Levelland and Hockley County News-Press (Levelland, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 30, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 11, 1984 Page: 2 of 48
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2 —LEVELLAND-HOCKLEY CO. NEWS-PRESS, Wednesday, July 11, 1984-
Just
Rambling
With
Stephen Henry
With all the credit cards
and mortgages these days, if
yon aren’t hopelessly in debt,
yon just aren’t trying.
Early Settler’s is the num-
ber one topic of the week. A
large turnout is expected for
the event which offers some-
thing for everyone. This year’s
event has to be one of the best
organized yet; a tip of the hat
to those responsible. Details
are scattered throughout the
pages of this issue.
Every year at this time I
thumb through some of old
newspaper volumes, seeing
what were some of the key news
otories 10, 20 and 30 years
ago. (Our bound volumes only
go back to 1950. Older
volumes are in microfilm.)
Levelland has definitely
changed through the years.
One of the things that strikes
me is that there has always
been a great deal of pride in
the area school systems. That
pride is reflected in the stories
that were written then, as now,
which recognized the scholastic
and athletic accomplishments
of area students. Teachers
were likewise recognized and
retirements were major social
events at which much praise
was lavished on the retiree. It
only seems appropriate that
this year’s Early Settlers’ Re-
union carries out the theme of
Hockley County’s Schools.
Then, as now, they Were essen-^
tial to the growth of the area.
It seemed rather appropri-
ate to us that Governor Mark
White and his cohorts cele-
brated passage of both the
education bill and the tax bill
with champagne. We under-
stand railroad engineer hats
and red bandanas have been
handed out; most appropriate
for an effective railroad job.
We noticed that the ones
celebrating with the governor
included representatives of
high technology firms in Texas
and lawyer friends among the
legislators.
They should celebrate; no
taxes were levied on lawyers,
nor high-tech firms. Most of the
others in the state, particularly
the consumers, will be affected
by the first tax increase in 13
years.
■ Here, in summary are pro-
visions of that tax bill:
GENERAL SALES TAX: Up
1/8 cents to 4 and 1/8 cents.
Also added for taxation are
cigarettes, snuff, Cable TV,
auto parking and storage, food
vending machines, newspaper
and magazine subscriptions,
laundry and dry cleaning, com-
puter software, lawn fertilizers,
amusement admissions (includ-
ing bowling and movies), mas-
sage parlors, Turkish baths,
escort services, non-automo-
tive repairs (refrigerators,
computers, etc.), rockets, mis-
siles and flight simulators.
GASOLINE AND OTHER
FUELS: Doubles to 10 cents a
gallon.
CIGARETTES: Up two
cents per pack over the next
two years.
MOTOR VEHICLE REGI-
STRATIONS: Up $25 over
three years; fees will now be
based on vehicle age.
MOTOR VEHICLE SALES
AND RENTAL: Jumped from
four to five percent.
ALCOHOL: Up 20 percent.
HOTEL-MOTEL: Up one
percent to four percent.
AMUSEMENT MACHINES
REGISTRATION: (Pinball and
video games) from $15 to $30.
OUT-OF-STATE TUITION:
From present, $40 to $53 per
credit hour over two years.
CORPORATE FRAN-
CHISES: Up 23 percent.
Two anglers were having a
few social chinks at a local bar
after a fishing trip. The fellas’
pastor walked by and looked in
with scorn.
“I sure hope he didn’t see
us,” one angler said.
Hie other said. “What’s
the difference? God knows
we’re here and behaving.”
“Yeah, but,’’ the first
angler said, “God won’t tell my
wde.” _______
The doctor examined the
fisherman whose hands shook
so bed he couldn’t thread a
worm on a hook.
“You drink a lot, don’t
you?” the doc questioned.
“Not really,” the jittery
angler replied, “I spill most of
DEPOSITS
deposits of some $135 million.
With $98,680 million in loan
demand, the bank has record-
ed a 7.7 percent increase in
that area since this time last
year.
Bob Veretto, vice-president
of First National Bank, also
looks on the current agriculture
situation in Hockley County as
a positive point. Veretto says
the chances for a good crop,
coupled with a much-reduced
carry-over of cotton from last
year due to the federal Pay-
ment In Kind program, in-
creased exporting and con-
sumption along with current
drought, situations in other
cotton producing areas, make
the farming situation look very
favorable at this time.
