The Conservative Club will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 12, 11:15 a.m. at the Heritage Center. Lunch is $5 per person, served at 11:30 a.m.; program at noon.

The speaker will be Billy Wiggins, new CCISD Superintendent. Even though Mr. Wiggins is new to Calhoun County, he will speak about school budgets and unfunded Federal and State mandates. A question and answer period will follow Mr. Wiggins presentation.

The public is invited; however, if you are not a regular attendee, please contact Connie Hunt, 552-0917 for reservations.

The Harbor Children’s Alliance and Victim Center (215 W. Railroad in Port Lavaca; phone 552-1982) reminds us that April is awareness and prevention month for both child abuse and sexual abuse. All types of child abuse affect a child, often with lifelong effects. Many adults who have trouble managing their emotions and developing healthy relationships were the victims of some type of abuse. Often this leads to a dependency on alcohol and/or drugs, and attitudes and behavior resulting in an unproductive life, perhaps even incarceration.

Sometimes parents who were the victims of abuse unwittingly perpetuate abuse on their own children. The Harbor offers Parenting and Anger Resolution classes which can be of help in such situations. Call 552-1982 for information on these classes.

Of course, it is important to discipline your child, but in a way that will be helpful, not hurtful to him. Here are some points to consider from Child Discipline Guideline: Guidelines for Parents by Gary May:

What is the Difference Between Discipline and Abuse?

Discipline helps a child learn a lesson that will carry over and positively affect future behavior.

Abuse affects the future in a negative way, leading to anger, hatred and more deviant behavior.

Discipline enhances the child’s sense of self worth, helping the child learn self-control and thus becoming comfortable within the family and in society.

Abuse robs the child of self worth and causes him/her to feel outcast and resentful.

Discipline is not shame or guilt.

Abuse is shame and guilt which satisfies the needs of the parents at the moment and destroys the self image of the child in a hostile manner.

Discipline is taught by example. But so is Abuse!

Sometimes parents cross the line between discipline and abuse. Here are some ways from Helpguide.org that might help you know:

• You can’t stop the anger.

• You feel emotionally detached from your child.

• Meeting the daily needs of your child seems impossible.

• Other people express concern.

Perhaps you have come upon a situation where you felt a parent was physically or emotionally abusing his/her child. You probably didn’t know how to address the situation, or thought the parent’s action might be justified, or just thought it was none of your business. Here are some tips on what your could do, from the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse:

Start: Start a conversation with the adult to direct attention away from the child.

Divert: Talk to the child to divert the child’s attention if misbehaving.

Look: Look for the first opportunity to praise the parent and child.

Offer: Offer assistance if the child is in danger. For example, if the child is left unattended in a grocery cart, stand by the child until the parent returns.

Avoid: Avoid negative remarks or looks. These reactions are likely to increase the parents anger and make matters worse.

The Harbor Mission Statement: Our mission is to lessen the trauma to victims of sexual assault, child abuse/neglect, and other crimes and their families, and to improve the response of the criminal justice system by uniting the efforts of public agencies and enlisting support from the community. By providing a safe haven for these victims of crime, our goals are to advocate for their rights and specific needs and create an environment where violence is no longer tolerated.

The Harbor Children’s Alliance & Victim Center is dependent on monetary donations (which are tax deductible) from the community. They also have need of volunteers to serve in several capacities: clerical, special events, crime victim advocate, speaker’s bureau, mentors, and Crisis Hotline. Please contact Carissa Soliz at 552-1982 if you would like to help.

24 Hour Crisis Hotline: 361-552-4357

Help The Harbor

The Harbor Children’s Alliance & Victim Center is in need of the following items:

Wooden Trash Can Holder

Recordable DVDs

Postage Stamps

Wal-Mart Gift Cards

HEB Gift Cards

Bottled Water

Canned Sodas

Individually Packaged Snacks

They are still accepting items for their recycling efforts: used toner cartridges and old cell phones.

The Harbor is located at 215 W. Railroad St. in Port Lavaca. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Their phone number is 361-552-1982.

Edward Kurtz

Port O’Connor – Edward Kurtz, 83, of Port O’Connor, formerly of Victoria, passed away March 28, 2011. He was born on October 25, 1927 to Rudolf and Veronica Mikes Kurtz in Shiner. He served in the US Army Air Corps from 1946 to 1948. He was married in 1947 to Gussie Opela and had two children. He retired as Assistant Chief of Victoria Fire Department in 1982 and started as a house contractor and carpenter in Port O’Connor.

Edward is survived by his daughter Jeanette Henke and husband Robert of Hallettsville; two brothers, Ernest and Laddie Kurtz; sister Helen Shimek Malick; two grandchildren, Julie Regan and husband Patrick, and Monica Rivers and husband John; and three great grandchildren, Alison Regan, Cameron Rivers, and Jared Rivers.

Edward was preceded in death by his son Patrick Kurtz; his parents; and two brothers, Daniel and Rudy Kurtz Jr.

Funeral Mass, officiated by Rev. Joe Hybner, was held March 31 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hallettsville. Burial was at St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of South Texas.

Words of comfort and guest book entry may be shared with the family at: www.kubenafuneralhome.com

Port O’Connor Elementary School teachers Judy Anderson (1st grade) and Sheryl Haynes (3rd grade) shared with us an April Fools “prank” pulled on their classes by students Carly (3rd grade) and John (1st grade) Rosenboom:

April 1, 2011

My brother and I fooled two classes, 1st grade and 3rd grade, by turning giant cookies into pizzas. Last night I worked very hard making a cookie look like a real pizza. I woke up in the morning all excited. When I got in the classroom, I had a grin on my face. After we took our tests, Mrs. Haynes and I got out the pizza and everyone took a bite and said, “Is this a pizza?” I yelled, “April Fool’s!”

By Carly Rosenboom, Third Grade

Today John tricked us. He fooled us into eating a pizza but guess what it was not a regular pizza it was a cookie! We are writing in are jornals and eating a pizza cookie. This is a good day. The cookie is good the peperony is really a candy. Man, I just can’t eat my peperony.

By Anthony Luna, First Grade

Today John brought us a breakfast pizza. But as soon as I tried it I knew it was a cookie. John fooled us and it was April fool’s day. That was funny for the whole class this April fool’s day I am going to fool my mom by getting a ladybug and macking my mom think it is a spider.

By Madison Stringo, First Grade

John fooled us today with pizza. Do you no how he tricked us? It was a pizza but it was a pizza cookie. That was a yummy trick. He tricked us good. He even fooled Mrs. Anderson. I was so tricked. I never got tricked like that before. That trick was very tricky.

By Sarah Doggett, First Grade

John was a tricky boy about a pizza because it was a cookie pizza. I did not know that it was a trick on us until I took a bite. I was so happy when I saw the pizza box. I thot it was a real pizza but it was a pizza cookie! I ate the cookie it was good.

By Jordan Blevins, First Grade

When: April 16, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Where: San Jacinto Battleground

See living history encampments and re-enactors in period costume, demonstrations of weapons, activities for children and more. At 3:00 p.m., a reenactment of the famous 1836 battle which won Texas’ Independence from Mexico will be fought. Cannon and musket fire will fill the air with the sights and sounds of April 21, 1836!

Food and drinks are available or bring your own picnic lunch and enjoy the day. For a nominal fee you may view a digital presentation of “Texas Forever! – The Battle of San Jacinto!!!!” in the Monument theater or take a self-guided tour of the Battleship TEXAS. Accessible for the mobility impaired.