Levelland and Hockley County News-Press (Levelland, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 78, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 4, 1984 Page: 2 of 12
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iiSvUlAy'A y^GO
2 — iBTVRll AND-HOCKLEY CO. NEWS-PRESS, Wednesday, January 4, 1984—
BABY continued from page 1
Foot-
Prints
by Riley Kennedy
Just
Rambling
With
Stephen Henry
Just about six years
ago a gentleman came
bouncing into my office,
stuck out hia hand and
introduced himself, “Hi.
I’m Joe Jones and I’m
going to buy you a cup of
coffee.’’ An infectious
grin covered his entire
face. -
Hip deep in alligators
and problems and finding
time the most precious of
commodities I still could-
n’t refuse such an enthu-
siastic offer, even though
'I was more than halfway
suspicious of'his motive.
Anyone that friendly had
•to -be a , salesman, I
thought to myself as I
followed him down to his
favorite coffee shop at
Levelland Drug.
I found that Joe Jones
was indeed a salesman,
but what he was offering
was, one of the most rare
of gifts. He was selling
friendship. He was one of
the first people in Level-
land to extend a hand of
^friendship te a newcomer.
I found through the next
few months that he ex-
tended that offer of
friendship to everyone he
met.
Joe Jones liked peo-
ple. He was never too
busy to listen to someone
else’s problems, nor too
busy to simply share time
with people he liked.
At the time I met Joe
he and his wife Geneva
were running the local
Montgomery Wards cata-
log store, and he was a
most effective sales agent
for Great American Re-
serve Insurance Compa-
ny. He enjoyed both busi-
nesses, but his passion
*jws preaching. At one
SJJne he even had a Sun-
day morning religious
. program on a Lubbock
radio Station. He was
always encou^aginj
friends to tune in.,_
a Baptist pffJwlgr and
Rroyd^a^^fle was proud
fttunities to preach.
!e had faith.
• •* That faith had to have
been tested during the
past four years, for Joe'
suffered from cancer. It
was just over four years
ago that doctors diag-
nosed a brain tumor and
dM surgery. What they
foundlwas not encourag-
ing, but Joe maintained
for the longest that he was
going ^ilBKget better-that
he/ wee indeed getting
batter.
i Yet those close to Joe
could see the truth he
Helping to bring 1984’s first
baby into the world were Mar-
ia’s physician, Dr. A.W. Tan
and surgeon Dr. B. J. Cuesta.
As soon as she and her
mother are released from the
hospital, Pamela will be joining
the rest of the family at home at
1502 11th St.
DEPOSITS
continued from page 1
the growth at year-end in the
local banking industry may not
be indicative of similar growth in
other aspects of the local econo-
my. 'Tin not sure that it (the
growth by the bank! is an
gruwui by the bankj
indication of the economy in
•T
FIRST BABY BORN IN 1984--Maria Rodriquez, right, proudly
admires her new daughter, Pamela, who was the first baby born
in Levelland in 1984. Paniela Was b
bom at 6:50 a.m. Monday at
Cook Memorial Hospital and weighed seven pounds, 10 and a half
ounces. She was welcomed by her father, Oscar; sister Patricia;
and brother Oscar, Jr. The Rodriquez family lives at 1502 11th St.
(Staff Photo)
general because we had some
large cotton deposits (from the
Payment-In-Kind program) at
the end of the year,’’ McDonnell
said. /
South Plains National Bank
recorded the largest growth of
the four banks. After a year and
eight months of operation the
bank has $20.2 million on depos-
it, up almost 90 percent over the
year end figure of $10.7 million
at the end of 1982.
Loans have also increased
dramatically, with $12.5 million
RECAP
continued from page 1
The first three traffic fatali-
ties of the year occurred as a
result of accidents on July 16
and 17. Tanya Renee Melton of
Anton and her eight-month-old
daughter were killed in an
accident which occurred around
5 p.m, July 16.3.7 mile1; north-
east of Whitharral. Eight other
people received injuries.
Hector Solano, 23,' of Level-
land died on July 19 in Metho-
dist Hospital from head injuries
he suffered in a one-vehicle
accident .4 miles north of Op-
dyke on July 17.
