Day Two of the Lowry Trial. Lowry Takes the Stand

June 16, 2026

Today had some drama and Lowry taking the stand. Here are my notes. It was a long day.

  • Drama. Lowry eventually showed up after lunch. Harvey Freebird recorded him in the hall. The judge heard of this and asked Harvey to approach the bench. She claimed that no pictures or video were allowed in the hall. (I did not know that. The signs say no cameras in the courtroom) She just asked Harvey to delete the video or be held in contempt of court. Harvey apologized and deleted the video.
  • More Drama. Lowry must have whined to the judge about Harvey calling him a “piece of shit”. Harvey denied it but said he had it on video that he just deleted. Nevertheless she asked Harvey to leave the courtroom because he was disrupting. He left.
  • Even More Drama. A reporter asked to approach the bench and admitted she too took pictures in the hall. The Judge asked her to just delete the pictures and that was it.
  • Back to the trial. A video of Lowry calling her sons “Yancy Boys” and “Drug dealers” was admitted into evidence. I am not sure when that will be played.
  • Lowry’s attorneys tried to set up a timeframe repeatedly trying to make it seem like Lowry was actually the victim. (I couldn’t follow his logic but that theme was repeated later.)
  • The Judge removed the jury to discuss a comment made by Yancy’s past history. It almost resulted in a mistrial but both attorneys resolved the matter and we moved on.
  • Rule 11 was, again, talked about. Back in 2002 Yancy sued for a Temporary Restraining Order against Lowry. In 2023 they both agreed to a Rule 11 where both agreed not to harass each other, in general, even though there was only one party doing the harassing.
  • The next day an article was written in the Galveston Daily News which the attorney claimed was Yancy violating that agreement. Yancy didn’t. Anyone who read the article could see that she made very general comments about good governing. This will be back later.
  • Lowry’s lawyers kept asking her if she spoke to The Guardian, or The Defender, or other media. What she told The Defender was general comments about MAGA.

Ross takes the stand

  • James Ross was a City Councilman.
  • Retired Navy
  • Lives in La Marque and taught culinary
  • VFW Volunteer
  • Volunteered with the City on ordinance updates
  • He attempted to open a Lego store in La Marque
  • Claims investors dropped off because of the chaos in La Marque caused by Lowry
  • Claims Lowry Doxxed him, posting his personal information on the net
  • Lowry posted that people should call the Sheriff to perform a wellness check due to Ross’s mental health issues. The attorney showed that post.
  • Claims he received unwarranted phone calls after Lowry would post about him
  • Showed a post by Lowry stating about Ross “He is a scumbag who hurts women”
  • Claimed that Lowry said Ross was taking bribes, and tax payer money for his Lego store
  • Showed a pic of Lowry driving around with an AK Pistol and a 5% hat
  • Ross for safety reasons put up cameras around his house
  • He filed 3 police reports on Lowry
  • Claims that people constantly ask about his alleged illegal activity
  • Makes him feel embarrassed and hurt especially at the VFW
  • Lowry’s attorney claims public officials are open to criticism
  • Ross states in long drawn out mode that there is a line when someone accuses you of breaking the law
  • Lawyer tries to claim that Ross and Yancy conspired together to join the lawsuit against Lowry
  • Ross claims nothing of the sort happened. Their cases are different, and they are.

CJ Beard takes the stand

  • CJ describes his past, working for a Congressman, Owns a home building company, Has a BA from UH and a Masters from TSU.
  • Used Lowry’s company to pump concrete for his foundations
  • Stopped at one time
  • Lowry sent an email to his Mom, “Momma Rose” telling her to look out, or be careful or something like that
  • That was the beginning of Beard taking Lowry seriously
  • Lowry said something at an elementary school function claiming Beard was a “thug” and a “crooked thief”
  • Claims Lowry visited his construction sites making racial comments
  • Attorneys asked if he referred to Lowry as a No Neck Racist
  • Admitted to being charged with filing a false police report but all charges were dropped.

