Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 19, 1986 Page: 2 of 16
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Opinion
PAGE 2
Thursday, June 19,1986
■ft
X.
i
f
For Instance
Media Tries Own Poll
News Carriers Memorable
MEMBER 1986
PHONE: 643-1566
PhilNikel
by San Patricio Publishing Co., Inc.
Another
is
Second-Class Postage Paid at
Portland, Texas 78374
Published Every Thursday at
Suite G, 101 Cedar Place,
Portland, Texas 78374
CLASSIFIED
ADS DEADLINE
NOON
WEDNESDAY!
Suzanne Matula, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Jerry Matula, won the pre-
5YEARSAGO
-1981-
PORTLAND NEWS
(USPS 439-240)
teen division of the San Pat County 4-
H fashion review held last week in
Sinton.
crease in salary, we as taxpayers
have the right to demand exactly
and specifically what action or lack
of action since Jan. 21, 1986, war-
rants the current method of tax
dollar disposal. I understand the ad-
ditional legal expenses caused by
last summer’s game of “fire the
superintendent” was about $7,000.
Will the trustees disclose to us how
much they have again wasted when
they tire of this year’s game? I doubt
it.
I also find it difficult to show
respect for a board that overcrowds
a small chamber and retires into
closed session until after 1 a.m.
before returning to vote publicly
every time a controversy such as the
superintendent’s contract is on the
agenda. This is not representation of
my tax dollars or the 20,000 residents
in our school district.
As to the “writing on the wall”
statement made by Mr. Hinojosa on
June 3, when Mr. Hinojosa made a
motion of Jan. 21 to extend Dr. Hall’s
contract to June 30, 1989, at an in-
crease in annual salary and the mo-
tion was approved by the board,
“the writing is on the contract” for
Mr. Hinojosa, for the G-PISD board
of trustees and for the 20,000
residents of our school district.
Maybe if Dr. Hall was not as
detailed in his efficiency, we would
be in the same condition as the
residents in Corpus Christi, and
have our school board busy looking
for monies to run our existing pro-
grams rather than new methods of
money disposal.
This newspaper is published Thursday after-
noon.
CHARLES SULLIVAN ..
LINDA CASTLEBERRY
ARMOND ASHWORTH .
JOYCE SHAW..........
KAY ATKINSON.......
DIANA ROSALEZ.....<
JEANIE COONROD....
VICTORIA A. NERIOS. .
PDL is the pen name for Paul Le-
veen, who retired as editor of the
Portland News in 1984.
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PRODUCTION STAFF
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HELENS. TRACY
Publisher
JAMES F. TRACY, JR
Sec.-Treas. & Business Manager
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Vice-Pres. & Sales Manager
.........Editor-Sports
'.........Editor-News
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TA MEMBER 1986
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
View
Columns on this page reflect the
view of the writer and are not
necessarily those of this publication.
STPA
South Texas Press Association
National News Association
...0...
Mr. and Mrs. Pratap Gohel an-
nounce the birth of their daughter,
Sonya P., on Tuesday, June 8, in
Spohn Hospital. She joins a brother,
Raj, 7, and a sister, Neeta, 4.
...o...
Portland Newcomers Club will
sponsor its annual Shrimp and Beer
Social June 26 at the Community
Center. Cost is $7.50 per couple for
members, $8.50 for non-members.
...o...
Miss Shelly Johnson, bride-elect of
Kevin Pyatte, was honored with a
miscellaneous shower on June 14 at
the home of Mrs. Jean Chilcoat.
...o...
Jeff Schlimmer, son of Dr. and
Mrs. Ronald Schlimmer, has been
admitted to the Young Performers
Hall of Fame, on the basis of his per-
formance of the title role in “Amahl
and the Night Visitors,” performed
last Dec. 4 at First United Methodist
Church.
Correction
A letter written by John Hardin
(Portland News: June 5, 1986) con-
tained a typographical error in the
sentence “G-PISD cannot afford to
let the trustees run the district.”
