The Penny Record (Bridge City, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 27, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 1, 1995 Page: 3 of 21
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School Boam Fans
In Special Meeting
From Page 1
were inactive, coming to no agreeable decisions despite
proposals to call an election, and another to appoint longtime
Bridge CNian and former school board president, John Scales, to
the vacant post left by Beck.
Beck still holds the school board seat until she is replaced,
either by election or by an appointment. Other school board
members include; John Smith, board president, James Bean,
Mike Vickers, Nina Leifiests, Dr. Fred Zoch and Russel Dillow.
Board member, Dr. Fred Zoch, nominated John Scales, who
previously served on the BCISD Board as president, he was also
the first Bridge City High School graduate ever elected to that
position. The motion was seconded by Nina Leifiests. Smith,
Vickers, Bean, and Dillow all opposed the nomination.
A Bridge City native and businessman here, Scales stated that
members of the School Board of Trustees should never forget
their most important task... ensuring the best education available
for the students in the district.
The 43 year old Scales attended school here and is a 1971
graduate of Bridge City High School. He went on to study at
Lamar University where he received his Associate degree in
Applied Science, with a specialization in Drafting Technology. He
is a co-owner of Scales Portable Building, a family owned and
operated business here.
Over the years, Scales has been involved in various
community activities; serving on the Bridge City Chamber of
Commerce Board of Directors for 6 years and served as it's
president in 1989. In 1988 he was named Small Business
Person of the Year, and in 1990, he was named Citizen of the
Year for his various volunteer efforts in the community. He has
also served on the Board of Directors of the Bridge City Rotary
Club. He also helped organize and build the new Bridge City
Public Library, completing his term as President of the Library
Board of Trustees in 1991.
John Scales, his wife Brenda, and son John, and daughter
Aaron, are member of St. Henry's Catholic Church.
People Bring Goat
Problems To JP.
From Page 1
He performed that belated ceremony.
I've married a tot who were in jail, where one or both were going
to the penitentiary,'' he recalls, wondering what their motivation
was. "They bring (the prisoners) over here in coveralls."
"I did one proxy weding over the telephone; the groom was in
England."
Performing marriages is, perhaps, the most well-known
function of justices of the peace. Since Wimberly's Precinct One
office is close to the County Clerk's office in the courthouse,
engaged couples often think of him during the three-day waiting
period after getting their marriage licenses. As a result, he
officiates at more marriages than any other local justice of the
peace.
Starting 21 years ago with no office clerks and just $300
budgeted for part-time help, Wimberly says he and two full-time
clerks now "cant always keep up with the workload."
His responsibilities include civil cases such as evictions,
primarily for non-payment of rent; small claims court, Class C
criminal misdemeanors, and administrative hearings.
He also handles the initial stage of felony charges.
"We conduct examining trials on felony cases," he says,
explaining that the purpose of this is to examine whether or not
the state has enough evidence to warrant a grand jury
indictment. Cases either can be dismissed at this level or sent to
the grand jury for consideration.
The justice of the peace also handles arraignments on
prisoners in jail, advising them of their charges, of their Miranda
rights, and setting bond on the charges.
One often unpleasant part of the job is conducting inquests on
dead bodies.
Inquests are done "when a person dies and is not under care of
a doctor-lt may be an accident, or could be from natural causes
or suicide."
"I go to the scene, took at the body, and get information from
police officers about what happened" he says. "The bad part of
a lot of them is that the body is badly decomposed."
If the cause of death is unknown, Wimberly's next step is to
order an autopsy by a pathologist. Autopsy results may take as
long as four to six weeks for blood tests, urine tests, and
alcohol/drug screening to be completed.
: *
>3A
Biggest
Free 6how
On Earth
Trom Page 1
made the purchases of grain, feed, hay and
fuel. Jerry is the 24-Hour Man because he
travels 24 hours ahead of the rest of the
circus.
An hour later the gaily painted trucks start
arriving, along with the eager spectators,
who the circus encourages see the
biggest free show on Earth, the set up of people and animals have been doing this
the Carson & Barnes Circus. Each vehicle is every single day since March 18 in over 250
guided into place and becomes part of a towns across 23 states. It seems like a lot of
giant three dimensional jigsaw puzzle. work just for one day and two shows, but
As the first hulking gray elephants are one day stands are a part of circus tradition,
unloaded the stake trucks begin driving the This circus has been on the road for nearly
hundreds of stakes required by the big top. sixty years, and It has always operated on
The rhythmic pounding sets the tempo and one day stands. One day there is an empty
the whistles and shouts of the 50 man tent field, the next day an entire circus city of
oome first. Others are buiding pens tor the
horses, giraffe, carnets, llamas, sheep,
hippo, and zebras. The big cats and the
rhinoceros remain in their specially built
trailers. Rides are being assembled. The
oook house is opened, and the noon meal
is being prepared.
WNto the circus equipment is specialized,
specialization ie not a luxury that circus life
affords its members. Almost all of the
employees of the circus have more than
one job, some of them as many as a dozen.
Even the most talented performers carry
rigging into the big top as it is being
prepared for the evening's shows. Ail this
hard work Is the trade off for the freedom of
the circus life.
