Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 150, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 17, 1999 Page: 1 of 14

— iO o97 CjMPMW
5DUTHWEST MICROPUBLISHING
2627 E YANDELL DR
EL F'ASC TX 79903-2743
Gjerokeeaif/nerald
Texas' Oldest, Continuously Published Weekly Newspaper - Established Feb. 27, 1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel
Jorn of Arc Tomatocs?
^j|
Chris Davis gets the last
laugh on his neighbor
Virgil and his sad tomato
crop
see El Camino Real, page 2
Vol. 150, No. 17-14 Pages
Thursday, June 17,1999
Rusk, Texas 75785
25 cents
Spouting Off...
KMflK
- *
■H
IRPHVHI
A city crew repaired a major water leak Friday afternoon in the Daniels
Addition. Water service was restored in approximatley two hours. Gary
Starkey is in the ditch and Shay Mabry is at the top .Eddie Goins is in the
ditch but not pictured. Also, working on the line was Utilities Director
Bryan Johnson.
Rusk City Council discusses
cemetery, park maintenance
Upkeep of Rusk cemeteries and Conley
Park were discussed at length at the June
10 meeting of the Rusk City Council.
Council member Gloria Jennings re-
ported that she had attended a graveside
service on June 7 at Cedar Hill Cemetery.
"It was disgraceful
and I was embar-
rassed," she said.
"Weeds were knee
high and fire ants
were everywhere," she
continued.
"Don't you think we
ought to hear from the
contractor," Council-
man Thomas Parsons
said.
"Sure," Mrs.
Jennings replied, "if
he is here."
Jose Antonio Enriquez, cemetery main-
J. A. Enriquez
tenance contractor, was at the meeting
and explained to the council that Bahai
grass grows very fast and turns into weeds
the next day after it is mowed.
"You need to keep in contact with city
hall concerning when there will be a fu-
neral and make sure the area around the
grave will be mowed," Mrs. Jennings said.
"You were not the low bidder either time
you have received a city contract, but
Judge (J.W.) Summers recommends you
so highly, we gave the contract to you."
Mayor Emmett Whitehead reported that
Mr. Enriquez does not spray for fire ants.
"That is the city's responsibility," he said.
The council voted to purchase Bahai
grass poison and Mr. Enriquez's staff will
administer the spraying.
"While they have the sprayer, I will
spray for the fire ants," Gene Kelley, street
superintendent said.
Both Cedar Hill and Rusk Memorial
Cemetery will be sprayed for Bahai grass
and fire ants.
Mayor Whitehead asked thatMr. Kelley
oversee the maintenance of both cemeter-
ies. Letters will be written to area funeral
homes using the cemeteries. The funeral
homes will be instructed to notify the city
when they plan to conduct graveside ser-
vices so mowing and fire ant poisoning
can be provided prior to the service. There
is a sign at the entrance of both cemeter-
ies stating that funeral homes are to no-
tify the city prior to any burial. That
requirement will be enforced.
Several residents of the Dickinson First
Addition to Rusk attended the meeting to
complain about the situation at Conley
Park.
When the cemetery issue was being dis-
cussed they entered in with complaints
Please see RUSK COUNCIL, page 14
Alto exchanges get expanded
telephone service this week
Effective June 15, telephone customers
in the Alto exchange are able to make and
receive phone calls to and from Jackson-
ville and Nacogdoches without incurring
long distance charges.
This new service for the 858 and 879
telephone prefixes is the result of a recent
petition and voting process conducted with
Alto customers.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas
approved the petition, styled Project Num-
ber 20155.
The new expanded local calling service
(ELC) allows customers to make and re-
ceive calls from the following prefix num-
bers:
• Jacksonville - (903) 541, 586 and 589
• Nacogdoches - (409) 462,468,552,558,
559,560, 564, 568 and 569
Calls made from Alto to Jacksonville
will require dialing the 903 area code in
front of the phone number.
Cost for the service is a flat $3.46 per
month, and that surcharge will appear on
the July billing statement.
For businesses, the ELC rate will in-
crease from $1.75 to $6.93.
New Extended Local Service Begins
W
(409) area code
to these prefixes
462,468, 552,
558, 559, 560,
564, 568 and 569
Current ELC to:
Rusk
Cushing
Lufkin
(903) area code to
these prefixes:
541,586, 589
-graphic design:
Cherokeean/Heratd
data supplied
by TXU
Water planning
meeting slated
June 16 in Tyler
The East Texas Water Planning Group, which
has been charged by the State of Texas to de-
velop a comprehensive water plan for East Texas,
will conduct a public meeting on mining, oil and
gas water needs on Wednesday, June 16, at
Tyler Junior College's Regional Training and
Development Center in Tyler.
The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. The TJC
center is located at 1530 South Southwest Loop
323 in Tyler. The meeting will be in Room 104.
The meeting is designed to seek input from
businesses and others who have an interest in
water as it applies to the mining, oil and gas
industry.
