Abilene News: September 16-30, 1996

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• 9/30 - Faculty, Staff Hope Boundary Fine-Tuning Doesn't Go Too Far
• 9/30 - Fall on Campus: Tickets Cum Laude
• 9/29 - Death of Two Students in Accident Stuns ACHS
• 9/29 - Texas Midwest Communities Using Internet to Get Messages Out
• 9/28 - Reorganization, Promotions at City Hall
• 9/28 - Thousands Packed Stadium, Had Football Fun at Big Game
• 9/28 - Habitat for Humanity Launches Home Building Project
• 9/28 - Chemical Explosion in Post Office Investigated
• 9/27 - Council OKs Lease for Warehouse Restaurant
• 9/27 - Dian Owen Named Oustanding Citizen
• 9/27 - Task Force Recommends Committe for Future Technology Needs
• 9/27 - Police Offer Advice on Local Gang Activity
• 9/26 - More Funds Available for Local Educators: Abilene educators can now apply for additional funds to put their creative teaching ideas in action.
  ....At this week's school board meeting, the trustees approved the administration's proposal for the Innovative Teaching Awards Program, a program designed to financially recognize and support unique classroom activities and instruction.
  ....Revisions were made on the board's request two weeks ago, when the program guidelines were first presented.
  ....The revisions make the program more flexible overall in terms of dollars available for grants and the number of times a teacher can submit a proposal in a year, Deputy superintendent Kay McMahon said.
  ....This year, $50,000 is available for distribution, but the budget can be expanded if needed under the new guidelines.
• 9/26 - Lunar Eclipse Thursday Night: Your front porch should be the best place to view Thursday night's lunar eclipse, which is said to be the last one of this century.
  
  ....Ben Draper, astronomy lab instructor for Abilene Christian University, said if the weather is clear, the eclipse will start at 8:12 p.m., central time. At 9:54 p.m., the moon will be completely dark. The eclipse will then begin to taper, and by 11:36 p.m. the eclipse should be over.
  ....The weather service office in San Angelo predicted clouds and a chance of rain, which may prevent the eclipse from being seen clearly anywhere.
  ....But, unlike comets which require total darkness to be seen, if the skies are cloudless, Draper said, "It should be fairly striking. It will be kind of reddish in color.
  ...."This is relatively rare - it's not something you see every night," he added. "Anywhere it's clear, you should be able to see it. Basically, this whole side of the world will see it."
• 9/25 - City Council Expected to OK T&P Warehouse Eatery
• 9/25 - Fraser Expands Defense of Using Opponent's Vote Smart Responses
• 9/25 - Storm Roared Through Abilene Monday
• 9/24 - Ramos Hears Victim Impact Statements
• 9/24 - Are There Any Tax Relief Suggestions Out There?
• 9/24 - Zoning Restrictions Not an Open and Shut Case
• 9/24 - Candidates Clarify Positions on Water Rights
• 9/23 - Some Voters Looking for a "Different Kind of President"
• 9/23 - Boundaries to Be Fine-Tuned: Abilene school trustees are scheduled to develop their goals for fine-tuning the attendance zone boundaries during tonight's board meeting.
  
  ....The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m., and because of large crowds that have recently attended, it will be in Abilene High School's west cafeteria, 2800 N. 6th.
  ....At the Sept. 9 board meeting, AISD Superintendent Charles Hundley presented the administration's goals for the process. He included as "non-negotiable" goals maintaining the racial and ethnic balance in the high schools achieved since the 1991 boundary realignments and keeping the neighborhood schools concept on the elementary level.
• 9/22 - Stenholm Wants to Be More Than "Just One Vote"
• 9/22 - Troy Fraser Picks Up Support from KayBay
• 9/21 - Ramos Convicted of Murder; Gets 99 Years
• 9/21 - Man who threatened judge released from mental hospital
• 9/21 (early) - Round-Up Is Tuesday: Recent rains, steadily improving cattle prices and livestock donated by some of the world's most historic ranches have combined to set a grand stage for the 37th annual Cattlemen's Round-Up for Rehab in Abilene next week.
  
  ....The traditional fall Round-Up sale is 1 p.m. Tuesday at Abilene Livestock Auction, just off northeast Interstate 20. The Round-Up is a crucialfund-raiser for the West Texas Rehabilitation Center.
• 9/21 (early) - Man Indicted for Destroying Grave Markers: A Mitchell County grand jury indicted a 19-year-old man accused of destroying or severely damaging more than 40 grave markers.
  
