SEALY NEWS THE
It rained; they're coming! PAGE 10
Serving Sealy and Austin County since 1887 • Home of Joann Vasut
Volume 128 Number 23
NEWSBITS
Sealy High School
Faith Academy
CLASS OF 2015
A Supplement of
SEALY NEWS THE
Salute to graduates SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015
16 pages, $1
Rains have the Brazos River running
Recreation survey
DEEP & WIDE
The City of Sealy and the Sealy Family YMCA are exploring needs that might be met through an indoor recreation facility. Stop by the City of Sealy office at 415 Main St. to pick up a survey. Surveys are due by June 8.
Sealy Dance Club meets The Sealy Dance Club will hold a public dance on June 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Sealy American Legion Hall. For more information, call 979-885-9920.
Republicans not meeting The Republicans of Austin County will not meet in June, July or August.
Free food distribution
The Sealy News/LANCE HAGOOD
The Houston Food Bank Produce Truck will be in Sealy on June 9 from 10 a.m. to noon at Immaculate Conception Church 525 5th St. Distribution will be in the 4th street parking lot. The produce is free to anyone living in Austin County and there will also be someone from the Houston Food Bank to assist anyone that needs help with applying for or renewing food stamps or children’s Medicaid/CHIP.
Summer Street Dance, Cruise-In Sealy Main Street will host “Off The Rail” Summer Street Dance and Cruise-In on Saturday, June 13, at 7 p.m. Cruise In participants should arrive by 6:30 p.m. The event benefits Sealy Main Street revitalization efforts. Enjoy barbecue, beer and the Blue Note Brothers Band. Admission is free.
A logjam forms on an old train bridge May 29 in the Brazos River just south of the FM 1093 bridge between Simonton and Wallis. Record rainfall in May led to widespread flooding in the region and almost caused the Brazos to breach its banks.
County floods but escapes the worst of it By LANCE HAGOOD reporter@sealynews.com
Although there was widespread flooding in low-lying areas of Austin and surrounding counties in the last week, the area narrowly avoided a more serious soaking as the Brazos River crested Monday morning and remained within its banks. “The Brazos River at Hempstead and San Felipe has crested and the river trending is going to go down slowly,” said Ray Chislett, Austin County Emergency Operations Coordinator. “The lowland flooding is going to be here for a while. The Brazos crested at
122.29 feet and moderate flood stage is 122.5. In the Lazy River subdivision, the water has not gone into any homes. We’re right under 122.5, which is considered moderate flooding. There’s water around a lot of the houses but not flooding any of them. The golf course at Brazos Country is under water, but no houses there have flooded.” Austin County experienced the wettest May ever recorded by the National Weather Service. Bellville received 14.74 inches during the month. That amount is 9.57 inches above normal. The thunderstorms and high winds the evening
The Sealy News/LANCE HAGOOD
Lazy River subdivision residents Joyce Galyen, Kathy Murdoch, and Jess McGee watch the Brazos River rise onto a lawn on Lazy River Drive last Thursday. of May 25 resulted in large trees knocked down around Sealy,
TODAY'SOBITUARIES
BIBLEQUOTE In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9
Thank a
Veteran and Serviceman everyday
police
station.
On
■ FLOOD, page 15
Whitehead takes seat on Sealy City Council
■ NEWS BITS, page 13
■ Cheryl Anderlla ■ Betty Luedecke ■ Jacquelyn Richter
utility lines cut and intermittent power outages that affected the
By LANCE HAGOOD reporter@sealynews.com
Amy McIntyre
Roger Hobbs
Two arrested after high-speed chase By KAREN LOPEZ publisher@sealynews.com
Two people were arrested Thursday morning after leading police on a high-speed chase through Sealy and rural Austin County. The Sealy Police Department attempted to make a traffic stop on a 2002 white Chevrolet pickup truck in the 100 block of Silliman. The vehicle fled and traveled through the city and then out to the county.
