Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 151, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 1, 2000 Page: 1 of 14
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I - •
Clferokeeaif/Herald
Texas' Oldest, Continuously Published Weekly Newspaper - Established Feb. 27, 1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel
M H M R
RSH Honors
€wiPtOY€€S
Annual awards ceremony
recognizes Rusk State
Hospital units, employees
for service
see pages 8-9
Vol. 151, No. 15 -14 Pages
Thursday, June 1,2000
Rusk, Texas 75785
25 cents
Cross This
'Bridge' for Free
The Bridge opens June 2 for a
month-long run at the Cherokee
Civic Theatre, and a special treat
awaits Cherokee County residents.
This Friday and Saturday only at 5
p.m., the theatre invites area
reeldents to attend the production
at no charge, on a first come, first
served basis. From left are Paige
Wallace, Saran Chumley and Natalie
Slover. Production dates are set for
every Fridsy and Saturday night in
June at 5 pm. For more Information
call 683-2131.
\
Seniors receive scholarships
Rusk High School Class of 2000 Scholarships and
Awards were presented Friday night at graduation
exercises at Eagle Stadium. Scholarships given
include:
Charles Allen Parrish $ 1,000 Temple-Inland Foun-
dation Scholastic Award for Valedictorian
and Tuition Exemption for highest ranking senior at
Rusk High School presented by the Texas Education
Agency.
Prem Chandrasekaran, $1,000 Temple-Inland
Foundation Award for Salutatorian.
Amanda Helm, $300 Jerry Smith Memorial Schol-
arship to the Third Ranking Student, $500 Texas
Association of Student Councils Award, $8,000 Uni-
versity of Texas at Tyler Academic Scholarship.
Allison Holland, $250 Jeff Austin Foundation
Scholarship, honor graduate.
Carla Tillman, $1,000 Stephen F. Austin Univer-
sity Academic Excellence Scholarship, $2,400 Stephen
F. Austin Young Artist Scholarship, honor graduate.
Courtney Dilliard, $1,000 Beta Sigma Phi Sorority
Scholarship, $11,000 Texas Christian University
Academic Scholar Award, honor graduate.
Jana Chancey, representing Tyler Jr. College and
Citizens 1st Bank to present the next five awards:
Joel Thurman, $5,000 Citizens 1st Bank E.H.
Whitehead Scholarship to Tyler Jr. College.
Tasmania Blalack, $5,000 Citizens 1st Bank Gerry
Struhall Scholarship to Tyler .Jr College, honor
graduate.
John Garbutt, $5,000 Citizens 1st Bank Charles
Pickett Scholarship to Tyler Jr College, honor gradu-
ate.
Nick Lusk, $5,000 Citizens Bank Judge J.W. Sum-
Please see RHS SCHOLARSHIPS, page 7
New Visitors'
Center opens
at TDCJ
I Open house is
Sunday; more
volunteers needed
Skyview/Hodge Family Visitors'
Center invites anyone interested
to their open house and dedication
on Sunday, June 4, at 2:00 p.m.
The center is located at the en-
trance to the Skyview/Hodge
Prison unit in Rusk on FM 2972.
The center was built by the Re-
tired Texas Baptist Builders. The
purpose of the center is to provide
a place for family members and
friends of inmates to wait while
those allowed to visit are in the
prison. Until this center was built,
^•«visitors sa* n their cars or trufcks
in the heat of summer and in the
cold of winter. Inside the new
center, visitors will find a comfort-
able setting with bathrooms, re-
freshments, TV and videos, maga-
zines and toys.
The center is the product of many
churches working together under
the guidance of the Cherokee Bap-
tist Association. Many individu-
als, local churches and businesses
have made donations of goods and
services for the center's operation.
Future plans include programs,
studies and activities for the Cor-
rectional Officers during their off
hours.
The Skyview/Hodge Family Visi-
Please see FAMILY LIFE, page 7
Illegal Pot Plants
Rusk Police Chief Larry Robertson shows off the 75 marijuana plants confiscated off Highway
84 near Rusk. The chief, working with the Dogwood Trails Narcotics Task Force, found the
plants which are street valued at $1,500 each for a total of $112,500. No arrests have been
made. The case remains under investigation.
Obsolete bridges
may receive
TxDOT funding
■ TxDOT may
waive local match
by cities, counties
A plan to speed upgrades to the
7,200 deficient and obsolete
bridges on city streets and county
roads across Texas and provide
local communities a way to stretch
their limited transportation dol-
lar, is being proposed by state
transportation officials.
The result, according to state
officials, will be improved safety
and mobility for motorists by bring-
ing more bridges up to "school bus
standards" faster. The proposals
by transportation officials are their
latest step to reduce the number of
deficient city and county bridges
statewide.
One aspect of the plan, which
was considered by the Texas Trans-
portation Commission on May 25,
will allow the Texas Department
of Transportation (TxDOT) to
waive the local match on a federal
and state funded bridge project on
a city street or county road. In
return, local officials must commit
to roll the savings into improve-
ments to other deficient bridges in
the area.
By participating in the program,
local government will be able to
increase transportation spending
without incurring additional local
costs.
Currently, local officials must
fund 10 percent of the cost to up-
grade a bridge on a city street or
county road. The state kicks in
another 10 percent and federal
funds make up the remaining 80
percent.
In the state's proposed program,
local officials will have the option
to use their 10 percent match to
improve deficient bridges of their
choice as long as their design has
adequate capacity to handle the
weight of a school bus. As a result,
local funds are stretched and more
deficient bridges are improved
quickly, according to transporta-
tion officials.