By 9 a.m. the office trailer is open, and
tickets begin to flow from the box office for
the coming shows It's 11 a.m. and the
process is nearly complete, and al but a few
die hard circus fans have gone home,
having seen the greatest free show on
Earth.
The amazing thing about this is that these
crew form the melody of a unique song.
Crews lay out the poles and tent sides as
the big top itself is unrolled from the reel
truck. This specialized piece of circus
equipment rolls and unrolls the 61,230
square foot polyvinyl tent top in one piece.
Before its invention manhandleable size
pieces of the tent had to be laced together
before the tent could be raised.
As one of the elephant handlers stretches
the elephant picket lines between the
three elephant trailers other handlers
harness two of the elephants and guide
them to the big top with verbal commands.
Starting at one end the elephants are used
to pull the poles into an upright position and
bring the big top to life.
While all of this is going, on the water
trucks have gone to town and returned with
their tanks full. The first things filled are the
animals’ water troughs. The animals always
tents, animals, equipment and fun. The
following day t only popcorn bags, trampled
grass and a million memories remain.
The
Professor
Personal (Sabbatical Leads
Man To Life With Circus
by David Ivy
Traditionally, the circus was a place that
someone who didn't want to be found could
The Record, November 1.1995.
hide. The cvcue tofce are fee a big family,
and an ufwwtten rule wee that you do not
ask someone for their name;
you to know, they wM le* you.
this, nicknames ware a big part of circus
tradition.
This has changed a tot in reosnt years; toe
circus management requires a Social
Security card and state issued I.D. card
before they wM hire anyone. This has made
the circus as difficult a place to hide in as
nomeiown. UoA. * ^
The Professor ran away and joined the
circus last June. David Courier, AKA The
Professor, is an English teacher. He
teaches English as a second language In
Japan, a profession in high demand. An
wness to the tamtty brought him back to the
United States, and a whirlwind of personal
trouble left him revaluating his lot to INe.
While buying tickets to a performance of
the Carson & Barnes Circus in his
hometown in Oregon, David saw a Help
Wanted sign. Carson & Barnes was looking
for good, dependable people to travel with
the circus. David considered himself
dependable and since they would train, he
decided to turn his trip home into a
sabbatical from teaching and join the circus.
He was hired despite the fact that he was
slightly overqualified for the opening.
With a promise of something more suitable
to his less than formidable stature, the
Professor soon found himself tending the
titans of the circus, elephants. Despite his
size, David found a home among the huge
beasts and, when a less taxing job opened
up, he declined it and chose to stay with
the animals he had grown to love.
When this circus season ends, he will
return to Japan and take with him his
memories and experiences as part of the
circus and of Barbara. Barbara Is a 56-year-
old female Indian elephant. She arrived to
America in 1947, one of the first elephants
to come since World War II made their
transport impossible. If legend holds true,
she and her sixteen sisters will long
remember the Professor. He hopes they
recall him as fondly as he remembers them.
When he first took office, jurisdiction of small claims court was
$150 and of justice court, $200. Currently, jurisdiction is $5
thousand in each of those courts.
"This really increases the workload," he says, noting "People
can sue in each of these courts without an attorney."
Most of his court cases are jury trials. In a criminal trial, the
accused automatically get a jury unless they waive their rights to
jury. In small claims court and the justice court, litigators who
want a jury must pay a fee; however, 80 per cent request juries
in spite of that.
Wimberly's surroundings have improved from tjis tiny, crowded
nook in the annex building, but friends still kid him "about being
in the closet."
"I went to Commissioners Court several times and asked for
more office space," says Wimberly, who spent about two years
"in the closet."
Before becoming justice of the peace January 1, 1975,
Wimberly worked for the Orange Police Department, for a car
business, and as a pipefitter.
He attended a mandatory 40-hour school when he became
justice of the peace, earned a paralegal degree from Lamar
University, and keeps up with changes in legislation through the
required 20 hours of annual continuing education.
Perry To Marshal
Holiday Parade
From Page 1
president of 1983, and was selected as citizen of the year by the
chamber of commerce in 1985. This year he was selected as
small business person of the year.
The parade is open to anyone wishing to participate. Entries
are taken over the phone by contacting the chamber office at
735-5671. The parade will be held November 18 at 10 a.m. at
St. Henry's Catholic Church parking lot and will disband at the
Bridge City Junior High School. Entrants must arrive at the
church parking tot by 9 a.m. for line up. There is no entry fee to
participate in the parade.
The parade will be led by Perry and his wife, Jane, then
followed by serving royalty from the Miss Bridge City pageant in
which Kari Degeyter won the title. Winners from the Little
Miss/Mr. Bridge City pageant will also participate along with
scouting clubs, local bands, drill teams, horse riding clubs, dance
studios, etc.
The parade will be followed the Fifth Annual Holiday Showcase
to be held at the Bridge City High School cafeteria.
For information about the reception or showcase, contact the
chamber at 735-5671.
There are two thing* in (Ilia life for which we are ne^er full>
prepared, anil that is twins.
Josh Billings
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Turkel, Arlene. The Penny Record (Bridge City, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 27, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 1, 1995, newspaper, November 1, 1995; Bridge City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1170732/m1/3/: accessed July 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .