Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 142, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 29, 1990 Page: 1 of 24
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Home of the
Texas State Railroad
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BEST AVAILABLE COPY
Cljerokeeaif/Herald
Established Feb. 27, 1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel — Texas' Oldest, Continuously Published Weekly Newspaper
Historical Caddoan
Indian Mounds
Vol. 142, No. 8 - 12 Pages
Thursday, March 29, 1990
Rusk, Texas 75785 25 cents
County employees get raise
V
Cherokee County employees will
receive a 10 percent pay increase
effective April 1. Members of the
commissioners court approved the
increase by a vote of 4-1 at a Thurs-
day morning meeting. Voting for
the increase were County Judge
Emmett Whitehead and Commis-
sioners Bob Gregg, Precinct 1; Alton
Hicks, Precinct 2; and F. E. Hassell,
Precinct 3. Commissioner Billy
McCutcheon, Precinct 4, cast the
lone vote against the increase.
Some 25 employees and interested
citizens attended the meeting to
hear action on the issue.
"I have been hearing that we are
doing something illegal and I have
asked the county auditor and attor-
ney to come and explain our posi-
tion," Commissioner Gregg said.
"It ie legal to amend the budget
without declaring an emergency as
long as there are funds available.
Line items can be moved and this is
legal as far as I am concerned,"
Auditor Frank Madden said.
"There has been attorney
general's opinions floating around
for some time. As of March 1989 a
ruling provides for a commissioners
court to transfer funds without an
emergency as long as it stays within
limits. Commissioners can set the
budget and their salaries each year
during the regular budget hearings.
However, employees are not elected
officials and can be raised," County
Attorney Bob McNatt said.
Sheriff Jimmy Dickson reported
"1 don't know about legality and I
know up front that this will not
include officials. When I lose a dep-
uty, it takes up to two months to
hire someone. I want to be pretty
picky and with the salary it is hard
to find the caliber of officers we
need. My deputies pay for their own
uniforms, guns and supplies. They
even buy the county patches for
their uniforms," he said.
"We talk about this every year at
budget time and we get promises
that something will be done. These
promises are never fulfilled. The
morale is bad and the problem has
to be addressed. If at all possible
\
THE CIRCUS 18 coming to town. The Kelly-Miller Bros, three ring circus will be
presented at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 30, In Rusk, according to
members of the Rusk Lions Club, sponsors of the event. In the event of dry weather,
the show will be presented at the corner of Highway 69 South and Loop 343. In the
event of rain, the show will be at the Rusk Rodeo Grounds, FM 343. Advanced tickets
are $6 for adults and $3 for children and can be purchased at Citizens Bank, First State
Bank, Baskins, D&R Office Supply Store, NuWay Grocery on Highway 84 East and Ike's
Feed Mill. The Lions Club receives a percentage of the advanced sales only. Tickets
at the gate are $7 and $4.
FUND RAISING CAMPAIGN is beginning by this special committee of the Cherokee
Civic Theatre. The committee is seeking funds for renovation of the theatre building
in downtown Rusk. The Cherokee Civic Theatre Inc. has recently received a $25,000
grant from the Summers A. Norman Foundation Inc. and will be soliciting funds from
other groups' and individuals to complete the project. Meeting last week for their first
session are from left Edith Rose, Margaret Perkins, John Chirk, Mary Holcomb and
Jim Cromwell. Not pictured are committee members Donna Nichols, Sarah Summers,
Charles Horton and David Hubbard. Clark and Hubbard are serving as co-chairmen
of the committee. staff photo
Yellow Rose of Texas Chili Cookoff
slated March 31 in downtown Rusk
The first Yellow Rose of Texas
Chili Cookoff is planned for 11 a.m.
to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 31 on the
courthouse lawn in downtown Rusk.
Thecookoffis sponsored by the Dis-
abled American Veterans and the
American Legion.
Promoters hope to make the
cookoff an annual event Proceeds
will go to the funds of the sponsor-
ing organisations and to the Chero-
kee County Sheriffs Department
DARE program.
"County folks are invited to come
and enter their favorite chili reci-
pes and join in the fun. We hope to
have all kinds of delicious chili from
a mild variety to the very hottest.
The best chili cookers in Texas and
the Southwest are being solicited.
We know many of these folks have
never done this before. But they do
know how to cook chili. We want
them all.
"We have had several other cook-
outa held in the county, which have
all been well attended," says Jerry
Rix, coordinator.
