The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 14, 1976 Page: 1 of 6
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FINALISTS from which the Homecoming Queen will be
selected Friday night at the Homecoming game. Left to right
they are Jo Lynn Barber, Esperanza Pesina and Bertha
Ma rtinez.
Off The Beaten Path
By Mary Cornett Winebrenner
NOMINEES for Homecoming uueen, left to right, top row, are Cheryl Causey, Cheryl Lilly,
Tammy Hanshaw, Joan Atkinson, Jo Lynn Barber, Bertha Martinez and Diana Garza.
Bottom row, Pam Rothlisberger, Sherry Grant, Esperanza Pesina, Ninfa Garza.
School Clubs '
' Select Queen
(Candidates
Eleven organizations and
clubs of Odem High School
recently chose their nominees
for Homecoming Queen for
1976. The girls chosen were Jo
Lynne Barber - Band, Pam
Rothlisberger - National Honor
Society, Sherry Grant - Future
Teachers of America, Ninfa
Garcia - Future Farmers of
America, Diana Garza - Future
Homemakers of America,
Tammy Hanshaw - Student
Council, Joan Atkinson - Block
0 Club, Bertha Martinez -
j Vocational Industrial Clubs of
America, Cheryl Causey -
Journalism Club, Cheryl Lilly -
Girls Athletic Association, and
Esperanza Pesina - Pep Squad.
These young ladies and their
escorts will be presented at
halftime ceremonies of the
Mathis vs. Odem game on
Friday, October 15. The
Homecoming Queen will be
named and honored at that
time.
Pre-game festivities will
begin at 7:25 and the Band
Beau and Sweetheart will be
honored along with the Foot-
ball Sweetheart. Special
recognition will be given to the
f pernors of 1966, along with
various individuals being
recognized in regard to the
various honors that were
bestowed on students enrolled
in Odem High School in 1966.
Homecoming mums may be
picked up at the High School
Library on Friday, October 15
between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.
Mums that have not been
picked up by that time may be
picked up at the stadium
beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Tickets for the game will be
sold at the gate beginning at
6:30 p.m.
City Secretary
Attends Water
Board Meet
Miss Billie Jo Tennill at-
tended two meetings Monday
that had to do with water
supply and water conservation.
She met with the Texas
Water Development Board in
the Art Museum of South Texas
in Corpus Christi at 9 a.m. That
meeting was for the purpose of
discussing the water resources
and a carefully planned and
wisely developed water supply
for South Texas.
In the afternoon Miss Tennill
met with the San Patricio
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“ESTABLISHED JUNE 25, 19 IB"
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Volume XXV
Odem, Texas 78370, Thursday, October 14, 1976
Six Pages — No. 42
Commissioners’ Court
Municipal Water District
\ Board in Ingleside. She is the
authorized delegate from
Odem serving on the board.
Fire Department
Receives Check
The Odem Volunteer Fire
Department received a check
for $75 recently from Texas
Farm Bureau Imsurance
Companies as an expression of
thanks for the Department’s
work on the property of Edroy
Coop Gin, Box 99, Edroy,
• Texas.
The money will be used for
4 their loss prevention program.
The Texas Farm Bureau
Insurance Companies pqy
volunteer fire departments this
amount when the department
works at a fire in rural areas,
involving property insured by
them.
The Insurance Company
believes volunteer fire
departments have contributed
in reducing the amount of loss
involved by fire and more
important, in preventing fires.
Tt is their hope this money will
. help the Odem Volunteer Fire
* Department in their program.
He may be “Bob” or the Rev.
Bob Elliott, to the rest of the
world, but he will always be
“Bobby” to me.
And, although he and my son,
Lamar Winebrenner, are
pushing upward toward their
mid forties to me they are still
just a couple of kids sharing the
joys and hardships and ex-
periences in deep religious
training they were sharing and
receiving at University of
Corpus Christi in the early
1950s when the two were fresh-
man students in the church
school. Bobby was always one
of Lamar’s favorite school
mates at UCC. I am sure the
two still hold many happy
memories of the days they
shared at UCC. Bobby went on
to receive his degree from
UCC, but Lamar transferred to
A&I University and received a
degree in electrical
engineering from that
University. Though the paths
of those who shared Bobby’s
and Lamar’s association in
UCC have led apart one never
meets a UCC student of the
early 1950s that the con-
versation does not eventually
drift around to include the
names of various students w'ho
were attending college there
during those years. Such was
the case Monday morning
when I monopolized Bobby’s
time during the fellowship hour
in the church dining room
following the early morning
worship hour. The names of
more than a half dozen of his
and Lamar’s freshman year
classmates crept into our
conversation, including
“Casey” (John) Caraway,
Marvin Yates and Mack
Caffey, who married nieces of
mine and Laverne Moers, who
became my daughter-in-law. I
also found where Bobby’s
brother, David, is now located.
I missed the first services of
the revival at First Baptist
Church, since I went to
Papalote for the weekend to
attend the reception held at the
Normanna Baptist Church
Saturday night honoring
“Casey” on the 8th an-
niversary of his pastorate of
that church. But I was present
for the early morning service
Monday, and heard Bobby
bring a splendid message
based on the characteristics of
the Bible prophet, Nehemiah.
Bobby enumerated some of the
things that the Prophet of old
did not forget.
Bobby pointed out that
Nehemiah did NOT forget the
things he was expected to
remember. That is one of the
many traits attributed to the
old prophet that I wish that I
might be able to lay claim to
also. But I cannot! Forgetting
the things I so need to
remember is one of my
besetting sins!
But while talking with Bobby
during the fellowship hour
following the early morning
message at First Baptist
Church Monday, I found
myself recalling many of the
things Bobby and Lamar did
together at UCC. Bobby and I
even chuckled over some of the
practical jokes they played on
some of their friends.
It was the first time I had
seen Bobby since he and
Lamar were sophomore
students in UCC back in the
early 1950s. And it warmed my
heart that I was recognized by
him and called my name when
I approached him in the church
Monday morning. Old folks
really appreciate being
remembered by the younger
generations. And it thrilled my
heart when different members
of the church told me that
Bobby had made mention of his
and Lamar’s school days
together as he talked with
some of those members Sun-
day morning.
I feel sure that I monopolized
all too much of Bobby’s time
during the fellowship hour, but
it was so nice to re-live with
him some of the happy hours he
and Lamar had shared almost
a quarter of a century ago
See PATH, Page 6
San Patricio County Com-
missioners and some county
officials might begin to con-
sider quarters in the cour-
thouse, after several days of
special and regular meetings.
The court met in special
session Friday morning, ad-
journed for lunch, and met
again that afternoon. Monday,
they repeated the process, and
have already set the date for
their next meeting which will
be at 10 a.m. Friday, October
22.
The court met Friday
morning primarily to discuss
the possibility of working out
some arrangement with the
board of Ewing Community
Hospital for use of the hospital
building for office space for
various agencies. The matter
had been brought to the court’s
attention last week. However,
information from the hospital
board was that they were not
yet ready to discuss their plans
for disposition of the building.
It was brought out at the
Friday session that others had
expressed an interest in the
building, namely Youth City of
Driscoll. The Youth City group,
along with the Child Welfare
Board, represented by Mrs.
Mary Hardwick, planned to use
the building as an emergency
youth shelter. This is for youths
who need supervision for a
limited length of time, but who
are not prime candidates for
jail. It was pointed out that the
building was ideal for such a
purpose, since the rooms could
be used without modification,
and the kitchen facilities could
also be utilized.
Along the same lines Percy
Johnson appeared before the
court asking that consideration
be given taxpayers who have
rental property available
before the court takes on ad-
ditional office space. Johnson
asked only for consideration,
pointing out that the court
Realignment Of Precincts
Proposed And Approved
“takes bids for even such small
items as typewriters, but that
office space is often obtained
on a rental basis with no bids
taken, and little consideration
given more than one location.”
