Duval County Picture (San Diego, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 21, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 29, 1991 Page: 1 of 28
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Vol.6 No. 21
Wednesday, May 29,1991
San Diego, Texas
Duval County Museum employee Maggie Rangle finds place to
display George Parr photo.
Renewed interest in
> i
Parr gains momentum
SAN DIEGO - Plans to honor
the late George B. Parr, the legen-
dary and controversial “Duke of
Duval," have rekindled interest
in a movie to be released in 1993.
The announcement was broad-
cast Monday during a segment of
Kill’s Morning Magazine. This
is the second time a film on Parr’s
life has been considered.
In 1984, a five-part television
mini-series based on Parr’s po-
litical life and entitled “Summit
County,” was announced with
actor Clint Walker - the cowboy
hero of television’s “Cheyenne”
series - cast as the lead.
The made for television movie
was to have been financed in part
by Freer’s Clinton Manges but
for reasons unknown, never
reached the screen.
Now, a script is in the works
for a $30 million dollar movie
centered on Parr’s political
doings.
• Tlie film will celebrate “The
South Texas Festival of Films,”
scheduled for 1993, John Miller
Hawn, the movie’s producer told
Magazine host Kathryn Childers.
The movie could feature Pat-
rick Swayze’s brother, Kyle, in a
lead role with actor Robert Duvall,
who in a 1950s photograph bears
a striking resemblance to Parr,
portraying the infamous “Duke
of Duval County.”
Most of the production is to be
filmed in South Texas.
Parr will soon be featured in a
permanent exhibit at the Duval
County Museum. Duval County
Historical Commission plans an
unveiling of the exhibit on Satur-
day, June 22.
The display will showcase
Parr’s hand-carved bedroom set,
his portrait, a set of silk ties, his
See PARR Page 2
Martin Solis named
to SD school board
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego
ISD Board of Trustees will be at
full complement with the naming
of Martin Solis to replace Willie
Garcia who resigned several
months ago. Solis was named at a
special called meeting on Thurs-
day, May 23.
Solis will likely be swom-in
at the board's next meeting. He
will have to run for the seat's un-
expired term in August.
The board has not yet called
for an election even though under
the election code candidate filing
could have begun on or about
May 27. The code provides for an
election to be held on the second
115 will
graduate
locally
Some 115 Duval County
youngsters will get their high
school diplomas at the end of this
week. Benavides High School
willgraduate 59and Freer56.
Toe Benavides commence-
ment exercises are scheduled for
tomorrow, Thursday, May 30 at
8:00.
The Freer graduation will be
the following day. May 31, also
at 8:00PM at Buckaroo Stadium.
Collette Johnson will be the
commencement speaker at Freer.
Saturday in August, or on August
10.
The deadline for filing for said
election would be 45 days prior to
that date or on or about June 27.
Filing could begin 30 days prior
to that date, or about May 27.
The August election will in-
volve three board seats. In addi-
tion to Solis, trustees Esperanza
Torres and Juan Antonio Perez
will be up for re-election.
In Other businesses the board
agreed to issue a "letter of reason-
able assurance to all non-con-
tractcd and substitute employees.''
The move is needed, said Super-
intendent Eloy Guerra, in order
that these employees do not file
for unemployment compensation
during the summer montiis, caus-
ing the district's unemployment
insurance costs to increase to an
unacceptable level.
Board members expressed
concern that they would be bound
to hire this personnel in the Fall.
"I'm leery about this," said
Board President Libby Vela. The
board complained to Guerra about
the lateness of the request.
"It's an automatic thing," said
Guerra.
The board also rescinded an
earlier action by which they had
hired summer school personnel.
They had a change of mind after
Ruben Escobar, appearing on
behalf of his wife Norma, told the
board that procedures for posting
the job vacancies were not fol-
lou/M
* i •
Jim Wells residents want into
water district, says manager
by Alfredo E. Cardenas
Editor/Publisher
SAN DIEGO - Jim Wells County resi-
dents of this city may get an opportunity to
vote in water district elections, if a proposal
presently under consideration is approved.
