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READER’S CHOICE
2015 EALY NEW Serving Sealy and Austin County since 1887 • Home of Roy Ellison
Volume 128 Number 16
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One last week to vote for your favorites! PAGE 10
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015
24 pages, $1
Former Globetrotters showup the Sealy All Stars in a game filled with fun and gags. Page 6
NEWSBITS
T.J. Mills 1954-2015
Bluebonnet photos wanted Bluebonnet season is quickly approaching. The Sealy News invites readers to submit their favorite bluebonnet photos for publication. Please email the pictures to editor@sealynews.com. In the email, tell when and where the picture was taken and identify any people or pets.
ACRTA to meet April 16 The Austin County Retired Teachers Association will meet on April 16 at the Gordon Memorial Library in Sealy at 2 p.m. A representative from Bellville-St. Joseph Healthcenter will present a program on the current services provided by the facility, as well as information on stroke prevention.
City-wide garage sale The 12th annual city-wide garage sale will be held Saturday, April 18, in yards and garages all over Sealy. The event is sponsored by the Sealy Economic Development Corporation. A list of registered garage sales will be published on Thursday, April 16, at Sealy City Hall, the Sealy EDC office or you can view and print the list at www.sealyedc. com. ■ NEWS BITS, page 15
TODAY'SOBITUARIES
The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
T.J. Mills, who led the Sealy Tigers to four consecutive 3A state championships, passed away April 7 of a heart attack. He was 60.
Sealy loses a legend Community mourning the loss of a coaching giant, great man By JOE SOUTHERN editor@sealynews.com
T.J. Mills, the coach who led the Sealy Tigers to four consecutive state football championships in the 1990s, passed away April 7 of an apparent heart attack. Mills, 60, was a legendary
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Psalm 105:4
Thank a
Veteran and Serviceman everyday
Contributions in memory of T.J. Mills should be made to the YMCA T.J. Mills Endowment Fund, 22807 Westheimer Parkway, Katy, TX 77494. morning for his funeral. “T.J. had a special ability to make everyone around him realize their full potential and ■ MILLS, page 9
Coffman moving on, blames mayor By JOE SOUTHERN and LANCE HAGOOD The Sealy News
When the vote to adjourn the April 28 Sealy City Council meeting is done, it will mark the end of Chris Coffman’s sevenyear employment as the city manager. The next day he will depart to his new position as the city manager of Granbury, a larger city near Fort Worth. His annual base salary there will be $129,000. Coffman was hired by Granbury three weeks ago and finalized his contract last
week. In interviews with The Sealy News, Coffman said he is happy about the move and has enjoyed his time in Sealy. The only reason he is leaving, he said, is because of Mayor Mark Stolarski. “I’ll say I’m not quitCoffman ting a job, I’m quitting a person, and that person is the mayor,” he said. “I’m quitting. That’s what he wanted, he expressed that
to me, and the voters elected him so I’m respecting the voters and what they wanted.” When asked if he wished to comment, Stolarski declined. “It’s very clear the mayor would be happy if I left. He was elected; I need to respect the voters. No hard feelings, it turned out to be a great opportunity for me,” Coffman said. Looking ahead, Coffman said the new ■ COFFMAN, page 3
Council candidates speak out at forum By LANCE HAGOOD
■ Shelby Fulmar II ■ T.J. Mills
BIBLEQUOTE
figure in the world of Texas high school football who was remembered for his down-toearth commitment to the people and community of Sealy. “He’s a very passionate man about his values and beliefs,” said Mark Faldyn, who was Mills’ offensive coordinator in Sealy.
Faldyn, who is the assistant principal at Sealy Junior High School and a neighbor of Mills, said his friend was always concerned about others. “His work was always with others in mind,” he said. “He’s going to be thoroughly missed in this community.” That was evident last Friday as hundreds of people streamed through the auditorium at Sealy High School for the visitation and then packed the auditorium Saturday
reporter@sealynews.com
All six candidates vying for seats on the Sealy City Council in the May 9 election took to the podium at a candidate’s forum April 7. Sponsored by the Sealy Rotary Club and Sealy Chamber of Commerce, more than 75 people gathered at Tony’s Restaurant to hear the presentations and have a chance to meet the candidates. Paul Dronka of the Rotary Club conducted the forum. He asked each candidate to answer four questions. “What is your vision of Sealy in the year 2025. What are your top two items to work on when
elected? How will you reach out to the growing Hispanic population in Sealy? How important do you feel the YMCA is to the city?” inquired Dronka. Addressing the gathering first was incumbent Place 5 candidate Mayor Pro-Tem Everett Bubak. Bubak on his vision for Sealy in 2025: “I have a vision of the Sealy community where you can raise your kids here, they can go off to college and return here and apply that skill set here. I see us where we don’t have to go to Katy or Houston anymore to obtain the things that we need to get through ■ CANDIDATES, page 11
The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
Egg-splosion! Maria Luevano attempts to catch an egg during an egg toss game Saturday during the Spring Picnic, hosted by the Sealy Area Historical Society at Liedertafel Hall. For more coverage, see page 17.
