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Abilene News: May 16-31, 1996
- 5/31 - Officials: Teen Curfews Fine,
but Not Needed in Abilene
- 5/31 - Mother Nature Finally Unloads
Wet Stuff on Area
- 5/31 - Border Patrol Office to Stay
in Abilene
- 5/31 (early) - Big Spring Settles LULAC Suit: Howard County
has settled the latest lawsuit brought by LULAC against local government
claiming the method of electing justices of the peace violates minorities'
civil rights.
....League of United Latin American Citizens attorney Rolando Rios has accepted
$1,500 and an offer that commissioners will evaluate existing justice of
the peace precincts and if necessary realign the boundaries after the 2000
federal census. The county was represented by Allison and Associates of
Austin.
....In the suit filed in Abilene federal court, Pat DeAnda and Gloria Mendez
of Big Spring alleged that Howard County is not adhering to the Texas Constitution
because the county has only three JPs, two in Precinct 1 and one in Precinct
2.
....In fact, Howard County is complying with the constitution because the
county is divided into four JP precincts, said county attorney Hardy Wilkerson.
No one has filed for the unfunded JP offices in Precincts 3 and 4 for many
years. Commissioners have not appointed anyone to the vacant seats.
- 5/30 - Students to Spend Summer Unraveling
the Atom
- 5/30 - Teen Pregnancy Campaign to
Advertise Value of Abstinence
- 5/30 - Abilene Misses Rain: Showers and lightning marched across
the southern Big Country in the early hours after nightfall Wednesday, but
most of the area stayed dry as usual.
....A storm system tracked across the area, hugging county lines from Sterling-Mitchell
to Eastland-Brown, although most rain seemed to fall south of those lines.
....Colorado City, Ovalo, Winters and Tuscola were among the locations that
got sprinkles, while Coleman, Lake Coleman and western Coleman County got
showers.
....Late Wednesday, northern Brown County was under a severe thunderstorm
watch as the storm continued to move east.
....A tornado watch for roughly the southwest quarter of the Big Country,
including Taylor County, remained in effect until midnight.
- 5/30 - Police After Hit-and-Run Driver: A 12-year-old boy was
the victim of a hit-and-run while riding his bicycle at North 10th and Bowie
Wednesday night.
....A car struck the boy around 7 p.m. as he was turning on to Bowie. The
car then left the scene heading eastbound on North 10th.
....Officer Richard Farmer said a citizen who was driving by witnessed the
incident and followed the perpetrator until he got the license plate number.
The witness said the car was red and was a Firebird type of vehicle. Police
have not apprehended the suspect.
- 5/30 (early) - Alliance Rallying for Children Saturday: The
West Central Texas Alliance of Black School Educators will be rallying for
the children of Abilene Saturday morning.
....The WCTABSE will be joining other groups across the country Saturday
in celebration of national "Stand for Children Day," sponsored
by the non-profit organization, Stand for Children, an offshoot of the Children's
Defense Fund.
....The rally will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday in front of City Hall,
555 Walnut.
....Members of the educator's group and anyone interested in supporting
efforts to help children in this community to succeed are invited to attend
the rally, said Kari Leong, a member of WCTABSE.
- 5/30 (early) - Bids for New Jim Ned School Accepted: Bids will
be accepted until 4 p.m. today for construction of a new high school in
the Jim Ned school district.
....Voters approved a $4.1 million bond election in February to build the
school and to make improvements at the Lawn campus.
....School officials cited growth in the district as the reason the new
school is needed. The election passed by a vote of 582 to 310.
....Sealed proposals will be received in the school administration building.
The bids will be opened and read aloud at 4 p.m.
- 5/29 - Dyess Zoning Board Told to Keep
it Simple
- 5/29 - HSU to Lose ROTC Program in
1997
- 5/29 - Abilene Man Dies in One-car Rollover: A 21-year-old
Abilene man lost his life in a one-car rollover in a highway construction
zone late Monday.
....Billy James Salazar was pronounced dead at the scene, on North Pine
Street near U.S. Highway 277 and Pine, by Justice of the Peace Sam Matta.
....Investigators said Salazar apparently lost control of the car near construction
barriers and was thrown from the vehicle as it rolled over several times
about 10:10 p.m.
