The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 106, Ed. 1 Sunday, September 5, 2021 Page: 8 of 16
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Sunday, September 5, 2021
REGENTS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
a sincerely held religious tablishing that residents of
belief.
SURGING
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trict judge. The proposed The proposed amendment
SHORTAGES
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BAYLAND
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the Court of Criminal Ap-
peals and to a justice of a
court of appeals. The pro-
posed amendment further
amendment provides that a
person is eligible to serve
on the Supreme Court if
the person, among other
qualifications, is licensed
to practice law in Texas; is
a resident of Texas at the
time of election; has been
either a practicing lawyer
licensed in Texas for at
least ten years or a prac-
ticing lawyer licensed in
Texas and a judge of a state
court or county court es-
tablished by the legislature
for a combined total of at
spouse’s residence home-
stead.
with hotel groups in 2015 by hiring con-
sultants for a plan of action. That same
year, a city-commissioned study indicated
a hotel-convention center project was fea-
sible but would take some incentives to at-
tract a developer. In very rough numbers,
such a development would cost about $45
million to build.
There have been numerous timelines
since then, but all were pushed back.
In 2017, consultants laid out an ambi-
tious timeline to bring the hotel and con-
ference center to the island by Decem-
ber 2019. In July of that year, council
green-lighted the first steps toward having
a hotel/conference center at Bayland Is-
land.
Council voted to transfer $2 million
in Unforeseen/New Initiatives from the
2016-17 budget toward the hotel/confer-
ence center as seed money.
VFW hosting fish fry Sept. 10
VFW Post 912, 8204 North Main St. in
Baytown, will host a fish fry for the pub-
lic from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10
or until sold out.
mgs.
Santana said, “I’ll clarify that in the
past our policy committee meetings were
open to everyone and everyone who want-
In September 2018, the city manag-
er said they planned to do a ceremonial
groundbreaking for the full-service up-
scale hotel around the end of November
or early December.
In March 2019, the city said construc-
tion could begin in late June, and the ho-
tel could be open by late December 2020.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic struck
and that caused delays.
The city purchased Bayland Island’s 31
acres for parkland in 1970. In 1991, voters
approved $4.7 million in bonds for the de-
velopment of the marina.
In 2003, the city unsuccessfully tried to
unload the property.
The first option included purchasing a
restaurant facility that sat on the proper-
ty and the 40-year ground lease where the
restaurant stood on for a minimum bid of
$100,000. There were no bids.
Under the second option, the city would
sell Bayland Island in its entirety, plus the
marina for a minimum of $3.7 million.
Again, nobody placed a bid at that time.
The cost is a $10 donation and a free
delivery for 10 or more meals in the local
area is also available.
Advance sales are preferred and can be
made at 832-984-5852, 281-839-8807 or
281-421-1257.
8A Uhe Havtown Sun
PUBLIC NOTICE
Explanatory Statements for the November 2, 2021
Constitutional Amendment Election
Proposition Number 2
(H JR 99)
HJR 99 proposes a con-
stitutional amendment al-
lowing the legislature to
authorize a county to issue
bonds or notes to finance
the development or rede-
velopment of an unpro-
ductive, underdeveloped,
or blighted area within the
county and to pledge for
repayment of those bonds
or notes increases in prop-
The proposed amendment
will appear on the ballot
as follows: “The constitu-
tional amendment to al-
low the surviving spouse
of a person who is dis-
abled to receive a limita-
tion on the school district
ad valorem taxes on the
spouse’s residence home-
stead if the spouse is 55
years of age or older at
the time of the person’s
death.”
certain facilities have the
right to designate an essen-
tial caregiver with whom
the facility may not pro-
hibit in-person visitation.
The proposed amendment
would apply to a nursing
facility, assisted living fa-
cility, intermediate care fa-
cility for individuals with
an intellectual disability,
residence providing home
and community-based ser-
vices, or state supported
living center. The proposed
amendment also would
authorize the legislature
to provide guidelines for
these facilities to follow in
establishing essential care-
giver visitation policies
and procedures.
need to be tested, but that people who are
experiencing symptoms need to see a doc-
tor.
