2007 represents life's best, worst Part 2 of a 2-part series
Alto High School gets national attention
BY GLORIA JENNINGS
Activities in Cherokee County moved rapidly early in the year and continued until the final days of December. A county that has has years of drought conditions changed to applying for flood damages in mid-summer. The Texas State Railroad suffered a bridge washout and county roads were closed because of the excessive water. Also, many homes on Lake Jacksonville were damaged because of the flooding conditions.

May

Both Wanda Ezell and Mike Payne of Maydelle, coordinators for the May 11-12 annual U.S. Highway 84 Palestine to Rusk Trail Sale said they were well pleased with the results of the event.

"The sales were not as strong as they were the first two years, but 10 times better than last year. Probably I had 1,000 people stop by on Friday and twice that many on Saturday. It was a great weekend."

This year's sales were better than last year and the year before. "If we start earlier we will have even a better year next spring," he said.

Mrs. Ezell said, "I was extremely pleased with the results this year." She too saw a need to start earlier with advertising and press releases. "However, we did well and there were big crowds," she said.

Leading Rusk's 110 graduates were JayAnna Magruder, valedictorian; Elizabeth Guinn, salutatorian; and Kinsey Gresham, third ranking student.

Margo Kahla and Lauren Pierce led the Alto High School Class of 2007 graduation exercises at 8 p.m. May 26 at Jacket Stadium.

Rusk High School's forestry team, composed of Nickey Goodman, Wil Robinson and Kevin Kadlecek, took third place state honors.

They scored three points behind the second place team and 11 points behind first place.

Kevin came in second high point out of 139 contestants from 41 FFA teams.

Pax Richey received the E. H. Whitehead Award for best senior boy athlete and Sheena Henderson, the J.L. Hassell Award for best senior girl athlete at the annual Rusk ISD All Sports Banquet.

Amy Halbert, a communications specialist for The Texas A&M University System, was named a winner April 28 at the annual awards dinner during the 114th Press Women of Texas state conference at the Drury Inn & Suites in San Antonio.

She received two first place ties for feature stories in a publication of general or specialized circulation.

Ms. Halbert is a former employee of the Cherokeean Herald. She is the daughter of Barbara and Travis Halbert of Rusk.

Ms. Halbert is a Rusk High School graduate and received a bachelors degree from Texas A&M and a masters degree from the University of Texas at Tyler.

First place winners in the state contest moved on to the national competi- tion of the National Federation of Press Women.

Molly Pearman and Julian Willis received top honors Monday at the annual Alto All Sports Banquet. The pair received the evening's top award, the Alto Herald All Around Athlete award.

The Cherokee County Historical Commission dedicated an official Historic Texas Cemetery Medallion Sunday, May 20, at the Walker's Chapel Cemetery. This was the first marker dedicated under the new Texas Historical Commission Cemetery Marker Program. In the past the markers at cemeteries were site markers. Now a cemetery has to be an official Texas Historical Cemetery before an informational marker can be secured. Walker's Chapel is located on CR 4404, which off FM 235 and near Highway 204. FM 235 connects Reklaw and Lake Stryker

This cemetery has ties to Walker's Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church South and is named after the founding minister, John Walker who moved to that vicinity by 1839. The oldest, legibly marked grave in the community cemetery dates to 1879.

Rusk ISD trustees began plans for a new high school gym. The school plant on the Salem Road still includes the gym that was constructed with the high school that opened in the fall of 1968.

Sue Bowling, elementary school teacher, was named Rusk ISD Teacher of the Year during the annual teacher appreciation luncheon Friday, May 25, at the junior high cafeteria.

Campus teachers of the year included Ms. Bowling from the elementary school; Elissa Baker, primary school; Rose Whitehead, intermediate school; Laura Christopher, junior high school and Jason Wilcox, high school. Each campus winner received a $100 bill and a framed certificate. Their names were added to the plaque that is permanently displayed at the campus office. Ms. Bowling's name is also added to the district plaque at the central office.

Chase Dew with a 96.08 grade point average and Jerry Wise, 95.84 GPA, were named valedictorian and salutatorian at Wells High School graduation May 25.

Top honor students are announced at the annual high school graduation exercise.

Members of the Branded By Christ Cowboy Church met May 20 to dedicate their recently purchased 18 plus acres and newly built arena on Highway 110, six miles north of Rusk. Plans are to construct a church building on the site. Originally the church met at the old Ike's Feed Mill, 800 E. Copeland in Rusk.

A total of 1,497 rabies vaccines were administered during the annual May Cherokee County rabies clinic.

A break-down showed Dr. Anthony Holcomb and Dr. Justin Novak gave 604 shots; Dr. John Alexander in Jacksonville, 431 vaccines; Dr. Ira Stephens in Jacksonville, 403 shots; and Dr. Dan Kessel in Alto, 59 shots.

