ODESSA Pulitzer Prize 1988 MEEICAN A Freedom Newspaper Serving The Greater Permian Basin I've been wording on the railroad Williams smooth campaign shaken by rape remark The following is the text of an apology issued Sunday afternoon by Republican gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams concerning a remark he made Saturday that compared the day's bad weather to rape: "I feel just terrible about this. I had no intention in my heart to hurt anyone, especially those women who have been traumatized by rape. Looking back, I realize it was insensitive and had no place at the camp-fire or in any setting. "People who know me, or what I've been saying in my campaign, know that I feel strongly about criminals who roam our streets inflicting violence on innocent citizens. Rape is one of the most violent types of crime we are faced with today and will be met with a firm hand if I'm elected governor.
"Once again, I apologize from the bottom of my heart, and although I didn't mean any harm, I realize I was wrong." DALLAS (AP) Republican gubernatorial nominee Clayton Williams' remark about rape is a harsh lesson for the businessman-turned-politician, state GOP officials said Sunday. The Republican leaders emphasized that the comment, which stung Williams' smooth-running campaign, doesn't mean he takes a passive attitude toward violence against women. Before a cattle roundup at his West Texas ranch Saturday, Williams compared the cold, foggy weather to rape. "If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it," Williams said to ranch hands, campaign workers and reporters sitting around a campfire. He apologized later Saturday, saying, "That was a joke." Although women's groups and Democrats expressed outrage at Williams" comment, state GOP chairman Fred Meyer said he does not believe women will hold the remark against the candidate.
-Meyer said Williams was not suggesting that a woman should enjoy being raped. "No, no that was not what he was saying," Meyer said. "Clearly mat was not his intention. He's apologized and as far as I'm concerned it's a closed book." The Odessa American: Stewart House about their interest in locomotives. For more on model train enthusiasts, please see story and photos9A Herb Sturm of Midland has built his own train from scratch, complete with a track laid out in his back yard.
The steam-powered engine is built on a one-inch-equals-1 2-feet ratio, which enables him to actually ride the train. Despite the downturn of the Permian Basin economy, which forced hobby shops to close, many West Texans are still passionate "He used an archaic expression to say 'Let's make the best of an unpleasant said Beverly Kaufman, first vice president of the Texas Federation of Republican Women. "Had he made the remark in a Please see WILLIAMS3A 'V Holm remembered for commitment to Basin community Fire races through illegal social club Police arrest Bronx resident in arson investigation of blaze that killed 87 "A -m 'O 7 APLaserphoto Friends and relatives of the dead grieve. NEW YORK (AP) Fire burned through an illegal social club early Sunday and turned a packed second-story dance floor into a deathtrap of smoke and flame that killed 87. A man who allegedly had fought with a club coat-checker before the blaze was arrested for investigation of arson and murder.
The fire, the nation's worst in 13 years, tore through the Happy Land club, which authorities said lacked proper exits and other safeguards. The 3:40 a.m. fire killed 61 men and 26 women, most of them Honduran and Dominican immigrants. Most were found on the second floor. "People literally were stacked on top of each other," said Anthony De Vita, the Fire Department's citywide command chief.
"It was a firetrap," he said of the two-story building, in an impoverished neighborhood near the Bronx Zoo. Police Commissioner Lee Brown told an evening news conference that Julio Gonzales, 36, a Bronx resident, was arrested for investigation of arson and mur By Kristi Glissmeyer The American Friends and colleagues of former Odessa school Superintendent William Miller "Bill" Holm said his death Sunday afternoon was a loss to a community that gained much through his life's work. Holm, who served as chief of the Ector County Independent School District for 13 years before retiring in 1985, died at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth about 5 p.m. after suffering a heart attack. He was 66.
Holm moved from Odessa to Fort Worth after his retirement. "I realize there are people in Odessa who love him," Holm's daughter, Enid Ann Woodward, said from Forth Worth. "It was his wish that he is cremated and his ashes taken to Colorado at a yet unnamed' date." Holm's wife, Enid, a director for non-profit theaters in Texas, suggested memorials to any favorite arts group or to the Permian Playhouse, which Holm helped found. Longtime friend Bill Elms said that when people remember Holm they should recall "his great love for Odessa. For so many years, he was the best loved person in Odessa and the most respected." A graduate of North Texas State University and a Navy veteran of case was the result of a dispute he had with a female employee of the club," Brown said.
The woman, a coat-checker, left before the fire, which began inside the entrance near the coat-check area Brown said. At least two woman and one man the disc jockey survived, Brown said. Most of the dead were believed to have suffocated from the thick smoke, which billowed hundreds of feet, but some were trampled, said Lynn' Schulman, an Emergency Medical Service spokeswoman. "This is the worst thing I have seen in my career," said Emergency Medical Services specialist Christopher McCarthy. "It hurt my stomach.
It was sickening." "Most of the bodies were in dance clothes," McCarthy said. "They were out to have fun. I saw wall-to-wall bodies an indication of mass confusion and panic." EMS Lt. Roy David said there were "a lot of people, obviously frantic at one point, trying to make an exit." The fire was the deadliest in Please see FIRE2 A I THE BRONX i jwr MANHATTAN Lsn9 kkml STATEN Holm Here is a 1st of some of the worst fires, hi terms of Ives tost, in Hit Unite States and its possessions since 1950. Dec.
31, 1986, San Juan, Puerto Rico, hotel, 96 dead. Nov. 8, 1982. Biioxi. county jail, 29 dead.
Jan. 9, 1981, Keansburg, N.J., boarding home, 30 dead. Dec. 4, 1980, Harrison. N.Y., hotel, 26 dead.
Nov. 21, 1980, Las Vegas, hotel, 84 dead. June 26. 1977, Columbia. jail, 42 dead.
May 28. 1977, Southgate, nightclub. 164 dead. Oct 24. 1976.
New York (Bronx), social club. 25 dead. World War II, Holm began his teaching career in Crane in 1951. Two years later, he joined ECISD as a teacher at Odessa High School. He became an assistant superintendent in 1967 and was chosen to head the district in 1972.
Holm was superintendent in Please see HOLM3A der. "We believe the motive in this Hospital district aids search for physicians i 1 INSIDE THE AMERICAN FORECAST: i OoudygA Cross worrJs7A Commentary4A 'A DearAbby77A Ol' Entertainment5A I Horoscopc7A OWmari.es10A rt-Adtftf 7Cf 1 Television Log5A UNLV outraced Loyola Marymount for a spot in the Final FourIB. By Steve Daubs The American Danny Lambert was cruising down Colder Avenue on a Honda motorcycle last week when a truck pulling an Airstream travel trailer turned toward his lane. The 22 -year-old Odessan careened into the side of the trailer. He was taken to Medical Center Hospital with head injuries a few minutes later.
Because there were no neurosur- geons to treat him at MCH, doctors only could stablize Lambert for a helicopter, ride to Lubbock's University Medical Center," where he was listed in stable condition Sunday. But MCH officials hope that problem will soon be a thing of the Administrator J. Michael Stephans said the future is promising for attracting a neurosurgeon and other physicians to the Please see SEARCH2 A Th Odassa American: Swwwt F. House Dr. Kenneth Adams moved to Odessa from Tennesee.
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