Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 116, No. 32, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 19, 1998 Page: 4 of 28
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PAGE4A -THE POLK COUNTY ENTERPRISE, SUNDAY, APRIL M, 1998
Transfer policy among OISD topics
ONALASKA - In conjunction
with the upcoming 1998-99 school
year, out of district transfer students
Md recommended changes for the
middle school cheerleader program
will be considered by the Board of
Trustees of the Onalaska Independ-
ent School at its regular meeting at
6:30 pm. Tuesday.
The boaid will consider approval
of an out of district trip for die
eighth grade Natural Helpers May
8-10 and will also consider approval
of a continued contract with Here-
ford, Lynch, Sellars and Kiifcham as
the district audit firm.
The board will consider finance
options for the existing note on the
OISD administration building and
will consider action on the first
reading of revised policy DCE
(local).
A bid for the purchase of tax
foreclosure property - Lots 18-19
of Block 6 of Lake Livingston Es-
tates No. 4 - will also be consid-
ered.
The board will establish a date to
canvass the May 2 city and school
trustee election and will also con-
sider approval of budget amend-
ments 98C, 98D, 98E and 98F.
The board will review construc-
tion progress and consider a resolu-
tion to submit Emily Banks' name
for the Texas Association of School
Boartb’ Media Honor Roll.
An executive session is on the
agenda for the deliberation of per-
principal.
Reports will be heard Grom the
superintendent, principals and board
members.
Other items on the agenda include
•pproval of the tax report, state-
ment of accounts, payment of
monthly bills and minutes of the
March 17 and April 8 meetings.
Tennis tournament ahead
In conjunction with May being
USA Tennis Month, the Paries ail
Recreation Department aid Living-
ston Tennis Association will be
sponsoring a tennis tournament
Saturday, May 9, which is also des-
ignated by the USTA (United States
Tennis Association) as USA Tennis
Day.
There will be two divisions: Di-
vision A for those who play tennis
competitively and Division B for
those who are weekend players.
Events offered are women’s singles
and doubles and men's singles and
doubles. There is a $6 entry fee for
Parks and Recreation
Department News
By LESLIE BOYKIN, superintendent
LTA members tni $10 fa non-
members, per player per event.
Play begins at 8:30 a.m. Satur-
day and it will be a on*day tour-
nament only. T-shirts will bo
awarded to winners.
Along with the adult tournament,
Friday, May 8, the LTA will spon-
Family's joy mixed with sadness
tor a junior high fun doubles be-
ginning at 6:30 p.m. There is a S5
entry fee fa each participant. All
play will occur at the Matthews
Street Park tennis courts on Mat-
thews Street
Information on upcoming tennis
events for the summer will be
handed out at the tournament
Fa additional information on the
tournament, call Paul McLendon,
327-2862.
from page 1
said. “It is something we all hold in
our power to give, and if we do not
give it away, it is lost forever and
benefits no one. Yet when we
choose to give it away, it becomes
a priceless gift of shining hope and
transforms the life of the recipient
Second time around “hasn’t
been easy"
“Haley is doing better now, but it
hasn’t been easy fa her. This time,
being older and a teenager, it’s
harder for her,” Kerry said. “She
didn’t really remember how much
pain was involved from the first
time and also, being the second
transplant there is so much more
involved in her recovery.
“She takes one day at a time as
she always has. She is so strong
and determined,” Kerry said. “She
still has IV drips periodically at
home and at the hospital. -Her veins
are so weak, they shut down every
few days and she has to have new
ones started. Sometimes a main a
olid line is put in, which is very
pmram ior net.
; “Haley’s donor was CMV posi-
tive which means they were a car-
rier for the virus which causes
mono (mononucleosis). This can be
very serious for Haley because the
ainti-rejection drugs she takes to
keep her from rejecting ha new
Heart can also allow this virus to
surface,” Kerry said. “This is why
she takes cyto-gam infusions every
few weeks to suppress the virus.
“Haley is so determined to over-
come all she is faced with,” her
moiha said.
“She also has biopsies every few
weeks which are very painful. A
biopsy which is performed through
d heart catheterization is the one and
Only way to find if she’s rejecting,”
Kerry said. “She has cj\ levels
every week to keep a check on her
cyclosplorinc levels in her blood.
