East Bernard Express (East Bernard, Tex.), Vol. 70, No. 44, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 31, 2013 Page: 2 of 10
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Page 2
Thursday, October 3 1,2013
East Bernard Express
Prop 6 important to state's water
EDITORS NOTE: This col-
umn is being published a week
earlier than usual because of
the time-sensitive topic about
the upcoming constitutional
amendments election.
The Tuesday, Nov. 5 elec-
tion will be Texas’ best and
possibly only chance to secure
ample water suppbes for the
next 50 years. As most are
aware, our Texas does not
have enough water to meet
the needs of its people, its
businesses, and its agricul-
tural enterprises during
times of serious drought.
With more than 1,000 new
residents moving in each day,
our state population will rise
82 percent by 2060 (from 25.4
million to 46.3 million peo-
ple.) Without new infrastruc-
ture and improved conserva-
tion, statewide freshwater
demands will skyrocket 27
percent while available sup-
plies decrease 18 percent. By
2060, Texas will be short 8.3
million acre feet of freshwa-
ter each year. That equates to
almost 3 trillion gallons.
With ongoing drought,
dwindling supplies and soar-
ing demand, Texas residents
cannot afford to sit by and
do nothing. Proposition 6 on
the Nov. 5 ballot asks state-
wide voters to create a bank
account in which funding for
much-needed water projects
can be deposited and from
which disbursements will be
made. Prop 6 is not a vote
to levy a tax nor is it legisla-
tion that propels our state
into long-term financial ruin.
Proposition 6 is a consti-
tutional amendment that
activates a funding mecha-
nism needed to distribute
seed money for major water
infrastructure construction.
Proposition 6 reads: “The
constitutional amendment
providing for the creation of
the State Water Implementa-
tion Fund for Texas and the
State Water Implementation
Revenue Fund for Texas to as-
sist in the financing of prior-
ity projects in the state water
plan to ensure the availability
of adequate water resources.”
In 2012, the Texas Water
Development Board approved
a $53 billion State Water
Plan containing more than
500 conservation and water
management strategies sci-
entifically proven to develop
more than 9 million acre
feet of added water by 2060.
Proposed surface water
projects include the building
and expanding of water treat-
ment plants, assembling new
pipelines, stream diversions,
and constructing off-channel
reservoirs like the one cur-
rently proposed for Lane City
in Wharton County.
Groundwater strategies
include improving new wells
and aquifer management,
reusing treated wastewa-
ter for irrigation purposes,
treatment of brackish water,
desalinization, and con-
junctive use of surface and
groundwater. The 2012 State
Water Plan mandates conser-
vation in every water usage
sector: municipal, agricul-
ture, energy production, and
manufacturing.
In late May, Gov. Rick Perry
signed House Bill 4 and Senate
Bill SJR1 thereby setting aside
$2 billion from the state Rainy
Day Fund to implement our
2012 State Water Plan. With
$2 billion set aside, the Rainy
Day Fund still contains more
than $8.2 billion in reserve
which is its highest balance
since its 1988 creation.
If voters approve the Prop-
osition 6 funding account,
the deposited $2 billion will
be coupled with the Texas
Water Development Board’s
existing $6 billion in bonding
authority. Together, these two
pools of money will be used to
make low interest loans total-
ing over $27 billion. Munici-
palities, utility districts, and
river authorities can tap into
this state loan program to
finance local water treatment
plants, off-channel reservoirs,
desalinization units, etc.
Four keys to remember:
• Texas legislators and wa-
ter experts have already ap-
proved our 2012 State Water
Plan which will create over
9 million acre feet of needed
freshwater supply.
• The $2 billion needed to
kick-start our State Water
Plan has already been legisla-
tively approved and set aside.
• The Rainy Day Fund still
contains more than $8.2 billion
in reserves and should surpass
$11 billion by fall 2015.
• Proposition 6 is solely a
vote to create the disburse-
ment account needed to
launch State Water Plan
projects. If we do not fund the
plan, then we have no plan.
Prop 6 is Texas’ only plan.
My fellow citizens, the
time to act is now. Yes, 2060
is a long way off but if we
refuse to try and resolve our
water issues today then our
children and grandchildren
have no hope of solving the
problem when it gets to them.
Please visit with your friends
and neighbors throughout
Texas and encourage them to
vote and to vote for Proposi-
tion 6 on Nov. 5. Early voting
continues on weekdays
through Friday, Nov. 1.
As county judge, my pri-
maiy objective continues to be
preparing Wharton County
for the future while always
main taining our unique
small-town way of life.
Phillip Spenrath is county
judge of Wharton County. His
column normally appears on
the first Thursday. He can be
reached at judge, spenrath @
co. wharton. tx. us.
WCJC registration
begins for spring,
winter mini-term
Special to the East Bernard Express
Wharton County Junior
College is registering for the
winter mini-term and the
spring 2014 semester begin-
ning Friday, Nov. 1.
