HCDE Trustee Eric Dick: Legal Trouble over another dead man?

March 18, 2025

I’m beginning to feel sorry for him.

Eric Dick was fined $40,000 by the Texas Ethics Commission. A formal complaint was filed against him as a HCDE Trustee. Two judges in Harris and Galveston County sanctioned him in two different lawsuits. A judge recently questioned the signature of a dead inspector. And his wife filed for divorce. And now another case has surfaced.

Last month, a judge ordered Eric Dick, an insurance attorney and HCDE Trustee, to clarify how an inspector could have signed a document he submitted to the court after having died nearly a year earlier. Dick responded as did the attorneys for the insurance company Dick sued. Dick claimed it was the inspectors son that signed the documents, not the dead guy. I have my doubts about Dick’s response but that is for later. The Judge has yet to make a ruling on this.

But according to My San Antonio, Dick did it in 2023 with a lawsuit against USAA. According to the article Dick’s client claimed damage to his home from an explosion and filed suit. From My San Antonio:

Then, a series of peculiar incidents happened, primarily centered around everyone’s inability to get ahold of Mitchell. A court-ordered inspection and appraisal of damage was cancelled after nobody could get ahold of Mitchell. Then, his attorney said it’s because he died. Mitchell had, in fact, not died, and his attorney withdrew the death notification shortly before a hearing on the matter.

The response, by the attorneys representing USAA, is almost funny.

“Thus, based simply on the record, it appears that Mr. Dick expired the Plaintiff, revived him to answer interrogatories, and expired him once more,” a USAA Insurance motion fighting Mitchell’s claims states – an unusually candid response in a public document from the company.

The case was dismissed.

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Posted by johncoby

Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen’s Legal Battle Update

March 18, 2025

If you can’t follow the law how can you enforce it? Remember that if one of your family members is arrested in Galveston County.

Yesterday a hearing was set concerning Sheriff Jimmy Fullen’s lawsuit against the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. (See Galveston County Sheriff’s lawsuit against state licensing agency) The TCOLE had recommended pulling Fullen’s law enforcement license making him ineligible to serve as Sheriff. Fullen successfully challenged the recommendation claiming the Commission had no authority to revoke the license of a sitting Sheriff. So the TCOLE instead recommended a 10 year suspension. Fullen sued. The hearing was set. The hearing was cancelled.

Fullen’s lawyer, Toni Buzbee, and the Attorney General’s office will meet in mediation to resolve the issue. Yesterday Fullen was able to hide the results of his ethics violation for padding his campaign account with a fake $100,000 personal loan. Usually a complaint like this would end with a large fine but we will never know since he successfully lobbied to have the details of the investigation and the fine confidential. He eventually erased the personal loan off his campaign report as if it never happened.

So much for transparency. Or law and order.

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CCISD Candidate Forums Scheduled

March 17, 2025

These forums will give you the opportunity to meet the candidates. You can keep track of of all election information at the CCISD Elections Webpage.

South Belt-Ellington Chamber of Commerce
CCISD Trustee Candidates Forum – At-Large Position B
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Sageglen HOA Facility (11610 Sageyork Drive, Houston, TX 77089)
Visit www.southbeltchamber.com


Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
CCISD Trustee Candidates Forum – District 1 and At-Large Position B
Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: City of Nassau Bay City Hall (1800 Space Park Dr #200, Houston, TX 77058)
Forum will be livestreamed. Visit www.clearlakearea.com


League City Regional Chamber of Commerce
CCISD Trustee Candidates Forum – District 1 and At-Large Position B
Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Grand Living at Tuscan Lakes (1850 E League City Pkwy, League City, TX 77573)
Forum will be livestreamed. Visit www.leaguecitychamber.com

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Posted by johncoby

Rally In support of NASA employees. 3/17/2025

March 17, 2025

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CCISD Candidate Joe Machol: Yet another fumble

March 16, 2025

This is embarrassing. As a reminder Joe Machol was a high school football referee hence the football analogies and boy did he fumble this one! Again. You can read about Joe’s first fumble at “CCISD Candidate Joe Machol’s Campaign: Fumbling the Kick Off“.

