Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 27, 1977 Page: 4 of 18
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Burleson Area Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Burleson Public Library.
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4A-Burleson Star, Thursday, October 27, 1977
★ Council
Advisory Committee
CONTINUED FROM FARE 1
Needs Few Good Persons
Guest Editorial
Farmers Strike Looms
Amendment Vote Nov. 8
★ Halloween
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Wet Streets Contribute
f
To 8 Saturday A ccidents
★ Robbery
-W.H.
Burglary, Motorcycle Thefts
FFA
Citrus Sale
-Star Staffoto
Weekend rains may have influenzed
farmers and ranchers, but it sure didn’t
win any friends among motorists
Saturday as Burleson Police were
called upon to investigate no less than
eight accidents on the rain-slick
streets.
All but one were of the fender
bender variety. It was a major accident
at the intersection of SH 174 and FM
731 that sent 13 year old Bruce Cox to
Huguley Hospital for treatment. Burle-
son police said he was taken by private
automobile for treatment of cuts and he
did not appear to be seriously injured.
Driver of the car, Jennifer Lynn Cox,
of 6248 Winifred in Fort Worth, was
involved in a collision with a car driven
by Frank Charles Rocamontes of
Joshua.
According to police reports, one of
the cars was going to turn right on 174
from 731 and lost control of the car.
Another accident involved three cars
actively and another as a non-contact
vehicle.
This was at 3:10 p.m. Saturday at
174 and Ellison.
The car was in the median of 174,
teen-
t from
•inecep-
FIRST BAPTIST YOUTH
Junior high and high school students
may see spooky type movies at
Wilshire Village Cinema for $1 per
person Saturday night.
A movie, “Phantom of the Paradise”
will be shown for junior high students
beginning at 10:45 p.m.
“The Other” is the title of the movie
for senior high students. It will begin at
midnight (before the time change).
Tickets are available in advance by
contacting Rhett Payne at First Bap-
tist Church, 295-2221. Concessions will
be available.
As the constitution now reads, the
tax collector would be in violation of
the law to grant any kind of exemption
on such property.
We doubt that the tax relief would
significantly effect the revenue of any
local political subdivision, as critics of
the proposed amendment claim.
To the contrary, preservation of
historical sites might actually increase
the v^Jue of surrounding properties so
that the subdivision would gain even
more tax revenue.
AMENDMENT NO. 5 seems to deal
only with.the formation of agricultural
and marine associations which may
mandate the collection of refundable
assessments for improvement of pro-
duction, marketing, or use of their
products.
But there also are many unanswered
questions which might eventually wind
up costing the consumer.
Considering the profit-squeeze cur-
rently in the news in connection with a
proposed strike by farmers and ranch-
ers, the amendment takes on even
. more meaning.
PRODUCE FOR SALE-The Burleson
High School Chapter of the Future
Farmers of America is having their annual
orange and grapefruit sale and this year
they have added apples to their inventory.
The club uses this sale annually as a
money raising project. Cost for 20 pounds
of oranges or grapefruit is $4.75 with the
40 pound box going for $7.75. Apples are
$5.25 for a box of approximately 30 and
$7.75 for a half bushel. Here, FFA
President Trey Polster [1] hands out some
order blanks to FFA member Randy
Trice.
BURLESON CB CLUB
A Halloween street dance will be
sponsored by Burleson CB Club from
8:30 until midnight Saturday between
Mott’s and Myers.
A live Country and Western band
will provide music and hot dogs, coffee
and soft drinks will be available. Also, a
costume contest will be conducted.
and made an interior wall.
One of the motorcycles that was
taken belonged to Sam Stewart of 113
N.E. Michael, who told police that he
noticed his dirt bike was missing from
his garage about 9:30 p.m. Friday
night.
The other cycle belonged to Kenneth
Hill of 529 N.W. Tarrant and it was
taken Sunday night about 9:15. Early
Monday morning, Fort Worth Police
spotted and pursued that motorcycle
until it was abandoned by its rider.
He escaped, but the motorcycle was
recovered.
Police also received a report from
Casey Magar that about $100 worth of
tools and a small tool box were taken
from hig pickup truck on a parking area
to a car lot. An unsuccessful attempt
had also been made to remove a tape
deck and AM radio from the truck.
1912 for enough money to buy a shirt,
then you ought to be able to sell a
bushel of corn in 1977 for enough
money to buy a shirt.
Two things work to hurt the farmer
more than most others--and we ain’t
talking about the weather (which is
another factor).
