The Gilmer Mirror (Gilmer, Tex.), Vol. 136, No. 2, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 5, 2013 Page: 1 of 12
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Vol. 136 — No. 2 © 2013 The Gilmer Mirror
Saturday, January 5, 2013
One Section • 50 Cents
All-Republican contingent
of county officials sworn in
By PHILLIP WILLIAMS
Eight persons who were
newly-elected or reelected
to Upshur County offices
in 2012 took the oath of
office in a New Year’s Day
ceremony attended by an
estimated 150 other people
at the County Courthouse
Tuesday morning.
Taking the oath from
County Judge Dean Fowler
were Sheriff
Anthony
^ Betterton,
County
Tax Asses-
r sor-Collec-
tor Sherron
Laminack,Pct.
1 Comm. Paula Gentry, Pet.
3 Comm. Frank Berka; and
four constables, GeneDolle,
Pet. 1; Jason Weeks, Pet. 2;
Stanley Jenkins, Pet. 3; and
Phillip Hill, Pet. 4.
All are Republicans in a
county which for many de-
cades had only Democratic
county officials until the
late 1990s. All of the newly-
inaugurated officials were
elected without opposition
in the November general
election, after winning the
GOP nomination earlier in
the year.
Ms. Gentry, who was an
employee in the Gladewater
branch of the County Tax
Assessor-Collector’s office,
becomes the Commission-
ers Court’s first female
member since the late Ber-
nice Nobles served in the
1980s. Ms. Gentry ousted
2-term incumbent James
Crittenden in the July 31
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
EIGHT UPSHUR COUNTY OFFICIALS, who were elected or reelected in 2012, took their oaths of office Tuesday morning at
the Upshur County Courthouse. Front row, from left, are County Judge Dean Fowler, administering the oath; Sheriff Anthony Bet-
terton, Tax Assessor-Collector Sherron Laminack, Pet. 1 Comm. Paula Gentry, Pet. 4 Constable Phillip Hill and Pet. 1 Constable
Gene Dolle. Back row, Pet. 3 Comm. Frank Berka, Pet. 2 Constable Jason Weeks and Pet. 3 Constable Stanley Jenkins. (This
group photo was for the benefit of the photographer. Office holders took their oaths, arranged by office, later in the ceremony.)
GOP runoff.
Berka, a businessman,
replaces 2-term incumbent
Lloyd Crabtree, who Berka
ousted in the May 29 GOP
primary.
Betterton won reelection
to a fourth 4-year term by
defeating Larry Webb by 25
votes in the July GOP run-
off. Mrs. Laminack, who was
appointed to her office by
the Commissioners Court
in May 2011 when longtime
incumbent Mike Smith re-
signed, had no opponent in
the Republican primary in
winning her first term in
her own right.
Hill defeated two chal-
lengers in the GOP primary
to win reelection to a sec-
ond term, while Weeks was
reelected to a second term
without opposition. Dolle
and Jenkins won Republi-
can runoff races in July to
respectively replace Pet. 1
Constable Russell Harris
and Pet. 3 Constable Jerry
Kuhn, neither of whom
sought reelection.
During Monday’s 17-min-
ute ceremony in the third-
floor County Courtroom,
where the Commissioners
Court meets, Fowler admin-
istered the oath first to Ms.
Gentry and Berka jointly,
then to Laminack, then the
constables jointly, before
administering it to Better-
ton and dozens of sheriff’s
deputies simultaneously.
Briefly
Speak ng
Oak Hill Baptist to
host Paul’s Journey
Paul’s Journey from Mag-
nolia will sing at Oak Hill
Baptist Church at 6 p.m. Sun-
day, Jan. 6.
Admission is free; a love
offering will be accepted.
Pastor Wayne McKay in-
vites everyone to attend.
Chili cook-off set
for Saturday, Jan. 19
The Upshur County Com-
munity Fund’s annual Chili
Cook-off will be Saturday, Jan.
19 at the Yamboree exhibit
building.
Serving will begin at 11
a.m., with awards at 1:15 pm.
Armbands may be purchased
in advance at the Chamber of
Commerce office on the north-
west corner of the square, or
at the door for $6 each.
A Best Booth award will be
given, in addition to Peoples’
Choice and Judges’ Choice
awards for best chili.
Booths will be judged
on overall theme, original-
ity, workmanship and details.
Chili will be judged on taste,
texture and color. This is a
non-sanctioned cook-off.
Entry forms and rules are
available at the Chamber Of-
fice, and must be received by
Friday, Jan. 11.
This year, in addition to the
fine chili, a new attraction will
be a silent auction.
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
IN WHAT HAS BECOME A TRADITION in Upshur County and ing oaths of office to elected officials. Sheriff Anthony Betterton is
many other counties, deputies in the Sheriffs Office renewed their in the front row at right, in the cowboy hat. Administering the oath
oaths of office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of is County Judge Dean Fowler. Those deputies who were unable to
the United States, as part of the Tuesday ceremony of administer- attend the ceremony were to take their oaths later.
School land: Continuing Court okays 2-month
controversy during 2012 deal on food for jail
The Mirror continues its
review of some of the high-
lights of the year just ended.
This segment will cover the
second quarter, April, May
and June:
APRIL—Kinsman Home
Health donated $3,000 to the
Upshur County Community
Fund,
Harmony school students
hosted a “Walk for the Cure”
to increase awareness and
raise funds for juvenile dia-
betes research. The walk was
held Saturday, April 21.
Gilmer Buckeye Stadium
hosted its first Special Olym-
pics, with more than 140 stu-
dent athletes participating.
Upshur Rural Electric
Cooperative’s auditorium
was filled to overflowing
with members, who heard
then-General Manager John
Dugan deliver the operations
report at the co-op’s annual
meeting. He reported that the
co-op continued to be strong,
and continued to have some
of the lowest rates in the state
and nation. By the end of May,
Dugan, who had headed the
member-owned organization
for 35 years, would retire.
The Upshur County Com-
munity Players presented
Murder at the Museum, a
dinner theater to benefit the
Historic Upshur Museum.
Work was underway at
Buckeye Stadium to replace
the field turf.
The Upshur County Dis-
trict Attorney’s Office an-
nounced the shutting down of
illegal gambling at five loca-
tions in the county, informing
operators of 8-liners that the
machines were illegal and if
they did not cease and desist,
they would be arrested.
Union Pacific’s majestic
and historic steam engine No.
844 made an unannounced
See REVIEW, Page 9A
Upshur County commis-
sioners accepted a 2-month
contract for food for county
jail inmates, duringthecourt’s
last meeting for 2012 Monday
morning.
It was also the last meeting
for Pet. 1 Comm. James Crit-
tenden and Pet. 3 Comm. Lloyd
Crabtree, both of whom were
defeated in the Republican
primary or primary run-off
earlier in the year. Both had
served eight years on the
court.
The commissioners ac-
cepted the bid from U.S. Foods,
which has a warehouse in Dal-
las, but has a representative
See JAIL FOOD, Page 4A
www.gilmermirror.com
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Overton, Mac. The Gilmer Mirror (Gilmer, Tex.), Vol. 136, No. 2, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 5, 2013, newspaper, January 5, 2013; Gilmer, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth650769/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Upshur County Library.