Karnes Co. TX - NEWS - October 2008 This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Kimm Antell Copyright. All rights reserved. http://files.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm ************************************************ From thecountywide.com October 1, 2008 Ballot wording may cause confusion on unit system vote Karnes County voters will choose whether or not to adopt the unit system of county road maintenance in the November 4 general election, but the way the item is worded on the ballot may lead to some confusion according to County Attorney Robert Busselman, who led the petition drive for a vote on the unit system. "We were able to secure enough signatures on the petition for a vote on the unit system to get it on the ballot for the election to be held on November 4th, 2008," Busselman explained. "Unfortunately, the ballot does not set out the issue in the simple question of vote for the unit system or against the unit system." The ballot has it in legal terms and asks for the vote for or against "adopting the optional road system in Karnes County." "Please do not be confused by the change of wording, it means the same thing and voting for the proposition is a vote for the unit system," Busselman explained. "Please think about your vote and if you want to vote for the unit system vote for the optional county road system." According to information in a recent issue of the Hamilton Herald- News, the law states, "if the majority of the votes received in the election favor adoption, this subchapter takes effect in the county on the date the official result of the election is determined." It also specifies that a county that votes to adopt the subchapter may vote in the same matter to discontinue use of the subchapter. An election on the question of adopting or discontinuing use of this subchapter may not be held more than every two years." In counties that adopt the system, the construction and maintenance of county roads, the ownership and use of county road equipment, materials and supplies and the administration of the county road department are to be based on the county as a whole, without regard to commissioners' precincts. Under the unit system, the county road department includes the Commissioners Court as the policy-making body and the county road engineer as the chief executive officer. The law requires counties using the unit system to appoint a county road engineer who must: (1) be a licensed professional engineer experienced in road construction and maintenance and (2) meet the qualifications required by the Texas Department of Transportation for its district engineers. If the Commissioners Court is unable to employ a licensed professional engineer, it may employ a county road administrator to perform the duties of the county road engineer. The county road administrator must have had experience in road building or maintenance or other types of construction work qualifying the person to perform the duties of the position but need not have had any particular amount of professional training or experience in engineering work. The county road engineer is responsible to the Commissioners Court for the efficient and economical construction and maintenance of the county roads. He or she may appoint and remove the county road department's personnel, subject to the approval of the Commissioners Court and authorize administrative personnel to employ and remove subordinates. The Commissioners Court is to deal with personnel through the county road engineer, who would attend all meetings of the Commissioners Court relating to county road matters. Other responsibilities of the county road engineer include (1) ensure that the policies of the court relating to county roads are faithfully executed; (2) supervise the administration of the county road department; (3) prepare detailed annual budget estimates for the construction and maintenance of the county roads and the operation of the county road department; (4) prepare estimates and specifications for the equipment, materials, supplies and labor necessary for the construction and maintenance of the county roads and operation of the county road department; (5) serve as custodian of the equipment, materials and supplies belonging to the county road department; (6) prepare plans and specifications for county road construction and maintenance; (7) maintain cost-accounting records of county road department expenditures; (8) keep an inventory of county road department equipment, materials and supplies and (9) perform any other duties required by the commissioners court that are consistent with the subchapter. The county road engineer is also responsible for inspecting the progress of work on a county road construction and maintenance project awarded to a private contractor. Watch for another article on this ballot item in future issues of The Countywide. ************************************************ From thecountywide.com October , 2008 Firefighters rescue man pinned under truck By Joe Baker A Karnes County man was pinned under his truck after a single vehicle rollover accident Friday morning on County Road 211 at a location about six miles west of Karnes City. Police said that Steven A. Karwedsky, 54, who lived about a quarter mile away from the accident scene, was driving a Chevy S-10 pickup truck east on County Road 211 when for unexplained reasons, the vehicle veered to the right, leaving the roadway. The driver overcorrected causing the truck to roll over and come to a stop on its side in the right hand bar ditch, trapping the man under his vehicle. At about 10:17 a.m. The Karnes County Rescue Unit, sheriff's deputies and EMS were dispatched to the scene. An AirLife helicopter was also called to the scene to transport the accident victim to University Hospital in San Antonio. Local firefighters used equipment from their rescue unit to extract the man safely from his vehicle before the AirLife helicopter arrived at the scene. Karwedsky was transported from the scene at about 11:30 a.m. Karwedsky was treated and released from University Hospital for minor injuries sustained in the accident, according to police. Police said that Karwedsky was driving the vehicle without a license and he will be cited for the offense. DPS Officer Craig Semlinger, who investigated the accident, expressed high praise for the work of the local volunteer firefighters for their quick and successful extraction of the accident victim. ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com October 7, 2008 Karnes County bank name used in e-mail scam KARNES CITY — E-mail scams are plentiful these days, but none have hit so close to home as the phony e-mails that bombarded computers Oct. 3. This e-mail stated that all Karnes County National Bank accounts “were recently updated with a new security enhancement” and all accounts had been temporarily suspended. A toll-free telephone number was given to call in order to reactivate accounts. Karnes County National Bank Vice President Paul Brysch said customers have been calling the bank since Friday, asking if the e- mail is legitimate. “This is a hoax,” he said. “These e-mails did not come from our bank.” Brysch said a few customers had actually called the number, but the line was always busy. Consumers are urged to use caution when receiving these e-mail scams. ************************************************ From thecountywide.com October 8, 2008 Commissioners Court adopts budget and lowers tax rate By Leigh Ann Powers The Karnes County Commissioners Court adopted their 2008-2009 budget and county tax rate at a special meeting on Monday, September 29. The 2008-2009 budget reflects a slight increase over the previous year’s budget due to additional expenses. "We had to allow for some additional costs," said County Judge Alger Kendall, Jr. Fuel costs and detention costs were up. The budget also reflects a $50 month raise for county employees, which was adopted to help offset a higher insurance deductible. "I thought we did a pretty tight budget," Kendall added. Despite the increase in expenses, the court lowered the county property tax rate. Both the general fund and road and bridge tax rates were lowered slightly. The general fund decreased more than 14 cents per $100 valuation, and the road and bridge tax rate was lowered from $0.0541 to $0.0484 per $100 valuation. Kendall attributed the tax rate decreases to more oil and gas and new development throughout the county. However, the court raised the tax rate for emergency services. "They needed very desperately additional money to fund their