That sentence should have read
“G-PISD cannot afford to let the
trustees ruin the district.”
Subscriptions are payable in advance; effedflfc
January 1, 1986 - Rates Good For One yJ^M
$13.95 plus tax Mailed within San Patricio Coun-
ty, $17.25 plus tax Within the State of Texas,
$19.00 Mailed outside the State of Texas. (Good
only in the United States). Arrangements for'
mailing the paper outside the continental limits
of the United States, which in most cases re-
quires additional postage, may be made with the
publisher.
spent in 1970.
The current amount being spent
on nutrition is double what it was
when Carter took office. It is three
times what the outlay was under
Gerald Ford and 10 times what it
was under Richard Nixon.
In 1977 Carter said that “malnutri-
tion was virtually nonexistent.” He
spent $8.5 billion that year.
But now, activist Amy Carter
comes out from behind the ivy-
covered walls of her swank Eastern
university, demonstrates against
hunger in America, and then dodges
back to the safety of her enclave.
Activists have big mouths for
making big noises, but do little to
solve problems. What they bring to
themselves, thanks to the TV
camera and the press photographer,
is notoriety. It surely doesn’t harm
their careers.
disgrace, can not be erased by
grandstand plays.
The corrective pressure must be
brought through the action of na-
tions of the world.
But, how can this be accomplished
within the Marzist countries
dominated by the Soviet Union and
closed to concern of the outside
world?
- by pdl -
NOT TOO long ago various polls
indicated that the American public
was somewhat more than disen-
chanted with the reliability of the na-
tional news establishment.
That would never do.
So, more recently a dominant
California publishing dynasty put
together another poll which was
gathered by a nationally known
pollster organization.
In this one, of course, the media
fared much better. With the
publishing conglomerate footing the
bill, why not?
Between 80 and 90 per cent gave
the edge to the media.
BUT EVEN then, those polled still
had their reservations about the
reliability of the fourth estate.
One beef was that the news media
was “politically biased.” They were
chastized for emphasizing bad news,
for invading privacy, failure to take
the blame for mistakes and bowing
to outside pressures.
ALTHOUGH THE latter poll was
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Portland News, P. O. Box 14, Portland, Tx. 78374.
HOW CAN it be done when the
media fails to bring to light the
governmental controls in these op-
pressed lands?
It is strange. It is almost as if
there are separate sets of rules for
those nations which have cared for
themselves, have working
economies; as opposed to those
whose populations suffer under the
doctrines of Marxist-Leninist dic-
tatorships.
Reader Viewpoint
All letters to the editor must include the signature of the writer, address and
telephone number for verification. All letters will be verified with the sender before
publication and no letter will be published without the signature of the writer. The
editor reserves the right to reject or edit any letter. We will not publish "thank you”
letters. Please keep letters brief, 300 words or less.
10 YEARS AGO
-1976-
Portland Jaycees this week an-
nounced the completion of the
Jaycee nature trail located at Baker
Park.
...o...
The Portland City Council agreed
to pay $50 per month to the Chat-
Work Club to help them defray ex-
penses for a public library in
Portland.
The Corpus Christi news media
has been full of front page stories
this week about a proposed 12 per-
cent plus tax increase for the CCISD.
This increase seems to be necessary
because of a loss in state funding.
I understand Dr. Hall has obtained
additional state funding (announced
last April), so this may be the first
year in a long time that we will not
have to dip into the surplus funds ac-
count, and any tax increase will be
very small. As we already know, we
will receive a great deal more from
the’ state. I hope the current trustees
do not try to show how much of our
tax money they are saving us when
they appear to be headed toward in-
creased spending at any cost.