The Sealy News • 193 Schmidt Road • P.O. Box 480 • Sealy, Texas 77474 • phone: (979) 885-3562 • fax: (979) 885-3564 • www.sealynews.com
THIS
WEEK'S WEATHER According to The Weather Channel
Thursday • Friday • Saturday • Sunday • Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday
High: 79 Low: 66 Rain: 90%
High: 78 Low: 64 Rain: 80%
High: 79 Low: 58 Rain: 50%
High: 80 Low: 60 Rain: 10%
High: 80 Low: 61 Rain: 10%
High: 77 Low: 61 Rain: 10%
High: 82 Low: 62 Rain: 10%
This week's weather art is by Kai Dabney, 5, a student at Selman Elementary School.
PAGE 4 ■ THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2015
YOUR What type of business would you most like to see come to downtown Sealy? • Restaurant • Bar and grill • Movie theater • Bowling alley • Other
Last week’s question was: What are your Memorial Day plans? • Doing something to honor our veterans 46.2% • Cooking out, enjoying a day off 34.6% • No plans, a regular day 15.4% • Other 3.8% Number of votes: 25 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.
WHERETOWRITE 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 Krisha Langton 415 Main Street Sealy, Texas 77474 (979) 885-3511 Sealy ISD Superintendent Sheryl Moore 939 Tiger Lane, Sealy, Texas 77474 (979) 885-3516
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 Bookkeeper, Sandy Davis classifieds@sealynews.com Managing Editor, Joe Southern editor@sealynews.com Reporter, Lance Hagood reporter@sealynews.com Sports, Steven Schroeder spschroeder06@aol.com Advertising, Denise Sherwood 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 979-885-3564 by 5 p.m. Friday for the Thursday edition. Letters should be hand
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Ayyy, two thumbs up for Fonzie at Comicpalooza
The Sealy News is posing the following question to our readers:
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-5922
OPINIONS SEALY NEWS
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 © 2015 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. © 2015 Sealy Publications Inc. All Rights Reserved
JOE SOUTHERN Faith, Family and Fun
As I write this, Comicpalooza 2015 is in the final day of its four-day run. No, I am not there. I was on Saturday and Sunday. Today is Memorial Day and I am at work, writing this column and preparing to cover the program at the American Legion. You can see my Memorial Day coverage on the front page of this week’s paper. Here on this page, I feel like talking about Comicpalooza. There were many surprises there this year – some good and some not so good. The one that caught my totally off guard what how amazingly inspiring and entertaining Henry Winkler is. If you don’t recognize his name, you’re probably too young to be reading this column. Go Google him and then come back. It’s OK; I’ll wait here for you. Winkler came into my living room every week during most of my teen years dressed in a black leather jacket and white T-shirt with his perfectly coifed hair and answering to the name of Fonzie. I rarely missed him and the “Happy Days” gang when they came on TV. I hadn’t thought much about him in the last 30 or so years since the show went off the air. As a guest at Comicpalooza, he wasn’t even in my top tier of celebrities to see. He was the first one I saw and was by far the best one I encountered all weekend. When I first arrived at the George R. Brown Convention Center Saturday morning, I strolled through the nearly empty autograph room to stake out where certain celebrities would be camped for the weekend. To my horror, I saw signs on many of their banners with a picture of a camera with a big red circle with a line through it and the words “NO PHOTOS.”