operations," Kendall said. "Even though cities respond to the fires, there have been more fires in the county than in the cities, so to reimburse the cities they had to go up on the rate." The court also met for a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, September 30. At that meeting the court voted to move its regularly scheduled meeting from Monday, November 10 to Wednesday, November 12 in order to coincide with the canvassing of the November 4 elections. The court also voted to grant AirEvac EMS’s request for authorization to solicit memberships in the county for their services. AirEvac is an independently owned, membership supported, air ambulance service. "It’s on a volunteer basis," said Precinct 4 Commissioner Isidro "Stormy" Rossett. "It’s a service we’re giving the people they can have if they want it." The current non-profit air ambulance service, AirLife, will continue to serve the county. Judge Kendall also announced at the Tuesday meeting that the Sheriff’s office received a grant in the amount of $21,348.20 for 10 digital/analog radios that will be mounted in department vehicles. "They’re using radios that are about 25 years old," said Sheriff David Jalufka. "The judge signed off on them the other day and we’re just waiting for them to get here. This will save the county about $20,000 dollars." The grant was made available from the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management through Operation Border Star. ************************************************ From thecountywide.com October 8, 2008 Bowman homicide: $25,000 reward offered By Joe Baker A $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest, indictment and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the death of Robert Bowman. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Karnes County Sheriff’s Office at 830-780-3931. Police say that Karnes County resident Robert Bowman, 49, was killed as a result of a home invasion that happened in his home near Lenz at 2463 County Road 167 on September 8 or September 9. Bowman was known as a philanthropist who made many generous donations to a variety of community efforts, such as the Karnes County Youth Show. His body was found by laborers in his home on Tuesday afternoon, September 9. Police were called at 12:45 p.m. that day. Police said the laborers reportedly would meet regularly with Bowman at 8 o’clock each morning. On September 9, they walked up to his residence and knocked on the door. No one answered so they opened the door and saw Bowman’s body lying on the living room floor. Although police characterize the homicide as home invasion, no property or cash is known to be missing. The sheriff’s office, Texas Rangers and other law-enforcement agencies continue to investigate this homicide case although one month after Bowman was killed; no leads have yet led to an arrest. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, police still will not comment on how Bowman was killed, but the incident is being characterized as a homicide. Karnes County Sheriff David Jalufka believes Bowman’s open generosity may have caused him to become a target. Jalufka said that there continues to be "persons of interest" connected with the investigation. "There has been some progress – just nothing solid," Jalufka said. "We’re tracking down a bunch of leads. We’ve polygraphed a lot of people." Jaufka said that the persons of interest identified in the case have disappeared since the homicide happened and his department and other law enforcement agencies are actively trying to locate these individuals. "There are some persons of interest that we are looking for because they were around a lot and now they are all gone," Jalufka said. "There are three or four of them. I used to run into them all the time, but I haven’t seen them in a while." Jalufka said that Chief Deputy A. C. Alonzo continues to investigate the case assisting the Texas Rangers and this is the only case he is working on. ************************************************ From thecountywide.com October 8, 2008 64 years and counting Postal carrier Elroy Fenner honored for service By Joe Baker Elroy Fenner, who carries mail in Kenedy and surrounding areas was recently honored by the United States Postal Service for 63 years of service. Fenner began work as a postal service carrier in 1945. "I was working in the field at home where I lived with my parents and sister," Fenner said. "When our mail carrier came by our farm, he stopped and we talked and that is when he asked me if I wanted to do the mail route." Fenner told him he wasn’t interested because he was busy with farming and raising cattle. The mail carrier, who was more interested in working as an electrician, was very insistent, however, and asked Fenner to go along with him on the route. "I went home, changed clothes, and went with him," Fenner explained. "When we got back to Kenedy, I went inside with him and he showed me what to do. I went with him the next two days and then the next day was the 4th of July holiday." "On the 5th day of July I decided I did not want the route, but when he got there he told me, ‘Here it is. It’s your route.’" Fenner delivered the mail on the route that day and when he finished he met with the original contractor and signed some papers. "I had the job," Fenner said. "This is all it took to be a mail carrier." See next week’s issue of The Countywide for part 2 of Mr. Fenner’s story in which he recalls some of his experiences as a mail carrier over the past 63 years. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com October 8, 2008 Bulldogs divided: Marion defeats Somerset By Alan Wiederhold MARION — Usually, a big lead in a volleyball game is merely a pyschological cushion. Other times, as the Marion Bulldogs can attest to, a big lead can literally keep the game from slipping away. The Bulldogs had little trouble taking a 3-1 match victory Tuesday over the Somerset Bulldogs (21-25, 25-21, 25-12, 25-19), but needed eight match points to seal the win in fourth game. “I just told [the team] that I felt that we were not playing to win; We were playing to not lose,” Marion head coach Robyn O’Bryan said after the game. “I told them that when you have a team down like that, you’ve got to finish them.” Kasey Haecker knocked down 16 kills to lead Marion as the Bulldogs (15-12) improved to 4-3 in District 27-3A play. Marion led 24-12 in the fourth and final game, but the visiting Somerset Bulldogs would not go away quietly. Somerset players tallied six kills and a block before a hitting error off a mediocre set gave the hometown Bulldogs the victory. It was not exactly the ending one would have expected for the Bulldogs in green, who crushed the visitors 25-12 in the third game, and could have won the fourth game by an equal margin. “We played pretty well up until that point, then we just got in a groove and expected them to make the mistake,” O’Bryan said. While they may not have put an exclamation point on the victory, it was a win nonetheless for Marion. Shelby Thomas and Ashley Jacobsen recorded eight kills apiece, followed by Megan Williams, who added six kills. Lindsey Conran, chipped in with four kills. Jacobsen did just about every thing for Marion, making plays on first, second and third hits of the volleyball. She registered 20 digs and 19 assists for the hometown Bulldogs, team highs in both categories. Marion’s back row players had a busy night Tuesday, as a total of four players reached double-figures in digs. Ashley Torres recorded 14 digs, while Saryn Duelm and Danielle Brown each contributed 12 digs. As a team, the Marion Bulldogs recorded a hitting percentage of .156 for the match. Though they reduced the number of errors they committed as the evening wore on (Marion committed 11 errors in games two, three and four after committing 10 in game one alone), the visitors from Somerset made the home team work for points. O’Bryan said that undersized teams such as Somerset have given Marion problems this season. “We’ve struggled with teams that aren’t big tall hitters for some reason,” she said. “We struggled with Natalia earlier in the season. We’ve struggled with Somerset, and they dig and they dig and they dig.” The win avenged an earlier loss to Somerset. The two sets of Bulldogs opened district play a day early last month, moving their match in Somerset ahead a day because of Hurricane Ike. O’Bryan said her team had improved since the district opener, and attributed last night’s win to several factors. “I thought that we hit better tonight than we did at Somerset, back when it was Hurricane Ike