NORTH CHANNEL ✯STARYour News, Your Newspaper

CHANNELCURRENTS

VOLUME 7, NO. 13 (#267) THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019Serving all of the North Shore -- Channelview, Sheldon, Galena Park, Jacinto City

www.northchannelstar.com

THERAPY DOG, p. 3 OUTPATIENT CENTER, p. 8Issue #267 OF THE STAR

Port saysdredgematerial okay

The US Army Corps ofEngineers (USACE) is cur-rently dredging material fromthe upper reaches of theHouston Ship Channel be-tween the IH 610 bridge andthe upper turning basin(Wayside Dr.). The USACEis pumping the material intothe placement area be-tween Holland Avenue andMercury/Main Street (ClintonPlacement Area). All mate-rials placed into the ClintonPlacement Area have beencarefully tested prior to be-ing placed into the site. Theturning basin dredge mate-rial has not been impactedby the ITC spill, which is ap-proximately 15 miles down-stream. Dredging activitiesin the upper turning basinare scheduled to be com-pleted early summer 2019.

Additionally, no publicdredging operations are oc-curring near the ITC Terminal.Port Houston is available toanswer any questions re-garding our business andoperations via our Commu-nity Information Line, 713-670-1000.

WashburnTunnel toclose forimprovementsMar. 29-Apr. 8

HOUSTON, Texas - TheWashburn Tunnel will beclosed for 10 days, begin-ning at 8 p.m. on Friday,March 29th to 4 a.m. onMonday, April 8th. Duringthis time, crews will be con-ducting in-depth mainte-nance to the Tunnel lining aspart of the Washburn TunnelConcrete Repairs project,which was planned proac-tively to preserve the life ofthe Tunnel.

Drivers are reminded touse alternate routes duringthe closure. Alternate routesinclude I-610 East LoopFreeway, Sam Houston Park-way, and Highway 146.

Cody Bill passesHouse 145 to 0

AUSTIN – The Finalvote in the House of Rep-resentatives got unani-mous approval of thoseattending the session onTuesday for HB 76, theCody Stephens Bill.

According to ScottStephens that has made ithis mission to get Texas touse E.C.G. machines in ad-dition to the exam a doc-tor does with astethoscope, “The TexasHouse of Representativesvoted to pass HB 76 todaywith no opposition! Tis wasa huge step for us and forCody’s Law, bringing us somuch closer to gettingheart screening into everyschool across Texas.

This is a wonderfulcause for celebration. Wedefinitely want to take amoment to acknowledge allthe hard work from Rep.Dan Huberty, lobbyistKathy Grant, everyonewho testified at the PublicEducation Committeehearing and all of you whocalled and wrote letters toyour representatives tovote in favor of HB76.”

This is the fifth year theCody Bill has been pre-sented and some but mini-mal changes have beenmade. It is now an “opt in”rather than an “opt out”proposition.

The bill moves to theSenate, now.

ITC Fire event is not over, saysOEM director Lina Hidalgo

JUDGE LINA HIDALGO, head of Office of Emergency Management, holds a news conferenceon Monday to update the public on status of the ITC fire and clean-up.(photo Gilbert Hoffman)

CLEAN-UP continues at the ITC site in Deer Park. In this photo, taken over a week after thefire, foam is being sprayed to seal tanks, and a pump truck at center is removing chemicalsthat still pose a hazard. (Photo courtesy KPRC)

DEER PARK – Well intothe second week after thehuge chemical storage tankfire at the ITC site in DeerPark, authorities and emer-gency crews are still busytrying to deal with the after-math of the blaze.

ITC, or IntercontinentalTerminals Company, has is-sued dozens of press releas-es and conferences, butmany of the public feel thatthe facts of the fire have stillnot been revealed.

Harris County JudgeLina Hidalgo, who is also thehead of the OEM, or Officeof Emergency Management,held a press conference onMonday. She thanked allthose first responders andother government agenciesthat had worked quickly andin a coordinated way to dealwith the disaster.

However, she had a clearmessage for all, saying “ThisIncident is not Over.” Sheemphasized that the imme-diate problem was contain-ing the chemicals and tominimize contamination ofthe air and water around thesite.

Multiple agencies aredealing with the problems,including the EPA, TCEQ,Harris County PollutionControl, Harris CountyHealth Department, FireMarshal’s office, and various

first responders around thearea.

Judge Hidalgo revealedthat the county had issued asubpoena and a preservationorder to ITC, asking for in-formation to be preserved foran investigation. In addition,several agencies includingthe state of Texas and Har-ris County have announcedthey will sue ITC for airquality violations, and costsinvolved in responding to thefire.In addition, hundreds ofprivate suits are expected.So far the company has re-ceived over 300 claims.

Francisco Sanchez, of theOEM, stated that the inci-dent was still at a Level 3alert. Hidalgo noted that thiswas the second longest acti-vation in the last ten yearsby the OEM, only exceededby Hurricane Harvey.

Chemicals and foam thatleaked into the Ship Chan-nel have caused the CoastGuard to close it, and restrictships on the San Jacinto Riv-er. They have deployed 2700feet of containment booms.

The Harris CountyHealth Department advisedthe public to contact theirdoctor if they feel affects ofthe fire. If you do not have ahealthcare provider, you cancontact “Ask-My-Nurse” at713-634-1110 from 8am to8:30pm.

This May, ChannelviewISD residents will have theopportunity to vote on a$195.4 million bond elec-tion.

A bond is similar to ahome mortgage. It is a con-tract to repay borrowedmoney with interest overtime. Bond elections allowcommunities to vote to givethe Board of Trustees au-thority to sell bonds to payfor items such as schoolconstruction, capitalprojects and land acquisi-tion.

A school district’s taxrate is comprised of twoparts. Part one is Mainte-

Channelview ISD holding firstbond election in 10 Years

nance and Operations(M&O) which funds day-to-day expenses such assalaries, general mainte-nance, bus repairs andfuel, educational materialsand utilities.

Part two is Interest andSinking (I&S) which fundsdebt repayment for thepurchase of new buildingconstruction, existingbuilding renovations, landpurchases, program-specif-ic equipment, technologyand school buses. TheChannelview ISD bondelection would only affectthe District’s I&S rate. Bylaw, I&S funds cannot be

used to pay teacher or staffsalaries.

Currently, ChannelviewISD’s I&S tax rate is$0.356 with the M&O taxrate standing at $1.04 fora total tax rate of $1.396.The current rate is the low-est it has been in sevenyears and is the secondlowest tax rate when com-pared to surroundingschool districts. Over thepast seven years, theChannelview ISD Board ofTrustees has lowered thetax rate $0.10 from $1.496

See Bond Election,Page 8

Photo By Allan JamailCongresswoman Sylvia Garcia of the 29th CongressionalDistrict, Senator Carol Alvarado of Senate District 6 and StateRepresentative Christina Morales of District 145.

COMMUNITY INFORMEDCommunity leaders hear fromnewly positioned legislatorsBy Allan Jamail

Houston, TX- Saturday,March 23, 2019 - YolandaAlvarado a well known andrespected civic leader in-vited community leaders toa meeting with legislatorsserving in new positions.Elected officials presentwere CongresswomanSylvia Garcia of the 29thCongressional District,Senator Carol Alvarado ofSenate District 6 and StateRepresentative ChristinaMorales of District 145.