The school board of trustees ap-
pears to have money which is burn-
ing a hole in its pocket. To try and
buy out the superintendent’s con-
tract (a three-year term beginning
June 30, 1986) is ridiculous. To sub-
ject us to a damage award for aired
charges against Dr. Hall last sum-
mer that were never substantiated,
nor was any substantiating evidence
concerning said charges ever
presented. As Mr. Hinojosa placed a
motion before the board on Jan. 21,
1986, that Dr. Hall’s contract be ex-
tended through June 1989, at an in-
QC
Of,
‘The Bookshelf
'Terrorism' Examines
Publicity-Seeking Criminal
as well as the violence so that its im-
pact on public opinion is
devastating. This media cooperation
with the outlaws spreads an at-
mosphere and anxiety in society,
provides him with an opportunity to
argue his case with a wider public
and bestows an undeserved
legitimacy on him. (This gives him,
the terrorist, a feeling of importance
and increases his self-esteem: This
is like conferring legitimate respec-
tability on murderers.)
The activities of these scourges of
today can be controlled and have
been in certain instances. They are
especially antagonistic toward
democracies and the free world. The
book points out the reasons some
countries do support them: For one
thing, terrorist activity is cheaper
and is easier — also simpler than
full-scale wars. One thing to
remember is terrorism is not to be
confused with “freedom fighters,”
as some want to do. Freedom
fighters do not attack women,
children and other innocent people.
The West can win the war, can ex-
pose the enemy’s duplicity, punish
the perpetrators and sponsors, but it
will take courage. Leaders need
political courage — nations need
strong leadership and so do the
soldiers.
The choice, says the author, is
between a free society based on law
and compassion and a rampant bar-
barism in the service of brute force
and tyranny. Confusion and vacila-
tion facilitate the rise of terrorism;
clarity, courage and resolve will en-
sure its defeat. Perils are, of course,
involved, but worse conditions are
the result if something is not done.
This is a book that is worth
reading and discussing; it does give
examples of how courage has, in
many instances, contained the
forces that have frightened us so in
the last two decades.
The NEWS will not publish
any wedding story that is
turned in three weeks after
the occasion.
Deadline for weddings
Tuesday at noon.
Pictures may be picked up the
Thursday after publication.
One Small Step For G-PISD
By Linda Castleberry
By its action Tuesday night to keep Superintendent Jim Hall’s con-
tractual status as is, the G-PISD board of trustees has taken the first step
towards uniting the community and mending its fences of internal strife.
Although trustees made no announcements or explanations when tak-
ing their vote, it is apparent that lengthy executive session consultations
with their attorney convinced them there was not just cause for firing the
superintendent. Likewise, with his job in no real jeapordy, Hall apparent-
ly had no desire to “settle” for a financial offer from the district that was
less than the nearly quarter of a million dollars needed to buy out his con-
tract. And, clearly, a buyout of the superintendent’s contract as a
solution to the school district’s controversy was favored by no one.
In our opinion then, the action taken Tuesday night was the only
possible action the board could take.
HUNGER IN Africa and
elsewhere in the world where it is
real, where the emaciated bodies of
starving men, women, children and
babies are the testimonial to the
on you than others, for whatever
reason.
And, of course, a great bunch who
have been with us for a few yeatj^k
months and are still here —
Lopez, Edgar Nunnelly, Trevor
Beck,' James Armont, Brian Dodd,
Rex Shoemaker, Jason Weber,
"Jason Dlugosh, Doug Hay, Todd
Rigby, Eric and Scott Miller, Brad
Reeves, Rocky Perez, Jeff Smith,
John Pimental, and not to forget lit-
tle Jerry Rivera who single-handly
See CARRIERS, Page 16
By Lyra Sparks
I was most impressed recently
when I heard Larry King’s TV inter-
view of Ambassador Benjamin
Netanyado, who wrote and edited
“Terrorism: How the West Can
Win.” The author is presently
Israel’s permanent ambassador to
the United Nations. He wrote much
of the book and also has included
chapters from many authors of
significant status, including Jean
Kirkpatrick and Sen. Daniel
Monihan.