“We urge patients not to wait until they
are having extremely severe symptoms
to see the doctor. Time is of the essence
when it comes to treating COVID-19. We
currently have many proven medications,
and we have the Regen-Cov monoclonal
antibody treatment to aid in our patients’
recovery. We want ot help our communi-
ty fight this virus, and we will always do
whatever we can to help our patients re-
cover,” Shibley said.
COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.
About 94% of the COVID-19 ICU pa-
tients are unvaccinated.
He said Houston Methodist has a slight-
ly higher percentage of vaccinated pa-
tients since it cares for some of the sickest
and most fragile patients.
But it’s not just the giant medical facili-
ties feeling the pinch.
Ashley Shibley, director of marketing
for Patients ER, said their local facility
is open and ready to treat patients, but is
feeling the strain of the pandemic surge.
“Recently, it is nearly impossible to find
a hospital that will accept transfers. Our
staff members spend hours each day call-
ing hospitals all over the country trying to
find beds for our patients,” she said.
“We have sent patients to hospitals in
Oklahoma, New Mexico and even Utah.
Getting a hospital bed in Texas is rare, but
we still try to accommodate our patients
the best we can. Hospitals all over the
country are fighting staffing issues and at
the same time they are seeing incredibly
increased patient numbers.
“If the number of COVID-19 cases
would dip even just a small amount, it
could possibly take a little stress off all
medical facilities across the country.”
While patients continue to arrive with
all of the usual reasons that bring people
to emergency rooms, she said the majority
of the patients are experiencing symptoms
that are related to COVID-19.
She said clinicians work to see patients
quickly, but have to be thorough.
“Due to the severity of COVID-19, we
are prioritizing patients who walk in with
critical symptoms. Someone experiencing
chest pains or someone who is struggling
to breathe can’t afford to wait.”
She said Patients ER is communicating
with patients by text when they simply
Case reports
Harris County Public Health report-
ed 504,493 confirmed COVID-19 cases
through Friday, up from 488,356 through
last Friday. There have been 5,340 deaths,
up from 5,263 a week earlier.
The Harris County portion of Baytown
has had 8,920 cases, up from 8,747 the
previous Friday. There have been 139
deaths.
The Highlands-area ZIP code, 77562,
has had 1,029 cases through Friday, up
from 992 the week before. There have
been 18 deaths.
The Crosby-area ZIP code, 77532, has
had 3,905 cases through Friday, up from
3,732 the week before. There have been
52 deaths, up from 51 the previous week.
Chambers County has reported 7,251
cases through Thursday, up from 6,913
the previous Thursday. There have been
79 deaths, up from 74 the week before.
Statewide, the Texas Department
of State Health Services has reported
3,057,285 cases through Friday, up from
2,975,003 the previous Friday. There have
been 56,296 deaths through Friday, up
from 54,991 a week earlier.
As of Sept. 2, 16.6 million people have
received at least one dose, which is 57.1%
of Texas’ population, and 13.9 million
people, or 47.8%, are fully vaccinated.
will appear on the ballot
as follows: “The consti-
tutional amendment es-
tablishing a right for res-
idents of certain facilities
to designate an essential
caregiver for in-person
visitation.”
The proposed amendment
will appear on the ballot
as follows: “The consti-
tutional amendment to
prohibit this state or a
political subdivision of
this state from prohibit-
ing or limiting religious
services of religious orga-
nizations.”
This will reduce the impact on the overall
transportation department, he said.
“Parents that have the ability to drop off
and pick up their children this fall would
certainly assist us greatly with this con-
cern,” O’Brien stated. “Our hope is that
the bus driver and support staff shortage
may not last for an extended period of
time.”
Districts across the state, including
three in the region, already have begun
switching some classes and schools to vir-
tual-only due to outbreaks of the virus.
Angleton ISD in Brazoria County an-
nounced it was shutting down in-person
instruction for the entire school system
through the end of the week.
A shortage of teachers that prompted
Livingston ISD to close its schools next
week.
Elsewhere, Connally ISD in central
Texas closed its five campuses near Waco
for the week after two teachers died of
COVID, as have a handful of east Texas
districts and others in rural areas of the
state.
In Galveston County, school attendance
has been much lower in the first few weeks
of school than in the same time period in
2019, a year before the pandemic hit.
Kristyn Cathey, Goose Creek CISD
spokeswoman, said the number of absenc-
es aren’t unusual but aligns with the rising
COVID-19 cases in the region.
“The number of students and teachers
that are COVID-19 positive have been
on an incline since the start of school,”
Cathey said. “Currently, we are using our
substitutes to fill in the gaps at the campus
level. They had been a true resource for
the district since the start of the pandemic
last year.”
Cathey said COVID-19 cases are higher
than last year.
Goose Creek CISD uses a COVID
Dashboard to let the public know how
many active COVID-19 cases they have
and which schools. As of Friday, the dis-
trict reported 498 total cases since Aug.
18, the first day of school. Student cases
totaled 291, while the staff was 115.
Barbers Hill ISD is reporting to have
4.8% of its students in quarantine due to
COVID-19. The district’s attendance rate
is 93.3%, according to Jami Navarre, dis-
trict spokeswoman.
Since Aug. 23, when Barbers Hill Su-
perintendent Dr. Greg Poole said there
were 62 active cases within the district,
the number has risen to 170 as of Tuesday,
Navarre said.
Navarre added that COVID-19 cases in
the district are “higher than this time last
year.”
There have been some teacher absenc-
es, but Barbers Hill is taking a similar
approach as Goose Creek’s - getting the
human resources department to assist.
“We have teacher absences daily as in
any nonnal school year, with some related
to COVID and some not,” Navarre said.
“However, we are being challenged ear-
lier this year with having enough substi-
tutes. To mitigate the problem, the human
resources department has been interview-
ing all week, and we’ve added 25 new
substitutes who attended orientation and
training today.”
erty tax revenues imposed provides that to be eligible
on property in the area for appointment or election
by the county. The Tex- as a district judge, a person
as Constitution gives the must be a resident of Tex-
legislature the power to as; be licensed to practice
authorize an incorporated law in Texas; and have
city or town to issue such been a practicing lawyer or
bonds or notes but does not a judge of a court in Tex-
expressly give the legisla- as, or both combined, for
ture the power to grant that eight years preceding the
same authority to counties, person’s election, during
The proposed amendment which time the person’s
also provides that a county license to practice law has
The proposed amendment
will appear on the ballot
as follows: “The constitu-
tional amendment autho-
rizing the professional
sports team charitable
foundations of organiza-
tions sanctioned by the
Professional Rodeo Cow-
boys Association or the
Women’s Professional
Rodeo Association to
conduct charitable raf-
fles at rodeo venues.”
least ten years; and during their spouse who is receiv-
that time has not had the ing a limitation on school
person’s license to practice district property taxes on
law revoked, suspended, their residence homestead
or subject to a probat- on the basis of a disability
ed suspension. The same to continue receiving the
eligibility requirements limitation while the prop-
would apply to a judge of erty remains the surviving
“If a person chooses not to attend that ed to go could go. Our practice recently
meeting and not share their concerns, has been that each committee of three will
shame on that person. This is not the ven- meet and if any more show we have to
ue for us to sit and deliberate something post the meeting.”
that’s gone through our attorney, that’s Under the Texas Open Meetings Act,
gone through the committee, that’s gone any meeting of a governing body that has
through the faculty assembly.” a quorum present — four members in the
Regent Mark Himsel said later that he case of Lee College Regents — the meet-
believed setting policy is one of the chief ing has to be publicly posted and open to
duties of the board. “We should have time the public, with limited exceptions.
to discuss it,” he said. “That was my rea- Five members of the public addressed
son for asking for it to be tabled last week the board. All expressed concern that stu-
was to give us time for discussion.” dents not be made to feel unwelcome on
He asked what Moore-Fontenot meant the basis of sex, sexual orientation or gen-
about attending policy committee meet- der expression.
Proposition Number 4
(SJR47)
SJR 47 proposes a con-
stitutional amendment
changing certain eligibility
requirements for a justice
of the Supreme Court, a
judge of the Court of Crim-
inal Appeals, a justice of a
court of appeals, and a dis-
Proposition Number 1
(HJR 143)
HJR 143 proposes a con-
stitutional amendment
expanding the circum-
stances in which a profes-
sional sports team char-
itable foundation may
conduct raffles to raise
money for the founda-
tion’s charitable purposes.
