NEWS

JANUARY 2010       

FEBRUARY 2010

MARCH 2010

IS MORRISON FROM LIBERTY COUNTY

3.8.10

THIS NEWS REPORT BEGINS WITH AN APOLOGY FROM ALL NINE NEWS.

SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THE RECENT PRIMARY ELECTION WE HAD CALLS THAT QUESTIONED IF COUNTY JUDGE CANDIDATE KENNETH R. MORRISON ACTUALLY RESIDED AT HIS LIBERTY COUNTY ADDRESS IN TIME TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR COUNTY JUDGE. AT THE TIME WE DID NOTHING TO CLARIFY THAT ISSUE. WE DID POSE THE QUESTION TO HIM ON THE CANDIDATE FORUM AND WHILE CANDIDATE MORRISON WAS NOT SPECIFIC ABOUT DATE STATE THAT HE MET THE RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS ON THAT LIVE BROADCAST. AFTER THE ELECTION THE ISSUE WAS RAISED AGAIN BY ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND THEN BY TWO OTHER REGISTERED VOTERS IN LIBERTY COUNTY, NONE OF WHO SOUGHT POLITICAL OFFICE. . NOW, WE HAVE GATHERED INFORMATION ON HIS RESIDENCY AND THEN SPOKE AT LENGTH SATURDAY WITH THE CANDIDATE. KEN MORRISON WON THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION IN PRIMARY VOTING CAPTURING 60 % OF THE VOTE. CLEARLY WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS REPORT EARLIER BUT WE WILL DO IT NOW. WE WILL PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION WE CAN WITHOUT ANY CONCLUSION. THAT WE WILL LEAVE TO YOU. KEN MORRISON WILL BE 64 YEARS OF AGE IN MAY. HE LIVED FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES AT 603 GOLDEN BEAR IN KINGWOOD, HARRIS COUNTY TEXAS. . HE TOLD US HE SOLD THE HOME TO HIS SON, KENNETH RAY MORRISON II IN 2009. HE AND HIS WIFE, GLENDA, MARRIED FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT SHE RETAINED HER OWN HOUSE AT 3809 DEER FALLS, ALSO IN KINGWOOD-HARRIS CO.. DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE KENNETH MORRISON SAYS NOW HE SPENDS MUCH OF HIS TIME AT HIS WIFE’S HOUSE FOR ACCESS TO A COMPUTER. AS TO HIS PROPERTY IN THE EASTGATE AREA OF LIBERTY COUNTY KENNETH MORRISON SAID HE PURCHASED THAT 36.67 ACRES AT 435 COUNTY ROAD 6244 DAYTON ABOUT 2 ½ YEARS AGO. IT IS THERE HE PLANS TO BUILD A LOG CABIN HOME. HE CHOSE TO MOVE FROM HARRIS COUNTY BECAUSE OF EXTREMELY HIGH TAXES AND CROWDED CONDITIONS. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WE COULD NOT PIN DOWN A DATE, KENNETH MORRISON SAID HE MOVED HIS CAMPER TO THE EASTGATE SITE. ELECTRICAL POWER WAS PROVIDED POWER BY CAMPER GENERATOR AND HE FILLED THE WATER TANK WITH A GARDEN HOSE TO HIS NEIGHBORS HOUSE. HE HAS NO SEWERAGE NOR SEPTIC TANK. HE TOLD US HE LETS MOST WATER RUN ONTO THE GROUND BUT FOR WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS BLACK WATER HE TOWS HIS CAMPER TO A DUMP STATION MONTHLY FOR DUMPING.. ACCORDING TO HARRIS COUNTY RECORDS THE NOMINEE FOR LIBERTY COUNTY JUDGE VOTED IN HARRIS COUNTY AS LATE AS OCTOBER OF 2009 BUT THEN APPLIED TO SWITCH HIS VOTER REGISTRATION TO LIBERTY COUNTY. HE VOTED HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST WEEK. KEN MORRISON TOLD US HE CANCELLED HIS HARRIS COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION BUT DESPITE THAT RECEIVED A NEW HARRIS COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION IN THE MAIL. SINCE HE ALREADY HAD LIBERTY COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION HE DISPOSED OF THE HARRIS COUNTY CARD AND RECORDS SHOWS HE VOTED IN LIBERTY COUNTY IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY JUST HELD. MR. MORRISON TOLD ALL NINE NEWS THAT ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO HE HAD ENTERGY ELECTRIC INSTALL POWER AT HIS NEW METER POLE ON HIS EASTGATE ACREAGE AND NOW HAS POWER AT THAT SITE. HE REPEATEDLY TOLD US THAT CAMPER IS HIS HOME BUT HE DOES SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT HIS WIFE’S HOUSE IN KINGWOOD BECAUSE OF ACCESS TO A COMPUTER. WHICH HE USED EXTENSIVELY DURING THE CAMPAIGN. HE IDENTIFIED HIS CAMPER HOME AS A LUXURY MODEL THAT EXPANDS TO A KING SIZE BED WITH CENTRAL HEAT AND AIR AND VERY COMFORTABLE BU THE LOOKS FORWARD TO BUILDING A PERMANENT HOME THERE. . ON FRIDAY ALL NINE NEWS SENT TWO REPORTERS AND ONE OTHER PERSON WHO KNEW HOW TO FIND THE PROPERTY WHERE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR LIBERTY COUNTY JUDGE CALLS HOME. A NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR CONFIRMED HE WAS THERE EARLIER FRIDAY. THE CAMPER IS A NICE ONE, AND CAN CONFIRM IT HAS A NEW ELECTRIC METER POLE THAT MR. MORRISON SAYS WAS PUT IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO,. A GARDEN HOSE RAN ACROSS HIS PROPERTY TOWARD THE NEIGHBORS HOUSE FOR WATER SUPPLY. THERE WAS NO SEWERAGE CONNECTION. HIS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR TAXING PURPOSES WAS ON THE KINGWOOD HOME IN HIS NAME THROUGH 2009 AND SHOWS THE EXEMPTION ALSO IN PLACE FOR 20-10 BUT NOW IN THE NAME OF HIS SON, KEN R. MORRISON II. THE 36.67 ACRES OF LIBERTY COUNTY PROPERTY, WHERE HIS CAMPER IS LOCATED AT THE END OF GRAVEL ROAD CR 6244, HAS AN APPRAISED VALUE OF $80,00 BUT AN AGRICULTURAL EXEMPTION OF $77,130 . THAT LEAVES A TAXABLE VALUE OF $3,670 AND A TAX STATEMENT FROM THE COUNTY OF $71.69. SINCE THE SITE IS IN THE DAYTON SCHOOL DISTRICT THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICT TAXES ON THE $3670 VALUE ARE BILLED SEPARATELY.. KEN MORRISON TOLD US HIS DRIVERS LICENSE, VOTER REGISTRATION AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER DOCUMENT REFLECTS HIS LEGAL RESIDENCE AS BEING IN LIBERTY COUNTY AND HAVE FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS BUT RECORDS SAY HE VOTED IN HARRIS COUNTY IN OCTOBER 2009. THE NOMINEE DID NOT CONFIRM OR DENY HE VOTED IN HARRIS COUNTY IN OCTOBER 2009 BUT POINTED OUT THAT SEVERAL TIMES HE HAS FOUND HARRIS COUNTY RECORDS TO BE INCORRECT AND CITED HE CANCELLED HIS HARRIS COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION SOME MONTHS AGO BUT STILL GOT A VOTER REGISTRATION CARD FROM HARRIS COUNTY. HE DISPOSED OF THAT SINCE HE CONSIDERS HIMSELF A LIBERTY COUNTY VOTER. AGAIN, HIS WIFE CONTINUES TO OWN A SEPARATE HOME OWNER IN HARRIS COUNTY. KEN MORRISON’S KINGWOOD HOME IS NOW IN HIS SON’S NAME, KENNETH R. MORRISON II.. WE HAVE MADE EVERY ATTEMPT NOT TO ARRIVE AN ANY CONCLUSIONS IN THIS REPORT BUT PROVIDE WHAT WE LEARNED AND HIS REACTIONS TO THOSE FINDINGS. AGAIN WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT BEFORE THE PRIMARY. INCIDENTALLY, WHEN A CANDIDATE FILES TO RUN FOR OFFICE THE FILING CLERK IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO ACCEPT THE WORD OF THE CANDIDATE. IF ANY CHALLENGE IS JUSTIFIED THAT WOULD COME FROM THOSE WHO CHOSE TO QUESTION ITS ACCURACY. NEITHER THE PARTY CHAIR NOR COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVING RESIDENT REQUIREMENTS.

