Heroes Walk Among Us

Baytown Bert and Ren Fitts

Imagine being a nine year old boy in tatters, standing on the streets of Cairo, Egypt.  The date is August 8^th 1945, two months after Germany surrendered stopping World War II in Europe.  You are starving, as the Red Cross packages haven’t trickled down to the urchins.  The American’s have helped win the terrible war, but so far, all you’ve seen is the blistering sun and empty shelves, when all of a sudden four sailors come riding down the street on big motorcycles and they are throwing handfuls of bronze cupro-nickel one millieme coins to the kids… and you catch enough to feed yourself for four days!

 

Gil Marshall USNavy

My dad was one of the four and to that little boy, a hero.  Those of us who have served our country in the Armed Services in wartime all have similar stories and for the most part, it is buried where no one will ever see it.  There are memories of long brutal hours, terrifying nights watching, horrifying casualties, buddies lost, continuing nightmares, and unsung moments of sacrifice and bravery in our past.

Baytown has such a man and I count it a privilege to call him my friend.  Like the Dauber, he is a true hero in my eyes, even though he is self-effacing and truly humble.  Last Saturday, I was very pleased to ride shotgun in his 1948 Willy’s war Jeep in the Crosby Veterans Day parade and like my father before me, we threw candy to the many children lining the streets.  His name is Warren “Ren” Fitts and this is his story:

My Mom and Dad come from farm and ranch folks and why I guess I like this life also.   I was shoveling out manure when I was a young buck, bailing hay, and learning what hard work meant at a young age.  My Daddy was a WW ll Army Air Corps Bomber Pilot who never spoke to us 6 kids about his time in the military but when my uncles were around and we were out camping and they had a couple of beers we would over-hear the stories of my Heroes.

My Dad went to night school even with having young boys and became an Electrical Engineer for GE and he was given a job with AERO SPACE Team at Red Stone Arsenal in Huntsville Alabama.  I remember in early 60's meeting military people when my Dad took us to open house; later I found out they were Special Forces.  My Dad worked hard and taught us about trade skills and always said if you had a trade you will always have a job.   He also told us to respect those who serve our country because freedom is not free.

My older brother enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam War in 67.  My Dad was on edge and told me I was going to be a "mechanical engineer and do not think of going in the military like your brother".  I respected my brother coming home in uniform, well dressed and confidant.

A few years later, my brother came to me and said, “If you get drafted you will be a bush bunny and with your low lottery number you are gone, so please go in military for a school and maybe you will be OK.   I went to all the branches and the Army offered me the best deal, so I enlisted.

 

Ren on top of the prop during an extraction.

I was trained in special leadership and Air Assault Helicopter training, preparing me for the extraction teams.  I finished school with high grades and deployed to Southeast Asia where I entered many countries and was with an AIR CAV Infantry Unit.  Many of our missions were recovery operations or forward support missions.  With my clearance I was told to never discuss anything of our training or where I’ve have been... So my secrets remain secrets.

 

Ren's the tall drink of water

I am a Disabled Vietnam veteran from a helicopter crash etc.   I am proud to have served with America’s elite forces.  I feel honored to have served my country in the US Army.  My training was the best the world has to offer and made me a better man when I became a civilian in the work force, because the word “quit” never entered my mind anytime under any condition. Am I a hero?  No.  I did my job like my brothers in arms and so proud to call them my family.

 

Ren is on the left.

Ren is a VFW Life member, Vietnam Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, member of AMVETS, American Legion and also a Associate member of Texas Game Wardens Associations, 100 Club all these organization who help others especially many in our community

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Bullying Can Be Stopped By Anyone

When I was a kid and I complained to my Dad that another kid was bullying me, he gave me a piece of advice that I took to heart.  "Pick up a stick and knock his lights out."  He was not using a metaphor either.  The sooner a child learns to resist a bully, the more prepared they will be for the aggressive workplace, social circles, or practice field.  Bullies only mess with the weak or sometimes those who appear to be a target.

Even a tiny wasp can put a grown man to flight and any resistance from someone a bully has targeted gets very old, very quickly to the bully.  Now, you may have to take a licking, but you can get in a few wasp stings of your own if you are mentally prepared to resist.

Another strategy that I actually saw work, but don't recommend is to go on the offensive against a bully and seek them out to "sting" them.  I saw this in the 10th grade and the third time the bullying victim sought out and openly provoked the bully who had attacked him two days before, the bully called a truce.  It got old very quickly and he rightly surmised the victim would continue to confront him in front of everyone.

I never picked up a stick.  I learned to defend myself and along the way, moving from city to city, as my Dad was what was called a job shopper, I got in a fight every single time I was singled out as the new kid.  The very instant someone tried to bully me, I fought back.  In 1972 I took my first karate lesson and never got in another fight, but I sure as h#ll know how to back down a bully and have many times since - but the bottom line is I am darned prepared to back it up.

Another thing is bullying in the workplace, at the gym, in organized sports, social circles, etc. goes on and will go on all your life.   Some of it is subtle, some is outright physical, so prepare yourself and your children to deal with it.  The sooner, the better.

Bert Marshall 1993 Flying Dragon Song Moo Kwan

The Sun Rises Every Day

This past Saturday, I arrived at the Baytown Nature Center right at 7am just minutes before the sun peeked over the horizon and after chatting with the bubbly attendant, drove my Jeep down to the raised pavilion in back.  It is one of the few places you can go here on the flat Texas Gulf Coast and get a wonderful panoramic view.  I was excited and anxious to see another heavenly sunrise and this one promised to be a beauty.

