Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 151, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 8, 2000 Page: 1 of 16
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11 —
Clferokeeaif/Herald
Texas' Oldest, Continuously Published Weekly Newspaper - Established Feb. 27, 1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel
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Rusk honors
faculty members
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see pages 8 & 9
Vol. 151, No. 16 - 16 Pages
Thursday, June 8, 2000
Rusk, Texas 75785
25 cents
16th. J
Tomato Fest
ST Festival set
downtown June 9-10
This 16th annual Jacksonville To-
mato Fsst is planned for June 9 and
10 in downtown Jacksonville. Pro-
ducé stands, arte and crafts vendors
and children's activities will soon
line the streets of Jacksonville dur-
ing the weekend celebration.
Tomato Feet has something for
everyone. A Tomato Eating Contest,
Uve entertainment, Tomato Town,
Couch Tomato "No Sweat" Olym-
pics, volleyball and Softball tourna-
ments, Best Home Grown Tomato
Contest, Tomato Dish Contest and a
Tomato History Display are just a
tsw of the activities planned for the
event.
A street dance Will kick off the
festivities on Friday, June 9. Mayor
Tommy Dement will welcome visi-
tors on Saturday morning.
Arts and crafts, food booths and
information booths will be located
on Commerce Street and will be open
from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. An antique
car display will be staged all day
Saturday. Child ID booth will be
open from noon until 4 p.m. under
the overpass on Commerce street.
A free gospf¡¿ concert is planned for
Please see TOMATO FEST, page 8
Boxcars, BBQ and The Bridge
Murder trial
postponed
A jury trial for a Jacksonville woman,
Dorothy Bingham, has been postponed
until June 20. Mrs. Bingham's trial was to
have begun on May 30, but was postponed
due to the illness of her attorney, S. Hogan
Stripling.
Mrs. Bingham is charged with the mur-
der of her granddaughter's former hus-
band, Bobby Sexton, 38, of Jacksonville.
Mr. Sexton was reported missing on Feb.
20, 1998, and his body was recovered the
following month in an Anderson County
swamp. He had been shot in the chcst
with a shotgun.
Mrs. Bingham's granddaughter, Patricia
Sexton, is currently serving a life sen-
tence for her paVt in the murder of her
former husband.
Michael Fielding, 31, of Jacksonville,
has confessed to shooting Mr. Sexton.
The district attorney's office is expected
to call approximately 10 witnesses. The
trial probably will last from three to five
days, said District Attorney Jim Cromwell.
In addition to murder, Mrs. Bingham is
charged with engaging in organized
criminal activity and retaliation for her
part in the crime.
<*" Mi
[ifMP
Adam Tanner and Amanda Smith show one of the many heartwarming
moments in The Bridge. The story Is based on the history of Rusk and
New Birmingham and will run throughout the month of June on Friday and
Saturdays at 5 p.m.
Citizens give input
on post office site
I Construction could
be completed within 16
months, officials say
"If there are no slip ups, we should be
finished in 16 months," Mel Harris of
Virtual Real Estate Services, in Flower
Mound, Tex. said Monday night at a Rusk
public meeting. The meeting was held in
the Cherokee County courtroom to inform
Rusk residents of plans and procedures
for constructing a new post office.
Mr. Harris explained that a post office
could be constructed as quickly as 10
months from the original meeting, but 16
months is as long as it should take.
"This is a very critical project. We have
set down plans to push it and we may be
able to cut a few days here and a few
there," he continued.
"We want a post office that's convenient,
safe and secure for you and your mail;
accessible to those who have special needs;
and environmentally sound for our em-
ployees. We need to work together in
achieving these goals," he said.
"This meeting was held to allow us to
learn of the values of the community from
those who live here and raise their fami-
lies here," he said. Partnership manuals
were distributed which outlined proce-
dures for building the post office. The
facility will be constructed according to
poBt office recommendations on a site de-
cided on by the postal service and leased
to the post office.
Attending the meeting in addition to
Mr. Harris were Cyndy Aldred of Con-
Please see NEW POST OFFICE, page 8
Twins receive top honors
at Wells ISD graduation
Twin sisters took top honors at
Wells High School graduation May
26. Christen Carter was named
valedictorian and her sister,
Tristen Carter, salutatorian.
Christen had a grade point aver-
age of 98.4 and Tristen's average
was 98.28. The twins are the
daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Donald
Wayne Carter of Wells.
Twenty-seven seniors received
diplomas.
The invocation for the gradua-
tion was offered by the Rev.
