VOLUME 5, NO. 46 (#200) www.northchannelstar.comTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017Serving all of the North Shore -- Channelview, Sheldon, Galena Park, Jacinto City

NORTH CHANNEL✯STARYour News, Your Newspaper

Issue #200 OF THE STAR Pineforest Jewerly, P. 6 Carter Candlelight, P. 2

CHANNELCURRENTS

RECOGNITIONGalena Park ISD host annualVeterans Day Luncheon

By Allan JamailJacinto City, TX. – Mon-

day, November 20, 2017 –Jacinto City residents willbe enjoying a new poolwhen the 2018 swim sea-son begins, after not hav-ing a swimming pool forthe last two summers be-cause the old pool becameunusable. The old poolfloated up out of theground severely damagingthe pool structure and ad-joining concrete apron sur-rounding the pool alongwith the water lines.

City Manager Lon

WALLE, GARCIA SEEK GREEN’S SEATCongressman Gene Green announces retirement

NORTHEAST – SeveralU. S. Congressmen haveannounced their retire-ment from Congress at theend of their terms, in De-cember 2018, including lo-cal Representatives GeneGreen and Ted Poe. As aresult, others have has-tened to announce to vot-ers that they will run forthese seats. For Texas Dis-tric 29, held by Green,State Senator Sylvia Gar-cia, and State Representa-tive Armando Walle havesaid they will campaign for

this position. They willcompete for votes in theDemocratic primary elec-tion in March 2018.

Both Walle and Garciahave districts and constit-uents that overlay Green’sDistrict 29, so voters willbe very familiar with thecandidates.

In announcing his re-tirement, CongressmanGreen released the follow-ing statement on his deci-

See CONGRESS,Page 8

CONGRESSMANGENE GREEN

STATE REPRESENTAT IVEARMANDO WALLE

STATE SENATORSYLVIA GARCIA

Houston Mayorto serve asSan Jacintokeynote speaker

PASADENA, Texas – HoustonMayor Sylvester Turner will deliverthe keynote address at the SanJacinto College commencementceremonies on Sunday, December17, 2017.

“We are thrilled to haveMayor Turner speak to ourgraduates,” said San JacintoCollege Chancellor, Dr. BrendaHellyer. “Mayor Turner is arespected leader who has a

passion for allthings Houston,includingeducation. Ithink ourgraduates andguests will relateto his message,

and I look forward to welcominghim to our ceremony.”

Mayor Turner was elected in2015 and is serving his first four-year term as Houston’s 62ndmayor. He has brought aperformance driven approach tothe mayor’s office that is creatingmore responsive, streamlined andefficient delivery of city services.

A signature program ofMayor Turner’s administration isthe Complete Communitiesinitiative, which aims to improvequality of life for residents in areasthat are not thriving at a levelenjoyed by other Houstonneighborhoods. The mayor’sother priorities include implemen-tation of a six point holistic planfor addressing homelessness andnew programs to reduce floodingand improve drainage.

Prior to his election asmayor, Turner served for 27 yearsin the Texas House of Representa-tives, serving District 139. MayorTurner is a life-long resident ofHouston and still lives in the AcresHomes community where he grewup with his eight siblings. He is agraduate of the University ofHouston and holds a law degreefrom Harvard University. He beganhis law practice at Fulbright &Jaworski L.L.P., and later foundedthe Barnes & Turner Law Firm.

Mayor Turner is the proudfather of First Daughter AshleyTurner, who is continuing thefamily tradition of public service inthe health care field.

The San Jacinto Collegecommencement ceremony will beheld on Sunday, December 17,2017, at 2 p.m., at Minute MaidPark. More information about theSan Jacinto College commence-ment ceremony can be found atsanjac.edu/commencement-ceremony.

PHOTO BY ALLAN JAMAIL

Jacinto City’s new swimming poolunderway for 2018 opening

As part of a week dedicated to honoring those who have served or are serving our nation, Galena Park ISD hosted itsannual Veterans Day Luncheon on November 10. More than 150 veterans and their family members attended andwere honored by the North Shore Senior High School’s choir performance which included the theme song fromeach military branch and finished with the Star Spangled Banner.GPISD would like to thank all of the veterans and family members who attended the Veterans Day Luncheon. Picturedis Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Angi Williams, with Marine Corps veterans.

Local agents talkflood insurance

John Sparks of Sparks InsuranceAgency and Randy Casey of StateFarm in Baytown addressed theCrosby-Huffman Chamber ofCommerce luncheon on November16.

CROSBY – Local in-surance agents addressedconcerns about flood in-surance at Crosby Churchthe week after the Houseof Representatives votedto increase premiums formany locally.

On Nov. 7 the U.S.House of Representativesvoted 237 to 189 to sup-port a program that hasbeen under increasingpressure to become moreexpensive from stormsthat are becoming morefrequent and powerful.The flood insurance pro-gram got a $16 billion bail-out due to HurricaneHarvey. Claims have beenexceeding increases regu-larly.

John Sparks of Sparks

Continued on page 4, see FLOODINSURANCE

County files lawsuitagainst Arkemafor emissions release

FLECKS OF WHITE DEBRIS IN THE AIR FROM THESEPT. 2 EXPLOSION INDICATES SUBSTANCESBLOWN INTO THE AIR AFTER THE TRAILERSWERE IGNITED FOR A CONTROL EXPLOSION.

HARRIS COUNTY –County Attorney VinceRyan has filed a lawsuitagainst Arkema Inc. Ryanindicated that the countywould, “seek the highestpenalties possible for whathappened and hopefullywork with them to makesure that it never happensagain,”

Shortly after HurricaneHarvey, the organic perox-ides stored at the Arkemaplant were going to explodeafter the plant was flood-

ed, lost power, generatorsflooded and backup gener-ators were little more ele-vated than the regulargenerators so they wereknocked out by water, too.

In an effort to mitigatethe fallout from the im-pending explosions, Arke-ma employees informedauthorities of the situa-tion. The National Guardcleared everyone in a 1.5-mile radius from the area.From there, first respond-ers remained on the perim-

eter of the plant, and whenthe organic peroxide didbegin to explode the firstresponders got sick, withsome collapsing in the roadfrom exposure to invisiblefumes.