The invigorating effect of the clean air and cool temperature washing over me was multiplied by a 20 mile per hour north wind and I was glad I had my Nomex hoodie with me.  I came to teach a geocaching 101 class along with two friends Larry Houston and Julie Denton, but Larry was laid up in San Jacinto Methodist awaiting a treatment for a sudden ailment. 

As I pulled up on the west side of the pavilion, I took this breath-taking beautiful photo to share and although modern digital cameras are a marvel, they are no match for what all of us see with the naked eye, or what I facetiously like to say, as the naked observer.  I am the kind of person that likes to be early to everything.  I am also the kind of person who likes to be first.  On this day, I was both and unloading my teaching paraphernalia, I carried it up to the top of this amazing wheel-chair accessible teaching location.

On my way there, I stopped at the Donut Wheel on Garth Road and bought donuts – 18 to be exact, as others were sure to bring much more and did.  While there, the Vietnamese fellow who runs the place and I had an amicable chat about obesity, diabetes, and cholesterol, of all things and being a man who has lived in South East Asia, I like to pick the brains of Asians every chance I get.  He told me his homeland is suffering from the same health problems concerning diet as we Texans, in that air-conditioning and modern conveniences are replacing hard work, so diseases like diabetes are becoming common.

We settled on a dozen mixed and 6 cake donuts, as everyone knows the cake donuts are the only safe choice.  I ate two after arriving along with a hot coal-black cuppa Joe. 

Setting up my props in the pavilion, I stopped to watch the sun fully appear over the heavily industrialized horizon and being a denizen of the concrete and steel jungle for close to 40 years, I found it exceedingly beautiful.  I’ve learned to see it that way, as years ago I made up my mind to enjoy my life regardless of where I was.  When a person averages 15 to 16 months of work in a year’s time for most of their adult life, they better learn how to do this, or they will spend 90% of their waking hours wishing they were somewhere else.

Ruminate on that last statement.

I want to live in the moment and yes, I know this cliché is over-used.  However, it is a lesson most of us haven’t learned and that is the crux of this column.  Have you ever stood alone and looked at something and wished there were someone there to witness or share the wonder you are observing?  Whether you realize it or not, you are living in the moment.

Last week before the heavy rain came, I was at work and I stepped out of the back of the control room and there in the clouds was a very faint rainbow.  It was in an odd place and not where I would expect to see such a phenomenon.  I enjoyed it for all of a minute and it faded.  Questioning folks throughout the day, evidentially no one saw it but me. 

One by one students and seasoned geocachers began to arrive at the pavilion and before long there was a very large group of us eating donuts, laughing, sharing stories about challenging geocaches, and sharing trackable items.  Geocachers have these items called pathtags, Geocoins, and travelbugs and they have trackable numbers on them, so when one of these items moves from one “cache” to another, the miles are calculated.  At this class there were 4 geocachers with trackable numbers tattooed on their bodies.  Incredible.  They are human trackable items and I photographed their tats so I could log the numbers when I got home.  We were in the moment.  I knew it, but I wonder how many of us knew?

After the class, which lasted 2 fun hours, we loaded up everything and moved down to the Nurture Nature Festival and set up our booth under a tent.  I was joined by two other geocachers whose monikers are Juleed and Greeneyed and we sat, ate, and passed out donuts, stamped passports, and offered geocaching tips and information to the many people who visited out station.  The wind was something else, but you know?  We had a great time.  We were in the moment.

Observations and thoughts about violent crime

Robbery in The Woodlands caught on camera

Daily I watch the news to see masked men with guns robbing banks, armored cars, fast food restaurants, and even a Jiffy Lube.  A Jiffy Lube!  We are living in a boom economy with more jobs than we have qualified people to fill and yet, according to a coworker, these armed criminals are victims of our society and are being forced to steal a truck and ram in into a 7-11 and steal an ATM machine in order to feed their families. 

Really?

Taemarr Walker's brother caught in Texas in Saturday homicide

I was raised to believe if I couldn’t pay my bills or care for my family, I took a second or even third part time job to make ends meet.  Boy, times must have changed while I was working fifty to seventy hours a week for the last forty odd years.  Where have I been?

The above conversation is real and went like this, “The reason these men are robbing stores is they can’t get good jobs because of the economy.”

“The reason they can’t get good jobs is because they are convicted felons.”

“Exactly.  They are convicted felons and society has made it where they can’t get good jobs, so they are forced to get it any way they can.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yea, they are victims of society.”

Reckless McDonald's robbery in The Woodlands

Recently I watched the news and a well known people’s advocate was complaining about the armed robberies, home invasions, crash and grabs, purse snatchings, and other violent crime in inter-city Houston.  He said business and home owners are scared.  I appreciate this natty-dressed fellow using the violent crime problem to get his image before the people on this subject, because normally, the only time I see him is when he is crying foul when one of these violent criminals gets “abused” by the police department.

I remember when Islamic extremists were in the news daily killing Americans and the outrage by the general American public over the silence of peaceful Muslims in this country.  The average person when questioned told me they felt there should be a distancing and denouncing of terror by peaceful Muslims and they were basically silent on the subject.

