The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 43, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 29, 1985 Page: 5 of 10
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RIO GRAND? HERALD RIO GRANDE Cm. TEXAS THIRSDA1. Al GIST 29. ivr, pu,
Plaintiffs Win Negligence Suit
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Pictured above are the Rio Grande City junior varsity cheerleaders for the
1985-1986 school year. From left to right in the front row are Gracie Alvirde, Lupita
Guerra. Sylvia Guajardo, and Gracie Guerra. In the back row are Dalinda
Sepulveda, Robert Garcia, and Debbie Olivarez.
Hearing Held On
Proposed Tax Increase
; i •
A public hearing Thursday
morning brought about much dis
cussion of the eight percent tax
increase proposed by the County
Commissioners.
The proposed increase will be up
for a vote when the commissioners
hold a special meeting Sept. 3. The
current tax rate is $.4480 per $100
valuation, and the proposed rate is
4697.
County Judge Bias Chapa said
the increase would "generate about
$300,000 more in revenue." He said
some of this increase should go to
the county's 20 percent share, or
$71,000, of a Economic Develop-
ment Administration grant for
renovation of the courthouse.
Chapa also noted that the county
had returned $100,000 to the Parks
and Wildlife Department because
the county would have had to
provide $50,000 matching funds for
the Fort Ringgold Parks With the
increased revenue, Chapa said the
county could contribute these
matching funds.
Chapa also said, "We are plann-
ing on giving raises to some
employees; it could be ten per-
cent."
Chapa said that in the past year,
much county money went into
street paving, the purchase of a
new dump site, and he also noted
the rural paving project will be
getting underway at any time
Anti-tax activist Margil Sanchez
used the hearing to criticize the
commissioners' hiring policies He
said, "Since you're already broke,
why are you hiring new
personnel," if there is not work for
them to do. Sanchez read a long list
of names and asked why and where
they are working, insisting that he
had not seen them working in the
courthouse.
Sanchez asked where one woman
named Rosa was working Chapa
said many women named Rosa
work at the courthouse, but said
this particular Rosa had been
working on a temporary basis, and
is no longer employed by the
county.
Chapa said that most of the
people named by Sanchez were
working to help the Community
Action Council's nutrition program
on a part-time basis. Sanchez
asked where Hilario Solis had been
working, insisting that he had not
been taking care of security at
night. Chapa said Solis was no
longer working for the county
Sanchez insisted he was still on the
payroll.
Auditor Jose Guadalupe Villar-
real said that the county contrib-
utes $10,000 to help the Community
Action Council's Nutrition Pro-
gram He said this contribution is
not enough to keep the program
going, and said that all lour
commissioners, from their own
budgets, pay some of their
employees for working part-time
for the elderly program
The auditor said that Precinct
Three Commissioner Elov Garza
had probably been approached to
provide help for the program
Villarreal said he had checked the
time reports and descriptions of
work in these cast's He did say
that the Solis matter probably
merits some investigation
About Solis, Commissioner Garza
said he had fired him He said that
roadhands such as Solis often don't
get paid until 45 days after their
work
Sanchez then asked Garza,
"Where is Lorine Pena working?"
Garza said. "She is working for the
eiderly program She is getting
paid five hours. 45 minutes by the
South Texas Development Council,
and I'm paying her two hours for
working with the elderly pro-
gram "
Chapa called the elderly program
vital, saying, "That's the only
social thing they have during the
day. Ail four commissioners are
picking up people with the elderly
program." The judge said that, in
the past, the Community Action
Council has had to cut mealtimes
short because of a lack of
personnel
Sanchez complained, "Since
you're going to raise the tax rate
eight percent against the will of
over 90 percent of the people, the
biggest question is: When is the tax
rate coming down.' Taxpayers
don't want their taxes raised, they
want a 2H percent reduction."
Ricardo Gonzalez, treasurer of
the Taxpayer's League, said.
"We're paying too much taxes
already What we object to is the
hiring of people for work that is not
essential for the operation of the
county."
