San Jacinto County News - Breakout

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The Care Share Food Pantry volunteers will be celebrating the organization’s 40 years of service in October. Courtesy photo

Care Share Mission is a non-profit 501(c)(3) food pantry in Coldspring that has been assisting families facing food insecurity for 40 years.

Over the years, Care Share Mission has been at several locations but is now located at 21 N. Butler St. in Coldspring. The mission will celebrate its anniversary Oct. 9 and Oct. 12 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each day.

The center invites area residents to come by for a piece of cake and share stories.

In the early years Care Share Mission focused on serving families in San Jacinto County. About 30 families a month would be served and would receive beans, rice, and flour and a few canned goods. Today Care Share Mission is open to anyone needing food and provides a variety of fresh produce, shelf stable can goods, meat, cereal, peanut butter, bread as well as personal hygiene items such as toilet paper, soap bars and laundry detergent.

Care Share Mission started with a group of churches with a purpose to assist families in need. Today this purpose is still our objective. The need now is greater than ever to assist families. So far this year Care Share Mission has served over 8,000 people and over 4,000 baskets of food.

Care Share Mission is supported by the Houston Food Bank, area churches, individual donors, local businesses and organizations and dedicated volunteers.

The hours of operation are Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Donations can be sent to Care Share Mission, P.O. Box 818, Coldspring, TX 77331; or via Paypal at caresharefoodpantry.org.

Vicki Jowell currently is president of Care Share Mission

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By Tony Farkas
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COLDSPRING — U.S. Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, told constituents in Coldspring last week that a government shutdown will depend on whether Congress passes funding bills everyone can agree with.

Luttrell addressed the group at the San Jacinto County Republican Party office on Sept. 11.

Currently, there are 12 appropriations bills, 1 of which has passed, he said.

“I don’t have the answers, but the best-case scenario is this: Republicans have put together 11 appropriations bills. We’ll send it to the Senate, they send it to the president and he signs it. (But) that’s not going to happen.

“What will happen is we’ll send the appropriations bills to the Senate, which will take them and throw them in the trash, and send back a slick continuing resolution, which will come to us,” Luttrell said.

From there, Luttrell said he would be one of many voting against them. However, negotiations will happen, the measure will be pushed to the Senate, which will push it to the president, who will sign it. Or, the House could also do nothing, which could lead to a shutdown.

Luttrell also said there are votes coming up on relief funds for Hawaii and Florida after those areas suffered disasters, as well as additional funds for the Ukraine.

He said the Senate is trying to bundle the three items together.

“The problem is that as a veteran, I support Maui and Florida 100 percent, but they are trying to slap $24 billion on for the Ukraine,” Luttrell said. “I have to support Florida and Maui, but if I vote no on the bill, all you will hear is I didn’t support Maui and Florida. If they can separate Ukraine, which I hope they do, we can vote for the two states and then talk about the Ukraine.”

Luttrell said he is against any funding for the Ukraine because those funds cannot be tracked.

Other items touched on during Luttrell’s visit were VA funding, which was approved; military promotions; border security; and the impeachment inquiry of President Biden.

Additionally, the Jan. 6 defendants and convictions were discussed, and Luttrell invited constituents to visit his office in Washington, D.C., and view all the footage of what happened that day.

He said there are pockets of very aggressive people, but the majority of the people were caught up in the storm; however, the DOJ is making examples of the defendants.

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By Tony Farkas
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SHEPHERD — The Shepherd City Council passed a business-as-usual budget that lowers the tax rate but raises fees for city services.

City Secretary Debra Hagler said the council approved a tax rate 0.16442 per $100 of property valuation, which will bring in no new revenue, at its regular meeting on Sept. 11. That rate is lower than last year’s rate of 0.17674 per $100.

Hagler said the city did approve, as part of the budget, an increase in water and sewer rates to take effect in November. An increase of $3.50 will be on base rates for sewer and water bills; also, tap fees have been raised from $600 per tap to $700 for water service and $750 for sewer service.

The council said customers will be notified of the increases as well.

The council approved the FY 2023-24 budget with expected general fund revenues and expenditures at $640,000.

Also, the utility fund budget was approved, with projected revenues at $1,033,300 and expenditures at $998,736; and the Economic Development Council budget was approved with expected revenues at $124,000 and expenses at $119,000.