' “She does all this without an ar-
gument,” Kerry said. “All she
♦ants is a normal life and to be
able to go to school and be a nor-
mal teenager.
“She is an absoutely amazing
ijicrson and she has always shown
itch courage and strength, even as a
itery small child,” Kerry proudly
£ud. “These qualities get her
through the hard times and make
her really appreciate the good times
aid make the most of them. She
dislikes having auention brought to
Her health problems and focuses
instead on trying to live as normal
4 life as possible.
; “At a time when their lives were
shattered by the grief of losing their
t^vn child, a family reached out to
:h her life profoundly, to liter-
lly save ha life,” Kerry said. “The
ititude we feel can never be put
ijkto words. In an act of the purest
l$ve and human kindness, they gave
Her the gift of life.
> Joy mixed with sadness
f ‘‘Our joy for ha is mingled with
dbys of sadness for their loss and
the magnitude of their gift can
rjeva be forgotten,” Kerry said. “It
tpuches your very soul to witness
tfos. It makes you so aware of
(#od’s love and you see his hand in
eJvery step of the process.
• “You can't adojuately put into
vfords the gratitude you feel for the
(foetors and nurses either,” Kerry
4id. “They have such reverence for
t$e donor and for the chance it gives
t^cm to save a child’s life.
{“God has blessed them with the
desire end dedication necessary to
{fcrform the work they do -- their
acills and knowledge make it pos-
able,” Kerry said. "Through all her
years of treatment, bonds were made
with ha caregivers that will neva
be forgotten.
“Some members of the transplant
team would have tears in their eyas
as they explained how critical Haley
was," Kerry said. “This shows
clearly the compassion and love
they have for their patients.
“You will neva have a better op-
portunity to be a part of a miracle
than when you donate your own, a
a loved one’s, organs and see the
miracle you bring to someone’s
life,” Kerry said.
“Please take the time to discuss
and make your wishes known to
each oiha - in the event of a death
it will have already been decided -
knowing that it is simply carrying
out the wishes of each otha,” Kerry
said.
“We have come to know many
children and their families at Texas
Childrens’ Hospital through the
years, many of whom have not
survived. They passed ova while
waiting for a transplant We miss
them dearly and will neva forget
Thanks to everyone
“We would like to thank each and
every one for all the support and
prayers for Haley and our family,”
Kerry said. “Haley is here with us
because of all your prayers and
love. You’ve made us feel like we
are still a part of your community,
even though we’ve long since
moved.
“Haley has always wanted to be a
normal kid, so due to ha wishes,
not many around Dayton know of
her condition,” Kerry said.
“All of you have been there every
step of the way for Haley, so she
feels comfortable with Livingston
and surrounding counties knowing,”
Kerry said. ‘We do miss the close-
ness of a town like Livingston.
Everyone pulls togetha like a
close-knit family would in a crisis
Board meeting
site to change
from page 1
quent tax property lot in Wild
Country Lakes No. 1.
• accepted a $1,300 bid from
Maud Ellen Wiggins for two lots in
Lakeshore Estates No. 2, a $500
bid from Otis Johnson Jr. for two
lots,in Indian Spring Lake Estates
No. 5, and an $820 bid from James
Stanley for a lot in Shelta Cove
No. 4.
• set 7:30 a.m. May 5 as the time
fa a special meeting to canvass re-
sults from the May 2 school board
election.
• and agreed to move the board
meeting site to Room 7 in the
Community Education Building,
beginning in August.
Superintendent Janet Morris re-
ported that the girls’ softball team
finished its season as district cham-
pions, with a 9-1 record; that plans
for the summa feeding program are
coming together, with the primary
and elementary schools and the In-
dian Reservation picked as proposed
sites for this year’s program; that
the district has received notice of
nine sex offenders residing in the
district; and that three LHS choirs
won Best of Class in competition
in Colorado.
In personnel matters, the board
accepted the resignation of Pam
Roberts, intermediate school
tcacha, effective at the end of the
school year, approved the hiring of
Doug Price as junior high custo-
dian; and approved the hiring of
auxiliary personnel for the 1998-99
school year.
and prays togetha and makes you
feel strong, like you can conquer
anything.
“There’s been so much strength
and love generated, it’s like a secu-
rity blanket was around us," Kerry
said. “Keep ha in your prayas to
keep ha strong, fa with prava you
can overcome anything you use.
“There is no way to ever thank
everyone enough who has helped
with Haley’s heart fond, although
we want to give special thanks to
the commitUXRfor their hard work
and devotion,” Kerry said. “The hard
work of Bruce and Tonya Carpenia
and Susan Milter is greatly appreci-
ated. The Rippys, special friends
and family members who have
helped have also meant so much to
us.
'We’d also like to send a very
special thank you to the Alabama-
Coushatta Indian Reservation for
their generosity," Kerry said. “We
want to thank the golfers for hold-
ing the golf tournament and all the
businesses fa their help and gear-
ositv *
“We watt toifaftk all the friends
and family foriheir love and sup-
port,” Kerry said. “Uncle Z.W. md
Mrs. Rippy standing out in the rain
to sell raffle tickets really touched
our hearts.
“Please know that you are all
thought of in a very special way,”
Kory said.
“Haley is the first second trans-
plant at Texas Childrens’ Hospital -
- and hopefully will be the first of
many - with dona awareness,”
Kerry said. “She has had three
hearts and many miracles in ha life
and yes, we do strongly believe in
miracles. We believe there are an-
gels among us.
Polk County box-by-box
returns in the district judge
runoff election were trans-
posed in Thursday’s Enter-
prise. The correct totals are
listed below:
Baxl
Seeno
25
14
Bax 2
Ac
IT"
36
Bax 3
Goodidi
153
izr
Bax4
THnLtlh..
100
w~
Bax 5
SomicLoop
52
~TT
Bat 6
Ohriflta
84
63
Bax 7
ChjChist
TT
120
Bax 8
1 ppprti
13 6
W~
Box 9
Macaw
76
Bax 10
Coniffln
1W~
168
Baxll
Baiun
12“
59
Box 12
hdRcsav.
75
oo
Bax 13
BwSmcV
~w~
24
Bax 14
hd Springs
79
10“
Bax 15
SdwbOv
3b
~TT
Box 16
Liv.VFW
W
223
Bax 17
Unhid -—,
15“
IT"
Bax 18
Durhr
>134
W~
Eaiy wring
49tf
"505“
TOTAL
~wr
TEH
UVINGSTON SCHOOLS
„ Monday, April 20
Fuh fingen, tartar sauce, veggict with
dip, uuor rounds, corabread, milk.
Tuesday, April 21
BBW chicken drummies, creamy whole
new potatoes, green beans, roll, brownie,
milk.
Wednesday, April 22
Chicken telrazzmi, buttered carrots,
green salad, toll, milk.
Tburaday, April 23
Taco salad, refried beans, picante sauce,
fresh fruit, milk.
Friday, April 24
Cheeseburger on bun or chef salad,
fries, burger salad, jello with fruit, milk.
ONALASKA SCHOOLS
Monday, April 20
BBQ on bun, pickles, onions, baked fries,
pinto beans, spice cake, milk.
Tueaday, April 21
Baked ham, sweet potatoes, rice pilaf,
white bread, pineapple chunks, milk.
Wednesday, April 22
StramboU, garden salad, cabbage,
chocolate chip cookies, milk.
Tburaday, April 23
Rib-B-Que on bun, pickles, anions, po-
tato salad, peadr cobbler, milk.
‘ Friday, April 24
Chicken and dumplings, steamed broc-
f coli, green beans, mixed fruit, combread,
milk.
BIO SANDYSCHOOLS
Monday, April 20
Sausage pizza, com on the cob, fntit,
“ oookie, milk.
' Tuseday, April 21
Hot ham and cheese on bun, salad, beef-
vegetable soup, crackers, cake, milk.
Wedneadav, April 22
Nacho chips with ground beef and
cheese sauce, refried beans on lettuce leaf,
picante sauce, cookie, milk.
. Tburaday, April 23
/tsco'stator casserole, tossed sslad,
Crackers, jello, cookie, white bread, milk.