The book is full of information and
ideas and is most timely. Terrorism
is not new to the world; it goes back
a few centuries to the era of the
assassins during the early times of
Mohammedanism. One reason we
associate Moslems with terrorism is
that a tenet of the religion teaches
that to kill the infidel (which today
means one who disagrees) is pleas-
ing to Allah. But it is by no means on-
ly the Arabs today who take up this
path of violence.
The book also points out that one
reason the increase of terrorism —
especially the government-
sponsored variety — is so prevalent
is the development of oil incomes in
the Middle East that furnish money
not only for ammunition, but also to
maintain camps for training ter-
rorists from other countries. Five
such states in the Middle East are
Iraq, Libya, Syria, South Yemen and
Iran. All, with the exception of Iran,
have close ties with the Soviet Union
and receive most of their arms from
it. According to a chapter by Moshe
Arens, with the support of these
states, the waves of international
terrorism in recent years would not
have been possible.
John O’Sullivan, in his chapter,
says that the terrorist is a criminal
who seeks publicity; this same
publicity strikes fear into the heart
of the public — much more than does
an account of an ordinary crime, for
the publicity not only arouses a fear
of being a victim, but it conveys the
.. message that society is in moral
chaos: Old standards furnish no pro-
tection against random violence.
Not only does the media play up the
terror of hostages, etc., but
reporters’ interviews of the
“villains” magnify their importance
No doubt, as the meeting Tuesday showed, the existing board of
trustees often will disagree on Hall’s recommendations and other possi-
ble solutions to education issues. But is that necessarily bad?
If the addition of devil’s advocates to the board causes it to question
and closely consider administrative proposals with an eye continuously
looking to cost-effectiveness and possible financial cutbacks as well as to
quality education, the community can only benefit.
Similarly, a board that represents the various factions of the com-
munity can truly be said to represent the entire community.
We, like other members of the G-PISD community have done in re-
cent weeks, simply ask that the board’s deliberations be made in a profes-
sional and courteous manner.
It is only when the seven members of the school board and the
superintendent can sit down together, without antagonism, that the seeds
of the community again can be nurtured for growth.
YOU
ARE!
:f, '■
Pl
contrived to quash former ones,
which were so damaging to the regal
media, one third of those questioned
still gave negative responses. Fifty-
five per cent of the public said that
the press generally gets its facts cor-
rect. Thirty-four per cent believe
they do not.
Does that compute out to not being
able to believe one third of what the
evening news actors spoon feed to
the American public via the tube
each night; or that more than half of
the written word coming from the
national news-gathering agencies is
possibly in error to some degree?
-0-
MUCH OF the media and its fellow
travelers - vocal activists,
opportunity-seeking politicos - are
focusing on the alleged hunger pro-
blem in America as one of their
socialistic challenges. And they are
trying to tie the blame to the Reagan
administration.
But, the fact is that under Presi-
dent Reagan the federal outlay for
nutrition in 1985 was a record $18.6
billion. In comparison, $1.6 billion
We would like to make you aware
of a former employee of the
Gregory-Portland Independent
School District who has the best in-
terest of tennis children at heart.
Coach A.C. Blunt was our son’s
tennis coach at G-P from 1982 until
1985, when he moved to Conroe, Tex-
as. Having won district tennis two
years in a row and gone on to
regionals both yers, we felt Allen
could be eligible for a college
scholarship in tennis. Our G-PISD
athletic director instructed us to
contact any and all Texas schools
with a tennis program and to call
him when we found available
scholarships. At that time, he would
write letters of recommendation for
Allen. Feeling time was of the
essence, and not receiving any help
locally, we contacted Coach Blunt by
telephone. He called us back the
next day with times and dates
various college coaches would be
able to observe Allen playing tennis.
Our appreciation also goes to
Gerry Maingot, tennis pro at Nor-
thshore Country Club. In addition to
private lessons for Allen, Gerry also
took time out of his busy schedule to
play a tennis match with Allen for
the Wharton Junior College coach.
