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sPorTs: Bearkats sweep basketball doubleheader — Page 1B
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High: 72 low: 55 It’s going to be a beautiful day to play some golf or go to the park. With a high temperature in the low70s, why not do both?
Pages 2A & 3A
THE HuNTSVIllE ITEM Sunday, January 12, 2014
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JoSHua YateS/tHe HuntSvIlle Item
the boys showers at mance Park middle School made an impact on about a dozen Huntsville community members who toured four separate HISD campuses Saturday morning. Students, teachers and employees at mance Park middle School must deal with many daily challenges, including a cramped kitchen, drainage and plumbing problems and worn-out equipment in the gym areas.
Community members go on
Three-hour tour of four Huntsville ISD schools
Parts of Mance Park Middle School make impact on small group of morning visitors By Brandon k. Scott BrandonS@itemonline.com
A handful of citizens had a chance Saturday to see for themselves what Huntsville school district administrators have been clamoring about for more than a year concerning rundown campus facilities. The morning tour took interested community members on a bus from Huntsville High School to Mance Park Middle
“ ... Mance Park was worse than I thought it was. There are definitely some issues and I haven’t got a clue on how to fix them all.” Rich Heiland / Huntsville citizen after tour of Huntsville ISD schools
School, then Scott Johnson Elementary and Gibbs Pre-K Center. Those are the four campuses HISD would like to either make significant renovations to, or demolish, due to the age of the facilities and corresponding
operational issues. Tourists seemed to agree the older parts of Mance Park were the most objectionable. Rich Heliand, who spoke against last spring’s failed bond election, See SchoolS, page 9A
JoSHua YateS/tHe HuntSvIlle Item
administrators showed potential voters the crowded kitchen area at Huntsville High School where meals are prepared daily for about 1,300 students.
Unique reunion makes everyone happy at HEARTS Veterans Museum
Who will be Huntsville’s next Citizen of the Year? Huntsville Item accepting nominations now By cody Stark cStark@itemonline.com
By Brandon k. Scott BrandonS@itemonline.com
One of the things on linda Woltkamp’s bucket list was to finally meet her father’s pilot from their days serving in the united States Army Air Force during World War II. Woltkamp’s father Fred died nearly four years ago, but not See reunion, page 6A
JoSHua YateS/tHe HuntSvIlle Item
Charles Wagamon, left, leads linda Woltkamp and her brother tom on a tour of the HeaRtS veterans museum on Friday afternoon. Wagamon flew with the Woltkamps’ father, Fred Woltkamp, during combat missions in World War II and it was linda’s wish to meet Wagamon after her father passed away.
Nominations are now being accepted for The Huntsville Item’s 17th annual Citizen of the Year Award, which honors an individual or individuals who have made significant contributions to the community. To be eligible for the award, a nominee must live or work in Walker County.
Nominees will be judged according to their contributions toward the advancement of the community with particular emphasis on the past 12 months. The winner will be announced at a reception in honor of the finalists on Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. in the conference center at the HEARTS Veterans Museum. The See citizen, page 6A
sPOrTs: Bearkats hire new head football coach — Page 9a
THe HUNTSvILLe ITeM visit us online: www.itemonline.com
Saturday, January 25, 2014
The survey says:
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K.C.’s the Bearkats’ new man
Community may vote in favor of bond this time
more than 70 percent of survey’s respondents believe some of huntsville’s schools need major upgrades by stePhen Green sGreen@itemonline.com
it looks like a lot of people agree with huntsville isd. the time has come to build a couple of new schools, or make significant upgrades at existing schools, at least. more than 600 people took huntsvillle isd’s online survey that was done to measure the community’s support for another bond election. more than 70 percent of respondents believe the district’s facilities need a major upgrade. the preliminary results, released at
thursday night’s board of trustees meeting, seem to suggest that respondents think hisd buildings need improvement with only 27 percent saying the district had “adequate and appropriate facilities.” dr. karin olson-Williams, hisd board member, said that the board should tread lightly with the results. “We need to be very careful with the way we interpret these results,” she said. “these results don’t mirror those who voted in (last spring’s bond) election.” See survey, page 7A
JoShua YateS/the huntSville item
Sam houston State’s new head football coach K.C. Keeler told reporters Friday afternoon that he came to huntsville to win championships. he believes the Bearkats are positioned well to make another run at an nCaa Football Championship Subdivision national title. Keeler was introduced Friday to Bearkat football supporters and the media before meeting with the Sam houston State players. For a complete story on Friday’s press conference, see Sports, page 9a.