AUGUST
A rain in early August dump-
ed over four inches locally.
After a four-month push,
four local men opened a Moto-X
Park on FM 1546. The operators
are Bruce Lair, Jess Hittson,
Lynn O’Connor, and Larry
Sprowls.
The Levelland Lionesses fin-
gerprinted around 320 children
in a campaign designed to help
locate children should they be
kidnapped or'disappear. ^
The fourth and final fatality
of the year occurred around 7:45
p.m. Aug. 21 on Highway 114
8.4 miles east of Levelland.
____jrmett, 20, of Lev-
ellanc
after she was thrown trof
Pinto which left the roadway and
rolled several times.
In 1982 there were 10 traffic
fatalities in Hockley County.
SEPTEMBER
The city got word that it had
been funded through the De-
partment of Parks and Wildlife
to renovate the pool in City Park,
which had been closed for two
summers because it was unsuit-
able for use. The $220,000 grant
will cover close to half the cost of
the new pool. Work is scheduled
to begin early this spring, with
^n set for late this
Hockley County in the early
1900s. DeVitt was known for her
contributions to lopal and area
institutions.
A four-day rain dumped over
fivft-—inches -on—the area.
“ The top 10 taxpayers for the
year were Amoco, Production;
Sun Exploration and Production;
Texaco, Inc.; Mobil; Bass Enter-
prises and Production; Post
Montgomery; Exxon; Cities Ser-
vices Company; Union Oil Com-
pany of California; and C. Whit-
tenburg. "• .
Nelda Stogsdill and Dianne
I^wson published their first
issue of Sunrise, a quarterly
magazine for the Southwest.
NOVEMBER
Mike Esparza and Antonio
Herrera filed a lawsuit against
the city, alleging that the current
at-large method of electing city
officials dilutes -the voting
strlngth of Mexican Americans.
Two Anton peace officers
were injured in an accidental
gunfire in Littlefield. Bobby
Davis, Anton city marshall,, and
Don Tyler, constable of Anten,
were in a gun shop looking at a
45 automatic handgun which
they thought was unloaded. The
gun went off and hit Davis in the
abdominal area and Tyler the
index finger of his left hand.
Davis underwent surgery in
Lubbock to repair the bullet
wound.
General Telephone announc-
ed plans to install new computer
equipment. The 1984 change-
.. over will, allow 1 plus dialing,
call forwarding, call waiting, and
abbreviated dialing. \
DECEMBER
Bill Blanchard announced
plans to leave the administrat-
or’s position at Cook Memorial.
He is going to San Antonio in
mid-January to administer at
another Hospital Corporation of
America hospital which is being
built. As of yet, a new admini-
strator for the hospital has not
been formally named.
Levelland resident Bob Odell
asked the City Council to do
, something about the drinking
problem here. The city is cur-
rently lookinjflnto the possibility
of drafting an open container
ordinance which would set a *
penally for having an opetr"
container of alcohol in an auto^^
mobile.
Bill Taylor announced his
retirement from the Extension
r Service. Taylor has been county
" agent here for-30 years.
HUMPHREYS continued from page 1
years as the shop foreman and
was deputy sheriff from 1949 to
1952.
Humprheys will be running
for the office in the Democratic
primary.
Precinct no. 5 includes the
Levelland Independent School
s District.
in loan demand at the end of
1983. That is an increase of 92
percent over the loan figure at
the end of the previous year,
which was $6.5 million.
Since its opening, the young
bank has recorded similar
growth figures at the eftdof each
quarter. Scarborough said that is
likely to taper off now that die
bank is established. “We’re just
very appreciative of the business
we’ve gotten. It’s more than we
ever expected. In 1984 we don’t
expect our growth to be as
much. We’re established and
we’re not brand new anymore. ’ ’
The largest bank in the area,
Texas American Bank, had some
$143 million on deposit at the
end of 1983. That is up over five
percent over the year-end figure
of 1982, which was $136 million.
