PAGE 4 ■ THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2016
The Sealy News is posing the following question to our readers:
Are you excited about this years presidential election? • Big Trump Fan • Love Hilary! • Hit the reset button and start over.
Last week’s question was:
Does President Barack Obama’s and predecessor George W. Bush’s speeches on July 12 represent a turning point in race and police relations? • Yes: 30% • No: 60% • Undecided: 10% Number of votes: 10 Log on to www.sealynews.com to let your voice be heard. We will bring you the results of this poll and a new question every Thursday.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-5922 U.S. Senator John Cornyn 517 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-2934 U.S. Representative, Dist. 10 Michael McCaul, 2000 S. Market St., Ste. 303 Brenham, Texas 77833 (979) 830-8497 Texas Governor Greg Abbott P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711-2428 (512) 463-2000 State Senator, Dist. 18 Lois Kolkhorst P.O. Box 1867 Brenham, Texas 77834 (979) 251-7888 State Representative, Dist. 13 Leighton Schubert P.O. Box 2910 Austin, TX 78768 (512) 463-0600 Austin County Judge Tim Lapham 1 East Main Bellville, Texas 77418 (979) 865-5911
County Commissioner, Precinct 1 Reese Turner One East Main Street Bellville, Texas 77418 Barn - (979) 865-2126 County Commissioner, Precinct 2 Robert "Bobby" Rinn P.O. Box 275 Industry, TX 78944 Barn - (979) 357-4780 Office- (979) 357-4785 County Commissioner, Precinct 3 Randy Reichardt 166 Jefferson Cat Spring, TX 78933 Barn - (979) 865-5441 County Commissioner, Precinct 4 Douglas King P.O. Box 754 Wallis, TX 77485 Barn - (979) 885-3829 Office - (979) 478-7121 Sealy City Manager Larry Kuciemba 415 Main Street Sealy, Texas 77474 (979) 885-3511 Sealy ISD Superintendent Sheryl Moore 939 Tiger Lane, Sealy, Texas 77474 (979) 885-3516
THE
Serving Sealy and Austin County since 1887 (USPS 487260)
Entered at the post office at Sealy, Texas, under the Act of Congress of June 2, 1897. Periodical Rate postage paid at Sealy, TX 77474.
■ READER SERVICES Main number (979) 885-3562 Fax (979) 885-3564 Mailing address: P.O. Box 480, Sealy, Texas 77474 Known office of publication 193 Schmidt Rd., Sealy, Texas 77474 The Sealy News is a weekly publication distributed on Thursdays. ■ STAFF DIRECTORY Publisher, Karen Lopez publisher@sealynews.com Managing Editor, Shawn Larson editor@sealynews.com Bookkeeper, Sandy Davis classifieds@sealynews.com Reporter, Jason B. Hogan reporter@sealynews.com Advertising, Alex Sanders sales@sealynews.com Circulation, Sandra Weeber ■ DEADLINES The deadline for editorial submissions is Monday at noon for the Thursday edition. Retail and Classified display deadlines are Friday at noon for the Thursday edition. The deadline for classified word ads is noon on Monday for the Thursday edition. ■ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Sealy News publishes letters to the editor on most topics. Send your letters to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 480, Sealy, TX 77474, email to editor@sealynews.com or fax 979885-3564 by 5 p.m. Friday for the Thursday edition. Letters should be hand signed and include the writer’s
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full address and daytime and evening phone numbers. Letters to the editor should be as brief as possible. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should be 500 words or less. ■ EDITORIAL REQUIREMENTS Lifestyle announcements — weddings, obituaries, anniversaries, engagements, newborns and birthdays — are run as paid announcements. Please call for current rates. Submitted photos may be picked up at The Sealy News after it appears in the newspaper. We are only responsible for photos for 30 days after it runs. All items are subject to editing for style and content. ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS The Sealy News is published weekly on Thursday. Subscriptions in Austin County, are $42 per year; outside Austin County in Texas, $52; outside Texas, $70 per year. Notices of change of address should be mailed to The Sealy News, P.O. Box 480, Sealy, TX 77474-0480. ■ AFFILIATIONS The Sealy News is a member of the National Newspaper Association, the Texas Press Association, the South Texas Press Association, the Texas Gulf Coast Press Association. ■ CONTENTS © 2016 by Sealy Publications Inc. Written consent is waived when permission is gained in advance and full credit is given to The Sealy News for material reprinted or reproduced, in whole or in part, electronically or otherwise. © 2016 Sealy Publications Inc.
