San Patricio County News (Sinton, Tex.), Vol. 97, No. 14, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 8, 2004 Page: 1 of 14
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Copyright 2004 • San Patricio Publishing Co., Inc. • Founded 1908
Spring storms rip through county fields
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Cotton farmers could be forced to replant
after showers produce 4 to 6 inches
BY JERRY PEREZ
San Patricio County News Editor
A series of downpours over the weekend and throughout the
early parts of the work week had San Patricio farmers heading for
shelter as nearly four inches of rain scattered throughout the
county.
A western upper level front from Arizona desert area pushed
into the South Texas region over the weekend and caused some
minor flooding and some-minimal hail damage in parts of west-
Vandals rob
Community
Action Agency
By DANIEL GARZA
San Patricio County News Asst. Editor
Two storage facilities for Sinton's
Community Action Agency were
broken into und vandalized some-
time within the last 30-45 days
causing extensive damage.
Maintenance crews discovered
Tuesday morning two storage facil-
ities located on 5th St. between Ave
I and Esparanza St. had been heav-
ily vandalized, along with many
items stored at the facility.
Damages from the break in and
vandalism currently stands at an
undetermined amount, but accord-
building's damage could be dose to
upwards of $10,000 or more.
* It's disheartening someone
would, do this to a place that does
our kind of work* said executive
director of the agency Lupita Faiz.
"We're a nonprofit organization
that's here for the community, *
Faiz concluded "the damages could
end up effecting the delivery of ser-
vice for the public"..
Damages done to items stored at
the fadlity are unspedfied, but are
estimated by officials to be around
$3,000.
The two buildings stored several
tables, approximately 30 chairs,
five "older model* computers used
by the agency, and many items
SwRUSEDMinastt
ern Sinton and Odem-Edroy area.
San Patricio cotton farmers, who just recently began planting,
faced the possibility of having to replant as most cotton fields,
especially low lying areas, were saturated in water.
The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi reported 2.8$
inches rain for the Sinton area on Sunday.
However, in most areas west of Sinton, farmers and ranchers
reported anywhere from four to six inches.
"It varies from one place to another," said farmer Eric
Schneider.
"I had about six and half inches in some fields and in others I
had two inches," Schneider said, who farms approximately 4,500
acres.
Schneider like most cotton farmers was worried if his young
SMiuuiiSMiaasu
San Patricio
County farm-
era ware hit
hard over the
weekend as
thunder-
storms pro-
duced 4-to-6
Inches of
rain. The
National
Weather
Service in
Corpus
Christi fore-
casts a 40
percent
chance of
rain for this
weekend.
photo by Jerry Perez
Please read road signs...
A woman traveling on old County Rd 35 and FM 1935 triad to go around an enbankment early Saturday morn-
ing despite a posted road closure sign. The woman’s van was swept across the stream and local authorities
were called in to help the victim to safety. The woman was pulled safely back to land by San Patricio County
Sheriff s Department deputies and Sinton and Odem Volunteer Fire Departments. (Photo by Daniel Garza)
San Patricio County Indigent Health
City to continue efforts to
remove vacant buildings
BY JOHNNIE SUE LITTLETON
San Patricio County News
The City Council is continuing its efforts to remove
vacant, dilapidated buildings, residential and commercial,
from Sinton's landscape.
City Attorney Donald Kubicek gave the council a report on
the steps that could be
taken to get these
unproductive proper-
ties back on the city,
school and county tax
rolls.
Members of the
Planning and Zoning
Commission were pre-
sent lor the meeting to
Kubicek's recom-
mendations, but the
only action taken dur-
ing the council meeting was to direct the city manager to
They also agreed that the commission members should
scout the city for property that should be targeted for action.
Kubicek told the council that they should decide on a plan
of action, suggesting that they, "get your ducks in a row, but
that doesn't mean you have to fire up the caterpillar, just be
ready." 1
Properties to be advertise for bids are: 121 E. Merriman,
725 W. Fulton, 401 W. Market, 713 E. George, 700 Avenue. C.
and 803 Trinidad.
