News

Thu
17
Sep

Governor gives award to deputy

Submitted by jcht2010 on
Deputy Bryan Martin with his family and Representative Phil Stephenson
   Jackson County Deputy Bryan Martin made headlines in September 2014 when he was shoved off of a bridge near Lolita by Adam Twardowski, who was suspected of drunk driving at the time. 
   Since then, he’s endured excruciating physical therapy, and was back on the job in April, far sooner than expected. His attacker, Adam Twardowski received a 40-year sentence. 
   The community, including his fellow peace officers, have supported him in his recovery from his injuries. Martin also went to Austin on Sept. 9 where he received a Star of Texas Award by the Governor, honoring him for being injured in the line of duty. Created in 2003, The Star of Texas Award is given to law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS that are injured or killed on the job, and works on nominations.
Mon
14
Sep

Helping Hands needs a hand

Submitted by jcht2010 on
Marcella Ramsbacher stands beside the canned goods at Helping Hands in Edna,
   Helping hands was created to help the struggling, but recently, they’ve seen a bit of struggle themselves. Donations have slowed to a trickle, and they’re reaching out to the community for help. 
   Marcella Ramsbacher of Helping Hands said donations used to come in the forms of a few grants from churches and those have been drastically reduced. 
   “Maybe the last five times we’ve been open, we haven’t been able to fulfill any of our desires to help, because we don’t have funding,” she said. 
   Helping Hands has been in business for years, doling out food, clothes, gasoline vouchers, and financial help with things like utility bills and doctor and dentist visits, but without funding and donations, they are forced to turn people away. 
Thu
10
Sep

Jury gives man 99 years

Submitted by jcht2010 on
Hilberto "Gilbert" Martinez was handed a 99 year sentence by a Jackson County jury after two robberies in Ganado.
   A Jackson County jury has sent a man to prison for 99 years after convicting him of two burglaries in Ganado. 
   Hilberto “Gilbert” Martinez, a confirmed gang member, was convicted of the crimes, despite his defense arguing that he  should be charged with theft, not burglary, as he claimed to have permission to be on the property through his employer, Silver Star Electric.
   The burglaries, committed between July 21 and 23 of 2014, happened at the home of Cody and Megan Parker. The home was in the process of being remodeled and was burglarized twice in a few days. Several high-end items like firearms, wide screen televisions, and even Cody Parker’s wedding ring, were stolen.
   One of the guns, a Glock 17 9mm pistol, was a primary focus of the trial.
Wed
09
Sep

Ambulances turned over to hospital district

Submitted by jcht2010 on
   The last piece of the EMS puzzle fell neatly into place on Sept. 3 when the Edna City Council agreed to transfer the city’s ambulances to the Jackson County Hospital District.
   Council member Wayne Callis made the motion to give the three ambulances with all the equipment over to the hospital district EMS. The hospital will assume the EMS duties as a result of the Emergency Services District 3 not having enough money to fund both the fire department and the EMS.
   Council member Doug Kelley argued the transfer of ambulances, stating the city did not have money and was giving away $500K worth of equipment. Kelley said the fire department could use the vehicles for grass trucks and relief vehicles.
Mayor Joe Hermes said he had spoken to the foundations that gave the grant money for the ambulances and they said they were adamant the vehicles be used for the safety and welfare of the citizens. 
Tue
08
Sep

Ganado students learn of social media safety

Submitted by jcht2010 on
Mark Seguin addresses Ganado students about online safety.
   Mark Seguin had his identity stolen when he was still a child, and didn’t find out about it until he was 18 years old. Since then, he’s gone on to educate others, with a company called TBG Solutions.
   TBG stands for “The Bad Guys,” and he travels several states educating people on safety. What started as identity theft has evolved into education on online behaviors, particularly on social media and in text messages.  Texting and social media websites like Facebook, Snap Chat, Omegle, and more, allow users to say what they want, when they want, and to reach an audience far larger than it would at a social gathering, something Seguin says can be useful, but dangerous.
Fri
04
Sep

Blanar finds fulfillment in volunteer activities.