The water planning group and its engineers
are in the process of developing a plan to serve
the region's water uses for the next 50 years.
The group serves East Texas counties of Ander-
son, Angelina, Cherokee, Hardin, Houston, Jas-
per, Jefferson, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange,
Panola, Polk, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine,
Shelby, Smith, Trinity and Tyler.
RISD board rejects depository bids
Members of the Rusk School Board voted to reject
depository bids and re-advertise for new bids. Bids
had been received from Austin Bank and Citizens 1st
Bank.
Board member Steve Guy in making his motion to
reject the bids and re-advertise said, "I would like to
see them clear up the differences and let us consider
the checking rates."
Mr. Guy's motion to reject the bids was seconded by
Board Member Stephanie Caveness and all members
voted for the motion.
Prior to the motion, School Superintendent Tony
Murray had recommended that the board accept the
Austin Bank bid.
"Do we have to take action on this tonight? Do we
have to accept or reject the bids tonight?" Board
Member Frances Long asked.
"Some action has to be taken tonight," Sherry
Lloyd, RISD accountant told the board.
"I would like to see who ever bids to bid apples and
apples and oranges and oranges," Mr. Guy said.
"By accepting a contract, it doesn't mean we can't
utilize other banks. This is a depository and not an
investment company," Mr. Murray told the board.
The board had used bid forms secured from Texas
Education Agency. One bank bid on 364 days invest-
ment and the other on 365 days. Members of the
board also wanted to see a bid on 30-day investments.
A janitorial contract from L&M Cleaning of Pales-
tine for $15,180 was approved at the meeting. The
Palestine company was low bidder. The other bid for
$15,181.53 was from Cotton & Company of
Nacogdoches, the current contractor for janitorial
services for the school district.
Currently the district is paying $15,400.
Investment training was approved for district per-
sons.
A Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Grant
(TIF) has been approved for the Primary and El-
ementary campuses. Each campus will receive
Tickets available
Tickets for Boxcars, BBQ & The Bridge are still
available through June 26. The package cost is $40
per person which includes tickets for the 50-mile
round trip train ride to Palestine, a
production of "The Bridge" at the
Cherokee Civic Theatre, and din-
, , ner at the footbridge. Friday
" J* nights will feature fish and
chicken, with BBQ on Saturdays.
Tickets for each event may be pur-
chased for $15. Cherokee County
residents may purchase tickets to "The Bridge" for
$10.
Contact the Rusk Chamber of Commerce at 903/
683-4242 or 1-800/933-2381 or on the web at
www.thefootbridge.com for reservations and addi-
tional information.
Crack cocaine confiscated
in Jacksonville drug raid
I Special Operations Group
team arrests 11 in narcotics
search Wednesday
Eleven defendants were arrested Wednesday
after the Cherokee County Sheriff Department
Special Operations Group (S.O.G.) Team executed
a narcotics search and arrest warrant on a Jack-
sonville residence.
The team confiscated approximately 10 grams of
suspected crack cocaine and what was believed to
be marijuana.
The Sheriff's Department also seized currency
in the amount of $1,000.
The defendants were charged by Justice of the
Peace Precinct #1 Brenda Dominy with posses-
sion of a controlled substance (Felony 2), and
possession of marijuana (Misdemeanor B). Bond,
was set at $20,000 for the possession of a con-
trolled substance and $1,000 for possession of
marijuana.
The Sheriffs department estimated the street
value of the drugs at $1,500.
Arrested were: Orenthal Mallard, 23, Derrick
Davis, 19, Billy Ray Johnson, 39, Carlo Horn, 20,
Deborah Gibson, 43, Alicia Kennedy, 19, Sandra
Roca, 35, Brandie Lane, 17, Marcus Whitaker,
19, Preness Reed, 42 and Patrick Robinson, 29,
all of Jacksonville.
$40,000, which will be matched by 10 percent. The
district will have to put $1,200 on each campus for
training plus travel.
An inventory check-off in skills primary reading
test has been administered to 144 kindergarten stu-
dents; 142, first graders: and 144 second graders.
Following an executive session, the board accepted
resignations from Tracy Adair, high school teacher/
coach; Kristy Adams, primary teacher; DougBayless,
junior high teacher/coach; Jennifer Bernard, pri-
mary teacher; Marilyn Harris, special education
teacher; Brian Thompson, junior high teacher/coach.
Employed were Melissa Basse, high school teacher;
Ruth Brooks, junior high teacher; Tracey Campbell,
elementary teacher; Lisa Cockrum, high school coun-
selor; Lindy Craft, elementary teacher; Rebecca
Drisdale, Kelly England and Donna Goldsberry, pri-
mary teachers; D'Linda Kay Mahafley, junior high
teacher; Julana Schwartz, speech therapist; and
Elaine Weinbrenner, elementary teacher.
Splash Down
The Rusk Lions Club Swimming Pool Is the place
to "chill out" on hot summer afternoons. Ten-
year-old Billy Hunt dives head first Into the pool.
A.