The Aransas Pass Progress (Aransas Pass, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 2, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 1, 1995 Page: 2 of 83
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Aransas Pass Progress and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Ed & Hazel Richmond Public Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
New bill would give more control to local school boards
By Lyndell Williams
It Bd Sterling
Capital Highlights
AUSTIN—Sen. BUI Ratliffs
ambitious 1.088-page school
reform blU would strip much
of the Texas education
Agency's authority over local
schools and shorten the
school year from 180 days to
175.
Ratliffs bill would place
local school districts under
an operating charter and
ceded more control of educa-
tion to parents, teachers and
school boards.
The bill has already drawn
opposition over proposals It
contains that would allow pri-
vate school vouchers, charter
schools, textbook selection by
school boards and re-call
elections of school board
members.
Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, who
has endorsed Ratllffs bill and
Wields considerable power In
presiding over the Senate,
has acknowledged that spe-
cial interest groups are work-
ing against the bill. ,
Ratliff. R-Mount Pleasant,
chairman of the Senate edu-
cation Committee, has been
described by Bullock as "the
most knowledgeable person
about education In the
Senate” and "the best
appointment I have ever
made."
House Approach Cautious
In contrast to Ratliffs
sweeping package of educa-
tion reforms, Rep. Paul
Sadler, chairman of the
House Education Committee,
Is leading a more cautious
effort that allows limited
experimentation with Innova-
tive methods of education.
Last Week. Sadlerv. - D-
Henderson, said his commit^
tee was working on a bill that
would limit charter schools to
a few pilot projects and may
not propose the Implementa-
tion of private-school vouch-
ers.
V “I think wC will structure a
school system that looks very
traditional." Sadler told the
Houston Chronicle, adding
that he anticipates “great
reluctance" among lawmak-
ers to alter the school finance
system recently approved
after bouncing In and out of
state district court for years.
Sadler also pointed out that
Ratliffs proposal to cut sup-
plemental funding to the
smallest school districts
could force many of them
(400 to 500) to consolidate.
Regarding Ratliffs proposal
to reduce the minimum num-
ber of days children must
attend school. Sadler said,
"We need to add days to our
school year, as many as
money will allow us.”
Lawsuit Liability
Compromise
The House and Senate spon-
sors of lawsuit liability reform
bills announced last week
that they have reached a
compromise that would free
companies that aren't
responsible for most of the
blame In a lawsuit from being
forced to pay, all of the dam-
ages.
“Joint and several liability"
Is one of the many tort
reform measures under con-
sideration in the Legislation,
though business lawyers and
trial lawyer on opposite sides
of the debate agree that the
Developing digital maps for 911
Juliet K. Wenger
Coastal Bend
Council of Governments
Digital maps being devel-
oped for the 911 addressing
system will show remarkable
detail available for the entire
region for the the flsst time.
Nueces and Bee Counties are
nearing the end of their map-
ping projects. Refugio and
Aransas County are moving
to the forefront. All counties
in the region, other than
Brooks and Kenedy, have
completed field notes.
Trey Pattlllo, Nueces County
addressing and mapping spe-
cialist. Is working with the
COG on the cartograpny.
Field notes go Into the com-
puter and are printed out In
large sheets showing wide
areas or close ups of enlarged
LETTERS TdTHE EDITOR
I
Round Table is
enjoyed
by some readers
Dear Mr Richards.
My husband and I sub-
scribe to the “Progress"
because A.P. feels like home
to us. In fact, we're making
efforts to move there. And.
our son was married at the
46th Annual Shrlmporee
I enjoy "Richard’s Round
Table". It reads as though
you are talking to me. I’ve
never noticed any errors.
Haven't been looking for
them. I'm not Judgmental,
and I enjoy “slice of life" writ-
ing. You're talented In that
area, so I appreciate your
article.
1 write bits and pieces for a
What D'ya Think?
local domestic crisis center.
And. I write In the same style
I speak. I suppose I’m fortu-
nate In not being labeled a
“professional". If I was, I
have serious doubts that I'd
be able to help people at all.
In an age where our comput-
ers and word processors can
become our best friends, and
television is such an Insult to
our Intelligence, that laugh
tracks are dubbed In, so we'll
know when to laugh, I
believe It's Important to have
amity in writing. More
Important than adhering to
proper grammar and
spelling.
Enclosed Is a couple of
“bites" from a slice of my life.
I hope they make you grin!
