Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 201, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 19, 2017 Page: 4 of 46
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Denton Record-Chronicle and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
STATE
4A
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Denton Record-Chronicle
Company left victims without new roofs
BRIEFLY
ACROSS THE STATE
Grand Prairie
Officer fatally shoots
murder suspect
Police say a North Texas officer
responding to a disturbance call
fatally shot a suspect later identi-
fied as a man charged in the De-
cember death of his girlfriend.
Grand Prairie police Detec-
tive Mark Beseda on Saturday
said 30-year-old Joshua Henry
faced a murder charge in Tar-
rant County. Records show
Henry was free on $100,000
bond in the fatal shooting of Ni-
cole Blahitka of Fort Worth.
Beseda says an officer Friday
night responded to a distur-
bance call from a person report-
ing a male relative destroying
property. Beseda says an officer
arrived, the suspect became bel-
ligerent and the two had a phys-
ical altercation.
Scam exposed
Badger, who exposed the
scheme, tells The Watchdog:
“This is exactly why licensing is
needed. With licensing there is
an administrative remedy to
quickly stop the crooks. The
licensing statute would prohibit
unauthorized practices and any
other illegal conduct
Licensed contractors could
promptly have licenses yanked
for violations of the licensing
act,” Badger says. “They would
be out of business. Now there is
no way to stop House of To-
morrow until my lawsuit gets
through the courts and they
eventually declare bankruptcy.”
Garcia filed two previous
bankruptcies. He’s not working
now, he testified. “Just laying
In the midst of the crime
spree that is today’s Texas roof-
ing industry; we now find one
of the region’s great roofing
schemes of all time.
Almost a hundred home-
owners in Arlington, Fort
Worth and Dallas that we
know of lost a combined total
of $400,000 they paid for new
roofs in hail damage insurance
claims. They won’t see their
money. They won’t get their
roofs. And most likely, there are
many more victims.
Most of them are Hispanic
and low-income, some elderly,
often in modest homes. In
other words, those least able to
afford a loss.
The roofing company, now
closed, was called House of
Tomorrow. The key operator
appears to be Jorge Garcia, 45.
He has homes in Cedar Hill,
Houston and Cypress.
I nominate him as this
week’s Watchdog example of
why we need a roofers/contrac-
tors license bill passed in the
2017 Texas Legislature. So far,
not one lawmaker has in-
troduced such a bill.
Garcia, through his lawyer,
declined an interview.
His wife, Zulma Pineda, is
listed as company owner. Gar-
cia described her in a deposi-
tion he gave this month as a
figurehead.
Asked in his deposition
what victims should be told,
Garcia answered, “We feel very
sorry about it. That wasn’t the
design. We had every attempt
to help them, like we had thou-
ABOUT THIS
COLUMN
The Watchdog Desk works for you
to shine light on questionable
practices in business and
government. We welcome your
story ideas and tips.
Dave Lieber
Contact The Watchdog
Email:
watchdog@dallasnews.com
Call: 214-977-2952
Write: Dave Lieber, P.0. Box
655237, Dallas, TX 75265
spections that led to marketing
materials in both English and
Spanish. Promises of a “no-cost
roof’ were made.
THE WATCHDOG
COMMENTARY
sands and thousands of cus-
tomers prior to them.... I feel
really bad about it, you know”
Lawyers involved in a law-
suit against House of Tomor-
row say that the Tarrant Coun-
ty district attorney’s office and
the Texas Department of Insur-
ance are investigating. The DAs
office says the Insurance De-
partment is leading the probe.
TDI has declined to comment.
Almost one victim a day
calls the Dallas law office of
Steven J. Badger, who is suing
the principals of House of
Tomorrow and its predecessor,
Lambcorp.
“These people cry when
they call my office,” he says of
the victims. “Their roofs are
leaking, and their insurance
money is gone. I don’t know
what to tell them. It’s sad.”
He sketched out the opera-
tion in his lawsuit Garcia
appears to be somewhat of a
marketing genius. The opera-
tion he conceived and the
employees he trained fanned
out to find homeowners, some
of whom didn’t need a new
roof. It began with roof in-
Problem contracts
Reps persuaded home-
owners to sign contracts that
forced homeowners to turn
over all insurance checks to the
roofing company. The company
then negotiated with insurance
companies and took care of
deductibles, both acts illegal
under Texas law.
