Abilene News: August 16-31, 1996

8/31 - C-130 Crash Report Due End of September
8/31 - Hunters to Experience Wait with New License Issuing
8/31 - Rain-Soaked Area Returning to Normal
8/31 - Jurors to Decide Murderer's Fate: Taylor County jurors will next week begin considering whether a Levelland man they convicted of capital murder should die by lethal injection.

....The jurors took about seven hours Thursday night to decide J.D. Fitts Jr. murdered a Levelland convenience store clerk last November. Police say the killing was the result of a botched robbery.
....District Judge Billy John Edwards was assigned to hear the case because the Hockley County judge had prior dealings with the defendant. Edwards moved the case to Taylor County because of widespread knowledge about the case in Levelland.
....In deciding if Fitts, 23, should be given the death penalty, jurors must answer two questions: Do they believe Fitts would in all probability be a continuing threat to society; and do they believe mitigating circumstances in the incident or Fitts' background to warrant a sentence of life imprisonment instead of death.
8/30 - Abilene's Gas Prices Buck State, National Trends
8/30 - Deputy Rescues Woman From Flood Waters
8/30 - Fraser Sees TFB Endorsement as "Determining Factor"
8/30 - Rains Make Chili Run (to different location): Wednesday night's downpour has "floated" this weekend's Chili Super Bowl XV to a new location.
...Although the area has seen rain for several days, Wednesday night's rain so saturated Perini Ranch Grounds that Chili Super Bowl organizers decided to relocate the popular chili and brisket cookoff to the Old Settlers Reunion grounds in Buffalo Gap.
....."Everything else is pretty much as is," Ben Richey Boys Ranch spokeswoman Saundra Carriker said Thursday. "The only other significant change is we won't be charging folks to get in because there's really no place at the Old Settlers grounds to set up and charge admission.
....."However, there will be buckets set up at the various chili cooks' camps and people are encouraged to donate there," she said. "Of course, 100 percent of it goes to help the Ben Richey Boys Ranch."
.....Also, dances slated for tonight and Saturday will now be held at the old Buffalo Gap Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, she said.
8/29 - JP Andrew Wants Judge Holloway Recused in DWI Hearing
8/29 - Fifteenth Chili Super Bowl is This Weekend
8/29 - WTU Moving Rumors Discounted: Rumors that West Texas Utilities will be pulling its offices out of Abilene are untrue, a company spokesman said Wednesday.

....He was responding to questions about persistent stories in town this week concluding the electric utility would relocate its corporate offices.
...."No! No! No! We are not leaving Abilene," said Keith Taylor, WTU spokesman. "We have no plans to move operations out of Abilene. It is not being considered. We continue to go through our corporate restructuring, but I am not aware of any mention, ever, about leaving Abilene."
....WTU and its parent, Central and South West Corp., for the last several years have undergone an internal organizational review. Several departments have been consolidated with similar ones from the other three C&SW utilities and subsidiary groups.
8/29 (early) - Still More Rain: Soggy weather and bolts of lightning greeted many Abilenians Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, with as much as an inch of rain pounding down upon the city.

....Low-lying areas were flooded and underpasses were closed in several areas,including North 1st at Cedar and Pine. Many roads around the city wereoverloaded with flood waters and left some motorists stranded.
....The areas outside of Abilene also received heavy rains that brought withthem thunder and lighting. A flash flood watch was in effect into the night.
8/29 (early) - Former Colorado City Official Free on Bond: Former City Secretary Connie Harshaw is free on bond after being indicted by a Mitchell County grand jury.

