NEWS

JANUARY 2010       

FEBRUARY 2010

ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION 02/27/2010

A SUSPECT IN THE ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION OF NINE-YEAR-OLD DAISETTA GIRL THURSDAY NIGHT IS BEHIND BARS. ACCORDING TO PRECINCT #2 CONSTABLE LES HULSEY IT WAS THURSDAY NIGHT AROUND 7:45 P.M. WHEN LIBERTY COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES WERE DISPATCHED TO THE AREA NEAR HULL-DAISETTA HIGH SCHOOL. INFORMATION INDICATES A NINE-YEAR-OLD HAD BEEN PLAYING WITH TWO OTHER GIRLS ON THE FOOTBALL STADIUM TRACK WHEN SHE WAS ATTACKED BY A MAN. HE REPORTEDLY KNOCKED HER TO THE GROUND AND ATTEMPTED TO DRAG HER AWAY BY HER PANTS LEGS. ACCORDING TO CONSTABLE HULSEY, THE GIRL FOUGHT HER WAY FREE AND RAN HOME TO TELL HER PARENTS. CONSTABLE HULSEY’S OFFICE ASSISTED SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES IN A SEARCH OF THE AREA. IT WAS ON PECAN STREET AT THE CORNER OF FM 770 NEAR THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT CONSTABLE HULSEY APPREHENDED A MAN IN HIS 20’S WHO FIT THE WITNESS’ DESCRIPTION OF HER ATTACKER. ARRESTED WAS 29-YEAR-OLD JASON PERKINS, WITH A LIBERTY ADDRESS. PERKINS WAS CHARGED WITH UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT – A STATE JAIL FELONY AND IS BEING HELD IN THE LIBERTY COUNTY JAIL. JUSTICE OF THE PEACE BOBBY RADER SET BOND AT $10,000 AND AS OF THIS REPORT, THE SUSPECT REMAINS BEHIND BARS. PRECINCT #2 CONSTABLE LES HULSEY HAD HIGH PRAISE FOR THE NINE-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO HE SAID ACTED QUICKLY AND DID EVERYTHING RIGHT IN RESPONDING TO THE ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION. CONSTABLE HULSEY SAID SHE WAS UNHURT, BUT VERY FRIGHTENED BY THE INCIDENT. AGAIN, JASON PERKINS, 29, OF LIBERTY IS CHARGED WITH UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT IN THE ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION OF A NINE-YEAR-OLD DAISETTA GIRL THURSDAY NIGHT. HE REMAINS IN THE LIBERTY COUNTY JAIL IN LIEU OF A $10,000 BOND.

EARLY VOTING OVER 02/27/2010

EARLY VOTING IN TUESDAY’S DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PARTY PRIMARY ELECTIONS HAS ENDED AND TURNOUT IN LIBERTY COUNTY WAS STRONG. DURING THE TEN-DAY EARLY VOTING PERIOD 2, 483 EARLY BALLOTS WERE CAST IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY AND A TOTAL 769 DEMOCRATIC BALLOTS. THE TREND TOWARDS THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY HAVING BY FAR THE LARGER NUMBER OF EARLY VOTERS HELD TRUE AT EACH OF THE FOUR LIBERTY COUNTY EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS BY APPROXIMATELY A 3 TO 1 MARGIN. AT THE COURTHOUSE IN LIBERTY, 877 VOTED REPUBLICAN, 237 VOTED DEMOCRAT. IN CLEVELAND, AT THE COURTHOUSE ANNEX THERE WERE 587 GOP EARLY VOTERS WITH 294 IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY. THE HARDIN COMMUNITY CENTER SAW A TOTAL 107 DEMOCRATS VOTING EARLY WITH 194 REPUBLICANS CASTING EARLY BALLOTS. FINALLY, 803 VOTED AS REPUBLICANS AT THE DAYTON COURTHOUSE ANNEX WITH 120 VOTING AS DEMOCRATS. EARLY MAIL IN VOTES INCLUDED 11 REPUBLICAN AND 6 DEMOCRAT. THE NEXT- AND FINAL CHANCE TO VOTE IN THE PARTY PRIMARIES IS ELECTION DAY TUESDAY 7 A.M. TO 7 P.M. AT EACH OF THE 30 PLUS ELECTION PRECINCTS. EACH WILL HAVE A DEMOCRATIC ELECTION CREW AND A GOP TEAM. THE LONE EXCEPTION IS BOX 18 WHERE DEMOCRATS VOTE AT OUR MOTHER OF MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH IN AMES AND REPUBLICANS VOTE AT THE MAGNOLIA RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB.

sales tax ytd 02.27.09

based on sales tax allocations – december wasn’t good for area retailers. this month’s sales tax dollars to cities in liberty county were down 22.92 percent compared to the same month last year. sales taxes collected by retailers in december are sent to the state in january and arrive at cities and counties in february. these revenues are then used by the GOVERNMENTAL entities in their budgets. taking a look statewide, sales tax collections were down for the TWELFTH consecutive month as the recession continues in the lone star state. Texas Comptroller Susan Combs reports december collections across the state were down 14.2 percent. in REAL DOLLARs, payments made this month to cities In liberty county were down a combined $204,949. taking a look at this month’s payments from the state to INDIVIDUAL cities, liberty was down 33.30 percent. DAYTON saw a drop of 19.72 percent, and cleveland fell 12.02 percent. it was bad in devers where allocations PLUMMETED 47.76 percent and even worse for the city of north cleveland - down a staggering 75.82 percent. again, these numbers are for february sales tax allocations, which were collected by the state in january for december sales. now, we’ll take a look at more positive numbers. for ames the payment nearly doubled, increasing 99.37 percent. daisetta experienced a 3 percent rise. turning our attention SOUTH to chambers county, mont belvieu saw a decline of 18.41 percent while anahuac dropped by 42.19 percent. since our area was still rebuilding from hurricane ike last december and there was a CORRESPONDING increase in spending taking place, kshn took a look back at allocations from previous years for a more accurate COMPARISON. in the city of liberty, this month’s sales tax receipts were $258,173 –significantly less than the 2009 payment of $387,113. however, it is also less than payments for the same month in 2006, 2007 and 2008. in fact, you have to go back to FEBRUARY 2005 to find a lower sales tax payment to the city of liberty for the same month. in dayton, this year’s february allocation was $142,881 – that is also less than payments for the same month in 2009, 2008 and 2007. in cleveland, you have to go back to 2007 to find a lower payment for february as compared to this year’s payment. based on these numbers, clearly the december christmas shopping season was not what local RETAILERS were hoping for to make their season bright.

ELECTION RETURNS ON KSHN RADIO.

ALL NINE NEWS WILL ONCE AGAIN FEATURE ELECTION RETURNS LIVE TUESDAY NIGHT FROM THE COURTHOUSE . OUR BROADCAST CENTER WILL BE RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROOM WHERE VOTES ARE COUNTED AND WE SHOULD HAVE THEM ON THE AIR WITHIN MOMENTS OF WHEN A BOX IS TABULATED BY ELECTION OFFICIALS. LIBERTY COUNTY CLERK DELIA SELLERS. SAID HER STAFF, WORKING FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WILL TABULATE RETURNS FROM EACH PRECINCT BUT THOSE TABULATIONS WILL BE SEPARATE. THEY WILL HAVE THE VOTES FROM ONE PARTY, SAY THE DEMOCRATS, AND THEN FOLLOW WITH THE REPUBLICAN VOTES FROM THE SAME PRECINCT. . THEY WILL TURN OVER THOSE RETURNS FIRST TO THE PARTY CHAIRS WHO ARE IN THE SAME ROOM AS THOSE COUNTING VOTES. THEN ANOTHER COPY OF THE VOTES WILL BE HANDED TO THE NEWS MEDIA IN THE NEXT ROOM FOR REPORTING TO THE PUBLIC. WE WILL HAVE REPORTERS AT THE COURT HOUSE AND AT THE RADIO STATION.. OUR STUDIO TEAM WILL ALSO BE GATHERING INFORMATION FROM THE CHAMBERS COUNTY COURTHOUSE ON PRIMARY ELECTION RETURNS THERE.

liberty art show 02.26.10

liberty art league will hold a SPRING show featuring a VARIETY of artwork staring march 5^th and CONTINUING through march 17^th. the artwork will be displayed throughout the 13-day period in the liberty center at liberty city hall. This is an open show, meaning artists who are not part of liberty art league can PARTICIPATE. those interested in learning more can call liberty art league president katy breedon at 936-258-8711 or club member edrie bridges at 336-3408. again, YOU’RE invited to visit march 5^th through 17^th to see this artwork on display at the liberty center at liberty center hall. this spring show is sponsored by liberty art league.

PAUL KELLY FOR COMMISSIONER 02/27/2010

THERE ARE TWO CANDIDATES ON THE REPUBLICAN BALLOT FOR PRECINCT #4 LIBERTY COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN TUESDAY’S PRIMARY ELECTION. THE FIRST NAME ON THE BALLOT BELONGS TO DAYTON AREA BUSINESSMAN PAUL KELLY, WHO IS MAKING HIS SECOND BID FOR THE OFFICE. ON A RECENT POLITICAL FORUM ON THE ALL NINE PARTYLINE PROGRAM, MR. KELLY SAID ONE REASON FOR RUNNING FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER IS TO BRING SWEEPING CHANGE TO LIBERTY COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

AUDIO.

PAUL KELLY IS CHALLENGING INCUMBENT NORMAN BROWN ON THE GOP BALLOT. WE’LL HEAR FROM MR. BROWN ON MONDAY’S NEWSCAST.