  ....Robert Newman Jr. was indicted Thursday. He was one of three people accused of the Labor Day vandalism in Colorado City Cemetery.
  ....Charged with criminal mischief, a state jail felony, Newman could receive a jail term of up to two years and a fine of up to $10,000 for his part in the destruction.
• 9/20 - Ramos' Ex-Wife Testifies in Murder Trial
• 9/20 - United Way Campaign Off to a Fast Start
• 9/20 - Texas' First Lady Calls for Literacy as Family Tradition
• 9/20 - TIF Commits Funds for T&P Warehouse Renovation
• 9/19 - Murder Defendant Testifies about Threat on His Life
• 9/19 - Veteran McCoy Sets Record Straight on That Old Feud Thing
• 9/19 - Changes at Food Bank after Allegations Surface
• 9/19 - Wylie Teen Killed in Wreck: A Wylie High School student was killed in a one-vehicle wreck south of Abilene late Tuesday night.
  .....Two teen-agers were traveling on FM 89 about 1.8 miles outside of Abilene at 9 p.m. when their pickup ran off the road and into a guardrail.
  .....John Allen Hime, a junior at Wylie, was airlifted to Abilene Regional Medical Center where he later died from massive injuries.
  ....Michael Ray Smith, 18, the driver, was treated and released.
  ...."(The driver) said he was talking to his passenger and there the rail was," said Texas Department of Public Safety Cpl. Larry Hill.
• 9/19 (early) - Texas Poll - Presidential Race a Toss-Up: The U.S. presidential race in Texas is a toss-up between President Bill Clinton and Republican challenger Bob Dole, according to the Harte-Hanks Texas Poll.
  ....Clinton and Dole are tied at 41 percent among likely voters followed by Dallas billionaire Ross Perot with 8 percent. Ten percent are undecided.
  ...But more Texans have a favorable opinion of Dole than the president and consider character the most important issue in deciding which candidate to support.
  ...Fifty-one percent of Texans think Clinton is trustworthy and honest enough to be president compared with 72 percent who believe the same about Dole.
  ...Less than half of Texans - 45 percent - think Dallas billionaire Ross Perot was trustworthy and honest enough to hold the nation's top job.
• 9/19 (early) - Money Available for Waste Reduction: More than $200,000 is available to area communities for waste reduction projects.
  ....West Central Texas Council of Governments, in cooperation with the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, has $220,496 to award in grants totowns in 19 counties.
  ....The money will be used to fund projects in waste reduction and recycling, local enforcement, household hazardous waste, and other waste management projects.
• 9/18 - Kitchen Table Confession Highlights Ramos' Murder Trial
• 9/18 - Illegal Aliens from Moldova Captured in Abilene
• 9/18 - APL, MOA Combining Annual Spring Festivals
• 9/18 - Hirschfeld Steel Expanding Here: A planned expansion of Hirschfeld Steel should bring 100 new jobs to Abilene in the next four years.
  .....The Development Corporation of Abilene Tuesday approved $1.5 million in loans and assistance to make the expansion happen. The company, located in east central Abilene, employs 50 people.
  ...."We have been negotiating on this one for five years," said Mike Morrison, the city's director of economic development.
  ....Of the total, $839,000 will be in the form of loans, $500,000 for building assistance based on the actual number of new jobs created and $200,000 for a rail switch/spur and outside crane way.
  ....The newly created jobs should pay in the $8-$10 range, said Don Henry, the city's assistant director of economic development.
• 9/17 - Church Considering Future of Mustard Seed Day Care Center
• 9/17 - Warehouse Eatery on Front Burner at City Hall
• 9/17 - Laura Bush in Town Thursday: Texas first lady Laura Bush, in town Thursday for a local Literacy Council meeting, will also speak at a Taylor County GOP reception.
  ....The fund-raiser and reception is scheduled from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at the Grace Cultural Center, said Janet Nix, president of Taylor County Republican Women. Mrs. Bush will speak at 11 a.m.
  ....Tickets are $10 and may be ordered by calling 695-8438.
• 9/17 - Cook Named to Board: State Rep. John Cook of Breckenridge was named last week to the Southern States Energy Board.
  ....Cook, a Democrat whose district includes part of Taylor County, was appointed by Texas House Speaker Pete Laney.
  ....The Southern States Energy Board is charged with determining a regional position on energy and environmental concerns, conduct training programs for state and local personnel and collect energy information.
• 9/16 - Heavy Rains Had Motorists Wading: Up a creek and looking for help was a common predicament around the Big Country after heavy rainfalls late Saturday and early Sunday.
  
  ....Public safety officers kept busy earning their Good Samaritan badges, helping motorists whose vehicles wouldn't quite stay roadworthy in rushing water two feet deep or more.
  ....Rains that started slowly at mid-afternoon in Abilene steadily strengthened, coming down in torrents after midnight. More than 3 inches of rain were officially recorded as falling on Abilene Saturday night and Sunday morning.
  ....Motorists who had to - or chose to - stay out while the usual low-lying streets flooded stalled out by the dozen, and a few found themselves in need of saving when their cars wereswept away by the rapids into swollen creeks.
  ....Some vehicle occupants apparently scrambled to safety on their own before public safety officers arrived to help.
• 9/16 - Rains Hurt Fair Attendance: Foul weather cost the fair a pretty penny this year, says Tony McMillan, general manager of the West Texas Fair & Rodeo.
  
  ....The final gate and carnival proceeds hadn't been tallied Sunday, but McMillan estimated that heavy rains the final day of the fair Saturday washed away $15,000-$20,000.
  ...."That's really our bread and butter day," said a weary McMillan, after working hard Sunday on closing details of the fair. It was the last chance day for anybody who hadn't already attended, he explained.
  ....The rains came late Saturday afternoon and got heavier, causing the carnival to shut down for keeps about 8 p.m., he said. Food booths also shut down, he added.
  ....Still, it was another great fair overall, McMillan declared. The livestock shows drew plenty of prime talent, and the PRCA Rodeo attracted large crowds.
  ....Rains Saturday weren't the only weather damper on the 1996 fair. On Sneak-a-Peek Night on Sept. 5, a threat of rain that was greater than the modest amount that actually fell hurt attendance, he said.
• 9/16 - Kindergarten Enrollment Down: Little tykes are skipping off to kindergarten in record numbers this year in some parts of the country, but not in Big Country schools.
  
  ....Despite a trend in many states, including parts of Texas, toward larger than usual kindergarten and elementary enrollments, many area schools are down at those levels.
  ....Of 44 area schools surveyed, 24 had an increase in overall enrollment over the same time last year, 18 lost students and two - Aspermont and Westbrook - remained the same. ....However, few of the 44 schools showed an increase in the lower levels, even if they had an overall increase.
  ...A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education shows that 51.7 million students headed to class this fall nationwide, topping the 51.3 million baby boomers in school in 1971.
  ...."Elementary schools have continued to feel enrollment pressure because the number of births in America, bolstered by immigration, has remained steady during the past four or five years," the report stated.

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