weekend,” she said. “I think that kind of threw a kink in our plans. Having Kasey back that first game when we went to Somerset, I just think that we weren’t playing to our fullest potential.” Leslie Cuellar led Somerset with 10 kills. Marion enjoyed a clean sweep of Somerset on Tuesday, as the junior varsity and freshman squads were also victorious. The Marion Bulldogs return to the court Friday when they travel to Luling. Match time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Navarro GERONIMO — The Navarro Lady Panthers only needed the requisite three games Tuesday to take down the Kenedy Lions. Final scores from the match were 25-21, 25-19 and 25-22. Hannah Bonds and Noelle Kubenka each knocked down nine kills to lead Navarro (20-11, 2-2 District 28-2A). Kandace Newton dished out 30 assists to her Panther teammates. Sydawnie Douglass led the Navarro defensive effort, digging four Kenedy attacks. Additionally, Douglass recorded two blocks in the game, also a team high. The Lady Panthers return to action Friday when they travel to Nixon- Smiley on Friday. First serve between the Lady Panthers and Lady Mustangs is scheduled for 6 p.m ************************************************ From victoriaadvocate.com October 8, 2008 Flyers defense has kept Indians out of the end zone Not to put pressure on the St. Joseph defense, but the Flyers have not allowed Giddings State School to score a point in their last four meetings. Since being placed in the same TAPPS district in 2003, St. Joseph has outscored the Indians 174-0 in their games. The Flyers won 51-0 last season after coming away with victories of 36-0, 49-0 and 38-0. “Coach (Sandy) Brown does an excellent job with what he has,” said St. Joseph head coach John Mares of Giddings State. “They have two good running backs this year who compliment his offense. If you give them a yard, they can take 10 or 15 pretty easily. We’re going to have to go in there ready to play.” Giddings State is a facility in the Texas Youth Commission playing with the Flyers in TAPPS Division II, District 3. The Giddings State School players are serving time after being convicted of crimes and have already served at least half of their sentence. The Indian players, who come from throughout the state, will only be identified by their numbers and by first names tonight. The team’s roster could differ from last week because of the possibility of transfers to adult penitentiaries or halfway houses. The Indians come into Victoria with a 1-2 record after opening the season with a 38-8 win over Runge after finishing last year with a 3- 6 record. The Indians have lost their last two with defeats to Milano and San Antonio Cornerstone. St. Joseph picked up a 26-0 win over Danbury last week instead of taking the week off. St. Joseph (3-2) is on a three-game winning streak after starting the season with loses to Refugio and Schulenburg to start the year. “I think it kept us in the mode of playing football,” said Mares of playing Danbury. “We’re very positive right now and we are maturing as a team. I’ve seen our guys getting better with every game they’ve played.” Kevin Daniels turned in his best game as a Flyer against the Panthers. The junior quarterback threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Dion Ruiz, ran for an 18-yard touchdown and kicked a 47-yard field goal. “I can’t say enough about the way he is playing,” said Mares of Daniels. “The offensive line is giving him a lot of time and he’s making great decisions with the football. He’s the leader of our offense and is playing the way we need him to.” ************************************************ From kdka.com October 11, 2008 Chemical Leak Leads To Evacuations In Petrolia PETROLIA (KDKA) ? A chemical leak at a plant in Petrolia has been contained but an evacuation order remains in effect. The incident began just after 5 p.m. at the INDESPEC plant. At least 500 people have been evacuated. The chemical, Oleum, was released in a small chemical cloud that led to the evacuation of residents in a triangle-shaped area just north of Karns City and south of Bruin, and west to Route 38. Residents who live within a two-mile radius of the plant are now being advised to stay indoors and avoid letting outside air into their homes. Right now, Route 268 from Route 68 to Bruin remains closed to all traffic. Route 38 is also closed from Hooker to North Washington. Oleum is remaining in the air because there is no wind to move the cloud away from the area. Oleum is an irritant to the lungs and eyes. It can cause serious skin burns in close contact. So far there are no reports of serious injuries. Residents who evacuated are currently at the Bruin Fire Hall, Karns City High School, and the North Washington VFD Social Hall. ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com October 14, 2008 Pirates beat Lions in first season win KENEDY — After beginning their 2008 football season with a 0-4 start, the Poth Pirates bounced back Oct. 10 with a 34-0 blowout over the Kenedy Lions. The first of five Pirate touchdowns came with mere seconds remaining in the first quarter of play. After making a strong drive toward the end zone, sophomore Jay Garza capped off the drive as he punched the ball in from a yard out. Cole Reed knocked the point after through the uprights, and Poth led 7-0. Garza added another touchdown on the night when he picked his way through the Lion defense and sprinted 41 yards to the goal line. Reed added his second extra point of the night, and Poth was in control of the game, leading 14-0. Poth’s defense quickly returned possession of the ball back to the Pirate offense, and quarterback Robert Broyles connected with Holden Beasley for a 29-yard touchdown pass. Reed’s kick was on the mark, and Poth led 21-0. Garza wasn’t finished in the half, though, and before the teams left the field for halftime, he carried the ball in for another Pirate touchdown. “It was exciting to have such a big lead,” said one excited Pirate fan after the game. “We were unstoppable.” The Lions stepped up their defense in the second half of the game, but Kenedy’s offense was still unable to find the end zone. Poth played well with a good lead, and Broyles scored the Pirates’ final touchdown of the evening on an 8-yard dash to the stripe. The point- after kick was no good, but Poth held a 34-0 lead until the final buzzer. The Pirates dominated every portion of the game, converting 10 first downs on the night, while holding Kenedy to just three. The Lions were held to less than 100 yards of total offense, while the Pirates closed in on the 300-yard mark. Garza led the Poth running game with 218 yards on 18 carries. Denver McKinney added another 32 yards, Broyles ran for 25, and Chris Robles had five carries for 20 yards. Broyles was six of nine throwing the ball, and gained 66 yards through the air. Beasley led all receivers with 29 yards. With the win, Poth moves to 1-4 on the season, and is 1-0 in District 28-2A competition. The Pirates will travel to Navarro Oct. 17 to take on the Panthers. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com October 14, 2008 Yanta, Hosek marry Martin and Dorothy Yanta of Karnes City, Texas, are proud to announce the marriage of their daughter, Tracy Ann Yanta, to Jordan Wayne Hosek, the son of Gerry and LeAnn Hosek of Poth. Tracy is the granddaughter of the late Vincent and Victoria Laskowski, formerly of Kosciusko, and Louise Yanta of Panna Maria and the late Thomas Yanta. She is a 2002 graduate of Karnes City High School and a 2007 graduate of Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. Tracy is a second-grade teacher at Kenedy Elementary School. Jordan is the grandson of the late John and Rosie Labus, formerly of Hobson, and Edward and Frances Hosek of Poth. He is a 2002 graduate of Poth High School and is currently working for Fred Clark as an electrician in San Antonio. The couple united in holy matrimony on Saturday, June 28, 2008, in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Panna Maria. They are currently residing in Hobson. ************************************************ From wilsoncountynews.com October 14, 2008 Karnes County officials consider unit road system FALLS CITY — Besides voting for the next president of the United States, voters here will be asked to decide whether or not they want Karnes County to implement a unit road system. Mayor Brent Houdmann and councilmen Jeff Johnson, Gery Jendrusch, Steven Swierc, and Andrew Wiatrek heard from Karnes County Pct. 2 Commissioner Jeffrey Wiatrek during the Oct. 8 council meeting. Wiatrek is concerned over a ballot