Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 159, No. 17, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Page: 1 of 16
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thecherokeean.
O Vol. 159 ■ No. 17 ■ 16 pgs.
keean
El KM3 "OÜJ
Texas' Oldest Weekly Newspaper
WEDNESDAY
June 18, 2008
Rusk, Texas ■ 50 cents
SHARP
A|L-S"|^R GAMiMB^MiBISIIB ROC^^B
9 CHINESE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT BERRIES, FIRE ANTS
AND FISHING DURING CRASH COURSE ON COUNTRY LIVING
Teacher of the
COMING
Lon Morris teacher
free on bail after porn
charges filed
Barry Griffin, 38-year-old Lon
Morris College golf instructor,
has been released from jail and
placed in the custody of his par-
ents in Granbury. Mr. Griffin was
arrested last week and charged
with possession and distribution
of child pornography on May 30
in Cherokee County.
He was arrested by the FBI
June 9 and charged in U.S.
Judge John Love's court with
possession and distribution of
visual depictions involving the
sexual exploitation of minors.
He has not been indicted on the
charges.
He will wear an electronic
monitoring device and will have
no contact with children younger
than 18, with the exception of his
14-month-old son. He is required
to undergo a psychiatric evalua-
tion and drug testing and will not
be allowed to use the Internet
or electronic devices capable of
taking photos.
Lon Morris placed Mr. Griffin on
administrative leave. He will be
required to meet with the college's
president, Dr. Miles McCall.
The defendant was released
on a $25,000 unsecured bond.
Mr. Griffin's attorneys are
F.R. (Buck) Files Jr. and Brett
Harrison.
If convicted, Mr. Griffin could
face five to 20 years in prison for
the distribution charge and up
to 10 years for the possession
charge.
Community blood drive
will be held June 24 at
ETMC Rusk
A blood drive conducted by
Stewart Blood Center will be in
front of ETMC Rusk 1:30-4 p.m.
on Tuesday, June 24.
"In the summertime our need
for blood donations grows. With
school out - which makes up
about 20 percent of our dona-
tions - and people out-of-town
on vacation and the hot weather,
we really get low on our blood
supply. Please remember 'Do
Something Great,' donate blood
and save lives," said Belinda
Murphy, recruitment consultant
with Stewart Blood Center.
Donors are asked to eat food
and drink fluids before arriving,
and to bring identification.
Circus clowns are
coming to Alto
The Ringling Brothers' Circus
will send two clowns to the Stella
Hill Memorial Library in Alto, at
9:30 a.m. June 26.
The clowns will help par-
ticipants in the Texas Summer
Reading Program celebrate
reading.
The program is open to ages
3-13 and takes place Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, and Thursdays
at 9 a.m.
Weather Outlook
THURSDAY
isolated t-storms
30% chance of rain
High: 89
Low: 72
OLDIES RADIO
KWRW - FM and KTLU - AM
Alto youth injured
in 1-vehicle wreck
By Brad Guidry
Staff Writer
Kevin Blakemore. a ju-
nior at Alto High School,
was involved in a single
vehicle accident on Loop
343 in Rusk.
The accident occurred
around 11:30 a.m. Satur-
day on the loop between
U.S. Highway 84 and U.S.
Highway 69. City of Rusk
Police Officer Jason Mott
investigated the accident.
"It appeared the vehicle
was travehng south bound
down a steep grade,'' said
Officer Mott,. "The vehicle
hydroplaned and exited the
east side of the road where
it stuck a telephone pole on
the rear passenger door."
Mr. Blakemore was hfe
(lighted to East Texas Medi-
cal Center in Tyler with
head injuries.
Reportedly Mr. Blake-
more is responsive and
ambulatory.
Mr. Blakemore was the
only person in the vehicle.
He was driving a 2006
Pontiac G6.
Man drowns trying
to save kids in river
By Gloria Jennings
Staff Writer
Tammy and Dwayne Can-
non would neyer have imag-
ined what was in store for
them when they began a
trip late Saturday afternoon
from Bryan to Alto to pick
up their children visiting
Mrs, Cannon's mother in
Longview.
As the Cannons crossed
the Neches River bridge near
Weches they saw a woman on
the side of the road attempt-
ing to flag them down. They
stopped and the woman said
her husband, Richard Wilcox,
53, of Athens, was drowning
in the river.
Mrs. Wilcox's two nine-year-
old sons, had been swimming
in the river when they began
to experience trouble, Their
16-year-old sister tried and
was unsuccessful in rescuing
them. The boys were able to
get out of the river with as-
sistance from Mr. Wilcox.
While Mr. Wilcox struggled
to save himself, he sent his
sons for help.
Before help arrived the
father went under the water
and never resurfaced.
His body was recovered at
approxi mntely 9:15 p.m. Sun-
day in the same area where
he was last seen.
