Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 161, No. 43, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 15, 2010 Page: 2 of 36
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2A
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Cherokeean Herald ■ thecherokeean.com
LETTERS
POLICY
Lettersmust contain thewriter'sname, address
and zip, along with a daytime telephone number so
we may contact you with clarification or confirma-
tion. 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@mediaclr.com, FAX to (903) 683-5104 or
mail to P.O. Box 475, Rusk, Texas, 75785.
opinion
COMMENTARY
Could a dangerous intersection be improved?
Rusk State Hospital Volunteer
Council gets unexpected gift
Some intersections are more clanger-
ousthanothers. The tragic accident
last Tuesday which took the lile of
Scarlett Smith occurred at Loop 843
and Main Street in Rusk.
It is undeniably one of the busiest and
most dangerous intersections during the
school rush hour in Rusk. The traffic on
the loop has the right-of-way, and the
Main Street traffic must stop and wait for
an opening to scoot across. Through the
years, there have been many accidents,
ranging fcom minor fender benders up to
the tragedy last Tuesday. Our condolences
go out to Ms. Smiths family.
The Rusk Primary School, Rusk In-
termediate School, Rusk Junior High
School and Rusk High School traffic must
navigate through this intersection withthe
exception of northbound students heading
from the Salem area and points south.
We spoke with a Texas Department of
Public Safety trooper who suggested that
a red-yellow-green light might reduce the
number of accidents at the intersection.
He recommended a sensor on the light
which can detect cross traffic, thus giving
a preferential green light to the heaviest
school traffic.
Think about the "green" driver s at Rusk
High School — the 16 and 17-year-old stu-
dents who are just learning how to drive.
Some of them may not be able to judge
traffic speed and distance with acuity.
We would like for the Rusk City Council
to request a traffic study by the Texas
Department of Transportation to sgewhat
modifications could be made to create a
safer intersection. Additional warning
signs and a traffic light with senors might
be the solution for a very dangerous inter-
section in Rusk.
DON WOODARD
Year-to-date sales tax figures released last
week show ups, downs in Cherokee County
Iva-ching. Cash registers
around Cherokee County
recorded modest-to-goocl in-
creases in sales tax rebates
with the lone exception of
Cuney.
The small community
in northwest Cherokee
County, which held a dis-
tinction for many years
as the only retail site in
Cherokee County to pur-
chase alcoholic beverages.
experienced a 47.96percent
decrease in sales taxreturns
for the December report-
ing period, when compared
to the same period a year
ago. The recent period
répresentspurchase's made
during October, reported to
the comptroller's office in
November and released in
December.
Sales tax increases were
recorded by New Summer-
field, 76.44 percent; Wells,
15.77 percent; Rusk, 12.85
percent, Jacksonville, 8.32
percent and Alto, 4.76 per-
cent. The county's sales
tax also increased by 1.02
percent.
A more telling snapshot
of the local economy is in
the final Column in the
chart below. It compares
the year-to-datg sales tax
figures, which are based on
purchases made from Nov.
1, 2009-Oct. 31, 2010.
Alto's sales taxisup 42.06
percent, but that city in-
creasedthe sales tax rate by
/L-<vni and earmarked the
funds for economic develop-
ment. Jacksonville, which
accounts for 77 percent of all
sales in the county, has col-
lected'4 <8 2 percent less this
year in sales tax, compared
to 2009.