Candidates for CCISD Trustee provided answers to a recent questionnaire covering the issues affecting our school district including funding, retention of teachers, plans for the future and more. The answers, by most candidates, were detailed and based upon their extensive knowledge of the public education system. Seabrook Council Member Joe Machol stood out above the rest, but not in a good way.

His answer to almost every single question focused on the 3 Rs, Reading, Riting, and Rithmetic. Here are some excerpts:

  • Help students become efficient in reading, writing and arithmetic.
  • Help the teachers instruct the students in reading, writing and arithmetic.
  • Getting the Student efficient in Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. 
  • Getting the students the help they need in reading, writing and arithmetic. 
  • Go back to the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. 
  • Incentives to Teachers when the students achieve the best scores in reading, writing and arithmetic
  • Go back to the basics Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. 
  • Teachers who are focused on reading, writing and arithmetic. 
  • I didn’t create the issue of schools going away from reading, writing and arithmetic, 
  • Help each and every student become the best that they can be in reading, writing and arithmetic. 
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 10: TreVeyon Henderson #32 of the Ohio State Buckeyes scores a touchdown during the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on January 10, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)

Seriously that is his answer to almost every question. While other candidates have thoughtful, detailed, explanations on why they are best for the job Machol is focused on the 3 Rs as if CCISD students are dumber than a rock and teachers are incapable of instruction. His answers are not only embarrassing it is insulting to students, teachers, parents, and taxpayers. His comments about cutting waste is laughable. CCISD, as well as every school district in Texas, has been stretched to the limit due to cuts to education.

I don’t know why Trustee Bowen recruited Machol. He is clearly unqualified for the job especially when a very capable Trustee is already serving the district. I do not believe Machol’s heart is in this race. Based upon his answers to the detailed questionnaire I wonder if he would advocate for cutting out life lessons being taught in CCISD like band, music, theatre, culinary skills, and auto mechanics.

Or football.

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Posted by johncoby

Report: Meeting with Texas Representatives on Insurance Issues

March 15, 2025

A Report from Austin 
(BTW halfway through my visit I received my renewal notice. My home insurance increased from $6000 to $9000) 

Last week I was joined by another homeowner from the Bay Area at the Capitol (Thanks Doug). We were able to talk with the staff of most of the members of the House Insurance Committee concerning the rising cost of home insurance in our area. The bottom line? I don’t think they understand the severity of the situation here in the Bay Area..

We were able to meet with our State Representative Dennis Paul and his Chief of Staff. As you may know Representative Paul lives two blocks from me and he had his roof replaced after the hail in May so he must know what we are going through but our conversation was not what I expected. He had a lot of excuses for the rising cost of insurance including inflation, supply chain issues, and lawsuit abuse. All of these combined could not account for excessive rates in our area. These are  talking points used by the insurance industry. They also talked very briefly about “climate change” or as they call it “frequency and intensity of storms)

We made sure they were aware of the excessive cost of repairs which directly affect our premiums. Roofs replacements after a storm should not  cost $32,000 in our area especially when that roof would cost only $8000 under normal conditions. (My estimate was $24,000 and was submitted as $40,000 to my insurance company)

We discussed the fact that the “Free market” is letting the insurance industry free to leave the market. The top 6 companies in Texas will NOT write policies in our area. We are now being pushed into a socialized market run by the State, the Texas Fair Plan, which is not fair.

We provided some solutions like using better building materials, automatic cutoff valves for water pipes, the use of metal roofs. 

I have provided the letter we left with them below. I will have a list of bills affecting our insurance premiums early next week.

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Posted by johncoby

Join the Fight Against High Insurance Costs in the Bay Area.

March 14, 2025

Stand up and make your damn voice heard.