Most cookers begin with 10
pounds of meat, Rix says. Entries
can be cooked on the grounds or
brought to the Bite precooked.
Entry fees are $10 each. Two tro-
phies will be awarded, one for the
judges' choice and another for the
people's choice.
Bowls will be sold for all you can
eat price of $4 for adults and $2 for
children under 12. Crackers will be
ftirnished and cold drinks can be
purchased. Those attending will get
two tickets that can be used for
voting for the People's Choice win-
ner.
and the money is available and you
can see your way, you ought to do it.
They won't expect another raise at
budget time.
"We discussed this at length when
one group of employees got raises.
This really hurt morale," Judge
Emmett Whitehead said.
Terry PerlrinB, former commis-
sioner, Precinct 4, spoke to the com-
missioners concerning the action. "I
came as a concerned citizen. When I
read about this meeting in the pa-
per, I thought you meant elected
officials, too. When I came on the
court in 1971, one group of county
employees was drawing $135 a
month. There is one time to set
salaries and there has never been a
blanket raise in the county during a
budget year. I understood you had
to raise taxes to pay for insurance
for county employees. I know you
can't anticipate how much money
will come in over the year. I am not
for or against a raise, but banks
continue to go broke and building
and loans are going broke. The econ-
omy is bad in this state. A lot of the
county employees are drawing more
than many other workers.
Joe Henderson, former Commis-
sioner, Precinct 3, Baid he was there
to listen and did not offer any com-
ments concerning the raise issue.
Craig Caldwell, county judge
elect, introduced himself as a county
taxpayer. He said he will be sworn
in as county judge on Jan. 1. "A lot
of people have told me I ought to be
quiet. I don't think that is right. I
figured a 10 percent raise for em-
ployees and officials will cost
$135,000 for six months and
$270,000 in the next budget year.
•See COUNTY, p. 12
Citizens
of Wells
schedule
celebration
Saturday is the big day in Wells
as the town celebrates its twenty-
seventh homecoming. Homecoming
President Tillie Young reported that
everything is proceeding smoothly
as committee heads and workers
face the last few days of prepara-
tion.
Homecoming queen candidates
Michelle Williams, Anna Gulledge.
Tammy Crick, Ashanta Lloyd,
Kristy McKnight and Sallie Garcia
are busy with fund raising projects
as they vye for the crown. They also
are taking donations on a VCR, a
35mm autofocus camera and 100
gallons of gasoline donated by Polk
Oil Company.
The day's events begin at 9 a.m.
when registration will be held in the
high school through noon. Name
tags, meal tickets and dance tickets
may be picked up during registra-
tion.
New this year is an arts and crafts
show sponsored by the Wells VFW
Ladies Auxiliary. Some 100 booths
will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
selling items such as needle crafts,
wood crafts, quilts, bows, jewelry,
flowers, baskets and children's story
books personalized with that child's
name in the story. Pony rides also
will be available.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. there will
be an open house at the Rube Ses-
sions Memorial Library. Door prizes
will be given.
The honor class of 1970 will hold
its reunion from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
A "Coming Home" king and queen
will be selected from this group and
they will be recognized at the coro-
nation program.
The parade begins at 2 p.m. and
will be followed at approximately 3
p.m. with a basketball game be-
tween the Exes and the Faculty. It
will be in the school gym and is
being sponsored by the Booster Club.
Dinner will be served from 5 to
6:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria.
The menu is catfish, French fries,
cole slaw, hush puppies and peach
cobbler. Coat is $6 but reservations
must be made by contacting Rose
Mary Moore at 867-4633.
•8m HOMECOMING, p. 11
AREA News Briefs
Show try-outs
slated April 12
Tryouts are set for 7 p.m. Thurs-
day, April 12 at Rusk Federal Sav-
ings and Loan Association Commu-
nity Building for "Pandora and the
Magic Box."
Cherokee County junior and sen-
ior high school students are invited
to use their imagination and try out
for parts in the total production.
The play will be presented by spe-
cial arrangement with I. E. Clark,
Shulenburg and the Cherokee Civic
Theatre. The production is to be
presented during the Rusk Fair on
the Square, May 26.
Needed will be a cast of seven
girls and four boys, 10 to work on
costumes, at least 10 for the sets,
three for the light crew, 10 ticket
takers and ushers, one assistant
director and one choreographer. The
students will work on the play three
times a week for a month.
