The Cherokeean. (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 131, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 1, 1981 Page: 1 of 14
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p.O. box 45436
dallas, tx 75233
I
15°
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The Cherokeean
Texas' Oldest Weekly Newspaper
Home of the
Texas State Railroad
Vol. 131 No. 46 14 Pages
Established as the Cherokee Sentinel, February 27,1850
Rusk, Texas 75785--Thursday, January 1,1981
1980: Not A Bad Year... For Most
The year I960, plagued by inflation,
was still a good year for moat citizens
of Rusk and surrounding areas. Sales
taxes collected in Rusk for the period
from Jan. 1 to Dec. 4 totaled $W,906.65,
compared to $92,360.23 collected
during the entire year of 1979.
Boosting the local economy the last
quarter was a 5.1 percent salary in-
crease for state employees. These in-
clude approximately 1,500 at Rusk
State Hospital, also employees of
Parks and Wildlife, Highway Depar-
tment, Health Department, Forest
Service and other agencies. The
budget for the 1960-81 fiscal year at
RSH went to a record high of
$19,817.610.
A new president was elected when
Cherokee County approved the elec-
tion of Ronald Reagan.
City Manager Ron Cox resigned and
Cindy L. Evans of Palestine was ap-
pointed for the position.
Accreditations were received by Rusk
Memorial Hospital and Rusk In-
dependent School district following
current accreditation studies.
Local citizens saw the construction
of a new $90,841 five-bay fire station
late in the year.
Chester Odom was elected first
mayor of the City of Gallatin. Three
new city councilmen were elected and
one newcomer joined the Rusk School
District Board of Education. The elec-
tion of a new county commissioner for
Precinct 1 came as a result of the
second Democratic Primary Election
in June.
Rusk citizens were saddened Sept. 5
with the death of their beloved
physician and friend, Dr. W.E. Gab-
bert.
Death claimed two retired county
newspapers publishers. Mrs.
Maybelle Weimar, 90 of Alto,
longtime publisher of the Alto Herald,
died Jan. 29 and Barnes H. Broiles, 83,
publisher of the Jacksonville Daily
Progress since 1950 died Nov. 26.
E. Bruce Stovall, executive vice
president of Rusk Federal Savings
and Loan Association assumed on
Jan. 1 the presidency of the Rusk
Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber directors approved in
February the employment of Houston
White, as executive vice president
and Gloria Jennings as secretary. A
new office building for the chamber
was purchased in the summer and
chamber offices were moved on Sept.
11 to the former Dr. Charles Davis
building in the downtown area.
Emmett H. Whitehead, owner of E-
Z Vision Cable Co. announced in July
plans for the installation of an earth
station, a complete re-alignment of
television station carriage and exten-
sive improvement of the outside cable
plant. Work was completed and Ch.
17, WTBS, Atlanta, Ga., Christian
Broadcast Network and SHOWTIME
were added to the cable service prior
to the end of December.
Plans for the construction of a $4
billion Exxon gassification plant near
Concord by 1987 was reviewed in July.
Work on the plant may begin in 1982,
according to Cherokeean sources. The
plant is to be the largest venture of its
kind planned for the U.S. according to
information in the July issue of For-
bes, prestigious business magazine.
County commissioners approved a
county tax rate of 31 cents on $100
valuation and city councilmen ap-
proved a city tax rate of 52.5 cents on
$100 valuation. Former county tax
rate was $1.25 on 25 percent ratio and
city tax was $1.50 on 25 percent ratio.
For the first time in history four
district championships in football
were won by students in the Rusk
public schools. This included varsity,
junior varsity, freshmen and eighth
graders.
A wrap up for the year includes:
JANUARY
The year began with the ac-
creditation of Rusk Memorial
Hospital by the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Hospitals. Ken
Worley, administrator of the Rusk
hospital was notified around the first
of the year of the hospital's ac-
creditation from the date of the
team's investigation Aug. 3,1979.