Congresswoman Garciasaid, “It’s been somewhatof a challenge adjusting tothe cold freezing snowyweather and its effect onone’s ability to move aboutin D. C., but I’m managingit okay.”

“I’m very concernedwith the ITC fire and willbe closely monitoring the

after-affects it could poseon the air and water qual-ity and the impact it canhave on the health of resi-dents. We must investigateits cause and how to pre-vent similar disasters in

the future. The 29th Dis-trict encompasses largeportions of the Houstonship channel including thePort of Houston, cities of

See New Legislators,Page 8

DEER PARK FIRE AFTERMATHCommissioner Adrian Garciacloses parks for safety

HARRIS COUNTY, TX –Friday, March 22nd 2019--As a precaution, HarrisCounty Precinct 2 Commis-sioner Adrian Garcia is clos-ing eight Precinct 2 parkswith waterfronts in the In-tercontinental TerminalsCompany (ITC) incidentarea. A number of school dis-tricts have also closed, as aprecaution.

“After the news of theITC dike breach earlier to-day, I decided to close someof our parks out of precau-tion because my main pri-ority is keeping ourresidents safe,” Garcia said.“We want to ensure ourparks are safe and able tofunction in the way our com-munity expects and de-serves. I want to give theEPA, TCEQ and others thetime they need to continuetheir testing.”

The following Precinct 2parks will be closed with allscheduled events cancelled

until further notice:• Bay Area Park in Houston ((BayArea Community Center is open)• Clear Lake Park in Seabrook• Sylvan Beach in La Porte• Juan Seguin in La Porte• Rio Villa Nature Trail• Meadow Brook• River Terrace• Moncrief Park

The Lynchburg Ferryremains closed to the pub-lic.

LA PORTE: SeabreezePark and Klein Retreat inLa Porte will remain closeduntil further notice.

HealthRecommendations

According to HarrisCounty Public Health(HCPH), and based on cur-rent air monitoring reports,there continues to be a lowhealth risk for the commu-nity.

HCPH operated three-day Mobile Health Clinics inthe Deer Park area that hada tremendous communityresponse. At this time,

HCPH has not scheduledadditional clinics.

If you do not have ahealth care provider, theHarris Health System’sAsk-My-Nurse helpline re-mains open today, from 8a.m. to 8:30 p.m., to help an-swer health questions. Thenumber is 713-634-1110.

What you need to do:• Listen to local officials

for updates on the situationand for any actions you mayneed to take.

• Monitor local weatherforecasts.

• If you do not feel well,contact your healthcare pro-vider, or, if more serious, call9-1-1.

Where you can learnmore:

• Air Quality Data:ReadyHarris.org

• Health Information:Harris County PublicHealth

• Fixed Air MonitoringSites: TCEQ

Page 2 THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

COMMUNITY NEWS

Jack Noonan B.B.A., T.R.E.B., E.A.

CRI FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT COMPANYA DIVISION OF CORPORATE RECOVERY, INC.

TAX PREPARATION & CONSULTATIONAll Federal, State, Foreign & Individual, Partnerships,Trusts, Estates, Corporations (C,Sub S & Limited Liability)

& Payroll Tax Returns,Intuit Pro-Advisors,Service All Businesses & Individual Taxes

Specialists in getting late filers into I.R.S. ComplianceBusiness Solutions for New Tax Rules, Regulations and Tax AuditsDebt Consultation and Bankruptcy Protection as a Solution to your Debts

Other Services RenderedBookkeeping, Computer Systems, Financial Management,

Investments, Payroll, Property Rendition,Real Estate & Business Brokerage

Normal Business HoursMonday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to Noon – 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Saturday By AppointmentASK FOR YOUR FREE COPY OF OUR INCOME TAX ORGANIZER

JACK NOONAN, B.B.A., TREB, E.A. & STAFFIRS Enrolled License # 2018 – 65282

6400 FM 2100 North Main, P.O. Box 1428, Crosby, TX 77532-1428Telephone (281) 328-1755 Fax (281) 328-5280

E-mail: cri.tax.jhinson@gmail.com

Maximum Tax Savings

281-328-5869

Home Health Care

CROSBY’S HOME

TOWN HOME CARE

Skilled Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy,Speech Therapy, Medical Social Worker, Home Health Aide,

Hospice Services*Physical Therapy Position Available

CALL TODAY TO SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR MEDICAREFUNDED HOME HEALTH CAREPhysical Therapy Position Available

Locally owned and Operated by Tabatha and Jonathan Brady

Non-Discrimination PolicyNo client shall be, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, age, sex, disability or handicap,

sexual orientation, marital status, religion or status with regard to public assistance or veteran status,excluded from admission to services through Omnix Health Care Services, Inc.

CROSBY – The VictoriaCollege Pirates added thefourth player to their inau-gural National Junior Col-lege Athletic Associationvolleyball team on Wednes-day by signing Crosby mid-dle blocker Brooke Oney toa letter-of-intent.

“What excites mostabout Victoria College vol-leyball is the ability to playthe sport that I love at thenext level at a college thathas everything I was look-ing for - a remarkablenursing program, beautiful

Victoria College signsCrosby volleyball standout

campus, and smaller classsizes,” Oney said. “I am soincredibly excited to be onthe first NJCAA DivisionI team from Victoria Col-lege. I know that there willbe lots of challengesahead, but I'm so gratefulthat I get to face them asa Victoria Pirate.”

The 6-foot Oney was anhonorable mention selec-tion on the All-District 21-5A team her senior season.She was also named to theacademic all-district teamthe last three seasons.

“What influenced memost to play volleyball wasthe simple fact that Iwasn't ready to be ‘done,’ ”Oney said. “I didn't wantmy career to end when Iknew I still had so muchpotential. I also feel likeplaying collegiate sports isa huge privilege, so I amglad that I was goodenough to make it.”

The Pirates will beginthe 2019 season at homeon Aug. 22 against Whar-ton County Junior College.

Crosby senior Brooke Oney signed a letter-of-intent Wednesday to playvolleyball at Victoria College. Seated with Oney are her parents, Eric andTraci Oney. Standing are, from left, VC Assistant Volleyball Coach SkylarChreene, VC Head Volleyball Coach Josh Moore and Crosby AssistantVolleyball Coach Marissa Simmons.

Hale McDaniel, DDSWe are excited to announce our new office hours in Crosby

Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.AND NOW Friday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.Call today to schedule your apppointment.

We appreciate your business.6618 FM 2100, Crosby TX 77532Call (281) 328-3569 , Fax (281) 328-3560www.crosbydentalcenter.com

Tees-N-TailsCrosby-Huffman Chamber of Commerce will hots its 27th Annula Tees-N-Tails

Golf Tournament on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at Red Wolf Golf Resort, 27350 AftonWay, Huffmam, TX 77336. Registration at 10:30 am. Please contact Chamber Officeat 281-328-6984 or chamber@crosbyhuffmancc.org with any questions.