\ Friday, April 24
t Cheeseburger, salad, fries, catsup,
shape-ups, milk.
GOODRICH SCHOOLS
Monday, April 20
Ground beef with macaroni, carrots,
salad, cake, roll, milk. (Option: Hot dog
with chili and cheese.)
- Tuesday, April 21
Fried chicken, creamed potatoes, broc-
coli, cobbler, roll, milk. (Option: Ham-
burger with fries.)
Wednesday, April 22
Lasagne, green peas, com, jello with
fruit, garlic bread, milk. (Option: Pizza.)
Thursday, April 23
Country-fried steak, potato wedges, lima
beans, cookie, combread, milk. (Option:
Steak fingers.)
Friday, April 24
Quesadillas, refried beans, Mexi-com,
brownie, milk. (Option: Tacos.)
LEGGETT SCHOOLS
Monday, April 20
Chicken nuggets, pork and beans, green
salad, bread, muk.
Tueaday, April 21
Macaroni casserole, pees, peach cob-
bler, bread, milk.
Wednesday, April 22
Taco salad, picante sauce, whole-kernel
com, mixed fruit, milk.
Tburaday, April 23
Pinto beans with meat, steamed rice,
combread, jello with fntit, milk.
Friday, April 24
Cheeseburgers, burger salad, fries,
brownies, milk.
CORRIGAN-CAMDEN SCHOOL'S
Monday, April 20
Hot dog with chili and cheese, fries, cat-
sup, com on the cob, juice bars, milk.
Tuesday, April 2i
Chicken-fried steak, rice with gravy,
green lima beans, sliced peaches, hot rolls,
milk.
Wednesday, April 22
Fish strips, tartar sauce, tator lots, catsup,
coleslaw, white bread, milk.
Thursday, April 23
BBQ an bun, potato salad, baked beans,
cookie, milk.
Friday, April 24
Cheeseburger, fnet, green salad, ice
cream, milk.
CHESTER SCHOOLS
Monday, April 20
Comdogs, fries, pinto beans, combread,
milk.
Tuesday, April 21
Macaroni with ground beef, blackeyed
peas, com nuggets, combread, milk.
Wednesday, April 22
Chicken-fried steak, potatoes with gravy,
green beans, rolls, milk.
Thursday, April 23
Chicken and dumplings, English peas,
baby carrots, rolls, milk.
Friday, April 24
Hamburgers, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles,
onions, fries, baked beans, milk.
photo ay sikmv rmcnsoN
A FAMILY TRADITION - Elizabeth Coker is sworn in by
' her father, the late District Judge Lynn Coker, after passing the
bar exam.
Challenges ahead
from page 1
“Dad had been fighting cancer for
a long time, and after his death, I
decided to move closer to Mom.”
So Elizabeth accepted a position
in Huntsville with Smither, Mar-
tin, Henderson & Blazek. She felt
better being closer to her mother,
Jennie, who resides in Conroe.
The second week the judge-elect
lived in Huntsville, some co-
workers invited her to attend a cele-
bration given in Walker County by
the newly elected county judge of
Trinity County.
“The judge is not married, and
you are not married, and we think
you two should meet,” Elizabeth
recalls as she grinned ear to ear.
And so they did. Elizabeth told
Mark Evans, during their first meet-
ing, that if she’d been in the area
during his race for county judge,
she “would have contributed.....”
And Mark Evans asked Elizabeth
out.....“I knew I was back in East
Texas when Mark took me out on
our first date to a fish-fry at Judge
Joe Ned Dean’s camphouse,” Eliza-
beth chuckles.
The couple had a lot to talk about
since they both came from political
backgrounds.
Mark Evans joined In the cas-
sation at this point. He’d just come
home from a day’s work in his of-
fice.
"My grandfatha, Joe Scott
Evans, was the Trinity County
Sheriff back in the thirties, and my
dad, Lynn Evans, was elected sheriff
of Trinity County in 1951. At that
time he was the youngest shaiff in
the United States."
At this time we are not sure if
Elizabeth is the youngest female to
be elected a district judge. She is
aware of one being appointed and
currently running for election. This
candidate is the same age as Eliza-
beth, 31.
