Karnes Co. TX - NEWS - January 2005 This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Kimm Antell Copyright. All rights reserved. http://files.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************ January 4, 2005 New sheriffs making transition into office BARRY HALVORSON Victoria Advocate KARNES CITY - Being the new sheriff in town can be easy or hard depending on several factors including the number of vacancies that need to be filled and the cooperation of the previous office holder. Monday marked the first full day on the job for first-time sheriffs in Karnes, Lavaca, Bee, Jackson, Refugio, DeWitt and Fayette counties. For some the transition into office was smooth, but for others it meant making significant changes. Karnes County Sheriff David Jalufka, who defeated incumbent Bobby Mutz, is trying to live up to campaign promises of having a proactive, professional and people-friendly department. It meant having to make some hard choices. "The transition has not been smooth," he said. "I had to let some people go and that's probably the toughest thing I've ever had to do in my career." A former DPS sergeant investigator with more than 25 years experience, Jalufka released three deputies to create openings to bring in his own people. Among those added are retired Houston Police Department investigator A.C. Alonzo, who will serve as Jalufka's chief deputy. He also hired John White from the Cuero Police Department to serve as a field trainer and area resident Larry Duckett for his local knowledge. "They didn't have the (chief deputy) position before and it is one I feel is essential," he said. "As sheriff, you needed someone to handle the day-to-day operation. Part of the problem in the past is that some of those kinds of duties weren't being delegated. And I learned a lot of the deputies hadn't had any field training, which is essential for a professionally run department." In Lavaca County, Sheriff Micah Harmon didn't have to let anyone go after defeating former Sheriff Robert Wurm in the primary. He does, however, have to fill five deputy positions along with two cooks, a jailer slot and a communications officer due to December resignations and attrition. Those resignations included the jail administrator and chief investigator. Deputies David Fagan and J.R. Peters, respectively, were promoted to fill those positions. "I'm restructuring the whole department and command staff," Harmon said. "I knew going in I would have to do that. We were already taking applications and I think I've got some good candidates but I can't hire anyone until the commissioners court meets on Jan. 10." In Bee County, Sheriff Carlos Carrizales is taking over for Sheriff Joe Horn, who retired. The former Beeville police lieutenant said he expected to have to fill some positions but wasn't sure which ones. "I've got my chief deputy over at the auditor's office right now discussing things," he said. "I didn't have anyone inform me they were resigning but I'm expecting some openings - I'm just not sure what they are going to be at this point." For Jackson County Sheriff A.J. Louderback, it was a homecoming of sorts. A former captain in the department, Louderback resigned to run for the office and defeated incumbent Kelly Janica in the primary. "Everything is running as smooth as can be expected at this point," he said. "It is an immense help to have been with the department before because I know people's level of experience and expertise already which helps make the transition a little more seamless. In Refugio County, Sheriff Earl Petropoulos said that retiring Sheriff Jim Hodges' cooperation is making for a very smooth transition. "I was brought in by the sheriff a week or two before he left office to go over procedures and meet the personnel so the transition wasn't completely blind," he said. Petropoulos said that he has three deputy positions he needs to fill. The men they were replacing also eased the transition for DeWitt and Fayette counties sheriffs Jode Zavesky and Keith Korenek. Zavesky had the additional advantage of having already been very familiar with the department. Zavesky has only one opening to fill following the retirement of former Chief Deputy Alex Bartee. That opening will be for a patrol sergeant after promoting in-house with patrol Capt. Jay Lewis becoming chief deputy and patrol Sgt. Tanya Mares the patrol captain. Korenek said that Sheriff Rick Vandel allowed him to visit the department after he won the November election. Vandel also left the department fully staffed with one exception, a narcotics investigator position he filled by hiring former Lavaca County Sheriff's Sgt. David Beyer. ************************************************ January 6, 2005 Karnes County sued in road ownership dispute KARNES CITY - Elaine Moczygemba is taking Karnes County to court for continuing to maintain a road she believes belongs to her. Moczygemba is asking a visiting district judge today to stop further work on the road until her ownership claim is resolved. Fred Shannon, retired district judge from Bexar County, will hear Moczygemba's request for a temporary injunction this afternoon in Karnes County District Court. Moczygemba's property claim centers on less than a half-mile