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My Home Town: Racial tensions on the rise
[font color=green]Racial tensions between the Mexican-American and white population in my home town of George West, which is located in the Eagle Ford oil shale region, have been growing over the last few months. Allegations include allowing free housing for the city manager and her girlfriend along with other city employees, failing to maintain fire hydrants in working order after a restaurant fire, questions about the city accounting practices, and issuing $2 million in city certificates of obligation without prior approval. The local watchdog group, "Friends of George" managed to elect one city councilman in the May election.[/font]
6 Investigates Follow-Up: Discrimination, Threats in George West
The George West City Manager, citing the threat of litigation, has now turned over questions concerning the city's use of a taxpayer-backed Certificate of Obligation to the city's attorney amid looming allegations of racial discrimination..
6-Investigates reported earlier this month how city officials used a big chunk of a $2 million loan to purchase several new rental homes, including one for the city manager, under the guise of "parks and recreation improvements."
But some citizens have questioned the purchase as unnecessary and even deceptive as other city services go untended.
For example, the city recently notified utility customers that it had failed to report water quality reports to the state and is now under investigation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality because of that lapse.
6-Investigates reported earlier this month how city officials used a big chunk of a $2 million loan to purchase several new rental homes, including one for the city manager, under the guise of "parks and recreation improvements."
But some citizens have questioned the purchase as unnecessary and even deceptive as other city services go untended.
For example, the city recently notified utility customers that it had failed to report water quality reports to the state and is now under investigation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality because of that lapse.
Read more: http://www.kristv.com/news/6-investigates-follow-up-discrimination-threats-in-george-west/
LULAC investigates George West, Texas civic watchdog group. Members of the League of United Latin American Citizens want to know if members of the South Texas-based “Friends of George” are going after the city manager because she’s Hispanic.
Members of the League of United Latin American Citizens want to know if members of the “Friends of George” have been politically attacking City Manager Sandra Martinez because she’s a Latina.
-snip-
Friends of George members deny that racism has played any part in their campaign to get answers to numerous allegations against Martinez and the city–which include refuted claims the city manager lives rent-free on GW property and that GW officials refuse to tell residents how much money the city has in its coffers.
-snip-
Friends of George members deny that racism has played any part in their campaign to get answers to numerous allegations against Martinez and the city–which include refuted claims the city manager lives rent-free on GW property and that GW officials refuse to tell residents how much money the city has in its coffers.
Read more: http://btinsleyreporter.wordpress.com/2014/06/18/lulac-investigates-george-west-texas-civic-watchdog-group-members-of-the-league-of-united-latin-american-citizens-want-to-know-if-members-of-the-south-texas-based-friends-of-george-are-going-af/
[font color=green]Then this flyer was distributed around town in an attempt to smear the founder of "Friends of George":[/font]
(Image taken from "Friends of George" Facebook page)
This evil anonymous flyer was posted around town about Friends of George. It is the fourth such anonymous flyer about Friends of George. Don't the perpetrators understand that this is discriminatory? Friends of George is made up of people from every age, religion, political party, Hispanic and Anglo etc. whose sole purpose is responsible local government.
Live Oak County residents pursue LULAC charter
This past weekend the League of United Latin American Citizens met to create a chapter within Live Oak County.
http://www.caller.com/news/local-news/live-oak-county-residents-pursue-lulac-charter_95329602 , subscription required.
[font color=green]Now, it looks like misdemeanor charges may occur for one of the members of "Friends of George":[/font]
High Noon in George West
GEORGE WEST – Tensions between the civic watchdog group the Friends of George (FOG) and the city erupted into the public arena Monday night when FOG member Robert T. Lowrie reportedly confronted GW grant writer David Flores just outside the chambers of city council meeting and is alleged to have told him his dying mother “crawled out from under a rock.”
Reached at home after the meeting, Lowrie first denied his conversation with Flores was overly confrontational, but when pressed about the tenor of the conversation, he said the aggressor was Flores, not him. Lowrie said to his mind, the incident is over and done with.
FOG organizer John Walker, who was reportedly at the meeting, did not immediately return cell phone calls for comment.
But GW city officials beg to differ. They offer the account of an aggressive confrontation — specifically witnessed and interrupted by GW police officer Jason Lee — that is expected to result in misdemeanor charges being filed against Lowrie by the city police department and possibly even a restraining order requested against Lowrie by Flores.
Reached at home after the meeting, Lowrie first denied his conversation with Flores was overly confrontational, but when pressed about the tenor of the conversation, he said the aggressor was Flores, not him. Lowrie said to his mind, the incident is over and done with.
FOG organizer John Walker, who was reportedly at the meeting, did not immediately return cell phone calls for comment.
But GW city officials beg to differ. They offer the account of an aggressive confrontation — specifically witnessed and interrupted by GW police officer Jason Lee — that is expected to result in misdemeanor charges being filed against Lowrie by the city police department and possibly even a restraining order requested against Lowrie by Flores.
Read more: http://mysoutex.com/view/full_story_progress_free/25635655/article-HIGH-NOON-IN-GEORGE-WEST?instance=progress_news
[font color=green]Aren't small town politics exciting![/font]
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