Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 43, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Page: 2 of 20
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Cherokeean
HERALD
Page 2A
Wednesday, December 19,2007
www.thecherokeean.com
OPINION
LETTERS POLICY
All submissions must contain the writer's name, address
and zip, along with a daytime telephone number so we may
contact you with clarification or confirmation. We will not
print letters that contain incorrect information or allegations
deemed libelous, nor will we publish form letters or copies
intended for mass distribution to other publications. The
shorter the letter, the better its chances for publication; we
reserve the right to edit letters for space. Deadline is 11 a.m.
Friday. Send letters to: herald@mediactr.com, FAX to (903)
683-5104 or mail to P.O. Box 475, Rusk, Texas, 75785.
To 'protect and serve'
Residential lot should not be re-zoned
JOHN J, BROWN
HEATHER BECK
Alto
The crimes being committed
in our communities aré be'
ing superseded by some who
are acting in the capacity of
the law. Political corruption
plays a factor in our judicial
system.
This has been quite a prob-
lem in areas such as Cherokee
County for a long I i me. It has
become a political structure
separated by class, high and
low. They patrol the: streets
where city councilmen reside
and watch for any strange ac-
tivity on the road that judges
live on. What about the com-
mon people who get up and go
to work every day and barely
keep their heads above water?
Are they not entitled to the
same protection and service
as others? This letter may not
change a thing, but I feel that
my story should be heard.
On a summer evening in
2005, I was startled by a
commotion outside my home
in Alto. The dogs barked
frantically. I immediately
saw what appeared to be a
flashlight being carried by an
individual. I approached the
area to identify the subject
andimmediatelyfound myself
face to face with a Cherokee
County sheriff 's deputy point-
ing a pistol in my face. He in-
structed me to place my hands
behind my back. I did as I was
told and was handcuffed. The
deputy walked me back up my
driveway and demanded that
I get down on the ground. I
informed the deputy that I
had problems with my knees,
but still attempted to do as in-
structed. Before I could place
myself on my knees, he kicked
the side of my leg causing me
to collapse to the ground. I
screamedin excruciatingpain
because of this.
It was then that he put his
knee on the back of my head,
breaking my front teeth and
told me to shut up. Several
witnesses watched as this
deputy subdued me using an
extreme amount offorce, After
he radioed for another deputy
to assist him, an Alto police
officer responded as well. At
this point an ambulance was
called. I was taken to the
hospital where they performed
emergency surgery on my leg
in an attempt to reconstruct
andrepair the damage caused
from the kick. Ihave a steelrod
and several pins and screws
as a result of the misconduct
on the officers' part.
After the sheriffs depart-
ment realized and acknowl-
edged that a mistake in
identity was made, they
dismissed the initial charges
brought against me, But Ifelt
that this situation deserved
to be brought to light so that
everyone couldknow how then-
tax dollars were being spent
to fund the illicit activities
within the local law enforce-
ment agencies and how some
of the motives and actions of
the officers carrying out their
duties are fueled by racial
prejudices and preconceived
The Tortuga Agency
Private Investigations
Texas License #A 13962
Licensed by the Texas Commission on Private Security
For all your investigative needs: criminal, civil and insurance.
First Consultation is Free
125 E. Sixth St.
Rusk, Texas 75785
Phone: (903) 683-5309
Email: Tortuga@cebridge.net
I I I I I I I I I I
{'/' T/Catneij (Sol/ins
presents the first
dinner show of the year
A Night Sin gin'
the Blues
featuring
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Price: $2250 in advance; $2650 at the door
Some Menu Items
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Call (903) 683-2727 or
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(936) 867-5533, home or
(936) 675-3205, cell
We have moved
to our new buile ng
on 18 beautiful acres at
5592 Hwy 110 N
(5 miles from 84 & 110)
theories based on the demo-
graphic situation of certain
minorities.
Legal representation was
appointed and a class-action
lawsuit was filed in fed-
eral court on my behalf. As it
turned out, the defendant's
attorney played a higher card
and won the case in favor of
the arresting officer. I was
awarded nothing. The cost of
losing was unbearable.
Basically, the jury ruled that
because the officer stated that
he was scared due to the sur-
roundings, he was justified in
his actions.
Although the county ac-
knowledged making a false
arrest, they were given favor
by the jury because my neigh-
borhood didn't meet the social
requirements of what some
consider a nice area.
Others, whether they may
hve in a neighborhood that's
displeasing to certain indi-
viduals or maybe they're hard-
working, law-abiding-citizens
just hke myself, may not be
so fortunate the next time a
"county boy'' rolls through.
Rush
I am writing in response
to the article about the oil
company that is wanting to
move inside the city limits. I
am a Texas I ransplanl. I got a
job teaching here in Rusk five
years ago, and after spending
some time here, decided that
Rusk would be a nice place
to live.
The main reason I am writ-
ingisbecause myhouseisnext
door to the lot that is being
considered for re-zoning. I
have lived in this house for
3 % years. What attracted
my husband and me to this
neighborhood were the older
homes, and how quiet and
peaceful the street is.: I love
looking across my front yard
and seeing the beautiful,
historical Gregg home, I love
that I can take my dog for a
walk down the quiet street
to the footbridge: park, and
soak in the calm, beautiful
neighborhood.
I think it is totally appall-
ing that anyone would want
to disturb what the Rusk
Chamber of Commerce's own
website calls, "the unspoiled
landscape andrelaxedpace ...
respite from life's stresses."
True, moving this business
into city limits will bring in
a little more revenue, but is
tax revenue more important
than the people who chose to
hve here?
I believe residential areas
are zoned as residential for
a reason. People should be
able to find peace and be
able to relax at home. Your
home should be your haven,
your place to get away from
everyday stresses. So why
is it that lately being home
stresses me out? Because I
am scared to death that my
home, my haven, my getaway
is about to be destroyed by
greed and selfishness. The
article in the paper talked
about how this oil company
would build a fence and plant
shrubs. I don't care how many
shrubs are planted...there is
no way those trucks will be
completely concealed.
Not being an "eyesore" was
mentioned, but X don't think
it fully addressed the entire
situation. Are there going to
be hghts all over that lot? My
house is a two-story home.
Will it ever be dark again at
night, or will I be blinded by
intrusive hghts?
What about the noise? Noth-
ing in the article mentioned
when these trucks will pull
in and out. Constant noise is
not something I wanted in my
residential neighborhood.
What about the smell — die-
sel and truck exhaust.
Something was also men-
tioned about these oil people
wanting to be a "good neigh-
bor," A good neighbor would
not park oil trucks in their
front yard. A good neighbor
would not stink up the neigh-
borhood or make a peaceful
street noisy. A good neighbor
would respect the others' right
to privacy and not disrupt the
entire neighborhood.
I a sk again ... is tax revenue
more important than the
people of Rusk? Is the city
that unconcerned for their
citizens? Think. Put yourself
in my shoes. Would you want
to live next door to this? I
know I don't.
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 43, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 19, 2007, newspaper, December 19, 2007; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152813/m1/2/?q=music: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.