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Star-Courier News

State opens COVID shots to everyone

April 1, 2021
Harris County Public Health Nurse administers a
vaccination last week at the Pct. 2 Northeast
Community Center.

HARRIS COUNTY – All adults will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Texas beginning Monday, March 29. The Texas Department of State Health Services expects vaccine supplies to increase next week, and providers in multiple parts of the state have made great strides in vaccinating people in the current priority groups. The state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel recommended opening vaccination to everyone who falls under the current Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorizations to protect as many Texans as possible.

“As a matter of fact, we in Houston had pretty much exhausted our waitlists and we wanted to have more real-time appointments available,” said Houston Health Department director Stephen Williams. Texans can continue to find vaccine providers throughout Greater Houston and sign up on waitlists through the DSHS Vaccine Information page at dshs.texas.gov/covidvaccine.

Houston Methodist, consistently one of the area’s largest vaccine providers, will allow anyone to sign up on its waitlist but will prioritize those 50 and older for now.

Crosby ISD improves, seeks new CFO

April 1, 2021
Crosby Education Foundation pesented a check for $92,765.58 to finance innovative educational courses inside the district.

CROSBY – As the school district moves forward to replace Dr. S. Davis with a new Superintendent, Lesa Jones, Chief Financial Officer for Crosby ISD, has found another offer and the board has begun the processes of replacing her inside T.E.A. guidelines. Also, the district lost significant State revenues due to sudden growth per wording of House Bill 3; maybe someone made money on that.

The Principal of the Year is Dana Kratky, from Crosby, Texas with 22 years in education and 16 years at Crosby ISD and is Principal of Crosby Elementary School. Her award was for tireless dedication, also the school had another successful year in the Souper Bowl of Caring Food Drive with Crosby Elementary leading the way.

The district is staying masked and social distancing for now, regardless of the Governor of Texas lifting mandatory orders. This decision is based upon health science advice and the Texas Medical Center recommendations that the pandemic isn’t over.

McNair resident dies in fiery one-car crash

April 1, 2021
The burned-out shell of a car lies in a ditch on Broad Street in McNair, after the accident.

A McNair resident died in a fiery one-car accident last Saturday morning. Derrick Tyler, 34, was returning home after work at a metal plate pipe yard, when he apparently fell asleep and drove into a ditch along the 2600 block of Broad Street in McNair.

The accident occurred about 9 a.m. in the morning, and neighbors saw the flames as the car caught fire. Shuntay Montgomery and two other neighbors, Keshla Montgomery and Edgar Johnson, attempted to save Tyler, as flames engulfed the car and the driver. They tried to open the door and help the driver out, but it was jammed because the car was wedged into the ditch. As the flames raged, they also tried to save Tyler by pouring water on his body through the partially opened passenger door, to suppress the flames. Keshla Montgomery ran to her home, and brought back gallons of water that had been recently purchased, pouring the contents on Tyler. Johnson tried to break a window, to no avail. Tyler was trapped in the car, yelling “Help me, help me!” But the rescuers were not successful, and had to stop when the car exploded.

Texas House considers Deep Freeze bills

April 1, 2021

Report by Rep. Ana Hernandez

On March 8, Speaker Dade Phelan announced the first phase of the House’s legislative reforms to protect consumers and strengthen our state’s electric grid in the aftermath of the recent, unprecedented cold weather event. Speaker Phelan highlighted the following key legislation filed by members of the Texas House of Representatives:

HB 10 – Reforming Energy Reliability Council of Texas Leadership

HB 10, filed by Representative Paddie, restructures the ERCOT board, replacing the unaffiliated members with members appointed by the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House. HB 10 also requires all board members to reside in the state of Texas and creates an additional ERCOT board member slot to represent consumer interests.

HB 11 – Protecting Consumers and Hardening Facilities for Extreme Weather

Legion Shoot shows facilities

April 1, 2021

Terry Harley shows how to aim that M-1911 Colt .45, besting all comers in Saturday’s pistol contest at the Turkey Shoot for David H. McNerney American Legion Post 658.

Harley, the owner of the Snack Shack, in front of the Legion Hall, immediately after besting this reporter in a match, answers the question of how often he shoots by saying, “I haven’t shot a gun in twenty years.” He smiles and says, “But, I used to shoot a lot.”

The new range has an U.S. Army standard of 33 yards pistol and shotgun range.

Melissa McBride, the Legion Post’s Financial Officer, won the pistol contest on Sunday.

A Gun & Knife show is coming April 17 & 18.

THE POSTSCRIPT: Out Like a Lion

April 1, 2021

By Carrie Classon

March is winding down and my sister-in-law, Lori, is going with it.

