Arlington Morning News (Newspaper) - December 15, 1998, Arlington, Texas MANSFIELD BASKETBALL TEAM RANKED NO 1 IN STATE PAGE IB Own Newspaper Arlington Texas Tuesday December 15 1998 1998 UP makes parks plan top priority Opposition to amendment not expected Brimer Allen By Julie Elliott Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning GRAND PRAIRIE City officials their commitment to the million Parks Master Plan by putting an amend ment to the Brimer at the top of their legislative agenda for the 1999 session Our first priority is nearest and dearest to our city attorney Don Postell said We have devel a wonderful master plan for our parks to address needs that are long In 1997 state Rep Kim Brimer R Arlington sponsored the Brimer to allow cities to increase the sales tax up to a to fund economic development projects Grand Prairie officials excitedly began planning to use the addition al sales tax for park improvements only to be denied the opportunity Unfortunately the attorney gen eral and the courts didnt agree with Mr Postell said Since the Brimer did not specifically include parks and recre facilities Grand Prairie asked for a ruling by the attorney general In September Travis County District Court Judge Peter M Lowry upheld the attorney gen decision ruling that the could not be used to help fund the parks plan Now Mr Postell wants an amend ment to the We want to make it clear so we would be able to fund our park improvements with the Brimer Mr Postell said I think it is a Please see GP on Page Nichols mm sexual assault to police School leaders issuing reminders of safety tips By Kim Horner Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News Arlington school officials warned students to be careful Monday after a Nichols Junior High School stu dent reported she was raped Friday while walking home from school Deputy Superintendent Jerry McCullough said School officials sent a letter home with Nichols Junior High students Monday after learning about the alleged sexual assault Mr McCullough said A warning will go home with all students in the Arlington district Tuesday he said The reported that a man driving a white car approached her at drugstore at Brown Boulevard and Ballpark Way and offered her a ride Arlington police spokesman Officer Dee Anderson said The girl who will not be fied reported that she refused a ride but the man kept following her Officer Anderson said Finally she reported she got into the car and the man drove down Brown Boulevard to a car wash where he threatened her and buckled her seat belt to keep her in the vehicle he said The man then allegedly drove to a strip shopping center at State Highway 360 and Green Oaks Boulevard and sexually assaulted her Officer Anderson said The victim reported that the man Please see Student on Page OKs to proposal Voters would decide funding for new schools By Rufus Coleman Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News MANSFIELD The school districts bond review committee voted Monday to support a proposal in favor of an million bond that would go to voters in March The bond package would include a new high school an intermediate school and two elementary schools and turn the high schools South Campus into a middle school The issue isnt bigger schools or smaller said committee member Robert Smith The issue is parity We want two equal high schools But nobody wants their junior high kids with high school The committee was created by the school board to get more public opinion about the bond The committee was formed to prevent past problems but many members still had reservations about the bond despite a unanimous vote of support Although the bond would move the Mansfield High School South Campus it would not move the Center And if the old campus is converted into a middle school those students would share grounds with the high school students at the center This was a major concern of commit tee members I really have some qualms with the middle said committee member Patti Jones I wouldnt send my kid to a school with high school students Id build a middle school The fiveyear bond program also would be funded by an increase of about cents in the property tax rate of per of assessed property value The Center would be moved at a later undecided date According to Edwin Jones a member of the com and the United Educators Association many Mansfield teachers were also concerned with mix ing high school and middle school students The only thing that would separate the two schools is a driveway It was possible to keep the schools apart but the teachers didnt want that Mr Jones said The teachers have been pleased with whats hap Please see Bond on Page Critics doubt lawyers fitness for federal post By April M Washington Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News Former state district judge Mike alleged political involvement with the Demo cratic Party doomed his nomination to the federal judi ciary On Tuesday it have eJ the Arling ton attorney get a new job as general counsel Schattman tothe Small Business Administration in Wash ington The Clinton administration appointed Mr Schattman to the job with the federal agency which provides technical assistance and loans to small busi after an unsuccessful three year battle to to the Northern District seat left vacant by retiring Judge Barefoot Sanders In politics you dont always get what you want but sometimes you get something even said Mr Schattman as he packed his belong ings and cleaned out his law office Monday at the Arlington law firm of Hill Gilstrap Tom Jipping executive director of the Free Congress a conservative watchdog organization dismissed Mr appointment as Critic on Page INSIDE Area traffic 2A Classifieds Business 1C Lottery 2A Obituaries 2A Opinions Sports 1B TV movies 6C Weather 2A Featuring works by students of all ages Page 83197 00025 SANTA PAWS Is COMING To TOWN Buying Sets as gifts may be barking up the wrong tree By Pennie Boyett Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News Santa Glaus will surprise Ashley Allstot of Kennedale with a beagle puppy this Christmas By the time Ashley sees Daisy the puppy for the first time her mother Candi Allstot already will know it well She will have gone to training classes with the puppy every Saturday for several weeks and she will have spent additional time bonding with the puppy so that the young beagle will be familiar with at least one member of her new family Mrs Allstot already has made a commit ment to take the dog boarded at a kennel until Christmas to more training classes after the holidays Thats the right way to do said Please see Shelters on Page Arlington Morning Newt J Mark Members of the Arlington Humane Society such as volunteer Yarbrough are asking that people looking to adopt peta Christmas presents take the decision seriously Daisy a beagle is going to a family that has considered pet ownership for months
