Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 114, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 11, 1996 Page: 1 of 38
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114 Nunber 3
: News and AdvertMng Source In Polk County
USPS 437-340 Pricer 25
March and rally to highlight MLK Day
Holiday closures set
LIVINGSTON •• Banks, post offices and county and city
offices will be closed Monday, Jan. IS, in observance of Mar-
tin Luther King Jr. Day.
Curbside garbage collection in Livingston will continue on
schedule. The deadline for city electric bills, normally due on
the 15th, has been extended to Jan. 16.
By SHERRI BURRIS
Enterprise Reporter
LIVINGSTON - The annual
Martin Luther King celebration will
be observed Monday in Livingston.
Organizers have planned a march
and rally. The day will culminate
with a program at the Livingston
High School.
The freedom march begins at 1
p.m. at the Dunbar gymnasium and
will take marchers through
downtown Livingston to the court-
house square. The Rev. Kenneth
Darden, of the Macedonia Baptist
Church in Livingston, will speak to
the crowd.
Persons wishing to participate in
the march should be at the Dunbar
gymnasium shortly before 1 p.m.
The march is in remembrance of
the famous Aug. 28, 1963 March
on Washington D.C. King
delivered his "I Have A Dream"
speech before 250,000 at the Lin-
coln Memorial.
A rally begins at 7 p.m. at
Livingston High School. The fea-
tured speaker will be Maurice
McGartha of Houston. McGartha is-
a senior at Texas Southern Univcr- >
sity.
The Livingston High School jazz
band and honor choir will provide1
entertainment along with singers
Amelia and Kasclia Wright of ’
Jasper.
City considering
no guns in parks
LIVINGSTON -- The Livingston
City Council wants to keep con-
cealed handguns out of city parks.
State law makes that hard to do.
Under the law that went into ef-
fect Jan. 1, private property owners
can prohibit handguns, counties
have regulatory authority to ban
weapons from county-owned
property and there are numerous
restrictions against carrying
weapons in schools, bars, hospitals,
courtrooms... the list goes on.
General law cities such as
Livingston, however, cannot regu-
late weapons, City Manager Sam
Gordon told the city council Tues-
day night.
Signs banning concealed
weapons can be posted on public
buildings, but in the great outdoors
- parks, playgrounds and golf
courses -- the city’s hands are tied.
Some cities are using their criminal
trespassing ordinances to help regu-
late handguns and that may be a
possibility here, Gordon said.
Before investigating the options
they wanted to try to keep
handguns out of parks. The consen-
sus was a unanimous "yes."
Specific plans to help keep con-
cealed weapons out of city parks,
and any necessary changes in the
city’s personnel policy regarding
weapons, will be presented at the
council’s February meeting.
For the seventh consecutive year,
the city has been awarded a Certifi-
cate of Achievement for Excellence
in Financial Reporting by the
Government Finance Officers As-
sociation.
City Secretary Marilyn Sutton
joined Mayor Ben Royden Ogletree
and Steve Palmerton and Kevin
Bicnvcnu of the certified public ac-
countant firm of Hopkins, Vetters,
Palmerton and Co. for presentation
of the certificate. "It’s not some-
thing to be taken lightly," the
mayor said, noting that the award
reflects high standards in the city’s
financial recordkeeping and report-
ing. The award was for the fiscal
year ended Sept 30,1994.
Palmerton presented the com-
prehensive annual financial report
for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30,
1995, noting that the city again
received a "clean opinion" on its
audit
The city’s end-of-the-ycar cash
balance fell from a little over $1.72
million in 1994 to $1.33 million in
1995, the auditor noted. Consider-
ing the city, using internal funds,
put some $336,000 into street im-
provements, several hundred
thousand dollars into water system
improvements and put $455,000 in-
to debt retirement during the year,
the fact that the cash balance did
not drop mcie reflects good
management, he added.
"The city remains in excellent
financial health," he summarized.
