Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 155, No. 12, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 12, 2004 Page: 1 of 16
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Cherokeean
500
HERALD
Vol. 155, No. 12- 16 pgs
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Rusk, TX 75785
ro f ORK
TDCJ employees had
the last laugh on Warden
Foxworth during an
appreciation luncheon last
week.
See pg. 16
■¡ipas'Mdest Weekly Newspaper
RISD picks manager-at-risk
El Camino Real
There's always some-thing
going on in Alto. A raccoon
recently stirred up an entire
neighborhood ... a teacher
painted on her smile with
a bright red magic marker
and Virgil's happy home was
invaded by a bird. Find out
all the details from Chris Davis
as he writes about El Camino
Real, pg. 2
INSIDE
Rusk salutes athletes
during annual banquet
It was a night of stars as Rusk High
School students received awards and
accolades for their sports endeavors.
Read Don Wallace's report on pgs.
12-13.
Tilley is year 's citizen
Former Cherokee County Judge
Harry Tilley hasbeen named Regional
Citizen of the Year by the East Texas
Council of Governments. An account
of this event appears on page 5.
NOTABLE
City of Rusk receives a
$250,000grantfrom
ORCA
State Representative Chuck
Hopson (D-Jacksonville) announced
that the Office of Rural Community
Affairs (ORCA) awarded a $250,000
grant to Rusk.
"We are truly excited to see these
much needed dollars be put to use for
community and economic develop-
ment projects," said Rep. Hopson.
The grant will pay for improve-
ments to various city water lines,
water storage facilities, and provide
better efficiency and reliability for
sewer services. Rep. Hopson noted
that a working infrastructure is essen-
tial for any economic and community
development to go forward.
Other District 11 cities which
received grants include Grapeland,
Lovelady and Tatum.
Berry-Clay Inc. of Rusk was
employed Monday evening by
the Rusk ISD trustees as the
district's construction man-
ager-at-risk for a new district
auditorium and science labs.
The auditorium-classroom
building will be constructed in
front of the agriculture build-
ing between the high school and
junior high buildings. Berry-
Clay will be paid 4,5 percent
of the project cost.
Con str uction cost of the proj-
ect is expected to be approxi-
mately $2.5 million. The build-
ing will include a 750 seat audi-
torium, two science labs, an art
room andfiveto six classrooms.
The auditorium stage will be
equipped with dressing rooms.
All will be constructed accord-
ing to UIL regulations. There
will also be a foyer with ticket
booth.
In April the board hired
Groodwin-Lasiter, a Lufkin
architectural firm, to design
the building.
A committee composed of Bo
Scallon, Gary Robbins, Betty
Turney, Lesa Jones, Ricky
Hassell, Carlene Clayton and
Superintendent Dr. JimLargent
met in a three hour session with
the architect last week.
In the beginning plans were
to move the choir room to the
auditorium building. After
consideration it was decided to
leave the choir quarters where
they are because the current
location will be approximately
150feetfrom the new facility. In
the new facility the choir would
have only one classroom and no
office as currently included in
the choir room building.
With the elimination of the
choir room in the new building
another classroom can be added
to the plans for the building.
The new science labs in the,
building will be " state of the art"
chemistry labs. The current sci-
ence labs will be converted to
life science and biology lab.
The boar dvoted to p ave Eagle
Drive from Loop 043 to Salem
Road; in front of the high school
and the teachers' parking lot.;
behind the ag shop and add
another parking lot at the ag
Please see RISD, pg. 6
Alto High names
honor students
Tad Scott, Kari
Middleton will lead
the class of2004
Tad Scott hasbeen named
Alto High School valedicto-
rian and Kari Middleton,
salutatorian. Mr. Scott
has a 101.92 average and
Miss Middleton, 100.81.
Thirty-six Alto seniors
are scheduled to graduate
at 8 p.m. May 29.
Members of the Aca-
demic "A" Club in addi-
tion to Mr. Scott and Miss
Middleton are Demetria
(Muffin) Thacker, Clarice
Dearman, John Spurger.
Nancy (Gaby) Marin,
Kyle Williams, Anthony
Robinson, Diane Sevilla,
Karla Guevara and Edric
Bradford.
Students named to the
Distinguished Achieve-
Please see HONOR, pg. 6
P
Tad Scott will give the valedictory address at Alto High
School May 29. Kari Middleton was recently named
the salutatorian.
Courtesy photo: Jamie Pearman
County nets bucks
for inmate housing
Annual income
approaches $70,000
By Gloria Jennings
Staff Writer
"We are netting $60,000 to
$70,000 annually for housing
Nacogdoches County inmates,"
Sheriff James Campbell told
members of the Cherokee
County Commissioners Court
Monday morning. Sheriff
Campbell anticipates that the
county will take in approxi-
mately $126,000 gross, but will
have to pay for an additional
jailer out of the revenue;
In addition to Nacogdoches
County, Sheriff Campbell
said, he had been contacted by
Anderson and Angelina coun-
ties seeking quarters to house
inmates, "We also anticipate
that we may be contacted by
Please see JAIL, pg. 6
39 arrested in area
hot check round-up
Officers work 241 cases
in campaign
By Don Wallace
Staff Writer
A total of .39 arrests have
been made from 241 cases in
Cherokee County's hot check
roundup that recently con-
cluded April 28-29.
Law enforcement officers
are still looking for persons
with outstanding warrants for
theft by check.
No arrests were made in the
five felony cases still outstand-
ing. The felony cases are theft
totaling moré than $1,500.
