Galveston Daily News (Newspaper) - May 23, 1981, Galveston, Texas TODAYS Money Market Race is First National Bank d 1C f VOL 139 Member United Press International to the growth and progress of Galveston and all of Galveston County TEXAS SATURDAY MORNING MAY oldest newspaper 25 daily Sunday Residents oppose Watershed amendment By DARLA MORGAN News Staff Writer AUSTIN Residents of the Clear Creek area reacted angrily Friday after the Senate Natural Resources Committee accepted an amend ment to exclude Harris and Brazoria counties from a authorizing creation of the Clear Lake Watershed District Stale Sen Jack Ogg of Houston offered the amendment which would leave only Galveston County in the watershed district The plan was proposed to alleviate flooding problems in Brazoria Galveston and Harris counties Following the hearing a Friendswood woman attempted to present a deflated raft to Ogg who was leaving the Senate chamber for a luncheon with former Vice Presi dent Walter Mondale When Ogg refused to accept the raft she shoved the raft through the door to the lieutenant governors dining room before leaving the area When you read that we have all drowned down here I hope you remember this Clear Lake Shores Mayor Marta Greytok said to committee members following the vote to recommend the for passage Supporters of SB 1259 had testified that the was necessary to ensure the future of a Army Corps of Engineers project to deep en and widen Creek The Corps has also proposed cutting a second channel to Galveston Bay to help reduce flooding problems along the banks and tributaries of Clear Creek Houston homebuilders however opposed the legislation saying creation of the watershed district would weaken the ability of the Harris County Flood Control Dis to prevent flooding in Harris County That area has no real tax base You cannot go to the bond market and borrow any sizeable amout of money with no industrial tax said Jim Short of the Greater Houston Homebuilders Association Short pointed put that Fort Bend Harris Brazoria and Galveston counties have agreed to sponsor the Corps project but that Galveston County has no way to make good their That is no reason to penalize other counties in their flood control activities Short said Following the testimony the committee voted 32 to accept the Ogg amendment despite objections by State Sen James E Buster Brown who sponsored the legisla tion Jim Green director of the Harris County Flood Control District said he would recommend that the Harris County Commissioners Court propose a bond issue to pay the cost of cutting the second outlet from Clear Lake into Galveston Bay He also said he holds little optimism that the Corps project will ever become a reality because of proposed cuts in federal spend ing The flood control district intends to carry out flood control activities at an accelerated rate in all areas of our county including the southeast Green said Brown said he was disappointed and concerned about the amendment to weaken the but expressed confidence that some legislative solution would be found I am going to get some kind of legislation passed this session that will get this project Brown said The legislative session scheduled to end June 1 is us ter delays beach traffic By DARLA MORGAN News Staff Writer AUSTIN A filibuster by State Sen Carlos Truan Friday delayed Senate action on a to give coastal counties the option of pro traffic on Texas beaches But State Sen James E Buster Brown of Lake Jackson predicts the will be approved today when the Senate convenes to debate Gov Clements legisla tion lo authorize wiretapping Truan of Corpus Christi argued lhal prohibiting traffic on beaches is the first step to closing beaches to Ihe public I suspect is an ulterior motive lo take tourist trade from the coast Do you think people are going to walk over hot sand with their ice chests and watermelons to go to the beach Truan said How are the sports fishermen going to get to the beach to catch their redfish if we close the beaches he asked The only people that want this passed are owners of con dominiums and beachfront homes so they can have private Truan said Brown however pointed out that the gives counties the option of prohibiting traffic but does not require the counties to use that option Brown accepted an amendment by State Sen John Wilson of La Grange to require that free parking must be provided if a SEE BEACH PAGE 2A Ann ex a tion advised Senate Natural Resources Committee Friday recommended for passage a of SB 100 which will place a moratorium on offshore annex atlon by coastal cities The compromise version was agreed to by representatives of Galveston Corpus Christ and Port Arthur who opposed the original which would have limited offshore annexation to one mile The Texas Gas and Oil Association supporters of the original reluctantly agreed tp the compromise fol lowing a filibuster threat by State Sen Carl Parker of Port A study of environmental and economic impact of offshore annexation on coastal cities will be conducted by the Senate Natural Resources Committee under provisions of the UPI TEXAS OWN WILLIE NELSON wearing a performs at the Missouri State Penitentiary Nelson came to the prison free of charge after inmates sent him a birthday card signed by most of the prison population Michigan prisoners riot seize cellblocks JACKSON Mich UPI Hundreds of prisoners some armed with baseball bats and hammers seized control of two cellblocks and set several fires Friday in the first riot at the worlds largest walled prison In 29 years As smoke