Sealy police and the Austin County Sheriff’s Office pursued the vehicle for approximately 10 miles. Police deployed their spike strips and the vehicle then swerved in an attempt to hit the police officers. Two front tires of the vehicle were flattened, but the pursuit continued until the driver crashed the vehicle into a ditch in the 800 block of Grubbs Road. Both driver and a passenger fled the vehi■ CHASE, page 15
After canvassing the votes in a recount, the Sealy City Council welcomed Janice Whitehead to its ranks at its May 26 meeting. Whitehead was
sworn in by Mayor Mark Stolarski and then took her seat in the Place 2 position. She defeated Jason Guilbeau 348-337 after the recount. Guilbeau called for the recount after the initial count showed Whitehead
ahead by three votes in the May 9 election.
Police station generator After Whitehead was seated, council took ■ COUNCIL, page 3
Wife of former publisher dies Betty Lucile Luedecke, 83, of Sealy, Texas, was born to Bernard and Alvina (Schroeder) Frank on Aug. 20, 1931 in Bellville, Texas, and died May 26, 2015 in Katy, Texas. She was baptized on Nov. 22, 1931, and confirmed on March 25, 1945, in St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bellville. She was married to Earl C. Luedecke on Nov. 13, 1948, in St. John’s and, except for four years when Earl was in the U.S. Air Force, they spent their entire married life in Sealy. Her husband was
employed at The Sealy News for 44 years from 19471991, becoming copublisher in 1970. Betty was a past president and secretary of the Sealy Women’s Bowling Luedecke Association, past president of the Sealy Fireman’s Auxiliary, and a ■ LUEDECKE, page 2
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: 88 Low: 65 Rain: 0%
High: 89 Low: 67 Rain: 10%
High: 90 Low: 69 Rain: 10%
High: 91 Low: 70 Rain: 0%
High: 91 Low: 70 Rain: 10%
High: 91 Low: 71 Rain: 10%
High: 91 Low: 72 Rain: 10%
This week's weather art is by Lauren Zachary, 5, a student at Selman Elementary School.
Tax free weekend special section coming AUGUST 6
SEALY NEWS THE
Serving Sealy and Austin County since 1887 • Home of Sharon Lummus
Volume 128 Number 30
NEWSBITS Chamber hosts Sen. Kolkhorst State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst will be the guest speaker at the membership luncheon for the Sealy Chamber of Commerce on July 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Maribelli Italian Ristorante, 2352 Hwy. 36 South. The cost is $15 for chamber members, $20 for non-members and $200 to sponsor a table of eight. To register, contact Tammy Hall at 979885-3222 or tammy@ sealychamber.com.
Sealy Dance Cub meets The Sealy Dance Club is holding its annual cotton picking dance Aug. 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall. The band for the dance is The Red Ravens. For more information, call 979885-9920.
Annual church festival Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church of Frelsburg will hold its Annual Festival on Saturday, Aug. 2. The church is located 10 miles north of Columbus off FM 109, at 1031 Church Lane. The day will begin with Holy Mass at 8:45 a.m. Coffee and pastries will be available after mass. Meal tickets will be sold at the festival and many activities and live music are planned.
Food bank produce truck The Houston Food Bank produce truck will be in Sealy on Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 10 a.m. to noon at LifeBridge Community Church, 2162 FM 2187. The produce is free to anyone living in Austin County and there will also be someone from the Houston Food Bank to assist anyone that needs help with applying or renewing of food stamps or children’s Medicaid/CHIP. ■ NEWS BITS, page 13
TODAY'SOBITUARIES ■ John Tollett
Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. Psalm 119:111
Thank a
Veteran and Serviceman everyday
THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015
20 2 pages, p ge pa g s,, $1 $1
Still no answers why council cancelled Coffman’s contract Koy, Stolarski lead charge to end deal early, pay almost full amount By JOE SOUTHERN editor@sealynews.com
What is it about Chris Coffman that makes the Sealy City Council want to throw money at him? When he resigned as city manager in April, the city council quickly put him under a six-month, $50,000 contract for the sake of business continuity so city officials could consult with him on projects he oversaw. The council tried to give him $105,000, but cut the amount roughly in half when the first vote failed. Two weeks ago, the The Sealy News file council – made up of three Then-candidate Larry Koy discusses a business continuity contract for Chris Coffman at a city council meet- new members – voted ing in April. After getting elected, Koy led the charge to unanimously to end the contract three months cancel the contract but still pay Coffman nearly the early and to pay him all entire amount.
