The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 26, 1998 Page: 2 of 8
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Thursday, March 26,1998
Consumers: Insurers Owe Policyholders
Texas Capitol Highlights
Lyndell Williams and Ed Sterling
Three consumer groups charged
last week that insurance companies
took in more than $1.2 billion in
excess profits in 1997, and want the
overcharges passed on to policy-
holders through lower premiums.
"This study shows the dramatic
nature of the overcharges and
ought to prod Commissioner Bomer
to take swift action and reduce
rates," said Rob Schneider, senior
staff attorney for Consumers Union,
which did the study with Texas
Citizen Action and the Center for
Economic Justice.
Insurance Commissioner Elton
Bomer, who already has challenged
the 1998 auto rates of two insurers
as being too high, agrees that insur-
ers have enjoyed healthy profits
since 1996. But he said two good
years do not alone prove that con-
sumers are being overcharged.
"Since these groups have not pro-
vided me with a copy of their
report, it's difficult to respond,"
bomer said. "But I assume the
report shows the same type of infor-
mation we have been aware of for
some time. I have been saying for
six months that auto rates need to
come down and they are dropping."
Bomer said the groups are look-
ing at only half the picture: auto lia-
bility. "The personal injury protec-
tion and physical damages cover-
age were very unprofitable in 1996
and that trend appears to have con-
tinued in to 1997. I have to take the
entire picture into consideration in
reviewing rates.
'These consumer groups are say-
ing tort reforms have failed just
because insurers have made profits.
That is wrong and illogical. Tort
reform has worked. Savings of
$624.8 million over a three year
period are being passed on to dri-
vers," Bomer said.
Bomer is precluded by law from
ordering rebates for consumers
when insurers make higher than
anticipated profits in a single year.
Group Opposes Legal Fees
Private attorneys representing
the state in its lawsuit against the
tobacco industry don't deserve $2.3
billion, according to organizers of a
new group formed to oppose the
fees.
"No one in their right mind could
say $2.3 billion is reasonable," said
John Butler, president of Texans for
Reasonable Legal Fees. Butler
announced a media campaign
against the fees.
The group includes members of
Texans for Lawsuit Reform, Texas
Association of Business and
Chamber of Commerce aijd Texas
citizens for a Sound Economy.
In approving a $15.3 billion law-
suit settlement between the state
and tobacco companies, U.
S.District Judge David Folsom found
that the $2.3 billion (15 percent) in
attorneys' fees was reasonable.
Gov. George W. Bush and seven
legislators are seeking to intervene
in the case and separate the matter
of attorneys' fees from the main set-
tlement.
Other Capital Highlights
• Dan Pearson, executive direc-
tor of the Texas natural Resource
Conservation Commission since
1994, is leaving the post to join the
Austin lobbying firm headed by
Neal "Buddy" Jones. Pearson is one
of three great administrators in
state government, Lt. Gov. Bob
Bullock said, along with Insurance
Commissioner Elton Bomer and
Andrew Sansom, executive director
of the Parks and Wildlife
Department.
• Reform Party founder H. Ross
Perot recently kicked off a petition
drive to secure the party a placed
on the Nov. 3 Texas ballot. The
party has 75 days to collect about
45,000 signatures from registered
Texas voters who didn't take part in
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STATE OF TEXAS
SAN PATRICIO COUNTY
NOTICE OF SALE
X BY VIRTUE OF AN ORDER OF SALE
X
X DATED MARCH 5,1998
and issued pursuant to judgment decree(s) of the District Court of San Patricio County, Texas, by the Clerk of
said Court on said date, in the hereinafter numbered and styled suits and to me directed and delivered as Sheriff
of said County, I have on March 5, 1998, seized, levied upon, and will, on the first Tuesday in April, 1998, the
same being the 7th day of said month, at the Front Door of the Courthouse of said County, in the City of Sinton,
Texas, between the hours of 10 o’clock a.m. and 4 o’clock p.m. on said day, beginning at 10:00 a.m., proceed to
sell for cash to the highest bidder all the right, title, and interest of the defendants in such suits in and to the
following described real estate levied upon as the property of said defendants, the same lying and being situated
in tne County of San Patricio and the State of Texas, to-wit:
SUIT NO. STYLE OF SUIT AND PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
4643-A Odem-Edroy Independent School District and San Patricio County vs. Roy E. Hammit
Acct. No. 0054-0001-0006-000, Lot 6, Block 1, Bradshaw Circle Addition to the map or
plat thereof Recorded in Volume 13, Page 19, Map Records of San Patricio County,
Texas
5116-A Odem-Edroy Independent School District and San Patricio County vs. Maria Lara
Acct. No. 0159-0008-0000-024, .515 Acre, more or less, out of the Northwest 1/4 of
Section 8, Cubage and Miller Subdivision, being more particularly described, as First
Tract, in Volume 350, Page 393, Deed Records of San Patricio County, Texas
(any volume and page references, unless otherwise indicated, being to the Deed Records, San Patricio County,
Texas, to which instruments reference may be made for a more complete description of each respective tract.)
