The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 55, No. 97, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 3, 1977 Page: 1 of 16
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\'V’
Juvenile Crimes Steadily Increasing In Baytown, Police Claim
By LYNN HUGHES
Some of Baytown’s young peo-
ple are angry, and becoming
more so as evidenced by an
alarming 21 per cent annual in-
• crease in juveriilecrimes com-
mitted here, but the Raytown
Police Department’s juvenile of-
ficers complAin their hands are
~7» virhiatty tiedr "toy -the Judicial
juvenile
process concerning
offenders.
Based on figures during the
’’past four years, Officer Reggie
Harper of the juvenile division
said crime involving young peo-
ple 10 to 17 years old has steadily
increased, indicating not only attributed to youngsters.
problems of such offenders, but
lack of parental supervision as
well.
During 1976, Baytown police
received 1,660 complaints involv-
ing juveniles-an average of 4 W
per day.' Of that number, 660, or
40 per cent, were actual crime ti
acts ranging from misdemeanors
ter tetanies; while the remaining
1,000 calls were largely non
criminal or pre-delinquent, in-
volving youngsters under 10.
Those non-criminal calls In-
cluded reports of youngsters
shooting BB-guns, fireworks
calls and other minor problems (s
And police act on these cases,
either by counseling the child at
the scene or by referring him to
juvenile officers for action.
After a child is referred to of-
ficers, his case is sent to the
Harris County Juvenile Proba-
ion Office, and that is as far as ii
police can go in handling juve-
Iffl UBB, JRWnllligtcrtlTFTex-
as Family Code. •
And that is where the problem
for Baytown police lies. As
Harper explained, "The family
code states that the police
responsibility in a juvenile case
|s to investigate the complaint
and obtain all information we
on an offense committed by reports on the cases once they I were not taken before a juvenile lof homes and businesses.
reach the juvenllJ probation judge, but given a probation of- The arrests were made over a
department, and he is concerned | ficer instead. |five-year period and finall:
can
or against a juvenile
"If the.juvenile is the actor,
we refer him directly to the
probation department, and they
either take him before a juvenile
court for action or place him on
informal adjustment, which
means he is assigned a counselor
nr probation’ officer and sent
home."
I Harper said the police depart-
ment "has no idea what the dis-
posal of the cases, are after
referral, unless we are sub-
poenaed in a case or if a case is
turned down."
that many of the juvenile cases
never reach one of the three
juvenile courts in Houston.
"What we' ate having is -kids
committing offenses ranging
from misdemeanors to felonies,
ahfl they are never being Taken'
to juvenile court," Harper ex-
plained.
He said about 80 per cent of
the cases Baytown handles are
counseled by juvenile probation
officers ans sent home. "Most of
those are placed on informal ad-
He said his office dognot get justment, which means they
"In some cases, we have had when the child was referred for
parents advise us that no contact
has been made with their
children by probation officers
since the initial contact and In
other cases, some contact is
mi wit
One example he used was the
case of a youngster who was
arrested by Baytown police 42
times and referred to the proba-
tion department for crimes rang-
ing from misdemeanor cases
such as vandalism and petty
theft to felonies like burglaries
the 42nd time, he went before
the juvenile court for the first
time and sent to the Texas
Youth Council’s state school for
juvenile offenders in Gatesville.
Thrbopnnr
Another problem facing
"Our situation is that we have lat least five juveniles broke into
. a lot of offenders, 10 to 12 years six privately-owned boats at an
ly, old, who freely roam the streets apartment marina here. They
late at night. We have had some broke into the cabins of the
stopped by officers at 2:30 and 3 boats, vandalized equipment in-
juvenile officers is what Harpei
calls "lack of parental respon-
sibility.” He said officers need
more cooperation from parents,
who should also be more respon-
sible for the actions of their
children.
a.m. on Texas Avenue and in
other areas of the city.
"There needs to be more
supervision by parents, who
children are at all hours. They
ir should be sure the child is
attending school regularly and
that he is going where he says he
is. There is just a lack of con-
A case in point: On Jan. 23
between 3 and 6 p.m,, a group of
side and emptied fire ex-
tinguishers in the interiors, as __
well as cut canvas tops on the
boats.
several expensive items, such as
radios, steering wheels and In-
struments, and threw them into
Cedar Bayou.