but $500 of the $50,000 contract. They had already paid him $25,000 for the first three months and essentially agreed to pay him $24,500 to not receive his services for the remaining three months. Why they did it, no one is saying. The discussions took place in executive session. Mayor Mark Stolarski provided a comment that was first filtered by the city attorney: “The city was locked into a severance contract with the prior city manager, which provided payments for possible consulting services. The contract was initiated by a prior council member; three of the four members of the council that approved that con-
tract are no longer members of city council. The City Attorney contacted Coffman Coffman in regards to early termination of the contract. The current council did not see the value of continuing to pay the prior city manager for possible consulting services. We had hoped for a larger savings in the consulting fee, but any reduction in payment required Coffman’s concurrence.” Coffman told The Sealy News that he was sur■ COFFMAN, page 3
Rough roads ahead for county By JOE SOUTHERN editor@sealynews.com
How bad are the rural roads in Austin County? Bad enough that the chicken won’t cross them. At least that seems to reflect the opinion of the county commissioners who are responsible for their upkeep and repair. They each discussed the need for more funding for roads during Monday’s session of commissioners court. Judge Tim Lapham opened a general discussion but no action was taken. “This is why I can’t go to Brookshire Brothers without someone jumping me before I get to the broccoli,” Commissioner Reese Turner said. He said road repairs are the top complaint
The Sealy News/COURTESY PHOTO
Collapsed culverts like the one pictured here in rural Austin County became a huge problem during the spring floods that hit the area. Commissioners are scrambling to maintain roads with nearly depleted Road and Bridge budgets. he receives as a commissioner but he lacks the budget to do much about it. “It’s a band-aid budget,” he said. “I can do nothing but put on a
band-aid … never mind making any grandiose plans or major improvements.” “I’m not going to fix any roads this year … and after the rains I
lost two roads,” Commissioner Randy Reichardt said. “Culverts are still falling in.” “I’m still finding damage that goes back to
the flooding,” Commissioner Douglas King said. Reichardt said he has been asking for more money each year for the past five years but said no one has been willing to consider raising taxes to do it. Turner said that in the time since he became a commissioner in 2013, the Road and Bridge budget has increased only .016 percent. In that same time, he said, the sheriff’s office budget has increased 28 percent, the jail 28 percent and EMS 27 percent. The commissioners said their Road and Bridge budgets only allow them to grade gravel roads and do minimal patching to paved ones. ■ ROADS, page 15
Services held for former police chief Tollett remembered for caring for people
BIBLEQUOTE
INSIDE
By JOE SOUTHERN and KAREN LOPEZ The Sealy News
John Tollett was remembered as a man who spent his life caring for and about other people. The retired Sealy police chief died July 19 following a brief illness. Born on Halloween in 1952, he served as Sealy’s police chief for eight years before retiring last December. A funeral procession with law enforcement, emergency medical services and fire vehicles passed through Sealy on Wednesday
The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
The funeral escort for former Sealy Police Chief John Tollett passes in front of City Hall July 22. before heading north to Bellville where his body was transported on to San Augustine for the funeral service and burial on Thursday. “Family, family, family,”
Capt. Jay Reeves said of Tollett while riding along the procession. “This is what was most important to him.” “I first got to know John in 2010 as Chief Tollet. Later, I
got to know him as John. But, no matter what name we knew him by, I think we all knew him as Friend,” Mayor Mark Stolarski said. “The thing I admire the most about John is his loyalty to those in his command. That is a trait of a true leader. Many times he could have taken the easy way, but instead, every time, he chose to do what was right. He put his own job on the line to do what was right for the people in his department. For John, it was never about him, it was about doing what was right for his people and the citizens of Sealy.” A gathering of family and friends was held Wednesday ■ TOLLETT, page 2
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: 100 Low: 76 Rain: 10%
High: 101 Low: 76 Rain: 60%
High: 101 Low: 74 Rain: 0%
High: 101 Low: 73 Rain: 0%
High: 101 Low: 74 Rain: 10%
High: 99 Low: 75 Rain: 10%
High: 99 Low: 75 Rain: 10%
This week's weather art is by Erik Aguirre, 5, a student at Selman Elementary School.
