El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 87, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 22, 1983 Page: 1 of 24
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Wharton County Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Wharton County Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
yi
’Birds Thrash
Terry Rangers
— Page 7-A
Rollback Efforts Statewide
— Page 2-A
A New Tax For Savers
Sesame Gang
At Summit
- In LOOK
Leader-News
SVOBODA 1885
CITIZEN 1900
VOLUME 98 NUMBER 87
77437
El Campo, Texas, Saturday, January 22, 1983
25 CENTS 2 SECTIONS 24 PAGES
Kainer Named City’s
Top Citizen In 1982
By KAY KENNEDY RICE
El Campo native John Emil
Kainer received one of his
hometown’s most prestigious
awards Thursday night during the
Chamber of Commerce and
Agriculture’s annual membership
and awards banquet.
Kainer was named the 1982
“Citizen of the Year” and was
praised by the Rev. Lloyd Nixon
as a “trusted and trustworthy
civic leader...who does his work
with a minimum of publicity and
no fanfare.”
The banquet, which drew a
crowd of more than 750 people,
also featured the colorful humor
of Jerry Clower and the musical
talents of Mike Middleton of
Austin, 1982 Texas State Accor-
dion Champion.
Nixon, the 1980 “Citizen of the
Year” recipient, described
Kainer as a diligent church
member and listed Kainer’s
numerous civic undertakings.
Kainer was born on the east side
of North Mechanic Street. He was
the first manager of the El Campo
school football team and built
Ricebird Stadium. He was a
member of the El Campo
Independent School District board
of trustees for nine years and a
member of the city’s first city
charter commission. He served 10
years as a volunteer firemen and
was past president of the
Chamber of Commmerce.
Kainer was one of the founders
of the El Campo Museum Society,
over which he now presides. He
was past president of the West
Wharton County Salvation Army
and a member of El Campo’s
United Fund. A former Civil Air
patrolman, he also was past
president of the Rotary Club. He
is now vice president of the El
Campo Medical Foundation, a
member of the ODHS-Garden of
Memories Cemetery Association
and Lower Colorado Valley
Association.
In accepting the plaque, Kainer
promised to work for El Campo as
long as he is able. “I hope I can
live up to this honor. ”
Sandra Kainer Patterson of
Ohio sent a letter, in special
tribute to her father,
congratulating him on the award
and recognizing him as both
citizen and father of the year.
In his remarks as the outgoing
chamber president, Jerry Collier
reviewed both the ac-
complishments and disap-
pointments of 1982, before han-
ding the gavel to Rita Radley, 1983
president.
He thanked the hard workers
that made Grande a countywide
success, adding that “a solid
foundation has been laid for
Grande Days in the coming
years.”
“We made a positive effort
during the year to communicate
with the membership,” Collier
said, “to inform them about what
their chamber is doing and to
encourage more input from
them.”
This outreach to the mem-
bership resulted in the “Stay for
the Gold” holiday shopping
campaign and a monthly
newsletter.
Collier said the chamber could
do little for the farmer but
sympathize. He also mentioned
the Civic Center project, which
will not become a reality in the
near future.
Following a presentation to
Collier for outstanding service,
Radley said one of the biggest
projects for 1983 will be the
(SeeCHAMBER. Page2)
__ _ . L-N Fholo by Chns ttarbee
El Campos rinest
John E. Kainer, left, was named El Campo's “Citizen of the Year" Thurs-
day during the annual chamber banquet. The Rev. Lloyd Nixon introduc-
ed him and presented him his plaque. Kainer becomes the IKth El Campo
citizen to receive the prestigious award.
Group Home Dispute Goes Before Judge On Monday
By GERARD PYM
A hearing seeking an injunction
against an El Campo group home
for four mentally retarded
citizens will take place in the
courtroom of 23rd District Judge
Neil Caldwell, Monday at 9 a.m.
The home, located at 1007
College, has sparked controversy
since September when neigh-
boring residents petitioned City
Council to rule that the home is a
multi-family residence and
violates the city’s R-l, single
family, zoning ordinance and
deed restrictions.
On a close vote of four to three,
council ruled that the home does
violate the ordinance and in-
structed City Attorney Richard
Bitter Weeds...
By JERRY AULDS
The rapprochement with China highlighted Richard Nixon’s
presidency but Nixon’s trip to China occurred at the height of
the school busing controversy and a cartoon combining those
two elements symbolizes for me the vast difference between the
two systems of government.
In the cartoon Nixon is pictur 'd in conversation with Chair-
man Mao with Mao bemusedly advising Nixon, “When we want
to bus them, we just bus them!”
The message is simple No sweat for China Blood, sweat,
toil, tears and screams for the United States.
In resolving conflicts democracy always appears uniquely in-
efficient Those that don't want to be bused will resist mightily.
They will protest, write congressmen, seek injunctions in court,
stage demonstrations and generally impede the will of the
state
But while the process is grossly inefficient, the results con
tinu? to be surprisingly satisfying.
The genius of that process is the implicit understanding that
when the issues are presented for a vote that both sides will ac-
cept the verdict of the voters m ^
And that brings us to El Campo and the school tax rollback
issue
In the best democratic tradition the two sides of the rollback
controversy are vigorously presenting their respective cases
It is that vigor which aperies me When the voters eventually
speak we may have a nfcolution rather than a resolution Too
many harsh words have been spoken, too many long friendships
are on the brink of dissolution ••***
On the national scene politicians hurl verbal salvos at one
another and following the exchange go out for a beer but in El
Campo the verbal barrage draws blood and kills the notion of
good fellowship
Democracy is a tough flower which can flourish in the midst
of dissent, hut in a small garden like Kl Campo, if we don I
grant the other side good faith and intention*, the resulting ran
ror ran poison the soil and the next crop will tie bitter weed*
Collins to file an application for a
hearing in district court to
determine if the city has grounds
for a temporary injunction
against the home.
Established by the Richmond
State School and the advisory
board of the El Campo Adult Area
Workshop, the group home has
reportedly drawn fire because the
four mentally retarded males,
who range in age from 22 to late
40s. do not constitute a "family
unit.”
Leased from Mr. and Mrs
Wayne Collins of Houston by the
advisory board, the home is under
the direction of the Richmond
State School.
‘The city presented the
argument that they're not a
family and our attorneys will
argue that they do constitute a
family,” Moonyeen Weiss,
director of community services at
the school, said.
Weiss projected optimism but
conceded that Judge Caldwell will
make the final decision “I’m
very optimistic. I believe that City
Council voted the convictions that
they felt. Our ultimate desire is to
provide a full array of services for
the retarded citizens in El Campo
The court is the place to settle
something like that. ”
The city was joined by mem-
bers of the Weslayan Terrace
Property Owners Association in
the application for a hearing
Represented by attorney Wilson
Rutherford, the group plans to file
a separate suit on the grounds
that the home violates deed
restrictions placed on property in
the subdivision where it was
subdivided several years ago by
owner Bryce Sanford
“Were just hoping that the
zoning laws and deed restriction
will be upheld and the matter will
be resolved in a peaceful man-
ner,” said Mrs. Richard Green,
spokeswoman for the association.
Green added that there have been
no problems in the neighborhood
since the home has been
operating.
“This has nothing to do with
emotional issues at all," City
Attorney Richard Collins said.
“City Council sympathizes, we
just think it’s in violation of the
ordinance.”
The attorney emphasized that
citizeas are concerned that if
three or four unrelated adults can
live together, future violations of
the ordinance may occur.
Collins also believes that the
definition of the “single family
residence" in the ordinance is the
heart of the controversy He
suggested that future legislation
be passed to clarrify the am-
biguous law
“If more than three or four
unrelated adults can move into an
R-l Zone, it could open the door.
Council wanted to test the case in
district court,” he said
The Richmond State School and
its superintendent Joe Emerson,
who was named in the action, will
be represented by the State
Attorney General’s office
Renea Hicks of the Austin-
based law firm Advocacy Inc. will
be representing the Adult Center
and Karen Meinardus. president
of the advisory board Hicks will
also represent Mr and Mrs
Collins, who were also named in
the suit
“I believe our evidence will
establish that the arrangement is
not in violation of the zoning law
or deed restrictions," Hicks said
Hospital Hopes To Acquire Clinic
Board ConsiderM Birthing Room Fropowal
By CHRIS BARBEE
El Campo Hospital Authority
members decided to pursue the
acquisition of the El Campo
Medical Center, the clinic which
adjoins El Campo Memorial
Hospital, in action taken Wed
nesday night during the board s
regular monthly meeting
The hospital's physician
recruitment committee met Jan
5 and passed a formal motion
recommending that the Authority
give the matter "top priority "
Bob Reeves, chairman of the
physician recruitment com
mittee told the Authority board
that the medical center does and
will affect the future success of
the committee
The center s first floor is now
occupied by physicians from
Wharton s outlar Blair Clime
while Drs Bill Hand and Romeo
Fortin are on *he second floor
The Authority has been concerned
for several months about the
Wharton doctors' failure to
support the local hospital with
admissions
John Hancock Jr., Authority
president, appointed a committee
to look into the possibility of
acquiring the new medical center
Members are Melvin Parker Jr,
chairman. Joyce Henderson. B<*b
Reeves, Floyd Appling and Dr
Ronald (/oelzer
Hancock said any board
member or local citizen wanting
to work on this project should
contact Parker
Advisory board member Chris
Barbee made a presentation
concerning a birthing room
Barbee explained that more and
more parents are taking ad-
vantage of prepared childb rth
classes and deliveries, and tiiat
the birthing room concept is one
that new parents want when it is
available
A birthing room is a com
bination labor/delivery room
which is made to look as much
like a home setting as possible
These rooms also usually include
a birthing bed/chair, a lied which
i» used during labor, and which is
then tilt«*d for delivery to let
gravity help w ;th the delivery
Barbee noted that Gulf Coast
Medical Center has recently
opened such a room. and 12 babies
have ta*en born in it to <late the
first being the baby girl of Mr and
Mrs Buck Ernka Kl Campo
Its tmard liked the idea and
endorsed the priraipte leaving
David Morgan, hospital ad
mimstrator to work out the
details with the hospital nursing
and medical staff
Dr Ron Goelzer noted that
medifinc is changing He said
hospitals are like any other
business now and they must
market their product We have
to give people what they want, or
they will go elsewhere," he said
Barbee also asked about sibling
visitation Dr Gocl/er said he
does not think the hospital has a
rule prohibiting children from
seeing their parents who are
hospitalized I like for my
patients a ret their children to see
each other and in fact loci that it
helps speed the recovery of the
patient ” lie said
The administrator suggested
•see III mi'l l \l Page *
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Barbee, Chris. El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 87, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 22, 1983, newspaper, January 22, 1983; El Campo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1006926/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Wharton County Library.