Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 149, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 23, 1998 Page: 1 of 16
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697 99/03/10 COMPMW
SOUTHWEST MICROPUBLISHING
2627 E YANDELL DR
EL PASO TX 79903-3743
CJjerofeeean/Herald
Texas' Oldest, Continuously Published Weekly Newspaper - Established Feb. 27, 1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel
*
Health Fair
Free immunizations
& car seat checks
April 25 in Rusk
see page 7A
Vol. 149, No. 9-16 Pages
Thursday, April 23, 1998
Rusk, Texas 75785
25 cents
1
2nd case of
meningitis
reported
I RSH patient's
condition improves
A Rusk State Hospital patient has been
diagnosed with the second case of menin-
gococcal disease, a form of bacterial men-
ingitis, in Cherokee County in the past
two months. That patient is now receiv-
ing treatment at a Tyler hospital. Her
condition has progressed from critical to
"guarded," and she is responding to stimu-
lus.
Rusk State Hospital has been in contact
with the Texas Department of Health,
and evaluated patients and staff that may
have had direct exposure to the individual,
and will be monitoring patients and staff
to detect evidence of infection for new
cases.
The hospital is taking preventive mea-
sures, such as administering medication,
for those people that may have been ex-
posed.
"We met with the Health Department of
Tyler and Cherokee County to discuss our
situation," said Harold R. (Buz) Parish,
Rusk State Hospital Superintendent. "The
staff and patients who have had close
contact with the patient have been treated
with medication. In a short time the risk
of infection to them should be over."
Méningococcal meningitis is a particu-
larly severe form of meningitis caused by
the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. Al-
though it can be treated with antibiotics,
about ten to 20 percent of people with the
illness die, often within hours of the onset
of the first signs of illness.
Please see MENINGITIS, pg 6A
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Cast members take time out to check lines during a recent rehearsal for "I
Remember Mama." The production is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday and
Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Cherokee Civic Theatre in Rusk. In
front are Amanda Smith and Richard Carroll Jr. In back are Heather Orsack,
Sissy Crysup and Elam Holcomb. Zelwanda Hendrick is director of the
production. Tickets may be purchased from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-
Friday at the Cherokee CivicTheatre or by calling 683-2131. Tickets are $7
In advance and $8 at the door.
Vandals strike
county landmark
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The replica of Texas, located at the Precinct one County Barn just south of Rusk
before Loop 343, was vandalized last week, costing Cherokee County an
estimated $500.
By Rebekah White
Cherokeean/Herald
The large replica of Texas, located at the
County Barn, Precinct One of Cherokee
County, was vandalized last week be-
tween 4 p.m. Thursday and 7 a.m. Friday
morning.
The lights which adorn the county land-
mark were removed and destroyed.
"Material damage is probably $500 -
hard labor and pride of work cannot be
measured in money," said Bob Gregg,
Chérokee County Commissioner, Precinct
one. "It is very disappointing. Precinct
one workers put up these lights mostly on
their own time and took pride in their
work."
This is not the first time this situation
has occurred. The lights were destroyed
approximately three years ago. The po-
lice investigated the incident and the of-
See Letter to Editor-pg 2A
fenders were caught within two days.
There are currently no suspects for the
case.
"We had put a timer on the lights so that
they would come on every night, instead
of just turning them on at Christmas."
said Commissioner Gregg. "We received
many calls complementing us on the deco-
rations. Since this incident, however, the
lights will not be put up again until after
Thanksgiving."
"Cherokee County originally paid for
the lights, and will have to expend $500
more because of the vandals," he said. "I
cannot imagine what ki nd of person Would
want to destroy our work, which we take
pride in."
¡SPECIAL REPORT
Green hay may spark barn fires
By Jack White
Special to the Cheorkeean/Herald
Every year two to three ranchers or
dairies will loose hay barns to a fire.
Most are caused by putting hay inside
that was baled too green. Heat generated
within the hay itself can ignite the bales. In
other cases, equipment malfunction, electrical
problems and even carelessness or mischief is
the culprit.
Whatever the cause, a hay barn fire makes a
spectacular site. Within moments the exterior
of all the hay in the barn is ablaze, making the
hay a total loss. Heat generated from the fire
causes weakness in a metal building supports
and consumes wood used in construction of the
barn. Though the barn may still be standing,
most likely it will be unsafe and considered a
total loss.
Producers need insurance to protect against
the loss of hay and the hay barn due to a fire.
This is a risk that can be dealt with.
Fire departments within Cherokee County are
being urged to rethink their attáck on hay barn
fires. In the past, multiple departments responded,
using many firemen and thousands and thousands
of gallons of water. The hay was moved out of the
barn by producers using hay forks on tractors.
