The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 29, 1991 Page: 1 of 6
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'ESTABLISHED JUNE25, 19481
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Volume XXXX
Thursday, August 29,1991 — Odem, Texas 78370
6 Pages — No. 35
Owl Football, Volleyball
Getting Underway
....Page 5
Student Officers Elected
For 1991-92 Year
... Page 4
School Board
Trustees Approve Budget,
Consider Security System
Trustees of the Odem-Edroy In-
dependent School District met in a
special called meeting Tuesday to
approve the new budget for 1991-92
as well as consider a number of
other items included on the agenda.
The Board unanimously approved
, the budget, of which more informa-
* tion is scheduled to be published
next week. The budget, however,
stood as approved for only a moment
as the next item of business was to
make a budget amendment.
The Trustees unanimously ap-
proved amending the budget $4,000
for County Education District ex-
penses for the district during the
1991-92 year.
The Board also considered and
jg| awarded bids for new library books.
W This was the first time the district
has gone out for bids, meeting a
state requirement to do so.
With $30,000 budgeted for new
books, Board members accepted
recommendations by Librarian
Lynn Dickey that the primary bid-
der for library-bound books be
Follett, that State Bound be the
primary bidder for pre-bound and
Brodart be selected for reference
books. The vote was unanimous.
A library security system for the
high school was also considered.
According to Superintendent Ar-
turo Almendarez, approximately 250
books with an approximate value of
$4,000 are stolen from the library
each year.
Three bids had been received from
companies specializing in library
security. Ms. Dickey, who had
studied the bids of each and had
spoken with some representatives,
said that she preferred the 3M com-
pany to others who had submitted
bids.
According to Ms. Dickey, 3M of-
fered a self-contained wireless elec-
trical unit that operated on impulses
from metal strips that would be
placed on each book in the library.
The system, according to Dickey,
would cost $5,000 for one door. This
would include a 90-day warranty
with a service policy available for an
additional amount.
The high school library has two
November 5 Section
* Anita O'Rourke Files
For Court At Law Judge
Anita O’Rourke, Assistant County
Attorney for San Patricio County,
announced her candidacy for County
Court at Law Judge in the election to
be held November 5,1991.
This Court was created by the
^ Legislature to handle misdemeanor
criminal cases, including DWIs,
drug and hot check cases as well as
civil cases with disputes involving
up to $100,000 in claims, probate
matters, including mental com-
mitments and juvenile and child
welfare matters.
O’Rourke has served as assistant
county attorney since 1988. In that
office, she has prosecuted criminal
cases and represented the State in
% juvenile and child abuse cases. She
also represented the State in mental
and substance abuse commitments,
working with individuals and law en-
forcement officers in an area that
touches many families.
She is now president of the San
Patricio County Mental Health
Board, Inc., an organization that
coordinates services and provides
support to the mentally ill people of
the county.
» Other community activities in-
clude membership on the Board of
Directors of the Corpus Christi Area
Women’s Shelter, Inc. where she
presently serves as a secretary of
the board, chairperson of a commit-
tee for Old Fiddler’s Festival for the
past three years, and she is a past
president of the San Patricio County
ANITA O'ROURKE
Bar Association.
She received a bachelor’s degree
in Spanish from Colorado State
University, a master’s degree from
the University of Iowa, and her law
degree from Texas Tech School of
Law in 1987.
Before practicing law, O’Rourke
worked as a child abuse investigator
assisting and counseling victims of
See O'ROURKE, Page 4
'91 Labor Day Fatalities
Could Reach 31 Says DPS
The Texas Department of Public
Safety estimates that as many as 31
persons could lose their lives on the
state’s roadways during the upcom-
ing 78-hour Labor Day holiday
period.
“Labor Day is the last holiday of
summer and we want them to be
around for future holidays,” said
DPS Assistant Director Lt. Colonel
James R. Wilson. “The way to have
a safe Labor Day on the roadway is
to avoid drinking and driving, drive
inside the speed limits and wear
your safety belt.”
Last year, 33 persons died during
the 78-hour Labor Day holiday, with
late-reported deaths and deaths due
to injuries bring the final count to 40.
Of those deaths, 25 (63 percent) were
I attributed to either excessive speed
or DWI, Wilson said.