- 5/29 (early) - Stenholm Writes Texas Monthly about B-1s: Congressman
Charles Stenholm has vigorously defended the B-1B bomber in a letter to
the editor of Texas Monthly magazine.
....In an eight-page letter, the congressman asked to "clarify some
misperceptions" expressed in a May article headlined "Bombers
Away."
....Former Dyess Air Force Base commander Bill Ehrie had described the article
earlier as "disappointing, slanted and full of inaccuracies."
....Stenholm repeated each statement with which he disagreed, then offered
a response.
- 5/29 (early) - Perry: Give Farmers, Ranchers a Break: Texas
farmers and ranchers should be given more time to pay off loans to avert
a banking crisis during the severe drought, state officials said Tuesday.
....Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry urged federal bank regulators to
give Texas banks more flexibility in handling loan payments from farmers
and ranchers.
....Perry last week called the drought the second worst natural disaster
in state history, already costing farmers more than $2.4 billion in lost
crops and livestock production. Agricultural businesses could suffer an
added $4.1 billion loss, Perry said.
- 5/28 - Memorial Day Honors
the Nation's Fallen Heroes
- 5/28 - Body Recovered in Lingleville Drowning: The body of
a 16-year-old youth who drowned Saturday afternoon while trying to save
four girls was recovered from an Erath County conservation lake Monday morning.
...Daniel Romero died after swimming to the rescue of his sisters, Guadalupe,
12, and Ara, 11, and 14-year-old Sandra Taylor and 11-year-old Sunshine
Taylor. Romero's sisters swam to shore after their V-bottom boat tilted,
and the other girls stayed in the rocking boat as he went to their aid.
...One witness said the first time Romero sank, the girls thought he was
kidding. He resurfaced and screamed for help, and after sinking a third
time, didn't rise again.
- 5/27 - City
Councilman Beckham Searches for Accountability in Permit Procedures
- 5/27 - Heat and High Winds No Deterrent to Airshow: Tomcats,
Falcons, King Cobras and Flying Tigers sliced and spun through the blue
yonder over Breckenridge Sunday afternoon during the 19th annual Breckenridge
Air Show.
...The aviation spectacle drew a crowd estimated at 8,500 people over the
course of the two-day event.
...Viewers who braved the heat and high winds were treated to close-ups
of a wide range of aircraft models, including the only operating SB2C Hellcat
in the world from World War II and the AV-8B Harrier II Jump Jets used by
the Marines in the final days of Desert Storm.
...The 5,000-plus crowd Sunday - a mix of aviation enthusiasts and curious
first-timers - marveled at the re-enactments of famous air raids, including
the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Allied bombing of Tokyo in 1942.
...In his demonstration, Lou Loudenslager, world-reknown areobatic champion,
twirled his Bud Light Laser 200 plane over the landing strip like a top.
The Marines piloting the F-14 Tomcats shredded the sky over Stephens County
Airport, traveling through the air at 650 mph, one-third the craft's capability.
...Curiousity drew Pat and Pasty Collins of Eastland to this year's show
for the first time. Pat had three brothers in WW II, including one stationed
in India who flew a T-28.
..."This is the first time we've been here and I'd like to come back
and see it all again," he said. "I've read all about (the planes),
but this is exciting. It brings back memories of when the war started."
- 5/27 - HSU
Raises Admissions Standards
- 5/26 - Boy Disappears in Apparent Drowning: Search efforts
are being conducted a 16-year-old boy who apparently drowned at Lingleville
Lake Saturday.
...Chief Deputy Kevin Fincher heads the search party that combed the private
lake, located 10 miles west of Stephenville, until efforts were halted late
Saturday because of darkness.
...Officials said a group of children, ranging in age from 10-12 years,
was holding a swimming party at the lake when the accident occurred.
...Reports indicate the youth was helping supervise the party and had taken
a group on a boat ride. The boat began leaking and two girls, who were passengers
in the boat, swam safely to shore.
...Search efforts began shortly after his disappearance was discovered.
...Hood County search and rescue team have been assisting the Stephens County
effort on Saturday.
- 5/26 - Texas
Drought Hitting Close to Home:
- 5/25 - Memorial Day Observance: Chaplain Bill Libby will be
the keynote speaker for the community Memorial Day observance scheduled
for 9:30 a.m. Monday at Elmwood Memorial Park and Funeral Home.
