Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 108, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 1, 1990 Page: 4 of 30
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PAGE 4A-THE POLK COUNTY ENTERPRISE, THURSDAY MARCH 1,1IM
EDITORIAL
State Capital Highlights
Legislators back in town
By LYNDELL WILLIAMS
Texas Press Association
AUSTIN - Excitement and tension
filled Capitol halls this week as
Texas lawmakers, many weary
from weeks of campaigning, conven-
ed in special session in an unusual
circumstance of Texas history.
Waiting for them on the legislative
agenda are public school finance
and judicial elections; waiting for
them back home in two weeks is
primary election day.
Legislators are working in a
fishbowl surrounded by the eyes of
Texas.
As is usual, along with the
pressure to perform comes a
political monkey wrench or two
thrown into the works when it’s least
needed.
For example:
•Lawmakers are challenged to
equalize school funds without a tax
increase, only to learn. that the
Department of Huihan Services
faces a deficit of up to $623 million in
the 1991 budget year and will need an
emergency cash infusion.
•The recent Texas poll showed the
governor’s race tightening among
the leading Democrats. Since each
one has a few down ballot can-
didates riding on their coat-tails,
many other races become more
uncertain.
Democrat campaigns
The poll showed Democrat Jim
Mattox has pulled within one percen-
tage point of Mark White in their
battle for second place, ten points
behind frontrunner Ann Richards.
Richards, who has remained at
about 30 percent for weeks, is
perceived by some to be slipping
following the debate. White seemed
to change his strategy of attacking
only Mattox and threw a few shots at
her, implying she couldn’t control
her inept campaign staff.
White, who had one execution
while he was governor, aired his new
TV commercial to steal Mattox’s
thunder on the death penalty. But
Mattox bought rebuttal spots, which
tout his attorney general record of 32
executions.
A new risk for Mattox comes with
the second TV debate, which he said
ae may boycott because it is rigged
against him. Mattox objects to its
sponsor, The Dallas Morning News,
which endorsed White last week, and
to a couple of journalists on the
panel.
Obviously, Mattox thinks it’s a set-
up to defeat him, but his absence
could hurt even more.
Republican campaign
On the GOP side, frontrunner
Clayton Williams needs less than 10
percentage points to win without a
run-off, and he went after it by
targeting absentee voters in a
statewide tour.
Williams had halted his campaign
for one week to mourn five close
friends and business associates kill-
ed in a plane crash. Last week, he re-
entered the fray.
Former Secretary of State Jack
Rains released his poll showing him
even with Kent Hance for second
place. Hance and Tom Luce
disagreed.
Absentee voting
The absentee voting period, which
began Feb. 21, is three weeks longer
than usual, the longest in Texas
history, but the two political parties
are treating it differently.
While Williams most obviously ap-
peals to absentee voters, other GOP
candidates are also aware of the new
absentee power this year.
Rains said the extended voting
period could hike absentee voting to
as high as a quarter of the total vote.
Democrats, except for Mattox, ap-
pear more relaxed about the
phenomenon.
The Mattox campaign will have
professionals conducting exit polls
in major cities to study the effects of
the longer period.
Mum on open enrollment
State officials and education
leaders made no public response to
U.S. Secretary of Education lauro
Cavazos when he urged open enroll-
ment for public schools.
Cavazos, a native Texan am
former president of Texas Tech, tok
a forum that parents should be
allowed to choose their children’s
public school based on its perfor-
mance, not proximity to their home
The competition, he said, would
force the worst schools to get better,
as well as give low-income students
the same choice that middle- and
upper-income kids already have
because their parents can afford it.
Other Highlights
•Democrat Clint Hackney, a can-
didate for the Railroad Commission,
proposed drug testing for truckers.
He cited a national study showini;
one-third of drivers involved in fata
accidents tested positive for drugs
or alcohol.
•Texas Agriculture Commissioner
Jim Hightower’s re-election com-
mittee has sent out a four-page fund-
raising letter from country music
star Willie Nelson.
•State Sen. Hector Uribe
D-Brownsville, said he will file
legislation to establish a statewide
group health insurance program for
school employees.
•Legislative leaders have begun
examining whether state funds ear-
marked for projects such as the
Capitol expansion and prison con-
struction can be diverted to help
solve the school finance crisis.
When it comes to spending money
Congress never at a loss
By WAYNE GABLE
It has become a tradition: each
year Congress conjures up new ways
to spend money, and some are so
unusual that they stretch the im-
agination. Congress has already
geared up to continue the tradition
through 1990 as it has appropriated
millions - even billions - for
everytliing from elephants to arctic
geese.