Total estimates on the
damages were about $1,200 and
police were able to find the
(See JUVENILE, Page 4-A)__‘
7
The Baytown Sun Invites
MR. AND MRS. THOMAS ACZEL
Baytown
To See
"THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN"
At The Brunson Theater
(This Pass Good Through Feb. 13)
file Pantohm ££>un
YOUR HOME
NEWSPAPER
MORE THAN 60,000 READERS EVERY DAY
Volum* sl No. 97
Toltphont Numbor: 422-6302
Thursday, Fabruary 3,1977
Baytown, Taxas, 77520
Flftaon Cants Par Copy
ir
A NEW DRESS FOR A FINE LADY
THK BATTLESHIP Texas, a “veteran” of World War II and now battleship in “ship-shape.” Capt: Spike Taylor, commanding of-
a state monument anchored near the Houston Ship Channel near ficer of the Texas, said the donations by Exxon Chemical will last
the San Jacinto Battleground, is assured of winning the battle throughout 1977; and is a “further example of the aid Houston-
against rust in 1977, thanks to Exxon Chemical. Four-hundred area industries provide to the community.” '*
gallons of Rust-Ban marine paint have been donated to get the__■ _’’ ■ ■ _
* * ’ ’ ------- - -'y * r~ ““T’“ —
Demos Praise Carter
‘Chat; ’ Action Pledged
Rotary Club Hears Problems -
I
Bills Attacking Malpractice
Insurance In Legislature
By D’EVA LUTHRINGER
legislature this year to attack the
problems caused . by" rising
laws and are beginning to see
j some relief ; he "said. w r
The aims of Texas bills are to
_ see that legitimate claims are
malpractice liability insurance in paid and that speedy and just
the medical field, Dr. Gene
Richardson, Baytown radiolog-
*. ist. told the.. Rotary Club.
Wednesday ”
settlements are given.
But also there are recommen-
dations to help doctors and
hospitals, such .as a statute of
Other states have'enacted such limitation, limits on allowances
SO®.
Sun In Liberty .
' *• THf^BAYTOWN Sun can now
.. be bought in Liberty, Sun Cir-
„ culation- Manager Jim Kyle has
- announced.. The newspaper-may
be bought at Moore's Quick Stop
on Highway 146.
Service League
SERVICE LEAGUE will meet
at 9:15 ajn. Friday at Goose
Creek Country Club.
Smsces P-eadiag
for pain and^uffering, periodic
payments. a'^Otfateral source
rule, notice of intent to sue, a
mandatory screening panel and
voluntary and binding ar-
bitration.
Richardson said the arbitra-
tion panel would include doc-
tors, laywers and lay people.
This group would act instead of a
court if a plaintiff elected to take
this route.
Arbitration would cost about
$350, whereas the average cost in
taking a malpractice suit to eourt
is $8,000 and cases often sit on a
docket three -years before
ajudication. -. *
In addition to legislation? he
said, the Texas State Board of
Medical Examiners should have
broadened powers to revoke and
fenit doctors’ .pracAlees, .require.
OUR WORLD
SERVICES ARE pending at supervision and require more
Paul’U. Lee Funeral Home for education for those found
MOUND
WN
.
Harry L, Gilbert Jr, of Mont
Belvieu: Gilbert died Thursday
in a Baytown hospital.
Meeting Canceled j
BAYTOWN CHAMBER of
Commerce will not meet at noon
Friday.
CWU Meeting
BOARD OF MANAGERS of
GLENDA ROBERTS wishes she
had taken advantage of. a good
thing . . . Friends send - best
, wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Clyde
Edgley on their 50th wedding an-
njversarv.. —
John Kane is helpful to new
car buyers ... Jerry Raney
talks about skiing mishaps
Sgt. Herman Steele
at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Bayway
Christian Church for a regularly
scheduled session.
Travel Club
ARMCHAIR .TRAVEL Club of
the American 'Association of
University Women will meet.at
7:30 p.m. Thursday at 411 E.
Defee. V
negligent by the board.
There shduld be regional pan-
els set up to” hear malpractice
claims, he said.
Richardson said Gov. Dolph
Briscoe has called medical
malpractice liability insurance
and related problems the No. If
public health problem in Texas.
