WEDNESDAYJuNE 5, 2019VOL. 112 • NO. 23

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P. O. Box 817 • 310 Fifth St.Palacios, TX 77465

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Police Reports..........Page 3Lifestyles ...............Page 10Youth........................Page 9 Classifieds..............Page 11Sports....................Page 12

(See HARRISON, Page 3)

BY RYAN WESTPalacios Beacon-Publisher

$1.00

Legislature PassesProperty Tax, School

Finance ReformSee Page 7 See PageS 4-5

HurricaneTips & Tracking

PageSee Page 2

PISDDistinguished

Alumni

Palacios Pride

Pick it uP

BY ALAN C. SCHULMANPalacios Beacon - Reporter

Congratulations grads of PHS Class of 2019A BBQ fundraiser for

Casa de Oracion Pen-tecostal Church, locat-ed at 423 6th St. ,will be held Fri.( June 7) from 10 a.m. - sold out. BBQ Brisket, Chicken & Sausage, potato sal-ad, pinto beans, bread pickles, onions & bread. 423 6th St. Pa-lacios. Contact: Sylvia: 361-484-6330, James 361-218-5334, Susie: 361-237-0199.

■ BBQ plate fundraiser Fri. at COPC

Grantworks to conduct city-wide survey this week

(See CITY, Page 2)

• Deadline for Articles, Display Ads 5 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. Monday for Classifieds •

It’s one thing to complain about pot holes in your street, but what do you do if there’s no street in your street?

Such is the case with Harrison St., and local resident Patricia Loving, and others, have been watching what re-mained of the paved surface erode for at least 10 years to its current state.

Loving, who regularly speaks to the Palacios City Coun-cil, during the Citizens Forum, at their bi-monthly meet-ings on various topics, has been asking the City to repair the street for years, to no avail.

Loving stated that, on occasion, city workers have filled deep potholes with caliche, a substance that binds other materials such as gravel, sand, clay, and silt, but the street has never been properly repaved.

“They would put down some caliche in the holes, pack it down, put down some gravel, and the first rain, it would be gone. This has been going on, I would say, for seven or eight years.”

Where the pavement ends...Looking for help on Harrison St.

PISD Trustees approve turf for Shark Stadium

(See PISD, Page 2)

The Palacios ISD Board of Trustees held a Special Called Board Meeting last week to address multiple items, with the biggest news being what’s coming Shark Stadium - turf.

After being tabled during discussions on replacement and resurfacing of the track at a prior meeting, the issue of replacing the grass sod of Shark Stadium with field turf came back to the agen-da like a boomerang.

On a 4-3 vote, the Trust-ees approved the proposed cost of $1,238,678 by the same firm awarded the track rehabilitation, Hellas Sports Construction, which is headquartered out of Aus-tin.

Trustees in favor were Steve Stuhrenberg, Peter Estraca, Fabian Marroquin and Rob Kessler. In oppo-sition were Lisa Harrison,

BY ALAN C. SCHULMANPalacios Beacon - Reporter

Lacking new members, VFW Post nears endBY ALAN C. SCHULMANPalacios Beacon

It’s only a matter of time until Palacios’ lo-cal Veterans of Foreign Wars post could be forced to shut down. The Queen Hamlin VFW Post 2467 has been a neighborhood institution for the past 75 years. The Post es-timates that it could have only months, at best, and is calling on the community to help keep it going.

The Post Commander and Quartermaster, who have been members for years, say the issues at hand are similar to those in other posts.

“Like a lot of orga-nizations, we’re not gaining membership,” they said. “Our younger veterans don’t seem to be interested in joining service organizations.”

Most of the small membership consists of a few Vietnam vet-erans, like Commander Charles Tyler and Quar-termaster Gary Taylor, who said the deaths of

(See VFW, Page 3)

Should someone come knocking on your door in the coming days, the City of Pala-cios surely would appreciate you answering the door and taking part in a brief survey.