County Sheriff
will speak
to Wells Chamber
Cherokee County Sheriff Jimmy
Dickson will be the guest speaker at
the Wells Chamber of Commerce
meeting Thursday, Apr. 5. The
meeting will concern drugs and will
be held at 7 p.m. atFalvey Memorial
Methodist Church, Wells.
Chamber President Tillie Young
said that the meeting was open to
all and urged attendance to hear
Dickson discuss this vital issue.
AARP sets meeting
The American Association of
Retired Persons will meet at 11:30
a.m. Thursday, April 5, in the com-
munity room of the Rusk Federal
Savings and Loan Association Build-
ing.
Those who attend are asked to
take their lunch and share in the
fun and fellowship and games of
their choice.
The business meeting begins at 2
p.m. and the program will consist of
a free blood pressure and pulse
check.
Maycell Black will give a report
on the Tyler meeting.
Band Boosters to meet
The Rusk Band Boosters Club
will meet at 7 p.m. Apr. 3 in the
Band Hall. President Lester Hughes
urges all band program supporters
to attend this meeting.
Plans for the end-of-year band
banquet will be finalized and a tal-
ent show program will be discussed
along with other band program
projects.
DAV van visits area
A national service officer from the
Disabled American Veteran" will
be at the VFW Hall, 201 Heath
Lane, Jacksonville from 9 a..m. to 5
p.m. April 16 to answer questions
concerning veterans affairs.
The DAV van has gone to commu-
nities across America for 16 years.
T><Ufíí^t SCUKH^a lime
Open door AA
meeting at Rusk
Beginning March 26 Alcoholic
Anonymous will meet in the old
adult Education Building at the old
Junior High School building, Third
and Henderson Streets.
Sessions for the Open Door AA
are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Monday through Saturday and 8-9
p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Additional information is avail-
able from Louis Bush, 683-5762 or
683-4929.
Wells Booster Club
to sell BBQ
Homecoming Day
The Wells Booster Club will be
selling BBQ sandwiches and whole
briskets Homecoming Day, Mar. 31.
They will be set up on the bank
parking lot before the parade and
will move to the high school gym
during the Ex's versus Faculty bas-
ketball game at 3 p.m.
Persons wishing to order a whole
brisket for take out should call
Danny Colbert at 867-4552 or Ross
Hicks at 867-5470.
Political conventions
planned Saturday
Democratic and Republican
County Conventions are planned
for Saturday in the District Court-
room of the Cherokee County Court-
house.
Delegates for the Republican
County Convention will gather at 9
a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Democratic
convention will be at 2 p.m.
Absentee voting
in primaries begins
Absentee balloting for the April
10 Democratic and Republican pri-
mary run off elections begins Mon-
day at the office of County Clerk
Fairy Upshaw and at the Jackson-
ville Activity Center.
Absentee balloting will continue
through April 6.
Summer ball
registration
is underway
Registration for the Rusk Lions
Club Dixie Association will con-
tinue through Saturday, March
31. Youngsters can sign up from
9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the
Lions Club baseball field.
Registration BÜpscan be picked
up at all Rusk school campuses,
at BaskinB and are available at
the baseball field on Saturday
morning.
Baseball andsoftball organiza-
tional meetings will be at 6:30
p.m. April 3 at Rusk Junior High
School. Those interested in the
planning or participating are
invited to attend.
TVail-hay ride slated
A fun day is planned for Satur-
day, Mar. 31 beginning at 1 p.m. at
Ponta. Participants are to meet at
and leave from the Community
Center. There will be a hay wagon
to ride and horseback riders can
also participate. The public is in-
vited to join in this nature-trail ride.
No alcoholic beverages will be al-
lowed.
Lodge meeting set
Wells Lodge No. 915, AF&AM
meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Apr. 3.
All members are urged to attend.
Refreshments will be served.
Alto Lions fish fry
The Alto Lions Club is hosting its
world famous "all you can eat" fish
fry from 5 until 8 p.m. Friday, Apr.
6 at the Alto Lions Club building on
Hwy 21W, downtown Alto. Tickets
are $5.50 in advance or $6 at the
door. Kids under eight years eat
free and take out orders are wel-
come. There will be homemade
desserts for sale by the Disabled
American Veterans Rusk Chapter.
For more information call Lion Jeff
Fathereo at409/858-3346. Advanced
tickets may be obtained from any
Alto Lion.
The Lions will also be collecting
used eye glasses to help those who
cannot afford them. Bring any used
glasses and drop them in the collec-
tion box.
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Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 142, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 29, 1990, newspaper, March 29, 1990; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth151948/m1/1/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.