See DROWNING, pg. 6A
FUGL-LGSS
G6 fAWAYS
High gas prices make
drivers re-think
spending, vacations
By Quinten Boyd
Special Contributor
The phrase "summer vaca-
tion'' has taken on a whole
new meaning.
With gas prices continuing
to rige, placing a crimp on
disposable income, residents
of Cherokee County are left to
find new ways to spend their
summer. An opinion pol I con-
ducted both through e-mail
and online by the Cherokeean
Herald shows that residents
are changing their summer
plans in order to keep money
in their pockets.
As of June 11, gasoline
prices in Rusk have risen
to $3,92 per gallon. In Jack-
sonville, gas prices reached
$3.89. These prices leave
residents scrambling to find
ways to enjoy their summer
while dealing with gas prices
as httle as possible,
The poll found that 41
percent of respondents are
reacting to rising gas costs by
driving less, while 26 percent
will consohdate errands in or-
der to stay off of the roads and
away from the gas pumps.
Gas prices lead some to find
more fuel efficient vehicles to
ease the cash crunch.
"As gas prices increased, we
purchasedcars that are more
fuel efficient and drove [our]
truck less often,"' said Jim
Regula
PHOTO: LAUREN GONZALEZ
Not so long ago, $55.04 worth of gas would fill the tank
of a Suburban. Now, thirsty small cars needing only 14
gallons of gas are requiring cash infusions of $55.04.
EAST TEXAS
POLL
What are you arid your
family doing to save
money with the high price
of gasoline?
GRAPHIC: CHEROKEEAN HERALD
Harper of Gallatin. "We at-
tempt to consolidate errands
to make one trip instead of
several."
Tho se who usually travel by
RV have had to change their
plans as the price of gasoline
Consolidate
errands
26%
~~ 2 new nursing
schools get
ready to open
TJC, SFAwant to advise students
quickly to identify classes needed
prior to admission
About 10 potential nursing candidates at
the new Stephen F, Austin University's De-
Witt Nursing School satellite campus in Rusk
have requested reviews of their transcripts
for admission in January 2009.
Another 10 applicants have gone through a
similar screening process with Tyler Junior
College for a new nursing campus that will
open in Jacksonville at ETMC. July 18 is
the deadline for application to TJC with
classes slated to begin this fall.
"We are getting telephone calls daily on our
program,'' Rebecca Seeton, chairman of the
TJC nursing program, told the Cherokeean
Herald. "We started this program with not
a lot of time to get the word out.''
SFAhopes to fill the Rusk campus with 24
students: TJC wants to enroll 20 students.
The TJC program will offer LVN training
while SEA will focus on the last two years
leading to RN certification.
Both nursing schools hope to advise stu-
dents before the start of the second summer
session that begins July 10.
This will enable students to possibly enroll
in prerequisite classes that may be needed
for admission.
Dr. Glenda Walker, SFA's director of
has risen.
"We have always trav-
eled with a camper during
the summer," said Jerry
McLemore of Elkhart. "Due
See FUEL, pg. 6A
Lone Ranger
rides to Rusk
As the train pulls from the station
the Lone Ranger and his faithful
companion. Tonto, ride once again to
uphold truth and justice. They will
be saving the Texas State Railroad
from outlaws during the special Lone
Ranger event this weekend.
The number of attendees is grow-
ing as word gets out that the Lone
Ranger is riding to Rusk.
Pa±rons can meet the masked hero
and participate in the Lone Ranger
look-a-likecontest. Therewillalsobe
cowboy western activities, live music,
See LONE RANGER, pg. 6A
See NURSING, pg. 6A
•< The Lone
Ranger and his
faithful companion
Tonto ride again.
More than 1,200
have made reser-
vations during the
three-day event
will take place
June 20-22 at the
Texas State Rail-
road Rusk depot.
Tickets are $18
for children (2-11)
and $29 for adults.
For reservations
call the Texas
State Railroad,
(888) 987-2461. For
information visit
www.texasstate rr.
com.
CITY OF RUSK
Quiet, please
Excessive noise may result in
$500 fine inside city limits
By Gloria Jennings
Staff Writer
The Rusk City Council adopted an ordi-
nance Monday evening to regúlate excessive
or unusualnoiseresultingfrom the operation
of engine or motor vehicle braking. Fine for
violation of the ordinance will be $500.
This ordinance is in addition to the exist-
ing ordinance that regulates excessive noise
within the city limits.
Councilman Walter Session complained
about the response he received from the
police department when he called concern-
ing loud booming music coming from a car.
"They asked me what color the car was. It
was dark and I was inside, I didn't know,"
Mr. Session said.
An ad will be run in the paper and the ordi-
nance will be effective within the prescribed
time, City Manager Mike Murray said.
In another matter, the council approved a
bid for cemetery maintenance from Randy
KingofRusk. Mr. Ring's bid wasfor $21,800,
which was the low bid. Other biders were
See CITY OF RUSK, pg. 6A
CM K
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 159, No. 17, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 18, 2008, newspaper, June 18, 2008; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152839/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.