New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung from New Braunfels, Texas • Page 1

Tv 'X V.eto Unicorns edgeSV 1-0 in soccer battle, See Page New Braunfels Vol. 134, No. 282 New Braunfels, Texas 78130 (USPS377- Zeituno 7-880) 512-625-9144 Wednesday February 10,1988 25 Cents Two Sections, 28 Pages Watch out! Another blast of cold artic air is quickly making its way into South Texas and is expected in the area by tonight. Behind it are strong northerly winds and temperatures are expected to plunge. An overnight low of 28 degrees and cloudy skies are forecast with a high Thursday in the low 40s.

The Menu COMICS G8P1SWQ8Q OHI4MY 8118 68 3A 12A 7g 1 4A I TKWPifiS 'i Hays County Women's Center will host a benefit Sock Hop tomorrow night from 8 to midnight at Nephew's at 262 W. Jahn. Live 50s, 60s and 70s music will be provided by Toby Anderson. A $3 donation will be accepted at the door and other donations be appreciated. The Hays County Women's Center is a non-profit organization serving Comal, Hays and Caldwell counties.

Its services include counseling and referrals for victims of family violence and sexual assault of both children and adults. A 24-hour hotline is also available and can be reached by dialing 396-HELP. For more information, contact the center at 396-3404 or Nephew's at It's not too late to get a flu vaccine this year at the Comal County Health Department. County Nurse Mary Lou Erben said she has some vaccine available and you can drop by the health department on Wednesdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 2 to 5:30 p.m.

for a shot. The health department is on the second floor of the County Courthouse and you can get there by entering the building on the First Federal Savings and Loan Horace Neely of Western Steer warns merchants of another scam in the area wherein some men saying they represent high schools try to sell advertisements for a football calendar. They often approach businessmen on Sundays and demand cash for the ads. Don't buy it, he Local dentist Jim Lewis started the 1988 San Antonio Livestock Show with a bang. He was named champion amateur exhibitor during the Palamino horse show held Feb.

7 and 8 in San Antonio. He competed in four horsemanship events to claim his title, riding his Palamino mare "Stylish Comal County Farm Bureau is sponsoring a Defensive Driving class on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you want to take the class and reduce your automobile insurance premium, call the Farm Bureau office at For free tax counseling, take advantage of the American Association of Retired Persons program for the elderly and low-income. Volunteer tax-aid counselors will be at the Senior Citizens Center Saturdays from 9 a.m.

to noon; Dittlinger Memorial Library Mondays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays 1 to 5 p.m., Thursdays 5 to 7 p.m., and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; at Canyon Lake Action Center on Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

The service will be available through April 15. Bring a copy of 1986 return and all records of 1987 income and A grape vineyard short course, open to anyone interested in grape growing, will be Feb. 19 at Zilker Park Garden Center, 2220 Barton Springs Road in Austin. The program is free and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The program, sponsored by the Texas Agricultural Ex- See STAMMTISCH, Page 2A Jury finds Brimage guilty By DAVID MAY Staff Writer Richard Brimage Jr. showed no signs of emotion as he stood before Judge Manuel Banales Tuesday afternoon and the jury's verdict of guilty of capital murder was read. The seven-man, five-woman panel deliberated little more than an hour before returning its verdict and will now hear sentencing testimony set to begin this morning in the Comal County Courthouse. Brimage faces either death by injection or life imprisonment. The family of Mary Beth Kunkel, 19, of Kingsville, said they are relieved and believe that justice has been served by the jury's verdict.

The woman's nude and bound body was found in the trunk of Brimage's parents car at their Kingsville residence. The families of both the victim and the defendant said, however, they believe justice was not served when Kleburg County authorities agreed to a plea arrangement for co-defendant Leonel Molina, 32. "I feel very relieved," said Francis Kunkel, mother of the victim. When asked if she felt Brimage should receive the death penalty, she said: "Let God and the courts decide. All I want is justice.