The question was first aired
by the district's board on Friday,
May 14. District Manager Ro-
dolfo Bazan said at that time that
he had been approached by a
group of Jim Wells County resi-
dents about wishing to take part
in water district elections.
Bazan also told the board that
there are presently 437 registered
voters in the Jim Wells side of
San Diego.
The addition of this area to the
district could only be accom-
plished, said board Attorney
Jaime Garza, by a petition of in-
terested landowners. In such a
case, the newly annexed area
would also have to share in out-
standing bonds or other obliga-
tions.
If a petition is filed for an-
nexation, the water district is
required to hold a hearing to de-
termine whether such a proposal
is "feasible and practicable and
would be of benefit" to both the district and
the area to be annexed.
The procedure of annexation has not yet
been researched by the district but it is pre-
sumed to involve an election.
Should the area be annexed, the district
will have to give consideration to how it will
affect the current balance between Benavides
and San Diego. Traditionally, two board
members have been elected from San Diego
and Benavides.
This problem could be resolved, says
Garza by increasing the number of board
members to five and possibly going to single
member districts.
Single member districts may well be the
only way to assure the desired voice in district
affairs. Jim Wells area residents already be-
long to the city and the San Diego ISD but
have no representation in either body. They
have never had one of their own sit on the Jim
Wells County Commissioners Court either.
While the move appears feasible and prac-
ticable on it's face, the question of mutual
Monthly savings in water and sewer bills a Jim Wells
family of four could realize if they joined the Duval
County water district, even after paying taxes.
benefit is not as clear cut The district already
provides water and sewer services to this area
so its feasibility is a foregone conclusion.
Jim Wells residents also would appear to
benefit from this proposal.
These water district customers currently
pay $6.00 for the first 3,000 gallons of water
as opposed to $3.75 for district residents.
They also pay $ 1.15 for each additional 1,000
gallons as compared to 750 by district resi-
dents.
Jim Wells residents, additionally pay
$4.50 per sewer connection while district
residents pay only $3.75.
If a family of four currently uses 9,000
allons of water per month, they would pay
12.90 a month if they lived in Jim Wells
County. Added to a $4.50 sewer bill, their
monthly contribution to the district would be
$17.40.
If they join the district, this same family
would pay $8.25 for water and $3.75 for
sewer for a total of $12.00. In addition, how-
ever, they would have to pay taxes.
At the current district tax rate
of 100 per $100 of valuation, this
hypothetical family of four liv-
ing in a $30,000 home would
have to pay $30 in annual taxes
or $2.50 per month.
Adding this monthly tax bill
to the $12.00 in service bills, a
Jim Wells resident would pay
$14.50 per month as opposed to
their current $ 17.40, a savings of
$2.90.
These figures clearly suggest
that the proposal would be bene-
ficial to the Jim Wells County
residents. They would have a
say in the district's management
and save money in the process.
The question would then
arise whether the annexation
would benefit the district. On the
face it may appear questionable.
Given that the district has
260 connections in Jim Wells
County, it could lose some
$9,050 given the estimates used
above. The current district residents would be
giving up a share of their district and losing a
modest sum in the process.
The benefits to the district, however,
could be in the long-term. In 1996 the district
will pay off its bonded indebtedness and will
either have to raise rates or incur additional
bonds to continue curent levels of services. At
this point, the addition of the Jim Wells area
begins to make sense.
This area will give the district an expanded
customer/tax base over which to spread future
costs.
Garza points out that the residents of the
district must began to address this issue or
may be faced with water bills four times cur-
rent levels.
by William Wall
Interstate News Service
Hitlltre Austin Bureau
AUSTIN - The April unem-
ployment rate rose by over five
percent in Duval County, com-
pared to March, according to fig-
ures released this week by the
Texas Employment Commission.
The monthly Texas Labor
Market Analysis reported the
April jobless rate in Duval County
to be 11.4 percent, compared to
March's 6.1 percent. The county's
jobless rate in April of 1990 was
7.6 percent.