section of roadway off Farm-to-Market Road 81. The county recently re-worked the road to clear brush, repair potholes and lay caliche. The road adjoins her property and provides access from FM 81 to several other properties. The county claims that the road has been a public road as far back as 1866. San Antonio attorney George Hyde is representing Karnes County and the commissioners court in the case. Hyde was chosen by the Texas Association of Counties because of Karnes County's participation in its Intergovernmental Risk Pool. He is with Denton, Navarro, Rocha and Bernall law firm. The county believes the road was either dedicated by implication or by deed between 1866 and 1931, Hyde said. He said there are deeds as far back as 1905 that describe the road as part of the Panna Maria- Falls City Road. In the 1930s and 1940s, the road is identified as part of the Panna Maria-Hobson Road, he said. The road has been open and accessible to the public all that time, Hyde said. Moczygemba claims the road is within the metes and bounds of her property. Hyde said that may have occurred over the years as a right- angle turn was taken out of the road, which created this short segment of road in front of her property. In any case, a public road would remain a public road, he said. Representing Moczygemba is the Seguin law firm of Sam Nieto. Robin M. Foster is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361- 275-6319 or cueroadv@vicad.com. ************************************************ January 7, 2005 Karnes County a step closer to recovering grant money ROBIN M. FOSTER Victoria Advocate KARNES CITY - Karnes County is one step closer to finalizing two grants that paid for repairs to 12 bridges that were damaged during flooding of the San Antonio River in 2001. No comments were received on the grant projects during a public hearing conducted Wednesday by Karnes County Judge Alger Kendall and Judy Langford of Langford Community Management Service, which wrote the grants for the county. Kendall said the hearing will enable the county to obtain final reimbursement of the last $2,500 spent for the bridge projects. After the 2001 floods, the county applied for and received $350,000 from the Office of Rural and Community Affairs and $300,000 from the Natural Resources Conservation Service to reconstruct 12 bridges that were damaged, Kendall said. The county was not required to provide matching funds, although it did spend about $15,000 to re-engineer one of the projects, Kendall said. The county may be able to recover that amount through legal action, he added. Kendall said the grants also helped the county obtain financial assistance from the Texas Department of Transportation to do other bridge work in the county. That assistance will apply six bridge projects - three that are under way now and three that are scheduled for the future, he said. The original 12 projects paid for with the grants were located on County roads 330, 137, 128, 165, 197, 301, 297, 294, 305, 122, 106 and 331. Robin M. Foster is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361- 275-6319 or cueroadv@vicad.com. ************************************************ Karnes commissioners to review property claim KARNES CITY - Karnes County Commissioners Court will be asked to consider an agreement that could settle a property claim brought against the county in District Court by Elaine Moczygemba when it meets on Tuesday. Terms of the agreement will remain confidential until the commissioners court reviews it in an executive session during Tuesday's regular meeting, County Judge Alger Kendall said Thursday. Moczygemba maintains that a road off Farm-to-Market Road 81 is on her property and is not a public road. The county claims the road was part of the old Panna Maria-Falls City Road and later the Panna Maria- Hobson Road. Precinct 2 Commissioner Jeffrey Wiatrek recently re- worked and paved the road with caliche. Moczygemba filed suit to stop the county from doing any further work until her claim could be decided. A hearing on that request was delayed Thursday when attorneys for both sides were able to work out the agreement. ************************************************ January 12, 2005 Karnes 4H livestock show still growing ROBIN M. FOSTER Victoria Advocate KARNES CITY - If you measure success in a livestock show by the auction results, then the Falls City 4-H Club will be the club to beat at the Karnes County Youth Show Thursday through Saturday at the county show barn. The club's students raised top dollar last year at the premium sale that concludes the event by earning sale slots with the grand and reserve champion steers, the grand champion broilers and the grand champion bull. Falls City's FFA usually do well in the homemaking and handicrafts divisions, as well. Karen Wright is the 4-H club's manager, and her husband, Brett, is the Falls City's agriculture teacher, which puts him in charge of the junior and senior FFA clubs. Together, they are helping Falls City students from third through 12th grade prepare their animals and other entries for competition in the county-wide event. "It's a good show. It's really grown over the past few years," Karen Wright said. "When I first came here, in 1988 or '89, each club