Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 108, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 5, 1990 Page: 1 of 26
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1
Micropublishing
Inc 55
unty
__ e-mthwest Micropuu * _
Im ekPRISE
Volume 108 Number 27
The Dominant News and Advertising Source in Polk County
UPSP 437-340 Price: 25 cents
Three absentee polls open through Friday
•*
Runoff draws 927 absentee voters
LIVINGSTON - As of 1 p.m.
Wednesday, absentee voting for the
April 10 primary runoff elections
had drawn 927 voters. Absentee
voting continues through Friday at
the courthouse in Livingston and
subcourthouses in Corrigan and
Onalaska.
In Livingston, 440 absentee ballots
had been cast in the Democratic
Primary runoff and eight persons
had voted in the Republican runoff.
Absentee polls in Corrigan had
drawn 124 Democratic voters and
one Republican. In Onalaska, 124
Democratic absentee votes had been
cast, with no Republicans having
voted as of Wednesday afternoon.
In addition, the county clerk’s of-
fice has sent 281 ballots-by-mail for
the Democratic runoff and 24
mailout ballots for the Republican
runoff.
Races on the ballot for the
Democratic runoff include those for
county judge, where John Thompson
faces B.K. Johnson; Precinct 2 com-
missioner, a race between R.D. Cun-
ningham and incumbent Bobby
Smith; Precinct 4 commissioner,
between Kenneth E. Yarbrough and
R.R. “Dick” Hubert; governor, bet-
ween Jim Mattox and Ann
Richards; state treasurer, where
Nikki Van Hightower faces Tom
Bowden; Supreme Court justice
Place 2, between Bob Gammage and
Ross Sears; and Court of Criminal
Appeals judge Place 1, between
Morris L. Overstreet and Frank
Maloney.
Two races will be decided in the
Republican Primary runoff: land
commissioner, where Wes Gilbreath
faces Grady Yarbrough; and com-
missioner of agriculture, between
Rick Perry and Richard Mclver.
Natural gas project also discussed
Onalaska topics include parade
ONALASKA - A parade permit
was approved for the annual Easter
parade at the regular meeting of the
Onalaska City Council Tuesday.
The parade, scheduled for April 14
at 10 a.m., will begin at Onalaska
East and end at the school. An
Easter egg hunt will follow on the
school grounds.
Mayor Robert C. Goodson and
Jphn Martin, manager of the natural
gas system, gave reports on the
status of funding for the system.
In the last two weeks, Goodson and
Martin have talked with the
engineers, as well as represen-
tatives from the supplier, Union
Natural Gas Company, to ask ques-
tions.
The council is currently waiting on
approval of a loan from Farmer’s
Home Administration. According to
estimates, it will take 45 days for the
engineering process from the time
the contract is approved; 21 days for
the bid process; and another 45 days
to start the project.
Goodson reported that the city’s
code of ordinances will have to be
updated in the near future and at
that time, council will consider
rewording the chapter concerning
County to address
employee rankings
adult game rooms.
“Are they going to straighten out
the mess on Mineola Street?” Earl
Campbell asked during public
forum, referring to the aftermath of
the street paving project in Old
Town Onalaska. Goodson said he
would bring it to the attention of the
engineers but that he felt sure they
would.
A complaint from the Polk County
Sheriff’s Department, concerning
the Onalaska Police Department,
was brought to the attention of the
council.
The complaint involved an inci-
dent in which an Onalaska police of-
ficer was notified of a family distur-
bance in an Onalaska subdivision.
The officer said he could not go to
the scene immediately because he
was investigating a theft at an
Onalaska business. Polk County
Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched
to the scene.
The gist of the complaint was that
the Sheriff’s Department felt that in
a situation where someone’s safety
could be in danger, it should take
first priority.
Goodson said he would discuss the
matter with the officer involved.
At that time he said he could not
Councilmember Jeanne Ann Byrd
reminded everyone to vote in the
April 10 primary runoff election.
Everyone was also reminded of
the annual Onalaska Volunteer Fire
Department Barbecue, which is
slated for April 28 from 11 a.m. to 3
p.m.
Other business included approval
of the minutes, vouchers and finan-
cial reports.
of the American Legion Post 312 Auxiliary pick up trash off
Hwy. 146 as local volunteers participated in cleaning up Polk
County as part of a statewide trash-off Saturday. See addi-
tional coverage page 2C.
LIVINGSTON - In an attempt to
solve what some feel is an incon-
sistency in the way the county ranks
and pays its employees, county com-
missioners will discuss a proposal
for an employee classification study
during their regular court meeting
Monday.
