Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 152, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 21, 2001 Page: 1 of 14
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Clierokeeaij/Herald
Texas' Oldest, Continuously Published Weekly Newspaper - Established Feb. 27, 1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel
Sflies Tfix ReeflTes
=# -4
The State Comptroller
releases sales tax
figures for Cherokee
County
see page 3
Vol. 152, No. 18-14 Pages
Thursday, June 21, 2001 Rusk, Texas 75785
25 cents
Rusk
may call
election
A city election is expected
to be held in August to
determine if local voters
elect to use funds from the
city sales tax to provide
matching funds for a Texas
Department of Transpor-
tation Statewide Transpor-
tation Enhancement Pro-
gram grant. The City of
Rusk is seeking the grant
to finance the construction
of a railroad museum on
city property across the
highway from Texas State
Railroad and Rusk State
Park.
The Rusk Economic De-
velopment Corporation has
approximately $300,000
from the half-cent sales tax
that can be used, provided
citizens approve the
project. Funds from the
half-cent sales tax were
approved for economic de-
velopment. Citizens origi-
nally approved the half-
cent economic development
sales tax to go toward pay-
ment for laying of water
and sewer lines to Texas
Department of Criminal
Justice units in Rusk.
Railroad Museum sup-
port letters from more than
40 Rusk area citizens were
presented to council mem-
bers. In addition to the
letters from Rusk citizens
there were several letters
of support from citizens of
Palestine and Jacksonville,
as well as State Sen. Todd
Staples and U.S. Senator
Kay Bailey Hutchinson.
Please see ELECTION, pg. 13
Mayor, 2 council members resign in Alto
I Police chief,
officer terminated
at Tuesday meeting
Alto has lost a mayor and
two council persons after the
council met Tuesday night,
June 12 and approved the ter-
mination of Police Chief Jerry
Murphy and Sgt. Frank
Shlensky. The two were termi-
nated because of lack of confi-
dence.
Mayor Chris Lewis and
Council members Kyle Griffin
and Paula Germany submitted
their letters of resignation
Wednesday afternoon.
With the elimination of the
three, the council only has three
members left. They are Mayor
Pro-Tem Garwin Baugh, and
Council Members John Grindle
and Ronnie Tyer.
City Administrator Terri
Grogan declined to comment
concerning the issue.
Mayor Pro-Tem Garwin
Baugh, who is a former Alto
mayor, said "It will all come
around. We have full police cov-
erage. Our three officers are
workinglOhourshiftsand have
two or three days off each week."
In addition to the three offic-
ers, the city has nine reserve
officers who ride with the po-
lice officers.
"We are going to start on get-
ting the streets repaired," the
mayor pro-tem added. "The
next day that we can have an
election to fill the vacant posi-
tions is in November; it will
probably be the first Saturday,"
Mr. Baugh said. He added that
this is the day set by state law.
The three council members will
meet again on July 9. Since he
is a council member there will
be a quorum to conduct busi-
ness. Councilman Ronnie Tyer
said, "I voted to terminate the
officers because they were not
doing their job the way they
were supposed to. Three voted
to terminate and I for one voted
like I believed."
Councilman John Grindle
said he voted to terminated
because he had lost confidence
in the two. He said the city will
continue with streets and util-
ity improvements.
Resigning Mayor Chris Lewis
said, "I feel that the chief and
sergeant were denied due pro-
cess. I don't want to be associ-
ated with poor decision and this
was a poor decision. The agenda
called for a discussion of police
officers and there was no dis-
cussion. They (the officers) had
requested that it be discussed
in open session, but a motion
and second were made to ter-
minate them. I had to call for a
vote and the vote was 3-2. Then
things got out of hand and I
closed the meeting. I have been
put in the line of fire and I
Please see ALTO, page 13
Fly Like an Eagle Cheerleader!
Rusk High School Sophomore Cheerleader Angie Griffin enjoys the
summer days at the pool. The Rusk Lions Club Pool is open from 1-7
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; and from 1-5 on Wednesday and
Sunday. The cost is $2 per person.
All problems from water pipes have been corrected and all positions are
filled forthe summer. There will be swimming lessons taughtfrom June
25-29 from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. Cost is $25 for one child and $20 for each
additional child.
H
K
Townsend adds Pearl Harbor to credits
Tom Townsend and his wife Janet have a rather interesting hobby of
collecting old military vehicles. They are seated in the rarest vehicle
that he owns, a Fav Assault Vehicle. He has rented parts of his
collection to be used in such movies as Pearl Harbor.