The Commission will hold a meeting Monday and offer
their recommendations to the council on action to be taken.
It was estimated that there are at last 30 properties in the
city limits that will be targeted, *
Bowie Street
Council unanimously agreed to change the one-way traf-
fic flow on Bowie Street back to two-way truffic during the
summer months, beginning one week after school is out.
The streets were changed to one-way to accommodate
CITY COUNCIL
■ Bowie St. will change into
a two way street.
■ Clean Up Week: City dean
up week will take place from
May 3-7.
See CITY on page 14
Core Program officially suspended
By |ERKY PEREZ
San Patricio County News Editor
A week after announcing that the San
Patricio County Indigent Health Care
Program would be temporarily suspended,
county commissioners made it official
Monday morning as they unanimously
approved the suspension of the health pro-
gram.
"We regretfully must suspend the coun-
ty indigent health care program,* said San
Patricio County fudge Terry Simpson, dur-
ing Monday's commissioners court session.
"We hope this is temporary,* Simpson
said.
I
fudge Simpson had announced last
Tuesday that the program would be sus-
pended as of March 31, after learning that
state allocated funds were reduced from
$238,000 to $175,000.
Commissioners emphasized that this is
only a temporary suspension, however, the
health program, which serves as a last
resOrt for low-income county residents,
will .stay suspended until sufficient state
funds are allocated or until the state bud-
get cycle ends on Aug. 31.
"It's fust horrible that we had to do
this,” said commissioner Nina Trevino said
of precinct 1.
"There are so many people in need,*
Trevino added.
Commissioner Fred Nardini of precinct
2 echoed Trevino’s statements.
^ It's just horri-
ble that we had to
do this- ^
San Patricio County County
Commissioner Nina Trevino, of pet 1,
after commissioners approved to sus-
pend the county's indigent health care
program on Monday morning
"This is a temporary suspension,*, com-
missioner Fred Nardini said. , ,
"But my main 'concern was that we
don't lay off any personnel at this time,*
Nardini said.
The program, which consists of five
employees, will not layoff any employees
due to the suspension.
The health program will continue their
normal operations, which include prelimi-
nary health screenings and diabetes test-
ing. <
fosie Michael, county indigent health
care program director, said that The pro-
gram won't deny anyone's application and
will, provide clients various avenues to
receive medical services.
"The only thing we can't do now is pay
for their medical bills,” Michael said.
The indigent health care program
expected a derailment of some sort for the
2004 year after state funding was reduced
in half in December of 2003.
The reducement in funds forced San
Patricio County to pick up rest of the the
tab on this state mandated health pro^
gram.
County officials believe that if the pro-
gram would not have been suspehded at
the end of March, the county would have
faced a major deficit.
Currently, the county pays approxi-
mately'$124,000 a month on the indigent
health care program.
"Until the state helps us out then we
can't do anything," Trevino said.
Public Health Week
i San Patricio County Health Department
Administrator Roger Barker told the court
on Monday morning that the county is cel-,
ebrating public health week from April 5
through 12.
Barker said the county health depart-
ment will hosi an'open house April 7 from
8 a.m, till 5 p.m. The public is encouraged
to attend.
County employment changes
Commissioners approved the hiring of
Pristina Lynnette Martinez, Richard
William Donahue, and Melinda Barrera.
Martinez was hired as a full time dispatch-
er for the sheriff's department and
Donahue was hired on as a deputy for the
department.
Accident on Helm Si.
At 9 a.m. Tuesday a brown ford F150 collided with a Ford Focus at the
Intersection of Halm St. and S.‘ San Patricio. There were no reported
major Injuries resulting from the accident. (Photo by Daniel Garza)
i
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Perez, Jerry. San Patricio County News (Sinton, Tex.), Vol. 97, No. 14, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 8, 2004, newspaper, April 8, 2004; Sinton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1123597/m1/1/: accessed May 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Taft Public Library.