PAGE 4 ■ THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015
YOUR
FAITHFAMILY&FUN
The Sealy News is posing the following question to our readers: Should Texas pass a law allowing recreational use of marijuana? • Yes • No • Unsure
Last week’s question was: Should Sealy honor its contract with Town Park Center and help fund the frontage road or back out of the deal and wait for TxDOT to build it? • Pay up and honor the contract 45.7% • Wait for TxDOT to build it 53.6% • Unsure 0.7% Number of votes: 290 Log on to www.sealynews.com to let your voice be heard. We will bring you the results of this poll and a new question every Thursday.
WHERETOWRITE U.S. Senator Ted Cruz B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-5922 U.S. Senator John Cornyn 517 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-2934 U.S. Representative, Dist. 10 Michael McCaul, 2000 S. Market St., Ste. 303 Brenham, Texas 77833 (979) 830-8497 Texas Governor Greg Abbott P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711-2428 (512) 463-2000 State Senator, Dist. 18 Lois Kolkhorst P.O. Box 1867 Brenham, Texas 77834 (979) 251-7888 State Representative, Dist. 13 Leighton Schubert P.O. Box 2910 Austin, TX 78768 (512) 463-0600 Austin County Judge Tim Lapham 1 East Main Bellville, Texas 77418
(979) 865-5911 County Commissioner, Precinct 1 Reese Turner One East Main Street Bellville, Texas 77418 Barn - (979) 865-2126 County Commissioner, Precinct 2 Robert "Bobby" Rinn P.O. Box 275 Industry, TX 78944 Barn - (979) 357-4780 Office- (979) 357-4785 County Commissioner, Precinct 3 Randy Reichardt 166 Jefferson Cat Spring, TX 78933 Barn - (979) 865-5441 County Commissioner, Precinct 4 Douglas King P.O. Box 754 Wallis, TX 77485 Barn - (979) 885-3829 Office - (979) 478-7121 Sealy City Manager Larry Kuciemba 415 Main Street Sealy, Texas 77474 (979) 885-3511 Sealy ISD Superintendent Sheryl Moore 939 Tiger Lane, Sealy, Texas 77474 (979) 885-3516
Serving Sealy and Austin County since 1887 (USPS 487260) Entered at the post office at Sealy, Texas, under the Act of Congress of June 2, 1897. Periodical Rate postage paid at Sealy, TX 77474. ■ READER SERVICES Main number (979) 885-3562 Fax (979) 885-3564 Mailing address: P.O. Box 480, Sealy, Texas 77474 Known office of publication 193 Schmidt Rd., Sealy, Texas 77474 The Sealy News is a weekly publication distributed on Thursdays. ■ STAFF DIRECTORY Publisher, Karen Lopez publisher@sealynews.com Bookkeeper, Sandy Davis billing@sealynews.com Managing Editor, Joe Southern editor@sealynews.com Reporter, Jason B. Hogan reporter@sealynews.com Sports, Mindy Blankemeyer mnblankemeyer@aol.com Advertising, Ashley Ragsdale sales@sealynews.com Circulation, Sandra Weeber ■ DEADLINES The deadline for editorial submissions is Monday at noon for the Thursday edition. Retail and Classified display deadlines are Friday at noon for the Thursday edition. The deadline for classified word ads is noon on Monday for the Thursday edition. ■ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Sealy News publishes letters to the editor on most topics. Send your letters to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 480, Sealy, TX 77474, email to editor@sealynews.com or fax 979-885-3564 by 5 p.m. Friday for the Thursday edition. Letters should be hand
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signed and include the writer’s full address and daytime and evening phone numbers. Letters to the editor should be as brief as possible. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should be 500 words or less. ■ EDITORIAL REQUIREMENTS Lifestyle announcements — weddings, obituaries, anniversaries, engagements, newborns and birthdays — are run as paid announcements. Please call for current rates. Submitted photos may be picked up at The Sealy News after it appears in the newspaper. We are only responsible for photos for 30 days after it runs. All items are subject to editing for style and content. ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS The Sealy News is published weekly on Thursday. Subscriptions in Austin County, are $42 per year; outside Austin County in Texas, $52; outside Texas, $70 per year. Notices of change of address should be mailed to The Sealy News, P.O. Box 480, Sealy, TX 77474-0480. ■ AFFILIATIONS The Sealy News is a member of the National Newspaper Association, the Texas Press Association, the South Texas Press Association, the Texas Gulf Coast Press Association. ■ CONTENTS © 2015 by Sealy Publications Inc. Written consent is waived when permission is gained in advance and full credit is given to The Sealy News for material reprinted or reproduced, in whole or in part, electronically or otherwise. © 2015 Sealy Publications Inc. All Rights Reserved
