The Calhoun County Democrats Club meets Thursday, October 24, IBC Community Room, located at 311 N. Virginia on the second floor, Port Lavaca, social at 5:30 pm, meeting at 6 pm. Public invited.          Calhoun County District Superintendent Billy Wiggins will speak on the upcoming school building bonds proposition to be voted on November 5, 2013.  Also, Councilman Jim Ward and Rev. Kim Levrier will speak for and against, respectively, the Proposition for the continuation of an ordinance allowing the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages until 2:00 am in the City of Port Lavaca, which will likewise be voted on November 5, 2013.   The other Propositions on the November 5th ballot were discussed at the Club’s September meeting; however, sample ballots covering everything will be available at this meeting.  Question and answer session will follow each session.   (Early voting: October 21 thru November 1 at the Calhoun County Court House.)  For more information, please call Evelyn Burleson at 552.2791.

Our last meeting we talked about the Calhoun County Fair.  It is the highlight of our year. Everyone is very excited and we hope to do well. We also talked about ordering new T-shirts.  There was about 20 members present that attended the meeting.  We have our meetings at the Port O’Connor School Library, at 7:00 pm, and on the first Monday of every month.  Everyone is invited to join.

Hello From Nelda

9-26-13 It has been two months since I suddenly left POC which started with the tragedy of Clyde’s passing. My house sold quickly and I bought a home in Burleson, TX. Everything happened so fast it seemed like a whirlwind went by.

Port O’Connor was my home for 37 years. I loved the Gulf of Mexico, quiet outdoor life and so many people passing by our home, waving or stopping to chat. This will be my last move until “THE GREAT OLD NURSING HOME” gets me.

A special thanks to Beverly, who checked on us every morning and feeds the cats, Joe Tennison, who helped with so many projects and loading the truck, Pete Wilson who drove the moving truck 650 miles round trip and Uncle Bill Loden for all the encouragement to get started on this necessary adventure.

I will forever be grateful for the years I spent in POC and all the great people I call friends. Thank you all. .
Nelda Holloway
501 Bluebonnet Dr.
Burleson Tx. 76028 817 980 8257

Thank You

Thank You to everyone who attended National Night Out in Seadrift Tuesday Nov 1, 2013. The weather cleared up just in time for the Seadrift PD/VFD, D.I.V.A Girls and The Harbor to set up games, face painting and free hot dogs for everyone who stopped by.

Special thanks to Family Dollar, Dicks Food Store, Bayside Express and HEB for donating the food/drinks, Kathleen Lambright/Realtor at Pooley Land & Realty for face painting, Beverly Smith/The Harbor for fun with games, D.I.V.A Girls for co-hosting the event with the Seadrift Police Dept. and vehicle/equipment demos by Seadrift Volunteer Fire Dept. & EMS.

Lisa Harris McLean

Dell’s Barber Shop

I just wanted to express my belief that Dell’s old shop should be maintained as a POC landmark, part of old town and a place where so many old war heroes and long gone residents gathered to swap stories, tales and sometimes tall tales. I have traveled a lot and have found his old shop to be one of a kind anywhere. I hope it is possible to preserve this bit of POC history and it be maintained with help from the community. I was saddened by Dell’s passing and often think of all the “old timers” that once frequented his shop every time I drive by it.

Brush Freeman
Utley-Port O’Connor

Look For Snakes!

Dear Friends of the Coastal Bend Area, Port Lavaca & Victoria:

Thank you all for your prayers, letters, flowers, cards, and visits. All the churches in the area were praying for me after my snake bite. The Port Lavaca Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Paul Bunnell and the entire medical staff of the ER and Intensive Care unit really took care of me.

I feel that I am a very appreciative and thankful individual. God is not through with me yet. My loving wife Cherre saw about my every need. Thanks to all of my friends in the community of the Coastal Bend. They truly care. Please look for snakes in flower beds and where you walk. I look forward to serving the Coastal Bend Area for many more years.

Thank you,
Russell Cain
Resident of Calhoun County for 59 years
Realtor for 41 years

The Dolphin welcomes letters from our readers on any subject that is of general interest to our audience. Letters should be 300 words or less (with exceptions at the Dolphin’s discretion). Letters reflect the opinion of the writer, and not that of Dolphin Talk staff, and we retain the right to determine suitability for publication. It is the policy of this newspaper to promote area interests: therefore, complaints against local businesses should be directed elsewhere. Letters must be signed and include day and evening phone numbers, which will not be published. Your name will be withheld upon request, but anonymous material will not be considered for publication.

