Mt. Vernon Optic-Herald (Mount Vernon, Tex.), Vol. 104, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 11, 1979 Page: 1 of 10
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Mount Vernon Optic Herald and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Franklin County Library.
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THIS small Chevy be-
longing to Steve Coker
mployed
classes thia
a plea of guilty to the charge
of aggravated rape against
him in the Eighth Judicial
Court before Judge Lanny
be passed on to the car
buyer The bags will lie so
toners voted to accept Darr
Equipment's bid as it was
the lowest received Other
bidders were George Bane.
Inc with a bid of $47,500.00
designed that if a driver hits
a curb or bumps another car
they will inflate The owner
will then have to take his car
to a qualified mechanic to
have the bag replaced and
just minutes. The car was
heavily damaged by the
blaze. (Staff Photo!
consisting of two D-Q dudes
and two drinks; and from
Lloyd's Allied Station, ten
gallons of gas
404 Days
WITHOUT A
FATALTRAFFIC
ACCIDENT IN
FRANKLIN
COUNTY
ment.
The raids ended with one
The desire, not to be
anything is the desire
not to be ••
s a graduate of
ate University
? and played
II while there
i large family
i, Texas
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Editor s Quote Book
The cost of installing these
air bags will be several
hundred dollars, he argued.
A meeting will be held in
the board room of the
Superintendent's office at
3:30 on Wednesday. Jam
uary 31, for the purpose of
public discussion of pro-
the amount of $648 10. Bills
in the amount of $1,558.56
were approved to, be paid
from the Interest
Sinking fund
called election Mr. Ixzwry
has already filed for re-
election No other candid
ates have filed to date
Election judges presiding designated as a holiday) to
over the various boxes will See SCHOOL Page 3
Memorial Hospital in Mt
due to lung
Long, and Debbie Norman
The commissioners dis-
cussed the Mt. Vernon Fire
Department and the rising
expenses that it was facing motion carried.
A motion was made and “
carried granting the pay-
High School principal
Mike Harper feels that the
measures
will give Mt. Vernon High
School a very strong
academic system. He feels
that it will raisfe the
blow them off the road date for the trustee* election
to fill the expiring terms of
Charles Lowry and Sam
Harvey Candidates must
file for the terms in the office
of the Superintendent
A I
Commission was formed by
the court Named to that
committee were Doris
Meek, Virgie Beth Hughes,
B E Hicks. W.C. Newsom, plat to the court'including
the academic system of Mt
Vernon High School
The recommendations in-
clude a minimum passing
grade in all subjects to be 70
rather than 60 Most other
area schools already have
this facit of the program
incorporated in their pro-
grams.
The proposal calls for the
course assignments in the
areas of Math, Science,
English and Social Studies to
be based on the student
ability as determined by
individual skill mastery list,
test scores, and the last
teacher in that subject
matter field. It is said that
this will cost several
hundred dollars each time it
happens
Everyone, he
ions were made from the
1978 Grand Jurors and the
following people were nam-
ed to the committee B J
Jones, Ozella Stinson, Sam
my Weaver, and Jeane
Ginger Rhoades captured From Grandma's Fried
prizes from three local Chicken, Virginia won a
merchants with her guesses, dinner for two; from the
merchants with her guesses Dairy Queen, a dinner
carried to Franklin her wounds Miss Long has
since recovered and re-
sumed her normal role in the
community ""
Twenty year old Franky
Joe Pope was arrested
exploded into flames
Thursday. Units from
Henry Slaton, safety offic-
er with the Texas Depart
ment of Public Safety,
Texarkana, blamed speed and pointed out. this cost will
and the refusal of the public
to use their seat belts as the
major causes of traffic
fatalities and iniunes in
Texas when he spoke at the
Rotary meeting last Friday
He also called for the repeal
of the law calling for 1982
cars to be equipped with air
bags Slaton was the guest of
Ralph Irvin, program chair
man for the day Irving also
liad local Highway Patrol-
men Steve Blake and Wayne
Foster as his guests Foster
introduced Slaton
Slaton revealed that 3.698
persons were killed in traffic
accidents in Texas during
1977 and predicted the figure
will be over 4,Uft0 and could
reach 4,100 for 1978 when all
the figures are in
Traffic, he declared, is the
number one killer in Texas
with heart attacks and other
illnesses coming in below the
figure for traffic
Transportation has con-
tributed more to th<* lyuno
my of <»ur country than
anyone thing. Slaton pointed
out. but said, we must do
something to cut down on the
FRANKLIN County's
first baby, Ellen Marie,
was born January 3 in U.,
Franklin County Hospi-
tal. She is the daughter of
Mr.* and Mrs. Herod
Historiacal, Survey rnent of $800 monthly to the
fire department to help
absolve the rising costs of
fighting fires.
J. F McCoy presented a
i J a
Rufus Bolger. Mike Harper. road anc| asge(j for accept
Mrs Davey Elliott, Minnie ance of (he road as a county
Laughton, Homer Hill, Craig road upon completion The
road is south of interstate 30
and cuts through both the
Tiny little Ellen Marie
Willis captured the title of
Franklin County's first baby
* January 3 when she arrived
at the Franklin County
Hospital Ellen Marie is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs
Herod Willis of Talco.
She arrived at 7:26 p.m. in
the wake of the year's first
ice storm and weighed eight
pounds, one ounce After her
arrival, Mt Vernon mer
chants who participated in
the "First Baby Contest", posed changes concerning
announced the winners from
their stores.
Ivey Smith won a years
subscription to the Optic-
Herald, a seven dollar gift
certificate from Rutherford
Rexall Drug, and a ten
dollar gift certificate from
Flower Land with her
entries.
Tonya Slaughter woh a
two pound box of Pangburn's
candy for hef guess from
Crescent True Pharmacy
Virginia Joyner with her
guess of January 3 at 3:18
a m. won a three pound
Hickory Smoked Ham from
Frontier Bar-B-Cue.
The thirst National Bank
Incz
Water Board
Approves
Expenditures
The Board of Directors for
the Franklin County Water
District met in regular Texas youth Council
session Wednesday, January
3 and approved the payment Grand Jury
of bills from the maint- 7
enance and operating fund in IS Impaneled
The grand jury for the first
six months of 1979 was
an(j impaneled Friday, January
5 at 2 p.m.
Those serving on the
grand jury this term are
Franklin County Com-
missioners Court met in
regular session Monday.
January 8 and opened bids
for a new motor grader for
precinct No I Darr Equips and Allen Machinery Comp
ment presented a bid to the any with a bid of $43,890 00.. Cooper,
commissioners for $43,579 00
with the promise of delivery mittee was formed for the
in one week The Coinmiss
Willis of Talco. Mrs.
Willis was all smiles
,.h“n II came time to take
the ?•••> b?hy home.
(Staff Photo* '
Chief Hollingsworth re-
ported the investigation of
an accident on the south
The Mt Vernon police service road of Interstate 30
gram for the meeting on department was aided in due to the icy road
Friday. their investigations by mem- conditions A 1969 Chevrolet
skidded on the ice and
crashed into the "Do not
enter" sign on the exit ramp
of the interstate.
The accident occurred just
east of spur 423. The car
/ belonged to Richard Gary
Boney and no injuries were
reported.
• The Mt. Vernon police
- department issued a month-
ly report of their activity for
the period of December 1
through December 31 The
• report recorded 2,975 miles
B petroled and the investigat-
■ ion of seven motor accid-
• ents. ‘
fl The department issued 17
1 traffic citations during the
" past month and reported one
arrest for criminal attempt
imarijuana); one arrest for
issuance of bad checks; one
arrest for public intoxicat-
ion; iwo arrests for violation
of city ordinancee 300
(possession alcohol in city
limits) and one arrest for
disorderly conduct
The report also listed two
arrests for criminal tres
pass, one "arrest for driving
while intoxicated, two ar-
rests for aggravated rob-
bery of the Mr B Food Mart,
and one juvenile arrested for
escape from custody of the
iMLWnmn ffipttc-Meralb
V** *M~N* **______________Mt.Vernon’ *ranklin (ounty T<w 10 Pages-— 1 Section ^-^.y, j... n. m 15. per Copy
Health Clinic
Slated Here
The screening and im- I
munization public health I
clinic for Franklin County
citizens will be conducted on |
January 23, 1979 The clinic I
will be held at the First I
United Methodist Church I
School building, 505 S.