Reps later told homeowners
they needed more money from
their insurance company, and
that they needed to hire public
adjusters and lawyers to help
them. Often, this wasn’t true,
Badger charges. Enough insur-
ance money to cover a roof was
in place. Still, House of Tomor-
row created an affiliated public
adjuster company and referred
everyone there.
Badger also charges in his
lawsuit that the company par-
ticipated in illegal lawyer re-
ferral fees.
In response, Garcia told
Badger in his deposition,
“You’re very good at twisting
things that aren’t really there.”
“I’ll take that as a compli-
ment,” Badger replied, accord-
ing to a video.
“You’ll come up empty,”
Garcia vowed.
By the time the 2-year-old
company closed last summer,
Badger said in an interview,
“Homeowners receive nothing.
Their roofs are not repaired or
replaced. Defendants don’t
answer their calls. These home-
owners never hear from them
low’
Join us
More than 600 readers
have sent The Watchdog an
email asking to be included in
our “people power” campaign
to keep informed about a select
few pro-consumer issues at the
2017 Texas Legislature. Roof-
ers/contractors licensing is a
big one.
If you believe Texas should
join our sister Gulf Coast states
that already license their roofers
and contractors, send an email
to watchdog@dallasnews.com.
We’U look for that legislative
bill (none yet!) and keep you
informed about how to jump in
the game and fight for it
Staff writei' Manna Trahan
Martinez contributed to this
report.
Dallas
Hundreds rally in support
of immigrants, refugees
again.
Garcia’s lawyer, Jason Richer-
son, gives his clients side: ‘At the
end of the day, there wasn’t
enough money to put the roofe
on, and he got sued into poverty.
I don’t think there was any
intent of fraud on his part”
He adds, “Then the question
comes, what happens to the little
money that was paid out? I
haven’t figured that out as well.”
Garcia admitted in his dep-
osition that he hasn’t filed a tax
Police estimate about 1,700
people have rallied in downtown
Dallas in a peaceful show7 of sup-
port for immigrants and refu-
gees.
The Dallas Morning News
reports religious and civic lead-
ers were among those Saturday
protesting President Donald
Trump’s immigration policies.
Dallas police report the
crowd gathered along streets
and near the John F. Kennedy
Memorial Plaza. Officer Diana
return for the past two years.
He estimated his 2016 income
at $80,000.
That could be a problem.
Flores says there were no arrests.
— The Associated Press
Grad students hold
conferences in
bars to avoid guns
HOME DECOR 5021
fi
if
Categories Listed
Does not include Seasonal Department
Knobs, Drawer Pulls & Handles Glass Decor
Decorative Bottles
Fruit & vegetable filled
Candle Holders
Wall and table
Glass Department, floral glass vases and craft glass containers
Does not include craft stained glass or glass tabletops
Wood Decor
Decorative Memo Boards,
Chalkboards & Corkboards
Priced $24.99 & Up
Metal Decor
Metal wall decor, functional & decorative metal accessories
(Includes metal containers in our Floral & Craft Departments)
Does not include furniture
Wood wall decor and finished
decorative wood accessories
Does not include furniture
or unfinished craft wood
Collage Frames
Trays, Coasters & Place Mats
AUSTIN - A 2016 Texas law
that allows concealed handguns
on college campuses has
prompted some graduate stu-
dents to move their student con-
ferences to bars, a newspaper re-
ported Saturday.
Several University of Texas at
Austin graduate students made
the move amid safety concerns,
the Houston Chronicle reports.
Mark Sheridan, who’s also an
English doctoral student, said
he moved his office hours to a
bar in the university student
center. Texas law bans firearms
in venues that primarily serve al-
cohol.
bar guns from those rooms,
though faculty can keep guns
out of their offices. University
leaders say graduate students
have long been permitted to
hold office hours off campus.
“The university did not track
it then, and that did not change
with the new7 law;” university
spokesman J.B. Bird said.
Texas has allowed concealed
carry since 1995, but kept college
campuses gun-free until last Au-
gust
Men’s Metal & Wood Decor
Wall and table
Decorative Lanterns,
Birdcages & Terrariums Framed & Canvas Art
Wicker, Decorative Boxes & Storage
Does not Include large trunks or craft & paper crafts storage
Summer, St Patrick’s, Easter and items labeled The Spring Shop™ are not included in Home Decor sale.
Items Labeled
EASTER PARTY,
CRAFTS & DECORATIONS
SUMMER
ST. PATRICK’S
THE SPRING SHOP
TM
TOYS
30£
m
40% n
‘tUOFF
Plush Animals,
Paper Plates & Napkins, 'U
Home Decor, Baskets,
Plastic Eggs and More
Doos not include candy or fabric
Decorations, Party
Supplies, Crafts and More
Does not Include fabric
Indudea Lithe Wishes*
Statuary,
Garden Planters,
Gazing Balls,
Garden Wall Decor
and More
B
v
!!#• ■ J » Ml
“You’re usurping the intent of
the Legislature. You are a gradu-
ate teaching assistant, an em-
ployee of the state, and your
work should be performed... on
state property” said Michael
Newbem, a spokesman for Stu-
dents for Concealed Carry.
A Houston Chronicle review
m
FLORAL50S
YARN & NEEDLE ART
FURNITURE
ALWAYS
Twice a week, in the Cactus
Cafe & Bar, Sheridan meets with
students in his spring class,
Rhetoric of U.S. Exceptionalism.
“If I want to work at a place
that bans guns,” Sheridan said
recently, “the bar seems like the
safest bet for me.”
Graduate students at the uni-
versity share offices and cannot
30k
Categories Listed
2.66
I Love This Cotton!"
3&3.5CK
Does not indude Seasonal Department
' items labeled ‘’floral accents'
Ribbon & Trims by the Roll
Ribbon, bows, tulle & deco mesh In our Wedding, Floral
and Fabric Departments
Does not include ribbon, trim or tulle sold by the yard
Floral Arrangements
Flowering and greenery
Does not include custom designs or potted trees
Garlands, Swags, Wreaths & Teardrops
Flowering and greenery
THE MARKED PRICE*
Artiste’Floss & Threads
305
302 .
25» 4
Wedding
Cotton floss & craft thread packs, nylon crochet
threads and crochet cotton
Items Labeled
Studio His & Hers®
Invitations,
toasting glasses,
ring pillows,
cake toppers and more
*
of university records plus inter-
views found three firearm dis-
charges on public college cam-
puses, in the first six months of
the law7
Premium Poly Foam, Nu-Foam*
& Smart Foam
I
r
Yamofogtf’ Knit & Crochet Tools
and Notions
□
FRAMES 50.
CRAFTS30^
II
Categories Listed
Categories Listed
Mosaic Tile, Gems, Chips & Stones
Department of Justice
cites hiring freeze
concerns for disabled
2 oz Acrylic Paint
Photo Frames
Always 50% off
the marked price*
Our entire selection of basic
& fashion tabletop frames
and wooden photo storage
Custom Frames
Always 50% off
the marked price*
Applies to frame only
£1
Americana®, Ceramcoat®
FolkArt® and Anita’s™
Candle Wax, Candle Gel &
Glycerin Soap
'm
Shea butter, goafs milk, olive oil, coconut oil soap and
avocado cucumber soap
Children’s Activity Kits,
Paint & Pencil by
Number Kits and
Fuzzy Posters
Priced $4.99 & Up
*n,n Min
’Vat lUllltf
' I lilipilll
.•trwoiUiJ
NIJIE Hints
Wall Frames
Poster, document and
portrait frames with glass
T-Shirts
Always 30% off the marked price*
Youth & adult t-shirts, sweatshirts. Infant & toddler t-shirts
Collage Frames
creepers and dresses
ART SUPPLIES 30£
PAPER CRAFTS
:
AUSTIN - The U.S. Depart-
ment of Justice has questioned
how Gov. Greg Abbott’s hiring
freeze could affect Texas institu-
tions for people with intellectual
disabilities.
Justice Department officials
say potential staffing shortages
could cause Texas to violate its
federal agreement to improve the
facilities, the Austin American-
Statesman reported Saturday.
Abbott, faced with a budget
crisis, on Jan. 31 ordered a state
agency hiring freeze through
August to free up about $200
million for the current fiscal
course, potentially places the state
in breach of its court-ordered
commitments in this case,” Jus-
tice Department lawyer Benja-
min O. Tayloe Jr. wrote.
The Texas Health and Hu-
man Services Commission has a
filed waiver request with Ab-
bott’s office.
“Providing safe, quality care
at our state hospitals and SSLCs
is our top priority, and we’ll con-
tinue to work with the gover-
nor’s office to ensure we take the
best possible care of our pa-
tients,” commission spokes-
woman Carrie Williams said.
Abbott spokesman John
Wittman said the governor’s of-
fice has already been working to
make sure the living centers
aren’t negatively affected by the
hiring freeze.
