Lufkin News In preparation for next week’s commencement of the 83rd Texas Legislature, sponsors for the Deep East Texas Legislative Reception, hosted by the Jasper-based Deep East Texas Council of Governments, were announced Thursday. Every other year, officials and organizations from Deep East Texas host a “get acquainted” reception for elected representatives and state officials. The legislative session begins the next day with swearing-in ceremonies. The 2013 reception takes place at 5 p.m. Monday at the Downtown Omni Hotel in Austin. Walter Diggles, DETCOG’s executive director, said the purpose of the reception is to show state representatives and
disadvantage because of the population in the urban areas’ needs,” Diggles said. “The only way we can compete with these large urban interests is to unite our population together and our interests together and then we’ll be a lot more successful. The impact of the night before the session begins in Austin shows that we are a force to be reckoned with and that we’re interested in those legislative efforts that are going to affect our area.” Angelina County Judge Wes Suiter said the major issues facing the area STEVE KNIGHT/The Lufkin News include transportation funding, water, economic development and public and Angelina County Judge Wes Suiter addresses attendees at a press conference at Lufkin City Hall on Thursday to introduce sponsors for next week’s Deep East higher education. “Today we’re here for one major reaTexas Legislative Reception at the Downtown Omni Hotel in Austin. son and that’s to unite all the cities, all officials a united front from this region “It’s so important that as we look the counties, the Burke Center, Stephen on major issues that impact Deep East at the numbers in our region — about F. Austin, Texas Forestry Association Texas residents. 350,000 — rural areas are always at a and all the entities in Deep East Texas to
present a united front on all the issues facing us in the region and the state of Texas,” Suiter said. “I also believe it’s very important that we stress that the issues facing rural Texas don’t become lost or ignored by the urban areas or other areas of the state. As we have done over the last several sessions, we’re going to let our legislative delegation know that we don’t want any unfunded mandates come through to us from Austin.” With fresh leadership heading toward Austin, Lufkin Mayor Bob Brown said, it’s important the city of Lufkin combine its voice with those in all of Deep East Texas to make sure issues important to area residents are addressed in Austin. “I know they will be, but the best part of it is, with combined voices, I know SEE LEGISLATURE, PAGE 3A
pilgrim’s pride
Michael Crippen, the Pilgrim’s Pride office rep of UFCW Local 540, poses with a print-out photo of Dalton Dingus, a terminally ill cystic fibrosis patient, and a receipt obtained after mailing 200 Christmas cards from the plant to Dingus’ home in Kentucky.
Workers collect Christmas cards for terminally ill boy By MELISSA HEARD The Lufkin News Michael Crippen, the Pilgrim’s Pride office rep of UFCW Local 540, and his union stewards participated in a worldwide, viral effort to supply a terminally ill, 9-year-old boy with an abundance of Christmas cards this year. Dalton Dingus of Kentucky suf-
fers from stage four of cystic fibrosis. Doctors told him on Nov. 6 that he only had eight days to live, according to a ninemsn article. After receiving permission from the boy’s parents, Jessica and Tommy Dingus, Dalton’s neighbor posted a message on Facebook asking for people to send him some encouraging and supportive Christmas cards, the article stated.
The post went viral, and cards began flooding in from all over the world. Dalton received more than 500,000 cards from places as far away as Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. He also received 200 cards from right here in Lufkin, thanks to Crippen and his workers. Crippen said he heard about Dalton on “Good Morning America”
and knew that he had to reach out to the boy. “The biggest thing for me was I’ve got a 9-year-old son right now too,” he said. “I’ve got a 9-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter. My son is healthy and runs around and gets everything he wants, and that’s what made me start thinking about
MELISSA HEARD/ The Lufkin News
SEE CARDS, PAGE 3A
today’s weather High 50 Low 35 | front desk 632-6631 | Volume 106, No. 335, 12 Pages | Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for meritorious public service © The Lufkin Daily News
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Friday, January 4, 2013 the lufkin news
benson
boyle
campbell
nek
sproehlich
Jessica Cooley/The Lufkin News
Protesters consult with attorney Burke Moore after being given an ultimatum by Angelina County Sheriff Greg Sanches — move to county land on the opposite side of the highway or be arrested.
Jessica Cooley/The Lufkin News
Tree-sitter Audrey Campbell, 22, of Boulder, Colo., talks to Angelina County deputies from her tree stand, dangling 40-feet above the ground.
Pipeline Continued from Page 1A
promise with protesters by allowing them a spot of county land across the highway. After giving them more than 15 minutes to make a decision off the advice of their legal adviser, attorney Burke Moore, jail transport vans arrived on the scene. As of result, the majority of the protesters moved across the highway as deputies stopped traffic for them. Nek, stayed behind, resulting in his arrest. “I don’t understand what is going on,” Nek told Sanches. “What am I being arrested for?” “You’re on private property. You’re on state property,” Sanches replied before Deputy Donald Carroll placed Nek in handcuffs. With the help of Lufkin firefighters Larry Christensen and Jesse Pickett, deputy Randy Ware retrieved Campbell from her stand via a cherry picker around 6:30 p.m. According to, Sanches, a male “tree sitter,” set up deeper in the woods off U.S. 59, was going to be
Jessica Cooley/The Lufkin News
Tar Sands Blockade members protesting the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline including, Elizabeth Chiaravalli of Kalamazoo, Mich., far left, picket along U.S. 59 south in Diboll Thursday afternoon.
Jessica Cooley/The Lufkin News
Audrey Campbell, 22, of Boulder, Colo., talks to Angelina County deputies after being removed from her tree stand. allowed to stay for the night. “He’s not really in an area that would cause harm to the public as far as the drivers concerned,” Sanches said. “Now, her stand was close to
the highway so we were worried about the safety of the driving public and the demonstrators out here.” Sanches said he intends to have his team return this morn-
ing to retrieve the man, if he has not come down on his own. Protesters warned law enforcement early in the day of the potential danger they were placing tree sitters in by forcefully removing them due to an elaborate rope balancing system supporting the tree stands. With that in mind, Sanches said greater precaution would be taken in removing the man from his stand. “It is a rougher area and the dirt is wet so we’ll have to make sure we’re careful of where we go with that cherry picker,” Sanches said. “There are a lot of issues there as far as safety is concerned.” As of 9:30 p.m., the four male arrestees — Nek charged with interfering with public duties; Benson, evading arrest; Sproehlich, criminal trespass and evading arrest; and Boyle, evad-
coming attractions TUESDAY
angelina.edu or call 633-5233. East Texas Bull Bash. Feb. 23. George H. Henderson Jr. Expo Center. “The Road To Cheyenne” Tour. Tickets on sale Jan. 14, 2013 at outhousetickets.com for $20, $30, $40 and $100. General admission tickets available at THURSDAY The Pines Presents. 7 p.m. Jan. 10, Jennifer Holliday. Cavenders Boot City in Lufkin. All ticket prices increase $3 the day of show. Tony Award-winning actress, also known as the Queen Showtime! 2013. March 2-3, Temple Theater, AC Of Broadway Gospel. For ticket info and seating visit campus. A musical revue with show-stopping numbers cityoflufkin.com/pines/events or call 633-0349. by the AC Singers. For show times and ticket info: upcoming events angelina.edu or call 633-5233. Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music Oil Paintings of the American Southwest by Clyde faculty performance. 7:30 p.m., Jan. 14, Brad Meyer, Downs. Reception 6-7:30 p.m. March 5, Angelina Center director of percussion studies at SFA, will perform in for Arts Gallery, AC campus. Through March 27. Cole Concert Hall. The event will feature two premier AC Swingin’ Roadrunner Jazz Combo & ACC performances, including “Seven to Queens,” a timpani Big Band Spring Concert. March 7, Hudgins Hall solo by Andrew Beall, and “trust me,” which is a piece Auditorium, AC campus. For show times and ticket info: for two players on one marimba and saxophone. “trust angelina.edu or call 633-5233. me” will also feature Scott Harris, interim director of The Pines Presents. 7 p.m. March 25. Singerthe SFA School of Music, and Nathan Nabb, associate songwriter Michael Martin Murphey & The Rio Grande professor of saxophone. Band earned a Grammy nomination and Bluegrass Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music faculty performance. 7:30 p.m., Jan. 17, The SFA Faculty chart topper for “Buckaroo Blue Grass.” For ticket info Brass Quintet will in Cole Concert Hall. The quintet has and seating visit cityoflufkin.com/pines/events or call 633-0349. always been comprised of SFA’s faculty brass artists, AC Visual Arts Student Exhibition Reception. 6-7:30 including Gary Wurtz, trumpet, Charles Gavin, horn, Deb Scott, trombone, and J.D. Salas, tuba, along with a p.m. April 2, Angelina Center for the Arts Gallery, AC graduate student performing the second trumpet part. campus. April 2-17, 2013. Teacher’s Choice Piano Recital. April 7, Temple Angelina Arts Alliance. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22, Moulin Theater, AC campus. For show times and ticket info: Rouge - The Ballet. For ticket info: angelinaarts.org or angelina.edu or call 633-5233. call 936-633-5454. AC Theater presents “The Triumphant Return of Beethoven, Brahms and Beckie. Jan. 27, Temple Outrageous Theatre”. April 18-20, Temple Theater. Theater, AC campus, featuring Beckie Compton and guests. For show times and ticket info: angelina.edu or For show times and ticket info: angelina.edu or call 633-5233. call 633-5233. AC Chorale Spring Concert. April 21, Hudgins Hall Black History Exhibition. Reception 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 5, Angelina Center for Arts Gallery, AC campus. Through Auditorium, AC campus. For show times and ticket info: angelina.edu or call 633-5233. Feb. 27. AC Graphic Arts Student Exhibition Reception. The Pines Presents. 7 p.m. Feb. 12, Danny Wright. 6-7:30 p.m. April 23, Angelina Center for the Arts GalOne of the nation’s finest pianist/composers, Danny lery, AC campus. April 17-May 1, 2013. specializes in several music styles including contemAC Swingin’ Roadrunner Jazz Combo & ACC Big porary piano, new age piano, classical, broadway show Band Spring Concert. April 25, Hudgins Hall Auditunes and film music. For ticket info and seating visit torium, AC campus. For show times and ticket info: cityoflufkin.com/pines/events or call 633-0349. AC Theater presents “Betrayal”. Feb. 14-16, Temple angelina.edu or call 633-5233. An Afternoon of Winds and Voices: Lufkin ComTheater. Harold Pinter’s story encompassing friendship, betrayal and loss. For show times and ticket info: munity Band/AC Chamber Winds Concert. April 28, Lufkin High School Photography Exhibition. Reception 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 8, Angelina Center for Arts Gallery, AC campus. Through Jan. 24.
Temple Theater, AC campus. For show times and ticket info: angelina.edu or call 633-5233.
ongoing events
Lufkin Area Radio Control Modelers Club. 2 p.m. Sundays at the Flying Field behind Ellen Trout Zoo, Loop 287 North. Spectators are always welcome. For info: lufkinarcc.com or call 632-4188. Church League Bowling. For ages 17 and up, the league bowls every Monday, 6 p.m., Lufkin Lanes. For info: Aubrey Bratton, 875-4161. Senior Bowling League. For men and women ages 55 and up, the senior league bowls at noon every Tuesday and Thursday. Participants can play on both or either days. For info: Lufkin Lanes, 632-5656 or Bill Otteson at 634-6422. Youth Bowling League. For ages 6-18, the youth league bowls at 6 p.m. every Tuesday and at noon every Saturday. No experience necessary, assistance provided to improve your skills. Opportunity to qualify for tournaments to win scholarships through USBC. For info: Lufkin Lanes, 632-5656 or Bill Otteson at 634-6422. Lufkin Duplicate Bridge Club. The group meets at 1 p.m. every Wednesday at the Angelina County Senior Citizen’s Center, 2801 Valley Drive and once a month at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday at the Woodland Heights Affinity Center. Call Bobbi Robinson for more information at 639-1849. Adult Basketball Signup. Adult basketball registration continues through today at Lufkin Parks and Recreation. Leagues include men’s open, men’s church, and women’s. Must pay $100 deposit for your team at sign up. For info: Cassell Todd, 630-0535. Line dance classes. Line dance classes will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. each Tuesday night and from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. each Monday and Wednesday at the City of Lufkin Parks and Recreation Department, 125 N. First St. Cost is $10 per month for night classes and $10 per month for morning classes. Instructors are Larry and Lou King. For more information call 275-7771. The Pineknot Music Co-op. Happens every fourth Friday at Millards Crossing Historical Village on U.S. 59. For more information, visit pineknotmusic.com. ——— To have your events listed in the entertainment calendar please contact the newsroom at 6312618 or by email at news@lufkindailynews.com.
ing arrest — remained in the Angelina County Jail with bonds of no more than $1,500 on individual charges. Campbell, the only arrestee facing a felony charge, had not had her bond set. Environmentalists and other opponents have said the $7 billion project could contaminate groundwater reserves and threaten ecologically sensitive areas in states along its 1,700-mile path. Those favoring the Keystone XL project, including such organizations as Americans for Prosperity and the Consumer Energy Alliance have cited the nation’s need for more oil and praised its
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potential economic impact. TransCanada first proposed the project in 2008. President Barack Obama in January 2012 rejected TransCanada’s original application for a federal permit to build the pipeline. Since then, TransCanada has split the project into two pieces. The company began construction in August on the southern section of the pipeline between Oklahoma and the Gulf Coast. The southern section of the pipeline didn’t need presidential approval because it won’t cross an international border.
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Playoffs begin Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals meet again today in wild-card playoff game. PAGE 1b
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texas A&M beats oklahoma in cotton bowl page 1B
health care
keystone xl pipeline
2 pipeline protesters still in jail
Obesity poll: We want our junk food Survey results: National problem that individuals must fix on own
4 others arrested by authorities working on case dispositions
By JENNIFER AGIESTA and LAURAN NEERGAARD The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Everyone could use a little help keeping those New Year’s resolutions to slim down. But if it means the government limiting junk food, the response is an overwhelming, “No.” Americans call obesity a national health crisis and blame too much screen time and cheap fast food for fueling it. But a new poll finds people are split on how much the government should do to help — and most draw the line at attempts to force healthier eating. A third of people say the government should be deeply involved in finding solutions to the epidemic. A similar proportion want it to play little or no role, and the rest are somewhere in the middle, according to the poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Require more physical activity in school, or provide nutritional guidelines to help people make better choices? Sure, 8 in 10 support those steps. Make restaurants post calorie counts on their menus, as the Food and Drug Administration is poised to do? Some 70 percent think it’s a good idea. “That’s a start,” said Khadijah Al-Amin, 52, of Coatesville, Pa. “The fat content should be put up there in red letters, not just put up there. The same way they mark something that’s poisonous, so when you see it, you absolutely know.” But nearly 6 in 10 people surveyed oppose taxes targeting unhealthy foods, known as soda taxes or fat taxes. And when it comes to restricting what people can buy — like New York City’s recent ban of su-
By JESSICA COOLEY The Lufkin News
tarsandsblockade.org/15th-action photo
Michael Stewart, 25, of Lakewood, Colo., stands atop his tree stand Thursday after getting into position in a wooded area off U.S. 59 south in Diboll.
Two Tar Sands Blockade tree sitters protesting the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline remained in the Angelina County Jail on $10,000 bonds late Friday. Michael Stewart, 25, of Lakewood, Colo., joined fellow tree sitter Audrey Campbell, 22, of North St. Paul, Minn., according to county records, in the Angelina County Jail on felony charges after coming down from his perch around 9 a.m. Friday in a wooded area off U.S. 59 south stewart in Diboll. According to Angelina County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Alton Lenderman, Stewart came down from the stand of his own accord and the use of a cherry picker — on loan to the county at a cost of $1,000 a day — was not required. “Myself and Lt. Pete Maskunas walked up to his tree stand and said ‘hey, we’re the only ones out here. Your friends have all gone. Why don’t you just come on down?’ He did,” Lenderman said Friday morning from the Texas Department of Public Safety weigh station on U.S. 59 south. By Friday morning the weigh station was being used by county law enforcement as an operations base, providing temporary shelter from the rain and sleet. The previous day, Campbell chose a tree near the weigh station as her protest point, drawing attention from passersby. Two of the four others arrested Thursday during the protest appeared in County-Court-at-Law No. 1 Judge Bob Inselmann’s courtroom Friday afternoon. Murtaza Nek, 25, of Missouri City and Gerald Sproehlich, 21, of Woodlake, Wis., both consulted with Lufkin attorney LuAnn Tatum on their SEE PIPELiNE, PAGE 7A
TransCanada asks court to dismiss landowner’s case By PAUL BRYANT The Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel
NACOGDOCHES —The attorney representing TransCanada in Mike Bishop’s lawsuit against the company has filed a plea in Nacogdoches County Court at Law asking Judge Jack Sinz to dismiss the Douglass landowner’s case. “I don’t know if the judge is going to set SEE OBESITY, PAGE 6A this for a hearing,” said TransCanada’s
Houston attorney, James Freeman. “He obviously doesn’t believe he has jurisdiction. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought it up.” Sinz asked Freeman and Bishop on Dec. 19 to submit written briefs arguing whether his court has jurisdiction in a lawsuit to stop construction of the Keystone XL pipeline across the pro se plaintiff’s property.