Also up for discussion at the
Friday session was the
problem faced by the county
health unit with back up water
and sewage in the drains after
a heavy rain. The court agreed
to meet with Sinton city of-
ficials to study the problem,
and on Monday made plans to
help the city- determine the
exact cause of the excess
water. City Utilities
Superintendent Peyton Mims
said Monday that he felt some
of the many drains used for
trailers in the area after Celia
probably had not been properly
sealed off and surface rain-
water was draining into the
sewer system.
On Friday afternoon, much
of the time was devoted to a.
discussion with Bob Goodwin of
Sinton. and Charles Marshall
of Aransas Pass, concerning
the ambulance subsidy which
had been presented to the court
at an earlier meeting. At that
time Goodwin had asked the
court for an increase in am-
bulance payments, from ap-
proximately $14,000 to $31,000 a
year. Marshall was also
present at the meeting and was
in complete argreement that
rising costs of operations
necessitated an increase in
subsidy payments. However,
at that time he had no figures
for the court. Goodwin
provides ambulance service
for the Sinton-Taft-Odem area,
and Marshall for the Aransas
Pass-Gregory section of the
county.
Goodwin told the court that
after a more in-depth study, he
felt he could offer a little better
cost-figure to the court,
provided he gets additional
help from the cities. He
proposed the court increase its
monthly payment to $1500.00
while the cities of Taft, Sinton,
and Odem provide $900 per
month. Goodwin has been
receiving $550 monthly from
the county and $634 a month
from the cities involved.
Increased operating costs,
especially those caused by the
closing of hospitals in Sinton,
necessitating longer am-
bulance runs, have been the
principal cause for the needed
increase, Goodwin pointed out..
Marshall stated that his
costs, too, were up, but that his
situation was not as quite bad
as Goodwin’s in that he has had
no change in his hospital
situation, and that while he
possibly makes more runs they
are shorter than Goodwins. He
asked the county for a monthly
subsidy of $1250, hoping to get
an additional $950 from the
cities he serves.
Mathis operates under a
volunteer emergency am-
bulance unit system, while
Portland also operates its own.
The commissioners decided
to look into their part of the
requested increase arid let the
operators deal directly with
city officials for that portion.
Monday morning the court
met again, with Com-
missioners Zapata, Spieker-
man and Doris present, along
with county judge Hartman.
Commissioner Kindle was
absent.
The court heard Wallace
Payne, bond consultant for the
San Patricio County
Navigation District No. 1, ask
the court to approve, and call
an election for, the issuance of
$300,000 in building bonds
Navigations Directors, ac-
cording to Payne, plan to
double the docking facilities of
Conn Brown Harbor, and make
other improvements expected
to cost approximately $900,000.
A federal grant will be sought
to make up the difference
between the total needed and
the amount up for approval.
Payne pointed out that the
navigation district was in
excellent financial condition,
and that the bonds can be
issued without increasing the
tax rate, currently 55 cents per
$100. valuation. Forty-five
cents of this is for interest and
sinking fund, and 10 cents for
maintenance. He added that
the district is currently
operating at a profit of about
$1,000 to $1,200 a month, but
that additional docking spaces
are needed. The district has
some 90 acres of land around
the harbor available for the
improvements.
Navigation District officers
are Richard Fox, president;
Jimmie W. Peer, secretary;
and Monroe Lamberth,
commissioner. The district’s
bonded indebtedness is ap-
proximately $175,000. This will
be paid off in 1978, County
Treasurer J. J. McWhorter told
the court. McWhorter also
agreed with the approximate
See PRECINCTS, Page 6
City Council Studies, Approves
Application For Federal Funds
The city of Odem is looking
ahead for a federal grant to
finance several city projects,
and the application for such a
grant has been authorized.