This year’s Labor Day period,
designated by the National Safety
Council, is from 6 p.m. Friday,
August 30 to midnight Monday,
September 2.
“As part of our Operation Motor-
ic cide program, we will have all
available Troopers on the roadways
over the Labor Day weekend to
assist motorists and to try to hold
down the traffic violations that can
lead to fatal accidents,” Wilson said.
One of the violations Troopers will
be keeping an eye out for is failure to
wear safety belt or use a child
restraint. Last year, of the 32
fatalities in which seat belts could
have made a difference, 88 percent
of those killed were not restrained,
according to the DPS Statistical Ser-
vices Section.
“If you do need help this Labor
Day, or any time you are traveling
in rural areas of the state, please
remember the DPS maintains a toll-
free telephone number — 1-800-525-
5555,” Wilson said. “Use this
number to report accidents, road
hazards, suspected drunk drivers
and other emergencies.”
Periodically throughout the Labor
Day holiday, the DPS will be repor-
ting on the number of traffic
fatalities occurring across the state.
“We never make these fatality
estimates to show how accurate we
can be,” Wilson said. “We always
hope the estimate is high. The more
wrong we are, in this case, the more
pleased I’ll be. Please drive careful-
ly.”
doors exiting the facility and with
the security system installed on only
one door, some concern was ex-
pressed about the other.
Trustee Charles Smith said that
while the system would more than
pay for itself with the number of
books being removed, he preferred
that the item be tabled until next
month’s meeting.
It was the general consensus of the
entire Board that plans for the se-
cond door be established as well as a
report of the total cost of such a
system, including electricity that
would be used during operation.
Council
To Meet
Tuesday
The Odem City Council will meet
in their regular monthly session this
Tuesday evening. A workshop is
scheduled to begin at 6:30 followed
by the regular meeting at 7 o’clock.
According to City Secretary, Billie
Jo Tennill, the meeting will primari-
ly include routine business with a
few extra items for consideration on
the agenda.
The Council will be hiring an
engineer for the water lining of
Highway 77 according to the TDC
grant. According to Ms. Tennill, six
and eight-inch lines that were laid
during 1934 will be replaced.
The Council will be awarding the
bid for upcoming seal-coating in the
City and they will consider a zoning
ordinance variance sought by Fidel
Martinez and Joe Martinez. The
men are interested in establishing a
business selling “sporting cards,
ecetera” at 307 East Willis.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MEDIA FAIR winners for 1991 have been named for Odem Junior
High School. Competing with 38 districts in the state, Artie Torres, second from left, won first, taking
regional honors and advancing to state. Sara Mclver, third from left, placed second and Bettina Luis
placed third. Pictured with the winners are Jim Brannigan, Junior High counselor and Drug Awareness
coordinator, leftand Junior High principal Dan Baen. (Photo By David Burkhardt)
Ginning Nears 100,000 Bale Total;
County Gins Handle 94,922 Bales
Cotton ginning continued at a fast
pace last week, despite intermittent
showers in some areas of the county.
County gins handled 22,617 bales
last week, upping the total for the
year to 94,922 bales. All gins report
many modules on their lots, others
in the field and cotton coming in.
Though most of the harvesting is
done, ginners report some fields still
being picked, and they expect to be
ginning at a fast pace, round the
clock, for several more weeks.
Reports as to yield and quality
continue to be excellent, and such
comments as “Best cotton crop in
ten years,”, “A bumper crop”, were
heard from growers and ginners.
Smith Gin Coop, Odem, has ginned
26,000 bales, 4,450 bales last week,
and report about 2,000 modules on
their lot, with more coming in. Most
Commissioners Initiate Process To
Issue COs For Landfill Closure
The San Patricio County Landfill
continued to be an item of concern
for the County Commissioners dur-
ing the past week as the Court was
faced with a decision regarding the
cost of the landfill’s closure during
the next year.
The Court met in a special
meeting Friday to discuss this and
other agenda items that had been
held over from the meeting con-
ducted the previous Monday.
In a meeting of the Court earlier in
this month, Fletcher Kelly of J.F.K.
Group and a consultant for the Coun-
ty, estimated that it would cost ap-
proximately $800,000 for the ap-
proaching Phase I and II closures.
Phase II, which will be ready during
the late summer or early fall of 1992
is expected to cost another $400,000.