Appellate court strikes down Texas voter ID law AUSTIN — Texas’ voter photo identification law is racially discriminatory, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled July 20. In striking down the law passed by the Texas Legislature in 2011, the Fifth Circuit said it disproportionately and negatively affects African-American and Hispanic citizens’ right to vote. Gov. Greg Abbott decried the ruling in Veasey et al. v. Abbott et al., saying: “The Fifth Circuit ... wrongly concluded the law had a discriminatory effect. Voter fraud is real and it undermines the integrity of the election process.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also reacted, saying: “Preventing voter fraud is essential to accurately reflecting the will of Texas voters during elections and it is unfortunate that this common-sense law, providing protections against fraud, was not upheld in its entirety.” SB 14 required voters to present government-issued photo identification when voting at the polls. Acceptable forms of photo ID, as specified in the legislation, included: Texas driver license, Texas election identification certificate, Texas personal ID card, Texas concealed handgun license, U.S. military ID card, U.S. citizenship certificate and U.S. passport. Prior to the implementation of SB 14, a Texas voter could cast a ballot in person by presenting a registration certificate, a document mailed to voters upon registration. The Fifth Circuit sent the case back to the federal district court in Corpus Christi and ordered the court to find an “appropriate
remedy” to the discriminatory effects of SB 14 in time for the impending general election in November. Abbott proposes legislation Gov. Abbott on July 18 asked the Texas Legislature to pass the Police Protection Act in the 2017 session commencing in January. “At a time when law enforcement officers increasingly come under assault simply because of the job they hold, Texas must send a resolute message that the state will stand by the men and women who serve and protect our communities,” Abbott said in proposing the legislation. Abbott said that if enacted, the Police Protection Act would: – Extend hate crime protections to law enforcement officers; – Increase criminal penalties for any crime in which the victim is a law enforcement officer, whether or not the crime qualifies as a hate crime; and – Create a culture of respect for law enforcement by organizing a campaign to educate young Texans on the value law enforcement officers bring to their communities. “The recent (July 7) shooting in Dallas is not the first time law enforcement officers in Texas have been targeted. Our goal is to do everything possible to make it the last,” added Abbott. Court blocks haze rule The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on July 19 ruled against the Environmental Protection Agency’s “regional haze” air pollution abatement rule. The rule, Attorney General Paxton said, would have imposed $2 billion in costs “without
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achieving any visibility changes in the time period included in the Federal Implementation Plan.” Those costs, Paxton added, included “costly, unnecessary upgrades.” Sales tax holiday is set Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on July 18 promoted the state’s Aug. 5-7 sales tax holiday, during which shoppers will save an estimated $92 million in state and local sales taxes. The law providing for the annual tax holiday exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced below $100 from sales tax, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend over that weekend. Lists of apparel and school supplies that may be purchased tax-free can be found at TexasTaxHoliday.org. Texas adds jobs in June Texas added an estimated 171,100 seasonally adjusted jobs over the past year with the addition of 7,200 nonfarm jobs in June, the Texas Workforce Commission announced on July 22. Also, Texas has added jobs in 14 of the last 15 months, and, while the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 4.5 percent in June, up slightly from 4.4 percent in May, it remained below the national average of 4.9 percent.