“The judge does not want to try this case,” Bishop said. “It is such a political football. No one wants to try this case. The truth will eventually come out — when it is too late.” During an emergency hearing on Dec. 13, Sinz granted TransCanada’s motion to dissolve a temporary restraining order after the company showed that Bishop received a $65,000 compensation package
in a November settlement conveying an easement to TransCanada. “We were happy to go forward in County Court at Law (on Dec. 19),” Freeman said. “The judge has two options: dismiss the case or transfer it to district court.” But Bishop said Sinz cannot claim he has no jurisdiction. SEE LAWSUIT, PAGE 7A
east texas
Wells author just releases her first children’s book By STEVE KNIGHT The Lufkin News For an 11-year-old, curly blond haired girl named Jesse, her biggest problem should be deciding what to wear to a friend’s party. Unfortunately, as a Wells author explains in her new book, that’s not always the case. Jeanette Wynn, a graduate of Hudson High School and Stephen F. Austin State University, recently released her first book, a children’s Christian Book called “Scared Stiff.” The contemporary book for 9- to 12-yearolds, Wynn said, enables children to relate to problems students have in our modern times,
such as teasing, bullying and jealousy. “The main character, Jesse, must go through these trials while trying to solve them in a biblical way,” said Wynn, who decided on the subject after receiving her master’s degree in education and a stint teaching in Houston schools. “She finds that it’s very difficult to act according to her Christian principles, but Mom, Dad and Sunday (school) classes are extremely helpful. ‘‘However, she still resorts to trying to defend herself with non-Christian principals. How she finally listens to God and the background of short verses she knows, enables her
to overcome her envy and thus stop the bullying. In the process she makes a new friend. How she does this is a testimony to her faith and allows readers to model the approach Jesse decided upon.” As a school teacher, Wynn said she witnessed many students being bullied and called names. “In one particular instance that’s real clear to me, a girl went out of a class to go to the nurse, so I took that opportunity to talk to the class,” she said. “I said, ‘Listen class. You have been bullying her and teasing her. Think of how it must feel if it started in kindergarten and you are now in the fourth grade. Eventu-
ally someone like that is going to have a problem and the results of it may not be pretty. Wouldn’t you hate to think how you contributed to that by calling her names.’ The kids in my class were astute. They thought about it and some of the girls started volunteering to sit with her at lunch. I was able to alleviate that problem.” The book is published by Crossbooks and is linked to Lifeway Christian Publications, she said. The book is enjoying a five star rating on Amazon.com, but can be purchased online at www.jeanettewynn.com.
wynn
Steve Knight’s email address is sknight@lufkindailynews.com.
today’s weather High 55 Low 37 | front desk 632-6631 | Volume 106, No. 336, 16 Pages | Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for meritorious public service © The Lufkin Daily News
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LUFKIN FIVE-DAY FORECAST
TODAY
ALMANAC DATA
Lufkin through 7 p.m. yesterday Temperature High/low temperature .................. 51°/42° Normal high/low ........................... 59°/38° Record high .......................... 80° in 2006 Record low .............................. 9° in 1911
Mostly cloudy and cool with a shower Winds: S 3-6 mph Probability of Precip: 40%
55°
Precipitation 24 hours ending 7 p.m. yest. ........... Month to date .................................. Normal month to date ...................... Year to date ..................................... Normal year to date .........................
RealFeel: 59°
TONIGHT
Partly cloudy Winds: VAR 2-4 mph
36°
Statistics as of 7 a.m. Friday Location
RealFeel: 38°
SUNDAY
Bright sunshine Winds: NNW 4-8 mph Probability of Precip: 5%
60°
RealFeel: 63°
35°
RealFeel: 34°
Winds: ESE 6-12 mph Probability of Precip: 5%
RealFeel: 60°
TUESDAY
39°
RealFeel: 31°
Winds: NW 10-20 mph Probability of Precip: 35%
62°
First
Full
Last
REGIONAL CITIES
Henderson 56/33 Center 56/33
Jacksonville 54/35 Rusk 54/36 Palestine 54/35
Nacogdoches 54/34
Crockett 50/35
San Augustine 55/33 LUFKIN 55/36
Trinity 50/38 Huntsville 50/38 Livingston 53/37
Diboll 55/36
Jasper 54/36
Jan 18
34°
RealFeel: 36°
The patented AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature® is an exclusive index of effective temperature based on eight weather factors. Shown are the highest and lowest values for each day
Lawsuit
Sun. Mon. Tues. Wed. Thur.
Minor
12:02 a.m. 12:51 a.m. 1:43 a.m. 2:38 a.m. 3:35 a.m.
Major
6:14 a.m. 7:05 a.m. 7:59 a.m. 8:54 a.m. 9:51 a.m.
Minor
12:28 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 2:14 p.m. 3:10 p.m. 4:07 p.m.
Major
6:41 p.m. 7:35 p.m. 8:29 p.m. 9:25 p.m. 10:22 p.m.
The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter. Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2013
Showers T-storms Rain Flurries Snow Ice
-10s
-0s
0s
Cold Warm Stationary
10s
20s
30s
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
40s
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Today
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“This whole thing has been about taking land away,” the landowner said. “There’s no argument about that. This is a simple tactical delay. They don’t want this to go to a jury. If it goes to a jury, I am going to win — period. This court does have constitutional authority over eminent domain cases.” In his order against TransCanada on Dec. 11, Sinz determined Bishop showed “sufficient cause” to issue the restraining order before vacating that decision. Then, on Dec. 19, the plaintiff and defendant were scheduled to argue the merits of Bishop’s claim that an injunction against TransCanada is warranted before Sinz met with the men in his chambers to share concerns about jurisdictional issues. “I am arguing this is a contract dispute based on fraudulent conveyance of information,” Bishop said. “In TransCanada’s original answer to my lawsuit, it made my case for jurisdiction.” In the introduction portion of TransCanada’s answer, the company argues “this case boils down to a simple contractual dispute,” according to court documents. “If the judge does not rule in my favor, I will take it to the appellate level,” Bishop said. “And I will prove to the appellate court (Sinz) does have constitutional authority” to hear the case. Bishop is also representing himself in pending lawsuits against the Texas Railroad Commission, U.S. Corps of Engineers and Nacogdoches County. Travis County District Court Judge Stephen Yelenosky in December refused to hear arguments in Bishop’s petition for a temporary restraining order and temporary and permanent injunctions against the Texas Railroad Commission because, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel file photo the judge said, he failed to properly serve docuDouglass resident Michael Bishop explains where the planned Keystone Pipeline will cut across his property in this July 2010 file photo. ments to the state’s oil and gas regulator.
Fighting eminent domain Bishop settled with TransCanada after challenging the company’s plans to acquire a portion of his land through eminent domain. He said he offered TransCanada six acres of the western edge of his 20-acre property to keep the pipeline from extending across the middle of his land. The company refused, a three-commissioner body formed by Sinz ruled against Bishop in condemnation proceedings, and he accepted the settlement during a mediation hearing in Austin in November. A chemist, Bishop claims he settled with TransCanada under “coercion.” According to records provided by Bishop to the newspaper, Freeman’s law firm, Zabel Freeman, wrote a $29,252.51 check dated Nov. 19, 2012, to Bishop, his wife, Kathi, and their attorney, Rebecca Brightwell. The firm paid about $35,000 to the Veterans Land Board of Texas for a lien the VLB had on a tract of Bishop’s land, and another $10,000 was paid to the VLB’s attorney through the Attorney General’s Office. Also on Nov. 19, Brightwell wrote a check for $18,159.24 to Bishop and his wife minus $11,093.27 in attorney fees. Bishop, a couple of days later, or-
dered a cashier’s check for $14,305.96 to Johnnie Johnson, owner of Agrigold Renewables, a federally permitted company that leased a portion of Bishop’s land. The difference, Bishop said, amounts to $3,853.28 he ultimately received as “just compensation” for transferring an easement to TransCanada, which initially offered Bishop $8,063 for his land in May 2011, according to records reviewed by the newspaper. “In other words, I bought his property from him free and clear. I could have written all $65,000 to him, but I was concerned he wasn’t going to pay off the note, which means the easement for me would not have been effective, because he would have continued to own the property.” “I can prove coercion,” Bishop said. “They’re violating the Texas constitution and nobody cares. It angers me.”
Crude oil and bitumen Bishop and environmentalists argue that TransCanada will not deliver crude oil as it consistently claims but heavy tar sands that contaminate water and land. The tar sands, they claim, are more difficult to clean than regular crude, and that U.S. pipeline
regulations are not suited to transport the product. Opponents of the pipeline and TransCanada bicker even over the definition of crude oil. In the emergency hearing on Dec. 13, Sinz questioned Freeman several times about the definition and whether TransCanada has legal justification for delivering anything through the Keystone XL pipeline that isn’t crude. Texas law defines oil as crude oil or crude petroleum oil in the Natural Resources Code. Advocates insist tar sands are solid and mined from the earth, and therefore must be diluted with toxic liquids to allow it to flow through a pipe. In Keystone XL’s final environmental impact statement, it defines raw bitumen as “solid under ambient conditions and therefore must be diluted or converted prior to transport via pipeline.” Bitumen is a mix of hydrocarbons and other substances that form naturally or are obtained through distillation from coal or petroleum. “Oil to be shipped on Keystone XL will include bitumen from the oil sands in Canada that has been diluted with lighter oils,” TransCanada claims on its website. “Most often, these lighter oils used as diluents will be natural gas liquids. Like other oil pipelines
in service in Nebraska, Keystone XL will deliver oil from U.S. sources and from the Canadian oil sands.” Furthermore, the company says oil transmitted through the Keystone XL pipeline will include light sweet crude, synthetic crude or partially refined bitumen, and diluted bitumen. “The oil shipped on the Keystone XL is not corrosive to the pipeline,” according to the company’s website. “Although some of the oil will be derived from the oil sands, only oil is shipped. The sand is separated at the source.” Bishop and other pipeline opponents, in addition to arguing the pipeline will eventually leak and expose natural resources, habitat and humans to toxic elements, have argued unsuccessfully that because TransCanada is a foreign corporation, it has no legal right to eminent domain. The Gulf Coast project is a 435-mile-long pipeline from Cushing, Okla., to the Texas Gulf Coast. It will tie in to the larger Keystone XL pipeline TransCanada is building from Canada to the Gulf, which is expected to move 700,000 barrels of oil per day to refineries and reduce dependence on foreign product, according to the company. Paul Bryant’s email address is pbryant@dailysentinel.com.
Pipeline Continued from Page 1A
misdemeanor charges. After their pro-bono consult, they both told Inselmann they would be seeking bond. Sproehlich, arrested on charges of criminal mischief and evading arrest, said he would like to speak with County Attorney Ed Jones about a plea bargain. He was taken into custody Thursday afternoon by Texas Parks & Wildlife Game Warden Tim Walker. Nek announced he intends to plead not guilty and seek a jury trial on a charge of interfering with public duties.
He was taken into custody by Angelina County Sheriff’s deputy Donald Carroll after he did not move to the other side of U.S. 59 with his fellow protesters under the advisement of Sheriff Greg Sanches Thursday evening. A video of Nek’s arrest is available on The Lufkin News’ Facebook page. Protesters Patrick Boyle, 30, of Denver, Colo., and Dakoda Benson, 21, of Kalamazoo, Mich., also were arrested on evading charges Thursday and posted $1,500 bonds Friday afternoon. They appeared in Inselmann’s court Friday afternoon on the behalf of Nek and Spro-
ehlich. Jury selection for Nek could come as early as next week, according to information heard in the courtroom. Environmentalists and other opponents of the pipeline have said the $7 billion project could contaminate groundwater reserves and threaten ecologically sensitive areas in states along its 1,700mile path. Those favoring the Keystone XL project, including such organizations as Americans for Prosperity and the Consumer Energy Alliance have cited the nation’s need for more oil and praised
its potential economic impact. TransCanada first proposed the project in 2008. President Barack Obama in January 2012 rejected TransCanada’s original application for a federal permit to build the pipeline. Since then, TransCanada has split the project into two pieces. The company began construction in August on the southern section of the pipeline between Oklahoma and the Gulf Coast. The southern section of the pipeline didn’t need presidential approval because it won’t cross an international border
“Institutional methods of addressing climate change have failed us,” said Ron Seifert, a Tar Sands Blockade spokesman. “Rising up to defend our homes against corporate exploitation is our best and only hope to preserve life on this planet. We must normalize and embrace direct, organized resistance to the death machine of industrial extraction and stand with those like Idle No More who take extraordinary risk to defend their families and livelihoods.” Jessica Cooley’s email address is jcooley@lufkindailynews.com.
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keystone xl pipeline
TransCanada may seek pipeline easement from county By JESSICA COOLEY The Lufkin News According to information from Angelina County Judge Wes Suiter, TransCanada may seek an easement from the county to allow work on the Keystone XL pipeline to continue in Diboll. Suiter said during a phone call with TransCanada officials on Wednesday,
he was made aware of the possibility due to a misunderstanding between the company and a private land owner who owns property south of Diboll near the Texas Department of Public Safety weigh station. “They said they wanted to enter into agreement with the property owner for an easement and he said ‘yes,’” Suiter said. “They assumed he owned all of
that but some of that land was bought by the county in planning for the weigh station.” Suiter said the company may opt to route around the county land or go before commissioner’s court to seek majority approval in the coming months. “Now that they know we own it, they have stopped building. They will be working somewhere else until they
come back to us with a decision,” he said. “The other option they have is to stay on the west side of the railroad tracks, where they are now, and continue on another thousand feet or so, and then come across the railroad tracks. There they will be on the property of the person they already got the easement from.” Suiter said he will know more in the
coming weeks. The TransCanada line, which will pipe oil products from Alberta to the Gulf, has suiter been a hot topic on Angelina County social media sites after a Tar Sands Blockade protest near SEE PIPELINE, PAGE 2A
texas department of family and protective services
State cites day cares for violations 30 of 44 licensed facilities have received citations within the past 24 months for not conducting proper background checks, other high-risk deficiencies By RHONDA OAKS The Lufkin News Of the 44 licensed and registered day care facilities in Angelina County, 30 have received citations within the past 24 months for not conducting proper background checks on employees, in addition to other state-weighted high-risk deficiencies. According to inspection reports made available by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, many local childcare facilities were inspected and given citations for high-risk violations such as improper background checks, not having required fire inspections, improper CPR training, not having required immunizations, and unsafe playground equipment. Some also were cited for workers not demonstrating competence, good judgment and selfcontrol in the course of their duties. Shari Pulliam, Beaumont regional spokeswoman, said as important as proper background checks are to the safety of children who are placed in local day care centers, the deficiency is a common problem in many Texas child care facilities. “Background checks must be com-
Rhonda Oaks/The Lufkin News
Rhonda Oaks/The Lufkin News
Country Cottage Creekside, 1825 Sayers St., was licensed as a day care facility in August. After five inspections, the day care rates as one of the county’s best SEE DAY CARES, PAGE 4A with no citations or deficiencies reported by the state.
Mayor anticipating ‘positive’ 2013 for Lufkin By STEVE KNIGHT The Lufkin News
Mayor Bob Brown last week responded to a list of New Year’s questions from The Lufkin News in regard to where the city of Lufkin has been and where he expects it to go in 2013. Q: What was the city’s biggest accomplishment in 2012?
STEVE KNIGHT/ The Lufkin News
Index
Today’s weather noon
Rhonda Oaks/The Lufkin News
The Lufkin Head Start Center, 2208 N. Timberland Drive, has been a licensed day care facility since 1993. After three inspections in the past 24 months, no deficiencies were found by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
city of lufkin
Mayor Bob Brown poses in council chambers at Lufkin City Hall after a recent council meeting.
8 a.m.
