Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 160, No. 20, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 8, 2009 Page: 1 of 14
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thecherokeearu
O Vol. 160 ■ No. 20 ■ 16 pgs.
Texas' Oldest Weekly Newspaper
/MUM M)(D
sportsweek pq.ib
WEDNESDAY
July 8, 2009
Rusk, Texas ■ 50 cents
insidelpages
PRAY FOR
HANNAH
see pg. 6A
Hannah
Collie has
medical set-
back related
to heart
transplant
TOPS IN TEXAS RODEO
Pat Green headlines
rodeo entertainment
J ¿/S7//V
•< Prison
guard Justin
G. Raner
is behind
bars in Rusk
County,
charged with
murdering
his brother.
[
¥
>•
Inside:
calendar of
events on
4-5 B
On www.THECHEROKEEAN.com
Shareyouropinion
and let us know
what you think
A Thrills, chilis, spills and entertainment with no frills
will be found this week at the Tops in Texas Rodeo, set
for July 8-11. The festivities started last night with the
Rodeo Parade and will conclude Saturday night with a
live performance by country star Pat Green.
By Quinten Boyd
Staff Writer
1 I he best in country mu sic and r o -
deo aro sel lo make their way to
Cherokee County, showcasing
their skills in an event at the:
"top" of summer entertainment.
The 47th annual Tops in Texas
Rodeo starts tonight (July 8) and will
continue through
Saturday, July 11
at the Jacksonville
Rodeo (¡rounds, lo-
cated at Bridge and
Mulberry Streets.
Gates will open
at 7 p.m. and the ro-
deo will begin at 8 p.m. each night.
So far, ticket sales have been
comparable to last year's edition of
the rodeo.
"Ticket sales have been going
pretty good," said Rodeo Committee
Chair Roland Adams. "We're just a
httle behindlast year, but I think it'll
pick up as the week goes on. We're
expecting it (ticket sales) to be pretty
close to last year."
A concert will follow the rodeo each
night with a different heacUiner lead-
ing up to Saturday night's concert
featuring country music superstar
Pat Green. Born in Waco, the singer
will make a stop in Jacksonville as
one of seven remaining Texas stops
in his nationwide tour. He released
his 11th album. What I'm For, in
January.
See RODEO, pg. 6A
Hodge Unit
guard held
for murder
Bond set at $1 million for July 4
death of brother
Acorrectional officer is on the other side of the
bars and charged with first degree murder.
Justin G. Raner, 22, a correctional officer
assigned to the Hodge Unit in Rusk, was ar-
raigned Monday in Henderson on charges of
murdering his 19-year-old brother.
Bond was set at M million.
Justin G. Raner is accused of shooting his
brother, Jeremy Raner, multiple times and
attempting to hide the body.
The body was discovered by their stepfather
at 8:45 a.m. July 4 in a wooded area adjacent
to a hayfield in Rusk County near CR 364.
Pubhc information officer Amber Rodgers,
Rusk County Sheriff 's Department, said that
Mr. Raner confessed to the murder Sunday
morning.
The Texas Rangers were asked to join an
investigation started by the Rusk County
Sheriff's Office, the Texas Department of
Pubhc Safety and the Rusk County district
attorney's office.
An autopsy was performed by Southwest
Forensic Science Laboratory in Dallas.
See TDCJ, pg. 6A
CHEROKEE COUNTY
New computer mapping system allows
Rusk's RV
911 operators to pinpoint cell phones la1 rSUÍ is
By Gloria Jennings
Staff Writer
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Depart-
ment r ecently received a new computerized
mapping system to be used with its 911
calling system.
The ORION Vela 2.0 computer system
and hardware, which pinpoints the loca-
tion of all incoming calls, was received from
the East Texas Council of Governments
(ETCOG) approximately two weeks ago.
Cherokee County and other counties served
by ETCOG nil received the same system.
Dispatchers said information pertaining to
the cost was not provided with the equip-
ment.
However, ETCOG 911 Emergency Ser-
vices Director Carolyn Flores, revealed that
the upgrades now occurring are the result of
funds allocated during the 80th Legislative
session and then approved by the Commis-
sion on State Emergency Communication
(CSEC) to be used for equipment upgrades
in the regional program.
"The regional program incorporates
17 911 centers in East Texas," Ms. Flores
said. "The cost specific to the upgrades
in Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and
Jacksonville Police Department actually
contains two software and various hardware
rrmnrrr
See 911, pg. 6A
Karen Gillioun of Rusk looks for addresses in a book for an outside deputy and Mi-
chael Carter of Alto checks out the 911 screen. The two dispatchers were on duty last
week at the Cherokee County Sheriffs Department. The sheriffs department's small
dispatch office is busy 24 hours per day. Sheriff James Campbell said, "We usually
need more than two dispatchers but that is all the room we have."
settled
Texas Municipal League pays
attorney fees, settles out of court
The city of Rusk's lawsuit to remove a
recreational vehicle p ark on Main Street ha s
been settled — although one city official said
only the defendants' attorney gained from
the disagreement.
City Manager Mike Murray confirmed
Friday that the suit against W.R. and Kevin
Bowden is finalized.
" The RV park has been removed a s we origi-
nally asked. Our lawsuit against the Bow dens
was to enforce the zoning ordinances, in which
we prevailedin. Later, the Bowdens counter-
sued, bringing the insurance company into
the picture,'' said Mr. Murray.
The city filed its suit against the Bowdens
Jan. 9, 2007, concerning the location of rec-
reational vehicles on N. Main Street. Later,
the Bowdens filed a countersuit against the
city.
"We paid our attorney, EricPenn, between
$10,000 and $12,000," Mr. Murray said. For-
rest Phifer, then city attorney, was unable
See RV PARK, pg. 6A
WEATHER
10% chance of rain
SPECIAL: PHOTO PAGE OF JULY 4 CELEBRATION IN RUSK
pg. 8B
INSIDE ■ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 2A
VIEWPOINTS 3A ■ DEATHS 4A ■ CLASSIFIEDS 6-7B
,v
'nx
THURSDAY
96 high - 74 low
SPORTS ■ RUSKITE'S GRANDDAUGHTER TO COMPETE IN YOUTH FRIENDSHIP GAMES, 2B
■0 4879 12768
CM K
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 160, No. 20, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 8, 2009, newspaper, July 8, 2009; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152894/m1/1/: accessed July 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.