Ron Paul's district becomes an Election Day fight

  LEAGUE CITY, TX -- One of the few competitive Election Day races in Texas is a seat that hasn't been up for grabs in more than a decade: Ron Paul's congressional district.

The former presidential candidate is retiring from Congress after more than 20 years. Most of that was spent representing in the 14th Congressional District, where Republican Randy Weber and Democrat Nick Lampson are vying to become Paul's successor.

Weber is a state lawmaker who burnished a reputation as one of the most conservative members in the Texas Legislature. Lampson is trying to return to Congress, and is running as a moderate in a redrawn district that is no longer as firmly Republican.

Paul seldom worried about losing. He was re-elected with at least 60 percent of the vote his last six tries.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Politics »

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Business owners take management district to court

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A battle is brewing between business owners and a management district in Montrose. The business owners say they're being unfairly taxed and they're taking the management district to court. The battle involves hundreds of businesses.

Management districts are nothing new, and Montrose is no exception. But a number of local business owners say their district doesn't do enough and they want it dissolved.

In Houston's bustling Montrose neighborhood, an apartment complex is a quiet reprieve, but its owner Bob Rose is angry, specifically at the Montrose Management District.

"I don't want to pay the fees," he said. "I'm not happy about how the district went about setting it up, where 25 people, kind of very quietly in a back room signed petitions to create this district."

Rose and several other Montrose business owners have filed suit against the area's management district and have been making their case on the internet. Management districts are legislature-created quasi-government entities that levy assessments on business property owners for services like better public safety and neighborhood upkeep. But the business owner's attorney says they just want the district to go away.

"What this district is trying to do, is to hit us with an unconstitutional illegal tax," said attorney Andy Taylor. "When we had the gall to gather together and to petition to dissolve them, which the law allows us to do, they stiff-armed us and they won't go away."

In court on Friday, the first step was taken in a long fight to dissolve the management district. The district's attorney argued the case should be thrown out. While Rose's attorney says they've collected enough signatures to legally dissolve the district.

While both sides wait for a ruling, Rose says he's just tired of paying $540 a year to an entity that's not the city, state, nor federal government.

He said, "If they want to set up these management districts, be very transparent about it, be very public about it, come out and address the people, tell them what you're going to do, have a vote of the people -- you get 51 percent of the people -- I'm fine with that."

The judge is expected to rule in a few weeks. Our phone calls to the management district have not been returned.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Cy-Fair school district charging young athletes to use high school track

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A controversy has erupted as young athletes are being asked to pay for the right to run at one public high school track in Cypress.

The school district says people started complaining about groups on the track here at Langham Creek High School, and so two weeks ago, school officials kicked them off the track. But one coach says it leaves his young athletes without a place to train.

Maddie Wilson is just seven years old, but already she can hit 10 feet 4 inches in the long jump.

"Maybe if I keep on jumping more and higher and higher I can finally live my dream and go to the Junior Olympics," said Wilson.

But with her first meet of the season coming up this weekend, her training has hit a hurdle.

"It's really no fair," she said.

Wilson is one of a few kids who works with Carnel McIntyre, a private track and long jump coach. They worked out at the Langham High track, beginning last year until two weeks ago.

"On that Monday, they had a staff person post saying you could not be on this track if you were coaching," McIntyre said.

Cy-Fair ISD says it's board policy -- non-profit groups must pay a $40 an hour fee and for-profit groups aren't allowed to use the track at all.

The district didn't enforce the policy until two weeks ago, saying in a statement to Eyewitness News, "Signage reflects that the Langham Creek High School track is designated for individual/community member use only. Patrons have complained about groups monopolizing this track."

"I got a call from the administrator over at facilities and she said I could rent the track," said McIntyre.

But McIntyre says he shouldn't pay a fee to train a Cy-Fair ISD student.

Wilson and her mom say they don't monopolize the track and they can't afford the rental fee.

"I don't see why a child that goes to a Cy-Fair school should be charged, but a walker who lives in the community doesn't get charged," said Chantel Wilson, Maddie's mom.

We called other school districts to find out their policies. Katy ISD does not charge for use of its tracks. HISD and Spring ISD did not get back to us. But another private running coach we contacted said in his experience, public schools don't charge unless the group is too large.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Houston Movers - Living in the Greater Greenspoint District

Galveston Co. district clerk sentenced to probation

Jason Murray is accused of hitting his wife after a Christmas party.

  GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- The Galveston County district clerk has been sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a $200 fine.

Jason Murray pled guilty to misdemeanor assault on a family member on Tuesday.

Police say Murray hit his wife after a Christmas party in the Upper Kirby area of Houston. She was treated at Hermann Hospital for a severe laceration. It is not clear if the conviction will affect his status as district clerk.

We worked on this story with the Bay Area Citizen, one of our Houston Community Newspaper partners.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Galveston Co. District Clerk charged with assault

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Galveston County District Clerk Jason Murray is charged with misdemeanor assault on a family member after an alleged incident involving his wife, officials said.

According to court documents, Murray turned himself in to the Harris County Sheriff's Office and was released on $1,500 bail Monday.

The incident reportedly happened December 8 after a Christmas party at a club in the Upper Kirby district.

The couple had an argument and Murray allegedly struck his wife with his hand in their vehicle. His wife was further injured trying to get out of the vehicle and she was treated for a severe laceration at an area hospital, reports state.

You can read additional details on this story in The Bay Area Citizen, one of our Houston Community Newspapers partners.

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Councilman opposes apartment renovations in own district

 HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Houston City Council Member is angry and upset over planned renovations for a worn-down apartment complex and he let fellow council members know it.

The issue is over how the complex deals with millions of dollars in federal money and how it's being spent. The cash is set to fix up apartments on DeSoto near Antoine in Councilman Jarvis Johnson's district. Johnson has not shied away from controversy ever since he took office. Today he made it clear that he didn't like the deal that would direct $12 million of federal money to his district and got angry when we asked why. Linda Vista apartments on DeSoto Street is not a pretty place, and the people who live there say they would love to see some improvements. "Change what they have in the apartments, don't just paint over it or don't just cover it up, actually put new stuff in there -- fix the piping, fix the rodent issue," said resident Juanita Branch. The federal government wants to give the city $12 million in community grants to rehabilitate the 500 unit complex. All it needed was City Council approval. However, today Johnson, the council member who represents the DeSoto Street area and those who would benefit the most, was not happy with the vote. "I'm asking my colleagues to vote no, and I'm asking the administration to send it back, and then come back with a better deal," Johnson said. He passionately opposed the deal with apartment owners. Speaking with Eyewitness News, he said the current owners won't use enough local contractors. The city's housing director says the law already requires federally funded projects to use local contractors and Council Member Johnson has always supported the project. "We've been at this for a long time; if there had been a concern it could have been addressed long ago," said James Noteware, Housing Dept. Director. In fact, Eyewitness News has obtained a letter that Council Member Johnson wrote in 2009, where he says he "happily recommends" the Linda Vista apartments for the federal block grant. But today, he was the only person to vote against the grant that would benefit many residents in his district. And he was not pleased when we asked why "Let's find the jobs I'm trying to create," Johnson told us. "Find the jobs in this as opposed to always trying to find the dirt. Channel 13 needs to stop trying to find dirt and find good." The city's housing director points out that today's agreement was with the apartment owner, that no contracts have even been awarded yet and invites any company that wants to and is qualified to submit a proposal in an open bid process. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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