NEWS

New Parks and Wildlife

executive director named

Carter Smith of San Antonio has been named executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He replaces Robert L. Cook, who is retiring.

Mr. Smith has been with The Nature Conservancy of Texas since 1998 and has been the state director since 2004. Prior to his promotion to state director, he served as director of conservation programs where he was responsible for conservation, external affairs and science programs. Before working at the Nature Conservancy, he was the first executive director of the Katy Prairie Conservancy and continues to serve on their Advisory Board.

A native of Central Texas, he began his career in 1992 at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as a management intern, assisting in the private lands and public hunting programs. He has a wildlife management degree from Texas Tech and a master's degree in conservation biology from Yale University.

Auditions planned

Cherokee Civic Theatre will conduct auditions at the Cherokee Theater for its February performance, "Postmortem," at 2 p.m. Jan. 16, said Dan (Eddie) Breen, director. The cast includes roles for four adult women and four adult men. Persons auditioning will be asked to read from the script. "Postmortem" will be performed at 7 p.m. Feb. 22, 23, 29 and March 1, with matinees at 2 p.m. Feb. 24 and March 2.

The play's author, Ken Ludwig, has also written "Lend Me A Tenor" and "Sullivan & Gilbert." The production tells the story of when actor/manager and playwright William Gillette invites his sister and the cast of his latest play for a weekend at his castle on a bluff overlooking the Connecticut River. For entertainment, Gillette has arranged a séance. Someone is trying to murder Gillette and he suspects it is one of his guests. Intrepid, eccentric Gillette plans to solve the case himself a la Sherlock Holmes.

Childhood friends gather

The same five childhood friends who had lunch in the home of Bernice Williams Dear in April of 2002 met again Nov. 13. Present were Norma Williams Black, Evelyn Alexander Middleton, Katherine Middleton Wilcox, all of Rusk and Annie Laura Vining Garrett of Tyler.

They were all reared in the Salem community and attended the Salem school until the consolidation of the rural schools. They attended various churches. The group enjoyed news of each family and reminisced about classmates and teachers. The help of two husbands was appreciated.

In the age range there were three 83-year-olds and two 85-year-olds. They said they would not wait five years to get together again.

JPs attend school

Justices of the Peace Brenda Dominy, Pct. 1; Teresa Phifer, Pct. 2; and Vera Foreman,, Pct. 4 were certified at the recent 20 hour seminar Dec. 4-7 in Tyler. The seminar is sponsored by the Texas Justice Court Training Center, a Division of the Texas State University in San Marcos with offices in Austin. The seminar is one of five held for elected justices of the peace so they can fulfill their continuing judicial education requirements. The seminar addressed topics such as judicial ethics, civil jurisdiction increase, evictions, DWI magistration, judge/constable partnership property code, inquests, miscellaneous hearings, parks and wildlife laws, critical analysis, traffic law, legal research, failure to attend school, video magistration and criminal law.