San Angelo Standard-Times from San Angelo, Texas • 31

SAN ANGELO Friday January 20 12C Reuniting Up the GdSderTWest Ridership drop puzzles city Statistics gathered during the miles per dap for 180 daps to see ffrst week of December indicate if it would help save oooperattng and maintenance eosts The new routes meant a percent savings over three months on diesel fuel eosts and a 2-3 percent airings on maintenance d-tp Vehicle Maintenance Superintendent Brooks Hill said The tranattjjriemoporates on ridership would have started climbing again if bad weather had not kept people Indoors Me-Cartpsaid Ridership samples taken each mouth indicate the Airbase Route suffered the greatest loss over the past three months But more samples must be taken to verifp budget of which 90 percent is AROIIND WEST TEXAS Panel to study San Saba River dam feasibility funded bp the federal govern-13 percent bp the state and entbptheei percent bp the dtp By CAROL DANIEL Stall Writer Statistics reflecting a plunge In dtp bua ridership during 1983 have dtp planners enrioua as to whp fewer San Angeloana use the transit spitern "Tm surprised ridership is down" dtp Planning Director Larrp McCartp said Thursdsp it has increased over the pears" Citp Finance Department' figures comparing 1133 and 1983 month bp month reflect significant drops in ridership with the biggest decrease in December when 3128 fewer people rode in 1983 than in 1982 dtp Planning Director Larrp McCartp said he expected a drop la October when the bus routes were altered and shortened on a trial basis However the decrease took place even before that time the figures show The decrease be explained at this time since there were no rate increases or other service changes to spark the change McCarty said andLi28 fewer in December save 22500 pias milea with these Ms MeCop said "To me if saving 2000 miles with six buses a heck of savings Whereas some ridership maybe down we made an honest attempt to maintain ridership in the sress that Some of the positive comments gathered bp the Planning Department on the route eluiges anj riders like the buses stopping at the lighthouse for the Bund West Texas RehabQitatioa Center and Rio Concho Manor on everp bus drivers like the new routes because thep have to push as hard to get back to the downtown bus terminal on time Ms MeCop said Negative comments iwM some from Santa Rita residents whose maids now must walk from West Beauregard Instead of riding directlp to Avenue Comments or complaints can be voiced bp ailing Ms McCoy st 8584121 or bp phoning 155-9952 Comparing eaeh skwUi of 1983 and 1982 the number of riders decreased everp month in 1983 except in Januarp and Februarp There were 1800 and 2100 fewer riders in March and April of 1983 than in the same months of 1982 In Juno and Julp the number dropped bplno and 200 The decrease became less pronounced in August and September but in October when the routes were changed rider- There were 2978 fewer riders in October 1083 than in October 1982 1822 fewer In November MENARD (SC) A four-man committee has been appointed bp Menard Mayor BUI Wilkinson to study waps to finance construction of a dam on the San Saba River Committee membera include Banner Swindell Carlton Rothmans Rap Rayburn and Murph Compton The dam designed primarily to recharge the aquifer that supplies water to the wells was approved last December bp the Texas Department of Water Resources If financing can be acquired the dam will be built west at town and wUl impound 140 acre feet of water across a surface area of 31 acres Local man to appeal conviction San Angeloan pleads guilty to 2nd murder TV group gets nod for Kerrville station WASHINGTON (AP) The Federal Communications Commission said Thursdap it has published a ruling bp its legal review board upholding the selection of Hispanic American Broadeaating of Texas Ine as best qualified to build a new commercial TV station on UHF Channel 35 in Kerrville Hispanic American had been aelected lari Julp bp Administrative Law Judge James Tierney over the competing firm of Commanche Broadcasting Ine which then filed an appeal The review board which functions as an in-house eourt of appeals agreed the permit should go to Hispanic American because one of its owners unlike tee owners of Commanche Broadeasting had pledged to work full-time in the dap-to-dap management of the new atation The decision will become effective in 50 daps unless an appeal is filed with the full commission within 30 daps Bp REZ HENDERSON A man convicted of involuntarp manslaughter last month for the fatal shooting of his brother will appeal the verdict to the 3rd Court of Appeals his lawpers saidThursdap James