Louis H. Furlong of Houston
assumed the position of assistant
superintendent of Rusk State Hospital
Jan. 1.
The announcement of W.D. (Bill)
Draper's being named Special Award
recipient of Rusk State Hospital was
made in the Jan. 6 issue of The
Cherokeean
'Round-
Town
with
Mrs. Roundabout
Life is just one constant stream of
Helios and Goodbyes .but some of
them we're hardly aware of For in-
stance, the process of breathing Hello
to new oxygen, Goodbye to. carbon
dioxide In the twinkle of a breath, to
mix a metaphor, chemistry changes
within our bodies and it's all quite un-
ís conscious.
j We've hardly said Hello to Christ-
! mas and now it's gone. Taking with It
the joy of music which says so sweetly
the message of the season.
And now it's time to say Hello to
something else, a new year. Each
season has its beginning, with this
very present moment. We don't think
about new beginnings on say, Feb. 8
the same as we do Jan. 1. That of
course, is all a matter of the mind and
the beginning to which one is making
a commitment.
The calendar is Its own reminder of
a concrete, specific new beginning
when by it we note the first day of the
new year. Because of its absoluteness,
a visible date on a piece of paper, we
pay attention to It and expect It to
somehow provide for us a magic "new
beginning."
Hogwash! Jan. 1 is just another day
dedicated to football and goofing off
from work! All right! Hey, hey!
That's a great way to start a new
year! And possibly, just possibly,
some of the gridiron widows will
welcome the soon-to-be-ended season
of football which Jan. 1 signals!
And what will take Its place? For
the addicted sports fan, basketball
and baseball, of course! One seasm of
activity giving way to another. HeIV*,
and goodbye*. We do It all the time.
Just sometimes unconsciously.
The tangible, real goodbye are a
little harder We know that Christ
maa, aa an event for obaervance, will
come again We can expect to hear
"Silent Night, Holy Night. " in about
11 more months So it' easier to let
the season go
It's a little harder letting friends go.
And for many of us this week is
marked by a special kind of sadness in
seeing the (Jrover Talbert family go.
They'll be making a new life for them-
selves at Frankston where he will
pastor the First Baptist Church.
After 19 years of watching the most
non-denominational Baptist preacher
we've ever known walk with us in this
community, there's only one way we
can feel and that's sad. Grover, or
Bro. T., as he has been called with af-
fection during these years, has
touched more lives than he can ever
know. Not just his own membership,
but all of those people who have been
privileged to know and work with him
in many, many civic capacities.
If you have labored in the tren-
ches with him, as he was inclined to do
especially when the betterment of the
youth was involved, then you know
what I'm talking about. A tireless,
ceaseless laborer in the field of ser-
vice, whatever the name of the
organization.
No less a credit to our town than he,
is his wife, Wegie. A school teacher at
the public schools, Rusk State
Hospital where lives were restored
because of her care and concern and
also knowledge she imparted to
hungry minds in the Adult Basic-
Education program.
Two beautiful children, Tony and
Tammy, were welcomed Into the
Talbert family during their stay in our
community. Arriving as infants, they
grew to teenagers and witnessed the
fun and fellowship inspired by their
parents at each year's Sweetheart
Banquet.
For the Talberts, like us who stay
behind. It Is Goodbye yesterday and
Hello to tomorrow, a new beginning.
There is a purpose behind all change.
Families moving, or inhaling your
next breath To the Talberts we wish
"God' peed," and to you and to me
alao, for the New Year and all time to
come.
Until nent week'.'
Herbert Coleman of Jacksonville
was named county chairman of the
John Connally for president cam-
paign.
Announcement of the resignation of
Pete Acker, city secretary and the
appointment of Nell McNatt, acting
secretary was announced by City
Manager Ron Cox at the Jan. 10 city
council meeting.
The new chamber year began with
the annual membership meeting at
noon Jan. 11 at the Petticoat Junction
Restaurant. Bruce Stovall took over
the reins of chamber leadership from
outgoing President Travis McCain.