First inflation is the main booger-
bear, and in our opinion is more
important than recessions, depress-
sions, energy crises, SALT and the
Panama Canal, all put together! But,
second, the farmer’s plight is further
complicated, because he can’t raise his
prices, like most of the rest of us do, to
keep pace with inflation. Fact is, he
can’t set his price to begin with; he’s
subject to what the buyer bids at
auction, or on the commodities board.
With rampant inflation, it’s hard
enough to stay in business, even if you
can control the price of what you
produce. Consider the farmer who has
only two choices: (1) sell at what the
buyer bids, even if it is below his cost,
or (2) “P.O. it” and take it home! Some
alternative, isn’t it?
Perhaps no single leader or group in
Washington can solve all the farmer’s
problems, but there is something that
can be done about INFLATION, if and
when our leaders get the guts to do it.
It isn’t easy and it takes time, and
needs to start with this nation’s
Federal Reserve System, which is
what we plan to editorialize about next
week.
In the meantime, we sincerely be-
lieve the farmers are damn serious and
will do something rash on Dec. 14.
That’s about as strong a language as
we dare use in a family newspaper, but
someone needs to get the attention of
those who make things happen.
-Sam Logan
Madisonville Meteor
A number of times in the past this
newspaper has editorialized about the
plight of the American farmer and
rancher. And some months ago we
predicted that eventually farmers
would become so desperate that they
would rebel-either passively by quit-
ting food production, or aggressively
by organizing some sort of strike to
' stop production.
It looks like this desperation move
may begin on December 14-less than
two months away-when farmers in
many states, perhaps even nationwide,
plan to “shake the foundations of this
system” by either parking or parading
their tractors.
In Amarillo last week 3,000 farmers
from seven states met to discuss their
plans, and this wasn’t the first such
; mass meeting.
Folks, I hope someone takes this
; seriously, for we weren’t exaggerating
when we depicted this situation as
“desperate”. Many farmers are on the
* verge of bankrupcy, and knowing how
independent they are, they may go
down swinging. They are talking about
getting the attention of the urban areas
, with a strike, but what’s the next step?
. The farmers in Amarillo were talking
about “bringing the (non-agricultural
area of the U.S.) to it’s knees” with
_ things like shooting cattle and plowing
under crops.
.. •. The leadership of this country had
. better wake the hell up! This country
^.editor knows personally too many
farmers, and brothers they arent
kidding.
If Washington and other urban folks
really knew farmers, they’d know they
don’t want something for nothing.
.What they want is “parity! What
c parity means is this:
If you could sell a bushel of corn in
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
county and state law enforcement
officers for several months. Prine said
that complaints of prostitution, truck-
ers being beaten, fights, drug abuse,
alcohol abuse and other disturbances
had been filed after incidents there. He
added that homosexual activity also
has been alledged at the location.
Sheriffs deputies and highway pa-
trolmen also check both the rest areas
along 1-35W regularly, he said, but
stories of various crimes continue to be
heard with few arrests. ^
[Last in a series]
Most voters won’t see any particular
v significance to at least two of the seven
proposed amendments to the Texas
Constitution which will be decided on
j.< November 8. But they are important,
k One deals with assessments by
F agricultural and marine associations to
. Two motorcycles were stolen over
the weekend and a local convenience
store was broken into sometime Mon*
; day night or Tuesday morning, accord-
ing to the Burleson Police Department.
One of the motorcycles has been
recovered and the other is still missing.
Police sAid that a burglary at
'tindsey’s Grocery, at SH 174 and
NfcNairn Rd., was reported Tuesday
morning but that apparently no cash
. had been left at the store.
. 7 About two sackloads of various
merchandise was reported missing,
said Detective Sgt. Lamond Yates,
including cigarettes, cigarette lighters
and , cigarette papers of the kind
frequently used to roll marijuana.
Entry into the building was gained
by breaking out a side window, Yates
said, and then kicking through a piece
of paneling that covered the window
school year with Lone Star Gas Co.
which included an escalation clause
which force the price up as much as 25
percent. The existing contract will
expire Nov. 25 and, without new
structures being added cost for the
year was projected at more than
$40,000. The district budgeted about
$56,000 for 1977-78 including anticipat-
ed needs in new buildings under
construction.
-Approved rental rates at $5.50
per hour for use of the newly-remodel-
ed Nola Dunn Gym. Work on the old
building, which also will be used for
Adult Basic Education and other
Community Education programs
should be ready in time for open house,
scheduled for Nov. 7.
