The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas • Page 1

Texw' Gktot Ntmpiptr, Ettablirfwd in 1842, CXdiortwl To Growth and Progress of Gahmton and All of Gilvoston County VOL. 138. NO 333 Member, United Press International GALVESTON, TEXAS. WEDNESDAY MORNING. MARCH 8,1978 Tht County's Only 7-Oiy 15r Dttilv, 40c Sunday Federal Grant OK Looking Good HOUSTON-A request from the City of Galveston for a $1.97 million federal grant that will fund programs ranging from street improvement to historical rehabilitation was approved Tuesday by the project review committee of the Houston- Galveston Area Council.

Gas Co. Strikers At Work Striking workers at Southern Union Gas Co. were back on the job Tuesday after voting Monday night to return to work under the terms of their expired contract. Southern Union manager Jack Orr said Tuesday that the company has extended the contract indefinitely until the union and company can come to an agreement on a new contract. Orr said that negotiations are continuing, with a meeting of union and company officials planned at 1:30 p.m.

today, but he said, "It's difficult to say," when a settlement might be reached. About 23 workers voted to go on strike at midnight Feb. 28 and 18 others agreed to honor picket lines. Robert Lackey, president of International Chemical Workers Local 752, said that the union is asking for a 15 percent wage increase and the elimination of the company's merit system. Southern Union's offer of a 15 percent increase over a two-year period has beer, termed unacceptable.

Orr added, however, the company is now able to offer its full services to customers with the workers back on the job. Final approval of the request is expected to come from the Department of Housing and Urban Development by June, according to Doug Matthews, director of grants for the city. The largest slice of the grant, $608,000, will go for street improvement, in- eluding $438.000 for the repair of Heard's Lane from 6) st to 74th streets. The city's housing rehabilitation program will get $370.000. Matthews said, with $180,000 going to the loan fund for low and moderate income homeowners.

Other project funding under the grant includes: for neighborhood facilities, including $100,000 to the Boys Club for construction of a new gym at 45th Street and Avenue and $75,000 to Old Central Center at 27th Street and Avenue M. for planning aclivies including research on svost isle marshlandsand historical planning. for improvements to recreational facilities. to the OalvesUm Historical Foundation for facade renovation of several structures. $30,000 for public- service projects including the city's crime prevention program.

Matthews said construction work on any of the projects probably would not begin until next fall. The request approved Tuesday was for fourth year funding of the Community Development program. The city has received during the first three years of the program and can expert another $4 million in the next two years. Matthews said. Other grant requests approved by the committee included: $873.000 to Texas City for community development.

-grants of $70,000 and $50,000 to the GHF for restoration of the Marine Heidenheimer) Building and the Washington Hotel. for a Galveston County manpower project for youth employment. to Stan Harper for restoration of the Henry Beissner House. Planning Commission Approves West Beach Parking Standards A WEEPING Althea Flynt, wife of Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt, is shown as she arrives at the hospital where her husband underwent surgery for gunshot wounds received Monday. Police are searching for two "witnesses" to the shooting, while the recently-converted millionaire is rumored to be paralyzed.

Story, Page 6A. (UPITelephoto) ByJEFFSAMFlELD News Staff Writer Anticipating the development of new commercial parking lots in the west beach area, the Galveston Planning Commission Tuesday approved special requirements for the lots. If adopted by the city council the guidelines will require drainage, pedestrian bridges over the dunes, dune protection barriers and restroom facilities. According to Planning Director Bruce McClendcn, site plan approval must be given by the city for all beach area parking areas in a Planned Development zone. If the proposed parking area is west of 103rd Street and not in the PD zone, both site plan approval and a zoning change must be obtained.

The surface of a beach parking area must consist of a minimum of three inches of crushed shell on a prepared subgrade in accordance with engineering standards. No parking lots will be allowed on on the north side of FM 3005. Pedestrian dune bridges, at least two above the natural dune line, will have to be provided every GOO feet. Parking areas will not be approved unless acceptable pedestrian access to a public beach can be demonsrated McClendon said. In other business, the commission approved for the first time standards for building all off-street parking within the city.

The city will require a permit to construct a parking area with a capacity of five or more cars. Developers must also comply with dimension and paving standards set down by the planning and traffic departments. All parking areas will have to be legibly marked and striped on the pavement. They will also have to be designed to prevent any portion of a vehicle from overhanging a public right-of-way private property line. or Injunction Imposed On Hitchcock Passing Parade West Isle Development Panel Discussion Topic By JOEL KIRKPATRICK News Staff Writer District Judge Ed J.

Harris, acting in his chambers, Wednesday granted a temporary injunction to those seeking to stop the city of Hitchcock from annexing 2.4 square miles of land containing about 77 registered voters. In open court, Harris noted he had received briefs from both sides in the case and would rule shortly. Elmo Schwab, attorney for Hitchcock, urged Harris to take action before April 1, the date of the city election in Hitchcock. Although Tuesday's hearing was to be on a collateral matter to the injunction, Harris continued a temporary restraining order against Hitchcock in effect until Tuesday. After the hearing, when Harris had made no ruling on the restraining order, and said nothing about it from the bench, Schwab said he felt the restraining order had been dissolved.

