Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 143, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 14, 1991 Page: 1 of 20
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Singletary Memorial Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Rusk:
Home of the
Texas State Railroad
State Historical Park
STJTJliVSST y.ICmPil3LI3!lIN3, IN'C.
2b¿7 E YAMD2LL DR
EL PASO, TX 79903
KIT AVAILABLE CDW
EL r AS J, TA 79*05 /"WW "W "W
lljerokecaif/Herald
Texas' Oldest, Continuously Published Weekly Newspaper -- Established Feb. 27, 1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel
Alto:
Home of the
Caddoan Mounds
State Historic Site
Vol. 143, No. 2 - 12 Pages
Thursday, February 14, 1991
Rusk, Texas 75785 25 cents
Area
News
Briefs
JJ
New management
holds golf scramble
There will be a New Management
Golf Tournament from 1 - 6 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 17 at the New Bir-
mingham Golf Course of Rusk.
Entry fee is $10, plus a green fee
charge for non-members. All par-
ticipants will be assigned teams
-during this scramble.
Friendship Club meets
The Alto Friendship Club will
meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 21, for a covered
dish dinner followed by a program
and election of new officers. The
public is cordially invited according
to the President, Lillian Landrum.
Alto School Board
will meet tonight
The Alto School Board will meet
in regular session at 7:30 p.m. to-
night (Thursday) in the liigh school
library.
$ Directors will meet
Directors for the Rusk Chamber
of Commerce will meet at noon
Monday, Feb. 18 at the Southern
Motor Inn Restaurant. President
Nell McNatt urges all board mem-
bers to attend. The dutch treat
luncheon meeting is open to the
public.
Valentine Banquet
set for tonight
A Valentine Banquet will be held
at 7 p.m. tonight, in the fellowship
hall at the A. Frank Smith United
Methodist Church in Alto. Spon-
sored by the UMYF, admission will
be a donation to the youth group. A
musical group from Lon Morris
College will present a variety show,
"Swing, Swing, Swing" and the
UMYF will have a cake auction.
Pastor Don Lewis invites the com-
munity to come, and bring Tour
Special Valentine."
No commodities
There will be no governmént
commodities issued this month to
Cherokee County needy families,
according to W. R. Meador, com-
modities coordinator.
Meador said the decision was
made due to the fact that only a
limited amount of commodities was
received.
Commodities will beissued again
on March 14 at the usual time and
place.
Alto baseball is in
full swing again
The Alto Youth Baseball League
will have their first meeting of the
season at 7 p.m. monday, Feb. 18 at
the Southwestern Building. All
parents and interested persons are
asked to attend to help get the new
season off to a good start. New offi-
cers and three new directors will be
elected. Please come and support
the children of this community.
I
Cold Springs holds
groundbreaking
ceremonies
Cold Springs Methodist Church
will hold a groundbreaking at 2 p.m.
Sunday, Fob. 17 as the congrega-
tion celebrates their new fellowship
hall no# under construction. Pastor
Paul Stalnaker saya the public is in-
vitad to attend.
County depository is approved
Commissioners give o.k.
CHRI8 ROBERSON and his mother, Lynda
Roberson, affix their signatures to Letter of
Intent to attend Stephen F. Austin State
University. Watching is Rusk Athletic Director
Ronnie Bickham. -staff photo
TWO ALTO SENIORS RECENTLY SIGNED LETTER8
OF INTENT. Shown here are from left, Earsley
Wade, Head Coach Bobby McGallion and Robert
feeagan. Please see accompanying story.
photo by Elisa Bizzeil
Sears: Here to stay!
It was Will Rogers who said, "All
I know is what I read in the newspa-
pers."
Unfortunately, a lot of readers
today have been receiving informa-
tion about Sears which local store
owners Elam and Mary Holcomb
declare is "absolutely false."
A recent media hype indicates
that Sears plans to close its cata-
logue stores, laying off employees.
"We are not employees. We are
owners and not affected by this,
even if it were true, which it isn't,"
state the Holcombs.
It is reported that a newspaper in
New York interviewed one of Sears'
board members and asked what was
on the meeting's agenda. This, it is
thought, was the beginning of the
rampant rumor which Sears has
been seeking to correct and stop.
"Everybody has been coming in to
us, asking how much longer we are
going to be open. We are open, we
will be open. This is a horrible mis-
take in mis-information," they said.
Sears is attempting to explain the
situation to citizens of the U.S.
through a nationwide, mega-media
blitz.
It is the privilege of this publica-
tion to offer its support to the local
owners in their effort to let every-
one know "Sears is here, and here to
stay!"
Gun act approved
Effective Feb. 1 the Alto City
Council adopted congressional leg-
islation that deals with the posses-
sion and/or discharge of a firearm
near a school. The Gun-Free School
Zones Act of 1990 now makes it a
federal offense to knowingly pos-
sess a firearm or to recklessly dis-
charge or attempt to dicharge a fire-
arm within a school zone. A school
zone is defined as the actual grounds
of a public, private, or parochial
school (elementary or secondary
level) or within 1000 feet of those
grounds. The penalty for violating
the Act is 6 years confinement or •
$8,000 fine.
The Act encourages the posting of
•rim* amund schools to alert the
public ofthe prohibition of firearms.
Alto Police Chief Larry Glidden
encourages the community to pull
together to help post signs by using
local businesses, civicorganizations,
and volunteer groups to post signs
to make the community aware of
this Act
Anyone with questions about the
Gun-Free School Zones Act can
contact the nearest offices of the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms (ATF) or the offices ofthe
United States Attorney for the
Eastern District of Texas at the
following numbers: Beaumont of-
fice (409)839-2588 or Tyler office
(903)697-8148.
County Commissioners author-
ized the Cherokee County Histori-
cal Commission Monday morning
to begin research work to secure a
historical marker for the county
courthouse.
Plans are to dedicate the marker
Nov. 11 on 50th anniversary ofthe
dedication of the current court-
house.
John Allen Templeton, chairman
of the Historical Commission, met
with the commissioners to discuss
the two types of markers available.
He recommended that the county
seek a subject marker for the site,
which will allow for changes or
replacement ofthe current building
in the event that should become
necessary. If a historical land
marker is obtained for a building,
the exterior of the structure must
remain the same, according to in-
formation presented to the commis-
sioners court. Templeton reported
at the meeting that the cur-
rentcourthouse is the fifth one since
the county was founded in 1846.
A bid from Citizens Bank was
approved asthe county's depository
for two years.The bid gave a 6.026
percent interest rate on Certificates
of Deposit of less than $100,000 for
30 to 59 days. First State Bank
offered an interest rate of 5.5 per-
cent on the same CDs.
Citizens Bank is currently the
depository for county funds. Char-
Letters of intent
signed by Alto
Seniors
Alto High School Seniors Robert
Reagan and Earsley Wade recently
signed football scholarships with
area schools. Reagan signed with
the Kilgore Rangers where he will
play wide receiver and Wade signed
with the Lumbeijacks of SFA as a
tight end. Reagan was an All-Dis-
trict quarterback/defensive back for
the Yellowjackets and Wade was an
All-District tightend/defensiveend.
Robert is the son of Allata Mitchell.
Earsley is the son of Morris and
Sandra Wade.
What the
world
needs
now is
LrVE...
- Please see
advertisers'
messages,
this issue!!
les Hassell, executive vice-president
of the bank expressed appreciation
to the county for the bank's oppor-
tunity to serve the county as its
depository.
In other matters, Judge Craig
Caldwell and Commissioner Pre-
cinct 1 Bob Gregg were appointed to
places on the Rusk-Cherokee Com-
munity Action Program Board of
Directors.
Members of the court discussed
some $16,000 owed the county by
Harris County in mental health
docket fees. County Attorney Bob
McNatt reported atthe meeting that
Harris County was objecting to the
$3 judge's fee.
"Harris County is important to
Rusk State Hospital and we need
to work with them to resolve this
problem," County Judge Caldwell
said.
Harris County is a large part of
the state hospital catchment area
and has made the hospital what ft
is today, Caldwell told the court.
Commissioners authorized the
county participation in a Senior
Texan Program, which will place
five persons, age 55 or older in
county jobs. The program will not
cost the county anything and is a
service to those who are within the
low income guidelines set up by the
federal government
The commissioners made plans
to purchase a used lay down ma-
chine, steel wheel roller and trailer
for $13,500.
In other matters, two roads were
designated for county maintenance
in Precinct 1 and expenses for the
county and district clerks wore
approved to attend a seminar at
College Station.
Board hears from students
RISD election is called
Rusk High School teacher, Bettye
Turner and students Katie Crysup
and Chad Wootton representing the
Rusk High School Student Council
met with the Rusk School Board
Monday evening to explain the
Energy Conservation program held
at the high school.
Miss Crysup, spokesperson for the
group, explained that several pro-
grams are held each year. She dis-
tributed crossword puzzles, quiz
Bheets and other information given
to students. An Easter Egg Hunt is
held each year with questions in
plastic eggs. Students are encour-
aged to cfcrpool and do all they can
to save on energy.
Superintendent Tony Murray
congratulated Mrs. Turney and
members of the Student Council on
their program. He said he attended
a spring workshop hosted by the
Rusk Student Council.
Wootton discussed his participa-
tion in the Hugh CBrian Leader-
ship Seminar in Minnapolis-St.
Paul, Minnesota.
He and a girl from Dallas were
chosen to represent North Texas at
the national meeting. In all there
were eight from Texas in Minne-
sota, he said.
Sophomore students from
throughout the world participated
in the event He said that the stu-
dents were given opportunity to
interview world known personali-
ties. He made reference to an inter-
view with former Vice President
Walter Móndale. His roommate was
a young man from West Germany
shortly after the Berlin Wall came
down.
In conclusion of his talk, he pre-
sented a video presentation of the
program.
A trustee election was called
Monday evening for Saturday, May
4 at Southwestern Electric Service
Co. Terms of school trustees Peggy
Hugghins and Dr. Jerry Ocker ex-
pire with the election. Houston
White is election judge.
Supt. Murray said absentee bal-
loting will be April 15 to 30 at the
school administration building. Lisa
Smith and Mary Nell Zehren will
serve as absentee clerks.
Filing for places on the ballot begi n
on Feb. 18 and will continue until
March 20.
In other matters, all administra-
tive contracts were renewed for one
year.
The 1990-91 school calendar
adopted at the meeting shows that
school will begin on Aug. 28. Teacher
in service begins Aug. 22. Teachers
will have attended two days of
workshops during the summer.
A holiday is scheduled for Labor
Day, Sept 2. Thanksgiving is sched-
uled for Nov. 28 and 29; Christmas
Dec. 23-Jan. 3,1992. A teacher work
day is scheduled on Jan. 17,1992.
Spring break is March23-27; Easter
April 17; first bad weather make up
day, April 16; and second make up
day, April 20; last day of school is
May 28; and graduation will be May
29,1992.
/reported to the board on
! school legislation. He said
he and Assistant Superintendent
Bob Wallace were in Austin at the
end of January. At that time there
was a move for a state wide tax.
"This legislation was introduced by
Sen. Carl Parker, which would mean
a statewide school district. Tax
would be $1 per $100 valuation.
Since that time they have backed
off from that," Murray said.
Rusk ISD pays 55 cents of the tax
rate on local fund assignment "This
legislation would tax the wealthy
districts so every child would have
equal access. The concept would
remove the right of the local school
board. They would pay off our in-
debtedness."
Murray said Rusk belongs to an
Equity Center, which recommends
that the minimum tax rate should
be 80 cents. "Districts would be able
to tax between 80 cents and $1.14.
This would give everyone control of
their district," he said.
"We don't have the finances to try
things. We get information on how
to teach certain program because
they have had money to try out
these new progrtfm," Murray said.
A 1 cent tax rate at Highland
Park will bring in $97 per student
The Edgewood ISD get $3 per stu-
dent for every cent of its tax rate.
"I think local control should
maintain our schools. I don't think
a statewide tax would allow this.
However, I am convinced that ev-
ery district will tax at the same
rate."
WELCOME TO
i \k>k
I .A
SHOWN HERB AT THE DESERT STORM TREE OF YELLOW RIBBONS are some
family members of men serring In the Persian Gulf. Prom the left. Lewis and Betty
Cox and son Lowell, Margaret Clark, and Shan on and Scott Crosby. The serrlcc-
men are Nolan Cox, Kenneth Clark and Gregg Crosby.
staff ph <
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 143, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 14, 1991, newspaper, February 14, 1991; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth151994/m1/1/: accessed March 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.