Rhonda Oaks/The Lufkin News
This residence at 119 Penson St. in Lufkin registered with the state as a Kovenant Kidz Preschool, located at 3811 state Highway 103 west, has the childcare home in September 2012. After two inspections, the facility was cited most deficiencies for any licensed facility in Angelina County. After seven with 66 deficiencies. inspections in 24 months, the facility was cited with 34 deficiencies.
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East Texas............................. 1-4B Janice Ann Rowe.......................1B Margie Kirkland......................... 3E On the Record...........................2B Opinion.....................................2D
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A: As the “new person” on the city council, I would say that reducing taxes and not increasing water and sewer rates has to be the No. 1 accomplishment of the city of Lufkin in 2012. The input of the city council, the professionalism of City Manager Paul Parker and his capable staff, along with the willingness of every department head, made the budget process work to the benefit of the citizens of
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Lufkin. We should all be grateful and proud that we live in Lufkin. Q: The city collected $12,899,890 in sales tax in 2012, its best year ever. What do you think this means for Lufkin? A: Sales tax receipts are a vital ingredient for the city of Lufkin and I believe the outSEE MAYOR, PAGE 2A
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Sunday, January 6, 2013 the lufkin news
Mayor
Obituaries Lottie Helen Kawalkiewicz Vallone
Lottie Helen Kawalkiewicz Vallone, 84 years young, passed away on December 24, 2012. Lottie was born on September 17, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois. Lottie is survived by three daughters, Michele VanCleave of Spring, Texas, Gerra Copenhaver of Houston, Texas and Paula Bonicard of Dallas, Texas; five grandchildren, Savannah VanCleave Prinz of Spring, Texas and her spouse Andrew; Bre’ana VanCleave of Spring, Texas; Rhett VanCleave of Spring, Texas; Brandon Bonicard of Carrollton, Texas and Adrienne Bonicard of The Colony, Texas; three great-grandsons, Andrew Prinz, Jr., Aiden Prinz and Brysyn Ruiz. She is preceded in death by her husband of sixtyone years, Ralph Vallone of Lufkin, Texas; her parents, Walter and Mary Kawalkiewicz of Chicago, Illinois; and several siblings. She joined her beloved husband, Ralph, less than two months after he went to be with our Lord and Savior on October 26, 2012. Lottie graduated from Wells High School in Chicago, Illinois and married Ralph Vallone on September 21, 1951 in San Antonio, Texas. Due to Ralph’s work, they lived in various towns throughout Texas before settling in Lufkin in February of 1977. Lottie worked for the State Welfare Department in Lufkin for 16 years retiring in 1993 and was a devoted participant in her church, St. Patrick Catholic Church, as well as a number of other volunteer and social organizations. Friends and relatives are invited to celebrate the Memorial Funeral Mass being held on Friday, January 11, 2013, at twelve noon at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 2118 Lowry Street, Lufkin, Texas. Lottie was a donor to the Willed Body Program at University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas. Upon completion of said program, she will be interred, alongside her husband, at Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery, 10567 Veteran’s Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters at the Monastery of the Infant Jesus, 1501 Lotus Lane, Lufkin, Texas 75901, St. Patrick Catholic Church and School, 2118 Lowry Street, Lufkin, Texas 75901, or to your local Alzheimer’s Association.
Continued from Page 1A
Gale B. Fant
Funeral services for Gale B. Fant, 88, of Lufkin will be held Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Cary Modisett and Brother Steve Killam officiating. Graveside services with military honors will follow in the Whitehouse Cemetery. Mr. Fant was born January 14, 1924 in Leland, Mississippi to William Abner and Brownie (Chamblee) Fant, and died Thursday, January 3, 2013 at his residence in the PineCrest Retirement Community. A former resident of Houston, he had resided in Lufkin for 13 years. He was a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. Mr. Fant was a retired from the U.S. Department of Defense as a Quality Assurance Specialist in Ammunition Surveillance. He served in the U.S. Navy, and then the U.S. Army. A decorated veteran, Mr. Fant served during World War II and received a Purple Heart Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with a Bronze Star, Combat Action Ribbon, and Presidential Unit Citation. Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Ron and Sarah Fant of Huntington; daughter and son-in-law, Sharron and Jim Rawls of Lufkin; grandchildren, Christina M. Leach, John Paul Fant, Laura Lynn Vann, Timothy Ray Fant, and Dana K. Batte; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-greatgrandchild; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Dorothy Fant; and sisters, Margaret Regelman and Jamie Chapuis. Pallbearers will be Paul Fant, Tim Fant, Christian Fant, Matthew Tucker, Johnathan Wilkie and Phillip John Thomas. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Building Fund, 1505 S. John Redditt Drive, Lufkin, Texas 75904. Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com. Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.
John Marshall Thomas
Callie M. Pugh Services for Callie M. Pugh, 76, of Lufkin, will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 7, 2013 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Phillip Moore and Rev. Elzine Strong officiating. Interment will follow in the Old Union Cemetery in Lufkin. Mrs. Pugh, the daughter of the late Ola Irene (Wright) and Andrew J. Elliott, was born January 18, 1936 in Fastril, Texas and passed away January 4, 2013 in a local hospital. She was born in Cherokee County and attended school in Diboll. She married and became a homemaker. She was a loving mother and grandmother and loved her church and family. Mrs. Pugh enjoyed crafts, fishing, bluegrass gatherings, music and singing. Survivors include her daughter, Reathea Loggins of Lufkin; son and daughter-in-law, Edward J. and Karen Oldham of Trevat; sister, Fay Elliott of Diboll; granddaughter, Sophie Grace Oldham of Trevat; also a number of nieces and nephews, including Elwin Derryberry and Deedra Matthews, both of Burke. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Harold Curtis Pugh in 2009 and brother, A. J. Elliott in 2008. Pallbearers are Elwin Derryberry, Bruce Ainsworth, Tommy Martin, Robert McKinney, Kelvin Alsbrooks and Wayne Chance. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday evening at Gipson Funeral Home. Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home
S L Snead Linton
1043 Miles Rd. • Lufkin • (936) 824-5020
Rox Ann Peterson
Graveside service for Rox Ann Peterson, 65, of Lufkin will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 7, 2013 in the Fielder Memorial Cemetery with Brother Bob Smith, Pastor James High, and Pastor Debra High officiating. Mrs. Peterson was born September 19, 1947 in Baytown to the late Evelyn (Littlefield) and Lifford S. Luthringer and died January 3, 2013 in Galveston. Mrs. Peterson loved to listen to people and share her faith in Jesus Christ. She also loved fishing, hunting, and cooking. She was an excellent communicator which allowed her to succeed in life. She is survived by her husband of 22 years, Wayne Peterson of Lufkin; daughter and husband, Kibby and Steven Smith of Kingwood; son and wife, Lincoln and Holly Tolleson of Little Elm; sons, Trey Tolleson of Houston and Charles Peterson of Cuero; numerous grandchildren and one great-grandchild; brother and wife, Lifford and Betty Luthringer of Ashdown, AR; sister, D’Eva Turner of Tomah, WI other relatives and friends. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Nathanial Curtis Peterson; brother-in-law, Bo Turner. Casketbearers will be Leroy Peterson, Martin Peterson, Alton Peterson, Earl Smith, Merl Smith, and Ronald Smith. Visitation will be from 12 noon until service time Monday at the cemetery. Eternal Tributes may be made at www.sneadlintonfh.com. Snead Linton Funeral Home; directors.
Contact us ■ To submit a news tip or feature story idea, contact Andy Adams, our editor, at 631-2623 or aadams@lufkindailynews.com. You can also submit a news tip — anonymously, if you’d like — at LufkinDailyNews.com/tips. ■ To submit a listing for our community calendar or East Texas briefs, published daily, contact Beverly Johnson at 6312618 or newsroom@lufkindailynews.com. ■ To submit a listing for our entertainment calendar, published in the Friday edition, contact Beverly Johnson at 631-2618 or newsroom@lufkindailynews.com. ■ To submit a sports score or sports calendar listing, or to suggest a topic for a sports feature story, contact Josh Havard at 631-2608 or sports@lufkindailynews.com.
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Funeral services for John Marshall Thomas, 92, of Tool, Texas will be held Monday, January 7, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Steve Killam officiating. Graveside services with military honors will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park. Mr. Thomas was born December 19, 1920 in Wharton, Texas, the son of John Campbell Thomas and Lena Bell (Moore) Thomas. He died Saturday, December 22, 2012 at St. Joseph Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated from Rio Hondo High School in Rio Hondo, Texas. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941, serving in Europe for four years during World War II. He flew 53 bombing missions over Nazi occupied countries. He advanced to the rank of T-Sergeant. He served as a side gunner and aerial photographer for Army Intelligence. He was discharged in 1945 with the Distinguished Service Medal and a Presidential Citation for completion of vital bombing missions against overwhelming enemy opposition. After returning from the war, he married Catherine Fay Woods of Newton, Texas and they had three children, Marsha Lynn, Martha Kay, and Paul Marshall. His career was in the oil business, and he began that career working for Richardson and Bass. He continued as a driller for the Ocean Drilling and Exploration Company (ODECO) out of New Orleans, Louisiana in the early days of off-shore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. In 1968 he moved to London to work for Rimrock Tidelands in the North Sea and later was employed by Chevron Oil Company International as a drilling coordinator. His responsibilities were to move large deep water drilling rigs throughout the world. He moved frequently during his career, residing in Newton, Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, England, Scotland, Singapore, Trinidad, South Africa, Australia, and Iran. His second marriage was to Marguerite Aman, and they had two children, Marsha Lena, and Justin Marshall. In 1989 he retired from Chevron and moved back to Texas, living in the Houston area and in the town of Tool, Texas. His hobbies included deepwater fishing and raising Quarter horses, and he loved to watch sports, especially football. He also enjoyed travel, playing cards, and following politics and the stock market. He was a 32nd Degree Mason. He resided recently at the Elmbrook Suites in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2009, while watching a Billy Graham telecast, he called the number shown on the television for the Billy Graham Network and accepted Jesus as his Personal Savior. He is survived by his children, Marsha Thomas Lieux and her husband Russell of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Martha Kay Thomas Broussard also of Baton Rouge, Paul Marshall Thomas and his wife Darlene of Tishomingo, Oklahoma, and Marsha Lena Thomas and Justin Marshall Thomas of Phoenix, Arizona. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Michael and David Maraist of Lafayette, Louisiana, Julie Maraist Vagi of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jennifer Thomas of Tishomingo, Oklahoma, Leslie and Jason Levert, and Miles and Ashley Thomas of Phoenix, Arizona. His greatgrandchildren include Ethan and Ellie Vagi and AmÈlie Maraist. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews of whom he was very fond. He was predeceased by his parents, John and Lena Thomas, his sisters, Eva, Grace, Claudia Bell, and Martha, and his brothers, Lee Roy, Benny, Robert, and Billy Hugh, and by his first wife, Catherine Fay Woods. Pallbearers will be members of the Patriot Guard Riders. The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Sunday evening at the funeral home. Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com. Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.
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look for 2013 is positive. With our increasing retail stores and our new Fuel City establishment, the area is continuing to grow. Our trade area is continually developing and hopefully the overall climate for economic growth will boost our receipts in 2013. Q: What is the status of the Interstate 69 Corridor? A: Thanks to an infusion of new money and a focus of utilizing as much of U.S. Highway 59 to save both time and money, there is new and energized life in the Interstate 69 Corridor project. City Manager Paul Parker, County Judge Wes Suiter and I recently brought a cross section of our community together to review the current plans, suggest slight changes and be a voice for all our citizens as the construction process continues to move forward. The committee was established at the request of TxDOT District Engineer Dennis Cooley; Director of Transportation Planning and Development Cheryl Flood; and our newly appointed contact person, Kelly Morris. Kelly will assume the responsibilities for the advancement of I-69 system projects in Angelina and Nacogdoches Counties. Our local committee members include: John McClain, mayor of Diboll; Dennis McDuffie, Diboll city manager; Dr. Sid Roberts, M.D., Chamber of Commerce Chairman; Greg Shrader, publisher, The Lufkin News; Lynn Torres, city of Lufkin council member and 4B chairperson; Joe Deason, Angelina College Board of Trustees chairman; Kenneth Timmons,
Angelina County commissioner; Wes Suiter, county judge; Paul Parker, Lufkin city manager and myself, as the mayor of Lufkin. Should anyone have input on this issue, please contact one of these committee members. Q: What is the status of the proposed annexation off state Highway 103 and what are the city’s plans for it? A: The city of Lufkin has made the “first step forward” in annexing the property commonly known as the “Paper Mill” area. The process will take time and a lot of input from those property owners involved. With the proposed route of I-69 skirting the east side of the area, it just makes economic sense for the area to be a part of this potential growth of our city. Q: What can the city do better or differently? A: Having been on the “inside” of city government for six months, I have tremendous respect for City Manager Paul Parker and his staff. What I have found is that most issues involving the city of Lufkin have been created by citizens not coming forward with their questions and concerns, or having their issues addressed at City Hall. Facebook, gossip and old war stories lend themselves to only fragments of the truth. Come see us, call or write us and let the city of Lufkin and its capable employees have the first shot at solving your issues. God Bless each of you and let’s make 2013 be the best year ever in the city of Lufkin. Steve Knight’s email address is sknight@lufkindailynews.com.
Pipeline Continued from Page 1A
the weigh station Thursday. The protest resulted in the arrest of six out-of-state people and drew more than 30 supporters, some from Angelina and Nacogdoches County. In the wake of the protest, Angelina County Sheriff Greg Sanches said he is pleased with how his team performed during their first week on the job. “Everyone worked well together. We had a lot at agencies that assisted us,” Sanches said. “I’m just glad everything ran smoothly and we did not have anyone get seriously hurt.” The protest, Sanches said,
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came at an expense to the county, including the shutdown of the weigh station Thursday due to concern that protesters would be struck by an incoming 18-wheeler. “Between that, all the manpower from us and other agencies and the things we had to rent, there’s a lot of money involved,” the sheriff said, adding that the cherry picker used to remove a female tree sitter from her stand cost the county $1,000 a day. The county may seek restitution from the arrestees — just another way to reinforce the message Sanches said his team sent Thursday and Friday. “We are serious about this — violating the law and putting other people in jeopardy,” he said. “If people want to protest, they need to do it legally. That’s a freedom people have, but it needs to be done right. “They made threats and were using foul language — that’s not being civil at all. We’re not going to condone that kind of conduct.” Jessica Cooley’s email address is jcooley@lufkindailynews.com.
death notices James W. Clark
Services for James W. Clark, 74, of Lufkin, are pending with Gipson Funeral Home. Mr. Clark was born May 26, 1938, and died Jan. 5, 2013 in a local hospital.
Allen Lee Clevenger Services for Allen Lee Clevenger, 61, of Nacogdoches are pending with Snead Linton Funeral Home. Mr. Clevenger was born on March 31, 1951, in Mount Vernon, In., and died Jan. 5, 2013, in a Nacogdoches hospital.
Rose Marie Dobson
Rose Marie Dobson, 64, of Lufkin died Jan. 5, 2013, at her residence. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Carroway Funeral Home. Ms. Dobson was born Jan. 29, 1948, in Estes Park, Colo.
Anna McGarity Funeral service for Anna McGarity, 69, of Lufkin are pending with Snead Linton Funeral Home. Ms. McGarity was born April 24, 1943, in Dayton, Ohio, and died Dec. 31, 2012, in a local hospital.
Pauline Pool
Services for Pauline Pool, 98, of Lufkin will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church in Nacogdoches. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park in Nacogdoches. Mrs. Pool was born June 16, 1914, in Teague and died Jan. 4, 2013, in Lufkin. Cason Monk-Metcalf, Nacogdoches, directors.