or upon the written request of said defendants or their attorney, a sufficient portion of said property(s) in order
to satisfy said judgment(s), interest, penalties, and cost; any property sold shall be subject to the right of
redemption of the defendants or any person having an interest therein, to redeem the said property, or their
interest therein, within the time and in the manner provided by law, and shall be subject to any other and further
rights to which the defendants or anyone interested therein may be entitled, under the provisions of law. Said
sale to be made by me to satisfy the judgment(s) rendered in the above styled and numbered cause(s), together
with interest, penalties, and costs of suit, and the proceeds of said sales to be applied to the satisfaction thereof,
and the remainder, if any, to be applied as the law directs.
Dated at Sinton, Texas, March 5, 1998.
Leroy Moody
Sheriff, San Patricio County, Texas
the March 10 primaries. The party
already has access to ballots in 31
states and is working to secure spots
in 10 others.
• Texas Comptroller John Sharp
last week delivered a total of $163.3
million in monthly sales tax pay-
ments to 1,090 Texas cities and 118
counties, an 8 percent increase over
the distribution in March 1997.
"Texas continues - for the fifth con-
secutive year - to experience strong
economic growth, while consumer
confidence remains the highest in
the nation," Sharp said.
• U. S. Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison, the first woman to repre-
sent Texas in the Senate, will give
the commencement address at the
University of Texas on May 23.
Hutchison, a UT Law School Grad,
was named a Distinguished Alumna
in 1995.
• Sales of Texas Lottery tickets
are off nearly $226 million com-
pared with last year, according to
agency figures released last week.
As of Feb. 28 the lottery had sold
$1.65 billion in tickets in the last six
months. During this same period
between 1996 and 1997, lottery tick-
et sales totaled $1.9 billion.
• More than 50 Austin-based
National Guard soldiers who spent
almost nine months with the NATO
peacekeeping mission in Bosnia
returned home last week.The
troops, who belong to the Texas
Army National Guard's 49th
Finance Battalion at Camp Mabry
in Austin were responsible for pay-
ing the Army's and civilian employ-
ees. This group follows 130 soldiers
who returned home a week earlier.
Jottings
Johnnie Sue Littleton
As I said in last weeks Jots, I was expecting the Bryan kids to come Friday
night about 9 or 10 o'clock and they surprised me by coming about 3 p.m.
and caught me napping.
I hadn't bought groceries, washed dishes, etc. etc. It was nice, I had a
chicken cooking and they went and bought everything else. Guess I'll have
to do that more often.
It was an interesting couple of days. The kids brought their beautiful
black Labrador retriever and while they were romping in the pasture, the
dog just ran away. Extremely disciplined in most ways, he just had to break
free for a while (we hope). I live out by the Sinton Airport so if you are in
that vicinity please keep an eye open. His name is Rip - as in Ripsnorter -
and we would love to have him back. They also brought Scotty, the sweet-
est little miniature sheltie you would hope to meet.
While we were enjoying the beautiful weather Saturday, a puppy wan-
dered up and Boone promptly named him Sweetie. He's a mutt I think, but
will be a big one. This is Tuesday and he's still around, much to the chagrin
of the Lord of the Manor, Eddie, the black cat that lives with me. In fact,
Eddie thinks the whole weekend was a bummer. More adults, two babies,
one little person, two dogs, then a new animal wanders in. So Eddie just
retreated to the baby bed and stayed there most of the time.
