Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 27, 1978 Page: 2 of 17
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POtTLANO NCWS TVmdty, Apr 27, 1978
MBMiaan-
TEXA8 PRESS
ASSOCIATION
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Published Bvory Thursday at 325 Omn, Taft, Toms
Socond-Clast Postage Paid at Portland, Texas 76374
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For Instance
........ by pdl — ■
PORTLAND SITS in an
enviable position
It is a vibrant growing town
of primarily young people,
many executives an<1 minor
executives in the eneigy in-
dustry and allied t ms in esse*
Portland is a proud town,
proud of its school system,
scholastic accomplishments of
its youth and super proud of the
athletic prowess of its teams of
the playing fields
It is composed of an urban-
orient ed populace living in a
suburban atmosphere
Churches enjoy fine at-
tendance on Sunday and have
good participation in their
many activities
Youth sports on the city level
are enthusiastically endorsed
and pursued with vigor by
parent and child alike
Progress is maintained with
the approval of bond issues for
city improvements and school
expansion and modernization
Add all this up on any
computer and the answer
comes up a big plus
A big plus that any com
mumty in the state would
savor
Hut. up until now this
community has not flexed its
muscle at the ballot box to
show its grit
To show that it wants a voice
in planning the plays when it
comes to county government
Portland is taken for
granted
Portland, the talk goes in the
early morning hours at the
county coffee houses, can t get
out the vote to make the scouts
take notice
Portland, although :n ex-
cellent condition thanks to its
own efforts, its own initiative
and its own funding, has
problems on the horizon
Portland hasn't crawled to
the fed s trough for free funny
money It has paid on a go it-
alone basis and is far the better
place for it
Hul. this doesn't mean that it
is cast away into the minors to
tiattle without some league
help
And that help hasn't come.
Now. Portland should set a
course to see that if perhaps an
assist or two couldn't be of-
fered now and then
For instance -•
The problems of the city are
discussed and actions are
taken every other week at city
council meetings lo keep the
wheels of this city humming as
smoothly as possible This is
not always easy
But. never not once * has
any member of the govern
ment of San Patricio County
Invited themselves tonne of the
meetings and said. “Thought
I'd sit in and see what you folks
are faced with over here ”
The city is fighting its
sewage problems, alone It is
fighting its water problems
alone It is fighting to get some
hay front park area alone It
alone is trying to get a boat
from HISTORY'S SCRAPBOOK
DATES AND EVENTS FROM YESTERYEARS
April a. I NX—The war with Japan officially ends a« the treaty
signed by the I ailed States and 47 other nations at San Francisco ia
IKI goes into effect.
April ». IMS—American soldiers liberate 32 MO Nazi victims at
Ikachaa—the oidrst and worst of the World War II German contra
tration camps
April M. INS—The Halted Sl.nr* more than double* iU physical
urea by purchasing from Napoleon Bonaparte all of the French
Territory west of the Mississippi River (the landsiana Purchase).
May I, 1173—Penny postal cards are placed on sale for the first
time by the Ui. Post Office
May t. INI—'The Federal (ommaaimUoas ( ontmission ap
proves the regular scheduling of commercial letevisioa broadcasts
Proclamation
WHBREASt the Portland Jaycees are undoubtedly
againat the destruction or removal of the forty-st* i«i Palm
trees that lie in the median at Highway IHI between Portland
and Gregory, Texas
AND WHEREAS, to the conscientious driver these
Palms offer no hazard, but their beauty and historic value
warrants their preservation Wherein, their presence is
unique in a region af flat plaint and these forty six 1461 trees
date to the Garrett Ranch which were some of Portland's
earliest settlers and the said trees stand in memonum to the
towns real Pioneer Days
BE IT RESOLVED, that motor vehicles, being nut of
control during accidental encounters, should he protected
from these hazardous trees by erecting safety barriers
around the said trees And he it resolved that the members of
the Portland Jaycees request that the State Department of
Highways and Public Transportation and all governing
bodies concerned, protect and preserve these gallant
aatewgvg to our citv for the bygone era
Dick Lee. President
Richard Dugat, Vice-President external
Ken Flournoy, Secretary
Highlights and Sidelights
byLYHDELL WILLIAMS
launching facility It is bucking
Corpus Chnsti and its five-mile
extra territorial jurisdiction
alone
For instance -
The Gregory-Portland In-
dependent School District
Hoard of Trustees meets at
least once each month,
-mmetimes many times more
They too have almost in-
surmountable problems from
fighting the ever increasing
lunatic-fringe goodies passed
down from the feds, to coping
with getting more classrooms
for more and more children
coming into the area
And now (or the rerun -
never, not once, has any
member of the government of
San Patricio County invited
themselves to one of the
meetings to scout the action
Carl Duncan is seeking the
post of county commissioner.
Precinct 2.
He deserves your vote
It would be a vote for Port-*
land
The big clincher in this
election, though, is to get to the
polls
Portland, and San Patricio
County can turn the corner
with this election and begin a
new trail of betterment
Duncan was a fine council
member for Portland He was
a leader on that body and was
sorely missed when he didn’t
seek to remain with it
Duncan is one of the most
community-minded persons
this city could hope to have in
its corner
And. this is at all times, not
just when the bell rings and
election cards are flying
Duncan for years has been in
the middle of every youth
activity, an area which surely
could stand all the hacking
possible in this community
But. most of all Duncan is a
businessman He knows the
workings of a budget, of
showing a profit with efficiency
and good management, rather
than dipping into the deficit
slop jar for more bucks
At a political forum held last
week in the Community Center
thanks to Citizens for Portland,
the only talk the county
commissioners' court could
muster was about county roads
and their work in that area
Now, there is not a thing
wrong with having the finest
county roads that are possible
But the point is that Portland
residents for the $400,000 or so
tax bucks they pour into county
government every year, should
realize a return of some sort on
their investment
Such a return could at least
come in the form of com-
passion for the city's problems
The big phis for Portland
Saturday. May 6. will he to cast
your ballot
It is the one and only way
that any changes can be made
The progress can lie ex
pected
It is up to you
AUSTIN — State Insur-
ance Board Chairman Hugh
Yantis has taken a stand
against an increase in home-
owners insurance rates.
The hoard is expected to
vote on the matter in June
Board statistician* recom-
mended a 13.1 percent hike
which would cost homeown-
ers about $47 million in ad-
ditional premiums. There has
been no adjustment in rates
since July 1976.
The chairman indicated he
may vote for selective in-
creases in some categories
hut not for a general state-
wide adjustment.
At the same time. Yantis
announced he is seeking to
discourage "deposit term"
life insurance policy sales.
And he directed a staff at-
torney lo come up with pro-
posed penalties for insurance
firms and agents who sell
policies to old people which
they do not need or cannot
afford.
Yantis said deposit term
life insurance cannot he
banned, but purchasers can
he warned of what they are
getting into. Deposits are
forfeited if policyholders
drop the 10 year policies or
fail to make payments.
The hoard chairman said
companies and their agents
should he made accountable
for selling unneeded insur-
ance to the elderly whose
judgment as to their require-
ments may he faulty due to
age
Penalties for victimizing
the elderly could run as high
as loss of license, the chair-
man indicated
Allowable .Set
The Railroad Commission
ordered continuation of the
legal producing rate for moil
Texas oil fields at 100 per-
cent of market demand for
May
The finding means Texas
wells, with few exceptions,
will have wide open produc-
ing allowables for the I 5th
month in a row. Actually,
all-out production has been
authorized nearly every
month for six years
Chairman Mack Wallace
said erode and petroleum
imports into the U S. aver-
aged more than eight million
barrels a day for the four-
week period which ended
April 7. That amounts to
about 42 percent of the na-
tion's demand, Wallace
stated
Purchasers nominations
and additional demand for
Texakarrude oil in May to-
taled 3,551.424 barrels a
day. up 7.627 from April.
Texas' estimated calendar
day allowable for May is
3.558.816 barrels of oil with
actual calendar day produc-
tion of about 2.910.000 bar-
rels
Deaths Increase
Motorcycle accident
deaths increased 111.5 per-
cent and injuries 47.7 per-
cent during the four months
of 1977 after the legislature
repealed the law requiring
riders to wear helmets.
Break 10
‘Wildcat Country’ T-Shirts Are Hot Item
BY TOM (SPOTTED HORSE i
Hello Cornerin' The Horae is
Back First off. my thanks to
one Stri ped I'omato for filling
in for me while I was 10-7 these
last few weeks f thought last
weeks article was excellent
For those of you who are in-
terested the Horse Family is
finally 10-8. well almost For
those of you who are not in-
terested "PLBBBBbbbb "
Now how bout some real
juicy gossip Bandaid has been
trying for a long lime to teach
Old Scout the finer points of
fishing, hut. Scout just can't
seen: to get the hang of it Now,
Horse did some checking
around and being a natural
born “Super Sleuth’ found out
that the tug reason Scout's
having a problem is he just
can't bring himself to put the
bait in hts mouth to keep it
warm
The "Wildcat Country'' T-s-
hirt sales kicked off Saturday
and I am happy to report the
acceptance was excellent But
for those of you who havent had
the opportunity to get yours
there are still plenty available
A special note. we
had a lot of requests for extra
small sizes Unfortunatly we
didn’t have them this week hut
those sizes will he available
soon So if you were one of
those interested hang in there
The “Dedicated Worker"
award this week goes to one
Little Brown Jug, for his
overtime hours Two times this
week he has had to report he
would he late Again One time 1
know he Labored till past 9:00,
doesn't that just do your heart
good to know there are workers
like that
The Paris Knight has been
filling the air ways this past
month with some outstanding
C. B. jargon and clever
phrases Like "Spotted Horse
cart you copy," and the biggie
"That’s a 10-4’\ But what the
beck we all can’t be bucket
months
Speaking of bucket mouths.