referendum asking voters to allow the county to create a unit road system. If voters approve the measure, it would mean the creation of a centralized county road department, along with the consolidation of equipment and personnel. “Some [residents] are saying we have too much equipment,” Commissioner Wiatrek said. “Well, one of them needs to crawl up with me on a maintainer and blade one of these roads; then tell me if we have too much equipment.” Commissioner Wiatrek alleged that some people who are in favor of the measure are trying to dupe residents into thinking it will lead to the county being able to pave its roads. Karnes County’s road system consists of 587 miles of roadway, he said, with 90 percent of them being unpaved. “We don’t have the money,” Commissioner Wiatrek said. The commissioner also alleges that the unit road system would put the county even further over its fiscal year 2009 budget. “I voted against our budget this year, by the way,” Commissioner Wiatrek said. “Funding for our new building is just under $200,000 over budget. If a disaster hits Karnes County, we’re going to be hurt.” During the meeting, the council also discussed whether or not the city should be responsible for helping residents to pay for repairs to their lift stations. A request for such assistance was made by three residents with acreage properties, of which Houdmann said two are located on U.S. 181 and one is located on F.M. 791. The council decided to not take formal action and study the issue further. All three properties are situated below the elevation of the city’s sewer system, which runs parallel to the roadway. Therefore, each of these homes has a lift station, which consists of a pump and pipes designed to transport the sewage uphill from the home to the city’s sewage line. In some cases, said Roberto Rodriguez from the city’s utility department, these lift stations have to pump the sewage for a distance of more than 100 yards. The average life expectancy of one of these pump motors has been three to four years, Jendrusch said. The residents, who were not present for the meeting, have approached the city about either paying for the lift stations or assisting with their upkeep. “They picked to build there,” Jendrusch said. “Someone in Poth had a lift station in the city and the city didn’t pay for it. You either build above grade or you pay for it.” Swierc added, “They knew what they got into.” Jendrusch suggested the councilmen check with other area cities to see whether or not they provide any assistance to residents who utilize lift stations. City Secretary Lauren Sturm said, “They don’t. Every one of their kids could build out there and we’d be putting in 250 lift stations.” Houdmann suggested researching the possibility of the city using its purchase power to buy new pumps at a better price, but having the residents reimburse the city. “We’re obligated to provide sewer service, they have to get it to the house,” Johnson said. Wiatrek suggested the city try to remedy the problem in some way, or risk a public health concern. “If those pumps go out, we could have raw sewage all over the city,” he said. The council also: •Discussed a request from a city resident to lease a small piece of land located near the corner of Andrews and Irvin streets, which the city had purchased as part of a flood buyback program. The resident already mows the property, which is across from his mother’s house. •Unanimously approved changing the day for trick-or-treating from Halloween, Oct. 31, to Sunday, Oct. 26 — the same night as the Falls City Parent Teacher Organization’s Halloween carnival. ************************************************ From thecountywide.com October 15, 2008 Karnes County Hospital District Board of Directors By Kevin Matula They handle one important community resource: healthcare. The Karnes County Hospital District’s board of directors makes the tough decisions when it comes to the services provided by Otto Kaiser Memorial Hospital. "In the field of healthcare, we see costs rising at a much higher rate than the economy in general. And yet at the same time, the demand for quality healthcare continues to rise," said Kenedy representative Richard Robinson, who has been on the board for 13 years. "I think the key always has been for a board of trustees to remember their fiduciary responsibility to both the institution and the people who elected them." Taxpayers may not be aware that these elected directors such as Robinson set policies, establish tax rates, hire staff and make rules. But everything these individuals do related to the business of the hospital district affects them. "Taxpayers should be very interested in who serves on their board, and I would encourage them to attend our monthly meetings. Many of the recent changes our board implemented came directly from public questions and concerns for these changes with our hospital," said Secretary/Treasurer and Karnes City representative David Purser, who has served on the board for three years. "I feel the public’s involvement in our hospital is serious and important to our growth. We want to listen to your (the community’s) comments." Purser noted the volunteer group, the "Pink Ladies Auxiliary," is among the hardest working and benevolent servers within the hospital. This organization conducts many fundraisers, maintains the gift shop and vending machines, and does other "odds and ends" around the hospital to help out. The funds they raise help purchase equipment needed by the patients and hospital departments, as well as other needs of the hospital. "The past several years our hospital board used its tax dollars and its policy to enact program changes," Purser said. "We diligently are working to raise pay and benefits for our professional staff." President of the board Mary Szalwinski, who represents Falls City, says that her main reason for being on the board was to, "review and work on the improving health care for the citizens." "As a hospital district, our tax dollars should continuously go toward improving the facility, equipment, working conditions, and patient care areas," said Szalwinski, who has been a member of the board since 1997. In addition to Robinson, Purser, and Szalwinski, Rita Jordan of Karnes City, Margie Tamez of Runge, Ray Rossett of Kenedy and Nancy Avant of Kenedy round out the board of directors. "While we have done a great job of increasing the services provided to the community in terms of various specialty fields, we would like to continue to add to those areas of specialty so that our community can receive treatment locally without having to travel to other areas for those services," said Jordan, a two-year member. "We are considering the possibility of building a (health) and wellness center that would not only provide a state of the art physical therapy center but would also house a center that would be available to the public," Jordan said. "We are in the very early assessment stages of this project." Jordan is not the only one who mentioned that a health and wellness center is on their list of priorities – all members acknowledged the need for the center. This center will provide community resources for better living through exercise and nutrition. It will also encompass the need for a larger physical therapy department. Board member Margie Tamez, a member of three years, added that the community should care who sits on their board because they are the ones who distribute their tax dollars. "My philosophy in terms of tax dollars is that the tax dollars are an essential part of the growth for our community, our state and our federal government. It is of most importance to place this money in hands of people that are going to invest it and spend it wisely," Tamez said. "My philosophy in terms of making policies that affect patients and members of our community is a process of observing, listening and seeing: Observing needs and prioritizing these needs, listening to people as they express their needs to us and to others, and seeing how legitimate are their needs." Board Vice President Ray Rossett noted that his reasons for being on the board were, "to assist, improve health status in our community and to promote access to health care services to all persons in the community." "It’s more productive to study the systems used to provide clinical and service quality and correct mistakes in those systems than it is to look for people’s failures," Rossett said. Board members such as Nancy Avant, board member of 12 years, concurred with CEO Nancy Kinkler that a pressing issue is to keep the hospital "top-notch." Kinkler, who replaced longtime administrator Harold Boening in January 2000, previously worked at the Beeville hospital holding positions of lab supervisor, lab director, and eventually in 1996, the Associate Administrator. While at Otto Kaiser, Kinkler has had a new computer system installed that helped the hospital become more efficient and compliant in the daily work of the hospital. In 2005, they converted to a Critical Access Hospital which provides the hospital with cost based reimbursement from Medicare and opened the Swing Bed Program. Then in 2007, the construction and renovation project which included the 12,500-square-foot Professional Building and Emergency and Surgery Departments expansion and renovations were completed. "We continue to look for opportunities to meet the needs of our community. I would like to expand the physicians in our Medical Specialty Clinic to include an Obstetrician/Gynecologist and work with Nephrologist, Dr. John Kobert and the San Antonio Kidney Disease Center to bring dialysis to Karnes County," Kinkler said. "We have plans for a Wellness Center in the future that I know would improve the overall health and quality of life for many people." Robinson noted that the citizens of Karnes County should know that the hospital board possesses a real compassion and commitment to fulfill the responsibilities placed upon them. These directors are elected every four years; elections are done similarly to a school board election. People from the different represented cities run for a position on the board, and are voted by the citizens of their respective city. "We have a broad base of understanding and a wonderful variety of background experience which helps maintain an all-important balance in dealing with the variety of challenges faced by the district," Robinson said. "And I can say that it is important that a board maintain a wide-angle perspective, and not tunnel vision, as regards those day-to-day challenges. So, I think that it is important that the taxpayers be careful to elect trustees who will maintain such a balance. The hospital will celebrate its 33rd Anniversary today. Otto Kaiser Memorial Hospital opened in 1975. "Taxpayers need to care who sits on their Hospital Board because those board members have a great responsibility to assure that Karnes County is provided with the highest quality health care available," Kinkler said. "They must be knowledgeable about current issues affecting healthcare, understand the financial structure and put the patients first in their decision making. Our current Board members do exactly that and work together as a single unit, not seven individuals." ************************************************ From thecountywide.com October 15, 2008 63 years and counting Part 2: Postal carrier Elroy Fenner recalls experiences delivering mail Editor’s note: This is part 2 of a story that began last week about mail carrier Elroy Fenner who recently was honored for 63 years of service delivering mail to people in the Kenedy and surrounding areas. By Joe Baker Elroy Fenner had to come up with some clever ways to get the mail where it was supposed to go – especially when there were heavy rains; he would have to take a detour from his regular route in order to get the job done. "The roads were like wagon trails when it rained," Fenner said. "I sometimes did not get back to town until 4 p.m. One day, it had rained a lot and I was in the El Oso area. I went down this narrow road and there was a wooden bridge. As I looked ahead, I saw it had washed out. I knew I could not stop so I jumped out of my Model T and hung on the edge of the bridge, motor running. No mail was lost, so I guess it was a good job!" The next time Fenner had an accident was years later when the driveshaft of his vehicle came off in the Lenz area. "I could not turn, so I went straight on a "T" road – right through the fence!" Fenner said. Fenner said he hauled groceries to the stores in Lenz, El Oso and Zunkerville. He hauled bread, potatoes, ice, sugar and beans – items that would not spoil. There were always lots of wild animals to be seen while he made his daily rounds delivering the mail, Fenner said, including deer, turkey, hogs and rattlesnakes. "A bad storm came through our town and everything was flooded," Fenner recalled. "People drove boats down Main Street and our post office was flooded. We could not get to the post office and mail delivery was delayed for several days. About 30 inches of rain fell." In 1974, Fenner took on a second mail delivery route, HC 67, which took him to Mineral, a small community in Bee County, and back to Kenedy. Although he just recently stopped delivering the mail on the HC 67 route, after 63 years of delivering the mail, Fenner continues to deliver mail to residents and businesses along the HC 66 mail delivery route. ************************************************ From victoriaadvocate.com October 14, 2008 Advocate honor roll Jenna Treybig, Palacios - Tallied 31 kills, 43 digs and six blocks in wins over Goliad and Yoakum for the 13th-ranked Sharkettes. Trent Jackson, Cuero - Rushed for 222 yards on 18 carries with touchdown runs of 53, 33, 2 and 53 yards in a win over Yoakum. Meredith Bard, El Campo – Finished with 25 digs, 25 kills, 32 service points and 6 blocks in a win over Bay City and a loss to Lamar Consolidated. Alyssa Dibbern, Bay City – Tallied 23 kills with 14 digs and 8 blocks in a loss to El Campo. Shaniqua Doggins, Wharton – Had 19 kills, 6 aces, 4 blocks and 3 digs in a win over Stafford. Audrey Kubecka, Palacios – Served up 24 points and had 17 kills, 14 digs and 11 blocks in wins over Yoakum and Goliad. Callie Herrington, Hallettsville – Finished wit 74 assists, 8 digs and 5 kills in wins over Weimar and Brazos Consolidated. Rachel Besetzny, Schulenburg – Tallied 33 kills and 38 digs in a win over East Bernard and a loss to Weimar. Termeka Canada, Nixon-Smiley – Had 31 kills and 13 blocks in a win over Karnes City and a loss to Navarro. Jordan Milberger, Industrial – Had 19 kills and 9 aces in wins over Tidehaven and Boling. Caitlyn Kalich, Shiner – Served up 31 points with 7 aces, 3 kills and 25 assists in a win over San Antonio Stacey and added 15 assists in a win over Waelder. Katie Sherman, Ganado – Finished with 44 assists and 15 digs in a win over Pettus and a loss to Yorktown. Haley Thomas, Faith Academy – Paced the Lady Cougars with 67 assists and 11 digs in a win over Bryan Allen Academy and a loss to Brazos Christian. Amber Bain, Louise – Slapped down 20 kills with 5 blocks in a win over Runge. Kymber Blaschke, Yorktown - Recorded 49 assists, 18 digs, 6 kills and 5 aces in wins over Nordheim and Ganado. Summer Brooks, St. Joseph – Fired in 13 aces, serve up 20 points and had 34 kills and 8 blocks in wins over Shiner St. Paul and Austin Hyde Park. Jill McElroy, Shiner St. Paul – Had 32 kills and 33 digs in a win over Hallettsville Sacred Heart and a loss to St. Joseph. Kaylie Steffek, Hallettsville Sacred Heart – Finished with 10 kills, 22 digs and 2 aces in a loss to St. Paul. Katie Shellenbarger, Cuero – Tallied 29 digs with 25 assists and 2 aces in wins over Gonzales and Yoakum. Elizabeth Bruns, Flatonia – Had 24 assists, 14 kills, 9 digs and 4 aces in wins over Prairie Lea and San Antonio Stacey. Brittany Miears and Larissa Loredo, Yoakum – Shot 88 and 89 respectively to lead the Lady Bulldogs to the team title at the Victoria Fall Classic. Aaron Franklin, Goliad – Had touchdown catches of 21, 66 and 15 yards and ran 6 yards for another score in a win over Palacios. Spencer Starkey, St. Joseph - Picked off two passes, recovered a fumble and returned a punt 42 yards for a touchdown in a win over Giddings State. Kam Jones, Edna – Scored on two 1-yard runs while rushing for 94 yards and throwing for 50 yards in a loss to Gonzales. Rockeem Collins, Gonzales – Ran for 117 yards with a 14-yard TD run in a win over Edna. Kyle Hendley, Refugio – Threw for 229 yards with TD tosses of 42 and 62 yards in a win over Banquete. Jourdan Ortiz, Refugio – Had touchdown receptions of 42 and 23 yards, along with a 1-yard TD run in a win over Banquete. Maverick Smith, El Campo – Rushed for 157 yards on 10 carries with a 93-yard TD run in a win over Richmond Foster. Corey McDonough, Calhoun – Returned a fumble 23 yards for a touchdown in a win over Corpus Christi Ray. Jayden Barefield, Yorktown – Had 197 all-purpose yards with two receiving touchdowns and a kickoff return for a touchdown, while recording six tackles and intercepting two passes in a win over Pettus. Lance Crump, East Bernard – Scored on runs of 9, 3 and 