Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 50, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Page: 2 of 16
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:
Cherokeean
HERALD
Page 2A
Wednesday, February 6,2008
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.
COMMENTARY
ETMC Rusk's emergency center represents
important economic development tool
Terrie Gonzalez
It seems like only yestei-
day.
On the morning of Aug. 5,
2002,1 picked up thetelephone
and called my
parents house
to see how my
dad, KmmeU
Whitehe ad,
was feeling.
He had ad-
vanced stage
lung cancer,
and there were
good days and bad days.
Normally, I spoke with my
mom each morning, and she
wouldfill me in on everything.
This particular morning, dad
answered ... and I was taken
aback.
Whenlaskedhowhewasdo-
ing, hehadachipperresponse:
"I feel better than I have in
the last month of Sundays.
I think I'm going to come to
work today about 10 a.m.''
For the last week, either dad
did not go to his newspaper
and radio station office or he
just drifted in for a few min-
utes in the afternoon.
"Dad, why don't you think
about taking it easy at home
for afew hours this morning,''
I asked. "We can manage here
at work, and you have a big
afternoon today.''
The big afternoon consisted
of inking a deal that he had
worked on for more than three
years. Rusk Memorial Hospi-
tal had closed several years
back, andRusks only medical
services consisted of doctors'
clinics without emergency
room services.
He made a personal goal
and commitment to the citi-
zens of Rusk to try and bring
first class medical facilities to
the city he loved. As mayor
of Rusk, dad understood
economic development. "A
httle town can't grow without
medical facilities, he used to
tell me.
During that afternoon, dad
had three back-to-back moor-
ings. At 3 p.m., Elmer Ellis,
the, GEO of ETMC, along with
key members of his staff, came
by to visit with dadandreview
the itinerary for the rest of the
afternoon.
Just before <jt p.m., they
made their way to city hall to
meet with the Rusk Economic
Development Corporation,
to seek $300,000 from the
half-cent sales tax for land
acquisition. This proved to
be a hard sell. Not everyone
on the board thought this
much money should be spent
on a single project. When the
final vote was cast, REDCO
agreed to afive-yearpayoutto
purchase the site for ETMC on
U.S. Highway 69 north.
The third andfinal meeting
of the day at 5 p.m. was the
Rusk City Council. And the
council gave their full support
to the recommendation just
made by REDCO.
The Tortuga Agency
Private Investigations
Ij Texas License #A13962
Licensed by the Texas Commission on Private Security
For all your investigative needs: criminal, civil and insurance.
First Consultation is Free
Phone: (903) 683-5309
Email: Tortuga@cebridge.net
1U1IJJJJ.IJJJJ1U
_/e<y<!<•// of f/iiiruey (So/fins
Presents
Family Night Comedy
Featuring
LARRY SINCLAIR as "Mr. Buck Lincoln"
Saturday, February 9,2008 at 6:30 PM
Ticket
information:
Advance - $17.50
At Door-$22.50
Call
903-683-2727
For more
information
On Sale Now!
Pre-Show Music
Clean Family Style Humor
A Laugh A Minute!
See You There!
Good Food, Good Music
GREAT ENTERTAINMENT!
ftvjticij of f/Ccuneij ú'o//fnx
U.S. 84West@BDJ's
BRANDED by CHRIST
COWBOY CHURCH
Branded by Christ
Cowboy Church
Sunday • 10 a.m. Worship Service
Thursday • 6:30 p.m. Bible Study
Curtis Oliver - Pastor
(936) 867-5533, home or
(936) 675-3205, cell
We have moved
to our new building
on 18 beautiful acres at
5592 Hwy 110 N
(5 miles from 84 & 110)
Dad's mood was ebullient.
"Rusk is going to get a first
class medical facility,'' he re-
peated over and over again.
By Friday dad was having
trouble breathing. I drove
across his lawn so I could
get closer and pick him up
at the front door step. We
made a fast ride to Tyler so
we could get him admitted to
the hospital.