'The sharp April rise in Duval
County unemployment is some-
what misleading. There were
actually 184 more people em-
ployed in April than in March in
Duval County," said Rachel
Tello-Sanchez, labor market
analyst with the TEC.
"However, over the same
period there were 554 new entries
to the total county labor force.
Since the majority of those people
didn't find work, the April Jobless
rate shot up, said Tello-Sanchez.
The statewide unemployment
rate for April was 6.9 percent,
compared to the March rate of 6.4
percent. The Texas jobless rate in
April 1990 was six percent
Three of the six surrounding
counties reported a higher April
jobless rate, compared to March.
The April unemployment rate
rose in Live Oak County by two-
tenths of one percent to 4.2 per-
cent; in Jim Wells County by 1.4
percent to 8.4 percent and in
Brooks County by 1.3 percent to
8.3 percent, compared to March.
The April jobless rate declined
in Jim Hogg County by four-
tenths of one percent to 6.3 per-
cent; in McMullen County by five
percent to .4 percent and in Webb
County by one percent to 11 per-
cent, compared to March.
TEC statistics showed that
there were 5,509 persons em-
ployed in Duval County during
April out of a total civilian labor*
force of 6,215. Unemployment
benefit claims were filed by 706
persons during the month.
In March, the total Duval
County work force was 5,671, of
which 5,325 were employed. Last
April, the county’s total work force
was 5,847, of which 5,405 were
employed. •
Statewide statistics for April
showed that 8,024,700 persons
were employed in the state out of
a total civilian labor force of
8,618,900.
In March, the state's total work
force was 8,527,900 of which
7,978,900 were employed.
The April 1990 report showed
the total civilian labor force in
Texas to be 8,386,200, of which
7,887,000 were employed.
SD taxes eighth highest in state
says Texas Research League
AUSTIN - Local property tax
rates in Texas increased 9.7% in
1989-90. This increase occurred
despite a $ 15 billion drop in prop-
erty values, as local governments
raised tax levies by $745 million
to a total of $11.3 billion. The
figures were provided by the
Texas Research League, an
Austin-based public policy re-
search group.
Property taxes in Texas aver-
aged 1.77% of market value (sell-
ing price) in 1989-90, but varied
widely throughout the state from
a high of 2.9% in Crystal City to
a low of 1.1 % in Highland Park in
Dallas.
In San Diego property taxes
were 2.7% of value making them
the eighth highest in the state.
That rate consists of 1.6% by San
Diego ISD, .88% for the county,
and 1.4% imposed by other tax-
ing jurisdictions, such as the water
and vocational school districts.
For a single-family house that
would sell for $80,000. the high-
est tax was $2,481 in Crystal City
and the lowest was a $842 tax bill
in Seminole. If the house were
eligible for various homestead
exemptions, the lowest tax would
have been $695 in Highland Park
compared to a high of $2,412 in
Crystal City.
Additional exemptions were
See POWER Page 2
Freer man killed
in one car rollover
FREER - David R. Martinez,
a 27-year old roughneck, was
killed instantly when his 1981
Datsun 280Z flew ofT the road
four miles east of here on High-
way 44. The accident occurcd at
12:24AM on Sunday, May 26.
State Trooper Roy Salazar
said in his report that Martinez
lost control of his vehicle while
it was traveling east at a high rate
of speed. The car went off the
roadway unto an unimproved
shoulder and struck a mesquite
tree 93 feet off the road. The car
continued on another 42 feet
finally coming to rest on its roof
182 feet from where it left the
road.
The vehicle rolled over three
times and Martinez, who was
not wearing a seat belt, was
ejected on the first roll. Hisbody
tumbled 120 fe<*» a< ro? s tht
roadway coming to rest otl the
westbound lane and shoulder.
San Diego Justice of the
Peace Am ado Garcia, Jr. pro-
nounced Martinez dead at the
scene.
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Cardenas, Alfredo E. Duval County Picture (San Diego, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 21, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 29, 1991, newspaper, May 29, 1991; San Diego, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1009723/m1/1/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .