Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 74, No. 13, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 1, 1981 Page: 1 of 12
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City voters to cast ballots Saturday
Contest races for all three city council positions
will face voters Saturday when they go to the polls in
Saturday's city election.
Voters may cast their ballots at the city hall from 7
a.m. to 7 p.m. As of Monday morning, a total of 16
persons had cast absentee ballots with the deadline
for doing so at 5 p.m. Monday. There are 2,582
registered voters in the city.
Incumbents in all three positions up for grabs on
the council have drawn opposition. Those incum-
bents whose terms are expiring are Johnny Heard,
Position 3; Terry Oglesby, Position 4; and John
Howarth, Position 6.
Heard, who is presently mayor pro-tern, has been
on the council for seven terms and is running against
Vernon Bates, Sr. for the Position 3 seat.
Terry Oglesby, who was appointed to till the ten
months remaining on an unexpired term, is being
opposed in his bid for Position 4 by Gary Hafernick.
in the Position 5 race, John Howarth is seeking
re-election against Agnes Kunetke.
All six candidates were present at last week’s
Candidate Forum sponsored by Citizens Awareness
and attended by 50 residents. The main issues of the
campaign for all three places were poor conditions of
street, water and sewer rates and improvements,
trash collection and disposal, and efficient financial
management of the city.
Candidates were all given a five minute period to
make opening statements and were then subjected to
questioning from the public.
POSITION THREE
JOHNNY HEARD
In his opening remarks, Heard said that he has
seen the community grow and has witnessed its ups
and downs. Successfully running for office in 1968,
Heard said he has been trying to get along with other
councilmen and felt it would be best for council to
"get their heads together and work for what is best
for the city".
He also noted that he has seen where the city has
made some mistakes and where it has corrected
others.
Heard said that if reelected he would make a
stronger effort to stand up for what he believes in
and would “fuss with the council" on things that he
disagrees with.
Citing streets, housing and drainage as his prime
targets if re-elected, Heard said the main challenge
would be to find financing for those projects. He
pointed out that with the loss of the recent Block
Grant there are problems in obtaining money for a
new landfill site. •
"That has put us in a predicament, but we can still
try." Heard said. He added that the council and
community as a whole should not take the attitude of
"what my community can do for me, but what 1 can
do to help upgrade mv community".
VERNON BATES, SR.
Saying that the citizens along the waterfront have
been ignored and not represented on the city council.
Bates said the election of someone from that area
would be an asset. He added that Heard had been a
good councilman and that he had nothing against
him.
"It’s just that we need a representative from the
waterfront". Bates said. "I am mainly concerned
with the dock areas at Turning Basin One and Two.
There is a lot of industry there that is not
represented. The waterfront area pays city and
navigation district taxes but we have not beert
receiving very much service."
After the meeting Bates said he had misunder-
stood a question he answered from the audience. The
question concerned whether he was interested in any
other areas of Palacios. Bates responded with “no,
none whatsoever". He later clarified the mistake and
said that he thought the question was whether he had
anything against the council.
POSITION 4
TERRY OGLESBY
The need tor additional housing and financing for
the city were the primary topics discussed by ,
Oglesby. /
"It’s unfortunate that in a city of 4,800 people and
big city needs, we have 1,100 people on social
security." Oglesby told the group. He added,
however, that if the city taxes the city's residents
like it needs to. it would create problems.
Saying that additional housing would likely draw
new people and new industries to Palacios. Oglesby
felt the resulting tax revenue would aid the city. He
noted that the Housing Authority is attempting to get
a 50-unit complex in Palacios and that the new
Sandpiper apartment building is being built on
Highwav 35.
|See COUNCIL, Page 8]
Weather
. >• ■ _ " ■
The City
DATE
MAX.
MIN.
PREC.
March 24
71
45
March 25
71
48
March 26
75
56
TR
March 27
76
63
March 28
73
66
-i’Hj
March 29
75
59
i ! j | j )
March 30
76
52
VOL. 74 NO. 13
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1. 1981
twelve pages
One contested race for
PISD trustee position
■■Mi
Voters in the Palacios
Independent School Dis-
trict will go to the polls
Saturday to elect three
trustees with only one
position being contested.
District voters may
cast their votes at the
Palacios City Hall from 7
a.m. to 7 p.m. Other
polling places are the
MoPac House in Col-
legeport and Carancahua
Community Center in
Carancahua. A total of
2,690 persons are regis-
tered to vote in the
district.
Absentee balloting
concluded Monday at 5
p.m. Earlier that day, 16
persons had submitted
absentee ballots.
Uncontested races in-
AREA HAPPENINGS
Alcohol-Drug workshop
is slated for Thursday
The Palacios City-County Alcohol and Drug
Committee is sponsoring a workshop Thursday
from 7-9 p.m. at the First PresbyterianChurch called
“The Power to Change Life" for families and others
troubled by alcoholism or other chemical dependen-
cy. The public is urged to attend free of charge.
