The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 125, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 7, 2000 Page: 1 of 10
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Lions win cat fight!
i !m» j(KH) Allxiny fions are up on the
tf h Kill plavuft I.Kklcr alter defeating tin*
L)im[ Lion^or tbe regional championship.
See [stories, p#. IB
The
- Quarter-final Playoff -
ALBANY LIONS
vs. Stanton Buffaloes
Friday, Dec. 8 • 7:30 pm
Sweetwater's Mustang Bowl #
Albany News
"Oldest Journalistic Venture West of the Brazos"
T»u ksd-u, Dkimkik 7, 2000, Aibanv, Texas 76430
14 Paces in 2 Sections
Volume Number 125 - Number 25
Castro concedes district attorney's race
Haskell attorney Isaac Castro
officially conceded the race for
District Attorney last Wednes-
day, November 29 after investi-
gating his options concerning
what he feels are discrepancies
in the Jones County election.
Castro requested and was
granted a recount in the Novem-
ber 7 balloting, which Anson
attorney Britt Thurman won by
only 54 ballots out of a total of
6,768 votes cast. When the re-
count was completed in both
Jones and Shackelford County,
the gap between the two candi-
dates had closed to just 26.
In a prepared statement,
Castro cited several variances
in Jones County balloting, i^
eluding one incongruity in the
early voting recount.
"It is still not clear who won
the race for District Attor-
ney.. Jones County's early yotes
were recounted three times, each
resulting in a different count,"
related Castro. "The. first and
final recounts were 116 votes
short of the original machine
count on election day The sec-
ond recount, totaling almost the
exact votes as the machine count,
would have resulted in my win-
ning the election by S3 votes. No
satisfactory explanation has
been given for these discrepan-
cies."
The Republican candidate
also maintains that the number
of Jones County voters who cast
ballots by "challenge affidavit,"
'Election fatique' contributes to decision
totaling3. was almost 10 times
the norm
Debra Ruff of the lodal clerk's
office explained that a challenge
affidavit is a statement signed
by voters whose names do not
appear on the official voters reg-
istration list at the polling site.
Castro stated that most of those
who voted by challenge uffidavit
"were not registered voters;"
"Furthermore,"he continued,
"a ft umber of people who were
not residents of Jones County
cast their ballots here. A num-
ber of other votes cast in viola-
tion of the law also are void."
Castro added that in order to
contest the results, he 'would
have to file a lawsuit, which if
successful, would probably re-
sult in a new election.
"My decision to run for di-
trict attorney was out of my sense
of duty'and to offer my experi-
ence and my integrity to serve
the people of this district," said
Castro in his statement last
week. "I did not run for the jfifice
because I needed a job. I have a
fulfilling private practice that
satisfies the needs of my family.
■ CHRISTMAS BASKETS
It is time for me to return t< m\
practice fu)l-time. My clients
have been patient, but they de
serve my attention now."
Castro also cited the "election
fatigue" being experienced by
many Americans because of the
presidential election
"I concede this election not
because I've lost, or because it is
the wrll of the majority, but be-
cause I do not want to further
extend the process and cause
any 'mbarrassment to m\
county, and I need to move for-
ward with my work and my life.
I assure all of my friends, there
will be other opportunities."
When contacted at his Abi-
lene law office Tuesday after-
noon. Democratic candidate
Britt Thurman commented.' Ba-
sically. I'm glad it's over I re-
-pect the people of Jones nd
Shackelford counties. 1 re-p«-ct
their vnte and I'm satisfied with
theVnte the way it stands I won
the election and that's ir the
way i' is
"I'm looking forward t<> rak-
ing otiice January 1
\t the end of his statement,
( istt lid, "Everyone -hould
be aware that the well-publi-
cized election problems are not
unique to Florida. In Texas we
likev.,offer from -ck of uni-
formiU ' ir balk lack of
standards iv. the recount pro-
cess, and 1 v - that inadequately
Sec Distf ' V- • ' v, ik _A)
Applications due next Monday
Mi l INI >A I I < AS / Al HAN> -NlVVS
Brookshire's store director Greg Smith (I) and Albany Ministerial Alliance treasurer Don
loeschen (r) chec k the donation box at the local grocery store. Pre-assembled bags of groceries
arc available near the < heck out lines for the convenience of Christmas basket contributors.
Donations of cash, canned
goods and toys are still being
rounded up by the Albany Min-
isterial Alliance and committee
members involved in the 2000
Christmas Baskets for the
Needy. •
Applications forms are due
back next Monday, December
11, and Alliance president David
Mallory urged local families and
individuals to get the forms back
in promptly! The applicants frill
be screened on Tuesday and no
late applications will be ac-
cepted, according to Mallory.
This is the final week of col-
lections for the basket project.
Next'Thursday, December 14.
Alliance committee members
and volunteers will meet at the
Albany Youth Center to begin
the task of sorting and packing
the donated items for distribu-
tion to needy families the follow -
ing Saturday, December 16
Tht program was assisted
several weeks ago by a commu-
nity-wide food drive conducted
by the Albany Boy Scouts and
Cub Scouts.'
(Tanned goods are also being
collected by students at Nancy
6 local homes to be open Monday
Local and area residents will
have the opportunity next
week to see how six Albany
families decorate foi Christ-
mas when the Chamber of
Commerce sponsors its annual
"Christmas Tour of Homes."
The homes will be open from
6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Monday
December 11. There is no speci-
fied order in which the differ-
ent locations should be visited,
according to Chamber office
manager Christine Brockman.
