Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 159, No. 41, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 3, 2008 Page: 1 of 16
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thecherokeearu
& Vol. 159 ■ No. 41 ■ 16pgs.
Texas' Oldest Weekly Newspaper
WEDNESDAY
December 3, 2008
Rusk, Texas ■ 50 cents
ALICE IN WONDERLAND OPENS THIS FRIDAY
YELLOWJACKETS' CHAMPIONSHIP REIGN COMES TO AN END
CHEROKEE COUNTY
As unemployment rate hits 7.1%
news isn't all 'doom and gloom'
TDCJ plans another job screening for correctional officers
By Quinten Boyd
Staff Writer
Despite recent unemployment num-
bers, the news is not all doom and gloom
for Cherokee County, especially with one
of the county's largest employers, the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
(TDCJ), holding a job screening on Dee.
4 starting at 7:45 a.m.
The Texas Workforce Commission
(TWC) released their research and num-
bers for the month of October. The unem -
ployment rate in Cherokee County has
risen to 7.1, its highest level all year.
The unemployment rate throughout
the state rose to 5 6 percent in October,
higher than it was in October of 2007
but lower than the 6.5 percent rate for
the country.
Texas employers added 23,000 nonag-
ricul tural jobs in the month of October,
bringing the total number of jobs in the
past year to 230,400.
During the same period, the United
States recorded 1.1 million job losses.
The TWC attributes this rise to na-
tional trends and the aftermath of Hur-
ricane Ike,
Snapshot of East Texas
Unemployment
October 2008
County Labor Pool Employed Unemployed Rate
Anderson 20,679 19,373
1,306 6.3
CHEROKEE 21,068 19,563 1,505 7.1
Henderson
Rusk
Smith
35,173 33,029
24,194 23,054
99,696 93,265
2,144 6.1
1,140 4.7
6,431 6.5
■source: Texas Workforce Commission
■graphic: Cherokeean/Herald
"The combination of Hurricane Ike and
adverse national economic trends has re-
sultedin a one-half percent increase in the
unemployment rate in Texas for October,''
said TWC Chairman Tom Pauken. "While
Texas still has nearly a one percent lower
unemployment rate than the rate of the
nation, I wouldexpect unemployment rates
in Texas to continue to track the national
trend upward in the months ahead.
TWC Chairman Pauken says while
See UNEMPLOYMENT, pg. 6A
TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Hopson wins recount
Incumbent state Rep. Chuck Hopson gains votes
n 4-county recount in District 11
By Terrie Gonzalez
Managing Editor
Twenty-seven days after the General Elec
lion, it appears that state Rep. Chuck Hopson
will keep his seat in the state legislature.
A vote recount requested by his opponent,
Brian 15. Walker (R-Ta turn) was held Monday
and Tuesday in the four counties comprising
District 11. Rep. Hopson (D-Jacksonville)
gained nine votes in the recount, excluding
Cherokee County.
The vote recount in Cherokee County •<•-
turned odd numbers that officials are at a loss
to explain. Mr. Hopson lost 29 votes and Mr.
Walker lost 121 votes.
And in a race that separated the two candi-
dates by just 103 votes, the Cherokee County
margin of error is significant.
Cherokee County Clerk Laverne Lusk, who
See RECOUNT, pg. 6A
State Representative - District 11
County-by-county recount comparison
WALKER
Republican
r
All votes
Cherokee
Houston
Panola
Rusk
Nov. 4
25,936
7,004
3,891
5,360
9,681
Dec. 1
25,805
6,883
3,895
5,360
9,667
HOPSON
Democrat
Í
BRYAN
Libertarian
TOTAL
Votes
Nov. 4
26,039
8,992
4,372
4,461
8,214
~~1
Dec. 1
26,009
8,963
4,372
4,460
8,214
r~
Nov. 4
872
257
143
165
307
1
Dec. 1
n/a
262
141
165
307
I-
Nov. 4
52,847
16,253
8,406
9,986
18,202
1
Dec. 1
52,689
16,108
8,408
9,985
18,188
TOTAL
Voters
91,743
28,347
15,040
16,562
31,794
%Tum
out
57.60
57.33
55.89
60.29
57,24
NOV. 4 DATA: SECRETARY OF STATE; DEC. 1 DATA: LOCAL COUNTY CLERKS
GRAPHIC: CHEROKEEAN HERALD
RUSK DREAM TREE UPDATE, Pg ba
RUSK
Victorian Christmas begins
a slight chill in the air made the
Rusk downtown parade Tuesday
feel a lot like Christmas.
