Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 21

I I Pr i Fort Worth Star-Telegram -8 ti 1 TarrantTexas I 1 1 Part 2 Section 1 1 Joe at Tarrant County Junior College Page 25 it wasn't supposedto be a mobile home Rushing recalls his years as chancellor tor talk it's got a nice setting it's way back in the woods you can't see it from the road it still needs a little work" Jackson said "When we got to where the house was supposed to be she said 'You're right Tracy it needs worK From the ground up' "I had an outbuilding and they took it too They even took the pier and beam foundation" said Jackson who brought the house as an investment "I'll tell you I was one surprised house was stolen "As long as I've been in this business I just don't get surprised" Tracy Jackson said "I've had houses burned down torn down and tenants steal everything they could possibly carry off but I've never had a house stolen" Before changing the ad Jackson 53 drove to the site 75 miles northwest of Arlington on Monday accompanied by a real estate agent from Montague County who was going to show it for him "All the way out I was making Real Jackson an Arlington Realtor since 1965 and former president of the Arlington Board of Realtors called the Montague County Sheriff's office and reported the loss He said the sheriff called him back later and asked "Are you putting us on?" "1 le thought it had to be some kind of joke" Jackson said Jackson's friends are reacting the same way he tells them he's suffered a hefty financial loss and they just laugh Jackson called BJ hail an Arling ton businesswoman he has dated for several years who was in California and told her the news "She got so tickled she just couldn't quit laughing We couldn't even talk I finally just hung up on her" Jackson said lie understands the humor in the situation but to him it's no laughing matter First he found out his loss wasn't covered by his insurance "I told Jerry Jordan (an Arlington (More on HOUSE on next page) YP I (')! ri' I I Ii la 14 Tracy Jackson: His friends are laughing at his loss Surplus expected by state Economy showing strength Bullock says Satusday AM August 27 1988 fir Actually lo BY SUE STEN'ENS Fort Worth Star-Telegram ALINGTON First an Arlington real estate investor placed an ad Mon4ay in the Star-Telegram to sell 12 heaqy wooded acres with deer and quairj on Lake Amon Carter in Montague County with a frame house that need1 work Plat afternoon he changed the ad to read 112 heavily wooded acres with deer and ivail on Lake Amon Carter that neeclia house 1-11f reason for changing the ad: The Birdville may trim its budget br Trustees aim to push tax rate under a dollar By BREIT I IOFFNIAN Fort Star-Telegram HNILTOM CITY After protests at two public hearings Birdville school officials said yesterday they are working this weekend to cut the district's proposed operating budget enough to push next year's property tax rate under a dollar The board will approve a final budget and set next year's tax rate Monday night for the district which includes about 17500 students in North Richland lulls lls Haltom City Watauga and Richland lulls The board three weeks ago proposed an effective tax rate increase of 2356 percent and scheduled two public hearings for taxpayers The increase exceeds the 8-percent threshold at which taxpayers may petition for a rollback election even after exceptions are followed under state law (More on SCHOOLS on Page 28) Foil Itkorth Star-Telegram Pi IL MosarY diverting profits from the sale of US arms to Iran to the Nicaraguan contras Kenneth Allen is left of North John Bergman is at right and Gerald Kibler is the photographer STORY ON PAGE 29 wo Worthington I lotel employees have their picture taken with former Marine Lt Col Oliver North after he spoke yesterday at a money-raiser to help pay for his legal expenses North is accused of BY JOI GONZALEZ It' Fort Worth Austin Bureau Unexpectedly high income from the state's array of taxes will provide the government its first surplus in two years when the books for fiscal 1988 are closed next week Comptroller Bob Bullock said yesterday The estimated $100 million balance is evidence of a dramatic turnaround in the Texas economy that "even exceeded our expectations" Bullock said "It's another clear indication that the Texas economy bottomed out in the spring of 1987 and is in a sustainable recovery" Bullock told a meeting of the West Texas council of the Texas Chambers of Commerce in Abilene The state closed its books on fiscal 1987 with a $745 million deficit and two years ago the deficit in the general 1 revenue fund was $231 million But Bullock said the red ink won't it' needed this year because income frortl several taxes on sales motor fuels in- surance oil and gas and franchises were better than expected "Texas manufacturing is coming back because of the lower value of the dollar and increasing competitiveness of US exports" Bullock was quoted in a news release as saying Gov Bill Clements issued a state- I ment calling the report "wonderful news for Texas This is indeed further i proof that our economy has not only il turned the comer but is picking up speed and is well on its way down the road to recovery" Bullock said the revised figures indicate the Legislature will have enough money to sustain existing state services at present money levels in 1990-91 Wichita Falls ready for a scorcher of a bicycle ride BY ASHLEY CIIESIIIRE Fort Won' Star-Telegram WrCHITA FALLS The man trying to pay for his lunch with a $100 bill at the local Wendy's yesterday might not have been in the minority but hp was definitely traveling against the ffpw when it came to the Hotter'n Hdl tundred the hottest and most popu ar one-day bicycle ride in the country "A askec 'e you gonna ride tomorrow?" the restaurant's manager a mid Christie 44 who is also the city's assistant postmaster were busy with last-minute preparations: the strategic distribution of 12000 ride shirts and water bottles 60000 pounds of ice 25000 gallons of water and 40000 bananas the better to ward off cramps and heat-related illnesses Christie said registration was running nearly 20 percent above that oflast year and he said that was because the ride is both pleasant and safe despite being run in one of the hottest parts of Texas at the hottest time of the year "We put up tents and supplies at the rest stops and gave everyone a map Instead of a transfer (an iron-on picture) we gave them a T-shirt and a water bottle and once they get out here they could try something a little longer than they were used to and feel comfortable doing it" Christie said recalling the race's origins "It worked" T-shirts and water bottles are now standard items at most rides Registration grew from 1300 to more than I 1000 in five years making (More on RACE on next page) event-centered city by about 13 percent Already bicycle riders filled the dining area behind the golfer with the bankroll Even as he spoke thousands more clad in T-shirts and shorts and with lightweight bicycles strapped to the tops of their cars were moving into the city from at least 335 other Texas municipalities and 40 states including Alaska Motels were booked up as far as Bowie and Olney 50 miles away Meanwhile 2000 volunteers led by ride founder and co-chairman Roby Gas leak case settled Spate asked to probe Hemphill home blaze but mystery remains die-aged woman dressed in a blue uniform "Yeah I'm gonna ride" the man said "I'm gonna throw my clubs in the trunk of my car and ride right out to the golf course I'm too old for that Mickey Mouse stuff" Many more were not Eighteen hours before today's 7:30 am starting time bicyclists registered for the seventh annual ride numbered 11492 An additional 1500 were expected to register in the last hours temporarily swelling the population of this Tuesday an official who asked not to be identified said No injuries were reported and no one was home when the fire was reported Volunteer Fire Chief DB Chance confirmed Ladner's home was destroyed by fire but he declined to discuss the case until the investigation is completed Officials said Ladner's home was the target of attempted arson five or six months ago The official said several people at the fire believe it is related to the case of Loyal Garner Jr the Roden La truck driver who died Dec 27 of head injuries suffered in the Sabine County Jail on Christmas night I ot-t1 --iver) I go og'' 1 4 i i i '1 Pe 1 ii I 1 i 1 1 i --t I i il --1 1 1 4 I jostle -4 f- 'l 4 a1 41 1' Ty 4 4OF 4411'- 'P90 4i I Lii 4 44- 0 't''' 1r ig! -t I-- ---t i7trA i roc 4 '41 r-62e 4 14 fk- 111AKao- 1g 4 "4 4 "nIftf "s4-4rik' r''' i 4 of '4 1 SC '''''T CI 5to A V4 j'4jJ 'c In February 1986 however gas seep- I ing through the soil under the house ignited forcing the Lewallens to evacuate their home for three weeks while the gas company dug up the yard Nothing was ever found and eventually the Lewallens moved back in but as late as July 1986 they could still set fire to the dirt around their house Last spring the Lewallens filed a civil suit against the gas company In the suit they argued that because Brazos River Gas Co is the only supplier of natural gas to the city of Weatherford the company's pipes could be the only source of the leak The out-ofcourt settlement reached this week grants the Lewallens $25000 By GIGI Special to the Star- I elegram WEATHERFORD The strange case of the mysterious gas leak has been settled but it hasn't been solved The Milton Levvallen family