You want to get hit in the head with this Brick JOE SOUTHERN Managing Editor
I finally got to talk back to the voice in my head. The conversation we had was extraordinary. The voice belongs to Scott Brick. He is a professional audiobook narrator from Southern California. For the last seven years I have had lengthy commutes to work. I pass the time listening to audiobooks. He has narrated about half or more of the books I’ve listened to. When he’s not the narrator, more often than not it’s his voice announcing the end of one disc and the beginning of the next. I probably “read” an average of 30-40 books a year while driving my car. In seven years I’ve probably listened to 250 books. Brick has probably read over 125 of those to me. That’s only a fraction of the estimated 700 books he has narrated since 1999. I doubt I’ll ever catch up because he records an average 50 audiobooks a year. Although audiobook narration is not a new profession, Brick has elevated it as an art form and is really a pioneering giant in the field. In addition to being one of the preeminent book narrators in the country, he is also the first one to teach the subject in college. “I am teaching the nation’s first fully accredited university course in audiobook narration to the graduate students of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television,” he said in a recent Facebook post. This is 26 years after dropping out of the University of California – Los Angeles when his student aid ran dry. The nerdy fanboy in me knew I needed to finally meet Brick, even if it was just a phone conversation. We talked and what I discovered was a fellow fanboy geek who gets excited about meeting authors and being honored with the privilege of giving voice to their words. Brick’s interest in the profession stems from a love of old time radio dramas. “It instilled in me such a sense of appreciation for the spoken word,” he said. He parlayed voice acting to book narration and raised the bar for book readers everywhere. The first book of his I listened to was “It’s Superman” by Tom De Haven. I picked it up because I wanted to hear a Superman story. I came away amazed at how the reader used so many different accents and made identifiable characters with his voice. He just drew you into the story with his enthusiasm and charisma. “I still talk about that book all the time,” he said, adding that he uses it as an example in the
The Sealy News/COURTESY PHOTO
Author Brad Meltzer, left, and audiobook narrator Scott Brick show off their secret decoder rings that Meltzer was giving out on his "Decoded" book tour. Brick has done the narration of all of Meltzer's novels and has recorded more than 700 books in the last 16 years. course he teaches at UCLA. “From the opening credits I was indulging my love of old time radio,” he said. Realizing that I could use my commute as a time to catch up on books by my favorite author, Clive Cussler, I was astonished to hear that familiar voice again. “I’ve done 37 or 38 Cusslers,” he said. I even went back and listened to books I had already read just to hear Brick read them. I also started expanding my literary interests and discovering other authors. I was pleasantly surprised to find Brick’s voice back in my head as I explored new and fantastic adventures. From Brad Meltzer’s thrillers to the Jason Bourne series by Robert Ludlum and Orson Scott Card’s Ender series, Brick has been there all the way. One of the things that make Brick’s works stand out is his mastery of accents and inflections. He studied by listening to tapes about learning to speak different languages and figuring out where the emphasis should be placed in a sentence. Some of it just comes naturally, such as German and Russian, which helps in the international thrillers he reads. In 2008 he founded Brick by Brick Audiobooks, his own audiobook recording studio and publishing company. Brick is inevitably asked about his favorite book or author and he is reluctant to answer because there are so many. “After 700 books it’s tough to narrow it down,” he said. The name that surfaces the most is Nelson DeMille, another adventure/suspense writer. He also talks highly about the Dune