9 yards while rushing for 168 yards in a win over Schulenburg. Matt Stelzel, East Bernard – Threw a 29-yard TD pass and kicked six extra points in a win over Schulenburg. Kyle Bludau, Schulenburg – Ran 34-yards for a touchdown, threw a 7-yard TD pass and kicked two extra points in a loss to East Bernard. Austin Smalley, Industrial – Tossed 9 and 41 yards TD passes and ran 1 yard for another score in a win over Tidehaven. Cody Box, Nixon-Smiley – Threw for 187 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Navarro. Adam Kalich, Shiner – Scored on runs of 9, 11 and 9 yards in a win over Louise. Adrian Lighteard, Flatonia – Ran for 166 yards with a 24-yard TD run in a loss to Burton. Gil Hodges and Josh Soto Shiner St. Paul – Combined to rush for 270 yards with TD runs of 7, 34, 40, 14, 34, 34, and 2 yards in a win over Waco Texas Christian. Grant Pustejovsky, Hallettsville Sacred Heart – Ran for 154 yards with TD runs of 4, 12, 9 and 8 yards in a win over Brazos Christian. Anthony Hernandez, Woodsboro – Rushed for 139 yards with touchdown runs of 42, 46 and 46 yards in a win over Runge. Trey Hights, Yoakum – Scored on runs of 7 and 6 yards while rushing for 169 yards in a loss to Cuero. Ashleigh Gottschalt and Ashley Hernandez, Calhoun – Ran times of 11 minutes, 52 seconds and 12:03 to finish 1-2 in the varsity girls division and lead the Sandies to the team title at the Bloomington Invitational. Corey Barrientos and Oscar Gaona, Calhoun – Turned in a 1-2 finish with times of 16:03 and 16:21 respectively to lead the Sandcrabs to the varsity boys team title at the Bloomington Invitational. Albert Adame, Memorial – Ran a time of 16:28 to place third in the varsity boys division of the Bloomington Invitational. Patrick Pitts and Nick Guerra, East Bernard – Finished 2-3 respectively to lead the Brahmas to the team title at the Round Top-Carmine Invitational. Christie Acevedo, East Bernard – Placed second with a time of 12:59.48 at the Round Top-Carmine Invitational. Lauren Lightfoot, Memorial – Won the 50 freestyle and 500 freestyle while swimming a leg on the winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays in a triangular meet with Corpus Christi Carroll and C.C. King. Kelsay Ross, Memorial – Placed first in the 100 breaststroke, was second in the individual medley and swam a leg on the winning 200 medley relay and third place 200 freestyle relay in a triangular meet with C.C. Carroll and C.C. King. Aaron Kellis, Memorial – Took first in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle while swimming a leg on the winning 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays in a triangular meet with C.C. Carroll and C.C. King. Victor Huber, Memorial – Won the 200 freestyle, placed second in the 500 freestyle and swam a leg on the winning 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays in a triangular meet with C.C. Carroll and C.C. King. ************************************************ From fbherald.com October 15, 2008 Benito Garcia Benito S. Garcia, 86, of Rosenberg, Texas, passed away Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008, at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. He was born Oct. 28, 1921, in Runge, Texas, to Benito and Josefa Garcia. Graveside services, with full military honors, is 2 p.m. Tuesday at Davis Greenlawn Cemetery in Rosenberg, with Deacon Danielo Naranjo officiating. Benito was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He landed on Normandy beach in northern France on D-Day. During his time of service, he received the E.A.M.E. campaign medal with two bronze stars. He also received a Purple Heart and unit badge World War II Victory Medal. He was well-known in the community and operated a tire store until the age of 83. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lillie M. Garcia; sons, Melvin and Billy Garcia; daughter, Lydia Ibarra; and brother, Florentino, who was killed in action during World War I. Survivors include daughter, Lucinda Zepeda and husband, Elias; sons, Benny Gracia, and Benjie Garcia and wife, Sandra, of California; son-in-law, Manuel Ibarra; grandchildren: Joe, Lawrence and Lisa Garcia, Elias and Daniel Zepeda, Stephanie Greer, Lillie Aguilar and Josette Landaverde, Jenny Huerta, Daisy Garcia of Rosenberg, and Daisy Garcia of Brawley, Calif; numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. He will be missed by his fishing buddy, Daniel Waterwall, and very dear friend, Chale Cantu. Pall bearers are Joe Garcia, Cameron Garcia, Elias Zepeda Jr., Daniel Zepeda, Luis Huerta and Mario Aguilar Jr. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Johanna Compean, E. P. Compean Funeral Directors, 1223 Sixth St. in Rosenberg, 281-238-4443. Paul McDonald Funeral services for Paul E. McDonald, 81, of Rosenberg, Texas, are 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 17, 2008, in the Chapel of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Richmond, Texas, with Deacon Don Ries officiating the services. A graveside service is 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at the Houston National Cemetery in Houston. Visitation is 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a 7 p.m. wake service, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 in the Chapel of Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Home in Rosenberg. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Home, 3900 B.F. Terry Blvd. in Rosenberg, 281-341-8800, or Web site www.davisgreenlawnfh.com. ************************************************ From mysanantonio.com October 16, 2008 Roads a financial debate in Karnes Karnes County doesn't have many miles of roads, but how they get paved and maintained has become an issue voters will decide in November. A referendum on whether to adopt a unit road system, described as an “optional county road system” on the ballot, would give voters the choice of keeping the job in the hands of county commissioners or centralizing it under a county road engineer. County Attorney Robert Busselman is squarely in favor of the new system and worked to get it on the ballot. County commissioners are united against it. Both sides believe their option will save the county money. Consolidating all roadwork into one department will reduce labor, equipment and fuel costs, Busselman said. “It will save us money, and it will be a whole lot more businesslike,” he said, noting that by his calculations most equipment stands idle 80 percent of the time in each commissioner's precinct. Commissioners Jeffrey Wiatrek and Darrell Blaschke said the costs associated with establishing a new county office for a road engineer would exceed the county's budget and create another layer of bureaucracy that residents would have to contend with to get something done. Busselman said the road engineer would serve at the commissioners' pleasure and take direction from them like any executive listens to a board of directors. But the new system would allow one person to be in charge and set priorities instead of four, and allow long-term planning and flexibility that's not possible with four separate road crews, he said. Commissioners opposed the system because it threatened their power, Busselman said. “They're little kingdoms that they try to run,” he said of the commissioners' responsibility to pave roads within their precincts. Wiatrek said there was no way the county could afford to fund a road engineering department, pointing to the $380,429 in combined road budgets of the four precincts. Subtract from that the salary for a road engineer, an administrative assistant, office space and overhead, he said, and there's practically nothing for roadwork. “We're a poor county here. In my own opinion, we cannot survive” the proposed system financially, Wiatrek said. “You're going to be spending 30 to 45 percent more.” Blaschke agreed, noting that the county already has had trouble balancing a skinny budget. A unit road system may work in fast-growing counties with lots of money and a constant demand for new roads, Blaschke said, but not in a county like Karnes, with limited resources, no big suburban development boom and a stable road network. Blaschke said the issue has boiled down to rural versus urban voters: people who live in the city are for the system and those who use the county roads in the rural areas are against it. The issue came before Karnes County voters once before, in 1984 and it failed 3-to-1, he said. He's hoping for the same outcome this time around. “We can't live a rich man's dream on a poor man's pocket,” Blaschke said. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com October 16, 2008 Panthers gear up for Poth By Scot Kibbe Like an old fisherman, the Navarro Panthers may have spent the last year lamenting “the one that got away.” For the Panthers, it was their district opener in 2007 when they blew a 14-0 lead and fell to the Poth Pirates in overtime. This Friday, they will face the team which stole that game and their playoff spot when they welcome Poth to Erwin-Lee Field. Navarro head coach Les Goad does not believe revenge will be a motive for his team but says the game is important anyway. “Last year, this loss really put us in a bad position,” he said. “Both teams have graduated a lot of players from that team but this is still a pretty big rivalry for us.” In addition to losing 23 seniors from last year’s team, the Pirates have undergone a coaching change. Gone is Jerry Bonewald, who earned 99 wins and only one losing season since taking over the program in 1996. He has been replaced by former Stockdale head coach Andrew King, who led the Brahmas to the playoffs in each of his four years at the school. King replaced the veer offense that the Pirates had run under Bonewald with the more wide open offense he employed at Stockdale. The team struggled with the new offense in their four non-district games (one game was cancelled because of Hurricane Ike), losing all four while managing a total of just 13 points. They came to life last week in their district opener, however, as they rolled to a 34-0 win over Kenedy. Running back Jay Garza led the way with 218 yards rushing and three touchdowns. “They will do a lot from the shotgun,” Goad said. “But they put their quarterback under center more than Stockdale and run a lot from the I-formation.” Poth has been stronger on the defensive side of the ball, holding four of their six opponents to 14 points or less. Goad is especially impressed with the speed of their linebackers. The Pirates’ base defense is a split but Goad expects adjustment because of the Panthers’ Slot-T offense. “We rarely see much of a team’s base defense,” he said. “We should see new things on both sides of the ball.” The Panthers will be trying to win their sixth game in a row and get off to a 2-0 start in district. Goad expects quarterback Cooper Herzog to play after missing last week’s game because of illness. But they will be without right guard Gabe Gomez, who broke a bone in his leg last week and will be out up to six weeks, according to Goad. They will hope for a big game from running back Jacob Garcia, who needs just 149 yards to reach the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the second year in a row. According to the San Antonio Express-News, Garcia’s 15 rushing touchdowns in 2008 place him second in the San Antonio area, behind only Malcolm Brown of Steele who has 16. This is the fifteenth all-time meeting between these schools, which started playing in 1986. Poth leads the series 9-5. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ************************************************ From caller.com October 17, 2008 South Texas Electric Cooperative gets $265 million loan Co-op customers may see reduction in electricity costs By Fanny S. Chirinos South Texas Electric Cooperative Inc., which supplies power to eight co-ops in South Texas, received a $265 million loan that might reduce electricity costs to co-op customers. The loan, called a revolving credit facility, was issued by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp. and announced in late September. Officials with the finance company did not return calls Thursday. The funds will help the cooperative on projects such as building substations, repairing transmission lines and investing in power plants, said spokeswoman Dotty DiSanto. One such plant is the 200-megawatt facility under construction in Pearsall that is expected to begin operating at the end of 2009. "By building Pearsall, we hope to lower the per-kilowatt-hour price," DiSanto said. "Prices are high because facilities have broken down and we've had to buy from other generation facilities. (The Pearsall facility) will allow us to control the price instead of the wholesale market." The company also plans to buy 49 percent of the 650-megawatt Coleto Creek facility near Fannin. "This project will provide affordable power to our members and increase the fuel diversity in the region," Michael Packard, the co-op's general manager, said in a written statement. The available credit allowed the cooperative to sell public bonds to pay down the loan and then pay back the public with interest, DiSanto said. The co-op became a 100 percent borrower of the finance corporation about one year ago. South Texas Electric Cooperative provides wholesale electric power to its members, which include Karnes, Wharton County, Victoria, Jackson, San Patricio, Nueces, Magic Valley and Medina electric co-ops. In July, the company became the second customer of Peñascal Wind Farm in Kenedy County. The wind farm, under development by Oregon-based Ibedrola Renewables, will provide one-fourth of the co-op's power. Contact Fanny S. Chirinos at 886-3759 ************************************************ From taylordailypress.net October 18, 2008 Meza Jaden Paul Meza turned 5 Tuesday and will celebrate with a racecar party this weekend with family and friends. He is the son of Barry and Christie Meza of Granger and brother of Sarah, 7. His grandparents are Melvin Volek and Diane Volek, both of Taylor, Tom and Josie Warner of Seguin and Raymond Meza of Kenedy. His great-grandfather is Paul Volek of Taylor. ************************************************ From mysanantonio.com October 18, 2008 County Referendum: Proposition to adopt the optional or "unit" road system in Karnes County Commissioner Pct. 1 Steve Ryan Republican, 47, of Kenedy, bulldozer business. Ryan said his experience as a business owner, particularly working on roads and dealing with budgets, would allow him to perform well on key aspects of the job if elected. Carl Hummel Democrat, 46, of Kenedy, farm equipment dealer. Hummel said his experience in business and real estate would help him push for a balanced budget and more business recruitment. "I’ve got lots of common sense that I think needs to be applied to county government," he said. ************************************************ From seguingazette.com October 19, 2008 Panthers banish Poth 23-19 By Scot Kibbe GERONIMO—The Navarro Panthers put their fans on the edge of their seats but eventually held off a spirited challenge from the Poth Pirates Friday night for a 23-19 victory. The win was the Panthers’ sixth in a row but it was much tougher than the previous five. The Pirates played nothing like the 1-4 record they brought into the game and kept the Panthers on their heels until the last 16 seconds of the game. Navarro head coach Les Goad was happy to get his team to 2-0 in district play and praised his opponents. “Poth has a great tradition,” he said. “They always play us tough and we didn’t expect this to be any different. They showed tonight that they’ve improved a lot from their early losses.” It was the Panthers’ low point total of the season but running back Jacob Garcia still managed to get three touchdown runs. It was the fourth straight game in which he has scored three or more touchdowns and the fifth this season. He has 18 touchdowns on the season and at least one touchdown in every game. The first quarter consisted only of two long drives. The Panthers had the first, driving 78 yards in 13 plays. They cashed in a fourth-and-one at the Poth 25 with a Garcia run. Garcia scored two plays later on a slashing 12-yard run. Will Valdez added the extra point. Poth answered with their own 78-yard drive but in 14 plays. But the PAT kick was blocked and scooped up by the speedy Valdez, who outraced the Pirates going the other way to the end zone. The Panthers were rewarded two points for the play, giving them a 9-6 advantage. They added to that lead on their next possession with another sustained drive. This time they went 64 yards in 12 plays with Garcia carrying on seven of the snaps. He capped the drive with a one-yard run, giving the Panthers the 16-6 lead that they would take to half time. The wild second half began with the Panthers stopping Poth on their opening possession. But the ensuing punt was ruled to have hit a Navarro returner and was recovered by the Pirates at the Panther six-yard line. Three plays later, the Pirates were in the end zone on a two-yard touchdown run by Jay Garza. The Panthers were unable to move the ball on their next series, forcing them to punt to a Poth