Del Rio News Herald from Del Rio, Texas • Page 1

CHUM Sty 773-5111 49THYIARNUMMR1I7 DEL Rio NEWS-HERAI OIL MO, TIXAS 71140, MONDAY AFTf RNOON, OCTOIER 28,1976 ISCCopy 10 PACES TODAY Commissioners Court To Investigate Jail FJESTA CLIMAX-The 1976 Fiesta Amistad ended with a "bang" as an elaborate fireworks spectacular concluded the event Sunday night following a Bicentennial musical "Red White and Blue Revue." The fireworks were purchased by the City of Del Rio for celebration of the 200th birthday of the United States. (News-Herald Photo) New Event Adds Sparkle to Fiesta By IMA JO FLEETWOOD News-Herald Staff Something new for Fiesta Amistad, attended by approximately 10,000, was the Arts and Crafts Fiesta-Val staged Saturday and Sunday. Approximately 50 booths were arranged under tents half a block off South Main Street between East Garfleld Avenue and East Broadway Avenue, Artisans and artists from numerous cities in Texas as well as those from other states set up their wares Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and those commenting reported they were very pleased with their sales.

The Fiesta-Val was sponsored by the Val Verde Historical Survey Committee, headed by Mrs. John M. Jones working with Mr. and Mrs. Ed Quinlan and Gratz Myers Jr.

of Oldtowns, Inc. Assisting with staging the affair were members of Oldtowne Lions and members of Val Verde County 4-H community service committee. An overflow crowd was at the Amphitheatre on San Felipe Creek off De la Rosa Street for the presentation of the Red, White and Blue Revue Sunday night. The patriotic presentation had been planned as the Bicentennial production for July 4 but was rained out on that date and again a week later. Jack Geis produced and directed the revue, made up of various talent productions.

The climax for the revue and for the fiesta itself was the fireworks display. One of the opening activities of the Fiesta was the Miss Del Rio contest and beauty ant, staged by Beta Sigma Sorority City Council Friday night in the Del Rio Civic Center. A capacity crowd attended and saw Miss Michelle Mida crowned Miss Del Rio bv her predecessor, Miss Kathy Villegas, trom seven contestants. The new Miss Del Rio rode in the International Parade that started this year in Ciudad Around Town By IMA JO FLEETWOOD A BAKE SALE will be held the scholarship committee the Officers' Wives Club Wednesday in the Recreation Center at Laughlin Air Force Base. The sale will begin at 6:30 p.m.

and continue until the baked goods are sold. GROUPS or organizations wishing to participate in the annual Homecoming Exes Assembly at Del Rio High School have been asked to contact the Physical Education Department at the school, 775-9561, Ex- tenaion 314, Mrs. Santa H. CasUneda, Mrs. Rebecca Wardlaw, Mrs.

Olga Cox or Mrs. Janie Nicholson. the non-COMMISSIONED Wives Club executive board will meet tonight at 7:30 o'clock int he NCO Open Mess Laughlin Air Force Base. Mfti TOM BRITE and her son, Ranadale Brite, are in Junction to be with her brother, Estes Adams, who is hospitalized af- ter suffering a heart attack. He was a recent visitor in the Brite home in Del Rio.

MR. AND MRS. HUGH HUTCHINSON JR. of Pampa spent the weekend in Del Rio as guests of his mother, Mrs. Hugh Hutchinson.

A BLACK MALE kitten is in need of a good home. The kitten is three months old and house trained. He may be seen at 8137 White at Uughlin Air Force Base after 5:30 p.m. PACK 256 will hold the October meeting tonight at 7:30 o'clock In Memorial Elementary School. MR.

AND MRS. ENCARNACION BRAVO Sr. have returned home from Indiana, where they spent three weeks visiting their son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Bravp.

While they were in Indianapolis, their grandson, Joe Bravo was born- DA and Sheriff Asked to Meet Acuna, Mexico, Saturday morning and after proceeding through that city, crossed the International Bridge to continue through Del Rio. Approximately 150 entries including floats, marching units and bands required an hour and a half to pass. An estimated 200 attended the mayor's luncheon, given by Mayor Alfredo Gutierrez after the parade. The luncheon was held in the lobby of the Del Rio Bank and Trust Co. for visiting dignitaries and residents.

Another activity that drew 8 jod crowds were theraces in iudad Acuna, a part of the fiesta. The festival is held annually by the 'Good Neighbor Committee to mark the anniversary of the two-nation agreement on Amistad Dam by President Dwight D. Eisenhower for the United States and President Alfonso Lopez Mateos for Mexico in October, 1960. The Presidents came for the signing of the document in Ciudad Acuna; later other presidents, including President Lyndon B. Johnson and President Richard M.

Nixon, with Mexican President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz visited the dam but it is the Eisenhower-Lopez Mateos visit that Fieita Amistad celebrates. By DON BRYANT News-Herald Staff The Val Verde County Commissioners Court wants to get at the bottom of the incident involving three county prisoners and 32 Mexican national aliens, judging from their actions this morning at the court meeting presided over by County Judge Sergio Gonzalez Jr. The court expects to meet this afternoon with District Attorney Tully Shahan and the DA's Criminal Investigator Glenn L. Weatherman to secure further information, about the matter and just what is being Federal Probe Looms By FIDEL GARCIA News-Herald Staff The U.S. attorney's office at San Antonio is expected to recommend further investigation of a Del Rio civil rights case involving an incident in which aliens were beaten by American prisoners at the Val Verde County Jail earlier this month.

First Assistant U.S. Atorney John Pinckney said he would discuss the case with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice first thing Tuesday morning at which time he would make his recommendations. "I am not in a position at the present to recommend declination of prosecution and may want to have futher investigation into the case," Pinckney said from his home this morning. He said he reviewed reports by FBI investigators late Friday and stated, "In my opinion additional investigation may be conducted at this point." He pointed out the alternatives for further investigation See FEDERAL Page 11 done about it. In the early part of the session after they disposed of several routine matters on a light agenda.

Judge Gonzalez had County Clerk Alicemae Fitzpatrick read a letter from Jailer Elmer James in which he submitted his resignation, effective Oct. 20. Commissioner Ernest Worley said that was all right, but added, "I want to see us get to the bottom of this thing." Others concurred with him, and later they agreed not to accept the resignation. Judge Gonzalez, who has indicated the past week he feels the case has not been handled properly and that Sheriff Herman Richter should have been notified by Federal authorities before taking out the Federal prisoners, emphatically stated: "I think the contract for prisoner care should be cancelled." He maintains the county doesn't make any money on the contract which provides care for the prisoners, including three daily meals. In speaking of Sheriff Richter, who has held the office for 22 years, Gonzalez said "Mr.

Richter has been sheriff many years, before that he was a Bor-der Patrolman, a policeman and police chief and he never mistreated a prisoner." Worley said he thought the Sheriff and DA should appear before the Court and asked that they be notified to appear at 11 a.m. Other commissioners said the same thing, but in a few minutes they found Shahan and Weatherman were in Rocksprings but would be back in mid-afternoon. Chief Deputy Henry Elledge appeared before the court to speak for Sheriff Richter. He was asked to relate to the court some of the events of Thursday and Friday, Oct. 14 and 15.

He said he was off Thursday but that when he arrived Friday morning the Federal prisoners were being moved out, and that he didn't get to talk to the officers moving out the alien prisoners. "I learned there had been a free-for-all in the cell holding the aliens the night before. I understood that the night jailer had put three other prisoners in the cell to help clean it up and See COUNTY, Page 10 CAMPAIGNING-AI Zapanta, assistant secretary of the United States Department of the Interior, left, spoke informally at a coffee and reception in the Roswell Hotel at 10 o'clock this morning, where he appeared in behalf of the candidacy of President Gerald ZAPANTA VISITS Ford. He is pictured with Mrs. Robert Kell of Comstock, chairman of the Val County Republican Party, center, and Mrs.

Bonnie Ketzler, at the right. Mrs. Ketzler is in charge of Val Verde County advertising for the GOP. (News-Herald Photo). Vi GOP Sends In Brass For Ford Campaign By IMA JO FLEETWOOD News-Herald Staff Additional cuts in the already-reduced defense budget would certainly eliminate Laughlin Air Force Base, Al Zapanta, assistant secretary of the United States Department of Interior, said this morning on a visit to Del Rio on behalf of the candidacy of President Gerald Ford.

"Our defense funds have already been reduced too much. Zapanta said; "Jimmy Carter is pledged to a further reduction of these funds and if this is done, Laughlin Air Force Base would certainly go under," the assistant secretary said. Torres Wins Okay For Langtry Project City Council Moots Tonight Authorization of an application for a federal grant under the Local Public Works Act is to be considered tonight at the Del Rio City Council's special session set for The project which would be included in the application is for construction of a fire station in the Buena Vista area to serve that fast growing area on the north side of the city, city Manager James A Hester said. Another item to come under consideration tonight is the consideration of purchase of a used Grad-All machine, costing approximately, $22,000, compared to a new machine of the same type at a cost of $90,000. BIG SPRING The West Texas Justice of the Peace Association, meeting here for their 17th annual convention this past weekend, approved an ambitious project to restore the home of Langtry's first elected Justice of the Peace.

The association approved a proposal from the owners of the Justice of the Peace Torres Building at Langtry and are scheduled to lease the property from Mrs. Pearl Nicholson Dodd of Del Rio and her son W.H. Dodd of San Antonio, according to Del Rio Peace Justice Krank Torres. NfliMH Gdvoston, Wei Nathan Stool, about 80, former resident of Del Bio, died Sunday in Galveston. He was a brother of the late Dave Stool and Max Stool, Rites will be held Tuesday in Gslveston.