Beginning this week, personnel from Grantworks will be conducting a door to door city-wide survey seeking to obtain household income information, Palacios City Manager David Kocurek stated at last week’s meeting of the Palacios City Coun-cil.

Recently the City had been booted from its federal ranking as a low-to-moderate in-come municipality.

“They said we were way above the low-

to-moderate income threshold on our per-centages and it kicked us out of a lot of grants and the possibility of future grants,” stated Kocurek.

Previously Palacios had been well over the 50-percent low-to-moderate income threshold throughout the City and Kocurek said it was unknown why the City’s posi-tion had been changed.

As for the survey collection, Grantworks will send four representatives with badges and cards with the company name along with the surveys available in English, Span-ish and Vietnamese. The 10-15 minute sur-vey can be completed at the door and will collect just the address, phone number, and the date and time of the survey’s comple-tion. No names will be collected. The data

collected will be good for five years in de-termining Palacios’ status.

Rates with AEPMary Gutierrez of AEP Texas was in-

troduced and explained the requested rate change for electrical delivery. In the after-math of Hurricane Harvey and subsequent storms, AEP has poured over $6-billion into an aging infrastructure. Coupled with the tremendous customer growth through-out the state, Gutierrez detailed the need for the increase.

After discussion amongst the Council, a suspension of the rate increase for 90 days to allow more time to study the request with neighboring municipalities was approved.

PEDC changeoverCouncil appointed Scott Tran to fulfill

Donny Tran’s unexpired term thru Dec. 31, 2020 on the Palacios Economic Develop-ment Corp. Board of Directors. Also ac-cepted was the resignation of Director Deb-bie Morris with Leland Singer appointed to fulfill her remaining term thru Dec. 31, 2019.

County pitch-inThe Council approved contributing

$53,000 for the County’s Hurricane Ike CDBG-DR grant for the Wastewater Treat-ment Plant Main Lift Station Mechanical Bar Screen Project, with a total value of $1,078-million.

Airport VacancyCouncil accepted the resignation of

HARRISON St. residents Don & Patricia Loving use a yardstick to measure the depth of one of the mul-titude of potholes that dot the five-block street.

DEADLINE 5 P.M. FRIDAYPage 2 - Palacios Beacon - Wed., June 5, 2019

CITY (Continued From Page 1)

•The Palacios Beacon • Serving the City by the Sea since 1907

PALACIOS BEACON

Area BriefsPolice recover stolen ‘Blue Dog’ art

EL CAMPO: A Blue Dog discovered in El Campo last week has Louisiana police on the trail of thieves. Not an actual dog, the Blue Dog is one of an iconic art series created by George Rodriguez of Lafayette, La. The piece found here was a printer’s proof for one of the Blue Dog Mardi Gras series. It, along with several other pieces were stolen from a home in Lafayette Par-ish, according to El Campo Police Department Lt. Rus-sell Urban. “They (the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Of-fice) tracked the sale of one of the stolen pieces through E-bay. It appeared the piece was purchased and deliv-ered to … Center St. in El Campo,” he said. The piece was recovered from the Center St. location and shipped back to Lafayette. The Center St. resident cooperated with the investigation and is not a suspect. The total value of the pieces stolen in Louisiana is estimated at $48,000. - El Campo Leader-News

