The Silsbee Bee (Silsbee, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 3, 1981 Page: 1 of 28
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Michael Ray
80 Ave. H., Sili
^ 8r., «,
860 Ave. H., Silsbee, waa fined
on 116,000 bond Monday after-
noon on a charge of murder in
connection with the shooting
death of his wife early Saturday
morning.
A spokeman at the sheriffs
office said bond was poajbed for
Lewis after District Judge
Clyde E. Smith reduced bail
from $60,000 to $15,000.
Chief of Police Dennis Allen
said that Silsbee Police were
called to the Avenue H home of
Lewis to investigate a report of
a family disturbance at 1:24
a.m. Saturday. Allen said that
upon the arrival of officers at
1:26 a.m. they found Mrs.
Debra Ann Lewis, 25, appar-
ently dead from a bullet wound
to her forehead.
Allen said officers were told
that Lewis came home about 1
a.m. and following an argument
with his wife he is alleged to
have gone into a bedroom and
to have taken a .38 caliber
pistol from a bureau drawer.
Allen said Lewis was alleged to
have fired one shot into the
floor w(th a second shot hitting
Mrs. Lewis in the forehead.
Allen said Lewis admitted to
officers that he pulled the
trigger.
Justice of the Pfeace.Robert
Ward ruled Mrs. Lewis died at
1:20 a.m. He set bond at
$50,000. An autopsy was order-
ed.
Allen said that the Beaumont
Crime Lab assisted in the
investigation. City officers on
the scene along with Allen were
Lt. William Gilley, Officers
David Lusk and Roger Slusher.
Funeral services for Mrs.
Lewis were at 2 p.m. Wednes-
dat at St. John Baptist Church
with burial in Kirby Cemetery.
She was a lifelong resident of
Silsbee.
Other survivors include one
daughter, Kimtrisha Sante
Lewis of Silsbee; one son,
Michael Lewis Jr. of Silsbee;
her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Calude Willis of Silsbee; three
sisters, Pasty Willis, Annie
Willis and Bobbie Willis, all of
Houston; brother Mikel Ray
Willis of Houston.
’
VOLUME 63 -NUMBER 30 SILSBEE, TEXAS 77656,
Postponing Tax Reappraisal
Is Possibility Explained To Commissioners
Grand Jury Returns
14 Indictments
In a second monthly session
held Aug. 26, the Hardin
County grand jury returned 14
indictments, no billed one per-
son and did not pass over any
cases, according to a report
from District Attorney Bo
Horka.
Willard Ray French, 28, Rt.
2, Box 162, Kountze, was
indicted for aggravated assault
on a peace officer. He is accused
of attacking Kountze Police
Officer David Bourque on May
2.
Glenn R. Conner Jr., 19, no
address given, and Dexter
White, 23, Box 295, Evadale,
were true billed in the burglary
of the home of James Moody in
Kountze on July 8.
Danny Hess, 19,418 Mitigwa
Road, Silsbee, was indicted in
the July 19 burglary of Ronnie
Chessher’s Armadillo Inn Ta-
vern in Honey Island.
Myra Sue Eason, 17, P. 0.
Box 1270, Silsbee, Debra Ann
Jackson, 23, P. O. Box 799,
Silsbee and Paula McGallion,
22, P. 0. Box 1270, Silsbee,
were indicted for the April 22
burglary of the Marie L. Moss
home on Hicks Dairy Road
north of Silsbee.
Thomas Gregory Richardson,
18, Beaumont, and Ronnie Troy
Tyler, 17, 5620 Bigner Rd.,
Bmt., indicted for the burglary
of the Frank Orr residence in
Lumberton in the month of
April.
Norris E. Green, 22, 440
South 14th St., Silsbee, true
billed for aggravated assault on
a peace officer. He is accused of
attacking Silsbee Police Officer
David Lusk while being placed
under arrest on July 5.
Dolphe Lee Peck, no age
given, Silsbee, indicted on two
counts of indecency with a
child. The case was worked up
and presented by the Hardin
County Child Welfare Dept.
Bobby Zeller, 38, Kountze,
indicted for aggravated assault
June 13 on Terry Lynn McCau-
ley at a hotel in Kountze.
The possibility of postponing all entities will be informed of
implementation of county-wide this recent House Bill and the
reappraisal until 1983 was details will be discussed during
brought to the attention of a 9 a.m. meeting of the
Commissioners Court Monday Appraisal District Wednesday
morning by Chief Appraiser (yesterday).
Edwin Barry. The court then voted to
What this move would mean
to the present county tax office,
and all other taxing entities in
Hardin County however, was
not fully determined.
The Appraiser explained that
House BUI No. 30, formally
signed into law Aug. 14 by
Governor Bill Clements, has
given counties the option to
delay for one year the full-scale
reappraisal if two-thirds of the The City of Silsbee Monday
entities pass such a resolution night became one of 10 cities
by Oct. 1 of this year. which has denied the rate hike
Tax Assessor/Collector
Jeanette McCreight expressed
some concern over this possibi-
lity since reappraisal was not
budgeted in her office for 1982.
County Judge Ray Martin
told McCreight it was his A tax rate of 57 cents per
understanding that the apprai- WW) valuation, an 18 percent
sal district, which all taxing increase from last year, was
agencies are currently paying accepted Monday night by
for, would still "be responsible Silsbee City Council during a
for ‘82 appraisals” and that a special meeting,
resolution would simply “delay
the full reappraisal” process. The group also voted to raise
Barry assured the court that homestead exemptions from
increase county taxes by ap-
proximately 30 percent for the
coming fiscal year, and set
Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. as the public
hearing, to be held in the
Commissioners Courtroom.
There was little discussion of
this rate hike, but Martin
commented the large increase
was necessary "due to infla-
tion."
A lengthy presentation was
heard from Percy Campbell of
the MEDICO corporation con-
cerning the county's insurance
of it’s 152 employees.
The plan, said the company
spokesman, would call for the
establishment Of. a board of
trustees which would deride on
the benefits, make any changes
Silsbee Denies GSU Request
For Increased Electric Rates
request from Gulf States Utili-
ties Co. - an increase that would
have gone into effect under
City Council Votes
18% Tax Increase
$4,000 to $9,000. The city’s
budget for the 1981-82 fiscal
year totaled $2.9 million, and it
was estimated by City officials
that homeowners average tax
increase would be $8.81.
A public hearing on the tax
rate and increase will be held
Monday, Sept. 14.
Salt Water Barrier, Bridges Draw
Blame In Lumbeiton Area Flooding
Almost 200 people gathered
Tuesday night in the Lumber-
ton High School cafeteria to
participate in the first phase of
a flood study for the Pine Island
Bayou and Little Pine Island
Bayou watershed.
The public meeting, conduct-
ed by the Army Corps of
Engineers representative Col.
James Sigler, was the result of
a congressional resolution pass-
ed in 1980 following the damag-
ing flood of April 1979. ,
Details about the watershed
area were provided by the
Colonel in an announcement
handout. Pine Island Bayou
drains a 657 square-mile area in
Hardin, Jefferson, Liberty, and
Polk Counties and.flows into
the Neches River upstream of
Beaumont. Little Pine Island
Bayou drains a 134 square-mile
area. The watershed is largely
wooded and contains portions
of the authorized Big Thicket
National Preserve. Climate is
City Police Spend
Busy Week With
30 Arrests Noted
characterized by hot, humid
summers and mild, wet win-
ters. Mean temperatures range
from 53 degrees Fahrenheit in
January to 82 degrees in
August. Average annual rain-
fall is 53 inches.
The main causes of the
flooding in that area, agreed
several watershed residents,
were a “bottleneck” situation
created by the newly-con-
structed four-lane bridge on
Hwy. 96; a salt water barrier
erected on the Neches River by
the Lower Neches Valley
Authority; and, to some de-
gree, the natural obstacles in
the river itself - underbrush,
jammed logs, and silt buildup.
Pine Island Bayou resident
Kenneth Curry compared the
watershed to a large bathtub
and the LNVA’s "Dam” (barr-
ier) to the bathtub’s plug.
Curry told Sigler that even
through LNVA denied there
was an actual dam, he and
others had seen it "with our
own eyes” and said the com-
pany was “impounding water
to well it. We’ve got to get the
plug out of the bathtub.”
Rose Hill Acres Mayor Henry
Shonfield warned the Corps
that simply clearing, or dredg-
ing, the rivers would worsen
the s&uation To? downstream
landowners, namely the little
municipalilty of Rose Hill
Acres.
The mayor recommended a
series of culverts under the
highways, the establishment of
a flood gauge at Hwy. 96, and
flood forecasts provided specifi-
cally for the Lumberton area.
Pinewood resident and
Water District representative
James Cunningham said the
construction of the 96 bridge
and the railroad bridge further
downstream has narrowed that
"bottleneck” from three-quar-
ters of a mile to 600 feet. “This
is certain to create problems
upstream,” Cunningham said.
Two spokesmen from the Big
bond today.
This action, admitted council-
members, will not keep electric
rates from their upward spiral,
but may delay the beginning for
a month or so and save Silsbee
resident money.
The electric company filed
Tuesday an appeal to the
denial, according to area repre-
sentative Robert Sheffield, who
was present at the special
called meeting.
City Attorney Roger Ratliff
said that GSU will also request
a temporary rate increase from
the Public Utilities Commiss-
ion, but how much time this
particular procedure will take
is also undetermined.
Sheffield was not convinced
that the council would save the
people any money be the
action. “You may get a month,
you may get nothing,” he told
the group after the 4-1 vote was
cast. Councilman Elton Irvin
was not in favor of the denial.
Texas Municipal League
Attorney Don Butler, said
Ratliff, will present evidence to
the PUC on behalf of the cities
not common according to Rat-
liff , affect electric rates in
Silsbee during the next month
or so remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, the PUC is ex-
pected to make a final recom-
mendation Sept. 15. '
SISD Enrollment
Is 3,597 On
First Day Of School j£$S.
or amendments to. the pokey*
and would serve as administra-
waaua w viiau wvm ▼ v wv WHSSWStoW ^ •
tor and claims payer; f , ;
Th* idea would he to set up »
“self-funding" program, rather
than paying an insurance com-
pany to handle these tasks.
"You’re paying a premium
fee," Campbell told the court,
to have these services provid-
ed. ■ '
A minimum cost to the
county for this program waa
estimated at $87,684, and "tor
pected claims,” the spokesman
speculated, for Hardin County
is $136,980.
MEDICO’S administration
fee to set up the program no#
in operation in Orange County,
would be $8,755 annually.
The maximum amount the
county would pay in insurance
claims in a year would be
$182,652 said Campbell, and no
single claim could exceed
$15*000.
Anything above these fixed
limits would be paid in full by
Jefferson National - up to
Total enrollment for Silsbee
schools on the first day, Mon-
day, totaled 3,597 students,
according to figures released
from the administration office.
A breakdown by grades was
given for Kindergarten through
Grade 12, as follows:
Kindergarten 270; first grade
268; second grade 275; third
grade 282; fourth grade 287;
The commissioners appeared
interested in Campbell’s ptopov
sal but nd derision was m|de
Monday. The county’s insur-
ance policy comes up for
condisderation in one month,
said Martin, and the court will
look further into the "self-fund-
ing” possibility before then. .
The group afoo agreed un-
animously to enter into a
fifth grade 806; sixth grade 826; typewriter malntensHce con-
seventh grade 320; eight grade tract with Texas Office Pro-
263; ninth grade 288; tenth ducts, for repair and upkeep of
Thicket Association, Judith
Allen and Kay Bockmon, were
less well received when they
recommended the relocation of which have voted to deny the
existing structures in the bonded rates - at no cost to the
watershed area and zoning municipalities,
restrictions to stop any further The lawyer did, however, tell
construction. the council that it looked as if
Beaumont Chamber of Com- the PUC “doesn’t intend to
merce President Dennis Seder- prevent bonded rates from
holm voiced direct opposition to going into effect (today) and
these suggestions, saying that will probably grant the tempo-
people should be allowed to rary rate (increase request)",
live where they choose." GSU initially asked for ap-
In general, all comments proval of a $131 million in-
were listened to attentively by crease. Hearing Examiner
Sigler, who said the second Mark Zappa announced Mon-
phase of the project will be to day his recommendation that
introduce during another public this amount be decreased to $96
million - still considered by
(Sm Flood, s*c. 1, Pag* I) many to be an exorbitant
increase.
grade 250; eleventh grade 286; the IBM machines ovmed by
Raiders Kick-Off lfrfcl
Season At Dayton Friday
How these denials, which are
HIRE FRIDAY NIGHT AT 7:30
Day Looking For Good Offensive
Show Against B-CP Cougars
Coach Pat Day will be
looking for a better offensive
performance than the one he
saw in the scrimmage with
Nederland when the Tigers
Silsbee Police experienced a
busy week with 30 arrests, 74
traffic citations, 108 warning
tickets and the reception of 83
calls by dispatchers.
What started out as a simple
case of serving a warrant for
disorderly conduct ended in the
filing of three more charges
against David Glenn Weaver,
18, 1192 Bonner St., Silsbee.
Chief of Police Dennis Allen
said officers were attempting to
arrest Weaver on a warrant for
disorderly conduct in connec-
tion with a fight at the Hurrican
Cafe. He allegedly resisted
arrest and after being taken to
the police station escaped thro-
ugh the restroom window, but
was recaptured soon after-
Lumberton ISD
Enrolls 2,408
On First Day
Lumberton schools enrolled
2,408 students in all grades on
Monday, according to admini-
stration officials.
A breakdown shows 640 in
primary (kindergarten through
grade three); 634 in intermed-
iate school (grades 4-6) 420 in
middle school (grades 7-8) and
714 in high school (grades 9-12).
wards. Allen said he pleaded
guilty to the additional disor-
derly conduct charge. Bond was
set at $1,000 for resisting
arrest and $205.50 for the
disorderly conduct warrant.
A 16-year-old pleaded guilty
to charges of fleeing a police
officer, driving on the wrong
side of the roadway, operating
an unregistered vehicle and no
motorcycle endorsement.
Other arrests covered a-
number of offenses, according
to the police report. '
Offense investigations in-
cluded theft from the therapy
department at Silsbee Doctors
Hospital of a small instrument
used in treating patients. Loss
was placed at $250.
A 46-year-old man was ar-
rested for the theft of a ball
cap from Penny Pantry valued
at $3.95.
Faye Gore reported that a
back door at 101 Bowers St.
had been tampered with in an
apparent burglary try. The
screen had been torn and a
glass broken, but no entry was
made, Police reported.
Five plants were taken from
Kentucky Fried Chicken. Loss
was placed at under $20.
Four vehicle accidents were
investigated with no injuries
reported.
host the Beaumont-Charlton
Pollard Cougars Friday night.
Although the Tigers outscor-
ed the Bulldogs 2-1, with the
Canine second unit getting the
Mi
[\ -• ,
NEW CHIEF OF POLICE at Lumberton, Harry Campbell, Is shown signing the oath
of office following a brief swearing-in ceremony held last Thursday night. A num-
ber of area law enforcement officers were on hand to greet him. Lumberton
Mayor Chuck Taylor witnesses the signature.
xoabye* X#*®8
tally, Day said he was dis-
appointed. “I felt we took a step
backward,” he said in compar-
ing last Friday’s scrimmage
with the one held earlier at
Santa Fe. However, he said he
felt Nederland is a little strong-
er than the Houston area team,
which may have had somthing
to do with the inability of the
Tigers to move the ball as well
as Day anticipated.
The Tiger defense, on the.
other hand, drew praise from
the Tiger boss. The defenders
came out steaming in the first
session between the regulars,
to limit the ‘Dogs to 81 yards
and one first down. They kept
up the heat during the evening,
never allowing the Nederland
first offensive team to punch in
a score.
Day's charges will face an
improved Cougar team here
Friday night with a 7:80 kickoff
time. The B-CP offense is led
by Quarterback Rowell Rollins
who Coach Duriel Harris de-
scribes as an extra brilliant
student on and off the field.
Rollins puts a good zip on the
ball, according to his coach. His
favorite target is wide receiver
Jerry Nelson. He describes
Nelson as being of those fellows
who can catch the ball.
Running backs Kerry Collier
and Royce Davis help balance
the B-CP attack. They are ably
backed up by Joe Segura and
Rondell Francis.
In the defensive line the
(See Tiger* tec. 1, Page •)
By Mike Minton
“We’re hungry,” were the
words quoted from Lumberton
head coach CM Larsen. “We
(the coaching staff), and the
kids are hungry to turn things
around here at Lumberton.”
That just might happen Friday
night at Dayton, when the
Bidders open the 1981 football
regular season against the 9-4A
West Zone Broncos.
Larsen said his only infor-
mation on the Broncos was
from scouting reports of their
first scrimmage this year.
According to this source, Lar-
sen said he expected to see the
long pass pretty often Friday,
along with a very quick, but not
fully tested running game,
especially from the fullback
position. “We've prepared all
week for this type game-plan
and a little more.”
According to a few of the 21
senior gridders on the roster,
the attitude and outlook on this
season is the best they could
remember ever at Lumberton.
Larsen had similar comments
and stressed he was relieved to
be opening the season without
any serious injuries.
The Broncos, under the
direction of new head coach Bill
Moore, return 21 lettermen
from a team that recorded a
(0-6), (2-8) slate in 1980,
including a 22-0 shutout of the
Raiders in what has been
termed the “Slush Bowl.”
With the aquisition of Moore,
the Broncos also adopted the
Houston “Veer” offense and the
‘52 defense. “We're pretty
familiar with, both changes,”
said Larsen, “'however, we
know we have to go over there
ready to go all out in order to
win,"
Lumberton’s latest test was a
loss to Crosby (8-0) in last
week's torimmage. Larson said
he really didn’t put much
emphasis on the loss because
“scrimmages don't show the
whole picture."
“We moved the ball well
during the game situation, and
we lokt the contest on fluke
plays,” referring to a pair of
tipped touchdown passes and a
blocked punt return for a score,
“We looked at a lot of people in
both scrimmages, which is
what it's all about.”
Kick-off is scheduled for 7:80
at Bronco Stadium in Dayton.
For those making the trip,
Dayton is located on Hwy. 90
just past Liberty.
Probable Starting Line-Up
OFFENSE
Quarterback, Blake McRob-
erts, (6-2, 156), senior; Tail-
bank, Flint Huey, (5-11, 182),
senior; Halfback, Soott Shef-
field, (5-11, 180), senior; Full-
back, Kyle Wright, (5-,10.156),
sophomore; Split Eiid, Kevin
Goode; (5-5,125), senior; Tight
End, Mike Cedi, (5-11, 170),
senior; Center, Brian Fournier,
(5-9,185), senior; Quick Guard,
Preston Copper, (5-11, 175),
junior; Quick Tackle, Mark
(Me Relder* Sec. 1, Pog* I) ■
I
•V
■ .
-—v.*■;' '• ■ H‘- '.‘ft*
Most Businesses
Will Be Open
On Labor Day
; Most businesses will
be open Labor Day
while all government
offices and schools will
be closed.
Supermarkets and the
larger merchandising
mferts will Open their
doors during shorter
hours on Monday. At
least two drugs - stores
have indicated that
doors Will be open .for
business that day.' The
Silsbee lee offices and i
office supply store will
also remain open.
Banks, government
offices and schools will
be closed far the day.
Postmaster Conley
Bradshaw said there
poiTi ^pw*« i lunuvvr,
mall will be collected
TErSK
aUbOfli * than i
mouse wiTvt
Silsbee1
will ,k
,y-1
BSH
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Read, R. L. The Silsbee Bee (Silsbee, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 3, 1981, newspaper, September 3, 1981; Silsbee, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth820832/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Silsbee Public Library.