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Acclaim and a Shame for May 18, 2009
Published May 18, 2009
Municipal elections were largely free of divisiveness
On May 9, voters across Brazoria County went to the polls to elect council members in 16 cities, decide three mayors’ races and tab trustees in six school districts — plus elect a port commissioner and several hospital board members for good measure.
There were races decided by a handful of votes, incumbents ousted and incumbents holding on to their posts by the hairs on their chinny-chin chins.
But though the action was hot at the ballot box, the municipal elections might have been most notable for the spirit of civic civility on display. There were crowded fields of candidates across the county, but little in the way of verbal scuffling.
A number of challengers made a point of saying they weren’t running because they had a bone to pick against existing officeholders. And so many stressed their main reason for running was not dissatisfaction or a single-issue crusade, but because they were looking for a way to give back to the communities that had given them so much.
And that’s what getting involved is all about.
The tenor of it all is perhaps best exemplified by the graciousness shown by sitting Sweeny Mayor Rodney Weems, who lost to retired former City Administrator Kenneth Lott.
“I wish Mayor-elect Lott and the new council the very best as it takes up the city’s business ...” Weems said after the votes were counted.
Simply wanting what’s best for their community was the motivation for so many who offered to give of themselves — and that’s something all residents of Brazoria County can take pride in.
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Take advantage of AirCheck Texas plan
There’s nothing but positive results coming from the AirCheck Texas program, and that’s not always the case with government efforts. What more can you ask for from such a program?
AirCheck Texas will improve the air quality, get old, often-unsafe clunkers off the road and save local motorists a sizable chunk of cash while putting new wheels under their pant seats. The program, which first got rolling in 2002, now is available to residents of 16 counties in the Dallas, Austin and Houston areas considered noncompliant with federal air quality mandates — and that includes us here in Brazoria County.
There’s no reason why local folks driving around in the older, higher-emission vehicles shouldn’t take advantage of this deal if they qualify. You can get up to $600 for emissions repairs or $3,500 toward a new car. Figuring out what criteria you have to meet depends on variables, including age of car, income level and a year’s registration in a county with bad air quality. The requirements are listed on the program’s Web site, www.aircheckhouston.com.
The program is funded by a $6 fee charged during state vehicle inspections.
“This program helps a lot of people have a real good down payment,” said Terry Alexander, new car salesman at Leo Martin Chevrolet in Lake Jackson.
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Father-son duo create graduation memory
Something happened during Brazoport College’s May 9 graduation ceremony that one local family likely won’t forget. A father and son both walked across the stage of honor and received their bachelor of applied science degrees, one after the other, after about three years of hard work in the classroom, often together.
James, 55, and his son, Jason Finley, took some of the same classes, and encouraged each other to finish the program, even as they also both maintained full-time jobs. Now their futures look brighter with bachelor’s degrees in industrial management. James specialized in the business management aspect while his son’s emphasis was on general technology.
“I thought it was pretty neat,” James Finley told The Facts.
“How many dads say they are going back to college and actually get to graduate with one of their own kids?” added James, a Sweeny resident.
Not many is the obvious answer. And both father and son and the entire Finley family deserve applause for pulling off the feat.
Our hats go off to them, and we hope they serve as an example to inspire others to seek improvement in their lives.
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