Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 25, 1981 Page: 1 of 32
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I
GOOD
MORNING!
Polk County
ENTERPRISE
The dominant news and advertising source in Folk County, since 1882
"VOLUME 98
NUMBER 51
4 SECTIONS
In magazine poll of legislators
Caperton ranks well, Browder among
LIVINGSTON - State Rep. .Larry
Browder (D-Shepherd) was named one
of the “Ten Worst” Texas legislators
while State Senator Kent Caperton
(D-Bryan) has been selected “Rookie
of the Year” by Texas Monthly
magazine.
According to the July edition of the
publication released this week, the two
legislators who serve Polk County were
each singled out for mention in the
magazine’s bi-annual rating of Texas
senators and representatives.
Caperton, 31, who unseated Senate
veteran Bill Moore last year in one of
the biggest upsets in recent political
history, was cited by the magazine as
“a true moderate; a man with a homing
instict for the middle/’
In receiving the magazines “Rookie
of the Year” award, Caperton ap-
parently just missed being named as
one of Texas Monthly’s “Ten Best”.
“Caperton knew when to compromise
(as when he worked with two other
senators to develop a balanced low-
level nuclear waste bill) and knew
when to stand firm (as when he con-
tinued to press for a wortc furlough pro-
gram for prisoners despite Bill
Clements’s veto threats).” the story
said.
Caperton was unavailable for com-
ment at press time.
Browder, 41, who was elected to the
16th District post last year, was
described by the magazine as “A
dismaying example of the sort of smar-
my, gladhanding polictician who
perpetuates the booze-and-buffoonery
image of the Legislature.”
The Texas Monthly story cited
Browder as a man who never missed a
party and who “seemed more in-
terested in keeping up with the social
calendar than the bill calendar.”
According to the story, Browder ap-
peared to have regarded his service in
the Texas House “as a cornucopia from
which he could extract goodies. Upon
entering Austin restaurants, (he) look-
ed not for a table but for a lobbyist to
pick up the tab.”
It criticized the Shepherd man for in-
troducing “silly” legislation including
one bill which would have abolished the
City of Austin and replaced it with a
district governed by the legislature, a
system similar to that used in
Washington, D.C. “Browder fumed that
while Houston and San Antonio enter-
tained legislators lavishly, Austin gave
them only cookies, crackers and park-
ing tickets,” the story said.
“No less silly were his game and fish
bills, which legalized everything short
of dynamiting fish and stripping the
state of its regulatory authority; when
state biologists protested, Browder
responded with a bill to slash their
agency’s budget,” it said.
In a prepared statement issued by
Browder Tuesday, the representative
said that in his view, “being a represen-
tative of a rural East Texas area, such
as the 16th District, involves a respon-
sibility to support causes and issues
that are not necessarily designed to
please the big city, liberal interests
typififed by such publications as Texas
Monthly, where one can find such
‘gems of knowledge’ as which
restaurants in Austin and Dallas are
the ‘in’ spots to wine and dine."
Browder added he considers it “no
disgrace” to be excluded from a “Ten
Best” list of the legislature, if he would
have been in the company of U.S.
District Judge William Wayne Justice,
“a man whose rulings seem intended to
bankrupt the State of Texas on behalf of
the criminals now serving in the Texas
Department of Corrections.”
The Shepherd man added he was
“astonished” that the magazine would
make such a judgment of him, because
no representative of the publication
contacted him or his staff concerning
his legislative program daring the five-
month session.
“This, in his opinion, typifies the lack
of objective reporting employed by
Texas Monthly,” the statement said.
“He suspects that the primary sources
of information they used to draw their
conclusions were their liberal col-
leagues of the Dallas and Austin press
staffs.”
Browder’s statement said he felt it
more important “to work hard to repre-
sent the citizens of his district and the
state, rather than cater to the press in
order to make Texas Monthly’s ‘Top
Ten’ list. At the same time, he respects
their right under the constitution to ex-
ress their opinion of him at any time.”
According to the magazine, political
philosophy such as liberalism or con-
servatism was not a basis for their
selections. The main criteria used in
drawing up both the “Best” and
“Worst” lists was technical skill.