...A riderless horse will be presented during the service as a dedication
to those who gave their lives for their country. The playing of taps will
conclude the observance.
...Community service organizations will take part in the wreath-laying ceremonies.
Dyess Air Force Base will provide the honor guard, and the music will be
provided by the Minda Street Church of Christ choir.
...The Memorial Day observance is open to the public.
- 5/25 - Test Drive
a Jaguar at the Abilene Zoo
- 5/25 - High School Senior Drowns in Lake Accident: J.J. Thompson's
life ended Friday, just as it was beginning.
...The Coahoma High School senior, who was to graduate at 8 p.m. Friday,
drowned in the early morning hours while on a lake outing with two friends.
...Thompson, Adam Batson and Aaron Barr, both juniors at Coahoma, were at
Lake J.B. Thomas in Scurry County Thursday night for an end-of-school fling.
..."They were fishing, swimming and just doing things boys do,"
said school secretary Judy Dobbs.
...The Scurry County Sheriff's Office was notified of an accident at 1:56
a.m. Friday. One deputy was on the scene all night, according to a sheriff's
department spokesman.
At daybreak, a game warden, lake warden, dive teams from Sweetwater and
Big Spring, and emergency crews from the Snyder Fire Department joined the
search. Thompson's body was recovered at 1:03 p.m. Friday.
...Commencement exercises were dedicated to Thompson and went on as planned
Friday night with one exception. Only 54 seniors walked across the stage
of the school auditorium.
..."There would have been 55 with J.J.," Dobbs said. "They
left an empty seat for him."
- 5/24 - Stenholm
Explains Vote Against Minimum Wage
- 5/24 - Controversy
Fuels Interest in Brownwood Runoff Election
- 5/24 (early) - Council OKs Apts. Over Warehouse: The Abilene
City Council has approved an enterprise zone project that will allow a local
businessman to build studio apartments on the top floor of a downtown warehouse.
....The council consented to the venture Thursday, even though the Locust
Street structure's light industrial zoning forbids residential living. If
Shane McClung, who operates a moving business from the first floor of the
massive, red-brick building, can prove the apartment project is marketable
within six months, the city will reconsider zoning the area.
....The zoning will remain the same if McClung fails in the venture.
....A state enterprise zone program allows municipalities to defer compliance
with specific ordinances to spark development in blighted, abandoned areas.
The warehouse, 150 Locust, is in the city's East Enterprise Zone.
...."This just furthers the goal of trying to bring people downtown,"
Economic Development Director Mike Morrison told the council.
....McClung plans to begin building six apartments in the warehouse June
1. He anticipates renting the 2,800-square-foot units in August for approximately
$650 a month.
- 5/24 (early) - Water Curtailment Forecast for Southside: Southside
residents will probably be asked to curtail their water usage sometime this
summer, not because of a sapped supply but because inadequate pipelines
can't accommodate peak demand.
....Though there will be no avoiding the inconvenience in the coming months
if the heat continues to bake the Big Country, city officials are working
to ensure south Abilene has all the water it wants next summer.
....The City Council on Thursday approved a $212,118 contract with a local
engineering firm to design a 30-inch water main stretching from the Northeast
Water Treatment Plant to the Maple Street pump station. Utility department
revenues will pay the estimated $4 million cost.
....Construction is scheduled to begin by December and take six months.
- 5/23 - City
Plans Huge Building to Attract Industry
- 5/23 - Project
Graduation Offers Safe Place on Special Night
- 5/23 - Little
Girls Needs Bone Marrow Transplant to Fight Leukemia
- 5/23 (early) - FAA Looking into Cattle Deaths: The Federal
Aviation Administration "is real interested" in alow-flying plane
carrying someone who shot three cows in Callahan County.
....Sheriff Eddie Curtis said the agency has been contacted about the shooting
that occurred about 8 p.m. Saturday.
...."At first they weren't too involved," Curtis said of the FAA.
....But after learning that the small airplane flew underneath high wires,
the FAA was more concerned, the sheriff said.
....Federal charges could be filed if anyone is caught. No more dead cattle
have turned up and no suspects are in custody.
- 5/23 (early) - Drought Could Be Century's Worst Disaster: The
drought scorching the state this spring could become the worst natural disaster
to hit Texas this century, agriculture officials said Wednesday.
....Losses to Texas farmers and ranchers already total $2.4 billion, Agriculture
Commissioner Rick Perry said.
....He said the economic cost to agriculture-related businesses is estimated
at another $4.1 billion.
...."A number of $6.5 billion to the entire state of Texas is a staggering
impact," Perry said.
....He said farm and ranch losses so far "put this drought, as of today,
as the second-largest natural disaster in the history of Texas." He
ranked it only behind Hurricane Alicia in 1983, which he said did $3 billion
in damage.
....And things could get worse.
...."I'm not going to sugarcoat it. This drought has the economic potential
to be the worst natural disaster in the 20th century in Texas," Perry
said.
- 5/22 - So, Why HAS it Been so Windy
Lately?
- 5/22 - Stephenville
Girl, 6, Electrocuted by Fence
- 5/22 (early) - Drug Task Force Funding OK'd: Funding has been
approved to continue efforts of the regional drug task force.
....The West Central Texas Interlocal Drug Task Force announced Tuesday
that the governor's office has awarded funding for the force's eighth year
of operation.
....While Frank Cleveland, task force commander, recently expressed concern
about future funding, the approved grant provides pay raises for staffers.
....Abilene Police Chief Melvin Martin, chairman of the task force board,
said the Texas Narcotic Control Program funding allows 15 percent pay raises
for the eight agents, many of whom have served years without a pay increase.
- 5/21 - Brooks Gets 12 Years Despite
Wife's Wishes to Dismiss
- 5/21 - Abilene Courting Sons of
the Texas Republic
- 5/21 - Drought Management Workshop Set: Abilene water utilities
need to prepare now for shortages and problems delivering drinking water
under drought conditions in West Texas, state officials said.
....The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission and the Texas Water
Development Board will hold a drought management workshop in Abilene Thursday.
Managers and staff members of all public water supplies are invited to work
on topics including water conservation, equipment overload and alternate
water supplies.
....Registration begins at 8 a.m. Thursday at the Ramada Hotel, 3450 South
Clack. The workshop will convene at 8:30 a.m.
....For more information, call the Texas Rural Water Association at (512)
472-8591.
- 5/21 (early) - Warehouse Apartments Expected to be OK'd: If
Shane McClung can sell apartment dwelling in an abandoned warehouse, he
will have manufactured something the blighted neighborhood hasn't seen in
ages: life.
.....He could also cause city officials to reconsider the area's light industrial
zoning in hopes of sparking activity in a dormant patch of downtown.
.....Thursday, the Abilene City Council is expected to approve McClung's
request to exempt his massive, red-brick warehouse from the light industrial
zoning, which forbids residential living, so he can test his proposed apartment
project.
....McClung and the city are taking advantage of the Texas Enterprise Zone
Act, which allows municipalities to defer compliance with certain ordinances
to prompt development in rotting neighborhoods.
....The warehouse sits at 150 Locust in the city's East Enterprise Zone.
- 5/20 - AISD Board to Discuss Mann Parental Involvement: Mann
Middle School wants to increase parental involvement on campus and with
students and will ask for the school board's help during tonight's Abilene
ISD board meeting.
....Principal James Shelton will ask the board to approve an extended evening
pilot program designed to help students and parents with academics and with
each other. The proposed 30-week program would be held from 6-8 p.m. every
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday on the Mann campus.
....The goals, as stated in Shelton's proposal, are to offer students a
place to study with access to computers and the learning resource center,
to teach parents necessary skills for dealing with middle school students,
including English and computer skills, and to offer teachers a chance to
learn about Hispanic culture and the Spanish language.
- 5/20 - Special Olympics Torch Taken Up: Area prison and law
enforcement workers took up a torch for Special Olympics Sunday.
....Members of the John Middleton and French Robertson prisons banded together
with Brownwood's Havins Unit to help bear torches to the Special Olympics'
state games in Austin Wednesday.
....Assisted by local police, many of whom joined in the first leg of the
journey, local wardens Chris Bell and James Duke received torches from runners
from Breckenridge and Colorado City at the Taylor County Courthouse.
....The effort is to help draw attention to the state event and its importance,
said Capt. Paul Dalton of the Robertson Unit.
....The torches began their journey to Austin in Dalhart. Abilene and Brownwood's
units will collectively bear the torches as far as Gatesville.
- 5/19 - Plans to Stabilize Dyess' Position
Anger Some Neighbors
- 5/19 - Trend: Juniors Graduating more
Often Now
- 5/19 - Squalid Home Causes Couple
to Lose Custody of Daughter
- 5/19 - Hispanic Seniors Challenged
to Use Power of Knowledge
- 5/18 - Wife-Shooting Brooks Asks
Jury for Probation
- 5/18 - Hope is all Sweetwater Has Left
(of the triplets that is)
- 5/18 - Wylie Middle School Tries
Exchange Program with New Jersey
- 5/18 (early) - Abilene Gas Above State Average: A Reporter-News
survey of Abilene and the Tye-Dyess area showed that 54 of 78 outlets checked
were selling self-serve unleaded for $1.29.
....Local prices ranged from $1.19 to $1.33.
....A survey of area towns by Reporter-News correspondents revealed an 11-cent
price range from $1.22 to $1.33.
....The AAA survey listed a statewide average of $1.26 per gallon. AAA representatives
in Houston said Abilene's average price had risen 8 cents since Memorial
Day 1995 and 9 cents since Easter 1996.
....Beaumont and Waco share the lowest average price at $1.22, while Lubbock
has the same price as Abilene. El Paso is the highest at $1.36.
- 5/17 - Brooks Convicted as Victim
Storms Out of Courtroom
- 5/17 - Abilene Was a Busy Baseball
Town This Week
- 5/17 - City's "Top 50" Grads
Told to Find New Vision
- 5/17 - Dyess' "Big Drop III"
Termed a Success
- 5/17 (early) - LULAC Attorney Wants More Money: LULAC attorney
Rolando Rios is seeking almost $60,000 for successfully blocking Roscoe's
school board election, a figure that gagged the district's attorney.
...."Good Lord," Chuck Jones responded when told of Rios' request.
"That's outrageous."
....Earlier this month, Rios convinced a three-judge panel to block Roscoe's
May 4 election, arguing the district should have sought federal approval
after tinkering with its at-large election system in 1995.
....But on Tuesday, LULAC lost a bigger case in which it fought to have
the at-large elections ditched in favor of single-member districts.
....On Thursday, Rios, a San Antonio attorney, filed a motion with U.S.
District Judge Sam Cummings seeking $58,976 in attorney's fees and other
costs in the first case. By contrast, Jones has been paid $4,119 by the
district.
- 5/17 (early) - Harris Resigns at CCA: Rebecca Harris, executive
director of the Center for Contemporary Arts, announced her resignation
Thursday, effective June 1.
...."I believe it is time to find an energetic, focused executive director
who can lead the CCA to greater achievement," Harris said, in a brief
statement. "It is my belief that the center is ready for great leaps
forward."
....Her three-year tenure paralleled enormous growth in the center's popularity,
both as a venue for artists and a focal point for visitors to down town
Abilene. Monthly art and photo exhibitions at the center have increased
in stature during the three years.
- 5/16 - Convicted Murderer, 26,
Certified as Adult, to be Reprosecuted
- 5/16 - Thousands of Bees Swarm Car Dealership
- 5/16 - Testimony in Brooks Trial
Contradicts Victim's Claims
- 5/16 (early) - Hispanic Seniors to Be Honored: Local Hispanic
high school seniors will be honored Saturday evening at theseventh annual
Hispanic High School Seniors Recognition Banquet.
....The program, which includes entertainment by graduating seniors, begins
at6:30 p.m. at the Abilene Civic Center.
....Keynote speaker will be Dr. Melba Vasquez, an Austin mental healthprofessional.
- 5/16 (early) - Hall Part of Pathfinders Committee: Hardin-Simmons
University President Lanny Hall will be part of a program teaching skills
that can take families from welfare to the work force.
....Hall will be part of the Family Pathfinders Advisory Committee, a group
that will link church and community groups with families who receive Aid
to Families With Dependent Children.
...."I believe that the Family Pathfinders program will provide new
opportunities for Texas families to move from welfare to gainful employment,"
Hall said. "This unique program will be a catalyst as civic organizations,
churches and corporations join together to provide new opportunities for
families."
....Family Pathfinders will build on welfare reform proposals presented
in reports by State Comptroller Sharp and approved by the Texas Legislature
in 1995.
All content copyright 1996, The Abilene Reporter-News and Reporter
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