ALL AMERICAN BABY BALLOT INSIDE!
9 Year Olds Win District Page 1-B
Pages 4-C & 5-C
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Copyright ® 2015
Volume 131 Number 30 • Wednesday, June 24, 2015
75¢
24 Pages, 1 Insert
Death date sought for game warden killer Widow Shares Thoughts, Action Follows Appeal Rejection By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com
A request to put the killer of an El Campo game warden to death has been filed in Wharton County’s 329th District Court. The “motion to set execution date” comes less than two weeks after the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals denied convicted killer James Garrett Freeman’s plea he was not adequately defended as he faced capital murder charges for the 2007 slaying
Inside:
of Texas Game Warden Justin Hurst. “We have requested Jan. 27 2016,” Wharton County District Attorney Ross Kurtz said, adding it is the first possible date on the state’s execution schedule. However, he said, “It should also be noted that inmates on death row are hardly ever executed on the first setting date.” The motion goes before District Judge FREEMAN Randy Clapp who will decide whether to sign and set the date. “The judge is likely giving defense counsel time to review and I expect it to be signed in the next month,” the district attorney said.
Hurst was killed March 17, 2007 in a shoot-out outside the Lissie Cemetery, the end of a two-hour police chase which began when another game warden responded to shots heard on a county road. A 329th District Court jury voted to sentence Freeman to death in November 2008. At the time Hurst was killed, his son Kyle was just an infant. The boy and Hurst’s wife, Amanda, remain El Campo area residents along with Justin’s parents, Pat and Allen Hurst. “It’s been over for me from the day that man went to jail,” Amanda Hurst told the Leader-News Tuesday. The filing came sooner than expected, she said, adding she (See DA REQUESTS, Page 9-A)
City revenue loss could mean bigger tax increase
Signs Of Summer
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com
Deejay’s Disappearance Still Open Case – See Page 7-A
Library Programs In Full Swing – See Page 1-C ALSO INSIDE: VIEWPOINT......................................Page 4-A OBITUARIES.....................................Page 9-A SPORTS.............................................Page 1-B CLASSIFIEDS & REAL ESTATE........Page 3-B LIFESTYLE.........................................Page 1-C CROSSWORD...................................Page 7-C
LOCAL WEATHER Wednesday
Chance of Thunderstorms DAY: 30% HIGH: 90º NIGHT: 20% LOW: 77º
Thursday
Chance of Thunderstorms DAY: 40% HIGH: 90º NIGHT: 0% LOW: 77º
Friday
Chance of Thunderstorms DAY: 20% HIGH: 92º NIGHT: 0% LOW: 77º
Saturday
Chance of Thunderstorms DAY: 20% HIGH: 91º NIGHT: 20% LOW: 75º Last Week: Avg. High: 85º • Avg. Low: 74º
RAIN GAUGE
Last 7 Days........................... 10.80 In.
Last 30 Days......................... 15.44 In. Same Time In '14...................... 7.21 In.
Year To Date......................... 31.17 In. Year To Date '14..................... 14.19 In. Data Collected by LCRA at El Campo Memorial Hospital
BURN BAN LIFTED COUNTY’S MEAN KBDI: 77 Burn Ban is put into effect when the mean KBDI reaches or goes above 500.
Wylder Supak flies through the air and prepares to land on the Slip ‘N Slide surface at the conclusion of the Ricebird Baseball Camp last week. Supak and dozens of other young athletes took part in the camp held at Northside Elementary. L-N Photo by Jay T. Strasner
Unless the city of El Campo gets some good news soon, residents will see a tax hike in addition to the one associated with the soon-to-be constructed police, fire and EMS station and the bond to pay for it. Why? Property values may be down. Sales tax revenue is down. Finance Director Courtney Sladek presented the somewhat bleak news to City Council members during a workshop Tuesday. “It could change,” City Manager Mindi Snyder said. If it doesn’t, the city may need an almost three-cent tax hike next year to break even or will have to look at a cut in services in excess of $160,000; or some middle ground could be decided upon. And then, of course, there will be the payments on the $10.8 million voter-approved construction bond as well as a pending non-voter-approved bond for West Norris Street Phase 2 (estimated at $3 million). The city will need about $325,000 to pay for that next year. This year, a penny of tax generates about $56,000 (but that number too will change based on overall property values which will be released by the Wharton County Central Appraisal District around July 25). Based on current values, that (See CITY TALKS, Page 10-A)
ECISD preliminary budget calls for rate increase By JODY LARIMER reporter@leader-news.com
El Campo ISD trustees Monday reviewed next year’s preliminary operating budget with a possible tax hike and proposed pay increases. Projected are offsetting general fund revenues and expenditures of $29,084,611, an increase of $271,370 over last year. Initial projections show a decrease in local revenue of $604,450 and an increase in state funding
Expert says mosquitoes may reach all-time high By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com
In the wake of Tropical Storm Bill, El Campo continues its battle against mosquitoes and experts warn the biting bugs’ population may be at an alltime high. Monday and Tuesday city crews spread larvacide in ditches, according to City Public Works Clay Harris. “We’ll be spraying (today), Thursday and all next week,” he added. Tropical Storm Bill dumped 10.8 inches on El Campo, according to (See PRECAUTIONS, Page 10-A)
of $783,212. That leaves a $178,762 surplus. The current maintenance and operating tax rate is $1.04005 per $100 of property value and the interest and sinking rate is $0.13797. Trustees are considering raising the I&S rate to $0.15616. All preliminary projections are based on estimated property tax values and state funding, numbers that won’t be firm until the end of July. A general pay increase of 2 percent for all district employees is proposed. Payroll makes up nearly 72 percent of the over-
all budget. Contracted services for cleaning and food make up another 13.6 percent. Former superintendent Mark Pool is working with a committee on busing. A meeting is scheduled this week to get things started, he said Tuesday. Committee members will review financials to see where funding might come from to reinstate busing. Other options would be to establish satel(See ECISD, Page 10-A)
On Parade Matthew Nelson drives a John Deere R restored by Will Chappell during the parade of tractors at Saturday’s tractor pull on the American Legion grounds. Nelson’s father, David Nelson, also drove a 1959 Case 900 in the parade. Proceeds from the pull and assorted other attractions benefit the Everyday Heroes Van Fund. Everyday Heroes helps provide veterans with transportation to and from the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Houston. L-N Photo by Blair Bunge