VOL 6 ·ISSUE 14
WALKER COUNTY
PRESS
PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Permit #60 WINNIE, TX
Thursday February 10, 2022
Happy Valentine's Day from Walker County Press Chilly at the Lodge Named Appropriately
The grounds at the Josey Scout Lodge saw a steady flow of people as they checked out the vendors and the Chili during the Chilly at the Lodge event held last Saturday. By Wade Thibodeaux The first annual Chilly at the Lodge Chili Cook-
off was absolutely named correctly as the event that was held last Saturday,
February 5, 2022 at the Josey Scout (contd on page 8)
HISD Board President Trey Wharton takes a bite of chili as the judges go around the table sampling the various entries into the contest held at the Josey Scout Lodge last weekend.
Multi County Chase Ends in New Waverly
noon to bring an end to a chase that had traveled through 3 counties. Just after 3 pm Saturday Harris County Precinct 4 Constables attempted to stop a Maserati going northbound on the Hardy Toll Road in excess of 100 miles per hour. The driver refused to stop and led Officers into Montgomery County where Driver leads Deputies on a 37 mile pursuit before they were joined by the being taken into custody at I45 and FM 1375. By Wade Thibodeaux tions and at least one Montgomery County Law enforcement local resident came to- Sheriff’s Office, (contd from multiple jurisdic- gether Saturday after- on page 6)
Hackett Appointed to Housing Board
Liesa Hackett was appointed to the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Board during Commissioners Court.
By Wade Thibodeaux During the Walker County Commissioners Court meeting held on Monday, January 31, 2022, Ms. Liesa Hackett was appointed to the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors. Ms. Hackett will serve a two year term that will run until (contd on page 8)
Thursday February 10, 2022
THEME: KINGS AND QUEENS
ACROSS 1. Outback birds 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca 8. Well, to Sofia Loren 12. Impose a tax 13. No way! 14. Malicious burning
Community
15. ____ over 16. Radiant light 17. Ran easily 18. *”The King of Staten Island” star Pete 20. Goyim, alt. sp. 21. Mork from Ork, e.g.
31. Loan shark 34. Village People hit 35. City in France 37. Street, in Paris 38. Show in progress (2 words) 39. Tiny purse 40. Was almost out of gas, e.g. (2 words) 42. *First H in HRH 43. Type of bag 45. Unguarded 47. Brick and mortar carrier 48. Resize a dress, e.g. 50. “For ____ the Bell Tolls” 52. *Netflix royal drama (2 words) 55. Bridal veil fabric Solution on page 15 56. One who 22. Common fur- hoes 57. Not far niture wood 59. Orderly ar23. “Der Ring des Nibelungen” rangement 60. Drunkard, composer slangily 26. Petroleum 61. Stare product (2 62. Country club words) pegs 30. Shakespear63. Drivers’ liean fuss
Walker County Press-Page 2
censes, e.g. 64. *2019 movie “Queen & ____” DOWN 1. Not Moose or Shriner 2. Fitting reward 3. Iris holder 4. Forest spirit 5. Gingerbread sculpture 6. Kitchen garb 7. *Billie ____ King 8. *Queens neighbor 9. ESPN trophy 10. Denials 11. December 31st, e.g. 13. Lowest points 14. Plural of alga 19. Intestinal obstruction 22. Opposite of their 23. *Prince Charles’ domain 24. Temples’ innermost sanctuaries 25. Not stay in (2 words) 26. Perceive by touch 27. *The NBA’s Kansas City____ Kings (1972-75)
28. More unfriendly 29. *Late “Live” King of CNN 32. Russia’s mountain range 33. Seek a seat 36. *The last “king” of Russia 38. Proprietor 40. *The ___ Queen, regal chess character in “Through the Looking Glass” 41. Public disapproval 44. Cozy and comfortable 46. Two of these do not make a right 48. Near the wind 49. Potato soup partner, pl. 50. “She ____ a Yellow Ribbon” 51. Add to payroll 52. Native of Thailand 53. Lash mark 54. Member of National Socialist German Workers’ Party 55. Giant pot 58. “Shiny Happy People” band
Walker County Press-Page 3
Business Directory
Thursday February 10, 2022
I can hardly wait! Second location is opening VERY soon! YOUR CHILD DESERVES THE BEST The Montessori School of Huntsville has earned the Texas Rising Star ranking with the highest possible rating by the State of Texas for quality child care.
Montessori Child Care 6 wks to 12 yrs. old
936-435-0303
2817 Old Houston Rd. • Huntsville Monday - Friday 5:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday February 10, 2022
Arrest Report
Walker County Press-Page 4
Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home -All Prearranged Services Honored -Prearranged Funeral Sales 1700 Normal Park Huntsville, TX 77340
936-291-7300
From the office of Walker County Sheriff
Clint McRae Thirty-Seven individuals were arrested and booked into the Walker County Jail between Monday, January 31 and Sunday, February 6.
Continued indictments from last week are also as followed. The individuals named have been magistrated and formally informed of
the charges against them. However, just because these individuals were arrested and magistrated does not mean they are guilty of the crimes
they are charged with committing. Also not everyone charged with a crime is alleged to have committed the crime in Walker County, but per-
haps was simply arrested in Walker County on outstanding warrant(s) while in Walker County. In instances in which individuals were arrested
on outstanding warrants, their original conviction and the reason they are on probation or parole, if available, is included in parenthesis set.
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Arrest Report
Thursday February 10, 2022
Thursday February 10, 2022
Arrest Report
Walker County Press-Page 6
Church Services Baptist: -University Heights Baptist Church worship services every Sunday at 9:30am and 10:45am -First Baptist Church Hunts-
ville every Sunday bible study at 9:30am, worship at 10:50, and 6:00pm Catholic: -St. Thomas the Apostale Catholic Church Rosary
at 5:00pm and 5:30pm (English) every Saturday and every Sunday at 7:45am (English), 10:45am (English, and 12:30pm (Spanish)
Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, DPS, and Montgomery County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office. The chase continued through Montgomery County with the driver throwing a gun out as he passed through Conroe. Conroe PD recovered the firearm as the chase continued north. Walker County was notified and Officers attempted to set spikes
on I-45 near the weigh station. Walker County Sheriff’s units then joined the pursuit as did the State Park Police. The sharp curve on the exit ramp put an end to the chase as the rented Maserati became airborn. When the driver reached New Waverly he attempted to exit but did not realize how tight the curve was and flew off the road into the grass. He then
bailed out and fled to a nearby firewood sales business where he was detained by a local resident and then promptly taken into custody by law enforcement. While the investigation is ongoing, marijuana and several thousand dollars in cash were found in the rented Maserati, in addition to the gun recovered in Conroe.
Multi County Chase Ends (contd)
Methodist: -First United Methodist Church worship every Sunday at 8:30am, 9:45am and 11:00am
Presbyterian: -First Presbyterian Church Huntsville classes every Sunday at 9:15am and worship at 10:30am
Non-Denominational: -The Ark Church. 10:30 am service. Loman’s Student Center, 1717 Avenue J. Lead Pastor - Luke Cunningham. 936-463-8416
Thursday February 10, 2022
Community
Quagga Mussels Detected for F i r s t T i m e i n a Te x a s R e s e r v o i r The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) reports that invasive quagga mussels have been detected for the first time in Texas. The quagga mussel discovery was made by National Park Service (NPS) staff at the International Amistad Reservoir in the Rio Grande basin along the Texas-Mexico border near Del Rio. Quagga mussels are a close relative of the zebra mussel, which has invaded 33 Texas lakes across six river basins since it was first introduced in Texas in Lake Texoma in 2009. In addition to being the first detection of quagga mussels in Texas waters, this is also the first finding of any invasive mussel species in the Rio Grande basin. “This detection of invasive quagga mussels is a very unfortunate first for Texas,” said Monica McGarrity, TPWD Senior Scientist for Aquatic Invasive Species. “Quagga mussels can inhabit greater depths and are also able to settle on soft substrates like mud or sand in addition to hard surfaces like rock or infrastructure—unlike zebra mussels—meaning they can colonize more of the lake.” “Quagga mussels are very prolific and can form larger populations that can have greater effects on the lake ecosystem overall, especially in deep lakes,” added Mc-
Garrity. “Even the lakes that already have zebra mussels are at risk of having quagga mussels introduced and monitoring of these lakes for signs of quagga mussels will be necessary. The NPS staff monitor Amistad Reservoir for early detection of invasive mussels using sampling for plankton (microscopic organisms) to detect their larvae and conducts settlement and shoreline sampling to survey for juveniles and adults. In June 2021, a single quagga mussel larva was detected and confirmed by DNA testing at Diablo East. In May, August, and September, single quagga mussel larvae were detected at a second site, Rough Canyon. The NPS staff have been actively monitoring Amistad Reservoir for zebra and quagga mussels since 2014. Early detection monitoring can assist in preventing spread to other water bodies as well as providing an early warning for mitigating impacts on infrastructure for facilities using raw surface water. Currently, NPS employees conduct monthly inspections from docks and structures at several sites on the reservoir. Since July 2021, NPS staff have also conducted multiple shoreline surveys using mussel detection dogs. To date, the NPS has not detected juvenile or adult mussels