The city added Martin Luther
King Jr. Day to its list of holiday cmarRM photo by Gordon ubarron
observances. City offices have brjdqe BUILDING - Texas Department westbound bridge will be divided by a con-
Year’s Day! Memorial DayTjuly^ °f Transportation workers build a detour to Crete yall and used for east and westbound
Labor Day,'two days for be used when the old eastbound side of the traffic until the new bridge is complete. The
Thanksgiving and two days at LongJKang Creek bridge QQ.1UL 190is tom old bridge is a cantilever structure built in
..... •■'**** ' within * die 'tarn-weeks." tfe''' T036.”
With the change approved Tues-
day night, city offices will be
closed this Monday, Jan. 15, for the
King holiday. Garbage collection
service will continue on schedule
and the deadline for electric bills
will be extended to Jan. 16.
Bids were opened Monday for
demolition of the old First United
Methodist Chirch building, pur-
chased by the city last summer to
make room for a new police sta-
Flood buy outs continuing
By SHERRI BURRIS
Enterprise Reporter
LIVINGSTON - Out of the
tion, and on asbestos removal at $270,000 awarded to Polk County
that site. The council accepted the for buy out properties
lowest of four bids received -- a with the October ‘94 flood,
$24,008 offer from U.S. Excava- $96,000 had been spent as of the
tion of Fort Worth -- for the build- first week in January,
ing demolition. Work is scheduled Emergency Management Coor-
to begin Feb. 1. dinalor John McDowell brought the
Prior to demolition, asbestos commissioners up to date on the
must be removed from the federal buy out program at the
sanctuary walls and ceiling. Hazard commissioners’ court meeting
Assessment Leaders, Inc. of Hous- Monday morning,
ton submitted the lowest bid, The county offered to buy 16
$15,188, for the asbestos removal properties. Ten property owners
See LIBRARY pg. 7A **ave acccPtc<* the offer and six of
those have been closed. McDowell
said two more will close in ap-
proximately two weeks.
In other flood related buy out
news, bids relating to five federal
buy out properties were opened
Dec. 29 and accepted at Monday’s
meeting. Commissioners accepted
high bids of $1,511 for a 14x75
mobile home, $311 for a 12x60
mobile home, $206 for a 12x50
mobile home, $326.50 for a three
bedroom frame house and $176.50
for a two bedroom frame house. All
structures have to be removed from
the properties within 30 days.
In other court business, Precinct
1 Commissioner B.E. "Slim"
Speights recommended the court
advertise for bids for the sale and
removal of a mobile home and a
wooden outbuilding located on tax
foreclosure properties in his
precinct Speights described the
buildings as an "eyesore" and said
they were in "pretty bad shape."
Commissioner of Precinct 2
Bobby Smith recommended action
concerning tax foreclosure property
in his precinct be tabled until lie
has more time to investigate the
property.
Commissioners accepted three
roads in Precinct 1. Coventry
Drive, Little John Drive and Sum-
mitt Drive, all located in Shelter
See DELINQUENT pg. 7A
SeeMLKpg.6A
Onalaska
expecting
22 tourneys
ONALASKA - Mayor Jeanne
Ann Byrd announced that Onalaska
will host 22 fishing tournaments
this summer. The announcement
came at a brief city council meeting
conducted Tuesday night.
Byrd expects the tournaments to
be an economic boon for the com-
munity and the county.
Police Chief Joe Rhodes in-
formed the council that he is work-
ing with the school district in im-
plementing a gun safety program
for students. The program called
Eddie Eagle is sponsored by the
National Rifle Association. It
teaches gun safety through role
playing and games.
Rhodes also reported that for the
month of December the department
investigated 24 criminal offenses
and cleared 19 of those. The
department issued two possession
of marijuana charges, two DWIs
and 77 traffic citations.
A lot located in Impala Woods
has been deemed a public nuisance
because of abandoned vehicles
parked on the lot and overgrown
weeds and trash. Rhodes said he
spoke with Jay Barbee, the county
environmental officer, and Barbee
said he would file charges through
the environmental statute.
In other news, Onalaska’s new
fire station is complete. The station
is located on the comer of Old
Grovcton Road and U.S. 190.
Rhodes cautioned that since there is
no stop light at the intersection of
the two roads, motorists should
lake extra precaution when travel-
ing in the area. He gave the same
advice to persons traveling in the
school areas in the morning and Af-
ternoon hours.
