The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 269, Ed. 1 Sunday, August 24, 2003 Page: 4 of 40
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Baytown Sun and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Sterling Municipal Library.
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WSTIMIWCOM
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Sunday, August 24,2003
Wanda Gamer Cash, Editor and Publisher
David Bloom, Managing Editor
Open Meetings Act
Letters to the editor
Don’t forget the good that police officers do
Baylor scandal exposes weak safeguards
Iti
They are trying to keep our
Government officials
About Us
i.i
I
Buil
you sei
an
Fred Hartnum, Publisher Emeritus
1950-1974
Those facts speak dismaying volumes
about institutional safeguards.
— Fort Wirth Star-Telegram
speech guarantees.
We hope Judge Eckels will con-
tinue his tradition as a fair and tol-
erant leader by preserving the
WHAT'S /MORE
CWNSEROI/S..
WAR OR PEACE?
wound that could be fatal.
Personally. I don’t care which he
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.
Guest columns should include a photograph
of the writer. We publish only original materi-
al addressed to The Baytown Sun bearing
the writer’s signature. An address and
phone number not for publication should be
included. We ask that submissions be limit-
ed to one per month. All letters and guest
columns are 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candidates or issues will not be published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.
30 mph. Cars travel down that
road at speeds in excess of 40
mph. There is not a school zone
on the street, and big ditches are
on both sides. What will it take
to get a bus stop for the junior
high children on East Houston?
Does some child have to be seri-
ously injured or killed?
Tammy Miller
Highlands
Board of Trustees
District 1 - Phelitria Barnes
281-426-4256
District 2 - Rosa Rodriguez
281-420-2550
District 3 - Weston Cotten
281-426-5384
District 4 - James Lewis
281-428-7360
District 5 - Clarence Albus
281-421-5896
District 6 - Jepp Busch
281-422-8898
District 7 - Steve Fischer
281-420-1370
Members serve a three-year
term. Board meets on second and
fourth Mondays of each month at
6:30 p.m.
uses as long as he comes home
to me and our child.
In case 1 have offended anyone
who is Mexican or Hispanic, I
have no apologies because I am
Mexican. I am also an officers
wife. What offends me most is
that a man’s death and heritage is
being exploited to further hatred
and fear. Race is no longer a fac-
tor. The Hispanic people are no
longer a minority. Those who
have used a man’s death to fur-
ther the racism in this communi-
ty and country, the great melting
pot, should be ashamed.
Be proud of your heritage, but
not this way.
Romelia Carrizales Estes
Baytown
City of Baytown
City Hall
2401 Market St.
Baytown, Texas 77520
281-422-8281
City Manager
Gary Jackson
281-4206501
Mayor
Pete Alfaro
281-4206500
City Council
District 1 - Mercedes Renteria III
281-420-9796
District 2 - Scott Sheley
281-422-8008
District 3 - Calvin Mundinger
281424-9289
District 4 - Don Murray
Goose Creek CISD
Ctoose Creek Administration
Building
4544 Interstate 10 East
P.O. Box 30
Baytown, Texas 77522
281-4204800
Superintendent
Barbara Sultis
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Please contact us
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 pea
pie peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances.
---—
JBaptoton S>un
Founded 1922
Our editorial board
The Baytown Sun’s editorial board meets
weekly at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Individuals are
encouraged to visit the editorial board to
discuss issues affecting the community. To
make an appointment, contact Managing
Editor David Bloom, 281-422-8302.
Members of the editorial board include:
Wanda Gamer Cash, editor and publisher;
David Bloom, managing editor; Joseph
Lohan, city editor Dee Anne Navarre, busi-
ness manager; Jim Rnley, retired Sun man-
aging editor; and Jane Howard Lee, retired
Sun reporter.
arris County Judge Robert extreme, and apparently illegal,
response when other options exist.