Alcoholism, depression may have led to plunge PORT ARANSAS: Alcoholism and depression

could have been factors in the death of a man who drove off the ferry landing while being pursued by po-lice in Port Aransas, according to the man’s nephew. Martin Andrew Steitle, 64, of rural Medina County was found dead in his vehicle at the bottom of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel on Wednesday. His 35-year-old nephew, Michael Woytasczy stated, “He really was suffering from depression. He also struggled with alco-holism. Alcoholism is a lot more destructive than most realize.” An officer pulled up to find Steitle seated in a parked truck, with the driver’s-side door open. Port Aransas Police Chief Scott Burroughs said the officer asked Steitle, “What’s going on?” Steitle then word-lessly closed the door and sped away a few seconds later, Burroughs said. Police pursued the truck to the ferry landing. Burroughs said he doesn’t know why Steitle fled. He had no warrants pending for his ar-rest. Steitle drove around the ferry loop, and police at-tempted to box him in near the ferry landing before he drove off the landing. A dive team located the vehicle, but deemed conditions too dangerous to attempt a res-cue. The truck was recovered about 12 hours later with Steitle’s body still inside. - Port Aransas South Jetty

Special Thanks to: Carolyn Kubecka, Vanessa Kunefke, Stephen & Margie Wier, Ruth Friedrichs, Carol & Joe LeMaster, Adriana Whitwell, Amy Marroquin,

Melissa Lara, Lupita Reyes, Elizabeth Zamora, Alex Fuentes, Joseph & Kat Kel-ley, David Dunham, Kathy Rodriguez, Beneath the Oaks, Raise Em Up Guide

Service – Van Critenden, Peaceful Pelican – Paula Whitney, Mikes on Main Street, Green Leaf Nursery, El Campo Walmart, Porter’s Ace Hardware, The Weekender,

Palacios Golf Association, Po Boys Dock, Irene Page – House of Flowers, Pala-cios Rotary Club, Parker Lumber, Harbor Spirits, Judge Nate McDonald, Richard

Rhoades, Nancy Rhoades, Jamie at Tangled, Prime Parts, The Point, Representative Dennis Bonnen, Senator Lois Kolkhorst, Duane Korenek, Steel Country Band,

Christina Lopez, Sharon Estraca and Sarah Crawford

Corporate SponsorsFirst Financial Bank Wier Enterprises

7-Eleven Convenience StoreER Walla Company

Performance Dry Wall

Prosperity Bank Wier Land Development

LLC

Gold Sponsors

Si lve r SponsorsAmerican Legion

City of PalaciosCoca Cola Bottling Co.-El Campo

Del Papa Distributing Co.Deutschburg Community Club

Bob & Ruth FriedrichsJohn & Katie Gilbert

GreenLeaf NurseryThe Harmonie Club

Three Oaks Retreats-Joe & Kat KelleyJohn & Lisa Harrison

Kenedy Memorial FoundationLynn Construction

Matagorda County Navigation Dist. #1Matagorda Regional Medical Center

NewWave CommunicationsOmar’s Bar & GrillOXEA CorporationPalacios Area Fund

Palacios Community Medical CenterPalacios Dental Center

RVOS InsuranceSonic Drive-In

STP Nuclear Operating Co.La Reforma, LLC -Subway

TE Reilly, Inc.

Bron ze SponsorsAgape Family Outreach Church

Bay City RadioCaptain Tom’s EnterprisesCroix Wealth Management

Inteplast Group CorporationKULP 1390

Lavaca-Navidad River AuthorityRick Cink

RVOS InsuranceStatewide Cotton Company

United Methodist Women

Fr iends of t he ClubIsidro Castanon, Attorney at Law

Catholic Daughters of AmericaCenterpoint Energy

State Representative Dennis Bonnen

Leland & Margery SingerM&M Farms

Sue & Bill StacyTexas Coastal Properties

Thank You!Boys & Girls

Club of Palacios

Matagorda Family Practice- Palacios

is excited to announce that the following Providers will be continuing to provide excellent healthcare for our community.

320 Main St. Palacios

FOR APPOINTMENTS CALL

361-972-0095

Joe Vasquez, A-GNP-C

Dr. Barbara Hayes, DNP,FNP-C

Dr. Alan Barker, DO, MBA

We see all patients! Birth - Seniors

Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Honored as the PISD Class of 2019 Distinguished Alum-ni at last week’s commemce-ment ceremony were Connie Huitt - Class of ‘56, and Andy Louderback - Class of ‘75.

