The West News (West, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 16, 1991 Page: 2 of 14
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Page 2
The West News - May 16,1991
TEXAS' WORST MAY TORNADOS
/
DATE
May 11. 1953
PLACE
Waco
•FUJITA
RATING
DEATHS INJURIES DAMAGE
597
$41 2 million
May 18 1902
Goliad ^HF4
114
230
$50,000
May 15.1896
Sherman F5
76
unknown
$225,000
May 6. 1930
Bynum area ^^4
41
unknown
$2 1 million
May 6. 1930
Kenedy area F4
36
34
$127,000
May 22. 1987
Saragosa F4
30
121
$500,000
May 9. 1927
Nevada atea F4
28
200
$900 000
May 30, 1909
Zephyr F4
26
unknown
$90,000
May 11. 1970
Lupbock F5
26
500
$135 million
May 14 1923
Howard County F5
23
100
50,000
Available statistics show the
month of May averages more
tornados and more tornado
deaths In Texas than any other.
•Fujita Scale rankings are based on
estimated wind speed and damage
caused. The scale starts at FO for
winds of 40 to 72 miles per hour F4
tornados raise winds estimated at
207 to 260 miles per hour. No
tornados reaching wind speeds
greater than F5 rankings, from 261
to 318 miles per hour, have ever I ..........
been recorded.
Source. State Climatologists Office. Texas A&M University
Averag® number of tornados per
year. 1963-1966
Apnf
May
June i
19
37
19
10 jo » e?
All other months averaged fewe< than
10 tornados per yeai
Average number of deattis per year,
1963-1968.
Apnl ■■ 4
May ■■* 6
5 ’0 15 21
AJl other months averaged fewer
two deaths per year
(NtS) - To keep the consumer
better informed, the Water Quality
Association (WQA) has a program
which awards a "Gold Seal" to
equipment that passes testing by its
independent laboratory, insuring top
industry standards of perf ormance.
The lab requires production-as-
sembled units to be validated by
sample in order to earn the (fold Seal,
and it has been established by the
WQA. the largest industry group, in
order to give the purchaser of wafer
quality equipment an assurance of
quality in product perf ormance
Equipment that passes is listed
in a semi-annual Validated Wafer
Treatment Equipment Directory as
authorized to carry Ihe Gold Seal.
Laboratory testing covers wa
ter treatment equipment, includ-
ing water softeners, reverse os-
mosis systems, distillation systems
and filters. The Gold Seal validates
products tested against industry
standards in mechanical operation,
pressurization testing and confir-
mation that equipment can oper
ate at the capacity staled on ihe
manufacturer's label
Lor more information, contact
the Water Quality Association.
P O Box 606. Lisle. II. 601.12 or
telephone 7<W 101-0160.
The West News
The West Tims
Established 1889
The West News
Established 1909
Consolidated January, 1913
214 W. Oak, West. Texas 76691
(USPS 677-0650)
Larry Knapek, Editor
Linn A. Pascaia, Publisher
(817)826-3718
Pubfelwd WMkiy each Thursday, Second Class Postage paid at West, Texas
POSTMASTER: send address changes to The West News, P. 0 Box 38, Wesl. Texas
76691. SU8SCRPT10N RATES: $15 McLennan County. $18aU other Texas Counties.
$20 out of state, $27 tor Canada. Alaska and Hawaii
ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS: The mailing label is the key to
you/' renewal date We do not mail renewal notices. A
n.nr. nniedmaiiing label IS you? renewal notice Thank you.
It mailing label la correct please attach below, If not please fill out.
Addrwa or P.O.Box
Zip
Thank you
Member*; Texas Press Association
In percent of cases reviewed
Tonsillectomy
■■■■■■■■■27.1%
Hysterectomy
■■■■■■■21.5
Tonsillectomy & adenoidectomy
■■■■■■17.6
Laminectomy
■■■■12.6
Hemorrhoidectomy
■■■10-6
Carpal tunnel
■■■9.8
Septo/rhinoplasty
■■■8.8
Knee arthroscopy
■■18.0
T^n^anostomy tube
Adenoidectomy
■■5.9
Hammer toe repair
■■5.3
Glendoscopy
Laparoscopy
■ 2.3
Cholecystectomy
■ 2.0
Coronary angiography croasnd
■ 1.8 BhwShWd
SOURCE:
Chkago
Tribun*,
Value Hoafth
Sciences Inc.
lor Blue
Another Point of View
By Keith Peck
Our part of Texas is in what is commonly called the termite belL For some
unknown reason termites prefer the area of the U.S. running from Mexico to the
Canadian border. I don't know how wide the bell is but I do know it includes
our part of Texas and the eastern half of Nebraska. It is either the climate or our
wood is more tasty. If you suspect termites, an inspection can cost up to one
hundred dollars. If termites are found, having a professional treat them cai
another C note.
Professionals are much more adept at locating termites than the av
home owner. I guess they know where to look. In Africa you can tell when
termites are active by watching the ground. During the season of the year when
they swarm, they shed their wings when they find a building. Sometimes home
owners sweep up termite wings like we sweep up leaves.
A man by the name of Bemie Holst has a beagle named Sandy who has a nose
for termites. Benue also has a termite and pest control service. There are over
a hundred other control services in the country who use dogs to sniff out
termites. Human inspectors are fearful that canine inspectors are going to take
their jobs, but the dogs can only do about three inspections a day. I think their
noses get tired.
Maybe I should worry more about term ites, but my major concern i s another
pest, fire ants. If a dog can be trained to smell out termites, isn't there some
animal that could be trained to savor fire ants? Oh sure there is an aardvark, but
it is native to Africa and American Zoos and have you noticed the size of those
beasts. Armadillos seem to like them a little bit, but they don’t eat enough of
them. Maybe they consider them only as dessert What we need is an animal
with a voracious appetite that looks on fire ants as an entree. Oh yes, while it
is being trained, teach it to fill up the hole after he cleans out the hill.
Lab Tested Equipment (riven Cold Seals
High-tech
export watch
Firms must obtain Commerce
Department approval to export
ot a wide range of chemicals.
Industrial equipment and
missile technology to these
countries:
■
■ Afghanistan
■ North Korea
■ Bahrain
■ Oman
■ Bulgaria
■ Pakistan
■ Burma
■ Qatar
■ China
■ Romania
■ Cuba
■ Saudi Arabia
■ Egypt
■ South Africa
■ India
■ Soviet Union
■ Iran
■ Syria
■ Iraq
■ Taiwan
■ Israel
■ United Arab
■ Jordan
Emirates
■ Kuwait
■ Vietnam
■ Lebanon
■ Libya
■ Yemen
SOURCE: Chicago Tribun*,
Commerce D«partmant
Should Taxpayers
Support Political
Consultants?
A bill now being considered by
the U.S. Senate is being called “a
welfare program for political con-
sultants” by the leader of one citi-
zens group.
I
r
, t M • • • I it
TiHimii
The U.S. Capitol, where some
Senators are trying to keep others
from using your tax money to pay
their political consultants.
The bill, known asS.3 is believed
to have a real chance of passing.
Meanwhile, grassroots citizens
groups, such as the 170,000-menv
ber Americans for a Balanced Bud-
get, point out that “mandatory tax-
payer funding of elections means
your tax dollars are going to pay
yourSenator’s political consultant.”
Explains the group's chairman,
David M iner: “Taxpayer funding lor
political campaigns is nothing more
than a welfare program for political
consultants.”
Miner adds, “The sponsors ofthis
lull want to use your taxes to pay for
their politics ”
Backers of,S3 say taxpayer cam-
paign funding would reduce the
chances of scandal in the Senate,
such as the Keating Five incident,
and allow Senators to devote less
time to fundraising and spend more
time fulfilling their Senate duties.
“It is scandalous for the Senute
to try and spend more than $500
million to line the pockets of a few
rich political consultants and we
an1 going to do everything we can to
make this scandal public," Miner
said.
Many taxpayersare writing their
Senators about this issue and head-
ing the letter with the words: ‘No
Money For Politics." Legislators can
be reached at the U.S. Senate,
Washington, D.C. 20510.
Anyone interested in Americans
for a Balanced Budget can call
1-800-927-4829 fc- more informa-
tion.
Sidener twins
continued from page 1
world, they need to leant to cope”
with the rest of the world. "I was
selfish,” she also admitted, "1 wanted
to be near them.”
As 13-year-olds, the students en-
rolled in Waco's Lake Air Junior
High and found the surroundings to
their liking. "It was a good place for
them to be. They were really wel-
comed there."
Along with their studies, John
took an interest in football and was on
the school's football team. Paula
played volleyball and was on the
school's pep squad.
Interpreters played an important
part in the students transition into
public school life as they used sign
language to communicate with John
and Paula on what the teacher was
saying.
Through their school years, the
twins have maintained their interest
in school activities. John is an A&B
student while Paula has made straight
A's twice this year.
This school year, John played cor-
nerback on the Waco High Lions
junior varsity team and next year will
be on the school's varsity squad. At 5
fL9in. 160pounds, John says he likes
the "hard-hitting" aspects of football.
Within the last weeks, John has taken
up Karate and competed in Ninth
Annual Texas Junior Olympic
Taekwondo Championships last Sat-
urday in Dallas. He seems to have
adapted to the new sport well, win-
ning first place in sparring in his age
and weight division.
John’s instructor, Danny
Passmore, said he first met John last
year as his interpreter for football.
"We hit it off great,” he said while
explaining his reasons for liking
John. "He is special,' he remarked in
the sense he "doesn't do drugs” and
"has a good future."
"Deafness is not a drawback," he
explained, "it doesn't stop John. He
pays attention. He is not wishy-
washy like some (young people) are.
He is very respectful and hungry for
knowledge."
His instructor said he has confi-
dence and is not afraid while adding
that John loves karate. Asked about
why he takes karate, he signs to his
mom "I like iL It is bad."
Paula does not take a back seat to
her twin as she has excelled as a
member of the Waco High Scarlet
Line drill team for the past two years.
She was named the S uper Sensational
Dancer at the Texas A&M dance
camp the past two years and last year
was named the Scarlet Line's "Sopho-
more Dancer of the Year." She was
also dancer of the week at the home-
coming game her sophomore year.
Rhonda Peyton, her drill team in-
structor, said Paula teams to count
through an entire dance routine.
"Because she is counting, sometimes
she is right, when others are wrong."
Her instructor added that at the drill
team's summer camp they instruct
kindergarten through eighth graders
and Paula "works with the little kids.
She is much more outgoing this year,"
Mrs. Peyton added.
It was not unusual to find Paula
working and helping some other
school'sdrill team this past summer at
the Texas A&M dance camp. Brenita
Clay, an interpreter for Paula at the
school, said a year ago Paula would
have been too shy to work with an-
other team. A drill team captain from
another school wrote Paula at the
camp that she had never met anyone
she had admired more.
Wanda Elkins has been one of the
twins' interpreters for several years
and she explained the two have been
real special to her. "John has a real
good sense of humor," she said while
adding they both do "a great job" in
getting along with the other sludcnLs
at school. "They have really matured
and grown up to be neat kids."
Being a member of the Scarlet
Line keeps Paula active as the drill
team performs at: football games, pep
rallies, Christmas on the Brazos, in
addition to a variety show and a
Spring Show at die Hippodrome in
Waco.
The twins’ mother explained that
Pauia can hear the music's beat and
docs counting to the movements in
her head.. "She can feel the beat,
belter than we can hear it."
John and Paula have a sister,
Aimcc, who is an eighth grader at Sl
Mary 's School in West. She commu-
nicates with her brother and sister
through sign language. She picked up
sign language so early that she was
three yean old before she could talk.
Paula Sidener (center left) communicates with her fellow students and intererpter Brenita Clay (right) during
a break in her dance class at Waco High School.
"She has been their voice and ears for
so long," her mother said, "that it has
made her more mature and respon-
sible than probably she needs to be at
this age."
The three are typical brother and
sisters as they kid around with each
other and get into arguments. Their
mother described their arguments as
anything but quiet. "Their fingers are
flying and their mouths are going,"
she smiled while adding her belief the
deaf are more hard-headed.
"Their determination has brought
them to where they are now," she
said. Perhaps this is one reason for
twins zest for participating in such
activities as football and drill team.
"It is one way to show other people
they are just like them. When they are
on the field, they are just like them."
All has not been a bed of roses for
the twins as she said there have been
some students that have made fun of
John and Paula because they are deaf.
"There will always be some that will
give them a hard time," she said but as
a whole the Waco H igh students have
accepted them well.
Later this summer, John is sched-
uled to be featured on the national
sports television network ESPN. The
ESPN crew filmed John during the
Taekwondo tournament in Dallas and
again during workouts Monday at
Passmore's Taekwondo Studio in
Belimead. They are also to film him at
football practice. The story is to be
televised in either August or Septem-
When John was told about the
story, he was shocked and in disbe-
lief. For the first time in his life," his
mother said, "he is nervous." He is
also "very excited."
The Sidener twins, whose father is
John Sidener of Mexia and grandpar-
ents are Red Adamson of West and
the late Agnes Adamson, have had a
hard time meeting friends in West
because they go to school in Waco
and do not get to meet with teenagers
their own age. "I would like for the
people to just give them a chance,"
their mother said.
Like most mothers, she is very
proud of all her children. The song
"Wind Beneath My Wings" tells the
story, she explained. "They are my
heroes, all three of them."
John Sidener poses for this picture during workouts Friday tor the Waco
High School football team.
Planning
A Vacation?
Then don’t forget your Travelers Checks,
cashable at offices throughout the world
with immediate refund if lost or
stolen. Buy them here.
The State National Bank
Member F.D.I.C.
West, Texas
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Knapek, Larry. The West News (West, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 20, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 16, 1991, newspaper, May 16, 1991; West, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth716135/m1/2/: accessed July 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting West Public Library.