that might indicate population establishment. NPS staff will continue monitoring for quagga mussel larvae as well as juvenile and adult mussels and any future population establishment and will be exploring potential opportunities for containment should a full infestation develop. TPWD is designating the reservoir as “positive” for quagga mussels. Positive status indicates mussel larvae have been repeatedly detected, but no juveniles or adults have been found and there is not yet evidence of a fully established population. The detection of quagga mussel larvae underscores the critical need for lake users to follow TPWD’s prevention guidelines when visiting Amistad Reservoir. In addition to reducing the risk of further introductions of quagga mussels that could contribute to establishment, there is a need to prevent the introduction of zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species. The NPS and TPWD encourage all visitors to follow the “Clean, Drain, and Dry” actions for watercraft and equipment before entering and after leaving the lake. Because quagga mussels are present in other areas of the U.S. in the Great Lakes region and some western states, there was already a risk that boats could transport them to
Texas lakes. However, their introduction into a Texas reservoir significantly increases the risk they could be transported by boats and introduced into other waterbodies in the state. The TPWD and partners will continue monitoring at-risk waterbodies for early detection of both zebra and quagga mussels. Prevention signage will also be updated at Amistad Reservoir. Quagga mussels, in the same manner as zebra mussels, are often transported to new lakes by boats. Therefore, TPWD and partners will continue public awareness outreach efforts to encourage boaters to take steps to clean, drain, and dry their boats and decontaminate boats with attached mussels to prevent the spread of these invasive species. “Unfortunately, invasive mussels have now spread to 34 Texas lakes, with 28 fully infested, but there are far more lakes that still haven’t been invaded and are at risk,” said Brian Van Zee, TPWD Inland Fisheries Regional Director. “Each boater taking the necessary actions to clean and drain their boat before leaving the lake and allowing compartments and gear to dry completely when they get home can make a big difference in protecting our Texas lakes.” Because invasive mussels are most often transported on or in boats, boaters play a critical role in preventing their spread to new lakes. Invasive mussels attach to boats,
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and anything left in the water, including anchors, and can survive for days out of water, often hiding in crevices where they may not be seen easily. Their larvae are microscopic and invisible to the naked eye and can be unknowingly transported in residual water in boats. Boaters are urged to clean, drain, and dry their boats and gear before traveling from lake to lake. Remove plants, mud, and debris, drain all water from the boat and gear, and then open compartments once you get home and allow everything to dry completely for at least a week if possible. If you have stored your boat in the water at a lake with invasive mussels or purchased a boat that has been stored on one of these lakes, it is likely infested with invasive mussels and poses an extremely high risk for moving these invasive species to a new lake. Before moving your boat that has been stored on a waterbody known to have either zebra or quagga mussels or if you purchase a boat from out-of-state and have questions, call TPWD at (512) 389-4848 for guidance on decontamination. Other equipment stored in infested lakes such as barges, docks, hoists, and pumps etc. are also potential vectors for spreading invasive species so those items also need to be fully decontaminated before transporting to another waterbody. The transport of aquatic
invasive species can result in legal trouble for boaters or transporters. Transporting prohibited invasive species in Texas is illegal and punishable with a fine of up to $500 per violation. Boaters are also required to drain all water from their vessel and onboard receptacles, including bait buckets, before leaving or approaching a body of fresh water. Additionally, anyone who spots invasive mussels on boats, trailers or equipment that is being moved should immediately report the sighting to TPWD at (512) 3894848. TPWD and partners monitor for invasive mussels in Texas lakes, but anyone who finds them in lakes where they haven’t been found before should report them immediately by emailing photos and location information to AquaticInvasives@ tpwd.texas.gov. A status map showing all lakes where invasive mussels have been found in Texas can be viewed online. For more information on how to properly clean, drain and dry boats and equipment, visit the TPWD YouTube channel for a short instructional video. Information for marinas and owners or buyers of boats stored in the water on lakes with zebra mussels can be found online. To learn more about invasive mussels and other invasive species in Texas, visit tpwd.texas.gov/ StopInvasives.
