Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 129, No. 13, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 13, 2011 Page: 1 of 31
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Hoop it up
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Sports
Goodrich Lady Hor-
nets captured the dis-
trict basketball cham-
pionship for the third
straight season with a
perfect 12-0 record.
See Sports, Pg. 6B
Living
Winning entries in
Relay For Life photo
contest on display
at First State Bank.
See Living, Pg. IB
Quote for
the day
"Truth is some-
thing you stumble
into when youthink
you're on your way
somewhere else. "
— Jerry Garcia
1942 1995
lead guitarist for
The Grateful Dead
Local Weather
67/39
Sun
2/13
Abundant sunshine Highs in the
upcer 60s and lows in the upper
30s
V’
W
Mon
2/14
70/46
..
%•
j Sunshine Highs in the low 70s
and tows in the mid 40s
Tue
2/15
68/47
Times ot sun and clouds Hi^is in I
| the upper 60s and lows in the up- |
per 40s
68/53
Wed
2/16
I Times ol sun and douds Highs in \
[ the upper 60s and lows in the low |
60s
Thu
2/17
75/49
Mm ot sun and douds Hitfis in the
mid 70s and lows in the upper 40s
Index
Bulletin Board........5B
Classified..........6B-8B
Crossword..............6B
Community Caleodar..9A
Obituaries...............8A
Official Records.....3A
Opinion...................6A
Living................1B-5B
Sports...............6B-7B
Polk Court
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Volume 129 Number 13
I Elll I
_www.easttexasnews.com
The Dominant Sews ami Advertising Source in Polk County
m ■
I PS 437-340
Price: 50 cents
Family plans candlelight vigil for murder victim
BY VALERIK. RKDDKLL
Editor
potkaews<g> xmailxom
LIVINGSTON - Family members
and friends of Heather Nicole Dorris
Ramsey will gather at 6:30 pin.
Tuesday for a candlelight vigil at the
Anniversary Park Gazebo.
Electrical workers found Ramsey 's
body in a remote stretch of Old
Woodville on Dec 30.This Tuesday.
Feb. 15. would have been Ramsey 's
26th birthday.
Family members continue to hope
that Heather's killer will be quickly
brought to justice,
"Whoever did this. You can run.
but you can't hide. Jesus saw what
HEATHER DORRIS
RAMSEY
you did. Everything that's m the dark
will be brought to the light,” family
members said when announcing the
memorial event.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
Heather’s mother Melissa Scgrest
said. Several friends and family
members will share memories of the
young mother whose life was cut
short.
Polk County Crime Stoppers
is offering a $5,000 reward for
information that leads to the arrest
and/or grand jury indictment of the
person or persons involved.
Anyone who would like to make a
contribution to increase that reward
further can contact Sgt Philip Waller
of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at
936-329-9040.
The park is located on East Church
and North Tyler adjacent to Jack in
the Box.
“Heather, you won't be forgotten.
We love you. baby.” Scgrest said.
“Somebody out there knows what
happened to her. You need to search
yourselves and come forward to help
us end this case," said Chief Deputy
Byron Lyons. “This is a crime that
involves a human life. There is a
family that has been affected."
Polk County Crime Stoppers pays
cash rewards for information on
felony crimes. Call 936-327-7X67, all
calls arc confidential.
I VTWtPKISI IIICITO BY r.YSS BROWS
Bobby Wallace, far right, and his co-workers at the City of Livingston water de-
partment work on a second ruptured gas link on Houston Street near Mimosa at
about 2:15 p.m. Friday as police and firefighters look on. A worker from Fntex was
still in the area after repairing a leak about 50 yards away less than an hour before.
Work crews often discover gas lines were not placed in the expected location.
Christmas sales tax revenue
soars for Corrigan, Livingston
Audit: Livingston still on
firm financial footing
AUSTIN— Corrigan city
coffers saw another giant
increase this week with its
sales tax distribution up 21.82
percent over the February
2010 allocation, according
to a report released by Texas
Comptroller Susan Combs on
Wednesday.
Livingston and Corrigan
saw boosts over 2010 reve-
nues, while other Polk County
cities saw declines ranging
from nearly 13 to 45 percent.
Corrigan's allotment
in ;».'02'H4.16. up from
$25,105.11 in the January
2010 report, puts them ahead
18.61 percent for 2011. The
two month total of $48,199.84
outpaces the $40,636.33 re-
ported in the first two months
of 2010.
Livingston has year-to-
date gains ot nearly 7 percent
(4.19 percent this month)
with the February distribu-
tion of $318553.09. up from
$305,717.53 in January 2010.
So far $564,690.30 has been
collected by Livingston retail-
ers. up from $528,101.03 in
2010.
Sales tax in Onalaska
dropped 12.86 percent with
this month's allocation ol
$46.346.12. down fre >m
$53,191.50 in February 2010.
So lar this year. Onalaska's
collections are off by 8.58
percent w ith $70,724.35 com-
pared to $77364.25 in 2010.
Goodrich saw sales tax rev-
enue drop 22.46 percent to
$1,705.54 this month. So far
this year. Goodrich has re-
ceived $3 502.44.a 10.89 }>er-
cent drop from the $3,930.67
collected in the same period
last year.
Seven Oaks' sales tax was
down by nearly half. This
See SALES TAX. Page 2A
LIVINGSTON - City
officials received top ratings
from its independent auditors
Tuesday who said the city
remains in a strong financial
condition despite a large drop
in sales tax revenue
The revenue decline of
$1.450,000 from sales tax and
grants was largely offset by
increases in electric revenue
of about $1,244.000
The decline in sales tax
revenue that Livingston
saw was mirrored by other
cities throughout Texas, and
some cities saw much larger
decreases. auditors told
council members.
< Ktncd members approved
payment of $5,000 in dues
to continue as one of 10
members of the Folk County
Industrial Development
District during Tuesday's
meeting
Betty Russo. PCIDC
Director of Operations, said
the group is working with
a Houston manufacturer
to relocate Ills 250 to 100
employee business here
The firm's owner already
has property in Polk County
and would like to relocate
here in the next two to three
years.
K'llX plans to meet
with the business owner to
discuss potential sites with
highway frontage that meet
his criteria.
The development groups
is also conducting a retail
study to develop data on the
Livingston trade area. Russo
told council members.
A Dallas based linn has
put together an “impressive"
proposal outlining plans for
the study. Russo said. She
has checked with officials
from several former clients
— chiefly just outside the
Dallas metroplex area — and
is working with local entities
and indiv(duals to finance the
$48,000 project
“Obviously, (PCIDC)
doesn’t have the money in the
budget." said Mayor Clarke
Evans. “It's going to have
to be 100 percent funded by
donors."
"We need a lot ot help."
Russo said.
Russo added that live
or six developers and two
restaurants are waiting on
information ronr the study to
determine if they will locate
in I.ivingston,
The two men who founded
the firm set to perform
the study have worked for
developers that located
properties for I aQuinta
and Starbucks, according to
Russo.
“They know what retail
people and restaurants are
looking lor." she said.
They will also help
distribute the results of the
study to retailers.
"We’ll have to be the ones
to push it. but they will get
the eyes ripened.” Russo
said
Russo also pointedjHit that
Huntsville Iteid a study done
a few years ago. but "no one
knew what t'o do with it. It's
just silting there.” she said.
One of the potential
developers is looking to
build a family entertainment
complex in Huntsville or
Livingston, she added.
"I've been telling them
they would do much better m
Livingston because we don't
have anything like that."
Russo said.
City Manager Marilyn
Sutton said the data compiled
See CITY. Page 2A
Latexo man killed in crash
LIVINGSTON - Polk
County recorded its first
traffic fatality of 2011
Wednesday night, a one-ve-
hicle accident on U.S. 287,
6.9 miles west of Corrigan.
John Kenneth McCelvey,
31. of Latexo. Houston
County, was driving a 2004
Dodge pickup truck east-
bound when the vehicle
left the road to the right and
struck several trees, accord-
ing to Texas Highway Patrol
Trooper David Morris.
The wreck was reported at
8:41 p.m . but investigators
believe it occurred some-
time between 6:09 p.m.,
when the victim reportedly
called his mother, and 7:19
p.m., when another driver
reported striking a tire in
the roadway.
When the wreck was dis-
covered: McCelvey's body
was inside the vehicle. He
was pronounced dead at the
scene by Precinct 4 Justice
of the Peace Steven McFn-
tyre and his body was taken
to Corrigan Funeral Home.
Also investigated was an
ATV accident at 1:42 p.m.
Feb. 5 in which a Leggett
man was injured.
Frank Pickens. 71. of
Leggett was driving a Yama-
jia Grizzly 550 eastbound
on West Albany Road off
U.S. 59 when the right side
of the ATV traveled off the
road in a washed out area,
according to Trooper Chris
Stanbery.
The trooper said Pickens
tried to steer back to the left,
which caused the vehicle to
roll several times. It came to
rest upright in a ditch on the
westbound side of the road.
Pickens, listed with in-
capacitating injunes, was
transported by ambulance
to Memorial Medical Cen-
ter in Livingston.
No charges have been
filed.
Onalaska city, school district
to hold joint election May 14
ONALASKA - City
Council ordered a general
election for May 14
and approved interlocal
agreements with Polk County
and Onalaska Independent
School District to hold a joint
election.
Candidates can file for one
of three open city council
positions or two trustee
positions for OISD.
Council positions up for re-
election are those currently
held by Patsy Goins. Carl
Cruse and Shirley Gilmore.
Board members also
approved an interlocal
agreement with Polk County
thmugh the sheriff's office
to assist with stray animal
control and disposal.
The agreement will be
placed on an upcoming
commissioners' court agenda
for approval. Onalaska will
be responsible for pickup and
transport of animals according
to Mayor Lew Vail.
Police Chief Ron Gilbert
reported officers handled
1,285 incidents, and were
dispatched to 138 calls with
19 misdemeanor arrests in
January:
A total of 281 citations and
43 warnings were issued.
Assistance calls included 13
with the fire department. 23
for the sheriff's office and
one neighboring county assist
call.
Sixty warrants were issued
and 45 warrants cleared
during the month. OPD
officers logged 6.009 miles on
patrol during January. Gilbert
also reported reserve officers
worked 261 hours for the
month.
Chief Gilbert also reviewed
a racial profile report submitted
to state authorities. .
OPD made 7.227 motor
vehicle stops with 291
searches conducted.
Of the individuals contacted
in those stops. 62239 were
Caucasian. 610 African-
American. 323 Hispanic. 29
Asian. 19 Middle Eastern
and 7 Native Americans, the
report said.
Chief Gilbert also asked
council members to approve
a police department policy
regarding rank among
reserve officers to provide
a supervisory structure for
questions and assistance.
The new policy provides for
one reserve captain and one
corporal.
Onalaska Volunteer Fire
Department Chief Jay Stubs
presented council with a
summary of emergency
response calls during January .
OVFD responded to 13 calls
within the city. Of those calls.
31 were medical calls; two
were structure fires, one assist
and three mutual aid calls.
Stutts reported 27 volunteer
man-hours in the county and
21 man-hours in the city limits
See ONALASKA, Page 2A
I
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Reddell, Valerie. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 129, No. 13, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 13, 2011, newspaper, February 13, 2011; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth657890/m1/1/?q=music: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.