San Jacinto County News - Breakout

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t’s not my intent to lecture you on the dangers associated with drinking and driving, but I do want to share some information that you might find informative.

Operating a motorized vehicle or watercraft in an “impaired” manner could result in your death, the death of a family member, or loved one, as well as other innocent people.

There are laws in the state regarding this, but there are differences as to what is considered a DWI or a DUI.

Texas officially uses the term driving while intoxicated (DWI) instead of driving under the influence (DUI). Some people still use DWI and DUI interchangeably to refer to drunk or drugged driving.

A first-time offense DWI in Texas can land you a $2,000 fine and up to 180 days in jail among other serious consequences, and therefore, it’s important to understand the differences between these two charges so you know what to expect in terms of penalties and consequences.

•What is the legal drinking age in Texas?

Before diving into DWI versus DUI it’s important to know the legal drinking age is. The legal drinking age in Texas is 21, meaning you must be at least 21 years of age to purchase, possess, or consume alcohol.

People under 21 can still go out to restaurants and bars. However, they’re not allowed to drink any alcohol beverage, even if a parent or legal guardian agrees. Additionally, any individual providing alcohol to those under the legal age can face a fine and even a jail sentence.

What’s important to know is that consuming alcohol while operating a motor vehicle is illegal regardless of how old you are. Violating this law can land you in serious legal troubles.

•What is a DWI in Texas?

A DWI in Texas is a serious offense. Simply being under the influence of alcohol or prescribed drugs while publicly operating any kind of motorized vehicle, vessel, or even something as simple as a water ski can get you into legal troubles.

In Texas a DWI is a class B misdemeanor. A misdemeanor isn’t as severe as a felony charge. However, if you’re charged with a DWI and convicted you could receive up to 180 days in jail or pay a fine up to $2000.

If your body has a higher than .08 percent concentration of alcohol or any other drug, then you considered intoxicated under Texas DWI laws. Even if your blood alcohol level is less than .08 you might still receive a citation if your mental or physical facilities are impaired enough to affect your ability to drive.

DWI convictions carry both criminal penalties and administrative bills. While this might not seem like a big deal, it can greatly affect your job, family life, and financial situation. That’s why it’s so important to be aware of DWI laws and always make reasonable decisions when getting behind the wheel.

It’s worth noting in Texas a motorist can get a DWI even without actually driving. The statute defines DWI as operating a vehicle, while intoxicated or with a prohibited blood alcohol concentration, so while driving is sufficient for a conviction it isn’t required.

•What are the penalties for DWI?

For a first offense, the penalties are fines of up to $2,000, up to 180 days in jail and loss of driver’s license up to a year.

For a second offense, it’s fines of up to $4,000, one month to a year in jail and loss of driver’s license up to two years.

For a third offense, which becomes a felony, there is a $10,000 fine, prison terms from 2 to 10 years and loss of driver’s license up to two years.

These fines do not include a Texas state fine of $3,000, $4,000 or $6,000 that could be assessed upon sentencing.

If the event occurs with a child passenger under 15 years of age, you will be charged with child endangerment. Penalties include additional fines up to $10,000, jail for up to two years and loss of a driver’s license for another 180 days.

Driving with an open container in the vehicle, even if you’re not impaired, is illegal.

•What is DUI in Texas?

Driving under the influence is applied to anyone found with any amount of alcohol in their system while driving. Also, it’s illegal to operate a motor vehicle on a public road while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This means that a DUI in Texas is a charge that can potentially have serious long-term consequences.

What’s most important to know is that according to Texas law a DUI is classified as a class C misdemeanor.

•DUI penalties

DUI carries a lighter penalty with no jail time or criminal record. The maximum penalty for DUI in Texas is $500, probation, community service and alcohol awareness classes.

Keep in mind that this is just for the first offense. If you are caught and charged with a subsequent DUI, then you can receive jail time. Furthermore, the Texas Department of Public Safety often issues an automatic suspension of your driver’s license if you are a minor charged with DUI.

•What’s the difference?

Both definitions sound similar, however, they are somewhat similar, but not the same. DWI is a more serious offense with more serious penalties.

DWI involves operating a car with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher (.04 percent or higher for commercial drivers) and is classified as a class B misdemeanor and carries heavier penalties. On the other hand, DUI applies to any situation where the driver has consumed controlled substances that prohibit them from safely operating a vehicle.

These are a few of the guidelines associated with DWI and DUI in Texas intended only to provide you with a basic understanding of the law.

As always, I hope you find this information informative as well as helpful. Should you need additional information on the specifics of this subject, or any other subject please feel free to reach out to my office by calling my non-emergency number (936) 653-4367 and ask the operator for assistance.

Greg Capers is Sheriff of San Jacinto County.

