Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-07-17 Euless Articles I I OF DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN q LIBRARY REF DATE DISTRIBUTED DATE OF ARTICLE -7 I g I 09 NEWSPAPER FWST LETTERS . L !r LLLIUil'ay cae tuag a separate exemp State Rep Todd Smith's June 29 col tion with no minimum age limit for ;umn about House Bill 4138 was miss-`. the victim. mg important information that all' Additionally, the bill, when ad' Texans deserve to know before form-. dressing the offense.ofindecency ing their opinion about my,,yeto of.,__..with a child(punishable as a felony) , the bill. • did not attach any minimum age lim- Teenagers who enter into a con it of the victim in allowing an offend- sensual relationship with a'.younger -:er to appeal for exemption from sex individual that violates the law must offender'registration. If misapplied be held accountable for their actions. by a court, this stipulation would However, I'agree with Smith that m have provided room within the law certain circumstances such offend- for offenders to be exempt from sex ers do not deserve to be labeled sex offender registration if they commit offenders'for the rest of their lives. ted indecency with a child of any age From the beginning, I was support- no matter how young. `, ive of his intentions in crafting HB -As I said in my veto statement, I 4138. ' • am not willing to take this gamble Given'adequate legal protections .:with the lives of young Texans..Cer and limits,it would have been appro- tarn limits in an issue like this must priate.However,at some point in the be set to ensure that our most inno legislative process, the wording of"cent, defenseless and impression= the bill was altered for the worse and, able residents-our children are in good conscience,I could not allow protected from those who would do it to pass my desk them harm. Smith'scolumn does not 'accu- Should-this legislation be ade- rately convey my reason for vetoing quately addressed with the proper the bill.Just as he referenced-and protections and limits during the as I truthfully wrote in my veto state- next regular legislative session,I will ment—under this bill certain sex of be eager to consider supporting it' fenders would be"eligible to petition just as I was this session before it was a court for an exemption from sex of- altered with the potential to do more fender registration,regardless of the" harm than good to the people of Tex age:of the victim." as f.. _ • It is true-that some provisions of -Gov.Rick Perry;• '_ the bill,concerning certain sexual of- • Austin, (fenses,required that the victim must be at least 14 years old and the of- fender less than four'years older. These provisions were appropriate in my mind; however, another provi- sion completely compromised the integrity of this otherwise solid legis,- r.t DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY GRIM MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF DATE DISTRIBUTEDDATE OF ARTICLE % //I /0 NEWSPAPER FWST CONOMY iFexic spec iup ercent drop in 0 lune sales ,.., ByANDREA AHLES items that have been heavily discounted by retailers, so tax tax rece� S aahles@star-telegram.com there is a smaller amount to tax,he said. ' Texans pulled back on buying and `Like it or not, we have joined the national recession," spending in June,as the state report- Weinstein said."It's not surprising that people are spending Tarrant County's July payment, ed an 11.2 percent drop in sales tax less." tiased on May collections,was revenues for the month, by far the Fort Worth's July tax payment dropped 9 percent to $7.1 largest decline this year. million,but the city is still faring better than its neighbor to _down nearly 9 percent. -f. The state comptroller's office an- the east.The city of Dallas saw its tax payment from the state nounced` Friday that-it collected drop 21.5 percent, and Collin'County, home to Stonebriar $1.57 billion in June,compared with Centre and many retail centers,had a 19.6 percent drop in $1.77 billion the same month last its sales tax payment. — year. One o the few bright spots in North Texas was in Arling r. "The oil and gas, construction ton, which had a 2.2 percent increase in its sales tax pay- and retail trade sectors showed con- ment,to$6 million. tinued weakness, resulting in a However,as cities plan their budgets for the coming fiscal sharp decrease in sales tax collec- year,they will have to factor in declining sales tax revenues. Cons in June," Comptroller Susan "I'd like to be an optimist,but I think we're looking at an- tombs said in a'statement. "Con- other six months of a tough go,probably until the spring of _ tributing to the decrease was not 2010,"Weinstein said. only the weakness in these three sec fors,but also the strong level of col- ANDREA AHLES,817-390-7631 lections received from them in June — 2008." Sales tax payments for July `: Sales tax payments to local cities and counties also declined 8.8 per- Government',. July 2009 July 2008 Percent Cent for July,as the state paid$426.7 Change. — Million to local tax entities this Arlington - $6,008,818.52 $5,877;161,53 2.24% month. The July payments were Bedford $695,422.64' $675,60252 2.93% based on May sales taxes collected_ Collin County $10,396,229.76 $12,937,047.91 19.63% throughout the state Dallas $14,906,587.48 $18,994,473.95 -21.52% The state's sales tax payment to Dallas County $34,281,600.13 $38,956,902.83 -12.00% Tarrant County dropped nearly 9 Denton County $5,991,097.22 $6,551,228.60 -8.55% percent,to a July payment of$26.95 Euless $777,366.05 $1,070,453.63 -27.37% _ Million.One of the hardest-hit cities Fort Worth $7,122,837.92 $7,828,145.16 -9.00% in the county was Southlake,which , Grapevine $2,232,590.21 $2,464,173.64 -9.39°% had its July payment drop 21.7 per- Hurst $990,660.65 $1,029,631.48 -3.78/0 cent t6$919,792. Southiake $919,791.77 $1,175,128.26 -21.72%' 1% University of North Texas econo Tarrant County $26,950,402.39 $29,608,675.95 -897% mist Bernard Weinstein said he is Source:Tens comptroller's office' tot surprised that areas where there are large quantities of upscale retail — stores are feeling`the economic re- fession more than other areas. { People are not only spending less, but what they are buying tend to be m• DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF / i MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY AD/MIN LIBRARY REF DATE DISTRIBUTED DATE OF ARTICLE 7 / /4-/ I 0 lgNEWSPAPER FWST .w IRAQ 1 n ,r.-..,.-,-0-U ., _)., 1Iwxiut sentence in slaying of Euless GI On the six-month anniversary with the plea deal and sentence,believ- of the fatal shooting of Army ing that an infantryman with Vegaqui- The sergeant pleaded guilty Pfc. Sean nones'"age,maturity and background" — to involuntary manslaugh- McCune in `A" deserved a stiffer punishment for his. ter in the death of Army ; Iraq, a ser • recklessness with a gun. Pfc.Sean McCune,20,early geant in his ` "You can rob someone and not hurt unit was sen- Y them andget' 30years hi'prison," this year. p ' — tenced to 30yek. McCune said. "It was not a momentary j By CHRIS VAUGHN months in _. ,lapse in judgment. It was a series of cvaughn@star-telegram.com prison after McCune things. He did everything wrong that pleading night. If he'd done one thing right in guilty to involuntary man- those chain of events,my son would still slaughter. be alive." Sgt. Miguel A. Vegaqui- ! McCune said he intends to voice his nones,33,who had also served j concerns to officials .in Washington; —in the Marines, admitted to : D.C., that the Army allowed someone negligently firing a round from "so totally incompetent"to lead soldiers his rifle Jan. 11 after he and as a sergeant in an infantry company. McCune finished guard duty Sean McCune, a fourth-generation — at their post in Samaria and -------- ___ returned to their barracks. military man,was born at Carswell Air McCune,20,of Euless,who Force Base and raised in Grapevine,Hal was on his first deployment tom City and Euless.He also spent time overseas,was killed instantly. in Alabama,where his mother lives. In addition to his prison Larry McCune said that the end of the sentence, Vegaquinones was criminal proceedings does bring him — demoted to private and will re,_ some relief,and that the felony conic ceive a dishonorable discharge, the'tion and dishonorable discharge "is Armyannounced last weekend in Iraq. going to remind[Vegaquinones]of what As part of his plea deal,the government he did for the rest of his life:" — dismissed a charge of making a false of— ficial statement to investigators. hard on him,and his family, McCune Both soldiers belonged to 2nd Banal- said, because "this whole process has ion,35th Infantry Regiment out of Scho kept the wound open and raw" •. field Barracks,Hawaii. The case will automatically be re- McCune's father,Larry McCune, his viewed by the Army Court of Criminal mother,Sandra Gibson,and sister,Am-!Appeals. ber McCune,all testified by phone dur-l . ing the sentencing hearing. They were CHRIS VAUGHN,917-390-7547 not allowed,however,to make a victim's _. statement or address Vegaquinones. — 'All they wanted from us was basical- ly what we've lost and-what we've gone "'throw , 'through,"Larry McCune said. He said he was "pretty dissatisfied" DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF / MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF DATE DISTRIBUTED DATE OF ARTICLE -1 / / r /0 NEWSPAPER FWST r $rggn * e au.ir..ctt,,}i.rierr si I i S.6% The burglary in Euless had gone off without :. a hitch and netted$59,000 in cash. But,police say,an 18-year-old's bragging about it led to a gunbattle Friday at a Fort Worth apartment that landed him in jail. L On July 2,two men stole jewelry and a safe from a south Euless home. Police identified them as Christopher Norman, 18, o• f Euless and Keith Black,21,of Irving. For the next several days,they went on a spending spree,buying a Nissan—on eBay—and a Cadillac,staying at expensive ,; hotels and buying clothes,jewelry,marijua- n• a and gold teeth grills,police said. It caught up with Norman when a masked' an tried to rob him at the apart- ", m• ent Friday,police said.Norman was hold- ing a baby when he opened the