The Messenger

04/12/2024

USE CAUTION - 21 West, just west of Crockett Loop 304, accident reported. Authorities in route.

04/12/2024

Grapeland Garden Club is having a plant/flower sale at Grapeland City Park today through this afternoon.

04/10/2024

It’s National Public Safety Tele-communicators Week. Take a minute to get to know the good people who answer 911!

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter HOUSTON COUNTY – National Public Safety Tele-communicators Week is celebrated each year during the second week of April and The Messenger thought it only proper to speak with some of the hard-working people who take those emergency calls – night or day – an....

04/09/2024

It’s Child Abuse Awareness Month, with a special flag over the courthouse and signs and pinwheels around the county to mark the month.

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter HOUSTON COUNTY – At a well-attended ceremony Friday, Apr. 5 on the steps of the Houston County Courthouse in downtown Crockett, dozens of people gathered to witness the traditional raising of the flag to mark the month of April as “Child Abuse Awareness Month....

04/06/2024

Latexo One-Act Play Advances to Regionals

By Kelly Nicol Messenger Publisher LATEXO – This past week, Latexo’s One-Act Play cast and crew won the Bi-District Championship. In her second year as One-Act Play Director, Lisa Moreland (a teacher at Latexo Independent School District) looks to improve on last year’s regional performance. ...

04/05/2024

Flag raising this morning at Houston County Courthouse at 11 a.m. to mark Child Abuse Awareness Month.

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter HOUSTON COUNTY – April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and to commemorate the month, a ceremony will be held on the steps of the Houston County Courthouse Friday, Apr. 5 at 11 a.m. where community and religious leaders, along with city and county officials will....

04/01/2024

USE CAUTION - 21 West, four miles outside of Crockett, 18-wheeler in ditch. Authorities responding.

03/28/2024

The Woodrow Jones Sr. and Freddie Jones Family will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt for the community at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, March 30 at I.T. Williams Memorial Park on Martin Luther King Blvd. in Crockett for ages 1-12. There will be lots of prizes!

03/27/2024

Latexo Math Team Wins 12th Consecutive State Title!

Latexo Wins 12th Consecutive State Title By Kelly Nicol Messenger Publisher LATEXO – Well, this story emerges like clockwork every year. For the 12th year in a row, the Latexo Math Team – led by longtime teacher and coach Audrey Cravens – has won the Texas Math and Science Coaches Associatio...

03/25/2024

Let's make sure and support these little stars as they dribble their way to the national championship!

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter HOUSTON COUNTY – Several of our local “little dribblers,” youth basketball teams will be heading to the Little Dribblers’ National Tournament April 5-8 in Nocona, Texas. The teams are getting ready to help parents foot the gas and hotel bill for the tournam...

03/24/2024

USE CAUTION - One vehicle accident reported US287 near Norman Lane. Authorities in route.

03/22/2024

From scrumptious pies to helping the community, Jo Denman puts flavor in everything she does.

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter CROCKETT – You may have seen their bright orange trailer parked in downtown Crockett, along South Fourth Street or at one of the area festivals. Always a line and always a little wait – once you’ve tasted some of the unique pies Jo Denman and daughter Tiffany...

03/21/2024

To MIT or to not MIT…that is the question!

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter LATEXO – Latexo Independent School District (LISD) Senior Carter Tucker is a smart guy. Not your average smart guy or clever student, but the kind of high-schooler who does math and works on robotics in his spare time. Involved in many UIL competitions, Tucker kn...

03/21/2024

Ernest Jackson announces re-election bid for Crockett City Council, Precinct Three

Special to The Messenger CROCKETT – My name is Ernest Jackson and I am running for re-election in Precinct Three for Crockett City Council.  I was born and raised here in Crockett, graduating from high school here in 1973. I have been married to my wife for 49 years. We have a daughter and we...

03/20/2024

Sheriff-elect Zak Benge to join Latexo school police force before officially taking office.

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter LATEXO – After the primary elections at the beginning of the month, Zak Benge was declared the winner to be the next Houston County Sheriff. With no democrat in the race, the November elections are just a formality and Benge will be the next sheriff. Without a ra...

03/18/2024

What's the best way to get to Carnegie Hall? Practice! And local legend Pipp Gillette certainly has plenty of that!

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter HOUSTON COUNTY – There’s an old joke about a man visiting the Big Apple. “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” he asks a passerby.  “Practice!” comes the answer.  In the case of local musician, poet and historian Pipp Gillette, that is a true statement, ...

