The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 35, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 28, 1991 Page: 1 of 24
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The Merce
Enterprise
Mercedes, Texas 78570 Wednesday, August 28,1991
Already lean budget
trimmed even further
Mercedes man, wife
help to heal Kurds
Boosters will introduce
team members, parents
been less than enthusiastic, and “it’s
real important that others join us to
help out.”
He points out that some 85 percent
of all money raised by the group goes
to athletic scholarships for MHS gradu-
ates.
Meeting time is 7 p.m., next Mon-
day night at the MHS Cafteria.
Next week’s meeting of the
Mercedes Athletic Booster Club will
feature the introduction of this year’s
varsity players and their parents, re-
ports Club spokesman Ismael Presas.
“It’s important thatparents of these
athletes get involved in this organiza-
tion, if it’s going to be successful,” he
says. Participation so far this year has
Tigers give coaches
'pleasant surprises'
Another year of austerity.
That’s what city leaders face in
formulating a new budget for the com-
ing 12 months.
“We’re getting used to working on
I a low budget, andit never seems to get
1 much better,” says City Manager Alan
Kamasaki. “We always face cuts, few
purchases, little capital outlay.”
Another in a series of budget work-
shops took place Monday, and com-
missioners managed to cut out enough
from requests to come up with a bud-
get that can be balanced with just a
three percent tax increase — “that’s
pretty good, considering we were first
looking at 10 percent,” he says.
Requests under the general fund
budget total some $2,584 million. The
plan would require a $2 increases in
the fire/ambulance service fee.
“There have been cuts everywhere
in things like travel and capital out-
lay,” he says. “We have no capital
improvements, but we do make the
payment on the police cars and pro-
vide matching funding for a grant that
will buy us new computers for the
police department."
He says the cost to contract for
ambulance service with the City of
Weslaco will rise from $36,000 to
$86,000, but that’s still some $70,000
less than it would cost to operate it
alone. Weslaco is demanding the in-
crease basicallv to covers higher costs
It's last chance
for flag sign-up |
One more session of regular regis- |
tration for the Mercedes Youth Flag |
Football League remains, reports "
Deague Director Jesse Trevino.
Young athletes can sign up this i
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the -
Mercedes Knights of Columbus hall.
Eligible to play in the league are
boys in grades one through six. A limit
of 48 players has been set in each of
three divisions: first and second grade,
third and fourth grade, and fifth and
sixth grade.
a A $10 registration fee is asked, and
parents must accompany their child to
register. A late charge will be assessed
those registering late.
Mercedes girls will soon get the
chance to participate in Girl Scouting.
O The on-again, off-again local scout-
ing program will get another chance
when the Tip-o-Texas Girl Scout
Council conducts a Membership Rally
September 11.
“Girls are just coming out of the
woodwork wanting to join scouting,
so we know there's a need for it in
Mercedes,” says Carol DeMoss, pub-
lic relations director for the council.
©But in order to have a program, we
also need adults who will give their
time to direct the activities in
Mercedes.”
Not just young ladies, therefore,
but adults as well should attend the
rally to get the effort off the ground,
she says.
Encouraged to join as scouts are
girls in grades one through six. Though
(programs are available for older girls,
the local effort will first focus on get-
ting younger girls involved. Only cost
is a $4 membership fee, and the pur-
chase of uniforms is optional.
Adults wanting to assist do not
need any experience, she continues.
“Training is provided, so all one needs
is a willingness to care and share.”
She says that if one doesn’t want to
take on the full burden of leadership,
there are a number of assistant posi-
tions in each troop.
“The Girl Scouts organization now
serves 3000 girls across the Valley,
but there are another 100,000 out there
who could use such a program,” she
continues. “It teaches self-worth while
helping others.”
Local organizations are being con-
tacted to serve as sponsors. Anyone
interested in donating time or funds to
the effort is invited to call 1-800-477-
2688.
Weaknesses that coaches expected
were balanced by some “pleasant sur-
prises” at last Friday ’ s scrimmage with
Brownsville Porter, says Head Coach
Leonel Casas.
“We found out that some of the
kids whose ability we weren’t sure of
will be able to contribute to this team,”
the coach says. “There were also some
THEY HELPED THE KURDS — Dr. and Mrs. Robert Edwards
are back at their missionary posts in Barranquilla, Colombia,
following a month in Northern Iraq, where they helped give
medical aid to the Kurdish people persecuted by Saddam
Hussein. Dr. Edwards is an MHS graduate.
1 emergencies and has fraternal relation
1 with Board).
We then went on to Zakho. We
■ were illegally in Iraq because the bor-
■ der is abandoned on the Iraq side. The
northern area is controlled by military
and Kurds under auspices of U.N. The
relief work is done by volunteer
groups— NGO’s (non-government
■ organizations). Suppport is by other
■ groups, U.N. and Military-U.S., Italy,
■ France, Britain, Spain, Dutch andoth-
■ ers.