Students may register
on campus or on the web
through Dec. 13 for the
winter mini-term. Students
may register through Jan.
20 online for the spring
2014 semester and should
visit the college’s website
for on-campus registration
dates.
Winter mini-term classes
begin Dec. 16, and spring
classes begin Jan. 21.
Wharton County Junior
College offers an associate in
arts degree for those intend-
ing to transfer to a four-year
institution, associate of arts
in teaching degree, associate
in applied science degrees,
and certificate programs.
Distance education courses
are available through the
web, and interactive televi-
sion.
Students new to WCJC
are encouraged to visit the
college’s website at www.
wcjc.edu to learn more about
New Student Orientation
sessions.
For more information, call
800-561-9252 or 532-4560 for
the Wharton campus, 281-
243-8447 for the Sugar Land
campus, or 281-239-1500 for
the Richmond campus. The
college also offers classes in
Bay City.
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—Event helps comfort victims of domestic violence
Continued from Page 1
Texas women killed last year
from domestic violence were
read aloud.
‘What we’re trying to do is
bring some awareness,” John-
son said.
The Rev. John Soard, pas-
tor of St. Thomas, told the
crowd that family violence
“is taking place in our com-
munities” and needs to be ad-
dressed in any way possible.
The Rev. A.J. Hatfield led
an opening prayer for those
who have been abused, draw-
ing inspiration from the fourth
chapter of Philippians, which
discusses the need to “let your
gentleness be evident to all.”
County Attorney Trey Maf-
fett discussed his role in ob-
taining protective orders, and
the importance of these docu-
ments.
“They are designed to pre-
vent violence,” Maffett said.
He said the vast majority of
orders are issued for the pro-
tection of women, though he
noted that since being elected
county attorney in 1991, he
has had two occasions where
he obtained protective orders
for men.
Maffett said new laws have
expanded the protections,
making them applicable for
dating violence and for such
things as stalking.
Though roughly 25 percent
of women who obtain a protec-
tive order will later request it
be removed, Maffett said it’s
crucial that such protections
are available.
“Sometimes these women
gravitate back to that abusive
relationship,” he said. “But in
my experience, abusers just
don’t change.”
Maffett credited the Crisis
Center with providing a criti-
cal service.
“They’ve done a wonder-
ful job. They’re trained and
they have facilities to offer,”
he said.
Wharton Mayor Domingo
Montalvo Jr., also on hand
for Monday’s vigil, shared a
similar sentiment. He said
the Crisis Center supports the
city in one of its most impor-
tant tasks — protecting the
lives of its citizens.
“One of the reasons we
have city government is
for public safety and public
health,” Montalvo said. ‘We
want to thank this organi-
zation because you provide
something that is greatly
needed.”
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— East Bernard man
arrested for child porn
Continued from Page 1
Zavala initially gave depu-
ties a false name, according to
officials. But Rodriguez, who
was on call, later made the
scene and identified him.
Zavala was booked into
Wharton County Jail on 10
felony charges. These include
four counts of sexual assault
of a child, two counts of sexual
performance by a child, two
counts of improper photogra-
phy or visual recording and
two counts of possession with
intent to promote child por-
nography. He is currently held
on $850,000 bond.
Rodriguez said a fam-
ily member discovered inap-
propriate photographs of the
15-year-old on a cell phone she
had in her possession. That
phone had been supplied to
the girl by Zavala, officials
said, with the understanding
that she would take pictures of
herself and send them to him.
Zavala and the girl also al-
legedly had an ongoing physi-
cal relationship.
“They had been seeing each
other,” Rodriguez said.
The charges stem from the
fact that the girl was only 15
at the time.
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eastbernardexpress
Arrest warrants were issued
back in May but law enforce-
ment officials could not find
Zavala at his East Bernard
address. It’s believed that Za-
vala, originally from Mexico,
stayed in Houston for around
two months before coming back
to the county. His most recent
residence was Wharton.
Officials said that Zavala
has been cooperative. The
case is under investigation.
“Other charges are pend-
ing,” Rodriguez said.
East Bernard
Express
Incorporating the
pernarb tribune
Established November, 1948
USPS # 164340
Volume 70, Issue No. 44
Thursday, Oct. 31,2013
Periodicals Postage Paid at
East Bernard, Texas 77435.
Annual subscription price
$29.00 per year in Wharton
County, Eagle Lake and Wal-
lis; $39.00 per year elsewhere
in Texas; $59.00 per year out
of state.
The East Bernard Express is pub-
lished weekly by Wharton Coun-
ty Newspapers, Inc., 704 Main
Street, East Bernard, TX 77435.
Postmaster: Send Change of
Address Notices to: PO. Box
111, Wharton, TX 77488.
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Wallace, Bill. East Bernard Express (East Bernard, Tex.), Vol. 70, No. 44, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 31, 2013, newspaper, October 31, 2013; East Bernard, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth787590/m1/2/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Wharton County Library.