“The Justice Department’s
letter clearly misunderstands
the governor’s directive on the
hiring freeze,” Wittman said.
“The directive exempts from the
hiring freeze ‘positions that have
a direct impact on public safety’
Safety obviously includes the
well-being of patients and those
being treated by state supported
living centers.”
WAtpWGLOP
Most Categories Listed
32x 40Acid Free Matboards Art Pencils &
Pastel Sets
Priced $9.99 & Up
I /T?p§
life
50k
Gemstones
by the Paper Studio'
Over 300 stytss
1
Tim Holtz* Products
30£
White core
Black oore
Metallic
Inks, paper, stamps,
embellishments and more
HGnrM
7.99 9.99 9.99
Cards, Tags & Cf1%
Envelopes UUOFF
by the Paper Studio’
Punches &
Punch Sets
Cricut' Cartridges Q fl %
& Accessories O U dff
Foam Boards
All colors
2-Pack Canvas
6 Sizes available
8x10
Cutting mats, replacement blades, tools
totes and more
11x14
16x20
m
Art Brush Sets
Priced $5.99 & Up
Does not include machines
3.99 5.99 7.99
JEWELRY MAKING50£
FABRIC
Categories Listed
Explorer by Traditions" Sworovski
Pendants, beads and filigrees
inspired by world travels
50«
50k
30£
S Home
B Decor Fabric
Sew-ology*
Sewing Notions
Ribbon, Trim &
Tulle Spools
Does not include ribbon,
trim or tullo sold by tho yard
or Seasonal Department
mm
TM
* Jl ¥
Prints, solids,
sheers and
laminated fabric
Create Your Style"1 beads and f I attack stones
Does not include hotfix stones
ALWAYS
30k
■ 'fe-v
r Tv-
4 4
Beads
Fleece
Prints, solids and
microfiber
Bead Stringing
by OnACorcT, On A String** On A Wire'
Color Gallery™, Brilliance,
Bead Treasures', Traditions™
and Czech Glass Beads
year. The directive applies only
to agencies under Abbott’s office
and allows exemptions. The
freeze does not apply to position
with direct influence on public
safety.
THE MARKED PRICE*
Calico Prints
& Solids
Timeline by Bead Treasures’
From the Gilded Age to the Pop Age
Introducing Components by DC Comics*
4
Spring Apparel
Fabric
Metal Gallery
TM
* * *
JiJ.il
Apparel prints and batiks
Does not include sterling silver
* Discounts provided every day; marked prices reflect comparable prices offered by other sellers for similar products.
HOBBY LOBBY
STORE HOURS:
9 A.M.-8 P.M.
CLOSED SUNDAY
The Justice Department, in a
Feb. 7 response, said Texas sup-
ported living centers, or SSLCs,
already have serious problems
with turnover. Failure to fill jobs
would put the facilities “on course
to rapidly reach crisis levels of un-
derstaffing,” the letter said.
“Thus the freeze threatens the
HOBBY
LOBBY
40$
PRICES GOOD IN STORES MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25,2017.
PRICES GOOD ONUNE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25,2017.
SOME ADVERTISED FTEMS NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE. SALES SUBJECT TO SUPPLY IN STOCK.
SELECTION AND QUANTITIES VARY BY STORE. AD DOES NOT APPLY TO PRE-REDUCED ITEMS.
Super Savings, Super Selection!
Offer good for
customer per day. Must present coupon at time of purchase Offer
Is not valid with any other coupon, discount or previous purchase.
One cut
Online fabric & trim discount is limited to 10 yards, singl
Exdudes Heidi Swapp* Mine1" Foil Applicator, CRICl/T
Gemini Machine™ Crafters Companion, Silhouette CAMEO* Machine,
candy & snack products, gum & mints, helium tanks, gift cards,
custom orders, labor, rentals or class fees. Cash Value VIOL
VALID THROUGH FEBRUARY 25,2017
Item at regular price only. Limit one coupon per
DENTON
S. Loop 288 & Colorado Blvd.
2217 S. Loop 288
One Item at
Regular Price
COUPON CODE:
1746
bolt of fabric or trim vby the yard” equals one Item
le cut
products,
Coupon For In Store or Online Use!
basic health and safety of the peo-
ple in the SSLCs’ care and, of
SHOP ANYTIME AT HOBBYLOBBY.COM
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Parks, Scott K. Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 201, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 19, 2017, newspaper, February 19, 2017; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1131796/m1/4/?rotate=90: accessed July 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .