Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 30, 1993 Page: 4 of 18
eighteen pages : ill. ; page 25 x 15 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Page 4, The Hondo Anvil Herald, Thursday, December 30,1993
W;' ■V '-ffl:’m. ■■■»"
HONDO ANVIL HERaLD
w
L_
vX;:v:::;fo;:v:y
SPARKS
By Bill Berger
A
HONDO ANVIL HERALD
Published every Thursday at 1601 Ave. K, Hondo, Medina County, Texas
by Associated Texas Newspapers, Inc.
Entered at the Post Office, Hondo, TX as Second Class Mail
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
In Medina Co. - $15 per year , In Texas - $20 per year, Out of Texas • $25 per ye*?
ISSN 249*280 ^
William E. Berger and Jeff Berger. Co-Publishers
Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing or reputation of any perxon, l inn or corporation
which may appear in the Anvil Herald will be corrected uprwi bang brought to the attention of the
publishers.
No charge is made for publications of notices of church or oilier public gatherings where no admission is
charged When admission is charged or when goods or wares of any kind are offered for sale, die Anvil
Heralds special advertising rales will apply.
POSTMASTER Send address changes to The Hondo Anvil Herald, P. O. Box 4(H), Hondo TX 7KX6I.
Telephone: (210) 426-3346
This is Surgeon General
Joycelyn Elders' brain.
pMM:
Answers
hard to come by
Has anyone figured out the answers to the questions posed in last
week's Spades column about the first Christmas?
On Christmas afternoon, I asked one long time Sunday school
teacher, and a man who had some theological study time in college, and
even with a Bible, they were not able to give positive answers.
If you are absolutely certain that you know-or even if you just think
you know-send us a letter. No prize is offered, just the satisfaction of
giving it a try.
#
Remember the great asbestos scare? We were all told by Washing-
ton EPA types that it was a terrible hazard, and schools all over America
went into high gear to get it removed from their buildings at great cost.
Recently a report on the subject was issued by the Center for the
Study of American Business, located in St. Louis. Here's what they had
to say about asbestos:
"In the fall of 1993, New York city's public schools delayed their
opening for weeks so that classrooms could be inspected for asbestos.
The estimated cost of the inspection alone was $40 million - money that
could have been spent on books or, in the case of New York City
schools, much-needed security guards. Houston, Texas has spent
nearly $46 million in the past decade to clear asbestos from 70 schools,
and it has another 170 schools to go. "The total nationwide cost of the
"cleanup" has been estimated to be in excess of $200 billion. This is just
one federal mandate.
"Clearly, the public, school boards, and local public officials in many
cities have been whipped into hysteria over the fear of asbestos. But as
even the federal government belatedly admits, the asbestos problem in
public schools and other public buildings is essentially a non-problem.
"The asbestos scare was started in 1978 when an unauthored, non-
peer reviewed, mimeographed report was distributed by the National
Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences that listed asbestos as a carcinogen. The anonymous report
asserted that asbestos would be responsible for over two million
premature cancer deaths over the coming three decades. The "re-
search" was presented to an AFL-CIO convention by Joseph Califano,
who was then the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. It gave
a tremendous boost to the Occupational Safety and Health Adminstra-
tion (OSHA), which was at the time the subject of much ridicule for its
nit-picking rules.
"Asbestos hysteria swept the country. The EPA banned all uses of
asbestos by 1997; ordered that it be removed from all public buildings;
and the Manville corporation, the nation's largest producer of asbestos,
filed for bankruptcy. Forbes magazine reported that fear of asbestos
"created a $3 billion-a-year industry for lawyers, consultants, smart
real estate developers - and especially for the so-called asbestos
abatement contractors who get paid a lot of money to rip asbestos out
of buildings and bury it in landfills."
"While this new "industry" was being established, serious research-
ers were denouncing the government's "study". World renowned
cancer researchers Richard Doll and Richard Peto wrote that the report
was 'so grossly in error that no argument based on it, even loosely,
should be taken seriously.' They concluded that the anonymous authors
of the report must have written it "for political, rather than for scientific
purposes.
"Ironically, the policy of asbestos removal, which is costing local
governments billions, may cause real health problems. The air in
school rooms measured before asbestos removal contains about .00009
fibers per cubic centimeter, after removal there is typically a forty-
thousand-fold increase, to twenty to forty fibers per cubic centimeter.
This higher level may persist for years.
"Former EPA administrator William Ruckelshaus admitted that the
EPA intentionally stirred up the asbestos hysteria. In his own words, his
policy was "to get mothers to form a mob and storm the school
committee" because "otherwise the federal government would have to
pay for [asbestos removal]."
Neither Republican nor Democratic federal administrations have
done anything to lower the expenses laid upon local governments. Both
parties ought to be ashamed.
#
1993 is just about over, and we wish you the very best for 1994.
Happy New Year.
This is Surgeon General
Joycelyn Elders' brain
on legalizing drugs...
Any
questions?
ODH£*NEWS?0NICE:
Austin “Prejudicial and unfavorable” say Kay’s attorneys
AUSTIN — Witnesses testified
and a poll was presented last week
in state District Court to support
the prosecution’s contention that
Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison indeed can get a fair trial
in Austin.
Defense attorneys earlier filed a
motion that the trial be moved away
from Travis County because “prej-
udicial” publicity and an “unfavor-
able political climate” make it diffi-
cult to empanel a fair and impartial
jury.
Judge John F. Onion Jr. is
expected to rule next week on the
defense’s request for a change of
venue.
Austin pollster and political
consultant Jeff Smith testified that
67 percent of registered voters
surveyed recently said they had
not formed an impression about
Hutchison's guiit or innocence.
The poll, which cost $5,000, was
commissioned by the Travis County
District Attorney’s office.
Austin Mayor Bruce Todd was
among more than 20 witnesses
including community leaders and
activists, editors, reporters and talk
show hosts to dispute claims by
the defense that Hutchison could
not get a fair trial in the capital
city. Todd said Austinites have not
prejudged the senator.
Dick DcGucrin, Hutchison’s at-
torney, criticized prosecutors for
spending the money for the poll,
but Travis County First Assistant
District Attorney Steve McClcery
defended the expenditure, saying
that moving the trial would cost far
more.
Hutchison is charged with four
felony counts and a misdemeanor of
misusing state employees while she
was state treasurer and destroying
government records and evidence.
Bonner Quits Commerce
Cathy Bonner, executive director
of the Texas Department of Com-
merce since April 1991, resigned
last week.
Bonner said she plans to return to
private business and will serve as a
consultant to Gov. Ann Richards’
,994 re-election campaign.
Deborah Kastrin, who has been
with the department since 1991, is
the new acting executive director.
Kastrin was named director of the
agency’s business development di-
vision in January 1993. She previ-
ously served as board chairwoman
of the El Paso State Bank and pres-
ident of El Paso 7-Up Bottling Co.
Bonner, former owner of an
Austin advertising and marketing
firm, joined Richards’ staff as
director of economic development
and international relations when
the governor took office in 1991.
She moved to the Commerce
Department a few months later.
Richards called Bonner “the ar-
chitect of my economic develop-
ment plan for Texas,” and praised
her for having the courage to clean
up the agency.
Morales Sues Two Finns
^ ♦♦orwrtir f~l r»r>r»m 1 Dun A 4or-' 1 or
t .IV I OW.IW.U1 L/iUI KiOtUIVu
State ,, Capital
HIGHLIGHTS
By Lyndell Williams
and Ed Sterling
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
has filed suit against a private child
support collection agency that he
alleges has misrepresented itself as
a government agency.
The suit, filed in state court
in Houston, alleges that Child
Support Collection Agency of
America has required parents to
pay child support directly to the
company despite court orders that
the payments be sent to the
custodial parent.
Meanwhile, the attorney general
warned homeowners to be wary of
companies that want to charge them
a fee to record their homesteads
with county tax officials.
Morales sued State Recording
Services alleging that the company
has misrepresented itself as a gov-
ernment agency by mailing official-
looking documents to homeowners.
He said the company, which
uses an Austin mailbox, charges a
-W
UMlfU ft
NEW LETTERS POLICY
Effective January 6, 1994, the Hondo Anvil Herald
will no longer withhold writers’ names in its Letters to the Editor.
All letters submitted for publication must be signed by the writer,
and include the writer’s address and telephone number.
Readers are reminded that the Anvil Herald solicits letters to the editor
and we urge our readers to participate in this public forum.
Letters should be on a single subject and we request that writers
please try to limit their letters to 250 words.
The Anvil Herald reserves the right to edit letters for newspaper style,
good taste, and length. Repetitous letters on the same subject may be omitted.
Potentially libelous material will be edited.
Letters to the Editor should be mailed in care of:
Editor, Hondo Anvil Herald, P.O. Box 400, Hondo, TX 78861
$25 fee for document preparation.
Morales advised homeowners to
call their county tax office if
they have questions about their
homestead exemptions.
Fblice Funds for Texas Cities
Five Texas cities will receive
funding under President Clinton’s
plan to put 100,000 new police
officers on the nation’s.streets.
Pr^ire departments in Anto-
nio, Port Arthur, San Benito, Lan-
caster and Waxahacliie arc amoitg
only 74 nationwide that will re-
ceive federal money in the pro-
gram’s first phase. They were cho-
sen from nearly 1,100 applicants.
San Antonio received $3 million
— more than any other city. Port
Arthur was awarded $1 million;
San Benito gets $348,056; Waxa-
hachie, $212,497; and Lancaster,
$300,000.
Other Highlights
■ Austin attorney Bennie E.
Ray filed as a candidate in the
Democratic primary for the Texas
Court of Criminal Appeals seat now
held by Chuck Miller.
■ Gov. Richards has elevated
Judge Richard Barajas to chief
justice of the 8th Court of Appeals
at El Paso. Barajas has served on
the court since December 1991.
Weekly
Report
by Rep. Henry Bonilla
With 1994 rapidly approaching,
many of us will sit down and write
out a list of New Year's resolutions
for ourselves. Before Congress re-
turns to Washington for the 1994 le-
gislative session, it would be made its
own list of New Year's resolutions:
1. Go on a diet - After having a
jolly time with your tax dollars over
the years, Congress needs to trim the
fat and lose some weight. Congress
could stand to cut down on excessive
committee staff, and members of
Congress certainly should not con-
tinue voting to give themselves pay
raises.
2. Control spending habits -
When money is hard to come by,
most Americans tighten up their bolts
and cut down on their spending. But
when Congress doesn't have enough
money to pay for all its projects, it
raises taxes or spends money tfiat
doesn't exist. This year, when it can't
make ends meet, Congress ought to
try something new - cut spending.
3. Be more responsible - Con-
gress has a tendency to get pretty
reckless with some of the laws it
passes. Congress needs to remember
the hard-working people in the heart-
land, who are forced to live under
regulations mandated by Washingj-
ton. And it needs to realize that those
people are the same ones who have to
foot the bill for all those laws. Con-
gress should be more understanding
about what it's doing to America. .
4. Stay in touch with people - Too
often, Congress forgets about the
people who live and work in towns
across the country. Members of
Congress should resolve to spend
time in their districts, so they can
listen to the people they were elected
to represent. i
5. Be honest - Last, but certainly
not least, Congress needs to be hon-
est with the American public. Conj
gress shouldn't disguise higher taxes
and more spending with complicated
legislative language. And Congress
should shoot straight about reform-
ing itself. An ethics committee with
citizen representatives would help
Congress stay honest. }
These arc just a few of the New
Year's resolutions that should appear
on Congress' list. If Congress should
decide to conduct itself according io
these goals, 1994 will be a truly re-
markable year for America.
I
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 30, 1993, newspaper, December 30, 1993; Hondo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth818354/m1/4/: accessed June 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hondo Public Library.