The Winkler County News (Kermit, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 67, Ed. 1 Monday, May 21, 1979 Page: 1 of 16
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The Winkler County News
i Vol. 43 - No. 67
FIFTEEN CENTS
Kermit, Winkler County, Texas 79745
Monday, May 21, 1979
j>.6% County Tax Hike Is Proposed
by BERT BREWER
Winkler County
Commissioners spent a couple
of emergency meetings late
.last week wrestling with tax
demons, forced by new state
laws to announce by a May
21 deadline any major change
in county property taxes.
In final action early
Saturday, commissioners
proposed a 5.6 per cent
*
increase in county taxes to
help finance next year’s
county budget.
The Saturday morning
emergency session began at
8:30 a.m. and was attended
by all commissioners and was
presided over by the county
judge. Also in attendance was
the county tax assessor-
-collector and the county,
auditor along with the county
clerk.
The action Saturday
followed an emergency
meeting Thursday morning,
May 17, during which
commissioners set a much
higher rate, then later decided
the rate was based on
incorrect calculations.
The Thursday action was
rescinded first thing Saturday
morning, and Judge Frances
Clark made a motion to raise
the tax ratio to 30 percent
based on a projected tax rate
of $1.09.
Currently the tax ratio is
25 percent with a tax rate of
$1.25.
Commissioner Henry Jones
seconded the motion, and it
passed unanimously with
Commissioner Leon Nutt,
Commissioner Weldon Wright
and Commissioner Christine
Ross all voting for.
The proposed 30 percent
tax ratio and $1.09 rate is
calculated to generate
$2,778,675 in tax funds for
next year.
This year taxes generated
$2,247,760 toward the
county budget.
Relating the new rates to
the local property owner,
Winkler County Tax
Assessor-Collector Mae
Bames said taxes on a
$10,000 house at present are
$33.80 per year. Taxes on
that same house for next year
will be $35.75 as proposed,
an increase of $1.95.
Judge Clark had praise for
the commissioners after the
tax proposals were worked
out.
She noted the court was
able to hold down rising costs
to an increase below the
current inflation rate.
The tax action last week
was triggered by House Bill
18, which requires
publication of notices and
public hearings on any tax
increase greater than three
percent.
Deadline for getting the ads
before the local residents was
today, May 21, if a public
hearing was needed.
Yellow Jackets Take
'District 3-AA Crown
Playing errorless ball before
one of the largest baseball
g^.rowds in a long time at
^Yellow Jacket Field in
Kermit, the Kermit Yellow
Jackets captured the District
3-AA Championship by
defeating the Seminole
Indians, 4-2.
■fr; The Jackets will now go on
10 the second round
competition against the
Alpine Bucks, District 1-AA
Champions, in Ft. Stockton
at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May
26.
( Montie Wren took the win
^n the mound for the Jackets
and he pitched a near perfect
game as he allowed only three
hits and walked four.
The Jacket defense was
equally superb as there was
not one Jacket error during
the game.
Both teams were shut down
in order in the first inning,
but David Shivers, of
Seminole, opened up the
scoring in the second inning
with a solo home run to put
the Indians on top.
The Jackets retaliated in
the bottom of the second
with two runs of their own
off of three hits.
Wren led off the inning
with a walk and Duff Michel
hit into a fielders choice
which saw Wren out at
second. Greg Hawley then
singled to move Michel
around and Danny
Valenzuela doubled to score
both runners. Layne Nutt
collected a single to move
Valenzuela to third, but the
rally stalled there.
After holding the Indians
scoreless in the top of the
third, the Jackets collected
another run in the bottom of
the inning. Lee Roy Rivera
singled, was moved around by
Dub Dietrich’s single, and
scored on Montie Wren’s
double.
The Jackets extended their
lead to 4-1 in the bottom to
the fifth as Dietrich crossed
the plate. Dietrich led off the
inning with a single and
scored on Hawley’s single.
The Indians scored one
more run in the top of the
seventh, but fell two runs
short and the Yellow Jackets
took the district crown.
The Jackets collected 10
hits during the game off of 26
at bats for a .385 average.
Shivers was the losing
pitcher.
Name A
Berzoza 3
Rivera 4
Dietrich 4
Wren 1
Michel 3
Hawley 3
Burleson 2
Valenzuela 3
Nutt 3
m
111
■P
1
ACCIDENT KILLS TWO
This was the scene early Saturday on the Jal highway when a two Kermit men.
1968 vehicle rolled three times following a blow out, killing
(Staff Photo)
Two Kermit Men Die
In One-Car Accident
Two Kermit men were the
county’s first traffic fatalities
of the year early Saturday
when they were killed in a
one-car accident on the Jal
Highway. Flores, 34, who was taken to
Dead at the scene was Winkler County Memorial
Miguel B. Flores, 32, a Hospital and transferred to
passenger in the vehicle Odessa where he was dead on
driven by his brother, Quintin arrival at 5:05 a.m.
Grand Jury Investigates
Teenage Drinking Problem
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DISTRICT CHAMPS
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The Winkler County Grand
Jury met in special session
Friday morning to investigate
the rising problem of
consumption of alcoholic
beverages by teenagers in
Winkler County.
Subpoenas were issued for
the appearance of the owners
or managers of all businesses
in WinWer County, which
hold package store permits or
permits for the sale of
alcoholic beverages for either
on-premise or off-premise
consumption, according to
109th District Attorney Glen
Williamson.
Also testifying before the
Grand Jury, according to
District Attorney Williamson,
were Winkler County Sheriff
W. E. (Bill) Adams, Assistant
Kermit Police Chief Carroll
Richards, and Bill Flynn of
Odessa, area supervisor for
the Texas Alcoholic
Beverages Commission.
The district attorney said a
formal report on the findings
of the special session of the
Grand Jury will be presented
to 109th District Judge Ken
G. Spencer of Crane at the
next meeting of the Grand
Jury. He added that this
would be “sometime within
the next month.”
The Grand Jury went into
session at 9 a.m. Friday, and
the investigative body
recessed at 2 p.m., the DA
stated.
Frank R. Barton of Wink is
foreman of the Grand Jury.
Other members of the panel
include James Waddell,
Gerald Alexander, Gail
Burnett, Mrs. Joe Chandler,
Willie Mae Payne, Linda
Valdez, Julian Donato, Felix
Garcia and Oscar Bermea, all
of Kermit; and David Rice
and Margaret Lane Gray,
both of Wink.
The brothers were in a 1968
AMC Javelin headed south on
Hwy. 18, according to
Department of Public Safety
investigating Officer Dale
Stehle.
The accident was reported
at 1:50 a.m. Saturday and
occurred 1.9 miles north of
Kermit on Hwy. 18.
Patrolman Stehle said the
vehicle was traveling south
toward Kermit when the right
front tire blew out, causing
the driver to lose control.
He said the vehicle left the
roadway on the west side and
the driver apparently
overcorrected and the car
rolled over three times.
Miguel Flores, a passenger
in the vehicle, was dead at the
scene according to Justice of
the Peace Lee Rutledge.
Quintin Flores was ruled dead
on arrival in Odessa by
(See TWO, Page 8)
The Kermit Yellow Jacket baseball team (shown here)
captured the District 3-AA crown by defeating the Seminole
Indians in a one-game playoff for the championship. The
Jackets played before one of the largest baseball crowds in
Kermit history and played errorless ball. They won the game
4|M-2. The Jackets will now play Alpine in Ft. Stockton on
May 26 to decide the second round champion. Standing (1-r)
are: David Watson, Mike Payne, Odis Marshall, Jeff Manning,
Paul Thompson, Bobby Turner, Dub Dietrich, Lendale
Widner, Ruben Berzoza, Roy Burleson, Duff Michel, and Lee
Roy Rivera; Middle (1-r) Ricky Kidd, Greg Hawley, Layne
Nutt, and Danny Velenzuela; and seated (center) Montie
Wren.
Barnes Presides Over State Meet
Some 385 persons from
^throughout Texas attended a
^recent conference of tax
assessor-collectors in Amarillo
presided over by organization
president Mae Bames of
Kermit.
Mrs. Bames, CTA/RPA, tax
^.assessor-collector for Winkler
County, headed the Texas
Tax Assessor-Collector’s
Association during the past
year and was replaced by
Tolly K. Moore of Belton as
president for the coming
year.
The meeting was held May
6-8 and was attended by tax
assessors and deputies from
all of the 254 counties in
Texas.
The Sunday afternoon
seminar and workshop session
included assistant director of
the ad valorem tax division
John Dillion, state
comptroller’s office. Also, on
Enrollment Opens For Nursing
Applications are now being
accepted for the next
^vocational nursing class at
Kermit School of Vocational
Nursing. Applications will be
accepted through Aug. 2,
1979.
V Entrance requirements are
as follows:
1. Must be of reputable
K character.
^ 2. Must be between 18 and
55 years of age.
3. Good physical health.
4. Completion of 10th
grade or passing of G.E.D.
test.
5. Must pass the entrance
exam.
6. Must be a citizen of U.S.
Complete tuition assistance
for Winkler County residents
is available.
The entrance exam will be
given Aug. 6, and classes will
begin Sept. 5.
Persons interested in more
details concerning the
vocational nursing program
should contact Winkler
County Memorial
Hospital. Mrs. Norma
Drennon is in charge of the
program.
the program was director
Robert W. Townley, motor
vehicle division, State Dept,
of Highways and Public
Transportation.
The Honorable Mark White,
Attorney General of Texas,
gave the Monday morning
keynote address. He discussed
new and upcoming legislation
concerning county tax
offices.
Kenneth E. Graeber,
director, Tax Assessment
Practices Board, covered land
use and agricultural
production valuation
techniques.
An overview of operations
and services of the State
Motor Vehicle Sales Tax
Division was given by Richard
Montgomery, director, on
(See BARNES, Page 8)
’i }
* . <:•• •
imm
PAST PRESIDENT’S PLAQUE
Winkler County Tax Assessor-Collector Mae Bames proudly from Kermit who attended the recent state meeting in
displays the plaque presented to her by the state tax assessors Amarillo are, from left, Rilene Bell, Betty Bewley, tax
tor her year’s work as president of the organization. Others deputies, and County Judge Frances Clark.
jt
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Brewer, Bert. The Winkler County News (Kermit, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 67, Ed. 1 Monday, May 21, 1979, newspaper, May 21, 1979; Kermit, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1099988/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Winkler County Library.