team that held all the momentum. They put that momentum to good use on one of the most impressive plays of the night. Receiver Holden Beasley was interfered with and a flag was thrown but he maintained perfect concentration and hauled in a 44-yard touchdown pass. That score, with the ensuing PAT, gave the Pirates a 19-16 lead. It was the first time the Panthers trailed in the second half since their opening game loss to San Antonio Christian. They would fail to convert a fourth-and-three on their next series but they would get the ball back when their defense followed with a three-and-out. Starting from their own 21 on the first play of the fourth quarter, the Panthers put together a well-executed drive. They mixed in some new plays and gained 35 yards on a run by Valdez and 21 yards on a run by quarterback Cooper Herzog. But the score came from a familar source as Garcia dove in from the one for the go-ahead score, his third touchdown of the night. In the final eight minutes of the game, Poth would threaten three times. The first attempt appeared to succeed when receiver Talon Musgrove took a double reverse 48 yards into the Navarro end zone. But that score was wiped out by a clipping penalty. Despite an acrobatic catch from tight end Billy Korzekwa at the Panther 16, the drive stalled and a fourth-down pass fell incomplete. The Panthers tried to move the ball and use up clock following that stop. But a holding penalty erased a Zac Hernandez first down run and Navarro would have to punt three plays later. The Pirates took over at their own 38 with 2:11 remaining. They moved quickly into Panther territory before Valdez came up with a huge play for Navarro. He pulled a Poth pass out of the air with one hand and hauled it in for an interception at the Navarro 19. Just 1:32 remained and Poth had only two timeouts remaining. The Panthers only had to run out the clock and the win would be in the bag. Instead, they made things more exciting. On their third play, a botched misdirection run resulted in the one thing the Panthers had to avoid: a turnover. Poth took the ball at the Navarro 24 with 40 second and no timeouts remaining. But a short run and three incomplete passes added up to a stop for Navarro, allowing them to escape with a hard fought win. After the game, a relieved Goad said he hoped to build on the narrow victory. “There is no doubt that when you overcome adversity and win a game like this, it shows the strength and character of your team,” he said. “We made some mistakes but we got off the mat and found a way to win. That is what good teams do.” The Panthers will try to extend their winning streak and their place atop the 28-AA standings next week when they travel to Kenedy to play the Lions. Kickoff between the two teams is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ************************************************ From wacotrib.com October 18, 2008 Talk of the Neighborhood Talk of the Neighborhood highlights Central Texans’ achievements. * Applause * * David Davis, executive director of The Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children in Waco, has been elected to the statewide board of Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas. The Advocacy Center is a nonprofit agency annually serving more than 1,200 victims of crime in a six-county area through three main programs: Children’s Advocacy Center, Court Appointed Special Advocates and Victims Center. Davis began his work at the center in 1999 as the director of clinical services. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Asian studies from Baylor University, a Master of Social Work from Carver School of Social Work and a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. * Dana McMahan, an eighth-grade science teacher at Midway Middle School, recently received her Master Science Teacher certification from the state. A teacher with a valid Texas teaching certificate and at least three years of teaching experience can become certified as a MST by successfully completing the rigorous preparation program approved by the State Board for Educator Certification and passing the appropriate certification program. Her achievement follows on the heels of Dianne Leggott, a sixth-grade teacher at Midway Intermediate School, who achieved her MST certification last school year. * Kevin Gill, men’s basketball coach for the McLennan Com-munity College Highlanders, was named the Cen-Tex African-American Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Month for September. Gill, a graduate of La Vega High School who later coached the team to a state championship, has been MCC’s head coach since 2002 and has directed his squads to a 140-49 record. Gill graduated from La Vega in 1985 and from Paul Quinn College in 1990. In 1998, he earned his master’s degree from Prairie View A&M. Gill and his wife, Suzette, a teacher and coach at La Vega High School, are the parents of two daughters, Chelsi, 13, and Kobi, 10. * City of Waco Secretary Patricia Ervin was elected president of the Texas Municipal Clerks Association Inc. at its annual meeting. The Texas Municipal Clerks Association Inc. is a statewide association with more than 900 members and operates the Texas Municipal Clerks Certification Program at the University of North Texas in Denton. * Eronne Carlisle of Waco was honored by FedEx Ground for achieving 10 years of safe driving without a preventable accident. Carlisle has been a professional truck driver for six years with FedEx Ground and works out of the company’s Waco facility. * NeighborWorks Waco Executive Director Roy Nash has been selected to participate in the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence in Community Development Program, which includes three residential modules at Harvard Kennedy School. He is one of 50 chosen for the 18-month educational program. * Central Texas Wendy’s was named the Best Franchisee in the West and recognized as a finalist in the Every Customer Counts awards at the annual Wendy’s convention held in San Antonio. The Best Franchisee award, also known as “The Wendy Award,” represents excellence in operations, food quality, community involvement and facilities reinvestment. The Central Texas Wendy’s franchise includes 18 stores. In addition to “The Wendy Award,” the Fifth Street restaurant in Waco, near Baylor’s campus, was a finalist for the Every Customer Counts Award. This award recognizes the store as one of the top 14 Wendy’s restaurants in the world. The store’s manager is Claudia Chavez. * Class Acts * * The Baylor Law School team of Stephen Pocsik and Melanie Fry won first place at the 2008 Mack Kidd Moot Court Competition in Austin the first weekend in October. This is the third straight year that a Baylor team has won the competition and the sixth time in 11 years. Additionally, Pocsik was named Best Speaker and Fry was named the fourth-best speaker. Twelve teams from Texas law schools participated. The team is coached by Kathy Serr, a part-time lecturer in law. Baylor Law School also was represented by the teams of Lauren Braddy and Cassie Hoyer, and Patrick Scott and Amy Foster. * Mallory Homeyer, a George W. Truett Theological Seminary student from Kenedy, Texas, recently received a scholarship from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for the 2008-09 academic year. She attends Calvary Baptist Church in Waco. Scholarships have been granted to more than 70 students at 15 Fellowship partner schools. A scholarship student is awarded $2,000 to $5,000 for each semester and $1,000 to attend the CBF General Assembly. * In the Military * * Army Reserve Pvt. Jose G. Tabares, a 2007 graduate of Waco High School, has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. He is the son of Adicela Salazar of Waco. * Pitching In * * During the week of Sept. 29, Midway Intermediate students cleaned out their piggy jars and dug through their pockets and backpacks to donate $705.43 to the American Red Cross for the Hurricane Ike Disaster Relief Fund. Announcements were made on the intercom each morning and the coins kept rolling in every day. “The students amazed us all with their generosity,” said Diane Williams, a fifth-grade teacher. We had bags and bags and bags full of change.” Angie McFarland, financial development coordinator for the Red Cross Heart of Texas Area Chapter, received the school donation Oct. 3 from fifth-grade grade representative Maddie Evans and sixth-grade representative Patrick Sotomayor. ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************ From October , 2008 ************************************************