June

The annual Rusk Independence Day celebration began with a gigantic veterans appreciation party Friday, June 29, at the Toyland Combat Vehicles Museum on CR 2407.

Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion sponsored open house June 30 at the VFW Hall, U.S. Highway 69 South and Fourth Street. A downtown parade and celebration were also held that day. Planners say, "Patriotism was observed as in the days of the 'Good Ole Summertime' of decades past." The event was sponsored by Greg James Country Motors and Citizens 1st Bank.

July

Heavy rainfall in July resulted in flooding in various parts of Cherokee County, closing several county roads and flooding homes near Lake Jacksonville. The county was declared a disaster area by Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Jacksonville City Manager Mo Raissi said the water level at Lake Jacksonville was two feet above normal.

"About 20 homes were flooded, others were a close call," Mr. Raissi said. "We closed the lake (from recreational boaters) to stop more water from going into the homes."

Mr. Raissi said much of the flooding was due to the fact that the lake is the watershed for the town. All of the street drainage flows into the lake. The result is that every inch of rainfall equals close to a foot being added to the lake

A freak accident during a run of the Texas State Railroad (TSR) and a wash-out near Maydelle halted train rides. The accident, unrelated to the wash-out happened at Mushaw, the point on the TSR line where the two trains pass each other. Later that weekend part of the track washed out at Bean's Creek near Maydelle.

Robert Crossman, TSR superintendent, said the train collision occurred when the Palestine-bound steam locomotive number 300 was stopped on the siding while the Rusk-bound train was passing on the main track.

"For whatever reason, the last car went off the track and struck the front of the 300 engine," he said. "The car was unoccupied. There were no injuries."

Mr. Crossman said the collision happened at a speed of five to six miles per hour.

Passengers from both trains were loaded onto the Rusk-bound train and transported to the Rusk depot. The passengers who had departed from the Palestine depot were then returned to Palestine on busses supplied by the Rusk Independent School District. Passengers were offered refunds and lunch.

Jane Browning Parsons of Alto and Dixie Guinn Mayall of Clifton, Va. were among the 3,100 participants in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer May 5-6 in Washington D.C. The event benefitted breast cancer research. More than $7.4 million was raised through the Washington D.C. walk. Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Mayall together raised more than $5,000 in memory of their Rusk High School classmate, the late Beth Ann Parrott Rogers. They walked 26.3 miles on the first day, slept in a tent and showered in a truck at the Slugo Middle School in Maryland and walked 13.1 miles the second day, ending at the Kennedy Center.

J. Frank Brunt on behalf of the family of the late Sheriff Frank Brunt loaned the Heritage Center of Cherokee County several items owned by Sheriff Brunt. The guns in the collection were used when Mr. Brunt was sheriff of Chero- kee County and later Smith County. The pistol, a Colt 38 Super 1911 model, was used in a shoot-out with a man at Wells in 1953. The rifle is a Winchester 30-30 model 94. Other memorabilia was also loaned.

August

Cherokee County schools did well in academic accountability ratings that were released Aug. 1. Thirteen campuses scored acceptable and five were recognized. Only one was unacceptable.

Wells Elementary School was the lone campus scoring unacceptable because of its elementary school science scores. Rusk had three campuses scoring recognized and Jacksonville, two campuses.

Three campuses receiving unacceptable ratings last year were deemed acceptable. They are Jacksonville Middle School, Rusk High School and Alto High School.

Dale Morton and his staff at Wells ISD were aware last spring that the campus might score unacceptable in the 2007 ratings. "We have increased our staff by four persons and added a curriculum specialist in this subject area. Our scoring was unacceptable because of one grade level in one subject," he said.

Sept. 4, 1957, represents an important date for a group of die-hard automobile fans. The date is known as E-day, the day the first "experimental car," later known as the Edsel, was produced.

One Craft man, Shelley Cleaver, and his family have attended Edsel anniversary conventions for 39 years, to trade stories with other fans and talk about Ford's brief foray with five models - Citation, Corsair, Pacer Ranger and Villager - and why the cars flopped.

He attended the first Edsel owner convention in 1968. Mr. Cleaver, his son, Michael; and daughter-inlaw, Melissa attended last summer's reunion. This was the 32nd convention for Michael, 31, who attended prior to his first birthday.

Shelley Cleaver, 72, currently owns three running vehicles, and he has owned 20 models in the 50 years since the cars first rolled off the assembly line. Currently his fleet includes a 1958 pickup truck made with an Edsel front-end and a 1957 Ford Ranger bed; a 1959 Edsel Ranger turquoise and white automobile; and his prize possession, a 1960 red Edsel with only 45,000 miles and its original paint. "I have a bunch of junkies in the woods that I use for parts," he said.

