Thursday, November 27, 1997
Area news roundup
Hospital trustees agree to help hire grant writer
ANSON -- Trustees of Anson General Hospital voted Tuesday to
participate in a community effort to hire a full-time, professional
grant writer.
The board agreed to fund partially the salary of a grant writer
at cost of $12,500 a year for two years.
"If it is within our capabilities, we should make every
effort to support this," said trustee Lucy Wood.
The Anson Industrial Development board initiated the idea,
seeking help from the school district, city and hospital to fund
the position. The school board has pledged its support, but did
not specify a dollar amount, while the City Council tabled its
decision at its last meeting.
In other business, the board:
-- Approved a cost reduction for non-emergency visits by Jones
County inmates from $57.50 to $45.
-- Hired BR Health Services Inc. to evaluate the hospital's
charges, coding and compliances at a cost of $6,500.
-- Approved the purchase of a computer program and hardware
for the Rural Health Clinic for approximately $3,500.
San Angelo man accused in assault of Ballinger girl
BALLINGER -- A 33-year-old San Angelo man has been charged
in Tom Green County with having sex with a 13-year-old Ballinger
girl.
Khampong Vongprochanh, thought to be from Laos or Thailand,
is accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Investigators
allege he transported the girl from Ballinger to a residence in
the Orient community where the girl said she was assaulted.
Tom Green County authorities said the girl is one of several
teen-age girls that a man and woman allegedly took from Ballinger
to the San Angelo to attend parties. The investigation is continuing,
with similar charges involving some of the other girls expected
to be filed.
The investigation began after the 13-year-old victim told her
parents that she had had sex with an older man, Tom Green officials
said.
Vongprochanh remained in the Tom Green County Jail Wednesday
in lieu of $100,000 bond Wednesday.
Runnels County Courthouse to close on election day
BALLINGER -- County commissioners have decided to close the
Runnels County Courthouse during the primary elections in March.
The commissioners voted unanimously in favor of closing following
a discussion with election judges Larry Lange and Martha Zertuche.
The election judges told the commissioners that, according
to state election guidelines, only election officials, people
voting and their children and people assisting or interpreting
for voters should be admitted to a polling place on election day.
The election judges also said it would be an inconvenience
to many if the polls were moved to a location other than the courthouse
since it has been used as a polling place for so long.
On previous election days, the courthouse and its offices have
remained open for business while voting took place.
Big Spring narrows search for police chief
BIG SPRING -- Big Spring's search for a police chief has been
narrowed to four men from a field of 26 applicants.
The top four are Lonnie Smith, the current acting chief; Billie
D. Hammitt, a captain with the Odessa Police Department; G. Scott
Kniffen, police chief at Sunset Valley, a suburb of Austin and
Barry W. Hooper, police chief at Dumas.
City Manager Gary Fuqua said formal interviews will begin Dec.
1. The city began its search two months ago, following the sudden
death of Police Chief Jerry Edwards.
Smith's 23 years with the local police department includes
the experience of serving as acting chief on three different occasions.
Hammitt has 23 years of experience, Kniffen 16, and Hooper 21.
City officials have not indicated how soon a new chief will
be hired.
Cisco sets bid date for vehicles
CISCO -- Cisco City Council members set Dec. 9 as the date
to open bids on two vehicles and agreed to accept "program"
vehicles, those with a record of good maintenance and driven not
more than 20,000 miles.
The city is seeking a mid-size car for the police department
and a half-ton pickup truck for the water department. Money has
been budgeted for the purchases.
In other business, commissioners discussed a request from the
U.S. Geological Survey and Texas Water Development Board to be
allowed to monitor Lake Cisco.
City Manager Mike Moore said, "Gov. Bush wants to know,
on a daily basis, how much water there is in Texas."
Moore said, if the council agreed, Lake Cisco would be one
of 179 bodies of water to be monitored. The program is scheduled
for at least five years.
Council members had several questions about the request, wondering
aloud if the information might lead to losing some of the water
to another entity.
Council members instructed Moore to find out more about the
project before the council supports the survey.
The council also voted to leave a packaged disaster hospital
stored in the post office and city barn "as is" for
the present time. A generator, blankets and medical supplies would
be useful in case of a tornado or other disaster, they agreed.
New publics works director to begin Jan. 1
ROSCOE -- Jerry Watts will begin his duties as director of
public works for the city of Roscoe on Jan. 1.
Watts is currently working as a jailer for Nolan County, but
has extensive experience in the public works and utilities field,
Mayor Tom Griffith said.
The Roscoe City Council hired Watts on Monday and set his salary
at $26,000.
The council had voted earlier to replace the position of city
administrator with a director of public works following the resignation
of Kevin Tate in October.
Griffith said Tate was called city manager but, technically,
the job was city administrator because Roscoe has not formally
voted in a city manager-type of government.
Rotan city councilman resigns
ROTAN -- Scotty Daniel has resigned from the Rotan City Council,
effective last week.
In a letter of resignation to the city, the Air Force combat
veteran and retired commercial pilot indicated he was perplexed
by the inability of the City Council and the Rotan Water Authority
to sit down and work out an agreement on the water issue.
He walked out of a Nov. 19 meeting of the water authority and
said he could serve the community as a private citizen better
than as a city councilman. He was elected last year to a term
expiring in 1999.
Santa Anna police chief returns to work
SANTA ANNA -- Former Police Chief Carlos Torres returned to
work earlier this week after undergoing medical treatment for
three months.
While Torres was ill, the City Council voted to do away with
the police chief title, but not Torres' job, and to hire a second
policeman to work with the veteran policeman.
A former Ballinger police officer said no to the $1,500 salary,
however, so Santa Anna is once again looking for a second police
officer.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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