This year's holiday season is
themed "Victorian Christmas," and the
downtown square sparkled with twin-
kling white lights while holiday music
poured from the new gazebo adjacent
to the courthouse,
Giant hand-painted Christmas cards,
created by the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice's community work
squad, were: new to
the square this year.
They were placed
around the courthouse
Coming:
more
parade
photos in
Dec. 17
issue
square.
Parade marshals
Houston and Freddie
White lea d the parade.
Mr. White, 95, has long
■ been involved in civic
projects and helped
organize the Rusk Rotary Club more
than 60 years ago.
The Rusk Chamber of Commerce
sponsored the parade.
fe. W «i *
Grand marshals Houston and Freddye White lead the Rusk parade
Tuesday night around the town square. Mr. White, 95, helped estab-
lish the Rusk Rotary Club 60 years ago, and has been involved in
numerous civic projects.
Alto Lions
set parade
"A Texas Christmas'' is the
theme for the annual Alto
Christmas parade scheduled 6
p.m. Monday, Dec. 8. Theparade
is sponsored by the Alto Lions
Club.
Floats and participants will
hne up at 5:30 p.m. at the Mis-
sionary Baptist Church. 107
Elkhart in Alto.
This year's theme is "A Texas
Christmas.' A $50 prize will be
awarded to the entry judged to
have the best Use of theme.
For safety reasons, persons are
asked not to throw candy or other
objects from vehicles and floats.
No ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles)
will be allowed in the parade
as it is illegal to drive ATVs on
pubhc roads.
The Alto Lions Club meets
weekly at noon on Tuesday at
the Stella HillMemorial Library.
The public is cordially invited to
attend.
For additional information
regarding the parade Or the Alto
Lions Club, contact Art or Virann
Wallace at (936) 858-4362.
CHEROKEE COUNTY
2 motorists die
in separate
car accidents
Two separate accidents, where alcohol
is believed to be involved, claimed the
lives of two victims over the weekend in
Cherokee County.
At approximately 11p.m. Friday, Glenn
Postma, 45, of Alto was killed in a single*
car accident.According to DPS reports, his
truck was eastbound on State Highway
294, some 4.6 miles west of Alto. As Mr.
Postma exited a left curve in the roadway,
the vehicle apparently hydroplaned and
the driver lost control, entering a side skid
and exiting the north side of the roadway
where it struck a culvert. The reports also
say that Mr. Postma Was not wearing his
seat belt at the time of the accident.
Mr. Postma was pronounced dead at
the scene,He was driving a 2001 Ford
See ACCIDENTS, pg 6A
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
U.S. Highway 69 construction
is in 'homestretch' in Rusk
By Quinten Boyd
Staff Writer
Work on U.S. Highway 69
through the middle of Rusk is
nearing its conclusion. Precisely
when that conclusion will occur,
however, is strictly in the hands
of an unpredictable Mother Na-
ture.
TxDOT Pubhc Information Of-
ficer Larry Krantz said that recent
work done on Highway 69 was
nearing its end as crews spent last
week applying seal coats on inside
lanes of the highway. The work
held a price tag of approximately
$2.3 million.
"We'll hopefully have it done by
the end of the year, but we need
the weather to cooperate,'" he said.
See TXDOT, pg. 6A
PHOTO: QUINTEN BOYD
TxDOT crews supervise as a paver lays hot mix down on the
road surface of U.S. Highway 69. Behind the paver, a roller runs
over the mix to compact it. TxDOT Public Information Officer
Larry Krantz says that if the weather remains mild, crews will
be able to finish by the end of the year.
Weather Outlook
V V
n* «S-
'ft1
THURSDAY
mostly sunny
0% chance of rain
High: 54
Low: 34
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 159, No. 41, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 3, 2008, newspaper, December 3, 2008; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152863/m1/1/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.