Thursday February 10, 2022
Local News
Community Calendar Friday, February 11: -Story time from 10:45am-11:45am at the library -Sittercise from 10:00am-11:00am at the library Saturday, February 12: -Piney woods writers group from 2:00pm4:00pm at the library Monday, February 14: -Mother Goose Lapsit from 10:45am-11:45am at the library Tuesday, February 15: -Sittercise from 10:00am-11:00am at the library -Learn to use Libby from 11:00am-12:00pm at the library -Story time from
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5:30pm-6:30pm at the library Wednesday, February 16: -Story time from 10:45am-11:45am at the library Thursday, February 17: -Sittercise from 10:00am-11:00am at the library -Piney woods page turners book club from 11:00am-12:30pm at the library -KidScape from 12:00pm-1:00pm at the library -Learn to use Libby from 11:00am-12:00pm at the library Friday, February 18:
-Story time from 10:45am-11:45am at the library -Sittercise from 10:00am-11:00am at the library Monday, February 21: -Sittercise from 10:00am-11:00am at the library -Story time from 10:45am-11:45am at the library Tuesday, February 22: -Story time from 10:45am-11:45am at the library Wednesday, February 23: -Sittercise from 10:00am-11:00am at the library
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Hackett Appointed to Board (contd) January 1, 2024. In other action, the Court approved a funding agreement with Tri County Behavioral Health for three years for $128,730.00 each year and also approved an agreement with Huntsville Memorial Hospital for $364,000.00. The Court also approved several pur-
chases for the Planning and Development Department for equipment consisting of in-car radios, hand held radios, portable Microsoft workstations, and citation equipment. Several re-plats of property were approved as well as a variance for on site sewage facility and they
accepted the roadways of section 10 and 11 of Texas Grand Ranch. The next regular meeting of the Walker County Commissioners Court will be Monday, February 14, 2022 at 9:00 am. in room 104 of the Walker County Courthouse.
Lodge occurred on maybe the coldest day of this Winter season. However, the cold weather did not seem to deter the cooks, exhibitors, or the general public from taking part in the festivities. The event opened to the public at 8:00 am. and chili tast-
ing for the general public started at 11:00 am. Live entertainment began performing on the main stage at 11:00 am as well and then the various divisions of the cook-off began turning in their entries at Noon. The event was an officially sanctioned ICS
event, but there were also divisions for community youth and adults. Overall, the event was well attended and all of the proceeds were intended for the maintenance and renovations of the Josey Scout Lodge.
Chilly at the Lodge (contd)
Thursday February 10, 2022
Local News
Walker County Press-Page 9
Randy Jeffcoat invites everyone to a political forum at Riverside Baptist Church on Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 6:00 pm.
