San Jacinto County News - Breakout

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By Richard Lee
Senate correspondent

AUSTIN — Those who make or distribute fentanyl illegally would face decades in prison under a bill approved unanimously by the Senate on Wednesday.

Sen. Joan Huffman of Houston said that the powerful synthetic opioid has become the leading cause of death for adults under the age of 45.

“It’s a fact that fentanyl is flooding our borders, it is absolutely, without a doubt, killing our citizens on a daily basis, and it’s time that we take a comprehensive approach to combating this deadly drug,” Huffman said.

Of the more than 100,000 fentanyl overdose deaths in 2021, 1,600 were in Texas. Her bill, SB 645, would lower the threshold for felony distribution or manufacture of fentanyl to less than one gram. It would enhance the penalty from a state jail felony to a third-degree felony, which can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

If someone dies from fentanyl made or sold by a defendant, then the penalty enhances to a second-degree felony, and in extraordinary circumstances, said Huffman, prosecutors could charge dealers with murder, a first degree felony that can mean life in prison.

Huffman also passed a bill that would give law enforcement and first responders immunity from certain health privacy laws so that they can participate in a national fentanyl overdose mapping program, in order to quicker identify problem areas and direct resources to where they’re needed most.

“You can look on this and see in real-time where the overdoses are occurring,” said Huffman.

The Senate also approved a bill this week that would return the crime of illegal voting to a felony after it was lowered to a misdemeanor in last session’s election integrity bill. According to author and Mineola Sen. Bryan Hughes, the crime had been a felony for nearly 50 years before it was changed in 2021.

Elsewhere, the Senate State Affairs Committee considered a number of measures that concern controversial gender issues.

The panel heard SB 15 by Galveston Sen. Mayes Middleton, which would require that collegiate athletes participate in sports leagues that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificate. Middleton said that the advantages biological males have over females are insurmountable.

“When we consider the physiological difference between men and women in the context of athletic competitions, biological men and women cannot fairly compete against each other, and that invariably takes away opportunity for female athletes,” Middleton said.

On Thursday, the committee heard hours of testimony on measures that would restrict what is known in the medical community as “gender affirming care” for children, banning puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery for minors.

SB 14 author and New Braunfels Sen. Donna Campbell said that these treatments can cause lifelong consequences that minors aren’t able to understand.

“To apply permanent changes or give medications that can easily, if taken long enough, be permanent for an image that may be temporary, I think is careless and is not in the best interest of a child,” she said.

The bill would not apply to adults.

On Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee advanced the chamber’s plan for property tax relief in the form of SB 3 and SB 4. These bills raise the homestead exemption 75 percent to $70,000. It would also triple the special senior exemption, giving the 2.2 million Texas homeowners aged 65 or older a total exemption of $100,000.

At a press conference introducing the legislation, bill author and Houston Sen. Paul Bettencourt said that will translate to an annual tax savings of almost $800 for the average homeowner and more than $1,000 for seniors.

“It’s important to know that we’re touching every taxpayer, every homeowner, every business owner with needed tax relief,” Bettencourt said.

Along with a third measure that will cut business inventory and personal property taxes, the Senate so far has $16.5 billion in tax cuts set aside for the next state budget.

The Senate reconvened Monday.

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By Tony Farkas
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SHEPHERD — The Shepherd City Council appointed an investigator to do a background check on its prospective police chief.

City Secretary Debra Hagler said that at its regular meeting on March 13, the council hired Ray Atchley, San Jacinto County Precinct 2 constable, to conduct a background check on Clint Headley.

The background check will be done once the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement assigns a number to the fledgling department, which Hagler said should be done within the next two weeks.

The council also hired Matthew Greer as Public Works director.

Hagler said Greer, who is a resident of Coldspring, previously worked for Cleveland, and has a Class B wastewater license and a Class C license in ground water, as well as management training.

Greer will start March 27 at a salary of $53,000, she said.

In other business, the council:

•hired Raymond K. Vann & Associates to administer application and management services for the city’s 2023-2024 Texas CDBG-CD grant;

•hired Goodwin Lassiter Strong . This grant is for engineering services related to the grant;

•abandoned a portion of the alley in Block 64 of the Shepherd Townsite and approved the sale of it to Jefferson C. Langham Sr.;

•approved an ordinance regarding false alarms, which requires good contact information and communication with owners to cut down of officers responding to a false alarm;

•denied a variance request from Lindsey Davidson to place a portable building on Highway 150 to be used as a barbershop, as city ordinances state no portable buildings can be used as commercial property;

•delayed appointing a new Municipal Judge to replace Harris Blanchette, who resigned to focus on his duties as Justice of the Peace; and

•approved the installation of streetlights on new poles installed by Entergy on Finger Street.

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By Tony Farkas
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COLDSPRING — The Coldspring City Council approved measures relating to grant funds at it regular meeting on March 6.

Mayor John Benestante said that they are moving along on a $630,000 grant that will be used to install a sewer line along FM 2025, and will seek additional information from the residents along that route.

Since the grant is related to low-income homeowners, the city is asking the residents along the route to disclose their income bracket.

Benestante said they have more than 100 responses, but need more to show the percentage of low-income owners is correct.

By adding the line and additionally customers, sewer bills will ultimately be lower, since operational costs will be spread further out, he said. Currently, the plant is operating at 20 percent capacity, but have to operate as if full.