'Wigged-out bandit' and accomplices rob credit union

I’m thinking this same people’s advocate needs to stir up the hard-working law-abiding people he represents to rise up and separate themselves from the criminals who are destroying the general public’s perception that this crime wave is inherent, because the 6 O’clock news sure is reinforcing that view.  Either that, or the media is seriously biased against this particular ethnicity.

Back to my conversation with an Operations supervisor I know, he continued, “If these convicted felons could get better jobs, they wouldn’t be stealing.”

“They steal because they are dishonest and criminal.  It has nothing to do with the economy.”

“No, it’s the economy.”

Armed bank robber in bright orange vest gets away with cash from Houston bank

“Um, is that why they attempt to rob an armored car with guns, knowing full well the guards are heavily armed and will shoot it out?”

Come on folks, reason this out.  Do the Somali pirates hijack a ship because of the economy?  Do people break into a home, or steal a truck and crash it into a storefront repeatedly and steal an ATM machine because they can’t get a good job?  Do people ease up to a car and while the occupant is pumping gas, steal their purse because they weren’t handed a job making forty dollars an hour when they finished high school?

Bank robbers on the loose after Pasadena hold up

As a concealed handgun permit citizen, I routinely have my firearm with me, as do hundreds of other law-abiding citizens and on a few occasions recently, these same unfortunate victims of society have pulled a gun on the wrong people.  I don’t wish harm on anyone, but that is wearing thin.  I don’t entertain fantasies of “blowing someone away”, but being a martial artist; I’ve had to come to grips with envisioning how it all may go down.

Now, back to the armored car robbers – let’s focus on these for starters.  The social victims are almost 100% sure they are going to shoot and be shot at and the same goes with entering a bank with a mask and gun.  Who in their right mind would do something like this in 2013 when businesses are crying for qualified help?  Criminals.  Criminals would and do, because they are not victims, but criminals who prey of society.

Search continues for second teen suspect in deadly shooting

So let’s cut through the socially and politically correct bologna right now and call these fellows what they are.  Dangerous and violent criminals and if they enter a home, bank, business, gas station, or Jack in the Box with a gun with the intention of robbing and shooting the people inside, they should be terminated with extreme prejudice and if you think this is harsh, put the shoe on the other foot. 

Imagine one of your loved ones being gunned down by one of these heinous creeps and then see if you can find a benevolent place in your heart for this poor unfortunate victim of society, because I sure can’t.  I’m sick of looking over my shoulder when sitting in a Subway, wondering if a couple of men in masks and hoodies are going to come through the door with guns so they can rob the place for a couple of hundred dollars.

Robbery suspect seen on camera accused of multiple cell phone store robberies

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Baytown Nov 2nd Nurture Nature Festival!

 

 Starting at 10 am!

Friends of Brazoria Refuges “Butterfly Encounter”
Challenger Seven Learning Center
Jesse Jones Park and Nature Center
Texas Crawdads
Texas Snakes and More
Friends of Cedar Bayou
Houston Geocaching
Friends of Anahuac Refuge
John C. Freeman Weather Museum
Texans Together (San Jacinto River Coalition)
Texas Parks and Wildlife Angler Education
Texas Parks and Wildlife Archery
The Big Buzz Theory
Texas Kayak Fishermen
Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network
Artist Boat
Texas A&M University at Galveston Sea Camp (Whoopp!!)
… and of course, the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education Center

Activities will include:

Young Audiences Nature Screenprinting
Marine Mural Painting (for the kids to paint)
Watering Hole Golf
Coastal Dinosaur Dig

Face Painting
Rock Wall
Huge Alligator Inflatable
Caterpillar Inflatable for the little ones
Obstacle Course
Prairie Seed Cups
Feather Find Bird I.D.
Catfish Fishing Pond
TPWD Take Me Fishing Trailer
Backyard Bass

Creole Kitchen will be on hand with their delicious catfish, shrimp, hotdogs and funnel cakes.

Stage Shows shouldn’t be missed either…

10:00 Texas Snakes and More
11:00 Friends of Brazoria Refuges Birds of Prey
12:00 Crocodile Encounter
1:00 Big Buzz Theory
2:00 Texas Snakes and More
3:00 Crocodile Encounter

Did I mention it’s all FREE? Please feel free to share this with your friends…. The more the merrier at a festival!!

Hope to see you Saturday!!
Baytown Nature Center
6213 Bayway Drive

The Blue Heron Parkway Revisited

I wish to officially retract my many derisive statements about the Baker Road Extension.  I didn’t vote for it and I sure as heck fire didn’t see where anyone would profit from it except the land owners.  On top of that, I didn’t see the intensity of exponential growth this little tri-city oil town was going to suddenly experience.

The Blue Heron Parkway/Baker Road Extension

Well, to be honest, I suspected we were going to see major growth.  Anyone traveling the Fred Hartman bridge from the Baytown/La Porte Tunnel days knows the amount of vehicles going over the bridge has went from, “Boy, this sure is a lot of bridge for this few cars,” to “Mine Gott!  Where is the cow-catcher I ordered for the front of my pick-em-up truck?”

Living directly behind the expansion, I’ve taken a very personal interest in what is now named, the Blue Heron Parkway - a cool sounding water-loving bird name and very fitting for our multiple bay town.  My interest has been serious enough to get the skinny from the workers, engineers, city officials, and our mayor as I ride my bicycle up and down it.

