“Stand Up for Who You Are” MJH Students support Tobacco Free Week! See page 6
WEDNESDAY VOLUME XVIII NUMBER 14êêêê Section 1, 8 pages
April 3, 2013
Marty & Jeanne Getz Welcome their new Grandson Luke! Congratulations!
Home of the ‘Lone Star Flag’ and Fred McMurry Established 1995
Montgomery County’s Only Locally Owned Newspaper
Montgomery County News
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PRE-SRT POSTAGE PD #80 MONTG. TX
Representative Steve Toth presents 'Safeguard Texas Weekly For Generations Act' To House Committee Gas Price
April 1- Average retail gasoline prices in Texas have fallen 1.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.51/g y e s t e r d a y, a c c o r d i n g t o GasBuddy's daily survey of 13,114 gas outlets in Texas. This compares with the national average that has fallen 1.9 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.61/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com. Including the change in gas prices in Texas during the past week, prices yesterday were 31.1 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 8.1 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 10.3 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 28.1 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago. "Gas prices in March came in like a lion and are going out like a lamb," said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan. "For the first time in a decade gasoline prices are going to be lower at the end of March than the beginning. GasBuddy data shows that the last time this happened was in 2003 when prices fell a nickle between the start of the month and the conclusion. Essentially what we're seeing here this month is perhaps the largest monthly decrease ever during the month of March- a month that has almost always seen prices finishing the month substantially higher than where they entered," DeHaan said. About GasBuddy GasBuddy operates TexasGasPrices.com and over 250 similar websites that track gasoline prices at over 140,000 gasoline stations in the United States and Canada. In addition, GasBuddy offers a free smartphone app which has been downloaded over 25 million times to help motorists find the lowest gasoline prices in their area.
Austin, TX - The 'Safeguard for Generations Act' (HB 2809) authored by State Representative Steve Toth (The Woodlands) was heard Tuesday, March 26, 2013 by the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. Repeat, violent sexual predators are now facing a mandatory life sentence in the State of Texas. Texas would now be among the toughest States in the Union in how it deals with violent, sexual predators especially as it relates to offenses against children. If a person is convicted for a second sexually violent offense, this individual would receive a sentence of life without parole.
"Our justice system, hopes that a violent sexual offender's first offense will be their last offense. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. All too often we find a violent offense is met with a relatively light sentence with the offender free to offend again within just a few years of their first crime.Our system of justice should do all in its power to protect the victim and to insure that the offender is no longer capable of posing a risk to free people. The 'Safeguard for Generations Act' answers the call of justice and asks that if an offender violently offends a second time, they will then be sentenced to
life in prison, in turn, protecting the public from future harm,"stated Representative Toth. The Criminal Jurisprudence Committee hearing went well into the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 27th. Testimony included compelling stories of multiple children who were victimized by repeat offenders who never should have been let out of jail. With disbelief, the committee members listened to the story of a young boy, who fell victim to his uncles heinous acts. The witness went on to describe the feeling this young boy felt having to face his flesh and
blood, whom he had trusted and was then violated. Taking the stand, raising his right hand, looking up to catch the eye of his uncle, the boy began to sob onto his blue long sleeve shirt. Prosecutor Nancy Hebert, of t he Montgomery County District Attorney's OfficeCrimes Against Children Unit, stated, "I do not want to have to put more children on the witness stand because we want to be soft on pedophiles. They (repeat offenders) are never too old to offend or be caught." "Many individuals that would fit this criteria are released daily and re-offend. This bill is needed to protect our
MCHD Board Members Honor Medic Veterans to be Who Goes Beyond Call of Duty recognized
March 26, 2013 - Conroe, Texas - The Montgomery County Hospital District's board of directors tonight honored an outstanding field staff member who regularly goes above and beyond his job description. "Sometimes we wonder if he ever sleeps," said Interim Operations Supervisor and District 1 Field Supervisor Tammy Welch. "He's been seen staying up all night cleaning the truck and station when not on a call or posting, and has even washed and cleaned the peak trucks on more than one occasion when they go out of service at the end of their shift." Pelczar has worked for MHCD for 20 years, and has always been involved on projects and committees aimed at improving growth and changes within the organization. His committee involvement has included: safety, wellness, Field Operation Guidelines, Clinical Operational Guidelines and dispatch review.
at BEAR Ball Park
The Montgomery Bear baseball team will recognize all veterans at the Friday April 5th ballgame. The Bears will acknowledge all Vets at the games opening ceremonies during the National Anthem. Vets are asked to be at the park at 6:30 pm sharp to be organized for the ceremony. The Bears are also offering free admission to all Vets. Game starts at 7:00.
MCHD field staff Scott Pelczar was honored as Employee of the Month at the District's March Board Meeting. Presenting his award is District 1 Supervisor Tammy Welch. "Scott is a leader within the organization and an exceptional employee who has always strived to do his very best. He has always taken the lead role at Station 10, making sure the
station is always clean, supplies are ordered and stocked, and his truck is always clean and response ready," said Welch, who nominated him for the award. "Recently when Medic
10 was assigned the new Bariatric truck, Scott personally made sure each employee assigned at Station 10 was trained and understood how to operate the truck.
Montgomer y County News will be temporarily located at 206 McCown St, across the street, behind Dr. Shawn Carlson traced the lineage of the 60 signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence Jacob’s Star of the Republic Museum February 2011. Proper ties Curator of Collections and Their efforts resulted in
Star of the Republic curator honored for finding descendants of early Texas leaders
Index
Area Columnists............2, 3 Commentary............................4 Puzzels................................4 Devotional...........................5 Legals/Class........................7 School..................................6 Your Community...............8
children, grand-children and the future generation of Texans from falling victim," closed Representative Toth. Steve Toth is State Representative for District 15, which includes The Woodlands, Shenandoah, Imperial Oaks, Oak Ridge North and Benders Landing along with some of the surrounding areas. He lives and works in District 15 and is establishing a House District 15 Office in Alden Bridge near the corner of Research Forest and Kuykendahl that he hopes to open in mid-2013.
Exhibits Shawn Carlson recently received the Women in American History Award from Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for her work to trace the lineage of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Carlson has worked at Star of the Republic Museum, operated by Blinn College, since 2002. She was recognized by the La Villita chapter of the DAR for her recent efforts on the museum's "Adopt-A-Signer" project, which identified the living direct descendants of the delegates who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. More than 40 volunteers from 21 organizations invested approximately 5,000 hours researching the descendants. The museum utilized that data to send more than 1,700 emails and postcards to descendants, inviting them to be recognized during the 175th anniversary of the document's signing at Washington-on-theBrazos State Historic Site in
roughly 1,500 descendants attending the 175th anniversary celebration, representing families from 50 of the Declaration's 60 signers. The results of the lineage research can be v i e w e d a t www.starmuseum.org, and a form on the website allows additional descendants to submit their lineage with documentation. Carlson received her PhD in anthropology from Texas A&M University in 1994 and has worked on historic sites throughout the southeastern United States, including Washington-on-the-Brazos, the Anson Jones plantation and the David Burnet home site. In 2012 she was awarded the John L. Nau III Award of Excellence in Museums from the Texas Historical Commission and was also appointed a state vice chairman of the Historic Preservation Committee for the National Society of DAR. As curator of collections and exhibits, Carlson is responsible
Dr. Shawn Carlson, curator of Collections and Exhibits at Star of the Republic Museum, recently received the Women in American History Award from Daughters of the American Revolution. for accessioning, cataloging, conservation, research and storage of the artifact and manuscript collections and oversees the development and implementation of exhibits. Star of the Republic Museum is located at Washington-onthe-Brazos State Historic Site
off state Highway 105. It was created by the Texas Legislature and is administered by Blinn College as a cultural and educational institution. Daily museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 936-878-2461 or visit: www.starmuseum.org.
Senior Alert: Identity Thieves Impersonate Medicare Employees to Target Senior Texans
State authorities are warning senior citizens to be wary of identity thieves who are posing as Medicare officials in an attempt to steal seniors' sensitive personal information. According to recent complaints received by the Texas Attorney General's Office, identity thieves are calling senior Texans seniors at home and claiming to be affiliated with the federal Medicare program. The callers falsely tell seniors that the Medicare program's current identification cards - which are well known for the red, white and blue stripes across the top - are being phased out and that replacement Medicare cards must be obtained in order to continue receiving benefits. The callers' plan to steal the identities of their victims soon becomes clear when seniors are told they must confirm their Medicare number and bank account information over the phone in order to receive a replacement card. Since a senior's Medicare number is identical to his or her Social Security number, the caller's request to "confirm" a Medicare number is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to steal the unsuspecting senior's sensitive See Senior Alert, page 7