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Star-Courier News

Goose Creek CISD passes $335 M. bond

May 9, 2019

Only 1,795 voters, 181 more in favor than against, decided that taxpayers in Highlands and Baytown will float a bond for $335 Million dollars that will be implemented as the bonds are sold.

This Goose Creek Consolidated ISD bond was decided by residents in both Harris and Chambers Counties with 988 for it and 807 against. Early voting decided the issue, 690 to 523 in Harris. Absentee votes in Harris County were 21 for to 7. In Chambers County early voters favored the bond 102 to 80.

On election day, the bond would not have passed. Harris County voters were 114 in favor to 130 against. In Chambers County the vote went 61 for to 67 against on May 4.

A $100,000 valuation house could see about $116 more a year in school taxes as the rate could go to $1.547 from $1.432, the current rate. The rate increase is not to occur all at once but be phased in as the bonds are sold. (more…)

Eastside Veterans plan car show, memorial

May 9, 2019
Eastside Veterans Celebration hosts an open car show May 11 at the David H.McNerney American Legion Hall Post 658 beginning at 8:00 a.m. and ending after awards beginning at 2:00 p.m. Dash Plaques will be awarded to the first 40 registered with Top 20 and Best in Show Awards. A 50/50 cash drawing is to be the last detail. Presiding over the show will be Eddie Foster.

CROSBY – Last Monday, Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia attended a meeting of Eastside Veteran’s Celebration.

The Commissioner brought with him Gil Sossa of Harris County Veteran’s Affairs, Nelson Espitia, and Franciso Castillo, the latter being Community Liaisons for the county.

The Celebration crew have been planning to change their agenda for veterans this year. Plans now include a parade on Nov. 9 the Saturday before Veterans’ Day. They hope the school district will enable a Red, White and U student involved display enactment at the high school.

The big development now is they are hoping to cast a memorial to the people that made liberty possible in this land and throughout the world. The plans however need somewhere for the statue or commemorate to stay. (more…)

Bridge repairs completed, westbound lanes re-open

May 9, 2019

Westbound lanes of the I-10 bridge over the San Jacinto River were reopened in their normal state on Monday morning of this week.

In addition, the entry ramp from Crosby-Lynchburg Road was reopened, and the temporary traffic signals at 4 Corners were removed.

Motorists had been inconvenienced with traffic restrictions since a barge hit and seriously damaged a supporting column on February 11th. Contractors had to install two new steel columns in place of the concrete column that was split into two pieces.

Local elections determine future

May 9, 2019

Crosby water board decided

Crosby Municiple Utility District held a Director’s Election on a “vote for three” ballot. Robert F. Fivecoat got 32 votes, William Wilkinson 35 votes, Velma Ellison 25 votes and Eddie Foster 38.

Wow, $10,000 for an election where less than 50 voted and nothing changed.

“Being the newest on the board, I very much appreciate the support of my neighbors and friends.” said Foster.

Crosby MUD could have had over 1,400 vote in the posted and published election that would decide decision makers for growth potential and attraction of new retail businesses to Crosby.

Woods Trustee for Highlands

Riding a wave of popularity that is partially charisma and partly heritage but mostly hard work, Jessica Woods was elected to the Board of Trustees of Goose Creek Consolidated ISD for a second term.

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EPA HOLDS UPDATE MEETING

May 9, 2019
GARY BAUMGARTEN, EPA project manager

Almost a hundred area residents braved a heavy rainstorm and sharp lightening, to attend a meeting with EPA officials from Dallas regarding the Waste Pits in the San Jacinto River. The meeting took place last Tuesday, May 7 at the Highlands Community Center.

Gary Baumgarten, the new project manager in charge of the Superfund site clean-up, showed a series of slides that outlined activities that were taking place in the present time.

A consent order was signed by the PRP (Potentially Responsible Parties) in April 2018, and Remedial Design has been underway since that time. This phase of the work may take as much as 2-1/2 years, he said.

Baumgarten said that the next steps in the Remedial Design were investigations of data, study of the treatability of the on-site materials, and construction plans.

He displayed a slide that showed recent borings, and a depth scale that indicated some had acceptable material, and some had toxic material.

Baumgarten discussed some of the problems with the maintenance of the site. In July 2018 and November 2018 repairs to the Cap were required. He said that the red marker buoys had also moved, and studies were underway to relocate them at the edge of the cap.

Janetta Coats of EPA talked about her work with the community, through the CIP or Community Involvement Plan. She said that the group had determined that the main community concerns were Health, Clean-up, Community Involvement, Wildlife, and Watershed.

Health concerns included impacts of remaining material, and recreation, after the cleanup.