Community
Thursday February 10, 2022
Obituaries
David Grant Eakin
David Grant Bennett Eakin passed away January 27, 2022 at his home, from a heart attack. He was the son of Gary and Judy Eakin. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Mark Eakin. Survivors left to cherish his memory include his sister Krista Bennett Eakin and wife Missy Carey Eakin, nephew Tanner McCown of Cleveland, TX. Brother Brian Bennett and wife Cassie Bennett, niece Taegan Bennett of Lubbock, TX. Niece Alyssa Eakin and wife Mercedes Eakin, great niece Serenity Tripp and great nephew Stetson Eakin of Leander, TX. Friend and father figure Barry Golden and wife Mary Lynn, of Huntsville, TX. Pam Wall Marr of Huntsville, TX. who was a dear friend that he loved like a sister, along with many other family and friends, and of course his fur baby Louie. David was born in Beckley, WV. His family relocated to San Antonio at the age of
8. The family moved again to Tomball, TX in 1983. He graduated from Klein Oak, class of 1986. He served in the army right out of high school. He believed in and loved his country. He was a soldier in desert storm. David had a heart of gold. He would give the shirt off his back in snow storm without a second thought. He would drop everything at a minutes notice to go help a friend. He considered himself an empath, loving any and all animals, especially his new friend Hootie-Ann the owl. He loved being in the country mowing the hay fields with Barry. David loved his momma and stood by his promise to buy his first home, getting established in Walker County. He spent his days remodeling and landscaping to make it his. His place will remain a legacy and be a place where his family can get away and enjoy time being a family. A memorial celebration will be February 19, 2022 at 2pm in Cleveland TX. The service will be held at, Country Cowboy Church, 1518 CR 318, (New Salem). Immediately following the service there will be a celebration of life party at Krista and Missy’s
house, just down the street from the church. We will have brisket and the trimmings, you bring your own adult beverage of choice. We are going to party for David, like David would want us to party.
Michael Eugene Attaway
Michael (Mike) Eugene Attaway, Jr. died peacefully Monday January 31, 2022 at his home on Lake Livingston after a courageous battle with cancer. Mike was born April 11, 1947 in Sour Lake, Texas to, Jodi (Elsia Elkins) and Eugene Attaway. He attended Hardin Jefferson High School where, per his own recollection, he was the first student athlete to dunk a basketball. He played football at Tyler Junior College and the University of Houston where he earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. As a child growing up in Sour Lake, he was surrounded by family, animals, and had enumerable mischievous adventures with friends and cousins. He was known to bring home
baby alligators, snakes, raccoons, and other wildlife to raise as pets. He loved his childhood horse “Blue” and telling stories about his childhood in Sour Lake. He began a career in the oil and gas industry which took him to Louisiana, Oklahoma, and ultimately a return to Texas. In the 1990’s he transitioned to work the environmental remediation field. As Vice President of Latin American business for GSE (now Solmax) he traveled extensively to Central and South America where he fell in love with the people and cultures he encountered. In the later part of his career, he managed large scale disaster cleanups from oil spills, hurricanes, and floods. His love of travel and adventure was also evident in his personal life. Nothing brought Mike greater joy than exploring a ghost town in Colorado, driving old Jeep trails looking for mines, teaching his grandkids to fish, and dragging kids around the lake on tubes until they fell off in a dramatic fashion. He spent many years living in Kingwood, Texas and returned to Sour Lake, Texas where he served on the Hardin Jefferson ISD school board for 18 years. He lived in Sour Lake until his retirement when he moved full time to Lake Livingston. He loved
Walker County Press-Page 10
following his grandkids’ sports teams, athletes from Hardin Jefferson, and student athletes from his sonin-law’s career. HIs adventurous spirit and love of God’s creatures carried forward into adulthood where he was known to spoil his pets and develop trusting relationships with the wild birds living outside his home on the lake that he shared with his wife of 49 years, Cheryl Attaway. A doting husband, his true dedication was to her and the life they created together. They spent decades caring for elderly family members and enjoyed their life together traveling, fishing, being grandparents, and spending time with their close community of neighbors. Mike is preceded in death by his parents, Jodi and Eugene, inlaws Bill and Vera Provost and brothers-inlaw Billy and Robert Chambers. He leaves behind his wife Cheryl (Chambers) Attaway and children Amy Attaway Miller and husband Scott, Marcus Attaway and wife Tami, Anne Attaway Spears and husband Kenyon, brother Joseph Attaway and sister Mary Frances (Sissie) Pricer, along with grandchildren Jessica Miller, Steven Miller, Julia (Miller) Roberts and husband Ryan, Jacob Miller and
wife Caitlin, Brendan Reavis and wife Taylor, Ross Reavis, Mary Chambless, Eli Chambless, great grandchildren Ella Miller, Eli Miller, Bridget Roberts, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. The family will hold a private service honoring Mike at a later date.