I love my daughter very much and I miss her." Richard Kunkel, the victim's brother, said he believes Brimage, 32, should be sentenced to death. "It only seems fair," he stated. "But punishment shouldn't be immediate. He should wait and know how it feels." The Kunkels said Molina should not have been allowed to plead guilty to a charge of murder in exchange for a 50-year sentence. "I'm frustrated over Molina," Mrs.

Kunkel said. "He's just as guilty. He could have helped her. That's what upsets me the most. What kind of man would allow that to happen? I know he could have helped.

I can feel it." Molina entered a plea in what was believed to be an exchange for prosecution testimony against Brimage. The family of Mary Beth Kunkel believes justice has been served in the guilty verdict for capital murder trial of Richard Brimage Jr. Instead, Molina was called to the witness stand Monday by the defense. See GUILTY, Page 2A Armed men keep local police at bay in disturbance By DAVID MAY Staff Writer Two men armed with a shotgun and holed up in a house on South Seguin Street held New Braunfels Police at bay for two hours Tuesday evening until police were able to talk one out before going inside and apprehending the other. The ordeal began shortly after 6:30 p.m.

when police were summoned to a house in the 800 block of South Seguin Street, adjacent to Missouri- Pacific railroad tracks, for a family disturbance. A 70-year-old woman who owns the residence told police a man who lives with her and his friend had assaulted her, striking her in the face before one of the men walked outside the rear of the house and fired a shot into the air. Arrested were Luis Hernandez, 51, who lived with the woman, and Luis Villarreal, 33, of the 100 block of West Nacogdoches. Hernandez was charged with family violence and Villarreal was charged with discharging a firearm in city limits. Police said other charges may be filed against the pair.

The woman was able to flee through the back door and was met by police officers who, with weapons drawn, had surrounded the residence. The woman was led to safety. Police then began a waiting game See STANDOFF, Page 2A Becker announces for council seat Officials investigating accident A San Antonio man is in satisfactory condition after being airlifted from the scene of a head-on collision on Interstate 35 south of New Braunfels Tuesday morning. The same accident left Elmer Lee Tuck, 69, and Demma Tuck, 65, of San Marcos dead. Department of Public Safety Trooper Lin Manford said one witness has come forward following a public appeal.

The witness reported that Roger Lynn Mull, 20, had crossed the median of Interstate 35 and started north in the southbound lane before the collision. The Tucks were traveling south on the interstate just south of a rest area. The couple was dead at the scene. Manford said he doesn't know why Mull crossed the median. "This is not going to be alcohol- related.

We've ruled that out," he said. Mull was alone in his vehicle when the accident occurred at about 10:15 a.m. Tuesday. Manford said neither Mull nor the Tuck's were wearing seat belts. Local businessman Arno Becker has announced his candidacy for the New Braunfels City Council seat to be vacated by Ed Sciantarelli in May.

Becker said today his goal if elected to council will be "lo keep New Braunfels the type of city that it is." Becker is a registered'profes- sional engineer and, for the past 15 years, he has been an active part of the New Braunfels business community as a part owner of Becker Motor Co. "In general, I'm satisfied with the way the city lias been going," he said. "We need to watch thai the city stays within budgetary restraints," Becker said. He added that lie understands the city's difficult financial situation. Becker said he thinks the council should do what it can to maintain a moderate growth level in the city, rather than experiencing rapid growth dropping off to slow growth.

Becker has served as chairman of the New Braunfels Utilities board and was a member of the board for five years. He also has served as a board member for McKenna Memorial Hospital for 13 years. Sciantarelli will not seek reelection for the District 3 council position. District 3 encompasses the city within Loop 337 from the MoPac railroad tracks to Gruene Loop Road and from Landa Street from about Lamia Park south past the loop and Landa Park north to the loop. Local post office cutting window hours to reduce costs The New Braunfels Post Office is cutting window hours as part of a nationwide effort to reduce operating costs.

