Yoakum Herald-Times (Yoakum, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 19, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 7, 2003 Page: 1 of 14
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April sales tax rebates total 264.9 million
Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton
Strayhorn on Friday, April 11 deliv-
ered $264.9 million in monthly sales
tax payments to Texas cities, coun-
ties, transit systems and special pur-
pose taxing districts, a 2.9 percent de-
crease compared to April 2002.
So far this year, local tax rebates
are down 1.8 percent compared to the
first four months of 2002.
April sales tax rebates include lo-
cal sales taxes collected in February
and reported to the Comptroller in
March.
The state's share of sales tax re-
ported in March was $ I billion, down
2.3 percent compared to a year ago.
Texas cities received April rebates
of $179.1 million, down 1.9 percent
compared to April 2002. Year-to-date,
city sales tax rebates are running 0.9
percent lower than last year.
The top 20 cities, based on year-
to-date amounts, for April are as fol*
lows: I. Houston; 2 Dallas; 3. San
Antonio; 4. Austin; 5. Fort Worth; 6.
El Paso; 7. Plano, 8. Round Rock; 9.
Amarillo; 10. McAllen; II Arling-
ton; 12. Corpus Christi; 13. Irving;
14 Mesquite; 15?Lubbock. 16.
Grand Prairie; 17 Sugar Land. 18.
Beaumont; 19 Tyler and 20 Abilene
Texas counties received $ 15.5 mil-
lion for April, down 1.7 percent Year-
to-date. county sales tax allocations
are 0.7 percent lower than last year
Another $7.4 million went to 76
special purpose taxing districts
around the state. Texas' six metropoli-
tan transit authorities and two city
transit systems received $62 8 mil-
lion
Fowler wins council seat
Some 253 votes were cast in the Yoakum City Council election held
Saturday. May 3 at the Yoakum Community ( enter. Dary I Fowler heat out
incumbent and current mayor. Mitchel Harbus for Place 1 on the council
Fow ler took 131 votes to Harbus' 122 Harbus has held a place on the
city council for 34 years and has been mayor tor 22 y ears
Fowler contributes his win to his supporters
“I owe a debt of gratitude to all the people within the city, as well as
those outside who could not vote." said Fow ler l am thankf ul to them for
speaking on my behalf and believing in my ability and I will do my best to
keep their confidence." -
Fowler's decision to run against Mayor Harbus was reached because he
"couldn't stand around and watch the decline in business activitv and job
loss. I was troubled with the local economy." said I ow ler " I he decline is
evident."
Fowler noted that when he and his wife I isa moved hack to Yoakum in
1984 there were three grocery stores, three hardware stores, two lumber
yards, three drug stores. 14 leather companies and a handful of restau-
rants.
"In 20 years a great number of these businesses have closed thc.r doors
or moved." said Fowler. “I can't watch without hurting because w hen these
businesses close it effects not only the employees but also their lives '
Fowler believes that Yoakum's economy has gotten into a huge rut and
a vision is needed to come out of it.
"It is high time for ideas on attracting new business and ideas tor using
our historical assets as an attraction for tourism." said l ow ler The indi-
viduals. groups and clubs need to come together and speak vv ith one v nice "
Fowler says the city of Yoakum needs to have a v ision and a goal
“I ran because if it wasn't me, then who would it be’" said l ow ler
Incumbents Don Bowe for Place 2 and Annie Rodrigue/ for Place 3 ran
unopposed. They'received 208 and 211 votes respectively
The swearing in of new council members was Tues Mav 6 at 6 p m at
City Hall
Victoria man dies after
rollover near Hochheim
A Victoria man was pronounced
dead at Brackenridge Hospital in
Austin after begirt air-lifted fn m an
accident scene near Hochheim last
Friday morning. May 2 around 8:10
a.m.