WCJC, Lee College at Baytown
and San Jacinto at Pasadena also of-
fered scholarships, with Allen choos-
ing Wharton County Junior College.
Thanks to the concerted efforts of
Coach A.C. Blunt and Gerry Ma-
ingot, Allen has his scholarship.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred
A. Bingham
MIRROR, MIRROR WHO's)
SETTING RICHER AMP
RICHER? J
SHUCKS,
''v’
Portland’s Past
20 YEARS AGO
-1966-
The Youth Center pool, which was
opened to its members last Friday,
will be dedicated at 1:30 p.m. Satur-
day. Several dignitaries have been
invited to participate in the
ceremonies and refreshments will
be served.
For Their Accomplishments
By Joyce Shaw
This being my last week as a
member of the Portland NEWS
staff, I feel obliged to write a few
words about my five years’ associa-
tion with a pretty important part of
the NEWS — the weekly paper car-
riers.
It’s funny how some of them stick
in one’s mind and some can barely
be remembered — overall, with pro-
bably hundreds of them coming and
going, the majority of them have
been great kids! They range in age
from just 10 right up through high
school graduation.
There always seems to be
brothers, sisters and brothers and
sisters doing their routes together or
separate routes, so that a family
may even pass a route down through
the years. When I began at the
NEWS back in February 1981,1 had
four “Brown” carriers all at once —
Bruce, Julie, Julius and Vicki —
Bruce is now in the armed forces
and Julie and Julius were graduated
this year from G-P. Bryan and Julie
Bittner also were on the staff back
then.
Audrey Dieringer, who was
salutatorian in this year’s
graduating class, was a carrier back
in 1981 and willed her route to her
sister Connie. Shane Smith, another
1986 G-P grad, was a carrier who
gave up his route to brother Spencer
that year.
Seems like many of my carriers
have already graduated with honors
from G-P or are now receiving
honors for high grades — both John
and James McKinnie who did the
Oak Ridge route for a few years,
Brian and Anthony Gansle who did
routes in the East Cliff area, Ward
Sayre who had an East Cliff route
for a couple years, Anthony Armont,
a whiz at math, along with Frank
Rinaldi, another math whiz — and
his sister Kathy, who is constantly
on the honor roll.
I especially enjoyed working with
Elizabeth Castillo who never sold
less than 50 papers a week on
Memorial Parkway for more than
three years, and Esther Flores, Amy
Hildebrant, Toni DelSignore, Liz
Royes, Petra Perez — seems the
paper “girls” are a little less
“boisterous” than the boys!
A great bunch of carriers have
recently left the NEWS to go on to
better things — James Talbut, who I
see working over at Feudo’s now,
Mike Petru and Mike Barksdale,
who were always either “best
friends” or in a big fight with each
other, and Billy Reeves.
A few of the boys whom I
remember well from past years, and
who have graduated from or are now
in high school, are Ricky Oates, Ed-
die Roberson, Chris Jack, James
Turpin, Michael Wyatt, (Eugene
Sparks, Chris Blovits and Mike
Heighes, who have all moved away),
Billy Atwood, Danny Atkinson, Tony
Garrett, Shawn Wilder and Charlie
Hernandez — as I said, some of them
make a little more of an impression
1 YEAR AGO
-1985-
A request from Northshore
developers that the city approve a
late hours permit to sell mixed
drinks at their private club raised
some tempers at Tuesday’s City
Council meeting.
...o...
Dr. Mary Beth Meier opened her
chiropractic practice at 333 W.
Broadway last week and celebrated
her grand opening with a reception
and ribbon cutting with the Chamber
of Commerce.
...o...
Eric Hammon, 1984 G-PHS
graduate, was winner of the
outstanding pitcher award at Alvin
Community College this year, as he
compiled a 1.56 ERA in 55 innings
pitched.
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Castleberry, Linda. Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 19, 1986, newspaper, June 19, 1986; Portland, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1304354/m1/2/: accessed July 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bell/Whittington Public Library.