The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 144, Ed. 1 Friday, April 18, 2003 Page: 4 of 30
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Friday, April 38,2003
Friday, April 18
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Opinions
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David Bloom, Managing Editor
Wanda Gamer Cash, Editor and Publisher
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Mont Belvieu mess
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Guest column
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Atdesey’s service underfines Capitol community
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High Court rules on cross burning
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Letters to the editor
Troops, live for the Lord every day of your life
RIG
Government officials
About Us
phone number not for publication should be
I
We fi
AKALEI
for differentiating between expres-
sion and racial intimidation.
The despicable practice of burning
a cross in a field or a yard was the
Today ’s editorial was written by
David Bloom, managing editor of
The Baytown Sun, on behalf of the
newspaper’s editorial board.
lie from those appointed or elected
to serve them.
Corporation that oversaw a half-
cent sales tax used for economic
Guest columns should include a photograph
of the writer. We publish only original materi-
al addressed to The Baytown Sun bearing
God bless the injured service
men and women.
Jesus loves you all very much.
And he is able to mend all your
an ombudsman, to allow people
down in the engine room of gov-
said, “Folks, am I the only one
who feels this way?”
“You’re fired!" The reportprs
chorused. And when they left
Laredo the next day, there was a
different pilot.
Cliff Johnson, a former legisla-
tor who’s been on the staff of
three governors, is fond of saying,
the pilot, “You’re fired.” To which
the pilot responded, “You can’t
fire me.”
Attlesey said, “Yes I can. The
press is paying for this plane.” He
Dave McNeely is a political
writer for the Austin Amedrican-
emments who sense something
going wrong to have it checked
out.
Sam built those relationships by
treating everybody with respect,
regardless of who they were. That
is, until they showed they didn’t
deserve it. In 1990, a pilot, flying
a press plane for Republican gov-
ernor candidate Claytie Williams,
objected to Attlesey and other
reporters passing around a wine
bottle as the plane was approach-
ing Laredo after a long day.
When they landed, the normally
ed to one per month. All letters and guest
columns subject to editing.
The Sun reserves the right to refuse to
publish any submission.
Letters endorsing or opposing political
candidates or Issues will not be published
within two days of an election, except in
direct rebuttal to a letter previously pub-
lished in The Baytown Sun. Please send
signed letters to: Wanda Gamer Cash or
David Bloom, The Baytown Sun, P.O. Box
90, Baytown, TX 77522.
Or, fax them to: (281) 427-1880. Or,
email us at: sunnews@baytownsun.com.
281-424-2300
District 5 - Ronnie Anderson
281-427-9084
District 6 - Coleman Godwin
281-422-4733
Members serve a twoyear term.
Council meets on second and fourth
Thursdays of each month at 6:30
p.m. at City Hall.
Dave
McNeely
NM
ll£O
VOW
5AYW!
Goose Creek CISD
Goose Creek Administration
Bldg.
4544 Interstate 10 East
P.O. Box 30
Baytown, Texas 77522
281-4204800
Superintendent
Barbara Sultis
Board of Trustees
District 1 - Phelitria Barnes
2814264256
District 2 - Rosa Rodriguez
281420-2550
District 3 - Weston Cotten
281426-5384
District 4 - James Lewis
281428-7360
District 5 - Clarence Albus
281421-5896
District 6 - Jepp Busch
281422-8898
District 7 - Steve Fischer
281420-1370
Members serve a 3 year term.
Board meets on second and
fourth Mondays of each month
at 6:30 p.m.
City of Baytown
City Had
2401 Market St.
Baytown, Texas 77520
281422-8281
City Manager
Gary Jackson
2814206501
Mayor
Pete Alfaro
2814206500
City Council
District 1 - Mercedes Renteria III
2814209796
District 2 - Scott Sheley
281422-8008
District 3 - Calvin Mundinger
2814249289- •
District 4 - Don Murray
my daughter, Miracle Angel,
salute you and honor you all this
day. As we keep you all in our
prayers, keep us in your prayers.
Love you all very much.