“A good legislator understands
power and uses it skillfully but without
malice, he sees the big picture, and he
had unassailable integrity," the story
said. “The qualities that define a bad
legislator are more elusive. We have
always held that stupidity may be
forgiven so long as it is not accom-
panied by aggressiveness; the worse
legislators are those who have power
and misuse it.”
The Texas Monthly story said that in
deciding who would be included on the
lists, the magazine’s staff talked to
almost 200 people including legislators,
Capitol press, legislative aides, lob-
byists and state agency scouts. “The
KENT CAPERTON
..“Rookie of the Year”
LARRY BROWDER
defends “wont” rating
Ambulance attendant
dies from injuries
Tire blamed
Efforts to save the life of a 26-year-old ambulance attendant
from Nacogdoches proved to be in vain after the ambulance
went out of control on U.S. 59 Tuesday. The Nacogdoches am-
bulance was transporting a cardiac patient to Houston when
the left front tire tread separated causing the vehicle to swerve
across the median and northbound lanes of the highway and
overturn, according to the highway patrol trooper who in-
vestigated the accident. The cardiac patient and driver were
reported to be in stable condition Wednesday.
Polk County Folklife Festival to honor timber
By VAN THOMAS
LIVINGSTON—The forests of Polk
County have been a land blanketed with
beauty, a land rich in heritage and a
Reaction
I am a World War I veteran who is
now having trouble with my hearing.
I can’t really afford to buy a hearing
aide. Am I eligible far VA help?
f ' • ‘ \. ’ ’•£?• .• -\ y* :0£*. Vk 4 i &;•
Up until December, 1979 they pro-
bably would not have been able to
help, but then a law was passed
authorizing the Veteran’s Ad-
ministration to provide medical
needs for World War I veterans in a
VA facility.
(The Enterprise wS newer questions <*
If
land known for its ability to serve and
enrich a man’s existence.
Conserved and multiplied by wise use
and good forestry practices, these
forests are not only generating
renewable resources for a wood-
oriented economy, but are being used
extensively as a source of pleasure by
outdoorsmen and others who seek a
communion with nature.
The Eighth Annual Polk County
Folklifq Festival, Oct. 9-10-11, will of-
ficially honor the timber industry of
Polk County and East Texas.
No. 1 In Timber
Eva June Freeman and Walter
Autry, vice-chairmen of the Festival
Committee, announced that the 1981
theme will be “No. 1 In Timber.”
Monev may not grow on trees, but
GISD trustees begin
dismissal hearing
Wk
GOODRICH - Although the status of
the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
hearing on the dismissal of suspended
Goodrich Superintendent Jerry Easley
stm was unclear early this i ‘
school
begani
The local
p.m. Wednesday i
Auditorium, is being conducted by
seven-member school board. Although
it was not known how long the matter
would last, school officials have said
the hearing will continue through the
night and into today if necessary.
Easley, 40, was hired as Goodrich
See EASLEY’8 Pg. 1IA
git
- An ambulance from
carrying a cardiac pa-
t to Methodist Hospital in Houston
went out of control on U.S.59 Tuesday
killing an attendant and injuring the
driver and patient. The accident occur-
red at 12:10 p.m. approximately three
miles north of Livingston.
The 1977 Ford ^conoline ambulance
was southbound,’traveling at a high
rate of speed, when the tread on the left
front tire separated, according to Texas
Highway Patrol Trooper Tom Selman.
The ambulance veered off the road,
traveled across the grassy median and
the northbound lanes of the highway,
hit a culvert and rolled over at least one
time.
Steven James Taylor, 25, of Garrison,
an ambulance attendant, was
transported to Livingston Memorial
Hospital. The Lifeflight helicopter was
called, but Taylor died before he could
be flown to Houston. He was pronounc-
ed dead at 1:45 p.m. by Precinct 1
Justice of the Peace G.H. Galloway.
The cardiac patient who was in the
ambulance at the time of the accident,
George M. Luman, 58, of Nacogdoches,
was taken by Lifeflight to Houston’s
Hermann Hospital where he was
reported to be in stable condition.