Nick Woolery, Asst to the City Manager, has been a plethora of information.  Many believe the project is stalled and hearing the machinery every day, I know it’s not.  “The project is on track and we are anticipating the project to be completed by the beginning of March.  The reason you haven’t seen much activity on the project near North Main is because of work being done near the pipeline that runs just east of North Main.  Once this work is complete and traffic signal improvements at North Main and Blue Heron Parkway (BHP) are done, you will start seeing more progress from N. Main.”

There are three detention ponds being built.  Pond A is north of the extension and behind a N. Main storage facility.  It will be visible from the extension.  Pond C is on the curve on Hartman Drive and these two are to handle the current drainage needs.  “Once the project is completed, these ponds will be conveyed to the Harris County Flood Control District and they will be responsible for maintenance. “

Behind my house is a giant retention/detention pond.  “The larger detention pond on the east side of the project (Pond B) is to handle drainage needs from future development along BHP.  You are correct that it will drain into Cary Bayou.”

Detention/Retention Pond B

“North of Detention Pond B is additional detention area that will be used for recreational purposes.  As of now, it’s planned for future recreational purposes like softball and baseball practice fields and a

small parking area, but this is not currently funded.  We will construct these amenities at a later date.  We have received donations to plant new trees in this area, however.  Once the construction is complete, we will proceed with planting new trees in this detention area.”

“Along BHP will be 5-foot sidewalks on the north side of the road and 10-foot sidewalks on the south side of the road.  The larger sidewalk is suitable for walking and biking.  As you mentioned, there is also an 8-foot sidewalk that will run from the intersection of Blue Heron Parkway and Barkuloo road, down to the pipeline easement and over to Detention Pond B, passing through Barkuloo Park on the way.”

When I asked about a walking trail around the pond, he told me:  “There are plans to extend the trail around the new Detention Pond B in the future, but it’s not part of this project.  As funds become available, we’ll construct a trail around the detention area and build the recreational amenities.  The same goes for extending the sidewalk across Sjolander Road and the railroad tracks to Jenkins Park.  We certainly have future plans to make this happen, but it’s not a part of this road construction project.”

Crockett Elementary Expansion

In response to the Crockett Elementary roadwork, he replied: “…this is a separate project, but it’s being done in connection with the opening of BHP.  The school is re-configuring their driveway to accommodate more vehicles and help keep the vehicles that are waiting off the public streets.”  They will also put up a heavy-duty fence along the parkway to protect the children.

“As for the medians in the project.  Our Parks and Recreation staff designed the medians for Blue Heron Parkway.  They used similar design standards as you see throughout Baytown (see Baker Road, N. Alexander, etc.).  The project you see on North Main, north of I-10, is a county project.”

Giant mound of dirt belongs to Angel Brothers

 The giant mound of dirt at the end of the airport runway has caused much speculation.  “The dirt from the project will belong to the contractor, Angel Brothers.  I don’t know what their plans are for the dirt, but that’s not something the City is involved with.”

“You asked about annexation in the area.  There are no immediate plans to annex the general area into the City.  As is the usual practice, annexation will happen as development occurs and is generally limited to the area developed.  Sometimes it is necessary to annex across undeveloped property to reach a new development.  As is the case with all annexations, when they are proposed there will be plenty of notice and opportunity given to residents to provide comment throughout the process.”

 Finally, I addressed the rumor that once the BH Pkwy is finished, the airport runway will be lengthened:  “In regards to East Cedar Bayou Lynchburg being closed to lengthen the airport runway, this is not true.  East Cedar Bayou Lynchburg is a County road and is under the jurisdiction of Harris County.  However, there are no plans to close this road, even after Blue Heron Parkway opens and the City would be opposed to any such closure.”
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Baytown Hall of Shame 10-20-13

He ain't no Bum to us.

Welcome to Baytown!

This is what many believe to be a typical Baytownian.

“A horrible black hole of a town. it sucks you in and it is almost impossible to break it's hold on you. It is full of worthless men and stupid women. The few good people are always trying to get out. AKA Dirty Bay   God I can't wait to get out of Baytown.”

On more than one occasion, it’s been pointed out to me that I obsess over city parks, hiking and biking trails, and over-concentrating on making Baytown friendlier to joggers and people who enjoy riding a bicycle on our road’s shoulders.  One current councilman told me one time that’s all I need to worry about and he would worry about everything else.  He scored zero points with me for that self-righteous smug and flippant remark.

Although I admit he was partially true and I say partially because frankly, there’s hardly a shoulder on any of our side roads.  Riding a bicycle around Baytown is akin to playing in the street – not a smart thing to do at all.  Forget that on any given weekend around the state, thousands of educated and hard-working Texans are competing in foot and bike races, or training for the MS-150, so when I read Chris Presley and Scott Sheley’s stance on the “most viable source of future revenue for the city” in the Baytown Sun, Tuesday, I took a keen interest.

And a little alarm sounded.

Presley went first with this: “We need to stop declining property values. Property values do not appreciate in Baytown like in most other communities. In fact, values have been trending downward in District 2 in recent years. If we can find ways to better stabilize our older neighborhoods and better stabilize those property values, in tandem with being more fiscally responsible with taxpayer’s dollars, we could eventually roll back the tax rate.”

“These people are known to be generally hard-working, if somewhat unsophisticated. Many of these people could be called hillbillies or swampers. Trailer trash is commonly seen in and around the Baytown area. Sometimes these people are referred to as "refinery trash."

Sometimes these people are referred to as "refinery trash."