Lowry takes the stand

  • Lowry had short simple answers such as no sir, yes sir, I don’t remember, I don’t know, I don’t recall, and “I don’t know what your are talking about”
  • Lowry claims he is the victim with Yancy posting hundreds of harassing comments
  • Admits he was the defendant when Yancy filed a Temporary Restraining Order against him which lead to the Rule 11
  • Claims Yancy “ran” to the newspapers the very next day but had no proof
  • Claims someone at the paper told him (I thought that was hearsay?)
  • Claims that Yancy “knows” people at the paper
  • Claims she broke the Rule 11 agreement when talking to the paper. (Not true. Go read the article)
  • Attorneys hammered the “This rule applies to both” arguments (Even though Yancy was not harassing Lowry)
  • According to the agreement Yancy was to contact Lowry if he violated the agreement
  • Lowry claims he is not a racist
  • Claims he has been harassed hundreds of time
  • Claims this has impacted his business
  • Claims he had to move his kids to private school
  • Also claims he was “surrounded” by Yancy supporters in the parking lot. The Judge didn’t seem to care.
  • On Cross Yancy’s attorney asked about Michelle Smith. Lowry claims she is an anonymous person posting. No one asked where she was posting or when or what she posted.
  • Claims he made money from his first Lowry News Network on Facebook. That was removed.
  • Acknowledged that he claimed Ross was a pedophile even though he has no proof
  • Lowry claims it is because he was a 55 year old man wanting to open a lego store. (Legos are not just for kids. There are legos that costs hundreds of dollars.)
  • Admits to posting of Ross’s personal information on the web
  • Lowry was asked if he recalls a email from the City Manager asking Lowry to stop posting pictures of Yancy and her family online. Of course Lowry said “I don’t recall” or one of the phrases.
  • The attorney brought out the email to refresh his memory. After a discussion between the attorneys and judge the email was put into evidence.
  • He eventually had to acknowledge it
  • Lowry was then asked about his own deposition which he could not remember. The part he didnt remember was the following which he “disregarded everything involving that Chapter 11”

I left early at around 4:45. I believe the trial will continue tomorrow.


Movie Review: Disclosure Day

June 15, 2026

Watch it? Rent it? Skip it?

Rent it. The hype was so much better than the movie itself. I was disappointed, but at least I didn’t fall asleep. This is a Spielberg movie. You would expect that someone who brought us Saving Private Ryan, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Schindlers List would bring his magic to Disclose Day. He didn’t. It’s now ranked in the top ten of the worst movies he has created. I have to agree.

It is an interesting movie but so full of “Oh come on” moments that it was hard to enjoy. There are car chase scenes that just don’t make sense. The film editing was poor with obvious errors. Some claims”It makes you think”. Think about what? Why I spent $10 on this movie? If there was a message in the movie it was lost in the poorly formed plot. Much like a kid playing Thermonuclear War on NORADs computers the take over of a world wide TV station was just plain, what is the word?, stupid. Just plain stupid. I was waiting for someone to pull out a hand held dish to connect to the satellite and enter the computers through the back door. Yes, it was that, uh, stupid.

The movie started ok. It was interesting but fell apart as characters fell off the screen never to be seen again. It seems like Spielberg ran out of money and ideas at the end of the movie. I was disappointed. It had so much promise. I think ET was better.

Wait for it to hit streaming at a discount price.


The Abuse of Arbitration in Home Insurance Contracts

May 12, 2026

We won’t be fooled. Again.

Years ago the Texas Department of Insurance was considering allowing mandatory binding arbitration in home insurance contracts. This was due to a rash of hail damage claims in South Texas. I attended the hearing and watched as the Commissioner was warned about the abuse of arbitration in other contracts like new home construction. Eventually the Commission denied the request but I believe it is coming back.

Consumers should be very concerned about this for a number of reasons. First and foremost the right to a civil trial is protected (or was) by the 7th Amendment of the Constitution.

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Back in the mid 90’s the homebuilders decided to put mandatory arbitration clauses in their new home contracts. Home buyers were required to sign away their rights to the Constitution. Since the vast majority of home builders required mandatory arbitration there was not much of a choice. When you give up your rights and have a defect in your new home you are required to enter into a private justice system that is mandatory, secret, and final. There are no appeals. There isn’t a jury or a judge. The builders will never say arbitration is faster, cheaper, and just as fair as our time honored justice system because it is simply not true.

Recently State Farm is being sued for denying hail damage across the nation. NPR wrote an excellent article on the situation. I can see this being used as a way for the Texas Legislature to allow insurance companies to put arbitration clauses in home contracts. Just remember, just like new home construction, rates and cost of repairs will not go down. So called “tort reform” have never resulted in lower prices for consumers. It only helps the insurance companies from being held accountable in a public trial.

More on this issue later.


Has Bowen’s Billionaire Buddies Given Up on Controlling CCISD?

May 5, 2026

I think so.

Both incumbents Arturo Sanchez and Jamieson Mackay have retained their seats on the CCISD School Board. Arturo absolutely hammered his opponent, Gabriel Gutierrez who was recruited by former Trustee Scott Bowen. He lost 1122 to 209. That was an incredible ass whipping. Jamieson beat Ernest A. Hallman II by 458-190. This is the first election for many years where outside of the district money was not a factor.

In previous elections Scott Bowen raised money from a PAC called Defend Texas Liberty. They were funded by two billionaires out of Dallas until the leadership was caught with Nick Fuentes, a holocaust denier. They have since changed the PAC name to  Texans United for a Conservative Majority. This year there was no outside money and that was good. Maybe the partisan attack on our school board is finally over.

CCISD School Board is not a place for partisan politics or unlimited money from billionaires who are outside of the district. With Scott off the board and Sanchez and Mackay returning our board continues to be out of the news and moving forward on behalf of the students, teachers, parents, and tax payers.

And that is good!


My Experience Buying an Electric Vehicle (EV)

April 2, 2026

An EV is not for everyone but for those considering here are a few things…. to consider.

I bought a 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV 2 years ago. For what I use the vehicle for it has been absolutely fantastic. I have a fast charger in the garage and I charge at night with my free nights plan. The only time I need to go to a gas station is for snacks or to fill up my other gas car. For me the Bolt is perfect for my dog and I but an EV may not be for you. Here are some things to consider when buying an EV.

Cost
The cost of an EV has been reduced considerably over the years. The EV tax credit is available for some based upon your income. For me I didn’t qualify but the price was still very reasonable. The Bolt has everything I need. Great music, a sunroof, leather climate controlled seats, a cold AC. There are a wide variety of EVs available some are high end such as Tesla, Rivian, and BMW. Others are reasonably priced such as Chevy, KIA, and Ford.

Performance
EVs are generally fast. I like to cruise at 80MPH. It is smooth. The Bolt has a Speed mode which I have used only a few times. The Bolt is fast in normal mode. The acceleration can push you into the seat. One of my important issues was performance and space. I wanted a small SUV hatchback so my dog can be comfortable and I wanted to have speed if I ever needed it. The Bolt did the job!

Battery Life
By law the battery is guaranteed for 8 years or 100,000 miles. The cost of replacing the battery, if ever needed, has been reduced considerably costing much less than a car engine. Cars last well over 10 years with many having over 200,000 miles. Batteries will degrade after a consider amount of time but personally I will be buying a new car before this happens. We usually keep our cars for about 10-15 years with 150,000 miles.

Insurance
Some people claim car insurance is higher from EVs. I did not see anything unusual when I swapped out my Subaru Impreza.

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV

Charging
My car came with a 110 and 220 charger. The 110 can plug into any plug you have in the garage but that plug needs to be DEDICATED to charging your car, ie it cannot be shared with other appliances or you will trip the fuse. The plug in my garage worked fine….until my wife used the hair dryer! Charging from 9PM-7:00 I would get about 50 miles. Although this is relatively slow it was enough for me for the first two years. I eventually installed 220 into my garage and now it takes about 5 hour to get a full charge from 0-250 miles, about 50 miles per hour. Although my driving habits do not require the 220 charger it is very convenient. It took me a while to adjust to the charging schedule. Most nights I just plug in and it will automatically start charging at 9:00 PM. By 1 or 2 o’clock the charge is complete.

Charging Stations
There was no standard when I bought my car but now it seems they are moving to the Tesla charging port. My car requires an adapter to use the Tesla chargers but Mercedes have charging stations that I use that require the regular port. It is something to consider when buying an EV.

Miles/Kwh
The capacity of my Bolt is 65 kWh. On the highway I can easily get 180 miles without a charge. Local driving I can get over 200. Driving long distance such as to San Antonio requires a stop halfway with about a 30 minute wait. If I need to drive further, I take my ICE car (internal combustion engine). Overall I am saving about $1820 on gas from my previous car.

Gas Tax, Registration Fees
Since we do not use gas EV owners do not pay the gas tax on every gallon. Texas solved this by tacking on an EV fee on the registration. That is $200. Texas also removed the requirement for inspections and EVs do not emit pollutants so they are not required to be tested.

Maintenance
As with most EVs there is little if any maintenance needed besides changing the AC air filter and adding windshield wiper fluid. There are tires especially designed for EVs to provide better mileage but I used standard Yokohama tires which provide a smoother ride as a small cost in miles/kwh.