The driver of the ambulance,
Timothy Joe Tomlin, 20, of
Nacogdoches, was transferred to
Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital and
was also reported to be in stable condi-
tion.
Selman said the driver did
“everything he was supposed to do”
when the tire separated but that he
could not regain control of,.the am-
bulance.
Lifeflight returned to Livingston
shortly after 5:15-p.m, to transport the
deceased’s eyes to Houston. Taylor was
a member of The Living Bank, an
organisation through which person* “ 1
donate parts of their bodtttupSimrir
death to those in need of transplants.
Murder charge d
in shooting death
CORRIGAN - Elisia Eskeli 32, of
Corrigan has been charged with
murder and placed under a $15,000 bond
in the Polk County Jail. Eskeli is accus-
ed of shooting her husband, Darwin
Eugene Eskeli, 48, of Corrigan three
times, the incident occurred at approx-
imately 1:25 a.m. Monday in their home
of U.S. 59 near Corrigan-Camden High
School.
Corrigan Police Officer Leon Brown
went to investigate the case after
receiving a call from a woman who was
reportedly screaming hysterically that
there had been a shooting. When Brown
arrived at the home he found Eskeli ly-
ing on the ground nejjr the front door of
t|ieir home near death. He died about
two minutes later, before the am-
bulance could get to the home. He was
pronounced dead St the scene by
Precinct 3 Justice of fee Peace Harvey
Stamper.
Investigation showed Eskeli had been
shot three times. One bullet entered his
head, another shot went into his chest
and another entered his stomach. He
was apparently shot with a .22 caliber
handgun.
Police Chief Forest Powell and
Brown questioned several family
members who were staying in the home
at the time the shooting occurred, and
were told they had heard the victim and
his wife arguing in the living room of
their home and then heard three shots
ring out. An autopsy was performed on
the victim the next day by a Lufkin doc-
tor who determined that the Shot which
entered the lung was the fatal bullet.
Eskeli was a supervisor for Champion’s
Corrigan plant and. had lived in Cor-
rigan for approximately one year. He
had previously lived in Oregon.
In other Corrigan police action,
Robert Earl Crisp, 39, of Corrigan was
arrested Friday cm a felony theft
charge stemming froth the theft of
See CORRIGAN Pg. 10A
there is money in growing trees as a
crop.
Polk County is No. 1 in sawlogs in
Texas. No. 1 in pulpwood. No. 1. by
county in Texas in timber production.
Ranked No. 5 in veneer logs (plywood).
Polk County has two major sawmills
that are ranked No. 1 among 106 mills in
the Lone Star State.
“Timber is big business in Polk Coun-
ty,’’remarked vice-chairman Eva June
Freeman. “We want to show our ap-
preciation to all.”
Most of the major timber industries
have informed the Folklife Festival
Committee they plan to participate in
this year’s festival.
Mrs. Freeman reported that the
Festival Committee voted to give fee
18-foot-tall Paul Bunyan a “new
name.”
Big Jim Polk
The committtee re-named Bunyan,
“Big Jim Polk.” Polk County
created from Liberty
and was named in honor of U.S. j
Freeman pointed out.
“Big Jim Polk” will be placed on the
Polk County Courthouse lawn in early
September. He will be dressed in
lumberjack clothes.
“We are looking forward to a great
Folklife Festival,” vice-chairman
Autry said. “Our booth sites will be go-
ing on sale July 1.”
Festival Booths
Festival booths on the Polk County
Courthouse lawn and North Jackson
Street (street will be closed for traffic
on Friday, Saturday and Sunday) will
go on sale July 1 at 8:30 a.m. at the
Chamber of Commerce office for $30
See BOOTH Pg.8A
our festival more
Annex construction
discussed by court
- Juggling of current Commissioners dismissed fee idea of
space and possible con- renting a 4,500-square-foot building
“K Stews***-
of
sioners Court.
as !?■“
regular then a |
See VACATED Pg. HA
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 25, 1981, newspaper, June 25, 1981; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth781335/m1/1/?rotate=90: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.