In other business, the council:

•discussed the balance on taxes owed by Z Executive Inn and Suites, which has been paid in full;

•declared all candidates for the upcoming city election unopposed and cancelled the election, which will save about $13,000;

•appointed reserve officer Tammy Nave as assistant chief of police. Hagler said it’s a volunteer position; and

•approved the auction of surplus items.

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At last, we had some rain. I know a lot of prayers have been answered and we can look for more rain to come soon. September brings fall with it on Sept. 23, and clubs and groups are coming back onto their new schedules.

Coldspring Garden Club heard all about the importance of the soil we use in our planting — what to add to it for best results and how add to the structure of the soil in our gardens to aid growth. James Roberts, helped by his daughter Savanah, gave a very interesting talk and slide show on the subject and invited us out to The Growers Outlet a mile south of Willis at 11173 N. Highway 75.

The pictures of his Outlet look wonderful and worth checking out. Call him at (936) 856-5001 or go to www.growersoutletinwillis.com. Come to the next meeting on the first Thursday of the month at the Community Center in Coldspring. The meeting starts at 1:30 p.m.

•Women’s League will be back on Sept. 14 at 11:30 a.m. with lunch at noon. Members will enjoy a wonderful lunch and talk and catch up with those they have not seen for a few months. Coldspring Community Center is the venue as always and the tables will reflect the creative abilities of the ladies who take turns in delighting the membership every month with their beautiful centerpieces.

•Coldspring Library will hold its annual Garage Sale fundraiser on Oct. 11-14. If you have items to donate, big or small, call (936) 653-3104.

The Garage Sale is held in Coldspring Community Shelter on Highway 150 and is the biggest source of donations for the library. It is always a wonderful place to find bargains. People are usually very generous with donations.

If you would like to volunteer to help with this event, call the library for information. Don’t forget Sept. 29 is the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Celebration. It will be one year since this wonderful program started in our area. This party is for the little ones who are the receivers of the books every month. Adults are welcome too of course.

The event is from 4-6 p.m. It will be in Coldspring Library, and Shepherd Library will be there, too.

•State Rep. Ernest Bailes is inviting businesses owners to a Coffee and Kolaches breakfast in his office at 8.30 a.m. on Sept. 19. He was so pleased with the meeting with elected officials recently, that he thinks this will be a good way to hear from business owners and managers and for them to network with each other. Elected officials are welcome.

The office is in Shepherd on Highway 150. Located at 10501 Highway 150 Suite B, call (936) 628-6687. Please R.S.V.P. to let them know you are coming.

•Shepherd Chamber of Commerce gave Business of the Month to TD’s Supermarket and Gas Station last week. This store has everything from tasty hot food to drinks, snacks, gifts and toys and so much more. The staff are friendly and very helpful and the owner is very community-minded.

Thank you, Michelle Gipson, Kat Schrock, Samantha Snyder and Biggins Haffart. Call (936) 628-3341 at 10911 Highway 150, or the Shepherd Chamber at (210) 995-7420.

•Don’t forget the Impact Crisis Emergency Center Fundraiser on Oct. 20 -21. This is called the Boo Bash Benefit BBQ Cook-Off. Quite a mouthful. Which is the intention of the Impact Center Team, to make mouthwatering barbecue, chili and cocktails contests.

There will be some great musical entertainment with Jon Dameron and the Awesome Bootleg Country Band and Joe Le Blanc, DJ extraordinaire, will keep the music going too. Call Brenda Myers at (936) 499-2632 for information on becoming a competitor.

Coldspring Chamber of Commerce is well under way with the Wolf Creek Car Show. This is on Oct. 21-22 at the beautiful Wolf Creek RV Park by the lake. Vendors spaces are filling up, entry forms for vehicles and more information are avaiable online at the website or call the Chamber at (936) 653-2184.

•San Jacinto Women’s League will have its ribbon cutting to Coldspring Chamber at their first meeting in this week. Look also for some remodeling on the outside the Coldspring Office.

Contact the Shepherd Chamber at (210) 995-7420 or the Coldspring Chamber at (936) 653-2184.

Yvonne Cones is president of the Greater Shepherd Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Coldspring Chamber of Commerce.