The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 18, 1994 Page: 1 of 6
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VOLUME XLII « THURSDAY, AUGUST 18,1994 * ODEM, TEXAS 78390 - 6 PAGES * NO. 33
“"Home Of The
Serappln’Owls!”
PILLARS OF SMOKE have been rising from a grass fire on the
Griffith Ranch just south and east of Odem since last weekend.
According to Odem Volunteer Fire Department Chief David
Metting, it appears the blaze was started by lightning and has
burned several hundred acres of salt grass. Metting says the
fire poses no serious threat to life or property and will be
allowed to burn itself out. Beyond that, Metting says that for
the most part, the fire is inaccessible to fire units.(Jim
McElhaney photo. Aerial perspective courtesy of Bubba Thomas)
Dry Weather
Lets Cotton
Harvest Roll
By Rusty Weller
Skies continued to menace
producers this past week, but
costly downpours decreased as
San Patricio County's cotton
harvest moved toward high gear.
With most producers able to
get equipment into their fields,
activity increased to a frantic
pace. That was especially true at
county gins, which were in
operation 24 hours a day, seven
days a week.
Cotton bale totals at the
county's nine gins took impressive
jumps as a result.
More than 24,180 bales were
ginned last week, boosting San
Patricio County's total to 51,837
bales of cotton so far this harvest.
Smith Gin Co-Op of Odem
cranked out 4,124 bales this past
tveek -- by far the most of any gin -
- to vault into the county's overall
lead. Smith now has ginned a total
of 9,624 bales so far, overtaking
Ocot Inc. of Odem.
Ocot reported 9,000 bales to
its credit after ginning some
3,200 last week.
Taft Gin & Seed posted the
second busiest week, producing
3,250 bales of cotton. TTiat raised
Taft's season total to 7,250 bales,
third highest across the county.
Edroy Co-Op Gin, slowed some
by shower-soaked fields, held the
No. 4 spot again at 6,363 bales so
far after a processing 2,431 bales
last week. Midway Gin & Grain
Co-Op of Taft cranked out as
much last week -- 2,800 -- as it
had previously to total 5,600 so
far this harvest.
Gregory Gin, which began the
week with 1,698 bales to its
credit, handled 2,802 to
mushroom its harvest total to
4,500. Hartzendorf Gin of Sinton
also experienced a major increase
in its activity by cranking out
2,425 to jump from 1,275 bales to
3,700 for the season.
West Portland reported 1,500
bales last week to increase its
season total to 3,500 bales.
Coastal Plains Gin of Mathis
worked 1,650 bales.
Hoosegow Chow Fails fail Taste Test
San Patricio County Jail had a
population of 154 inmates last
Monday morning when breakfast
was served. Sixty of them
decided the food served was no
longer suitable and declared they
were on a hunger strike.
The dieters vowed to remain
on the hunger strike until the
quality of food improved
sufficiently to satisfy their
critical palates.
The other 94 inmates
apparently didn't agree with
those electing to abstain.
To add emphasis to their
complaint, 20 of the strikers
chose to throw their meal on the
floor and then declined to clean
up the dumped food.
It was at this point Sheriff
Leroy Moody found it necessary
to order a "lock down"
(recreation and TV privileges
denied) until such time as the
confrontation was resolved.
Sheriff Moody does not share
the recalcitrant inmates' opinion
of the food being served in the
jail. According to Moody the food
has been declared nutritious and
adequate dietetically speaking.
Moody admits the heated TV
dinners are not likely to be as
palatable as "mom's home
cooking." The Sheriff then goes
on to explain the obvious, which
is that "mom doesn't cook TV
dinners."
In an attempt to clarify the
situation, the Sheriff addressed
the striking inmates to explain
that, had they not behaved in an
unacceptable manner, thereby
disobeying the law of the land
and otherwise offending society,
they would not be confined and
therefore subject to the limited
hospitality and accommodations
available in the San Patricio
County Jail.