But H. Byrns, representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said the judge had told him he had granted a temporary injunction. Schwab and Byrns then went into the judge's chambers and when they came out, said the temporary injunction had been granted. The lawsuit was brought by Warren T. Longmire M.D..

and others, against Hitchcock, the mayor, the commissioners and the city secretary. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs attacked the validity of an annexation ordinance, and also raised issues contending voters had been denied a vote because the city had denied a petition for a referendum on the annexation. The city held public hearings on the annexation, then adopted an annexation ordinance on Dec. 16. The petition against annexation contained 882 signatures of voters in Hitchcock The city secretary notified Dorothy Childress, one of the sponsors of the petition, that 209 signatures on the petition were considered defective.

In Attorney General Race Daniel Claims Edge Bv TERRY MacLEOD Peggy Levin, who is studying to become a dentist at the University of Texas in ranks first in her class and has been selected for inclusion in the latest edition of "Who's Who Among Students in Colleges and Universities. Proud parents are Billie and George Neumann. Bob Browder has checked out of St. Mary's Hospital and is anxiously waiting for some good water so he can get back to his Zepeda is back from a trip to Corpus Christi where she visited with her father. Ernest, and grandfather, Maurilio seamen aboard the SS Murchison of Bradshaw's is home recouperating from surgery.

He's feeling better and should be up and about Myrtle Griego spends a lot of time looking out for daughter, Sher Griego Couyioumeges, who has been in Piraeus. Greece for a year and has almost two more to go with her stationed in the Greek Army at Plati. Sher is an English high school teacher and both can't wait to get back to the good USA. Myrtle is sending boxes of GALVESTON area through Thursday with cool nights and mild afternoons. High today in the upper 50s.

Low tonight in the mid-40s. High Thursday near 60. BOATING and recreation craft advisory is in effect. Northerly winds becoming northeast 15 to 25 mph and diminishing tonight. Bay waters siightlv choppy FISHING-Improving.

BEACH water degrees. items they can't buy there and with no TV, magazines and papers, Sher really loves receiving The Galveston Daily News from her mother, most of all the Profile df Progress edition that cost her eight dollars to send by air mail. It weighed three pounds and Sher enjoyed every ounce of Georgia and Andrew Cannatella have been discharged from John Sealy Hospital and are now at home where they will be glad to have their friends drop by for a visit. The many flowers and cards they received while in the hospital made their stay more and Paul Suckow are having more fun with their new baby. Morgan.

He's been to visit with her former coworkers at MH-MR and they had a ball playing with See PASSING Page 2A The question of how West Galveston Island should be developed will be explored in a panel discussion to be held at 7:30 tonight in the Wortham Auditorium of Rosenberg Library. The panelists will be Edna Fuller, city councilwoman; A. R. Schwartz, state senator; Jim Rat- Classified Ads FAST Results tj Just ask a satisfied reader: "I've really had good results. I sold the horse in one day!" says JUAN CANTU of 4812 North Railroad in Hitchcock, after selling a horse advertised for $125.

"Last year 1 sold a horse trailer in about the same amount of time." Your classified ad will go into over 30.000 homes every day. Call an Ad-Visor today to start your ad. terree, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Robert Hartsfield, Mitchell Development Corp. The panel will be moderated by M.

T. Waddell Jr. of Galveslon College. Two years ago the city of Galveston annexed almost the entire west end of Galveston Island, an area bordered on one side by tidal marshes. This action brought the city council into an already vehement, ongoing discussion of how the development of this ecologically important area may be carried out in accord with federal legislation.

Figuring out what the city can and should do about the area is the issue for this forum. The forum is cosponsored by Science Galveslon College, and the Rosenberg Library. It is made possible by a grant from the Science for Citizens Program of the National Science Foundation. Chick BRISCOE loses support of fanners. Page3A READERS approve of beach traffic ban.

PageSB Other Fvaturvm Amusements 6C Bridge 8A Comics 5B Contact 5B Crossword 7C Deaths 2A Horoscope 10B Marine Log 9A Markets 6A People, 2-3C Sports 1-3B TVListlnp 6C Viewpoints 4B Want Ads 6-9B Weather 10B Price Daniel candidate for attorney general, claimed in Galveston Tuesday that a private poll indicates he has an edge of more than two-to-one over his opponent in Galveston County. He said he is ahead elsewhere in the state by as much as thrcc-to-one over Democratic primary opponent Mark White. He said he has not yet designated his county campaign manager, but will announce a county steering committee in the next few days. Daniel met with League City Mayor Leonard Cruse, went to a luncheon meeting at Gaidos, attended a brief press conference and a reception In the county courthouse, then was guest of honor at another reception In the Gulf Room at Gaidos. Hosts for the final reception were Judge and Mrs.

Ed J. Harris, Judge Mrs. William D. Decker, Judge and Mrs. James A.

Plperl, Mayor and Mrs. A. Cruse, Mr. and Mrs. Charles B.

Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Irwin M. Hera Senator and Mrs. A.