....Harshaw, of Loraine, posted a $15,000 bond. She is accused of taking about $1,500 from the Colorado City landfill account.
....The fund shortage was discovered during an audit on May 29. If found guilty on the charge of theft by a public servant, Harshaw could face a fine up to $10,000 and/or a jail term ranging from 180 days to two years.
8/28 - Andrew's Crackdown on DWI Stirs Controversy
8/28 - Fraser Accuses Rhodes of Flip-Flopping on Tax Reform
8/28 - Stenholm Speaks at Convention: U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm made his first address to a Democratic national convention Tuesday - and he had all of three minutes to talk about rural America.
...."Talk about a challenging speech," he said, chuckling, during a quick phone call before rushing off to rehearsal.
....During the brief, pre-prime time appearance, the Stamford Democrat offered a strong defense of Democratic policies affecting farmers and rural communities. He accused the GOP of proposing huge agriculture and health-care cuts that would have devastated his district and much of rural America.
8/28 (early) - Flexible Attendance Policy: Students can visit the dentist during school hours and still keep their attendance records squeaky clean under a more flexible attendance policy established by state lawmakers.

....Attendance rules were relaxed by the Legislature in Senate Bill 1 last year in an effort to help school districts financially and students academically.
....Texas schools earn part of their money from the state based on Average Daily Attendance, or the number of students attending class in their district each day.
....In Abilene, attendance is officially counted for ADA during second period.
....The new law states that students who are absent any part of the day due to a visit to a "health care professional" can be counted present if that student returns to school with a note the same day and completes the work he missed within "reasonable time."
8/27 - Jury Gives Convicted Murderer Young Life in Prison
8/27 - Enrollment "Air Cleared" at AISD Board Meeting
8/27 - Comptroller Sharp Speaks at ACU Convocation
8/27 - Landowner Fights Eminent Domain Price Tag
8/27 - Prosecution Halts Murder Trial Because of Terminology
8/27 - Wylie Board OKs New Budget: Wylie trustees approved the district's $12.87 million 1996-97 budget Monday after weeks of workshops and two public hearings.
...The budget, roughly $680,000 more than the 1995-96 version, was passed unanimously without public comment after a scheduled hearing in the school district's board room.
...A public hearing on the proposed tax rate was similarly quiet, with no audience members choosing to comment on the $1.34 tax rate trustees are expected to approve Sept. 9.
....The public hearings were necessary because the district's proposed tax rate was more than 3 percent above its effective rate of $1.25.
....The effective rate is the tax rate the district would need to raise the same amount of revenue as the previous year.
8/27 (early) - Bush Names Hughes to Board: Gov. George W. Bush has appointed Abilene Building Official Cassie Hughes to the state's Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors Advisory Board.
....The board advises the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in adopting rules, setting fees, and enforcing and administering the regulation of air conditioning and refrigeration contractors.
...Hughes' term ends Feb. 1, 1997.
8/27 (early) - Big Spring Escapees Still at Large: Two men who walked away from the minimum security federal prison camp Friday are still at large.

....Brad Wiggins, executive assistant at the camp, said Guillermo Rivera and Enrique Trevino were not present at the 4 p.m. prison count Friday.
...."When the count did not clear, we searched the buildings and grounds, but were unable to locate the men," Wiggins said.
....Rivera is 40, stands 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds. He has a medium build and wears a mustache.
....Trevino, 43, is 6 feet tall and weighs 215 pounds. Both men are naturalized citizens from Mexico.
8/26 - Long Distance Difference in Area Have Some Paying, Some Not
8/26 - "Pawn Shop Cop" Helps Local Law Enforcement
8/26 - AISD Board to Review "Fine-Tuning" Time Line: Reviewing the time line for fine-tuning the boundaries and clearing up citizen concerns voiced during a recent board meeting are items on the agenda for tonight's school board meeting.

....Abilene superintendent Charles Hundley is scheduled to review the proposed calendar the board set during their June strategic planning session, which lays out a suggested time line for the board to follow while working with the boundaries again this fall.
....According to the calendar, the board will begin discussing the boundary fine-tuning Sept. 9.
8/26 - 4-H'ers Recognized: More than 150 youngsters were recognized for their projects and leadership activities during the annual Taylor County 4-H Achievement Banquet Sunday at Wylie Middle School cafeteria.
....Recognition of two Gold Star winners highlighted the afternoon event. The Gold Star is the highest honor given at the county level for a 4-H'er.
....Tamra Jo Helmer, a Merkel High junior, was presented a plaque and certificate as Gold Star winner. She has been a member of the 4-H Livestock Club for 8 years and is outgoing chairman of the county 4-H Council. She is a delegate to the District Council.
8/25 - College Students Pump Up the Local Economy
8/25 - NewsLine Poll Supports Clinton's Tobacco Stance
8/24 - Jury Convicts Young of Murder
8/24 - Abilene Teens Say Clinton Won't Keep Them from Smoking
8/24 - Don't Get Mad...Get Day-Glo
8/24 (early) - Teen Rapist Gets 10 Years: Teen-age rapist Jonathan McKey was sent to prison for 10 years Friday for forcing himself on a girl during a five-year "horror story."

