Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 77, No. 33, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 8, 1984 Page: 1 of 14
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Palacios Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Bystanders honored
[Sec AWARDS, Pane 41
:r ordered the two
PALACIOS, TEXAS
fourteen pagi
Dismantling operations
at Humarplant underway
A familiar, pungent odor drift-
ed over portions of north Palacios
last week, rekindling concerns of
residents in that area about the
long-defunct Humar Chemical
Plant.
The repugnant smell came
from small amounts of residue
left in pipes that were being
dismanteled by a crew of workers
who were hired to scrap the
plant's above grounds structures
cn the overgrown, vacant plant
site. According to Carlton Stan-
ley, field representative for the
Texas Department of Water
Resources who was among a
three-man team on hand to
inspect the dismantling process,
no danger was posed by the odor
that escaped from the pipes.
The Humar Chemical Plant
was closed down nearly two years
ago after having posted a history
of conflicts with both the TDWR
and the State Attorney General’s
office over its method of opera-
tion, management, safety proce-
dures and handling of toxic
material. The plant ultimately
was taken to court by the state,
which won a ruling barring the
facility from any further use of
the highly toxic phosgene gas.
Shortly afterward, the plant shut
down operations completely.
According to Stanley, the
plant’s owners have hired a
certified engineering firm to
handle the dismantling and sera
pping of all metal parts at the
slant,
plant, which he says is the
second step in the final closure of
the plant.
The first step had been the
complete inventory of all material
and chemicals at the site. The
resale of those chemicals was
approved by both the Attorney
General's office and the TDWR.
[See HUMAR, Page 4]
■SI^PIPF
Gas savings ‘passed along9
Entex customers in Palacios $35.58 to $34.18 for a savings of
will be the beneficiaries of a about four percent,
reduction in the cost of gas that “We-welcome this decrease in
the company purchases from its the cost of gas from our supplier,
suppliers in this area. Coffman said, "and we are
According to Don Coffman, pleased to pass it along to our
Entex manager in Palacios, “The customers,
gas cost decreased will be passed "There is an abundant supply
on to our customers with bills of natural gas for all of our
rendered after August 3, 1984. customers' needs. It is by far the
"The average monthly resi- most efficient and least expen-
dential bill of 5,200 cubic feet of sive form of energy available
gas will be reduced $!.40 from today," Coffman said.
Came to aid of Palacios police officer
Two bystanders who came to
the aid of a Palacios police officer
as he attempted to arrest a pair of
unruly brawlers, last week, were
presented certificates of appreci-
ation during Monday night's city
council meeting.
David Alan Daricek and Bruce
Verdecanna were both present-
ed “Outstanding Citizen Award”
certificates by Police Chief Jim
Wilson.
The two had watched as Ass’t.
Chief Emmett Green had taken
two men into custody after they
were reported to be fighting in
the middle of First Street last
Tuesday evening shortly before 7
p.m. Seeing the difficulty that
Greene had in getting the surly
pair into the nat'ol car daricek
and Verdecanna followed the offi
cer io the police station to give
statements if necessary. At the
station the two aided Greene in
keeping the suspects from escap-
ing from the vehicle and later
helped subdue one of the sus-
pects after he allegedly struck
Greene.
Charged with disorderly con-
duct, public intoxication, assault
on a peace officer and resisting
arrest was Ronald Charles Ingle,
36, of 405 1st Street. Also
arrested and charged with disor-
derly conduct, public intoxication
and resisting arrest was Donald
Hendrix, 26, address unknown.
According to police reports,
Greene had received a cal! about
two men fighting in the middle of
the street in front of Lewis Drive
Inn Grocery. Arriving at the
scene,th
to stop, but both refused. Greene
reported that he struggled with
the pair, attempting to get the
two into the patrol call. Two
bystanders who Greene called
upon to help refused to provide
assistance. Still trying to get
after each, Greene finally mana-
ged to place Ingle in the rear seat
and Hendrix in the front. He then
notified the dispatcher that he
would require assistance at the
police station.
Threatening Greene, Ingle all-
MUCIOS:
Proud Home |
James H
Johnston
Ww*%,
The
i3l
BIMb
VOLUME 71. NO, 33_
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, iV54
Cheerleaders to
schedule clinic
The Palacios High School
Varsity Cheerleaders will hold
a cheerleader clinic Aug.
13-17 at the high school gym.
Children ages 5-8 will attend
from 8-10 a.m. with children
9-12 attending from 10:30
a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Fee for the clinic is $18.
Children can register the first
day of the clinic. Those
attending will be presented at
the first football game of the
season.
Homemakers set
Thursday supper
The Carancahua Homema-
kers Extension Club is having
a covered dish supper Thurs-
day at 5 p.m. at the Caran-
cahua Community Center.
Eveyone in the community is
asked to come and bring a
dish. The elder citizens of the
community are honored
guests.
Gun Club meets;
event Saturday
The Palacios Gun Club will
hold its regular monthly meet-
ing Thursday at 8 p.m. at the
Recreation Center.
A blackpowder shoot and
tomahawk throw is scheduled
for Saturday from 10 a.m. til
dark at the club range.
Mens breakfast
slated Sunday
Church men of Palacios are
having a breakfast meeting
Sunday from 7:30-8:30 a.m. at
the First United Methodist
Church. Men of all denomi-
nations are welcome to attend.
Visiting pastors
at Faith Center
Reuben and Rosie Trevino,
pastors of Good News Church
in Port Lavaca will be min-
istering at the Palacios Faith
Center Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
Physicals for
volleyball
All junior high girls inter-
ested in being on the volley-
ball team should have thejr
physicals taken before school
begins. The physical form
must be signed by both the
doctor and parents. Forms for
athletes can be found at the
local doctors’ offices.
Raising of flood plain considered
Current, as well as future
developments in the growth of
the City of Palacios appear to be
in jeopardy as the city’s flood
plain elevation becomes a yo-yo
in the hands of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA).
That was the feeling registered
by the Palacios City Council
Monday night when they were
confronted with a report that
FEMA was in the process rasing
the local flood plain elevation
back to near is former 14-foot
level.
That scenario, if it should
become a reality, has the strong
potential of cutting short the
city's recent growth and once
again hindering future growth. It
will also put into limbo at least
two developments that are al-
ready underway.
What exactly caused FEMA’s
recommendation to up the flood,
plain level, after it was lowered
only last year, remains unclear.
The city council, according to city
engineer David Neuse of Jones &
Neuse, is not the only group
confused by the recent report. He
noted that FEMA’s regional
office was also somewhat in the
dark about the proposed revision,
noting that that office admits that
Palacios has gotten “a raw
deal”.
Neuse told the council that the
FEMA recommendation is cur-
rently in a 30-day comment
period. He strongly urged the
council to write a letter protest-
ing the proposed change. Neuse
City vows to fight FEMA proposal
said he would draft a protest
letter to be presented to the
council for signatures and sent to
FEMA.
Palacios Mayor Leonard La-
mar, along with all five council
members, agreed to sending the
letter, as well as contacting area
governmental officials and repre-
sentatives.
“If we can’t defeat this then a
lot of possible projects will be
effected and hurt the growth
of the city,” Lamar remarked. He
noted that the lowering last year
of the elevation to 10-feet had
helped spur the growth of the city
and that an increase would hurt
the entire area.
“We plan to fight this all the
way,” Lamar stated.
Councilman Cliff Elliott, not-
ing that several people had come
to Palacios and invested large
amounts of money in projects
since the lowering of the flood
plain last year, was shocked by
the FEMA report. “I can’t
believe they would do that,” he
said, adding that such a step
after investments had been made
would appear to open up grounds
for legal action.
Neuse said the action by
[See FLOOD, Page 4]
w**
M
DEBRIS overflows and Is scatt-
ered around a large dumpster
on Ninth Street. Residents In
the area have complained to
placed at
; the annual
the
location during the annual city
clean-up and had been kept
there as a service to residents.
The city however, has been
unable to keep up with the
amount of refuse being depo-
sited.
Salaries big difference in PISD budget
A public hearing and ftnal
approval of the PISD budget of
$6,891,054 for the 1984-85 school
year will take place Monday at
the Board of Trustees meeting.
At a special meeting July 23,
the preliminary budget was
presented by Supt. George Holst
and reviewed by the Trustees.
An intense discussion ensued
about the salaries of both the
professional, para-professional s-
taff and non-faculty personnel.
The Trustees finally voted to
accept one of the three proposed
budgets that kept the local
teacher pay increment at $5,500
above base and the minimum
career ladder of $1,500 for up to
52 teachers. This would place the
property tax rate at $.50 per $100
property value.
Outside the salary issue only
two areas of concern were noted
by those present. Pat Richter
requested that the Board consid-
er the purchase of new mimeogr-
aph machines for each campus to
improve the quality of papers
being sent home. His suggestion
was applauded by the teachers
and parents in attendance. Trust-
ees Dan Tucker, Nancy Bowers
and Bert Miller requested that
the money for Crime and Drug
Education be listed as a separate
item.
The major difference between
the 1984-85 budget and the
1933-84 budget was the increase
in the amount allocated to
salaries. In 1983-84 for example,
Instructional Salaries were $2,
753,320, in 1984-85 they are
$3,315,648. Supt. Holst points
out that this includes salaries for
four additional teachers that
were hired to meet the mandates
handed down by the legislature
and also for Special Education
teachers that were paid last year
through the services coop in Bay
City.
The preparation of the school
budget is a complicated and
ongoing process, in part because
it is the largest "business” in the
Palacios area with the exception
of the nuclear plant. The General
Budget Policy which has evolved
to its present form over a
seventeen year span, is precise
and includes input from all levels
of the school system from bottom
to top. The working budget, a
zero-based budget, is in great
detail by category and departme-
nt, stating what and where the
money will be utilized, The
current budget must be approved
by August 20th. Anyone in the
district can review the budget by
going to the Administration
Building and asking to see it, or
making an appointment with
Supt. Holst.
The already complicated proc-
edure has been further complica-
ted in the last few years by the
Texas State Legislature and the
changes in evaluation handed
down by the Appraisal Districts.
Supt. Holst and his staff worked
feverishly to present a 1984-85
budget that would cover all the
changes mandated by the State
Legislature. For example, the
state salary schedule set by
Senate House Bill 179 in 1983
was pages long and broken down
according to years of teaching
experience and level of educati-
on. The new schedule from
House Bill 72 is a oneliner -
leaving school administrators wi-
th alot of salary computation to
do. Last year a beginning teacher
with a bachelor’s degree would
receive a base salary of $11,110
for 10 months. This year the
same teacher would receive
$15,200 base salary. PISD pays
$5,500 above the state base,
therefore a first year teacher with
a bachelors degree will now earn
$20,700.
The most recent rules basically
say that the district must take a
teacher’s experience for the
83-84 school year and wherever
they were on the old level salary
schedule and convert it to the
new one-line index and that
which is closest in dollar amount,
[See BUDGET, Page 4]
ALL OF the above ground
structure* at the closed down
Humar Chemical plant are
being dlamantled as part of the
overall cloture procedure un-
derway.
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.
Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 77, No. 33, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 8, 1984, newspaper, August 8, 1984; Palacios, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth726066/m1/1/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Palacios Library.