• Included on this year's tour
are homes belonging to Clifton
and Shirley Caldwell at #10
Griffin Circle, Clyde and Jean
Irvin at 1101 West Hwy. 180,
Donnie and Melinda Lucas at
25, South Jacobs, Milton and
Mary Smith at 116 North
Jacobs, Lynne and Clifford
Teinert at 248 Breckenridge,
and Gene and Donna Thomp-
son at 425 Hill St.
Decoration Details
Tour participants can expe-
rience a "Traditional Texas
Christmas in a Traditional
Texas House" at the Caldwells'
hilltop home. Built in 1976-77
of native stone, the structure
was designed by 'he late Texas
restoration architect Raiford
Stripling to look like a 100-
year-old Texas home.
The Caldwells have deco-
rated in a traditional Christ-
mas mannerwith aTexas flair,
according to Shirley. The liv-
ing, room is dominated by a 12-
foot tall Douglas fir tree lit by
2,1 »0 clear lights, as well as a
decorated mantel and stair
'1. The dining
room table will
be set for the
family Christ-
mas feast.
lirleymain-
Luins that com-
fort is the key to
this family's an-
nual holiday get-
together.
Clyde and
Jean Irvin built
their home in
1973 and moved
to Albany and
into the house a
few months later. Hundreds of
lights are used throughout the
house, with decorated trees in
each room, including the ga-
rage!
This year, the couple is hon-
oring their mothers, Eva Irvin
and Mary Smith, both de-
Christmas
Tour of I iomes
Monday, Dec. 11 • 6-9 pm
Clifton & Shirley Caldwell
Clyde & Jean Irvin
Donnie i Melinda Lucas
Milton & Mary Smith
Lynne & Clifford Teinert
Gene & Donna Thompson
ceased, by displaying some of
their belongings. There will be
a sampling of Mary Smith's
musical figurines and the se-
quined Christmas ornaments
that she fashioned, along with
a latch-hooked Texas Flag rug
and Dresai plate quilt made
by two of Mary's sisters. An
antique cabinet is filled with
glassware, crocks
and other items
that belonged to
Eva Irvin. Her
crocht ted pieces,
perfume bottle
collection and
Hull pieces are
<1 i s p 1 a y e d
thrc ughout the
house.
Donnie and
Melinda Lucas
have been on the
Chamber's tour
twice before, but
not since'they
purchased a two-story arts-
and-crafts style home built in
1903 by Phin and Roseanne
Reynolds. The house features
a wrap-around porch, double
fireplace and restored fir floors.
The Lucases started remodel-
ing the house three years ago
and are still painting!
Melinda has been collecting
Christmas ornaments and na-
tivities since her honeymoon
more than 20 years ago, and
now has somewhere in the
neighborhood of 80 creches
from all over the world. The
"memory tree" that the couple
initiated years ago has contin-
ued to grow and includes
memorabilia and keepsakes
from both sides of the family,
including some out-of-the or-
dinary "ornaments" like foot-
long braids of hair, 75-year-
old report cards and false teeth.
The couples' three daugh-
ters have their own collections,
including Noah's arks, teddy
bears, nutcrackers, frogs and
pigs, all of which will be dis-
played.
Milton and Mary Smith are
again opening their "Story
Book Cottage" to the public.
Built in the 1920s, the house
was at one time the Iocs . Bap-
tist parsonage. Th„- Smiths
have lived in the ..o-story
home for six years, during
which Mary has made it her
own with elaborate hand-'
(See Tour of homes, pg. 2A)
Smith Elementary School N'SES
students may bring their foods
to their classrooms anytime be-
fore December 14.
In'addition. Brookshire's is
helping the drive w'ith a concept
that worked very well last year
Storeemployees have assembled
sackfuls of n on perishables with
values of $5 and $10. Shoppers
need onh pick »up one of the
• sacks before checking out, then
the bag will be placed in the
collection box.
It's Tim® to Donate!
Pastor Don Loeschen ofTrin-
ity Lutheran Church, who serves
as Alliance treasurer, said Tues-
day that contributions are com-
ing in very slowly. He expects,
however, for checks to begin ar-.
riving within the next few days,
Donations of canned food
items, toys or cash maybe left at
any of the participating
churches. Each year, the last
minute contributions play a sig-
nificant role in making the pro-
gram possible.
Several dozen local and area
families are expected to benefit
from this year's program, so vol-
unteers will be needed in full
force next week as the sorting,
packing 1 deliveryofthepack-
ages get aderway
The items will be -virted on
Thursday December i-l. start-
ing at 3 00 p m it the Youth
Center. Th< ooxes will be packed
the next day, also beginning at
3 00 p.m.
"We thank everyone who has
responded with their time and
resources so far this year, but
we aren't done yet," reminded
.John Tunnell of First Baptist
Church, "We still need volun-
teers to help u- with the pack-
ing. as well as manpower and
vehicles for the delivery on Sat-
urday "
Volunteers With pickups, Sub-
urbans. vans and station wag-
ons should meet at the Youth
Center at 10:00 a m. on Satur
day. December iMor delivery o!
the Christmas boxes.
(Checks slum! 1 he made out to
the Albany Ministerial Alliance
and given to am Alliance mem-
ber or mailed to Alliance trea-
surer Don Loeschen at PO Box
567, Albanv TK Vti-lHO.
i) • i Albany Ntvvs
Jordan Lucas places one of her grandmoihei \ bab\ shoes on
the family's "memory tree in preparation tor the ( hamber's
annual Christmas Tour of Homes next Monday. Six local
residences are included on the tour.
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Lucas, Melinda L. The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 125, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 7, 2000, newspaper, December 7, 2000; Albany, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth413292/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Old Jail Art Center.