GuestColumn
Creating a conversation There’s still a social stigma that African-Americans generally come from broken homes and haven’t been raised properly on how to interact responsibly. They are social deviants. I’ve heard many lately say they’ve never heard of “the talk” taught by minorities, a tool passed on from generation to generation that really stems back to the days of slavery and how to survive on a new master’s plantation. Now plantation has exchanged itself for neighborhood and, even worse, master has been replaced by police officer. I can hear those saying that’s an unfair and unjust interpretation and I might tend to agree after typing that. But there are others who would say that I called it spot on. There’s a right and wrong way to go about approaching a police officer during a traffic stop. It’s been ingrained. One way might get you a citation or night in jail and the other could get you shot. That may be sobering and implausible for some. It’s a farfetched reality that could be defused by responding respectfully and adhering to an officer’s direction. I thought the same thing until eight years ago around the age of 26 when I was wrongfully accused of illicit activities and manhandled in my backyard on the eastside of San Antonio without probable cause while returning home from work at 3 a.m. If you live in certain neighborhoods, you have to return home at a decent hour
like a curfew or be subjected to search. It’s flabbergasting to accept that such a thing as a talk is in place as a teaching mechanism, and whether it’s at all necessary. History judges individuals, and cultures, based on inescapable past perceptions. Perceptions are dangerous nuggets that end relationships or can get people killed. That’s a concept that must be accepted before any real change can be had. We were all enamored and naïve to believe one man’s political platform and racial makeup harkened any real difference in society when President Barack Obama sought the top office in 2006 offering impactful change. It’s taboo to admit racism still exists. We’re better than that. Times have changed. We’ve changed. Have we, or do those thoughts get locked away when among our counterparts? Or are our real intentions and beliefs disguised and tucked away into comedy routines? Most political and social pundits have sparked the need for talks between communities and those that swear to serve and protect them. As they have said, it starts with admitting there is still a problem. It may not be purely racial discrimination but class based. Maybe law enforcement does have to access dangers in some communities different than others because some people’s homes are bedrocks for criminal
JASON B. HOGAN Staff Reporter
upbringing, though not everyone who lives there is the enemy. They are imprisoned by financial shortcomings that are not entirely their own doing. And not to fully blame the educational, financial and prison systems, but there is something sick and sinister about a rule that keeps some of its citizens impoverished through the mind, body and soul. Choices become minimal when faced with your family’s continued survival, even though that doesn’t make something illegal right. Let’s not forget police forces do not bear the sole burden for neighborhood breakdowns. That would be impractical. They are men and women who serve to make their towns, cities, states and country better for their families and for all. Their purpose isn’t ruination. They want to go home like the rest of us after a long day at work. Conversations cannot only be driven nationally. Those talks have to start at home in our communities. They must take place among families, schools and parent-teacher associations, and through local town halls. We must understand each other.
Texas Attorney General Responds to Fifth Circuit Ruling on Voter ID Attorney General Ken Paxton released the following statement on today’s ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on the Voter ID law: “It is imperative that the State government safeguards our elections and ensures the integrity of our democratic process. Preventing voter fraud is
essential to accurately reflecting the will of Texas voters during elections, and it is unfortunate that this common-sense law, providing protections against fraud, was not upheld in its entirety.” The Texas Legislature enacted the voter ID law in 2011 through Senate Bill 14 (SB14), requiring voters to present gov-
ernment-issued photo ID when voting at the polls. The seven acceptable forms of photo ID included the following: a Texas Driver’s license, free Texas election identification certificate (EIC), Texas personal ID card, Texas license to carry a concealed handgun, U.S. military ID card, U.S. citizenship certificate, and U.S. passport.
PAGE 4 ■ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2016
The Sealy News is posing the following question to our readers:
Are you finished Christmas shopping? • I finished two months ago • Barely made it • The Grinch doesn’t buy presents
Last week’s question was:
Do you have a plan to increase your savings next year? • Yes, it’s always a good idea 50% • No, I don’t have a savings account 0% • With this economy, no opinion 50% Number of votes: 18
