The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 137, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 1, 1990 Page: 4 of 48
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THE BASTROP ADVERTISER
Thursday, March 1, 1990
Issues & Opinions
Waste concerns
Dear Editor:
Since the first learning about
Texas Electric Coop’s coming to
Bastrop County I have been most
interested in the effect the recycling
of electrical transformers would
have on the environment. Since
Congress in 1977 banned the
manufacture and use of PCB s the
effect of such toxic chemicals on
the air and water of Bastrop County
needs to be known.
At the February 12 regular ses-
sion of Commissioners Court a
resolution was passed that the court
was indeed concerned about the en-
vironment. Such a low-key attitude
seemed to be no indicaiton of what
took place that night when a group
of concerned citizens were more
vocal in their concern.
After reading about that meeting
in the Bastrop Advertisor later in
the week, 1 referred to The Toxic
500 which is a report of “500 lar-
gest releases of toxic chemicals in
the United States, 1987.” PCB’s
are ranked 15th out of 76 profiles
of Toxic Release Inventory
Chemicals.
So the amount of PCB’s released
by TEC would be due to the size
of the operation rather than the tox-
icity of the chemical.
At the same regular court ses-
sion, it was reported that asbestos
had been found during courthouse
restoration. No explanation was
given concerning any precaution-
ary measures being taken, and no
explanation was asked for by any
of the court members. Asbestos is
ranked number seven among
releases of cancer causing chemi-
cals and number 48 among all TR1
chemcals.
LCRA is donating a number of
trees to be used in landscaping the
grounds of the new jail. LCRA is
most insistent in wanting a regional
waste water system in the Camp
Swift areas. Both seem to be com-
mendable projects. However, I
find the policies of LCRA in
strange contradiction to past per-
formances.
It has been reported that the
recreational facilities at the Sam
Gideon Steam Plant, especially in
the areas of restrooms and show-
ers, are less than ideal. Where does
all that waste go, back into the
lake, into Spicer Creek, into Piney
Creek, then into the Colorado
River?
Also, there have been reports
that workers in some areas of the
steam plant itself must wear pro-
tection masks because of the
widespread use of asbestos there.
Whether or not LCRA is required
to submit annual reports to EPA
and state agencies, citizens have a
right to know the facts.
Finally LCRA furnishes electri-
cal power to the Phillips Pipeline
Substation near my home. Since
the substation has been there since
the early 1960s, I have been con-
cerned about the gas, propane, bu-
tane, crude oil and other products
that flow through the pipeline, now
I’ve added to that concern the pos-
sible release of toxic chemicals by
LCRA transformers. When it
rains, water runs east across my
field land and also southward be-
hind the cemetery onto the county
road.
Guess more folks had better get
their heads up out of the sand and
start asking questions. The sand
contains toxic chemicals that might
be harmful to your health.
Mattie Claiborne
Bastrop
Who gave permission?
. _____1_ KoorlnH nf Tp.yas 1
Let’s educate our children
Dear Editor:
I was pleased to read the article
giving balance to the B.I.S.D. dis-
cipline debate. It’s a real shame the
causes of the debate and discipline
problems probably can’t read the
article. If they have their way , each
of our children will be reading or
not reading at the same level of in-
competence.
I commend Mr. Swafford and
his “stormtroopers” for returning
order to our public schools, Each
of the other district principals
should take note and follow his ex-
ample. I have been personally in-
volved in chaperoning after school
dances and sporting events this
year. Each event has been plagued
by the same small group of pests.
These young people are openly
contemptous to the staff and par-
ents present.
I completely agree, and alterna-
tive should be available to isolate
these poor, misguided children
from the source of their
unhappiness-public education.
Even the thickest skull should be
penetrated by the failure of repeat-
ed advertising to gain local support
for the “coalition”. As is usually
the case, this small group has
turned to the Austin media when
faced with certain failure. If these
same parents spent as much time
with these problems as they do
“Protecting them from evil educa-
tors”, they would be more respect-
ful of authority.