The same state law that guaran-
tees our right to speak at public
meetings just as clearly gives offi-
cials the right to set guidelines on
handling public comment. School
boards and city councils across the
state have established orderly pro-
cedures for public comment, rang-
ing from limiting a speakers time,
requiring advance notice to speak
about a topic that’s not on the agen-
da and observing confidentiality.
If Harris County commissioners
are concerned about citizens who
dominate the podium with frivo-
lous, irrelevant or immaterial com-
ments, they have the authority and
ability to manage microphone dom-
Bus service inadequate
near Highlands Jr. High
I have a complaint against
Goose Creek school district. I
live in Highlands off East
Houston, which is within two
miles of Highlands Jr. High,
which is on Wallisville Road.
There has to be an unsafe condi-
tion before they will transport my
son because of us living so close.
The bus will pick up children
who live on the south side of
Wallisville Road, but will not
pick up children on the north
side. They are actually closer to ,
the school. I do not know what
their unsafe condition is. The
school district expects our chil-
dren to walk down East Houston
Enough is enough! Have we easy. The last time I checked,
forgotten what our police officers they were humans too, with real
emotions and feelings. People
seem to forget all the good they
do when a few negative things
arise.
The death of Luis Torres was
an unfortunate accident, and 1
have great sympathy for his fam-
ily, but what I am really saddened
281424-2300
District 5 - Ronnie Anderson
281427-9084
District 6 - Coleman Godwin
2814224733
Members serve a twoyear term.
Council meets on second and
fourth Thursdays of each month at
6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
ow many intensely competitive fiasco not leave the public wondering
about deeper, more insidious failings in
big-time college athletics?
Is Bliss merely an overly ambitious
coach whose willingness to skirt the
bounds of decency and fair play finally
caught up with him? Is he just a flawed
individual pushed over the line by
desperation?
Is he emblematic of the lengths to
which many college coaches across the
country will go to compete in the
lucrative limelight? To what extent are
universities themselves complicit as
they push for glory and its accompany-
ing gate receipts, national recognition
and TV revenue?
Perhaps worse than the immediate
impact on Baylor’s reputation is the
doubt that Bliss has thrown into the
investigation of Dennehy’s killing. Are
statements that Bliss and others gave to
authorities to be trusted? How much
more is missing of the truth, and how
difficult will it be to sort out?
Sadly, the problems in the Baylor
j a
young man disappeared and was found
dead. The deceitful nature of the head
coach was revealed only because a
young assistant risked his job and his
was Mexican, and how race
always seems to cloud judgment.
It wasn’t just the loss of life that
was important, but a Mexican
life. Excuse me for just thinking
he was human!
Now Ms. Autin wants people
to acknowledge that she too is
Mexican. I also thought she was
human, a woman. A woman who
was attempting to break into a
house with a brick in the pres-
ence of an officer who had
repeatedly told her to stop. Are
we angry that he didn’t physical-
ly put his hands on her to keep
Todays editorial was written by
Mbnda Gamer Cash, editor and
publisher of The Baytown Sim, on
behalf of the newspapers editorial
board. __________ -
Enough is enough! Have we
f . .. .
do for us on a daily basis?
Every day, officers carefully
put on their uniforms layer by
layer, making sure their bullet-
proof vests are on tight, even in
100-degree weather. Boots are
laced tight to protect ankles and
feet. A 20-pound duty belt is
added around their waists to aid by is the fact that Mr. Torres had
them in their job. Tasers for those to die to make people realize he
certified. Lastly, most wear a
pendant or carry a medallion of
St. Michael for safety, no matter
what their religion. He, along
with God, is their protector.
Every day, they walk out of
their home, and every day they
are a target. Their families pray
to God that He be with them
until their safe return home after
their 10-plus hour shift. They do
their job because it is a calling.
It’s definitely not for the money!