There is too much food and too many flowers because that is what we do when someone is dying, when we don’t know what else to do as, gradually, the unthinkable becomes accepted and even ordinary. We make more food and bring more flowers. But there is too little time. There is always too little time.

Lori is spending most of the time she has left sleeping, which means she is not in pain but also that no one can talk with her and we miss her already, while she is here among us.

There are circles of grief, as I’ve heard it explained. Her husband, Robert, is at the center, and one ring out are her children and my husband, her brother. I am a bit further out in orbit, in Lori’s solar system of sorrow, missing her ready laugh and irreverent observations.

Crosby ISD picks Superintendent Finalist

March 25, 2021
Paula Eagleton Patterson, a native of Crosby, tapped as finalist in search for new Superintendent.

CROSBY – Paula Patterson was named the lone finalist to serve as Superintendent by the Crosby ISD Board of Trustees at the third of successive Special Called Meetings in a week on Wednesday, March 17.

A press release from Crosby ISD touts 20 years as an educator and her current position as Deputy Superintendent of Academic Service in Sheldon ISD. “A graduate of Crosby ISD and a resident of the Crosby community, Mrs. Patterson began her professional career as a teacher in Crosby ISD and became principal of Crosby Elementary. She has served in numerous administrative leadership roles in LaPorte ISD and Galena Park ISD. In the Sheldon district Mrs. Patterson served in various central office administrative positions with increasing responsibilities before her current assignment as Deputy Superintendent.

Dr. King Davis, Sheldon ISD Superintendent, states, “Mrs. Patterson possesses all the attributes that are needed to be successful as a leader in education. Her expertise, leadership, and trustworthiness have made me a better leader and my team stronger.”

Legion hosts testing, youth, turkey shoot

March 25, 2021

CROSBY – The David H. McNerney American Legion in Crosby Post 658 has always been integral to the community and a valuable asset playing critical roles during Hurricane Harvey and a testing site for COVID 19. Now the post is upgrading with a shooting range out back, involving youth with a BB range inside for Mondays, developing a Junior Shooter’s Club and other occasions.

Methodists host March Madness

March 25, 2021

The March Madness event at Crosby United Methodist Church, last Saturday offered something for most of us and a chance to visit with the community. A tiny chill in the air gave way to a perfect day and the kids were actively riding the tractor pulled train about the parking lot and playing a bevy of games. There were plants, cutlery, clothes, nick-knacks, televisions, bureaus and pastries for sale with the latter augmented by an Easter Cake decorating contest and an ice cream creations contest featured on page 3 of this issue. Silent auction held some of the most interesting items and drew rewards from interested bidders. It was a splendid outing for all attendees.

Spring concert win sets Rodeo ahead

March 25, 2021

George Deerborne got the crowd on their toes and several dancing to classic country hits with a highly professional sound last Saturday at the Crosby Fair & Rodeo Rock’n C Round-Up inside the covered pavilion. With just a few neat items the live auction called by Col. Bill Busby brought in about $13,640 and the silent auction brought in about $3,000, setting up a nice grub steak to begin working on the Rodeo proper this June. This year, the CFR Cook-Off is to be from June 4 until June 6. The Livestock Auction is to be held on Thursday, June 10 from 6 until 10. Friday, June 11 is the first Crosby Fair & Rodeo and Concert, Saturday, June 12 is the final concert.

We are so close to beating the virus

March 25, 2021
Harris County Judge
Lina Hidalgo

We are Texans, and the concept of freedom is an essential piece of our identity. We all want the freedom to go out to eat and to socialize, the freedom for our economy and our schools to open without the fear of getting deathly ill, the freedom to use amazing science and vaccine developments to our full advantage. But taking away critical public health interventions that we know are working in the name of personal freedom won’t make our community safer, nor will it hasten our return to normalcy. The state’s decision on Tuesday to end the statewide mask mandate and increase business capacity to 100% is a threat to all of the sacrifices and progress we’ve made, as well as to everyone who has not yet received a vaccine. At best, Tuesday’s decision is wishful thinking. At worst, it is a cynical attempt to distract Texans from the failures of state oversight of our power grid.

Every time COVID-19 public health measures have been pulled back, we’ve seen a spike in hospitalizations. If we start the climb now, we’d be starting from the highest starting point ever when it comes to our hospital population, an unacceptable and dangerous proposition. Even more troubling is the revelation that Houston has the unfortunate distinction of being the only city recording every major strain of COVID-19. Our positivity rate is still sky high and moving up, not down — we’re now at 13% positivity. We’re still seeing hundreds of new cases a day. With the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, we’re finally inching closer to the finish line of this deadly, destructive pandemic — now is not the time to reverse the gains we’ve worked so hard to achieve. We’re able to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel now because of the common sense steps we’ve taken to prevent the spread of this virus, like wearing masks. We can’t take one step forward just to take two steps back.