Letters to the Dolphin:

Dolphin Talk
PO Box 777
Port O’Connor, TX 77982
dolphin1@tisd.net

Port O’Connor Improvement District Report

Wednesday evening, October 9, 2013, was the Town Meeting to discuss the upcoming Election for two Propositions the Board is placing on the upcoming Ballot. The Board unanimously approved the Propositions as they would allow the District to continue to improve the water and sewer to the Community.

The Official Ballot will look like this:

PROPOSITION I

( ) FOR The issuance of $11,000,000 Bonds for Waterworks, Sanitary Sewer, and Drainage Systems and the Levy of Taxes, without limit as to rate or amount

( ) AGAINST in payment of the bonds.

PROPOSITION II

( ) FOR A Sales Tax and Use Tax in Port O’Connor Improvement District at a Rate

( ) AGAINST not to exceed 1.5 Percent (1.5%).

The District is estimating that they would receive in the area of $100,000 per year from the Sales Tax. The funds will be used for normal systems operation and will help to reduce water rates and or taxes necessary for capitol improvements needed.

The $11,000,000 in new bonds is for enlarging, repairing and upgrading the District’s current system and some projects need to be done immediately. The 11 million will be spent in stages over several years.

The District Board is aggressively looking to the future of Port O’Connor and providing water and sewer to all existing and new home owners. We believe that the passing of the Two Propositions on the Ballot this November will assist us in doing that. We ask that you vote “FOR” both Propositions.

Doyle Adams, Board Member

Nine Proposed Amendments to the Texas Constitution

Tuesday, November 5th Election

Proposition 1 (HJR 62) The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed in action.

Proposition 2 (HJR 79) The constitutional amendment eliminating an obsolete requirement for a State Medical Education Board and a State Medical Education Fund, neither of which is operational.

Proposition 3 (HJR 133) The constitutional amendment to authorize a political subdivision of this state to extend the number of days that aircraft parts that are exempt from ad valorem taxation due to their location in this state for a temporary period may be located in this state for purposes of qualifying for the tax exemption.”

Proposition 4 (HJR 24) The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of part of the market value of the residence homestead of a partially disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of a partially disabled veteran if the residence homestead was donated to the disabled veteran by a charitable organization.

Proposition 5 (SJR 18) The constitutional amendment to authorize the making of a reverse mortgage loan for the purchase of homestead property and to amend lender disclosures and other requirements in connection with a reverse mortgage loan.

Proposition 6 (SJR 1) The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas to assist in the financing of priority projects in the state water plan to ensure the availability of adequate water resources.

Proposition 7 (HJR 87) The constitutional amendment authorizing a home-rule municipality to provide in its charter the procedure to fill a vacancy on its governing body for which the unexpired term is 12 months or less.

Proposition 8 (HJR 147 and SJR 54) The constitutional amendment repealing Section 7, Article IX, Texas Constitution, which relates to the creation of a hospital district in Hidalgo County.

Proposition 9 (SJR 42) The constitutional amendment relating to expanding the types of sanctions that may be assessed against a judge or justice following a formal proceeding instituted by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

Voters are reminded that the November 5 election will be the first statewide election with new photo ID requirements in effect for voting in person. Voters ages 65 and older and those with a disability may vote by mail for any election. For more information about voting in Texas, visit: www.votetexas.gov

For more information about the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, including the 1876 Constitution, visit: https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/

Bond Election November 5th

The Calhoun County Independent School District Board of Trustees have called for a $65,000,000 bond election on November 5th.

The major elements of the bond proposal are:

School Safety- $1.3 million
New Schools- $36 million
HVAC Units- $1.4 million
Replace Leaky Roofs- $4 million
Electrical/Lighting- $2.3 million
CHS Renovation- $4 million
CHS Athletics- $6.7 million
Hope/Flex- $477 thousand
Playground, Sports/Gym
(HJM, J/R, Seadrift)- $966 thousand

School Bond will impact the Average Homeowner by $10.65 per month. Senior citizens whose property taxes are frozen would not be affected.

Required Identification for Voting in Person

In 2011, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 14 (SB 14) creating a new requirement for voters to show photo identification when voting in person. While pending review within the judicial system, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Shelby County v. Holder, which effectively ended all pending litigation. As a result, voters are now required to present an approved form of photo identification in order to vote in all Texas Elections.

Here is a list of the acceptable forms of photo ID:

• Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
• Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
• Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
• Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS
• United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
• United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
• United States passport

With the exception of the U.S. citizenship certificate, the identification must be current or have expired no more than 60 days before being presented for voter qualification at the polling place.