billowed over Southern Michigan Prison state police and prison guards mobilized for what was described by prison officials as a full Prison officials said the dis was sparked by an un authorized shakedown by guards bitter over overcrowding and earlier Friday We would like to have it under control before said prison official John Andrews who termed the situation a major disturbance We dont use the term riot any Assistant Warden Louis Utess said an undetermined number of prisoners took control of 3 and 4 in the prisons central com plex and torched a refreshment stand inmate store paint shop and a temporary building housing a counseling center In Lansing a spokesman for Gov William G Milliken said the two cellblocks were retaken by guards but there was no immediate con from prison officials The spokesman Al Sandner said Milliken was at his home In Traverse City and might travel to either Jackson or Lansing depen ding on whether its Several modular units used to house inmates also were burned to the ground in the north complex officials said The prison with an inmate population of 500 over has three complexes north south and central More than 160 state police officers from across the state were mobilized and the National Guard was on alert Reserve guards from the Michigan Reformatory at Ionia also were called to the scene Warden Barry Mintzes was inside the central complex the scene of the worst disorders officials said Three to five gun squads each made up of nine corrections officers specially trained in marksmanship surrounded the north complex where inmates roamed the yard some carrying baseball bats and hammers The guards were under orders to shoot only if attacked Prison officials told rampaging inmates over the loudspeaker to return to their housing units or a ballfield in the prison yard No hostages were taken but at least four inmates were injured officials said In the north complex prisoners commandeered a Blackman Township Fire De truck and drove it around the yard Officials said the fires were under control by late afternoon Utess a 26year veteran of the state Department of Corrections said it was the worst disturbance he had seen personally at Jackson which has inmates The full emergency began shortly before noon when prisoners broke their way out of the two cellblocks and went on a rampage Utess said They began to destroy and loot and Utess sad Utess described the situation at midafternoon as still very vola SEE RIOT PAGE 2A Hobbys vote breaks tie Redistricting gets tentative Senate OK SUff photo by Jerry Urban THESE ADVENTUROUS LA MARQUE Collier left to right are holding on at the reins youths enjoy a summer afternoon by taking a of their horse Boy while Mark Millie an ride along Frarie Street Kelly and Michael joins in the fun on his bike l AUSTIN Texas UPI Lt Gov Hobby had to break a tie vote Friday to give a proposed con gressional redistricting 1514 tentative Senate approval over the opposition of Republicans and a handful of Democrats unhappy that the lines had split cities and coun ties into different districts The proposal would for the most part preserve the districts of Tex as present 24 members of Congress and create three new districts in Dallas Houston and South Texas in accordance with increases in the states population since 1970 Senate spent two hours de bating a senatorial district reap plan before approving it 237 but there was no debate and no proposed amendments to the congressional plan which obvi is headed for a conference committee to differences between House arid Senate versions decided they any amendments oh the floor and just go to conference committee and out amendments Mid Sen Chet Brooks D Pasadena one of those voting against the That was what the chairman wanted and you cant run over the All but two of the Senates seven Republicans voted against the congressional plan Sen Betty Andujar RFort Worth was absent when the vote was taken and Sen Harris voted pres The senatorial redistricting plan which the House is expected to approve without change pairs two GOP senators from Dee Travis and John Leedom the Sens John Wilson and Lloyd Doggett DAustin both opposed the plan because it splits Williamson County among three congressional districts Leedom said Friday be believes Republicans suit challeng ing constitutionality of the re districting plans on grounds it elim a senatorial district Re publicans had woni in Dallas County and establishes a new dis in Houston Travis agreed a likely I think some serious legal problems with this Travis said This plan has a long way to go before it becomes Weather GALVESTON area forecast Partly cloudy with a slight chance of afternoon or evening thunder showers High today and Sunday near 80 Low tonight mid 70s Probability of rain 20 per cent Outlook for Memorial Day A slight of thunder showers BOATING and recreation forecast Southeast winds 10 to 20 mph Bay waters choppy BEACH water temperature 74 degrees Index Bulletin 5A Dear 7A 6B Police 2A TV 4A Want Passing Parade The Gavel Is Passed Frances Rourke was installed Tuesday as the new president of the Alamo PTA Joyce Fundling is the outgoing president The Sophisticates Social and Chanty Clubs Annual Ebony Coronation Ball will be held to night at 9 at the ILA Hall 2801 Market It was really Mothers Day for and Rosie Philips whose daughter 5 Ib 15 oz Sarah decided May 10 would be a good day to enter the world Proud grandparents are Robert and Sue Mendou of Galveston and and Sylvia Philips of San Auxiliary Bishop John Mc Carthy of the Catholic Diocese of will deliver