Councilman Lew Vail an-
nounced the annual Easter Parade
and egg hunt will be held March
30.
Underage drinking targeted
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FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY - Livingstdn
Mayor Ben Royden Ogletree (left) presents
a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence
in Financial Reporting award to City
Secretary Marilyn Sutton, joined by Kevin
ENTERPRISE PHOTO BY GORDON LtBARRON
Bienvenu and Steve Palmerton of Hopkins.
Vetters, Palmerton and Co., CPA. This is the
seventh consecutive year the city has won
the award, presented by the Government
Finance Officers Association.
By SHERRI BURRIS
Enterprise Reporter
*»■
LIVINGSTON - Persons serv-
ing alcohol to minors were given a
free trip this past weekend - to the
Polk County jail. The sheriffs
department raided clubs and
package stores in the county in the
hopes of sending a message that
underage drinking will not be
tolerated in Polk County.
The raid resulted in the arrest of
21 people and three businesses
were found selling to minors.
The bust comes after weeks of
complaints from citizens who say
certain individuals and businesses
are endangering the lives of young
people in Polk County by making
alcohol available.
"We know of individuals who
are carrying kids to clubs, people
throwing large parties and making
alcohol available to minors and
package stores selling to minors.
This is clearly going to stop,"
Sheriff Billy Ray Nelson said.
The first of what Nelson said
will be a series of raids was con-
ducted Friday and Saturday night.
The department had a minor at-
tempt to buy alcohol from package
stores and clubs. The minor was ac-
companied by a deputy, with
several deputies waiting in the
parking lots to make the arrests.
Businesses cited for selling to a
minor were the Whirlwinds Club,
located in the Scenic Loop area, J
& C Supper Club, located on U.S.
190 east and the Beverage Bam, lo-
cated on U.S. 190 west inside
Onalaska.
Eight persons were arrested at
the Whirlwinds Club. Owner and
operator Luclla Gladys Manske, 62,
was charged with selling alcohol to
a minor and selling alcohol to an
intoxicated person. Others arrested
at the club were: Lori Loraine
Bunch, 31, selling alcohol to a
minor; Claude Edwards, 37, public
intoxication; Harry Mosby, 34,
public intoxication; John Edwards
Kimbellin IV, 27, public intoxica-
tion; David A. Springer, 48, public
intoxication; John Darling, 32,
public intoxication; and Adam W.
Shuttlcsworth, 33, public intoxica-
tion.
One person was arrested at the J
& C Supper Club. Joy Renee
Donaldson, 32, was charged with
selling alcohol to a minor.
Only one package store was
found violating the law. Two
employees working at the Beverage
Bam were charged. Clayton Todd
Burgess, 20, was charged with
making alcohol available to a
minor and James Eric Williams, 21,
was charged with selling alcohol to
a minor.
Donald Ray Butler was charged
with contributing to a minor after
he allegedly bought beer for the un-
dercover minor after a store would
not sell it to her. Butler was also
charged with consuming alcohol
while operating a motor vehicle.
Nelson said some clubs in the
area will see additional charges
brought against them from the
Texas Alcohol Beverage Commis-
sion because the clubs did not re-
quire memberships.
Although the 7-Oaks club was
not found in violation of selling to
minors, two brothers who came out
of the club reportedly harrassed
deputies. Jonathan Alexander was
charged with three counts of deadly
conduct and one count of retalia-
tion. His brother Clinton Alexander
was charged with retaliation.
Reports state the altercation
began when one of the brothers laid
a shotgun across the hood of a
vehicle and pointed it at deputies.
When the officers attempted to take
the gun, the brothers allegedly
started fighting with deputies and
knocked a window out of a patrol
car.
One person was arrested after
deputies spotted him leaving a dub
intoxicated. Delyn Bullock, 23, was
charged with D^I.
Fifteen deputies were dispatched
to the scene of a large, private phrty
Saturday night after receiving com-
plaints of loud music and traffic
congestion. Deputies went to the
home of Leon Munson, 45, who
lives in Schwab City. Nelson said
that when officers arrived there
See PARTY pg.7A
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 114, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 11, 1996, newspaper, January 11, 1996; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth798571/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.