....Despite the pleas of McKey's family, state District Judge John Weeks decided probation or boot camp was too light a punishment for the 18-year-old, who despite pleading guilty deflected responsibility for his crimes. He claimed the victim began sexually enticing him when she was nine.
...."It was appalling,the complete and total lack of remorse or empathy or sympathy or feeling," prosecutor Sandy Self argued to the court. "How can probation be an appropriate punishment for a man who can show no sorrow or regret - nothing. No feelings. Cold."
...In a hearing last month, the victim, now 15, recalled McKey first raped her by pushing her face-down on a bed and forcing her to have anal sex. When she cowed to his threats, he initiated a string of oral and vaginal rapes over the next five years, she said.
8/23 - Young Proclaims His Innocence at Murder Trial
8/23 - Dyess Tries to Return to Normal Routine Following Memorial
8/23 (early) - Clinton's Absence Questioned: President Clinton's absence at Wednesday's memorial service for eight Dyess Air Force Base personnel raised some eyebrows in Abilene, especially since they were killed while part of the president's travel crew.

....But a White House spokeswoman said there was "no set protocol" for the president's attendance at such services, which would partly depend on whether invitations were made by local officials.
....She could not confirm whether an invitation for Clinton to attend the Abilene service had been received and she said the White House had been represented by two Air Force officials.
....Meanwhile, a spokeswoman at Dyess said Thursday that a specific invitation to Clinton had not been made, at least not by base officials.
8/23 (early) - Hendrick, Baylor Sign Agreement: Hendrick Medical Center and Baylor Health Care System signed an agreement Thursday for an extended care center at the Abilene hospital.

....Hendrick's Center for Extended Care, opened in 1992, will be renamed the Baylor Center for Extended Care.
....Presidents of the two hospitals - Michael C. Waters of Hendrick and Boone Powell Jr. of Baylor - signed the collaboration agreement before about 75 people at Hendrick.
....The 42 employees who have been working for Hendrick will shift to the Baylor payroll.
....The 20-bed care center is on Hendrick's fifth floor.
....Betty Files, RN, vice president of nursing services at Hendrick, was named on-site administrator of the Baylor center. She is retiring from her post at Hendrick, where she became a registered nurse 26 years ago.
...."It's a separate hospital within a hospital," Waters said. "There are only five in Texas."
8/23 (early) - Big Spring Hosts New Landfill Program: Big Spring is the first community in Texas to host a new program designed to reduce landfill disposal.

....The Solid Waste Assistance Partnership or SWAP program is sponsored by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. It is designed for members of Clean Cities 2000 and other communities that wish to become members.
....The TNRCC recently sent a team to Big Spring for three days to work with city officials and civic leaders to improve local recycling and solid waste programs.
....SWAP provides specialized technical assistance and practical approaches to planning and implementing cost effective waste reduction programs.
8/23 (early) - Two Abilenians Graduate DPS Academy: Two Abilene residents will soon log many miles as they patrol the state's highways and biways. Tony D. Thompson and Scott D. Stevenson were among 106 individuals who graduated from the Texas Department of Public Safety's 110th Training Academy August 16.

....The cadets entered the academy in Octobor and completed 1,182 hours of instruction - more than twice the training required by the Texas Commission on Law Officer Standards and Education.
8/22 - Standing-Room-Only Crowd Memorializes Dyess Victims
8/22 - "Scofflaw RVs" Survive City's Zoning Ordinance
8/22 - Students Now Have Several Diploma Plan Options
8/22 - Judge Denies Accused Killer's Motion: A judge denied on Wednesday an accused killer's motion to suppress his confession to police, setting the stage for Frank Fuentes Ramos' trial next week.

....Ramos is charged with bludgeoning Sylvia Martinez with a baseball bat Dec. 22, 1995.
His attorney, Mike Fouts, argued in a hearing last month that Ramos' statement to investigators shouldn't be entered into evidence because police failed to obtain a warrant for his client's arrest and took him into custody without probable cause.
.....Testimony during the hearing showed Ramos' sister alerted police after her brother reportedly told her he had severely beaten Martinez with a bat and thought she might be dead. The woman reportedly gave officers a description of Ramos' car and he was arrested shortly afterward in Clyde.
...."Clearly, the officers had probable cause," prosecutor Sandy Self argued before state District Judge Jess Holloway. "This was a valid arrest."
....Ramos faces life in prison if convicted of murder.
8/21 - Thousands Expected at Dyess Memorial
8/21 - Dyess Victims Remembered as More than just Names
8/21 - DCOA Sues Cummins Power for $2.2 Million
8/21 - Eyewitness Recounts Shooting at Trial
8/21 - Taylor County Budget Leaner, But Won't Fit Effective Tax Rate
8/21 - DCOA OKs Money to Lobby for Dyess
8/20 - Memorial Service Set for Dyess Crash Victims
8/20 - Dyess Families Trying to Deal With Loss
8/20 - Dyess Community Reaches Out to Families of Victims
8/20 - Air Force Investigators Begin Quest to Determine Cause of Crash
8/20 - Secret Service Van Part of Plane's Cargo
8/20 (early) - Wylie Enrollment Holds Surprise: The Wylie school system had some surprises in enrollment on Monday, the district's first day of school, but still managed a 1 percent growth over last year's first day.

....Wylie superintendent Cecil Davis said while this year's preliminary enrollment totalled 2,547 - 24 more students than last year - kindergarten enrollment was down by 56 from last year, and high school enrollment was up bynearly 70 from May.
...."The kindergarten class was not close to what we projected," Davis said. "We thought we'd see 200-plus, but several school administrators I talked to today said their kindergarten enrollment was down, too. And that's really unusual because our kindergarten has been steadily growing for the last 10 years."
....Although the numbers are down, Davis doesn't expect that to affect the school district in the pocketbook.
...."We try to be conservative when we estimate ADA (Average Daily Attendance) for the budget and that helps offset the loss," he said. "But I expect our enrollment will continue to increase until Labor Day and I imagine we will end up having close to 2,600 students."
8/19 - Dyess, Abilene Community Grieve for Victims
8/19 - Crash was Second Deadliest for Dyess
8/18 - Dyess C-130 Crashes; Nine Killed
8/18 - The Effects of the 1991 School Boundary Changes
8/18 - Renovations to begin Monday on Judge Ely Boulevard: One of Abilene's heavier-travelled boulevards will undergo a partial facelift starting Monday.
....During the next three months, workers will be replacing the road surface on Judge Ely Boulevard from 200 feet north of East-North 13th to just south of East-North 10th.
....C.W. "Andy" Anderson, city engineer, said renovations will begin on the southbound lanes with curb and gutter work, and later move across to the northbound lanes.
...."It will affect both directions because the road will be narrowed to one lane in each direction."
....Although paving work won't start for about a month, part of the project will involve reconstructing the intersection of Judge Ely and East-North 10th in concrete.
....He said in order to keep traffic moving, workers will only cut out the intersection a section at a time.
....Officials will do their best to not seriously hamper access to businesses and homes on Judge Ely, Anderson said. Letters about the project were delivered to home and business owners in the affected area last week.
8/17 (early) - Clown Search Called Off: An organized search for a man accused of kidnapping the Wingate postmaster at gunpoint was halted after authorities combed the rugged countryside for three days.