Since 1971, the number of such
suits filed has increased four
times and the amounts sought
+ MEXICO CITY - Mexi-
co will help the United States
light the energy crisis by sell-
ing 40 million cubic feet of gas
a day to its northern neighbor
at current interstate prices,
American embassy sources said
today.
Congress
To Move
On Plans
WASHINGTON (AP) - Con-
gress is moving ahead on Car-
ter administration proposals to
create jobs and cut taxes after
hearing the President appeal
for sacrifices by the people and
promise that the government
will join in giving up comforts
once taken for granted.
Treasury Secretary W. Mi-
chad Blumenthal, Labor Secre-
tary F. Ray Marshall and other
top officials of. the npw admin-
istration were before congres-
sional Committees today. They
were to provide.details of the
economic measures President
Carter has proposed to stimu-
Tate the economy and reduce
Hearing Recessed Until Feb. 14 -
Dredge Bqps Told ‘Gas/ Was
Leaking, Then Heard Blast
;. + AUSTIN — Odessa quar-
terback Darrell Shepard, con-
sidered by many to be the top
blue-chip recruit in the state,
says he will attend the Uni-
versity of Texas, the Austin
American-Statesman reported
today.
Church Women United will meet have increased five times, he
n on " ~ "* D......said.
Malpractice insurance costs
have increased as much as 600
per cent in high risk specialties
swell as surgery since 1970.
(See BILLS, Page 2-A)
+ WASHINGTON
chairman of the Ho.use Assas-
sinations Committee, given two
months to prove his panel
should stay in business, says
he has new evidence that indi-
cates the killers of John F.
Kennedy and Martin Luther
King Jr. did not act alone.
Crosby PTA
CROSBY., Elementary Parent-
Teacher Associationwill meet at CLOUDY
7:30 p.m. Thursday in the
elementary cafeteria. A panel
discussion of education will be
says presented by a panel of teachers
Weather
And Tides
; wX? W}11 ■hS"Sman',Qd'iWrt’nts ’ ' ’ ^
* heipsap'friend eat a pizza. ... Services Pending
Jem McClain stays busy. ^ SERVICES FOR Mis. Lillie
Katfeine Alford calls in some Marje Allnutt of 171» Catherine
information . y Sgt. Bob are di at Pau, U; ^
Merchant says a "shooting case, F , H °..............
intrigued him until he found out
it only involved BB-guns... Dr.
1 Rolfe , Wooten is helpful to a
*7 ‘ frightened patient. . , Sgt. Jim
Lankford offers fo “take over.”
Dr. Martin Arisco helping a
Sun staffer see (the light. . .Jerry
'. Mohlman looks like an Eskimo. *
v
’ ’
^tay wide-awake
CITIZENS NATIONAL BANK
AND THUS I CO. F.D,i.c.
cooler Thursday night and
turning sunny and mild Friday
is the Baytown area weather
forecast. Low expected Thurs-
day night, low 40s; high
Friday, near 60.
BAYTOWN TIDES for
Friday: Highs at 7:30 a.m. and
1(1:09 p,.m.; lows at 2:55 a.m.
and 2:51 p.m. I V:
SUNRISE FRIDAY at 7:10
a.m.; sunset at 6:01 p.m.
1st Candidate
Enters Crosby
School Race
CROSBY ’iSpJ>,;r» Jay M.
; Eshbach ILbecame the first can-
didate to file in the April 2
Crosby School Board election
when filing opened at 8 a.m
Thursday. 1 .
Eshbach, 31, moved to Crosby
more than a year ago from
Baytown and has been a regulai
spectator at school board
meetings since.
Eshbach filed for Position. 7
held by Trustee John Vjctor who
’ ^not announced ’for re-
position 5, held by Rudy
Sikora, and Position 6, by Elsie
Lliquette, will also be up for
election.
Filihg deadline is-- 4 p.m,
March 2. .>
unemployment.
In his first nationwide ad-
dress since his inauguration
two weeks ago, Carter, clad in
beige cardigan sweater and
seated before a fireplace in the
White House library, evoked
memories of Franklin D.
Roosevelt, who made fireside
chats over radio during the De-
pression and World War-II.
Carter's low-key address
mixed promises of action on
the - nation’s most , pressing
problems with calls for sacri-
fice as the only path to long-
range solutions.;’ ■’
•Sen. Alan Cranston of Califor-
nia, assistant Senate Majority
TJ,e Header, described -Carters
speech as “a recognition that
the real power in the country
lies in the hands of the people."
H’ouse Majority Leader
James Wright, D-Tex„ said the
most important facet of the
Carter speech “was his call for
cooperation of the American
people. He obviously trusts the
American people,“and this I’m
convinced will inspire their re-
ciprocal trust.
By BETSY WEBBER
HOUSTON (Sp) — The captain of the dredge, Leonard Fisher,
which was located only 110 feet from the tugboat Nathan B,
detailed for a U.S. Coast Guard hearing Thursday what he saw
when an explosion and fire rocked Baytown’s Exxon docks at 2
a.m. Jan. 27 and sank the tugboat.
Sidney C. Burkett, 52, of Port Lavaca, said he was asleep on the
dredge before the explosion. A man woke him, saying he should
move the. dredge because gasoline was running off the nearby
tanker, Exxon San Francisco, he testified-
Burkett said a few seconds later he heard an explosion and saw
the Nathan B upright and in flames.
After small boats moved the dredge away from the fire,
Burkett said he saw the Nathan B wheelhouse listing at a 30-
degree angle toward the dock. The rest of the tug-was under*
water, he said. .„ • < ; * ■ ••
He testified he saw no movement of personnel on the tug, the
barge, the dock or the tanker.
v ..... . ••• •„ i ■’
The second person to testify Thursday was Johnny Bendy, 38,
of Bridge City, a captain with Bendy Towing Co., which owned
the tugboat. I . . »
The last time he was on board the.Nathan 1B was Jan. 25. he. 21
said, adding that it was in good condition at that tjme.
Bendy testified that the bodies ?JM|3§gboat crewmen.
Wendell Droddy of Port Arthur- and Bpliri HSrdin of OfaiujP; '
were found in the engine room, qnd thftjody'Of DMe Wolfredof
jasper was found in tlie bunk room. P •
Following the explosion, Bendy said’,, the pilot house windows -
were blown out. The bunk room, the .galley arid the pilot house
were burned. j-, - ■*—
The stove and refrigerator were blown into the bunk room and
the petition between the bunk room and the galley was blown
Silt, Bendy testifred
Bendy said the tug had two engines and a generator which ran
all the time. Engines were usually shut down if there was at least
(See DREDGE, Page 4-A)
Measles '
Apathy Blamed For Outbreak In Area
weeks ago and grew steadily
worse after the Christmas
holidays. ’
County health officials and Dr.
C. A. Riser, city health officer,
are working with schools here to
urge paints to re-immunize
ns v-uumy their chjkiren if they received
region has grown to more than
70. - :
Public apathy regarding
measles immunizations is blam-
’ed for the current epidemic in
Baytown and nearby, com-
munities in East Harris County.
Dr. David Williams, chief
epidemiologist for Harris County
der the age of one year. Statistics
have shown the vaccine is more
effective when given after the
The outbreak began about six:age of one year.
Dr. Williams told The Sun a
mass immunization program
may be held for - Baytown
children if, the epidemic con-
tinues to get Worse.
Parents are1 reminded the im-
munizations are provided at the
county health center in the
■CourfHSeTnnex "STMeF
Road i across- the street from
Ross S. Sterling High school for
those ,w)ho do mot have pnrate
physicians.......... r
House Speaker Thomas P.
O’Neill Jr., D-Mass., said Car-
ter’s speech “inspired .trust.
What America needs is con-
fidence in its government and
he is giving it to us.”
Just before addressing the
nation, Carter signed ah emer-
gency measure." passed by Con-
gress that gives him authority
to shift natural gas supplies to
the areas of the nation hardest
hit by extreme winter weather.
Pearce Street Journal - ■
Mrs. Wilbanks Files For
Re-Election To ^Council
■ V-
Peoplas State Bank
"The People helpers’'
2615 Mirfrel SI. 422-8231
Minin Charge
Member FD1C.
,V-
V«-r- -
dO.
‘.LI1-
if: vr.
v :
The second woman to serve on
the Baytown City Council is
seeking a third term in the April
2 election.