Concerning the bridge proposal.
Rep Todd Staples said. "This is a
winning situation. Local commu-
nities will be able to stretch their
resources to repair more bridges
m their area. Matching local funds
can often lie difficult to raise and
this plan enables communities to
better utilize their portion of the
project on other bridges in need of
repair. "A safe, reliable transpor-
tation system benefits all Texans
and 1 wholehearted support this
proposal." said Hep. Staples.
Please see TxDOT page 7
Schools work to meet minimum test standards
By Tonya Tropp
Cherokeean/Herald writer
"Texas students, for the seventh year in
a row, set a record high passing rate on
the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills
test," Commissioner of Education Jim
Nelson said.
According to a report released by the
Texas Education Agency, there was an
increase in the overall passing rate in all
grades tested.
Along with this increase, results show
that students in fourth, fifth, sixth, sev-
enth and eighth grades each posted higher
passing rates on the TAAS this year.
Passing rates for third-grade dropped
slightly. Third-grade was the only grade
that did not post higher passing scores.
Results show that this year 80 percent
of all students tested in grades three-10
passed the English version of the TAAS
test, compared to 78 percent last year.
Schools tested 35,792 more students
this year than in 1999. Some of the
increase can be attributed to increased
enrollment, and almost two-thirds of the
increase is due to n tightening of exemp-
tion requirements for limited English pro-
ficient (LEP) students.
Texas students continue to perform
impressively on the TAAS test. The per-
formance is a testament to the strong
instruction and learning that is going on
in our schools. Texas has justifiably gamed
national recognition for the performance
gains being made by our students," Nelson
said.
The chart at right compares TAAS scores
for Rusk, Jacksonville, Ait , Wells and
NewSummerfiold from the 1998-99school
year to the latest results for 1999-00
On the local level, sixth-KHh grade stu-
dents from Wells schools had 1(H> percent
SUMMARY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY STUDENTS' TAAS SCORES
1d9d-00y
Writing - all students
Grade RISD JISD AISD
1998-99
WISD NSISD State
RISD JISD AISD WISD
NSISD State
4
89
85
84
92
100
88
87
78
94
100
63
90
8
74
73
69
73
86
85
84
71
94
100
64
84
10
81
94
88
93
91
90
91
89
92
100
100
90
Math
- all students
8
86
82
68
95
31
83
77
78
73
83
50
80
4
86
81
78
87
73
87
86
70
86
95
48
87
5
92
91
82
96
67
90
93
86
85
94
75
92
6
96
86
87
100
67
86
84
88
82
100
84
88
7
91
86
82
100
93
84
94
82
89
100
95
87
8
89
83
78
100
81
86
91
80
89
100
93
90
10
77
87
69
100
82
81
82
90
87
100
95
86
Reading -
all students
3
77
86
86
95
54
88
81
80
79
85
70
87
4
89
84
82
100
82
88
84
82
88
100
67
90
8
84
83
82
87
64
86
87
85
78
. 94
72
87
6
80
77
94
100
67
84
75
82
87
96
79
86
7
89
81
85
94
93
83
86
79
94
100
79
83
8
86
81
88
87
73
88
86
81
86
92
86
89
. 10
87
92
78
. 100
82
88
92
88
92
100
100
90
-In the chart above, the school districts include: RISD (Rusk); JISD (Jacksonville); AISD (Alto); WISD
(Wells); and New Summerfield (NSID).
'Numbers reflect the percentage of students who met the minimum expectations of the TAAS test. These
statistics include all students who are not in special education.
•graphic compiled by the Cherokeean/Herald
passing rates on the Math section for the
second year in a row. Also, all grades who
took the writing section hud 100 percent
passing rates
"The TAAS preparatory classes have
contributed to the high scores," said Jen-
nifer (ioen* school counselor
Results from Alto schools show that all
grades except sixth grade that took the
TAAS test scored higher passing rates
than their last year scores. Also, fourth,
eighth and 10th grades had higher pass
ing rates than in 1999
The New Jersi v Writing Process was
introduced to teachers and students at
Alto and the process is designed to help
students in reading and writing.
"It's all the things you do put together
that make a difference," said Alto prmci
Please see TAAS. page 7
Post office
meeting set
Plans for the proposed new post
office in Rusk will be discussed at a
public meet ing scheduled in the county
courtroom at P.30 p.m. Monday, June
5.
Rusk Mayor Emmett Whitehead
called the meeting at the re<|iit st of
postal officials in llallas
The public will be asked to m ike
comments concerning what their de-
sires are for a new post officc and
where they believe it should be lo-
cated.
If the decision is to relocate, the
postal officials will notify local offi-
cials, then the gem ral community In
postinga lettei of decision at the post
office for a 30 das comment period.
After this comment period, t he postal
officials will advertise for available
existing buildings or sites tor con-
struction of a new post office
A site Review Committee will con-
sider all sites offered I'he list is pro-
vided to local official- and i cops is
posted at the affected po-t office for a
30-day comment period
Based on w hat local officials and the
majority of the community want, a
final decision will be made on which
sit«• best meets the needs ol the estab-
lished goals
The results are sent to local officials
for one last 3()-da> comment period
before an actual
site is selected
"('oifgressman Jim 'I timer has been
most supportive of this project, and
only through his efh>rt> have we got
ten tills far commented Mavoi White
head
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 151, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 1, 2000, newspaper, June 1, 2000; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth168646/m1/1/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.