Property owners in the Bay Area are being hit with the highest premiums in the State affecting homeowners, businesses, realtors, taxpayers, home buyers and sellers, and even insurance agents. What can you do about it? For a start do this:

  • Join our newsletter and keep up with what is going on in Austin concerning the rising cost of insurance. We have over 850 signed up! Sign up here: tinyurl.com/BayAreaHouston. I will send a periodic email to keep you informed. No spam and I will NOT share your information with anyone.
  • Contact our elected officials:
  • Feel free to call me or email me. johncoby@sbcglobal.net 281-536-2457

There is no simple solution to this issue. There are no knights in shining armor that will swoop in to help. We are on our own on this issue. In the short future I will try to suggest alternatives for those looking for help.

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Texas Republican’s bill bans “FURRIES” in rural school districts

March 14, 2025

This is NOT satire. Seriously.

Texas State Representative Stan Gerdes, a republican with the full backing of Governor Abbott, has filed a House Bill 4814 banning animal role playing by kids in schools. (This is NOT satire) Gerdes claims this bill was a result of a complaint confirmed by the Superintendent of Smithville Independent School District. SISD has 5 schools, including 1 high school. They have a total of 1770 students and 122 teachers. The SISD is what we call “rural” like in farmers and lots of white people in Bastrop County. Many would consider this district to be in “Bum f*** Egypt”.

The bill will prohibit dress up by kids in animal costumes, role playing, and even having cat litter available. Seriously. According to his press release “I filed HB 4814, the FURRIES Act (Forbidding Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Educational Spaces) to ensure that public schools are not accommodating or allowing disruptive “furry” roleplaying behavior.” His press release is below. His bill, HB4814, can be found here. It has no co-sponsors or chance for a hearing.

According to the Houston Chronicle this stupidity was debunked in early 2024 but not after it caused considerable chaos including bomb threats and threats against school districts. Even the farmers in the area were taken back by this bill. “What I do in the privacy of my barn is none of your g**damn business.” said one farmer who wanted to remain anonymous. (Ok. That sentence was satire)

The bill has the full support of CCISD Trustee Scott Bowen.

(Ok. That was satire too.)

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Fullen’s Transparency Claims Under Fire Amid Ethics Investigation

March 13, 2025

LOL. Mr. Transparency my ass.

Last year the Texas Ethics Commission began an investigation into Jimmy Fullen, candidate for Sheriff. Fullen padded his campaign account with a fake $100,000 loan. In an amended report he simply removed it from his reports prior to the TEC completing their investigation.

Today that investigation has been completed but Fullen petitioned the TEC to make it “confidential” and the investigation results, fines, or any other disciplinary action will be hidden from the public. Seems odd since Fullen ran on being Mr Transparency. Based upon other ethics fines I would bet he was hit fairly hard for basically padding his bottom line with a fake loan. As I said before:

As noted previously Fullen has removed his $100,000 loan from this campaign reports as if it never happened, probably because it really never happened. He padded his account making it look like he raised a shit load of money. He actually didn’t. In his latest report he has a loan balance of only $24,052 which came from Mark Henry. The $100,000 loan he claimed to have given himself magically disappeared.

Go fuckin figure.

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CCISD Candidates: What Would You Ask at Forums

March 13, 2025

Over the next couple of months there will be a series of forums where candidates for CCISD school board will be able to express their plans and concerns if elected. Unfortunately I believe the questions are just too nice, such as questions about school vouchers and how they intend to adjust to the cuts in funding. Moderators rarely will ask follow up questions. I’m also wondering why the educational community has not arranged a forum. Why do we have to depend on the Chamber or the Southbelt news paper to organize an event. Both are having forums soon.

In the past I emailed questions to candidates Wittliff and Trustee Larson. Larson refused to answer. You can read those the Q&As here: “Tough Questions (with answers) for CCISD candidates.“.

So I am curious. What questions would you ask of the candidates?

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