Public schools are for educating
our children, not to provide a fo-
rum for thier social activities in the
halls between class periods. The
critisism of Mr. Swafford and our
school trustees by this extremely
small group would be better direct-
ed at their own children.
Hurray for Ron Swafford and his
staff. Keep up the good work.
Mike Norman
Bastrop
Dear Editor:
I am outraged to learn that the
Texas Electric Co-op has begun to
move into the Hill’s Prairie com-
munity of Bastrop County under
the grossest kind of misrepresen-
tation. They have concealed the
fact that an important factor in their
transfer business is moving, storag-
ing and burning the toxic chemi-
cal PCB (polychlorinated
biphenyl).
I am equally outraged to learn
that on June 23, 1988, the Bastrop
Chamber of Commerce’s Commit-
for Economic Development
JUNETEENTH PRIDE, showing the transportation, storage and in
a black veteran’s color guard cineration of
^ There may not have been a con- stance Control Act, passed by Con-
sious attempt at racial discrimina- gress in 1976 to regulate all
tion in TEC’s choice of the Hill’s chemicals that present an un-
Prairie site, but it’s effect will be reasonable risk of injury to health
the same. Their health could be af- or the environment.
Remember
what
happened
Dear Editor:
Now is the time to let our county
commissioners court know that we
the taxpayers remember.
When Copeland, Seidel and
Magonye gave themselves a 30 and
40 percent pay raise, we protested
and told them we would remember
them at the polls. Copeland said at
the time, no tax increases to pay
for payraise, but what happened?
On March 13 we have an oppor-
tunity. Copeland had Bob Seidel in
his pocket and I’m not sure it has
changed with the appointment of
Mrs. Seidel.
A little knowledge is a danger-
ous thing and wijh the existing
group (Copeland, Seidel and
Magonye) they have about as lit-
tle of knowledge in handling the af-
fairs of Bastrop County as my
seven-year-old grandson. They are
dangerous and we cannot afford the
payraises they will give themselves
if re-elected.
In the Austin American States-
man February 18, Copeland said,
‘ ‘Citizens could have presented pe-
titions to the Commissioners call-
ing for an election if they disagreed
with the way the jail complex was
financed. ’ ’ But Copeland and party
have demonstrated how they listen
of Texas Electric Co-op involves to they taxpayers. Remember!
------- J Vote on March 13, but vote for
anyone except Copeland, Seidel
and Magonye.
Raymond F. Schaay
Smithville
fected, their land values will sure-
ly fall, their sense of incipient
racism will remain the same.
“World Watch,” a respected or-
ganization devoted to environmen-
tal research, says in their “STATE
Not a fun job
Dear Editor:
I’d like to say a word about Bet-
tee ior ccunuimt lycvuupmvm «« —j—
cheerfully announced that they had OF THE WORLD/1990: In the
negotiated and approved the TEC * *™rer the neieh-
transaction without a word to the
people of the area around FM 304
and Watterson Road where the site
is located. <» ••• «•*»— — -—- —---
The people who live in the area Third World: The rich get richer
had no knowledge or voice in that
decision.
The black people of the Hill’s
Prairie Commuity, which is almost ---------------- ---- - . .
ground zero for the PCB furnace, ten to prevent this ghetto-izing of
certainly had no knowledge or the growing industry of toxic waste
It is a terrible insult to the peo-
ple of the rural area who have
awakened to find this monster in
our neighborhood. We are all
For the older black people at the ty Wade, Bastrop s animal control
Hill’s Prairie Community it must officer. I wonder if anyone else
nh THh wuklu/iw xu uiv be a final and bitter cruelty: to dis- would have herjob? She has to deal
United States* duMXiorer the neigh- cover that the health and tranquill- with so much that would make
bo^SdVheTrker the skin ity of their final years, perhaps the most of us run fcreammg down
of its residents the more likely it one thing salvaged from a life of main street, people who think thei
is to be nearer a toxic waste dump, discrimination, will also be denied animals are above the Jaw, angry
As in the United States, so in the them.
and the poor get poisoned.
