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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 ■ PAGE 19
S E T
KA-BOOM!
Costumed reenactors with the Texas Army load and fire cannons during weapons demonstrations last weekend at the annual Texas Independence Day celebration at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site.
Reenacting Texas history where it all began Story and photos by Joe Southern
Leonard Joseph Thomas of Gonzales portrays a surveyor.
Two Texas Army reenactors do a weapons check prior to a firing demonstration. Below, the command is given to fire.
It was 179 years ago in a small village on the banks of the mighty Brazos River when 59 men gathered for a bold, treasonous act that birthed a nation and gave rise to the Lone Star State. Commemoration of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico is celebrated annually at Washington-on-the Brazos State Historic Site, the place “where Texas became Texas.” The most recent celebration took place Feb. 28 and March 1 under damp, gloomy skies, not too unlike the bitter winter that dogged the Texians as they stood up to a tyrant and won not only freedom but also independence. “The weather could have been a lot worse,” said Jon Failor, a park ranger at the historic site. Failor, who was dressed in period garb, said the misty drizzle on Sunday caused a few events to be moved around and impacted the crowd size but said over all that the weekend was a success. He estimated about 2,000 park visitors on Saturday and another 1,000 or so on Sunday. “The Lieutenant Governor (Dan Patrick)
a n d Senator (Lois) Kolkh o r s t g a v e s o m e n i c e speeches,” he Jerry Tubbs said. On of the major draws at the annual celebration is the encampment by the Texas Army and their demonstrations of 1830s weaponry, including cannons and flintlock guns. The colorful, ragtag group of reenactors are part of a nonprofit organization that is authorized by the governor under and act of the Legislature as the only active state army in the United States. “We have a commission from the governor Jack Edmondson of Fort Worth plays the part of Gen. Sam of the state of Texas,” Houston. said Gen. Jerry Tubbs of Houston. “Texas is the only (state) to have an army. The rest are militias.” He said that given the antiquated nature of their armaments that they’re not likely to be mustered into active duty. “We’re going to be the last line of defense if something comes up,” he said. Park Ranger Jon Failor welcomes guests to Independence Hall, a replica of the building where the Texas Declaration of ■ TEXAS, page 10 Independence was signed. Below is a look at the interior.
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Former Globetrotters showup the Sealy All Stars in a game filled with fun and gags. Page 6
NEWSBITS
T.J. Mills 1954-2015
Bluebonnet photos wanted Bluebonnet season is quickly approaching. The Sealy News invites readers to submit their favorite bluebonnet photos for publication. Please email the pictures to editor@sealynews.com. In the email, tell when and where the picture was taken and identify any people or pets.
ACRTA to meet April 16 The Austin County Retired Teachers Association will meet on April 16 at the Gordon Memorial Library in Sealy at 2 p.m. A representative from Bellville-St. Joseph Healthcenter will present a program on the current services provided by the facility, as well as information on stroke prevention.
City-wide garage sale The 12th annual city-wide garage sale will be held Saturday, April 18, in yards and garages all over Sealy. The event is sponsored by the Sealy Economic Development Corporation. A list of registered garage sales will be published on Thursday, April 16, at Sealy City Hall, the Sealy EDC office or you can view and print the list at www.sealyedc. com. ■ NEWS BITS, page 15
TODAY'SOBITUARIES
The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
T.J. Mills, who led the Sealy Tigers to four consecutive 3A state championships, passed away April 7 of a heart attack. He was 60.
Sealy loses a legend Community mourning the loss of a coaching giant, great man By JOE SOUTHERN editor@sealynews.com
T.J. Mills, the coach who led the Sealy Tigers to four consecutive state football championships in the 1990s, passed away April 7 of an apparent heart attack. Mills, 60, was a legendary
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Psalm 105:4
Thank a
Veteran and Serviceman everyday
Contributions in memory of T.J. Mills should be made to the YMCA T.J. Mills Endowment Fund, 22807 Westheimer Parkway, Katy, TX 77494. morning for his funeral. “T.J. had a special ability to make everyone around him realize their full potential and ■ MILLS, page 9
Coffman moving on, blames mayor By JOE SOUTHERN and LANCE HAGOOD The Sealy News
When the vote to adjourn the April 28 Sealy City Council meeting is done, it will mark the end of Chris Coffman’s sevenyear employment as the city manager. The next day he will depart to his new position as the city manager of Granbury, a larger city near Fort Worth. His annual base salary there will be $129,000. Coffman was hired by Granbury three weeks ago and finalized his contract last
week. In interviews with The Sealy News, Coffman said he is happy about the move and has enjoyed his time in Sealy. The only reason he is leaving, he said, is because of Mayor Mark Stolarski. “I’ll say I’m not quitCoffman ting a job, I’m quitting a person, and that person is the mayor,” he said. “I’m quitting. That’s what he wanted, he expressed that
to me, and the voters elected him so I’m respecting the voters and what they wanted.” When asked if he wished to comment, Stolarski declined. “It’s very clear the mayor would be happy if I left. He was elected; I need to respect the voters. No hard feelings, it turned out to be a great opportunity for me,” Coffman said. Looking ahead, Coffman said the new ■ COFFMAN, page 3
Council candidates speak out at forum By LANCE HAGOOD
■ Shelby Fulmar II ■ T.J. Mills
BIBLEQUOTE
figure in the world of Texas high school football who was remembered for his down-toearth commitment to the people and community of Sealy. “He’s a very passionate man about his values and beliefs,” said Mark Faldyn, who was Mills’ offensive coordinator in Sealy.