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the lufkin news Monday, January 21, 2013
3A
KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE
Easement request for pipeline not on commissioners’ agenda TransCanada seeking to allow work to continue in Diboll By STEVE KNIGHT The Lufkin News
A possible easement request from an Alberta-based company building the Keystone XL pipeline through the western part of Angelina County is not on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting of the Angelina County Commissioners’ Court. Citing information from Angelina County Judge Wes Suiter, a Jan. 6 Lufkin News story stated that TransCanada could seek an easement from the county to allow work on the Keystone XL
pipeline to continue in Diboll. Suiter said he was made aware by TransCanada officials of the possibility because of a misunderstanding between the company and a private land owner who has property south of Diboll near the countyowned weigh station. He said the company may route the pipeline around county land or go before commissioner’s court to seek majority approval in the coming months. However, the company has not made an easement request, Suiter told the Lufkin News on Friday. He said he has not spoken to any company officials in about two weeks. “They haven’t come to us to request the easement,” Suiter said. “If they need to be on our property, they’re going to need
to request an easement, and we’re going to have to decide that in commissioners’ court. Right now, there’s no news.” Despite the absence of an easement request on Tuesday’s agenda, commissioners could hear from residents and protesters on the issue during the public forum, which is usually held at the end of the meeting. An email from the Pineywoods Sierra Group, sent to The Lufkin News and other media outlets, urged residents to ask the county to deny an easement to TransCanada for what the email stated is a “dangerous and unnecessary pipeline.” Suiter said speakers during the public forum have about three minutes to address commissioners and need to identify themselves for the record. He said the court has never limited
the amount of speakers in the past. “We’ve never had a bunch of people talk about the same thing before, but if there’s a bunch of people in the courtroom talking about the same thing, they need to have somebody designated to address the court,” Suiter said. “If it’s the same thing over and over, we might limit that. Once we hear a few speakers, we may ask if there’s anyone else who has other information.” According to the attorney general, governmental bodies allowing public forums must not unfairly discriminate, but may establish reasonable restraints on the number, length and frequency of presentations. The commissioners courtroom at the Angelina County Courthouse Annex seats about 40 people.
Because a potential pipeline easement request is not on the published agenda released on Friday, the Texas Open Meetings Act limits any discussion by commissioners of the subject to a proposal to place the subject on the agenda for a future meeting. The act allows members of a governmental body to respond with a statement of specific factual information or recite the governmental body’s existing policy on that issue, ask the person to visit with staff about the issue, or offer to post the matter as an emergency item if it meets the criteria for an emergency posting. There are a numbers of items that are on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. Those include: ■ A request to apply to the state of Texas for an “Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws”
4:45 to 545 p.m. on Monday and Thursdays at the Lufkin Parks and Recreation Center. Contact Cassell Todd at 633-0250 for more information.
number of Spanish-speaking taxpayers seeking assistance. For more information on how to join the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide team, visit the website at www.aarp.org/tavolunteer.
updating your resume, learnRedditt Drive. ing what questions to expect in interviews and how to answer, how to dress for success, and much more. Contact WorkForce Solutions at 639-1351 or visit the office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 210 N. John
grant. ■ Discussion with Sheriff Greg Sanches concerning overtime issues involving the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and jail. ■ Consideration of a renewal for a Pitney Bowes mailing machine for the tax office. ■ Reappointment of Keith Weathers and appointment of Ty Thornton to terms on the Pineywoods Groundwater Conservation District Board ending Dec. 31, 2015. ■ A request from Road and Bridge No. 2 to purchase a new dump truck. Commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the commissioners’ courtroom at the Angelina County Courthouse Annex, 606 E. Lufkin Ave. in Lufkin. Steve Knight’s email address is sknight@lufkindailynews.com.
AROUND EAST TEXAS foster care and adoption information meeting at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Buckner office, An evening gardening 3402 Daniel McCall Drive. seminar featuring a local Master A Buckner representative Gardener will be held at 6:30 p.m. will give an overview of foster today at the Angelina County care and adoption options in Extension Office. Texas, including foster-toTopics will include fundamen- adopt, Waiting Texas Children tals of soil preparation and pest and domestic infant adoption control. programs. International adopLocal Master Gardener Martion options, through Buckner’s low Shubert will talk about his affiliate Dillon International, gardening experience and his will also be discussed. extensive use of raised beds. For information or a reservaThere is no need to pre-registion to attend the meeting, call ter. Cost is $10 per person, pay- Wendy McMillan at 637-3300 or able at the door. Handouts and email wmicmillan@buckner. materials will be provided. org. The Angelina County ExtenA Bowl-a-Thon sion office is located on south loop 287 at 2201 S. Medford on tap for February Drive, next to the Farmers Junior Achievement of AnMarket. gelina County will host its 19th Junior League ‘Sprints annual Bowl-a-Thon at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 1 and Feb. 8. Join us into Spring’ March 2 for music, bowling, great door The Junior League of prizes, and a chance to win a Lufkin’s second annual Sprint Kindle Fire Hd. into Spring Fun Run will be Participating teams consist held March 2 at Crown Colony of up to five members each, Country Club. Packet pickup with each team raising a miniand late registration begins at mum of $300. Donors can also 7 a.m. with the Kids Fun Run adopt a bowling pin for $100. for ages 4-12 beginning at 8 a.m. All decorated bowling pins will The 10K run begins at 8:20 a.m. be judged Feb. 1, with prizes and the 5K begins at 8:45 a.m. awarded to first, second and Ages for the 5K and 10K race third places. range are 10 years to 80 plus Junior Achievement is a nonand walkers are also welcome. profit youth development orgaThis is a “chip-timed” event nization dedicated to providing that will clock the exact time young people the knowledge each runner takes to run the 6.2 and skills they need to plan mile or 3.1 mile race. Awards for their future and to make will be presented to the first smart academic and economic male and first female to cross choices. the finish line for the 10K, 5K For more information, to and kids race. Medals will be make a donation or to become awarded to the top three finish- a volunteer, contact Michelle ers in each age division. Green at 632-0490 or at juniorRegistration is $20 for the achievement@consolidated.net. kid’s race, $30 for the 5K and Parks & Rec offers $40 for the 10K race. Registration on race day increases by self-defense classes $5 for each race. For more inRegistration for anti-bullyformation visit www.facebook. ing classes and self defense com/JLLFunRun or email Renee’ Robertson at reneerober@ classes for women is under way. Cost for each class is $55 gmail.com. for nine weeks beginning Jan. Buckner to host 14 through the first week in March. Women’s self defense foster care meeting class meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Buckner Children and Fam- Monday and Thursdays and the ily Services will present a free anti-bullying class meets from
Threat Continued from Page 1A
According to county records, At the time of the incident, Havard was arrested in 2006 on there were also other civilians a robbery charge, but the case at the office on unrelated busi- was later dismissed. Jessica Cooley’s email address is ness, Riley said. They hid bejcooley@lufkindailynews.com. hind their vehicles.
Angelina
A
Community band seeking new members Hospice in the Pines Former band members who needs volunteers
miss playing with a group are encouraged to join the Lufkin Community Band. The band is actively seeking new members at all levels of playing ability. The band can also provide an instrument for some of those who may no longer have their own instrument to play. Rehearsals are held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. every Tuesday in the band hall at Hudgins Hall on the Angelina College campus. For more information call 632-7385.
Tree give away on tap for Jan. 31 Campbell Timberland Management, Angelina Beautiful/ Clean and the Texas A&M Forest Service will give away over 18,000 hardwood tree seedlings from 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 31 at the Lufkin Mall parking lot on a first come, first served basis. The purpose of the 2013 Arbor Day Celebration is to give East Texans the chance to replenish trees in our area due to drought, storm damage and to help beautify Angelina County. Contact Amanda Anderson with any questions at 632-5326 or email aanderson@lufkintexas.org.
AARP Tax-Aide seeks Texas volunteers AARP Foundation TaxAide, the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance service, is seeking volunteers across the state to help Texas taxpayers who are seeking assistance preparing and filing their 2012 tax returns. Volunteers do not need to be an AARP member or retiree to participate. Tax-Aide is particularly in need of volunteers who are bilingual in English and Spanish to support the increasing
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COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT ANGELINA COLLEGE COMMUNITY SERVICES UPCOMING EDUCATION AND HEALTH OCCUPATIONS COURSES JANUARY/ EARLY FEBRUARY 2013 American Sign Language Child Devel Associate (CDA) Nurse Aide (CNA) Nurse Aide (CNA) Nurse Aide (CNA) Nacogdoches Nursing Home Activity Director Certified Medical Lab Assistant CPR Healthcare Provider Food Service Supervisor for Nursing Homes Medication Aide Med Aide Update Med Aide Update Medical Billing Specialist Medical Coding CPT/ICD9 Medical Transcription Unit Secretary
If you’ve been thinking about “giving back” to your community and have extra time you would like to dedicate to a worthwhile organization, Hospice in the Pines is the place for you. Volunteers are needed for patient and non-patient duties, fundraising events, the Joe W. Elliott House and the Inpatient Unit at Memorial Medical Center — East Texas. Contact Annetta Quave at 632-1514 for more information.
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ANGELINA COUNTY
Sanches, county agree on comp time solution By JESSICA COOLEY and STEVE KNIGHT The Lufkin News While Angelina County Sheriff Greg Sanches may have come to an agreement with county commissioners Tuesday on how to quickly resolve an inherited comp time issue, the solution put the brakes on his plan to amend his employees’ pay schedule.
Angelina County Sheriff Greg Sanches addresses members of the Angelina County Commissioners Court during its meeting on Tuesday.
Sanches hoped resolving the $64,196 comp time payouts — $49,034 to former sheriff’s office employees and $15,162 to former jail staff — would allow him to increase deputies’ salaries to $36,000 apiece. The deputies currently put themselves in the line of fire for $31,900 a year, regardless of seniority, Sanches has said. He planned to give his other law enforcement and jail staff raises, as well. As it SEE COMMISSIONERS, PAGE 4A
STEVE KNIGHT/ The Lufkin News
KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE
Disciplined dancer
Concerned citizens address commissioners on pipeline By JESSICA COOLEY The Lufkin News Though it wasn’t on the agenda, community members concerned about the possibility of TransCanada being granted an easement for the Keystone XL pipeline addressed the Angelina County Commissioners’ Court Tuesday morning. Three weeks ago, Angelina County Judge Wes Suiter told The Lufkin News that TransCanada may be coming to the county for an easement due to a misunderstanding between the company and a private landowner. After securing an agreement from the landowner, TransCanada began build-out but had to halt operations upon finding that a portion of the property belonged to the county. Suiter said he was still waiting to hear back from Trans-
STEVE KNIGHT/The Lufkin News
Community member Marilyn Eanes voiced her concerns about the pipeline Tuesday. Canada as to whether the com- op of Nacogdoches told the court pany will seek the easement or he is involved in multiple lawreroute around county property. suits — federal, state and local — SEE PIPELINE, PAGE 4A Retired chemist Michael Bish-
HEALTH CARE
Spore joins Charles Wilson VA Outpatient Clinic as facility’s new medical director Doctor inspired by thought of giving back to veteran heroes By MELISSA HEARD The Lufkin News
ANDY ADAMS/The Lufkin News
Senor Ballet Master Johnny W. Chang of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet teaches a master class, hosted by the Angelina Arts Alliance, on Tuesday afternoon in the Angelina College Activity Center as Kendall Pamore of Hudson, left, and Emily Massingill of Lufkin watch. See the story on Page 3B. Members of Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet were in Lufkin on Tuesday to perform Moulin Rouge The Ballet as part of the Angelina Arts Alliance performing arts series.
After 12 years of running his private practice, Brian T. Spore, D.O., is joining Lufkin’s Charles Wilson VA Outpatient Clinic as the new medical director. Inspired by the thought of giving back to veteran heroes, Spore stepped up to the new challenge. Along with other applicable candidates, Spore received an invitation from clinic’s previous director to consider the position. After acquiring the job details, Spore said he found the position appealing, so his decision was made. “Veterans frequently make great sacrifices, and I find that
it feels very American to serve them back,” Spore said. “It provides something for them in exchange for all that they gave.” Spore said he has relatives from both sides of his family who served during the Civil War, World War II SPORE and Vietnam. He said working for the VA clinic is a way to honor his family members who have served. Spore is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. According to a VA Medical Center press release, he completed a family practice residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/Methodist Hospitals of Dallas and at-
tended the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Spore is the Physicians of East Texas Credentials Committee chairman and serves on the Physicians of East Texas Board of Managers. He is also a member of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians. His 12 years of experience in private practice built his confidence and allowed him to establish good relationships with the local community, patients and staff, he said. As a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Spore and others who possess the D.O. degree have the same responsibilities, rights and privileges as physicians with a Doctor of Medicine Degree, the release stated. Holders of the professional D.O. degree are known as osteopathic physicians. The SEE SPORE, PAGE 2A
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Wednesday, January 23, 2013 the lufkin news
Pipeline Continued from Page 1A
JESSICA COOLEY/The Lufkin News
Retired Nacogdoches chemist Michael Bishop tells the Angelina County Commissioners Court about what he claims are dangers posed by the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline. Audrey Campbell, a Colorado woman arrested in Diboll while protesting from a tree stand, watches from the audience.
against the company because of its “empty promises.” “These people have come to every county where this line is being laid and promised jobs — promised the moon,” Bishop said. “None of these promises are coming true. People like me that are property owners, taxpayers and land owners are just fighting a losing battle because no one stands up for our rights.” Bishop told the commissioners court that the TransCanada line, piping tar sands from Alberta to the Gulf, will carry a highly toxic agent. “As a retired chemist, I can tell you this is a serious matter. This is not a crude oil pipeline by any stretch of the imagination,” he said. “This is some of the most toxic, carcinogenic substances known to man. In the end, all of the lies that have been told to landowners, property owners and taxpayers will come back to bite them, but it will be too late.”
Commissioners Continued from Page 1A
stands now, the new sheriff won’t be able to give raises until 2014. “We presented our three solutions and I regret that one of the three, which would have allowed us to amend the salary schedule this year, was not taken,” Sanches said after the meeting. “I think $36,000 for a deputy is a reasonable salary. It’s hard for us to compete and maintain our employees when other counties pay a lot more than we do.” Sanches and his chief deputy, Roy Owens, went before Angelina County Judge Wes Suiter, County Auditor Eddie Gray, County Clerk JoAnn Chastain and the county commissioners Tuesday morning with three proposals to pay out the comp/ holiday and vacation time owed to six employees terminated Jan. 1 when Sanches took office. Per county policy, Sanches was told by Gray that until the value of accrued time had been paid to the former employees — two jail captains, two deputies, one chief deputy and a captain — their positions had to sit open. Sanches’ original plan was to bring his crew in at the current pay schedule but then quickly redistribute the salaries of four positions he did not intend to fill — two receptionists, a criminal investigations division secretary and an animal control deputy. As a result of the pay raise stalemate, Sanches had to replace his original chief deputy, Doug Conn, with Owens while other staff volunteered to work for lower salaries. The three solutions Sanches offered to the commissioners court included: ■ Pulling money from elsewhere in the county’s general budget to absorb the entire $64,196 payout. ■ Paying off the $49,034 sheriff’s office accrued time with the unused salaries to allow those positions to be filled, but leaving the two jail captain positions open until the accrued time was paid out. ■ Breaking even by March 1 by reallocating the January and February salaries of unfilled positions — $43,206 for the sheriff’s office and $16,392 for the jail — into the accrued time payout, with $2,422 to spare. “We need to do something to get our manpower back up,” Sanches told the court. “I know the public is concerned about safety and y’all are, too.” After hearing the propositions, Suiter asked Sanches why he didn’t allow his ranking officials to make their correct salaries by moving comp time payouts to open deputy slots. Gray then said he also made that suggestion to
STEVE KNIGHT/The Lufkin News
ACSO Capt. Alton Lenderman asks commissioners to authorize an application for a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission grant during Tuesday’s meeting of the Angelina County Commissioners Court. Sanches, but the the sheriff rejected the idea. “You want me to tell you what you said in that room?” Sanches asked Gray, to which he said, “Yeah.” “You came back and said, ‘Now don’t tell — this is just between us — but the commissioners will get mad and the judge will get mad if I change and put those in different positions,’” Sanches said. “You said it would take longer to pay the comp time off.” “I said as long as it fit within the budget, which it did, we could do that,” Gray said. “I did not say the commissioners would be mad.” Sanches went on to say he hoped the court would accept his third proposal and pay out the accrued comp time with the unused salaries, allowing him to fill open positions as needed while amending the pay schedule with the unfilled positions. “If we do all this other shuffling around, it is going to put us longer on this payoff,” Sanches said. After a miscommunication was resolved between the court and the sheriff about which positions would be filled and which would remain vacant, the court came to a consensus and approved action that the accrued time payout would be cleared by the salaries of the four positions cut from the department. In turn, Sanches’ support staff would immediately begin making their correct salaries — albeit without the raises Sanches had hoped to approve. He will also be filling at least six deputy positions immediately. “We’re transferring the unused time for the terminated employees to the positions that were indicated — the animal control deputy, the CID secretary and the receptionist positions,” Gray said. “Currently those positions amount to $70,000 and we’re
talking about $49,000 (for the sheriff’s office), so that would be sufficient to cover those amounts. There will still be monies left over in those positions.” In other action during Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners authorized the sheriff’s office to apply for a grant designed to assist Angelina County law enforcement authorities in their efforts to enforce underage drinking laws. The grant, administered by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, is used by state authorities to support activities in law enforcement, educational programs including specialized law enforcement training and innovative methods for reaching youth. According to the TABC website, funding has been used recently to encourage voluntary compliance from retailers, community members and youth as well as enforce the zero-tolerance laws and Alcoholic Beverage Code throughout the state.