Connie HuittConnie Law Huitt gradu-

ated from Palacios High School in 1956. She received her bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State Univer-sity and served as a substitute teacher at PISD. She and her husband, Fred Huitt, and their three sons have been promi-nent members of the Palacios community for many years.

Huitt has distinguished herself by her many contri-butions to Palacios and to Matagorda County. As a busi-ness woman with ownership interest in Campbell-Huitt In-surance, she has promoted the success of the company and other businesses in Palacios. She has been a long-standing member of the Chamber of Commerce. In 1999, Huitt was named the Palacios Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year, and she is currently a director on the Chamber board.

Huitt has served the community in many other ways including as a mem-ber of the First Baptist Church as organist and pianist, Sunday School teacher, and on numerous church committees. She has served on the boards of Matagorda County Child Protective Services and the Palacios Library. Huitt also contributes as a BlueBell member donating time to help the Palacios Community Medi-cal Center Hospital. She is a member, and former president, of the Alapha Club, a social and study club that an-nually donates funds to aid local pro-grams and services. And, as a board director of the Palacios Area Histori-cal Association, Huitt helps to over-see the City by the Sea Museum.

AJ “Andy” LouderbackAJ “Andy” Louderback was born

and raised in Palacios and proudly comes from a family of PISD edu-cators. His grandmother, Eleanor Louderback, retired from teaching in Palacios in 1958. His father, John "J.J." Louderback, served as princi-pal at Central Elementary. And his mother, Joy Louderback, taught sci-ence, social studies, art and health at East Side.

After graduating from Palacios High School in 1975, Louderback at-tended the Colorado Springs Police Academy and then served as Ser-geant in the Air Force Security Po-lice, Law Enforcement Division from 1976-1978. In 1978, he joined Edna Police Department where he worked as an investiga-tor until becom-ing Captain at the Jackson County Sheriff's Office in 1988. He is now a forty-year law enforcement pro-

fessional, serving his fourth term as Sheriff of Jackson County. In 2017, he was rec-ognized with the “Service to the Homeland Award” for ex-ceptional patriotic and distin-guished service to ICE.

Louderback is a member of the National Institute of Justice’s Special Technical Committee on Law Enforce-ment Firearms. He serves on the National Sheriffs’ Asso-ciation Immigration Com-mittee and Governmental Affairs Committee. He is involved in the Sheriffs’ As-sociation of Texas, having served as both president and legislative chairman. Since 2017, Louderback has served as Chairman of Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s Law Enforcement Advisory Com-mittee. He recently partnered with the Texas Department of Public Safety to instruct law enforcement in Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Re-sponse Training methods for

stopping an active school shooter. Louderback serves on the Texas Com-mission on Law Enforcement Advi-sory Committee and is a past board member of the Texas Association of Counties. He is a member of the Gulf Bend Community Collaborative and a board member at Hope of South Texas Child Advocacy Center. In 2018, Louderback participated in the White House’s First Prison Reform Summit. Louderback has also partici-pated in border security roundtables hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House and McAllen Border Patrol Station.

GRAB-N-GO WASHATERIA & GROCERY STORE

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OPEN 6 A.M. UNTIL 10 P.M.

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Hunt Brothers Pizza

PISD (Continued From Page 1)Brandon Bowers and Peter Zamarripa.

The track construction & turf field constuction will occur at the same time with completion forecast to be mid-September.

According to Adminis-trative Assistant Sabina Bishop, this will present a cost savings to the district and the district’s fund bal-ance will afford the project as PISD had an estimated 9-month operating expense fund balance at the close of 2017-18.

Facility Improvement Committee

The Trustees approved

formation of a Facility Im-provement Committee to evaluate the complete fa-cility needs of the district.

Next MeetingThe first Draft Budget

Workshop/Regular Board Meeting will be on June 17, with a possible change noted.