.r
HOW TIME FLIES! Angela McClure has been The Cherokeean's
featured Birthday Girl each Jan. t since her arrival on that date eight
years ago. Seems only yesterday she was wishing for her "two front
teeth," and now it's pierced ears! The young lady is growing up! Her
parents are Barbara and Kenny McClure. -photo by linney patton
Quarterback Club
Sets Tournament
A basketball tournament for boys
and girls junior varsity teams is being
sponsored by the Husk Quarterback
Club Jan. 8,9 and 10 here.
Landfill
Talk Set
Jan. 1
Cherokee County commissioners
have scheduled a special meeting for
10 a.m. Jan. 1 to consider the solid
waste landfill situation.
At the last regular monthly meeting
of the commissioners, reports on the
progre&ü of the office building and the
water supply for the site were all that
was mentioned by the commissioners
when discussing the solid waste agen-
da item.
After the meeting, however,
citizens from the City of Gallatin told
news reporters from Rusk and
Jacksonville that the Texas Depar-
tment of Health had reviewed the site
and had told the commissioners they
would have to revise the plans for the
containers for the waste disposal
According to L B. Griffith, head of
the surveillance and enforcement
division, and Jack C. Carmichael,
head of the solid waste division of the
TDH, the commissioners were told
the plans must be modified
"This 1 to be expected," Car
michael said "Of 1,IM solid waste
■Ites in Texa , our department
requires engineering modification > t
•See COMMISSION*'H*. P •
The tournament will have teams en-
tered from Hudson, New Summer-
field, Grapeland and Rusk in both
boys and girls divisions. Teams from
Crockett and Westwood are entered in
the girls division and teams from
Corrigan, Slocum and Groveton are
scheuuieu lor action in the boys
division.
The Rusk ninth grade team will also
be entered in the tournament, accor-
ding to Coach Doug Jordan. The first
game will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday,
Jan 8. The last game that day will
begin at 8:30 p.m.
Games are scheduled from 10 a.m.
Friday Jan. 9 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday,
Jan. 10. The games are all free ad-
mission, Jordan said.
Auditions
Slated
Auditions will be held at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan 6 by Cherokee Civic
Theatre, Inc. for its proposed spring
production, "Never Too Late."
The comedy by S.A. Long will be
directed by Mrs, Billie McVicker.
Auditions will be held in the theatre
building at Rusk.
According to Don Jones, president
of the organization, the cast will
feature nine parts He says an early
April presentation is planned
Mrs McVicker has been successful
in numerous production by the
group Some of these are the well
remembered "Bull in a China Shop."
"The Cruaapatv-h," and "Our Town "
Jones nays that all Interested per
son* are welcome to attend the
audition se« tonN
A foundation grant in the amount of
$7,000 was awarded by the T.L.L.
Temple Foundation of Diboll to
Cherokee County Mental Retardation
Association Inc. to aid in the operation
of the Cherokee County Sheltered
workshop.
Candidates began filing early in the
month for offices at the various coun-
ty, state and federal levels.
The appointment of Mrs. Nancy
Boynoff, county coordinator for Rusk-
Cherokee Community Action
Program and Mrs. Elaine Tinsley,
energy coordinator for the program
was announced in January by James
Elliott, executive director of the
Rusk-Cherokee Community Action
Program.
Ninety-seven votes were cast Jan.
19 in the Gallatin city election in
which Chester Odom was named
mayor; Jerry D. Grimes, city mar-
shal; and Jim Harper, Patsv Baeeett.
Kay Martin, Lem Derrington and
Elian V. Wallace, city alderman for
the newly incorporated city of
Gallatin.
Several promotions at Citizens
State Bank were announced by James
I. Perkins, bank president. Included
in the promotions were Charles
Hassell, vice president; Mrs. Nancy
McKean, assistant cashier; Mrs.
Mary Turney, assistant cashier and
Mrs. Charlotte Perdue, assistant
cashier.