Capt. Alton Lenderman told commissioners that if approved, the grant, an amount up to $10,000, would be used to purchase portable breath alcohol testers for use by deputies in the field. The grant requires no matching funds from the county. Since 2002, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has been the recipient of the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Block Grant funding, a federal program administered by the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Commissioners also voted to reappoint Keith Weathers to a third term and appoint Ty Thornton to an initial term on the Pineywoods Groundwater Conservation District Board. Those terms would end Dec. 15, 2015. The court also renewed a five-year contract for a Pitney Bowes mailing machine for the tax office and approved a request from Road and Bridge No. 2 to purchase a new dump truck through the Buy Board. Jessica Cooley’s email address is jcooley@lufkindailynews.com. Steve Knight’s email address is
sion to be there,” she said outside the meeting room. “I was there to draw attention to said pipeline, so I just felt the need to follow this through to the end.” Campbell posted a $10,000 bond five days after her Jan. 3 arrest on a felony charge of interfering with public duties and a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief. She said she is still going through the legal process and expects to be arraigned soon. Jessica Cooley’s email address is jcooley@lufkindailynews.com.
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Community member Marilyn Eanes also voiced her concerns about the pipeline Tuesday. “I don’t want this stuff in our water,” she said. “It was bad enough that BP has very much polluted the Gulf, but this is not oil. It does not sink. It gets in the water and you cannot clean it up. Please stop this.” During the last month, the pipeline has been a hot topic on Angelina County social media sites after a Tar Sands Blockade protest near a Diboll weigh station three weeks ago. The protest resulted in the arrest of six out-of-state protesters and drew more than 30 supporters. One of the people arrested in Diboll, Colorado native Audrey Campbell, was in attendance at the Tuesday commissioners’ court meeting. “I was arrested on the property in which it was found that TransCanada did not have the permis-
Woodland Heights Affinity Center 302 Medical Park Drive (Next to Angelina Surgical Associates) Seating is limited, so register today. Feel free to bring a guest or support person. Members of the Medical Staff at Woodland Heights Medical Center. Woodland Heights Medical Center is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff.
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Wednesday, January 30, 2013 the lufkin news
AROUND EAST TEXAS State of the County Luncheon Friday
CRIMINAL JUSTICE Tree give away set for Thursday
Angelina County will host its 19th annual Bowl-a-Thon at 5:30 p.m. Friday and Feb. 8. Join us for music, bowling, great door The Lufkin/Angelina County Campbell Timberland Manprizes, and a chance to win a Chamber of Commerce will be agement, Angelina Beautiful/ have its monthly First FriClean and the Texas A&M Forest Kindle Fire Hd. Participating teams consist of day luncheon from noon to 1 Service will give away over 18,000 up to five members each, with p.m. Friday at Crown Colony hardwood tree seedlings from 9 Country Club. Guest speaker, a.m. to noon Jan. 31 at the Lufkin each team raising a minimum County Judge Wes Suiter, will Mall parking lot on a first come, of $300. Donors can also adopt a bowling pin for $100. All decopresent an overview of 2012, first served basis. The purpose rated bowling pins will be judged and speak about expectations of the 2013 Arbor Day CelebraFeb. 1, with prizes awarded to and plans for Angelina County tion is to give East Texans the first, second and third places. in 2013. RSVP for the event by 5 chance to replenish trees in Junior Achievement is a nonp.m. Wednesday and be entered our area due to drought, storm in a drawing for a chance to damage and to help beautify An- profit youth development orgawin $100. Tickets are $15 and gelina County. Contact Amanda nization dedicated to providing can be reserved by calling The Anderson with any questions at young people the knowledge and skills they need to plan Chamber at 634-6644. First 632-5326 or email aanderson@ for their future and to make Friday presenting sponsor is lufkintexas.org. smart academic and economic Lufkin Coca-Cola Bottling Co., JA Bowl-a-Thon choices. and February luncheon gold For more information, consponsor is Woodland Heights on tap for February tact Michelle Green at 632-0490. Medical Center. Junior Achievement of
Pair arrested in connection with pipeline protest accept plea bargains By JESSICA COOLEY The Lufkin News Two out-of-state men arrested earlier this month in connection with a Diboll TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline protest accepted plea bargains on their misdemeanor charges Tuesday afternoon. Dakoda Benson, 21, of Kalamazoo, Mich., and Gerald Sproehlich, 21, of Woodlake, Wisc., accepted plea deals from County Attorney Ed Jones for $200 fines, $228 court fees and six days in jail with credit for time served. They were sentenced on charges of evading arrest before County Court-at-Law No. 1 Judge Bob Inselmann Tuesday afternoon alongside their attorney, Luan Tatum of Lufkin. “Welcome to Texas,” Inselmann told the men who laughed in response. “So you will be leaving the state of Texas?” With the men both answering yes, Inselmann told them, “Y’all don’t come back now, ya hear?” which drew laughs from an audience of Angelina County Jail inmates in the courtroom for jail call. With permission from Angelina County Sheriff Greg Sanches,
BENSON
SPROEHLICH
Tatum requested that Benson and Sproehlich be booked in and out of jail without completing the six-day sentence. As both men had two days credit for time served, Inselmann agreed to her request. “If the sheriff has no objection to them checking in and out, I have no problem with them checking in, checking out and hitting the road,” Inselmann said. Tatum said she would personally drive them to the jail so they didn’t have to ride the jail van. “So I won’t see you guys ever again?” Inselmann asked them. “Hopefully not,” Benson said with a laugh. Fellow protester Murtaza Nek, 25, of Vienna, Va., is scheduled to go before a jury in May after pleading not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of inter-
fering with public duties. He was released from the Angelina County Jail Jan. 4 on a $1,500 bond. Environmentalists and other opponents of the pipeline have said the $7 billion project could contaminate groundwater reserves and threaten ecologically sensitive areas in states along its 1,700-mile path. Those favoring the Keystone XL project, including such organizations as Ameri,cans for Prosperity and the Consumer Energy Alliance have cited the nation’s need for more oil and praised its potential economic impact. TransCanada proposed the project in 2008. President Barack Obama in January 2012 rejected TransCanada’s original application for a federal permit to build the pipeline. Since then, TransCanada has split the project into two pieces. The company began construction in August on the southern section of the pipeline between Oklahoma and the Gulf Coast. The southern section of the pipeline didn’t need presidential approval because it won’t cross an international border. Jessica Cooley’s email address is jcooley@lufkindailynews.com.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR today
Senior Circle’s Dining on a Dime. 2 p.m. Woodland Heights Affinity Center. MELISSA HEARD/The Lufkin News Call 637-8687 to RSVP. Features BrookLufkin Middle School students, parents and staff participate in a Zumba class offered through the shire Brothers and Grandough Baking Active Angelina program. Company. Lufkin Cheer Tryout Meeting. 6 p.m. LHS Cafeteria. Students and parent/ guardian must attend to receive a tryout Continued from Page 1A ence (them). High school may and that being healthy and being packet. Tryout dates: Feb. 22, Lufkin Mid“It’s almost like a reading pro- not be as receptive. We’re trying active is what we’re trying to ac- dle School; Feb. 23, Lufkin High School. For info: Patricia White, 633-7838. gram,” Fryer said. “In a reading to start the healthy habits at this complish.” program, you know, you give age.” Idom and Fryer agreed that January 31 Basic Life Support (BLS) Health Care them books, (and) if they read Fryer said he hopes these taking a step toward physical them, you give them a prize. It’s healthy habits will progress into fitness does to have to entail a Provider Certification. 6-10 p.m., Memokind of the same thing with this. the students’ lives and will in- tremendous effort. Idom point- rial Medical Center – Lufkin Community We’re giving them these little ac- fluence their families to get in- ed out that simply walking is Education Room, $45 registration fee, tivity score cards, and we’re try- volved. enough to count for physical space is limited. To register, 639-7447. ing to get two-and-a-half hours of There are many organiza- activity. February 3 physical activity. If they do that, tions in Angelina County that “I think a lot of people when Lufkin Area Radio Control Modelers then we’ll give them incentives do a great job of promoting good they hear physical activity, they Club. 2 p.m. Sundays at the Flying Field and prizes.” health, Fryer said, and Active think, ‘Aw, man, I’ve got to put behind Ellen Trout Zoo, Loop 287 north. Idom said the students have Angelina’s goal is to partner with in some work,’” Fryer said. “But Spectators are always welcome. For info: loved the program so far. She those organizations and do its really, we’re just wanting start www.lufkinarcc.com or call 632-4188. counted about 50 parents in part. small. Being active doesn’t mean February 4 attendance, along with some “We have a lot of good events you have to go out there and run Left Behind After Suicide (LBAS) teachers and administrators as we have planned,” he said. a marathon.” Support Group. 6:30-8:30 p.m. well. “We’re going to be going to the Upcoming activities for the Huntington City Hall. For info: Joe With Lufkin Middle School park. We’re going to be doing dif- program include more Zumba Sawyer, 404-7135; Jennie Christopher, being the largest middle school ferent activities that we’re trying classes, walking the Azalea Trail, 676-3253; Michelle Bryan, 422-4233, in the state, Fryer said it is the to get the community to come out tennis and learning about nutri- Sabrina Fisher, 465-3878; or Debbie best place to reach out to as many to. We have a lot of great resourc- tion, heart disease and diabetes. Robinson, 404-8703. young people as possible. es here in Lufkin and Angelina These activities are open to the February 5 “(Middle school students) are County, and we just want to get community. Annual Chamber of Commerce Melissa Heard’s email address is not ‘too cool for school’ yet,” he the word out and let them know Banquet. 6:30 p.m. Pitser Garrison mheard@lufkindailynews.com. said. “You can still kind of influ- that we have these resources, Convention Center. Reserved tables for 8,
LMS Zumba
Huntington
Continued from Page 1A and workman’s comp insurance to continue. The department also receives community support via utility bill donations and money from the county that is distributed by the Angelina County Firefighter’s Association. The board also on Monday approved six new department volunteers, pending background checks and drug screens. In the last two months, a controversy has played out in the department as LaSalle dismissed the entire crew on the grounds of non-compliance, on what would have been election night. His critics have claimed in previous interviews that the move was a power play to keep himself in office. Murphy said he did not receive notice of Monday’s meeting until
Dog shooting Continued from Page 1A Hoover, Murphy said. “He was going to put the dog down himself but couldn’t bring himself to do it,” Murphy said. “Another family member came to the scene and put the dog down.” According to Luna, anytime a case like this one occurs, as part of protocol, animal control presents it to the county for possible criminal charges. As the case is pending, the name of man who shot Hoover was not available for release as of 3 p.m. Tuesday, Luna said. Susan Ashcraft’s condition was not immediately available Tuesday afternoon. She was taken to Memorial Medical CenterLufkin. Jessica Cooley’s email address is jcooley@lufkindailynews.com
$600; individual tickets $40. To purchase tickets or for more info: 634-6644.
FEBRUARY 6
around 10 a.m. Monday and that, going forward, he would like to see the board meetings conducted on a regular basis. “It needs to be on a standard date and time — like 6 p.m. on the first Monday of every month,” Murphy said. Murphy said he and the other members of the board, including LaSalle, Epperly and community member Quay Innerarity, are working together to form a better department. “My ultimate goal is to have a better fire department that will better serve the community of Huntington,” Murphy said. “I don’t care about just the current
issues of the department but its long-term future in serving the city.” Milstead said he would like to see future meetings have at least a 72-hour notice, as is a requirement of the Texas Open Meetings Act. “The main thing I would like for them to do ... when we have a meeting at the city, we have to post it 72 hours in advance,” Milstead said. “They need to set these meetings up where it is convenient for everyone to attend. One day’s notice is not good.” Jessica Cooley’s email address is jcooley@lufkindailynews.com.
Lufkin Industries Retirees Breakfast. 9 a.m. Lufkin Barbecue, 203 S. Chestnut St. For info: 634-4744.
February 8
Lufkin Dance Club Valentine Dance. 7 p.m. SPJST Lodge, 197 Hughes Road, Fuller Springs. Bring a covered dish for a meal at 7 p.m. Dancing begins at 7:30 with Lynda Kay and The Country Gentleman. Members, $5; non-members, $7.
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keystone xl pipeline special report
Work on pipeline progressing
TransCanada says Gulf Coast Project will have initial capacity to transport 700,000 barrels of oil per day By STEVE KNIGHT The Lufkin News
JACKSONVILLE — It’s an assembly line. In this case, it’s a 485-mile long assembly line stretching from Cushing, Okla., to Nederland — and it’s the workers themselves that do the moving. ■ What it means Page 5A Calgary-based energy infrastructure company TransCanada commenced construction in August on the Gulf Coast Project, consisting of a crude oil pipeline and related facilities. According to TransCanada officals, the Gulf Coast Project will have the initial capacity to transport 700,000 barrels of oil per day and can be ex- A TransCanada Gulf Coast Project construction site near state Highway 21 and Farm-to-Market Road 225 in Douglass. panded to transport 830,000 barrels of oil per day to Gulf Coast refineries. A 47-mile Houston Lateral Project is an additional project under development to transport oil to refineries in the Houston area. The Gulf Coast Project will eventually become part of the proposed Keystone XL Project, which would primarily be used to transport Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin crude oil from an oil supply hub near Hardisty, in the Canadian province of Alberta, to delivery points in Oklahoma and Texas. The proposed project will also transport domestic crude oil to those delivery points. By STEVE KNIGHT The U.S. portion of the pipeline and Jessica Cooley would begin near Morgan, Mont., The Lufkin News at the international border of the United States and Canada, acOpponents of the Keystone cording to a 2011 U.S. Department XL Project and the Gulf Coast of State report. Three delivery Project, both proposed by Calpoints — Nederland and Moore gary-based TransCanada, argue Junction in Texas and Cushing in that tar sands oil from Northern Oklahoma — would provide acAlberta is dirtier and more corcess to many other U.S. pipeline rosive than most other heavy systems and terminals, including crudes refined in this country pipelines to refineries on the Gulf and would harm air quality as Coast. well as endanger water sources if Construction of the pipeline it were to spill somewhere along is taking place on rights-of-way, its journey by pipeline to the Gulf strips of land and land rights the Coast. company has acquired to conAdvocates believe the project struct and operate the pipeline would help decrease American through the central part of Oklareliance on oil from unstable and homa and the eastern part of unfriendly countries and provide Texas, including Angelina Counmuch-needed jobs. ty. The permanent right-of-way STEVE KNIGHT/The Lufkin News The Gulf Coast Project, prois 50 feet wide, with an additional Ricky Allen welds a pipe at a TransCanada Gulf Coast Project construction site in Nacogdoches posed to extend pipeline capacity SEE PIPELINE, PAGE 5A County southeast of Rusk. 485 miles from Cushing, Okla., to
STEVE KNIGHT/The Lufkin News
Opponents say tar sands dirty, more corrosive Critics say heavy oil will harm air quality as well as endanger water sources if it were to spill somewhere along its journey
Index
Today’s weather 8 a.m.
noon
4 p.m.
8 p.m.