-Set the date of Nov. 14 to open bids
for two major tennis court projects,
one at the high school and one at the
middle school. Cost is expected to run
from $55,000 to $60,000.
-Held an executive session dealing
with a request for maternity leave, a
supplement to the substitute teacher
list and a personnel matter.
COMMUNITY Education Director
Paul Gilbert presented plans for use of
the Nola Dunn Gym. He said that he
had already had requests for use of the
facility by the community, including
church basketball teams.
The elementary school will have first
priority, both during and after school
as stressed by trustees, and one room
will be used as a film review facility.
Another room will be set aside for the
adult education program.
THE RENTAL FEE, said Stribling,
was based on estimated cost of opera-
tion. Utility and janitorial costs were
estimated at $2.00 per hour. Pay for an
attendant who will be in the building
during all functions, was estimated at
about $3.50 per hour.
“All that we’re doing is breaking
even”, said the superintendent.
During a short question and answer
session, board member Charles Hern-
don asked if anything had been done
about setting up a program for adults
in answer to inquiries from parents
when sex education curriculum was
first installed at the middle school.
Gilbert said he had not been able to
find a person willing to be the
instructor.
A report on progress of several
i olice reports said, and started to pull
<ut across the highway but then
; topped. A vehicle on 174 evidently
ihought the first vehicle was coming
across and swerved into the right lane
and struck a car. One of the vehicles
then went into a spin and was struck by
another car.
I Drivers of the cars were Stanley
Abernathy of Rio Vista, Victor Allen
Swaim, 108 Sherry Land, Burleson;
Autry Tillman McDowell, Rt. 5; and
Shirley Porter of 7225 John T. White
Road in Fort Worth.
| Other Saturday accidents invoved
cars driven by Susan Marie Cox of Rt. 3
and Steve Darren Landers of Rt 5.;
Thomas Allen Barresi of Rio Vista and
Derenda Kay Sarchet of Rt. 1, Joshua;
Wilburn Marcus Junge of 7513 Hoochie
Lane, Everman, and Billy Frank Emer-
son, Rt. 1, Burleson; James Bennie
Moore of Burleson, one car accident;
Linda Lou Hines, 15931 Stillwood,
Dallas, and Najo Othman Hamideh, 825
Marlene, Everman; and Terry Mark
Clowdus, Rt. 2, Burleson, and John Jay
Chandler, Sr. of 10 Wyche Ct., Burle-
son. I
paid by city residents will more likely
come from Austin, however, and not
from Burleson. Hearings on electric
rates have been conducted in the state
capital by the Public Utilities Commis>
sion and their decision could come
before Dec. 1, the date the local
ordinance would go into effect.
MOST OBSERVERS apparently be*
lieve that the ultimate rate set by the
PUC will fall somewhere in between
that proposed the TESCO and that
offered by the cities, believes Burleson
City Manager James England.
Lead attorney for the cities is Don R.
Butler of Austin.
England told the Star Tuesday that
prior to the council meeting he planned
to check with other cities that are
involved in the rate dispute. If they are
approving the model "'-dinance pre-
pared by the attorneys, tnen he will
probably propose to the council that
Burleson follow suit.
Other than utility rates and the
weather, the next most talked about
thing in northern Johnson County on
any given day may well be roads,
particularly the Old Alvarado High-
way, and that too is on the council
agenda.
Council will be asked to approve a
resolution giving a formal committ-
ment to purchase the right of way for
state improvement of CR 600 (Old
Alvarado Hwy.).
The state has proposed an extension
of Renfro St. past IH 35W to a junction
with CR 600, a half mile project with a
price tag of almost a half million
* dollars.
THE PROPOSAL FALLS short of
what many rural residents had hoped
for-designation of CR 600 as a Farm to
Market Road-but should ease the
problems somewhat in the city limits
by eliminating the jag necessary to get
from one street to the other and by
providing a wider road in a high traffic
area.
Council earlier expressed its approv-
al of the project by a 6-1 vote.
The council is also due to discuss city
parks and some grants that might be
available for parks. A land acquisition
committee may be named should the
council decide to purchase land for new
facilities.
OTHER ITEMS on a lengthy agenda
include:
-Awarding bids on cars or trucks for
the police department, the city building
official, the street department, fire
department and the water and sewer
department.
-Awarding a contract for sidewalks
at Warren Park.
-Public hearings and possible action
on five zoning requests. These are all in
the G.W. Cummings Addition and the
owners are asking that the property be
returned to its former commercial
zoning. /
^Discussion of procedures of disposal,
of animals. Strays [have been taken to
Fort Worth, but that city is now
charging a fee for dogs brought there.