Liberty education foundation announces grant awards

3.8.10

We have frequently reported on the development of the Liberty ISD Education Foundation. Its a local and non-profit organization that raises money for teachers going beyond the normal budget for local classroom education. Teachers in the liberty District are encouraged to apply for grant money to use on a project in their classroom. It is kind of a "think outside of the box" effort. The foundation considers grant applications and awards them to teachers to expand programs. recently the foundation grant selection committee of The Liberty ISD Education Foundation announced recipients for seven out of ten grants totaling $26,264.81 across all Liberty campuses. the announcement each year comes as a surprises when the committee comes into the teachers class room during class with the news they have been chosen for one of these very special grants. This is money to be spent only for local teachers who want to go that extra mile fortheir students. Four teachers at San Jacinto Elementary School received a total of $11,465. Those winning grants were Jennifer Hutchins, Odelia Hebert, and Isabel Morfin, Mrs. Hutchins’ grant called for a set of classroom clickers, so that each of her students would be able to participate in class discussions. Ms. Hebert asked for what are called Versa-Tiles for all Kindergarten classes. The grant Isabel Morfin’s requested was for outfits, tools, and booklets to teach her bilingual students about different career possibilities. Fourth grade teachers at Liberty Elementary School, Joanne Knepper, Julie Pruett, Valerie Welps, Yvonne Lawrence, and David Deternoz, were awarded $4,885.19, teamed up for a mobile reading unit consisting of books downloaded to iPods. at Liberty Middle School teachers, Cara Connelly and Christie Bean were awarded $3,975.11. Mrs. Connelly’s grant expands on a previous effort that won her a grant for pictures and tools from which to make books. Mrs. Christie Beans’ grant is to buy iPods for her choir kids to download competition music to take home and practice. At Liberty High School Bruce Wright was awarded $5,939.30. Mr. Wright’s grant requested a mobile music studio to help incorporate the Arts with Media. . The Liberty Education Foundation told teachers they were pleased with the amount of grant requests turned in. All of these grants go to local teachers who want to get things done with, and for, their students above and beyond the normal curriculum but approved by a committee for its creativity. . again, $26,264 in grant dollars from the liberty education foundation has just been awarded to local teachers for local kids. . .

LIBERTY PANTHERS

news story

03.08.10

THE LIBERTY PANTHERS MADE IT TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OF THE CLEVELAND BASEBALL TOURNAMENT ON SATURDAY, FALLING TO THE TARKINGTON LONGHORNS IN THAT TITLE GAME. IN THEIR FIRST CONTEST, LIBERTY DOWNED SPLENDORA 15-2. NEXT, THE PANTHERS SHUT OUT CLEVELAND 22-0. IN THE TITLE GAME, LIBERTY FELL 11-4 GIVING THE TOURNAMENT CROWN TO THE TARKINGTON LONGHORNS.