OES rummage sale set
A rummage sale'will Vie held by Palacios Chapter
125, O.E.S. on Friday and Saturday at 708 Main
(formerly Hunt Grocery) from 9 to 5. A pie and cake
sale will be held on Saturday. Proceeds will be used
to equipment in the new Masonic Hall.
Overgrown lots are
causing snake problem
Spring weather has brought about rapid growth in
grass and other vegetation and also produced a
rattlesnake and rodent problem for Palacios.
Mayor Leonard Lamar that three rattlesnakes
have been killed locally and others have been
reported. He has advised residents who may have
an overgrown lot near them to notify the City Hall
which in turn will send a letter to the owner of the
property requesting that they clean and mow the
area. If that fails to work, Lamar said, the city will
go in and mow the property and put the cost on the
property owner’s tax bill.
Girls slo-pitch softball
Any parent who has a girl 8 through 12 years of
age and is interested in them playing slo-pitch
softball is invited to attend a league formation
meeting at the Palacios Recreation Center today
(Wednesday) from 7 to 8 p.m. For information call
Jimmy Thompson 972-2524, Nick Flores 972-2326.
or Estella Alamia 972-2278.
Dates change for SS visit
The Palacios Library has announced a change in
the days a representative from Social Security will
be present.
Representatives will be on hand in the conference
room of the library on the first and third Tuesdays
of each month from 10 a.m. til noon.
LL tryouts scheduled
Little League tryouts for all 10, 11, and 12 year
olds will be held Thursday. Starting time is 6:30 at
the Little League Field, not at practice fields. All
10,11, and 12 year olds not signed up may sign up at
this time. Parents, you are needed to work Sunday.
If you have any questions, call 972-3787.
SHOP PALACIOS FIRST
elude Daniel R. Tucker,
Jr. who is seeking re-
election to Position 7 and
Mason Holsworth who is
running unopposed tor
Position 5. That position
was formerly held by
Gerald Wells, Jr. who
did not seek re-election.
The only battle for
a school board seat is in
the race for Position 6
where Koger Wilson re-
running against Pam
Gullett.
All three positions are
for three-year terms.
Since theirs was the
only race involving more
than one candidate, both
Wilson and Gullett at-
tended last week’s Can-
didate Forum sponsored
by Citizens Awareness.
Gullett told the 50
persons attending the
forum that she had lived
most of her life in
Palacios and she believ-
ed that all children de-
serve the best education
possible.
She stressed the need
for putting importance
on the "3-Rs" and said
they were essential. She
also cited the need for a
strong science program
in grades 1-12 and sup-
ported vocational pro-
grams
"Children are all dif-
ferent and must be con-
EAC funds to
be earmarked
The Palacios Recrea-
tion Center was the site
of a community meeting
hosted by the Economic
Action Committee of the
Gulf Coast to discuss a
proposal for the use of
citizens' participation
funds available to Pala-
cios. The meeting was
held March 26 at 2:30
and was attended by 43
people representing dif-
ferent interests in the
Palacios area.
Palacios consists of
areas five and six of the
Economic Action Com-
mittee of the Gulf Coast,
and therefore is eligible
to receive $2,000 to be
used in projects that
speak primarily to a need
of the residents geo-
graphical area covered
bv the Neighborhood
Council. Local.officers of
the Neighborhood Coun-
cil are Carol Garcia and
Robert Solis.
Frances Rodriguez,
Area Supervisor for the
Economic Action Com-
mittee. presided at the
meeting. She presented
some of the criteria that
must be met by any
project funded and sug-
guested that, because of
sidered individually,"
Gullett said. She stated
that there was a need for
special programs for the
gifted.
“The school board
should be fair and open-
minded.” Gullett com-
mented. "We have a
very good school system
and I would like to make
it even better."
Wrtwm pottnfWto Ms
four school age children
as his "special reasons"
for running for school
board.
"The board has been
trying to improve the
system and have some
projects that are not
being studied and some
are being implemented
as money is available. 1
would try to maintain
and improve what the
board is doing.” Wilson
remarked.
Wilson also stated that
he would stress educa-
tion programs more than
anything else and com-
mented that he was not
too familiar with the
district’s vocational pro-
grams.
He said tint having
attended a number of
board meetings he has
become aware of the
magnitude of responsi-
bility that the school
board has.
1 i
M ( I j
1 ****
A vWh
3HH
TWO MEMBERS OF the Coast Guard talk with a
Vietnamese shrimper while a Parks and Wildlife
officer checks his list of shrimp boats to be Inspected
for documentation last week in Palacios. The
inspection testa spent over eight hours citeckSiqgTioui
Vietnamese and American shrimp boats for proper
documentation. Of approximately 26 boats inspec-
ted, three belonging to Vietnamese failed to have
proper documentation while an equivalent number of
American boats failed to meet requirements, one
source said. Those boats will be sent letters notifying
them officially of non-compliance. | Beacon Photo by
Nick West |
Coast Guard inspects
boat documentation
the political climate, the
funds be obligated and
spent as soon as possible
to prevent their loss. It
was stated that unless
some legislation is intro-
duced soon, many pro-
grams. including those
under the auspices of the
Economic Action Com-
mittee. and the commit-
tee itselt. are in jeopar-
dy. Some of those pro-
grams include CETA.
Headstart and the Senior
Citizens Nutrition Pro-
gram.
After the proposed
projects for the Citizens
Participation Funds are
decided, they must be
approved at a regular
meeting of the Neighbor-
hood Council after full
publicity of the purpose
of the meeting has been
circulated.
Mrs. Rodriguez then
asked those present for
suggestions for projects.
Pat Howarih. speaking
for Friends for the Elder-
ly. said that plans were
well undeway for a
Community Center in
the downtown area and
suggested that the funds
could he used there. She
|See EAC. Page 8j
Last week’s documentation inspection of American
and Vietnamese shrimp boats in Palacios turned up
onlv three Vietnamese vessels which failed to have
proper documentation. An equivalent number of
American boats also failed to m^et requirements one
source reported.
The inspection team consisting of two Coast
Guardsmen and a Parks and Wildlife official arrived
in Palacios with a list of approximately 28 boats that
thev inspected to determine if they were five-net tons
or over and had the required documentation. The
inspection in Palacios was part of an entire Texas
Gulf coast inspection tour authorized by the state in
response to American shrimpers' complaints of
Vietnamese violation of documentation procedures
for boats over five-tons.
Prior to coming to Palacios, inspection teams had
checked boats in the Rockport-Fulton area and the
Seadrift-Port Lavaca area. The team, after visiting
Palacios, progressed up the coast to Galveston-
Kemah-Seabrook.
According to John Howarth, chairman of both the
local shrimper coalition consisting of both American
and Vietnamese and also head of the Palacios
Indochinese Resettlement group, accompanied the
inspection team Thursday. He reported that
inspection was limited to primarily those boats over
35 feet in length and that of the Vietnamese boats
inspected, only three were found to have more than
five net tons of cargo capacity without proper
documentation.
It was also reported that of the inspection ot
questionable American shrimp boats, the Coast
Guard found an equivalent number which also did
not have the correct documentation.
Howarth said that those boats which were found in
violation would have to modify their vessels and then
request to the Coast Guard to make a reinspection.
He noted that reinspection could take as long as six
months.
The boat owners found to be in violation would also
be issued a letter notifying them of the inspection
findings and telling them not to operate the boat until
it is properly documented. Letters would also be sent
to boat owners who have passed the inspection
informing them of that finding as well.
In their inspections from Corpus Christi to
Palacios, the Coast Guard had reported 24 vessels
that did not have the proper documentation for boats
over five-net tons, with a reported half of those
belonging to American shrimpers. Altogether the
inspection team was expected to inspect about 231
boats along the Texas Coast which were over 30-feet
with another 39 boats presently under construction
being checked.
Howarth said that he had a list of 19 Vietnamese
who now say they are interested in selling their boats
if buyers could be found'and alternate occupation or
training could be provided. He also noted that there
are 36 Vietnamese shrimp boat;, in Palacios, but the
exact number which belongs to refugees living here
is hard to determine.
Members of the coalition inspected the shrimp
boats the Vietnamese had offered to put up for sale
and gave their appraisal of how much each was
worth. That figure will then be presented to the
Vietnamese in hopes that a compromise figure could
be reached. If that is done, Howarth said, contacting
of the nine boat brokers scattered along the coast
from Corpus Christi to Louisiana would be made.
Possible sites to sell the boats would be in Africa or
Mexico.
Howarth also added that the coalition, which
consists of seven Americans and seven Vietnamese,
has both sides at least talking with each other. The
group is also in the process of setting up rules and
bv-laws.
One of the main objectives of the coalition would
be to number all the boats based in Palacios and
attempt to limit the unloading and selling of shrimp
at local docks to Palacios baots.
"We will attempt to keep outside boats from
coming in. but if they do. we will speak to them and
ask them not to shrimp the area,” Howarth said. He
added that legally that's all the group could do.
Much of the effectiveness would depend on the
cooperation of local shrimp and fish buyers as to
whether they would buy from boats from outside the
area.
“We can’t control the bay legally," Howarth said.
The inspection of boats by the Coast Guard team
went along fairly well according to Howarth. He said
that an accurate count of Vietnamese boats (36) in
Palacios was received, but that which Vietnamese
actually lives here is ' awful ambiguous".
However. Howarth said, most of the American
shrimpers seemed to be satisfied with the inspection
tour.
One of the reasons for the low number of
undocumented boats over five-net tons was due to
modification of some of the vessels, Howarth said.
Coast Guard officials said that modifications of boats
to pass the 5-ton inspection had been found
throughout the coast and occurred in both American
and Vietnamese boats. The modifications, which are
|See SHRIMPERS. Page 8|
1
SB:
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West, Nick. Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 74, No. 13, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 1, 1981, newspaper, April 1, 1981; Palacios, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth725737/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Palacios Library.