A look back at the headlines of 2008

Now that 2008 is a part of the past, let us look back at the Top 10 stories that made headlines during the previous year.

 

 

After spending 10 years as the head of San Jacinto College North, Dr. Charles Grant decided it was time to seek other opportunities and stepped down as the college’s president.

Enter Dr. Allatia Harris. A 30-year veteran of Dallas County Community College, Harris was chosen to be the college’s new president in June. 

 “One thing that makes it possible for me to leave a place I love is to see people that I really want to work for and who have the same kind of warmth I am accustomed to,” Harris said at the time. “San Jacinto College North came highly recommended. I have not heard one negative thing about it. Everyone has nothing but good things to say about the college.”

Harris and her husband, Wayne Dickerson, have an adult son Kris, and grandson Isaac.

 

 

Earlene Sanchez proved you never know who is going to step up and be a hero.

In January, the 14-year-old was one of the passengers on a Channelview ISD school bus when its driver, Linda Kaminiski, suffered a fatal heart attack while taking students to Harvey Brown Elementary and Alice Johnson Junior High School.

The bus hit a construction sign and kept on going. Sanchez remembered how Kaminiski had to push a red button to get the bus to stop, so she did as she remembered and the bus stopped safely. Sanchez then called 9-1-1. No children were injured in the incident. 

Sanchez was honored by the CVISD board in February.

 

 

The facility produces 105,000,000 gallons of “white-water” B100 biodiesel per year. B100 is the street term for methyl-ester, which is created by an alkali-catalyzed reaction between fats or fatty acids and methanol. 

 

 

 

 

In one of the more tragic stories of 2008 for the North Channel involved a 39-year-old mother who died while trying to protect her child when a suspected illegal immigrant stabbed her to death during an attempted carjacking.

Tina Davila had pulled into the Cricket Store on Uvalde April 17 to pay a bill. That is when Timoteo Rios attempted to steal her car keys. Davila’s 4-month-old daughter was in the car. Davila fought back and was stabbed by Rios. She later died at a local hospital. The entire incident was caught on surveillance video. 

Police are still searching for Rios, who they believe is hiding in Mexico.

Anyone with information regarding Rios’ whereabouts or the location of the vehicle is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222- TIPS or the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Division at 713-967-5810.

 

 

Sgt. Richard Massimino and his family received the dream of a lifetime in June when the Helping a Hero’s Wounded Home Hero program helped them get a home.

Massimino was wounded in Iraq and was unable to continue his duties as a Marine.

With the help of Perry Homes, Newland Communities, the North Shore Rotary Club, GPISD’s Destination Graduation, and the Helping a Hero’s Wounded Hero Home Program, Massimino and his family received a custom-built home in the Summerwood Subdivision.

 

 

Members of a suspected dog-fighting ring were arrested for being a part of one of the largest dog-fighting rings in the United States in November. 

More than 100 pit bulls were seized and eight people were arrested as part of a statewide investigation that involved several state agencies working together to bust up the ring.

The Texas Department of Public Safety's Criminal Intelligence Service headed the raids and worked with other agencies and individuals for 17 months to find members of the dog-fighting ring. These include the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the county's Public Health and Environmental Services, Houston Humane Society, County Precincts 1 and 5 Constables' Offices, the Office of Precinct 3 County Commissioner Steve Radack and Harris County District Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Assistant District Attorneys Belinda Smith and Stephen St. Martin also worked on the case.

 

 

Robert Emery’s unselfish act of trying to save some stray dogs on the East Freeway near Baca has resulted in many people calling him a hero.  

Emery, 54, was struck and killed by a motorcyclist when he tried to save three dogs he saw huddled on a median the night of Sept. 27. It is believed the dogs were loose due to Hurricane Ike, which knocked down many fences in the area.

Emery is listed as a resident of Florida and was here apparently assisting with the clean up in the wake of Hurricane Ike, which made landfall Sept. 12.

This caused an outpouring of sympathy and concern that Emery would be buried in a pauper’s grave. However, his daughter was located in Pennsylvania and he was given a proper burial.

 

 

The 2008 elections were considered one of the most important of our time. Sen. Barack Obama was chosen as the next President of the United States defeating Sen. John McCain in a hotly contested election. Congressman Gene Green retains his seat as congressional representative of District 29 while State Representative Ana Hernandez was the victor for the seat in District 143. Incumbent Constable of Precinct 3 Ken Jones won reelection as well as did Sen. Mario Gallegos. At the Channelview ISD board of trustee election, Keith Liggett, Steven Dennis, and William “Willie” Hodson all won their seats again.

Precinct 2 Constable Gary Freeman also won reelection.

 

 

Hurricane Ike, which cut a path of destruction in the Gulf Coast area, is the top story for 2008 for the North Channel.

With untold dollars in damage, the storm left an indelible mark on the community. It was a time when the best of the North Channel community came together to help one another. The North Channel Assistance Ministries earned the honor of being the top distribution center in Houston when they gave away millions of pounds of food to needy residents, many of whom did not have electricity for several weeks. The East Houston Regional Medical Center suffered flood damage, causing it to be closed for months. The storm resulted in at least 20 deaths and several more are still missing. The North Shore Rotary Club helped to set up a makeshift POD at Channelview High School to give out free food and ice to those in need.