Mr. Presley is in line with what I believe.  Not only do we need to stop the downward slide, we need to encourage high end house-building by hook or crook.  It’s been a pet peeve of mine for some time that many who speak about supporting this town, live in Sommerwood, Atascocita, or Jersey Village – anywhere but the Dirty Bay – a term I resent by the way. 

Sheley’s reply sounded okay, but did not make provision for expanding amenities, namely fixing up “what we already got.”  Now I like Scott.  I think he’s a great guy and to my knowledge, I haven’t met Chris and what I am saying is simple.  If we want Baytown to grow, we have to bring it all up at the same time and not just push business expansion.

Sure, Pirate’s Bay is a money maker.  I’ve never been there, but folks seem to like it and I have no problem supporting Mr. Sheley on his idea to promote it.  I like the idea of the Industrial complex kicking in their share also, but if either of these fellows were in my district and they said we’re going to three-lane the heavily traveled McKinney Road and add sidewalks or connect all of our parks with a hike bike trail (or die trying to get funding), I would poke a hole in their ballot in a heartbeat.

“A crappy city East of Houston that has absolutely nothing to do or see except for a mediocre mall in which half of the stores are either closed or run by ######”.

I’ve got my feelers out and have been communicating with Dustin Schubert and John Dupois about the future of Jenkins Park and the Blue Heron Parkway and as soon as something concrete – no pun intended, becomes available, they are going to help me bring it to this column.

Baytown is in serious need of a certified 3.1 mile (5K) loop so runners can train for races.  A 6.2 mile (10K) trail  would be better.  Recently, my bride and I have been over off Beltway 8 and highway 90 to the Gene Green Beltway 8 Park, which is a well kept secret.  It’s basically two detainment ponds separated by a forest.  The forest is a giant dog park with a hiking trail snaking through it and around the 250 acres is a wide cement sidewalk measuring 2 miles per circuit.

A small part of the Gene Green Beltway 8 Park

Inside, the environmentally-friendly park’s most popular features are a zip-line, an extensive exercise area, a kiddie spray park, tennis and basketball courts, a BMX freestyle course, dog runs, paved trails, an amphitheater and well-equipped skate park.  It also has a first class restroom, something we can’t have at Walter Jenkins park due to recurring vandalism.  We have a portacan.

“Baytown, the ultimate low of existence.”

Am I saying that Channelview Texas has a better park than the entire city of Baytown?  Yes, I am and it saddens me.  No, it embarrasses me.  We have been in this heavily used park a number of times and always there are men, women, and children of all ethnicities exercising in a safe environment.

Again, I am not knocking our Park’s super – I think he does a great job.  I can’t go into one of our parks without seeing maintenance crews doing the place right.  What puzzles me is how can these other areas I visit have what we have and seemingly so much more?  I’ve been to some retention/detention ponds that have fountains, bridges, benches and all kinds of other amenities and I want it for Baytown.

Pond B of the Baker Road Extension - Future Retention pond.

Our Park engineer Dustin Schubert replied to my questions about expansion in an email, knowing full well I will quote him verbatim.  “On the Jenkins park connector it is high on our list to make that connection, however funds are not available in the near future.  On the retention basin we have not put a plan together as to what amenities it will have.”

City Council.  Find the funding.  Make Baytown a place where proud Baytownians who have 6 figure incomes want to raise their families, spend their money, and jog, ride their bikes, and support this town.

Quotes, compliments of Urbandictionary.com

Dylan Ratigan's Epic Rant on the International Banking Cartel

Corporal punishment consent form in schools

Paddling children by school officials -are you for it or against it? In other words, should school teachers be allowed to paddle your child when they act up and would you sign a form?    I asked this question to friends, school teachers, police officers, city employees, and family. Currently GCCISD does not paddle children for any reason.

The officially statement from GCCISD is as follows: “Statement from Dr. Cavazos: At the July 22 regular meeting of the Goose Creek CISD Board of Trustees, Board members approved the Parent/Student Handbook containing the Student Code of Conduct for the 2013-2014 school year to reflect revisions, including the elimination of the utilization of corporal punishment in Goose Creek CISD. Susan Passmore  Goose Creek CISD Publications Coordinator 281.420.4863”

Bert Marshall: I am pro-corporal punishment and believe the elimination of it from our schools will fuel unruly behavior amongst some of our students.

J. Dykehouse: Heck yes, and then I would get that hiney when they got home!!!!

R. Cabaniss: Nope I don't want them paddling my child.

C. Lopez: Yes, I would allow this.

D. Elliott: Yes.

V. Marcott: I did sign the forms, never had a problem , but I'm old school. I thought they abolished that in the school the last couple of years, I may be wrong.

D. Johanningsmeier: Yes, it worked before everyone became so sensitive, and look what its brought us in our current crop of adults. Mom to son: Tommy if you don't behave I'll not stop at McDonald's. Back in my prehistoric times, being grounded meant no outdoor play time, no TV (we only had one), and no fun activities. Then there was my dad to deal with.  You just learned quickly to stay out of trouble.

T. Wheeler: No! Schools don't use the best judgment when they discipline!

S. Geocacher:  Nope. I wouldn't sign one. There is no accurate way to meter the amount of force used from teacher to teacher. I will not allow a government employee to hit my kid. No sir.  There were no consent forms when I was a kid and I was unjustly paddled many times by a several sadistic teachers who took any opportunity to give a paddling no matter how small the infraction. My kid isn't going to have that experience. Discipline starts at home.

B. R. Pugh: Yes

P. R. Jett:  No. I reserve that punishment for us. I don't trust a stranger to beat my children. That has absolutely NOTHING to do with whether or not WE spank them. I'm not into absolving myself of parental duties by shifting that responsibility to a school administrator or teacher. Especially not when you hear so many stories of teachers having inappropriate relationships with students. Obviously not all of them have the best judgment or self control. I'm far more in favor of making parents responsible for their children. Make the parents financially responsible for their minor children and you see a lot less parenting failures.

Bruno  Marshall: I DID sign a form

K. Wade: I sign it every year and they still don't use it.

S. Liles: Yes. Schools are just asking consent to continue your responsibility that starts at home. You understand home fails all the time. The best children are the trouble magnets of all time. In the 60's it was normal for three swats with a paddle with holes in it.

A. Gaitorbate: I got paddled a lot. By the time I got into Jr. High it was my choice of punishment. It was my way of showing them they couldn't hurt me no matter how hard they hit me.

A. Barbee: I begged the principal of my daughter's elementary school, Alamo, to spank her as needed. I told them word-for-word "Spank her as hard as you can. I don't care as long as you don't draw blood. Bruises and red marks are okay." They acted as if I had shot their dog or something. I told them "If you don't spank her, she won't mind for you. And since I won't be there to make her behave for you, you gotta make her behave for you."

R. Fitts:  Yes; my Dad said if you get in trouble in school you will also be in trouble at home...worse paddling I got was in Alabama from elementary old woman principal, she bruised the heck of me and my parents went to school about that... so some in school system may not be the ones to issue the paddling... In other schools the coach handled the paddling .. and yes I got it at home... but most of the time I was a good student

S. Garcia:  Yes.  I've signed the form every single year for it.
Teacher's aren't allowed to hit the kids. They have to go to the office where the assistant principal or an administrator would be the one to do it. Well that's how it has been since my son has been in school (he is 15 now) society is too sensitive. And it's why we are were we are. It's a shame.

E. Caldwell: I paddled my kids when needed and it didn’t take to many swats to make the point with them....both my kids are a credit to me....I have always said "what you do is a direct reflection on me"...."I know that I have raised you right and you are going to show the world that i have"! I never signed yes on the paper from school....they are MY kids.

T. Cormier: School principals should. I also believe that parent should have to come get their children if they do not want them paddled. I also want a camera in my classroom so that when momma and daddy say," My baby said you are the problem. They said they didn't do anything. You are picking on my baby." I can then push rewind and say," Let's see your little angel in action as he completely disrupts my classroom and impedes the learning of others. Which, by the way, I can be held accountable for on the STAAR." Cameras protect the teacher and the student.  I've been hit, kicked, and spit on. There is no accountability for the students these days. My husband is urging me to switch careers.

J. and D. Hewett-Staner: I don't think it is wrong but just not for us.

D. Smith: Nothing like numb butt cheeks to sit on the rest of the day....and look, I turned out ok. Seriously, ALL of my swats I got because of the 'code of silence'...if nobody told on the guy who really DID it, EVERYBODY got one.

A. Tallant: BBISD offers it and I haves signed off for them to be popped but I have to be called first before it happens! Colton has received 2 pops over his 6 yrs at BBHSD !
I have to be notified beforehand. Thank God I haven't had that problem yet.

B. Prewitt: Worked for me, why not. As a child there is a thin line between fear and respect.

K. Winkelmann: I'm for it! There would be a stipulation though that I be called, this way they get it twice! I only got pops twice in school and got them twice at home once the call was made! But since this has been taken out of school there has been nothing but problems!

W. Hickman: Absolutely.

N. Rice:  No.

J. Gipson:  Pro paddling. It worked on me

P.Gramling: It worked when I was in school, so why not now. I am totally for it as long as they don't abuse it...pun intended. What they should be concentrating on are the bullying...cyber and physical.  What they should be concentrating on are the bullying...cyber and physical.

M. Abernathy-Fowler: I think the old fashion paddling idea of a ruler across the palm in front of students should be allowed. I received that from Coach Richardon in the 12th grade! I almost made it through without a record! LOL Of course sadly the generations in schools today come from broken homes, neglect or abuse. A teacher facing an older student and be so close would need to be on guard for instilled anger to lash back at them. I resigned the education field in 1996 and could see what was beginning to transpire before I ended that career.

T. Harvey-Jones: Would sign and have signed.

J. Connaly Jr: All for it, with rules of course. Bert, I was never a "teacher". I've had classrooms full of students though. After my 1st day of teaching, my thoughts were that if I ever see a former teacher I'd apologize profusely. I was fortunate enough to apologize to my high school AG teacher and my junior high art teacher. The school districts need to grow some and enforce the rules they already have. Teachers being assaulted by little kids is easily fixed. Sorry, your kid can't come to our schools. The police in the schools should be for security, not as enforcers. The administrators use them as muscle. Can we be anymore ridiculous?

L. Wong: My mother used chopsticks and my dad used his belt. I was a model student so never got into much trouble. I would think that paddling is reactive rather than being proactive with trying to motive kids in school. Maybe we need volunteer mentors.

