Opinion
At A Glance - Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall
Posted on July 13th, 2012
By Johnny Griffin, Editor
I hope many of you take the opportunity to visit the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall displayed in El Campo this weekend. Information on the display is in an article on Page 1 of this issue.
I have been intrigued by this display for a long time and especially since several local ladies involved with this project brought it to my attention a month or so ago.
I haven’t done a lot of research about local Vietnam veterans, but several area residents who fell in battle there have been named.
There was a ceremony at the Wallis American Legion Hall honoring Spec. 4 Seth E. Randolph on Nov. 14, 2004. According to the Wallis News-Review article published Nov. 18, 2004, Randolph lost his life on April 26, 1969 during operations in the A Shaw Valley, Republic of South Vietnam. Former Mayor Tony Salazar proclaimed Nov. 14, 2004 as Seth E. Randolph Day and members of Randolph’s family were present at the ceremony. A photo and display of medals earned by Randolph is displayed in a place of honor at the Wallis American Legion Hall. The medals include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and other citations given posthumously.
According to research provided by Father Don Ruppert, Pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in East Bernard, there were two more young men killed from that community.
Frank Michulka was killed in a firefight in the early morning hours of Dec. 20, 1967 while trying to return to his lines from a listening post (L.P.). The L.P. was usually set up 50 meters from the perimeter and was intended as an early warning in case of attack.
Ray Kozik died in January 1969 during a rocket attack on his home base.
Poster displays honoring these two men are presented at Holy Cross Catholic Church.
When my bride came back from the honor parade for the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall in East Bernard on Tuesday afternoon and showed me the photo (on Page 1 of this issue) she took of the Fallen Soldier’s Battle Cross (a helmet hung on a rifle with the bayonet stuck in the ground), I was deeply touched.
I noticed immediately that the Fallen Soldier’s Battle Cross stood in the shadow of the American Flag.
I cannot pay proper tribute to the men who died in combat for us in a newspaper article, but the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall provides a physical and emotional place to reflect on their sacrifice.
Make time to visit.
To the citizens of Wallis
Posted on March 3rd, 2011
On May 14 we will be going to the polls to elect a mayor and two members of City Council. I would like to address this letter to the young citizens of our community.
This great city of ours needs to have our young citizens step up and become our leaders of tomorrow. Remember young people, this is the city you chose to live in and raise your children. Their future will fall in your hands and in the kind of environment you want them to live in.
I feel you hold the future of this city in your hands and that can only happen if you step forward and become our city leaders.
I realize you have jobs, a family and home to take care of, but a lot of us senior citizens did too. Somehow we found the time to make some kind of contribution to our beloved city.
We were not all mayors or members of council, but many like myself wish that we had been in our younger years so that we could have helped our city become what it is or what it could be. We have a long way to go and I believe it will take young minds like yours to help our city and make it a better place to live.
Young people of Wallis, you have until March 14 to file for one of the three positions that are up for election. Please don’t let your children and senior citizens of this community down by not choosing to become our LEADERS OF TOMORROW.
Thank you,
Rita Main
Wallis
Need volunteers to drive cancer patients to treatment
Posted on November 18th, 2010
The Austin County Unit of the American Cancer Society sponsors a Road to Recovery program in which volunteers drive cancer patients free of charge to doctor visits and to treatment.
We are in need of drivers from the Wallis area. All it takes to be a driver is to attend a brief training session–and a willingness to help those who suffer with cancer.
If you are interested, please call 979) 885-4678. The next meeting of the ACS cancer board of directors will be held at the Sealy Chamber of Commerce office on Monday, November 22 at 5:15 p.m. Your presence is requested.
Pat Vornkahl, Vice President and Media Rep. of Austin County Unit
Letter to Editor
Posted on November 12th, 2009
As we drove home from Memorial City Hospital last month after my open heart surgery, I counted every pot hole and bull rock in case we had to make our way back to town. Living at the end of a rocky road in the country has many blessings, but you do worry about getting help in a medical emergency. (more…)
Letter to editor - Stop littering our roads
Posted on December 6th, 2008
We don’t live in the city limits or on the main highway. We live on the back rural roads that lead to the Main highway. Just because our properties are located on rural roads does not give someone the right to make the road their “dumping ground.” This trash consisting of fresh cut tree limbs and bag of leaves was dumped sometime Tuesday night, Nov. 25, or early Wednesday morning, Nov. 26, on Kaechele Road about 2/10 of a mile from State Highway 36.
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POLITICAL SIGNS
Posted on October 24th, 2008
Accusations have been made that Democrat signs have been stolen in Precinct 209. The caller seemed to imply that this may have been sanctioned by the local Republican Party. I assured him that I don’t know of anyone involved with Austin County Republican Party who would engage in such actions. We respect private property rights and free speech. It is wrong to accuse an entire group of people because you don’t know the identity of the responsible party.
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Mains brag on community, say thanks to neighbors
Posted on October 13th, 2008
Hurricane Ike put a lot of people in a bad situation. Some people are in worse situations than others. Here in Wallis we are fortunate enough to have dodged the bullet again. After watching all the destruction that Ike dealt the people in the Galveston and Houston area, we should be thankful we have electricity and water, and our homes are still standing. With the exception of some fallen tree limbs and maybe some trees down, we really don’t have too much to complain about.
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Fall Sports
Posted on September 14th, 2008
By Michael Griffin
Although Sept. 23 is the official first day of fall, we also have sporting events that give us a prelude to the changing of the trees. Even if you don’t have any kids in school you can watch the buses go by feeling the energy of the first week of school or the anticipation of new opportunities and a fresh start. (more…)
Thanks for a successful benefit
Posted on September 14th, 2008
We would like to thank all of the volunteers, friends and members of the community for all of your hard work, time, dedication and support in making The Wayne Reber Memorial such a success for the 4th consecutive year. A giant thank you goes out to the people who donated for and participated in the auction. We would like to also thank those children and everyone who bought a drawing ticket.
We hope that everyone had a great time and we hope to see you there again next year. Mark your calendars for the last weekend in August.
The Wayne Reber Family and Committee
CAUTION: Detour… Reading ALL the TTC Road Signs
Posted on September 14th, 2008
For me many questions remain which need asking. I believe that an abundance of CAUTION is called for in determining where citizens REALLY stand with the governor’s transportation policy today.
Was the west loop of the TTC-69 around Houston pulled off Waller, Grimes, Austin, & Walker Counties because the TX Transportation Commissioners are actually changing policy?
OR perhaps we should consider that the Harris County Toll Road Authority has beaten TxDOT to the punch with the Grand Parkway west loop around Houston with segments in various stages of development right NOW?
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