Belle. Stardust, Mean Green
and Little Bit are doing fine
Old Horse’ "Tip of the Week' is
If by chance you are
thinking seriously about
routing your coax thru the attic
and down the walls, may best
advise is DON't But, if you do
forget about the heal, bundle
up to protect yourself from the
glass filler and to keep bruises
down to a minimum Find you
a board to lay across the raf
ters and a drill a bit long
enough to penetrate three 2 x
4's because chances are that's
what you will find Other Ilian
that all you'll need is to diet for
several months to get down to
100 pounds so you can
maneuver around up there
Good Luck'
Happy belated Birthday.
Little Green Sprout and
Cow bird
Have you got your "Raise the
Hoof" raffle tickets yeP Don’t
forget the Dance May 20 at the
Portland Memorial Park See
vou there Bye bye. The Horse
The Department of Public
Safety Mid 110 motorcyclists
died in accidents during Sep-
tember-December. Fifty-two
were killed during the same
period in 1976.
Motorcycle deaths for all
last year increased 45.2 per-
cent over 1976, DPS said,
although registrations in-
creased less than 10 percent.
The law was repealed on
urging by motorcyclists
Helmets are still manda-
tory for riders and passen-
gers under 18
Courts Speak
The Texas Supreme Court
allowed the estranged hus-
band of the late Candace
Mossier to challenge her $10
million will.
In another ruling, the high
court affirmed lower court
decisions granting $80,500 in
legal malpractice judgments
against Don Yarbrough, who
resigned his Supreme Court
seat last year as the result of
prolonged legal troubles
The Court of Criminal
Appeals set aside life sen-
tences of Jefferson and Har-
ris County men convicted 10
years ago
Citing failure to schedule
a sanity hearing separate
from a DcW’itt County trial,
the Court of Criminal Ap-
peals dismissed one of two
murder convictions against a
Michigan man.
A district judge in Bee-
ville ordered fines for 72
Iranian students found guilty
of trespass in refusing to
leave the Bee County Col-
Icge gymnasium after a meet-
ing with the college pres-
ident.
AG Opinions
A trial court clerk cannot
refuse to file pleadings which’
appear inadequately certified
under the Texas Rules of
Civil Procedure, Attorney
General John L. Hill said.
In other recent opinions.
Hill concluded
Names of applicants for
municipal court appoint-
Relay Team
--rJ Ar
&
Q CIM
Bookshelf
Ghost Of Flight 401
Band Box
By
Linda Snodgrass
I have always had a stereotyped view of judges They
perch up in their heavenly loft*, the balcony, and lean over
the side with their fingers pointing, ready to issue
judgements They glare with squinting eyes at their next
subject and grind their teeth with expectation After hearing
the band's "confessions,” they stamp their judgment on
paper, hailing or condemning the band Having to confess
before judges several times a year, I have drawn this fearful
picture in my mind
But, last .Saturday at the Buccaneer Days music contest,
this unfriendly and cold picture was erased I had a chance to
work with the judges, and there I made a startling discovery
judges are human! All three judges were warm and
receptive even after eight hours of judging Knowing that
judges are human was a great relief because, on Wednesday
and Thursday, the concert and symphonic bands made their
confessions at IJIl. playing contest These contests are nerve-
racking and judges hanging over the balcony and points
fingers do not help relieve any of the tensions Hopefully,
seeing the judges in a different light alleviated some of the
(ears and allowed the bands to play with greater confidence
Maybe the bands were a little afraid, but It was certainly
easier to play for a person who wants to help than a demi god
who want to issue judgments!
BY LYRA SPARKS
Many of you undoubtedly
saw recently on TV the movie
of "The Ghost of Flight 401."
Having just read the book, I
personally did not think the
picture fully did the story
justice
The title would lead one to
thinE that the book was a
bizarre and perhaps esoteric
novel It is classified as non-
fiction John FYiller, tlie author
was a writer of scientific books
and articles He heard the
story many times, was so
intrigued by it, that he went
after it, but always with a
skeptical mind
This is a jet age ghost story
upon which author stum-
bled C rew* wouldn't fly the
plane because of the reap-
pearing apparitions of a dead *
pilot and flight engineer from a
sister ship The plane was the
famed Uickheed Tristar, the
first jumbo jet ever to crash in
the Everglades, with the loss of
101 persons
In his investigation into this
amazing story. John G Fuller
was led inexoribly not only to
repeated eye witness
experiences of the dead men’s
reappearance before flight
crews hut also to his own
personal conviction of a
spiritual immortality-of life
after death. (In his in
vestigations he sometimes had
difficulty getting people to talk
Their stories were so bizarre
that they were afraid the
company would get wind of
them and send the teller to a
“shrink ")
F’uller's book is a true-life
suspense thriller After a
classic reconstruction of the
mysterious crash itself, Fuller
does inierviews, explores
every facet of every "ghost"
report A rigorous skeptic who
has always written with
professional through ness on
noth scientific subjects and
subjects on the frontier* of life,
Fuller ultimately makes his
own personal contact with the
spirit of the dead flight
engineer Don Repo This is a
spine-tingling, persuasive
account with implications of
spiritual realities that are of,
increasing interest in today’s
world of ever more ex-
traordinary scientific
breakthroughs
The following patrons of the
Bell Public Library have
generously donated useful
items such as books, paper
barks, records, etc., prior to
this week The library wishes
to take this opportunity to
publicly acknowledge them for
their generous donations
Recent donors were as
follows Mablc Uhl, Martha
Rhodes, Pat (Juisenberry, Glen
R Krieg. Ike and Fena Hart
zell. Fran Albrecht and Mrs
Robert Pollard
Thriller
In Portland
menu are public information
and should he revealed
The Montgomery Couniy
child welfare board is a gov-
ernmental body within the
meaning of the open meet
mgs act. hut may meet in
closed session for the limited
purpose of discussing case
files of persons receiving or
applying for public assis-
tance
Short Snorts
Dry pastures in South and
West Texas have caused the
deaths of thousands of sheep,
according to the State De-
partment of Agriculture.
More than $1 million in
grants for emergency assis-
tance have been approved
by the governor's office.
A U S. district judge in
Washington ruled the federal
government cannot prevent
Attorney General Hill from
challenging in a Texas court
constitutionality of the
“prime farmlands" section of
the new federal strip mining
statute and accompanying
regulations.
Guy G. Mathews, has been
named diicctor of the Rail-
road Commission Liquefied
Petroleum Gas division ef-
fective May 6.
Nineteen applications for
permits to sell $17.4 million
in securities in Texas were
filed with the State Securities
Board during the last two
weeks.
The House Committee on
Agriculture and Livestock
held a public hearing in Lub-
bock April 25 on grain stor
age elevators and their op-
eration
An application for a char-
ter of interstate Bank of
Texas in Garland has been
filed with the State Hanking
Department.
A $407,500 grant for
pesticide law enforcement
has been awarded to the
Texas Department of Agri-
culture by the Environmen-
tal Protection Agency.
Ninety six Texas counties
and adjacent counties have
been declared by the U.S.
Small Business Administra-
tion as disaster areas for pur-
poses of loans to farmers and
ranchers for crops damage
and economic injury.
^American Viewpoints
Tht battle, itr, it not to the
itroni alone; it is to the vigilant,
the active, the brave
Patrick Henry
This Week
THURSDAY. APRIL 27
TOPS 638-7 pm St Christopher by the Sea Episcopal
Church
Jaycees -7pm. annual installation dinner. Community
Center
MONDAY. MAY I
Rotary Club 12 noon. Community Center
Lions Club 7 p m Shep’s Chicken Shack
Fire department ladies’ auxiliary - 7:30 p m , fire
station
Traffic advisory board • 7:30 pm, city hall
TUESDAY, MAY 2
Chamber of Commerce board of directors • 12 noon,
Sheps Chicken Shack
City Council meeting • 7 pm (workshop) 8 pm
(agenda), city hall.
Eastern Star • 7:30 p m , Masonic Lodge building
Volunteer fire department 7:30 p m., fire station.
WEDNESDAY MAY 3
Kiwanis Club - 12 noon, Sheps Chicken Shack.
REACT • 7:30 p m., fire station.
Portland Sea Gulla Square Dance Club • 8 pm, Com
mumty Center
THURSDAY, MAY 4
TOPS 638 - 7 pm, St Christopher by the Sea F'ptscopal
Church
Gamma Xi chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha - 7:30 p m ,
member's home
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Leveen, Paul D. Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 27, 1978, newspaper, April 27, 1978; Taft, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth871031/m1/2/: accessed June 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bell/Whittington Public Library.