Procedures for Voting:

When a voter arrives at a polling location, the voter will be asked to present one of the seven (7) acceptable forms of photo ID. Election officials will now be required by State law to determine whether the voter’s name on the identification provided matches the name on the official list of registered voters (“OLRV”). After a voter presents their ID, the election worker will compare it to the OLRV. If the name on the ID matches the name on the list of registered voters, the voter will follow the regular procedures for voting.

If the name does not match exactly but is “substantially similar” to the name on the OLRV, the voter will be permitted to vote as long as the voter signs an affidavit stating that the voter is the same person on the list of registered voters.

If a voter does not have proper identification, the voter will still be permitted to vote provisionally. The voter will have (six) 6 days to present proper identification to the county voter registrar, or the voter’s ballot will be rejected.

Don´t have a photo ID for voting? Election Identification Certificates are available from DPS driver license offices during regular business hours, on Saturdays at select locations, and at EIC mobile stations traveling throughout the state.

For further details, go to: http://votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id

One of the pleasures of following a particular author is learning about that particular person.  For me, case in point are two excellent writers, father and daughter, James Lee Burke and Alafair Burke.  And both are truly fascinating people with their accomplishments to date.

James Lee Burke was born in Houston, Texas, but has made his permanent home for many years in New Iberia, Louisiana, the site of many of his books.  His career contained many ups and downs; working as a landsman, pipeliner, surveyor, newspaper reporter, college English prof in Wichita KS, social worker on skid row in Los Angeles, clerk for State employment service in Louisiana and an instructor in the Job Corps.

A graduate of the University of Missouri with both  BA and MA degree, he has battled alcoholism for a number of years, finally overcoming the addiction, but continued writing during the years it took.  He finished his first novel when he was in his 20’s, but it took over 20 years for it to be accepted for publication.

The majority of his books follow his main character, Dave Robicheux, a Sheriff in New Iberia, with his cohort, Clete Purcel, currently a PI in New Orleans, and fondly known as the “Bobsey Twins of Homicide” in New Orleans, a prior occupation.  Burke’s plots are developed to an extreme; occasionally very complex, but all beautifully coming together.  He is a master at descriptive paragraphs, whether developing the reader’s eyesight of the surrounding area or bringing in unusual portions of history applicable to that scene.  And when he is introducing a character, nice or somewhat nasty, the reader becomes completely acquainted.  However, the reader may find many of his books to be autobiographical as his latest is.

His last book and perhaps his most complex is entitled LIGHT OF THE WORLD, and takes place in Missoula, Montana, where Burke has another home.  Joining Dave Robicheux and his wife and daughter, Alafair, a lawyer and novelist, are Clete Purcel with his newly found daughter, Gretchen Horowitz, for a long-awaited family vacation.  The story begins with Gretchen dodging an arrow while hiking, and continues to a somewhat surprising ending.

Alafair Burke is the daughter of James Lee Burke and his wife, Pearl; a graduate of schools in Wichita, KS, she wanted to go West and was accepted into classes at Reed College in Portland OR.  The school is renowned for its high academic standards as well as many libertarian views, and high school graduates must maintain a minimum of a 3.99 in order to enter this school.

Alafair graduated with a degree in Liberal Science and then attended Stanford Law School in Palo Alto, CA; returning to Oregon following graduation to become an Assistant Prosecutor in Portland.  Evidently the bright lights of Manhattan, NY zoomed into her personality, and so she   became a part of that very vibrant city becoming a Professor at Hofstra Law School, while she started writing.

Ms. Burke has written two series; the first concerning a prosecutor in Portland, and second re Ellie Hatcher, a detective in New York City, as well as several stand-alone books.  Her latest IF YOU WERE HERE is really her best, and I heartily recommend it as well as her other books.  As with some fortunate writers, she has become much better with each book; more tighter with the plots and her characters literally leap off the pages.  I look forward to her next; it should be quite interesting if she is able to continue her previous success.

DON’T FORGET TO STOP BY HURRICANE JUNCTION ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26TH!  Hoop is repeating his success with the 5th Annual Chili & Gumbo Cookoff and it will again be a fun event.  And the Silent Auction at the conclusion of naming the winners of the cookoff is a sale not to be missed!  All proceeds come to the Library, and we certainly appreciate Hoop’s generosity to our Building Fund!

We have a number of books, both hard cover and soft cover, available for sale; at the prices of $1.00 for hardcover and $0.25 for the soft.  They make excellent companions when you go on a trip and don’t want to worry about a due date from our Library.  Do come and check them out!  You won’t be disappointed.

“When an old person dies, a Library burns down.” -Karin Gillespie