Conviction upheld in Texas bomb plot by michael Graczyk associated Press
JoShua YateS/the huntSville item a fresh layer of snow covers the ground on the South side of tX-hwy 19 just before sunrise Friday morning. huntsville residents awoke to frozen roads and icy windows as the winter weather blew 3 inches of snow into Walker County late thursday night.
Let it snow!
Citizens frolic in winter wonderland by stePhen Green sGreen@itemonline.com With every educational institution in Walker county shut down for the day, students got a chance to learn — some for the first time — about foreign objects flying down from the sky. reports of the substance rarely found in southern parts of texas began late thursday night until this strange stuff created a small blanket tucking away cars, buildings and really everything it touched. meteorologists call it “snow.” isaiah mclellan, 7, and his family drove to huntsville from conroe to find hills snowy enough to slide down in makeshift sleds. “i thought you could make snow angels,” mclellan said while chasing ducks and geese around the grounds of the sam houston memorial museum. “but if you’re in texas all you get is grass.” many native texans have never seen true snow, but instead a slushy mixture of snow and sleet. mclellan said he has seen real snow before. “Well yeah!” he said. “on tv.” sam houston state university students rachel drewes and ruth oviedo had classes off, too. they were furiously writing names on the top of a snow-covered picnic table. although they had seen snow before, they were excited when it flurried to the ground
late thursday night. “my first thought was, ‘i have to build a snowman,’” said drewes, a senior theater major. “so we’re out here writing our friends’ names in the snow and sending it to them.” oviedo, a senior criminal justice major, works for the museum and was excited when the school, which includes the museum grounds, sent out the message around 10:30 p.m. that facilties were closing due to the wintry weather. “i almost had to work today,” she said. “i woke up my roommate last night. i couldn’t miss the opportunity to go outside (in the snow).” several families walked the museum grounds, Pritchett Field, the university campus and the various parks around huntsville. they took pictures and videos of themselves in snowball fights or throwing the powder into the air and letting it cascade down. others stayed home and feverishly rolled snowmen and gave them a texas-style makeover. Weather reports say the Walker county area got between 3 and 4 inches. city and county emergency crews worked overnight to sand roads in need. all facilities closed due to the weather are expected to resume function during their regularly scheduled hours.
Stephen green /the huntSville item
Snowmen begin to pop up around town as huntsville residents of all ages enjoy the rare snowy conditions on Friday morning. ice and snow covered much of Walker county as the winter weather settled in late thursday night.
HOUSTON — A federal appeals court has upheld the conviction of a former Texas college student from Saudi Arabia sentenced to life in prison for trying to make a bomb for use in a religious attack that possibly was targeting former President George W. Bush. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday rejected an appeal from Khalid AliM Aldawsari, 23. A federal court jury in Amarillo in June 2012 convicted him of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors said Aldawsari, serving his life term at a federal prison in Terra Haute, Ind., had collected bomb-making material in his Lubbock apartment and researched possible targets, including Bush’s Dallas home, the Cotton Bowl, Hoover Dam and “people of New York,” according to the trial transcript. Aldawsari’s lawyers contended in their appeal before the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit that the trial judge improperly allowed evidence, gave invalid jury instructions and erred in calculating Aldawsari’s sentence. Dan Cogdell, the lead attorney for Aldawsari, did not immediately respond to messages Friday from The Associated Press. Aldawsari was arrested in February 2011 after the FBI searched his computer and apartment for evidence under terms of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows such searches if there’s probable cause the offender is an “agent of a foreign power.” The appeal contended the search involving Aldawsari wasn’t valid because there was no evidence of any foreign power’s involvement. But a three-judge panel of the appeals court said “protection of the nation against terrorist threats” made the search proper under a provision of the act. See bomb, page 7A
sPorts: Bearkats bounce lamar in southland Conference basketball — Page 1B
INdEx Weather......................... 2A Obituaries...................... 5A Opinion.......................... 4A Sports.............................1B classified........................1c
WEATHER
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Pets of the week
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High: 67 Low: 47 Partly cloudy and seasonable. increasing clouds late. Winds S 5-10 mph.
THE HuNTSvIllE ITEM Sunday, february 9, 2014
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BlACK HISTORY MONTH — JOREEN WAddEll Joreen Kelly, right, is pictured during her freshman year at Huntsville High School.
Joreen Kelly Waddell, far left, stands next to home economics teacher Lucille Johnston, Huntsville High School’s first black faculty member, in 1967.
PHOTOS cOurTeSy Of HunTSviLLe HigH ScHOOL
STePHen green/THe HunTSviLLe iTem
retired HiSD teacher Joreen Waddell stands on the steps of mance Park middle school, the former site of Huntsville High School where she was one of a group of students to lead the integration.
HISTORY MAKER Joreen Waddell remembers what it was like to be one of Huntsville High School’s first black students By StepHen Green SGreen@itemonline.com
September 7, 1965 was an average day in Huntsville. Students slowly got out of bed and headed off to school for the first day of class. At the time, they had no idea they were becoming a part of history.
Joreen Kelly (now Joreen Waddell) put on the new clothes her mother just bought from Felder’s Dry Goods store. She fixed up her hair and walked to school. For many of the students of Huntsville High School, the first day of school in the fall of 1965 would be like any other. But for Waddell, it was the beginning of a
four-year adventure in unexplored territory. Waddell was one of the first black students who chose to attend Huntsville High School rather than the all-black Sam Houston High School when HISD began the integration process. “I told my mom I wanted to sign up to go to Huntsville High School,” Waddell
said late last week, recalling a tense conversation with her mother, Ella Mae Kelly, who still lives in Huntsville. “She wasn’t excited at all, mainly because the summer before this was to take place, they had the ‘Hey You!’ (civil rights) movement, the marching and all of this to See HiStory, page 7A
ElECTION 2014: WAlKER COuNTY TREASuRER After 13 years in treasurer’s office, Now’s the perfect time for Cook to Klawinsky wants to be the boss run for public office, and to serve By StepHen Green SGreen@itemonline.com
She’s done the time. Now she has her eyes on the top prize. Walker County Treasurer candidate Amy Buckner-Klawinsky has worked for the treasurer’s office for 13 years. She said after encouragement from her family and coworkers, she wants to be
the boss. “My knowledge of county government will allow me to support the people of Walker County,” she said. Klawinsky is currently the county’s assistant See klAWinSky, page 9A
By StepHen Green SGreen@itemonline.com
klawinsky
This campaign for Walker County treasurer has been a long time coming for Huntsville Realtor Martha Williams Cook. She said she’s always wanted to run for public office. “When I saw that the incumbent was
not running, I decided to file,” Cook said last week. “I was a teacher for a number of years and I thought about it even back then, but it just wasn’t possible at that time.” See cook, page 8A
Cook
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SPORTS: Freshman quarterback catches coach’s eyes — Page 7A Weather
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We may get a short break today from the brutal heat that has become the rule in Huntsville over the last couple of weeks. It might even rain a little more today.
Friday, August 1, 2014
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TOm WADDILL/THE HUNTSvILLE ITEm
The vacant land between Huntsville’s Walmart and Target stores will remain that way for a while. A Dallas developer pulled out of a possible retail project that would have brought a Spec’s liqour store, a sit-down restaurant and two other stores to town.
For now,
the sun sets on city’s latest controversial retail center dallas developer pulls out of project that had huntsville’s city council divided as it headed for vote By sTephen Green sGreen@iTemonline.com
Huntsville’s City Council was supposed to decide on an agreement between the city and BFI Crossroads, a Dallas developer, at next Tuesday’s meeting. But that’s not going to happen. Mayor Mac Woodward told the Item on Thursday that BFI Crossroads asked for the agreement to be pulled from the Council’s agenda as of 6:47 p.m. Wednesday. “I don’t want to speculate on what he’s doing too much,” Woodward said, referring to Jeff Brand, manager for BFI Crossroads. “He said he was going to go back and review the plans he had.” Brand told City Council on July 15 that the project — situated on the west side of Huntsville on Interstate 45 between Walmart and the Ravenwood Shopping Center — would bring in a Spec’s liquor store and three other businesses, including a 4,400-square-foot sit-down restaurant. City Council was considering a 5-year tax incentive of a maximum $350,000. That would be split among 50
“It’s disappointing that we could lose out on some growth, no doubt about it. The only way we are even able to consider decreasing taxes is dependant on growth.”
“I was opposed to giving the 380, so I guess ... it solves my concerns. So I don’t look at it as a victory or a loss. He made the decision that it might not be a good idea.”
KEITH OLSON / Huntsville city councilman
ANDY BRAUNINGER / Huntsville city councilman
percent of the property tax on the improvements made to the land, 50 percent of the sales taxes on Spec’s and the sit-down restaurant, and a waiver on permit and inspection fees. The total amount of taxes, at an estimate, that would be rebated to the developer would have been slightly over $343,000, according to economic development director Aron Kulhavy. Councilman Keith Olson said the news of Brand pulling the request for the 380 agreement was disappointing. “It’s disappointing that we could lose out on some growth, no doubt about it,” Olson said Thursday afternoon. “The only way we are even able to consider
decreasing taxes is dependant on growth.” Olson and Councilman Don Johnson both argued in favor of the agreement at the last meeting. Councilmen Andy Brauninger, Ronald Allen and Joe Rodriguez all argued against the agreement as something that might kill small businesses in Huntsville in an unfair way. Brauninger said Thursday that he’s not sure if the developer pulled the agreement based on the reaction from the July 15 meeting. “I was opposed to giving the 380, so I guess from my personal standpoint it solves my concerns,” Brauninger said. “So I don’t look at it as a victory or a loss. He made
CarrasCo siege 40th anniversary
Armored truck offer ‘suicide’ The hunTsville iTem
Editor’s Note: Fred Carrasco, who along with two other inmates took hostages in the library of the Huntsville Unit, finally made a transportation demand for their attempted escape. These stories appeared in the Aug. 2, 1974 edition of The Huntsville Item. Speaking through the daughter of one of the 10 civilian hostages, Fred Gomez Carrasco called an offer of transportation by TDC Director W.J. Estelle a “suicide” offer, and again stated his demand that no condition be See suicide, page 3A
Texas Department of Corrections Director W.J. Estelle Jr., in suit and tie, talks to the news media gathered outside the Huntsville Unit to give an update on the hostage situation in the unit’s library during the summer of 1974.
See reTail, page 3A
Parents’ orientation planned for head start program in huntsville The hunTsville iTem
The Greater East Texas Community Action Program Head Start, serving Walker County, will hold an orientation for all parents of children attending Head Start for the upcoming school year. Parents need to plan to attend one of the Aug. 14 sessions, either at 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. People are being asked to contact the center immediately at (936) 291-9190 if they have not yet registered for a session. The event will be held at the Huntsville Head Start Center, located at 125 FM 980, in Huntsville. During the meeting, staff members will See orienTaTion, page 2A
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east texas’ brief summer respite from the brutal heat is not over yet. Get out and enjoy today’s cooler temperatures because the hot stuff should be back by the middle of the week. see you at the park.
