The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 95, No. 59, Ed. 1 Tuesday, July 25, 2000 Page: 4 of 14
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Page 4
The Boerne Star
Tuesday, July 25, 2000
State adds four
numbers to its
rexas Lotto
AUSTIN - The Texas Lottery
Commission added four numbers to
the Lotto Texas drawing last week in
hopes of increasing player partic-
ipation and rejuvenating slumping
ticket sales.
The change was implemented July
16 when new player slips with 54
numbers were delivered to retailers
across the state. The first drawing
with the new system was July 19.
Lottery spokeswoman Kristina
Childress said preliminary figures
showed ticket sales were up by the
end of the day, but she pointed out
that the July 19 jackpot already had
climbed to $21 million before the
numbers were added.
“We believe it was more of the lure
of the jackpot than the lure of the
balls,” Childress said.
Pay-outs under the new number
configuration are expected to
increase as the jackpots grow. The
prize for selecting five of six
numbers increased $1,000 to $2,500
and players who select three of six
numbers now will earn $5 instead of
$3.
The pay-out for selecting four of
six numbers only increased slightly.
Public reaction to the Lottery’s
proposal when first announced sev-
eral months ago was mixed. Many
long-time players said they would
prefer better odds of winning, not
higher jackpots.
STATE
CAPITAL
HIGHLIGH
Ed Sterling ill
TEXAS PRESS -
ASSOCIATION
Jury convicts man
for 8-liners
July 18 approved a multi-million-
dollar customer education plan to
prepare Texans for the start of retail
electric competition in 2001.
The campaign budget is $12 mil-
lion the first year and could reach
$36 million for the entire four-year
campaign. The PUC is seeking bids
from private companies to manage
and implement the customer educa-
tion plan.
Texas’ electric consumers will first
have access to utility deregulation
through pilot projects beginning
June 1, 2001, and full retail compe-
tition of investor-owned utilities
starts Jan. 1, 2002. Senate Bill 7,
passed in 1999, opened Texas to util-
ity competition.
High Point/Franklin. a marketing
firm specializing in electric restruc-
turing issues, designed the Customer
Education Plan with extensive input
from the PUC, utilities, retail elec-
tric providers and consumer groups.
The plan includes recommendations
based on successful strategies used
in other states undergoing electric
restructuring and extensive research
conducted throughout Texas.
eWD o 1 n
Achieving true immortality by
Sitting at the dinner table Saturday night with
my family brought back lots of memories. As
always, my mind drifted to my grandparents,
who are now deceased. They had a lot of influ-
ence on me. But they were not the only ones.
“Hey Jennifer, remember Ms. Lewis,” my
aunt asked.
Juanita Lewis, a friend of our family’s who
had been extremely generous to us in many
ways. She hired grandmother to clean her home
at least once a week. She did not forget a birth-
day. And she always gave some great Christmas
gifts.
But the memory of her that is the brightest, the
one that is closest to my heart, is the one deal-
ing with a certain baby blue Cadillac.
Juanita had decided the time had come for her
and her husband, A.C., to buy a new Cadillac.
She told grandmother she was thinking about
getting another car. Because grandmother knew
how much grandpa liked the car, she told
Juanita they would like to buy it from them.
Juanita and A.C. agreed. So every month
grandma and grandpa would pay the couple a
THE POINT
AFTER
Jennifer Fierro
MANAGING EDITOR
monthly cash payment until the car was paid in
full.
. “Look A.C.,” Juanita would say to her hus-
band. “Hoppie and Erminia made another pay-
ment on the car.”
Juanita would then give him half and take the
other half. Then she would walk grandma and
grandpa out. “Thanks for coming,” Juanita
would say, gave grandmother a hug, and then
took her hand to give grandma her half of the
money.
Juanita and A.C. were extremely blessed with
many possessions: the finest home, jewelry,
great vacations and incredible family. Juanita
helping others
was even a published author. She had a couple
of cooks books on the market.
But the example of sharing her blessings is
very powerful. She knew she and A.C. did not
need the money. So, she gave it back. The
example of giving, of sharing what she had, is
invaluable.
Not many people can afford to give back in
that same way. But we should all try to make
other people’s lives a little better, whether it be
mentoring students, volunteering to help senior
citizens, or giving back in a non-profit organi-
zation.
Juanita never worried about making treasures
for herself here. Instead, she knew what kind of
crowns awaited her. And in turn, she has
touched people’s lives who will touch other
lives as well.
We can never know how we can help or influ-
ence how other people react toward our actions
or words. We can only hope to make people’s
lives a little better because we crossed their
paths. If we can accomplish that, we have defi-
nitely achieved immortality.
Sales-tax holiday
• • •
ping is coming
A Bexar County man became the
first person to be convicted of orga-
nized crime involving eight-liners
since Attorney General John Cornyn
began a crackdown on the illegal
gaming machines.
A jury deliberated for three hours
and found Richard E. Legere guilty
of operating eight-liners in his
Universal City bar Poor Richards
Lounge.
Legere faces up to $10,000 on each
count and confinement in a state jail
facility for not less than 180 days or
more than two years.
Legere could also be eligible for up
to 10 years probation.
This is the first conviction for orga-
nized crime involving the use of
eight-liners that Cornyn’s office has
obtained.
The attorney general’s office began
investigating the case with the Bexar
County District Attorney’s office in
March 1999. The Department of
Public Safety’s Special Crimes
Division in San Antonio also assist-
ed.
Since March 2000, six defendants
have been found guilty on multiple
counts regarding eight-liner opera-
tions.
PUC begins
deregulation
awareness
The Public Utility Commission
Other
highlights
• Drought conditions have affected
134 of the state’s 4,534 public water
systems and at least 17 of those are
under severe water rationing in
which outdoor water usage is pro-
hibited.
Another 11 have imposed moder-
ate rationing to limit use of sprinkler
systems, according to the Texas
Natural Resource Conservation
Commission. /
• Texas Land Commissioner David
Dewhurst said lease and land sales
have earned more than $4.8 million
for the Permanent School Fund.
Dewhurst said the $226 average bid
per acre for oil and gas leases is the
highest in two years.
• Insurance Commissioner Jose
,Montemayor unveiled a new Internet
resource page to help small busi-
nesses make wise insurance choices
and save money.
The new Insurance Resource for
Small Businesses is available online
at www.tdi.state.tx.us.
• More than two dozen Texas
costal cities and counties are urging
Congress to pass the Conservation
and Reinvestment Act, which would
provide an estimated $237 million in
new dollars each year for Texas’
coastal areas, state and local parks,
wildlife, historic sites, educational
entities and private landowners.
THE BOERNE Star
Managing Editor
Staff Writer
Sports Editor
Typesetter
EDITORIAL
EDITOR I PUBLISHER
Edna Keasling
Jennifer Fierro Director
Hal Braswell Account Executive
Blake Lacewell Account Executive
Molly Meckel Classified
Classified
ADVERTISING
Susie Morgan
Michelle Preble
Merideth Henkel-Green
Dana Smith
Elaine Provenzano
Composing
Subscriptions
Subscriptions
Delivery
PRODUCTION
Rob Sheldon
CIRCULATION
Elaine Provenzano
Dana Smith
Jennifer King
Receptionist
Receptionist
Office Manager
FRONT DESK
Elaine Provenzano
Dana Smith
BOOKKEEPING
Ronda Robertson
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Mary Alice Yelverton, Vera D'Spain, Regina Alexander, Dr. John P. Kelly, Louise Foster, Tom Lanier, Peary
Perry, John Powell, Bart Lucas, Marlin Marcum, Ken Nietenhoefer, Jan Wrede, Joni Simon
T 20
Ere
TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
MEMBER OF Texas Press Association,
National Newspaper Association,
South Texas Press Association, Texas Gulf Coast Press Association
282 N. MAIN • (UPS 059-740)
P.O. Box 820 • 830-249-2441 FAX 830-249-4607
THE BOERNE STAR is published twice weekly for $28 per year in Kendall County, $35 elsewhere in
Texas and $50 per year outside of Texas by The Boerne Star, 282 N. Main, Boerne, Kendall County, TX.
78006. Periodical postage paid at Boerne, TX. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to THE
BOERNE STAR, P.O. Box 820. Boerne, Texas 78006-0820.
The Boerne Star welcomes letters on any public issue. Letters may be mailed, faxed, e-
mailed or hand-delivered but must contain the writer’s name, address and phone number.
Letters should not exceed 300 words. Addresses and telephone numbers are for verification
purposes only and will not be published. Names and city of residence will be published. We
reserve the right to edit all letters for style and content. Call 249-2441 with questions.
Sunday, Aug. 6. Customers receive dow.state.tx.us, the Texas Comp-
the tax break on individual items, troller’s web page.
regardless of the total amount they Shoes and clothes used primarily
spend on all items. for sporting activities are not includ-
Parents may buy all their chil- ed in the tax exemption. Football
dren’s school clothes, for example, pads, climbing boots, football pants,
On Aug. 4-6 Texas taxpayers have
another opportunity to save millions
of dollars during the state’s second
annual 72-hour tax-exempt shoe and
clothing sale.
Texans saved an estimated $32.6
million during last year’s first sales-
tax holiday when a 6.25 percent
state sales tax and sales taxes levied
by cities and other taxing authorities
were lifted for the holiday. The sav- have the maximum combined tax
ings included $25.6 million in state rate of 8.25 percent, although for
sales tax and $7 million in local some cities the combined rate is
sales taxes. 7.75 percent.
Because elected officials in many The three-day tax holiday on shoes
Texas cities were concerned about and clothes that cost less than $100
the revenue loss “estimated to be as is one of two sales-tax relief bills the
much as $30 million annually” the legislature passed in 1999. Another . m
law has a provision that allows local bill eliminating the sales tax on shoes, baseball caps and jogging holidays indicates that the Texas
authorities to repeal the exemption over-the-counter medicines became suits. Some unexpected items such Legislature s decision to return
and collect the local sales tax this effective April 1. as choir robes and tuxedos are on the some of the state’s budget surplus to
year. W JOB11100 Ineysq or . This year’s clothes and shoes sales list as are pajamas, underclothes and Texans was a sound one. A sales tax
Cities and towns in Senate District tax r holidayr begins at 12:01 a.m. diapers. A complete list of tax- break on clothing and footwear
25 will observe the exemption. Most Friday, Aug. 4, and ends at midnight exempt items may be found on the allows all Texans, not just property
of the cities in Senate District 25 Internet by clicking onto www.win- owners, to benefit from our state s
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor:
It’s very interesting that the Boerne City Council
is saying that all rate payers per capita, small and
large water users, must share the responsibility
for the water shortage. Those who use 100 gallons
a day are to blame equally with those who use 500
or more a day.
During the summer months when the higher cost
for water kicks in, all rate payers are not per capi-
ta. The 100 gallons a day user receives a smaller
number of gallons of water per month before the
higher costs for water kicks in than the 500 gallon
day rate payers. Rate payers using 100 gallons a
day get 25 percent more water or 125 gallons, but
the 500 gallons a day get 25 percent more or 625
gallons.
The City Council must put the blame for the
water shortage on the large water user to get them
to cut down on their water usage. The small users
cannot get by using less water they need every
drop that they use. It’s time to rethink the water
pricing here in Boerne. Giving more water to one
rate payer and saying that they need more water
without checking out the need for it is not the way
to go or encourage people to use less water.
Ernie Pinti
Boerne
Dear Editor:
We are aware that CPS is planning to construct
a new substation and subsequent transmissions
lines to service additional areas of IH-10 West
Corridor. Several sites for the transmission lines
have been proposed, two of which were eliminat-
ed because of the citizens’ concerns last year.
We, too, have concerns about the proposed site
for transmission lines to be placed along property
lines on Ralph Fair Road. It was our choice four
years ago to purchase property in the Silver Hills
Subdivision on which we built a new home. We
enjoy the peace and quiet of the country environ-
ment.
WRITE ’EM!
KENDALL COUNTY
JUDGE BILL GOODEN
204 E. San Antonio
Boerne, Texas 78006
249-9343
Commissioners
JOHN KIGHT
L.M. HOLMAN
DARRELL LUX
DUANE DUBOSE
204 E. San Antonio
Boerne, Texas 78006
249-9343
BOERNE ISD
School Superintendent
JOHN KELLY
123 W. Johns Rd.
Boerne, Texas 78006
249-5000
COMFORT ISD
School Superintendent
MARLIN MARCUM
232 High
Comfort, Texas 78013
995-3664
CITY OF BOERNE
MAYOR PATRICK HEATH
402 E. Blanco
Boerne, Texas 78006
249-9511
STATE REP
HARVEY HILDERBRAN
District 53
125 Lehmann Dr.
Kerrville, Texas 78028
(830) 257-2333
STATE SENATOR
JEFF WENTWORTH
District 25
1250 N.E. Loop 410 St. 720
San Antonio, Tx 78209
(210) 826-7800
U.S.
REPRESENTATIVE
LAMAR SMITH
District 21
2231 Sam Rayburn Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 225-4236
IN THE
TEXAS
SENATE
Sen. Jeff Wentworth
DISTRICT 25
and as long as each item costs less roller blades, skates, ski boots and
than $100, they will receive the tax bicycle, baseball, football, hockey
break. If a coat costs $110, however, and motorcycle helmets, for exam-
the first $99.99 is not exempt. Last ple, will continue to be taxed.
year some merchants discounted Other taxed items include hair
shoes and clothes that cost $100 or accessories, wallets, watches, back-
more so their customers could take packs, jewelry and handbags. While
advantage of the tax break. tuxedos aren’t taxed if they are pur-
The tax-free list ranges from baby chased, rented tuxedos and all other
clothes to work clothes and includes rented clothing, including uniforms,
athletic wear that can be worn for will be taxed.
non-athletic activities, such as tennis The success of last year’s sales-tax
Boerne
We enjoy watching the wildlife - a doe brought
her new twin fawns into our yard just two days
ago, the raccoons and possums feed with the cats
on the front porch, the roadrunners scurry up our
driveway in the evenings, and the multitude of
birds are a delight anytime of the day. We pur-
posely left the back one-half of our property
uncleared so the animals might have food and
shelter.
We would not wish to lose the simple pleasures
of the life in the country because you chose to
install transmission lines along our property line
on Ralph Fair Road, nor do we wish to see our
property investment value lowered because of
construction of the transmission line that will
NOT provide service to us or our neighbors.
We have observed the already existing power
Dear Editor:
I would like to submit the following response to
a letter by Rep. Lamar Smith that you carried in
your July 18 edition:
Rep. Smith said that “private savings accounts
can provide much more money for retirement”
(emphasis mine). You could say “can” about
almost anything. Private savings accounts “can”
also lose money. According to those who follow
his campaign promises, even Gov. Bush has not
gone so far as to say that a person could not wind
up losing some of his retirement through private
savings accounts.
Even if we should decide that it was desirable to
invest some very small portion of the Social
t
lines paralleling IH-10 eastbound lanes and IH-10 Security trust fund in the stock market, private
westbound lanes. savings accounts are not the way to go. Every
The lands on both sides of the interstate are des- year the press is full of stories of seniors being
ignated commercial sites. The few remaining bilked out of their savings by sharpsters. Imagine
home sites have “For Sale” signs in the front what would happen if every senior in this country
yards indicating commercial zoning. I believe this had this money that they had to invest in some
would be the most favorable location for your way?
proposed transmission lines. In a telephone con- There are better approaches that would definite-
versation Monday, July 10, 2000, Mr. Scott Smith ly cost less to administer than private savings
indicated to me that it was possible to bury the accounts, would be less risky, and would probably
lines underground at the entrance to The provide higher rates of return.
Dominion, as the existing lines are buried. We do have time to decide if any changes to the
You must also take into consideration the loca- program are necessary or not and, if so, what type
tion of Fair Oaks Elementary and Camp Stanley of changes are needed.
on Ralph Fair Oaks Road, the bike route used by No need to rush into something just to please a
many cyclers in the Texas Hill Country, environ- bunch of stockbrokers. After all, babies born this
mental issues such as clearing for the right of very day will be approaching their mid-life crisis
ways and toxic chemical sprays that would be before the Social Security trust fund even starts to
used to keep your lines weed free. run out of money.
Please listen to our causes with your heart. We Meanwhile, we should all feel proud that we are
pray you will take the above into consideration finally paying off some of our national debt and
when you make your final decision for placement leaving this country in better shape than it has
of the proposed transmission lines along IH-10. been for some time.
We would like to thank you for listening to us. William King
Alfred T. and Billie Sue Rapoza Fair Oaks Ranch
Worth Quoting ---
Smith - Locally
1006 Junction Hwy.
Kerrville, Texas 78028
(830) 895-1414
1100 N.E. Loop 410,
Suite 640
San Antonio, Texas
78209
(210) 821-5024
U.S. SENATOR
PHIL GRAMM
Russell Building Rm. 179
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2934
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
703 Hart Senate Office
Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-5922
GOVERNOR
GEORGE W. BUSH
State Capital
Room 200
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 463-2000
PRESIDENT
BILL CLINTON
White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C.
20000
BOERNE
CITY COUNCIL
7:30 p.m.
second and fourth
Tuesday of the month,
City Hall
402 E. Blanco
KENDALL COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
9 a.m.
second and fourth
Monday of the month,
Kendall County
Courthouse,
204 E. San Antonio
“Show me the man you honor,
and I will show you the kind of
man you are, for it shows me what
your ideal of manhood is and what
kind of a man you long to be.”
— Thomas Carlyle
Bible Verse ...
“The righteousness of the
righteous man will be credited
to him, and the wickedness
of the wicked will be
charged against him.”
— Ezekiel 18: 20c
New International Version
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Keasling, Edna & Fierro, Jennifer. The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 95, No. 59, Ed. 1 Tuesday, July 25, 2000, newspaper, July 25, 2000; Boerne, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1626585/m1/4/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Patrick Heath Public Library.