The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 18, 1991 Page: 1 of 6
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“Established
June 25, 1948’
VOLUME XXXXII
Thursday, April 18,1991 — 6 Pages — No. 16
Odem, Texas 78370
i
Absentee Voting
Reported Slow
Absentee voting for the May 4
elections was reported as having
. slow response since it began Monday
V for both the city and school trustee'
elections.
The school tax office reported that
a total of four votes had been cast as
of Wednesday afternoon while the
City reported five.
The election for school board
trustees is uncontested with in-
cumbents Kay Whatley and Johnny
Sembrano seeking re-election.
In the City race, Mayor Jessie
Rodriguez is seeking another term,
with Grade B. Ortiz challenging him
for the position.
For Place 4 on the Council is Mary
Elizabeth Martinez and Homero A.
Roblez. The race for Place 5 in-
cludes incumbent Alonzo M. Garza
and Audon Aleman.
Voters may vote absentee at the
tax office or city hall until the April
30 deadline.
^ Transfer Applications
Deadline Set May 1
Students living in another school
district and desiring to transfer to
the Odem-Edroy I.S.D. have until
May 1 to file an application for the
1991-92 school year, according to Tax
Assessor/Collector Esperanza
Juarez.
The “transfers”, said Ms. Juarez,
are not students moving to the
fjiHdistrict but students who will be liv-
ing in another district other than
Odem-Edroy.
The applications may be filed at
the Odem-Edroy Tax Office.
April 28-May 5
Stewardship Week
For Soil, Water
The San Patricio Soil and Water
Conservation District has announc-
ed they will join the national
observance of Soil and Water
Stewardship Week to be held April 28
through May 5, 1991, according to
Powell Brown, chairman of the
district.
The theme of this year’s
observance, according to Brown, is
“As You Sow”.
- “This focus is especially ap-
propriate as our survival depends on
each other, other living things and
the basic necessities of soil and
water,” said Brown.
“Together, we must work for the
good of all to utilize, conserve and
properly manage those resources in
our care,” he added, “Participation
in Soil and Water Stewardship Week
activities offers an opportunity to
reflect on the nation’s natural
renewable resource problems and
See STEWARDSHIP WEEK, Page 6
Richards Names
Miller To y y
Commission
San Patricio County Judge,
Josephine Miller of Sinton, has been
named to a position on the Texas
Commission on Jail Standards, ac-
cording to an announcement by
Texas Governor Ann Richards Tues-
day. f :'j
Miller, who will fill the position of
the county judge on the commission
after Senate confirmation, replaces
Roy English of Fort Worth who is no
longer eligible. Her term will expire
January 31,1995.
Miller, 49, is a native of Beeville,
served as a teacher for 10 years and
is a graduate of the University of
Texas.
Parenting
Seminar
Scheduled
The San Patricio County Partners
for Parenting coalition will be spon-
soring a seminar for all parents
Thursday, April 25. The seminar will
be held in Sinton at the Sacred Heart
Church and County Judge Josephine
Miller is scheduled to address the
group at the opening session.
The seminar, The Good Parents,
Great Kids! will feature Building
Self Esteem by Cindy Hurst of
Bayview Hospital; Helping Children
Develop Healthy Social Skills by Sigi
Huerta and Diana Villarreal of
Texas A&I University; Family
Health and Nutrition by Lupe
Landeros, Nueces County Extension
Agent; and Helping Children and
Teens Manage Stress by Kathy Far-
row, San Patricio County Extension
Agent.
A panel discussion of parenting op-
portunities will be included as well
as a film on The Year 2000.
Reservations of $5, which includes
lunch, are due by April 18 to the
County Extension Office, 313 N.
Rachal, Sinton.
For more information, call 512-
364-2334. 1
*
&
f
E.M.S. Volunteers
mmmrn*
Class Organization
Now Underway
J
im
- -:;:V
■
With a number of volunteers
registered, plans are currently be-
ing made to begin Emergency
Medical Service classes, according
to Odem E.M.S. Director, Russell
Finley.
As of Wednesday, Finley reported
that 11 persons had registered to
become volunteers for the organiza-
tion and many more are still needed.
“That’s the heart of the organiza-
tion,” says Finley, “If you don’t
have those volunteers, you don’t
have anything.”
With a local instructor scheduled
to teach, Finley says it will be ap-
proximately one month before the
classes begin. According to current
plans, classes will be held on Mon-
day and Wednesday evenings for ap-
proximately four months.
Future classes will include dif-
ferent levels of training. After the
basic Emergency Care Attendant,
there will be Emergency Medical
Technician, Emergency Medical
Technician Intermediate and
Emergency Medical Technician
Paramedic.
Persons interested in obtaining
more information about becoming
an E.M.S. volunteer may contact
Finley at 368-7555.
In other Odem E.M.S. news, the
organization participated in the
Fifth Annual Spring Festival at
Odem City Park Saturday.
With booths selling crafts and bak-
ed goods as well as profits from
tickets sold for an afghan, the
E.M.S. earned approximately $700
during the day.
“We were real pleased,” says
spokesperson Barbara Finley, “It
was a real good turnout.”
Winner of the 72” X 96” multi-
colored afghan was Lucy Mon-
tgomery.
The E.M.S. has a spring bouquet
and basket they will be giving away
May 10 to earn more funds. Tickets
are now available at City Hall or
from any E.M.S. volunteer. The win-
ner will be announced at the City
Park Pavilion.
Mrs. Finley reports that the
organization is still in the recycling
business but it is limited to
aluminum cans at this time. Anyone
wishing to make contributions may
drop them off at the station.
Plans are also being considered to
host a fall festival similar to the spr-
See E.M.S., Page 6
Early Dismissal
Slated Tuesday
Schools in the Odem-Edroy I.S.D.
will have an early dismissal Tues-
day, April 23 due to a teacher/staff
development meeting.
According to Superintendent Ar-
turo Alemndarez, the early buses
will run at 1:30 p.m. with the regular
buses scheduled to depart at 2 p.m.
April Sales Tax Rebates Post
Big Increase; Year Also Up
POT O’ BEANS — Nancy Scull checks her entry in the Spring Festival’s Bean Cookoff held Saturday at
Odem City Park. Final results of the cookoff and auction were not available by press time but a com-
plete report of the Festival will be included in next week’s TIMES. (Photo By Travis Priddy)
Commissioners' Co urt
Court Approves Drug-Free Policy,
Redistricting Committee Planned
During a special called meeting of
the San Patricio County Commis-
sioners Monday, the Court approved
an amendment of the County’s per-
sonnel policy to accept the drug-free
work place policy.
The new policy, required by
Workman’s Compensation for all
employers of 15 or more employees,
requires that drug testing will be
mandatory for new employees and
may be done with justifiable reasons
during employment.
According to County Advisor,
Walter Hill, final applicants being
considered for positions will be re-
quired to sign an agreement to take
the test. Should the applicant refuse,
he or she would be removed from
further consideration.
Judge Josephine Miller, speaking
from experience gained from being
a member of the Sinton City Council,
said applicants that would refuse the
tests usually would not apply for the
position in the first place.
In an attempt to aide County
employees with any drug or alcohol-
related problems, the Commis-
sioners approved a letter of agree-
ment with the Southside Community
Hospital of Corpus Christi to provide
employee assistance.
The hospital will also be offering
psychiatric or behavioral assistance
for employees or their families that
are having problems.
/ Brad Arvin, of the Homeport
Steering Council, was on hand to up-
date the court on the redistricting
plans.
In his report, he stated that the of-
ficial 1990 population figures for San
Patricio County is 58,749, a dif-
ference of 736 from ihe iitou popula-
tion figure of 58,013.
According to Arvin’s report, only
two cities within the county ex-
perienced any increase: Portland
experienced an increase of 201 while
the City of Odem increased its
population by three. The remaining
cities recorded large declines in
population.
Arvin, during his report, sug-
gested that the Commissioners ap-
point an advisory committee for the
redistricting process, consisting of
various representatives throughout
the County.
The Court agreed to include the
item on a future agenda with each
commissioner submitting three to
five names for possible considera-
tion.
Also during the meeting, the Court
considered and approved the adop-
tion of a resolution urging the State
of Texas to build more prison space
during the biennium and support the
raising of taxes if necessary to fund
the prison space.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Carl
Duncan, who presented the resolu-
tion for consideration, stated that
even though the State is planning the
construction of penal facilities to
house 12,000 to 13,000 beds within the
next two years, that may not be suf-
ficient by that time.
“If the State does not house these
prisoners,” said Duncan, “then the
County will have to house them, in-
creasing County taxes rather than
increases on the State level.”
In other business during the morn-
ing, the Commissioners authorized
the County Auditor’s office to adver-
tise for bids for materials for the
road and bridge precincts, landfill
and other county departments. The
See COMMISSIONERS, Page 6
Sales tax rebates received last
week by San Patricio County cities
posted a healthy increase over
rebates for the same period a year
ago, with seven of the eight cities
showing increases ranging from
0.05% to a whopping 179.89 percent.
One city showed a decrease of 6.14
percent. Overall, the rebates were
37.41% higher than last year, and
were also higher than the statewide
increase of 22.67% percent. The
rebates were for sales taxes col-
lected on business sales in
February.
County cities received rebates
totaling $155,264.03, compared to
$112,991.86 a year ago, an increase of
$42,272.17, or 37.41 percent.
For the year rebates county-wide
total $651,636.86, an increase of
$101,636.86, or 18.49%, over 1990.
Statewide, rebates for the year are
up 11.13 percent over last year.
For the month, all county cities ex-
cept Portland posted increases. All
county cities’ rebates are running
ahead of last year for the year.
Sinton, with rebates totaling
$53,384.87, topped rebates for the
month, followed by Portland,
$30,336.14; Aransas Pass, $30,091.41;
Mathis, $16,606.16; Ingleside,
$14,280.77; Taft, $5,056.61; Odem,
$2,986.58; and Gregory, $2,521.49.
Dollarwise, for the month, Sinton
showed an increase of $34,311.46
followed by Aransas Pass, $5,140.28;
Mathis, $3,029.00; Taft, $729.47;
Gregory, $657.61; Odem, $382.55;
and Ingleside, $7.52. Portland was
down $1,985.72.
Percentagewise, Sinton was up a
whopping 179.89%. Gregory was up
35.28%; Mathis was up 22.31%;
Aransas Pass, up 20.60%; Taft up
16.86%; Odem, up 14.69%; Ingleside
up 0.05% and Portland was down 6.14
percent.
For the year, Portland leads in
total rebates with $171,621.96; Aran-
sas Pass has received $139,442.05;
Sinton, $122,712.21; Ingleside,
$86,401.78; Mathis, $72,405.95; Taft,
$26,683.50; Odem, $17,416.63; and
Gregory, $14,781.66.
Sinton’s rebates are running
$37,023.19 ahead of last year; In-
gleside is up $34,247.34; Portland, up
$10,209.41; Aransas Pass, $8,409.14;
Mathis, $4,102.35; Odem, $4,040.46;
Taft, $2,399.95; and Gregory,
$1,205.02.
Ingleside leads increases for the
year percentagewise with 65.67%.
Sinton is up 43.21%; Odem is up
30.21%; Taft is up 9.88%; Gregory,
8.88%; Aransas Pass, 6.42%;
Portland, 6.33%; and Mathis, 6.01
percent.
Del Mar Honors
David Harrell
David Harrell, an Odem resident
and a Business major of Del Mar
College was recently recognized by
the school as one of 65 “Outstanding
Students”.
The presentation was made during
the Fortieth Annual Recognition
Day program at Del Mar.
Puga Wins First At Speech Contest
Free Screening
Blood Sugar Testing Offered
During Public Health Week
Blood sugar testing, in conjunction
with Public Health Week in San
Patricio County, will be offered at
the county clinics April 29 through
May 2.
According to Health Department
Director Robert McCurry, about
one in 17 Texans have diabetes. Only
about half know they have the
disease. Demographics in the state
point to the probability of an even
higher incident of diabetes in the
future.
According to McCurry, a big in-
crease in the adult form of the
disease is expected as an already
overweight middle age poulation
ages. “Also, a problem facing us in
South Texas,” he adds, “is the fact
that diabetes rates are two to three
times higher among our current
Mexican-American population.”
Persons more likely to develop the
disease are relatives of diabetics,
those over 40, or are overweight and
inactive.
Some of the symptoms of diabetes
are frequent urination, excessive
thirst, extreme hunger, rapid weight
loss, general weakness, blurred or
change in vision and frequent skin
infections.
The blood test being offered at the
county clinics to all county residents
is simple and painless, says Mc-
Curry. Free screening will be of-
fered each day from 1 p.m. until 4
p.m.
Supplies for the screening are be-
ing donated by Economy Medical
Rental of Sinton.
Nancy Puga, a senior at Odem
High School, received first place in
the Area Rotary Speech Contest that
was held April 11 in Sinton.
All contestants were asked to pre-
sent a five-minute speech on an en-
vironmental issue. Nancy’s speech
centered around “preserving planet
Earth.”
Nancy now moves on to district
competition, which will be held April
27 in Port Isabel.
The district competition will be
judged by three qualified in-
dividuals, and the first, second and
third place winners will receive
scholarships in the amounts of $475,
$350 and $250, respectively.
Nancy has taken part in the one-
act-play, Dessert Theatre and the
Follies throughout her high school
career. The characters she has
played in Odem’s productions cover
a wide area.
She has portrayed Alice Sycamore
in “You Can’t Take it With You”,
Mrs. Ethel Savage in “The Curious
Savage”, Charlotte in “Charlotte’s
Web”, Eva Jackson in “The Rimers
of Eldritch”, Dorothy Gale in “The
Wizard of Oz” and, most recently,
Elizabeth Willow in “And They
Dance Real Slow in Jackson”. She
received Best Actress at district
competition for her performance.
Aside from her performances,
PS
NANCY PUGA
Nancy has also been active as a club
officer since her sophomore year,
when she served as secretary of the
National Forensic League (N.F.L.).
She was president of the N.F.L.
her junior year, and is currently
holding the offices of N.F.L.
historian and International Thes-
pian Society president.
Due to her participation as club of-
ficer, Nancy was selected Honor
Thespian in 1989 and Best Thespian
in 1990.
She has never limited herself to
one-act-play and school productions.
She is also a member of the Odem
High School National Forensic
League Traveling Squad. As a
member, she has competed, and
proven successful, in prose and
poetry interpretation, solo and duet
acting, extemporaneous speaking,
oration, Bible reading, reader’s
theatre, group acting, group im-
provisation and record mime.
Nancy has been awarded approx-
imately 50 trophies and plaques due
to her performances in area speech
tournaments.
She has performed from scripts
ranging from comedies (Taming of
the Shrew, Laughing Wild, Plaza
Suite) to dramatic (Lion in Winter,
Night Mother, Agnes of God, The
Shadow Box).
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Priddy, Travis. The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 18, 1991, newspaper, April 18, 1991; Sinton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1051628/m1/1/: accessed July 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Odem Public Library.