Huffman Education Foundation Casino nightIt’s all in for Casino Night on April 26, 7 pm - 11 pm at the Walden Country Club to

benefit the Huffman Education Foundation. The event will feature Texas Hold ‘Em,roulette, craps, blackjack, a live auction, with door prizes per drawings.

Regular tickets are $100 per person and with that the hors d’oeuvres, open bar,$3,000 in casino Chips, and possibilities for 6 prizes drawn by the hostess. Space islimited so first come first served. To obtain tickets call (281) 328-7601 or visitwww.huffmanef.com to buy tickets on-line.

Crosby-Huffman markets tomembers at Crawfish Shack

Southern Lace Estates surprises their host with a display photo of theirhost from a wedding of Dan Meaux’s daughter at their wedding eventcenter. It was marketing your business to other members event at theCrawfish Shack last Thursday. In attendance were governmental agenciesas well as a variety of private enterprises. Members accepted the challengeto display their wears and speak of their products and services.

Debbie Holmelin explains the benefits of her in-homewine experience and food matching service to EddieFoster of the Chamber board at her marketing stationinside the Crawfish Shack last Thursday.

There is a lot of busi-ness developing in Cros-by. New folks are comingin and new fresh busi-ness ideas are being rep-resented locally.

Attendees got achance to experience thelatest electronic circula-tion aiding devices, getcoupons for HuddleHouse in Huffman anda myriad of the latestproducts and services.We learned that Confec-tions has been voted

best coffee housein Crosby.

We learned thatEddie Foster is onthe Crosby Munic-ipal Utility Dis-trict Board andthat an election isto be held in May.Velma Ellison isalso running forthat board.

Page 3THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

COMMUNITY NEWS

CommissionerGarcia updateshealth concerns

During the Deer Parkfire, the high readings ofbenzene in the air were aresult of chemicals escap-ing the foam blanket cov-ering the tanks at ITC.Crews applied foam to thesite to eliminate the sourceof the chemical and moni-tor the air quality.

Air quality is beingmonitored in coordinationwith the EnvironmentalProtection Agency, TexasCommission on Environ-mental Quality, HarrisCounty, and other federal,state, and local agencies.

“My number one prior-ity is ensuring the safetyof our residents,” HarrisCounty Precinct 2 Com-missioner Adrian Garciasaid.

Residents are still en-couraged to monitor theirsymptoms. Harris CountyPrecinct 2 CommissionerAdrian Garcia has part-nered with Harris CountyPublic Health System tostation mobile health unitsopen to the public andavailable to everyone forprovide health screenings

and assessment. Thoseunits were stationed at500 W. 13th Street at theJimmy Burke ActivityCenter in Deer Park forabout 3 days beginninglast Wednesday.

“We know not everyonehas insurance or can af-ford to go to the doctor,”Commissioner Garciasaid. “We are taking actionto make sure residents aregetting checked out andare getting their healthquestions answered.”

Harris County PublicHealth has also estab-lished a hotline to assistresidents with health-re-lated questions. Residentscan call the Harris HealthSystem’s Ask My Nursehotline (713-634-1110)from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.seven days a week. Calling9-1-1 should be reservedfor life-threatening situa-tions.

To stay up to dateplease checkwww.readyharris.org/D e e r - P a r k - F i r e , o rwww.deerparktx.gov/itc-fire

Harris County AttorneyVince Ryan has sued Inter-continental TerminalsCompany LLC (ITC) overthe dangerous fire that be-gan March 17 at that facil-ity in Deer Park.

Harris County Commis-sioners today approved thelawsuit which seeks a tem-porary restraining orderand temporary and perma-nent injunctions in an en-vironmental enforcementaction. The County Attor-ney charges that ITC isresponsible for burningand air emissions in viola-tion of the state’s Clean AirAct, discharging industri-al waste into nearby wa-ters in violation of statelaw and county regula-tions, and violation ofcounty floodplain regula-tions by not having devel-opment permits forstructures at its facility.

“This company put thehealth of Harris Countyresidents in danger inmany ways for severaldays,” said County Attor-ney Ryan. “We will holdthem responsible for theiractions.”

Harris County’s Pollu-tion Control, Emergency

Next ChamberLuncheonApril 5

Speaker for the nextluncheon is RobertGuerrero, of SeAH SteelUSA, a new industry in theNorth Channel area. At SanJacinto College,reservations 713-450-1114.

Channelview ISDTeacher Job Fair

April 12, 2019 from5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. atChannelview High School,1100 Sheldon Rd.,Channelview, TX 77530.

GP/JC RotaryClub CakeAuction

Cake Aution will beApril 16, 2019, duringregular meeting, 12 p.m. atBaggett Community Center.

Galena Park/Jacinto CityRotary Club chapter seeksto collect funds to assistcollege students whomfind themselves faced withthe obstacle of financialhardship.

North ShoreRotary Fish Fry

Go Big for Rotary at the44th Annual Catfish & Craw-fish Boil, May 18, 2019 at theNorth Shore Rotary Pavillion,14350 Wallisville Road. Serv-ing time 11 am - 3 pm. Liveauction, entertainment and20 prizes in raffle drawing.

Policeinvestigateshooting onMaxey Road

Houston police areinvestigating the shootingof a man and woman thatoccurred on Maxey Roadabout 2 a.m. on March 21.

According to HoustonPolice Detectives , ShawnTaylor, 21, and TerrionaDozie, 24, were sitting intheir vehicle in a parkinglot at 490 Maxey Road-when they were shot byan unknown suspect.

The victims weretransported to an areahospital with what arebelieved to be non-life-threatening wounds.

Anyone with informa-tion on this case is urgedto contact the HPD MajorAssaults & FamilyViolence Division at 713-308-8800 or CrimeStoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

✯COMMUNITYCALENDAR

County Attorney Ryansues ITC over dangerousfire at Deer Park Facility

County Attorney Vince RYan

Management and FireMarshall personnel re-sponded to two tanks burn-ing at ITC on March 17.Over the next few days,more tanks caught fire, re-leasing air contaminants.Firefighting foam sprayedon the burning tanks byITC and industrial waste-water were discharged intolocal waters and it contin-ues to this day. A contain-ment dike breached onMarch 22, allowing the dis-charge into Tucker Bayou,which then ignited. In ad-dition, benzene leaks fromfire-damaged tanks andfirefighting foam causedtwo local shelter-in-placeadvisories.

The lawsuit seeks atemporary restraining or-der forbidding ITC to re-open until a third-partyexpert appointed by theCourt finds it is safe to re-sume operations. The or-der would also forbid thecompany from disposing ofany wastes by openingtanks where it is storedand venting it into the at-mosphere and it would re-quire ITC to maintain allrecords and water, air andground samples it has col-lected.

The lawsuit also asksfor civil penalties for vio-lations of state and localregulations and that ITCreimburse the County forits response to the fire andfor attorney’s fees.

“When we allow compa-nies like ITC to locate inour community, they havea responsibility to operatein a safe manner,” saidCounty Attorney Ryan.“That’s why we have localand state regulations andlaws to ensure that ourresidents are protected.Violations of those laws areunacceptable and we willwork to ensure that theyare enforced.”

DEER PARK, Texas –March 22, 2019 – The dikesurrounding the fire-dam-aged chemical storagetanks at the Intercontinen-tal Terminals Co. in DeerPark was breached on Fri-day. Previously, boomswere put in place by ITC’senvironmental contractorat the direction of theCoast Guard. Unified com-

mand is taking action tocontain runoff from thebreach with additionalbooms. Also, the CoastGuard closed traffic on thewater in the vicinity ofTucker Bayou and the ITCsite.

ITC’s contractor, at thedirection of TCEQ, and theCoast Guard are skimmingand pumping contaminat-

REP. ANA HERNANDEZ INFORMS

Update from TCEQregarding ITC Fire site

ed runoff into storage con-tainers. TCEQ is workingto fully assess and mitigateany wider impact.

No threat to local pub-lic water systems has beendetected, and no local wa-ter system draws its sourcewater from the HoustonShip Channel, which isadjacent to the ITC site.

NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR5906 STAR LANE, HOUSTON, TX 77057

713-266-3444 • FAX (713) 977-1188email: northchannelstar@gmail.comwebsite: www.northchannelstar.com

Gilbert Hoffman..................................................Editor & PublisherMei-Ing Hoffman...............................................Associate PublisherJulieta Paita..............................................................Assistant EditorWillie Glasgow....................................................Marketing DirectorLewis Spearman...............................................Advertising DirectorLuis Hernandez.................................................Production DirectorGerardo 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

Member Texas Community Newspaper AssociationMember North Channel Chamber of Commrce

Member Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce HoustonMember Texas Press Association

NORTH CHANNELBUSINESS DIRECTORY

Call 713-266-3444 to AdvertiseYOUR Business in this Directory.

5,000 readers Weekly

Garage Doors &Electric Openers

Repair or Replace. We also repair brokensprings. Call Ricardo

832-647-6378

P.O. Box 914, Channelview, TX 77530Mrroofer@mail.com

= Major credit cards accepted =

Free Estimates

Siding & Contracting LLC

281-452-0000New Roofs • Repairs • Painting • Hardi Plank Siding

• Mobile Home Skirting

Financing Available

EILEEN BRIGHTWELL, DDSwww.brightwelldental.com

1820 Holland St. • Jacinto City, TX 77029

(713) 455-7923

Page 4 THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

OPINION✯

TEXASSENATE NEWS

By Richard Lee

(Austin) The state'steacher pension planwould meet statutoryrequirements for fiscalsoundness under a billapproved by the Senatewithout objection Mon-day. The TeacherRetirement Systemprovides monthly annuitypayments for more than420,000 retired Texasteachers and other publicschool employees, butdoesn't meet the legalstandard of "actuarialsoundness", that is, theability to meet all of itsoutstanding obligationswithin 31 years. Thatperiod currently stands at87 years representingalmost $47 billion inunfunded liabilities. SB12 author and HoustonSenator Joan Huffmanwarned that if theLegislature takes noaction, the program'sunfunded obligationswould reach $124 billionby 2050. "This is long-term planning showingfiscal responsibility," shesaid. "This plan is farmore cost efficient thansimply attempting tocontribute one-timeinfusions of cash every sooften." Under the planapproved by the Senate,the fund would beactuarially sound by thenext fiscal year.

The bill would achievesoundness by graduallyincreasing rates from thethree major contributors:

AUSTIN — Images of astream of billowing darksmoke drew the nation’sattention last week to afire that engulfed 11 pet-rochemical storage tanksat the IntercontinentalTerminals Company about15 miles southeast ofHouston in Deer Park.

On March 17, Gov. GregAbbott ordered that allstate resources be madeavailable to local and in-dustry officials and urgedresidents to heed the warn-ings of local officials. Gov-ernmental bodies innearby affected areas or-dered residents to shelterin place because of con-cerns about unhealthy airquality. Deer Park Inde-pendent School Districtand other districts can-celed classes for severaldays.

The fire was extin-guished on March 20. Tex-as Attorney General KenPaxton on March 22 an-nounced that his office, act-ing on behalf of the TexasCommission on Environ-mental Quality, had filed alawsuit naming the tankstorage company as thedefendant. The lawsuit al-leges that the fire causedair pollution from benzene,xylene, toluene and othercontaminants, in violationof the Texas Clean Air Act.

In a statement accom-panying the lawsuit, Pax-ton said, “No company canbe allowed to disrupt livesand put public health andsafety at risk.”

The Chemical SafetyBoard, an independent fed-eral agency charged withinvestigating industrialchemical accidents, an-nounced March 21 that aninvestigation into the firewould be opened.

the state, local schooldistricts and active publicschool employees.Districts would see theircontribution rate risefrom 1.5 percent today to2 percent by fiscal year2025. Both the memberand state contributionrates would go up to 8.25percent by fiscal 2024, upfrom 7.7 percent foremployees and 6.8percent for the state.Also in the bill areprovisions for a bonuscheck, up to $500, to bepaid to beneficiariesduring the next bienni-um. It's the first such"13th check" that retiredteachers have receivedsince 2013.

The money coveringthe state portion of thebill, more than $500million from the Econom-ic Stabilization Fund, wasapproved by the Senateas part the supplementalbudget bill on March13th. That measure'sauthor and the chamber'slead budget writer SenateFinance Committee ChairSenator Jane Nelson ofFlower Mound, said thatHuffman's proposaldemonstrates the state'sintention to protect thefuture income of thestate's retired educators."What we put in lastsession was just to keep[TRS] afloat," she said inreference to a one-timeinfusion to the fund in the2017 session. "This is a

Senate givesunanimous approval toteacher pension fix

Air pollution from tankfire sparks lawsuits

Jobless rate stayslow

Texas’ seasonally ad-justed unemployment rateheld at 3.8 percent in Feb-ruary, according a March22 news release by the Tex-as Workforce Commission.

The Midland Metropol-itan Statistical Area re-corded February’s lowestunemployment rate with anon-seasonally adjustedrate of 2.2 percent, fol-lowed by the Odessa at 2.7percent and Amarillo at 2.9percent.

Growth in the Texaseconomy continued in Feb-ruary, with 17,700 season-ally adjusted non-farmpositions added over themonth.

TWC Chair and Com-missioner RepresentingEmployers Ruth R. Hughssaid her agency “is commit-ted to engaging with allemployers across Texas tostrengthen our economyand to create and expandopportunities for all.”

TWC CommissionerRepresenting Labor JulianAlvarez added, “To ensurepositive growth, we mustcontinue to invest in nec-essary training and educa-tion for subsequentgenerations."

Ticketing systemtargeted

Photographic traffic sig-nal enforcement systemswould be banned underSenate Bill 653 by Sen.Bob Hall, R-Edgewood.

Hall seeks to prohibitmunicipalities and otherlocal jurisdictions from us-

ing red-light cameras as ameans of issuing traffictickets.

In laying out his bill be-fore the Senate Transpor-tation Committee, Hallsaid that under the redlight camera enforcement,“the innocent owner hasthen the burden of proofand often great expense ofproving that they did notcommit the alleged viola-tion. This turns our judi-cial system completely andutterly upside down by re-quiring the accused toprove their innocence."

