Grand Prairie Daily News from Grand Prairie, Texas • Page 1

GRAND PRAIRIE DAILY NEWS Grand Prairie's Newspaper Since 1908 PHONE 262-5141 VOLUME 65 NUMBER 243 GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS TUESDAY, AUGUST 14,1973 PRICE-DAILY lOc-SUNDAY 15c Slayings not tied toGP Grand Prairie Police say they have no reports of any missing runaways who might be victims in the mass slayings case still unfolding in Houston. "We don't have a single male runaway missing," said Detective Don Sherman. He added that to his knowledge no one had contacted police about any missing persons. Police departments across the state have been researching files to make sure none of the young male bodies dug up in the homosexual killing case might be missing persons from their cities. In fact, Sherman said, the only unlocated runaway case on Grand Prairie files is a young girl who has been missing for almost three years.

Police are still working on the case, but have had no trace of the runaway girl since she left home September 9,1970. At that time, Joyce Creola Brewer, 320 SE 9th was 17. The blond, blue-eyed girl left after an argument with her parents about staying out late, according to police reports. She hasn't been seen since. Detective Charles Owens said police have checked to see if the girl has ever applied for a drivers license or been arrested in Texas, but no report of any kind has turned up.

"By now something should have shown up," he said. Most runaways come back in two weeks, a month or two months at the most, said Sherman. Grand Prairie police statistics show between 15 and 30 youths are reported as runaways every month, but Joyce Brewer is the only uncleared case on the books right now, Sherman said. Two other runaways still havn't come back, he added, but police have located their Continued on page 7 Mebus review group member FAMILY STAR Mrs. Peggy Elder plays the piano for her son, Eddie, who has just returned from a tour of the southeastern states as a member of the Sunshine Singers Daily News photo of Mexia State School.

Two proud observers are Eddie's sister, Mary, and her kitten, Jasper. By DON RUTHERFORD Tarrant County Bureau Tarrant County commissioner George "Skeet" Richardson has named fellow commissioner Jerry Mebus of Arlington to help him study the by-laws and nominating processes of the North Central Texas Council of Governments. He said another government official to be selected from a rural county in the region will be asked to join him on the sub-committee of the COG Member Review Committee (COGMRC) to study the by-laws and nominating procedures. COGMRC, a faction opposed to the operation of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, was formed Aug. 2 and held its first steering committee meeting in Arlington last Friday.

Richardson is vice-chairman of the full committee. He said Mebus was selected because Mebus has an "opposing view" to Richardson's regarding COG. Mebus told the Daily News he would be "glad to serve." Despite odds Eddie sings way through life BY MARY GALEN COSTON Doily News Staff Writer Harry Edward Elder Jr. wasn't expected to live when he was born 12 years ago; and a serious bicycle accident when he was young almost took his life. But today the tall blond youth is thoroughly enjoying life and talking about his re- Roundup Wednesday for kindergarten kids All Grand Prairie parents who want their five-year old to attend kindergarten this school year should attend the registration and roundup at the proper school between 8:30 a.m.

and noon Wednesday. Those who are unable to register Wednesday, however, may do so Thursday, Aug. 23 when first grade registration will be held. Certification of birth and immunizations are required for any new student to begin classes Monday, Aug. 27.

Children under 12 must be immunized for polio, dipthera- tetanus, rubella, and rubeola, either by a private doctor or at a Dallas County Health Department Clinic. Parents will be asked their preference for morning or afternoon kindergarten sessions, and school administrators will determine at a later date which students will attend which sessions. Requests should be made Wednesday for students to en- ter the special full-day kindergarten program for "educationally handicapped" students. Regular kindergarten classes will be offered at the following schoola on a half day program: Bowie; Bonham; Crockett; Eisenhower (Austin and Shady Grstudents included hereove also); Fannin; Houston (Dalworth also); Johnson (Florence Hill also); Milam; Rayburn; and Travis (Lamar also). Special, full day programs will be offered at Houston, Dalworth, Austin, and Eisenhower pupils; Crockettr- for Crockett, and Bowie pupils; Lamar, Fannin, Travis and Shady Grove pupils; Rayburn, Johnson, Florence Hil and Milam pupils; and for Bonham pupils.

Students who will attend Rayburn Elementary School will meet in kindergarten classes at Johnson until the new school is completed. cent trip through the southeastern states as a member of the Sunshine Singers of Mexia State School. Eddie is one of the singers in the choir, which is another small miracle, since he had cleft palate surgery when he was 22 months old. "It's just a talent that came through," said his mother, Mrs. Peggie Elder.

His singing wasn't affected by the operation and he finds enjoyment in all kinds of music. At the house he was playing along on his drums to the tune of an Elvis Presley record. Later when he was preparing to go shopping he picked up some tapes of music of the 40's to play on the car tape deck. Eddie was home visiting his mother and sister, Mary, and Jasper, the family cat The family lives at 1005 Oak. He returned Sunday to the state school in Mexia which he has attended for four years.