Sincerely,
Marque Turner
Is the economy really improving?
the linea down at the eoup
kitchen are adtt growing.
Shirley Knot—No. because
therftttlUtoomuchmonth
tyt at the end ofmy money.
m
Kent I____
they're idl ahutOng down
plants and laying off.
J.P. Pood lee—No. cut tfi"
government eaym that tt to
improvin'....
dRPoodte*
portions.
Information from satellites
is In the mix. It defines every
roadway, river and other
physical feature. The field
notes differentiate one thin
line from another and color
code It. Highways are In red,
county roads In green, and
private roads In purple. In a
community, the streets are
shown.
A sign program will desig-
nate the linkage of streets In
a way that has not been
available previously to emer-
gency personnel, Existence of
private roads and how they
connect, not visible from a
highway, will be shown on
signs. Many roads had nei-
ther names nor numbers pre-
viously.
Road names or numbers or
other information can be
printed out on the mpas.
Software In use makes com-
puter generated information
available for signs.
Cities are working together
with counties to eliminate
confusion where a street has
hqd one name within a
municipal boundary and a
dlfftf^nt name or number
alter lt crossed Into an unln-v
corporated area. The post
office is also working with
local governments notifying
occupants at each address of
changes.
A geocoding process ties
down what address numbers
are In which block according
to ranges which local govern-
ments have selected.
Computer data that has been
put In a digital format draws
In black houses and red
houses In each block.
Black houses have tele-
phones. red do not. What will
come up on the screen at the
computer terminal Is the tele-
phone number of a nearby
house If the caller Is reporting
an emergency from a red
house.
Trainers from all answering
points in the Emergency
Communications System of
the Coastal Bend will receive
Instructions from the COG In
handling the digital data and
mapping. Video tapes and
documents are being pre-
pared for them to ufte to keep
personnel Information In
their own communities so
they will not have to travel
across the region for work-
shops or classes.
liability issue Is the corner
stone of tort reform.
( Rep. Rob Junell, D-San
Angelo, and Sen. David
Sibley. R-Waco. Jointly
announced that in most
cases, companies would only
be liable for 100 percent of
the damages If they are found
at least 51 percent responsi-
ble for the Injuries.
Under current law. compa-
nies could be forced to pay
100 percent of damages If
they are found as little as 11
percent responsible.
Sex Education Poll
Most Texans say the state
should require grade schools
to education children about
sex. sexually transmitted dis-
eases and the use of con-
doms, according to the winter
Texas Poll.
The telephone survey of
1.011 adults, conducted Feb.
2-11 by the University of
Texas for Harte-Hanks
Communications Inc.,
showed that 56 percent of
Texans favor mandatory sex
education In schools.
However, 32 percent of
respondent said sex educa-
tion In schools has done more
harm than good, the poll
Indicated.
Support for condom educa-
tion was higher among
respondents under age 30 (73
percent) and Democrats (69
percent) than Independents
(68 percent) and Republicans
(52 percent). Fifty percent of
respondents 60 and older
favored condom education.
Kids’ Lotto Temptation
Rep. Dan Kublak, R-
Rockdale, says he Is skeptic '*
about the new ;,*vending
machines that win be dis-
pensing scratch-off tickets
from the Texas Lottery.
"1 don’t want them near
schools. It makes lt too easy
for youngsters to play," he
told the Houston Chronicle.
Texas Lottery Commission
Director Nora Linares said
store personnel will be able to
turn off the vending
machines by remote control If
children attempt to use them
—but only 10 percent of the
machines have the remote
control feature.
Other Highlights
■ In response to the
announcement by Kelly Air
Force Base that 258 employ-
ees will be terminated, Gov.
Bush last week dispatched
the state Rapid Response
Team to San Antonio and
instructed the Texas
Department of Commerce to
assist the Impacted workers.
■ The 15-member State
Board of Education would no
longer be elected under a bill
being considered by the
House Committee on Public
Education. The measure by
Rep. Curtis Seldlits. D-
Sherman, would reduce the
panel to a seven-member
board appointed by the gover-
nor.
’s ^Rounb
By Dick Richards, Publisher
Well Ingleslde dodged the bullet. Naval Station tngWiHe
was not on the hit list that came out yesterday. Thu is not
unexpected. Of the local bases only N.A.S. Corpus Chrlstl
will lose some personnel and some of Its mission. However
lt would appear that even with those cut backs the end
result will be a net gain for the Coastal Bend. The Military
Task Force will study the list and decide what action. If
any. is necessary.
Hopefully this will be the last round of "Base Closures”
for several years to come and communities that depend on
the military for some economic benefit will be able to get
back to normal. However there is some speculation that
there will be another round of "Base Closures” In 1997
and maybe even in 1999.
It appears that the government has created a new
Industry called “Protect the Bases" I wonder If they count
all those new Jobs when they brag about how many new
Jobs they have created In the last year.. Seems like It would
be better to Just let us know what they Intend to do and let
us make some plans. It would be better than all this sus-
pense of not knowing how to Invest or whether to Invest or
not to Invest In our communities. Maybe some day things
will be more stable.
RPR
I hope you noticed the new Issue of the Spring/Summer
Visitors Guide in this issue. While I know we can always
Improve we are sort of proud of this edition of our guide. It
was put together under some very trying and sad circum-
stances and I certainly want to congratulate the fine staff
here at The Progress / Index for a Job well done.
We thank all the advertisers and contributors who
helped make It possible and hope you will join us again
when we publish our Fall / Winter Guide.
RPR
A couple of weeks ago Sally. Erin and I attended the
Texas Press Association Mid-Winter Convention and Trade
Show. One of our speakers was Federal District Judge
Jerry Buchmeyer. Judge Buchmeyer Is Chief Justice over
a 100 county area in and around Dallas. He has a hobby
of collecting humorous testimony from depositions and
court proceedings and putting them into a column for the
monthly Texas Bar Journal, the magazine for lawyers who
read. I thought you might be amused at some of the things
the Judge has run across. Here they are:
"Mr. Johnson, have you lived all your life In Mexla?"
“No sir. Not yet.”
“Where do you live. Miss Smith?"
“At 9601 Oppenhelgert Street"
“ Spell that street for the court, please."
- “S-t-r-e-e-t."
1 "Sir. what is the length of your residence in this city?”
“Forty-eight feet, seven Inches."
•••••••
“Mam. are you married?" \
“Divorced."
“What did your husband do before your divorce?”
“A whole lot of things I didn't know about.”
“Can you tell me If the deceased had powder marks?”
“Yes sir, he did and that’s why she shot him.”
“And did the suspect have an orgasm?"
“No sir. He had a Ford Falrlane."
****** *
“And sir. Just how did you happen to get so drunk?"
“I was keeping bad company."
“Bad company?"
“Yessir. I had a fifth and they didn't drink.”
“Mr. Jones, you have been charged with habitual
drunkenness. How do you plead?”
“Habitual thirstiness!”
“Is it not a fact Mr. Smith that you have been having
an affair with another woman?"
“Yes. it Is. But you can't prove it."
******
"Was lt you or your brother who was killed In the war?"
"It must have been my brother because I wasn't In
the war.."
These are Just a few of the Judge’s remarks. I hope you
have enjoyed them and I hope you will Join me at The
Round Table next week. Thanks for being here this week.
THE ARANSAS PASS PROGRESS
' U.S.P.S. 028-900
Subscription Rales: San Pali**) County. Cutes ot Pori Aransas and Rodman - Year $22.40. Six months $14.00. Outside the above area
$26.00. Six months $18.50. 9 month student rale $19.50.
Publishers J.G. Richards and R.P. Richards
General Mana$ar R.P. (Dick) Richards; Managing Editor Mary Cola; Features Editor JuNei K. Wenger, lifestyle Editor: Sa>| Richards: Stan
Writer: David Plan; Adverts** Patsy Dkton. Diana Murry.
Member Texas Press Association, Soudi Texas ftess Association, National Newspaper Association
Any erroneous statement retarding corporations, Ibme or IndMdMlt m* gladly be corroded Wien called to ihe publisher's .meniion
paM at
Pass Pragmas, P.0. Baa 2100, Aransas Pisa, tarns
Cniarprtsst. Inc. 346 South Heustsa Street.
Sand aPPreaa changes to Ihe
list br signed.
I k* Mat. |» the pah*, and typed N ponsttor.
Phas. Texas 78335. Mephone 512 75S-5J91 (FAX) 758-5J9J.
1
1
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View five places within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Cole, Mary. The Aransas Pass Progress (Aransas Pass, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 2, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 1, 1995, newspaper, March 1, 1995; Aransas Pass, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1146032/m1/2/?q=music: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Ed & Hazel Richmond Public Library.