- Kaufman. Mt Vernon from
3:00 p m until 7:00 p.m.
Tuberculosis control,
family planning information,
including information on pap
smears for cancer screen
mg, immunization, diabetic
screening and blood pres
sure screening and, the
services that will be avail-
able at the clinic.
The clinic is sponsored by
local physicians, interested
citizens of Franklin County,
and the Texas Department
of Health, Public Health
Region 7.
Information regarding the
clinic may be obtained from
the Region 7 office at 145
Jefferson, Sulphur Springs,
Texas Phone: 214—885-8441.
Harvey, Sylvia Russell,
Genie Hague. David Nor
man. Lillie Bush, Dorothy Hopewell and "Grey Rock
was t
several times and aban- County Hospital and later
doned on a lonely country transported to Titus County
driving and also a good job
of defensive driving
The numbers of cars, he
pointed out, is increasing
every day and a good
example of this is Harris
J f
Everyone, he argued,
should improve their driving
so they can do a good job of
Ramsay Monday, January 8 attack on a Mt Vernon High ually attacked, stabbed
School senior girl October
31. 1978
Neva Gay lx,ng • was
abducted from her home Franklin county Discovered Pleasant
Halloween night 1978, sex by a group of hay riders she complications arising from
the Mt. Vernon Fire
Department 'were quick
on scene and had the
blaze under control in
Commissioners Approve Low Bid For Motor Grader
community Avis Jones
made the motion to accept
the road as per proposed
county specifications The
named as a trade in vehicle
for the transaction
Monthly officer reports
were read and discussed.
The meeting was then
adjourned.
First Baby Arrives; Contest Entrants Claim Prizes
awarded its prize winner,
Pauline Hicks, with a
savings account with ten
dollars already in it.
Changes Proposed For Academic System
The proposal includes the Although this procedure is
official wording to the presently being followed, it
procedure that a student needs to
must be in a work coop approved
program to be . released
before the end of the last
period of a school day adoption of these
Historical
Meeting Held
The planning committee of standards for achievement
the Franklin County Histori- among the students I and
cal Commission met in a require improved planning,
short session recently in the scheduling and staff utiliza-
office of County Attorney, tion.
Billy Frank Hicks. ' The faculty. Student
The motive of the meeting Council and the National
was to discuss and tentative- Honor Society have been
ly outline the history involved in the development
appreciation projects for the of the above standards. The
year 1979 with the Mt. School Board is currently
Vernon merchants to spon reviewing the proposal and
sor their business one month will take action on it at its
in the year with display of February board meeting,
relics and remembrances of Therefore, it is imperative
Franklin County familiee. See CHANGES Page 1
The court reviewed a
letter from Sheriff Don
Qualls requesting the purch
asoof new car A motion was
made to ask for bids on a
new car for the Sheriff's
department for 1979 A 1978 The Board approved a (,
Chevrolet Impala sedan was capital outlay budget- for Greg Carr, Leon T Lester,
improvements to be made in Rhonda Banman, Rex Scott,
the coming year An income Mike Griffith, Johnny Moore
and an expense budget for Jr., Bennie M. Dunlap,
1979 was approved The next Thomas Tower, Leon Webb,
meeting of the board will be Joe Gibson, David M.
January 15. Williams, and Ann Stevens.
By Donna Sloan j ,
Franky Joe Pope entered andreceiv'ed a aentMCC of'40
years confinement in the
Texas Department of Cor-
rections in Huntsville The
charges arose from an
Use Of Seat Belts Could Cut Traffic Deaths
County, Houston, where the
numbers of cars increases
344 each .day. With the
numbers of cars on the road
increasing, the chance for
the number of accidents,
deaths and injuries also
increases
He advised that drivers
should travel with the flow of
traffic We have to recognize
other people's mistakes
when driving and compens
ate for them All of us make
driving mistakes, he argued
and pointed out. blind spots residences and
are the primary cause of
driving mistakes
Secretary Pat Lindley
announced that six members
were absent from the
meeting.
The hood of the vehicle
w as said to have exploded
and flames were burning
intensively inspite of the
constant drizzle when
units arrived. (.Staff*
Photo >
MEMBERS of the Mt
\ ri^>n Fire Department
were summoned Thurs-
day . January I to the
intersection of spur 123
and the railroad tracks
near the telephone office.
City Police Participate
In Narcotics Raids
The Mt Vernon police bers of the Texas Highway
department Conducted a Patrol, Titus County She-
narcotics raid by search riff's department, and the
warrant of two Winfield Mt Pleasant police depart
1 one Mt
Vernon residence in recent
weeks The search yielded individual being charged
substantial amounts of mar- with misdemeanor charges
inuana and the drug THC, and one individual being
which is a hard core charged with felony charges
derivative of marijuana, and in different courts.
Jim Long, program chair- various, narcotic paraphem-
man for this week, will alia
present a film entitled. "The
Sunchanger as the pro
. death and injury rate
More than 53 percent of
the fieople of Texas will tie
involved in an accident in
their lifetimes, he revealed
We need to hold our speed
down to keep our death and
injury rate down. Slaton
stressed Drivers' comp-
laints that other trucks and
cars
if they abide by the speed
.> limit is" old hat. he argued,
for the same complaint was
used when the speed limit
was 70 miles per hour (lf me suplTintendent. no
Eighty five percent of the later than 30 days before the
drivers are in tolerance of
the speed limit of 55 miles
per hour and 15 percent are
over tolerance, he declared
but said, the percentages
were the same when the
speed limit was 70 miles per
hour
These CB radios could be a
big asset but their usage is
being abused, he argued
He continued his argu
ment favoring the use of seat
belts and declared it would
cut down greatly the numtier
of deaths and injuries from
accidents if they were'used
The reason we don't use seat
belts, he argued, is that
we've never gotten into the
habit We drive by habit, he
declared:
He revealed that a new
Federal law requires that all
cars built beginning in 1982
Im* equipped with air bags
This law should be repealed,
he declared, for they will not
accomplish what they are
designed for.
I/j
> t'.l' - I
VicToflln Center
'l —Pox
th Ur e
School Election
Set For April 7
The Mt Vernon School be W’anda Johnson, absentee
District Board of Trustees box; Rufus Bolger. Mt
met in regular session Vernon box located in the
Monday evening. January 8 courthouse. Eva Sims. Ha-
gansport box located in the
community center; and
Bennie Anderson. South
Franklin School box All
registered voters who are
residents of the Mt Vernon
Independent School District
are encouraged to vote
The Board of directors
amended the school calen-
dar to include having school
on January 26 (previously
this change will allow for
mere effective scheduling,
for the placement of stu-
dents at the proper skill
development level, for bet-
ter utiliization of staff, and
for more specialized in-
struction for each student in
the basic skills.
The proposal calls for
stiffer requirements in the
matter of school honors. The
minimum requirements for
student honors at the end of
the senior year will be three
math courses completed
(must include two of the
folfowing-Algebra 1, Algebra
II or Geometry); four
English courses; three
Science courses, or two
Science if Physical Science
is not included; current
Social Studies required
curriculum; and electives to
meet a minimum of 60 units
Credit
1
Pope Assessed 40 Years After Guilty Plea
BV lH>lin* SlOXtl lunimm II nB, — Ul II—..•II.. I. a ...AB -a—.-J e, I—ai a_ ■— ■ •
November I and indicted for Judge Lanny Ramsay and a
the crime He lias been trial date set
in custody since that time Monday’s proceedings be-
ll is first attorney William gan with Judge Ramsey
Evans of Mt. Pleasant addressing the court on the
concentrated his early ef subject of a change of venue
forts on getting Pope's motion A show of hands
$100,000 bond lowered and on from the nearly 100 jury
obtaining a change of venue prospects present in the
because of alleged racial courtroom revealed that
prejudice in the community, almost the entire panel had
However, at the pre-trial some previous knowledge of
proceedings Evans’ motion the case either through
for a change of venue was newspaper coverage, radio
taken under advisement by POPE Page 3
I. (
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Bass, James T. Mt. Vernon Optic-Herald (Mount Vernon, Tex.), Vol. 104, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 11, 1979, newspaper, January 11, 1979; Mount Vernon, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1330315/m1/1/?q=%22~1%22~1&rotate=90: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Franklin County Library.