Alto trustees adopt policy
for cheerleader selection
H Local author caters
to Hollywood movies
with vintage military
equipment
By Brent Huse
Cherokeean/Herald writer
s movie goers flock to theatres
to see the first summer block
.buster Pearl Harbor, East
Texans should know that there is a
little bit of Cherokee County in the
movie. A 1943 WC51 Dodge truck
made its way to Hollywood to be in the
film. The truck is owned by Cherokee
County resident Tom Townsend.
Mr. Townsend owns 15 military
vehicles that he rents to production
companies, and he has access to many
more that he can lease to movie com-
panies. There are approximately 12
suppliers in North America that will
rent their collections to movie mak-
ers. He estimates that there are only
3,500 collectors in the United States.
Recently the Jacksonville Cinema
rented two of the vehicles for the open-
ing of Pearl Harbor is keeping one
for the duration of the movie's run at
the theatre. The Jeep in Jacksonville
is the third rarest in Mr. Townsend's
collection. It is a 1942 slatgrill Jeep
built in the developing stages of the
Jeep.
The most valuable vehicle that Mr.
Townsend owns is a Ferret that Jean
Claude Van Damm drove in Utiiver-
sal Soldier II Returns. He has also
worked with such famous persons as
Meg Ryan and Denzel Washington.
The rarest piece of authentic ma-
chinery that Mr. Townsend owns is a
Fav Assault Vehicle that was intro-
duced in the early years of the Viet-
nam war, with the intentions of re-
placing the Jeep. That never occurred,
but with speeds of 100 m.p.h. and the
ability to carry artillery, it was used
to complete special missions. It was
used as recently as the Gulf War.
Each one costs approximately $35,000.
Mr. Townsend owns a one of a kind
vehicle that he built himself. It is a
replica of a Japanese Tank that he
built for the movie Wind Talkers. It is
built from pieces of different machines
and is fully operational.
The average process of renting
equipment from people like Mr.
Townsend takes a very short time.
"You will receive a call that you are
supposed to have the vehicle on the
loading truck within three hours; some
may allow as much as a month while
others want it in 24 hours. It's simple,
the more money they have to spend,
the quicker they want the equipment,"
said Mr. Townsend.
Please see TOWNSEND, page 13
Appreciation Luncheon
By Randall Birdsong
Special to the Cherokeean/Herald
Trustees of the Alto Independent
School District Board of Trustees re-
solved the issue of cheerleader selec-
tion for the 2001-02 school year.
Following a lengthy closed session
where parents discussed the issue
with the board and administrators
Superintendent John W. Ferguson
recommended that all students that
tried out for cheerleader would be a
cheerleader provided they produced
the money necessary for their uni-
forms.
The motion applied to Junior High,
Junior Varsity and Varsity cheer-
leaders.
Independent judges scored the con-
testants with a points system that
was outside the criteria set down by
the cheerleader committee and ap-
proved by the board.
This fact coupled with some misun-
derstanding and counter productive
statements made by the former su-
perintendent caused the selection
problem.
Ferguson, in an effort of fairness
and decisive leadership offered the
solution that was unanimously ap-
proved by trustees.
Claims Administration Services was
awarded the contract for Workers
Compensation management. The
CAS bid was over $20,000 less than
the bid submitted by Texas Associa-
tion of School Boards.
Bancorp South was approved as the
depository for school funds.
Citizens 1st Bank of Rusk offered a
similar bid to Bancorp South with
board members electing to go with the
local bank branch.
Cox Contracting was awarded the
bid for the renovations to be done to
the Kindergarten section of the el-
ementary campus. Cox's bid was
$99,890.
Timberline Construction of Lufkin
Please see AISD, page 13
v
Attending a TDCJ
appreciation
luncheon Friday at
the Firemen's Inn
in Rusk were
seated from left Bo
Kessinger, Mike
Barlow and Gene
Kelley; and
standing Ricky
Yates and Steve
Moak. Mr.
Kessinger and Mr.
Yates were at the
dinner
representing Texas
Department of
Transportation and
Mr. Barlow and Mr.
Moak were the
correctional
officers working
with the inmates to
beautify downtown
Rusk.
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 152, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 21, 2001, newspaper, June 21, 2001; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152470/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.