Huitt, Louderback named PISD Distinghuished Alumni of 2019

Charles Lobstein from the Airport Board.

AnnexationCouncil approved the first

reading of Ordinance 2019-)-3 to annex the property located at 1210 Mosier Dr. The property, located at the corner of Mosier Dr. and 12th St., already has access to city water and sewer ser-vices and is planned to be an RV park.

Approved ItemsCouncil approved the

first reading of the 2018-19 Budget Amendment with changes. Council adopted an investment policy with previous questions having been corrected. Instead of ‘shall’ designate a second person the policy states ‘may’. Council authorized City Manager David Ko-cruek to obtain appraisals for the vacant City lots 7, 8 and 9 on Main St.

Executive SessionOn the slate for talks be-

hind closed doors were the discussion of pending law-suits and the position of City Treasurer Tammy Mc-Donald.

After returning to open session 40 minutes later, Council approved the mo-tion for City Manager to initiate the settlement of the

lawsuit as discussed in Ex-ecutive Session.

Also approved was an employment agreement be-tween McDonald and the City Manager.

No other details on either item were disclosed.

Next MeetingThe next meeting of the

Palacios City Council will be held June 11 at 7 p.m.

sponsored by the Palacios Beacon

HONORED as the Distinguished Alumni at the Palacios High School Class of 2019 Commence-ment ceremony last Friday were Connie Huitt - Class of ‘58 and AJ Louderback - Class of ‘75

Palacios Beacon - Wed., June 5, 2019 - Page 3DEADLINE 5 P.M. FRIDAY

DPS urges Texans to prepare their families, properties as hurricane season begins

Breakfast & Lunch

Michael & Nancy Dotson Owner/Operators 361-484-5885 • 458 Main St.

• Delicious Burgers• Sandwiches

• Homemade Sweets• Hand-dipped

Bluebell Ice Cream• Specialty Coffee

Drinks

Campbell-HuittInsurance

328 CommercePalacios, TX

361-972-2551Auto-BondsBusinessHomeLifeFlood

• Computer Diagnostics• Brake Service• AC Service• Tune Up

• Restoration Quality Work

• Insurance Claims Welcomed

Collision Repair Specialist

• Towing

APRIL 2019HURICANE HARVEY• Closing out FEMA

damage projects• Grantworks is prepar-

ing to survey community

for Harvey CDBG-DR project applications for the City.

ADMINISTRATION• Contractor working on

IKE CDBG-DR grant to rehabilitate Lift Stations.

• Working with GLO to submit application to fund the match for generators through CDBG-DR Pro-gram.

• TxDOT Aviation De-partment for Palacios Air-port Improvements Grant to repair Runway 13-31, taxiways, and terminal apron; Engineer is submit-ting Final Engineering Re-port for review.

• Closing out H-GAC Recycle Center Expansion Project Grant.

• Opened bids for the sidewalk project utilizing the Downtown Revitaliza-tion Grant from Texas

Department of Agricul-ture; Rejected bids and ad-vertising again in May.

• Rebuild Texas Grant approved for emergency generator for City Hall.

PUBLIC WORKS• Work Orders Complet-

ed: 10 water leaks, 19 ani-mal calls, 7 sewer stoppage calls, 20 miscellaneous work orders, cleaned 1,000 feet of ditches, resetting culverts and cleaning out existing culverts; repaired potholes; 107 total calls for service.

• Mowed RR Park and other city properties, water plants, and 14 lift stations.

• Continue hauling of demo material at the Lu-ther Hotel

AIRPORT• Mowed and sprayed

around buildings, runways, and hangers

POLICE• Calls for Service 390• Citations 74 Warnings

99 issued, and 8 arrests• Cases Assigned 8, Cas-

es Closed 52• Traffic accidents 6

FIRE• Fire Department is sub-

mitted several grants for new Fire Station.

