The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 41, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 4, 2003 Page: 1 of 14
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Federal investigation into Torres death closed
Department of Justice not to pursue criminal charges against officers
and an internal affairs investigation.
Harris County Medical Examiner's
See TORRES on Page 8A
Something in the Air
Patterson
sworn in as
Texas land
♦
commissioner
S
son.
______
See SHIPYARDS on Page 8A
Cat, sixth-grader help save family from burning house
of water. Another adult resident, Holly
The house, in the 500 block of S. Burnet
fire right in front of my face.”
But by the time the men had drawn the
See FIRE on Page 8A
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■ OUtaariM.
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Stewart Braden,
Southwest Shipyard
■ Lottery.________________________2B
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“We are very highly
motivated to be safe
because if we are cited
we can be shut down.”
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John Hunter,
Lynchburg resident
Torres, 45, a Mexican national, died
after fighting with Sgt. Rodney Evans
and officers Bert Dillow and Micah
LYNCHBURG — Residents worry about
what’s in the air and on the water in the com-
munity along the east bank of the San Jacinto
River.
Tall trees, a river front view and quick access
to Interstate 10 drew them to the area, but for
many years barge traffic and cleaning solvent
emissions from Channelview shipyards have
filled much of the landscape.
Worries about air quality and the safety of the
I-10 bridge remain despite government regula-
tors' statements that the shipyards are good
neighbors and in compliance with the law.
John Hunter has lived in Lynchburg since
1978 and said he smells a foul, sweet stench
when the wind shifts west and blows emissions
from shipyards on the east bank of the river
toward his home.
“It’s real nasty when wind blows out of the
west," Hunter said.
Other Lynchbtug residents echo Hunter.
“You go outside the7 door, and it will knock
you down sometimes,” said Carl Cobb, a 20-
year resident. “You've got to stay inside."
Hunter began to contact the state and county
regulatory agencies about the odor in the late
1980s and has smelled it as recently as
November 2002. Investigators who responded
to his complaints could never trace the smell.
Using the state’s nuisance law, which pro-
hibits dischaiges of air contaminants in concen-
Torres' death has been closed, accord-
ing to a letter from the chief of the
Civil Rights Division of the U.S.
Department of Justice. The officers
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Sterling boys top La Porte in
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‘We are ready’ for war if I
needed, Bush tells soldiers'
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The Associated Press
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Emissions from shipyards worry residents
By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS ------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Baytown Sun
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By WHIT SNYDER
The Baytown Sun
A pet cat might have saved the lives of a
Lakewood family when fire swept through
their home early Thursday morning.
Thirteen-year-old Melanie Matthews
was awakened by her cat, Pebbles, about 7
a.m. when the cat began scratching her
arm and licking her face.
*
“It’s real nasty when
wind blows out
of the west.”
The Dec. 19 letter from the Justice the city of Baytown, the Baytown questioning on South Main Street. The
Attorney's office made one of the Department tracks the previous find- Police Department and the officers
most comprehensive presentations to a ings, based on an FBI Investigation, involved. They allege that Torres death
had previously been cleared of wrong- grand jury I’ve ever seen in my years Baytown City Clerk Gary Smith said was caused by the officers’ actions and
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Serving all of Baytown, Lynchburg, Highlands, McNair, Barrett Station, Crosby, Mont Belvieu, Anahuac and West Chambers County
Volume 81, No. 41 Telephone: 281-422-8302 January 4, 2003 www.baytownsun.com 50 cents
By MATTHEW COOK
The Baytown Sun
BAYTOWN - The U.S.
Department of Justice will not pursue
federal criminal charges against three
Baytown police officers involved in
the January 2002 in-custody death of
Luis Torres sents °fficers' said he was not expect anything to change just
The federal investigation into pleased with the decision. because it was looked at by a second
...... ■ “It’s certainly not a surprise consid- set of eyes.”
ering the Harris County District
1" tantatts.............
Christmas tree pickup starts Monday
BAYTOWN — The city of Baytown's Solid Waste Division will
begin curbside pickup of Christmas trees on Monday.
“We ask that the trees be placed at the curb for our crews to
collect. Our crews will collect the trees during the weeks of Jan.
6 and Jan. 13,” said Fred Pack, director of public works. “After
the trees are collected, they will be run through our chipper.
Please make sure that all tree stands, ornaments and lights are
removed from trees, even if you plan to discard them. The pres-
ence of this material can damage our chipper. The pickup will
occur citywide and will take two weeks. Last year, we recycled
1,600 trees.*
City Manager Gary Jackson said,’Our ability to collect and recy-
cle the Christmas trees Is a benefit to our citizens and to the
city. We encourage everyone with a live tree to remove It as soon
as possible to reduce the risk of fire.
For additional Information, please contact Public Works at
(281)420-5300.
Baytown Sun photos/ Timothy Williams
BARGES PARKED Friday near the Interstate 10 bridge are a concern to area residents who fear a hur-
ricane's storm surge might cause such a vessel to strike and damage the link between Baytown and
Houston. U.S. Coast Guard officials contend that the river’s current would still push vessels south.
At top: Southwest Shipyard casts a large shadow Friday over the San Jacinto River south of Interstate
10. The company has been in operation for 50 years in Channelview and is permitted under law to
emit chemicals used in the maintenance of barges.
the wall. water, the blaze had already overtaken
“I started screaming and coughing,” said Melanie’s room. They fled the structure
Melanie, who is a sixth-grader at Baytown and Joined the rest of the occupants out-
Junlor High. “I rolled off my bed and got side. Three units soon arrived at the scene
my dad.” to extinguish the fire.
As Melanie raced through the house Baytown Fire Department Arson
waking up another eight sleeping persons, Investigator Howard Gudgell said the
her father, Joseph Matthews, and another cause of the fire is unknown. Residents
_____________ _________ resident of the house, Douglas Perry, say there were no, smoke alarms in the
“ “ When fwoike up," Melanie said, “I saw attempted to put out the fire with a bucket house.
fire right in front of my face.” of water. Another adult resident, Holly The house, in the 500 block of S. Burnet
Melanie said the fire was burning in the Michels, called the Baytown Fire suffered $10,000 worth of damage to the
comer of her room. It had engulfed her Department.
nightstand and was already climbing up
0
AUSTIN — Republican former state Sen.
Jerry Patterson of Austin was sworn in as Texas
land commissioner Friday, replacing outgoing
commissioner David Dewhurst.
“Whatever success we’ve had over the last
few years, I know you’re going to exceed,” said
Dewhurst, who left the office to pursue a suc-
cessful run for lieutenant governor. “Jerry
Patterson is going to succeed because he’s a
great guy with a heart as big as Texas.”
Patterson, who has worked as a lobbyist since
leaving the Senate, has promised to boost oil
and gas production on state lands to raise more
money for public schools.
He also has outlined a plan that would ease
drilling restrictions on the Gulf Coast, including
the environmentally sensitive Padre Island
National Seashore.
"Yes!” Patterson bellowed after being sworn
in, pumping a fist into the air.
"We started this in May of ’97 and had a lit-
tle hiccup along the way, Mr. Dewhurst,”
Patterson said referring to his 1998 loss to
Dewhurst. "But my goal is to be the best com-
missioner of the Texas General Land Office
since David Dewhurst.”
In November, Patterson beat Democratic state
Sen. David Bernsen of Beaumont in what was
generally an uneventful campaign to replace
Dewhurst.
Patterson, 55, graduated from Texas A&M
University, receiving his Marine Reserve Corps
commission and his bachelor of arts degree in
1970. He is a retired Marine lieutenant colonel
who served in the Texas Senate for six years
before running for land commissioner in 1998
against Dewhurst.
The General Land Office manages almost 21
million acres of public land and coastal areas,
Including the leasing of oil and gas mineral
rights‘producing billions of dollars to help pay
for public education.
doing by a Harris County grand jury representing policemen,” Cagle said, the letter was not immediately because of negligence by the city and
and an internal affairs investigation. “There’s no new information that was- released because of pending litigation police department.
Attorney Greg Cagle, who repre- n't presented to the grand jury. I did against the city concerning the inci-
sents two of the officers, said he was not expect anything to change just dent.
Torres’ family members filed a
wrongful death lawsuit in July against Aldred, after they stopped him for
enjoyment of property, Harris County Pollution living outside Houston, which has its own
Control investigates odor complaints made by investi8ators-
(rations that interfere with the normal use and county residents. Emphasis is placed on those
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Cash, Wanda Garner. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 81, No. 41, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 4, 2003, newspaper, January 4, 2003; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1185195/m1/1/: accessed May 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.