Commissioners are also slated to
discuss preparation of personnel
policies for county employees.
Other items on the brief agenda in-
clude possible designation of an in-
spector for sewage facilities, con-
sideration of a plat revision for Sec-
tion 4 of Oak Terrace Estates and
recognition of Livingston High
School’s basketball team.
Monday’s meeting will begin at 10
a.iti. in the Commissioners’ Cour-
troom, Polk County Courthouse.
Parties gather for conventions
Democrats select delegates
Weapons recovered
LIVINGSTON - A telephone call
from a pawn shop in Kemah, Texas,
Saturday, resulted in the recovery of
11 stolen guns, four from a residence
in Holly Grove and seven from a
residence in Votaw.
Polk County Sheriff Leamon Cain,
Polk County Sheriff’s Department
Chief Deputy Mike Nettles and Har-
din County Constable D.L. Harrison
traveled to Kemah that afternoon to
pick up the stolen property.
Cain said the department enters
the serial numbers of all stolen guns
in a computer. When the guns were
pawned and the pawn broker ran a
computer check, he discovered the
guns were from Polk County.
“When he contacted me, he said
there were also seven other guns,
but that they weren’t registered in
the computer,” Cain said. “I told
him to hold on to them because I
knew Hardin County had some guns
missing.”
The guns were pawned by Damron
Silcox Wiggins, 26, of Friendswood,
who is currently serving time in
Brazoria County Jail for felony
theft.
“We’ve got a hold on him for
possession of stolen property,” Cain
said, adding that Hardin County has
a hold on Wiggins for the same
charge.
Cain indicated that Wiggins is also
wanted in Harris County.
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LIVINGSTON - Two resolutions
were adopted by the Polk County
Democratic Party at its County Con-
vention Saturday which will be used
as input to form the party platform
at the State Democratic Convention
June 8-9 in Fort Worth.
The first resolution, concerning
the FDIC, states, “Be it resolved
that if the Federal Deposit In-
surance Corporation sells an in-
dividual’s or a corporation’s note for
less than the face value of said note,
then the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation shall grant the maker of
said note the first option to purchase
the note as said discounted rate.”
The second resolution concerns
education. It states, “Whereas, the
State of Texas recognizes the
children and youth of Texas are one
of our greatest resources and upon
which the future of this state and nar
tion are dependent.
“Whereas, the U.S. Constitution
delegates to the State of Texas and
its citizens the responsibility of pro-
STOLEN PROPERTY RECOVERED - Polk
County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy
Mike Nettles, Hardin County Constable D.L.
Harrison and Polk County Sheriff Leamon
Cain stand with 11 stolen guns they recovered
ENTERPRISE PHOTO BY EMILY BANKS
Saturday in a pawn snop in Kemah, Texas.
Four of the guns were stolen from a
residence in Holly Grove and the other seven
from a residence in Votaw.
viding for our children and youth the
best conceivable educational oppor-
tunities.
“Whereas, the Texas Supreme
Court, national studies, numerous
state committees and task forces
have determined major im-
provements in public education need
to be made immediately.
“Whereas, attracting and retain-
ing the highest caliber educators is a
critical factor in allowing school
districts to provide a quality educa-
tion.
“Whereas, Texas ranks 31st (and
dropping) in the nation in average
salary for teachers; provides no
state assistance for health in-
surance; and has no formal pro-
cedure for educator input into
educational decisions.
“Whereas, the Texas Legislature
will be meeting in special session on
education in 1990 and again in
regular session in 1991.
“Therefore be it resolved, that the
Democratic Party of Texas urge the
Texas Legislature and the statewide
officials to address these specific
problems in special session and
regular session.
“Further be it resolved, that the
Democratic Party of Texas urge the
legislature to enact a significant in-
crease in the state minimum salary
schedule and require the increase to
be passed on to teachers; that the
legislature enact and fund a
statewide health insurance program
for all educational employees; and
that the legislature ensure teachers
a greater role in local educational
decision making.”
In addition to adopting the resolu-
tions, delegates and alternates for
the state convention were elected.
See DELEGATES pg. 6A
Mailboxes
vandalized
LIVINGSTON - People in the
Cemetery Hill area who have recent-
ly experienced vandalism to their
mailboxes need to contact the Liv-
ingston Police Department.
Timothy Scott Richardson, 17, of
Livingston, was arrested and charg-
ed with criminal mischief and three
juveniles were referred to juvenile
authorities following an incident
March 30 in which the suspects went
on a mailbox-destroying rampage.
