News

Thu
09
Feb

Senator Kolkhorst Introduces Legislative Package to Protect Private Property Rights

AUSTIN - Senator Lois W. Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) has introduced a new legislative package to give landowners new tools and safeguards to protect their land from eminent domain abuse.

"All of our freedoms flow from the ability to own and protect private property. That's why Texans have always sought to have strong private property rights," said Senator Kolkhorst. "I am proud to work with the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Wildlife Association and many others in authoring Senate Bills 740, 741 and 742."

Texas has thousands of condemning authorities with the power of eminent domain. Many of these entities are private companies who can enter and take private land with little oversight and protection.

Wed
08
Feb

Texas Senate News for Feb. 8

SENATE GIVES FINAL APPROVAL TO SANCTUARY CITIES BAN
The Senate approved a bill Wednesday that would require cities to comply with federal immigration law and outlaw the practice of sanctuary cities. This term is commonly applied to local jurisdictions that have policies precluding officers from inquiring into the citizenship status of arrested persons or complying with federal immigration authorities' requests for custody transfer. Bill author Senator Charles Perry framed the issue as one of rule of law rather than immigration. "My majority of citizens, immigrants or non, illegal or undocumented, all want a system of law that is applied blindly and without prejudice for all involved," he said before the final vote.

Wed
08
Feb

Suspects arrested in area burglaries

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer
Another arrest has been made and a warrant issued in a case regarding a rash of burglaries. Jessie Jerome White of Needville was arrested for Burglary of a Habitation, following the arrests of Nelsin Ray White and Dennis Rivers, both of Rosenberg, for the same charge. All three have bonded out and are awaiting trial.
The burglaries were found by investigators to be attached to a burglary ring out of Rosenberg, and the crimes were committed in November in a seven-county area including Wharton, Fort Bend, Victoria, Jackson, and other counties.
There were 25 break-ins total, most of which consisted of guns, jewelry, and other valuables, and happened exclusively during daytime hours.

Tue
07
Feb

Edna man killed by girlfriend

On February 07, 2017 at 12:53 AM Jackson County EMS, City of Edna Police, Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputies, and City of Ganado Police responded to a home in the 200 block of E. Church in Edna for a report of an injured person. The caller reported that she had shot her boyfriend. Upon arrival the responders found 33 year old Jarrett Parker, of Edna, deceased from a single gunshot wound to the chest. A .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the bed nearby. Upon his arrival to the home Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 Darren Stancik pronounced Mr. Parker deceased and ordered an autopsy which will occur in Travis County at a later date. The Edna Police Department will be investigating further. Parker's girlfriend has not been arrested.

Wed
01
Feb

Burn ban postponed, fires continue

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer

Tina Kelley stood out of breath in the road in front of a smoldering field on County Road 237 on Wednesday, wearing a tee shirt, shorts, and one flip flop. She’d lost the other one rescuing her friend Tiffany Laredo’s dogs from a blaze threatening to engulf their kennels, then chasing them down to get them home. One of the dogs cooled himself in a puddle next to a running waterhose, lapping water as he rolled around. Others stood tied to fence posts as they searched for the others. No one, human or canine, was injured.

The fire, which Kelley said started with a neighbor burning garbage, spread quickly, as have most in recent days. It was the fourteenth fire in three days, and the second that destroyed structures.

Sunday, 235 acres south of La Ward burned, including a large portion of the Formosa Tejano Wetlands, followed by several fires Monday. By Wednesday, they’d showed no sign of stopping.

Wed
25
Jan

It was a sunny, snowy day

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer

In true Texas fashion, January temperatures soared into the 80s, causing people who were wearing sweaters last week to break out their shorts again.

However, it didn’t stop 1,850 people from playing in the snow. The sun beat down as teens and children in shorts and tennis shoes fired snowballs across a field of snow at the Brackeridge Main Event Center.

The Lavaca-Navidad River Authority hosted its seventh annual Snow Day on Saturday, Jan. 21, and had 80,000 pounds of snow hauled in for snowball fights, snowman-building, snow slides and more. As the day wore on, the temperature rose substantially, but according to Liz Stuhrenberg with the BRC, that didn’t stop anyone from enjoying the day. The snow had to be replenished occasionally to account for melting, but otherwise, the day went on without a hitch.

Fri
20
Jan

Sheriff's Office seeks fugitive

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the help of the public in locating Gilbert Garza. 33-year-old Garza is to be considered armed and dangerous, and citizens are asked to not approach him if he is spotted.
Garza is wanted for Theft from the Elderly, and for Retaliation, and has made several threats against law enforcement officers and citizens.
He is out on bond in Jackson County for theft, and Calhoun County for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office he has a long criminal history, full of similar crimes.
Anyone who sees Garza is asked to call the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 782-3541. A cash reward is being offered to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest.

Tue
17
Jan

Homeless man brings out kinder side of humanity

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer
January 2017 may go down as the time when a man in a tent stole Jackson County’s collective heart.
He calls himself “Bicycle Bill,” and for a short time, he made his temporary home under the East St. overpass, near McDonald’s in Edna.
Posts started popping up on social media, saying things like “There is a homeless man under the overpass. How can we help?” and “Has anyone checked on Bill this morning? It was very cold last night.”
Residents took him food, toiletries, warm drinks, and even an extra tent to take back to his friends in Victoria, constantly asking if he would like a motel room or a sofa in their homes, and he told each of them “I’m where I’m the most comfortable.”

Fri
13
Jan

Local musician’s band tops Texas reader poll

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer
When Lone Star Music Magazine announced their annual reader poll, T. Ray Porche of Edna and the rest of The New Offenders, the Houston-based roots rock band in which he plays guitar, knew they were fortunate to be among such big names as Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson, John Prine, and more. Being on a list among artists they listened to, looked up to, and loved, was an honor in and of itself.
Imagine their surprise when they woke up one morning, and found themselves topping the list.
The poll, which allowed readers to vote for as many of the bands as they liked, took place at the very end of December, brought the band into the new year as the newly crowned fan favorite.
“How ‘bout that?” said Porche, laughing, “We were just as shocked to see it climbing as everyone else was.”

Wed
11
Jan

Family loses home in house fire

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer
It was around 3 a.m. when Kenneth Crow woke up to half of his grandparents’ house engulfed in flames. The mobile home, which sat near the end of County Road 126 about 15 miles north of Edna, was completely gone in a matter of minutes.
According to Captain Nick Strauss of ESD3, the call came in at 3:06 a.m., and by the time crews got to the scene, the house was fully engulfed. The structure, which covered about 2,000 square feet – a mobile home with a few add-ons – was a total loss.
Five people were in the home when it went up in flames, and two dogs. One of the dogs did not make it out of the fire. All five humans and a bulldog were uninjured.
It is believed that the fire was of electrical origin.

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