Before that he attended the Grand Prairie Center for Retarded Children and was in special education classes at Travis Elementary. Mrs. Elder gives a lot of credit to one of Eddie's doctors at Children's Medical Center for helping find a place for the boy at the school. She said it was Dr. Doman Keele who "opened the doors that made it possible for Eddie to get in." The recent tour of the Sunshine Singers took the 25 children 2,453 miles for 20 performances, some as far north as Tenneessee and North Carolina.

The singers slept at churches at each stop and were fed by the church members. Eddie was also part of the group that entertained in May at the Texas Association for Retarded Children annual convention in Arlington. He was able to visit with his former teacher, Christine Lites, director of the local training center. When Eddie is not in classes he goes to work at his job at the school, picking up trash in the chapel and helping the assistant chaplain visit dormitories. He is proud of his "job" which pays him 50 cents a week.

His other activities include bowling and jogging, which "keep him trim," says his mother. The choir practices every week and performs all over Texas. Eddie's vacation is over for this summer, but he is already looking forward to next summer and a trip to Nashville, Term, with his family. "What's in mother asked. "Music," replied with a big grin.

his he Crash victims lived here Five members of a family killed in a car-truck accident Sunday afternoon near Beeville were apparently from Grand Prairie and not Garland, according to neighbors, a close friend here and other sources in Beeville. The bodies were identified as Pablo Vallejo, 32, Juan Vallejo, 32, Hortensia Vallejo, 31, Pablo Vallejo, Jr. and Michelle Vallejo. Both of the latter were children, one believed to be under a year old. One member survived the crash that occurred on U.S.

181 about one mile south of Pettus about 2:30 p.m. She is Lilly Vallejo, 9, who was listed in fair condition at Bee County Memorial Hoapital. Conflicting reports were issued beginning Sunday evening about the address of the family as to whether it was Grand Prairie or Garland Officials at the hospital said Lilly Vallejo's address was 1417 Bogarte in Grand Prairie, and a spokesman at the Trevino Funeral Home in Beeville, where three of the victims were taken, confirmed that address. "They were from Grand Prairie," said Arturo Ortiz, 1015 SE 8th who called himself a friend of the family. Neighbors also confirmed their address, and said the family has lived here about two and one-half years.

As late as Monday evening, however, The Texas Highway Patrol office in Dallas still carried the address as Garland, and no explanation was available about the mix-up. Funeral arrangements are still pending, said officials at Trevino Funeral Home, but the deceased were expected to be sent to Brownsville for ser- vices and burial. The name of the funeral home there was not yet known. Highway patrolman Leo Franco, investigating the accident, said the Vallejo car was traveling north on U.S. 181 when rain-soaked streets caused Pablo Vallejo, the driver, to lose control.

Franco said the Vallejo car then crossed the center stripe and collided broadside with the tractor-trailer rig, the Associated Press reported. The driver of the tractor- trailer, Tommy Zole, sustained minor injuries. His wife and child, riding in the truck cab, were unhurt. Mrs. Carmen Rios of Brownsville, mother of Mrs.

Vallejo, said the family was returning to Grand Prairie from a visit to Vallejo's mother in Brownsville. Beautification day Sept. 8 Keep America Beautiful Day has been set for Sept. 8 in Grand Prairie. Dave Hopkins, Townhouse development changes listed for The Grand Prairie Planning and Zoning Commission took no official action Monday night on a controversial townhouse development in northwest Grand Prairie.

They heard a lengthy discussion concerning the proposed change; and will way of a phone call to persons involved in the case, that an application be made for a zoning change to cover the townhouse development. The land under considera- tion was zoned general retail two years ago and given City Council approval over strong citizen opposition. The residents, led by Dave Hopkins, now a member of the board, filed a suit against the City of Grand Prairie to declare the ordinance null and void. That is where matters stood until recently, when both residents represented by attorney George Watson, and Saber Realty got together to work out the prob- lems. Watson presented a list of requirements to be placed on the townhouse development.

Joe Geary of Saber stated that they are in agreement on each item. In other action, the zoning board approved a preliminary plat for Cross Timbers, a residential development. In conjunction with that case, members approved general retail zoning on some 10 acres of land for neighborhood services. One tract of land lies at the northeast corner of the 'intersection of Belt Line and proposed IH 20; another three tracts around the intersection of proposed extension of Carrier Parkway and Corn Valley Road. The'plat for land between those two points.

The board approved the rehearing of an application by Billy Martin to develop a shopping center on some 22 Continued on page 7 from the Circle 10 Boy Scouts, told of preparations for the city-wide clean-up day at the CHIC monthly meeting Nonday. Boy Scouts will pick up everything from around the city, including old tires, unused stoves and refrigerators, and the normal cans and litter. Since the day falls on the normal can pick-up day, it will be held later. "The scouts will bring all litter behind City Hall," said Hopkins. Arrangements are being made to have city trucks stationed behind City Hall or at locations around the city, to haul stoves, tires and bigthingsdirecUy to the dump.