But this trip was different
from all the others, because it
was dad's last. He died the fol-
lowing Tuesday on Aug. 13.
Ithinkdadjustrelaxed. He
had wanted a state-of-the-art
medical facility in Rusk so
badlyfor so long. And with the
visionary support of REDC-O
andthecitycouncil, dadcould
see fruition. Maybe he just
stopped fighting so hard.
ETMC-Rusk opened its
doors in the spring of 2004^
complete with an emergency
room. Within a year, the emer-
gencyroom was underutilized,
and ETMC made the decision
to convert the facility into half-
m
m
m
■i
Dr. Brian Kempton, an emergency center physician at ETMC Rusk, checks the vital
signs of a patient on the facility's first day of operation last Friday. Dr. Kempton said
the staff was kept busy throughout the day with a high census.
day urgent care.
Last Friday the emergency
center doors reopened again
for 21-hour c;ire. and was
fully staffed with a physician,
a registered nurse, a licensed
vocational nurse ;i nil plenty of
support staff for intake:.
When the announcement
was made to re-open the
emergency center, an ETMC
spokesman discussed the
economic development op-
portunities for the city.
Those words were repeated
by Fire Chief Jack White and
City Manager Mike Murray in
interviews for a recent Chero-
keean Her aid story. Both cited
economic develop mon i op-
portunities in addition to the
obvious, life-saving benefits
of an emergency care center
inside the city limits.
And I remembered the
words of my dad almost six
years ago. "A little town
can't grow without a medical
facility."
Thank you, ETMC , for mak-
ing the commitment to open
the emergency center doors
again.
Now, let's get about the
business of economic devel-
opment.
mm
HDHB
Ail
No Worries
100+ Point Inspection
Comprehensive Limited Warranty
3-Day/150-Mile Satisfaction Guarantee
24-Hour GM Roadside Assistance
Market-Based Pricing
Certfied
USED VEHICLES
VEHICLE HISTOHY REPORTS,
THE RIGHT WAY. THE RIGHT CAR8.
The GM 100,000 Mile Warranty ■ The Best Coverage in America.
100,000 mile-5 Year Powertrain Limited Warranty • 100,000 miles-5 Years Courtesy Transportation
• 100,000 miies-5 Years of Roadside Assistance
2007 Chevy Trailblazer
PW, PL, CD, Cruise, Sunroof - NADA $21,650
stk#1466
$19,995
2004 Chevy Silverado LS
V-8, Loaded, Ail Power - NADA $17,450
$15,995
stk#37788A
2007 Pontiac G-6
Auto, PW, PL, CD, Cruise - NADA $18,450
$15,995
stk#1459
2004 Buick Rendezvous
Ail Power, CD-NADA $13,425
stk#47676A $11,995
2007 Buick Ranier
Leather, All Power - NADA $24,100
$21,995
stk#1502
2003 GMC 2500 Sierra
4x4, All Power, GM Certified - NADA $20,775
stk#37770A $18,995
no credit Ask about our
slow credit Guaranteed
bad credit ^ . a f
no problem KjVCdlt \ppTOVd
Credit Approval Requirements:
1. Recent Paystub
2. Self employed - Last 2 monthly
bank statements
3. Phone bill
4. Utility bills
5. Six references
6. Cash downpayment
2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT
stk#1467 B
Sunroof, All Power
2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
1461A
PW, PL, Cruise
2005 Chevy Cavalier
stk#1493A
Tilt, Cruise
2002 Dodge Ram 1500
stk#37633D
Tilt, Cruise CD, Auto
2002 Nissan Quest
stk#1454
Auto, All Power, TV, Rear Air
2002 Chevy Cavalier
stk#1439
Auto, A/C, CD
AN AMERICAN
REVOLUTION
SMC
Professional Grade
Greg James Country
Hwy. 69 South • Rusk • 903-683-2202
poisnriAC
CM K
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.
Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 50, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 6, 2008, newspaper, February 6, 2008; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152820/m1/2/?rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.