Within a week of the in-cident, a couple dozen offirst responders filed alawsuit in Harris CountyDistrict Court, and others

See Arkema Lawsuit,Page 8

See Swimming Pool,p3CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSES ON THE NEW JACINTO CITY PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL.

Page 2 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

COMMUNITY NEWS

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H-E-B donates 10 turkeys to Horace Mann Junior School in Goose CreekISD for their faculty Thanksgiving dinner, since several HMJ staff membersare still displaced due to Hurricane Harvey. The HMJ Band will play at theGrand Opening of H-E-B December 6. Pictured are (from left) Erica Tran,HMJ principal; Kim Kelly, H-E-B community coordinator, Gary Schmalfeldt,H-E-B unit director and Jose Chaidez, HMJ assistant band director.

H-E-B donates Turkeys

Photo by Carrie Pryor-Newman

The Goose Creek CISD Board of Trustees approved a donation from ExxonMobil inthe amount of $15,000. The funds will be used for the Goose Creek CISD andExxonMobil Partners in Education program. with $2,500 allocated for each of thefollowing campuses: Travis Elementary, Victoria Walker Elementary, San JacintoElementary, Lee High School, Baytown Junior School and Cedar Bayou JuniorSchool. Pictured are Dr. Joseph Farnsworth, principal of Robert E. Lee High School;Connie Tilton from ExxonMobil; Randal O’Brien, GCISD superintendent and AlRichard, GCCISD board president.

ExxonMobil donates to Partner SchoolsWE WILL BE OPEN FRIDAY ANDSATURDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING!!!!!

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Thanks to customers and sponsors

Raceway in Crosby hosted the Eastside Veteran’s Celebration, Core, andthe Crosby-Huffman Chamber of Commerce for customer appreciation dayslast Tuesday. A member of the Crosby-Huffman Chamber and sponsor ofthe Eastside Veteran’s Celebration and several other events Raceway inCrosby put on an Appreciation Days for their customers to enjoy a freeEastside hotdog and other attractions.

Page 3THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017 NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

COMMUNITY/SCHOOL NEWS

Connections in Texas Business Directory

“Our Passion Is Your BUSINESS”

Each Office Independently Owned and Operated

Friday BrumeRealtor

779 Normandy StreetHouston, TX. 77015

Office: 713-451-1733Cell: 281-639-5213Fax: 713-451-0467

E-mail:fridayremax2006@yahoo.com

HOPE Candlelight ServiceHearts of Parents Endure, Inc., will hold its sixteenth annual

candlelight service at 7 p.m. on December 6 at San Jacinto Col-lege North Campus. 5800 Uvalde, for parents and families to re-member and honor children who have passed away. The inspira-tion for the Christmas Box Angel Memorial Garden was the 1991best-seller THE CHRISTMAS BOX by Richard Paul Evans. The publicis invited to attend. For information please contact Velma Ches-nutt at 713-453-5266.

Galena Park Senior Dance Senior Dance is every Monday at the Alvin D. Building, 1302

Keene St., Galena Park. 7 pm - 9 pm. No cover charge. Live bandCountry music. Call for more information: 713-455-7335.

North Shore Senior Dance North Shore Seniors holds a dance every Thursday from 1 - 4

pm at the Grayson/Baldree Building, Corpus Christi street. Livebands and refreshments. Cost is $ 5/per person. For more infor-mation call 713-455-3660.

The Buckshot JamboreeEnjoy Classic Country music every Saturday night from 7 pm -

10 pm with The Buckshot Jamboree at 7414 Hartman near OldBeaumont Highway. More info, call 281-458-0729 or 832-444-5000.

San Jacinto Pilot Club meetingThe Club meets the 2nd Thursday of each month at Amegy

Bank on I-10, at noon. For more information, please visitwww.SanJacintoPilot.com.

Evening San Jacinto Pilot ClubThis newly chartered club meets on on the 1st Tuesday of

each month at 7 pm at the Woodforest Presbyterian Church. Formore information, see the Facebook page entitled Evening SanJacinto Pilot Club or call 832-264-1565 / 832-289-4762.

Trip IsraelJoin Wayne & Patsy Moss on a trip to ISRAEL! March 2018. Call

for more information. 281-447-4307.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

ALVI

Channelview ISD recentlyhonored its NovemberStudents of the Month byhosting a recognitionluncheon in the top level ofthe press box at Ray MaddryMemorial Stadium. TheStudents of the Monthinclude, top row, from left,Jose Sanchez (McMullanElementary), Elianis MarieAlvarez (Kolarik Ninth GradeCenter), Mario Cordova(Aguirre Junior High), AshleyGelato (Channelview HighSchool) and Haleigh Duhon(Joe Frank Campbell LearningCenter). Pictured bottom row,from left, are Samantha Xiloj(DeZavala Elementary), AngelEstrada (Brown Elementary),Mariah Rodriguez (AliceJohnson Junior High), IyannaSaenz (Cobb Elementary),Alondra Hernandez (HamblenElementary) and Mario Escamilla (Schochler Elementary). Not pictured is Brian Casanova (Crenshaw Elementary).

Channelview ISD Novemberstudents of the month

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Jennifer Andrews of LyondellBasell’s Channelview Complex(center), her son Trenton Andrews (right) and her daughterMorgan Andrews (left) are some of the volunteers at the PrairiePlant-a-Thon event held recently at Sheldon Lake State Park tohelp with reforestation.

Squyres after an extensivecost analysis to repair thedamaged pool determinedin the long term interest ofthe city it would be best todemolished the old pooland replace it with a newmodern pool.

Squyres said, “The poolwill be ready to open in theearly spring and while wehave not set the weeklyschedule yet we would liketo have it open prior to Me-morial Day weekend.”

The new pool will havean irregular shape and isslightly larger than the oldpool. The pools deepestpart will be 5 feet and it’llcontain 111,255 gallonsalong with a splash pad.Parents will have shadedseating areas when watch-ing their children.

“We anticipate thesplash pad to operate as

Swimming Pool,CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

part of the pool and includ-ed with the entrance feewhile the pool is open.When the pool is not openthe splash pad will stilloperate by user activationand be free. We are work-ing on the fee schedule andmay offer discounts for thecity’s residents and seasonpasses. Admission will nothave a minimum age ifchildren are supervised byan adult. The pool will pri-marily serve the citizens ofJacinto City” Squyres said.

Progressive CommercialAquatics is contracted tobuild the pool for $1,178,000, the splash padis included.