weekend recap

news story

03.08.10

KSHN REPORTED OVER THE WEEKEND THAT LIBERTY CITY COUNCIL HAS MOVED A STEP CLOSER TO GETTING BOOMERANG TUBE PIPE MILL OPERATIONAL. DURING A SPECIAL MEETING FRIDAY, COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE PURCHASE OF THE NECESSARY SWITCHING EQUIPMENT TO DIVIDE THE CITY’S ELECTRICAL POWER INTO SEPARATE SUBSTATIONS. THIS WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO SUPPLY THE ELECTRICITY NEEDED TO OPERATE THE NEW FACTORY. BOOMERANG TUBE IS LOCATED IN THE OLD NATIONAL PIPE AND TUBE BUILDING. THIS SUBSTATION SWITCHING IS A TEMPORARY FIX THAT GIVES THE CITY TIME TO CONSTRUCT A $3.2 MILLION SUBSTATION WHILE ALLOWING BOOMERANG TUBE TO GET OPERATIONAL. AS WE HAVE OFTEN REPROTED, ONCE UP AND RUNNING, THE MANUFACTURER IS EXPECTED TO USE AS MUCH ELECTRICITY AS THE WHOLE CITY NOW USES. ALSO OVER THE WEEKEND, KSHN REPORTED ON FOUR EXPECTED REPUBLICAN RUN-OFF ELECTIONS. DURING THE MARCH 2 GOP PRIMARY, FOUR RACES ENDED WITHOUT ANY CANDIDATE RECEIVING THE NEEDED 50 PERCENT PLUS VOTE TO WIN OUTRIGHT. THOSE RACES ARE FOR COUNTY JUDGE, COMMISSIONER PRECINCT 2, PLUS JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FOR BOTH PRECINCT 4 AND 5. LIBERTY COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR LESTER RAY WISEGERBER SAID THE PRIMARY RESULTS ARE NOT FINAL UNTIL CANVASSED ON MARCH 11. AT THAT TIME, CANDIDATES IN THESE FOUR RUN-OFF ELECTIONS WILL DRAW FOR BALLOT POSITIONS. THE DATE OF THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY RUN-OFF ELECTION IS APRIL 13. IN A RELATED MATER, ACCORDING TO INFORMATION FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE, LESTER RAY WISEGERBER’S TERM AS REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR EXPIRES MAY 3. THAT IS WHEN ANDY MCCREIGHT, WINNER OF THAT GOP RACE, WILL TAKE OVER AS LIBERTY COUNTY GOP PARTY CHAIR. ALSO ON SATURDAY, KHSN REPORTED A 31-YEAR-OLD LIBERTY MAN HAS BEEN INDICTED FOR THE CHRISTMAS DAY MURDER OF A LOCAL BUSINESSMAN. WE REPORTED THE DISCOVERY OF THE BODY OF NAUSHAD (NUH-SHAD) VIRANI (VER-AW-KNEE) ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT 2009 IN THE RIDGEWOOD HAPPY CHAP GROCERY STORE THAT HE OWNED. ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH THE KILLING A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE CRIME WAS STEVIE RAY "BUBBA" WALDER. ACCORDING TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY MIKE LITTLE, BACK IN FEBRUARY, A LIBERTY COUNTY GRAND JURY INDICTED WALDER FOR CAPITAL MURDER PLUS THREE OTHER CHARGES. THOSE ARE TWO COUNTS OF UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM AND ONE COUNT OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON. STEVIE RAY WALDER REMAINS JAILED HERE IN LIEU OF $2 MILLION BOND.

lady panthers

news story

03.08.10

THE LIBERTY LADY PANTHERS HOSTED THEIR ANNUAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT OVER THE WEEKEND FINISHING IN SECOND PLACE IN BRACKET PLAY. THE ANNUAL TOURNEY BEGAN WITH POOL PLAY ON THURSDAY. IN THOSE FOUR GAMES, LIBERTY TOPPED BOTH 3-A ORANGEFIELD AND 4-A BEAUMONT CENTRAL WHILE FALLING TO CLASS 4-A OPPONENTS, CROSBY AND DAYTON. THEN, BRACKET PLAY IN THE LHS SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT BEGAN ON SATURDAY WITH LIBERTY BEATING TARKINGTON 3-0. THE LADY PANTHERS ADVANCED TO FACE BAYTOWN MEMORIAL, WITH LIBERTY EARNING A HARD-FOUGHT 7-6 VICTORY IN THAT ONE. IN THE TITLE GAME, THE LIBERTY GIRLS FELL 8-0 TO GIVE THE CHAMPIONSHIP TO THE SQUAD FROM CROSBY. THE LIBERTY LADY PANTHERS WILL BEGIN DISTRICT PLAY TOMORROW AGAINST TARKINGTON AT LIBERTY CITY PARK. THE JV GIRLS START AT 4:30 WITH VARSITY SET TO TAKE THE DIAMOND BEGINNING AT 6.

LATEST ON RUN OFF ELECTIONS

LOCAL NEWS

03.06.10

WE HAVE REPORTED EXTENSIVELY ON THE LIKELIHOOD THAT FOUR OF LAST TUESDAY’S REPUBLICAN PRIMARY ELECTION RACE WOULD BE SETTLED IN RUN OFF ELECTIONS. IN THE PRIMARY, IT IS REQUIRED FOR A CANDIDATE TO RECEIVE AT LEAST 50% OF THE VOTE PLUS ONE. TUESDAY SAW FOUR REPUBLICAN RACES WHERE NO CANDIDATE WON BY THAT MUCH. ACCORDING TO LIBERTY COUNTY GOP PARTY CHAIR LESTER RAY WISEGERBER, THE RESULTS OF THE MARCH 2^ND PRIMARY ARE NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL CANVASSED MARCH 11^TH. AT THAT TIME, THOSE CANDIDATES IN RUN OFF ELECTIONS WILL DRAW FOR BALLOT POSITIONS. THE DATE OF THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY RUN OFF ELECTIONS IS APRIL 13^TH. IT IS EXPECTED THAT STEVE STEPHENS AND CRAIG MCNAIR WILL BE IN A RUN OFF ELECTION FOR THE GOP NOMINATION FOR LIBERTY COUNTY JUDGE. FOR PRECINCT #2 COMMISSIONER CHARLOTTE KEY WARNER AND MARCUS BRAND; LARRY WILBURN AND BARRY GRAVES FOR PRECINCT #4 JUSTICE OF THE PEACE AND FOR PRECINCT #5 JUSTICE OF THE PEACE WADE BROWN AND DAVID MARTIN. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION FROM THE TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE, LESTER RAY WISEGERBER’S TERM EXPIRES ON MAY 3^RD. THAT IS WHEN ANDY MCCREIGHT, THE WINNER OF THAT GOP PRIMARY RACE ON TUESDAY WILL TAKE OVER AS COUNTY PARTY CHAIR FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