Shelley Cleaver is now a Kentucky Colonel. He received his commission as a Kentucky Colonel from Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher.

Following a public hearing Aug, 27 the Rusk school board adopted a $1.1575 district tax rate and approved a $15,547,395 district budget.

The tax rate is 28.5 cents less than the $1.4425 set for the previous year.

Gov. Rick Perry appointed Chris Day of Jacksonville and Adrian Arriaga of McAllen to the Texas Real Estate Commission for terms to expire Jan. 31, 2013. The commission regulates and licenses real estate brokers and salespersons in the state of Texas.

September

Action video footage of Jim Swink's football career, along with more than two dozen trophies, plaques, footballs, awards and photos, were displayed Sept. 5-14 at Citizens 1st Bank in Rusk.

Dr. Swink, a Rusk High School graduate, now resides in Rusk. Jim Swink, M.D. two time All American, Vietnam Purple Heart award winner, runner up for the Heisman Trophy, is the eighth recipient of the coveted Doak Walker Legends Award.

Jim Perkins, chairman of the board of Citizens 1st Bank and local attorney, was the second inductee on the Rusk Wall of Honor at Eagle Stadium.

Cherokee County commissioners set the 2007-08 county tax rate at 61 cents per $100 valuation, which is one cent less than the 62 cent rate adopted last year. The tax rate will be used to finance a $19 million budget, which was adopted Aug. 27.

A new TDCJ overtime policy in Palestine will give the local economy a boost of up to $1.85 million annually.

Correctional officers employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) at Skyview and Hodge Units in Rusk are being allowed to work overtime at three of five units in Palestine.

During June, when the policy was first adopted, Skyview and Hodge employees earned an additional $105,588.

The following month, as news of the policy spread to employees, the collective overtime increased to $150,763 in July.

By August, the figure grew another five percent to $158,712.

Clint Goff is the new airport coordinator. He replaced Jimmy Long who died July 2.

Mr. Goff has worked at the airport for the past nine years and assumed many of the coordinator's duties after Mr. Long died.

Members of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas, Rusk Council No. 4, and women from several area Order of the Eastern Star chapters met at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, at Cedar Hill Cemetery. They conducted a brief ceremony honoring Benjamin Bartlett Cannon, who served as the Masonic Lodge's most puissant grand master of the grand council in 1859.

October

Employees at the Indian Mound Nursery near Alto received disturbing news Oct. 12. They were notified that the long-time nursery will close Aug. 31, 2008. Plans for closure of the nursery is due to the fact that the demand for pine seedlings has decreased in recent years.

Indian Mound Nursery currently employees seven persons, said Sharon Ivie, office associate. In the past elderly persons sought seasonal work at the nursery. Currently it invests in excess of $600,000 annually into the local economy. Of that amount approximately $200,000 is allocated to salaries.

"We will continue to operate until all the crop currently in the ground is sold," Mrs. Ivie said.

One employee will seek employment elsewhere; two will remain at the site for maintenance and the others will retire.

The Indian Mound Nursery is a part of the history of the Alto area. The nursery dates to 1940 when the Texas Forest Service selected the site as a seedling nursery.

Alto is going primetime, reported Alto High School Principal Donald Patton and Alto Middle School Principal Kelly West during the October meeting of the Alto ISD Board of Trustees.

"Friday, Reebok came through with 'Reebok Tours,'" Mr. Patton told the board during the high school principal's report. "I asked, 'why did you pick Alto.' They said 'We've heard a lot of good things about Alto.' Plus, it helps that we're winning."

Mr. Patton said 10 representatives from Reebok toured the campus and participated in the pep rally on Friday afternoon before traveling with the Yellowjackets to the Oakwood game.

He said the Reebok representatives were filming footage of the game, which could be used on television later.

"They're going to the Missouri OU game, the Texas A&M-Nebraska game and they went to the New England Dallas game and they chose to come to Alto," Mr. Patton bragged.

The college with the largest enrollment at Stephen F. Austin State University now will be known as the James I. Perkins College of Education following unanimous approval by the Board of Regents during its Oct. 30 meeting.

Oct. 28 the Sons of Confederate Veterans Cross of Saint Andrew Camp #2009 of Cherokee County hosted a rededication ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Confederate statue.

The statue was originally unveiled on the courthouse square in Rusk on Oct. 31,1907 in honor of more than 2,000 men from Cherokee County who served in the Southern army during the Civil War.

November

One new school will be built in Alto, Rusk will have more options on how to spend the half-cent sales tax and Jacksonville will continue to conduct elementary classes in a 50-year-old building.

Election totals came in quickly Nov. 6 for 16 propositional amendments and three local issues.

Secretary of State Phil Wilson had predicted a statewide turnout of just 9.25 percent of registered voters. Cherokee County voters beat the state average with 11.63 percent of the 32,961 registered voters casting ballots. Total votes cast were 3,834.

Of that number, most of the ballots were cast in the Jacksonville Independent School District. A total of 2,531 persons voted. Voting for the proposition to replace the Joe Wright Elementary School were 1,191 persons. The no vote totaled 1,340.

Vote for the sales tax change in Rusk was very light with only 178 persons voting. Vote was 126 for and 52 against. City Manager Mike Murray was excited that the issue passed. He said, "I think that this will be a good opportunity for the City of Rusk. It will make investing the half cent sales tax money more flexible and will allow us to be able to recruit a broader range of businesses."

In Alto, a total of 464 persons voted for the construction of a new elementary school. Voting for were 307 and against 157.

After sending out millions of emails, collecting thousands of signatures and spending hundreds of hours working to conserve the Neches River, Mary Decker, Dr. Michael and Rose Mary Banks have been honored by the Texas Conservation Alliance as the "Conservation Heroes of the Year."

"We were honored," Dr. Banks said. "We didn't expect it."

Dr. and Mrs. Banks and Ms. Decker were honored for generating support needed for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to approve the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge.

Dr. Banks and Ms. Decker, who are the co-chairs of the Friends of the Neches River, spearheaded the effort to establish the refuge with the help of Mrs. Banks.

The Rusk FFA qualified six of the 24 teams for the area contest at the Pineywoods District Leadership Development event. The Rusk FFA won second in sweepstakes, falling only three points behind the overall winner.

However, in a district consisting of 25 schools, the Rusk FFA had five first place finishes in the 12 possible contests. Joey Marchetti won first place in Tommy Marchetti won first in junior creed speaking.

Billie Lynn Covington, Jana Hill and Keiera Counahan won first place in the public relations contest and Kevin Kadlecak, Nicky Goodman, Casey Hudnall, Corey Spurlock and Angel Stinson finished first place in the agriculture issues contest.

Also finishing first was the junior quiz team consisting of eighth grade students Hunter Moore, Matthew Thompson, Briana Tipton and Cheyenne Turner. Hunter Moore also won high point individual in the junior quiz contest. The senior quiz team won second advancing to the area competition as well. The team consisted of Michael Nickle, Cheyenne Tullos, Lori Walley, and Jimme Lynn Dement.

It is believed that this year's victories resulted in the most first place wins and most team advancement in the history of the chapter.

The Rusk FFA wildlife team has won four consecutive county, area and region wildlife contests and three consecutive high point individual awards. The Rusk FFA finished first out of 38 other teams at the Area 9 and Region 4 wildlife contest Nov. 6 at the Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest. The team consisted of Joey Marchetti, Kevin Kadlecek, Nicky Goodman and Tommy Marchetti. Out of 140 competitors, Tommy was named high point individual for both the area and the region. He won a belt buckle and $200 in prize money. Kevin finished third and Joey finished fourth overall in the contest. The team also placed first, second, third and fourth overall individually in the area contest which consisted of 75 overall competitors. The Rusk FFA will advance to the State Wildlife Contest to be held in May 2008.

December

An overflowing manhole two weeks before led to a special Alto city council meeting which resulted in the resignation of Mayor Carey Palmer. Mr. Palmer said he resigned due to controversy surrounding his decision to order Utilities Director Charlie Luse to report the sewage leak to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The city council voted unanimously to accept his resignation. "It is with great regret we're having to do this," said Mayor Pro Tem Annie Walker. The situation stemed from a Nov. 28 incident involving a manhole overflowing with sewage.

Two Nacogdoches men, Greg James and Frank Ashcroft, have been named to the Lon Morris College Board of Trustees. Mr. James, who owns Greg James Country Motors in Rusk, is a 1977 graduate of the University of Michigan and a 2004 graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University where he received his MBA and was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma National Business Honor Society.

As the final whistle blew and a crowd of excited fans took the field following Alto's 22-0 victory over the Seymour Panthers, an emotional Keith Gardner, Alto head football coach and athletic director, accepted the school's second in two years state championship trophy and began an extended session of post-game interviews.

"I was excited for the kids and the coaches," Coach Gardner said. "Last year was easier. This year, we had to battle the entire year."

Coach Gardner said 2007 is a memorable year for the Alto Yellowjackets.

"We have good memories and great ball games," he said. "Being a part of two state championship teams is extraordinary. I am proud of all of the kids and the coaches. This is something they'll relish when they get to be my age."

And what better way to end the year than with another state championship for Alto.