has reached an out-of-court settlement with the Brazos River Gas Co in their dispute over damages caused by a mysterious gas leak near the Lewallen home The problems started in late 1985 when the Lewallens began to smell gas around their two-story home at 501 Lee St in one of Weatherford's nicer neighborhoods They complained to the gas company which could find no detectable leak around the house I Foil Worth Star-Telegram GLEN LILMkSt oil Worth firefighter Steve Nolan drags a hose yesterday as he lights a fire that destroyed a wood and stone barn owned by John I lowell in Westover I tills Damage was estimated at more than MAO fit Associated Press I 1EMPHILL The state fire marshal has been asked to investigate a fire of suspicious origin at the mobile home of suspended Police Chief Thomas Ladner Ladner and two other officers in this town on the Louisiana border were acquitted last month on charges of violating the civil rights of a black man who died of injuries from what witnesses said was a Christmas night jail beating Hemphill Fire Marshal Bill Bar-cheers said Thursday that the state fire marshal has been asked to take over the investigation The fire suspected of being arson destroyed Ladner's mobile home late Jon McConal Tpere's goat tq be gotten 1 A li 41 11 "They get into a wool bag two of them and they race Well they hop" she said Reba hollered "Let's see I got this goat pill thing" said Taw "In 1986 the record was set It's 84 feet and 5 inches They really flipped that little booger didn't they?" She talked about other events such as the Sept 3 dance on the town square "We block off the whole thing and Kent Finlay and his band will play some good country music" said Taff And of course there will be the luncheon earlier that day during which Gilbert Currie will head a team that will cook several hundred pounds of goat After that will come the judging of the official entries The judges will be easy to spot We'll be the ones with meat drippings on our 7 shirts and blouses And contented looks in out t'yes Jon McConal's column appears Tuesday Thursday and Saturday center of Texas and is so defined in the Texas manac Writing colleagues such as Sheila Taylor and Mike Nichols are asked to judge such things as the cutest doggie in Fort Worth But my abilities as a judge go far beyond such trival things I'm a judge in the goat cook-off For the second year in a row Joining me from Fort Worth will be Doc Keen and Eddie Sandoval It will be a blast A chat with Jackie Taff chamber secretary proved that -We only got nine openings left in the cook-off" said Tail "And we don't think that will ast very long And our arts and crafts exhibits are already full We got 125 signed up" She also said they already have seven entries the Superbowl Goat Cooking event That competition is reserved for first-place winners of past contests "We got cookers from all over Texas and several other states" Taff said Their names are as good as the meat the BRADY Listen to this: You've got more than 100 people who have been camped out for a couple of nights They're dressed to resemble everything from gunfighters to gamblers to Indians And their clothing probably has the dew's dampness clinging to it along with mixtures of campfires and smokers And here they are slicing off chunks of goat that they have spent most of the day cooking Nnd you are sitting up there on this big lathed truck licking your chops and saying -Bring it on folks I've got a hankering for that goat as deep as a horsefly that's been caged for a couple of days and is about to be sot loose on some fat hindquarters of a big old horse" Let the good times roll That is exactly what will be happening to me next weekend when I gather with about 10000 other people for the 15th World Chamionship Barbecue Goat Cook-off sponsored by the BradyMcCulloch County Chamber of Commerce Brady incideoally is located in the geographical 1 will be cooking "The one we think is the best is 'Sotally Tober' Get it?" asked Taft "We liked to never have figured that out We thought they were trying to be ugly at first" They also have teams named "The Dead Billy Goat Barbecue" and "The SOBs" "That last one stands for 'Some Old Barbecue' It's not nasty like you might think" said Taff Contestants will be given half a goat to cook Judging criteria is taste looks aroma and texture The first-place winner will pocket $300 and a trophy But the cooking is only one of many events slated for the weekend All are pure fun Consider the Goat Pill Flip Off "You bet they use the real thing" said Taff 'The record? I have forgot I ley Reba" she shouted into the background "Will you look up the record for the flip off?" While we waited she told about other contests One is the wool-bag race 1 1.