Mark told how he decided to re-
turn to his roots in Trinity County
to run for judge in January 1995.
Prior to that he had worked for East
Texans in the Land Commis-
sioner’s office in Austin.
The meeting of the two attorneys
eventually led to their marriage in
December 1995.
After settling into married life in
Trinity County at Westwood
Shores, Elizabeth said she’d neva
made any bones about ha goals. '1
told everyone that someday I
planned to run for district judge.”
“I would neva run against an in-
cumbent,” she added, “so I really
had to scurry around to get all the
documents and filing fee in before
the deadline this year after I heard
Judge Joe Ned Dean had announced
his retirement."
Elizabeth beat the filing deadline
in Austin by 15 minutes and she
has been running hard ever since.
After the last box was counted
Tuesday night, “I finally breathed
an easy breath,” she said.
Her only regret is her father and
grandfather are not alive to share
this historic^ moment with ha;
however Elizabeth is sure they’re
aware of this, and she is proud to
carry the family tradition into the
21st century.__
A brother, Tyler, who attends
SHSU came in at this time to
check on his sister.
Marie spoke with pride of his
wife’s campaign, ”1 think if anyone
had any doubts about Elizabeth
having the qualities nccdod to be a
good district judge... they should
have been answered by the way she
conducted her campaign. She
showed a lot of strength and a lot of
character.” : /' ,
So what will Elizabeth Coker be
doing until she takes office in Janu-
ary 1999?
“I want to have a party to thank
everyone who helped me," she said.
This will probably take place in the
next month or so.
Elizabeth took ova United States
Congressman Jim Turner’s office,
located across the street from the
post office in Crockett in January
1997 and she plans to “go back to
the office very soon."
Her practice there involves real
estate transactions, corporate law,
family law, and probate. Howcva,
when her term begins in 1999,
Elizabeth plans to have a little
more on ha plate.
When asked where she will be
based, she answered, “More than J
likely I .will set up court in the <
district judge's office in Oroveton.
“District Court is the highest
trial court in Texas and I’ll be deal-
ing with all felony state jail cases,
the criminal aspect of capital ma-
tter and civil cases. I’ll hear (my
disputes ova land, real estate, con-
demnation proceedings, domestic
problems and family law,” Eliza-
beth said.
She will share jurisdiction ova
the three-county area in certain
fields, including family law, with
Polk County Judge Stephen Phil-
lips, county comt-at-law judge.
Elizabeth said ha main thrust
will be what the office of district
judge demands.... To know the
law.... To apply the law. And she
plans to do just that!
She plans to use every available
tool to wak on trying to combat
juvenile crime. She spoke highly of
the STARR program already in-
stalled in Polk County. Elizabeth
would like to start this or some-
thing like this in San Jacinto and
Trinity County.
“The biggest problems in the ju-
venile arena are caused by a small
number of youth and I intend to
work with law enforcement officers,
juvenile probation officers and
county officials to get these prob-
lems solved,” Coker said.
So Elizabeth Coka’s first race is
over and she’s off to the next chap-
ter in the next lane where there’s
sure to be more challenges, more
hurdles, and more obstacles than
she’s ever dreamed of.
But Elizabeth is a political thor-
oughbred. She has politics in ha
background, in ha marriage, in ha
blood, in her bones, and probably
in her DNA, as well.
Elizabeth loves ha calling to the
political arena, and her friends, fam-
ily, and many predecessors “in the
company of heaven” will be watch-
ing her career with support and in-
terest, she believes.
POLK COUNTY
ENTERPRISE
ALVIN HOLLEY, PUBLISHER
Telephone Number 327-4357
(USPS 437-340)
WEBSITE: www.detnet.com/pcent/ E-MAIL: liv/ent@detnet.com
Entered as Second-Class Matter at the Post Office at Livingston,
Texas 77351 under the Act of Congress of March 3,1987.
Opinions expressed in editorial are those ol the Enterprise.
POSTMASTER: Postage Paid At Livingston, Tx. Please Send Address
Changes To P.O. Box 1276, Livingston, Texas 77351.
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 116, No. 32, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 19, 1998, newspaper, April 19, 1998; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth790974/m1/4/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.