Overall
For me this is a great car!


Public Meeting on the Big Bend Border Wall

March 24, 2026

Scott Bowen: I’ll Fight to Cut School Funding. Again

January 14, 2026

As I said before, if elected former CCISD Trustee Scott Bowen will take a knee to Greg Abbott.

Following Greg Abbotts lead Scott Bowen is literally running on abolishing property taxes, the taxes that are used to fund CCISD, your city, your county, flooding projects, roads, law enforcement, etc, etc. It’s as if everything will magically become “free” like a socialist. Bowen championed Abbott’s school voucher gimmick while on the CCISD school board. CCISD voters threw his ass out because of that. Now as a candidate for State Representative he will continue his fight to cut school funding. Take a minute to watch this cringe worthy Facebook Ad.

Ending property taxes with the stroke of a pen might get the brain dead excited but eventually you have to ask “Who is going to pay for all of this free stuff?”. I’ll give you a hint, you are. Somehow you will pay for the free stuff. Money has to come from somewhere. Yes property taxes are high. This is a result of the leadership by the Republican Party over the last 30 years. This isn’t a new problem in fact this problem was created by the Republican Party and now Scott Bowen is going to ride in and solve a problem his party created?

Anyone with a lick of sense would address the problem at the root. Property taxes are based on home values. Home values have skyrocketed leaving most with no chance of owning a home. Couple that with the crippling cost of home insurance and you have a serious problem that must be addressed.

Bowen has a history of causing chaos on the CCISD school board. He has a history of being unable to lead or working with others. He has no idea what he is doing, or going to do besides taking a knee for Abbott.

Jesus folks. There is a better candidate for State Representative running against Bowen.


Texas Insurance Commissioner to Retire in February

January 8, 2026

According to the Texas Department of Insurance the Commissioner, Cassie Brown, will be retiring in 2026. She held the position after only 4 years and will leave the state in a horrible situation with rates skyrocketing across the state especially in the Bay Area. Brown was appointed by Governor Abbott. She will leave her position on February 2. Abbott will appoint a new one to serve until the election in November. 

Brown was the speaker for the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce back in the Summer. 

After telling the business community how wonderful the TDI has protected the consumer from the rising cost of insurance and explaining why rates are so high, she left the stage, took no questions, and quickly left the building. Many in the crowd were not  happy especially those at my table.

Insurance on all levels will be on the ballot this November. We need to demand action from our candidates. I have made it clear that this insurance issue is NOT a political issue. It affects all of us no matter what side of the aisle you are on. It affects owners, businesses, schools, insurance agents, realtors, and others.

It’s not a political issue but only our politicians can address this and if our elected officials refuse to address the problem, then we need new politicians. Elections are coming in November of 2026. Know who is running and vote your pocket book and your values. Demand all  candidates running for office address the issue with their plans to solve the problem.


Healthcare Increases for Federal Employees and Retirees. (It ain’t good)

November 1, 2025

Sweet Holy Moses!

As I said, it ain’t good news. Social Security recipients will see an increase of 2.8% but Medicare will increase. According to AARP:

But next year the Part B premium is projected to jump 11.6 percent, $21.50, to $206.50, the Medicare trustees reported in July. That would raise the Part B annual deductible by 12 percent, $31, to $288 in 2026.

For Federal Employees and retirees the Cost of Living Adjustment is also 2.8% but there are significant increases in their healthcare cost. For example a retiree on Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard “self plus one” plan will see an increase of 16.5%. Last years premium was $593. In 2026 it will be $691. BCBS Federal is one of the most popular plans among retirees.

Changes to other plans can be found on the Office of Personnel Management website. Good luck. You will need it. Hopefully the great healthcare plan that Trump has been promising for over 10 years will finally kick in.


Texas Attorney General’s Opinion Concerning Felons Running for Office

October 15, 2025

This opinion specifically refers to Webb County but is applicable across the State.

The Texas Attorney General’s office was asked for an opinion concerning whether a felon can run for office. You can read the letter from the Webb County Attorney here. From the letter:

Paxton’s office responded with the following. You can read the entire opinion here.

BTW the specific open records request was asking for any copies of any correspondence between the Texas Attorney General’s office and Joseph Edwin Lowry and/or his attorney including any ruling, letters, or documents concerning vacating a felony conviction from the State of Washington. The above was their response. No other documents were found.