Congress has set forth its spending
plans for 1990, and, as usual, they
are doused with pork. Tt has ap-
p: ipriated $350,000 for ‘‘African
elephant conservation activities,”
and $500,000 to manage No th
American waterfowl But this is only
the beginning. Congiess is also plan-
ning to spend $300,000 for a walrus
study and $200,000 for research on
Hawaiian forest birds.
Such frivolous spending has fueled
the federal budget deficit to its cur-
rent heights But to some con-
gressmen, a $300,000 statement, on
the environmental impact of a
cemetery is more important than
balancing the budget.
Such priorities piled on one
another, year after year, con-
tributed considerably to the national
debt, which now towers above $3
trillion. In order to pay off this debt,
each man, woman, and child in
America would have to pay more
than $12,000.
Many congressmen believe these
pork-barrel projects demonstrate
their consideration for constituents.
However, they fail to consider the
fact that $12,000 amounts to more
than half a year’s salary for the
average American.
After spending $250,000 on “pintail
duck population studies’’ and
$300,000 on arctic goose activity in
Alaska, some ngressmcn have the
gall to turn around and insist that
the only way to reduce the deficit is
through higher taxes. America has
heard this rhetoric before, and bas-
ed on past experience, we know that
Letter to the editor
Medicaid patients passed by
more revenue only means more
spending.
In the 1980s, tax revenue increased
89 percent. But did Congress use
these substantial revenues to
eliminate the budget deficit? Not a
chance! In fact, during these years
of increased revenues, Congress in-
creased spending by $546 billion.
Besides this, the Congressional
Budget Office estimates that tax
revenues will increase $70 billion an-
nually in the next four years.
Therefore, the deficit problem is not
due to a lack of revenue: the pro-
blem is Congress’ inability to control
spending.
Putting an end co these wasteful
programs is the first step in deficit
control. Unfortunately ."deficit
reduction falls low on the priority
lists of many congressmen, especia.-
ly in election years. A nice piece of
pork to send home, like $1.2 million
for a performing arts center, is sure
to leave constituents vith a positive
impression of thei congressman
when they head to the polls. This
likely contributed to the fact that 99
percent of congressmen seeking
reelection won in 1988. Sc Congress
continues on its spending spree,
discovering newer and more im-
aginative ways to spend money each
year.
Congressional spending plans for
1990 include numerous fishy provi-
sions. To start with, Congress ap-
propriated $200,000 for Nationa
Fisheries Academy training ami $1
million for the Oregon Coast
Aquarium, West Virginia will
receive $200,000 for striped bass and
fish health research. Of course, Con-
gress would not leave out the
younger generation. It also ap-
propriated another $9.9 million for
design, testing, and construction of
“juvenile fish bypass facilities” on
the Columbia and Snake Rivers.
For far too long, congressmen
have been allowed to squander
America’s hard-earned money on
wasteful projects in exchange for
votes. Now. America has had
enough. It’s time for Congress to
break the age-old tradition of frivol-
ty and begin a new tradition of spen-
ding restraint.
Wayne Gable is president of
Citizens for a Sound Economy Foun-
dation, a 250,000-member non-
partisan research and education
organization in Washington, D.C.
To the editor:
I'm a concerned citizen who
was faced with a situation that
disturbed me. On Friday, Feb. 16,
1990 I received a call from the
school saying a child that had
been placed in my care was ill
and I had to pick him up. After
picking the child up he became
nauseated and cried with severe
headaches. This child received
Medicaid.
After calling every doctor’s of-
fice and clinic here in the county,
I was told either no one was ac-
cepting new patients or that they
did not accept Medicaid. Now my
question is, “Why?” I then called
our local health department and
was advised to carry him to the
emergency room, which I did.
The personnel were very nice in
E. R., but before this child was ex-
amined by the doctor on staff I
was advised by him (the doctor)
of out-of-town doctors I could
carry him to for follow-up treat-
ment.
I myself have never needed
Medicaid, but what about the
50-70 percent of retired or low-
income families whose only
means of receiving medical
treatment is Medicaid or
Medicare? If we’re curious as to
why there’s no local support for
our doctors and hospital - it’s no
wonder. You’re sent out of town
for everything. Does anyone care
or see where this situation is
headed?
d0r'' ’• . ’\'\i
Angela Figgs
Route 1 Box 828-A
Livingston
Do you have an opinion?
The Polk County Enterprise en-
courages readers to submit let-
ters expressing their views and
opinions.
The letters will he published in
.the Enterprise’s “Letters to the
editor” column on Thursday or
The letter may be written on
any subject ue issue of general in-
terest.
Letters must be accompanied
by a name and mailing address
and will be subject to editing for
grew, punctuate, spelling
Letters must include a
Rfis^crs should Jcccp tHci
ters brief and to the point. Each
letter should contain no more
than 650 words. Letters ex-
ceeding that length will be edited
or withheld from publication.
Letters will also be subject to
editing for libelous or slanderous
statements and commercialism.
This column is not meant as a
forum for political candidates,
from
the public concerning cam-
issues. During election
—
person or can be mailed to “Let-
ters to the editor'’, Polk County
•Jg«£■* Uv-
POLK COUNTY
ENTERPRISE
ALVIN HOLLEY, PUBLISHER
Telephone Number 327-4357
USPS 437-340
Entered as Second-Class Matter at the Post Office at Livingston,
Texas 77351 under the Act of Congress of March 3,1987.
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Barbara White, Editor
Van Thomas, Sports Editor
Greg Peak, Area News Editor
Don Hendrix, Special Sections Editor
Dianna Campbell, Living Section Editor
Emily Banks, Reporter
Stephen Hengst, Photographer
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT
Camera / Platemaking
Gordon LeBarron, Mike Kelly, Don Hoieman
Pressroom Personnel
Beamon Goodwin, Adrian Dunn, Lee Torres
Composition Personnel
Dorothy Wilson, Composition Supervisor
Valerie Lenox, Assistant Supervisor
Angela Brakel, Sheri Bresenhan
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
Linda Holley, Ad Manager
Mary Jo Watson, Sandra Jackson, Kay Loy Cuevas
Linda Jacobs, Classified Manager
Patty Hankerd
BOOKKEEPING DEPARTMENT
Georgia Bailey, Manager
Diana Fiscal, Barbara Wilson, Laura Munson
SUBSCRIPTION RATES • $15.00 per year tax Included, in county,
$16.99 per year, out of county, $17.99 per year out of state. Published
semi-weekly, Sunday and Thursday at 199 Calhoun In Livingston,
Texas by the Polk County Publishing Co.
Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing sr reputa-
tion of any person, firm or corporation which may appear in this
newspaper will be gladly corrected upon being brought to the
attention of the publisher.
Opinions expressed In columns are these of the writer and not
necessarily those of this newspaper.
Opinions expressed in editorials a re those of the Enterprise.
POSTMASTER: PLEASE SEND FORM TO P.O. BOX 1S79,
LIVINGSTON, TEXAS 77*91.
Feds now in charge
from page 1
Addressing those who hold stock in
TexasBank Savings, the statement
from RTC says, “You currently hold
stock in an insolvent institution that
is in receivership. You will soon
receive a letter from federal
regulators explaining in more detail
how this action affects you.”
Gary Selby, with the RTC, will
serve as managing agent for the
association, overseeing daily opera-
tions of the new institution and in-
vestigating long-term solutions for
the association.
There are several possible solu-
tions for institutions that are finan-
cially troubled, including merger,
sale and financial assistance. “The
Office of Thrift Supervision deter-
mined that reorganization and
rechartering was the best solution
for TexasBanc Savings, FSB at this
time,” according to RTC.
TexasBanc is the last of Liv-
ingston’s three savings and loan in-
stitutions to be placed into conser-
vatorship. Jasper Federal Savings
and Loan and Southeast Texas Sav-
ings and Loan were taken over by
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
on March 19,1989.
RTC, based in Washington, D.C.,
is part of the Federal Deposit In-
surance Corp., established under
President Bush to look into savings
and loan problems in Texas and
other states.
Airman promoted
KELLY AFB - Richard R.
Brewer, son of Kathryn Brewer of
Pasadena, Texas, and Carl D.
Brewer of Dallas, has been pro-
moted in the U.S. Air Force to the
rank of colonel.
Brewer is a Maintenance Inspec-
tion Branch chief with the Air Force
Inspection and Safety Center at Nor-
ton Air Force Base, Calif.
His wife, Fern, is the daughter of
T.H. LeCroy of Livingston.
The colonel is a 1963 graduate of
Pasadena High School. In 1971, he
received a master’s degree from the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
JUSTICE COURT
Precinct 3
Judge Harvey Stamper presiding
Criminal Docket
William James Murray, 29,
Houston, violate promise to appear.
David Curtis Deming, 28, Houston,
no driver’s license.