In related matters, the council approved resolutions approving policies for Fair Housing, excessive force, codes of conduct and civic participation, and hired Goodwin and Lassiter for engineering services.

In another related matter, the city was approached by Central States Water Resources with a plan to purchase the city’s wastewater treatment plant; Benestante said he brought it before the council, which turned it down.

In other business, the city:

•vacated a planned election for May, as all incumbent alderman had no opponents;

•discussed changes to Hotel Occupancy Tax exemptions;

•heard a complaint from the Rev. I.P. Runge about trailer house storing pile of trash bags on property, a violation of health ordinances. City Attorney Greg McGee will notify property owner of the violation;

•discussed retirement and health plans for city employees; and

•discussed food trucks rules, which state the vendor must be mobile to qualify for a license. Benestante said some are starting to be permanent, and there are no specific regulations to ensure proper disposal of grease.

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As Sheriff, when I want to notify my partners in law enforcement that I’m looking for someone I put out a what we call, a “BOLO” (be on the lookout).

Today I’m putting out a BOLO for you to address some common challenges in your everyday life.

These are some common examples of scams and schemes that you need to be aware of.

Online Auction Site Scams

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Items sold at drastically reduced prices are often stolen. Example:

•You make a purchase online and agree to meet in person to pay with cash. The seller could rob the victim of their cash and potentially causing bodily harm and obviously the receipt of the item never occurs and fortunately the only thing you’ve lost is your money.

•You find a rental property online and meet with the person who placed the ad. Typically, you sign a bogus rental agreement, turn over your cash money and get the key to the house that the individual never had possession of who is a scammer with the potential of causing you bodily harm if things don’t go his or her way.

Identity theft and
theft of information

•You fill out an online form or handwritten credit card application, rental agreement, etc., from a company or an individual you are not familiar with. Potentially, the form is fraudulent, and you have just provided enough information for you to become a victim of identity theft.

•Credit card information can be stolen during an online hack or through devices placed on legal machines like ATM’s that are designed to extract personal information linked to your credit or ATM card. Be very suspicious of devices that are affixed to ATM machines that appears to be an “add-on” to the machine. If you suspect one exist, contact the bank or the retailer where the machine is placed.

•Once a suspect steals your personal information, they can create accounts, obtain credit in your name, or create fraudulent credit/bank cards and you may be held responsible. It’s not uncommon for an unsuspecting homeowner to have second mortgages obtained on their property or even listed for sale in someone else’s name.

Advance pay scams

Advance pay scams are one of the most common types of confidence tricks. You are asked for a small sum of money with the promise of a large pay out in the end. The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of money in return for a small up-front payment, which the scammer claims will be used to obtain the larger sum. If the victim makes the payment, the scammer simply disappears with your money.

Ponzi/pyramid schemes

•Ponzi is a form of fraud that lures many investors and pays profits to “early investors” with funds from “more recent investors.” Named after Italian businessman Charles Ponzi, the scheme leads victims to believe that profits are coming from legitimate business activities, product sales or successful investments and they remain unaware that early investors are the source of profits. A small amount of money is taken from many people with the promise of a higher-than-normal rate of return. The victim will be asked to solicit funds from friends and family members.

Telephone scams

People lose a lot of money to phone scams, sometimes their life savings. Scammers have figured out countless ways to cheat you out of your money over the phone. In some scams they act friendly and helpful, and others, they may threaten or try to scare you. One thing you can count on is that a phone scammer will try to get your money and or your personal information to commit identity theft as well.

•Telemarketers offer great vacations or discounted products, and once the victim provides credit card information or bank details, the nightmare begins. Unfortunately, you are not likely to receive anything in return. As a bonus to the scammers, you have just provided them with enough information for identity theft as well.

•The caller might say you were selected and you’ve won a lottery. But you must pay some amount up-front to get the prize. It’s not a prize, it’s a scam.

•Scammers might pretend to be a member of law enforcement. They might say you will be arrested or fined for a crime you have no knowledge of if you don’t pay over the phone with a credit or debit card right away. If not, you should expect to be arrested.

•Scammers might identify themselves as IRS agents requesting a credit card or bank information to satisfy an old tax liability. Remember, the IRS never contacts taxpayers requesting payments over the telephone. Request of this nature are always through the U.S. Postal Service.

•You don’t need to decide now … Most legitimate businesses will give you time to think their offer over. Most often they will, upon request, provide you with written information about the offer before asking you to commit. Take your time don’t get pressured into deciding on the spot.

•Scammers will often ask you to pay in a way that makes it hard, if not impossible, for you to get your money back. Wiring money, putting money on a gift card, prepaid card or using a money transfer application is probably not a good idea. Anyone who asked you to pay that way is potentially a scammer.

To further assist you and your family in protecting yourself against unwanted phone calls and solicitations, consider the following:

“The National Do Not Call” registry was created to stop unwanted calls. It’s free to register your home or cell phone number. If you’ve already added your phone number to the registry and you are still getting unwanted calls, odds are the calls are potentially from scammers. To learn more about the National Do Not Call registry go to the following who U.S. Government website at www.donotcall.gov or call 888-382-1222 where you will also be able to register if you have not already done so.

Scammers are criminals and if you think they are above physically injuring you or your family, think again. Their ambition is to steal your money at all costs and the use of physical force is in their playbook. Be very cautious and suspicious in dealing with strangers.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to call my office’s non-emergency telephone number (936) 654-4367 for assistance or in any emergency immediately call 911.

Greg Capers is sheriff of San Jacinto County.