1975: More Fayette County Burglaries Reported

September 2, 1975

The Fayette County Sheriff’s office was investigating three mid-week break-ins. Sheriff T.J. Flournoy said 37 cases of soda water, 10 cases of beer, cigarettes and chewing gum comprised the loot stolen from the Round Up Hall. Although some of the merchandise was recovered, some had been consumed on the premises. Not only were two dozen baseballs and beer missing from the ballpark’s concession department at the fairgrounds, but the building was also heavily vandalized. Also, burglars took 10 cases of beer and $5 in pennies from Ed Naiser’s Mullins Prairie Store near Holman. The sheriff’s department arrested three suspects in the first two break-ins, who were charged in Judge A.V. Smith’s Precinct 1 justice of the peace court. They were fined $50 each, plus a total of $100 assessed for the damages.

The comical float from Marva’s House of Beauty, in which barber Connie Mc-Comb was giving Gary Janda a shave, won the Fayette County Fair parade’s most original entry prize and was a crowd favorite. The float, which also included a cowboy in a bathtub, depicted a frontier barber shop. More than 80 entries wound through the downtown area during the hour-long Saturday afternoon spectacular. Among the 26 floats that were out-of-town entries was a beauty from the Austin Aqua Festival featuring La Grange’s own Miss Cindy Petras, the group’s 1975 queen.

The poultry department at the Fayette County Fair showed both an increase in quantity and quality of exhibits. A total of 44 exhibitors represented Fayette County and as far away as Austin, San Antonio and the Houston area. All told, there were 426 entries in all poultry divisions, an increase of more than 100 over the prior year. Brenda Hunger of La Grange showed the grand champion standard male, a Brown Leghorn cockerel. Delwin Hensel of La Grange had the champion female, a Dark Cornish pullet.

Joe Kuehn, who had been parking cars at the Fayette County Fair for 37 years, said Saturday night’s traffic was the most he recalled seeing. Fair officials estimated there were 12,000 or more people on the grounds at the height of activities that evening.

In the fair’s agricultural department, V.W. Blankenburg of Muldoon won a blue ribbon for a plate of sweet potatoes and a red ribbon for ornamental gourds. The Winedale Museum at Round Top won a blue ribbon for 10 ears of gourd seed corn. Ignac Ermis took home a blue ribbon on 10 ears of hybrid corn. John Koenig’s plate of tomatoes, white potatoes and red potatoes won first-place ribbons, while his watermelon entry came in second. Eroy Roscher scored first in sunflowers, preserving citron, watermelons, Sure-cropper corn, popcorn, Hegari heads, Hubam, shallots and a quart of wheat.

Funeral services were held for: Mrs. Emilie Tiedt, 90, of Warrenton; Mrs. Martin (Angela) Gabler, 74, of La Grange; Mrs. Zofie Dusek, 89, of Ammannsville; and Mrs. Laura Helene Havemann, 86, of Prairie Valley.

The U.S. Postal Service announced it would seek an increase in the price to mail a letter from 10¢ to 13¢, possibly as soon as the Christmas mailing season. It was already printing Christmas stamps for the first time with no denominations. The stamps would be valid for whichever first-class postage rate was in effect. The last postage increase had been in 1974.

The Fayetteville FHA chapter initiated the following new members: Betty Pflughaupt, Sara Fritsch, Frances Michalsky, Terri Lynch, Malinda Zapalac, Sally Wasut and Cynthia Mosley. Members chose Gene Jaster and David Stastny as their chapter beaux.

Flatonia ISD Superintendent R.B. Froehmer announced two new teachers had been hired for the 197576 school year. Miss Joy Grounds, who received her bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M University in May 1974, would be teaching high school science. Coach John Hayton earned his Master’s degree from North Texas State University at Denton in 1956. He would be teaching history and serve as one of Flatonia’s assistant coaches.

The La Grange Leopards were ranked number two in Texas among Class AA high school teams in the Associated Press pre-season football poll. Only Cameron, a heavy favorite for the 1975 state championship, ranked higher. The Schulenburg Shorthorns were the number three Class A team, ranking behind Grapeland and Honey Grove.

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Below are ads from 1975