45 65 68 55 Compl ete fo re cast, Page 5 A
Books & Travel.......................... 5E Bridal Page............................... 2E Charm Lifestyle......................... 1E Classified...............................1-6F Crossword................................. 4E
Dear Abby.................................. 4E East Texas............................. 1-4B Janice Ann Rowe.......................1B On the Record...........................3D Opinion.....................................2D
Outdoors...................................5C Sports................................... 1-6C TV Listings.......................... 1-20G Weather..................................... 5A
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for meritorious public service Volume 106 No. 365 52 Pages © The Lufkin Daily News
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Contributed photo
This photo shows refined bitumen, an oily semi-solid substance that is turned into tar sands oil by companies like TransCanada and Enbridge. Nederland, will transport oil of different grades and sources, including Canadian oil sands and American-produced crude oil, according to TransCanada officials. A U.S. Department of State SEE CRITICS, PAGE 4A
business
Still offline Aspen Power, the 57-megawatt power plant sitting idle in north Lufkin, is experiencing its latest setbacks that will keep it out of production until May 1. 1D
4A
lufkindailynews.com
Sunday, February 3, 2013 the lufkin news
Critics Continued from Page 1A
report issued in August 2011 explains the potential environmental impact for the proposed Keystone XL Project. Oil sands, also referred to as tar sands, are a combination of clay, sand, water and bitumen, which is a material similar to soft asphalt, the report states. Bitumen is extracted from the ground by mining or by injecting steam underground to heat the bitumen to a point where it liquefies and can be pumped to the surface. Bitumen is treated in several ways to create crude oil suitable for transport by pipeline and refining. The types of Canadian crude oil that would be transported by the proposed project would primarily consist of synthetic crude oil and diluted bitumen. Synthetic crude oil is produced from bitumen using refining methods, a process called upgrading, that converts bitumen into lighter liquid hydrocarbons. It’s converted into a crude oil similar to conventional crude oil, the report states. Diluted bitumen, often called dilbit, consists of bitumen mixed with a diluent, which is a light hydrocarbon liquid such as natural gas condensate or refinery naphtha. The bitumen is diluted to reduce its viscosity so that it is in a more liquid form that can be transported via pipeline. According to the report, dilbit is also processed to remove sand, water and other impurities. The diluents in dilbit are combined with the bitumen to form a crude oil that is a homogenous mixture that does not physically separate when released. Both synthetic crude oil and dilbit are similar in composition and quality to the crude oils currently transported in pipelines in the U.S. and being refined in Gulf Coast refineries, according to the report. Neither type of crude oil requires heating for transport in pipelines. In an interview last week with The Lufkin News at a construction yard near Jacksonville, Jim Prescott, an independent contractor to TransCanada, said oil sands are no different from Venezuelan oil or oil produced off the coast of California. “It’s all oil,” Prescott said. “It’s just different grades of oil. If you’re the oil producer — you explore and produce oil out of the oil sands region in Northern Alberta — and I’m the pipeline company — I’m TransCanada and I have the Keystone pipeline — I’m not going to take your oil until you meet my (specifications) to put your oil in my pipeline. There’s no way in the world that I’m going to build a $13 (billion) to $14 billion pipeline system and then accept delivery of your oil day after day after day if what you put in my pipeline is going to damage my pipeline. That’s not going to happen. You have to take all the impurities out — take the sand out and other stuff that could damage my pipeline before I accept it.” The proposed Gulf Coast Project pipeline will traverse Angelina County from the northwest and west of Lufkin, parallel the western county line, then follow U.S. Highway 59 into Polk County. Construction is in varying phases along what officials call the second spread of the project from Delta County to Polk County. Prescott said this project is probably the most safety conscious and technologically advanced project he has been involved with. “The pipeliners that are building this pipeline are the best in the world,” he said. “The regulations that we have to meet or exceed are unlike any place else in the world. When you combine the skill of 750 workers that are out there with the hoops we have to jump through, it combines for a very safe project.” Last month out-of-state Keystone XL pipeline protesters took up temporary residence in Angelina County, some of those with firsthand accounts of the toll a pipeline spill can take on home, health and habitat. At the height of the Angelina County protest staged along U.S. Highway 59 south in Diboll, The Lufkin News talked with Tar Sands Blockade member Elizabeth Chiaravalli of Kalamazoo, Mich. On July 25, 2010, her hometown suffered a spill at the hands of Enbridge Inc., also a Canadianbased company piping tar sands oil from Canada through the United States. Around 5:58 p.m. that day, a 40-foot-long pipe segment ruptured, dumping more than 1 million gallons of heavy crude oil into Talmadge Creek in Calhoun County, Mich., which flows into the Kalamazoo River, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Four days later, the Calhoun County Health Depart-
ment asked 30 to 50 households to evacuate, and twice as many were advised not to drink their water, incident reports stated. Though alarms sounded in Enbridge’s Edmonton headquarters at the time of the rupture, it was 18 hours before a Michigan utilities employee reported oil spilling and the pipeline company learned of the spill. Meanwhile, pipeline operators had thought the alarms were maybe caused by a bubble in the pipeline and, while for some time it was shut down, they also increased pressure for periods of hours to try to clear the possible blockage, spilling more oil, according to an NTSB report. The oil was contained to a 25-mile stretch of the Kalamazoo River as several hundred workers took part in the cleanup. Three years later, the cleanup is still ongoing with a price tag of $800 billion, according to a report released by the Environmental Protection Agency. While TransCananda is not responsible for what the EPA is calling the “largest and costliest inland oil spill in U.S. history,” the company does pipe the same product as Enbridge — tar sands crude oil derived from a “semi solid” oily substance called bitumen. In the wake of the Kalamazoo spill, Chiarvalli said she feels the American people are being lied to by TransCanada and companies like it. “TransCanada is pretending it is a normal crude oil company and using imminent domain to take people’s land. Tar sands isn’t Texas crude. It comes from Canada and you mine it like coal. They have to mix it with a lot of different chemicals — neurotoxins and carcinogens,” Chiaravalli said, adding that unlike crude oil, tar sands oil doesn’t float. “There isn’t a good way to do tar sands because you’re trying to pipe a solid. It’s like super-heated, high-pressure sandpaper going through a pipe that is meant to pipe normal Texas crude oil. It erodes it very quickly.” Following the Kalamazoo spill, Chiarvalli said she saw people, pets and wildlife plagued by health issues, adding that even the neighborhood dog succumbed to a “mystery illness.” “The neighborhood dog’s name was Smoky, and right after the spill Smoky got really sick and died,” she said. “Women had miscarriages. Little kids got asthma and had seizures that couldn’t be explained. It was like you knew you were really healthy before the spill, and now you’re sick. You have emphysema, constant nosebleeds and your pets are dying. “If it is by your house, please
educate yourself and have an escape route. Consider moving, and get your water tested regularly.” Kalamazoo Gazette multimedia reporter Fritz Klug was working as an intern in 2010 and broke the news of the spill. He said that throughout his coverage he has been most struck by the oblivion of Kalamazoo residents, who didn’t know they lived, worked and played atop a pipeline. “The residents had no idea that this could happen in their own back yard,” Klug said in a phone interview this past week. “The first responders spent the first few days trying to figure out how to handle this. Even the EPA didn’t know how to deal with the submerged oil.” Klug said that in the last three years, the cleanup effort has been a struggle between the primary task and preserving the wildlife and ecology. “Do you get 100 percent of the oil out or preserve the habitat? How do you preserve the habitat going forward?” he said. “The river is now open to the public, but it is still being monitored.” According to TransCanada’s website, the company does have protocol in place for an event like the Kalamazoo spill. Since 2010, the company has had 14 spills in the existing Keystone network, none of which was due to pipeline rupture, according to a 2011 U.S. State Department report. TransCanada reportedly monitors for leaks from a control center 24 hours a day/365 days a year and can shut down and isolate an affected line within minutes. “In the event of a leak, TransCanada is responsible to clean up the oil, remediate leak impact, and to pay for damages,” the company’s website states. “Keystone will initiate an Emergency Response Plan to minimize any effects to the environment. The plan will address specific environmental features in the vicinity of the pipeline and will be based on practices that are well-understood and tested. This comprehensive plan is required to be filed with and approved by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration prior to pipeline operation and will meet or exceed all federal safety standards.” The website goes on to state that if leaks do occur, they “are small and most involve less than three barrels of oil. Eighty percent of spills involve less than 50 barrels, and less than 0.5 percent of spills total more than 10,000 barrels.” Leaks of more than five barrels in Texas are to be reported, monitored, documented and investigated by the Texas Railroad
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JESSICA COOLEY/The Lufkin News
Elizabeth Chiaravalli of Kalamazoo, Mich., second from the left, holds a sign in protest of the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline last month in Diboll. Chiaravalli said she has seen firsthand the impact and aftermath of a tar sands oil spill in her hometown. Commission. Dakota, which has become a gold The Kalamazoo incident rush of oil and energy production proved the need for new pipe- in recent years, as an example. lines, Prescott said. “That was an old pipeline — 60 years old,” Prescott said. “That’s not unusual. Two-thirds of the pipe in the ground today in operation were built before 1970. There’s a lot of attention about infrastructure — our roads and bridges. One of the things that gets overlooked in that conversation from a broad public needs standpoint is the role pipelines play in making the economy go and fueling the economy. If twothirds of the bridges and roads were built before 1970, and folks had to drive on those roads and bridges, there would be a huge demand from elected officials and the public to rebuild them. When you have an incident like that in Michigan that occurred with a pipeline that was 50 or 60 years old, that demonstrates the need for new pipelines to replace old ones like that.” The supply and demand for pipelines exceed the capacity for pipe, he said. Prescott used North
“The problem in North Dakota SEE JUST SAY NO, PAGE 6A
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LUFKIN FIVE-DAY FORECAST
TODAY
Partly sunny Winds: E 3-6 mph Probability of Precip: 0%
70°
RealFeel: 74°
TONIGHT
Increasing cloudiness Winds: SE 3-6 mph Probability of Precip: 10%
46°
Winds: S 4-8 mph Probability of Precip: 60%
68°
TUESDAY
52°
RealFeel: 52°
Mostly cloudy Winds: NNE 4-8 mph Probability of Precip: 25%
65°
41°
none none 0.28” 4.05” 4.46”
LAKE LEVELS
Sam Rayburn Res. B.A. Steinhagen Lake Nacogdoches Toledo Bend Res. Lake Tyler Lake Palestine Lake Livingston Cedar Creek Res. Lake Conroe
Normal
164.5 85 279 172 375.5 345 131 322 201
Current
161.48 81.56 278.70 168.59 371.21 343.72 131.26 319.14 198.20
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today ............................7:10 a.m. Sunset tonight ...........................5:56 p.m. Moonrise today .........................12:37 a.m. Moonset today ........................ 11:36 a.m. New
Last
First
Full
69°
50°
RealFeel: 48°
Mostly cloudy with a chance for showers Winds: ESE 4-8 mph Probability of Precip: 35%
66°
Feb 10
52°
Mon. Tues. Wed. Thur. Fri.
Minor
12:15 p.m. 12:41 a.m. 1:35 a.m. 2:29 a.m. 3:22 a.m.
Center 68/45
Jacksonville 65/47 Rusk 65/46 Palestine 69/49
Nacogdoches 68/42
Crockett 68/50
San Augustine 68/43 LUFKIN 70/46
Trinity 69/50 Huntsville 70/50 Livingston 70/47
Feb 17
Diboll 70/46
Jasper 69/46 Woodville 71/47
Feb 25
Major
6:00 a.m. 6:56 a.m. 7:50 a.m. 8:44 a.m. 9:37 a.m.
Minor
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Major
6:30 p.m. 7:26 p.m. 8:20 p.m. 9:14 p.m. 10:05 p.m.
The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter.
RealFeel: 52°
RealFeel: 67°
Henderson 68/46
SOLUNAR TABLE
Probability of Precip: 15%
RealFeel: 70°
REGIONAL MAP
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY Feb 3
Mostly cloudy Winds: ESE 4-8 mph
THURSDAY
Precipitation 24 hours ending 7 p.m. yest. ........... Month to date .................................. Normal month to date ...................... Year to date ..................................... Normal year to date .........................
RealFeel: 42°
RealFeel: 68°
WEDNESDAY
Lufkin through 7 p.m. yesterday Temperature High/low temperature .................. 75°/43° Normal high/low ........................... 61°/40° Record high .......................... 82° in 1974 Record low ............................ -2° in 1951
Location
Mostly cloudy with a couple of showers
RealFeel: 66°
ALMANAC DATA
Statistics as of 7 a.m. Saturday
RealFeel: 45°
MONDAY
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the lufkin news Sunday, February 3, 2013
The patented AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature® is an exclusive index of effective temperature based on eight weather factors. Shown are the highest and lowest values for each day
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2013
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REGIONAL CITIES City Abilene Alice Amarillo Austin Baytown Beaumont Brownsville Corpus Christi Dallas Del Rio El Paso Fort Worth Galveston Houston Irving Kingsville Lake Charles, LA Laredo Longview Lubbock McAllen Odessa Palestine Pasadena Plano San Angelo San Antonio Shreveport, LA Texarkana Tyler Victoria Waco Wichita Falls
Today
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W pc pc pc c c c pc pc sh pc pc pc c c sh pc c pc sh pc pc pc sh c sh pc pc sh sh sh pc c pc
Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
NATIONAL CITIES City Albuquerque Anchorage Baltimore Boise Boston Charleston, SC Cleveland Fairbanks Honolulu Indianapolis Jackson, MS Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Memphis New York Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Portland, OR Raleigh St. Louis Salt Lake City Springfield, MO Topeka Tulsa
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Monday
Hi 54 34 33 38 30 58 21 18 80 29 62 66 58 72 59 33 69 33 72 50 49 42 35 50 38 60
Lo 30 21 25 23 16 37 10 0 68 12 48 41 35 46 40 24 45 24 46 36 33 25 19 25 21 28
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keystone xl pipeline Q&A
What pipeline means for future of Texas Forest Country By RHONDA OAKS The Lufkin News The lines in the (tar) sands were drawn between environmentalists, pipeline proponents and government officials months ago, but as the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline begins to snake its way through East Texas, many area residents are wondering just what it means for the future of the Texas Forest Country if this much-talked-about pipeline is completed. What is the Keystone XL Pipeline? The Keystone Pipeline is already in existence, but the Keystone XL expansion of the pipeline across the United States is not. The existing pipeline currently runs from oil sand fields in Alberta, Canada, and ends in Cushing, Okla. The new expansion would mean an additional 1,700 miles of pipeline that could be built in two sections. The first, according to Keystone Pipeline information, will connect Cushing, Okla., with the Texas Gulf Coast. The pipeline is set to skirt along the west side of Angelina County with wide clearings already evident through the East Texas forests. The second part of the expansion would include a new section from Alberta, Canada, to Kansas. It could pass through the Bakken Shale area in Montana and North Dakota, where there are rich deposits of oil. The new expansions will be equipped with larger pipes, from the current 30 inches to 36 inches. Once the expansion is completed, according to company information, it can initially deliver more than 700,000 barrels
of oil from Canada, connecting through other U.S. sources before reaching Texas coastal refineries. Specific states the pipeline will travel through include Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma before traversing through 16 counties in north and east Texas. Who owns the Keystone pipeline? The project is a multi-billiondollar plan proposed and owned by TransCanada Corporation (TSX-NYSE), an energy company with corporate offices located in Calgary and Alberta, Canada. For more than three years, the company has tried to get the required permits that will allow them to cross the international border between Canada and the United States. A Presidential Permit is required for the small
amount of footage that will actually cross the border between the two countries. President Obama previously rejected the request for a Presidential Permit because of environmental concerns. Because of the permit denial, the company decided to build the pipeline in sections, which would not require a presidential nod. However, the Obama administration has stated that it will make a decision on the Presidential Permit by spring, 2013. If approved, the two U.S. sections will be completed and connect with the new expansion at the Canadian border that will complete the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline. What is the Gulf Coast Project and how does it affect Angelina County? TransCanada announced in February 2012 they planned to
go ahead with the southern expansion project of the pipeline while waiting on the decision on the Presidential Permit. Since the Gulf Coast Project does not cross international borders, no presidential approval is required. With all other required permits in place, the company began the Gulf Coast Project in the fall of 2012 with an expected completion date of mid-2013. When complete, the tar sands crude oil will travel beneath East Texas to oil refineries along the gulf, near the Port of Houston and to Port Arthur, Texas. The Gulf Coast Project is expected to be about 485 miles long, beginning in Cushing, Oklahoma, and extend to Nederland, Texas, before reaching the Gulf Coast. Once in Nederland, the project is expected to continue
another 47 miles as part of the Houston Lateral Project, an additional plan still under development that will transport the oil to Houston-area refineries. Who Is opposing the pipeline? The pipeline has many critics who argue the possible harmful impacts the pipeline could have upon the environment. The Sierra Club and other environmental protection groups oppose the use of tar sand crude, which is prevalent in Canada. The technical term for tar sands is bitumen, which is a mixture of sand, water, clay and oil. The mixture through means of modern technology is refined into oil that is usable. Pipeline critics believe the material could be corrosive. A group of organizations against the pipeline claim that bitumen can be more acidic than regular crude and could be more abrasive, causing damage to pipelines and risking increased number of spills. The corrosiveness of the oil also has the groups concerned that if the pipes should leak into the ground, it could affect ground water, soil and even human health. According to a U.S. State Department investigation, there have previously been 14 spills from TransCanada lines. The investigations have shown that none of the spills was caused by corrosion, but from faulty parts located at various valve stations. Is the pipeline safe? According to TransCanada, the pipeline is the safest way to transport the tar sands crude oil for storage. Many millions of gallons are already transported through thousands of miles of current pipelines already in
subsoil so that it may be returned to the right-of-way after construction. ■ Stringing the pipe — The pipe, which has been pre-treated with a corrosion inhibiting coating, is distributed in varying lengths along the right-of-way, then bevelled and bent to suit the contours of the land and prepared for welding. ■ Welding and inspection — Sophisticated technology is used to weld the pipe together in one string, and each weld is inspected to meet strict safety and quality assurance requirements. ■ Ditching, coating and installing pipe — Excavating equipment is used to dig the ditch. Then, the pipe is placed in the ditch. Finally, the welded joints are coated for corrosion protection and the pipeline is inspected. ■ Backfilling and final cleanup — The subsoil is used to cover the pipe in the trench and is then covered with the original topsoil. ■ Right-of-way reclamation —
Workers return the land to a condition as close as possible to its previous state prior to construction. Environmental protection plans are implemented to stabilize the right-of-way and promote the re-establishment of a vegetative cover, where appropriate. Jim Prescott, an independent contractor to TransCanada, explained how the crews work on Spread 2 of the three-spread project, a 175-mile stretch of land between Delta County and the northern portion of Polk County. On the day of The Lufkin News’ visit, about 30 crews consisting of about 720 employees were working across the spread. “You’ve got one crew after another,” Prescott said. “It’s like an assembly line. On Spread 2, we’ve done all of the clearing for the most part. Once that’s done, you get into grading, which is about 80 percent complete. Each crew comes in. When Spread 2 started in Delta County, that was the first crew out the door, then the other
crews came behind them. Ultimately, you have multiple crews across the entire spread. It is literally an assembly line from Delta to Polk County. That assembly line keeps moving. When those guys are done clearing, grading, stringing and putting the fencing up, they’re done. The other guys keep on coming behind them.” Crews on the northern end of the spread are conducting reclamation activities, he said, while on the southern end, in Angelina and Polk counties, workers are clearing and grading the right-ofway. “At the northern end, we’re already into cleanup, reclamation and environmental work,” he said. “The pipeline is in the ground, and for the most part, we’re done up north. It’s already been backfilled. As the crews move south, we transition from a yard facility in Mount Pleasant over the course of about 45 days, at the end of the year and into January, into this yard (near
Jacksonville). We still have that facility up there, because that’s where we’re basing the cleanup and reclamation crews.” On Tuesday, The Lufkin News was invited by TransCanada officials to tour construction sites in Nacogdoches County where crews are conducting installation and welding activities. At a site south of U.S. Highway 84 and southeast of Rusk, a tie-in crew was welding pipes together in a 15-foot ditch for a creek crossing. Wayne Knox, assistant construction manager on Spread 2, explained at the site how the tie-in crew works in areas that require a more complicated or involved connection such as highway crossings, creeks, rivers or bends. “When the pipe gang goes through, they weld as many pipe joints together as they can. When they come to a break, like a road crossing, they leave that break,” Knox said. “Then the tie-in crew will take
place in the United States. The company claims to have the most advanced technology and materials in the world. Company press releases state that it would take a train 25 miles long each day to move the same volume of oil that TransCanada claims it can move through the Keystone XL pipeline project each day. Company officials state that the pipeline will be monitored from a control center 24 hours a day. Information provided by Keystone states that 16,000 transmitters will monitor the pipeline for pressure and operating conditions and transmit the collected data every five seconds. This would make it possible for pipeline operators to close the valves and isolate an incident within minutes. The company claims to have emergency response plans in place for the lines that already exist from Illinois to Oklahoma that undergo routine testing. The company expects the Presidential Permit to be granted and construction of the project quickly completed. Company officials say the continued support they receive from Canadian and American producers has guaranteed up to 18-year contracts that will make it possible to ship hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil per day, thus guaranteeing American consumers that their need for oil, gas and petroleum products will be met. Information about the Keystone Pipeline, its background, maps and future plans can be found at www.transcanada.com/ keystone.