The grant would come
through a New Local Works
Capital Development and
Investment Program, which is
expected to be signed into law
within a short while.
The application will be for a
total of $585,000 with $380,000
earmarked for sewer im-
provements, $115,000 for
waterworks improvement and
the remaining $90,000 for a new
city hall.
The matter of making ap-
plication for such a grant was
discussed at length by the
council at its last regular
meeting and Mayor Johnny
Nino was authorized to sign the
application for the prospective
funds, with City Secretary
Billie Jo Tennill authorized to
prepare the application.
In further business Miss
Tennill reported that she had
opened a savings account for
the city of Odem in the First
State Bank of Odem in the
amount of $60,300.00 and the
money is to be compounded
daily to yield 5.13 per cent
interest on an annual basis.
The authorization of the
opening of the account had
been made in an earlier
meeting of the council.
Library Board In Regular
Session; Seek Librarian
County Commissioners Agree To Navigation
District Bond Election; Study Other Issues
The San Patricio County
Commissioners’ Court, in a
special meeting Friday, has
proposed a possible realign-
ment of Commissioners’
precincts. Action was taken to
reduce the mileage in Precinct
2, following a petition and
possible court action by some
residents of that precinct.
Final action on the realign-
ment will depend on at least
two factors; approval by the
justice department (for proper
balance as to minority voting),
and acceptance by the
peitioners of precinct two. If
approved, the realignment will
be the first such action since
1969, and will become effective
January 1, 1977.
Though the action taken was
primarily designed to help
Charles Spiekerman of
Precinct 2 get out from some of
the precinct’s financial dif-
ficulties, Spiekerman voted
against the move.
Under the motion made by
Commissioner Joe Zapata of
Precinct 1, Precinct 2 is to lose
31 miles of roads, which will be
taken up by the other three
commissioner precincts.
Zapata’s Precinct 1 is to take
over 13 additional miles,
making its total mileage 180.
Precinct 3 will also take over 13
more miles which will make its
total 199 miles, and Precinct 4
will absorb 5 miles, making its
total 135 miles. The shifts in
road mileage will leave
Spiekerman with 155 miles.
In the same motion, Zapata
proposed to forgive $25,000 in
extra money already allotted
Precinct 2. This was money
advanced to the precinct fund
(and already used) in excess of
its normal allottment.
Action was taken because
Spiekerman has used up all
money available to him for
road construction and main-
tenance. He said he has at least
15 miles of roads which need
paving, and asked the other
commissioners to give him
$250,000 in “catch-up” money.
Spiekerman stated that he got
behind when the precincts
were last realigned, and he
took over a much larger
territory, most of it coming
from precinct 4. At that time,
Spiekerman said, he took over
a lot of new roads, but got no
additional funds, nor any
additional equipment. All of
this, he added, had to be made
up from his regular allottment
of road and bridge funds.
The other commissioners,
Zapata of Precinct 1, and Glen
Doris of Precinct 3, declined to
go along with Spiekerman’s
suggestion. Commissioner Pat
Kindel of Precinct 4, was not
present at the time this action
was taken. Zapata and Doris
both pointed out that there was
no money available except in
their own road funds, and those
are needed for their own
constituents. They did agree to
forgive the $25,000 already
advanced.
Kindel, who missed most of
the earlier discussion, came to
the meeting in its later stages,
and opposed the proposed
changes. He said the additional
roads would mean a reduction
in his finances. He recom-
mended that rather than
reduce allocations to road and
bridge work, the com-
missioners should seek ad-
ditional funds, even if it means
increased taxes. He also said
that mileage of roads should
take precedence over
population, and that income
from each precinct insofar as
assessed valuations and
subsequent taxes, should also
be considered. He pointed out
that the cost of delivering
materials to his precinct is
greater than it is for the other
commissioners, since much of
the materila comes from the
other end of the county.
When Zapata’s motion came
to a vote, Spiekerman and
Kindel voted against it while
Zapata and Doris were in
favor. County Judge Percy
Hartman broke the tie by
voting to approve the new
alignment proposal.
Under the new arrangement
according to Judge Hartman,
not only would the mileage be
more equitably divided, but the
population figures will also be
brought more closely together.
Precinct 1 will have ap-
proximately 11,240 people;
Precinct 2; 11,100; Precinct
3; 11,248 and Precinct 4; 11,846.
* In the discussion, Spieker-
man reitterated his stand that
he thought a unit system would
better serve the county. Under
this system, all equipment and
funds would be pooled, and
construction and maintenance
of roads and bridges would be
handled by one person,
probably the county engineer.
Most of the furor was caused
last week when three residents
of precinct two hired lawyers
to represent them at the
commissioners meeting,
seeking better road main-
tenance in their areas. A
number or residents of the
precinct were also on hand to
peition the court for better
roads. It was pointed out at
that meeting, that a ruling by
the state supreme court places
the responsibility for all roads
in the county on the com-
missioners, and that funds may
not necessarily be apportioned
equally, but should be spent
where needed. Should the
petitioners in Spiekerman’s
precinct see fit to pursue that
premise, and refuse to accept
the recent commissioner’s
court proposal, they may take
the case to court. A decison is
expected soon.
A regular meeting of the
Odem Public Library Board
was held in the library Monday
night with Mrs. J. E. Fox
presiding in the absence of the
president, Mrs. H. H. Brown,
who was out of town.
The library is still without a
librarian, and anyone in-
terested in the part-time job is
urged to contact Mrs. Brown
The board is also urging
children in the community to
attend the Children’s Hour at
the library each Wednesday at
3:30 p.m.
Those readers with over-due
books are requested to return
the books to the library as soon
as possible since other readers
are requesting those books.
Attending the meeting were
Mrs. Fox, Mrs. H. B. Sipes,
Miss Aida Mansilla, Mrs. R. C.
Reed, Mrs. Donald Halespeska
and Mrs. Della Mae Baylor.
Honor Students Named
Ten students were named
this week to the top scholastic
category of all A’s, according
to figures released by the high
school. The senior class led
with four, while the
sophomores and freshmen had
three each, and the juniors one.
Twenty-two were selected
for honors by having all A’s
and not more than two B’s.
Again the senior class rated
tops in number named,
followed by the juniors and a
tie between sophomores and
freshmen.
ALL A’s -- Seniors: Joan
Atkinson, Sue Beth Burton,
Ronny Hutchinson, Samuel
Quiroz. Juniors: Frances
Perez. Sophomores: Armando
Aleman, Lynn Mauer. Fresh-
men: Dennis Grant, Cheri
Jones.
A’s AND NOT MORE PHAN
2 B’s -- Seniors: Mark Aleman,
Glenda Burkham, Cheryl
Causey, Tammy Hanshaw,
Cheryl Lilly, Bertha Martinez,
Emilio Ortiz, Loel Rhyne, Pam
Rothlisberger, Lorie Smith,
Joe Thornton. Juniors: Tonya
Bain, Margaret Jones,
Elizabeth Thompson, Melissa
Wallace, Diego Chapa.
See STUDENTS, Page 6
Reserved Seats For
Refugio On Sale Tuesday
Tickets will go on sale
Tuesday, October 19 at the
Odem High School office for
the varsity game between
Odem and Refugio. The game
will be played at Refugio on
October 22 with game time at
8:00 p.m.
These tickets will be for
Section H which runs from the
42 yard line to the 42 yard line.
There are 478 reserved tickets
for sale at $1.75 each. Student
tickets may also be bought in
advance for 75 cents. General
admission tickets may be
bought at the gate prior to the
game and also sell for $1.75
each.
This game, will be Refugio’s
Homecoming game and will
probably be a sell-out.
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Winebrenner, Mary Cornett. The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 14, 1976, newspaper, October 14, 1976; Odem, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1047774/m1/1/: accessed April 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Odem Public Library.