Karen A. Doughty
and Miracle A. Jordan
La Porte
W JSaptoton &tm
Founded 1922
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IN KWL
HOA
FREE
Equity, Cq
4721 Gar
28lJ
Licensed Mcl
Fred Hartman, Publisher Emeritus
1950-1974
Ifeaah
r M to many people, a burning
I cross has been a misguided
JL symbol — emblematic of one
Let us hear from you .»
The Baytown Sun welcomes letters of up
to 300 words and guest columns of up to
500 words on any item of public interest.
jugate blacks who dared to step out
of line. ___o_____________-j r---------
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 free speech, we applaud the justices
decision, recently upheld a Virginia
statute banning cross burnings.
The high court ruled that a burn-
ing cross is an instrument of racial
terror so threatening it overshadows sole intent to force ones will over
free-speech concerns.
The justices uphold a 50-year-old
Virginia law making it a crime to
burn a cross as an act of intimida-
another. America was not founded
on intimidation.
— Delta Democrat Times,
Greenville, Miss.
tion. A lower federal court had ruled
the law muzzled free speech.
What is more telling is the opinion
segment of society’s will over anoth- authored by Clarence Thomas who
er. The racist practice had been used equated cross burnings as nothing
by the Ku Klux Klan, and other but a systemic “reign of terror” on
supremacist groups as a tool to sub- blacks. While the high court has
upheld the burning of the American
flag as constitutionally protected
Eagle Pointe Golf Course and
Recreation Complex (which
reviewed construction costs that
almost doubled from $12.5 million
ond term, stating that the “majority to more than $22 million); the pub-
of council did not share my ideas.”
However noble the intention, it is
unfortunate for the residents of
Certainly, council has been mfred
in a many disputes: the financial
anybody ’s yardstick the downs have condition and subsequent audit of
clearly outnumbered the ups. The
low point came Monday after
Mayor Lonnie Follis abruptly
resigned midway through his sec-
confront Mont Belvieu s growth
issues.
With a new city administrator,
and a new mayor and finance direc-
tor on the horizon, we hope the
remaining council members resolve
to put aside any personal differ-
ences and start working together for
the common good. ,
Anything short of that leaves
I’ve been asked recently why
I’m not an “embedded” reporter
with a military battalion in Iraq.
“Can’t,” I’ve replied, joking.
“I’m embedded in the Texas
Legislature.”
But at a memorial service last
week, I realized I was serious.
Decades of working around politi-
cians and journalists has given me
a deep respect for the devoted
people who make democracy
work.
Sam Attlesey, 56, covered poli-
tics for the Lubbock Avalanche-
Journal and The Dallas Morning
News for three decades. He died
of lung cancer April 2. He came
to the the Texas capitol in 1985.
He became a fixture covering
every legislative session and
major statewide race, and several
presidential races. The Legislative his beloved smoky ol’ barroom,
Reference Library has almost
3,000 of Sam’s stories and
columns on file.
The crowd in the Texas Senate
chamber where Sam spent thou-
sands of hours included Gov.
Rick Perry, a Republican; former
Gov. Mark White, a Democrat;
Former Texas House Speaker
Pete Laney, a Democrat; current
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, a
Republican; and several other
top elected officials.
Plus, there were dozens of
lie censure of Grimes (for alleged
insubordination and unprofessional
conduct): and the dissolution of die
Mont Belvieu. Follis, who had been Economic Development
mayor since 2000 and a council
member for many years, is an hon-
est man who deserves gratitude for development.
his service. Follis was on the losing side of
Complicating the municipal each of these issues, which he said
mess, Follis’ resignation follows prompted his resignation.
that of finance director Margie
Grimes, who resigned after nine
years with the city. Grimes also
cited a “lack of confidence in the
governing body.”
City Council must now decide if
• ViiilaB
* Cooking <H|
Colleg
Continued fr<
Regent I
Fontenot said
that the distric
trend.
“We’ve bee
trying to st?
increases of
Fontenot said.
A 7 percent
■ ■
increase whic
after adminis
$1.4 million h
programming.
“In no way
pass the ent^B
dents,” Lee ^B
Martha Ellis s^B
Ellis saidH
attempt to bidM
in fees, but iln^B
in the open, E||
“For us it's^K
rising,” Ellis sM|
Regents
iiKiease
REGIS
FfSCUARaGNS
$
J
CT
IL JB” ont Belvieu City Council has been the order of the day.
I%/■ has had both its ups and
X V JLdowns this year, but by
City:
Continued fro
The exclusio
struction from
facility was vic
to promote gre
large compani
pany must sp
under the cu
before reaping
“Now, any
partner, if tl
added, will g
Councilman C
said.
The contrac
clarify that the
timony in a
administrative
stipulation i
response to a
which the c
spoke out agai
fill, and subsi
The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof: or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the peo-
ple peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances. ••
I
he was even-handed, hard-dig-
ging, and well-respected. He
worked at getting to know them,
helped mentor many of them —
partly because he liked them, but
also to get the best possible infor- mild-mannered Attlesey said to
mation for you the public. ♦*—“v— ” T~ —U!
They knew and liked him —
even those about whom he’d writ-
ten some tough stuff. And even
those who didn’t drink longnecks
with him almost every evening in turned to the other reporters, and
--------- ---------T.t . -----
the Chili Parlor, two blocks from
the Capitol.
They knew he was fair and hon-
est. And they knew he respected
his role as another cog in the
democratic machinery, grounded
on the notion that an informed
public can govern itself.
The better reporters know more “In the Texas Capitol, relation-
ships are everything.”
He’s right.
Wan
Continued froi
that helped bon
mission. It was
er ordered horn
Brig. Gen
announced th
Ibrahim Hasan,
mer Iraqi leadei
in the Pentagor
Iraqis. Hasan w
“with extensi
regime’s inner
He also was re
Saddam’s wee
Coalition for
nonprofit oiga
Hague, Netherl
A U.S. intell
on condition ol
had been an ad'
since 1998 but
with his half br
the regime’s inr
He was a rep
Nations in Ger
He headed Ire
gence service fi
od when the or
cutions of regir
overseas, the ol
Brooks provi
Hasan was nat
taken in Baghc
Our editorial board
The Baytown Sun's editorial board meets ___________________,________________
weekly at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Individuals are the writer’s" signature. An address and
encouraged to visit the editorial board to _________L;
discuss issues affecting the community. To — included. We ask that submissions be limit-
make an appointment, contact Managing
Editor David Bloom, (281) 422-8302.
Members of the editorial board include:
Wanda Garner Cash, editor and publisher;
David Bloom, managing editor; Meredith
Darnell, news editor Dee Anne Navarre,
business manager; Jim Finley, retired Sun
managing editor; and Jane Howard Lee,
retired Sun reporter.
While there’s plenty of blame to
go around for the mess at City Hall,
there’s no productive purpose to
continue this infighting. The com-
munity is fed up with what’s going
on and residents are demanding —
and when to hold a special maydral and they deserve — leadership to
election.
In the interim, city administrator
Bryan Easum will assume Follis’
daily responsibilities. Easum must
also oversee early budgetary plan-
ning for next year, while council
prepares to hire a new financial
director and decides how to fill the
mayor’s position.
We wish Easum luck — lots of it.
After only six weeks on the job, he local government to the whims of
will be running a city without the coffee shop rumor mills and could
help of a mayor or finance director, potentially further estrange the pub-
However, it need not have come
to this.
Many of council’s problems could
have been resolved if the mayor
and council members had put their
differences aside and worked
together. Instead, finger-pointing
than they write in the paper. They
protect die identity of sources
who tell them things — while
checking out what they’ve learned
to see if it’s true before they put it ___________
Sam’s present and former Journal- in the paper. A free press serves as Statesman. Contact McNeely at
istic colleagues, lobbyists, legisla- an ombudsman, to allow people 512-445-3644 or
tive staffers and others who knew down in the engine room of gov- dmcneely@statesman.com.
w
few
IML. A ■JWl|
would like to say welcome
home. We salute you all very
much.
So God spared you all’s life for
broken bones and what have you, a reason. So live for the Lord
amen. every day every day of your life,
He is able to give you peace of OK. Always remember, the Lord
mind in these trying times. I God is with you all, OK. I and
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Cash, Wanda Garner. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 144, Ed. 1 Friday, April 18, 2003, newspaper, April 18, 2003; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1185497/m1/4/: accessed July 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.