According to a DPS report. John
Clifton Wade. 47, was a passenger in
a 2002 Chevrolet armored truck
ow ned by T ripe I.) Security of Victo-
ria. The veihcle's driver. Ventura
Gogellan. 22. of Ganado, was taken
to a Gonzales hospital vv uh minor in-
juries
The truck vv as headed north bound
on Hwy. 183 w hen the driver drifted
to the right Gogellan over-corrected
to the left, causing the vehicle to go
into a skid The truck struck two trees
before rolling over onto its top
Both men w ere w earing seatbealts
and the crash is still under investiga-
tion bv the DPS
See ROU.OX ER pg. 14
Yoakum's payment shows a plus
2 60 percent for the same period in
2002; Hallettsville's payment for
April 2003 shows a 3.94 percent de-
crease from the April 2002 payment;
Moul ton’s payment shows a 12.21
percent increase as compared to last
year's payment for the same period;
and Shiner's payment increased 10.95
percent from the payment received in
April 2002. and
The total payment this period for
the four cities in Lavaca County is
See TAX pg. 14
From left, Derrick Vinklarek (pole vault). Cedric Johnson (discus) and Mason
Findeisen (pole vault) are the Yoakum Bulldogs' entries in the UIL State Track
and Field Meet in Austin this weekend
State Meet Qualifiers
Tom Tom to celebrate diamond jubilee
The Tom Tom Kiddie Parade
sponsored by the Yoakum Chamber of
Commerce and directed by Xi Upsi-
lon Psi, Alpha Kappa Rho. Xi Chi
Theta, and Alpha Epsilon Xi chapters
of Beta Sigma Phi will be held Friday
June 6, 2003 at 6:00 p.m. (Line up is
at 5:30 p.m. for judging) in downtown
Yoakum. This years themes are "Dia-
mond Jubilee" and "Proud to be an
For 75 years, Yoakum has wel-
comed friends, family, visitors and
locals for the annual Tom Tom Fes-
tival. One of the areas oldest festi-
vals, Tom Tom has always been fun
for all, but this year will be even
more special. To celebrate our Dia-
mond Jubilee, we will raffle off a
DIAMOND and a few other dia-
mond related prizes. Raffle tickets
will be available from all Chamber
directors and at the Chamber office
Daniel Janik and Joyce Turbeville were crowned king and queen of the 1949
Tom Tom Festival
and can be purchased any time up
until the Dance on Saturday night
June 7. I ickets will be $5 each or six
for $20.
Tom Tom has a reputation as an
event that appeals to the whole fam-
ily. According to Yoakum's newspa-
per in May of 1928, the "Tomato
Tom Tom" was started "to proclaim
to the world the success that has been
achieved here in the growing and
marketing of tomatoes." Tomatoes
are not the cash crop for Yoakum that
they once were, but local gardeners
still grow fresh, tasty tomatoes.
There will be contests for the big-
gest, ugliest and prettiest locally
grown tomatoes as well as a home-
made salsa contest.
While Tom Tom was started to
celebrate tomatoes, the festival has
grow n to include a great Bar-B-Que
Cook-Off. arts, crafts and food
booths, a carnival, volleyball and
horseshoe tournaments and rodeos
just to name a few activities.
I he festival begin on Monday,
June 2 with the 8th Annual Tom Tom
Prince and Princess Pageant This
event will be held at the Yoakum
Community Center at 6:30 p.m.
The carnival begins Wednesday.
June 4 and continues through Sun-
day, June 8 at the City Park next to
the Rodeo Arena parking lot.
Thursday. June 5 at the Commu-
nity Center, Yoakum's Royalty will
be selected at the Miss Yoakum pag-
eant beginning at 7:30 p.m
The Bar-B-Que cookers will set
up at the park Friday. A Kiddie Pa-
rade w ill be downtown at 6 p m and
The Red Ravens will provide music
for Polka-in-the-Park at 8 p.m. at the
park's pavilion. At 8 p.m. Friday and
Saturday the Tom Tom Rodeo will
See TOM TOM pg. 14
Country Music USA
scheduled for May 13
Featured peformers for the Coun-
try Music USA show on Tues., May
I 3 w ill be John Wayne Schultz,
Christy Wise and Ken Brothers.
The show will begin at 7:30 pm.
and the cost is $3 per person. A home
cooked meal will be served beginning
at 5:30 p.m. and the cost is $5 per
plate.
For more information contact Bill
Lopez at (361 )293-2843
Kiddie Parade deadline June 4
American”.
Flyers w ill be sent to all schools and
day care centers including Sweet
Home and Ezzell. Categories are:
Walking Singles; Walking Doubles;
Trikes, Bikes, Wagons, Wheels, and
Battery Motorized Vehicles; Pets, and
Floats.
