Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 23, 1981 Page: 1 of 18
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I
POR TLAND
25
Dedicated To The Best Interests
Of Port land
Gem Citi Of The Galt'"
Portland. Texas 78374. Thursday. April 23.1981
Voliae XVI - tiEhteea Pans - No. 17
NEWS
Council Calls
Special Election
Civil Service Status For Police?
County Strays May Get Break
Animal Shelter Facilities Get Study
Interest is running high con-
cerning a county-wide animal
shelter capability as indicated
by attendance of city and coun-
ts officials at a meet inn in Sin-
nm Wednesday afternoon.
April 15
The group discussed the
feasibility of a combined facili-
ty for a cant rally located
animal shelter and a joint “rov-
ing" dog-catching system
Julie Hough of Charles Haile
Associates, Consulting
Engineers of Corpus Christi.
presented the group with an
estimate of costs for the pro-
No
Good
News
U.S. Representative Bill Bat-
man yesterday had little to of-
fer county farmers in any new
information concerning the
proposed dumping of Corpus
Clwisti ship channel dredge on
county farmland near
Portland.
Patman, speaking to the
Coastal Bend land Preserva-
tion Association at Taft, said
that he was opposed in June to
putting the dredge sludge on
the farmland and ha still is up-
set NEWS, Page 15
posed shelter which she said
was "rough and high " She said
the building, facilities and
equipment in the estimate
could be trimmed and still stay
in the guidelines of the Texas
State I)epartment of Health,
the primary governing body of
such a facility
Billie Jo Tennill, city
secretary of Odeiti, presided al
the informal meeting which
was attended by represen-
tatives of the THI) and the
Humane Society of the United
States, as well as county
representatives and represen-
tatives of county cities.
Attending were County Judge
Percy Hartman; Commis-
sioner of Precinct 2, Carl Dun-
can of Portland; Tennill; Ver-
non Kelly. DVM with the
Region 8 Texas Department of
Health in Harlingen; Randy
Hendricks of the local health
department; Charlie H.
Gillham of the Region 8 THD
office in Harlingen; Domingo
Flores, humane director of the
animal control program of
Portland; Thomas Phillips and
Royce little of the Health
Department; Tony Trevino,
chief of police, Mathis; Randy
Wright, chief of police,
Portland; David House, city
manager. Ingleside; Bill
Meade, director of The
Humane Sccnty of the United
States, based in Corpus Christi:
Uiast Swoeney, president of the
P A W S. Gulf Coast Humane
Society in Corpus Christi
Agreement was tliat the
building cost was too lugh and
that a joint "animal patrol"
would not be workable, was
almost unamious among the ci-
ty officials.
It was suggested that the
animal shelter be constructed
on county property near the
health department offices in
Sinton, but that idea met with
opposition from some who
thought citizens who live out-
side of Sinton might not drive
there to deliver a stray animal
Kelly said the idea to get the
cities together is unique and
other cities from Victoria to
Brownsville will be watching
the progress. He added that if it
comes to fruition, it will be a
model for the whole of South
Texas.
Sinton City Manager Waltei
Hill said, "We need to keep
searching for ideas and go
ahead with the planning stages.
Each city has different pro-
blems and ideas, we’re all m
the same position. But we have
an obligation.”
Tennill said "Odem must do
something. We don’t have
anything in the way of animal
See STHAYS, Page 14
City council Tuesday night
called a special election for
Saturday, May 16. in which
Portland voters will make their
wishes known whether they
want the police department to
come under the firemen's and
policemen's civil service act.
Absentee voting will begin
Monday, April 27, and continue
through May 12
A petition committee com
posed of Billy Culver, Ed
Tarpley, Don Harris. James
Tedder and James Bishop ob-
tained the necessary
signatures required to take a
petition to the city requesting
the election.
According to Tedder, the
system envisioned for Portland
would concern only the police
department and would have no
bearing on the volunteer fire
department.