All other trash will be taken to the dump by scouts. Because this project is part of a nationwide clean-up campaign, Hopkins said the scouts will take no money for the cans they collect (they usually receive a penny-per- can for their monthly can drives). Mrs. Penny Penwell, CHIC chairman, reported that their response to their newspaper collection has been "tremendous." Mrs. Ollie Brock, in charge of the collection said she needs help in picking papers from around the city.

"If people want to bring their papers by my house, that's fine, but I do need help in picking them up." She said sacks for the papers are on her front porch in a box, for anyone bringing papers by. She lives at 1622 Dorothy. Mrs. Penwell noted that people are using the sacks for trash other than newspapers, and asks that they use them just for papers. The sacks are recycled for the newspaper pick-up project.

"I'LL TRY to put my thinking in perspective," Mebus said. "My views, generally speaking, are favorable to COG." He said he thinks that COGMEC will understand more about COG after it meets with Gov. Dolph Briscoe. Such a meeting is slated sometime after Aug. 22.

"I think the overall picture of COG is that they do as they have been instructed," he said. "If COG performs according to their duties, it will come out well, "COG's function is not to govern but to assist local governments in performing their functions more effectively. If they all do that, we'll be far better off." Mebus said he assumes that the subcommittee to which he has been named will meet in the near future to go over recommendations which will then be made to COGMRC. "If they haven't done anything wrong," he said of COG, "I don't see where anything can come from that. He said criticism should help the council and "they should welcome it." MEBUS SAID the investigation which is now underway "will better clear the air for all of us." He said he thinks he and Richardson will have "about complete agreement" on the nomination procedures and the by-laws.

Richardson said that each member of the subcommittee will submit a separate list of recommendations for altering the by-laws and nominating procedures of COG and these will be hammered out by the full subcommittee before they are submitted to the full COGMRC. Richardson told the Daily News some of the recommendations which he is going to make. He said he favors there being only elected officials on the COG executive board. Currently, two members of the 11- man board are appointed regional citizen representatives. Richardson aaid he also wants to increase the number of seats on the executive board so that both Dallas and Tarrant counties would have equal representation with the cities of Dalias and Fort Worth.

To do thia, he said, would require that the executive committee be increased by four members. "Tarrant County and Dallas County should each have two members on the executive board," he said. "It is nearly mandatory we have a strong voice." RICHARDSON SAID also that he feels that disapproval of a recommendation for a permit should call for a mandatory public hearing before the executive board. The public hearing, he said, would be published 10 days before the executive board meeting. He said he very strong feels that "no committee appointed by COG shall have less than a two-thirds elected membership." "And," he said, "any request for legislation affecting COG would be approved by the entire membership on a per membership basis.

There should be no voice votes." He said the next meeting of COGMRC would be open to all members of the council of governments. "We are not inviting the COG professionals," he said, "but everybody who is a member of COG." "I've found," Richardson said, "that most of the county and city officials are opposed to the set up they have over there, but they are afraid to oppose them on an individual basis." Optimist center hits money snag The proposed Optimist Club youth center and soccer fields in C.B. Waggoner to have hit a snag in regards to financing. The City Council last week back to the Parks Board, their recommendation that the ciiy spend remaining available funds to begin the project before January 1. The remaining funds are of city money and $9,000 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The proposed park project, which includes soccer fields and a 40' 100' 12' building, would cost around The Optimists are willing to pay at least $2.000. The concept and design of the structure are different from those in the park's original master plan and it differs from HUD guildlines. Because of this difference, the park project as outlined by the Optimists would lose federal funding. "If the Park Board decides they want to continue with this project, the funding will have to come out of next year's budget," said Don Cramer, director of Parks and Recreation. The proposed park budget for next year is $200,000.

HUD Open Space guidelines call for an open air pavilion, said John Sellars, assistant director of Parks and Recreation. And the Optimist project calls for an enclosed metal, air conditioned and healed build ing. Sellars pointed out also, as yet, there are no utilities in the area of Waggoner I'ark under consideration for the center. And the only access to the area is through a wooded area. John Holland, president ot the Evening Optimists and spokesman for the clubs, stated at the last Park Board meeting, that they plan to contact the engineers at the Dallas Naval Air Station, and attempt to have them provide voluntary labor.

The Optimists would purchase all building materials. Holland will bring this information back to the Parks Board. He expressed his hope that the dollars saved with volunteer labor would partially offset the loss of HUD money. Cramer said the matter has already been placed on the next Park Board agenda (Aug. 221 and will be considered along with other 1973-74 park priorities.

"It will have to be pretty high on their (Park Board) priority list," Cramer commented. SH 360 north to open The Texas Highway Department announced has announced that beginning this week the northbound lanes of SH 360 between Spur 303 and Park Row will be open to traffic. Traffic will flow southbound on the old highway section and northbound on the new northbound lanes. The opening of the new lanes will help ease congestion in this area..