03/14/2024

Houston County Elections Administrator answers tough questions after election results delayed.

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter Above picture:  Houston County Elections Administrator Cynthia Lum defends her actions during the last election at a Houston County Elections Board meeting Tuesday, Mar. 12.  HOUSTON COUNTY – The Houston County Election Board met for a special meeting Tuesday, ...

03/14/2024

Free health care clinic today at Crockett Civic Center!

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter CROCKETT –  Crockett Resource Center for Independent Living will hold its 15th Annual Free Community Health Fair Thursday, Mar. 14 at Crockett Civic Center, located at 1100 Edmiston Drive in Crockett. The event will run from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and is being sponsored...

03/13/2024

What’s Really, Really Happening with CEIDC

By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter

Editor’s note: Greg’s Corner is an editorial (opinion) section where Messenger Reporter Greg Ritchie shares odds and ends from the job and unusual or interesting facts from across the world and across time.

MESSENGER OFFICE - To be fair, that headline may be a little misleading because we still don’t have all the facts, but it’s so popular online to name groups like that, I thought I might as well join in.

It’s the scandal that just won’t die, no matter how many months pass and no matter what each side thinks is “best” for the city.

It’s important because when the state’s attorney general’s office is looking into to our little part of the world, something’s not going right. CEIDC is supposed to be a cheerleader for Crockett, enticing businesses to come here, build here and create jobs here. Being a lightning rod for controversy and scandal was surely never part of the plan.

CEIDC Executive Director James Gentry’s defenders say it’s become a personal vendetta against the man. If the AG’s office is declining to charge him, isn’t that enough? Reinstate him and let him go about his business. What more do they need to know?

Those looking to see Gentry ride out to pasture say, infractions stemming from the 2023 forensic audit may not be worth the AG’s time, but it doesn’t mean no policies and best practices were violated and he should step aside or be stepped aside. Why spend more time and money to analyze the audit, when the audit was clear that rules were broken.

In the risk of making both sides angry, the truth, as usual, is probably somewhere in between. With both sides deeply entrenched in their beliefs, the more radical voices on each side overplayed their hands.

The group saying Gentry did nothing wrong is well…wrong. The audit was clear - there were violations that were committed again and again, even when CEIDC was warned to cut it out - like the signing of blank checks. You can’t do that in a public position and with taxpayer money.

The group hoping to see Gentry pay a hefty price overplayed their allegations, too. The promised unveiling of his terrible crimes never came, with most of the allegations being serious enough to look into, but never rising to the level of convict-able crimes, at least according to the Texas AG’s office.

Some postulated online the “corruption” in Crockett influenced the AG’s decision. I seriously doubt any of our local council members were able to sway Ken Paxton, someone who holds strong beliefs and never seems afraid to stand up against corruption.

At the meeting Monday night, dozens of us waited patiently in the entryway while the council held their private meeting to decide what the next step would be. At one point, we all fell silent. The raised voices back and forth from inside were louder than our chatter. Most of what was said couldn’t be clearly heard, but what was clear was not everyone was in agreement.

Outside, there was a clash of personalities, too, with CPD Chief Clayton Smith called out of the meeting to call in at least three officers to make sure passions didn’t get out of hand. People yelling at each other on the steps of City Hall. Embarrassing.

It is a shame that after the $100,000 spent on the forensic audit, the city will spend more money now to conclude their own investigation into the matter. Gentry has spent more than a year collecting his sizable salary while in suspension and there’s no word how long this new investigation will last.

The problem is, even if all allegations are cleared up and he returns to his post at some point, the damage to the reputation of CEIDC is unquestionable - who will take this organization seriously without some serious changes? Anyone looking to open a business here can just Google “CEIDC” and the whole mess might put most off the idea of even getting involved.

The truth is, CEIDC has run far better without Gentry since the city council took it over. Several businesses have opened, with no drama and no fuss. Once again, the effectiveness of CEIDC leadership is the biggest issue, and success speaks for itself.

Even if we disregard the allegations, it was long overdue for CEIDC to get some new blood and a new direction. Some ask why the city needs economic development, anyway?

Any town in this state with more than 2,000 residents has some form of office for economic development. Is there a town out there that would not give tax breaks and incentives to any business coming to create jobs? Those funds have to be organized and categorized somewhere, and in our case, that’s CEIDC.