More than two dozenpeople testified for oragainst the bill in a March20 Senate TransportationCommittee hearing.

Regents to examinepolicies

Gov. Abbott on March 18sent a letter to all Texaspublic university boards ofregents following the U.S.Department of Justice's in-vestigation into an allegedcollege admissions briberyscheme.

In his letter, Abbottcalled for governing boardsof Texas’ institutions ofhigher education “to exam-ine and investigate admis-sions policies andprocedures to ensure thatno university employeeengages in fraudulentschemes, quid pro quo ar-rangements or impropri-eties of any sort.” He addedthat Texas parents andstudents "must have con-fidence that the system isnot rigged.”

STATE CAPITALHIGHLIGHTS

By Ed Sterling

✯

more permanent fix and acommitment on the partof this Legislature thatwe care about our retiredteachers."

The bill now heads tothe House for consider-ation. That body'sversion of the bill, asfiled, would raise only thestate's contribution rate,up to 8.8 percent.

In committee Monday,the Senate State AffairsCommittee considered abill intended to pre-emptwhat its author called a"growing attack onfreedom of speech andexpression of religiousbeliefs." Lubbock SenatorCharles Perry worrieswhen licensing boardsadopt standards or rulesthat violate religiousexpression, it could causepeople who work underan occupational license tochoose between their joband religion. His bill, SB17, would preventlicensing boards fromadopting rules thatunreasonably restrict aperson's free exercise ofreligion. It also creates anew defense for peoplefacing disciplinary actionfrom regulators. "If aperson comes in front ofthe occupational licensingboard based on theirspeech or conduct, thisbill provides a defense tolosing their license aslong as their conduct orspeech is based onsincerely held religiousbeliefs," said Perry. Thebill would not protect aperson from being fired,sued or losing theirlicense for violations ofthe law or standards ofcare. It would also notapply in situationsinvolving the administra-tion of life-saving medicalcare or law enforcement.

The Senate willreconvene Tuesday,March 26 at 11 a.m.

All New 2019 Equinox

0% for 72 Months0% APR for 72 Months for qualified buyers. In Lieu of other offers. Monthly payment is$13.89 for every $1000 you finance. With Approved Credit. Take Delivery by April 1/ 2019.All offers plus T.T.&L.

Call (281) 328-4377 Visit 21001 Crosby Freeway, Crosby, TX 77532,

Corner of US 90 at FM 2100 between Barrett Station & Crosby

Page 5THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

Attorney at Law

KAREN A. BLOMSTROM281-328-7311

Crosby, TX 77532

WESTON COTTEN, ATTORNEYHIGHLANDS

281-421-4050 1500 E. Wallisville Rd.NOT CERTIFIED BY THE TEXAS BOARD OF LEGAL

SPECIALIZATION

Pride only breeds quarrels,but wisdom is found in

those who take advice.

CallGRAFIKSHOP

for printing jobs

713-977-2555

God is our refugeand strengh, a

very present helpin trouble

Psalm: 46:1

I can do all thingsthrough Christ who

strengthens me.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13

FAITHcan move

MOUNTAINSMatthew 17:20

LOVE NEVER FAILSI Corinthians 13:8

CALL 713-266-3444 FOR A QUOTE TOREACH MORE THAN 7,000

READERS WEEKLY

Complete Line of Groceries

KWIK MART FOODS14443 FM 1409 281-576-5788

All of them were filled withthe Holy Spirit and began to

speak in other tongues as theSpirit enabled them. Acts 2:4

Rise in the presence of theaged, show respect for the

elderly and revere your God.Leviticus 19:32

Be alert. Continue strong inthe faith. Have courage

and be strong.1 Corinthians 16:13

ENVELOPESPrinted with your Address

1 or 2 colors

Special Rates 250 to 25,000Please call for a Quote

Grafikshop at Star-Courier713-977-2555

What we suffer nowis nothing compared

to the glory He willreveal to us later

ROMANS 8:18

CERTIFIEDCONTRACTOR

Financing Available

MR. ROOFER281-452-0000

David BrianPerkins

David Brian Perkins, 60,passed away March 25,2019 in Houston, Texas.David was born on Janu-ary 20, 1959 to parentsRobert and Gloria Perkinsin Kingsville, Texas. Hemarried the love of his life,Chrystal, on August 21,2003 and they enjoyedmany years together. Dav-id was a superintendent atGlex, Inc where he workedfor 35 years. During thattime, he developed some ofhis most treasured friend-ships. He was an avid golf-er, often found on the golfcourse before the sun rose.While his golf partnersrode in golf carts, Davidinsisted on carrying hisclubs all 18 holes. He alsoenjoyed barbequing, espe-cially ribs, spending timeon the beach, and gam-bling, where he was alwaysa winner. David was a ded-

OBITUARIES✯

icated husband, son, broth-er and friend. He is preced-ed in death by his parentsand is lovingly survived byhis wife of 16 years, Chrys-tal Perkins; step-son, Mat-thew Dent; granddaughter,Alyssa Dent; brother andsisters, Jesse Perkins andwife Carla, Terri O’Brienand husband Mike, DonnaRother and husband Reg-gie, Laura Carrion and

husband Roland; as well asnumerous nieces, neph-ews, extended family mem-bers and many friends.Friends are welcome tojoin the family for visita-tion from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.on Wednesday, March 27,2019. Funeral services of-ficiated by his cousin, KenJamison, will be held at10:00 a.m. Thursday,March 28th in the chapelof Carter-Conley FuneralHome. Graveside serviceswill immediately follow atSan Jacinto MemorialPark under the direction ofCarter-Conley FuneralHome.

13701 Corpus Christi St.,Houston, TX 77015

713-455-5100www.CarterFuneral-

Houston.com

2nd Annual Rock’N C Steak Cook-Off held March 23CROSBY – Anytime there

is a national competitionoriginating in Texas there isconsiderable local interestbut that is doubled when itis about cooking out.

Crosby Fair & Rodeo heldtheir second Steak Cook-Offto Steak Cook-Off Associa-tion’s (SCA) guidelines herelast weekend where onecould buy a steak done rightafter the contest and listento Coby Carter play someWestern Swing, grab a part-ner and dance, afterwards.

The fund-raiser like mostof the Crosby Fair & Rodeoactivities is dedicated to en-riching life in Crosby, prima-rily by enabling local youthto continue their educationbeyond high school. Thestanding joke is, “Ignorancehad a long run, we work totry something different.”

According to trusted in-surance man and announc-er, Rick Loggins, “We did inthe neighborhood of $2500 atthe auction. Sold over 120steak dinners. Had 29 cook-teams, down from last yeardue to an overlap with theCrosby Sports AssociationOpening Day. Calcutta paidout over $2,400 and CrosbyFair & Rodeo paid out$2,800. We had great volun-teers including Erin Fuchs incharge. We always want tohave more local people. Wehad more folks from out oftown this year, some camefrom the other side of Waco,Lake Whitney, Dallas, andLouisiana. We are planningfor bigger and better nextyear. We were pleased withthe music Cody Carter ofNew Mexico. Had a lot of peo-ple dancing and we love tosee that.”