WALDER INDICTED

LOCAL NEWS

03/06/2010

A 31-YEAR-OLD LIBERTY MAN HAS BEEN INDICTED FOR THE CHRISTMAS DAY MURDER OF A LOCAL BUSINESSMAN. WE REPORTED THE SHOCKING DISCOVERY OF THE BODY OF NAUSHAD (NUH-SHAD) VIRANI ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT 2009 IN THE RIDGEWOOD HAPPY CHAP GROCERY STORE THAT HE OWNED. ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH THE KILLING IS STEVIE RAY "BUBBA" WALDER. THOUGH AT LAST REPORT, SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE THE MURDER QUALIFIED AS A "HATE CRIME" SINCE THE SUSPECT HAS PROVABLE SYMPATHIES WITH VARIOUS WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUPS AND THE VICTIM WAS A NATIVE OF PAKISTAN. HOWEVER, LIBERTY POLICE HAVE POINTED OUT THERE IS NO HIGHER CRIME THAT CAN BE LEVIED AGAINST STEVIE RAY WALDER THAN CAPITAL MURDER. THAT WAS WHAT THE SUSPECT WAS CHARGED WITH UPON HIS ARREST IN TYLER COUNTY TWO DAYS AFTER THE MURDER. ENHANCING THE CHARGE AS A HATE CRIME WOULD THEN SERVE NO PURPOSE. ACCORDING TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY MIKE LITTLE, IN EARLY FEBRUARY A LIBERTY COUNTY GRAND JURY INDICTED WALDER FOR CAPITAL MURDER AND FOUR OTHER CHARGES. THOSE ARE TWO COUNTS OF UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIRE ARM AND ONE COUNT OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON. STEVIE RAY WALDER REMAINS JAILED IN LIEU OF $2 MILLION BOND.

LIBERTY SCHOOL BOARD STILL AT-LARGE

LOCAL NEWS

03/06/2010

MONDAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR CANDIDATES TO FILE FOR LOCAL SCHOOL TRUSTEE AND CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS. AT LAST REPORT, ONLY THE TWO INCUMBENTS HAD FILED TO RUN IN THE LIBERTY SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION AND, FOR NOW AT LEAST, THEY ARE RUNNING AT-LARGE. WE HAVE REPORTED THE EFFORT BY THE MAJORITY OF LIBERTY SCHOOL TRUSTEES TO SWITCH FROM AT-LARGE TO BY POSITION TYPE VOTING IN THE MAY ELECTION, BUT ACCORDING TO ASSISTANT LISD SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT RANDY GUNTER, THE NEEDED PRE-CLEARANCE BY THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED. IF THE APPROVAL COMES BEFORE TIME TO PRINT UP THE BALLOTS, THEN SCHOOL TRUSTEES WOULD BE ASSIGNED SPECIFIC POSITIONS ON THE BOARD. IF NOT, THEN VOTING WILL REMAIN AT LARGE WITH THE CANDIDATES RECEIVING THE MOST VOTES WINNING ELECTION TO THOSE TWO SEATS OPEN ON THE LIBERTY SCHOOL BOARD. ORDINARILY, IF THE INCUMBENTS- JUNE JACKSON AND LLOYD PIERCE ARE THE CANDIDATES TO FILE WHEN THE DEADLINE EXPIRES AT 5 P.M. MONDAY THE POINT WOULD BE MOOT, BUT THE LISD BOARD HAS CALLED AN $18 MILLION BOND ELECTION IN MAY SO THE ELECTION WOULD STILL BE HELD EVEN IF THE SCHOOL TRUSTEE RACES ARE NOT CONTESTED.