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ANAHUAC, Tex. – A Mont Belvieu resident was sentenced to 50 years in Texas Department of Criminal Justice on Tuesday, April 15 for Aggravated Sexual Assault of Child. Jesse Thomas Cheek, now 60, pled guilty to the offense in the 253 rd District Court in Chambers County in front of Judge Chap Cain as part of a plea agreement with the Chambers County District Attorney’s Of ce. Cheek, who the DA’s of ce intended to prove in trial was previously convicted of two prior sex offenses, was indicted by a Chambers County Grand Jury for an offense committed in 2022 against a child who was 12 years old at the time. “Harming any child is always a despicable act, but this was a tragic case for a number of reasons which I won’t get into to protect the victim,” said Chambers County District Attorney Cheryl Lieck Henry. “At the end of the day, we have to balance our pursuit of just punishment with the well-being of the victims of these offenses. Plea deals are a means to accomplish that end, and this is one that I hope the community feels good about.” The plea ensured that the child victim would not have to testify about the offense, and the sentence was subsequently ordered. “I am so proud of our team for working on behalf of these children, and I am especially grateful for the tireless efforts of ADA Mallory Vargas, Victim Assistance Coordinator Leslie Childress, DA investigators Tommy Henry and Brad Crone, and our partners in law enforcement from the Mont Belvieu Police Department on this case,” Henry said. “I want to remind those who prey upon children that we are coming for them,” Henry added. For more information, please contact the Chambers County District Attorney’s Of ce at (409)267- 2682. (AUSTIN) — As severe weather season approaches, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar reminds Texans they can purchase certain items tax free during the state's sales tax holiday for emergency preparation supplies, which begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, and ends at midnight on Monday, April 28. "While we can't know in advance when the next fire, flood, tornado or hurricane may occur, we can make sure our families, homes and businesses have the supplies they need to face these and other emergencies," Hegar said. "Don't wait for disaster to strike. I'm encouraging Texans to take advantage of this tax holiday to save money while stocking up for emergency situations." The Comptroller's office estimates shoppers will save about $2.3 million in state and local sales taxes during the tax holiday, which was approved by the Texas Legislature in 2015. There's no limit on the number of qualifying items you can purchase. These include: household batteries, fuel containers and flashlights priced less than $75; hurricane shutters and emergency ladders priced less than $300; an portable generators priced less than $3,000. For purchases made online, note that delivery, shipping, handling and transportation charges are part of the sales price. If the emergency preparation supply being purchased is taxable, the delivery charge is also taxable. Consider these charges when determining whether an item can be purchased tax free during the holiday. For example, if you purchase an emergency ladder online for $299 with a $10 delivery charge, the total sales price is $309. Because the total sales price of the emergency ladder is more than $300, tax is due on the $309 sales price. Purchases that do not qualify include: batteries for automobiles, boats and other motorized vehicles; camping stoves and camping supplies; chainsaws; plywood; extension ladders and stepladders; and tents. A complete list of emergency preparation supplies that may be purchased tax free can be found on the Comptroller's website. Beaumont, TX; April 12, 2025 – The DOWNTOWN B E A U M O N T Cultural Arts District (DBCAD), Pour09 and the City of Beaumont will present the Crawfish, Art & Music Fest on Sunday, April 27, at the Downtown Event Center located at 700 Crockett Street in Beaumont from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The admission- free festival will include crawfish and other food vendors, beverages, arts and crafts vendors, live music and an art competition to be judged by the public. Music performers will include Horace Trahan & Ossun Express, Step Rideau and the Zydeco Outlaws, Nesha Cortez, Ethan Osborne, Donovan Bourque, Zydeco Cheaux and Aces Blues Band, along with hosts Supa the MC and Erik Tee and sounds by DJ Ackinbadd. “This event has something for everyone,” said Jacoby “Rose Gold” Dumas, president of the DBCAD board of directors. “Musical performances will span genres from Zydeco to southern soul to country to blues, and the food selection, coordinated by the exceptional team at Pour09, will offer plenty of delicious choices, especially the signature crawfish. For artists, the festival is not only a place to receive recognition for your work through a community-voted art competition, but also a great way to connect with the public and make sales as a vendor.” Winners for the art competition will be first, second and third place with awards of $500, $300 and $100 respectively. Artists who would like to enter the competition must submit a prospectus (guidelines and rules), which can be found online at d o w n t o w n b e a u m o n t . o r g / c r a w f i s h m u s i c f e s t . This year, all artists must be at least 18 years old to participate. Artists and nonfood vendors interested in reserving a vendor booth must submit a vendor form found online at d o w n t o w n b e a u m o n t . o r g / crawfishmusicfest. For more information, call DBCAD at (409) 239-5983. The mission of the Downtown Beaumont Cultural Arts District is to promote the cultural and economic development of historic Downtown Beaumont by serving as a unified and structural approach to the organization of art related events in the district, by providing aid to artists both local and visiting and by securing funding for artists, art events and conservation efforts. Volume 36, Issue 17 Wednesday, April 23, 2025 50 cents Downtown Beaumont Crawfish, Art & Music Fest Scheduled for April 27 Local Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison S a l e s Ta x H o l i d a y f o r E m e r g e n c y S u p p l i e s , A p r i l 2 6 - 2 8 Happy Community Banking Month ! Local KEEP YOUR MONEY