Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 149, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 26, 1998 Page: 1 of 18
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1587 MIX TEXAS
SOUTHWEST NICRQPUBLISHING
2627 E YANDELL DR
EL PASO TX 79903-3724
Clferokeeaij/Merald
Texas' Oldest, Continuously Published Weekly Newspaper - Established Feb. 27, 1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel
Happy Birthday!
•••••• !*•••
Cherokeean/
Herald celebrates
149th birthday
see page 2A
Vol. 149, No. 1 - 18 Pages
Thursday, February 27, 1998
Rusk, Texas 75785
25 cents
üé
Efforts begin for
new post office
B U.S. Rep. Ttorner
meets with Rusk officials
Efforts to secure a
new post office for Rusk
began in earnest Fri-
day when Congress-
man Jim Turner met
with a number of Rusk
civic leaders and offi-
cials from the Dallas
Postal Service and
Rusk Postmaster Ron
Williams.
Lack of parking and
shortage of window
lobby makes it impos-
sible for the local facil-
ity to comply with mar-
keting strategies, commented Williams in a memo-
randum.
The Rusk postmaster also cited safety, and
pointed out that mail trucks must back from 5th
St. into the post office parking area, creating a
hazard to the public as well as employees.
Ric Sanchez, facilities engineer, outlined steps
required for sites. Construction of the facilities
and then leasing to the U.S. Postal Service would
assure faster action, Sanchez told the group.Bids
for suitable sites will be sought.
The Rusk Postmaster said he had already been
provided paperwork that required showing a need
for a new facility, and he returned those docu-
ments to the postal services's facilities depart-
ment.
Attending the meeting were Congressman Jim
Turner and his district director, J. Huffman.
Lewie Byers, James Perkins, Charles Hassell,
Cherokee County Commissioner Bob Gregg and
Mayor Emmett Whitehead.
U.S. Rep. Jim Turner
$150,000 sidewalk grant:
'It's almost a sure thing'
Victorian lamp posts similar to this one will
accent the square and enhance the city's "Main
Street" image.
It's not set in concrete, but the City of Rusk's grant
application for new sidewalks looks promising.
"It's almost a sure thing," said City Manager Mike
Murray, explaining the two-step approval process
required for the $150,000 grant application.
The City of Rusk cleared the first hurdle when a
selection committee recommended the application
for approval by the executive director of the Depart-
ment of Economic Development. At this time the city
is awaiting its confirmation letter.
Mr. Murray called the grant application "a compli-
cated one," which likely reduced the number of appli-
cants.
Three cities applied for the state funds, and will
likely get the funds.
The grant is sponsored by the Texas Capital Fund
Main Street Program. These funds will be adminis-
tered by the Texas Department of Economic Develop-
ment. Most of the city's matching funds if approved
will be provided with city in-kind labor.
"We are excited about this opportunity to improve
our downtown area," said Martha Neely, Main Street
Manager.
Funds will be used to replace sidewalks around the
square, as well as one block off the square in each
direction. A total of40,000 square feet of sidewalks is
planned to be replaced.
New lighting will be installed, which will include
antique street lights and underground wiring. All
new sidewalks will be handicapped accessible.
"If we receive this grant, we will be eligible to apply
for several others," Mr. Murray continued.
One idea under consideration for the new sideswalks
includes using "vanity bricks," where citizens could
purchase paving bricks stamped in memory or in
honor of someone.
The committee awarding the grant expressed their
approval of the Rusk application. Mayor Emmett
Whitehead and members of the city council were
Around the square in Rusk, broken sidewalks
pose a tripping hazard to pedestrians. If the city
passes the final hurdle, a $150,000 grant will
repave and improve troublesome areas.
praised for their dedication to provide an investment
in the community's downtown hometown atmo-
sphere.
Several persons have approached Mrs. Neely about
donations of antique lighting for the downtown. One
merchant, Jerry Thompson, has already agreed to
purchase two antique lamps in front of his Wallace-
Thompson True Value Hardware store.
Main Street Committee members are seeking do-
nations from the public to help with the program.
"Whatever money we raise for the project will give
us additional funds to go with the grant in renovating
the downtown area," Mrs. Neely said.
-'•ft }l ff "I' "l^vl, I 1
■ County makes 5-
Change* in permitting and enforce-
for
etailfood
stores, mobile food vending units and
roadside food vendors have been en-
Members
was from C to A
year committment to
Lake Eastex
Cherokee County Commissioners
agreed Monday morning to continue
with the Lake Eastex project for at
least another five years. Glenda Lake
Kindle, former mayor of Berryville, and
Margie Benge of Lake Jacksonville met
with the commissioners court to dis-
posed lake. The county bas
¡d for three percent of the
. Cost will run $9,000 per year
years.
die is a member of the Dis-
ater Plan committee, which
area.
e have been told that if we can sell
50 percent of the lake, we probably can
get the project off the ground," Ms.
Kindle said. "We have been going
around talking to people about Lake
Eastex and we have commitments for
60 percent," she noted.