R. Schwartz, Hep. and Mrs. Andrew Baker, County Judge Ray Holbrook, Mr. and Mrs.

Mike Gaido Mr. and Mrs. Charles Doyle, Mr. and Mrs. D.

Fred Micks, and Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Milstein. Man Ordered Released; Punishment Too Severe The 5th U.S. Circuit of Appeals in New Orleans Monday ordered William James Rummel released from the Texas Deparl- menl of Correclions, saying his habilual criminal punishmenl for a Ihird offense felony was "grossly disproporlionale" to his crimes.

In his opinion, Judge Homer Thornberry held that the Texas habitual criminal statute imposed cruel and unusual punishment against a man who '77 Property Tax Increase Lowest Since '73 received a life prison term for bilking his victims of $230. In Galveston, 10th District Judge Ed J. Harris, who not long ago said he was opposed to the habitual criminal statute, said he was not going to make any comment until he received and read a copy of the opinion in the case. Rummel was convicted of his first a credit card to attempt to defraud a merchant of in 1904, and in 1969, he was convicted of passing a forged $28.36 check. In January, 1973, Kumrnel was indicted for the felony offense of obtaining $120.75 under false pretenses.

Since then, the crime has been made a misdemeanor. "Apart from its habitual criminal statute, Texas imposes a mandatory life sentence (or death) only for the crime of capital murder: murdering a policeman, fireman, or prison employe, murdering for pay, or while escaping from prison or while committing a kidnapping, burglary, robbery, aggravated rape, or arson," Thornberry was quoted as saying by United Press International. Galveston County property taxes increased ST. million in 1977. or 8 percent over last year.

However, this was the smallest increase since 1973. In a recently released report on property tax values and tax revenues, the Galveston County Research Council. Inc. reported that the 40 local governmental jurisdictions in the county will collect S73.5 million in the current tax year. The report.

"1977 Totai Values and Total Taxes" is part three in the annual series of property lax reports that have been a part of the council's public information program since 1962. Council Chairman Harry Ix-vy noted that most of the increase was due to increases in the tax base. Only six jurisdictions raised their tax rates or assessment ratios last year, while 13 reduced the tax incidence. On the other hand, property values were up in all but one jurisdiction, and were up more than 10 percent in 19. The most significant reduction in properly taxes was in Road District No.

1 where the tax rale was cul from 10 cents to 4 cents per $100 assessed value (on the county's 28 percent assessment ratio i. This resulted in a or a 58 percent lax reduction. The largest increases were in the cities of Crystal Beach and Jamaica Beach. The 246 percent increase for Crystal Beach was due to increases in property- values from new oil and gas production. The percent increase for Jamaica Beach was due primarily to an increase in the lax rate for 25 cents to 82 cents per $100 assessed value (on an 80 percent assessmenl ralio).

Properly lax rales were reduced in all bul Ihrec school dtslricls. However, increases in property- values offset those reductions in all except the La Marque ISD, which had a $318,000 or a 6 percent reduction in local property laxes. In addilion to Road District No. 1 and La Marque ISD. other jurisdictions with net reductions in property taxes were the State of Texas, City of La Marque, Navigation District No.

1 and Bayridge Utility District. In addition to Crystal Beach and Jamaica the following jurisdictions had rwt tax increases in excess of JO percent. The amount of the increase is shown for each jurisdiction: Hitchcock 37 percent, Galveston County MUD No. 1-34 percenl, league City 30 percenl, High Island ISD-19 percenl. Bacliff Utility District-16 percent, Drainage District No.

2-16 percent, Drainage Districl No. 3-15 percenl. Galveslon County-15 percent, Texas City ISD 14 percent. Clear Creek 1SD-13 percent, GaIveston-13 percent and College of the Mainland-10 percent. Galveston County MUD No.

2 levied taxes for the first time this year. The Galveston County Research Council Inc. is an independent, non-profit organization which seeks efficicnl. economical and accountable research and reporting. The council is financed solely by the voluntary contributions of individual and corporate citizens of Galveston County.

Current council officers, in addition to are vice chairman Philip E. Brubaker, plant manager of Monsanto and secretary-lreasurer W. Earl Moreland, certified public accountant and partner in the accounting firm of Cheatham, Brady, Lafferty Cox. The council staff is headed by George T. Odom, executive director, and includes Linda Buster, Eleanor Nash and Barbara Humphries.

Copies of the report are available to the public and may he obtained free of charge by writing, calling or visiting the council offices in Suite 210, 622 Sixth Street North in Texas City. The mailing address is P.O. Drawer and the telephone number is 9481724. Seadock Receives Death Notice HOUSTON (UPD-The death of Seadock a private consortium that tried unsuccessfully to plan, finance and build a Texas offshore superport, will become official March 31, an official announced. President Hugh L.

Scott said the company will close its doors at the end of this month after five years of unsuccessful work toward a $700 million offshore oil terminal 26 miles south of Freeport, Texas. The announcement had been expected ever since key investors Mobil, Exxon and Gulf oil companies pulled out last year on grounds federal licensing restrictions were too tight. Scott has urged the state to build the terminal. The Legislature has enacted enabling legislation. Gov.

Dolph Briscoe has ordered a feasibility study..