Entry forms can be picked up at the
See PARADE pg. 14
TxDOT, Hancor, Holy Cross Lutheran
Church, Tex Tan to host blood drives
Police Officer Memorial Day
Pictured above. Mayor Mitchel Harbus, seated right, signs a proclamation which
designates May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week of May 11-17
as National Police Week. Shown with Mayor Harbus are: seated left: Police
Chief Bill Formolo and back row from left: Officers Lee Campbell and Donald
Broussard. See story, pg. 14.
Did you know that only 5 per-
cent of the eligible population do-
nates blood’’ That's a small percent-
age compared to the 34,000 units of
blood components used each day in
the United States Because of an ag-
ing population and new medical
technologies, blood is being used
more than ever before. It is very im-
portant that new donors contribute
on a regular basis to help keep the
blood supply of south Texas healthy
and strong. Take 30 minutes to sit
down, roll up your sleeve and help
save a life. You never know when
you might be the one in need
TxDot Blood Drive-Tuesday,
May 13; 7:45 - 10 a m in the park-
ing lot. 403 Huck St. For more in-
formation contact Fay Shomburg at
293-4300.
Hancor Blood Drive-Friday, May
16; I 30 - 3 p.m. in the parking lot.
801 Hickey. For more information
contact Angie Bennetsen at 293-
6313.
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
Blood Drive-Sunday, May 18; 9
a m. - noon in the Youth building,
605 S Hwy 77A. For more infor-
mation contact Gary Goodson at
293-3033.
Jex Tan Blood Drive-Wednes-
day. May 21; 9:30 - 11:30 a m. and
I 30 - 2:30 p.m in the plant park-
ing lot. 601 Hickey. For more infor-
mation contact Charles Ratcliff at
293-2314. Each donor will receive
a free T-shirt
Each donor will receive a cou-
pon from Chick-fil-A and choles-
terol reading in the mail. Donors
must be 17 years or older, weigh at
least 110 lbs . and be in good gen-
eral health It is recommended to eat
before donating blood Identifica-
tion is required before beginning the
donation process.
police arrested seven
people from April 28-May 4.
Willie Davis, 39, was arrested
April 29 on Ellen May St. for viola-
tion of probation.
Davis was transferred to Lavaca
County Jail.
A 28-year-old man was arrested
April 28 on a warrant for failure to
identify.
He was transferred to DeWitt
County Jail where bond was set at
$800.
A 40-year-old man was arrested
May I on a failure-to-appear warrant
(criminal mischief, Class B).
He was transferred to DeWitt
County Jail where bail was set at
$800.
A 19-year-old man was arrested
May 2 on a warrants for parking in a
fire lane and flashing lights.
He paid fines totaling $141 before
being released.
A 31-year-old man was nabbed
May 2 on warrants for no driver’s li-
cense, no insurance and public intoxi-
cation.
He paid fines totals $430 and was
released.
A 32-year-old woman was arrested
May 4 for public intoxication.
She was released after paying a
$500 fine.
A 22-year-old man was arrested
may 4 on a warrant for a terroristic
threat.
He remains in police custody af-
ter failing to post an $800 bond.
Cases under investigation by the
Yoakum PD include:
• Reckless damage, April 29, Plaza
St.
• Sexual assault, April 30. Old
Shiner Rd.
• Minor in possession of tobacco,
April 30, Fink St.
• Class B theft, April 30. Poth St.
• Disorderly conduct. May I, Mc-
Kinnon St.
• Burglary of a vehicle. May I,
Price St.
• Class B criminal mischief. May
I, lozik St.
• Reckless damage. May I, Hop-
kins St.
• Class B theft. May 2, Armstrong
St.
• Disorderly conduct. May 2, S.
South St.
• Class B theft. May 2, Armstrong
St.
• Driving with a suspended license.
May 3, Lott St.
Pictured above are the members of the Yoakum High School girls track team
who qualified to participate in the State Track and Field Meet which will be held
this weekend in Austin Shown., from left are. Shromca Lewis, Amy Simicek,
Lena Markert. Quawodolyn Mathis. Allison Guettner. Coach Becky Yeager,
Marquita Chapman and Kelly Marburger
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1 1 1 TH YEAR. NO 19
Wednesday, May 7, 2003
YOAKUM. TEXAS
ONE SECTION
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Yoakum Herald-Times (Yoakum, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 19, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 7, 2003, newspaper, May 7, 2003; Yoakum, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1184538/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Carl and Mary Welhausen Library.