They go through tests, extensive
training, more tests and then a
year of probation. They go into
this job with brave hearts, wanti- her from damaging private prop-
ng to save the world. Until one -4iJ —1 “-----*
day they realize some people
don’t want their help, even if
they need it. They get burnt out
on the lack of appreciation and
the scrutiny of mistakes.
coaches at topflight collegiate
Ji> A programs or first-tier
wannabes shook their heads over the
weekend as the world of Dave Bliss
collapsed? How many vowed to them-
selves, “I’d never stoop so low”? How
many lamented, “There but for the
grace of God go I”?
Revelations in the Fort Worth Star-
Telegram that the former Baylor
University basketball coach urged two
of his players to falsely portray slain
teammate Patrick Dennehy as a drug
dealer — to protect the coach’s role in
violating NCAA rules —- added night-
marish scandal to what already was a
tragedy.
What appeared at first to be dishon-
esty and disregard for restrictions on
player payments and illegal drug use
devolved into downright venality. There
was no explaining away the conversa-
tion captured on tape by Assistant
Coach Abar Rouse.
How could any self-respecting adult,
claiming to be a decent, ethical, rule- . .
abiding coach, so abuse the memory of program came to light only because
one player and the integrity of others? J‘ J “J
It’s important to remember that Bliss,
who resigned as Baylor head coach
Aug. 8 after the university acknowl-
edged major rules violations, is respon- coaching future to do the right thing,
sible for his own actions.
But can the latest developments in
the increasingly convoluted Baylor
erty? And if he did, and the out-
come had been the same, what
would we say? “He beat her!’’
She was clearly defiant in not
following his orders.
People of all shapes and sizes
So, again I ask, have we for- have strength. An infant can
gotten what they do for us?
Every day they deal with peo-
ple who are potential dangers.
People who most citizens would
not want to deal with. Isn’t that
why they are called in the first
place? To do the dirty work so
we don’t have to? Some people
they know well, some they have
her in defense of themselves.
Would you prefer officers use
a taser or a gun? One sends out a
don’t want to see or refuse to see. jolt and some current; the other
Homicides, suicides, accidents, sends out a jolt too, but the cur-
and child and spousal abuse. The- rent is from blood spilling from a
things we run from, they have to
run to. It’s their job, and it’s not
l
J-J Eckels says he's tad of
A JL hearing a citizen’s repeated
complaint about a problem that
doesn’t have anything to do with
Harris County. So Eckels planned
to eliminate the man’s ability to
complain by ending public com-
ment at county commissioners
meetings.
Eckels thought he could silence
the gadflies by adjourning county
meetings before allowing citizens
to speak. He withdrew that propos-
al and now awaits a ruling from the
county attorney whether it might
violate the state’s Open Meetings
Act.
A couple of clicks on the Texas
Attorney General’s open govern-
ment Web site could have answered ination without trampling free
that question while the commis-
sioners court was still in session.
Indeed, shutting down public com-
ment is not only against the law, it
is contrary to the very spirit of rep- democratic tradition of a public
resentative government. forum.
Public business must be conduct-
ed in the open, with ample opportu-
nity for citizens to ask questions,
make suggestions or object.
The judge’s frustration is under-
standable, but his solution is an
break its mother’s nose with its
tiny frame. A four-year-old can
pull a trigger, a 29-year-old
woman can stab, and a 59-year-
old woman can cause damage
with a brick. Police officers are
human, and they bleed just like
we do. So why are we saying
they don’t have the right to pro-
just met, but all are treated equal- tect themselves from the dangers
ly under the law. they face on a daily basis? That’s Street, where the speed limit is
They are trying to keep our the message we send when we
streets safe from traffic violators, question their instincts. If Ms.
drunken drivers, drugs and gang Autin had done that at someone
members. They try to protect our else’s home they could have shot
children from sex offenders,
abductors and sometimes their
own parents. They see things we
©HIE CINCINNATI (VST
WO*
y—'
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Cash, Wanda Garner. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 269, Ed. 1 Sunday, August 24, 2003, newspaper, August 24, 2003; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1185549/m1/4/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.