Rains County Leader (Emory, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 21, Ed. 1 Tuesday, November 2, 1999 Page: 1 of 25
twenty five pages : ill. ; page 25 x 15 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
ft jHHt ft
ALL !
Western
Gateway Tol
_Lake Fort
Rains
County
Eastern
Gateway To >
L Lake Tiwakoni
78 1S300W *
SLlllHWLSI IliCROPUBLi
, . .. 1 RnL'Lll. Db
Bains Council Jucader
Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1887
I VOLUME CXH, ISSUE NO. 21
£$91
'i: .<'• ■ "W
NOtjgjjH i.im Mpyg . • PRICE 50c I
NEWS BRIEFS
Amendment Election Today
Voters will go to the polls today to decide the fate of 17 proposed con-
stitutional amendments. Polls will be open from 7.00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Ballots by mail will be accepted through the close of business on election
day. Election results will be carried next week.
Burn ban lifted in Rains County
County Judge Bob Sisk officially lifted the burn ban in Rains County
on Monday, November 1st. Counties throughout the East Texas area have
experienced a relief in drought conditions due to cooler weather and recent
rains. Judge Sisk cautioned that should the county experience an extended
period of no rain, the burn ban and fireworks ban will go into effect again.
PTO meeting Tuesday, November 2
The Rains Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) will have
their first general meeting on Tuesday, November 2, at the elementary
school at 6:00 p.m. The Rains Star Steppers will perform.
AARP meeting November 4th
The AARP meeting will be held Thursday, November 4, at the Rains
County Public Library in the Meadows Room starting at 6:30 p.m. We hope
to see all members present, and guests are always welcome. Be there!
Garage sale, stew supper Nov. 5-6
The Friends of the Rains County Animal Shelter will host a garage sale
Friday and Saturday, November 5-6, to raise money for the animal shelter
building fund. The sale is from 8:30-5:00 in the parking lot of Griffin Plaza
in Point near the intersection of Hwy. 69 and FM 47.
The Point Ladies Civic Club will close the garage sale Saturday with
a stew supper at the Point Community Center. The silent auction will not
take place after the stew supper because it will now take place during Eagle
Fest. For more information please call Sharon Wilhite at 903-662-5358 or
Becky Warren at 903-662-5738. Come get a bowl of stew and shop till you
drop!
Bluegrass Reunion at fairgrounds
A Bluegrass Reunion will be held Saturday, November 6, at the Rains
County Fairgrounds (corner of Hwy. 69 and Hwy. 19). An open stage jam
will begin at 4:00 p.m., and the main show will begin at 7:00 p.m. Bring
your lawn chairs. Everyone is welcome.
Absolutely no drugs or alcohol allowed.
For admission prices or more information, contact R.J. and Ann Smith
at 903-662-5720.
Emory City Cemetery meeting
The Emory City Cemetery Association will meet Sunday, Nov. 7, at
the Emory Methodist Church fellowship hall at 2 p.m. It is time for the elec-
tion of new officers and other important business to be taken care of. We
urge all who have interest in the City or Forbis Cemetery to be present at
this meeting. Jewell Cooper, sec.-treas.
Veterans’ Day Program
The second annual Veteran’s Day Program will be held Thursday,
November 11, in the Rains High Schixil gym beginning at 10:00 a.m. All
veterans and widows of veterans are invited to attend and register so that
you may be recognized during the program. The program this year is under
the direction of School Superintendent David Seago and will include the
presentation of the colors and music by the Rains High School band and
choir.
Christmas in November program
“Christmas in November" will be held Friday, November 12, at the
Rains County Fairgrounds. The program with demonstrations of Christmas
crafts and foods will be at 9:00 a.m. and repeated at 6:30 p.m. Vendors will
be set up with craft items from 8:30 to 1:00 and 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. Phone the
Rains County Extension Office at 473-2412 for more information.
City of Point Public Meeting
The City of Point will hold a public meeting on Monday, November
15, 1999, at 1.00 p.m. to give the citizens of Point an opportunity to ask any
questions or make any comments regarding water system improvements
with financial assistance through Rural Development.
Alba-Golden Caring and Sharing
The Alba-Golden Caring and Sharing will hold a meeting Tuesday
night, November 16th, at 6:30 at Alba Baptist Church.
Garden Club Thanksgiving Dinner
The Rains County Garden Club's Annual Traditional Thanksgiving
Luncheon and Country Store Sale will be held Friday. November 19, from
II a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Rose Community Center in Emory. The $5 00
charge will help to finance the club’s civic gardening projects. Come for
turkey and dressing and all the trimmings!
Hogansville meeting and stew
The Hogansville Community meeting will be held Saturday,
November 20, at 5:00 p.m. at S&B Grill. Officers will be elected.
A stew dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $5. You may pur-
chase tickets at the door or call Sharon Brown at 473-1210 or Cathy Bryant
at 473-3485. There will also be door prizes.
