El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 99B, No. 5, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 7, 1984 Page: 3 of 22
twenty two pages : ill. ; page 23 x 16 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
El Campo Leader-News, El Campo, TX, Sat., April 7,19B4
Page 3-A
.♦ r'
1
wL*
oem*
n \
ms
s 5
Sklar Denies Retrial
For Convicted Rapist
W
A motion for a new trial for
convicted rapist Johnny Baldwin
was denied last week by 329th
District Judge Dan Sklar.
The 25-year-old El Campo man
was sentenced to 75 years in
prison by a Wharton County jury
in February after being tried on
charges of abducting and raping a
convenience store clerk in
Wharton.
Attorneys for Baldwin at-
tempted to obtain a new trial on
the grounds that two of the jurors
knew one of the witnesses.
District Attorney John Roades
maintained that although the
jurors did know the witness, the
defense was already aware of
their acquaintance before the
trial began, therefore their
contention did not constitute new
evidence.
Defense attoneys also tried to
prove unsuccessfully that the
witnesses were not credible and
that they had been paid by Crime
Stoppers. However, records from
Crime Stoppers Inc. show no
record of any payoffs related to
the crime, and attorneys were not
able to provide any proof that
Crime Stoppers was involved.
Also brought up were con-
tentions that the prosecutor’s
arguments were prejudicial
“I don’t think there were any
grounds for a new trial,” Roades
said Monday. He said making a
motion for a new trial is the first
step in the appeals process.
Baldwin’s attorneys filed for a
motion for an appeal with the 13th
Court of Criminal Appeals in
Corpus Christi.
So far, attorneys Ken Lip-
scombe and Bob Ramsey of
Wharton have been awarded
$5,250 in fees accumulated before
and during the trial Those fees
were paid on March 27
Dan Sklar, 329th district judge,
said Thursday that he considered
the fees he awarded low (ap-
proximately $30 an hour) for area
standards. Fees average ap-
proximately $80 an hour for in and
out of court work in the county,
according to the judge.
Sklar said he expects the county
will be required to pay for work
done on appeal by the two at-
torneys.
|e of
Itain
ailed
lid 6
aline
Good Tip
L-N Photo by Cynthia L. Miller
Customers at The Windmill Thursday night may have thought their
waiters and waitresses were a bit odd, but the service was excellent.
These local volunteers turned all tips over to the American Heart
Association, earning a total of $1,094.10 in tips. Total proceeds from the
event topped $2,400. Shown, front to back, are: Linda Aiken, Denise Luco,
Jimmy Faltisek, James Pilgreen, Rita Hancock, Bud Childers. Linda
Raun, Carolina Vitera, Carolyn Wilson, Ginger Burger, Jim Hoffman,
and Joe Freeman.
Baseball Policy Considered
By El Campo ISD Trustees
The Youth Baseball
Association’s request that the
local school district turn over 25
percent of all baseball gate
receipts to the associaton will be
discussed at Tuesday’s regular
meetng of the El Campo
Independent School District
Board of Trustee. The meeting
will begin at 7 p.m. in the ECISD
board room.
Pat Nilson and Athletic Director
Buzzy Kieth were appointed to
discuss the matter with members
of the association. In addition to
sharing gate receipts, the
association has asked that Little
League players in uniform be
admitted free to any games for
which the school charges.
In other business, trustees will
canvass election returns from
today’s school board election.
Commissioners To Review
Revenue Sharing Change
Richard Manske and Jerry Collier
are running unopposed to keep
their seats on the board.
The board will also reorganize,
electing a new president, vice
president and secretary. Mankse
is currently board president.
The district will also accept a
bid for vehicle fleet insurance and
approve advertising for bids to
sell five old school buses which
have been replaced.
Wharton County Com-
missioners Monday will consider
an amendment to the revenue
sharing budget by deleting a
landfill project and inserting a
drainage project.
Wharton County set aside
$180,000 of a federal en-
vironmental protection grant to
build a county landfill. Precinct 3
Commissioner Arvid Schoeneberg
is requesting that the court
reassign that money toward
clearing large drainage ditches
County Judge Ed Wuthrich said
he agrees with Schoeneberg’s
proposal to reappropriate the
funds. Wuthrich will also ask
commissioners to appropriate
some of that money toward an
environmental impact study of
toxic waste disposal proposed for
the Boling Salt Dome.