Please see HOT CHECK, pg. 6
Dangerous roads, recent rash
of fatalities concern sergeant
/ have seen a lot of good people hurt in wrecks." - Sgt. Jimmy Jackson
By Don Wallace
Staff Writer
dents, coupled with upcoming
construction on U.S. highway
INDEX ■ , , ,69 have Department of Pubhc
Watch the road, your speed Q <• , a ± t- t i
. . . , , 1 oatety ogt. Jimmy Jackson
I and the other drivers. ' , , , ,
Scene in Passing 2 Those might be the words to concerned about safety.
i-i o ... , , ® . . I he posted speed limit in
El Camino Real 2 live by to make sure you make it • ic\ i. t i
. _ ! _ J many areas is 7Umpn, Jackson
Letters 3 home irom your next outing. i «T-p -u j +
„ , J « i . said. 11 you have an accident
Obituaries 4 Several recent fatal acci- going ;)f th;)t gpeed ch;lnces
Area churches 4
Engagements 5 , .
Thespian camp : ETMC medical facility
Sports Banquet 12-13
Government Day.... 12 #111 11 1
c~ 13-14 will hold open house
million facihty of service,
James I. Perkins, past
president of the Foundation,
introduced the speaker. At the
conclusion of a PowerPoint
presentation by Mr. Ellis, Mr.
Perkins called May 7" a fantas-
tic clay for Rusk, Texas.
"We can't thank you enough
for your investment in this
community, assuring us of
being able to meet the future
medical needs of our citizens,
said Mr. Perkins,
Mr. Perkins recalled that Mr.
Ellis was honored a few years
ago as an outstanding Rusk
industrialist and a man with
broad horizons. "He is smart,
great and has a lot of heart for
his profession. "Wewantto sup-
port ETMC because Elmer and
his wife Betsy will get us the
good doctors. We are grateful
for the past, present and future
presence of ETMC in Rusk."
The Economic Development
Corp. of Rusk provided a grant
are something bad is going to
happen. The outcome won't be
goodusually. Wejustneedsafer
chiving in general.
Jackson said, "I have seen a
lot ofgoodpeople hurt in wrecks.
By good people, I mean drivers
Please see DPS, pg. 6
■ sir. ■: ' ? ---ys .«.
pi o;.%-
Weather Outlook
s:
XV i „
THURSDAY
scattered t-storms
High: 81
Low: 68
.DIES ROTIO
KW fe'FM ard ÍsVlU AM
Contributions exceed
$500,000for new
medical complex
By Marie Whitehead
Editor
Dates are now set for the
grand opening of the ETMC
Rusk medical complex located
on U. S. Highway 69 North.
Thursday, June .3 from 5:
30 to 7:30 p.m. open house
will be held to honor donors
who shared in the fundraising
efforts.
From 1-3 p.m. Sunday, June
6 open house will be staged for
the benefit of all who wish to
tour and get an early view of
the facility.
Elmer <«. Ellis, president/
CEO of the East Texas Medi-
cal Center Regional Healthcare
System, visited with leaders of
the RusklnclustrialFoundation
Friday noon to announce the
near completion of the $5.5
Elmer Ellis, CEO of ETMC, accepts a
checkfor$25,000from Debra Dominy,
Austin Bank. The new Rusk facility
will have two open house tours in
June.
IllZCIIS IsI
EAST TEXAS MEDICAL CENTta FCHJNOAT10* t
FIFTY-THOUSANn «
«***■ ■[ & i
Please see ETMC, pg. 6
Charles Hassell (left) and James I.
Perkins (right) present a check for
$50,000 to Elmer Ellis, CEO of ETMC.
Local donations were used to pur-
chase new equipment.
DPS trooper Butch Fulton completes the paperwork for an
overturned Saturn which was involved in an accident May
5 near the seven-mile hill on U.S. Highway 69. The car was
driven by 37-year-old Donnie Johnson of Rusk, a passen-
eger Jamisha Christopher, 7, had minor injuries; Bernard
Christopher, 11, was apparently uninjured.
No criminal charges
filed against teacher
By Robert Gonzalez and Terrie Gonzalez
Staff Writer and Managing Editor
Investigations by Alto Police Department and the
Child Protective Services branch of the Texas Depart
ment of Family and Protective Services regar ding
allegations of misconduct by Alto band director Jason
Turrentine have been completed with no criminal
charges being filed against Mr. Turrentine.
Elmer Beckworth, Cherokee County district attorney,
reviewed the cases and found no evidence of criminal
activity. The case was never handed to a grand jury
for review, which the Cherokeean Herald mistakenly
reported last week.
"While there was not enough evidence of a criminal
nature, there was conduct that the school might want
to address/' said Mr. Beckworth.
Alto Police Chief Charles Barron investigated the
allegations of the children. "After interviewing about
seven or eight kids, we found nothing that would sub-
stantiate any criminal allegations,'' saicl Chief Barron.
Despite the negative findings. Chief Barron submitted
the investigation to Cherokee County District Attorney
Elmer Beckworth.
Mr. Turrentine returned to work last week after being
placed on administrative leave March 1.
Alto ISD Superintendent John Ferguson faxed a state*
ment to the Cherokeean Herald saying that an inves-
tigation by Child Protective Services found no proof
Please see BAND DIRECTOR, pg. 6
C IV K
EP-
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 155, No. 12, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 12, 2004, newspaper, May 12, 2004; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152624/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.