Log on to www.sealynews.com to let your voice be heard. We will bring you the results of this poll and a new question every Thursday.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-5922 U.S. Senator John Cornyn 517 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-2934 U.S. Representative, Dist. 10 Michael McCaul, 2000 S. Market St., Ste. 303 Brenham, Texas 77833 (979) 830-8497 Texas Governor Greg Abbott P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711-2428 (512) 463-2000 State Senator, Dist. 18 Lois Kolkhorst P.O. Box 1867 Brenham, Texas 77834 (979) 251-7888 State Representative, Dist. 13 Leighton Schubert P.O. Box 2910 Austin, TX 78768 (512) 463-0600 Austin County Judge Tim Lapham 1 East Main Bellville, Texas 77418 (979) 865-5911
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County Commissioner, Precinct 1 Reese Turner One East Main Street Bellville, Texas 77418 Barn - (979) 865-2126 County Commissioner, Precinct 2 Robert "Bobby" Rinn P.O. Box 275 Industry, TX 78944 Barn - (979) 357-4780 Office- (979) 357-4785 County Commissioner, Precinct 3 Randy Reichardt 166 Jefferson Cat Spring, TX 78933 Barn - (979) 865-5441 County Commissioner, Precinct 4 Douglas King P.O. Box 754 Wallis, TX 77485 Barn - (979) 885-3829 Office - (979) 478-7121 Sealy City Manager Larry Kuciemba 415 Main Street Sealy, Texas 77474 (979) 885-3511 Sealy ISD Superintendent Sheryl Moore 939 Tiger Lane, Sealy, Texas 77474 (979) 885-3516
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Abbott reacts to Trump’s choice of Perry as energy secretary AUSTIN — President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Rick Perry as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy prompted this reaction by Gov. Greg Abbott: “Under Rick Perry’s leadership in Texas,” Abbott said, “the Lone Star State experienced unprecedented growth in the energy sector, which in turn created hundreds of thousands of jobs for Texans. Rick Perry was instrumental in creating a more favorable regulatory environment for the energy industry in Texas, and I have no doubt that he will bring that same expertise to his new post. The State of Texas looks forward to working with him to help advance America’s energy sector to create a more robust economy and greater opportunity for all Americans.” Perry, who served as governor of the Lone Star State from December 2000 to January 2015, previously served stints as lieutenant governor, agriculture commissioner and as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. He unsuccessfully ran for president in 2012 and again in 2016. Presidential Cabinet members include the vice president, the attorney general and the secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs. Unemployment rate decreases Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.6 percent in November, down slightly from 4.7 percent in October, the Texas Workforce Commission announced Dec. 16. Also, according to the state agency, Texas has added an
estimated 210,800 seasonally adjusted jobs over the past year with the addition of 20,900 nonfarm jobs in November. The state has added jobs in 19 of the past 20 months. “Private-sector employment has been strong over the year with the overall job growth of 171,800 including 15,800 jobs added in November,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs. “The fact that our state has added jobs for 19 of the last 20 months is a credit to the diversity and resilience of employers in Texas.” Net widens in Zika testing State and local health departments are investigating five locally transmitted cases of Zika virus disease. “Right now, we’re aware that local transmission has occurred in a small area of Brownsville,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS commissioner, in a Dec. 14 news release. “However, we want to cast a wide net with testing to develop a clearer picture of what is happening with Zika in the area and provide pregnant women with more information about their health.” Zika testing is recommended for all pregnant Brownsville residents and pregnant women who have traveled there since Oct. 29. Also, those who visit Brownsville on a daily or weekly basis are asked to get Zika testing once during the first trimester of their pregnancy, and once during the second trimester. Pregnant women with limited travel should discuss it with their doctor and be tested based on when the travel occurred. Zika’s four most common symptoms are fever, itchy rash, joint pain and eye redness. While symptoms are usually minor, Zika can also cause severe birth defects, including microcephaly, and other poor
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birth outcomes in some women infected during pregnancy. More information is available at TexasZika.org. Zika grant is awarded The U.S. Centers for Disease Control on Dec. 12 awarded the state of Texas a $5 million grant to help combat the Zika virus. “Now that Texas has confirmed cases of local transmission of the Zika virus, this money will be crucial in our efforts to contain and combat further transmission of the virus,” said Gov. Abbott. “Texas has been at the forefront of developing and implementing the strongest possible Zika response plan and we will continue to work with our local and federal partners to ensure our communities have the tools they need to combat the Zika virus.” ‘Report Cards’ are posted Education Commissioner Mike Morath on Dec. 8 announced the availability of 2015–16 School Report Cards on the Texas Education Agency website, tea.texas.gov. School Report Cards include the following information for each campus in Texas: - 2016 state academic accountability rating; - Attendance rates; - Enrollment figures; - Dropout rates; - Class size averages; - State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness results; - ACT/SAT results; and - Per-student financial expenditures.
