The Bastrop Advertiser and County News (Bastrop, Tex.), No. 24, Ed. 1 Monday, May 23, 1983 Page: 1 of 8
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TEXAS' OLDEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
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And County News
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MONDAY EDITION
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Ert»bM..I*d March 1.1853
Bastrop, Texas 78602
Monday, May 23,1983
Number 24
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Tornados hit here
ByEricWiUiams
Small tornados, hail,
high winds and rising water
swept through Bastrop
County Friday and Satur-
day, destroying at least one
home and a number of
barns and small buildings.
The first tornado swept
down "bft the Greenfields
Subdivision near the inter-
section of Highway 71 and
FM 1209, demolishing the
mobile home of Jack
Myers, turning his out-
building upside down and
damaging several more
homes and storage
buildings.
Myers said his home was
a total loss, even thotigh
the walls held together.
The whole mobile home
was picked up and moved
approximately five feet
and its whole floor was
warped in several direc-
tions. The walls were bent
and the studs cracked and
N
twisted.
A barn beside the home
was ripped from steel
mooring approximately
two feet into the ground
and deposited substan-
tially intact upside down.
James Simpson, who
located his mobile home in
the subdivision only two
weeks ago, was luckier.
The tornado went behind
his home and splintered a
wooden storage building
he had recently construc-
ted, smashing the tin roof
and throwing it around the
mobile home and into the
street. But a metal storage
building and his home, less
than 70 feet from the
demolished storage
building were undamaged.
He said the damage looked(
especially curious since the
mobile home lay directly
between the remains of the
storage building and where
the tornado deposited its
roof.
A woman who lived
across the street said that
there was a tremendous
noise and the skies grew
"black as midnight"
before the ** tornado
touched down.
Velma Long said she was
standing inside her mobile
home, with hail coming
down so hard "it felt like
rocks hitting the walls.''
She said she could tell
from the sounds of the
wind that the tornado was
coming and suddenly her
front wall caved in ap-
proximately, three feet
from where she was stan-
ding.
However, the home was
unmoved and otherwise
relatively undamaged, she
said.
Power Off
High winds hit several
Split over building solutions
SISD trustees wrangle
f
other areas, including
Cedar Creek, Red Rock
and Smithville. The storm
damage in Smithville shut
off electric power to more
than 100 homes and city
crews worked most of the
day Saturday trying to
restore the lights.
Downtown Bastrop
escaped much wind
damage, although a rain
gauge at Edgar Kreidel's
house showed 4.8 inches of
rain fell during the storm
period that ended at ap-
proximately noon Satur-
day. Water was so high
that the low-water crossing
across Piney Creek into the
Riverwood Acres sub-
division was impassable
most of the d^y."
Damage from winds was
reported in different sec-
tions of Cedar Creek.
Trees Gone
Continued on Page 8
A tornado Friday flattened this storage building
completed by James Simpson approximately a week
ago. The tin roof of the building behind his Green-
fields Subdivision mobile home was deposited in the
road approximately 120 feet away, but the tornado
left a mobile home between the building and the road
undamaged. Staff Photo by Eric Williams.
Smithville school
trustees remained sharply
divided last week on what
to do about rundown
school buildings as they
asked for information-on
what space and functions a
new high school would
need.
Trustees earlier this
year, and during the April
school board election
campaign, said replacing
dilapidated junior high
classrooms was the num-
ber one priority for Smith-
ville Independent School
District.
But after SISD Superin-
tendent Donald Hestand
showed a $1.5 million plan
Wednesday night for a
middle (junior high)
school, Trusteje Henry
Haisler said he had a dif-
ferent idea.
Haisler said he thought
the first new building
should be a new high
school and once it was
built, the existing junior
high could move into the
present high school. Voters
could be asked to approve
bonds for this project and
perhaps two others on the
same ballot, he said. If
voters didn't like the high
school project, they'de
have a chance to vote on
something else.
Haisler advocated a new
high school that Would
handle about 15 to 20 per-
cent more students' thy
are currently enrolled. "It-
would have to be a large
building. Instead of
remodeling the high school
and building a junior high,
you'd have a (high) school
to be proud of."
Last year voters
decisively rejected a S6
million bond issue for. a.
new high school and work
at other schools.
Board President Sonny
Veenstra, elected last
April, said voters would
turn down any bond issue
at this time.
"I can't support
something I know is going
to fail," he said.
Leased Building
Veenstra urged the
board to consider getting a
leased building for the
junior high, then gaining
the confidence of district
voters so it could improve
buildings over a period of
time.
He was sharply attacked
for his stand.
"I think you ought to go
along with it (a bond
issue)," said Trustee
LaFray Carter. "It's your
job as president of the
board to back a bond issue
if a majority supports it.
You may not support it but
you should go along. I hate
to seeyout talk it down."
Trustee Pat Homuth
told Veenstra after he
repeated his concern that
.voters would not approve a
bond issue: "We do have
the authority to reorganize
the board" and oust Veen-
stra as president.
Asked after the meeting
why they thought voters
would approve a bond
issue now after rejecting
it last year, Mrs. Homuth
told The Advertiser she
didn't know how much
money would be required
and that was the purpose of
asking Hestand to give a
feasibility r«pdrt. Haisler
did not answer the repor-
ter's question. "We might
back off after we get the
costs," he said during the
meeting.
"I think it would pass,
providing it isn't too big a
bond," Mrs. Carter said
during the meeting.
Mrs. Homuth asked
Francis J. Shirocky, who
was in the audience, "How
do you think the people
Continued on Page 3
Radio station
sought here
A Burnet businessman is applying to the Federal
Communications Commission for a permit to operate an
FM radio station in Bastrop. -
Sidney Eugene Turney seeks a permit for a Class A FM
station that would operate on a frequency of 107.1
megahertz with an effective radiated power of 3,000 wat-
ts . The antenna would be 235 feet high and the transmitter
site would be 3.4 miles east of Bastrop.
Turney how manages KHOB, an AM station in Burnet.
Radio industry sources said the power output of the
proposed Bastrop transmitter and height of the tower
suggest the station would mainly operate inside Bastrop
County.
Bastrop County has one other radio station, KELG in
Elgin. The station started about three years ago and was
owned by a group of businessmen. All the owners except
Steve Longcrier got out of the business. The station's
transmitter has never been able to reach Bastrop.
Bastrop hospital
takeover now July 1
If all goes according to
plans, Bastrop Memorial
Hospital, will be operating, ,
under the corporate name
of Memorial Hospital and
Health Center of Bastrop
beginning July 1, its board
of directors was told last
week.
Bob Shaw, vice-
president of regional af-
fairs for Memorial
Hospital Systems, said that
he plans to bring the final
contract for a lease of
Bastrop Memorial
Hospital to its June 16
Board meeting.
Then it will be presented
to the Memorial Hospital
System Board of Directors
for final approval.
Shaw noted that U.S.
Department of Housing
and Urban Development
requirements that it have
an opportunity to review
an agreement to sell the
hospital to the Houston-
based corporation or one
of its subsidiaries will be
included in the lease.
Also to meet HUD
requirements, a deal car-
ving out two acres from the
hospital grounds as
Commencement arrives
It's graduation time for
a few hundred students in
Bastrop County, and
schools all over the county
are gearing up again for
commencement ceremonies.
Bastrop
In Bastrop, a small
senior class of 139 possible
graduates is set to receive
diplomas on Friday, May
27, at 8 p.m. on the foot-
ball field. This class is
This year's Valedictorian
Address will be given by
Tammy Smith, the
daughter of Richard and
Shirley Smith of Bastrop,
who graduated with a
grade point average of
97.842!
Lisa Goertz will give the
Salutatorian Address. She
graduated with an average
of 95.909, and is the
daughter of Thomas and
Woman
strikes in
Elgin Police are looking
for a young black female
who robbed Bill's Dollar
Store by threatening the
manager with a knife (Shor-
tly before the business
closed last Wednesday.
According to Elgin
Police Chief Dan Gibson,
a woman came into the
store gnd waited until ap-
proximately closing time.
She then approached the
manager and threatened
her with a knife. After
taking a bank bag with
cash amounting to- more
than $400, the woman cut
the corner and disappeared
into an alley where she
made off in an unidentified
automobile, according to
police accounts.
Gibson said that ap-
parently no one saw her*
getting into, a car so no
description of it is
available.
The suspect in the case,
according to the best
description Gibson has
available, is approximately
five-feet-five-inches tall
and weighs 115 to 120
pounds.
Gibson said- the store
manager left the business
the telephone line with her through the back way shor-
kn|,fe then padlocked the tly after the robbery to
frontdoor. notify police, but the rob-
fhe robber then ap- -ber was still able to get
parently walked afound away.
" :'l _v. t ' r——••»---• - '•
Brenda Ingram
smaller than last year's,
and will be the last small
one for some time, accor-
ding to High School Prin-
cipal Ronald Landrum.
In case of rain, thf
ceremonies will be held in
the high school gym. Lin-
drum hopes this will not co-
cur, since it would mean
"4,000 people crowded in-
to a place that holds
1,500," he said.
Bastrop seniors wHl hear
Dr. Bill Farney, State
Athletic Director from the
University Interscholastic
League, give the, address.
Cynthia Ott
Alberta Goertz of Rockne.
Miss Smith plans to attend
UT and study computer
science, while Miss Goertz
plans to major in biologyar
Texas. A&M University.
The two top students were
named Friday.
Awards Assembly
Bastrop has discon-
tinued the junior high
graduation, according to
Principal Nolen E. Raney,
but will have instead an
Awards Assembly on
Friday, May 27 at 8:45
a.m. at the Junior High
Gym. At this assembly the
school will recognize tht
Stufdfents in the top 10 per-
cent of each grade level,
will recognize those
students with perfect at-
tendance for the year, the
outstanding atheletes,
both girls and boys, and
those that placed in the
UIL, Raney explained. He
added that the seventh
grade won first place in
UIL competition this year,
and brought the 12AAAA
trophy home.
Raney expects 210
students to graduate.
While the public is invited
to the ceremony, he warns
that it will be "standing
room only, and will be held
in an unairconditioned,
overcrowded site."
Smithville high will
graduate approximately 89
students, according to
Principal Jimmie Stacy.
Ceremonies will be held
May 27 at 8 p.m. at Barry
Field. In case of rain,
graduation will be held at
Sam Houston Elementary
auditorium. Cynthia Ott is
the 1983 Valedictorian,
with a grade point average
of 96.61. Brenda Ingram,
with a 96.26 average, is the
Salutatorian. In Smith-
ville, the baccalaureate and
commenoownt ceranonies are
combined, Stacy explained,
and Father Bob Hender-
son, of St. Paul's Catholic
Church, will give the ad-
dress.
Junior High ceremonies
are set for Thursday, May
26 at 8 p.m. in Sam
Houston auditorium, an-
nounced Principal Gene
Sampson. He expects 104
students to graduate, and
the top six honor students
in the seventh grade will be
recognized and the top 10
in the eighth grade. This
years' top student is Bren-
da Frerich, with a 97.625
average. Salutatorian is
Craig Miller, who will
graduate with a 96.792
average. Other top studen-
ts include Allen Beck, Lisa
Pesl, Elizabeth Gonzales,
Julie Parker, Eric Wright,
give the Salutatorian ad-
dress. She is the daughter
of Rev. Bryan and Gail
Sullivan of Elgin, and
graduate with a 94.83
average.
Elgin Junior High
students will graduate
Monday, May 23 at 8 p.m.
The ceremonies will be
held at the high school
football stadium. In case
of rain, the service will be
<Y 1 ' >:
&
Lisa Goertz
Pamela Randle, David
Baldwin and Gina Franke.
Elgin
In Elgin approximately
101 seniors will graduate.
Baccalaureate service will
be held Sunday, May 22 at
the First Baptist Church at
8 p.m. Commencement
will take place Tuesday,
May 24 at 8 p.m. at the
football field.
Holly Harris, daughter
Of Vernon and Bertha
Harris of Elgin, was
named Valedictorian, with
a grade average of 98.34,
while Carta Sullivan will
Tammy Smith
held in the junior high
gym. Top students include
Angelique Adams, 96.44
and Brian Blaylock, 96.12.
Other top students will be
honored.
Living World
Finally, in Bastrop
County, the Living World
Christian School Awards
Banquet is set for May 27
at £ p.m. at the.school,
situated on Lovers Lane.
The speaker is Steve
Allgood and school Prin-
cipal David Miller will
Speak in recognition of the
Continued on Page 2 —
—tr—- —j——
security for payments ad-
vanced by Memorial was
deleted from the lease.
New Board
Shaw said that a new
board of directors will be
formed to control the local
corporation that might in-
clude several members that
are on the Bastrop
Memorial Hospital
Authority Board. The
Bastrop Memorial
Hospital Authority will
continue to exist, although
Hospital Administrator
Ben Snead suggested that
the bqard would probably
only rteed.to meet twice per
year.
The major function of
the board will be to accept
the lease payments from
Memorial and then use the
money to make bond
payments on the hospital,
according to Snead.
Shaw said that the local
board for the corporation
will have substantial con-
trol over the hospital and
will be made up of six local
persons, including one
physician, Snead, himself
and another Memorial of-
ficial. !'
Shaw said it is important
for all the details to be
ironed, out and an
agreement approved
before July 1, so that the
fiscal year can begin as
planned.
He noted that in the
Memorial system, the
financial records are based
on a fiscal year beginning
Julyl. —
A preliminary draft of
the lease was provided to
the hospital authority
board for them to study.,
prior to the June meeting.
Shtw praised the finan-
cial standing of the
hospital, which has im-
proved to a profitable
situation in the past mon-
ths to show $57,704.37 in
excess revenues over ex-
penses since July 1982.
Shaw noted that in that
figure, no allowance has
been made for doubtful
accounts and unpaid bills,
so the actual profit Will be
smaller.1
However, he praised the
work of Snead and the ,
hospital staff to keep ex-
penditures down and
manage to show a positive '
balance, evert though the - z4
average occupancy rate in
the hospital has fallen
from 55.2 percent last year
to S3>4 percent this year.
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Williams, Eric. The Bastrop Advertiser and County News (Bastrop, Tex.), No. 24, Ed. 1 Monday, May 23, 1983, newspaper, May 23, 1983; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601952/m1/1/?rotate=90: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bastrop Public Library.