• Fire Department is completing the construc-tion plans for new Fire Sta-tion.

City Manager’s Monthly Departmental Reports

B & S Meat Market Corner of 8th Street and FM 1468 • Markham

979-843-5730

June 5- June 11

Like us on facebook for additional WEEKEND SPECIALS!Custom Slaughtering and Deer Processing

Hours: Mon.-Fri./9am-7pm • Sat./9am-5pm • Open Sundays 11am-5p.m.

Boneless Pork Chops $2.59/lb.Beef Fajitas $6.99/lb.

Chicken Fajitas $2.99/lb.Pork Steaks $1.99/lb.

ARRESTSHeriberto Chavez, 24, 5205 Oak Man-

or Blvd, was arrested in the 400 block of Commerce St. at 12:45 a.m. on May 28. Warrant Service Out of County.

Jose Asension Cabrales, 49, Austin, was arrested at the intersection of 4th St. and Lucas Ave at 10:11 p.m. on May 29. Warrant Service Out of County.

INCIDENTSHarassment: Individual arrived at the

Police Department at 8:40 a.m. on May 24 to report harassment.

Burglary of a Motor Vehicle: Officer was dispatched to the 400 block of W. Craymer Ave at 3:00 p.m. on May 26 in reference to Burglary of a Motor Vehicle.

Dog Bite: Officer was dispatched to the intersection of 6th St. and Moore Ave at 10:17 a.m. on May 27 in reference to a bicyclist bitten by a dog.

Burglary of a Motor Vehicle: Officer

was stopped by a driver at 4:17 p.m. on May 27 who reported her SUV was bro-ken into and a power tool was stolen.

Individuals listed have been arrested and/or charged with an offense. Inclusion in this report does not imply that the person is guilty of any crime. The following are offense and arrest reports submitted by the Palacios Police Dept. to the Palacios Beacon as of noon Friday.

From the Police ChiefBy Police Chief David Miles

The si-lent need to stand up and be heard. O u r c o u n t r y and our President need our prayers.

• Palacios Police Reports •

AUSTIN – With Saturday marking the start of the 2019 hurricane season, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is urg-ing all Texans to take steps now to protect themselves and their families from potential hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

“As hurricane season approaches, emer-gency management professionals across the state are prepared to assist in the event of se-vere weather,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “Our first responders and emergency man-agement teams in Texas are second to none, as is the resolve of our local and state lead-ers to protect our communities from harm. I urge Texans to heed all warnings from local and state officials, and to ensure they have a plan in place to protect their loved ones and their property in the event of a hurricane.”

All Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas are subject to hurricanes and tropical storms. It is possible for a storm to severely impact our state, even prior to or without making direct landfall in Texas. Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coast-lines, and winds can vary from 74 to 157 miles per hour (or higher). In addition, hur-ricanes and tropical storms can also spawn tornadoes, create dangerous coastal water conditions, including storm surges, and cause extensive flooding damage. Addition-ally, the rainfall associated with a tropical system can have an extremely wide reach, so monitoring changing weather conditions during hurricane season is critically impor-tant for all Texans.

“Texans know firsthand that the damage from a hurricane can be both catastrophic and long-lasting,” said DPS Director Steve McCraw. “There are a few steps everyone can take now that can make all the differ-ence — like assembling an emergency disaster kit and reviewing hurricane evacu-ation maps and routes. By helping your family plan ahead, you will be ready to respond quickly should a storm head your way.”

Here are several measures residents can take now to prepare for potential storms:

• Assemble an emergency

kit that includes essential documents, sup-plies and provisions.

• Review hurricane evacuation maps, and select a route for you and your family.

• Plan how all family members and pets will evacuate safely.

• Consider any special needs for individu-als with disabilities or the elderly.

• Stay informed about changing weather conditions in and around your area.

• Follow the instructions of local officials if a storm develops.