Cleanup concerns included how floods and hurricanes might affect the sediments.

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Sudden lawsuits by State show a major policy change

May 2, 2019

By Lewis Spearman

CROSBY – The strangest political times in centuries is centering around local concerns: the State, headed by conservatives, sued more suddenly than anyone expected the local plants that had fires. If they shutter local plants, who will fund the local schools and provide the jobs that the local plants provide?

Many with friends throughout the nation now hear that they know about Crosby. They know that local officials indicated there was no air quality issue after an explosion and after it was too late issued “shelter in place;” they heard a man was killed and two others put into critical condition at one plant; that law enforcement officers are suing another plant where the managers are facing criminal charges; and that President Trump came through to sign initiatives to “remove all preventative measures.”

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Crosby FFA cleans up

May 2, 2019
Pictured left to right: Ariel Vass, Elena Juarez, Alice Mullens, Brent Starky, Blake Larkin, Sebastian Zapata, Joseph Ivey, Jaiden Ruter, Lilli Loggins, Caitlyn Criddle, Lexi Loggins, Caitlynn McCammon, Buddy Davidson, (bottom) Jancie Ivey,and (back) Blake Anderson )

The past weekend Crosby FFA went out on a community service project at the Sheldon Reservoir. They gathered trash from the parking lot and trails surrounding the water and boat ramp.

Woman’s body found near San Jacinto River

April 25, 2019

Deputies reported that a woman’s body was found in the San Jacinto River on April 16, 2019.

Authorities uncovered the body with multiple injuries. The investigation continues and the cause if death is unknown. Deputies do not known if the injuries were sustained before or after the death, reports stated.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office found the body around 5 p.m. in the 17400 block of River Road.

Authorities said the woman was wearing a striped shirt and had multiple tattoos. She appeared to be in the water for several hours and her body and face sustained visible injuries.

The investigation continues and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit is asking anyone with information on this case to call homicide unit at 713-274-9100.

EPA sets public meeting May 7

April 25, 2019
Water samples from the Ship Channel contain at least 9 toxins in an oily slick.

SJRC reviews Superfund status

HIGHLANDS – At its regular monthly meeting, the San Jacinto River Coalition learned that the federal EPA had scheduled a community meeting in Highlands on Tuesday, May 7 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. This is one of the quarterly public meetings that the EPA promised to have on a regular schedule. They will update information on activities at the Superfund site, according the EPA spokesperson Janetta Coats.

At the same meeting, THEA president Jackie Young discussed the environmental impact that the ITC fire has had on the water quality of the river and ship channel. She displayed a bottle of water from the channel with heavy oil deposits.

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Crosby names new AD

April 25, 2019
Jerry Prieto and wife, Julie come to Crosby tasked with rebuilding athletic program and coaches.

CROSBY – The new head coach and athletic director of the Crosby Cougars is Jerry Prieto as of April 16 following a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees of Crosby ISD at a special called meeting.

Like the previous, he comes with a background as Assistant Head Football Coach, and Offensive Coordinator also he adds Recruiting Coordinator. For diversity of coaching experience, he has coached basketball, track, powerlifting and wrestling.

Originally from the Greater Houston Area, Prieto oversaw development of one of the most explosive offenses in South Texas. Prieto helped build Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial High School’s football program and helped lead the team to Regional Semifinals in 2017 with an 11-2 overall record. In 2018, Veterans Memorial made another Regional Semifinals appearance with a 12- 1 overall record and an average over 44 points per game that same season. He has compiled a 23-3 record over the past two years.

He is a 2001 graduate of Cypress Springs High School in Cy-Fair ISD and received his undergraduate degree from Sam Houston State University in 2004 and his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Lamar University in 2011.

“My family and I are excited to join this proud community,” said Prieto. “We look forward to contributing to the continued success of Crosby ISD athletics.”

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TxDOT updates I-10 bridge repair

April 25, 2019
TxDOT workers examine the broken support.

The following is an update from David Lazare, an engineer with TxDOT in regards to the San Jacinto bridge repairs:

This is an update on the Emergency Contract to repair the IH-10/San Jacinto Bridge that was struck by a barge on February 11, 2019.

The permanent repair work officially began on Monday, April 8th, 2019. Over the last week, the contractor has setup the cofferdam and is demolishing the damaged/broken column. They have also begun setting up temporary supports to begin the permanent repairs.

Over the next week, we expect to install the permanent replacement column, permanent structural support and welding.

Early next week, we also expect to open 1 lane on SPUR 330 heading north to allow commuters to access the Crosby-Lynchburg intersection, which is temporarily signalized. This should ease the congestion on Thompson Rd and the intersection of I-10.

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