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sunday, august 3, 2014
CarraSCo Siege 40th anniverSary
Photos Courtesy of the texas DePartment of Criminal JustiCe
Correctional officers and texas Department of Corrections staff members tend to the injured immediately following the exchange of gunfire between law enforcement officers and the trio of hostage takers at the conclusion of a tense 11-day standoff at the huntsville “Walls” unit back in the summer of 1974.
‘Something you never forget’ Somber Huntsville residents remember victims and the aftermath of 11-day standoff by stePhen Green sGreen@itemonline.com
The events of the Carrasco siege are well-
known. Three inmates held up the Huntsville “Walls” Unit for 11 days in the prison library. The siege ended with two of the inmates dead, as well as two prison employees, Elizabeth Von Beseda and Julia Standley. Standley was a librarian and Beseda was a math teacher for the prison school district. They were killed at the end of the siege when the inmates mounted their grand escape attempt in a makeshift Trojan horse. Out of ideas and short on time, the inmates shot the women in the head during their deadly escape attempt. “(Beseda) was always full of life,” said Sandy Risinger, at the time a 28year-old mother expecting her second son. “Her and her husband both. It was so hard to lose her.” Risinger knew Beseda well because her mother worked at the store Beseda’s parents owned. She also attended school with Beseda’s son. Risinger and other Huntsville residents were See somber, page 5A
Forty years later, Item editors share memories from the biggest story of their careers by JP mcbride Jmcbride@itemonline.com
“There was yelling that inmates had hostages and guns in the library,” Scott recalls 40 years later. “Not knowing what to believe I started walking up the ramp to check it out with another guard, Bruce Noviskie. Two inmates suddenly appeared and started shooting at us through the glass doors, and we vacated the area as fast as we could.” Scott, who would eventually become the executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice before retiring in 2001, had a close call as a bullet tore through his shirt without hitting him.
The longest prison siege in U.S. history ended 40 years ago today right here in Huntsville, with a bloody shoot-out that killed two hostages, Elizabeth Beseda and Julia Standley, and two inmates, Fred Carrasco and Rudy Dominguez. Former Huntsville Item City Editor David Lindsey and Managing Editor Mike Leggett recall the Carrasco prison siege being the most nationally prominent news story they ever covered during their long newspaper careers. “Being part of a national story from Huntsville, Texas, and having the advantage of knowing everybody from various churches and civic clubs, it was a very personal and very intense experience as a young reporter,” said Lindsey, who was 22 years old when the siege occurred back in 1974. “Frankly, as many stories as I’ve written since then, and even to this day, there was nothing that grabbed me by the throat like that did,” he added. Leggett feels the same about those 11 long days in Huntsville.
See inside, page 8A
See story, page 6A
Photos Courtesy of the texas DePartment of Criminal JustiCe
With inmates on the outside acting as extra protection, fred Carrasco, ignacio Cuevas and rudolfo Dominguez walk slowly out of the “Walls” unit surrounded by a homemade shield on the night of aug. 3, 1974. When the inmates got stuck on the ramp coming out of the prison, shooting began. tDC employees elizabeth Beseda and Julia standley were both shot and killed. Carrasco and Dominguez were also killed during the shoot-out.
People who were inside the ‘Walls’ still remember by cody stark cstark@itemonline.com
It seemed like just another day as people went about their business at the Huntsville “Walls” Unit on July 24, 1974. Inmates were shooting hoops in the yard with Texas Department of Corrections officers keeping a close watch nearby. Lt. Wayne Scott, a 23-year-old Sam Houston State University graduate, was returning from the back gate about 1 p.m. after sending out inmates on the afternoon work squad. That’s when normal routine turned to total chaos.