Michael Reese, pastor of the Wells
First Baptist Church. Welcome
was extended by Tristen Carter,
senior class president.
Superintendent Dale Morton
introduced speaker, Wendy
Collins, a faculty member.
Jerry Meador recognized the
Christen Carter
Valedictorian
Tristen Carter
Salutatorian
valedictorian and salutatorian. Mr. Morton pre-
sented scholarships. The class was recognized by
Please see TWINS, page 8
County appraiser Danner retires
■ Lee Flowers
named successor
Cherokee County Appraisal District
announces the retirement of chief ap-
praiser Sid Danner on July 31. Mr.
Danner was employed as the first chief
appraiser on Sept. 1,1980 to organize
and implement the appraisal district as
created by the new property tax code.
He says it has been both a challenging
and rewarding experience.
The CCAD budget totaled $750,900
for the year 2000. "The budget for 2001 is
still in the making," Mr. Danner said. The
local CCAD serves Cherokee County, six
school districts composed of Jacksonville,
Rusk, New Summerfield, Alto, Wells and
Troup; and four cities including Jackson-
ville, Rusk, Alto and Wells. Tax collections
are done for all of the entities except Chero-
kee County and the City of Jacksonville.
He said he wishes to express his heart-
felt thanks to so many lor their support
that includes the board of directors who
provided the means to operate the dis-
trict, the taxing units who provide the
funding, the greatest staff of employees
who make the system work and above all
are the very best taxpayers in the state.
Mr. Danner will be succeeded by Lee
Flowers. Mr. Flowers is a native of
Athens and an eight year employee of
the district currently serving as deputy
chief appraiser. He is a graduate of
Texas A&M University with a BS De-
gree in agricultural economics.
Mr. Flowers and his wife, Sherry,
and children, Becky, 13, Ryan Mat-
thew, 6, and Erin, 4, make their home
in Dialville.
Outgoing CCAD Chief Appraiser Sid
Danner congratulates Lee Flowers on
his appointment as chief appraiser.
Bankruptcy not expected
to affect local Bealls store
5-Year Rainfall Comparison, January through May
Stage Stores Inc.'s declaration
of bankruptcy will not affect the
East Texas economy. The decision
to declare bankruptcy and recon-
struct its debt will not impact the
local area in the company's plan to
close some smaller stores, corpo-
rate officials stated. They have
noted that all East Texas Btores
are high performing and store
closure will probably occur out of
state.
Officials said last week that de-
spite their recent action, a "big
boom" is just ahead for the Jack-
sonville area economy.
Stage Store Inc., the parent com-
pany of Jacksonville born and
based Bealls Department Store
chain, employs 950 persons lo-
cally.
"I think that even though this is
a difficult thing for the company it
will be a good thing for the Jack-
sonville economy," said Ron Lucas,
a human resources executive for
Stage Stores. He noted "the com-
pany has had trouble getting mer-
chandise lately and nuw merchan-
dise will start rolling again."
The local distribution center and
"...the company has
had trouble getting
merchandise lately
and now
merchandise will
start rolling again."
-Ron Lucas, human
resources executive,
Stage Stores
credit office will begin hiring ag-
gressively within a few days, he
said.
Jack Wiesner, chairman and
interim chief executive officer and
president, in a prepared statement
said, "Because we have taken this
most serious step, we bel ieve Stage
Stores will survive and be able to
prosper once again. Once we reor-
ganize, we will be a stronger com-
pany, more focused on our Core
business. This should result in our
becoming a more competitive and
profitable company."
□
1996
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1997
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1998
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1999
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2000
TheCtt^of Ruefc lean official reporting etatton tor the Netfonel Weether Servtee.
/ Cm
Hay balers
begin good
season
By Tonya Tropp
Chbpokeean/Hepal d wri re«
"Hay balers this year are having
an excellent season so far. The
number of hay bales produced is
running above normal, so far this
year," said Extension Agent Jack
White.
The year started out with less
rainfall than recorded last year.
Last January. 11.82 inches was
recorded as compared to 2.37
inches this January
With the year starting out with a
small amount of rainfall, produc-
ers started baling hay early be-
cause of predictions of a shortage
in moisture for this year
February, March and May had
an increase in the number of inches
that fell for this year May had
4 8.3 more inches than last year
Producers have made at least
one cut this year and some have
started on their second cut
"The quality of the bales has
been good." said Mr White
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 151, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 8, 2000, newspaper, June 8, 2000; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth168647/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.