The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
Henry Winkler, known to millions as Fonzie on "Happy Days," appears to be beside himself on the big screen as he talks about his career during a Q&A session Sunday at Comicpalooza in Houston. What’s up with that? Certainly they don’t include the press in their photo ban, do they? I asked. They do. No photos by anyone unless the celebrity says it’s OK. That’s where Henry Winkler entered the picture. He was one of the first to arrive. When I came up to ask, he greeted me with a handshake and a warm smile and said it was fine to take a few pictures. A few minutes later I was getting pictures – with permission – from Marina Sirtis and Linda Blair. Then my luck ran dry. I started hearing “no” a lot. Some of the A-list celebrities were sequestered in a corner and had a brute squad circling them, moving people along and getting in their way with stern warnings whenever anyone even hinted they were about to raise a camera or cell phone. It got so ugly it was comical. You could take all the pictures you wanted when they held their panel sessions and Q&A talks, but you couldn’t snap a shot while they sat at their booths. I went around the show, taking hundreds of pictures of people in costumes. Every so often I would troll the autograph area looking for celebrities who would accommodate a press photo. I found a few more, but for the most part I had to limit my A-listers to their Q&A’s in the main events room.
By this time I was really missing the early days of comic and sci-fi conventions when you could get autographs for free (or no more than $5 or $10) and they would pose for photos with you and I could take pictures to my heart’s content as they signed pictures and things. (Now you pay an average of 40 bucks a pop for pictures and autographs.) Those days are gone. But on Sunday, Happy Days returned. I went to Henry Winkler’s Q&A. As press, I got the front, center seat. Winkler was funny and inspiring. He shared many anecdotes about his career. Mostly he talked about his struggles in school and how he later found out he has dyslexia. “School doesn’t define you,” he said. He said finding what you like to do and then working hard at it is what will define you. Winkler urged people to pursue their dreams and then work to be the best at it. As a dyslexic, he just authored his 30th book. Not bad for a kid who could barely read in school. There was no shortage of people to see and things to do at Comicpalooza. There will be plenty to see and do there in coming years as well. For now, however, I’m content with my experience with Henry Winkler. Happy Days are here again!
CAPITALHIGHLIGHTS $3.8 billion tax relief compromise announced by top state officials Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus on May 21 jointly announced a $3.8 billion tax relief package for Texas businesses and homeowners. According to the announcement, the agreement reached by Patrick and Straus on a tax proposal, along with additional legislation, includes: 1. A 25 percent permanent reduction in the business margins tax; 2. A $10,000 increase in the homestead exemption, beginning in 2015, subject to passage of a constitutional amendment adopted in the November election; and 3. SB 1760, legislation requiring a 60 percent vote of the governing body of any taxing unit wishing to adopt an increase in property taxes that exceeds the effective tax rate. “Texas leaders have come together to advance conservative principles that will improve the lives of Texans and continue to make Texas the model for doing business,” Abbott said. “Every dollar businesses and homeowners pay in taxes is a dollar that could be invested in new jobs, higher wages and stimulating the Texas economy.” Meanwhile, the passage of a state budget for fiscal years 2016 and 2017, the Legislature’s primary task, is in its final stages. The buzz around the Capitol before Memorial Day weekend was that with tax relief resolved, an agreement on the budget that will satisfy the governor’s expectations will soon follow.
Unemployment numbers reported Texas Workforce Commission on May 22 reported Texas has added an estimated 287,000 seasonally adjusted jobs over the past year including a modest gain in April with the addition of 1,200 positions during the month. The state unemployment rate remained steady at 4.2 percent in April, down a full percentage point from 5.2 percent a year ago. Texas continues to trend well below the national unemployment rate of 5.4 percent. Job gains for April were led by the Leisure and Hospitality industry, which added 6,900 positions. The Information industry enjoyed its largest monthly gain for the industry since June 2000 with the addition of 3,400 jobs in April. Other Services gained 2,800 jobs during the month followed by Trade, Transportation and Utilities, which expanded by 2,100 positions. “We know that there are still folks who are looking for goodpaying jobs in our state and we encourage them to take advantage of the many resources made available through Texas Workforce Solutions,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton. “Through our Workforce Solutions offices around the state, staff that can help steer job seekers to employment and training opportunities. With more than 260,000 available jobs currently posted on WorkInTexas.com, job seekers have good options here in Texas.”