M. Marshall:  Yes, it worked fine when I was a kid. That is when I wasn't being det.

C. Corbello: I used to say NO, till I had a problem child that would go to school giving the teachers' hell saying YOU CAN'T TOUCH ME,, lol,, so I told them to whoop his A** if he misbehaves,,, he minded after that,, haha

S. Melton: I was paddled often in elementary school (I know, shocker!) usually for very minor infractions but I don't really remember getting in trouble at home so I guess the school paddlings were enough for me. I find that now, the kids who really NEED the pops have the parents who won't allow the schools to give them and the parents who allow the school to give pops are already doing a good job of taking care of business at home before it comes to school punishment.

D. Thornton: I worked off and on adolescent psyche units and most of the brats we got were undisciplined little monsters with "ADD" or "oppositional disorders" ie; we don't discipline of pay any attention to them at home. You have limited success with these kids because they know that they can whine to their parents and things will be the same when they get home. Most of the so called parents are in total denial or are too afraid that they won't be their kids' "friend" anymore.  Oh, and the parents would actually have to give up time on their favorite hobbies, clubs and activities to actually spend time with their kids and parent. God forbid!   Our superintendent kept a paddle hanging in plain sight in his office. Was enough to keep us all in line.
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Geocaching, critters, and me

For those who know me, it is no secret I often engage in a rapidly evolving hi-tech game called geocaching.  For those who don’t know, or are unfamiliar with the game, geocaching translates as the recreational activity of hunting for and finding a hidden container with a logbook by means of GPS coordinates posted on a website.

In other words, a geocacher hides a container somewhere and submits the coordinates to geocaching.com and if it satisfies all the requirements, the geocache, or simply put, the cache publishes and to those of us who are premium members, sends out an email or text to let us know a new geocache is available.  This often sets off a competition to be the first to find (FTF) and sign the logbook inside the cache, thus proving the hunter actually was there.

 The game is addicting in the extreme.

As of today, I am ranked 45^th in the southeast Texas (SETX) region, which encompasses a number of million people, with 3782 geocaches found and logged.  In addition, I have hidden and maintain 219 geocaches for other geocache hunters to find.  This second number boosts me very high nationally, as most seasoned geocachers do no hide or maintain nearly this many.

To put this game in perspective, there are currently 2,232,627 active geocaches and over 6 million geocachers worldwide.  You may have a geocache hidden within a block or two of where you live.

The game is played with an App on a Smartphone, especially by “newbies”, but most serious “cachers” use a dedicated Global Positioning Satellite receiver, or GPSr to find and hide their caches.  Non-players are affectionately known as “muggles”, a term borrowed from the Harry Potter series.  Although not nerd and geek inclusive, the game tends to attract people involved in academics, technical crafts, and computer vocations.  It is family safe and many seniors engage in finding geocaches for their hobby of choice and to get exercise.

Many geocache containers are hidden in city parks, along bike trails, inside cemeteries, and other urban settings – but many are hidden in the woods and places no sane person would venture and thus the title of today’s column.

Most of us perpetually have thorn and briar scratches on our arms and legs.  Texas, particularly our part of Texas has a wide variety of plants that grab and puncture every part of your body.  If you haven’t experienced this painful incident, imagine wading through six feet of rose bushes for fifty yards.

Along the way, you may, or may not encounter one or more venomous snakes, banana spiders crawling across your arm and back, clouds of hungry salt grass mosquitoes (mossies), chiggers, and the dreaded Lonestar tick.  I’ve had six ticks on me this year alone and after a single outing north of Beaumont; I had over 50 chiggers on my ankles.  One chigger or redbug bite equates to 7 to 14 days of intense itching.

Now all of these potential scary critters are not what I fear and I will walk through the snakiest looking terrain we have and often do, while wearing shorts.  What I fear is what geocachers encounter in urban settings – the black widow spider.  I’ve came across seven this year alone and on two occasions the spider was sitting on top of the geocache container in a parking lot location.  I do not suffer them to live, unlike the venomous snakes I encounter - I simply walk away from them.

Have you ever heard a banana spider bark?  I didn’t know it was possible until about two months ago and when I breeched the subject to the Baytown Nature Center’s naturalist Crissy Butcher and biologist Sarah Graham, both were skeptical and declared they would have to hear it to believe it.

This particular incident occurred a bit south of Baytown in an abandoned “garage” in some very over-grown woods.  I walked up on a huge Golden silk orb-weaver spider in a web about 5 feet off the ground, but was so caught up in looking for the geocache that I didn’t see it until I all but bumped it with my elbow.  It “barked” at me and shook its web.  I stepped back not believing my ears, so I moved my naked elbow closer to it and once again, it made the noise and shook the web.  For the third time, I moved my elbow in close and yes, once more it jerked and emitted what I can only describe as a tiny barking noise.

Most of us never encounter the variety of critters I mention in this column, even though they exist all around us, but if you become a geocacher, you can pretty much expect to see them often.  On November 2^nd, I will be hosting a free geocaching 101 event booth and workshop at the Baytown Nature Center’s Nurture Nature Festival.  I’ll be at the raised pavilion in back and the class starts at 0800 sharp.

The looming Baytown metropolis

Get ready for Baytown to surge to 200,000 people over the next five years folks. What started out as a laid-back Tri-city community of Pelly, Baytown and Goose Creek is rapidly becoming a bustling metropolis, and oil fracking is to blame, if blame is levied. I see what is happening as a positive. Cars, trucks and motorcycles are on our streets at all hours of the day and night, and based on what one of our police lieutenants told me recently, we are not ready for the expansion. How could we be?

With the Exxon and Chevron Phillips expansions in progress, they will draw tens of thousands of workers to our city, and due to the length of the work commitment, most will bring their families. We have three new elementary schools popping up (expect new school zones of SH-146 out Pinehurst way and another on North Main street, which will impede traffic flow), and there is a new steel mill coming to the Beach City area, most likely at the U.S. Steel location. Kiwi Golf is opening a production facility here. There is the Buc-ee’s and the new super Wal-mart at Highway 146 and Interstate 10 to bring jobs and more people and cars/trucks to our streets. I predict the traffic jam will be so bad here that the state will build an overpass over I-10 that will run for a number of miles dumping traffic out past Maranatha Temple.

 The good side is we have jobs, lots of jobs, and I welcome this with a big toothy grin – well with what teeth I still have anyway. After 36 years in the petrochemical field, I never thought I would see such a boom in this arena. I suspected it, however, and a couple years ago foretold the need for skilled workers when Goose Creek Memorial was being built. I wrote here in The Baytown Sun in my old column – yes, I am back – that we should seriously consider converting Robert E. Lee High School into a top notch vo-tech school to prepare our graduates to enter the work force and unfortunately, this is the bad side of the expansion. We don’t have the local manpower to staff these great jobs. We are at a minimum two years behind, and many of these great jobs won’t go to our young graduates but to people flocking here from the Virgin Islands, Detroit or Timbuktu, and they will most likely not leave.

When I pushed for a vo-tech (instead of 3 high schools teaching the same thing) , all everyone wanted to talk about was the school colors and the football team. So, we continued to pump out graduates, or not – with cookie-cutter diplomas which basically prepared them to think alike and exit high school with the skills to get a job working the counter at a fast food restaurant, or a few went off to college and became what their parents dreamed of, right? For most, the answer was no. They languished and years later are still without money-making skills. Well, now we need those high school grads with those hands-on skills and they are nowhere to be found because we didn’t properly prepare them for the real working world. Sure, Lee College and San Jac offer a two-year program to qualify people to become process technicians, I understand that. But what about electricians, pipe-fitters, welders, insulators, rod-busters, riggers, plumbers, instrument technicians, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, etc, who could have graduated from one of our high schools with the needed skills? It’s not too late to amp up our vo-tech high school programs, folks. It just takes forward paradigm-breaking thinking. It will take people on our school board to break free of the current malaise and get a curriculum that will teach our young generation to work …

Oops, isn’t work a four-letter word these days? It appears to be to many of us gray heads who began working at 13 and 14 years of age and never looked to anyone for assistance. Oh my, this is so controversial, I almost can’t write it without feeling there will be a terrible backlash. But it’s true just the same, and I will bring it out in the open. After all, I bought my first car at the ripe age of 15 after working for two years. I also bought my first radio, and stereo and television … We have a terrific future here in Baytown, both in our city’s development and the sustainable job market. We, as Baytonians, need to take advantage of it and prepare our kids to get a piece of the pie. I am close to retirement and I have no plans to move away, but I do care that our city “moves forward” with the surging expansion. On another note, I am very excited about our city park expansions and have asked the mayor and city manager to plant as many trees and native shrubs as possible to off-set the wholesale defoliation of our city caused by the expansion.

The Baker Road extension alone destroyed many acres of wildlife habitat, and my councilman, Bob Hoskins, has promised a new greenbelt, with him personally planting the first tree. I am very excited about this and the great job Scott Johnson is doing with our parks department. Baytown is indeed on the move, but it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure our city moves in the right direction. I want to do my part, how about you?

Baytown Nurture Nature Festival Nov 2nd!

I would like to invite you and your organization to join us as an exhibitor on Saturday, November 2^nd, for the 4^th Annual Nurture Nature Festival at the Baytown Nature Center.  Last year’s festival was a big success, with over 1,100 visitors who enjoyed the day.  The free, family event will once again be held on San Jacinto Point at the Nature Center, which is a beautiful peninsula of land surrounded by Crystal and Burnet Bays.  The point is home to fishing piers, picnic pavilions, walking trails, a stage and a unique Children’s Nature Discovery Area.  We are also celebrating the ten year anniversary of the Nature Center, and have a special community activity planned to celebrate that milestone.

Texas Snakes and More, The Big Buzz Theory, and Crocodile Encounter will again be giving educational presentations on Texas wildlife throughout the festival.  The center’s partner facility, the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education Center, will also be on hand with some of their live animal and education exhibits.

If you are not familiar with the Baytown Nature Center, its history is a success story in “reusing” at its finest…  it is the former site of the Brownwood Subdivision that was destroyed by Hurricane Alicia in 1983, and subsequently restored to a nature center by removing all houses and infrastructure.  The center has been the site of numerous mitigation projects, and boasts over 100 acres of high quality restored salt marsh.

Contact us for an Exhibitor Application form for the event.  If you would like to join us for the festival, please complete the application and return it back to me (either by email or fax).  I am excited about the opportunity to host such a wide variety of nature and ecology themed organizations for a day of fun and education for the whole family.

Please feel free to contact me with questions…  I look forward to working with you!!

http://www.baytown.org/content/baytown-nature-center

  

Tracey Prothro

Superintendent of Natural Resource Programs

City of Baytown

Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education & Recreation Center

Baytown Nature Center

(281) 420-7101  Office

(281) 420-7142  Fax

(713) 459-2438  Cell