Sanchez then complained that the
county water master position is
unnecessary. Villarreal agreed
with Sanchez, saying, "I don't
think that office is neces-
sary...Taxpayers have the right to
complain about an office that is not
needed ''
The family of an Alice oilfield
workers accidentally shot and
killed in 1980 has been awarded
almost $8 million in damages by a
Starr County district court jury,
proving to the jury's satisfaction
that an Alice trucking firm was
"grossly negligent."
Also made liable for punitive
damages, of $600,000, was Moises
Camacho Medrano, a former Heldt
employee who accidentally fatally
shot 20-year-old Ruben Ruiz of
Alice on May 21, 1980 on El Panal
Ranch in eastern Starr County near
McCook.
Heldt Brothers Trucking of Alice
was made liable for punitive
damages of $4 million. The balance
of the $7,954,000 judgment was
actual damages. Medrano and Ruiz
were both working for Heldt
Brothers, a truck rig operation
firm in Edinburg and Alice that
puts oil rigs up and takes them
down.
• Rio Grande City attorney Jesus
Maria "Chuy" Alvarez, who was
one of three local attorneys
representing the plaintiffs, said,
"Medrano was working with Ruiz.
They were moving some oil rigs to
another location."
Alvarez said, "Medrano had a
gun given to him that was supposed
to be broken He was pointing the
gun at himself and others He
thought the gun just didn't work "
The trial began on July 22, but
District Judge Ricardo Garcia, on
July 26. ordered a three-week
recess in the trial, which resumed
when the judge returned to Rio on
Aug 20. When the case was
recessed, the trial was in its
climactic stages.
Medrano's assistant Joe Ochoa,
had testified in July that he
complained to supervisor Rene
Alvarado about Medrano's antics
with the .22 Magnum revolver.
Alvarado denied in court that he
knew anything about Medrano
brandishing the gun.
According to evidence presented,
after some brandishing of the gun,
Medrano pointed the weapon at
Ruiz and pulled the trigger Ruiz,
struck in the head, died shortly
afterwards.
The plaintiffs charged gross
negligence under a law that re
quires an employer to provide a
safe place to work The plaintiffs
also charged Heldt was grossly
negligent for hiring Medrano. who
was on probation for a felony
conviction of firing a gun in a
tavern.
The trial resumed on Aug 20.
and the verdict was reached
Thursday. Aug 22 Alvarez said.
"I'm more than sure that they (the
defendants) are going to appeal
it "
Mary Jane Ruiz. Ruben Ruiz's
widow, individually sued Heldt
Brothers and Medrano. and also
sued on behalf of her daughter
Kimberlv Lee
TRAILWAYS BUS STATION
1116 E Hwy 83
487-2620
Rio Grande City
Announcing New Schedule
Arrivals Departures
12:55a.m. 9:00a.m.
5:00p.m. 2:10p.m.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Bethel
Christian
School
Bethel Christian School in Roma is now registering new studens in 4 year old
and 5 year old kindergarten (with a morning class and afternoon class in each),
ard in grades 1-6. Classes are limited so parents are encouraged to register
as soon as possible. Bethel Christian School is introducing a completely new
program this year in order to reach a higher academic standard The office is
now open from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M., Monday through Friday for registration. For
information call 849-1920.
La Escuela Cnstina "BETHEL" en Roma esta inscribiendo a los estudiantes
nuevos de 4 y 5 anos de edad para el "Kinder'' con una clase en la manana y
otra en la tarde, tambien para los grados de pnmero a sexto de la primaria El
numero de estudiantes en las clases sera limiiado. asi es que ammamos a los
padres a inscribir a sus hijos tan pronto corno sea posible. La Escuela
Cristiana "BETHEL" esta introduciendo un programa enteramente nuevo este
ano para poder alcanzar un alto nivel academico. la oficina esta ahora abierta
desde la una hasta las cinco de la tarde para la inscripcion. Para informacion.
Ilame al 849-1920.
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Roberts, Kenneth. The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 43, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 29, 1985, newspaper, August 29, 1985; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194991/m1/5/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.