According to Livingston Police
Chief Dennis Clifton, approximately
30 mailboxes on Snell Drive, Liberty
Avenue, Skyview Drive and South
Washington were damaged.
Republicans adopt resolutions
LIVINGSTON - Due to the
number of precinct convention
delegates who attended, Saturday’s
Republican Party County Conven-
tion was moved from the party’s
primary office to the Livingston City
Hall Auditorium, according to
Champ Carter, who will officially
take office on April 30 as county
chairman of the Polk County
Republican Party.
The following persons were
elected as state convention
delegates: Champ Carter, Doyle De-
wayne Coburn, Dan Kelly, Gay
Genenwein, Rita Bloodworth, Velma
Key, Cindy Mcl^ndon, Kirby Hill,
Robert Neal, Dennis Land, Hazel
Goodman, Thomas Lynn Sasser,
Nadyne Yarbrough and Jean Keely.
Elected as alternate delegates
were: Karen Coburn, Walter Steve
Genenwein, David McLendon,
Gloria Neal, David Shores, Robert
Goodman, Sandra' Sasser, Cynthia
Land, Diana V. Shores, Ken Guthrie,
Milton Lee, Anna Lee, Pam Bigby
and John Clark.
The delegates and alternates will
travel to Fort Worth on June 29-20 to
participate in the 1990 State
Republican Party Convention,
which will be held in the Tarrant
County Convention Center.
Thirty-one resolutions were
adopted during the county conven-
tion to forn, the county’s 1990
Republican Party platform. The
platform is basically a list of objec-
tives that the local Republican Party
would like to achieve. These resolu-
tions will also be used as input to
form the 1990 state Republican Par-
ty platform at the state convention.
Following is a general overview of
the resolutions approved Saturday:
•Adoption - Legislation should be
amended to allow private adoption
without major restrictions, process-
ing time of government adoptions
should be significantly reduced and
adoption of children by homosexuals
or lesbians should not be permitted.
•Balanced budget - Support im-
plementation of the Grace Commis-
sion Report and an amendment to
the U.S. Constitution requiring
balancing of the budget,
•Banking - The system of frac-
tional reserve banking should be
abandoned in favor of a direct
receipt system and the country
should return to the gold standard.
•Child care (1) - Oppose legisla-
tion which imposes child care on
families by offering benefits which
are not equally available to mothers
who stay at home with their children
or which is discriminatory, anti-
religious or would result in increas-
ed bureaucracy.
•Child care (2) - Support tax
credits for families with small
children, oppose bureaucracy-
building legislation as anti-religious
and discriminatory and oppose all
child care legislation which offers or
allows benefits not available to
mothers who stay home to care for
their own children.
•Church - The church is a God-
ordained institution with a sphere of
authority separate from that of civil
government and thus the church is
not to be regulated, controlled or
taxed by any level of civil govern-
ment.
•Church homes - Civil govern-
ment should revoke all efforts to
regulate and control church homes
(those providing housing and educa-
tion c^t the request of parents), the
state should formally invite those
homes forced to close or move out of
the state to return and reopen, and
the child care licensing section of
Texas law should be amended to ex-
empt churches from its jurisdiction.
•Civil government - Support the
historic concept of limited govern-
ment jurisdiction under the laws of
God, and Texas and U.S. Constitu-
tions.
•State education - The Texas
Education Agency should be dissolv-
ed and that authority and control be
restored to local independent school
districts, including control of cur-
riculum, textbook selection and
teacher qualifications. Proposals for
school-based clinics should be aban-
doned and any sex education man-
date should stress the teaching of
abstinence as the only safe, moral
and healthy means of preventing
AIDS, sexually-transmitted diseases
and pregnancy. Sex education, if
any, should be limited to grades six
and above. Parents should be allow-
ed to send their children to any
government school within the in-
dependent school distrie* in which
they reside.
•The family - The ai cy should
continue to recognize ’ .e family as a
God-ordainedinstituti'n rode up of
those persons related by blood,
heterosexual marri; ge or a iption,
and as the foundation t't or society;
opposing all attempts to v eaken or
destroy the family, including forms
of government interference and con-
trol.
•Federal courts - Federal courts
should be censured by congress
under Article III, Section 2 of the
U.S. Constitution.
•Fetal tissue - S ppoi t legislation
prohibiting experimentation with
human fetal tissue and prohibiting
the use of human fetal tissue or
organs for experimentation or com-
mercial sale.
•Foreign policy -- Support
generous funding for deployment of
defensive systems, strengthening of
See RESOLUTIONS pg. 6A
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 108, No. 27, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 5, 1990, newspaper, April 5, 1990; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth781607/m1/1/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.