Larrp Jones was charged with murder in the shooting death of Melvin Jones owneraf Diesel Service The shooting was the result of an argument between the brothers over monep trial testimonp showed In a Jurp trial Dec 13 James Larrp Jones wss convicted of Involuntarp manslaughter He was sentenced to a maximum of 10 pears in prison Defense attornep Marvin Hans said the verdict and sentence would be appealed following a hearing Thursdap on a motion for A San Angelo man pleaded guil-tp to murder Thursdap for the second time this week Earl Burt Barnes who was sentenced to 75 pears in prison Mondap tm the nwg of a San Angelo girl received a seeoad 75-pear prison term Thursdap in connection with another slaplng at Anson Barnes of San Angelo pleaded gulltp to the killing of Harlep John Cos wick in a plea bargain with 259th District Attornep Jaek Willingham Barnes pleaded guOtp Mondap to a murder charge in the mg of Teresa Guerra 17 of San Texas Tech races to open college classes in Sonora that dtp Planner Maureen Me-Copsaid "There map be some routes that are getting more and more ridership1' McCartp said "When we go to the council we can sap that the totals are off but we should look inside at eaeh route to see if some route use has increased" A hearing scheduled for 9 am Feb 14 is designed for the public to voice their opinions on the new routes The dtp Council is expected to decide that dap whether to adopt the new routes or to change back to the previous ones The Citp Council agreed to change the routes reducing the number of miles driven bp T4 anew trial District Judge Ropal Hart Thursdap denied the motion for a Hans had sought the new trial on grounds that the prosecutor in the case had failed to disclose the existence of a statement Jones made to police before the trial Assistant District Attornep Mike Berg confronted Jones with the statement on cross-examination during the trial At the hearing on the motion for a new trial Thursdap Hans said Berg had denied the existence of anp statement made bp Jones before the trial In the motion for the new trial be said that the denial violated the Bradp rule which requires prosecutors to disclose the existence of ex-culpatorp evidence evidence which could aid the defense before trial -4 ftLea TYC votes to halt furniture benefits I ''if-' i A hi 'l-i-A I j' tee student so tee cost is about 990 per three-hour course A second hang-up map simply be whether the professors can handle the additional time and extra class load the Sonora courses would entail he said If the professors think thep can adjust to the demand then the issue will be presented to the University Interscholastic League Coordinating Board in Austin in March he aaid Another possible glitch is actual interest in the classes he said want to have at least 20 persons per course" he said It's less than that then we wont do it" If the UIL approves it then a schedule wUl be drafted facilities arranged and materials ordered The courses probably wUl be graduate level aaid However all claases will meet collegiate requirements at Texas Tech Mesack cautioned that sometimes classes are accepted at other colleges when a student transfers He said Texas Tech authorities are considering alternative teaching methods also One idea is to have a lesson videotaped and mailed While the tape is shown to the clan a professor is available on a telephone line to answer question Occasionally ho map drive to Sonora to teach a class in person Texas Tech University officials are toying to hammer out a plan that wUl provide eollege-level classes in Sonora in time for the Fall 1984 school pear Michael Mesack Texas Tech director of continuing education said among tee courses being considered are basic English computer application in education busineas-related courses The list of courses being considered came from a survey conducted bp the Sonora newspaper he said Sonora Independent School District officials and state Sen BUI Sims originally approached Tech with the idea of bringing professors to Sonora fmr a continuing education program Re described as "unlikely" chanees teat the English classes and business classes will be brought to fruitition Mesack said the big problem is logistics so far away" he aaid "The distance and the cost involved in getting back and forth is almost prohibitive" In order to pap for the professor extra time and expense the classes probably wUl be extension courses instead of residence courses Mesack said The state helps fund residential courses which means tuition is about 79 for a three-hour course Extension courses are paid bp Harte-HanksAastiaBurean AUSTIN Free home furnishings for some Texas Youth Commission emplopees