There are laws against such prac-
tices that need to be enforced.
There are laws that need to be writ-
voice in the decision. There was no
black member of the Economic
Development Committee.
Even the make-up of the front
page on June 23 bore an uncon-
disposal.
The trend will continue unless
we respond. Steve Rivers tells us
as much in the 1988 news story :
There’s a chance for spinoff in-
. . ■ • »*
page on June wic a.. ~ ~ —-—- .
cious irony: the story announcing dustnes associated with this one.
the TEC move appeared next to a ---------TV~ h,,':,np
Obedience needs enforcing
aillllHUO UIV uw » V " 7 —
neighbors whose real fights aren’t
over their animals but other issues,
Bill Colville irresponsible pet owners who have
Red Rock money for cigarrettes and beer but
not to get their pets spayed or neu-
tered, people who expect her to
Whitehead praised for someone
That’s just the human aspect of
Dear Editor: it. What about the hundreds of
sick, starving, abandoned or
Glenn Whitehead’s letter regard- abused anumals she must care for
ing the front page photo of a long- and put to death herself? I think she
haired ‘ ‘ hippy ’ ’ opposing the High- does a fine job under less than per-
fect conditions.
Then I’d like to say a word about
isiries associaicu wiui uua wiiv. ------- . 1 ‘ ~
Make no mistake. The business way a pfcture
Dear Editor:
Get involved with BISD
children have had during their
schooling in Bastrop.
My children are both in honors
classes and have received this
achievement by their own merit
Dear Editor:
The following is an open letter
to our community in reference to
the group of parents who expressed
their concerns before the B.I.S.D.
Board of Trustees on Feb. 20.
As I listened to the well present-
ed arguements this group made
concerning the implimentation of
the Discipline Management Plan
for B.I.S.D.. I heard beneath them
a frustration in being “left out of
the process.” No one likes to feel
they have no say in the life their
children lead at school.
If people feel left out, then
should there not be more opportu-
nities to be included? One such op-
tion could be the establishment of
a volunteer program at B.I.S.D.
That way people who want to con-
tribute their time on a regular ba-
sis could find out first hand what
faculty and administrators deal
with everyday and could make a
positive contribution with their par-
ticipation.
Thanks for support
I he faculty and administrators
know where volunteer assistance
could be beneficial. They would set
up the program. The goal of any
such program is to increase com-
munity involvement in the schools.
As I will soon be an announced
candidate for the B.I.S.D. Board
of Trustees, the focus of my cam-
paign will be on finding ways to
increase such involvement. It was
with this in mind, that at the Feb.
20 B.I.S.D. Board meeting I pro-
posed to the Board that there be a
“citizens committee” established
to assist the board in choosing from
the final field of candidates the po-
sition of superintendent of schools
for B.I.S.D.
The intention here was not to
usurp the authority of the board,
but to open up an avenue for com-
munity involvement in a decision
which will strongly effect our com-
munity.
Janies Ivey
Dear Editor:
To: The Bastrop Community
Citizens
Words cannot express the joy
you brought to our hearts. For so
many of you took time out of your
busy daily schedules to come by
and share in the great fellowship
of witness with the Retired Baptist
Men as they supported the church
in building for the glory of God.
We, the members of the Mount
Rose Missionary Baptist Church
Inc., recognize that only through
the divine power of God’s love
such a community effort would and
could happen. This is only one ex-
ample of what a loving, caring and
sharing community can do when
one’s heart, mind and soul is at-
tuned to collectively solve a
problem.
A great deal of work can and has
been done, and the Mount Rose Fa-
mily is grateful; so, we thank you
collectively for your support.
Jewell Hodges, Chairperson
On Behalf of Building Project
Committee and Church Family
R.D. Smith, Pastor
I am so tired of reading in the
paper and watching the Austin
news about the so-called discipline --------------- -y - -, ,
problems in the Bastrop schools, and by the quality of standards they
I have two children in the Bastrop have learned from their teachers,
school district, one in seventh More emphasis needs to be
grade and the other in fourth grade, placed on the educational process.
and neither one has been sent to the That is what school is for, to teach,
office for discipline problems.
They have been taught respect If children are discipline
for teachers and fellow students at problems and cause constant dis-
home. They know they are to be- ruption in the class, the principals
have and get the best quality of must intervene. There are rules ev-
education possible.
It is taking away from my chil-
dren’s education when other chil-
dren refuse to behave and learn and
force the teacher to interrupt her
lesson to punish them according-
ly. I have the highest regard for the
principals and teachers that my
Contributions help provide a gift of life
Dear Editor: is made, the family of the deceased
is notified with a Memorial Card.
Memorial gifts to the American This card carries the name of the
Cancer Society are thoughtful gifts person in whose memory the gift
- fitting tributes to those we love has been given and the name of the
so that others might be helped. person who made the gift. In turn.
Individuals, organizations and the donor receives an official
firms, in making memorial contri- receipt for his contribution,
butions, give material aid to cancer A permanent record is kept of all
research programs in laboratories Memorial contributions,
and hospitals across the nation - Your memorial gift will not only
help to inform the public to the im- do honor to a loved one, it could
portance of detecting cancer in time help provide a gift of life.
- and support service programs for
those stricken with the disease. A Bastrop American Cancer
Living Memorial is, thus, made. Umt
The plan for memorial giving is v Hanna
simple and dignified. When a gift 321-3488
is worth a thousand words, The
Advertisor was saying that en-
vironmentalists are weird-os rather
than protectors of our lands, air and
water. I am disappointed, Ad-
vertisor.
our Humane Society. Rather than
complain about the quality of
animal control and care in our
county, those who are truly con-
cerned should consider attending
the meetings on the second Tues-
ery student must follow, and if
these rules are broken, then they
must suffer the consequences.
Let’s support our teachers and
principals.
Katherine K. Albers
Bastrop
‘msor. uiv iiiwu»^*j --------
Also, regarding last Tuesday’s day of each month. After years of
school board meeting with the par- squabbling and petty power stug-
ents requesting a disciplinary gles, there is finally an organized
review, the board scheduled the Bastrop County Humane Society,
meeting late on the agenda, fore- They need our help and support to
ing the parents, teachers and press get firmly established. It s sad that
to wait until after 11 p.m. Even the inquiries they get are “Will you
then, the “plantiffs” were dealt
with summarily by Verlin Calla-
han. Some of the school board
members seem to have forgotten
who elected them, and who is the
boss around here.
Marie Blazek
Bastrop
take my unwanted puppies” in-
stead of “How can I help?”
We domesticated these animals
and brought them into our homes;
its high time we accepted our
responsibility towards them.
Diana Voytek
Bastrop
^astrnp iYhlii'rttser
TEXAS’OLDEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Published 102 times a year (excluding Christmas Day and
New Year’sDay), Monday and Thursday at The Bastrop
Advertixer office, 908 Water Street, P.O. Box 459, Bastrop,
TX 78602. Non-sectarian, non-partisan, devoted to the wel-
fare of the people of Bastrop County. Subscription rates:
$15.00 per year delivered in county, $18.50 per year deli-
vered out of county, payable in advance. Secohd class post-
age paid at Bastrop, Texas 78602. POSTMASTER: Send ad-
dress changes to The Bastrop Advertiser, P.O. Box 459, Bas-
trop, TX 78602.321-2557-321-6444
Dave Smith—Publisher
Davis McAuley—Editor
Ellen Moore—Events/Sports Editor
Sherri Levens, E, Perez Jr.—Reporters
ADVERTISING
ErleneGoertz
PRODUCTION
La Verne Glaeser, Yvonne Myers, Donna Frantz,
Janice Butler
CIRCULATION
Debi Mott and Andy Blaschke
BASTROP ADVERTISER(USPS045-020)
MEMBER TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
1990
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McAuley, Davis. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 137, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 1, 1990, newspaper, March 1, 1990; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth747387/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bastrop Public Library.