had their own shows. Now they're combined into one big show." The show is preparing for 1,350 entries this year, said its president Shirley Janssen. "I know our homemaking areas are up this year. The steer and heifer numbers are up, but goats are down," Janssen said this week. Wright, who grew up as a 4-H member in Meyersville, is a big believer in the lessons learned through 4-H. "The kids learn responsibility taking care of, feeding and watering their project every day, if it's an animal," Wright said. "It teaches them time-management, since most of the students are also involved with other school activities. They have to learn to manage their time." Entering the youth show can also pay rewards, although it's probably not a money-making venture, Wright said. Wright, her husband and several other parents spent all day Sunday helping students prepare their entries. Wright said she and two parents clipped about 28 goats Sunday, while her husband clipped 12 to 15 hogs. Now they're getting calls to weigh animals for their students. Falls City 4-H may have an edge over other clubs in Karnes County because of its large participation in the Karnes County Youth Show. Because its an agricultural community and very family-oriented, the parents really support it, Wright said, noting that she has 37 families involved with 4-H, some of whom will have more than one child involved with the show with more than one entry. The Karnes County Youth Show opens at noon Thursday and concludes with the auction at 5 p.m. Saturday. Thursday's schedule includes the broiler show at 4 p.m., followed by the goat show at 5 p.m. Commercial steer judging is at 8 a.m. Friday, followed by commercial steer interviews from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Homemaking entries will be judged at 9:30 a.m. The lamb show is at 10 a.m. Friday, and the breeding cattle show begins at noon, followed by the halter steer show. The homemaking division opens to the public from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday. Commercial steer awards are at 3:45 p.m. and the hog show is at 4 p.m. On Saturday, the livestock judging contest is at 9 a.m. Sale of handicraft and non-champion baked foods is from 9 a.m. to noon. The official sales sheet will be posted from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, when clothing and handicraft items are released. Non- selling animals not in the contest judging are to be off the show grounds by noon Saturday. The homemaking awards presentation is at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the show arena. The "Friends of Karnes County Youth Show" presentation is at 5 p.m. to kick off the auction. ************************************************ January 14, 2005 Court settles claim KARNES CITY - Karnes County Commissioners Court has agreed to settle a property claim filed in District Court by Elaine Moczygemba. Under the terms of the agreement, Moczygemba will dismiss her lawsuit with prejudice, meaning it cannot be re-filed. The road in dispute, County Road 234, will be declared a public road and will be renamed to KDM Lane, said Alger Kendall, Karnes County judge. The decision to accept the terms of the agreement was unanimous despite objections by a neighboring landowner, Dan Dugosh, who said the road has always been a public road and should not be renamed, the judge said. ************************************************ January 16, 2005 Sons miss mother's presence at Karnes Youth Show ROBIN M. FOSTER Victoria Advocate KARNES CITY - The premium sale that concluded the 19th annual Karnes County Youth Show opened with some special tributes. There was the plaque honoring the late Mauritz Monson's contributions as a founder of the youth show. And there was a special donation - $500 to the Brenda Moczygemba Memorial Scholarship fund from the 4-H club she founded four years ago and whose members include her sons, Billy Bob and Cody. Moczygemba, who had been guidance counselor at Karnes City Junior High, died last October in a vehicle accident, which spared the lives of her two sons. Her presence was missed at this year's stock show, but her accomplishments for local youth were apparent. Among the many Lonesome Dove 4-H members who qualified for a sales slot in the auction were her sons, Billy Bob and Cody. Billy Bob had the grand champion goat and lamb at this year's sale. He also showed two prize-winning goats and a steer for his younger brother, whose hand injury prevented him from doing so. The two boys also had winning entries in the show's food division, thanks in part to Brenda's cousins. "It's a family project. It keeps us involved and keeps us out of trouble," Billy Bob said of his and Cody's participation in the youth show. "My mom used to say, because we do the shows, she always knew where we'd be on the weekends." Billy Bob is part of the Circuit Texas Club Meet Goat Association. He and his mom started on the circuit last June. Since her death, dad Tommy has helped him finish it out as a leader in the senior division. They participate in shows most weekends at events all over Texas. Preparing for the Karnes County Youth Show was hard without Brenda, Tommy and Billy Bob said. It's been important, though, to stay on track and keep up routines