are almost a thing of the past The board voted Thursdap to drop that benefit for future emplopees but retained it for those now enjoping the emolument commission spokeswoman Joan Timmons said She added that appliances will still be free and earpets and drapes an expeeted to be changed from time to time The board decision followed stories in the news media about similar benefits enjoped bp emplopees of various state agencies including the Texas Youth Commission and tho Texas Department of Corrections Other emplopee benefits maiaed untouched she aald -eluding free housing utilities and laundry for supervisors assistant supervisors and business managers at the six major institutions Those institutions Include the Corsicana State Home the West Texas Home near Monahans tho Crockett State School north of Huntsville the Giddlngs State School the Gainesville State School and tho Angelo The girl's bodp wai found Map 24 nude bodp wan discovered was found in a creek at Seabee Park near Lake Fort Phantom Hill in Jones County The two prison sentences will be served concurrentlp Barnes 20 and co-defendant Tommp Lee Jackson were arrested a mile south of Abilene Barnes and Jackson were indicted on capital murder charges in the Goswkk killing A third man Bilip Wapns Penny 18 was indicted on murder charges and aggravated sexual abuse in the case Brownwood State School in West Texas The supervisor of the Statewide Reception Center at Brownwood also receives a rent-free home But the most spectacular famished housing is a built decides ago on the Corsicana eampus In addition Mrs Timmons said some emplopees at the West Texas children's facilitp in Ppote can rent rooms or mobile home spaces for $15 a month including utilities At Gainesville and Corsicana she said some houses and apartments are available for 25 a month The lower rental rate at the West Texas facilitp she said is needed to entice emplopees to move to that area of the state Though board members did not change the free or rirtuaUp free utilities Mrs Timmons noted that some board members expect -state budget experts with the Legislative Budget Board to push for eUmfaiHig those during the 1985 legislative session In other action the board adopted a new reporting system to track deaths of children sent to commission homes halfway houses and other residential programs today's certification hearing He has been held since early Jan 1 in Tom Green County Jail's Juvenile detention unit Four people were wounded early New Year's Dap when a argument at a party envted fade gunfire at 3:10 WAveM All of the gunshot victims have been released from Shannon West Texas Memorial Hospital where they were treated The victims of the shooting wen Daniel Valades 37 and his wife of 310 Ave Santa Tobias 15 of 9 Ave and Mario Garcia 18 of 502 Ave 1 District attorney to attempt to try Angelo boy as adult s- Lajitas Lumber Yard destroyed in blast fire LAJITAS (SC) The Lajitas Lumber Yard was destroyed bp fire early Thursdap morning which consumed the facility's complete stock of lumber and pamt Residents in a recreational vehicle park located near the yard reported hearing an explosion shortly before the fire began at about 2:30 am Thursdap The yard wu fully stocked beesuse of three major building projects underway in the area The projects include construction of a new lumber yard a 4000-square-foot home forthiTMHchfif? Corp and a large model plantation home to be located near the Lajitas Golf Course No dollar value was placed on tee damage Thursdap Fire department personnel from Presidio and Big Bend National Park were called to the scene along with Teritegua Emergency Medical Technicians The fire was brought under control despite a high wind which wu blowing sparks toward the town area The flamu were completely extinguished before firefighters left the scene at about am No injuries were reported and the cause at the fire had not been determined as of Thursdap afternoon Assistant District Attorney Dan Edwards will attempt to bring a 15-pear-old San Angelo bop to trial in connection with the New Eve shooting of four people hi a hearing today in district court The adult certification hearing scheduled for 9 am before Judge Marilyn Aboussle will determine whether the bop should be treated as an adult or as a Juvenile If the bop is certified as adult be could be charged with four counta of attempted murder or four counts of aggravated assault Edwards said The name is being withheld pending the outcome of Frozen dinner This chicken was no queen of the roost at a feedlot on East 39th She had to search amidst snow and bits of hay tar a meal on a chilly Thursday afternoon Stantfartf PMt by DivM Tillary I I.