Loan demand has grown a little
more with $103.1 million in loans
out at the end of the year, 7.4
. percent more than at the end of
1982. ‘ •
The $67 million on deposit at
First National Bank is up 4.1
percent over the 1982 ending
balance of $65 million on depos-
it. Loans were at $50.7 million at
the end Of 1983, up over -7.1
percent from the previous year.
Sundown State Bank also
recorded moderate Growth over
the previous year. The bank had
$7.7 million in deposits at the
end of 1983, up just under three
percent over the $6 million
which depositors had there at
the end of 1982. Loan demand
stood at $5.9 million, up 1.88
percent over the $5 million
figure at year’s end in 1982.
While Scarborough and Bat-
tin both predict that most facets
of the economy, including inter-
est rates, will remain fairly
steady throughout 1984, McDon-
nell said he is expecting a
volatile year. “1984 will be a
very volatile year. Things are
going to be up and dawn. All
phases of business may not fare
as well as others. In interest
rates we also predict a year of
volatility. ” ~
McDonnell said he is expect-
ing the major carbon dioxide
project which is under construc-
tion by Amoco Production in
three area oil fields will hold
improvement for the area econ-
omy over this year and the nekt
several years. He expects that
activity in the oil field will show
lots of improvement this month
and in February but may slow
down in March, April and May,
and pick up again after that.
£3
tried so hard to hide. Joe
was a vafy si
ing drive for the
Holiday Wonderland was kicked
sick man but
he continued to smile, he
continued to visit friends
and to try to make new
friends. He continued to
enjoy his trips to the
coffee shop and the plea-
sant conversation of those
friends and neighbors.
Despite the millions
and millions of dollars
spent on research, cancer
is stiU a killer, and so it
was that the dreaded, dis-
ease finally won the battle
shortly before midnight
Tuesday. After months of
hospitalization "and suffer-
ing, Joe Jones died.
It’S times like this a
person regrets an inade-
quacy with words. How do
you sum up a man’s life in
a few short paragraphs?
What words offer comfort
to those who loved him
off. T%e Wonderland saw its first
Christmas season m Levelland in
1983.•,>
The city was named to bene-
fit from aHhree-year $264 million
state^bighwhy package. In 1985
Sorn*j|1.3 million jrill be spent
here hpTme stale to reconstruct
Loop 44 froii Avenue J to U.S.
385, and FM 300 from Loop 44
south to U.S. 385. The city will
have to come up with funds to
install a storm sewer along the
new roadways.
SPC regents toured and ap-
proved construction which had
gone on during the summer and
mm
ag/v
FLOYD HUMPHREYS
Levelland A Hockley County
News-Press
PUBLICATION NUMBER 146-380
Established 1925 and continuing the Hockley
County Herald, the Levelland Daily Sun-News, the
Levelland Surveyor and the Free-Press.
Published each Thursday and Sunday at 711
Austin, Drawer H, Levelland, Hockley County,
Texas 79336. Second Class Postage Paid at
Levelland, Texas, 79336.
Any erroneous reflection upon the character,
standing or reputation of any individual firm or
corporation, which may appear in the columns of the
Levelland Hockley County News-Press will be gladly
corrected when called to the attention of the
publisher.
Stephen Henry................................ Publisher
IBMb
touched virtually every area of
"the campus. The construction
and renovation was paid for by
roval of i
Id whom he loved
? Sue
approval ot a bond sale by local
voters. The college later had an
open house to show .off the work
and thank the community.
/ Val Jackson was named
homecoping Queen. Attendants
fere Debbie Pro thro and Julie
$v Y'.s
V
A LITTLE VOICE INSIDE ME KEPT
SAYING, “WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH,
THE TOUGH GO SHOPPING?"
re
return? Such words
ably really don’t exist
can only look badr at the
pleasure, at the kindnes-
ses and the good deeds he
did and let those memor-
ies blot out some of the
sorrow.
Joe Jones was a good
man. I’ll miss sharing
coffee with him. Til miss
talking With him. TU miss
hia friendship. - «
Renounced author James—*"
Jl Micbener visited the LeveMand
> JQfcpnpress to get backgrounds
* information for his next novel,-ko
be an historical novel about ”
Texas. Paijof the book will focus
on the cottoryndustry.