GuestColumn The journalist’s suit I choose to wear By JASON B. HOGAN editor@sealynews.com
Serving Sealy and Austin County since 1887 (USPS 487260) Entered at the post office at Sealy, Texas, under the Act of Congress of June 2, 1897. Periodical Rate postage paid at Sealy, TX 77474. ■ READER SERVICES Main number (979) 885-3562 Fax (979) 885-3564 Mailing address: P.O. Box 480, Sealy, Texas 77474 Known office of publication 193 Schmidt Rd., Sealy, Texas 77474 The Sealy News is a weekly publication distributed on Thursdays. ■ STAFF DIRECTORY Publisher, Karen Lopez publisher@sealynews.com Managing Editor, Jason B. Hogan editor@sealynews.com Reporter, Holly Galvan reporter@sealynews.com Bookkeeper, Sandy Davis classifieds@sealynews.com Sports, Scott Joiner esjoiner@yahoo.com Advertising, Alex Sanders sales@sealynews.com Circulation, Sandra Weeber ■ DEADLINES The deadline for editorial submissions is Monday at noon for the Thursday edition. Retail and Classified display deadlines are Friday at noon for the Thursday edition. The deadline for classified word ads is noon on Monday for the Thursday edition. ■ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Sealy News publishes letters to the editor on most topics. Send your letters to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 480, Sealy, TX 77474, email to editor@sealynews.com or fax 979885-3564 by 5 p.m. Friday for the
Thursday edition. Letters should be hand signed and include the writer’s full address and daytime and evening phone numbers. Letters to the editor should be as brief as possible. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should be 500 words or less. ■ EDITORIAL REQUIREMENTS Lifestyle announcements — weddings, obituaries, anniversaries, engagements, newborns and birthdays — are run as paid announcements. Please call for current rates. Submitted photos may be picked up at The Sealy News after it appears in the newspaper. We are only responsible for photos for 30 days after it runs. All items are subject to editing for style and content. ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS The Sealy News is published weekly on Thursday. Subscriptions in Austin County, are $42 per year; outside Austin County in Texas, $52; outside Texas, $70 per year. Notices of change of address should be mailed to The Sealy News, P.O. Box 480, Sealy, TX 77474-0480. ■ AFFILIATIONS The Sealy News is a member of the National Newspaper Association, the Texas Press Association, the South Texas Press Association, the Texas Gulf Coast Press Association. ■ CONTENTS © 2016 by Sealy Publications Inc. Written consent is waived when permission is gained in advance and full credit is given to The Sealy News for material reprinted or reproduced, in whole or in part, electronically or otherwise. © 2016 Sealy Publications Inc.
Have you ever cried over the death of someone that you barely even knew? Strike that. Have you ever cried for someone that you never even met? Of course you have. There is at least one person in this world that each of us idolizes, even if it’s the person in the mirror staring back at you. It’s as Matthew McConaughey said during his memorable 86th Oscars Best Actor speech of the three things he needs each day for fulfillment: something to look up to, something to look forward to and someone to chase. To the someone to chase aspect, it’s “My hero, that’s who I chase,” McConaughey said. Now to McConaughey, his hero was himself 10 years into the future. To me, it’s the legendary Craig Sager, who met his end way too soon this past week after a two-and-a-half-year battle with acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 65. His strength, conviction and fierce work ethic spawned Sager Strong, a movement that took shape after his diagnosis. Craig Sager is the reason I’m sitting at my newsroom desk right now at 10:30 p.m. typing this for whoever wants to read it. I wouldn’t be a journalist right now if it weren’t for the sagely Craig who changed the game of sideline reporting. As a longtime Turner Sports broadcaster for more than three decades, Craig was a giant amongst the tallest of men on an NBA court. He covered every sport man has ever birthed, including college football, the World Series, the Winter and Summer Olympics, but he was known for the NBA. His suits were violently loud
Craig Sager, left, performs a halftime interview with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. and ugly as sin but man did Sages have style. It didn’t matter who he interviewed, he was always prepared and emotionally fettered. Not even “Mr. Know-it-all” Gregg Popovich could ruffle Craig’s hot pink or neon green collars. Prior to last Thursday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns, Popovich, the San Antonio Spurs head coach, spoke the world of Sager saying, “Whether you really knew Craig or not, you got the feeling that he was a very special person in a lot of different ways.” Legends paid homage to this man. Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Larry Bird took to the media to share personalized statements. Magic called Craig a “legend,” and Bird said “he was as identifiable with the NBA as any player or coach.” I don’t know, that just seems amazing. Two of the greatest athletes known for their bitter 1980s rivalry place you among their company. That’s inspiration if there never was a definition for it. That’s who I look up to; the unassuming man that beguiles
all. Some color commentators’ browbeating shenanigans, like ESPN “personality” Stephen A. Smith, may have originally enticed me to the journalistic craft, but it’s Craig’s calculated tendencies and surefooted wit that keeps me in the game. We should all shoot toward having the same upbeat outlook that Craig had, and maybe, little by little, we’ll find the same determination. At the 2016 ESPYS, Craig was presented with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award, named after the late-great Jimmy Valvano who also died too early after a bout with cancer. In his speech, as uplifting as always, Craig said his terminal diagnosis did not tear down his spirit but “summoned quite the opposite — the greatest appreciation for life itself. So I will never give up. And I will never give in. I will continue to keep fighting, sucking the marrow out of life, as life sucks the marrow out of me. I will live my life full of love and full of fun. It’s the only way I know how.”