Loretta Lea Murray
Loretta Murray, 80, passed away on February 3, 2022, in Huntsville, TX. Loretta was born on January 15, 1942 in San Antonio, TX, to Lester and Ella Oleta Holmes. Loretta graduated from Robert E. Lee High school in Baytown, Texas in 1960 and went on to attend Sam Houston State University where she was a twirler. She started her career as a Legal Secretary and went on to work as a District Court Coordinator for Walker County where she later retired. Loretta married Guinn “Hootie” Murray on April 15, 1961 in Huntsville, Texas. The couple went on to have 3 children, Marva, Sharla and Kerry. Loretta was best known for her kind heart, glowing
Walker County Press-Page 11 personality and being a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, lovingly known as our cute little Nana. Loretta is survived by Guinn “Hootie” Murray - husband, Marva Murray - Daughter, Sharla Murray Osborn - Daughter, Kerry Murray - Son, Anna Murray - Daughter-InLaw, Meagan Osborn
Community
- Granddaughter, Paige Osborn - Granddaughter, Garrett Butcher Grandson, Easton Osborn - Great Grandson, Kendall Wheeler - Great Grandson and Brecklyn Osborn - Great Granddaughter Loretta is preceded in death by Lester Holmes - Father, Ella Oleta Holmes Mother, Lester Holmes Jr. - Brother and Ryan
Osborn - Grandson. The family would ask you to consider Memorial donations made in Loretta’s name to: The Sam Houston Athletic Department (The Hootie Murray Scholarship Fund) at 620 Bowers Blvd., C/O Athletic Department, Huntsville, Texas 77340.
Thursday February 10, 2022
Kiwanis Pancake Supper Fundraiser What do maple syrup and butter have in common? Pancakes! The annual Kiwanis Pancake Supper Fundraiser is returning to Huntsville Public Library! Join us from 5-7 p.m. on Friday February 18 in the Staggs
Community Room for the timeless favorite of all-you-can-eat pancakes.Tickets are $5 per person and include pancakes, sausages and choice of beverage. Proceeds from this event will benefit literacy efforts at Huntsville
Public Library. Tickets can be purchased in advance from Huntsville Kiwanis Club members or at the event. For more information please contact Children’s Coordinator Baillie Pretzer at 936-291-5910.
What are my Options? Medicare/Medicaid Information regarding available insurance plans for those eligible for Medicare can quickly become overwhelming. Huntsville Public Library will host an
informational session at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 15 in the Nash Board Room. Join industry specialist Keri Harvie to learn more about your options and
the details of the various programs. Register at myhuntsvillelibrary. com or contact Adult Services Coordinator Mary Kokot at 936294-5471.
Walker County Press-Page 12
Lifestyle
Sunday Observations by Christy
Yesterday as Mom and I were coming home from the grocery store, I had a truck following so closely I thought he was trying to hitch a ride in my back seat. Mom mentioned how bad the drivers seem today, and I said, it’s lack of respect. Across the board. On everything. I don’t care what the issue is, what problem we are facing, if you simply respect your fellow man, you can improve the situation. I didn’t say like
them. I said respect. Seriously, we could improve our world ten fold by doing that one thing. Did you know when you tailgate, and drive aggressively you show no respect for someone else’s life? I commonly say, hey you want to kill yourself get after it, but don’t take me with you! Did you know when you rush a store and take more product than you need, you have no respect for others? That maybe
taking what you need allows others to get what they need? Did you know when you try to force your personal opinion on those who differ from you, you have no respect for others? Their right to their own thoughts and beliefs? The list is endless, but I promise you, increased respect for others, will only help our society. I challenge you, look at any situation, and if a little respect for a fellow human beings thoughts, beliefs, and lives was added, 9/10 of the time the outcome would be better. I don’t understand how we have reached this point. That our thoughts are the only ones that are right. That we are the smartest, most worthy, human being. That no one else has a thought that might have relevance. That everyone that doesn’t believe and act as we do, must be stupid. Who made you the know all of all? It all makes a huge circle, back to respect. Are parents even teaching respect for others anymore?
Wait….. that’s the origin of the problem. Because if your toddler hears you constantly telling others how stupid they are, or belittling someone, talking trash behind their backs….. guess what you just taught your toddler??? THAT DISRESPECT IS
Thursday February 10, 2022
ACCEPTABLE. So don’t be shocked when your teen is a hot mess of a smart mouth. Whew!!! Happy Sunday peeps. Can we reinstate respect? Teach tolerance? Maybe have a class on “if you have nothing nice to say then say nothing”? Maybe
an ap that shuts our phone off if we are rude online? Name a problem….. I promise respect will either solve it….. or lessen the blow. You are not superior to me, nor am I to you. I just respect you enough to allow you to live your life. Now, can I live mine?