door and a man began shooting.Norman jumped out of the way,but the robber and Norman's brother exchanged at least 10 shots. The man,whom police did not identify, was shot in the chest and Norman's broth- 6 er in the arm,police said Monday.Both were hospitalized. Black was in the Euless Jail with bail set at$20,000;Norman was in the jail with bail set at$89,000. He was beirtg #elt3on suspicion of four home bur- ' gl• aries in Euless. —Domingo Ramirez Jr. L w w DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE__1 (_E-354„, MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMINLIBRARY REF DATE DISTRIBUTED 7-f7 (Q ' 0 9 DATE OF ARTICLE /672 9 I 0NEWSPAPER FWST SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION Governor Perry missed an opportunity to helpexas you Perry used bad information that every teenager who has a be eligible-to petition a oGrt in deciding to veto of"teen 'Consensual relationship;-with for an exemption from.s x of lovers"bill. someone more than ,three fender registration, regardless years, but less than four years ` of the age of the victim:"That By TODD SMITH younger should be labeled for is simply not true. Special to the Star-Telegram life as a sex offender.: • The bill expressly stated Gov Rick Perry vetoed one of The purpose of sex offender that the victim must be at least the most morally compelling registration is to protect chil- 14 years old with the perpetra-:„ i bills I'have ever filed in the dren from child molesters.. tor less than four years older. Texas House. The monitoring`and supervt He said he feared this bill I authored the bill because sion of nonthreatening people^ would not protect young vic- �. ceived from and sources and de tiros,but it only would allow a of heartbreakingletters re- wastes law enforcement re parentstracts law en judge to grant an exemption grandparentsdescribing how forcemeat from closer scruti when it is in the best interest of their son or grandson has ny,of the sex offender for': the victim:Some of these"vic- been permanently scarred be- whom registration was m time'are now married to the cause of a consensual teenage tended-those who are dan "perpetrators." relationship..All the bill would gerous to children. _ The bill;wouldn't change have done was to give a judge HB.3148 was passed by a the criminality of the offense discretion to not place a teen vote of.131-12 in the House of statutory rape,_whichis a on the sex offender registry for and unanimously in the Sen punishable crime.If only gave having'corisensual sex with ate.:Sixteen witnesses testified certain teens in consensual re- someone who was at least 14 in committee in favor of the lationships an opportunity to and not more than four years bill.There was no opposition. ask a judge for an exemption younger than the defendant In his veto statement,Perry from lifetime registration as a Perry apparently believes said,that"sex offenders would sex offender. • , Every step was taken to en- gan to date and openly saw around children. They have sure that no dangerous preda-; each other romantically for al- difficulty getting any job.They tor would be eligible to.peti-', mosta year.• can't attend family functions don for exemption.Even if an When it was disclosed that that may be attended by offender met all the require- consensual sexual contact had someone under the age of 17. ments set,forth, '(i.e., consen occurred,her parents pressed. , In Brandon's mother's - sual relationship, victim' at charges" against Brandon, and ords, "I break down in tears least 14, less than a four-year he was convicted of sexual as- several times a week. I know age difference) a judge would•%ault(which includes consen '=there are violent sexual preda- still have discretion — if cir- sual sex with a minor who is tors that need to be punished, cumstances warranted — to more than three years younger, but this seems like punish- keep the offender on the list. than the defendant) •and ment far beyond reasonable I believe teens involved in placed forever on the sex of :for what my son did. these relationships have corn- fender registry in his state. Perry has made it clear he miffed a sin,but I don't believe As a result, Brandon was wishes to protect the youth of —in most cases— that that fired from his job.He will be on Texas.He has missed a golden sin should put them on a list the registry and publicly opportunity to do so. I will that will literally ruin the rest branded as a sex offender for continue to fight for this im- of their lives. the rest of his life. portant legislation that, sim- Brandon M.'s case is a per- People in Brandon's situa- ply put, delivers people who fect example. Brandon was in don can't be anywhere near a are of no threat to anyone from high school when he met a 14- school, a church or a park. a living hell. r. year-old girl on a churchyouth These people can't attend trip. He was less than four their own child's elementary TODD SMITH OF EULESS REPRE- years older than she was.With school.They can't hold certain SENTS DISTRICT 92 IN THE TEXAS i her parents'blessing,they be- jobs that may place them HOUSE.