-Discuss employment insurance for
city employees.
-Consider a request by the Burleson
Optimist Club for a temporary permit
to sell Christmas trees on the corner of
N.E. Wilshire and N.W. Renfro.
The Burleson school district is look-
ing for a few good men (and women), to
borrow a Marine phrase, who would be
willing to spend a bit of ,time evaluating
and making suggestions on how to
improve local.schools.
A special advisory committee made
up of parents, teachers, students,
school administrators and members of
the board of trustees will be establish-
ed under new guidelines for accredita-
tion set up by the Texas Education
Agency.
School trustees in their regular
meeting Monday night approved a plan
for the committee presented by Dr.
Vernon Stokes, director of curriculum,
and Bob Spurlin, principal of Mound
elementary School.
Actually, several names already
have been submitted for the advisory
panel. They will be contacted in the
next several days, as authorized by the
trustees.
The committee will function for only
one year, looking for ways to improve
the school system on a long-range
basis. It’s work will be only the first
step' in the accrediation process.
FOLLOWING the establishment of
goals by the advisory group, school
personnel in the second year will be
asked to evaluate existing programs in
comparison with the long-range goals.
Development of goals will be carried
out in the third year, prior to review by
TEA.
The program is designed to get
maximum public input, said Dr. Stokes,
and will include a community survey to
obtain information from the community
as a whole.
Board members discussed various
ways to get the public input and
indicated they might have other names
to consider for the committee.
Supt. Bill Stribling recommended
Spurlin be appointed as chairman of
the committee with Dr. Stokes as his
assistant.
Two board members, Charles Hern-
don and Maurice Shepherd, volunteer-
ed to serve on the panel.
IN OTHER BUSINESS the School
Board:
-Reviewed progress of various capi-
tal improvement projects which were
reported on schedule by the district’s
architect, Charles Welch.
-Approved a contract for the new
construction projects showed that con-
tracts are on schedule, according to
Charles Welch.
He said that the Frazier Elementary
kindergarten building will be ready for
use in a couple of weeks. Carpet had
been scheduled for delivery as one of
the final parts of the job.
A January completion date still is
planned for the new high school gym
complex. Welch said that colors were
being matched in furnishings and walls
this week. Delivery of all materials
seems on schedule and contractors did
not expect any delays, he said.
Work also is “Moving real well” on
tne site of the new administration
building at the intersection of FM 731
and Highway 174. Water was discover-
ed at about 11 feet at one location near
the administration building site and a
pump might be installed to help
irrigate the lawn, he said. The architect
said that one problem at the site may
turn out to be a “streak of luck.”
“WELCH WAS complimented by the
board for his work on the old Nola
Dunn Gym. Members noted that the
building did not look the same. At one
time, some consideration had been
given to tearing the old structure
down.
Cost to remodel the facility is running
about $6.50 to $7.00 per square foot, he
said, in comparison with $35 to build
new structures.
Trustees suggested revisions in the
location of tennis courts at the high
school. Welch had placed the new
courts so as not to remove an old
storage building at the high school and
board members suggested that he
draw plans again for best use of the
available space without regard to the
old building, now used for storage by
the auto mechanics class.
The tennis courts at both schools
probably will be lighted. Welch said
they would have asphalt surfaces but
would be high-quality. He said he had
talked with officials at the new TCU
Tennis facilities for ideas on construc-
tion and design.
Board members also suggested he
design entrances to prevent vandalism
from motorcycles.
Gunshot Wound
Self-Inflicted
Examiner Rules
A ruling of self-inflicted gunshot
wound has been made by the Tarrant
County Medical Examiner in the death
of Charles A. (Tony) Maxwell, 28, of
Rendon.
His body was discovered at his home
about 9:15 p.m. Oct. 23.
A resident of Rendon for about two
years, he formerly lived in Fort Worth
and Granbury.
Surviving are his wife, a daughter, a
step-son and step-daughter, two sis-
ters, and his parents.
Services were held at 1 p.m. Wedne-
day in Jones Funeral Home Chapel.
★ Contract
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
President Jimmy Coontz also critici-
sed Carroll, saying “I’m tired of having
to make decisions without the facts.”
He added as the discussion closed,
“Let me remind you, you are an
employee of the school district and not
the City of Burleson.”
Trustee Maurice Shepherd said he
felt the board’s approval of the contract
last year may have established the rate
for this year and he voted against
tabling the matter until the next
meeting. He suggested that Carroll get
as much use from the tax office
computer service as possible to avoid
hand processing and computation of
assessed values to hold costs down.