series by Frank Herbert and Brian Herbert and recording such greats as “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury (“I thought I’d died and gone to heaven,” he said), “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote and various books by Isaac Asimov. Gabrielle Zevin’s “The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry” really got to Brick. “I just wept when I read that one,” he said. Brick just recently finished recording Tom Clancy’s “Commander In Chief.” “It was massive – 30 hours long,” he said. Brick is haunted by one favorite author whose works he has not recorded yet. “I’m a huge Stephen King fan,” he said. He said he doesn’t always get to meet the authors he records, but he has met many of them at different workshops, seminars and other book events around the country. Some time ago he posted a picture of himself with Brad Meltzer each wearing secret decoder rings that Meltzer was giving out in support of his book “Decoded.” “Brad is a lot of fun. He’s hysterical and a very generous soul,” Brick said. Although Brick has done some writing and acting on stage and screen, he is content to keep turning the pages on his audiobook career. “They’ll keep writing them and I’ll keep recording them,” he said. You can connect with Brick on Facebook or on his website at scottbrick.net. But be sure to listen to some of the books he reads. His a very pleasant voice to have in your head.
CAPITALHIGHLIGHTS Governor pushes ICE compliance Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas sheriffs won’t receive grant funds from his Criminal Justice Division unless they comply with U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement notification and detention requests. In a Nov. 4 letter, Abbott wrote to sheriffs: “Beginning now, all Criminal Justice Division grant awards will require that sheriffs departments fully honor ICE’s detention requests for criminal immigrants. Any applicant that cannot certify that their office will honor all ICE detainers for criminal immigrants will be ineligible for CJD funding. Further, any applicant that certifies full compliance with ICE detainer requests—but subsequently fails to honor an ICE detainer—will be subject to claw-back provisions and must refund the full amount of their CJD grant award.” “As governor,” Abbott continued, “I simply will not allow CJD
grant funding administered by this office to support law enforcement agencies that refuse to cooperate with a federal law enforcement program that is intended to keep dangerous criminals off Texas streets.” On Oct. 26, Abbott sent a letter to Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, calling on her to reverse her office’s policy “of not detaining all criminal immigrants” pursuant to ICE’s detainer program.
Tax revenue decreases Texas sales tax revenue in October was $2.28 billion, down 5.4 percent compared to October 2014, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced. “October state sales tax revenue was depressed, as expected, by declines in spending in oil and natural gas-related sectors,” Hegar said Nov. 4. “Other major sectors of the Texas economy,
ED STERLING Texas Press Association
including construction, information, and services, continued to show growth in tax remittances.” But, Hegar said, he is sending cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $731.7 million in local sales tax allocations for November, 1.2 percent more than in November 2014. These allocations, he said, are based on sales made in September by businesses that report tax monthly, and sales made in July, August, and September by businesses that report tax quarterly.