Congressman Ralph Hall has com-
mitted himself to support legislation to
help with the lake, Ms. Kindle said. He
said if Congressman Jim Turner writes
the bill, he will help push the bill
Please see LAKE EASTEX, pg. 10A
Asbestos sparks construction
problem of new Sonic 2000
The old Pinetree Restaurant was razed
and torched Monday morning, but it will
soon be replaced with an eatery which
promises to add new jobs in the city.
Construction will begin immediately on
a new Sonic 2000 drive-in restaurant, a
new prototype Sonic with added flash and
flare, targeted to open in mid-May.
Wentco, Inc., a business based out of
Shawnee, Ok., purchased the property
and is responsible for developing the es-
tablishment.
The drive-in will sit on the former site of
B & G Auto Parts, previously the old
Pinetree restaurant on U.S. Highway 69
N. near the "Y."
Inspection of the site in December
showed asbestos in the paneling and roof
of the old building.
"We had to hire people from ERI in Tyler
just to take out the paneling," said Brian
Winterringer of Wentco, Inc. "After that
we hired one of their consultants to come
down and make sure that we removed and
disposed of the roofing correctly. We had
to follow strict procedures."
After disposal of the contaminated ar-
eas of the building, destruction of the rest
of the building resumed, and has reached
completion.
Estimated cost of the project is $250,000,
s - .v.
Gary Thompson of Wentco, Inc. surveys the scene which used to house the Pine
Tree restaurant and more recently, B & G Auto Parts. A new Sonic 2000 drive-
in has a target opening date here in May.
WSJ
and will generate between 25 and 35 full
and part-time jobs in Rusk.
Wentco, Inc. currently owns thirteen
Sonic restaurants, including two in Na-
cogdoches, one in Center, and one in Com-
merce, Texas. They also own several
Mazzios restaurants in Nacogdoches and
Huntsville.
Inside
M Chris Davis thinks he has a
solution for the Iraqi problem 2A
■ Rusk State Hospital honors
employees 3A
■ Obituaries 4A
9 Mayor issues proclamation
honoring FFA week 5A
■ Tyler Big Band comes to Rusk6A
■ Engagements/Weddings 6-7A
■ Sen. Hutchison swings through
Cherokee County 8A
■ Cherokee Civic Theatre presents
"Ramona Quimby" 9A
■ Both Eagle teams advance in
basketball playoffs 1B
■ TxDOT hearing in Austin
discusses Hwy. 69 trunk line .3B
■ Gloria Jennings named to
economic development board4B
■ New state law impacts special
education students and the
TA AS test 8B
—
Black History Month
Segregated society helped shape
Session's committment to equality
R>
usk's mayor pro-tem recalls the painful
experience of growing up in a racially-
} divided country.
"I grew up in a segregated society," Walter
Session, Rusk Mayor Pro-Tem
said. As Mr. Session grew into
manhood and a leadership position
in the community he has concen-
trated on helping to bring about an
equal society for all persons in the
community.
Councilman Session has been a
member of the Rusk City Council
for the past 15 years. He has
served for seven years as Mayor
Pro-Tem.
His other community oriented
endeavors include serving as a
board member of the Rusk-Chero-
kee Community Action Program. He is a member
of the Cherokee Brotherhood Club, which
sponsors a number of community activities, as
well as delivers fruit to all Rusk nursing homes
at Christmas time.
He serves as a member of the National Asso-
ciation for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP). He is an elder of the Mount Hebron
Presbyterian Church, president of the Session
Family Choir and a member of the
Cherokee County Historical
Society.
He has been employed at Rusk
State Hospital for the past 20
years, presently working as
assistant director of the Central
Rehab Therapies Department.
He is also managing publisher of
the "Informer," a newspaper
dedicated to serving the black
community.
Mr. Session expresses pride in
the publication of the "Informer."
He said he and his wife, Maxine,
began the publication because of constantly
negative news on African-American activities.
"You always saw kids in handcuffs on television
Walter Session
Please see SEGREGATED, pg. 10A
Voters begin
casting ballots
in primaries
Early voting for the March 10 primary elections
began Monday and continues through March 6 in
Texas.
More than a million additional voters are eligible to
cast ballots in the Democratic and Republican pri-
mary elections this year than last.
A total of 11,089,000 Texans have registered to
vote, according to information in the office of Secre-
tary of State Al Gonzales. The office says that is up 14
percent from 9,698,000 registered in March 1996. Of
the 11 million voters, 25,225 reside in Cherokee
County.
Cherokee County voters may cast ballots early at
the office of County Clerk Láveme Lusk in the
courthouse in Rusk and at the Senior Citizens build-
ing in Jacksonville. Votes may be cast Monday-
Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The polling sites will
be open Saturday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. for the
convenience of early voters.
At mid-morning Tuesday, 12 Republicans and 25
Democrats had cast early votes in the county clerk'B
office. Another 11 Republicans and 33 Democrat
had voted by 4 p.m. Monday at the Senior Cit
Building in Jacksonville.
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 149, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 26, 1998, newspaper, February 26, 1998; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152361/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.