City officials had discussed the
contract about a year ago and some
indication was given that the city
might be ready to consider hiring its
own tax assessor. No action was taken
at that time, however, other than to
study the matter further.
BETA SIGMA PHI
The Boy Scout Hut in Garden Acres,
Stone Road and Oak Grove behind the
Skelly Station, will be transformed into
a “Haunted Hut” by members of Beta
Sigma Phi Sorority, Xi Eta Pi Chapter.
Designed for children, a tour of the
hut, a magic show, refreshments and
fortune telling will be included for $1
per person. Hours are from 6 until 9
p.m. Halloween night.
RETTABAPTIST
A community wide Halloween party
is being sponsored by Retta Baptist
Church between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Monday. All Rendon area children in
first through sixth grades are invited
to attend the party in the Fellowship
Hall.
Activities will include a movie,
puppet show, games and spook house.
There will be no admission charge and
children are encouraged to come in
costume. A prize will be awarded for
best costume.
International Thespian Society
A haunted house for children in sixth
grade and under will be sponsored by
the International Thespian Society at
Burleson High School in the high school
cafeteria between the hours of 6:30 and
9 p.m. Monday.
Charge for the tour will be 50 cents.
Refreshments will be available.
FIRST CHRISTIAN
Games, spooks, a haunted house,
apple-bobbing, scary music and yummy
refreshments will be attractions at a
Halloween party at First Christian
Church at 7 p.m. Monday.
Everyone is welcome to attend in
costume. Those attending are asked to
bring a bag of candy or treats for
trick-or-treat bags to be given to each
child at the conclusion of the party.
Further information may be obtain-
ed by calling Betty Wheeler, party
chairman, at 295-3884.
church-going family with two
agers and problems that resij>
It warns of Satan’s po’
tion and illustrates the greater power
of the Gospel.
All young people are welcome to
attend and enjoy free hot dogs, pop
corn and soft drinks.
We’ll wait to hear from the farmers,
ranchers and commercial fishermen
before taking a stand.
For your information, however, here
are the arguments as Listed by the
Texas Legislative Council:
FOR
“L--The program autliolrized-bv the
"^opose^amendmwi^would benefit all4
producers of a particular commodity
who decide to establish a board and
levy the assessment. The legislature
should therefore be able to provide for
a program which requires all producers
who benefit to help support the
program.
“If a producer is strongly opposed to
the program or feels that he reaps no
benefit from the program, he may
demand and receive a refund of all
the benefit of future generations.
The amendement in itself won’t force
us to preserve old buildings or histor-
ical sites, but it will provide a tool to
. use in the effort.
If approved the amendment calls for
the Legislature to establish a law on
state ad valorem taxes and allow local
Subdivisions to determine their own
course. The city, for example, could
allow tax relief on an old building if an
attempt was being made to save it; or, amendment would almost certainly
the city could tax the property if the result in the establishment of a
revenue were needed badly enough. program of mandatory assessments.
—- r^is sort of enforced payment takes
money out of the hands of the
individual producer who could better
conduct his own research and market
development to the extent that the
individual thinks those programs ne-
cessary or desirable.
“These producers should not have to
go through a time-consuming refund
process to regain funds that they feel
they should not have had to pay in the
first place.
“2.-This program is another quasi-
government program supported by
what amounts to a tax. As with all
programs of this type, the cost is
eventually borne by the consumer in
higher prices for food.”
The farmers we know are fiercely
independent. The commercial fisher-
men and ranchers are the same. For
that reason, they might not vote for the
amendment.
But it does seem to offer at least a
partial solution to the profit problem
many of them are facing. (See guest
editorial).
'rnarkeung'. 11 '
' The other would provide tax relief
. for cultural, historical, or natural
. history preservation.
AMENDMENT NO. 4 would make it
legal for tax men to do what some of
them already' do, allow property tax
relief or exemptions from property
considered of cultural, or historical
significance.
If the Bicentennial taught us any-
thing, it was that that we must
preserve pertain partsof our past for assessments paid?
“2.-The adoption of the constitution-
al amendment would not automatically
establish a program of mandatory
assessments, but rather would simply
authorize the legislature to do so.
Further action by the legislature would
be required to make payment of the
assessments mandatory.
AGAINST
“l.-Although it only authorizes the
legislature to do so, adoption of the
EDITORIALS
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Hutson, Wayne & Moody, James. Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 27, 1977, newspaper, October 27, 1977; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1212059/m1/4/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Burleson Public Library.