Comptroller of Public Accounts
City and County Sales Tax Rebates Released December 2010
uities
Rate
Net Payment
Comparable payment
% Change
2010
2009
% Change
this period
prior year
to date
to date
to date
payments
Alto
* 1.500%
8,339.96
7,960.58
4.76%
130,314.31
91,728.88
42.06%
Cuney
1.500%
4,790.09
9,204.73
-47.96%
91,855.19
138,169.79
-33.52%
Jacksonville
1.500%
222,595.23
205,489.81
8.32%
2,947,672.43
3,097,218.02
-4.82%
New Summerfield
1.000%
2,241.40
1,270.29
76.44%
17,930.25
16,452.47
8.98%
Rusk
1.500%
49,536.47
43,895.28
12.85%
681,701.02
613,782.85
11.06%
Wells
1.000%
2,400.81
2,073.68
15.77%
27,614.36
30,095.55
8.24%
County Total
289,903.96
269,894.38
7.41%
3,897,087.56
3,987,447.56
-2.26%
Cherokee
0.500%
111,514.83
107,203.14
4.02%
1,440,903.77
1,755,732.25
-17.93%
graphic: Cherokeean Herald
Rusk
Re: Cherokeean Herald
letter to the editor in the Nov.
17 issue regarding a gift list
for patients at Rusk State
Hospital.
Due to the publishing of
the Volunteer Council letter
requesting Christmas dona-
tions for Rusk State Hospital
patients, a family from Au-
brey, Tex. responded with a
package of gift items for the
patients.
The accompanying note
read, "We saw the article in
your local paper about their
needs. Hope this helps a
little.''
We want this family to know
how much their act of kind-
ness does help and how much
we appreciate all the donors
who help to make Christmasa
httle brighter for the patients
of the hospital.
We are continuing to accept
donations. The Dollar Gen-
eral Store here in Rusk has
set up a Rusk State Hospital
angel tree with gift sugges-
tions for the patients on our
geriatric unit.
If you have any questions
about needed gift items or
if you want to make a cash
donation, contact the RSH
Community Relations Office
at (903) 683-7327.
Mr. Woodard is the chair-
man of the RSH Volunteer
Council. He is also a Rusk
city councilman.
TEXAS STATE RAILROAD
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3:45pm, 5:15pm, 6:40pm & 8:05pm
Call or book online for reservations.
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1-888-987-2461
NEWS
Flu shots are available at
county health department
Cherokee County Health Depart-
ment now has flu shots. The shots
may be obtained MondayThursday
from 7a.m.-noon and 1- 5:30 p.m. at
either the Rusk clinic located at 593 N.
Main or the Jacksonville clinic located
at 510 Commerce St.
The shots are $20 for adults over
the age of 18 and $7 for children age
18 years old and under. Medicare
is accepted. If persons have other
insurance they are asked to bring that
card and picture identification along
with their Medicare card. Medicaid is
accepted for children only.
Assistance is available for
veterans' surviving spouses
Surviving spouses of military vet-
erans can inquire with the Cherokee
County Veterans Service Officer to
determine if they may be eligible for
VA survivor benefits.
Possible benefits that may be avail-
able include burial benefits that were
not applied for by the funeral home;
accrued benefts for service connected
disabilities rated at 0-100 percent; DIC
(Dependency Indemnity Compensa-
tion); ChampVA Health Insurance;
and continued property tax exemption
in surviving spouse's name.
If the veteran had war time service,
there may be a widow's death pension,
if income and asset limits are met., If
the veteran was retired military, there
may be assistance with accrued
benefits. For additional information,
contact David Thomason orAllie Dixon
at the Cherokee County Veterans
Service Office at (903) 683-4012.
Crime victims asked to
contact crime stoppers
Persons who have been a victim of
a crime in Cherokee County or who
know someone who has are asked to
contact www.cherokeecrime@yahoo.
com. Reporters will remain anony-
mous. Information is also needed
from persons who either did not get
help from local law enforcement or
did not report it.
ffft i
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Sunday* 10 a.m.
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Thursday • 6:30 p.rr
Bible Study
Curtis Oliver - Pastor
(936) 867-5533, home or (936) 675-3205, cell
5592 Hwy 110 N
(5 miles from 84 & 110 in Rusk)
We could save
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your auto insurance.'
James Blankinship, LUTCF, Agent
Kelly Leight, LUTCF, Agent
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 161, No. 43, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 15, 2010, newspaper, December 15, 2010; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152969/m1/2/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.