care of those loose ends. This crew basically stays with the lowering-in crew all the time just for this purpose right here — to make tie-ins as they get to them and move on. They’ve got the clamps on there to clamp to two bevelled ends together. They’re lining them up there now to get that prepared to weld it. When they start to weld the gap between those two joints, it’s got to be about a 16th of an inch all the way around.” Know said tie-in crews spend as much time as they need in order to prepare the two bevelled ends of the pipe properly for welding. “They’ve got to get it right where it needs to be all the way around to begin the welding process,” he said. “They’ll warm that pipe (using a propane torch) all the way around it before they weld it to pre-heat that joint in preparation. Then, they’ll begin the welding process.”
Rhonda Oaks’ email address is roaks@lufkindailynews.com.
Pipeline Continued from Page 1A
60 feet of temporary workspace. Highway crossings, railway crossings, existing pipeline corridors, watercourse crossings and other site-specific locations to accommodate pipeline activities sometimes require additional temporary work space. Crude oil pipeline construction involves burying continuous sections of pipe underground and building above-ground facilities to support the operation. Above-ground facilities for the Gulf Coast Project will include 10 pump stations, designed to push the crude oil through the pipeline. According to TransCanada, the sequence of typical construction activities consists of: ■ Clearing and grading the right-of-way — Trees, brush and crops are removed and a working surface is then prepared by stripping off the topsoil layer and grading the subsoil to create a level work surface. The topsoil is preserved separately from the
SEE PROJECT, PAGE 6A
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lufkindailynews.com
Sunday, February 3, 2013 the lufkin news
lufkin kiwanis club spelling bee
Fredonia Hill Baptist Academy student wins Regional Zone 7 Spelling Bee By RHONDA OAKS The Lufkin News It took 11 group rounds, a stressful individual round and dozens of words, but the Regional Zone 7 Spelling Bee Saturday at Lufkin High School came down to one winning word — pumpernickel. More than 50 students from Angelina, Houston, Nacogdoches, Sabine and San Augustine counties competed in the annual spelling bee, hosted by the Lufkin Kiwanis Club. The individual
winner advances to next round of competition on March 23 in Houston. Appearing confident throughout the competition, winner Trace Corley, fifth-grade student at Fredonia Hill Baptist Academy in Nacogdoches, gave it just a moment’s thought and then quickly spelled the word that snagged him the championship. “I really felt good about the competition,” Corley said. “I really studied hard, and I am glad I did now. I am excited and I hope I do really good in Houston. I guess
that depends on how well I study this book.” Officials presented Corley with his study book, The Webster’s Thesaurus and Complete Dictionary, to prepare himself for the Houston competition. The group competition lasted for part of the day and finally determined Regions Academy in Nacogdoches as the winner of the Team Spellers Grades 6th-8th. Regions Academy’s fifth-graders were also named as winners in the Team Spellers Grade K-5th. Schools participating in the
Regional Zone 7 Team Spellers competition for kindergarten through fifth grades were Brandon Elementary, Burley Primary second grade, Dunbar Primary, Nacogdoches CHEA, Pineywoods Community Academy, Regents Academy, Slack Elementary and St. Cyprian’s Episcopal School. Participating team spellers in the sixth through eighth grades were Lufkin Middle School, Nacogdoches CHEA, Pineywoods Community Academy and Regents Academy, In the individual spelling com-
petition, students competing for the title included Andrew Adams, St. Cyprian’s Episcopal School; Conner Ainsworth, Slack Elementary; Sreenidhi Kamati, Dunbar Primary; Sohaib Mir, Lufkin Middle School; Pooja Ramnath, Brandon Elementary; Haydn Smith, Nacogdoches CHEA; Ana Vazquez, Nettie Marshall Elementary; Ben Wallace, Burley Primary; Wesley Young, Regents Academy; and Corley. The path each year to the Houston PBS Spelling Bee begins with regional competition that
is part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Spellers advance from challenging competitions on the school district and regional spelling bee levels that eventually ends with naming a national winner. Kiwanis judges for the competition were Rodney Ivey, Jenniffer Ricks, Jim Head, Rhenel Johnson, Joe Havard and Mike Cotton. Conductor for the spelling bee was Mike Miller and announcer was Sam Griffin Jr.
the proposed project corridor, required regulatory controls, depth of cover, strength of materials and technological advances in the design of the proposed project. Using those factors, TransCanada officials estimated that there could be 0.22 spills per year from the pipeline, the report stated. TransCanada’s record of spills from the existing Keystone pipeline system is not perfect. According to a 2011 State Department report, the existing Keystone pipeline system has experienced 14 spills since it began operation in June 2010. However, unlike the Kalamazoo incident, the Keystone spills occurred at fittings and seals at pump or valve stations and did not involve the actual pipeline. Twelve of the spills remained within the confines of the pump and valve stations. Of those spills, seven were 10 gallons or less, four were 100 gallons or less, two were between 400 and 500 gallons and one was 21,000 gallons, the report stated. The spill of 21,000 gallons occurred in 2011 when a fitting failed at a pump station in Ludden, N.D. The incident resulted in a corrective action order from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which
halted pipeline operation. TransCanada was required to consult with Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration officials before returning the pipeline to operation. Most of the oil was contained within the pump station in the North Dakota incident, but 210 gallons discharged from the pump station to adjacent land. TransCanada conducted an assessment of the maximum potential pipeline spill volume from a complete pipeline structural failure. Officials estimated that the maximum spill volume would be about 2.8 million gallons, which would be possible along less than 1.7 miles of the proposed pipeline route due to topographic conditions. For about 50 percent of the proposed pipeline route, about 842 miles, the maximum spill volume would be about 672,000 gallons, the report stated. “In terms of operations, it confirms TransCanada’s commitment that you can’t take a day off, you can’t take an hour off,” Prescott said. “You have to watch the system constantly. We’ve seen this already with the first two phases. This system has already been delivering oil to Illinois and to Cushing for the better part of
two to three years. The first phase went online in June 2010 and Phase 2 to Cushing went online in March 2011. In that time span, in the first two phases, the Keystone system has delivered about 350 million barrels of oil. We have the ability to identify problems as quickly as possible and shut down the system if we need to. We’ve done that. I’m sure you’ve heard that ‘they’ve had leaks.’ It’s not a leak from the pipe itself.” There has been no problem with the integrity with the pipe in terms of the welds, the strength of the steel or any problems with the pipe itself, he said. “The incidents they are referring to — and we’ve been very open and transparent about it — have been at pump stations. Those pump stations are like mini-industrial sites with hundreds if not thousands of couplings, fittings, joints and valves. When we’ve had incidents there — and knock on wood, we haven’t had one in almost two years now — we’ve identified issues and made corrections. So far, those changes seem to be working. The lesson learned by us from those incidents is we do have the ability to shut down the pipeline system in a matter of minutes — 9, 10, 12 minutes. That’s what we did: We
found the problem, isolated it and shut down the system. In each of those incidents, that’s what happened. It worked the way we thought it was going to work, which is reassuring, but certainly not something we can rest assured.” The final environmental impact study cited in this report is available for download by visiting
the project’s website at www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov, and print copies are available at Kurth Memorial Library in Lufkin, the T.L.L. Temple Memorial Library in Diboll and the Nacogdoches Public Library in Nacogdoches.
Rhonda Oaks’ email address is roaks@lufkindailynews.com.
Just say no Continued from Page 4A
is that their production levels are going through the roof, but the pipelines there are old and there aren’t enough of them,” he said. “Part of what we’re trying to do with the northern XL permit, which is in the process at the federal level, is when we get that permit, there will be a some 100-mile on-ramp to add pipeline capacity, to move more oil out of North Dakota.” TransCanada submitted a risk analysis to the State Department that also included an estimate of the frequency of spills over the life of the proposed project. The State Department report stated the analysis was for the pipeline only and did not include releases from pump stations, valve stations or the tank farm. TransCanada officials initially calculated a spill frequency of 1.38 spills per year based only on the historical Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration spill incident database available in 2008 when the application to the U.S. Government was submitted. Officials also calculated a project-specific spill frequency for the pipeline that considered the specific terrain and environmental conditions along
Project Continued from Page 5A
Knox said it would usually take the tie-in crew about an hourand-a-half to complete the welding process. The next step after welding is a process called a non-destructive examination. “Every weld in the entire pipeline is examined,” Prescott said. “It’s a manual x-ray or ultrasonic test. Each weld has to meet very specific technical criteria and is inspected. When the welds pass the inspection, they will be coated and the pipe will be prepared for lowering in. One hundred percent of all welds go through a xray or ultrasonic test.” At another site, near Douglass off state Highway 21, the pipe gang crew was lining up pipes in preparation for welding.
“They’re getting ready to line them up,” Knox said, explaining the function of the pipe gang crew. “They have an internal clamp. They’ll put the other joint over it, line it up from the inside and weld it from the outside. When they put the (welding) shed over it, it’s all automatic. It will be welded automatically and they’ll move the next one over and keeping leapfrogging on up the way until they get the complete weld made. A good sound weld is what we’re after.” On the southern end of the spread, in Angelina and Polk counties, workers are clearing and grading the right-of-way, according to Prescott. No pipes have been distributed or installed in Angelina County yet. TransCanada officials an-
nounced in July that the three permits required from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had been received, allowing for construction of the $2.3 billion Gulf Coast Project. Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman approved a new route for the Keystone XL oil pipeline last week that avoids the state’s environmentally sensitive Sandhills region. President Barack Obama rejected the original proposal for the Keystone pipeline last year and later agreed to let construction begin on the southern leg of the project through Oklahoma and Texas. Officials anticipate an in-service date for the Gulf Coast Project sometime late this year.
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Steve Knight’s email address is sknight@lufkindailynews.com. Jessica Cooley’s email address is jcooley@lufkindailynews.com.
Jesse Mc cann A New Novella About an East Texas Saw Mill Town Is Coming to the Texas Forestry Museum Lufkin native Jeanie Freeman-Harper takes readers back to the late 1800s to a fictitious saw mill town, in a tale of danger and dark secrets in the piney woods. Limited paper back copies will be available at the museum gift shop at 1905 Atkinson, Lufkin. (Download for Kindle/ iPad, Amazon.com B00AB85SI0 or search by author's name.)
Your heart beats 100,000 times every day, 36,500,000 times every year. Isn’t it worth a few minutes of your time?
Steve Knight’s email address is sknight@lufkindailynews.com.
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You’re invited to our Heart Fair. Saturday, February 16 • 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. • Lufkin Mall – Sears Court FREE screenings: glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass index Visit with clinicians, hospital staff, and other healthcare service agencies Get information on upcoming events and exciting happenings at Woodland Heights Medical Center
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Wednesday, February 6, 2013 the lufkin news
KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE
Nacogdoches County landowner addresses ANRA in fight against pipeline Douglass man says tar sands oil not crude oil as defined by government By STEVE KNIGHT The Lufkin News A Nacogdoches County landowner continued his fight against the Canadian-based company building the 485-mile Gulf Coast Project pipeline from Oklahoma to the Gulf Coast, addressing the Angelina Neches River Authority Board in Lufkin on Tuesday. Retired chemist Michael Bishop of Douglass, who is involved in multiple lawsuits at the federal, state and local levels against energy infrastructure company TransCanada, told the board members that the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline network, which will transport tar sands oil from Alberta to the Gulf, is not crude oil as defined by the federal government. “There is a definitive statutory definition of what crude oil is,” Bishop told board members. “We’re all Texans. We were nursed on crude oil. I don’t have any problem with a crude oil pipeline.” Bishop showed board members a copy of a permit issued by the Texas Railroad Commission to TransCanada stating that the fluid to be transported would be crude oil. “As a chemist, when I started examining this and said, ‘Wait, this is not crude oil,’ I went to the federal and state statutory definitions. ... It was clearly a violation or a misrepresentation. This material is not crude oil. This stuff is solid material that comes out of the earth.” According to the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 15, Part
STEVE KNIGHT/The Lufkin News
Retired chemist Michael Bishop, standing, addresses the Angelina and Neches River Authority Board of Directors in Lufkin on Tuesday. 754.2, crude oil is defined as a mixture of hydrocarbons that existed in liquid phase in underground reservoirs and remains liquid at atmospheric pressure after passing through surface separating facilities and which has not been processed through a crude oil distillation tower. Included are reconstituted crude petroleum, and lease condensate and liquid hydrocarbons produced from tar sands, gilsonite and oil shale. “This material is a solid,” Bishop said. “It’s like roofing tar. It must be heated while it’s transported. This is some very different material from what they are claiming it to be. Even the Internal Revenue Service and the government says this is not crude oil. Yet, they’re permitted as crude oil.” Bishop showed members a Jan. 12, 2011, technical advice memo from the Internal Revenue Service stating that although an excise tax is imposed on crude oil, tar sands imported into the United States are not subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4611 of the Internal Revenue
Code. The memo cited a U.S. House Ways and Means report that states crude oil, for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code, does not include synthetic petroleum, shale oil, liquids from coal, tar sands or biomass or refined oil. Bishop told board members they could take one or any of the following actions: ■ As a group, as the River Authority, by consensual agreement, issue a letter of concern or interest in public hearings regarding the pipeline to the governor, the attorney general, the chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, the general counsel for the Texas Legislature and to boards of other river authorities in Texas. ■ As individuals or as a group, contact the Angelina County Commissioners’ Court with concerns about the safety of this line and ask the court to stop the project in Angelina County. ■ Send TransCanada a written request for a Material Safety Data Sheet regarding the material to be transported, under authority found in the Texas
was born. Riley said the one activity Clark never misses at Neches House is the quilting class held once a week. The class’ teacher, Betty Hageon of Harvest Family Worship Center of East Texas, shared her experience with getting to know Clark through the class and the lasting friendship they built. “I soon realized that our roles had been reversed, and I was being taught,” she said. “Ms. Mary is so knowledgeable of so many different things. She began to tell me how to prepare the quilt. ... My heart was so knit to her heart. ... I’ve grown to love her so, so, so greatly — just like she’s my own grand-
mother.” The guests showered Clark with hugs and love throughout the celebration. Riley and Sanford of Neches House said they were proud to have the oldest woman in Angelina County living in their community.
Natural Resources Code section 111.019(c) and in federal law under SARA Title III, Section 311, also known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. ■ Hold public meetings for a determination of the facts and invite a representative of the TransCanada Keystone pipeline to present their facts. ■ Join in a legal suit with organizations such as the Sierra
Club or the 391 Commission, file a legal suit on its own or urge the attorney general to bring suit on behalf of Texans in the path of the pipeline. Kelley Holcomb, general manager of the Angelina and Neches River Authority, said his agency has no authority to act in these situations, other than to write letters or pass non-binding resolutions. “What I took away from (Bishop’s) presentation was he wanted our support in opposing this project, and exactly what that was is up for question at the moment,” Holcomb said. “There are obviously two sides to this story in terms of what the impact eventually could be as a result of this pipeline project. With the amount of knowledge that we have on crude oil and crude oil processes, we don’t have the answers — in my own mind, and I can’t speak for the board — as to what the reality of this pipeline could be in five, 10 or 15 years down the road. In this situation, we have no regulatory authority. They’re not required to get a permit from us. That’s what the state and federal government’s role is in this situation. In terms of having any authority, we have none.” Pipeline opponents have said that tar sands oil is dirtier and
more toxic and would harm air quality as well as endanger water sources if it were to spill in the pipeline system. Advocates argue the project would provide jobs help and decrease American reliance on oil from unfriendly countries. TransCanada commenced construction in August on the Gulf Coast Project, consisting of a crude oil pipeline and related facilities, that will cross the western portion of Angelina County. According to TransCanada officials, the Gulf Coast Project will have the initial capacity to transport 700,000 barrels of oil per day and can be expanded to transport 830,000 barrels of oil per day to Gulf Coast refineries. The Gulf Coast Project will eventually become part of the proposed Keystone XL Project, which would primarily transport Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin crude oil from an oil supply hub near Hardisty, Alberta, to delivery points in Oklahoma and Texas. The proposed project will also transport domestic crude oil to those delivery points, according to TransCanada officials. Officials anticipate an in-service date for the Gulf Coast Project sometime late this year. Steve Knight’s email address is sknight@lufkindailynews.com.
Mary Clark Continued from Page 1A her friends so she kept making new generations of friends over the years,” Beth said. “When (doctors) tell mother they want her to use a walker, she says, ‘I don’t want to use a walker. That would make me look old.’ This is after the 100th birthday, by the way.” FBC Senior Pastor Andy Pittman came to congratulate Clark on her big day, as well. He shared a story from her 100th birthday when she danced with her grandson in the Baptist church, despite the widely known stereotype that Baptists do not dance. He also noted that Teddy Roosevelt was the president of the United States when Clark
Melissa Heard’s email address is mheard@lufkindailynews.com.
Contact us ■ To submit a news tip or feature story idea, contact Andy Adams, our editor, at 631-2623 or aadams@lufkindailynews.com. You can also submit a news tip — anonymously, if you’d like — at LufkinDailyNews.com/tips. ■ To submit a listing for our community calendar or East Texas briefs, contact Beverly Johnson at 631-2618 or newsroom@lufkindailynews.com. ■ To submit a listing for our entertainment calendar, published in the Friday edition, contact Beverly Johnson at 631-2618 or newsroom@lufkindailynews.com. ■ To submit a sports score or sports calendar listing, or to suggest a topic for a sports feature story, contact Josh Havard at 631-2608 or sports@lufkindailynews.com.
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Keystone XL Pipeline Obama should give Kerry authorization to green-light pipeline
L
ast week the Keystone XL pipeline was back in the national news — not the one from Cushing, Okla., to the Texas Gulf Coast that already has been permitted and approved and in our local news recently as a handful of protesters take exception to the project, but the proposed pipeline from the tar sands field in Alberta, Canada, to Cushing. The Keystone XL pipeline would augment pipelines already bringing material from Canada to U.S. refiners. The pipeline came up during Sen. John Kerry’s, D-Mass., confirmation hearings as Secretary of State. Also last week 53 senators, 44 Republican and nine Democrats sent a letter to president Obama urging him to approve the pipeline even though the State Department technically has the power to either grant of deny the permit. Kerry, in his remarks during Senate hearings on his confirmation, said he will weigh the environmental concerns and will “make the appropriate judgments” when it crosses his desk at State. That is expected to happen during the first quarter of the year, coincidentally the same time frame Obama laid out when he failed to make a decision during the campaign season. The senator’s letter came after news TransCanada had submitted a route change that avoided the Nebraska Sandhills, an environmentally sensitive area in the Oglala Aquifer recharge zone. The state’s environmental department approved the route and governor Dave Heinemann approved the plan promoting the bi-partisan coalition of senators to ask Obama for his approval. The appropriate decision is for Obama to give Kerry the authorization to green light the pipeline. Even the Washington Post agrees. Last week that newspaper editorialized in favor of the pipeline, saying the new route in Nebraska gives the administration even “less reason to nix the project than he had the last time.”
We could not agree more. Much to many environmentalists’ chagrin, America is on its way toward fossil fuel energy independence. That well may be the case but in the event that does not transpire we would much rather buy crude, even bitumen from Canada, shipped to our refiners through a pipeline than crude oil brought from the Middle East on tankers. Canada is already exporting diluted bitumen carried to British Columbia ports via pipelines and more are planned. Opponents argue bitumen contributes more to global warming or climate change but while the mining and refining process may produce more carbon dioxide there is less evidence every day that temperatures are rising due to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Also, if we do not buy the bitumen you can rest assured it will continue to be mined and sold to energy-starved economies like China’s. When those arguments fail, opponents really begin to go off on tangential reasoning about how the refined products will be sold to other countries (so what, it will reduce our trade deficit and is noting more than manufacturing a product out of raw material) or that it will actually drive prices in the Midwest up because of more supply (figure that one out). They argue the estimate of the number of jobs created is too high, but even one new job is a gain. Finally, pipelines remain one of the safest ways to transship raw materials or finished products. The Post wrote the president should ignore activists who have “bizarrely” chosen the pipeline as a line-in-the-sand moment. We agree. At his inaugural address last week the president spoke of new climate change control issues he want to initiate in his second term. We hope he does not mistakenly begin those initiatives by ordering a thumbs-down on the new pipeline. It is past time for the U.S. to approve the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
headlines IN Local HISTORY JANUARY 29
One Year Ago ■ Libby Parish, 22-year veteran officer of the Lufkin Police Department, becomes first female retiree. ■ Lufkin Fire Chief Ted Lovett and Lufkin Fire Department Capt. Dustin Ledford attend Special Operations Program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Md. Ten Years Ago ■ Texas Department of Public Safety reports 48 wrecks in Angelina County for December. ■ Angelina County commissioners grant permission to the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office to
advertise for furniture for the new law enforcement center on the condition that the department uses what furnishings it can from the current jail. Twenty Years Ago ■ Angelina College Roadrunners drop to 11-3 in Texas Eastern Conference with loss, 98-87, to Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals. The Runners’ top scorer, Roderick Anderson, who is averaging 28 points per game is held to 10 points. ■ Department of Public Safety stats show DWIs up 20 percent in city of Lufkin. Lufkin Police Department made 281 DWI arrests in 1992. From the pages of The Lufkin Daily News, compiled by The History Center, www.TheHistoryCenterOnline.com.
TODAY IN HISTORY The Associated Press
Amendment to the Constitution, which launched Prohibition, was Today is Tuesday, Jan. 29, the 29th certified by Acting Secretary of State day of 2013. There are 336 days left in Frank L. Polk. the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Jan. 29, 1963, poet Robert Frost died in Boston at age 88. To submit a letter to the editor, On this date: bring it to us at 300 Ellis Ave. in In 1820, Britain’s King George III died downtown Lufkin, mail it to P.O. at Windsor Castle. Box 1089, Lufkin, TX 75902-1089, or In 1843, the 25th president of the Unitvisit an easy-to-use form at lufed States, William McKinley, was born kindailynews.com/letters. Or you in Niles, Ohio. can email your letter to aadams@ In 1845, Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The lufkindailynews.com. Raven” was first published in the New Please limit your letters to 350 York Evening Mirror. words. In 1861, Kansas became the 34th state Be sure to include a daytime teleof the Union. phone number on your letter. In 1863, the Bear River Massacre took All letters are subject to editing place as the U.S. Army attacked Shoshofor length and clarity, and unsigned ne in present-day Idaho. The New York letters will not be used. We will only Stock & Exchange Board changed its publish one letter per writer during name to the New York Stock Exchange. a 30-day period. In 1919, the ratification of the 18th
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4a
We’re better connected, farther apart Y ou are missing the point. Or at least, you are if you’re one of the bazillion people following the Manti Te’o story, dutifully trying to determine whether the Notre Dame football star was the victim or the perpetrator of a bizarre hoax. Granted, the story is irresistible as one of those 15-minutesof-fame-kittenstuck-in-the-well LEONARD PITTS fables without which people who gather around the water cooler wouldn’t have anything to talk about. Te’o, a Heisman Trophy runner-up, had generated an outpouring of sympathy after he played through pain, turning in a gritty performance that keyed his team to an upset win, right after learning that his girlfriend and grandmother had died within hours of one another. The grandmother was real. But as Deadspin, a sports website, soon discovered, the girlfriend was not. Te’o, it turned out, had never met Lennay Kekua. He’d seen pictures of a woman, he’d spoken to what he thought was a woman by phone and corresponded with someone online. The “relationship” was virtual. Te’o says now that he was as surprised as anyone to learn Kekua did not exist. He was, he says, the
victim of a hoax by an acquaintance, Ronaiah Tuiasosopo. So now, people are debating whether Te’o duped us or was duped himself. And missing a more fascinating question. What does it say that this story is even possible, that it is even credible that a man could have an emotionally intimate “relationship” with a woman who did not exist? Here, then, in a nutshell, is the great paradox of the communications revolution. It has left us both better connected and yet, farther apart, because actual contact is no longer required. Indeed, we’ll likely see more stories like these as texting substitutes for conversation, Facebook supplants friendship and we “live” ever more online. Some of us remember a day when she wasn’t your girlfriend unless she’d allowed you to hold her hand or steal a kiss. You know, physical contact in an analog world. But that was then. One is reminded, in a twisted sense, of the outcry over a 1964 news story out of New York. Though key details were later refuted, the initial version had 38 people watching from their windows as a young woman named Kitty Genovese was raped and killed, but declining to come to her aid because they did not want to get involved. That incident became an iconic illustration of an abiding sense that people were becoming alienated from one another. If that was a legitimate fear 49 years
ago, how much more legitimate is it in 2013, when the streets are filled with people who pass one another yet never see one another, sit next to one another yet never share so much as a nod of acknowledgement, so enrapt are they — we — in words and images on tiny screens. Indeed, if the ’70s were the Me Decade and the ’80s were the Greed Decade, it seems entirely likely historians of the future will remember this as the Screen Decade, the years spent looking down. So while some people are asking what Te’o knew and when he knew it, some of us simply marvel that we have come into a time when such a story is even possible. Apparently, however, what supposedly happened to Te’o is common enough that it even has a name: catfishing. It is relatively immaterial whether he lied or not. What is of greater interest is that the story illustrates a sea change in what now constitutes interpersonal relationships. And the new norm cannot help but seem a little odd to those of us who remember when a relationship — or at least an intimate one — presupposed that you and the other person had actually met. Of course, that was the olden days. Now so much of our world is digital — movies, music, shopping, books — it’s easy to believe everything just works better that way. But guess what? Not everything does. Leonard Pitts writes for the Miami Herald.
Combat puts women at unique risk I t must be true what they say about women — that they are smarter, stronger, wiser and wilier than your average Joe. How else could one explain the magical thinking that apparently has prompted Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to abandon KATHLEEN PARKER all reason and lift the ban on women in direct combat? Methinks the boys have been outmaneuvered. This is a terrible idea for reasons too numerous to list in this space, which forces me to recommend my 2008 book, “Save the Males,” in which I devote a chapter to the issue. The most salient point happens to be a feminist argument: Women, because of their inferior physical capacities and greater vulnerabilities upon capture, have a diminished opportunity for survival. More on this, but first let’s be clear. Arguments against women in direct combat have nothing to do with courage, skill, patriotism or dedication. Most women are equal to most men in all these categories and are superior to men in many other areas, as our educational graduation rates at every level indicate. Women also tend to excel as sharpshooters and pilots. But ground combat is one area in which women, through quirks of biology and human nature, are not equal to men — a difference that should be celebrated rather than rationalized as
MALLARD FILLMORE
incorrect. Remember, we’re not talking about female officers of a certain age pacing the hallways of the Pentagon when we speak of placing women in combat, though perhaps we should be. My favorite bumper sticker remains: “I’m out of estrogen and I have a gun.” We’re potentially talking about 18-year-old girls, notwithstanding their “adult” designation under the law. (Parents know better.) At least 18-yearold males have the advantage of being gassed up on testosterone, the hormone that fuels not just sexual libido but, more to the point, aggression. To those suffering a sudden onset of the vapors, ignore hormones at your peril. Now, hold the image of your 18-yearold daughter, neighbor, sister or girlfriend as you follow these facts, which somehow have been ignored in the advancement of a fallacy. The fallacy is that because men and women are equal under the law, they are equal in all endeavors and should have all access to the same opportunities. This is true except when the opportunity requires certain characteristics. Fact: Females have only half the upper-body strength as males — no small point in the field. Further to the fallacy is the operating assumption that military service is just another job. The rules of civil society do not apply to the military, which is a topdown organization in which the rules are created to maximize efficiency in killing enemies. It is not just another job that can be managed with the human resources department’s Manual on Diversity and Sensitivity. The argument that women’s performance on de facto front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan has proved concerns about combat roles unwarranted is false logic.
Just because women in forward support companies can return fire when necessary — or die — doesn’t necessarily mean they are equal to men in combat. Unbeknown perhaps to many civilians, combat has a very specific meaning in the military. It has nothing to do with stepping on an IED or suffering the consequences of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It means aggressively engaging and attacking the enemy with deliberate offensive action, with a high probability of face-to-face contact. If the enemy is all around you — and you need every available person — that is one set of circumstances. To ask women to engage vicious men and risk capture under any other is beyond understanding. This is not a movie or a game. Every objective study has argued against women in direct combat for reasons that haven’t changed. The threat to unit cohesion should require no elaboration. But let’s leave that obvious point to pedants and cross into enemy territory where somebody’s 18-year-old daughter has been captured. No one wants to imagine a son in these circumstances either, obviously, but women face special tortures. And, no, the rape of men has never held comparable appeal. We can train our men to ignore the screams of their female comrades, but is this the society we want to create? And though some female veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have endured remarkable suffering, their ability to withstand or survive violent circumstances is no rational argument for putting American girls and women in the hands of enemy men. It will kill us in the end. Kathleen Parker writes for the Washington Post Writers Group.
By Bruce Tinsley