The Sheriff's rationale,
although failing to be accepted by
ail the strikers, convinced at
least seven of the disgruntled
inmates to join their peers at
lunch on Monday. A recent check
indicates a lessening of the
resolve in the number of hunger
strikers
Furthermore, there's every
indication the trend will
continue. It is also reported that
the food dumped on the floor
Monday morning has now been
cleaned up by the inmates.
By supper time Wednesday
evening, all inmates were back at
the table.
The action by the inmates has
drawn the attention of the media
statewide and beyond. Moody
says he has received calls from
radio talk shows in El Paso, San
Antonio, Houston and Dallas all
of which have been supportive.
He also says most telephone
calls to his office, with only one
or two exceptions, have been
See HOOSEGOW, Page 5
More Health Care
Hot Topic In Area
By Jim Tracy
Medical service and related
costs, i.e. health care, has been in
everyday news, in the papers, on
television and the discussion of
nearly everyone.
Having health care insurance
coverage is one thing, but finding
adequate health care is another. It
is definitely a problem for those
who live in the Odem, Sinton and
Taft communities.
Thanks to the recognition of
the problem, Tony and Joan Kunitz
aided in planning a visit by two
prestigious doctors and their aides
from Houston's Baylor College of
Medicine.
Doctor Bobby R. Alford,
executive vice president and Dean
of Medicine at the facility, along
with colleague Doctor Robert E.
Rakel, chair for the Department of
Family Medicine, recently joined
74 interested, and concerned,
citizens in a meeting that dealt
with health care.
The meeting was initiated by
the Sinton Chamber of Commerce
and brought to the county
through the efforts of Tony & Joan
Kunitz. Originally set for South
Texas Savings Bank in Sinton, the
meeting had to be moved to the
First United Methodist Church
due to the unexpected large
attendance.
Both doctors addressed the
contingent on what they felt their
mission was at the Baylor College
of Medicine. The two physicians
listened to members of the
gathering and offered ideas to aid
in carrying out a study.
This study is to attract not
just one, but a minimum of three
family practitioners to the Sinton
area.
Both Mac McEntire, county
health director, and Doctor James
A. Mobely of Portland, county
health authority and resident
family practitioner, presented
their views of the current state of
health care in the county.
The meeting was joined by
Doctor Chao R. Yang, who
practices out of the Primary
Health Clinic on San Patricio
Avenue in Sinton.
"I'm sure that you are all
interested in the best medical
care possible," Dr. Alford said in
his opening statement to the
gathering, "I realize that you have
had the good fortune of having
good doctors here in the past. One
of those, Ernie Dietch, provided
wonderful service here."
Dr. Alford suggested that it be
their (Baylor School of
Medicine's) obligation and
responsibility throughout the
state and country to help provide
health care stability in both rural
and urban areas. "Your problem
here is no different from
See HEALTH, Page 5
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
APPREHENSION SHOWS on the face of Polly Corral (left) as her mother, Carry Galvan, points
toward the door of Mrs. Sandra Lindemann's kindergarten classroom at Odem Elementary School
on Tuesday morning, the first day of school. (Rusty Weller photo)
Court Eyes
Five Firms
For Study
San Patricio County
Commissioners were pleasantly
surprised this week when County
Auditor David Wendel reported
eight firms responded to a request
for proposals to study the
county's employee compensation
and classification policies.
The written proposals were
reviewed by the Auditor's staff,
and five were recommended for
further review by the Court.
The court accepted Wendels'
recommendation at this week's
meeting and directed him to invite
the five finalists to present their
proposals to the Court in person,
providing an opportunity for
questions and answers from both
sides.
The call for the proposals was
prompted by the fact the last such
study was conducted in 1987.
Since that time, many new job
titles have been established to
accomplish the growing demands
on county government.
The purpose of the study will
be to more clearly define, re-
define or, in some cases, create
job descriptions and appropriate
compensation plans for the jobs to
make sure all county employee
positions are thoroughly described
and properly compensated.
The Court indicated it would
like to interview all five of the
finalists before making a selection
on Sept. 6.
In the interim, the Commis-
sioners will name a group of
Department Heads to a committee
to work with the contractors as
they proceed on the project.
In addition, they plan to
appoint representatives of in-
dustry and business to serve as
resource members and select one
member of the Commissioners
Court to chair the effort.
Commissioners spent some
more time this week in an
attempt to eliminate a few
remaining questions concerning
the preliminary budget for fiscal
1995. They were partially
successful except for two major
issues, the answers to which are
indefinite. The Court is faced with
deciding on the purchase of a high
See COURT, Page 4
. : ■
MONTHLY CITY SALES AND USE TAX
Comparison Summary
- July 1994
Net Pmt.
Same Per.
% Chge.
1994 Pmts.
1993 Pmts.
% Chge.
City
This Per.
Last Year
This Per.
To Date
To Date
To Date
Aransas Pass
$56,902.14
$46,665.33
+21.93%
$307,724.35
$325,795.90
-5.54%
Gregory
5,340.46
4,049.79
+31.87%
33,861.48
30,015.82
+12.81%
Ingleside
37,244.44
33,354.87
+11.66%
217,974.03
183,888.04
+18.53%
Mathis
29,190.17
26,304.00
+10.97%
169,546.66
171,219.40
-0.97%
Odem
5,927.46
7,676.86
-22.78%
38,470.39
38,640.34
-0.43%
Portland
102,831.80
65,316.06
+57.43%
483,492.34
405,133.03
+19.34%
Sinton
30,143.76
28,124.43
+7.17%
174,449.10
171,728.25
+1.58%
Taft
12,072.03
12,305.19
-1.89%
60,946.97
63,648.65
-4.24%
County Total
$279,652.26
$223,796.53
+24.95%
$1,486,465.32
$1,390,069.43
+6.93%
July payments include local sales tax collected in May and reported to the Comptroller in June
by businesses filing monthly tax returns.
Statistics supplied by Comptroller of Public Accounts, State of Texas
Sales Tax Rebates On Upward Swing
"For the eleventh consecutive
month, employment in Texas has
increased by 3 percent of more,
and consumer confidence remains
strong," State Comptroller John
Sharp commented as he delivered
a total of $197.9 million in
monthly sales tax rebates to 1,073
Texas cities and 111 counties, an
8.5 percent increase over the
payments of one year ago, for
August. In San Patricio County
rebates are up for the year-to-date
6.93% or dollarwise +$96,395.89
from $1,390,069.43 in 1993 to
$1,486,465.32 in 1994. For the
month-to-date totals are up
2 4.9 5% or dollarwise
+$55,855.73, from $223,796.53
August 1993 or $279,652,26 for
this pay period.
For the month-to-date only two
cities in San Patricio County
logged decreases, with Odem
posting the largest decrease of
22.78% or dollarwise a -$1,749.40
and Taft showed a decrease of
I. 89% or -$233.16. All other cities
had increases with Portland
logging the largest at 57.43% for a
+$37,515.74; Gregory had a
+31.87% for a +$1,290.67;
Aransas Pass increased 21.93%
for +$10,236.81; Ingleside was up
II. 66% or +$3,889.57; Mathis
was up +10.97% or $2,886.17 and
Sinton was up 7.17% for a
+$2,019.33.
For the year-to-date however,
four cities showed decreases with
Aransas Pass logging the largest
at -5.54% or dollarwise-
$18,071.55; Taft logged a -4.24%
or -$2,701.68; Mathis was down
0.97% or a -$1,672.74 and Odem
was down 0.43% or -$169.95.
Again Portland showed the largest
increase for the year-to-date at
19.34% for a +$78,359.31;
Ingleside was up 18.53% or
+$34,085.99; Gregory was up
12.81% for a +$3,845.66; Sinton
was up 1.58% for an increase of
$2,720.85.
"Total employment in Texas
rose in June by 226,200 jobs to
See REBATES, Page 5
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Weller, Rusty. The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 18, 1994, newspaper, August 18, 1994; Sinton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1055858/m1/1/: accessed July 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Odem Public Library.