There were four contestsin all. The Steak Cook-off, theKids’ Division, Michelada,and Appetizer all awardedpoints to the World Champi-onship coming this winter.Applicants are encouraged tocompete in several conteststo earn the right to go on tothe World Championshipawarded automatically tothe Steak Cook-Off winner.

Winner of Steak Cook-Off John Butler holding hispayout and a ticket to the Oct.5 World Champion-ship in Fort Worth.

Robert Erwin holds his second place steak payoutand plaque as he stands with S.C.A. judge RobBailey.

Joe Castillo at right, stands with the man that purchasedhis Calcutta, holding his steak plaque and third placepayout.

S.C.A. Judge Rob Bailey congratulates Joe Castilloon winning Michelada.

Bailey with the Tyler Whitehead Team as they earnedsecond place in Michelada.

Sheree French was third in in Michelada, here repre-senting French HIcks Team a.k.a. Hula Hut Girls!

SCA Judge Rob Bailey presents plaque and payoutto Renee Rodriquez winner of Appetizers.

Second Place Appetizers went to Micha Butle, wifeof the Steak winner. Bet that family can cook!

Kerrie Larkin earned third place Appetizers. Her hus-band accepted 9th in Steaks for Backseat Cookers.

Rob Bailey persents Robby Erwin the winning plaquefor the Kids Cook Division.

Alexa McGinnis accepts her second place in the KidsCook.

Braydon Heath placed third ni the Kids Cook Division.

Page 6 THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

ASK THE EXPERT

CHARLOTTE’SWEB

ASK DIAMOND JIM

Over the past fewweeks as I have transi-tioned to my newposition working withsenior citizens I haveseen an increased valuein checking in withthose in our lives. Ihave also realized justhow blessed I am tohave a wide circle ofpeople who I talk withthroughout each day.

One Thursday, Ispoke to a precious olderwoman and she sharedher favorite scriptureand told me about hersewing circle at the localcommunity center. Thefollowing week, as I wasmaking phone calls, Ilearned she had passedaway. My heart brokeyet knowing that sheloved God, I could not letthe sadness steal my joy.Later that same day, ayoung lady in my life foryears reached out andasked me to pray for herand to help her findsome help. Her motherpassed away when myfriend was only 18 andthen shortly afterwards,her dad made some poorchoices and is now he isincarcerated for the next40 years. She is dis-traught and feelshopeless.

Before the week wasover, I heard from heryounger brother onsocial media. He wasvery disillusioned aboutlife and unable to putone foot in front of theother, was at a pointquestioning if there wasany point in living. Iimmediately contacted amutual friend and askedher to not only join mein prayer but to reachout and see what theneeds were.

My children havealways rolled their eyeswhen I have told themthat I love them and tocall me later, yet in aworld of so many

Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)Cosponsors the ProtectingPre-Existing Conditions &Making Health Care MoreAffordable Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. –March 27, 2019 – Con-gresswoman Sylvia Gar-cia cosponsored sweepingnew health care legisla-tion that will lower Tex-ans’ health insurancepremiums, crack down onjunk health insuranceplans, strengthen protec-tions for people with pre-existing conditions, andreverse the Trump Ad-ministration’s health caresabotage.

The Protecting Pre-Ex-isting Conditions & Mak-ing Health CareAffordable Act was intro-duced the day after theTrump Administrationasked a federal court tostrike down not only theAffordable Care Act’s pro-tections for people withpre-existing conditions,but every other part of thehealth law.

“Just yesterday, theTrump Administrationfiled a brief here in Texasindicating their intent oncontinuing their war onaffordable health care andpeople with pre-existingconditions,” said Rep. Gar-cia. “Sadly, even after the2018 election, Republi-cans have not learned thelesson that Americanswant increased access toquality health care and toprotect those with pre-ex-isting conditions.”

“With the ProtectingPre-Existing Conditions& Making Health Care Af-fordable Act, Democratsare taking another stepforward in delivering ourpromise to lower healthcosts for the Americanpeople, and I am proud tobe an original cosponsor ofthis bill that will makeour families happier andhealthier.”

The Protecting Pre-Ex-isting Conditions & Mak-ing Health Care MoreAffordable Act of 2019 in-cludes provisions thatwill:

Lower health insurancepremiums with strength-ened and expanded af-fordability assistance

• Strengthening taxcredits in the Marketplaceto lower Americans’health insurance premi-ums and allows more mid-dle-class individuals andfamilies to qualify for sub-sidies;

• Ensuring that fami-lies who don’t have an of-fer of affordable coveragefrom an employer can stillqualify for subsidies in theMarketplace; and,

APRIL BIRTHSTONE - DiamondHISTORY OF THE DIAMOND ASTHE APRIL BIRTHSTONE

Natural diamonds area rare and uniqueultimate gift for a lovedone. Thought to be one ofthe hardest substances onthe globe, diamonds dateback billions of years. Thediamond is the traditionalbirthstone of April andholds significant meaningfor those born in thatmonth, thought to providethe wearer with betterrelationships and anincrease in innerstrength.

Wearing diamonds ispurported to bring otherbenefits such as balance,clarity and abundance.It's also symbolic ofeternal love, and thosefortunate to call April themonth of their birth willenjoy the followinghistory behind this raregem.

Diamond Gemstones

Adopted from theGreek work adamas,meaning “invincible,”diamonds come in a widerange of colors such asblack, blue, green, pink,red, purple, orange andyellow. The color isdependent upon the typeof impurities that arepresent in the stone. Forinstance, yellow stoneshave minuscule traces ofnitrogen while blue onescontain boron.

During ancient times,theories touting themagical powers ofdiamonds were prevalent:

Diamond Jim: What isthe birthstonefor April?"

some thought lightningbolts formed diamonds,while other theoriesasserted that diamondswere the tears of God.

The Healing Powersof Diamonds

During the MiddleAges, diamonds werethought to hold healingpowers and to cureailments stemming fromthe pituitary gland andbrain. By heating thecrystal and taking it tobed, it was thought todraw out the harmfultoxins that were cripplingthe body. It was alsobelieved that diamondscould have an effect on anindividual’s balance andclarity and could boosttheir energy whencombined with othercrystals like amethyst.

The diamond as theApril gemstone hasgarnered the hearts ofmany and is the mostcoveted crystal to date.Deemed as the “King ofall Birthstones,” dia-monds make the idealchoice for an Aprilbirthday gift. (She’ll loveyou for it!)

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

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

Checking Inchanges and so manychoices, it is moreimportant than ever.We are all guilty of notknowing our neighborsand occasionally won-dering who the peopleare that we see yet notpaying much attention.On St. Patrick’s Day, mydaughter and I haddinner and I noticed shewas not in her vehicle.She had a friend work-ing on her radio so sheused the friend’s truckto meet me. And forsome reason, I took apicture of the licenseplate. Who would haveknown that within aweek I would have togive that plate numberto the police, as mydaughter had become amissing person? When Iwent to the authorities,they were impressed asto how much informa-tion I had with me.Between my daughter inlaw and myself, we gavethem what seemed likepages of information andthey began the searchstatewide. The officersquestioned why Ibelieved something waswrong and it wassimple, she had NOTchecked in with any ofus in four days. By thegrace of God we havefinally located her andthe road ahead is notgoing to be easy yet wewill be okay. Andinstead of sitting aroundworrying about her,until we heard from thepolice, I continued tostay focused on mypurpose and trust Him.