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The San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, Crawfish4Kids and the Church on the Lake in Livingston came together to make Christmas special for 20 families in the county. Courtesy photo

Special to the News-Times

COLDSPRING — The San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, along with Crawfish4Kids and the Church on the Lake, combined to provide Christmas spirit to 20 needy families in the county.

The Rev. Charlie Beard of Church on the Lake on 190 in Livingston, a long-time Coldspring resident, reached out to the Sheriff’s Office because he and his fellow churchgoers, along with Crawfish4Kids, wanted to do something nice this holiday season for several underprivileged families in the county, Sheriff Greg Capers said.

The “elves” came together and collected toys, bicycles and pre-packaged Christmas meals, enough for 20 families in need, and with the help of Sheriff’s deputies, boxed up the food and toys and set off in a reindeer-sleigh style procession to deliver these items to families across the county.

“The smile on the faces of the families when they saw what Charlie and his fellow church-people had gathered for them warmed my heart,” Capers said. “Being able to deliver these gifts and make Christmas brighter for these families is a huge blessing and reminder of just how amazing this community is. I’m honored to have an impact on Christmas for these families.”

Capers thanked Beard and his congregation, the people of Crawfish4Kids, and the deputies who helped make all of this possible.

“It is a true Christmas blessing,” he said. “I know times are hard, and to see a glimmer of hope and joy in the eyes of our wonderful residents serves as another reminder of how much of an honor it is to serve as the Sheriff of San Jacinto County.”

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Special to the News-Times

LUFKIN — Brookshire Brothers, a regional grocery chain in Texas and western Louisiana, is deploying digital tools from eGrowcery, developer of the leading retail food industry eCommerce platform for grocers, for its online ordering and fulfillment operations.

The transition to the new platform, which will be seamless to Brookshire Brothers’ customers, will launch Jan. 1, 2024.

Some enhanced features shoppers can expect include shopper-friendly features like integrated coupon clipping and redemption, complex promotions, and several other consumer-facing aesthetic improvements.

Additionally, Brookshire Brothers will deploy a more efficient picking and fulfillment technology suite. The new technology will save Brookshire Brothers labor time and money, through eGrowcery’s unique, fully integrated fulfillment approach.

“The eGrowcery platform offers a deeper integration with the systems and strategies that we go to market with every day. The customer will benefit from being able to use digital coupons and navigate promotional savings while our store team optimizes the picking process to help save time and money,” said John Alston, CEO and president of Brookshire Brothers.

Together with eGrowcery, Brookshire Brothers ensures the same level of friendly, personalized service that customers already experience, both online and in store. Personal shopping experts hand select the highest quality products, and the new eCommerce platform continues to support the two-way conversation between shopper and customer to ensure convenient interaction.

eGrowcery, which operates both in the United States and abroad, is seeing an increasing number of retailers transition to the company’s white-label platform.

“eGrowcery is honored to work with the great team at Brookshire Brothers,” said Patrick Hughes, CEO of eGrowcery. “We are committed to providing their team with a comprehensive and scalable digital solution today, but also look forward to partnering in developing new features to continually improve shopper adoption rates and basket size growth.  Our ‘Team Grow’ is committed to their success as much as they are our own.”

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At the December School Board Meeting, recipients of the Thank a Trojan Program received special recognition for their positive impact on COCISD. Public Relations Coordinator Savanah Steffey started the Thank a Trojan program in 2023 to help share words of encouragement and appreciation for the faculty and staff members. The faculty and staff members that were recognized at the December board meeting were Nick Tenney, Raquel Taylor, Bobbie Turner, Celean Terry, Lulu Blanks, Lori Garza, Mikala Burns, Paul Farr, Coleigh Koon and Aimie Patrick. Photos courtesy of Savanah Steffey

By Tony Farkas
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COLDSPRING — The Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD Board of Trustees discussed the future of the district’s campuses, looking toward using buildings to provide space for a growing student population.

At the regular meeting on Dec. 18, the board heard a report from a facilities assessment committee, which will explore using the Jones complex as a campus for students in grades 3-6, creating intermediate school.

Superintendent Dr. Bryan Taulton said the move was only a recommendation, as the board will need to approve the change, and bonds will need to be set for an election. If approved, once the renovation is completed then the current intermediate school will become the elementary school.

In other business, the board:

•approved Cindy Elliott, executive assistant and secretary to the board, was named as an alternate approver on the TEA system for accountability;

•accepted audit for the 2022-23 fiscal year from Weaver and Tidwell, which came in with an unmodified opinion;

•approved two resignations; and

•discussed the current school year and the transition to the 4-day week. Taulton said the move has been successful, and the district has seen improvement in student and employee attendance.