...."We suspended the search and haven't come up with a thing," a disheartened Runnels County Sheriff Bill Baird said Friday. The manhunt ended at 11 p.m. Thursday.
....A statewide alert has been issued and anyone with information about a suspicious person is urged to call the nearest law enforcement office or the Runnels County Sheriff's Office at (915) 365-2121.
....Baird said he doesn't know if the man, who wore a clown mask and suit, escaped the area undetected by helicopters, dogs and men on horseback.
...."He could be off anywhere, or he could be out there dead somewhere."
....However, Baird believes the dogs, from the French Robertson Unit near Abilene, would have found a body if the man were dead.
8/17 (early) - Taylor Tax Hike Predicted: With a large financial gap separating Taylor County's tentative expenses and its estimated revenues, County Judge Lee Hamilton predicted Friday commissioners will have to hike taxes.

....How much will be hammered out next week.
.....After a week's worth of budget hearings, county commissioners whittled $300,262 from the $19.4 million requested by county department heads and various agencies. Still, expenses exceed estimated revenues by about $2.2 million.
....Hamilton is counting on annual variances between budgeted and actual costs and revenue to relieve up to $1.5 million of the difference. Commissioners hope to find additional savings and revenues in more workshops Tuesday and Wednesday.
....The balance, Hamilton warned, must come from raising taxes above the 37.17-cent effective rate, the rate at which the county can raise the same amount of revenue as the previous year.
8/17 (early) - Scrap Tires Disappearing: Scrap tires are slowly disappearing from West Texas repair shops as a new state contractor picks up more than 10,000 weekly in the 43-county area.

.....But the state is still searching for uses for the estimated 401,000 tires generated in the area each year.
...."This is a common sense solution to a potentially serious environmental threat," said Barry McBee, chairman of the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission.
...."But this is just a temporary solution. We recognize the need for flexibility in our pursuit of an end use for these tires."
....The state awarded a contract to pick up tires in the Abilene and San Angelo regions to Quality Tire Recycling, a Houston company.
....The company has opened a new office in Abilene to handle the contract, which often requires long drives to remote shops to pick relatively few tires.
8/16 - Judicial Candidates Say the Name Isn't the Game
8/16 - Former Judge McMillon Files for Bankruptcy
8/16 - No Luck in Finding Clown Suspect: Despite an array of weapons and tips from the public, authorities still have not captured an armed man who kidnapped the Wingate postmaster Tuesday.

....Runnels County Sheriff Bill Baird, who is heading the investigation, said Thursday he had gotten word of an attempted break-in at a house.
....."As long as we're getting stuff like that" the manhunt will continue, Baird said.
....About 1 p.m. Tuesday a man wearing a clown mask and costume walked into Security State Bank in this remote Runnels County community and said he was there to deliver a singing telegram.
....Suspicious bank employees called 911. The man left and later kidnapped Postmaster Garry Goff at gunpoint, forcing Goff to drive out of town. Goff was released unharmed, and his truck was found a short time later.
....Since the incident occurred, scores of lawmen with helicopters, dogs, horses and cars have been unable to capture the man.
....A roadblock is set up on U.S. Highway 277 about 40 miles southwest of Abilene and on Highway 70, which intersects 277.
....A beleaguered Baird, who has existed on sandwiches and little sleep since Tuesday, said Thursday afternoon he doesn't know yet how long the wait will last.
...."I'd like to be home for Christmas," he said.
8/16 - Grand jury no-bills Yahweh member: A grand jury declined Thursday to indict a House of Yahweh member accused of aggravated perjury.
....Nasayah Yisryal Hawkins, formerly known as Andrew Frank Glick, was accused of claiming on a sworn court statement for name change that he had no felony record.
....But Wisconsin records show Hawkins, who once belonged to the militant, anti-government Posse Comitatus, was convicted of a Posse-related felony a decade ago in Manitowoc County. Texas law forbids felons from changing their names.
....Hawkins, 49, in a written statement admitted he was convicted of the Wisconsin felony, criminal slander of title, but insisted he was told it would be dropped from his record. He also said he regretted his Posse past.

Abilene News: August 16-31, 1996

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