Retail windows at the local post office will be closed from 1 to 2:15 p.m. beginning Feb. 16. Postmaster Brent Moland said mail deliveries will not be affected by the change. "It will be reducing overtime and it will be reducing some of the hours of flexible part-time employees.

Nobody's going to be losing their job over it, but some people will be get- ting fewer hours," the postmaster said. He added that one of the window clerks will work in other areas in the post office. "The low man on the totem pole probably won't get as many hours," Moland said. No full- time employees will be made part- time employees, he added. "The retail window adjustments are part of a nationwide effort to reduce operating costs, and are necessary to comply with the deficit- reduction legislation passed in December," Moland said.

The postmaster said the decision to close windows during a late lunch hour was based on a random survey that indicated local residents prefer the move over other budget-cutting measures. Moland said local residents and businesses surveyed preferred the post office close for lunch rather than close one-half day each week. The postmaster said the post office will remain open on Saturdays. "That was a service we didn't want to take away, "he said. "The decision to reduce the hours we are open was made after carefully examining all our operations to determine a reduction plan that will have the least adverse impact on our customers," Moland said.

Post office hours beginning Feb. 16 will be 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:15 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Saturday. The post office will be closed Feb. 15 for a government holiday. Moland said the change in hours should not increase customers' wait for window service. The postmaster said the same number of windows will be open to serve customers.

Customers svill continue to have usual access to post office boxes during lunch when the customer windows are closed. Moland urged customers to purchase stamps from vending equipment in the lobby. The postmaster also suggested customers use Stamps by Mail, a free See COSTS, Page 2A Council offering training Catch the Bluebonnet Special for unemployed residents By SARAH DUKE Staff Writer Jobs in New Braunfels aren't always easy to find, but a class offered by Comal school district community education and the Alamo Area Council of Governments is making it easier. Carole Hansen, a counselor for AACOG, said a local eight-week course could give unemployed residents the skills vital to finding a job. "The jobs are there, but there are fewer oi them and there are more people looking for them," Hansen said.

"It's an employer's market." Hansen is working with Tressie Russell, local coordinator for CISD community education. Russell has planned a merchandising training class aimed at preparing students lor a job at the WestPoint Pepperel ping center planned to open this spring or at any other retail business. The course is open to anyone interested in learning or brushing up on retail skills. Persons who qualify can take the course without charge and receive a weekly stipend to cover transportation and other expenses. Hansen said the program is available through the Job Training Partnership Act which is aimed at helping people find jobs.

Hansen said simply taking the course will not guarantee the participants a job at the new retail center, but it will help them develop skills necessary to find jobs. "I have contacted the home office (of WestPotat Pepperel) and they are very supportive. It's like the community is sort of preparing for this," See TR AIN ING, Page 2A San Marcos man enters plea of nocontest in manslaughter A San Marcos man pleaded no contest Monday in district court here to a charge of involuntary manslaughter and received a sentence of five years deferred probation. Gregory Keith Davis, 25, was the driver of W84 Vojkswagon that went ottt of cootrol last Sept. 12 on Hunter Road anrt si am mart into a utility pole.

A passenger in Davis' car, William David Cawflflrt, 24, of New Brawfels, died upon arrival to McKenna Memorial Hospital of head and internal injuries. Davis entered his plea before visiting Judge R.W. Caton in tive State District Court Do something healthy and benefit Teen Connection alternative school and foster group home at the same time during the Bluebonnet Special in March 18. Bikers, runners and wallers can participate in the event, gathering pledges for each mile completed. A separate Big 25 category is planned for a 5-miie 5-mile run and a 15-mjJe bike ride.

Rgylph MonsivaJs, left, was last ysajr's big money- raiser gathering Event chairman Jim Grouchy gets him rmdy for this year's benefit, for which corporate sponsors are iwiWing Supplies Coca-Cola, Water. (Photo by QeryJ Clark).