Infomaniacs: February 04, 2011 (7:40am)

Burleson County Sheriff Bill Rios is hosting a town hall meeting in Caldwell Tuesday night. The Burleson County’s Emergency Management Director and Fire Chiefs from local volunteer fire departments will be in attendance. It’s open forum and they hope to answer all your questions. The meeting starts at 6:00pm at the Caldwell Civic Center located at 103 TX-21, Caldwell, TX 77836. For those unable to attend, they’ll stream the event on the Burleson County Sheriff’s Facebook page. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced a lawsuit against Brenham based Blue Bell Creameries, Inc., on behalf of a man who they say was unlawfully terminated soon after he requested a beard‑related religious accommodation. The Jewish man was a body shop technician at Blue Bell’s production facility in Sylacauga, Alabama. The suit alleges that Blue Bell fired the employee in March 2025, less than a month after refusing to shave his beard because of his religious beliefs. Blue Bell claims the longtime employee was fired over a timekeeping violation, but the EEOC claims it was retaliation and religious discrimination. The lawsuit also claims a supervisor questioned the sincerity of the worker’s religious beliefs on multiple occasions. “Religious discrimination is illegal under federal law,” said Marsha Rucker, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Birmingham District. “The EEOC will continue to firmly enforce federal protections for religious freedom.” The alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination or retaliation based on religion. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Blue Bell Creameries, LLC, Case No. 1:26-cv-01694-GMB) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process. Acting EEOC Birmingham District Director Linda Sales-Long said, “Employees should never be penalized for seeking accommodation of their religious beliefs and practices. The EEOC remains steadfast in ensuring that workers’ religious beliefs are respected with the full dignity and protection guaranteed by Title VII.” About the EEOC: The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government’s employment antidiscrimination effort. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

College Station Police responded to a call at MidSouth Bank located at 1912 Texas Avenue South around 4:15pm on Friday for reports of a fraud in progress. 55-year-old Jose Ricardo Cordova, of Houston, attempted to withdraw $35,000 from the bank using another person’s identity. Arrest records say Cordova presented employees with the account information and a fake Louisiana driver’s license for the account holder, attempting to withdraw $35,000 from the account. Bank employees were suspicious and contacted the account holder. The account holder confirmed that he was not at the bank and had not authorized the $35,000 withdrawal. Cordova initially continued to identify himself as the person on the fictious license, but eventually admitted his real name. Cordova was charged with Fraudulent Use or Possession of Identifying Information and Failure to Identify as a Fugitive. He also had a warrant out of Harris County for Theft $2,500-$30,000. He remains jailed on $28,000 bond. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.