If voters approve the civil
Sunrise Services Conducted
Sunriie Easier s«*rvictfs were conducted by the youth ot First
United Methodist Church at Bayside Park Sunday mormnq
A continental breakfast followed at
hall. (NEWS Photo).
the church fellowship
By Presbyterians
Stress Management Workshop Set
Stress
Management
be offered to
Workshop will
rAdents of the community
from 8 .10 a m. to 4 p in Satur-
day, May 23, at First
Presbyterian Church, the Rev.
Pete Apple announced
Workshop leaders will lie Dr
Bob Keenan, consultant
psychologist. Portland. Bobbie
Sims, growth counselor. Cor-
pus Christi; and the Rev. Bill
Peterson, vice president and
national program director of
Wholistic Health Centers, Inc.,
Hinsdale. Ill
Keenan will speak on ’ laving
in Families” to participants
during the morning session and
will offer a mini-workshop in
the afternoon to those par-
ticipants interested in acquir-
ing additional positive skills for
living in families - leading to a
healthy family unity, Apple
said.
Sims will speak on
’’Peacekeeper vs.
Peacemaker" during the morn-
The
(ireffory-Port land
Hi fill School
( horalcirs and
(.hordsmen
announce
their
INN# 1L SPRING
('.ONCER I
Thursday,
i/tril 23, 1981
7:39 /t.m.
Hifih School
iuditorium
ing and will offer a mini-
workshop in the afternoon to
those who are interested in
understanding how being a
peacekeeper creates stress,
how to say no without feeling
guilty and how people can ex-
press their own needs and
preferences in constructive
ways, Apple explained.
Peterson will speak during
the morning on "Good Grief'
and on "Self-Forgiveness." His
mini-workshop will deal with
grief caused by many kinds of
losses, including promotions,
moving, illness, death and
other changes that take place
in people’s lives. He also will
deal with appropriate
responses to different types of
guilt, Apple noted.
All participants will attend
See STRESS, Page 14
OR BOBKEENAN
.. .living in families
Church Of Christ
Evangelist To
Hold Services
Cecil Hutson, evangelist
from Angleton, will be at
Portland Church of Christ in a
senes of evangelistic services
Sunday. April 26, thruugh
Wednesday, April 29
A lew ol the crafts that will be on tale at the Our Lady ot Mount Carmel Catholic Church an
nual parish festival to be held Sunday are displayed by members ol the Catholic Dauqhters
• who sponsor the country store They will have a variety of homemade items, crafts, plants
and baked goods on sale Also shown it a microwave oven which will be given in a diawinq
to be held Shown Irom left ate Odilia Solis. Rosalie Jones and Joyce Cessac (NEWS Photo)
Mount Carmel
Festival Sunday
The annuitI Our (aids of Mount Curmel parish festival
will be held Sunday, April 26, on the church grounds.
A barbecue beef and sausage dinner will be served from
II a.in. to 4 pm Tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for children
i price includes a drink and dessert).
There will he bingo, games, live entertainment and a
country store.
Prizes to be given in a drawing include a microwave
oven, guitar, tires and 100 gallons of gasoline. Donations are
*1
Bob King, chairman of this year's event and Fathers Joe
Berger and Tom Feeney invite the public to join in this fami-
ly affair.
All proceeds from the festival will go to the new church
building fund
Sunday services will be at 9
and 10 a.in. and 6 p in. Week-
day services will be at 7:30
p.m. with a special ladies Bible
classat9:30a.in. Wednesday.
Hutson has been here on two
previous occasions for the pur-
pose of conducting a special
singing school. He and his fami-
ly previously have served as
missionaries in Canberra,
Australia He has served the
church in Angleton as their
pulpit minister on two different
occasions.