WOODS, WATERS, and WILDLIFE
FEBRUARY FREEZE AND TROUT By John Jefferson
But, Baby, it got cold last week! And it carried over into this week. It got almost as cold as the one in February 2021, but it didn’t last as long. We didn’t have as much ice and snow, and the sun helped by coming out more. We recently cut down a big, dead limb on our mulberry tree and added it to our woodpile which already had a pickup full of fresh firewood in it from our January foray, so our furniture was never in danger of becom-
ing fuel this year. And our electricity kept working throughout the current freeze! Water was another matter. The City of Austin had assured us that they had everything under control … but they didn’t. We’re presently under a “boil water” order. What I don’t know at this point is whether the Texas coast suffered enough to inflict more damage to an already diminished speckled trout population from last year’s fish-killing freeze. You’ll recall that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission took emergency action on March
24, 2021, temporarily altering spotted seatrout regulations in response to the significant fish kill that resulted from February 2021’s severe freeze. Some 3.8 million fish were killed in that extended freeze, including 61 species. Spotted sea trout, commonly known as speckled trout -- or just as “specks” -- were significantly hammered. A species doesn’t recover overnight from that type of carnage. To assist in a speedy recovery, TPWD reduced the daily limit for speckled trout in the Upper and Lower Laguna Madre to three and the slot
Walker County Press-Page 13
limit became 17-23 inches. Those rules expired on September 27, 2021. Additional research by the TPWD Coastal Fisheries Division deemed it necessary to reenact the rules for the Laguna Madre (Upper and Lower) and expanded the geographic area of lowered bag
limit and new slot limit. All Coastal waters from FM 457 in Sargent southward to the Rio Grande River were proposed to be included in the new emergency regulations. At the January 2022 TPW Commission meeting, these new rules were adopted. They affect all
Lifestyle
coastal waters south of Sargent including Matagorda Bay, San Antonio Bay, Aransas Bay, Corpus Christi Bay, and the Upper and Lower Laguna Madre systems. The rules are said to become effective March 10, but there seems to be a possibility of a change in effective date. Stay tuned. These rules will expire August 31, 2023, at which time the regulations revert to the pre-February 14, 2021 rules. The goal of this measure is to leave more spawning-age trout in the bays for two spawning seasons helping trout populations recover as quickly as possible. Personally, I hope all guides and anglers will endorse the new rules for the sake of helping Nature and TPW’s hatcheries restock what the freezing weather brutally annihilated. Everybody along the coast Speckled trout, shown here on the line that I’ve talked to of Jim Friebele, retired Rockport fishing guide, are one of the most popular sportfish has verbally signed on to it. in the Texas bays. The jury is still out on what effect last week’s storm had on trout. Trout usually go to deeper water to ride My only responsive source said the temout freezes. Let’s perature didn’t go as low as in 2021 and hope they did and didn’t last as long below freezing. Trout survived the recent usually head for deeper, warmer water to one. survive cold weather. Let’s hope that’s the case this year. Photo by John Jefferson.
Thursday February 10, 2022
Breathe In; Breathe Out
I was talking with a friend about a difficult issue I was dealing with. It seemed no matter what decision I made, it was going to have substantial consequences. The friend simply said back to me, “Breathe in; breathe out, Danny. That’s all you can do. The Lord will take of it.” “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your on understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) Danny R. Biddy, Chaplain: Chambers County Sheriff’s Office & Fellowship of Christian Cowboys
Lifestyle
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Thursday February 10, 2022
Disclaimer: This column is the opinion of Publisher Wade A. Thibodeaux and may contain subject matter on a variety of topics, but usually contains humor of some description. An occasional serious thought may be thrown in to entice the reader to think.
