El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 70, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 19, 1986 Page: 1 of 44
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ACS Aims
To Save Lives
—Page 1-D
'Bird Hoop Outlook Bright
—Page 1-B
Hubenak Wins Yard Award
—Page 1 •(
02-07
p0Y 12100
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'Service
JX 7?22"*
Center
Lady mrtls
Lose Opener
—Page 1-B
Le ader-N ews
VOLUME 101 NUMBER 70 77437
El Campo, Texas, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 1986 354 (includes tax) 5SECTIONS 48 PAGES
whs
wifm
Highway Beautification
Approximately 50 men, women and children
responded to the call for aid Saturday to plant
and water almost 450 plants in several areas east
of El Campo along the U.S. 59 entrance to town.
UN Photo by Chris B»rb«*r
A total of 648 plants were put down over the last
two Saturdays, including life oaks, crape
myrtles, oleanders and pampas grass.
Venue Changed
In Calaway Suit
By MICHAEL ALEXIEFF
A change of venue has been
granted the El Campo
Independent School District
in a lawsuit filed in Travis
County by former ECISD
teacher Charlene Calaway.
ECISD attorney Tracy
Whitley said she filed three
motions at a preliminary
hearing in Austin Nov. 13. Of
the three, two were granted,
the change of venue and a
motion to disallow
jurisdiction under the state’s
“whistle-blower” statutes
The third was denied. It was a
motion for summary
judgement that would have
effectively dismissed the suit.
The granting of change of
venue will move the case to
Wharton County. ECISD
Superintendent Joe Thedford,
Ph D., who is not named in
the suit, said the change of
venue is in the district’s favor
because, “If it ever goes to
trial the values and com-
munity mores in Wharton
County reflect the school
district better than in Travis
County.”
However, Calaway’s at-
torney, Lynn Rubinett, said
that she will file a motion to
reconsider the two motions
granted the school district.
She said the change of venue
and whistle-blower action are
tied together because of a
provision in the law that
allows a choice of venue to
the plaintiff (Calaway) in
such cases. Rubinett said the
motion to reconsider will be
filed within the next week.
Calaway filed the suit in
September. She had taught in
the ECISD from 1984 to 1986,
but her contract was not
renewed last spring. She
requested a hearing from the
school board, and on May 28
trustees voted not to renew
her contract after a seven
hour hearing. The vote was 3-
2 against Calaway, with
trustees Curtis Jensen and
Pat Nilson voting to reinstate
(See VENUE. Page 3)
Drapela Case Could End With Plea Bargain
By MICHAEL ALEXIEFF
The attorney representing Precinct 4 Coun-
ty Commissioner C.F. “Doc” Drapela said
Tuesday there is a 50-50 chance that a plea
bargain can be reached in his case of tamper-
ing with a government document.
Drapela, who was indicted on the misde-
meanor charge in early October, had a pre-
trial hearing Nov. 17 and is scheduled to ap-
pear before District Judge Daniel Sklar
again Nov. 26.
Drapela’s attorney, Richard Manske, said
Tuesday that he is trying to reach a plea
bargain with District Attorney Danny
Shindler.
“We’re working on the possible disposal of
the case,” Manske said. Drapela pleaded not
guilty to the Class A Misdemeanor Oct. 10.
Manske said a ’“*» of nolo contendere was a
possibility in a dispose of the case.
However, if plea bargaining breaks down,
Manske is confidant of his client's ability to
win the case. “I don’t think we’ve done
anything wrong,” he said. “We need to get on
with the business at hand (of being a county
commissioner).
“The people have spoken,” Manske added,
referring to the recent election in which
Drapela was re-elected to office.
In other district court news, El Campo
pharmacist Jack Greenwood also appeared
in court Monday. His attorney, Wilson
Rutherford, filed a motion for continuance,
which was denied by Judge Sklar. Green-
wood is scheduled to appear again Monday.
Greenwood, who is facing a felony com
mercial offense charge, had no comment
Tuesday, and efforts by the Leader-News to
reach Rutherford were unsuccesful.
LISD Board
Annual Audit
Shows Savings
Wants Action
L-N Photo by Tad Hmknrn
David Cormier looks over a sheep that was mauled by wild dogs on his
property west of El Campo.
Wild Dogs Maul Sheep, Goats
The Louise Independent
School District’s financial
picture for the 1985-86 school
year was given a clean bill of
health Monday as trustees
heard results of the annual
audit. Steve Stelwagen, an
associate of the auditing firm
of Sauls and Pechacek of
Bellville. praised trustees for
their financial management
during a 40-minute ex-
planation of the audit
document.
The audit shows that LISD
spent $90,000 less than the
$1,560,540 budgeted for the
year and was able to add
$200,000 to its fund balance
even with less-than-expected
revenues coming in. The
savings came from budgets
for pupil transportation, food
services. general ad-
ministration and plant
maintenance.
“At a time when many
school dtsthets are having to
go out and borrow money to
pay salaries, this is quite an
achievement,” Stelwagen
said, urging that trustees
maintain a healthy fund
balance Collection of
delinquent taxes and interest
income also contributed to
the district’s fund balance
last year.
The estimated $400,000 fund
balance came under
discussion during last
month's meeting when
Superintendent Chester St.
Clair forecasted LISD
revenues would fall mainly
because of lower oil prices. At
that time he urged trustees to
increase taxes slightly so that
more substantial hikes would
not be necessary in years to
come. They followed his
recommendation when they
increased property taxes
from 72.73 cents per $100
valuation to 78 73 cents
Trustees also routinely
adopted the new tax roll.
Other business included
reviewing attendance data
gathered in October, which
influences state foundation
payments next year.
Attendance for the district as
a whole was 97 35 percent, a
figure that would have been
higher except for absences
due to influenza. St Clair
said.
Trustees also reviewed bids
for a copying machine in the
administrative offices but
made no decision.
By TADHERSIIOKN
A grim scene of carnage
gripped David Cormier as he
pulled up to the gate of High-
way Salvage. 1920 U S. 59
West, about 8 o'clock last
Tuesday morning Wild dogs
dug under the fence of his
five-acre yard earlier in the
morning and attacked a herd
of 15 sheep and goats he owas
to control grass and brush
Cormier ran into the office,
grabbed a rifle and was able
to squeeze a shot off at one of
the animals that made a
successful break for freedom
Cormier discovered the
dogs had killed one pregnant
goat and mauled four others,
who were also on the verge of
bearing offspring A sheriffs
deputy surveyed the scene
along with James McKeon. a
US. Department of
Agriculture district field
assistant for animal damage
control in Wharton County.
An angry Cormier suspects
that some of the vicious in-
truders are breeds mixed
with coyote or wolf, a
distinction important in
whether McKeon can assist
<See ANIMAL. Page 3>
Mikeska
To Serve
600 Folks
Thursday, Nov. 27 is one
day no one in El Campo
should be hungry.
The public is invited to a
free Thanksgiving Day din-
ner at the El Campo Com-
munity Center from 11 a m.
until 2 p m. The dinner is be-
ing served compliments of
the Maurice Mikeska family
and the employees of
Mikeska Bar-B-Q and Cater-
ing Service.
Maurice Mikeska said he
and his staff are preparing to
serve 600 or more people.
“It’s open to the public.
Whoever wants to join us for
dinner is welcome,” he said.
The buffet-style menu will in-
clude turkey, dressing, sweet
potatoes, slaw, green beans,
cranberries and iced tea.
I^ast year the Mikeskas
served a free Christmas din-
ner to approximately 500.
Like last year, the employees
of Mikeskas are donating
their time to cook and help
serve "Everyone liked doing
it last year They had a good
time and wanted to do It
again,” Gary Mikeska said of
(See MIKESKA. Page 2)
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Barbee, Chris. El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 70, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 19, 1986, newspaper, November 19, 1986; El Campo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1018727/m1/1/: accessed July 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Wharton County Library.