Proceeds from this event and any donations w ill go toward the future
Hogansville Volunteer Fire Department.
Stew Cookoff moved to Dec. 3
The date for the Rains County Historical Society Stew Cookoff and
Vintage Fashion Contest has been moved front November 19 to Friday.
December 3. The Garden Club members will be serving their annual turkey
and all the trimmings dinner at the Rose Community Center on Friday.
November 19. Y’all come!
f
Bruce Feagin named
ull-time police chief
GOLF TOURNAMENT MONEY DISTRIBUTED - The Rains County Area
Chamber of Commerce last week distributed funds raised by the Rains
County Open Golf Tournament held Saturday, September 18. at the Lake
Fork Golf Course. The tournament netted an estimated $5,198.60 of which
Eagle Fest received $4,688.60 and the Chamber scholarship fund received
$510.00. Shown above (seated) Elizabeth Barfield, treasurer of the
Chamber, signs the Eagle Fest check as Marti Cole, treasurer of Eagle Fest,
looks on. Also looking on (standing) are Carl Hall, chairman of the golf tour-
nament: Neva Adcock, Chamber vice president; and Rubye McKeown, chair-
man of Eagle Fest. Staff photo by Earl Hill
County Chamber plans
Christmas activities
by JAXIE MORGAN
Rains County leader staff
Christmas was the main topic at
the Rains County Area Chjt.her of
Commerce board >•! directors meei-
ing Thursdc r. rning. October 28.
during the r -gui m-'- *hly meeting
at In the Garden > .\i fi-om.
The boar 1 agreed to keep n
^El'tory • li istnns pan*.’, on the si
Mondu; f D cen her Iv h
be the 6ui. F- 1 r .is. o ^
awarded this year for the . . 74
four entries, as follows: $lu< r
first place, $75 for second place.
$50 for third place, and $25 for
fourth place. Ribbons will also be
awarded in each category. The
board voted to do away with the
rule banning having more than one
Santa Claus in the parade due to the
limitation it placed on floats.
Chamber president Bill Gleason
suggested that the parade needs a
grand marshal and nominated How-
ard Garrett, who declined.
The chamber is also sponsoring
“Christmas Around the Square" on
the day of the parade Vendors will
set up around the courthouse square
much like they do at Founder’s Day.
beginning at 8:(X) a.m. Area civic
clubs are encouraged to sell baked
goods, candy, hot chocolate, hot
apple cider, etc. To reserve a booth
for $10.(X). call Barbara Forrest at
473-9560
The Senior Advisory Council
will have their annual stew supper
at the Rose Community Center be-
fore and after the parade
East Tawakoni Mayor Bobbie
Harman announced that the East
Tawakoni Christmas parade has
been changed to December 4th at
4:00 p.m.
The board voted to have a Christ-
mas Open House in conjunction
with the city of Emory during the
week prior to Christmas Mayor
Harman added that East Tawakoni
will hold theirs on December 23rd
during the niton hour.
Treasurer Elizabeth Barfield
gave a final report on the chamber’s
golf tournament held on September
18th Total deposits were $8,479.
expenses were $3,280 40. for a net
profit of $5.198 60 The board
voted to place ten percent or $510
in the scholarship fund, to be added
to the scholarship CD when it ma-
tures next June The balance w ill be
presented to Eagle Fest
RAIN v
\ REPORT
by Henry Potts
pk Oct 30 ..........0.75 \
* Oct. 31 ........ 0.04 V
^ Total for week.....0.79
-Total for month 1.44
The directors passed a resolution
thanking Bill Gleason and Carl Hall
for all their hard work in making the
golf tournament a big success.
Baiiaia Forrest reported there
v . • ,’1 ,xl turnout at the hospitali-
ty . 'ii nittee’s get-together held re-
cently .vith 24 in attendance. A sur-
vey fonn was given to those in al-
ien asking whether they pa-
le iy or night meetings and
r they would be interested in
ops out of town, socials at in-
jual’s homes, etc. She added
that some were interested in the
book club which is already meeting
in different homes.
The next hospitality committee
meeting will be a salad and sand-
wich luncheon on November llth
in the Meadows Room of the Rains
County Public Library. Ivan Alex-
ander, Jr. will be the guest speaker,
and Vickie Wade will demonstrate
how to make Christmas bows. Eve-
ryone is invited to attend
The board voted to move the
chamber’s regular CD, which ma-
tures on November 1st. from The
First National Bank of Emory to
Austin Bank to take advantage of
higher rates.
Hamian reminded everyone of
the animal shelter fundraiser on No-
vember 5-6 featuring a garage sale
at Griffin Plaza in Point followed by
a stew supper at the Point Commun-
ity Center.
by JAXIE MORGAN
Rains County leader staff
The Emory City Council voted to
hire Bruce Feagin as full-time
police chief for the city of Emory
during a special session held Mon-
day. November 1st. at 7:1X1 p.m.
Interviews with two applicants for
the position of chief of police were
scheduled during the regular coun-
cil meeting held Tuesday night.
October 26 Feagin has served as
interim chief of police since
September 7 when he was appoint
ed by the council to replace Walter
Jameson, who resigned that posi-
tion effective August 5th
Several citizens were in atten-
dance Tuesday night for the public
hearing conducted by the Emory
City Council on a proposed water/
sewer rate increase lor Emory water
customers. Most of the comments
centered around the discrepancy in
the rates charged to customers out-
side the city limits compared with
rates charged to customers inside
the city limits.
Mike Martin, who has spoken in
regards to this matter at previous
meetings, asked again how the city
can justify charging people outside
thc city limits much higher rates.
He was again told that people out-
side the city limits don’t pay city
taxes and therefore don’t help pay
for water improvements secured
through bond elections. Martin
pointed out that customers outside
the city limits are already paying a
premium considering the difference
in minimums. The difference be-
tween the proposed minimum water
charge outside the city limits
($31 50) and the minimum inside
the city limits ($18 (XI) over a year's
time is $162. which is less than
most people pay in city taxes He
added. “Water is all we're getting.
There's no garbage pickup, no
sewer service, no police protec-
tion..." Complaints were also aired
regarding South Rams W'ater Sup-
ply having such low rales for its
customers since they buy their
water from Emory. South Rains’ 40-
year contract will expire in 2012
The proposed rate increase called
for raising the per thousand gallon
charges twenty cents more for those
outside the city limits than for those
inside the city limits For example,
2.(MX) gallons to 6.(MM) gallons
would be $3 45 per I .(MX) gallons
inside the city limits, but would be
$3.65 outside the city limits
Following the public hearing, the
council voted to increase the mini-
mums as proposed, but to raise the
per-thousand-gallon charges the
same for inside and outside the city
limits, and to increase the sewer
rales as proposed The new rates
will be effective with the December
I. 1999, billing
Public Works Director Maxie
Chester pointed out that Hayter En-
gineering recommended going up
$2 (X) on the sewer rales to pay for
the upcoming sewer improvements.
Although a $250.(MX) grant was re-
ceived. it is a !()'■; matching grant,
so the city will have to come up
with $25.(XM) as its share. Chester
added that if it doesn't rain soon,
the pontoon system will have to be
put hack in Lake Tawakoni to
continued on page 2
Commissioners name
holidays for year 2000
by Carolyn Hill
In a county-budget year when the
commissioners voted themselves a
raise (granted, it was due), gave the
county employees a 39} raise (also
due) and then voted to pay all the
elected officials including them-
selves an extra two-week paycheck
(not only not due. but raised their
annual income by an average of
$873.81) the commissioners have
finally given the hard-working tax-
payers of Rains County a break and
saved them a little over $2.5(M) The
savings came about at the regular
meeting of the commissioners'
court Thursday. October 28. with
the designation of the calendar year
2(MX) holidays.
In the past several years, includ-
ing 1998. the court approved the
Friday after Thanksgiving as a paid
holiday. Although it makes foi a
nice long weekend holiday and
a great Christmas shopping day, the
Friday after Thanksgiving is not
recognized as a national, federal or
state holiday. One day’s pay lor all
county employees, not including
any overtime or double tune which
would have to be paid to some sher-
iff personnel, is $2,539. In return,
the court encouraged county
employees to use a vacation day to
take the Friday after Thanksgiving
off and enjoy the holiday.
The schedule of county holidays
for the year 2(MX) are: New Year's
Day. Saturday, January. I; Martin
Luther King Day. Monday, January
17; Presidents' Day. Monday.
February 21; Good Friday, Friday.
April 21. Memorial Day, Monday.
May 29; Independence Day.
Tuesday. July 4. Labor Day,
Monday. September 4; Columbus
Day. Monday. October 9; Veterans'
Day. Saturday. November II.
Thanksgiving Day. Thursday.
November 23. and Christmas Day.
Monday. December 25
Meanwhile this year, don’t forget
all county offices will Iv closed on
Friday. November 26. to observe
the Friday after Thanksgiving Also
continued on page 2
A PIECE OF HISTORY BECOMES HISTORY ... One
of the last remaining historic buildings in Emory was
razed on Monday. November 1st Max Fletcher, who
owns the old Henry building located at the southwest
comer of the courthouse square, had the building com-
pletely demolished after the exterior walls began to
crumble and show signs of instability AX the interior
walls and the roof were removed last year Fletcher’s
plans for the site are unknown at this time
Staff photo by Eart Miff
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.
Hill, Earl Clyde, Jr. Rains County Leader (Emory, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 21, Ed. 1 Tuesday, November 2, 1999, newspaper, November 2, 1999; Emory, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth764635/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rains County Library.