Residents are also encouraged to review their property’s flood risk and current insur-ance coverage, and to consider whether a separate flood policy should be part of their home protection plan. (Remember most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period before taking effect.) For more information, visit the Texas Department of Insurance website.

If you or someone you know might need assistance during a disaster, register now with the State of Texas Emergency Assis-tance Registry (STEAR) — a free registry that provides local emergency planners and responders with additional information about the needs in their communities. To register, contact 2-1-1 Texas, the state’s free 24-hour helpline. No matter where you live in Texas, you can dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905 for community resources.

For more information about hurricanes and how to prepare for the 2019 hurricane season, visit the DPS website and www.tex-asprepares.org.

You can also find out more about hurri-cane preparedness on the National Weather Service website.

Bob Friedrichs wrote a very nice report, about the birds he’s observed, near his house or in his back yard. His report follows:

“There were still Common Loons on the bay as of 2 weeks ago but they are gone now. Likewise, no migrants around, all have moved north. Birds here now are residents and breeders. That said, a bit of a surprise yesterday was a very hot and tired looking Osprey on a pole at Trull Marsh. Osprey are here in good numbers in the winter but not known to breed along the coast so perhaps it’s a sexually immature bird.

The Purple Martins have gotten quiet and we don’t see as many. Expect it is because some birds are incubating eggs. The local Shrike family seems to be doing well with a couple of teenagers fledged. The Mockingbirds are hitting our tomatoes pretty hard and we suspect they are feeding babies.

Yesterday, I did a Breeding Bird Survey (25 miles with 3 minute survey points every 0.5 miles) near Garwood in Colorado County. This is out of Beacon circulation area but perhaps of interest. The habitat was mainly pasture and rice with a small amount of riparian area. I detected (observed or heard) 53 Breeding species and no migrants. Northern Bob-white and Eastern Meadowlark numbers seem healthy. Dickcissel numbers seem down but per-haps it is because they are on nests so not singing as much. A Barred Owl was out foraging at 8:15am; a bit late in the day so they could be feeding owlets. Cliff Swallows were the most numerous birds on the Survey, nesting in almost all the culverts. No Barn Swallows were observed; seems unusual. A Least Grebe was in a small pond along FM 950 east of Garwood. This was flagged as unusual; well north of their expected range. Northern Mockingbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds were the most wide-spread species, being detected at almost every stop.”

Tom Wise reported that he still has paired North-ern Cardinals feeding in his yard. Edith Gower re-ported seeing a juvenile Green Heron perched on their railing, plus, a flock of Brown Pelicans flying overhead.

Bird NotesCathy Wakefield(361)404-1198

International Crane Foundation - Volunteer

members in recent years further shrank the member-ship. “Our younger veterans perhaps only picture older folk telling war stories at the post. That’s not our mis-sion,” they said.

VFW posts commonly act as social gathering places for military veterans, and also help guide them through available programs and ser-vices. They also participate with community organiza-tions and ceremonies. The Palacios VFW holds events for holidays like Indepen-dence Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Days. One of the most important services the VFW post members pro-vide is performing as honor guard at funerals of deceased veterans, that includes the folding and presenting of the American flag to the next of kin and the playing of taps.

VFW(Continued From Page 1)

HARRISON(Continued From Page 1)

Loving has been told that the City has asked for Hurricane Harvey funds to “re-do” the street. An En-gineer’s Opinion of Probable Cost by Urban Engi-neering from April, 2018, projects the repair of Har-rison St. to be approximately $260,000, which spans five blocks from E. University Ave to McGlothlin Ave. Engineering costs account for about one fifth of that estimate.

City officials have stated that there is not enough money to repave streets without assistance in the form of grants, etc., but isn’t infrastructure a city’s first budgetary priority? The Lovings, and all the oth-er residents on Harrison St. would like to know.

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Page 6 - Palacios Beacon - Wed., June 5, 2019 DEADLINE 5 P.M. FRIDAY

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