A nephew and niece, Mr. and Mrs. Max Stool of Del Rio, plan to attend the service. Survivors include a son, Dr. Sylvan Stool of Pittsburgh, and a daughter, Dave Greenberg of Galveston; a number of nephews and nieces.

Judge Torres, a member of the building restoration committee, this morning said the association discussed the project at length in trapes of making the building a historical site. He noted Judge Torres was Langtry's first elected peace PRANKTORRES First Vice President justice, once having beat out the famed Judge Roy Bean for the post. Langtry is the home of the nationally famous Judge Roy Bean Tourist Center. The meeting was held here Thursday, Friday and Saturday to elect association officers for the coming year and to discuss several resolutions geared at' strengthening the Judges' position in both civil and criminal matters. Elected to head the association for the coming year was Judge Billie Faye Schumacker of Sunray.

Judge Frank Torres of Del Rio was named first vice president; Roy Byrd, Amarillo, second vice president: Richard Nelson, Lamesa, judge advocate, and Glen Neison, Herelord, chaplain. Judge Schumacker took over the top post from Judge A. O. fields of Ozona. Fields was named to the group's board of directors.

Other directors are John Forbes, Arlington; Manuel Vailes, Odessa; Margie Prestige, La LeFors; Bob Goodwin, Snyder; Charles Smith, Lubbock; Frank Mecias, El Paso; and Arvin Stafford, Slaton. Judge Torres was keynote speaker for the event. Also attending from Del Rio was Peace Justice Leon Best. "Texas and California are key states in the election, and I think the President will carry both of them. I have been campaigning in California and I predict that at least 40 per cent of the Hispanic vote or Latin vote will go for Mr.

Ford. Like Texas, California is a key state in the election; together they have a third of the overall electoral votes," Zapanta said. "I have found Texas voters, like those in other parts of the nation, are inclined to have suspicions on Carter's statements concerning the right to work law Texas has. He has stated several times he would sign a bill to repeal Section 14B of the Taft-Hartley Act, which permits state right-to-work laws. Carter said he would 'gladly' sign it; he said this to AFL-CIO president George Meany.

"In the matter of unions, look at Carter's own situation as a peanut farmer. He is all for unions for those in agriculture in California but his own farm workers in Georgia are not organized," Zapanta said. "'I see that Congressman Bob Krueger of the 21st Congressional District will be in Del Rio on a hearing on the closing of Laughiin Air Force Base. Unless the congressman has information we do not have, there is no real plan to close LAFB; several bases are being considered and Laughiin is one of them but as I understand it, Laughlin is highly regarded. was in Eagle Pass Sunday and I found, as I did in Del Rio, that many voters are considering issues in this campaign very carefully and are more willing to put aside partisanship than I have ever seen them.

The Hispanic voters seem more ready to think for themselves in this election and to trust their own conclusions. Texas is a conservative state and generally conservative a le have misgivings about Zapanta said. 'In spite of the importance of Texas, he is letting Senator Lloyd Bentsen and Governor Dolph Briscoe do his campaigning in the state. The governor has business interests that surely should he would consider jeopardized by the liberal program costing billions of dollars that Carter favors," Zapanta said. While the Interior has charge of the National Park Service which administers recreation activities around and on Lake Amistad, Zapanta said he did not work directly in this area but he is familiar with the fact that the lake is an outstanding facility with a great deal of potential that is of economic importance to Del Rio and this entire area.

A coffee and reception for him was given this morning in the Roswell Hotel. Mrs. Robert Kelley of Comstock, Val Verde County chairman for the Republican Party; presented Zapanta to those attending. "Traveling with Zapanta was Humberto Aguirre of Austin, former resident of Del Rio. He is senior vice-president of St.

Edward's University in Austin and is on leave of absence during the political campaign. Del Rio Weather DEL RIO AND VICINITY: Fair today, tonight and Tuesday; a little cooler Tuesday, Winds out of the north at 10 miles per hour and gusty, Minimum temperature tonight in the mid-50s; maximum temperature Tuesday in the mid-70s. Maximum temperature Sunday, 75; minimum temperature this morning, 57. Time of sunrise, 7:52 a.m.; time of sunset, 7:04 p.m. Amistad Report Amistad elevation this morning was 1117.70, an increase of .09 over Saturday.

Depth of the water at Amistad Dun was 217.70 feet, up .09. Water storage this morning amounted to 3,551,047 sere feet, an increase of 5,887 acre feet. Water surface measured 65,448 seres, up 76 acres. Downstream flow was 649 cubic feet per second; the flow Saturday was 347 cfs..