And while much of our efforts have been suspended, every other city in the state is still out there attracting businesses, leaving our voices silent.

That doesn’t mean we need to fly CEIDC staff first class to Paris or buy ads during the Super Bowl. But we do need to stimulate economic growth, and the success over the past year - even without someone to handle the strategy and the details - shows what a well-run economic development office could do.

Both sides are sick and tired of the whole mess and I agree it’s time to find a solution, one way or the other. While it all gets sorted out, how many businesses will go to Palestine or Lufkin? That’s the real loss. How do you quantify the cost of lost opportunity?

Most rational people would read the writing on the wall and understand, with the lack of public confidence, stepping aside with dignity would be the best route, personally and for the city at large.

Both sides have made this about one person, but it’s really about making sure our city gets back to being the vibrant place it once was and can be. Car dealerships, manufacturing, retail, wholesale, distribution. If we build it, they will come.

Show us the jobs and we will show you the workforce.

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]

03/12/2024

For one 40-year veteran of the City of Crockett, it was all about helping the city he loves.

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter CROCKETT –  It was Oct. 10, 1983 when Sedrick Scott first got a job working for the City of Crockett. He had done some work during high school and after graduation, he was offered a full-time position. He may not have imagined at the time, but his work for the.....

03/12/2024

City of Grapeland tightening city policies after theft last summer.

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter GRAPELAND – The City of Grapeland began taking measures at the end of last summer to protect both water payments and the handling of those payments after a City of Grapeland employee was arrested for theft.  Certain residents received notices their water bill wa...

03/11/2024

See how one local student won the "triple crown" with Tricki Woo!

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter LATEXO –  Many of our Houston County students participate in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo each year, from showing animals to busting a mutt or two. For 12-year-old Latexo Elementary Student Kathrine Allen, it was her heifer that stole the show – not he...

03/11/2024

CEIDC investigation takes new turn; city meeting set for tonight.

News From AG, Special Meeting Called By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter CROCKETT – Sources told The Messenger early this week the City of Crockett had received communication from the Texas Attorney General’s office regarding Crockett Economic and Industrial Development Corporation (CEIDC) Execut...

03/08/2024

Camp Street Blues Jam begins today!

By Greg Ritchie Messenger Reporter CROCKETT – The first annual Camp Street Blues Jam, with its many musical artists, vendors and local art displays is set for this weekend, looking to draw hundreds and set a precedent for making Crockett a destination for music lovers.  The festival was spearhead...

03/07/2024

Help support the Latexo High School Beta Club
Bake Sale - Saturday, March 9 at Walmart in Crockett

03/06/2024

To finish our election coverage, we have uploaded the final election numbers, as released late last night by Houston County Elections Office. Please note these are considered unofficial until the parties have canvassed the results.
Click on the link below for the full report, but in the most competitive races:

Houston County Sheriff:
Zak Benge - 2,575
Randy Hargrove - 1,544

Houston County Commissioner, Precinct One:
Gary Lovell - 623
Will Yates - 289
Butch Patton - 245

State Representative:
Trent Ashby - 3,117
Paulette Carson - 898

https://messenger-news.com/2024/03/06/unofficial-election-results-released/

Thank you to Bruner's Economy Car Center for sponsoring our Election Day coverage.

These are the final voting numbers released in the Houston County primary elections held Tuesday, Mar. 5. These are considered unofficial until the parties have canvassed the votes.

03/06/2024

The Messenger has published the complete early voting tallies for Houston County to our website, for those interested.

https://messenger-news.com/2024/03/06/early-voting-primary-election/

Sponsored by Bruner's Economy Car Center!

Early voting totals for Houston County

03/06/2024

The Messenger has posted the latest elections results at the following link, showing all races for both parties. We will update this list when new numbers are released.

https://messenger-news.com/2024/03/06/latest-houston-county-election-results/

Thank you to Bruner's Economy Car Center for helping make this coverage possible.

03/06/2024

****In the race for Houston County Commissioner for Precinct One, The Messenger declares incumbent Gary Lovell the winner, with 53% of the counted vote.

Until the final vote is tallied, it will be unclear if a runoff will be needed among the top two candidates.

As of the latest vote count:

Gary Lovell, 541
Butch Patton, 244
Will Yates, 247

Tonight's coverage of the primary election results has been sponsored by Bruner's Economy Car Center!