For someone who claims not to be much of an animal lover, I find myself
increasingly interested in all manner of animal life, both wild or domestic,
furred or feathered. After the yard was mowed, the resident roadrunners
had a field day looking for bugs and worms. They ran back and forth about
five feet from us, not at all worried. I figure that through the years they
have heard the kids playing and yelling and heard the tv playing inside and
decided they're safe. Also visiting the yard were quite a few long-legged, yel-
low-breasted, goofy-walking birds. And the usual cardinals, woodpeckers,
mockingbirds and garden variety avians. I was reminded of the time I saw
two yellow parakeets sitting on a branch outside the kitchen window.
Maybe they were blown off course from Mexico, or someone left a cage
door open, but it was a sight to behold. I've always thought a great trip
would be to a tropical forest where beautiful parrots cling to the side of a
mountain.
Speaking of trips, my brother and his wife are on vacation in England.
Since they are both teachers, they planned excursions to Oxford and
Cambridge, plus many other historical places. That includes a village
named Burford, which was my maternal grandfather's name and the place
from which we sprang. I can't wait to hear about it.
* See Jottings, BackPage
How Many Train Wrecks Will It Take?
by Jennifer Johnson ---“
Deputy
If any of you have traveled on
County Road 30, between San
Patricio and Mathis, you may have
had a near run-in with a train, as I
have. When my near-death experi-
ence was over, not only did I thank
God for allowing me to live through
it, but I also realized that I had to
inform the public of this "accident
waiting to happen."
County Road 30, a short stretch
between Farm to Market 666 and
Interstate 37, has a few houses on it,
but not a single posted indication
that at the bottom of the hill is a
train crossing. I thought motorists
had to be informed of all railroad
crossings. What happened to that
little round, black and white sign on
the side of the road that tells drivers
they are approaching a railroad
crossing?
If that isn't bad enough, people
who drive on County Road 30
couldn't see a train if it was coming
because of a line of brush on either
side of the tracks. There aren't any
flashing lights, warning bells or lit-
tle red and white striped arms to
come down and protect you from
the big, bad train.
I guess I shouldn't be so hasty in
judging the situation, there are a
few indications of the up-coming
crossing: Three painted railroad
crossing signs on the pavement,
which are so faded, they are barely
noticeable during the day and invis-
ible at night.
Since I felt I must do something
to try and "fix" this problem, I
called Precinct 2 Commissioner Pete
Rodriguez hoping he might have
some answers for me. As it turned
out, he did. I discovered that the
county has purchased, and posted,
more than 20 signs on the road
notifying drivers of the approaching
crossing, but they keep disappear-
ing. So, some little vandal gets his
kicks out of stealing railroad cross-
ing signs, and thus, is placing the
lives of unsuspecting, innocent peo-
ple in danger.
Commissioner Rodriguez also
said he spoke with individuals from
the railroad concerning the installa-
tion of warning bells and lights at
the crossing; the total cost would be
about $100,000.
And, the county is responsible for
maintaining a portion of the area,
which was cleared last year. The
brush that is currently blocking the
tracks is located on private proper-
ty-
commissioner Rodriguez assured
me that this particular topic has
been discussed during several meet-
ings of the Commissioner Court,
and they are fully aware that there
is a problem on County Road 30.
Commissioners have also discussed
installing Stop signs at all railroad
crossings which cross county roads.
For the time being, I guess I have
to be satisfied with the current situ-
ation on County Road 30, but
motorists beware. If your travel
plans call for you to drive on this
particular road, keep in mind that
at the bottom of the hill, coming
from either direction, is a railroad
crossing which is blocked by trees.
Please, please, please, come to a
complete stop at the tracks, and
Associate Editofmgi
look both ways before proceeding
across.
For the individuals who own
property on County Road 30, near
the train tracks, please clear your
brush line. Innocent people could be
seriously injured or even killed just
because you don't have the time to
keep the maintenance up on your
property.
.....
DEADLY DECEPTION
This railroad crossing on County Road 30, just north of San Patricio and
south of Mathis, has been the site of countless "close calls" and numerous
accidents between passing motorists and oncoming trains. Neither drivers
are able to see the other due to thick brush on either side of the tracks,
and motorists who travel this road will not see any posted signs inform-
ing them of the up-coming crossing. The only visible sign is that of a faded
railroad crossing painted on the blacktop. Those traveling this stretch of
roadway should note that there are no warning lights or bells located at
the crossing to notify them of an approaching train. (Jennifer Johnson
photo)
Cljt €>tmn-€tirop Cnness
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The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 26, 1998, newspaper, March 26, 1998; Sinton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1044693/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Odem Public Library.