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the temperature in huntsville won’t hit 100 today, but it’s going to be close. if you go outside to play or work, be smart about how long you stay in the sun. Drink plenty of water and wear light clothing. looks like we’re in for another hot week.
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sunday, august 10, 2014
Students: STAAR test more challenging high school sophomore says students should ask more questions, take advantage of tutoring By stephen Green sGreen@itemonline.com
After a month of bad news regarding test scores, then after hearing a relatively positive report about accountability ratings, some Huntsville ISD students say the mixed results may be because the STAAR test is fairly different from tests in years past.
Darrick Hill, a soon-to-be senior at Huntsville High School, said if he had to choose between the STAAR test and the TAKS test, which was eliminated two years ago, it’d be the latter. “I didn’t like it then,” Hill said Friday. “But man I’d give anything for the TAKS back.” Hill says the STAAR test makes students think more
rather than just going to find the answer. Sophomore Jayden Mathis agreed. Mathis said the tests are similar in their makeup, but that they require students to think more. “You can’t just go into the passage or the reading, find the information and regurgitate it,” she said. “You have to slow down and comprehend what the test is telling you.”
HISD executive director of curriculum and instruction Marjetta Spriggs has said before that the tests changed from one that measures base knowledge, like facts and figures, to one that requires students to pair that knowledge with critical thinking skills. Students have to analyze passages rather than simply finding the answer in front of them as in previous tests.
This shift in testing philosophy was apparent statewide this year. Where TAKS passing rates were in the high 80s to 90s in most subjects and grade levels, schools were lucky to have exceeded 70 percent this year. “I don’t think many students were ready to carefully read these passages and rely on See staar, page 3A
huntsville hornet military marchinG Band
submitteD Photo
mcKayla Chamberlain’s car burst into flames after she ran into the railing on a bridge on state highway 75 north.
Potential tragedy turns out well for Huntsville HS senior chamberlain and her family believe someone was watching over them By Winston spencer Jr. Wspencer@itemonline.com
It all started to unfold early in the afternoon on July 25. Kasie Kroll was at work when the secretary told here that she had an emergency telephone call. Perplexed, her mind immediately went to thoughts of her 9-year-old. See senior, page 9A
Joshua Yates/the huntsville item
huntsville high school band director John Green, center, watches over the hornet military marching band during step drills on thursday afternoon at huntsville high school. this is Green’s first year as the hornets’ head band director after serving as the assistant director for the past nine years.
Leader of tHe Band
longtime assistant director Green excited about opportunity to lead hornet Band to even higher heights By Winston spencer Jr. Wspencer@itemonline.com
After nine years as the assistant director, John Green is finally the man in charge of the Huntsville Hornet Military Marching Band. Green’s the boss now and he can do whatever he wants. A wise man, though, Green says if it’s not broken, why try and fix anything. “The band has been so successful for a decade now,” Green said late last week as he prepared for a summer workout with the entire band. “Nine of those years I’ve been here and there are a lot of traditions already in place. Our kids are a family here and it’s a lot of things we do for them to feel that way. “It works, so I’m going to continue doing it.” Green learned a lot from his predecessor, Nick Luggerio. He’s proud of what the Hornet Band has accomplished and is looking forward to future successes in
Joshua Yates/the huntsville item
huntsville high school band director John Green, wearing a hat, discusses the day’s practice plan with a group of section leaders, who are also known as “momma and Papa Ducks,” during band practice thursday afternoon.
Huntsville. “I don’t want to just maintain,” Green said. “I want us to keep getting better, and we are always going to continue to seek out ways of doing just that — keep getting better.” Green believes he’s got the tal-
ent and the kind of students to keep moving the Hornet Band forward. Upperclassmen in the band know their roles. They constantly encourage the younger students, while simultaneously upholding a standard they not only expect,
but require from one another. Step into the Hornet Band’s sanctuary and you’ll see why this is a championship program. Everything is dress right dress, polished, and it’s still the “preseaSee leader, page 2A