The addition of Joe Angle of
Jacksonville and Ernest V. Rountree
of Rusk as partners in the Norman,
Spiers and Thrall law firm was an-
nounced late in January by Summers
A. Norman, senior partner in the
firm. The firm's name was changed to
Norman, Spiers, Thrall, Angle and
Rountree.
Work began in expansion work for
Radio Station KTLU with the con-
struction, two miles north of Rusk, of
a 185-foot tower to serve both the AM
and FM stations. Also, an 80-foot
micro-wave tower was constructed at
the Whitehead building in downtown
Rusk.
The Rev. A. Allen Holley, 74, former
minister of the Rusk First
Presbyterian Church died Jan. 24 in
Big Spring. Mrs. Lottie Couplartd
Priest, member of a pioneer Rusk
family died Jan. 29.
Harvel Grant, Cherokee County ex-
tension agent retired Jan. 31 after 22
years with the county extension ser-
vice. Another change in the extension
service was the announcement of the
Feb. 16 transfer of Melia Piatt from
the Cherokee County office to a
position of county extension officer for
Jasper County.
Directors and officers of the Rusk
Industrial Foundation was re-elected
at a January meeting in the com-
munity room of the Rusk Federal
Savings and Loan Association
building. Directors and officers re-
elected included Corry Wallace,
president; Bruce Stovall, vice
president; Lester Hughes, secretary-
treasurer; and O.D. Blankensjup,
Lester Hughes, Don Jones, wen
Miller, James I. Perkins, Stovall,
R.G. Thompson, Ed VanZandt aná
Wallace, directors.
Parks and Wildlife Commission an
proved on Jan. 25 additional fund
of $262,000 to finance installation of a|
ntable at Rusk and a Y at Jarvis
Crossing for the Texas State Railroad.
A contract with the City of Rusk was
signed in January by county com-
missioners to allow $13,650 to the city
for the operation of ambulance ser-
vice for mid-Cherokee County. Com-
missioners had budget on Oct. 8,1979,
$60,000 to operate ambulance service
for the entire county. The funds were
allocated to provide Jacksonville,
$35,000; Rusk, $13,650; Alto, $7,250;
Wells, $2,100 and Troup, $2,000.
The William Roark Chapter of the
Daughters of the Republic of Texas
was organized Jan. 31, with Mrs.
Henry Rose of Alto as president.
•See 1900 REVIEW, P. 3
Eagles Resume
Basketball Play
The varsity Eagles basketball team
will get back into action Jan. 2 and 3
when they enter the Frankston
Classic, according to Coach Doug
Jordan.
The classic, in which the schedule of
games is worked out in advance, pits
Rusk against Elkhart on Friday and
against Frankston on Saturday, Jor-
dan said.
"This competition is kind of to get
us cranked back up after the
holidays," the coach said. There will
be four boys and four girls team en-
tered in the contest.
On Jan. 9, the team will go to Chapel
Hill for a meeting there. Presently,
the varsity Eagle roundballers are 1
and 7 in the season with some of those
losses going to former state cham-
pions and 4-A and 5-A teams, the
coach said.
"We entered the Jacksonville tour
nament where the first team we
played was the 5-A Lufkin Panthers,"
Jordan said. "They are former state
champions and are rated high in the
state." "They ended up winning the
tournament." The Panthers beat the
3-A Eagles 79-23.
"We were a little out of our class in
the tournament because some of th«- 4
and 5-A teams dropped out and one of
the smaller classed schools had to be
entered in the larger class bracket of
the competition," he said "We just
got the black bean. "
The 4-A Corsicana team oeat the
Eagles 80-48 in that tournament.
r
Coming
Next
Week..
Smokey Wilson looks back on hia roving
years in a covered wagon ... a feature hy
Kay Sudduth in next week' insue of The
Cherttkevan
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The Cherokeean. (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 131, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 1, 1981, newspaper, January 1, 1981; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth151469/m1/1/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.