Hutson is active in communi-
ty affairs He is an active
mi rnber of the I.ions Club,
chairman of the Dawson Coun-
ty Child Welfare Board and the
Brazoria County Welfare
Board. He is a member of the
Texas Foster Parents Associa-
tion and the Texas Council of
Child Welfare Boards. He is
president of the Angleton Band
Boosters Association
Minster Gene Glaeser
stated."Cecil Hutson will bring
service system, a three-person
commission would be ap-
pointed by the mayor which
would direct the program. The
mayor's appointments would
have to be confirmed by city
council.
To start the commission off,
one member would be ap-
pointed for one year, one for
two years and the third for
three years After the initial ap-
pointments, terms would be for
three years.
If voters approve the system,
the city must put the act into ef-
fect within 30 days after the
beginning of the first fiscal
year after the election
According to state statute,
purpose of the act is to
"provide an efficient police and
fire department, composed of
capable personnel, free from
political influence and with per-
manent tenure of employment
as public servants."
It is noted in the statute that
the act can be set up for just
police or fire personnel or both
In order for an officer to ap-
peal to the commission from
any action for which appeal or
review is provided under the
act, all he has to do is to file
within 10 days with the com-
mission an appeal and the basis
for his choice.
In the event the officer is not
pleased with a decision of the
commission, he can within 10
days file a petition with the
district court.
The commission will make
the rule governing promotions
and will hold promotional ex-
aminations. The body would
formulate proper procedure for
semiannual efficiency reports
Provisions would be made by
the commission for open, com-
petitive and free examinations
for persons making application
for positions.
Vote Fails
Parks May
Stay Open
The second reading of an or-
dinance which would have clos-
ed city parks from 12 midnight
to 6 a m failed Tuesday night
in a three-to-three tie vote by
city council.
Voting for the measure were
Mayor Bobby Whittington and
council members Alice
Chishobn and Bobby Chesnutt
Voting against were Mayor f*ro
Tern Tom Black, and council
members Zeke Kucera and
Fred Nardtni. Bob Malter was
not present lor the vole.
"I am definitely against
regulating the hours at the
parks," Nardini said He said
that vandalism can be controll-
ed and that it has not been "all
that bad" since police have
made special effort to patrol
the areas.
Black also noted the police
surveillance and said that he
was not sure if any curfew
regulation now was required.
City Manager Bill lewis an-
nounced that T.M Clark
Elementary School gym would
be open from 7 to 9 p.m. each
Monday, Tuesday and Wednes-
day for adult and teen use.
The program will begin the
second week in June Monday
nights will be for women, Tues-
day nights for teens and
Wednesday nights will be mix-
ed - men. women and teens.
Volleyball and basketball
will be the primary sports, but
possibly others could be includ-
ed.
U-wis. in discussing the
budget for 1981-82 which will be
comlhg up in just a few months,
noted that a "hard look" will be
given to the condition of
Memorial drainage ditch.
He noted that some addi-
tional police personnel,
possibly as many as four of-
ficers and an administrative
person would have to be con-
sidered, and that this could
necessitate a look at the tax
structure.
There also was discussion
about revision of the city's
Sue PARKS, 1’age 14
Police Seek
Suspect
Acting Police Chief Randy
Wrighl said yesterday that the
investigation into the murder of
Neal Hopkins who was
bludgeoned to death March 26
and buried in a shallow grave
along Sunset I.ake now
centered on a suspect last seen
in the Dallas area
The driver of a 4-wheel drive
pickup, which had belonged to
Hopkins, was involved in the
theft of $40 worth of gas March
27 at a Dallas service station. A
woman with blonde hair was
with the man.
The man was described being
between 25 and 28 years old,
and between 510" and six feet
tall He had sandy colored hair.
Portland police have
distributed a composite artist's
drawing of the man and are
making extensive inquiries in
the Corpus Christi area in an ef-
fort to determine identification.
Wright said that it us just go-
ing to be a matter of time. He
said that the pickup was still
missing
This man is sought bv Por Hand police
)
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Leveen, Paul D. Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 23, 1981, newspaper, April 23, 1981; Taft, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth871828/m1/1/?q=waco+tornado: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bell/Whittington Public Library.