Submitted by jcht2010 on
Jo Ann Blanar and her husband.
   Volunteerism is often regarded not as something that one does, but something that one has; something intrinsic to the nature of a person. Volunteers are natural caretakers, who give their time, their tears, and often their money to causes important to them, and Jo Ann Blanar is no different. 
   Jo Ann is presently the president of Memory Gardens cemetery, and has served on the board for four years. She volunteers for Relay for Life, a well known organization that raises money for cancer research. In the past, she served as a volunteer ombudsman at Southbrooke Manor. An ombudsman, put simply, is an advocate for fair and just treatment. A nursing home ombudsman visits nursing homes residents and tries to help ensure they’re being treated fairly and kindly. 
   To Blanar, the nursing home residents weren’t just people she watched out for. They were her friends. 
Thu
03
Sep

Dementia tour reveals harsh reality

Submitted by jcht2010 on
The Herald-Tribune's Jessica Coleman begins a Virtual Dimentia Tour® at Southbrooke Manor
By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer
   It’s well known that I have a great respect for our elderly. Seniors are some of my favorite people. My Senior Stories series was born as I passed by a nursing home, and watched a person being wheeled out on a stretcher, sheet over his or her face. We all know what that means. 
   I wondered what stories left this world with that person. How many memories float around in nursing homes? What adventures could they recall?  Did he rescue a buddy on the battlefield? Did she raise seven babies by herself? Maybe he worked for 30 years at an oil company and loved every minute of it (that’s a shout out to Mr. Melvin Martin – a fascinating man I was privileged to interview). 
Wed
02
Sep

Beds donated to family

Submitted by jcht2010 on
Thelma Williams and Margo Hosey hug Ashley Furniture Homestore representatives as they drop off her new furniture.
   Thelma Williams is not your typical senior citizen. At 81 years old, she is raising three of her great-grandchildren. The responsibility is rewarding, and she loves them as if she gave birth to them herself, but there are challenges. Margo,  Clearence, and Kaijuan, are 8, 10, and 11, respectively, and involved in activities such as football and cheerleading, something difficult for Williams to keep up with, but she feels extracurriculars are important. 
   The octogenarian can no longer work and is on a fixed income, which means that things are difficult financially. Month after month, she makes it work with the help of a few. Her son moved in recently to help out around the house, and on August 26, Ashley Furniture Homestore in Victoria brought relief in a form that most of us take for granted every day – beds for the three kids. 
Mon
31
Aug

Don’t drink and drive

Submitted by jcht2010 on
   The Texas Department of Transportation reminds drivers that law enforcement officers across the state are out in full force looking for drunk drivers in the weeks leading up to Labor Day, Sept. 7. Last year in Texas, 21 people were killed and 42 were seriously injured in 338 alcohol-related crashes over the Labor Day holiday.
   “Labor Day weekend is a fun time for family and friends to celebrate, but you absolutely must have a sober-ride plan if you’re going to consume alcohol,” said TxDOT Executive Director LtGen Joe Weber, USMC (Ret). “Too many people are killed on our roads each year – especially during holidays – due to impaired driving.” 
Fri
28
Aug

A teacher is a decorator, nurse, mother and more

Submitted by jcht2010 on
Ganado teacher D'Anna Long
   School bells are ringing, and students have begun to again fill the halls of the three school districts in Jackson County. However, teachers have been at work for weeks, preparing classrooms and lesson plans for the return of their pupils.
   Teachers spend this time preparing physically and mentally for the upcoming school year, as they decorate their own classrooms, prepare their own lesson plans, and reviewing what has worked – and not worked – in years past.
   D'Anna Long, who teaches eighth grade math and reading at Ganado High School, takes preparation seriously, as she believes that making the classroom an inviting place leads the students to feel valued.

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