despite the changes in their lives, they said. Her cousins, Audrey Kopplin and Nancy Lee, helped the boys prepare their baked entries. Billy Bob won a blue rosette with his coffee cake; Cody had first place ribbons for a specialty cake and in the cookies and bars division. "It was difficult not having her around to do the baking," Tommy said. "Her first cousins stepped up and made it fun." Brenda's close friend, Maria Mohr, is now manager of the Lonesome Dove 4-H Club. She had told her last summer she would be her assistant this year. When the accident happened, she stepped up to continue Brenda's legacy. The club hosts a sanctioned goat and lamb show that Brenda started and that now bears her name, much like the youth show scholarship. "She touched so many people. Even at her funeral, it was amazing to see how many people were there and how many people she touched," Billy Bob said. Billy Bob earned $3,300 during Saturday night's auction for his grand champion goat and lamb, which were the first of 199 lots to sell at auction. Buyers for the goat were Berry Construction and Valero Refining. Tyler Sekula of Falls City FFA topped last year's sale price for the grand champion steer, winning a bid of $3,550 for his exotic breed steer. Stephanie Kroll of Falls City 4-H received $1,200 for the grand champion broiler, and Matthew Kotara of Karnes City FFA won $2,400 for the grand champion hog. Prices for the reserve champions were unavailable at press time. They were: Nicole Biela of Karnes City 4-H, reserve champion goat; Kristen Jendrusch of Falls City FFA, reserve champion lamb; Vanessa Wiatrek of Falls City 4-H, reserve champion broiler; Luke Jimerson of Falls City 4-H, reserve champion steer; Garrett Liska of Panna Maria 4-H, reserve champion hog. Jimmie Natho of Runge 4-H Club was sweepstakes winner in the homemaking and handicrafts division of the youth show. Chasity Stone was sweepstakes runner-up, and her sister, Chelsie Stone, received the honorable mention sweepstakes trophy. The Stones belong to the Fall City FFA. Robin M. Foster is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361- 275-6319 or cueroadv@vicad.com. ************************************************ January 19, 2005 Karnes County Youth Show auction brings in $176,624 ROBIN M. FOSTER Victoria Advocate KARNES CITY - Two facts stood out during the 19th annual Karnes County Youth Show - the large turn-out for Saturday morning's livestock judging contest and the amount of money raised for local youth during the premium sale that concluded the three-day show that night. "This was the biggest judging contest we've ever had," said Karnes County Extension Agent Dennis Hale. "We had 50 senior teams and 30 junior teams. That's about 460 kids - two times the number we've had in the past." The event was so large the concession stand completely sold out and had to be restocked, Hale added. The contest, which was open to all FFA and 4-H chapters in south Texas, gives youth an opportunity to judge entries using the same criteria as the regular stock show judges. It can help hone the skills they need to succeed in local, regional and statewide shows. Also outstanding in this year's show book was the amount raised by local youth who earned a sales slot in the premium sale. Connie Smart, the show's treasurer, said total auction proceeds, including bumps, were $176,624. Compared to last year, Tyler Sekula's grand champion steer brought $125 more than last year's grand champion and Jimmie Natho's grand champion commercial steer earned $300 more. In all, the grand and reserve champions raised about $6,000 more than in 2004. Show participants, who entered more than 1,350 items in the livestock and homemaking divisions, keep the money bid by buyers, less a fee to the show, to help pay for the care and feed of their animals or the costs for making craft or baked entries. A few have the luxury of saving the money they earn toward college. Billy Bob Moczygemba, who raised $3,300 for his grand champion goat and lamb, said the money will help pay for his participation in this show and in the Circuit Texas Club Meet Goat Association, where he leads in the senior division. Moczygemba and his brother Cody currently have about 10 goats they show and about 20 lambs. The money from the sale helps them pay for their upkeep and buy more animals. "It helps us keep going," he said. Moczygemba, who competed as a member of Lonesome Dove 4-H and Karnes City FFA, also won showmanship awards in both the market goats and market lambs senior divisions. Other showmanship winners were: Brittany Biela, junior division, market goat; Kristen Jendrusch, junior division, market lamb; Lauren Pruski, senior division, beef; Wade Jimerson, junior division, beef; Cameron Wright, senior division, market hogs; Brittany Biela, junior division, market hogs. Capital Farm Credit of Kenedy sponsored the showmanship awards. Commercial steer showmanship awards, which were sponsored by Leroy's Fertilizer & Equipment Co. and H.K. Gerts, were won by Bronson Vaughan in the senior division and Hailey Johnson in the junior division. The Travis Lynch Memorial awards, which include a plaque and $100, went to Lauren Pruski in the senior division and Brady Labus in the junior division.