We arri ved at the “house” in Zakho,
■ house rented by GP, all the group now
I lives there, having moved from tents
■ at Camp I. We met everyone, ate and
■ had prayer time. There were 17 of us at
% that time. Dolores slept in women’s
■ room and I slept on roof on army cot.
A in sleeping bag. It was very cool at that
■ time. Later because of increasing heat
F everyone slept on roof. It was true
installing officer and past Division president;
Mrs. Esther Moreno, sergeant-at-arms; Mrs.
Blanca Lopez, treasurer; and Mrs. Elizabeth
Glasgow of Harlingen, installing officer and
past District President. Not shown are Mrs.
Esther Gorena, chaplain, Mrs. Elaine
Hambrecht, historian; and Mrs. Elva
Rodriguez, color bearer. See additional
information in story on Page 8. (Enterprise
Photo.)
communal living.
We woke up next morning early.
The flies land on your nose and fore-
head at 4:45 a.m., when the sun is just
coming up. (There is prayer call at
about 3 a.m. broadcast from the
Mosque, which we heard the first night
only.)
We ate breakfast; everyone fixes
his own. There is cereal, milk, juice,
hot water and instant coffee. Left at
6:45 in Land Rover or 7 a.m. in truck
for Camp II and Out Patient Depart-
ment - three army tents (two pole)
where we worked. At that time we had
three Kurdish Doctors, Dr. Niel, a re-
tired ENT doctor, Dr. Bassan Hakim
(the last two with a group called IRC -
International Rescue Committee). Dr.
Hakim is an infectious disease
specilalist from Washington, D.C.,
second generation Arab. Also we had
Dr. Hincheran, daughter-in-law of Dr.
Neil. She is a Turkish anesthesiolo-
gist. Also Dr. Bill Skinner, retired
B aptist missionary from Paraguay, Dr.
Lee Baggett missionary from
Guadalajara, Mexico, volunteer Joann
Broadus, head of OB nursing at Uni-
versity of South Alabama’s school of
nursing who did the gynecology -
(Kurdish women will not allow me to
examen them), volunteer Dr. Alice
Ward, professor of nursing at USA,
Judy Wise, RN, missionary nurse from
Mexico, who scrounged and made tent
visits, Donna Rye, RN, missionary
from Mexico, who worked in medi-
cine an assisted in Women’s ten, Steve
Edwards, missionary (no kin except in
the Lord’s family), also from Mexico
who administered the OPD, Todd
Bennett and Gary Stroop, gofors and
Todd Augustine, who cooked for us.
Several others left the day after we got
there. Thee Were several Kurds hired
to triage and interpret and control the
flow.
Our workday at first was eight til
about one, then two to five, in the
afternoon we were half-strength so
some could rest. We worked seven
days a week, off Friday and Sunday
afternoons for respective Holy days
— Muslim and Christian. The sched-
ule changed from time to time due to
increasing heat mostly. As we were
leaving becuase of descreasing load
and increasing heat, we cut out after-
noons altogether.
per call, he says, adding that few
Mercedes people who use the service
pay their bills, except those covered
by insurance.
Continuing his list of increased
costs, the city manager points out that
electricity costs have risen twice in the
past year (“it costs us $70,000 per year
just to keep the street lights on").
Workers’ compensation costs are
down, a sign the city’s risk manage-
ment program is beginning to work, he
says, and while employees will get a
two percent salary increase, that’s fun-
neled right back into to a similar in-
crease in pension plan contributions.
The utility budget of $1,238 mil-
lion will call for an increase in the base
water use fee from $3 to $5, and in the
cost per gallon from 40 cents to 50
cents. A late fee of $5 per month will
also be tacked on delinauent bills.
“There is some capital outlay there,
such as a Vactor truck for sewer line
maintenance and increased expenses
in preventive maintenance, which
should save us in the long run.”
Officials are also considering the
issuance of certificates of obligation,
not only to cover the $1 million com-
mitted to the C&C Bakery project, but
also $250,000 for a new fire truck and
perhaps money for upgrading of the
city’s fleet of trucks.
“We’re looking hard at holding
costs down,” he concludes, “but it’s
struggle to keep up.”
things we expected would be weak.
We know we still need some work.”
Tigers played the Cowboys to a tie
at two scores apiece, and the coach
says his defensive unit played well.
“They scored on two long runs that
were just the result of breakdowns.
Beyond that we were consistent and
played well,” he says.
On offense, inconsistency was a
problem. “We expected that,” he con-
tinues. “Penalties and two fumbles cost
us. Those are the types of problems
you need to correct before you have a
good team.”
Overall, he says his staff was
pleased with the effort and perfor-
mance — “and we expect to get bet-
ter.”
Second pre-season match-up
comes this Friday when the team trav-
els to Port Isabel. Freshmen begin play
at 5 p.m., Junior Varsity starts at 6 p.m.
and Varsity play begins at 7:30 p.m.
The personnel turned over fre-
quently.
The house we lived in was not
finished well inside. There was some
furniture in living room. There was a
Turkish toilet (called a squatty potty
by the group). We had two porta-pot-
ties and with such a crowd they had to
be emptied frequently. When the Turk-
ish toilet stopped up, we had to empty
the porta-potties in plastic bags and
take them to the dump, a dry river bed
and shoo the garbage-picking kids
away-when they finally realized what
it was, they left.
We had most all our provisions .
provided by the Army. They also put
in flooring for our tents. The army and
[Continued to Page 7.]
Little League sets
officer elections
D Election of new officers for the
Mercedes Little League will come at a
meeting set for September 18, reminds
League President Mario Palacios.
Meeting time is 7 p.m. at Mercedes
City Hall.
(Editor’s Note—What fol-
lows is an account of work in
Northern Iraq, written by
MHS graduate Dr. Robert
Edwards. He and his wife,
Dolores, spent June in Iraq,
aiding the Kurds who had been
persecuted by Saddam
Hussein. Missionary work in
Barranquilla, Colombia nor-
mally occupies their time. He
is chief surgeon at the Baptist
Hospital there and his wife
serves as a registered nurse.
They volunteered for the duty
in Iraq, however, through Glo-
bal Partners, a volunteer or-
ganization. Dr. Edwards is the
son of the late Dr. T.G.
Edwards and the stepson of
Mrs. Gwen d’H. Edwards of
Mercedes.)
We left June 3 on Lufthansa from
Dallas to Frankfurt. Very short night.
Followed channel cost of England and
crossed just west of Dover and on to
Frankfurt, changed planes and left for
Ankara - Lufthansa. It was cloudy
most of the way but able to see Istanbul
and Black sea.
Arrived Ankara in evening and
collapsed in bed. Next morning taxi to
bus, bus to airport then left for
Diyarbakir on TurkishAir. Were
picked up at airport by Ma’met, the
Kurdish driver hired by Global
Parnters. Then left in car on “Great
Silk Road” to the Iraq border.
There was nother driver with
Ma’met-roads are very good and we
averaged 120-130 K/hr. We passed
through Mardin, a city which sits high
on a hill overooking the plains that
stretch forever to the south. Soon we
were riding along the Syrian border.
Fences about 600 meters apart with
mine fields between. Mountains be-
gan appearing as we approached Cizre,
where we crossed the Tigris, which we
followed for a few miles.
All this area is grain fields — no
trees but very fertile. Valley has fruit
orchards and groves of poplars planted
close, apparently used for poles. We
arrived at border near sundown and
were met by Mike Stroop ,who is the
coordinator for Global Partners- (Glo-
bal Parnters is an autonomous group
of volunteers for responding to such
Pick-up told
• for holiday
Next week’s Labor Day holiday
will change garbage collection sched-
ules in Mercedes, reports Public Works
Director Albert Zavala.
Since employees will be off on
Monday, September 2, that day’s route
will be covered the following day.
The route normally covered on
Tuesday will then be covered Wednes-
day. Schedules will revert to normal
on Thursday.
titY, biuit way pgsine 4*— ** j
masses, to make right the moster of might;
on earth, to solegoord and transmit to
“gfeedom and
"yeuor devotion
NEW OFFICERS FOR LEGION AUXILIARY —
Mercedes American Legion Auxiliary
members installed new officers for the comin g
year during a ceremony at last week’s
meeting. Taking their posts were, in front row
above from left, Mrs. Rita Saenz, secretary;
Mrs. Stella Garcia, vice president; Mrs.
Tommie Brown, president; and Mrs. Nora
Galvan, vice president. Behind in same order
are Mrs. Shirley Powers of Harlingen,
Volume 80 Number 35 Price 25c
'Otra Vez - Tiger Pride'
shirts now available
There sno need to wait until later tember 6, spokesmen say.
to jump on the Tiger band wagon— The shirts are available in burnt
you can order “Otra Vez — Tiger orange or white for $ 10 for adult sizes
Pride T-shirts now. or $8 for youth sizes. Orders must be
MHS cheerleaders are taking or- paid for in advance.
ders for the shirts as a fund-raiser to The shirts can also be ordered at
help pay their expenses, and they only the ticket office (in the field house,
expect to reserve shirts through Sep- where samples can be viewed.
a
ORGANIZING GIRL SCOUTS HERE — Mercedes girls will
soon have the chance to become Girl Scouts, when the Tip-
o-Tex Girl Scout Council hosts a membership rally here
September 11. Looking over plans for the group are Council
Public Relations Director Carol DeMoss and Bob Groth,
who’s helping with the effort. (Enterprise Photo.)
MEMBERSHIP RALLY SET
Scouting returns
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The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 35, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 28, 1991, newspaper, August 28, 1991; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1614134/m1/1/: accessed June 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.