An open letter to Advocate readers
Feb. 26, 2009
Dear Readers:
This is not the letter I hoped to be posting four months after starting the Advocate, but if an online news service is going to yell 'transparency' at every turn, it had better be willing to play by it's own rules.
Put plainly, as a business venture, the Advocate is failing.
Our business model has four indexes to track growth and predict success of the venture: Readership, community involvement, classified use and, of course, paid advertising. I am sad to report that we are faltering badly on three of those.
While readership numbers have climbed steadily since it's inception, now topping 3000 total page hits, and over 300 readers a week, the sparse use of the 'Classifieds' section, and almost no interest in paid advertising has failed to instill lender confidence, thus denying us access to funding needed to expand the staff, or to go to print with a weekly paper.
These are failures that I blame on my own lack of salesmanship and failure to factor in funding for advertising, believing that word-of-mouth and easy internet linking would be sufficient to get the word out.
Community involvement has to be graded as mediocre. Institutions such as the local colleges, government offices and law enforcement, realizing that every information outlet has value, have been willing contributors.
But surprisingly, organizations like ISD boards, economic development agencies and even chambers of commerce have been less than cooperative, many failing even to return messages or respond to letters of introduction.
In short, the shoe-string budget we were operating on is gone, and the need to pay personal bills now has to override both desire to publish and belief in the need for a service like this for Upshur County.
The site will stay open, but article postings won't be daily events.
In closing, I would like to thank everyone who is providing information and news releases, and the readers who return daily looking for timely and topical news of interest to Upshur County and the surrounding area.
Sincerely,
DeWayne Spell
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The Sheriff's Office handled 129 calls this week, resulting in 43 arrests.
GILMER, TX, Feb. 23, 2009 -- Sheriff Anthony Betterton reported today that 129 calls for service were reported to the Upshur County Sheriff's Office between the dates of 2-16-09 and 2-22-09.
Sheriff Betterton also reported that 43 people were booked into the Upshur County Jail on a variety of charges which include Driving while license invalid, Theft, Resisting Arrest, Federal Detainer, Burglary of a Habitation, Assault, Possession of Marijuana, Manufacturing and Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Revocation of Probation, DWI, Criminal Mischief, Sexual Assault to a Child, Stolen Vehicle, Fail to Identify as a Fugitive, Burglary of a Building, Harassment, Criminal Trespass, Issuance of a bad check, Disorderly Conduct and traffic.
There were also 46 people released from the Upshur county jail.
Sheriff's Service Calls by the Numbers:
Thefts 9
Assault 8
Burglary 4
Criminal Mischief 8
Disturbance 16
Traffic 10
Suspicious Vehicle/Person 10
Civil Matters 7
Assist other agency 2
Drug cases 2
Unwanted Guest 2
Deaths 3
Shots Fired 2
Juvenile 10
Harassment 1
Other 35
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Rep. Creighton files appraisal reform bills
AUSTIN, TX, Feb. 23, 2009 -- Confused at how the county arrived at your property's appraised value? Several bills filed recently by Representative Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), aim to end that, as well as give voters more control on who sits on property appraisal boards.
Creighton filed HB 1547, which would require appraisal districts to post on their website an explanation, in plain language, of the methods they use to appraise residential property. They must also indicate which method is used most frequently in the district.
"The goal of this legislation is to give taxpayers a better understanding of how their home's value was reached," said Creighton. "Homeowners deserve to have an explanation of the process, and it will better prepare them if they choose to go through the appeals process."
Another Creighton bill, HB 1548, allows counties to set requirements for the board of directors of appraisal districts. If a county chooses, they can require that the board be elected officials of taxing entities within the appraisal district, such as city councilmen or school board members.
"This measure will allow the public more oversight of the board by making directors responsible to voters," said Creighton. "Montgomery County already voluntarily uses this practice, but this legislation will allow counties around the state to ensure that future boards have improved public oversight."
Creighton says meaningful appraisal reform is a priority of his so that taxpayers see relief from constantly rising property tax bills.
"True tax relief will not be seen until we have more transparency and public oversight in the appraisal process as well," said Creighton.
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COPS grant would fund two Gilmer Police Department positions
GILMER, TX, Feb. 23, 2009 -- The Gilmer City Council will hold a regular meeting Tuesday, Feb. 24th, at 5:15 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
The council will consider applying for a grant from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) for funds to hire more police officers.
Gilmer City Manager Jeff Ellington says the grant would provide funds to hire two officers for three years, and the city would be responsible to fund at least one more year after that.
Members will also consider instituting an Identity Theft Program, aimed at training city workers on how to handle sensitive personal information, and how to spot and prevent identity theft.
The complete City Council Agenda follows:
AGENDAREGULAR STATED MEETING
GILMER CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24th, 2009 5:15 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
110 BUFFALO
GILMER, TEXAS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF GILMER WILL IN REGULAR
STATED SESSION ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24th, 2009, 5:15 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS
OF CITY HALL TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
1. CALL TO ORDER
INVOCATION
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. CONSIDER AND ACT ON APPROVING MINUTES FROM THE FOLLOWING MEETING:
(ENCLOSURE)
A. Regular Stated Session — February 10, 2009
3. CONSIDER AND ACT ON ORDINANCE NO. 09-002 ESTABLISHING AN IDENTITY THEFT
PREVENTION PROGRAM, TO SET OUT DEFINITIONS, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION PROGRAM; TO
PROVIDE A REPEALING CLAUSE, TO PROVIDE A SAVINGS AND SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE (ENCLOSURE)
4. CONSIDER ACCEPTANCE OF PARK FUNDS FROM THE GILMER AREA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE (ENCLOSURE)
5. CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY
OF UPSHUR AND THE CITY OF GILMER FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS TO
ROADS (ENCLOSURE)
6. CONSIDER EXECUTION OF COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS AGREEMENT FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, TEXAS CAPITAL FUND #728342 (THE DUOLINE
PROJECT ON HIGHWAY 271 SOUTH) (ENCLOSURE)
7. CONSIDER AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR A GRANT FROM THE COMMUNITY
ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES (COPS) PROGRAM FOR THE GILMER POLICE
DEPARTMENT (ENCLOSURE)
8. CONSIDER AND ACT UPON APPROVING THE BILL LIST (ENCLOSURE)
9. ADJOURN
The agenda can be found online at http://www.gilmer-tx.com/?page_id=6.
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Consumer Alert: Beware Of Unsolicited Calls, E-Mails Claiming To Be From American National Bank In Mount Pleasant
AUSTIN, TX, Feb. 20, 2009 -- Texans should be aware that telephone calls purporting to originate from the American National Bank of Mount Pleasant may actually be from identity thieves attempting to steal from bank customers.
Bank customers have reported receiving text messages, spam e-mails and phone calls. The messages request bank customers’ account information and debit card information. The Mount Pleasant-based bank’s customers are asked to provide their account information. American National Bank customers should not call the number or communicate with any third party about their account information. The individuals responsible for the calls and e-mails are attempting to obtain customers’ personal identifying information.
To be clear, Texans must not respond to an unsolicited e-mail or telephone calls seeking sensitive personal or financial information. Legitimate banks do not call or e-mail customers seeking this information. Texans should delete the e-mail or hang up the phone.
American National Bank customers who receive these unsolicited calls should report them to Phonebusters at (888) 495-8501, or the U.S. Secret Service Houston Field Office at (713) 868-2299.
Source: AG Release
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