The result was an extremely dangerous situation
with little or nothing to gain. The hay was already
a loss and the barn was likely lost before the fire
departments arrived. All that happened was
subjecting firemen and producers to very dense
smoke and great fatigue, operating tractors in
areas with little or no visibility, wasting a great
amount of water and placing men in position near
walls that could collapse.
The hay was strewn out over acres of land,
sometimes igniting other fires and the bales
burned for days after being soaked with water. It
is virtually impossible to extinguish a bale of hay
once it has ignited and burned for a period of time.
A recent article in the "Firehouse" magazine
directed attention toward hay barn fires. It asks
the simple question of why do we risk so much for
little or nothing. Officials from Cherokee
County are now asking the same question. Our
position has always been: Risk a lot to save a
lot, risk little to save a little, risk nothing to
save nothing.
Cherokee County is now urging area fire
departments to allow hay barns, fully involved
to burn and only protect nearby buildings and
equipment. Producers need to take out insur-
ance to cover the loss of hay and the barn.
We request that all fire departments which
adopt this new policy be viewed in the most
positive fashion. We trust that knowing the
facts, producers will understand the new policy
and accept the fact that allowing the barn to
burn (since it is already destroyed) will protect
lives, even possibly their own, since they would
be the ones on the tractors.
Should you have questions, contact Jack
White, County Extension agent at 903/683-
5416. This move is the best interest of all
involved.
■F
Drug officer is
budgeted by
new grant
The Cherokee County Sheriffs Department has
been notified that it has been awarded a Community
Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Universal Hiring
Program grant award for one additional officer. The
grant is for the amount of $71,818 and will be used to
employ a full-time drug enforcement deputy. The
grant will require Cherokee County to pay $23,939
over a three year period for a total amount of $95,757.
This will allow the Cherokee County Sheriffs De-
partment to have a full time drug officer with a
minimum amount of burden to the county taxpayers.
"Anytime you can get an officer for less than $8000
per year it is a bargain," said Sheriff James Campbell.
"Most burglaries can be traced to the drug habits of
individuals who steal to buy drugs. Our goal is to
arrest as many of the individuals who sell and use
drugs, but by doing we hope to reduce home burglar-
ies. We will concentrate on crack houses and do some
highway drug interdiction as well."
Please see NEW GRANT, pg 6A
Alto isd
■ Alto will name new
superintendent Thursday
The Alto Indepen-
dent School District
school board held their
final interviews for a
now school superinten-
dent last week. The
final vote is scheduled
for this week.
. Trustees began a se-
ries of private inter-
views with each of the
three finalists and
their wives last Thurs- —————
day. The interviews
continued through Friday and Saturday.
Finalists are Dr. Jackie Ray Thompson,
superintendent of Harmony ISD in
Upshur County; Dr. James Floyd Worley,
superintendent of Apple Springs ISD, near
Lufkin; and Vernis Rogers, superinten-
dent of Big Sandy ISD, south of Livingston.
> • According to Don Parsons, Alto ISD
School board president, 37 people applied
for the position held by retiring Superin-
tendent L land Edge. The school board
¡narrowed the list of applicants down to
Please see SUPERINTENDENT, pg 6A
Leland Edge
I Board calls special
meeting April 20
By Randall Birdsong
Special to the Cherokeean/Herald
In a special meeting that began at 6:30
p.m. April 20, members of the Alto Inde-
pendent School District's Board of Trust-
ees set the date for naming the new super-
intendent of schools. Board members will
meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23 in
executive session to have final discus-
sions on naming the one to be selected as
superintendent. Voting on the candidates
will be held in open session. Board mem-
bers visited the campus of candidate Dr.
James Floyd Worley of Apple Springs
Tuesday, April 21. A public reception will
be held immediately following the meet-
ing to allow everyone to meet the new
superintendent and his wife.
Upon adjourning the special meeting on
April 20, the board immediately went into
April's regular board meeting. All board
members were present.
Robert Blackwell submitted a bid to
purchase the red goose neck trailer built
by the ag mechanics group. Blackwell's
Please see ALTO ISD, pg 6A
Paving the Way
A
"K Kenneth Couch, a City of Rusk maintenance em-
ployee, rakes asphalt on Pate St. located off U.S. Hwy.
84 W. The improvements are estimated at $6,000.
A Bobby Collins, a subcontractor, drives a front end
loader filled with asphalt. The street work will be com-
pleted this week. Bad weather delayed the $50,000
street-paving project, which the city council budgeted
last August. Eleven streets are scheduled for improve-
ments.
r
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 149, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 23, 1998, newspaper, April 23, 1998; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152369/m1/1/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.