With pressures of state laws and
no available money to fund the
closures, the Court discussed possi-
ble options.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Carl
Duncan stated, “We’ve got to get
funds to close the landfill. The
money that could be spent closing
down the landfill may have to be us-
ed for administrative costs if we
don’t move.”
Feeling that there was no other
alternative, Judge Josephine Miller
made the motion to initiate the pro-
cess to issue Certificates of Obliga-
tion by way of consultation of the
County Auditor and financial ad-
visor in order to successfully close
the landfill in all three phases.
Pete Rodriguez, Precinct 3 Com-
missioner seconded the motion with
an unanimous favorable vote. Com-
missioner Gordon Porter of Precinct
4 was not present but gave a verbal
indication by telephone he felt this
was the proper procedure.
During the Commissioners’
regular meeting Monday, Wayne
Darnell, Sanitarian of the County
Department of Health, came before
the Court regarding a possible fee-
type permit or license for all food
establishments within San Patricio
County’s jurisdiction.
According to Darnell, the propos-
City Offices
To Be Closed
Offices of the City of Odem will be
closed this Monday, September 2 in
observance of Labor Day, according
to City Secretary Billie Jo Tennill.
All garbage usually collected on
Mondays will be picked up Tuesday.
ed fees would range in cost from $10
for establishments with up to three
employees to $150 for
establishments with over 18
employees.
The big advantage to having such
a permit, said Darnell, would be the
fact that it would give the Depart-
ment some enforcement to act when
businesses would not comply with
County regulations.
Duncan remarked that the user
fees were fair but his primary con-
cern was the Court assessing these
fees without a public hearing and
giving the public an opportunity to
voice their opinion.
See COMMISSIONERS. Page 5
of the harvesting in the area is
finished.
OCOT Inc., Odem, ginning 3,200
bales last week, upped their total to
14,000 bales. They report about 1,500
modules on their lot, some in the
fields, and some cotton still coming
in.
Edroy Coop Gin, Edroy, which
ginned the coastal bend’s first bale
several weeks ago, has ginned 12,085
bales, 2,750 last week. They have
modules on their lot, modules com-
ing in and a little cotton still to be
harvested in the area.
Hartzendorf Gin, Sinton, ginned
2,750 bales last week, for a total of
11,150 bales. They have many
modules on their lot, some still com-
ing in. Showers slowed things a bit
over the weekend, but hot sunny
weather dried things up in a hurry,
and had little effect on ginning
operations. They report a few fields
still to be harvested.
Taft Gin and Seed, Taft, has ginn-
ed a total of 10,622 bales, 3,522 last
week. A lot of cotton is on the lot, and
more coming in. Most of the
harvesting in the area is finished.
Gregory Gin, Gregory, ginned
1,111 bales last week, for a total to
date of 10,111 bales. They have
modules on their lot, and more in the
fields.
Midway Gin, Taft, has ginned
See COTTON, Page 3
Parent Orientation Set
At Odem Elementary
Odem Elementary will host a
Parent Orientation Thursday,
September 5 beginning at 6 p.m. in
individual teachers’ classrooms. All
parents are requested to attend.
Visitations for pre-kindergarten,
kindergarten and first grades will be
from 6 p.m. until 6:30 followed by se-
cond and third grade visitations
from 6:30 until 7.
Computer lab, music, physical
education, resource room, chapter
computer lab visitations will be held
from 6 until 7 o’clock and fourth and
fifth grade visitations will be held
from 7 until 7:30.
Teacheis will be explaining
schedules, subjects taught, pro-
cedures for homework assignments,
grading discipline and expectations.
A special introduction of Odem
Elementary teachers along with an-
nouncements will be held from 7:35
until 7:40 and then a music program
will be conducted in the cafetorium
'until 8 o’clock. Refreshments will
follow.
DR. HARRY WONG, renowned teacher and speaker from California
was the principal speaker at Monday's in-service meeting at Sinton for
teachers from Taft, Sinton and Odem. Dr. Wong is known nationwide
for his knowledge of motivation. All teachers and administrators from
the local schools attended the Monday afternoon meeting. (James
Pease Photo).
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Priddy, Travis. The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 29, 1991, newspaper, August 29, 1991; Sinton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1057957/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Odem Public Library.