At the end of the second
quarter, FNB had $67,189 mil-
lion on deposit, which is an 8.3
percent increase from the $62
million deposited there at the
half-year mark in 1983. Almost
continued from page
a five percent increase in loans
were recorded with $52,496
million currently on demand at
the bank.
“I think you’re also seeing
an increase in the oil field
activity,” Veretto said. “There
has been improvement as far
as drilling goes and I think
you’re going to see an impro-
ved economy in Hockley Coun-
ty because of these things.”
McDonnell and Veretto
however, disagree as to the
course interest rates may take
in the next six months. Con-
ventional mortgage rates are
higher now than they were last
year, running at between
14.875 and 15.375 percent.
Veretto says he expects in-
terest rates to decrease donje-
what before year’s-end but
McDonnell says he believes
there is a good chance rates
will climb a half point or more
higher before the end of 1984.
South Plains National Bank
president Don Workman said
that growth at his institution,
which is the newcomer in the
banking industry, and in the
financial realm in general is a
sign of a strong economy.
“I really think it (growth in
deposits and loans) shows the
strong economy here — the
fanning industry and the oil
industry and the college which
adds even more support,”
Workman said.
Having opened its doors in
the spring of 1982, SPNB has
experienced growth which
bank officials say was never
expected. Deposits are cur-
rently at $29,935 million - a
16.3 percent increase over the
$18 million on deposit at this
time last year when the bank
had been operating around a
year. Loan demand has in-
creased just under 20 percent
with some $11,998 million on
record at the end of June.
Workman said the bank
should be moving into its new
building, which is being con-
structed on College Avenue,
within a few weeks, with com-
pletion set for about five weeks
from now. The building has
been under construction for-
over a year now and Workman
said although there have been
a couple of problems during the
project, the major reason for
the project’s moving slowly is
that bank officials decided not
to rush completion of the
structure.
The fourth major bank in
the area, Sundown State Bank
in Sundown, currently has de-
posits which total $9,121 mil-
lion, which is a 12.75 percent
increase from figures recorded
at second quarter last year.
Loans however, are down
slightly with $5,746 million in
loan demand at the end of June
compared to around $5.8 mil-
lion in loans at that time in
1983.
CELEBRATION «
>7 :'7 ' J
continued from page 1 W- m -
also time for the quilt fair. The
quilt fair is an annual event for
the county wide Retired Senior
Volunteer Program. Each com-
munity makes a quilt and
during the day will be asking
$1 donations for an opportunity
to win a quilt. The money
raised from each quilt will go
back into the individual com-
munity for use in their senior
citizens program. Communities
participating in the quilt fair
are Whitharral, Smyer, Ropes-
ville, Sundown, Pep, and
Levelland.
The Flying Matadors Dan-
cers will perform at 4 p.m. and
at the same time the Cobleland
School reunion will be held in
the Lincoln Garden Room at
the Senior Center. All other
reunions will be at the Senior
Center between 4 and 8 p.m.
Breakdancing is the latest
craze in the country and per-
sons attending the Early Set-
tler’s Celebration will have the
opportunity to watch the break-
dancing^ group from St.
Michael’s Catholic Church call-
ed the “Floor Masters,” at
4:30 p.m. Then, for those who
would like to try their hand at
breakdancing, the World of
Music will sponsor a contest at
5:30 p.m. Anyone interested in
entering should go by the
World of Music before 5:30
Saturday to register. The con-
test will be held on the court-
house lawn and each contes-
tant will have a 15 minute time
limit. Prizes will be awarded to
first and second jplace winners.
Finally, the day will con-
clude with a square dance
sponsored by the South Plains
Spinners. Everyone is invited
to participate in the square
dance which will be held next,
to the courthouse.
A large variety of booths
will also be set up on the
courthouse Square. When hun-
ger pains strike, persons will
have a choice ranging from red
- V-W
beans and combread to Mexi-
can food, from hot dogs and
hamburgers to bkrbeque.
There will also be a variety of
concession booths serving
sandwiches, ice cream, sau-
sage, cotton candy, burritos,
nachos, watermelon,- and
more.
The arts and crafts booths
will include works of pottery,
woodworking, paintings, nee-
dle work and much more. In all
over 40 booths will be set up on
the Square. Other booths will
have such participation activi-
ties as the dunking booth, cake
walk, and ring toss.
FAIR
continued from page 1
A
SUIT continued from page li
be asked to pay $95 per year;
six to 15 employees $145 and
16 and up $225 annually.
Non-business senior citizen
memberships will be $15 and
individual and family member-
ships are $50. Anyone contri-
buting $300 or more annually
in dues will be recognized as a
special supporting member of
the chamber
Board members also okay-
ed the purchase of a new copier
for the Chamber office through
Nock Print Shop, discussed a
stress seminar and appointed
Dr. Marvin Baker and Dr.
Gene Davenport to head up an
endowment committee to
benefit the chamber.
lawsuit in the absence of Jim
Weems, city attorney.
The suit alleges the city
was negligent in its “failure to
properly secure the gate in
question, failure to properly
maintain the gate in question,
and failure to warn the plaintiff
of the dangerous condition
concerning the gate in ques-
tion.”
No specific monetary
amount is requested in the suit.
!t tl'oT *«\iR't<fV
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
We would like to submit for
recognition several Hockley
County folks whose literary
works were used in researching
area school histories for this
year’s Early Settlers Day
event. They have served as a
source of information and real
inspiration.
They are “Educational His-
tory of Hockley County,”
W.M. Pevehouse, August,
1931, master’s thesis, TTU;
“Hockley County,” O.R. Wat-
kins, June, 1941, master’s
thesis, TTU; “A Survey of
Secondary Education Needs in
Hockley County” and “An
Evaluation of Local Financial
Support of Education in Texas
by Selected School Districts,”
O.W. Marcom, master’s thesis,
TTU; and “Hockley County
1921-1971 - The First Fifty
Years, Epilogue 1971-1976,”
Lillian Brasher.
Again many thanks for all
your community spirit spread
through our newspaper.
Sincerely,
The Early Settlers Committee
Tommy Epperson, chairperson
Sycily Lattimore, chairperson
in charge of research
1°
•o
Fine Arts
- J i
Council
Calendar
July 30-Aug. 3
Summer arts workshop for young people
South Plains College
Contact Continuing Education Dept.
894-9611
Aug. 3-4 8 p.m. “Black Deeds at White Horse”
Melodrama presented by Fine Arts Council
High School Auditorium
STATE CAPITAL
Levelland 41 Hockley County
News-Press
PUBUCATON NUMBER 148-380
Established 1926 and
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711
PMd^
nro^ws Mt£sTu
Texas 79336. Sseoad Class
Levelland, Texas 79336
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UMiwnminuiw
MIGHTS
By Lyndell Wiliams
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
AUSTIN—As the clock moved
toward the Tuesday midnight dead-
line last week, a feuding Legislature
resurrected and approved a $4.8
billion tax bill to finance public edu-
cation reform.
The revenues raised over the
next three years will come from tax
increases on goods and services rang-
ing from computer software to bowl-
ing and movies.
The entire work of the 30-day
special session appeared in jeop-
ardy, brought about when the Senate
added a general sales tax increase of
one-fourth-cent. That move angered
the House, which had fought to keep
the sales tax intact.
The House threw out the Senate
plan and refused to appoint a con-
ference committee to work out a
compromise, the traditional legisla-
tive method. Long-time Capital
watchers cannot recall the last time
either chamber tried that ploy.
It was wild.
Throughout the night, unofficial
conferees met and discussed plans to
salvage the month’s work. Finally,
leaders agreed to a one-eighth-cent
sales tax increase, to continue to
exempt advertising and remove news-
paper and magazine sales tax exemp-
tion.
In the final hours, the plan sailed
through both houses, with Republi-
cans and a few conservative Demo-
crats voting nay.
History 's largest
Not everyone was happy with the
new tax bill, including the representa-
tives of the various industries affect-
ed by the tax
At $4,875 billion, the tax hike is
the largest tax bill in Texas history.
Although Gov. Mark White wanted
to raise money from other items, in-
cluding a one-cent sales tax increase,
the final dollar amount was equal to
the sum he sought.
Lobbyists from the petroleum
and transportation industries com-
plained of being singled out to bear
heavier tax burdens. Other business-
men testified in committees of the
damage that new taxes would have
on their professions and services.
Campaign Politics
In the aftermath of the tax bill,
candidates for political office will be
trying to make hay, however they
can.
One hero of the session is H. Ross
Perot, the Dallas multimillionaire
who chaired the committee hammer-
ing out the school system reforms.
Perot just sold his computer com-
pany to General Motors for a re-
ported $2 billion and has been talked
up as a GOP candidate to challenge
Gov. Mark White in ’86. White said
Perot told him he was not interested.
Gramm Coaps
Some Democrats are saying that
Lloyd Doggett's personal attacks on
fellow Democrats Bob Krueger and
Kent Hance are now coming back to
haunt him: two top fundraisers for
Krueger and Hance have joined
Doggett's opponent, Republican Phil
Gramm.
Houston banker Walter Mischer
and Kerrville-based businessman L.
D. Brinkman, who were finance
chairmen for Hance and Krueger,
respectively, have elfersed Demo-
crat-tumed-Republicf^}ramm.
Doggett has been" busy with the
Foot-
prints
by Riley Kennedy
“Everybody had a good
time” said Lou Edwards, presi-
dent of the Whitharral Early
Settlers? which held their an-
nual meeting Saturday.
About 120 showed up for a
meal prepared by the Lions
Club which helped stage the
day’s affair. Table decorations
were made by Kay McCormack
and a string band furnished
music.
In addition to Lou Edwards,
as president, Jo Waters is
vice-president and Lillie Thet-
ford is secretary-treasurer.
They will remain in those
positions for another year. "
The Lions Club, incidental-
ly, installed new officers during
Saturday’s festivities. Installed
as president was Monty Rod-
gers, with Dale Hewitt, Lanny
Modawell and Billy Kizer as
vice-presidents. Glenn Throck-
morton will be the secretary-
treasurer, with Randy Wade as
lion Tamer and Larry Wade as
the Tailtwister. Wow...What a
gang if you had to go up
against them.
Mrs. Vera Rodgers was
declared the oldest Early Set-
tler at the Saturday event. No
official notice was made of this,
or of the one who traveled the
farthest. Lou Edwards said this
will be changed next year.
There were races of all
descriptions. Foot races, bike
races and even tricycle races
for the small fry to participate
in. In addition, they tell us
competition was keen in the
horse shoe and washer pitching
contests. The same goes for
the domino players who were
still at it at a late hour
Saturday.---—— tf1----
So once again, Whitharral
showed its spirits'by cooperat-
ing and turning out for its
annual Early Settlers Reunion.
Did you know the first
satellite telecast was made in
Europe 22 years ago today?
Yes, that is what the almanac
tells me.
We are all looking forward
to Saturday and our own Early
Settlers Reunion.__ There has
been a lot of work,go into it uid
a lot of long hours. Congratma-
tions to the women at ihe
Chamber of Commerce for
putting out the tabloid you read
in last Sunday’s News-Press. It
was outstanding.
Incidentally, they tell us
Tony Malouf and Bo Bowman
will act as parade marshalls.
Just wondering if they are
going to try and ride horses. If
so, I will have to see to believe.
Lee Weldon Stephenson as
master of ceremonies? Don’t
believe it.
At any rate, though, will be
a real blockbuster of a reunion
so come on out and get in on
the fun and entertainment.
Can I meet you there?
special session and unable to cam-
paign. His vote to increase taxes will
likely be used against hint this fall,
and his race will determine the
amount of political fallout from the
special session.
Weddington-Mattox
Former State Rep. Sarah Wed-
dington, who was President Carter’s
assistant on women's issues and now
directs the Texas state office in
Washington, said last week she will
return to run for Texas office soon.
Some speculation has it that Wed-
dington, a successful lawyer who won
the landmark abortion case before
the U.S. Supreme Court ten years"
ago, will run against Texas Attorney
General Jim Mattox in 1986.
She said she hasn't targeted her
race yet, but did rule out running
this year for the Texas Supreme
Court. Her record combined with
the number of women voters makes
her a viable force.
Mattox, meanwhile, has disagreed
with Comptroller Bob Bullock over
his agency's operating budget.
Bullock reported a few days ago
that Mattox had already spent over
99 percent of his funds. But a Mat-
tox aide denied it, and said Mattox
will end his fiscal year with a surplus
plus a state record for inebme col-
lected from judgments and fines.
Donated Computer
A Houston utility last week do-
nated * $300,000 computer to the
state which will modernize map-
making and other services in the
General Land Office and other
agencies.
Land Commissioner Garry Mauro,
who accepted the gift from Houston
Lighting & Power Co., said he ex-
pects to have computerized maps .
for 254 counties within eight months.
Title to the computer is actually
held by the Texas Conservation
Foundation, which is housed in
Mauro’s agency. Mauro is a board
member of the Foundation.
*
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Taylor, Beverly. Levelland and Hockley County News-Press (Levelland, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 30, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 11, 1984, newspaper, July 11, 1984; Levelland, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1147281/m1/2/?q=%221964~%22: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting South Plains College.