Please make a pointto touch base with yourfamily and friends,especially the olderadults as well as theyoung people who seemsfine at first sight but asyou stop and ask inten-tional questions, reallyneed to talk and usuallyneed some assistance.Be present and check in.

New Health Bill to lowerhealth costs, reverse GOPhealth care sabotage

• Providing funding forreinsurance, to help withhigh cost claims, improveMarketplace stability, andprevent the Trump Ad-ministration’s sabotagefrom raising premiums.

Strengthen protectionsfor people with pre-exist-ing conditions

• Curtailing the TrumpAdministration’s efforts togive states waivers to un-dermine protections forpeople with pre-existingconditions and weakenstandards for essentialhealth benefits, whichwould leave consumerswith less comprehensiveplans that do not coverneeded services, such asprescription drugs, mater-nity care, and substanceuse disorder treatment.

Stop insurance compa-nies from selling junkhealth insurance plans

• Stopping the TrumpAdministration’s efforts topush Americans into junkhealth insurance plansthat do not provide cover-age for essential medicaltreatments and drugs,and that are allowed todiscriminate against peo-ple with pre-existing med-ical conditions.

Reverse the GOP’shealth care sabotage thathas needlessly driven uppremiums and uninsuredrates, and empower statesto innovate and invest inenrolling more people inaffordable health coverage

• Reversing the TrumpAdministration’s sabotageby requiring open enroll-ment outreach, education,and funding for naviga-tors;

• Investing in state ef-forts to conduct outreachto increase enrollment,educate consumers oftheir rights, and help in-dividuals navigate thehealth insurance system;

• Empowering states toimplement new approach-es to increasing enroll-ment and allows states toset up their own Market-places; and

• Holding the Adminis-tration accountable for itsuse of federal dollars ded-icated to increasing en-rollment, outreach andrunning the federal ex-change.

Congresswoman SylviaR. Garcia was elected tothe U.S. House of Repre-sentatives in November2018, becoming the firstLatina ever to representTexas 29th Congressionaldistrict.

✃

Thank youfor Reading the:

This is Your Newspaper. Here’s your chance to bethe Editor. Tell us what you like/don’t like/add orchange. You may also share a personal orcommunity interest ‘Happy Story’ via email(northchannelstar@gmail.com)I LIKE:_____________________________________________I DON’T LIKE:____________________________________________PLEASE ADD THIS:____________________________________________PLEASE CHANGE THIS:____________________________________________

5906 Star Lane, Houston, TX. 77057 • 713-266-3444

NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

READER CONTRIBUTION

Page 7THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

CLASSIFIED ADSCLASSIFIED ADS Your AD will reach up to 120,000readers in our FOUR newspapers, with acombined circulation of 40,000 copies.Get ACTION on your AD. Rates start atonly $16 for 20 words. A bargain!

Call 713-266-3444

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICELEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF INTENT

TO SELECT COUNTY DEPOSITORIES

In accordance with Article 116.022 of the Texas Local Government Code,

NOTICE, is hereby given to any Chambers County banking corporation, associa-tion, or individual banker, that the Chambers County Commissioners Court will at10:00 a.m. on the 23rd day of April, 2019, select one or more depositorybanks for the following Chambers County Funds:

Chambers County Operating FundsInterest and Sinking FundsDistrict and County Clerk Trust FundsCounty Permanent School FundsCounty Internal FundsOther Related Funds

The county reserves the right to withdraw any or all Chambers County PermanentSchool Funds from this depository agreement. It is understood that the ChambersCounty Treasurer would give a 30-day written notice prior to any withdrawal ofthese funds.

The term of the depository contract shall be four, (4) years with an option toreview at the end of two, (2) years.

Any banking corporation, association or individual banker desiring to be designat-ed as a County Depository shall make and deliver to the Chambers County Judgean application applying for such contract on or before 2:00 p.m. on the 3rd dayof April, 2019. The application must be in a sealed envelope marked on theoutside “Depository Application.”

The application must state the amount of the bank’s paid-up capital stock andpermanent surplus; the application must be accompanied by:

(1) A statement showing the financial condition of the bank on the date of the application;

and

(2) A certified check or cashier’s check for at least one-half (1/2) percent of thecounty’s revenue for the preceding year.

The certified check or cashier’s check that accompanies the application is a good-faith guarantee on the part of the applicant that if accepted as a County Deposito-ry it will execute the bond required under Ch. 116, Subchapter D, Texas LocalGovernment Code. If the bank is selected as a depository and does not providethe bond, the county shall retain the amount of the check as liquidated damages.

The Commissioners Court may determine and designate the character and amountof county funds that will be demand deposits and that will be time deposits. TheCommissioners Court may contract with a depository for interest on time depositsat any legal rate under a federal law or under a rule adopted by the board ofgovernors of the Federal Reserve System or by the board of directors of theFederal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

The Commissioners Court will select one of more of the qualified applicants thatoffer the most favorable terms and conditions for the handling of the countyfunds; the Commissioners Court reserves the right to reject those applicants whosemanagement or condition, in the opinion of the Commissioners Court, does notwarrant placing county funds in their possession.

________________________________

Jimmy Sylvia, County JudgeChambers County Commissioners Court

March 1, 2019

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICELEGAL NOTICE

Notice of Intention To Introduce A BillIn The Legislature of Texas

Notice is hereby given of the intention to introduce inthe Regular Session of the 86th Legislature of Texas abill allowing the district to designate all or any part ofthe district as a tax increment reinvestment zone anduse tax increment financing under Chapter 311 ofthe Texas Tax Code, pursuant to the provisions ofArticle 16, Section 59, of the Constitution of Texasand Chapter 313 of the Texas Government Code. Thisbill will provide for the district’s administration,powers, duties, operation and financing underChapter 311, Tax Code.

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED

SALES REPRESENTATIVEPart Time Position available for

Newspaper ad sales person for theAldine and North Channel areas.Set your own hours. Commissionbasis means you can earn more.Bilingual helpful. Car required.

Send resume tonenewsroom@aol.com.

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED

INTERN AT A NEWSPAPERPart Time Position available forperson interested in learning all

phases of the news business. Willexperience writing, interviewing,

sourcing, computer layout, ad sales,record keeping, promotions. Send

letter of interest tonenewsroom@aol.com.

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE

“Proposals for RFP 19-005 Beverage VendingServices will be received by the Galena ParkIndependent School District until Wednesday,April 24, 2019 @ 2:30 PM CSDT. At that time

proposals will be opened at the GPISD Admin Bldglocated at 14705 Woodforest Blvd., Houston, TX

77015. Additional information may be obtained bycontacting Brooke Lakner, Director of Purchasing

at 832-386-1008 or on our website:http://galenaparkisd.com. The Galena Park ISD

reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.”