The proposed amendment
would allow profession-
al sports team charitable
foundations of organiza-
tions sanctioned by the
Professional Rodeo Cow-
boys Association or the
Women’s Professional
Rodeo Association to hold
charitable raffles at rodeo
events.
that issues bonds or notes not been revoked, suspend- Proposition Number 8
for transportation improve- ed, or subject to a probated (SJR 35)
ments may not pledge for suspension. c ,D
... e °. P SJR 35 proposes a con-
the repayment of those 1 . .n,
1m. 11 The proposed amendment stitutional amendment au-
bonds or notes more than .11 11 , „ 1 , . . , , . ,
. c, . will appear on the ballot thorizing the legislature
65 percent of the increases - .. 22, ..1 °c ,
, . as follows: The constitu- to exempt from ad valor-
mad valorem tax revenues , .
. , tional amendment chang- em taxation all or part of
each year, and a coun- . . r
, ing the eligibility require- the market value of the
ty may not use proceeds ” „ . 1. „
c1 .1 ments for a justice of the residence homestead of
from the bonds or notes to . ,
- .1 . .. supreme court, a judge ot the surviving spouse of
finance the construction, .1 ...8 , , TT ■ ,
the court ot criminal ap- a member of the United
operation, maintenance, ..me % ,
. ... , . 11 , peals, a justice ot a court States armed services who
or acquisition of nghts-of- .. , 12115111 , . .
A A „ j of appeals, and a district is killed or fatally injured
way of a toll road. . , „ , „ / ■'
judge. in the line of duty. The
The proposed amendment Texas Constitution pro-
will appear on the ballot Proposition Number 5 vides a property tax ex-
as follows: “The constitu- (H-R 165) emption to the surviving
tional amendment autho- HJR 165 proposes a con- spouse of a member of
rizing a county to finance stitutional amendment al- the armed services who
the development or rede- lowing the State Commis- is killed in action, but the
velopment of transporta- sion on Judicial Conduct current exemption does
tion or infrastructure in (SCJC) to accept com- not include members of
unproductive, underde- plaints or reports, conduct the military who die during
veloped, or blighted ar- investigations, and take their service due to injuries
eas in the county.” any other authorized action sustained that are not com-
Proposition Number 3 with respect to a candidate bat-related.
(SJR 27) for a state judicial office. The proposed amendment
g, , Currently, the Texas Con- will appear on the ballot
SJR 27 proposes a con- stitution only permits the as follows: «The constitu-
stitutiona c, amendment SCJC to take such actions tional amendment autho-
bamng he State of Texas as to persons holding a ju- rizing the legislature to
or a political subdivision dicial office. provide for an exemption
from enacting, adopting, , 1
f ’ 1 . The proposed amendment from ad valorem taxation
or issuing a statute, order, 1 „ .
1. , . . will appear on the ballot of all or part of the mar-
proclamation, decision, as follows: “The consti- ket value of the residence
or rule that prohibits or 1 . , 1 , 1 , ,
.. . , tutional amendment pro- homestead of the surviv-
limits religious services. ... 11. , . „
„ , . viding additional powers ing spouse of a member
The proposed amendment . 11 •g. . . A. . . ,
111 ... to the State Commission of the armed services of
wou apply, o religious on Judicial Conduct with the United States who is
services, including those 11 1e 11 , . ,
, ’ , , 1 respect to candidates for killed or fatally injured
conducted in churches, .cc, . .1 c.,
.. , , judicial office. in the line of duty,
congregations, and plac-
es of worship, in the state Proposition Number 6
by a religious organization (SJR 19)
established to support and
.10 L. _ SJR 19 proposes a con-
serve the propagation of 5
____________________________stitutional amendment es-____________________________
Published by The Office of the Texas Secretary of State, www.VoteTexas.gov,
1/800-252-VOTE(8683).
Proposition Number 7
(HJR 125)
HJR 125 proposes a con-
stitutional amendment
permitting a person who
is 55 years of age or old-
er at the time of death of
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Bloom, David. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 106, Ed. 1 Sunday, September 5, 2021, newspaper, September 5, 2021; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1468453/m1/8/: accessed June 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.