Mary Daily Wright, 22, Pasadena,
permitting unlicensed driver to
drive.
Tim Shepherd, assault. Fine of
$217.50 with deferred disposition.
Julius Ceaser Sweats Jr., 33, Cor-
rigan, no driver’s license.
Toby Francis Murphy, 33, Liv-
ingston, unsafe speed.
JUSTICE COURT
Precinct 4
Judge Howard Lflley presiding.
Bonds set
Millard C. Burrows, arson,
$25,000.
Millard C. Burrows, burglary of a
habitation, $25,000.
David M. Love, motion to revoke
probation (DWI), bond denied.
Emma Slate Elzie, DWI, $1,000.
William Keenan Manning, DWI-
lst, $1,000.
Jesse Martinez Jr., DWI-lst,
$1,000.
David W. Wilson, criminal
trespass, $4,000.
John Edwin Younger, criminal
trespass - B, $2,000.
COUNTY COURT
Judge Wayne Baker presiding.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW
Judge Stephen Phillips presiding.
Criminal Docket
Robert A. Austin, Palestine, theft.
Debbie Compton, Goodrich, theft.
Tracie L. Crisp, Lufkin, theft.
Charles Crowson, Livingston,
theft.
Carolyn Green, Cleveland, theft.
Rebecca Knight, Huntington,
theft.
Gwen Logan, Point Blank, theft.
Kimberly M. Mitchell, Onalaska,
theft.
Donna L. Nacol, Cleveland, theft.
Shannon Richards, Livingston,
theft.
Patricia Smith, Votaw, theft.
Linda Walding, Dallardsville,
theft.
Every Wyatt, Goodrich, theft.
Paul D. Adams, Baytown, DWI.
Phillip N. Bozenski, New Caney,
DWI. ‘
Jimmy Ray Burleson, Livingston,
DWI.
Edward Lee Kelley, Livingston,
DWI.
Daryl D. Lewis, Lufkin, DWI.
Norman A. McGowan, Houston,
DWI.
Frances H. Meanor, Trinity, DWI.
Kenneth A. Myrow, Livingston,
DWI.
Wesley Gene Norman, Livingston,
DWI.
Danny H. Peacock, Corpus
Christi, DWI.
,! i .*$
Arthur Lee Rone, Stamps, Ark.,
Christopher Lee Rue, Livingston,
DWI.
Steve M'. Scarborough, Livingston,
DWI.
Gary E. Silguero, Lufkin, DWI.
Robert M. Walker, Onalaska,
DWI.
Richard B. Warren, Leggett, DWI.
Jerry Allen White, BeUviUe, DWI.
Horace Ray Wood, Onalaska,
DWI.
Ramon Y’Barra, Splen^ora, DWI.
Ken Randall Battise, Livingston,
reckless conduct.
Jamie F. Vasquez, Houston,
reckless conduct.
Leonard Young Williams, driving
while license suspended.
Terry Allison, Livingston,
criminal trespass.
Jim W. Cobb, Leggett, assault.
Ferman D. Higginbotham,
Cleveland, driving while license
suspended.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Terry Eugene Johnson, 31, Liv
ingston and Norma Jean Johnson
25, Livingston.
Charles Dewitt Freeman, 37
Camden and Dorthine Haynes, 38
Leggett.
Gary Edwin Watson, 25, Liv
ingston and Tracy Suzanne Gunn, 17
Livingston.
Weather
Polk County And Vicinity
(Provided through the courtesy of the U.S. Weather Service of Liv-
ingston). These ate figures for the 24-hour periods ending at 9 am.
POLK COUNTY AND VICINITY - Mostly cloudy and Thursday
with a 60 percent chance of rain. High near 65 degrees with a low
near 50.
DATE
HIGH
LOW
RAIN
Thursday, Feb. 22
93
44
0
Friday, Feb. 23
65
41
0
Saturday, Feb. 24
76
41
0
Sunday, Feb. 25
74
38
0
Monday, Feb. 26
72
55
0
Tuesday, Feb. 27
68
59
0
Wednesday, Feb. 21
59
55
0
(Rainfall provided through the courtesy of Jasper Federal Savings
and Loan Association from the figures of the U.S. Weather Bureau at
radio station KETX).
Total rainfall for 1999
Total rainfall to date for 199#
Total rainfall for week ending Feb. 28
Ten-year annual rainfall average
59.14
10.65
9
47.85
m
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 108, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 1, 1990, newspaper, March 1, 1990; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth781332/m1/4/: accessed April 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.