The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 141, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 3, 1994 Page: 4 of 20
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Page 4
THE BASTROP ADVERTISER
Thursday, March 3,1994
Issues & Opinions
Chamber seeks help
RY"
We need your help The
Bastrop Chamber of Commerce
is excited about two major pro-
jects which arc underway, but to
make them successful, we need
local homes and businesses
looking their best.
The first project is the FAM
(iliarization) Tour on March 10-
11. we are hosting 17 travel
writers and tour operators from
around the state and plan to fa-
miliarize tiicm with Bastrop.
We will show them the State
Park, the Bastrop County His-
torical Society Museum, bed
and breakfasts, both golf
courses, our historic courthouse
and jail, the downtown district
and our historical homes. Hope-
fully they will bring future tours
back to Bastrop.
The second projcct is a
planned eight-page article in
Texas Highways about Bastrop.
Bob Parvin, a long time friend
to Bastrop and the chamber, will
begin photography lor the arti-
cle during March. Naturally we
want to look our best.
It may seem early in the sea-
son for yard work but mowing,
edging and trash pickup will do
a lot to brighten our image. It
would also help to have empty
garbage cans removed from Uie
street after pick-up, have appli-
ances and furniture removed
from front porches and have
general clutter out of sight.
We are getting many com-
pliments on our good looking
downtown. Now we need your
help to make our residential ar-
eas look just as good. Remem-
ber, time is short. March is al-
ready here;
Thank you in advance for
your cooperation and hard work.
Sincerely,
Stacy Adams
The Bastrop Chamber of
Commerce
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Dear Editor:
The Sunday edition of the
Austin American Statesman car-
ried an article on all of the as-
piring county, state and national
political candidates. As I read
the information pertaining to
each candidate and reflected on
the conditions in our nation,
state, county, and city. I came to
the belief that it requires each
voting citizen to consider some
changes in all areas of our
elected leadership.
Life is an ongoing process of
change. Some^oL the .changes
which may^occw mB$®iseni
quite drastic to some citizens
but m!ght be necessary to bring
about the help needed to meet
the diverse needs of the citizens.
There arc many kinds of
changes that we experience.
Some kinds of changes require
us to adjust: such as a new
community, new job, or a new
relationship.
Outer changes arc also im-
portant, but how we response lo
change is even more important.
We, as individual citizens need
to ask ourselves, "How do we
feel about change?" The way we
answer these questions will
have a great deal to do with the
kind of life expenences we
have.^
As we read the media and
hear the radio and watch televi-
sion, we need to examine with a
renewed awareness the choice
that our leaders (local, state and
national) offer us. All of these
persons are promoting their as-
pirations to be chosen as our
leaders. Each citizen's vote can
make a difference in what kind
of change we will experience.
I believe that we should ex-
amine our national, state,
county, and city needs, and look
closely at the values and moral
deellfceMhat have helped erode
our nation's foundation and im-
pact our communities. We
should choose our leaders by
voting, not on our emotional
feelings, but on our god given
wisdom and understanding to
chose those leaders whom we
believe reflect faith, courage
and the commitment to help
build a strong community, state
and nation.
There can be great joy in the
new and untried if we do not re-
sist or rebel against change.
Sincerely,
Jewell Hodges
Bastrop
Pasirop JVbfreritaer
TEXAS' OLDEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Published 104 times a year (Including Christmas Day and New Year's Day),
Saturday and Thursday at The Bastrop Advertiser office, 908 Water Street,
P.O. Box 459, Bastrop, TX 78602. Non-sectarian, non-partisan, devoted to
the welfare of the people of Bastrop County. Subscription rates: $25.50 per
year delivered in county, $27.50 per year delivered out of county, (All are
payable in advance). Second class postage paid at Bastrop, Texas 78602.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Bastrop Advertiser, P.O. Box
459, Bastrop, TX 78602.321-2557 - 321-6444
Dave Smith - Publisher
Steve Taylor - General Manager
Davis McAuley • Editor
Ellen Moore • Events
Chris Stockton - Sports
Janice Butler - Reporter
ADVERTISING
Erlene Goertz - Sharon Roper
CIRCULATION
Brenda Sharirli
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
PRODUCTION
Jan Emerson
BASTROP ADVERTISER (USPS045-020)
MEMBER TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
1994
J
MEMBER 1904
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
Dear Editor:
I am a member of the Col-
orado River Watch Foundation
(CRWF) which actively support
the LCRA's Colorado River
Watch Network (CRWN) and
sponsors and provides guidance
to the successful Austin Youth
River Watch Network
(AYRWN) which challenges
students to become water mon-
itors. As many of you know, the
middle schools and high schools
of both Smithville and Bastrop
are active members of the river
walch network.