Faldyn, who is the assistant principal at Sealy Junior High School and a neighbor of Mills, said his friend was always concerned about others. “His work was always with others in mind,” he said. “He’s going to be thoroughly missed in this community.” That was evident last Friday as hundreds of people streamed through the auditorium at Sealy High School for the visitation and then packed the auditorium Saturday
reporter@sealynews.com
All six candidates vying for seats on the Sealy City Council in the May 9 election took to the podium at a candidate’s forum April 7. Sponsored by the Sealy Rotary Club and Sealy Chamber of Commerce, more than 75 people gathered at Tony’s Restaurant to hear the presentations and have a chance to meet the candidates. Paul Dronka of the Rotary Club conducted the forum. He asked each candidate to answer four questions. “What is your vision of Sealy in the year 2025. What are your top two items to work on when
elected? How will you reach out to the growing Hispanic population in Sealy? How important do you feel the YMCA is to the city?” inquired Dronka. Addressing the gathering first was incumbent Place 5 candidate Mayor Pro-Tem Everett Bubak. Bubak on his vision for Sealy in 2025: “I have a vision of the Sealy community where you can raise your kids here, they can go off to college and return here and apply that skill set here. I see us where we don’t have to go to Katy or Houston anymore to obtain the things that we need to get through ■ CANDIDATES, page 11
The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
Egg-splosion! Maria Luevano attempts to catch an egg during an egg toss game Saturday during the Spring Picnic, hosted by the Sealy Area Historical Society at Liedertafel Hall. For more coverage, see page 17.
The Sealy News • 193 Schmidt Road • P.O. Box 480 • Sealy, Texas 77474 • phone: (979) 885-3562 • fax: (979) 885-3564 • www.sealynews.com
THIS
WEEK'S WEATHER According to The Weather Channel
Thursday • Friday • Saturday • Sunday • Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday
High: 79 Low: 66 Rain: 90%
High: 78 Low: 64 Rain: 80%
High: 79 Low: 58 Rain: 50%
High: 80 Low: 60 Rain: 10%
High: 80 Low: 61 Rain: 10%
High: 77 Low: 61 Rain: 10%
High: 82 Low: 62 Rain: 10%
This week's weather art is by Kai Dabney, 5, a student at Selman Elementary School.
OUTDOORS
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THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 ■ PAGE B1
SEALY NEWS
Animal artistry Taxidermist gives new life to wildlife By JOE SOUTHERN editor@sealynews.com
John Guidry is in the business of giving things life after death. The former machine shop operator is a taxidermist who is in high demand in the Sealy area and whose work permeates the community. “These guys go on hunting trips and create those memories. I recreate those memories for them,” he said. Working out of a new, rustic-looking facility at 4039 FM 1094, Guidry is an artist and craftsman who spends his days sculpting lifelike masterpieces out of wildlife. “Taxidermy is not for everybody,” he said. “You have to be a little discreet about your business and what you do.” For those who desire his services, they are drawn to him because of quality work he does and the realism he puts into each mount. “He does very good work for me,” said Kevin Krampitz who is one of Guidry’s best and longest customers. “He’s done probably 25-30 heads for me at least,” said Krampitz, who has been taking his hunting trophies to Guidry since the early 1990s.
The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
John Guidry works on a deer mount in his shop located near Sealy. The local taxidermist is in high demand with hunters in the region. When asked what he does with all the mounts, Krampitz said, “I have a very understanding wife.” So does Guidry. The job is demanding and time-consuming. He can easily lose himself in a project well into the evening. The nature of the job requires he work weekends so he can meet with clients. “She’s used to it,” he said of his wife, Jamie. When Guidry took the
business full-time about five or six years ago, she came onboard as his bookkeeper. “I couldn’t have done this without her,” he said. In addition to the books, she helps with the tedious paperwork the state requires of taxidermists. That gives Guidry more freedom to do the actual work. There is no shortage of work. “Last year I did 463
projects,” he said. That included 140 shoulder mounts and 85 skull mounts. Shoulder mounts are basically the head and neck of the deer, elk or other animal with horns or antlers. The lion’s share of his work are deer mounts, though he gets a lot of goats and an assortment of cats, birds and other game. Guidry is self-taught. He received his first instruction from a mail-
order book advertised in the back of a comic book. “I still have the first mount I ever did,” he said. “I use it to put my feet on the ground to show me where I came from.” While working at Cameron Iron Works he began doing taxidermy on the side as a hobby. As he got better, his business steadily grew. He started in 1993 and just a few years ago felt he reached the point
where he could quit his day job and make a living off his hobby. “The business is growing about where I want it to be. I’m not the biggest … I want to be considered one of the best,” he said. Guidry prides himself of the realism of his mounts. He is particularly focused on the eyes. “I try to make the ani■ TAXIDERMY, page B6
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Celebrating the '80s at the Austin County Fair The Sealy News photos by Joe Southern and Jason B. Hogan
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