ED STERLING Texas Press Association
Legislators in agreement on e-cig bill SB 97 by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, would ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. The Senate concurred with House amendments on May 18, allowing the legislation to proceed to the governor’s office for a final signature. According to the Senate news service, House provisions added to the bill would strengthen on-line sales restrictions and the penalty for selling e-cigarettes to minors would be a fine of up to $500, the same as selling tobacco products to a minor. If Gov. Abbott signs the bill into law, it will take effect on Oct. 1. E-cigarettes vaporize a liquid containing nicotine that is inhaled by the user. Hinojosa expressed concern that use of “vaping” products is growing among younger Texans, saying, “We now have many minors using e-cigs in school because they think that it is a way to avoid smoking tobacco cigarettes.” A 2014 survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Federal Drug Administration shows e-cigarette use increasing from 4.5 percent to 13.4 percent of high school students and 1.1 percent to 3.9 percent of middle school students in a single year.
SPORTS
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THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015 ■ PAGE 5
SEALY NEWS
STERLING PERFORMANCE!
The Sealy News/SCOTT COLEMAN
Charlette Janicek, left, ran to a second-place finish in both the 800-meter and 1,600-meter runs at the state track meet. She finished behind Stafford's Lynette Amaram, right, in both events.
The Sealy News/SCOTT COLEMAN
Tristyn Allen finished second in both the girls triple jump and long jump events and also had a seventh-place finish in the girls high jump at the state track meet.
Girls track brings home four silvers at state By SEAN SHAPIRO Special to The Sealy News
A pair of Sealy athletes competed at the UIL State Track and Field Championships last weekend at Mike A. Myers Stadium, bringing home a quartet of silver medals. Charlette Janicek ran to a second-place finish in both the 800-meter and 1,600-meter runs. Janicek finished the 800meter event with a time of 2:16.51 on Saturday afternoon. Stafford’s Lynette Amaram won the event with a time of 2:14.79. Saturday evening, Janicek finished the Class 4A girls 1,600meter run with a time of 5:14.05, just behind gold medalist Amaram. Tristyn Allen finished second in both the girls triple jump and long jump events and also had a seventh-place finish in the girls high jump after clearing the bar at 5 feet, 0 inches. Allen’s silver medal in the triple jump came on a jump of 40-05.75. Her long jump medal score was 19-02.50.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 ■ PAGE 19
S E T
KA-BOOM!
Costumed reenactors with the Texas Army load and fire cannons during weapons demonstrations last weekend at the annual Texas Independence Day celebration at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site.
Reenacting Texas history where it all began Story and photos by Joe Southern
Leonard Joseph Thomas of Gonzales portrays a surveyor.
Two Texas Army reenactors do a weapons check prior to a firing demonstration. Below, the command is given to fire.
It was 179 years ago in a small village on the banks of the mighty Brazos River when 59 men gathered for a bold, treasonous act that birthed a nation and gave rise to the Lone Star State. Commemoration of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico is celebrated annually at Washington-on-the Brazos State Historic Site, the place “where Texas became Texas.” The most recent celebration took place Feb. 28 and March 1 under damp, gloomy skies, not too unlike the bitter winter that dogged the Texians as they stood up to a tyrant and won not only freedom but also independence. “The weather could have been a lot worse,” said Jon Failor, a park ranger at the historic site. Failor, who was dressed in period garb, said the misty drizzle on Sunday caused a few events to be moved around and impacted the crowd size but said over all that the weekend was a success. He estimated about 2,000 park visitors on Saturday and another 1,000 or so on Sunday. “The Lieutenant Governor (Dan Patrick)
a n d Senator (Lois) Kolkh o r s t g a v e s o m e n i c e speeches,” he Jerry Tubbs said. On of the major draws at the annual celebration is the encampment by the Texas Army and their demonstrations of 1830s weaponry, including cannons and flintlock guns. The colorful, ragtag group of reenactors are part of a nonprofit organization that is authorized by the governor under and act of the Legislature as the only active state army in the United States. “We have a commission from the governor Jack Edmondson of Fort Worth plays the part of Gen. Sam of the state of Texas,” Houston. said Gen. Jerry Tubbs of Houston. “Texas is the only (state) to have an army. The rest are militias.” He said that given the antiquated nature of their armaments that they’re not likely to be mustered into active duty. “We’re going to be the last line of defense if something comes up,” he said. Park Ranger Jon Failor welcomes guests to Independence Hall, a replica of the building where the Texas Declaration of ■ TEXAS, page 10 Independence was signed. Below is a look at the interior.