Well, we have had our week’s worth of Winter this last week and hopefully Mother Nature will return to our normal seasonal mild conditions for the remainder of the next couple of months. Then, about April, Summer will arrive and it will be hot until about December. Anyway, I hope that everybody survived last week’s cold weather and judging by the pretty much fully stocked plumbing aisle at Home Depot, I’m guessing that most people fared fairly well. I was at my Thursday morning leads meeting in Huntsville and I was sitting between two guys that were discussing whether or not to send their employees home due to the possibility of the roads becoming difficult to travel and I was thinking to myself that if the predicted weather arrived and the roads iced over I would be out there taking pictures of all of the vehicles in the ditch due
to the inexperienced Texas ice drivers. However, most of the bad stuff stayed to the North of us and our roads remained clear and navigable. That didn’t stop me though, I stayed in the house where it was warm all day Friday and waited until it warmed up enough Saturday to poke my nose out of the cozy confines of my living room. When I did venture out Saturday, it was pretty pleasant and only became nicer as the day materialized. I ventured up to check on cows in Elkhart and I was fully expecting to have at least one broken pipe as I had not had the time to turn the water off and drain the pipes, but luckily, nothing was broken and all of the cows were happy to see me. In fact, it was such a pleasant day that one of the cows was sleeping in the sunlight as I drove up and I thought she was dead. I drove my truck up to about 10 feet from her and I got out and moved one
of her outstretched legs. She raised her head and kind of opened one eye and then laid her head back on the ground and then I thought she was dying. All of a sudden she must have realized that a person was standing close to her and she jumped to her feet and scurried off about 40 feet away and looked at me with this look on her face that said “How dare you wake me from my nap”. I was glad to see that everybody made it through the cold weather and I put out several rolls of hay and came home. Last week, I talked about something that I had never done before and this week I’m going to do that again. No, I’m not going to hug a Congressman again, I’m going to talk about a first for me again. Being of Cajun descent, I’ve eaten a lot of gumbo in my time, but I’ve always had either chicken and sausage gumbo or seafood gumbo. However, this last
week with the weather being so cold outside, I stayed inside and I cooked quite a bit. Friday night I cooked a shrimp gumbo and we ate all that we could, but we still had quite a bit of juice left. We ate most of the shrimp, but we still had some shrimp and a lot of juice so I just put it in the fridge and figured I would sort it out later. Due to my cow excursion on Saturday, I was running late and it was time to cook dinner. I thought to
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myself, I wonder what would happen if I just added some sausage to that leftover shrimp gumbo. And, I did. I poured the leftovers into a pot and turned the heat on while I was cutting up a sausage link and adding it to the mixture. I let it boil and then let it simmer for about 30 minutes while I made a pot of rice and that stuff was pretty good. It was so good that I kept the leftovers from that batch and had it again Sunday night. My
Mother always said that you were not supposed to reheat gumbo more than once, but it’s been about four hours and I’m not feeling any ill effects from third time gumbo so we will see what happens. The moral of the story is ......Don’t be afraid to try something new. I’ve lived almost six decades and never had shrimp and sausage gumbo, but I kinda like it. Till next time, I’m........... Wade in the Shade.
Want Ads
Walker County Press-Page 15 C O R N H O L E BOARDS, custom made, ACA standards, “no bag bounce”, high quality, unfinished, with folding legs or on wheels! $180.00$210.00 . Also custom drink stands $80 pair. Call for details Gerald Barosh 936.524.0480 Huntsville, Texas 1712 Sq Ft by owner. 2
or 3 BR, 2 bath, .67 acre backs up to 1100 acre public park. $178K, text 936-661-9221 for photos and more info For Sale: Bradford, Brangus, and Hereford bulls. Call 713-8755703 2001 Dodge Dually. One owner, 174000
miles. Runs good, gets good mileage. $16,000.00. Motivated seller. 936-662-6651 24” GAS LOGS Available with all parts needed for layering as required. $50.00 Contact in Huntsville - 936-6627575.
Thursday February 10, 2022
100 Year old upright PIANO. Some use the decorative wood front panels to make a large office desk. Call 936662-7575 LARGE BURLS ON ELM TREE for wood carvers. Will discuss tree removal. Call 936662-7575
Generac Home Standby generators with transfer switches 1 17kw, 1-15kw, 1-12kw preowned 936 295-4091 2008 F150 Pickup, super low miles, solid motor, almost new tires & battery, only serious inquiries. $9500. 936200-9033
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Thursday February 10, 2022
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Walker County Press-Page 16
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