The Caller-Times refuses to investigate and do any in depth reporting of Del Mar College

In response to Nick Jimenez Viewpoints, Look down-ballot for the nitty-gritty stuff.

I am a candidate for DMC Regents District 5. Several weeks ago I sat with the Caller-Times Editorial Board and described problems facing the college as presented in the Rangel Report; problems with accreditation based on the failure to follow and enforce DMC Policy; issues of sexual harassment, the firing of the female EEOC officer, the expulsion of the female student she tried to help and the abuse of power by the college president and the regents. Recently, I have learned of questions concerning the Baker-Botts report and the Waters Study which the college is refusing to release to those who have filed Freedom of Information requests. These reports cost the taxpayers a great deal of money. None of these stories have been covered in the Caller-Times accept if at all superficially. If you read the newspaper all you get is the gospel as paid for by the DMC public relations department and as promoted by Nick Jimenez and his cronies. Nick Jimenez is 100% correct that “there are more associate degrees and more certificates from Del Mar College hanging on more walls in Corpus Christi than diplomas from any other institution of higher learning.” What that does in the eyes of the Caller-Times is buy the College, corrupt and incompetent regents and administrators, a free pass to deny students and employees their rights to due process and rip off the taxpayers of Corpus Christi. The Caller-Times refuses to investigate and do any in depth reporting of Del Mar College, unless it’s a fluff piece. The Caller-Times has done nothing since September, to cover the candidates for regents and the issues I have addressed. How about spending a week or two in the weeks prior to the election to do some in depth reporting on the goings on behind the scenes at Del Mar College and the position papers of those who are candidates for the Board? Nick Jimenez, you hypocrite, how can you state, “That surely merits more than the bottom of the ballot, or at least being sure that every voter devotes a thoughtful decision to those elections,” when you and the Caller-Times bury the stories and endorse the status quo candidates to cover up for the abuses and corruption of your hometown team? Or maybe I misunderstood. It’s not the voters who should do the thinking? How could they without the information? It’s your thoughts you want them to use to make that decision. I get it now.

Howard Karsh, Candidate for District 5, DMC Board of Regents.

5406 Wooldridge Road

Corpus Christi, Texas.

361-993-8449

361-563-0977

Is this the guy Penny complained to about the emails

Juvenile shakeup is coming

Board seeks resignation; official intends to remain

By barbara ramirez Caller Times
October 20, 2006


A meeting scheduled for Nov. 1 could mean a restructuring of top management at the Nueces County Juvenile Probation Department, which has remained unchanged for at least a decade.

The Nueces County Juvenile Board this week asked Chief Probation Officer Steven Schwerin, who has led the facility for 10 years, to resign his position in light of an independent consultant's unfavorable evaluation of his office and leadership.


Schwerin said Thursday he has no intention of resigning.

"The staff and supervisors of our department are passionate about what we do," Schwerin said. "The report is far from objective; it doesn't reflect the accomplishments of our department."

The report, released Oct. 9, said the members of management at the juvenile department did not have a good working relationship under Schwerin. It went on to say Schwerin had not had a management team meeting since March, he was indecisive and inconsistent, and his office suffered from low morale.

Specifically mentioning Schwerin and assistant Joe Alley, the report said administrators don't work well together and suggested replacing Alley and another assistant and terminating or buying out Schwerin's contract.

"It seems that at no time during his tenure was there a close-knit, effectively interacting administrative team," Michael Lindsey of Nestor Consultants said in the report.

Alley, who wrote a retirement letter to the Juvenile Board, partially because of the report, said the report accurately depicts the department's atmosphere during the past 10 years. Alley planned to retire at the end of December, but said the report prompted him to retire early. His last day is Dec. 1.

"The last 10 years at the Juvenile Department have been difficult and disappointing, however I'm excited to see the board is taking steps to improve the department," Alley, who has been with the department 34 years, wrote in the letter to the board.

At the Nov. 1 meeting, the Juvenile Board will hear from Schwerin on his plans, then decide what action to take, according to 214th District Judge Jose Longoria.

Contact Barbara Ramirez at 886-3792