Over 159 people were given
globulin inoculations in
r?
imi
gamnak gl
mid-Aktobe/. Residents feared a
titis oitbreak herd sunilar
•ne uf Lubbock after a
hepatitis
to one
Lubbock restdtoraqb was identi-
fied as the cause for the out-
break. There was no outbreak of
the disease here.
Christine DeVitt died at 98 in
Methodist Hospital. The DeVitt
family were pioneer ranchers in
i
V*
r_
.‘Level
era wer
the New 1
reports
indue*
eral the
intoxicat
I sort of promised not
to rake any muck, or tp
badmouth anybody, but
this is just too good to
keep. It all came about
- when I made another hy-
pothetical drive ahput
' town.__'
Guess it was hypothet-
ical, but it was so real to
me. It started with John
Gary, whom I saw talking
with Buddy George and
Cruz Tienda. Thought the
running of his two cafes
was enough and there he
was chatting with two
other managers of eater-
ies. Think they must have
been price setting, or
something. Then, too, my
lights failed'to pick them
up too well.
Then, just down Col-
• lege Avenue, whom did 1
see but Micky Ratliff
shooting the early morn-
ing breeze with none oth-
er than John Robinson.
Again, I wondered if they
were sort of price setting
on their auto parts and
tire outfits. Just wonder-
ing, that’s aM.
So we drove on out
— North College for a. ways
and there was Bob Odell
doing something out in
the yard at Dunco. Re-
member too well that I
accused him once of not
getting to work early, so
he proved that he could.
Nearby was Arnold Wil-
liams. He was directing
traffic at his G&C place
and doing a pretty bad
job, ^too, as one of his
trucks nearly hit me face
on.
Steve Olis? Well now,
do not ask me whathe was
doing up so early. Nobody
would want their air con-
ditioner repaired st-4hat .
eai"
helping.. Ekpa Henry QliaJ
out, but I did not see
Henry. Oh well...
So I turned about right
there and came back do\vn
College to the Lubbock
Highway.
First one I saw after I
turned^ was none other
than Bill Shipley. He was
apparently trying to get
into one of his mobile
homes, but having poor
luck. So I just drove on
and who do you think was
next? None other than
Buddy Yeary. Buddy was
filling his own gas tank so
I suppose he was thinking
-that if he could not sell the
stuff he may as well use it.
;-
Sp*cl<
• The
2 ovens
It s a m
It s a a
Use the
or sepa
• Full size
• Stainles:
SPtCtAL
COOK
AT A
:■
Old Aubrey Rawls.
Now there is a character.
He was sitting right out on
his lot trying, in vain, to
fire up one of his tractors.
Would have given him a
hand, but I had others to
see. So sure enough, old
Matthew Goodrich came
into view. You could tell
he was arguing with Pat
Blair about the books at
that thing he calls a cotton
gin.
So I just drove on out
and stopped, momemtar-
ily, at the Jackson Broth-
ers place. Waymon and
Raymon were having cof-
fee, but did not invite me
to partake. Rather so,
they just motioned for me
to get going. There at the
Vegetable Oil outfit. I’m
sure it was W.L. Goble.
Thought he had retired,
but he was there doing
nothing.
Ted Latham? Of all
people to have to encoun-
ter, this was it He was
manhandling a big rock
bit and the way he han-
dled it, I’m sure the bit
will never drill again.
Oh well, I decided
enough was enough, so
just turned around and
came on back home. ^After
all, did not see one single
thing of great importance.
Just friends, or they once
were, in ridiculous situa-
tions. 8ee there, I promis-~
ed not to rake any muck,
or badmouth anybody. So
Fm living up to my proiq- ,
ise by just telling facts. '
So will end it all with a
great big A...WW...*
WWW...
* V
%
Bill]
608 Ave
f
jr
4
%
• ■ t
y
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Taylor, Beverly. Levelland and Hockley County News-Press (Levelland, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 78, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 4, 1984, newspaper, January 4, 1984; Levelland, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1147328/m1/2/: accessed June 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting South Plains College.