Only 16dollars for20 words,

40,000copies.

Call (713)266-3444

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE TOCREDITORS

Notice is herebygiven that OriginalLetters of Adminis-tration for DocketNo. 472769; Estateof ROSE MELIADELACERDA De-ceased; In ProbateCourt No. 4, of Har-ris County, Texas,Deceased, were is-sued on March 8,2019.

PAULA SHULTZNORRIS

The residence ad-dress of the admin-istrator is in HarrisCounty, Texas. Themailing address is:

c/o Weston Cotten5223 Garth Rd.

Baytown, TX77521

All persons havingclaims against thisEstate which is cur-rently being admin-istered are requiredto present themwithin the time andin the manner pre-scribed by law.Dated this March 20,2019

by WESTONCOTTEN

Attorney for theEstate

HIGHLANDS:LibraryFood TownCommunityCenterBackdraftRest.WoodforestBankConocoStationPost Office(outside)CROSBY:LibraryCommunityCenterRace TrackArlan’s MarketKroger’sCommunityBank (2)HUFFMANExxon StationCommunityBank

Where can I pickup a Star-Courier?

LEGALNOTICESAPPEAR IN THEHIGHLANDSSTAR CROSBYCOURIER, ANDTHE NORTHCHANNELSTAR. CALL713-266-3444FOR MOREINFO.

Editor & Publisher..............................Gilbert HoffmanAssociate Publisher.....................Mei-Ing Liu HoffmanAssoc. Editor/Advertising Manager.....Lewis SpearmanAssistant Editor.........................................Julieta PaitaProduction Manager...........................Luis HernandezAsst. Production Manager............Gerardo 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.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In-county, $28.00 per year. Out of county, $35.00 per Year. POST-MASTER: Send address changes to Star-Courier, P. O. Box 405, Highlands, TX 77562

News and Ad Phones....713-977-0270FAX Line....713-977-1188email: grafikstar@aol.com

Member Texas Press Association

and theUSPS 244-500

C R O S B YH I G H L A N D S

Barbers Hill✯Dayton PRESS

Star✯CourierStar✯Courier

Page 8 THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019NORTH CHANNEL✯STAR

in 2012 to the current rateof $1.396.

The last time Channel-view ISD held a bond elec-tion was a decade ago, inNovember 2009. Projectsincluded in the 2009 bondwere completed on timeand on budget by Novem-ber 2012.

Since the 2009 Bond,the district has continuedto grow, which promptedthe Board of Trustees toanalyze a new demograph-ic report. With 620 newhomes slated for construc-tion within the school dis-trict’s boundaries, it isexpected that the studentpopulation will continue togrow, and additional spacewill be needed for bothclassroom instruction andspecial programs.

The District also con-ducted a third-party facil-ity assessment along witha financial analysis. Thisinformation was presentedto the Citizens Bond Plan-

Bond Election,CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ning Committee, whichwas made up of a diversecross-section of the com-munity including CISDparents and staff and localcommunity members. Thegroup studied the informa-tion, heard from principalsand department leaders,and toured campuses inorder to get a complete,firsthand look at the needsof the district. The commit-tee then developed a bondproposal that was unani-mously approved by theBoard of Trustees to go be-fore voters in May.

The May 2019 Channel-view ISD bond includesreplacing aging facilities,enhancing student pro-gramming opportunitiesand increasing capacity atChannelview High School,campus renovations, up-grading safety and securi-ty systems, refreshingtechnology district-wide,land purchase for future

The bond proposal was developed and recommended by the Citizens’ Bond PlanningCommittee (CBPC), a diverse group of CISD parents, staff, local citizens, and communityleaders.

school sites and new bus-es.

If approved, this bondequates to an increase ofapproximately $9.30 amonth for the averagehome valued at $120,000.State law freezes the taxrate of homeowners 65years of age and older andhave filed their exemptionwith the Harris CountyAppraisal District. There-fore, senior citizens withan exemption on file willnot see an increase associ-ated with this bond.

The deadline to registerto vote in the May 4, 2019election is Thursday, April4, 2019. Early voting be-gins Monday, April 22 andends Tuesday, April 30.Election day is Saturday,May 4.

If you have questionsabout the bond election, orif you would like more in-formation, visit the Chan-nelview ISD bond websiteat cvisdbond.org.

Houston, Pasadena, Gale-na Park, Jacinto City,South Houston, and Aldi-ne.

Garcia said, “My com-mittee assignments on theHouse Financial ServicesCommittee and the HouseJudiciary Committee arevital to the Houston region,the State of Texas, and thenation. I’ve always foughtfor working families, andmy appointments will al-low me to use that experi-ence to continue theseefforts.”

State Senator Carol Al-varado is serving her firstterm in the Texas Senate.She is Vice-Chair of theSenate Select Committeeon Texas Ports and repre-sents Senate District 6 en-compassing the Easternportions of Harris Countyalong with the cities ofBaytown, Pasadena, Gale-na Park, Jacinto City andSouth Houston.

Alvarado said, “The fireat the IntercontinentalTerminals Company (ITC)facility in Deer Park is alocal disaster that is stillongoing. While the threatof the fire has passed, theclean up and investigationthat must follow has justbegun. I am closely moni-

New Legislators,CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

toring each stage of recov-ery including clean up atthe facility, clean up andcontainment in the nearbybodies of water and inves-tigation into the cause. Weare receiving ongoing up-dates from various agen-cies and organizationsincluding TCEQ, EPA,Harris County EmergencyManagement and ITCthemselves. There are stillmany unanswered ques-tions at this time but I canassure residents that wewill push to get the an-swers our community de-serves.”

The Senator stated thisissue has impacted SouthEast Harris County heavi-ly and raised concernacross the city. She’s ex-pecting all agencies in-volved in this incident tostrictly enforce any stan-dards that were not met byITC leading up to this di-saster. She anticipates ITCwill be held fully account-able for damages causedand to be charged accord-ingly. On a larger scale,Alvarado feels this acci-dent brings to light ques-tions of safety standards,environmental protectionsand regulatory laws for allcompanies similar to ITC.

She’ll be making sure thecommunities in South EastHouston have all possiblesafety precautions in effectand they’re enforced con-sistently. “We must ensurethat these companies areacting as good neighbors,with the wellbeing of theresidents surroundingthem in mind,” Alvaradosaid.

Representative Moraleswho was elected just twoweeks ago said, “I’ve justbeen in office a few daysand still getting settledinto my office, but I’ve hitthe ground running.”

“I’m meeting with otherlocal area representativesto educate myself on billsand pending legislation soI can ensure we have asmuch support as possibleto help improve the lives ofmy constuients and the cit-izens in the East HarrisCounty area,” Moralessaid.

“I’m very concernedabout the health risk of theEast End residents afterthe ITC fire. I want an en-vironmental investigationon the long-term effects onthe water and air qualityfrom this catastrophe, andto determine the impactit’ll have on our economy”she said.

YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER ISON YOUR SMART PHONE!

Follow local news on the Internet, on your browser:

www.northchannelstar.com