Mrs., Mary Elizabeth
Wilbanks; District 6 incumbent, |
filed for rg-elecfeg this week
before leaving for Washington to
atteijd a transportation policy,
committee meeting ' of the
National Association of Regional
Councils,
The committee session is in
connection with her service on
the Houston-Galvestoa, Area;
Council of Governments. She
represents the city council on
the area council’s executive
committee and* the Gulf Coast
Mrs. Wilbanks also is active in
the Texas Municipal League,
serving on its utility advisory 1960s when Mrs. Velma Ansley
No Apologias Offered
We admit we never made
good grades when texted in the
Jine arts or in the attiitry of so; pfemnin? Commirtfe: ’, ,j.: |
phisticated culture.
For that reason even thoujgh
we usually try to stand in the
presence of a lady (or wom-
an); we have been described as
not having mtich couth.
So we offeFno apologies for
a description that once came
from an irate reader. f
“The trouble with yop is you
have too much gut and not
enough guts.”
Ouch.
- - FH
between citizens, the council and
city staff, Baytovyn will continue
to prosper.
A native Baytonian, Mrs.
Wilbanks is married to attorney
Erwin Wilbanks. They live at-610
Scenic. Her mother. Mrs. W. J.
(Queen) RHlgore, is a longtime
Baytonian and music teacher.
Mrs. Wilbanks graduated from
MARY E. WILBANKS
committee and the community
' ivqlopment legislative panel.
On the City council she serves
on a committee looking into in-
dustrial contracts, specifically to needs are the primary functions
served. i ...
“I want to continue serving,”
she says. “Providing good ser-
vices and' meeting people’s
clarify \yhat constitutions, con-
struction startup. r ' ' '
First elected to the Council
four years ago, Mrs. Wilbanks
became the first woman to serve
oh the council since the early
f ' ’ ’
and obtained a master’s degree
from the University of Houston!
An English instructor at §an
Jacinto College"in Pasadena, she
formerly taught at Robert E.
’ Lee Hjgh.School for eight years.
She is chairman.ofjhe educa-
tion committee in the Baytown
Chamber of Commerce.
‘ "activities i
membership in St. Mark’s
Methodist Church, Baytown’Sei
of local government.
“lam inrerested in listeiiingto
the desires of Baytown citizens
and determining the direction of
our community's growth. With
communication and cooperation
The strain of measles in the
epidemic is the so-called “big,
red measles” or rubeola. Dr.
Williams warns complications
can result from the disease and
can cause brain damage:
Scattered cases are reported in
the epidemic is centered in the
Baytown area. Most of the vie- ■
tims are pupils in the school dis-
trict here. ______ . .:
There would be no epdemic
anywhere, Dr. Williams, con-
tends, if everyone took advan-
tage of the measles im-
munization!. « .
Gty Rehires
Industrial
Appraiser
The city has hired Thomas Y.
Pickett Co. again to perform in- ■__
dustrial appraisals for the tax
department. •
Baytown City Council approv-
Southem .Metltridist University ed a new agreement with a $15,-
000 fee. City Manager Fritz'
Lanham said the work was done
last year for $10,000.
The firm last-year had re- . ’
quested $12,000 but Lanham ex- „'
plained there was only $10,000 in
the budget.
“You couldn’t get by with that
budget story again?” Mayor
1 include Tom tkmtry grinned. \
Lanham acknowledged; the --
work load has increased for in”
vice .League and League of dusjrial appraising: Motay and
Women Voters. . > ■; : Houston Lighting and Power
All council incumbents will be Co., fpr example, have.been add-
runmng for re-election. Others led to the industrial riistrict un-
are Mayqr T6nj Gentry, District der new contract* this year.
3 Councilman Jody R. Lander "'J J ^
and District ’ t Councilman
All have filed expect Hutto,
who indicates he will place his
application on record at city hall
this. week. <
Under previous contracts, these
companies paid set fees ■
Emmett O. Hutto.’ I, ,: ; In all new industrial contacts,
il
■A
'A-
industries pay city taxes on
per cent of the fair market value
and industrial district payments
on 80 per cent.
• .'7*
if:
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Brown, Leon. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 55, No. 97, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 3, 1977, newspaper, February 3, 1977; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1074878/m1/1/: accessed July 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.