The court will also consider a
request by a local contractor to
postpone opening bids for
renovating of the Wharton County
Courthouse Annex.
The request came because
some of the companies wanting to
bid on the courthouse complained
that the court did not advertise
adequately. Wuthrich said he is
unsure of what action com-
missioners will take.
“It would cause a delay and I
don’t want to delay it any fur-
ther,” Wuthrich said.
In other business, the court will
consider a request to waive the
rule requiring state approval on
septic systems for subdivisions
for La Marida subdivision, to be
located off U S. Highway 71
between El Campo and
Danevang The request brings
into question the county's sub-
division policy.
Commissioners also will con-
sider a request by the Texas High-
way Department to use county
property to repair a bridge on FM
441.
In other business, the court will
open bids on herbicides, for a
word processor for the County
Court and for a pickup truck for
Precinct 4. They will also
authorize bids for a gradall for
Precinct 2 and a computer for the
district child support office.
In reports, Wuthrich will update
commissioners on the status of
the toxic waste disposal permit
application by United Resource
Recovery Inc. The commissioners
and the parks and recreation
committee will also give their
reports.
Short Stories City To Consider Entex Rate Hike
OOPS! El Campo City Hall
called to say that the city’s drive-
through window will be closed
effective Monday, April 16 — not
Friday, or yesterday, as reported
Wednesday. Effective April 16.
citizens who are accustomed to
paying the utility bill at the drive-
through window will have to use a
drop box instead. Envelopes will
be provided at the box. The box
will be located near the window
now in use.
Today is election day, and we
encourage everyone to get out and
vote. The El Campo Community
Center will be open from 7 a.m. to
7 p.m. and voters may vote in all
three races — city council, school
board and Wharton County Junior
College.
The St. Philip’s Pep Squad
would sure appreciate folks
turning out Sunday to their
chicken spaghetti dinner. It will
be at the parish hall from 10:30
a.m. until 2 p.m. Plates are $3
each.
Church will be serving en-
chiladas. rice and beans Sunday
for $3.50 per plate at that church’s
parish hall. Serving is from II
a.m. until 2 p.m.
El Campo VFW Post and
Auxiliary will meet Tuesday at 7
p m. fur dinner and a talk from
the El Campo Police Depart-
ment's Alan Gutierrez concerning
drug abuse
And Junior Rotarians for the
month of April are El Campo High
School seniors Kelly Korenek,
Gene Soliz. Kyle Petersen and
Susan Socha. Korenek is one of
the Rotary Club's two
sweethearts, while Socha is the
Lions Club sweetheart. Four high
school seniors, two boys and two
girls, are guests of Rotary each
month.
A report from District Attorney
John Roades reveals that during
February 12 defendants in
Wharton County were sentenced
to prison. In six other cases,
defendants were placed on adult
probation. Also in February, a
jury assessed a defendant 75
years in an aggravated sexual
assault (rape) trial. Roades said
this is the longest jury verdict for
a non-capital offense in Wharton
County in many years.
The Louise Independent School
District Hoard of Trustees will be
meeting In regular session
Monday at X p.m. to canvass
election results, reorganize the
board and discuss school policy.
And if it’s Mexican food you
want. St. Robert’s Catholic
For all interested Louise
residents, who may be facing
higher telephone bills in the
future, the Public Utility Com-
mission will be holding two
hearings on the $X4.X million rate
request by General Telephone
Company of the Southwest The
first hearing will be at the San
Angelo C onvention Center from 2
to S pm and 6:36 to X p.m. The
second will be in Garland in city
council chambers from 2 to 5 p.m
and 6 16 to * p m
YOUR LIFE
IS IN
YOUR
HANDS.
A rate increase of 50 cents per
customer has been proposed to
the City of El Campo by Entex
City Council will discuss the
request Monday night at 7:30 p m
during its regular meeting.
The rate adjustment will in-
crease local customers’ minimum
monthly bill from $7.03 to $7 53.
According to a letter from
Entex’s Texas Coast division
manager, Guy Dawkins, the rate
increase is identical to a revision
made in other areas of the Gulf
Coast. According to the letter, the
new rate schedule will bring in an
additional $18,564 each year.
The rate hike will go into effect
beginning May 1, and does not
require city action, according to
the letter. Don Hoffman, Entex
manager, will speak before the
council.
In other business, council will
canvass results of today's election
for positions 5 and 7, held by
Mayor Cecil Davis and Ruth
Fmka, respectively. Davis is
being challenged by Dennis E.
Hansen, and Frnka faces Thomas
U. Hollis
Council will also review and
approve the final plat of the
Meadows Subdivision, and will
hold a public hearing on a zoning
change from “C-2” (general
business) to “R-1MH” (single
family mobile home), for lots 1-12,
Block 14 of Sunnyside Gardens
Repairs to the city ’s Caterpillar
D-7G landfill compactor will be
discussed At the last council
meeting, City Manager Robert
Lundy reported that the tran-
smission on the compactor needed
work, and members approved
repairs up to$ll,000.
The Ministerial Alliance has
asked permission to use McKinley
Park April 20 for a United
Community Good Friday Service.
The service will begin at 3 p.m.
and will include most El Campo
pastors.
Two Suspicious Blazes
Under Investigation
El CamDo's fire marshal is
investigating two fires of
suspicious origin
“Fences don’t catch on fire by
themselves." Garland Myers, fire
marshal, said Friday about a
fence that caught on fire at the
residence of Fred Prihoda. 1211
IJnn St.. Wednesday afternoon
Twenty-five men and one truck
from the El Campo Volunteer
Fire Department were called out
to that fire which was already
under control by neighbors when
firemen arrived However, the
cause of the fire has not been
determined, according to Myers
and is still under investigation.
Another fire still under in-
vestigation occurred at the
residence of Gerald Grogan, 1304
Briar, at 5:07 a m Tuesday.
Twenty-six men and three
trucks responded to that shed fire
of unknown origin
Myers said the wooden utility
shed containing gardening im-
plements was destroyed in the
Naze
A number of firemen traveled to
Midfield at 5 45 p m Wednesday
with three trucks to assist that
fire department w ith a grass fire
National Guard Aids
April 13 Blood Drive
Participating in the upcoming blood drive sponsored by the
Texas Army National Guard is one way of staying in tune with
your community.
El Campo area residents have the opportunity to help keep
the region's blood supply healthy by donating on Friday, April
13 Professional personnel from the Gulf Coast Regional Blood
Center will screen and draw donors from 3 to 7 p.m. inside the
guard office located at 801 East Armory Road in El Campo
There is a special need for donations of 0+ or O- blood types.
If you have an O blood type, please make an extra effort to
donate
If you are age 17 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in
good general health, you can probably be a blood donor
Anyone wishing to make an appointment to donate on April 13
is asked to call Bob Riley or Alfred Wendel at (409 ) 543-4473. If
you have questions about donating, call The Blood Center (713)
/-»! fi Wl
Stay in tune with your community — donate blood!
¥ Kt, CAMPO \T
Leader-1N ews
’MO MINI
CMMKMMI
CVNTMA | MMII* Mm.
MT(MMO>KI A*« NtmMN»
OOMOfWT MCMAAOt MM*.
MM 0LM—HI iMrtiMM.
(MW XlMOIOM •*.-. ImVm
IMUUMI MM1N Mm.
SM* MUM Catwmmiy
MMM MOM
S I OHO in tHHS
JACK (HIM A<M...tW| *■*
0060TMV IMfTM OOm. A»«t.
AM* »***01| MAlMf.
MAMMA MAMKUM MInh>
0060TMV MMA OmMM AA
■SNA MIAVATT CmmIMm
WI'DOM MAVOM
VMM. *OUt>r A«—«»■»
mac. wommam ’>•* IpmMm
JAm%! KAMO' ’<•* lM<m.i'
•UMMMM*
lAMMM MAKAU »Q« IMi.'
rum iM«M.
MJ I IT
• (MU Ra Jitii
*•* UI IM1
i -r -1 »— l -
■ W •—» A.* . ».#*■— •* •*•-•*—*
IMM IZ*. -~r a*6 k* —— *
Uuxpim Ml I6M—I IUM pm (661
Out * II*—? IM M p— r—
o- d mm m*m pm r—
to>ni»— 1*4 Mi (• MM m—46
k——d Mm mmc 0*4 •• P Cwpi DM
l.*fc«Z« .i—*S«l ISM
(M <•«"*• 0«.«- .wtolUA** I MM
II Cimi *tow» .ilMSi>«Z IMS
O Cam* i—> mnMM. MS/
\4*
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. 99B, No. 5, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 7, 1984, newspaper, April 7, 1984; El Campo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1018008/m1/3/: accessed June 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Wharton County Library.