Mitchell Contractingwill remodel the pool bathhouse for $149,709, whichincludes roofing and hand-icap accessibilities.

LyondellBasell Channelviewhelps with reforestation

Eric Fender of LyondellBasell’s Channelview Complex (left), his sonDean (center) and his daughter Kai (right) volunteered at PrairiePlant-a-Thon at Sheldon Lake Park.

www.facebook.com/NorthChannelStar

Page 4 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

OPINION PAGE

STATE CAPITALHIGHLIGHTS

By Ed Sterling

✯

Editor & Publisher..............................Gilbert HoffmanAssociate Publisher.....................Mei-Ing Liu HoffmanAssoc. Editor/Advertising Manager.....Lewis SpearmanAssistant Editor.........................................Julieta PaitaProduction Manager...........................Luis HernandezIT Technical Manager.......................Pedro HernandezEntered as Periodicals Class at Highlands Post Office, Highlands, TX 77562. Under the Actof Congress of March 3, 1879. Published 50 weeks per year, on Thursday, by GrafikpressCorp., 5906 Star Lane, Houston, TX 77057. Opinions in this paper are those of the au-thors, and not necessarily this newspaper’s. Any erroneous statement which may appearwill be corrected when brought to the attention of the publisher. Liability for errors islimited to the reprinting of the corrected version. Submissions are encouraged, in person,by mail, by Fax, or by email, to grafikstar@aol.com.

GRAFIKPRESS is publisher of community newspapers, including Highlands STAR-CrosbyCOURIER; Barbers Hill Dayton PRESS; Northeast NEWS; North Forest NEWS, North Chan-nel STAR. Combined circulation of these newspapers exceeds 50,000, Readership exceeds110,000 according to industry standards. We also print dozens of school, ethnic, andgovernment publications on contract. Call for information to 713-977-2555.

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Star✯CourierStar✯Courier

AUSTIN — Gov. GregAbbott and Vice Presi-dent Mike Pence onNov. 15 received a brief-ing on Hurricane Har-vey recovery efforts atthe Federal EmergencyManagement AgencyJoint Field Office in thecapital city.

Pence, in town for theRepublican GovernorsAssociation conference,joined Abbott, FEMAAdministrator BrockLong, Energy SecretaryRick Perry and stateand local officials to dis-cuss ways to improvefederal and state coordi-nation of resources. Ab-bott thanked Pence for“his commitment to thepeople of Texas” in theaftermath of the hurri-cane that struck theTexas coast in late Au-gust, bringing histori-c a l l y h e a v y r a i n s ,flooding and destructivewinds.

“The people of Texashave suffered greatly,but I am hopeful thatthe response of their fed-eral and state leadersw i l l c o n t i n u e t ostrengthen their re-solve,” Abbott said. “I,along with the vice pres-ident, want to assure allvictims that they willnot be forgotten and wewill continue to work tohelp get their lives backon track.”

Hurricane Harveyimpacted more squaremiles of Texas than thecombined land area ofConnecticut, Massachu-setts, New Hampshire,Rhode Island and Ver-mont, according to thegovernor’s office. OnNov. 10, Abbott offeredwords of encouragementto Texans, saying: “Weare listening to our localleaders and we continueto work with our feder-al partners to securemore and faster fund-ing. The road to recov-ery is long, but progressis being made. And eachday brings new hope.”

Report details fund-ing

The Texas comptrol-ler’s office on Nov. 14 an-nounced the release ofits monthly publication,Fiscal Notes. The issuefocuses on the role offederal funding in statefinances.

In 2016, Texans sentthe federal government$261 billion in taxes andthe state government re-ceived $39.5 billion infederal grants, or about15 percent of the totalfederal tax tab. Thosegrants pay for programsin education, healthcare, infrastructure and

FEMA briefs governor,vice president onhurricane recovery efforts

other areas, the reportshows.

“The missions of ourfederal, state and localgovernments are dis-tinct but intertwined,”T e x a s C o m p t r o l l e rGlenn Hegar said. “Tex-ans pay federal incometax, so it’s important toexamine and monitorthe value our state getsback from the folks inWashington.”

In November FiscalNotes, the Comptroller’soffice also takes a lookat the rising importanceof “telehealth” in Texas— technologies that al-low doctors and otherhealth care profession-als to consult with andtreat patients throughaudio-visual connec-tions.

AG goes aftergougers

Texas Attorney Gen-eral Ken Paxton on Nov.13 announced his of-fice’s filing of more priceg o u g i n g l a w s u i t sagainst businesses ac-cused of taking advan-tage of Texans affectedby Hurricane Harvey.

On Oct. 30, Paxton’sstaff notified 127 addi-tional businesses thatthey were being investi-gated for alleged pricegouging during the di-saster. In all of thesecases, consumers allegethey were charged ex-cessive prices for gaso-line.

Paxton said, “Pricegouging is illegal, un-conscionable and com-pletely opposite thespirit of cooperation wesaw just about every-where else in our statebefore, during and afterthe hurricane. My officewill continue to aggres-sively investigate andprosecute more casesarising from Harvey.”

A finding of pricegouging carries civilpenalties as much as$20,000 for each viola-tion, rising to $250,000for violations targetingthose 65 and older, ac-cording to the attorneygeneral’s office.

TEA releasesratings

The Texas EducationAgency on Nov. 14 re-leased the final 2017state academic account-ability ratings for morethan 1,200 school dis-tricts and charters andmore than 8,600 cam-puses.

Final ratings includethe results of an appealsprocess that providesdistricts and charters anopportunity to contestpreliminary ratings an-nounced by TEA in Au-gust.

The TEA received 66school district and cam-pus-level appeals in2017 compared to 104 in2016, 72 in 2015 and 90in 2014.

Under the final 2017ratings, more than 90percent of school dis-tr icts and chartersacross Texas achievedthe rating of “Met Stan-dard.” Districts, cam-puses, and chartersreceive one of three rat-ings under the state’saccountability system:Met Standard, Met Al-ternative Standard orImprovement Required.

Ag day set atCapitol

The Texas Depart-ment of Agriculture an-nounced the 2nd AnnualTexas Agriculture Me-morial Day would be ob-served at the stateCapitol on Nov. 21.

As stated in the an-nouncement: "With few-er and fewer Texansengaged in vital indus-try of agriculture, it isimportant for all Texansto recognize and appre-ciate the sacrifice re-quired in producing thefood and fiber we allneed."

An honor guard onhorseback is scheduledto deliver a commemora-tive wreath to the Capi-tol to be received byAgriculture Commis-sioner Sid Miller.

AUSTIN – AsTexans prepare for theThanksgiving holiday,the Texas Departmentof Public Safety (DPS)is reminding motoriststo make safety apriority and to enjoythe holiday weekendresponsibly.

“Thanksgivingshould be a time ofcelebration with familyand friends, and we areencouraging everyoneto take some simple butpotentially life-savingsteps to celebrateresponsibly,” said DPSDirector Steven Mc-Craw. “DPS Trooperswill also be on thelookout for drivers whoneedlessly endangerothers by disregardingthe law. Everyone,especially motorists,has a part to play inkeeping our roadwayssafe, and it is impera-tive that you take thisresponsibility serious-ly.”

DPS Troopers, andother Texas law en-forcement agencies,will be patrollingaround-the-clockduring the holidayweekend looking fordrunk drivers, speed-ers, seat belt violators,and other motoristswho are endangeringthemselves or thepublic.

During the Thanks-giving weekend in2016, DPS troopersissued 51,592 trafficcitations and warningsfor a variety of viola-tions, including speed-ing, no insurance andseat belt/child safetyseat usage. DPSpatrols also resulted in275 driving while

DPS urges driversto fill up on safetyfor Thanksgiving

intoxicated arrests, 198fugitive arrests and141 felony arrestsduring the same timeperiod.

DPS offers thefollowing tips for safetravel during theThanksgiving holiday:

•Do not drink anddrive.

• Slow down –especially in badweather, constructionareas, heavy traffic andunfamiliar areas.

• Eliminate distrac-tions while driving,including the use ofmobile devices.

• Buckle up every-one in the vehicle – it’sthe law.

• Don’t drive fa-tigued – allow plenty oftime to reach yourdestination.

• Drive defensively,as holiday travel maypresent additionalchallenges.

• Before your tripbegins, make sure yourvehicle is properlymaintained and alwaysdouble check to makesure all cargo is secure.

• Slow down or moveover for police, fire,EMS, Texas Depart-ment of Transportationvehicles and tow trucksthat are stopped on theside of the road withemergency lightsactivated – it’s the law.Also, show the samecourtesy to fellowdrivers stopped alongthe road.

• Monitor weatherand road conditionswherever you aretraveling. In the eventof inclement weather,use extra caution onroadways.

Insurance Agency andRandy Casey of StateFarm in Baytown ad-dressed the Crosby-Huff-man Chamber ofCommerce luncheon onNovember 16. The three500 year flood events overthe last two years are im-pacting local premiums.One of the take away factsis that flood insurancemust be purchased forFederally backed mort-gages where there is a 1%chance of being inundat-ed.

Randy Casey ex-plained the many factorsthat can impact the home-owner’s premiums. Floodzones that are changing,prior history, new develop-ment and other factors canimpact what one will bepaying for flood insurance.

According to JohnSparks, “ You will want totalk to your agent. Let himknow what you have got, Ican not tell you have manytimes we have made dis-coveries in a claim situa-tion of undeclared itemslike a garage with classiccars stored inside and al-though the garage was in-sured the cars were not.An incident comes to mindof a mobile home insuredwith $30,000 in a gun safewithin and the home wasinsured but not the gunsafe. Always read your pol-icy for limitations and ex-clusions if you aren’t goingto read anything else, readthat page. That way youcan get your agent to seehow to get those items youneed covered, covered.”

“You need to tell youragent, here is all the stuffI have got here, here is allthe stuff I’m thinkingabout doing. Also season-al inventory, during De-cember I have about fourtimes the inventory I havethe rest of the months. Allof those factors should befigured into your policy,”explained Sparks, “Youneed to get the adjustor onyour side, I realize thatcan be difficult, especiallyin third party cases. Ca-tastrophe adjusters comefrom all over the UnitedStates. What happenedhere in Harvey, we had allthese adjustors show upand then Irma hits Flori-da and the single biggestinsurer in Florida is theState not like here in Tex-as where we have the Tex-as Fair Plan, in Floridathey have somethingcalled Citizens and sincethey have been hit somany times, the Alstateand State Farms don’twrite down there, thestate board set up a boun-ty to attract adjustors soall the adjustors leave forFlorida. So what happensto many who expect theadjustor to show up andsettle the money mannerin a week it becomes fiveweeks. ”

The U.S. House of Rep-resentatives FinancialService Committee passedin June reauthorizing Na-tional Flood InsuranceProgram for 5 years. TheFlood insurance must sat-isfy government require-ments. So, those inattendance learned thatprivate companies havebeen out of the flood insur-ance game for awhile. Onehas to go to a local agentto buy flood insurance andthen buy the federallybacked program. The votereflected some partizan di-visions. Republicans sawan increase in costs to tax-payers beyond acceptablewhen more and worsestorms could be comingbut there is no climatechange. Democrats fearedthe increase will price outthose needing the insur-ance most. Final legisla-tion is expected to removea provision to stop insur-ing newly constructedstructures after 2021 andstop insuring houses val-ued over $1 million.

FloodInsurance,CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Page 5THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017 NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

LIFESTYLE

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Whoever believes in me, asScripture has said, rivers ofliving water will flow from

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Psalm: 46:1

Dorothy MarieKeith

Dorothy Marie Keith,84, passed from this life onNovember 15, 2017 sur-rounded by her family inAnahuac, Texas. She wasborn to parents Sim Brownand Rosalee Walker Brownon July 5, 1933 in Missis-sippi. She loved being ahomemaker and mother toher family.

Dorothy was also aseamstress, and attendedchurch at The SanctuaryChurch in Mount Belvieu.Dorothy was known tomany as “the original pio-neer woman”.

She is preceded in deathby her parents, her hus-band, Lester Lemuel Kei-th; son, Geral Keith;brother, Charles Brown;and grandchildren, ShawnKeith and Jeremy Keith.Dorothy is lovingly sur-vived by her children, Lest-er Keith and wife Kristen,Bobby Keith and wife Su-zanne, James Keith; sib-lings, Morris Brown andwife Candace, JimmyBrown and wife Ovella,Meredith Herndon andhusband Kenneth; grand-children, Jason Keith andwife Danielle, RuthannAnderson and husbandJake, Aimee Carpenterand husband Michael,Becky Alexander and hus-band Robert, Ashley Keithand wife Darla, NathanEdwards and wife Can-dace, Nick Keith and wifeKim, James Banning andwife Tiffany, Amber Nord-strom and husband Beau,Toni Keith; 19 great-grandchildren, as well as

Dear friends,

Greetings in the nameof the Lord Jesus Christ!As I am writing this at thebeginning of the week ofThanksgiving, I’m gratefulto be completing anotheryear as pastor of LakeHouston United MethodistChurch. This church hasshown such heart andcourage in the face of suchadversity. Since the end ofAugust, when the watersfilled our fields and build-ings, the church and thegreater community haveshown what it means tolove God and to love neigh-bors. Our friends at Com-munity Baptist Churchhave opened their theirdoors for our new Jesusand Me (J.A.M.) and pro-vided a place for them tomeet as we move forward.This church and many oth-ers have contributed finan-

OBITUARIES✯LAKE HOUSTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

The gift of giving ‘Thanks’By Pastor Frank Coats

numerous extended fami-ly members and many dearfriends.

A visitation will be held-Monday morning from11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. No-vember 20, 2017 in thechapel of Carter-ConleyFuneral Home. Funeralservices will be held atnoon on Monday with Rev-erend Ron Macey and Rev-erend John Bernadini, IIofficiating, with gravesideservices to follow at RyanCemetery in TarkingtonPrairie, Texas at 2:30 p.m.under the direction ofCarter-Conley FuneralHome.

The family would like tosincerely thank the careteams at Harbor Hospiceand at Bayside Hospital inAnahuac, Texas for theircompassionate servicesthey provided during Dor-othy’s time of illness.

Carter - ConleyFuneral Home

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cially to our recovery, andwe have moved step by stepforward as we deal with theaftermath of loss and op-portunity by the flood.

The first Sunday in De-cember will be the firstSunday of Advent, the be-ginning of the church year.Advent is a time of remem-bering the coming of Jesusinto the world as well asthe anticipation of Hiscoming again. The churchyear and the correspondinglectionary readings allowus to move togetherthrough the life of Jesus.The four weeks of Adventmove through readingsforetelling the comingagain of the Lord and thenthe coming of the baby inBethlehem. It is so beau-tiful and comforting to hearagain the stories of angelsappearing to tell of won-drous happenings about totake place, to think of God

coming to earth in theform of a helpless baby, butwe remember that God iscoming again, and we areto be ready.

Christ will come to setthe world aright. Christhas come to set the cap-tives free. Captives to ad-diction, captives toresentment, captives toprejudice and ignoranceand hatred – all can be setfree by an encounter withthe living Christ.

What does it look like toencounter the RisenChrist? Maybe it lookslike approaching 7,000sandwich meals for theHuffman Food Pantry byMission: Serve; maybe itlooks like 80 ThanksgivingBaskets, with the makingsof them stored in the shellof what was once our Sanc-tuary; maybe it looks like67 boxes being dropped off

for Operation ChristmasChild, and that’s not all ofthe boxes that have comefrom our church; maybe itlooks like Adopting a Fam-ily for Christmas; maybe itlooks like facing adversityand floodwaters and mak-ing the sign of the Crossand kneeling in prayer.

Many of us enter thisDecember tired. Many aretired of not living in ourhomes, tired of dealingwith construction deci-sions. Many of us facechallenges, known and un-known to others. But weare here, and we are to-gether, and we look forChrist in the beauty of theliving.

Even so, come LordJesus.

Faithfully in JesusChrist,

Pastor Frank

BIBLE TRIVIAby Wilson Casey

1. Is the book of 1 Thes-salonians in the Old orNew Testament or nei-ther?

2. To keep Adam andEve away after the Fall,what did God place aroundthe Tree of Life? Smokingpits, Deep moat, Cherubimwith f laming swords ,Walking vipers

3. In 2 Samuel 12, whatpersonality did God nameJedidiah? David, Amos,Solomon, Joab

4. What "type" water didJesus offer the Samaritanwoman at the well? Fresh,Cool, Living, Clean

5. From John 10, towhat type animals areChristians compared?Camels, Sheep, Lions, Ser-pents

6. Which was a type offood as found in Exodus16:15 and other verses?Yoke, Manna, Prodigal,Mina

ANSWERS: 1) New; 2)Cherubim with flamingswords; 3) Solomon; 4) Liv-ing; 5) Sheep; 6) Manna

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Gilbert Hoffman..................................................Editor & PublisherMei-Ing Hoffman...............................................Associate PublisherJulieta Paita..............................................................Assistant EditorWillie Glasgow....................................................Marketing DirectorLewis Spearman...............................................Advertising DirectorLuis Hernandez.................................................Production DirectorPedro Hernandez.....................................Circulation/Mail DirectorPublished each Wednesday by GrafikPress Corp. Any erroneous statementwhich may appear will be corrected when brought to the attention of thepublisher. Liability for errors is limited to the reprinting of the corrected ver-sion. Submissions are encouraged, in person, by mail, by Fax, or by email, to:northchannelstar@gmail.com

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THANKSGIVING ATPLYMOUTH

In September 1620, asmall ship called theMayflower left Plymouth,England, carrying 102passengers—an assort-ment of religious separat-ists seeking a new homewhere they could freelypractice their faith andother individuals lured bythe promise of prosperityand land ownership inthe New World. After atreacherous and uncom-fortable crossing thatlasted 66 days, theydropped anchor near thetip of Cape Cod, far northof their intended destina-tion at the mouth of theHudson River. One monthlater, the Mayflowercrossed MassachusettsBay, where the Pilgrims,as they are now common-ly known, began the workof establishing a villageat Plymouth.

Throughout that firstbrutal winter, most of thecolonists remained onboard the ship, wherethey suffered fromexposure, scurvy and

A Center of Excellencedesignation would allowSan Jacinto College toexpand maritime training

PASADENA, Texas –San Jacinto College is onestep closer to having aMaritime Center of Ex-cellence. The U.S. Senaterecently voted to approvemaritime workforce cen-ters of excellence legisla-tion as part of the FY2018 National DefenseAuthorization Act(NDAA). This follows avote made by the U.S.House of Representativesearlier this year to ap-prove the legislation.

While there are slightdifferences between theHouse-passed maritimeworkforce centers of ex-cellence provision and theSenate-passed provision,both are based on theoriginal Domestic Mari-time Centers of Excel-lence Act (H.R. 2286) toauthorize federal supportfor maritime centers ofexcellence at two-yearcommunity and technicalcolleges. In late June, theSenate Commerce, Sci-ence and TransportationCommittee Subcommit-tee on Surface Transpor-tation and MerchantMarine Infrastructure,Safety and Security vot-ed to adopt an amend-ment by Sen. TammyBaldwin (D-WI) to in-clude language from theDomestic Maritime Cen-ters of Excellence Act intoa MARAD reauthoriza-tion bill (S. 1096).

The Domestic Mari-time Centers of Excel-lence Act was offered onthe Senate floor in Sep-tember as part of broad-er package of maritime

Diamond Jim: "How didThanksgiving Day in America

come to be...?"

outbreaks of contagiousdisease. Only half of theMayflower’s originalpassengers and crewlived to see their firstNew England spring. InMarch, the remainingsettlers moved ashore,where they received anastonishing visit from anAbenaki Indian whogreeted them in English.Several days later, hereturned with anotherNative American, Squan-to, a member of thePawtuxet tribe who hadbeen kidnapped by anEnglish sea captain andsold into slavery beforeescaping to London andreturning to his home-land on an exploratoryexpedition. Squantotaught the Pilgrims,weakened by malnutri-tion and illness, how tocultivate corn, extract sapfrom maple trees, catchfish in the rivers andavoid poisonous plants.He also helped thesettlers forge an alliancewith the Wampanoag, alocal tribe, which wouldendure for more than 50

years and tragicallyremains one of the soleexamples of harmonybetween Europeancolonists and NativeAmericans.

In November 1621,after the Pilgrims’ firstcorn harvest provedsuccessful, GovernorWilliam Bradford orga-nized a celebratory feastand invited a group of thefledgling colony’s NativeAmerican allies, includ-ing the Wampanoag chiefMassasoit. Now remem-bered as American’s “firstThanksgiving”—althoughthe Pilgrims themselvesmay not have used theterm at the time—thefestival lasted for threedays. While no recordexists of the historicbanquet’s exact menu, thePilgrim chroniclerEdward Winslow wrote inhis journal that GovernorBradford sent four menon a “fowling” mission inpreparation for the event,and that the Wampanoagguests arrived bearingfive deer. Historians havesuggested that many ofthe dishes were likelyprepared using tradition-al Native American spicesand cooking methods.Because the Pilgrims hadno oven and the Mayflow-er’s sugar supply haddwindled by the fall of1621, the meal did notfeature pies, cakes orother desserts, whichhave become a hallmarkof contemporary celebra-tions.

Happy Thanksgiving toYou and Your Familyfrom Pineforest Jewelry!

If you have questionspertaining to jewelry,watches, diamonds,precious stones, preciousmetals, and other ques-tions related to thejewelry industry,emailjmills@pineforestjewelry.com.

Diamond Jim is adiamond dealer andprecious metals broker ofNTR Metals. See moreat:www.pineforestjewelry.com.

U.S. Senate approves legislationfor maritime centers of excellence

provisions contained inan NDAA amendment bySens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Deb Fisher (R-NE),and Cory Booker (D-NJ).The Domestic MaritimeCenters of Excellence Actis unique and precedent-setting in that it is limit-ed to community andtechnical colleges.

“I’m proud to supportthis provision tostrengthen our nation’smaritime workforce,which will benefit bothnational security and in-ternational trade,” saidSen. Cornyn. “Located inclose proximity to one ofthe nation’s most activeports, San Jacinto Collegeis already a top maritimeeducation institution,and this bill will allow itto expand and strength-en its program to serve itsstudents even better.”

As Centers of Excel-lence, two-year collegeswill be able to expandtheir capacity to traindomestic maritime work-ers by admitting morestudents, training faculty,expanding facilities, cre-ating new maritime ca-reer pathways fromassociate degree to bacca-laureate degree pro-grams, and awardingcredit for prior learningexperience, including mil-itary service.

“We are truly gratefulthat both the U.S. Houseand the U.S. Senate rec-ognize community colleg-es as training sources formariners,” said JohnStauffer, associate vicechancellor and superin-tendent of maritime atSan Jacinto College. “Be-cause San Jacinto Collegemaritime is located in oneof the largest port re-

gions, we welcome theopportunity to producehighly qualified marinersto enter the workforceand alleviate the shortag-es that are occurring dueto retirements and theexpanding global mar-ket.”

Since 2010, the SanJacinto College maritimeprogram has awardedmore than 5,500 U.S.Coast Guard (USCG)-ap-proved course completioncertificates. Keeping cur-rent with the most recentdevelopments of theStandards of Training,Certification and Watch-keeping (STCW), whichrequire some tasks to becompleted on a vessel, theCollege has received sup-port from MARAD to al-low maritime studentsaccess to Ready ReserveFleet ships. This will en-sure that they completetheir required training toadvance in the industryand stay current withUSCG requirements.

San Jacinto College isalso home to the state’sfirst associate degree pro-gram in maritime trans-portation to train thosenew to the maritime in-dustry. Last year markedthe opening of the Col-lege’s Maritime Technol-ogy and Training Centeron the Maritime Campusin La Porte, Texas, to of-fer more training oppor-tunities for new andincumbent mariners.

The San Jacinto Col-lege Maritime Technologyand Training Center onthe Maritime Campus of-fers a full calendar ofUSCG-approved mari-time courses. For moreinformation and to regis-ter, visit sanjac.edu/mar-itime.

Photo by Jeannie Peng Mansyur

San Jacinto College Maritime Technology and Training Center on the Maritime Campus inLa Porte, Texas.

Page 7THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017 NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

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45-2 NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF APPLICATION ANDINTENT TO OBTAIN WATER QUALITY PERMIT

AMENDMENT

PERMIT NO. WQ0011770001

APPLICATION. Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 50, 12900 CrosbyLynchburg Road, Crosby, Texas 77532, has applied to the Texas Commission onEnvironmental Quality (TCEQ) to amend Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System(TPDES) Permit No. WQ0011770001 (EPA I.D. No. TX0057053) to authorize an additionalphase and an increase the two-hour peak flow to a volume not to exceed 2,200,000 gallonsper day. The domestic wastewater treatment facility is located at 922 Magnolia Avenue,Crosby, in Harris County, Texas 77532. The discharge route is from the plant site to RickettCreek; thence to a series of ponds/lakes; thence to San Jacinto River Tidal. TCEQ receivedthis application on September 25, 2017. The permit application is available for viewing andcopying at the Crosby Library, 135 Hare Road, Crosby, Texas. This link to an electronic mapof the site or facility's general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of theapplication or notice. For exact location, refer to application.

http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/hb610/index.html?lat=29.868611&lng=-95.077777&zoom=13&type=r

ADDITIONAL NOTICE. TCEQ’s Executive Director has determined the application isadministratively complete and will conduct a technical review of the application. Aftertechnical review of the application is complete, the Executive Director may prepare a draftpermit and will issue a preliminary decision on the application. Notice of the Applicationand Preliminary Decision will be published and mailed to those who are on thecounty-wide mailing list and to those who are on the mailing list for thisapplication. That notice will contain the deadline for submitting public comments.

PUBLIC COMMENT / PUBLIC MEETING. You may submit public comments orrequest a public meeting on this application. The purpose of a public meeting is toprovide the opportunity to submit comments or to ask questions about the application. TCEQwill hold a public meeting if the Executive Director determines that there is a significantdegree of public interest in the application or if requested by a local legislator. A publicmeeting is not a contested case hearing.

OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONTESTED CASE HEARING. After the deadline forsubmitting public comments, the Executive Director will consider all timely comments andprepare a response to all relevant and material, or significant public comments. Unless theapplication is directly referred for a contested case hearing, the response tocomments, and the Executive Director’s decision on the application, will be mailedto everyone who submitted public comments and to those persons who are on themailing list for this application. If comments are received, the mailing will alsoprovide instructions for requesting reconsideration of the Executive Director’sdecision and for requesting a contested case hearing. A contested case hearing is alegal proceeding similar to a civil trial in state district court.

TO REQUEST A CONTESTED CASE HEARING, YOU MUST INCLUDE THEFOLLOWING ITEMS IN YOUR REQUEST: your name, address, phone number;applicant's name and proposed permit number; the location and distance of yourproperty/activities relative to the proposed facility; a specific description of howyou would be adversely affected by the facility in a way not common to thegeneral public; a list of all disputed issues of fact that you submit during thecomment period and, the statement "[I/we] request a contested case hearing." If therequest for contested case hearing is filed on behalf of a group or association, therequest must designate the group’s representative for receiving futurecorrespondence; identify by name and physical address an individual member ofthe group who would be adversely affected by the proposed facility or activity;provide the information discussed above regarding the affected member’s locationand distance from the facility or activity; explain how and why the member wouldbe affected; and explain how the interests the group seeks to protect are relevantto the group’s purpose.

Following the close of all applicable comment and request periods, the Executive Directorwill forward the application and any requests for reconsideration or for a contested casehearing to the TCEQ Commissioners for their consideration at a scheduled Commissionmeeting.

The Commission may only grant a request for a contested case hearing on issues therequestor submitted in their timely comments that were not subsequently withdrawn. If ahearing is granted, the subject of a hearing will be limited to disputed issues offact or mixed questions of fact and law relating to relevant and material waterquality concerns submitted during the comment period.

MAILING LIST. If you submit public comments, a request for a contested case hearing ora reconsideration of the Executive Director’s decision, you will be added to the mailing list forthis specific application to receive future public notices mailed by the Office of the ChiefClerk. In addition, you may request to be placed on: (1) the permanent mailing list for aspecific applicant name and permit number; and/or (2) the mailing list for a specific county. Ifyou wish to be placed on the permanent and/or the county mailing list, clearly specify whichlist(s) and send your request to TCEQ Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE. For details about the status of the application,visit the Commissioners’ Integrated Database at www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/cid. Search thedatabase using the permit number for this application, which is provided at the top of thisnotice.

AGENCY CONTACTS AND INFORMATION. All public comments and requestsmust be submitted either electronically at www.tceq.texas.gov/aboutcomments.html, or in writing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Please beaware that any contact information you provide, including your name, phone number, emailaddress and physical address will become part of the agency’s public record. For moreinformation about this permit application or the permitting process, please call the TCEQPublic Education Program, Toll Free, at 1-800-687-4040 or visit their website atwww.tceq.texas.gov/goto/pep. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-687-4040.

Further information may also be obtained from Harris County Municipal Utility DistrictNo. 50 at the address stated above or by calling Ms. Karen Sims at 281-328-2041.

Issuance Date: November 14, 2017

LEGAL NOTICE

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Page 8 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

CONGRESS,CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

-sion to not seek reelec-tion:

“Serving as an electedofficial is one of the great-est honors our country canbestow on a person. I havebeen blessed and fortunateto serve almost 46 years inelected office. Since 1973,I have served as a TexasState Representative for13 years, Texas State Sen-ator for seven years andsince 1993 as a member ofthe United States Con-gress. Our family hasknown politics and publicservice throughout theirlives. My wife, Helen, hasbeen a partner every stepof the way for our 47 yearsof marriage.

The goal of every elect-ed official should be toserve and help your con-stituency to have a betterlife for their families. I amproud of sponsoring eventsin our district such as hav-ing Immunization Dayeach year for the past 20years to provide free vac-cinations for children andCitizenship Day each yearfor the past 22 years tohelp legal residents to be-come citizens of our greatcountry.

We have also held JobFairs twice a year to helppeople find employmentand Paying for CollegeWorkshops to help stu-dents find the resources toallow them to afford to goto college.

At home or in Washing-ton my goal is to impactlegislation for the benefitof our constituents. Serv-ing on the Energy andCommerce Committeehelped to put a Texas viewon the expansion of HealthCare access and expand jobopportunities in our dis-trict.

We have held manytown hall meetings eachyear and have been acces-sible to people in our dis-trict. Our staff in Houstonand Washington has beendedicated to helping ourconstituents with prob-lems in many different ar-eas such as Social Securi-ty, Veterans Affairs, andImmigration. I have beenblessed to have such a ded-icated staff to help me dothe job of a Member of Con-gress.

I have been fortunate tohave never lost an electionsince 1972 and I am confi-dent that I still have thesupport of my constituentsand would be successful ifI ran for another term inCongress. However, I havedecided that I will not befiling for re-election in2018. I think that it is timefor me to be more involvedin the lives of our childrenand grandchildren. I havehad to miss so many oftheir activities and after 26years in Congress it is timeto devote more time to mymost important job of be-ing a husband, father andgrandfather.

I and our staff will con-tinue to serve our districtuntil our term is over atthe end of 2018.”

State Senator SylviaGarcia issued the fol-lowing statement:

As you may have heardby now, Gene Green an-nounced yesterday he’s notseeking re-election to Con-gress. He’s done a tremen-dous job for the people.Thank you Gene, Helenand the family for allyou’ve done for us!

We need a champion forthe people now more thanever. That’s why I’m run-ning. From good payingjobs and immigration re-form to quality public edu-cation for our children, I’vefought before and I’ll keepfighting. You know myrecord as a strong progres-sive committed to equali-ty, economic opportunityand justice for all. I hopeyou’ll join our campaignand encourage your fami-ly, friends and neighbors todo the same. Forward thisemail to fellow communitymembers who are ready tojoin #TeamGarcia and ask

them to subscribe to ouremails.

Thank you for the callsand messages to encourageme to take this step. I knowwe’re in this together. Andthink we need a little moreworking together in Con-gress.

Putting people first,Sylvia R. Garcia

State RepresentativeArmando Walle has not yetfiled for the primary, buttold this newspaper hewould be running for theCongressional seat.

Walle’s background as acandidate is as follows:

Representative Arman-do Walle, the oldest of fivechildren, was born andraised in northeast Hous-ton by a single mother. Hegraduated with honorsfrom MacArthur HighSchool in the Aldine Inde-pendent School District.The first in his family topursue a higher education,Rep. Walle is a proud grad-uate of the University ofHouston, earning a Bach-elor of Science degree inPolitical Science. He re-cently received his law de-gree at the University ofHouston Law Center.

Representative Wallewas elected to representHouse District 140 in theTexas House of Represen-tatives in 2008. Since tak-ing office, Rep. Walle hasfocused on the issues thatmatter most to the peopleof House District 140,which includes northernportions of unincorporatedHarris County and theCity of Houston. Rep. Wallehas authored and advocat-ed for numerous proposalsto improve quality of life inthe Aldine and Northsidecommunities, increasesafety in local neighbor-hoods, and encourage localeconomic development.

Currently serving hisfourth term in the TexasHouse of Representatives,Rep. Walle serves as Vice-Chair of the House Com-mittee on GovernmentTransparency & Operationand as a member of theHouse Committee on Ap-propriations, the HouseSelect Committee onTransportation Planning,and the House Select Com-mittee on State and Feder-al Power and Responsibil-ity. He has previously alsoserved on, among others,the House Committees onHuman Services, Business& Industry, Insurance,Homeland Security & Pub-lic Safety, and Urban Af-fairs.

Prior to his election,Rep. Walle worked withCongressman Gene Greenfor six years. During thattime, Rep. Walle led sever-al community projects in-cluding Immunization Day,Paying for College work-shops and senior citizenissue forums. He alsoserved on the staffs of Con-gresswoman Sheila Jack-son Lee and Councilmem-ber Carol Mims Galloway.Rep. Walle began his ca-reer in public service byparticipating in SenatorRodney Ellis’s Texas Leg-islative Internship Pro-gram.

Before his time in elect-ed office, Rep. Walleworked hard to increaseoutreach for communityservice programs likeyouth sports leagues andadult GED programs forAldine residents. Rep.Walle also served on theBoard of Directors for theA l d i n e - G r e e n s p o i n tYMCA, as President of theAmbassadors Internation-al Ballet Folklorico, and asChair of the Harris Coun-ty Tejano Democrats. Dur-ing his time at the Univer-sity of Houston, hespearheaded efforts to re-cruit and retain qualifiedHispanic students to theUniversity. Rep. Walle alsoserved as a student men-tor for Students Aspiringto a Better Education, en-couraging at-risk highschool students to stay inschool and pursue a collegeeducation.

Arkema Lawsuit,CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

living nearby joined.Harris County Commis-

sioners Court approvedplans to file a lawsuit incivil court against Arkemafor creating a public nui-sance and keeping first re-sponders that were neededelsewhere occupied deal-ing with the Crosby plant.

For local residents,there was nowhere to findout what potentially theair quality would be fromthe explosions. Arkemahad indicated to state au-thorities that 11 contami-nants had been released.Later it was learned thatisobutylene was about 40yards from six of the trail-ers that were designated toblowup creating a poten-tially catastrophic situa-tion that locals were not

told about.Authorities thought

that a contingency planother than calling the localfire department seems rea-sonable for a plant operat-ing inside the flood planthat had changed since2007.

Arkema Inc. officialsstated “Many of your con-clusions fail to recognizethat Hurricane Harveywas unlike any rain eventHouston has ever experi-enced.”

The county’s suit willcontend it was commonknowledge for a week ormore before the storm hitthat Harris County couldget as much as 50 inchesof rain from Harvey.

Harris County has got-

ten three major floods inthe past two years, all in-dicating that Arkema offi-cials could have expectedflooding and have knownto develop plans for contin-gency.

But, Harris County hadincidents of lack of prepa-ration, too, including thefirst mid-storm releases ofwater from Addicks andBarker reservoirs. But theunpredictable nature ofthe storm doesn't changehow serious the situationwas, since the plan was tojust detonate the chemi-cals before they explodedin a more spontaneousfashion. Arkema officialshad dealt with these samematerials igniting beforein a 2006 fire at the plant,and there were other

chemicals stored at the sitethat were also dangerous.Ryan said his team wantsArkema to pay back thecounty for the county’s re-sponse. Ryan wants im-proved safety plans withlegal enforcement.

The complaint filed byHarris County Attorney’sOffice specifically lists sul-fur dioxide and particulatematter, which can causebreathing problems andpremature death in peoplewith heart or lung condi-tions according to a releasefrom the EnvironmentalProtection Agency.

“We hope it is not as badas we think,” Ryan contin-ued, “Evidently, they did apoor job of preparation andwe would hope they wouldhave had a more robustresponse to such an event.”