Recently the CRWF has been
successful in obtaining a
$60,000 United State Informa-
tion Agency (USIA) grant to
send 10 qualified students to
Obninsk, Russian to study and
participate with Russian stu-
dents who also are "river moni-
tors" on the Volga River.
The students will spend al-
most one month living and
studying with their Russia
counter parts. We hope that this
will be the first of many excit-
ing exchanges every other year
that will also bring Russian stu-
dents here to see how our stu-
dents monitor our great Col-
orado River.
I am pleaded to announced
that of the 10 students selected
to participate in this ground-
breaking event, two will be
from Bastrop County. Jennifer
Veninga of Smithville and Am-
ber Ryan of Bastrop were the
top two applicants.
I can only tell you how proud
it made me feel to hear the other
members of the selection com-
mittee praise the applications
Jennifer and Amber submitted.
Congratulations are also in or-
der for two of the best teachers
in Bastrop County, Cheryl
Burns of Smithville and Betsy
Carpenter of Bastrop.
Without their dedication and
commitment to the education of
our young people this wonderful
event might never have hap-
pened.
Bastrop County Proud,
Gary Rassner, D.D.S.
Colorado River Watch
Foundation
Qualifications are the real issue
Dear Editor:
It's unfortunate that a race as
important as the District Attor-
ney's is being turned into a
numbers game with unsubstan-
tiated statistics and campaign
rhetoric when it should be about
qualifications and experience.
With crime such a serious
problem, I believe it's absolutely
essential that we evaluate these
candidates on ability and not
ihetoric.
Charles -Penick's opponent
makes a big fuss about plea bar-
gains versus trials. But he
doesn't say much about his
qualifications for the job of dis-
trict attorney. Either he has none
or he considers them unimpor-
tant for this office.
Apparently he has no prose-
cution experience and virtually
none as a trail attorney.
Personally, I would no more
put a nonprosecutor in the DA's
office than I would pick a non-
surgeon to operate on me.
The burning question in this
race is not who will try more
jury trials. It is instead: Who do
we believe can convict crimi-
nals in Bastrop County - a 15-
year veteran prosecutor who
hasn't lost a felony jury case in
seven years - or a retired
Houston businessman who has
never prosecuted a single case
and never tried a jury case in
this county?
I trust the voters of Bastrop
County to see through political
flim-flam and to re-elect one of
the finest DA's this county has
ever had: Charles Penick.
E. Murphy Dye
Catfish fry
big success
The 3-N-l Volunteer Fire
Department's recent catfish fry
and auction was a big success,
thanks to tremendous commu-
nity support. It also took the
time and talents of many mem-
bers to succeed.
Thank you to everyone. On
behalf of the 3-N-l VFD Board,
our sincere appreciation to ev-
eryone for your support and
concern.
Janet Kirkpatrick
for 3-N-l VFD
Kelly Road
sign needed
Dear Editor:
Last week while visiting
friends on Kelley Road East in
the Lost Pines area of Bastrop,
an emergency required a 9-1-1
call for an ambulance. It was
early in the morning and the fog
was quite heavy.
Because there was no street
sign visible, considerable time
elapsed before the ambulance
driver was able to find the ad-
dress, and this only after another
call to 9-1-1 giving additional
instructions to our location.
Fortunately the emergency
was not of a cardiac nature or
my friend might not be alive to-
day. Simply because there were
no adequate street signs, read-
able in the dark fog, this story
could have had a different end-
ing. Needless to say, we are ex-
tremely grateful to the EMS
employees for the highly pro-
fessional manner in which they
responded to our call and car-
ried out their duties.
I should like to suggest the
placement of signs in the cross-
overs between the tv>o roads on
Texas 21 identifying the various
cross-streets. Although Kelley
Road West can be found easily,
such is not the case for Kelley
Road East Also, the existing
street signs should be more visi-
ble since the present ones are
faded and very hard to find in
the tress and foliage, these
might be of the reflective type,
if possible.
These suggestion, if carried
out, might possibly save the
lives of others in the future.
Yours Truly,
Ruth S. Parker
Waco
Former DA defends role of plea bargaining
Dear Editor:
As former District Attorney
of Bastrop County and as one
who has worked with Charles
Penick, I believe it's important
for me to shalre with voters my
perception of the DA's race and
the important issues in it.
Charles Penick served five
years as my Assistant District
Attorney, and he proved to be
an aggressive, hard-working
prosecutor. Since becoming
District Attorney, he has built
an impressive record of con-
victing and getting stiff prison
sentences for criminals. The
DA'S office has won every
felony trial since 1987.
His opponent uses partial,
self-serving statistics to make
assertions about plea bargains
which do not portray the com-
plete picture. I believe that does
a grave disservice to Bastrop
County voters. /
First, it is wrong to imply that
a plea bargain lets the criminal
escape trial or results in a le-
nient sentence. In every felony
case there is a trail, either before
a judge or a jury. The defendant
chooses which it will be.
And the District Attorney
does not have the final say in a
plea bargained case. Each and
every one is presented to the
presiding judge, who then ac-
cepts or rejects the plea bargain
after hearing the evidence in the
case in a trial before the court
Hie final approval rests solely
with the judge.
Plea bargained cases in Bas-
trop County have resulted in
sentences up to 60 years. These
criminals are taken off the
streets immediately, and they
lose their right to appeal. Every
criminal defendant who is tried
by a jury has a right to appeal
his conviction, and most have a
right to remain free on bond
while their cases are being ap-
pealed, which can take years.
Second, it is equally wrong to
imply that a jury trial automati-
cally brings a longer sentence or
even a conviction. We all know
instances of high-profile cases
where juries failed to give stiff
sentences - or even to convict *
- in cases that looked on the sur-
face to be invincible. Many plea
bargained cases actually result
in longer prison sentences.
Third, the two district judges
for Bastrop County serve three
other counties as well, hearing
both criminal and civil cases.
Thousands of cases are now>
pending in these four counties.
Obviously, we cannot try all
these cases before juries be-
cause of the tremendous amount
of time and money involved.
Our courts are overburdened
and backlogged, and there is not
the court time available to
eliminate or even reduce plea
bargaining regardless of what
the D.A. does. That's why
judges do their best to get pros-
ecutors and attorneys to resolve
cases without the need for jury
trials.
Also there are many other
factors involved which necessi-
tate plea bargaining. Sometimes
the victim refuses to testify, or
the defendant may plead guilty
and waive a jury trail.
Fourth, I want to point out
that Bastrop County compares
favorably with the number of
jury trials tried in other counties
in this area, as well as the state
as a whole. In fact Charles
Penick's current average ranks
higher on jury trials and lower
on plea bargains than either the
state's or nearby Williamson
County's, which has the reputa-
tion as being one of the toughest
counties in the state on crime.
And those figures can be veri-
fied in the latest reports of the
Criminal Justice Policy Council
and the Texas Judicial System
Annual Report
Finally, the other candidate
has virtually no trial experience,
and his only record is that as a
criminal defense lawyer.
Charles, on the other hand is re-
spected throughout the state as a
tough but Mr prosecutor. The
people that know his job best
other prosecutors and judges,
will attest not only to his ability
but also his integrity.
All of us want to see crime
diminished and criminals
brought to justice. The best way
to ensure that happens is to in-
sist on a sharp, experienced
prosecutor in our courtroom.
Only one candidate fits that cri-
teria in this race, and that is the
incumbent District Attorney
Charles Penick I urge his re-
election.
Neal Pfdffer
Attorney At Law
Bastrop
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McAuley, Davis. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 141, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 3, 1994, newspaper, March 3, 1994; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth409790/m1/4/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.