Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 27, Ed. 1 Monday, January 16, 1984 Page: 1 of 22
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MICRCFIUH CERTER
?0 KX 454#
-.ALIAS tx 752^5
Mobile home plant slates open house
By DOTTIE WILSON
The name and face of John Skidmore
is not unfamiliar around Burleson, even
though he only opened the doors to his
new mobile home manufacturing plant
Oct. 1. He just moved to the other side
of Hwy. 1-35 when he formed his brand
new corporation, Skidmore Homes, Inc.
The owner of Burleson’s new manu-
facturing plant previously was co-
owner with Elmer Carter of Skidmore-
Carter Homes in Burleson. That opera-
tion was sold to Kaufman-Broad in
1981; the plant is located on the east
service road of 1-35. Skidmore’s new
manufacturing plant is situated on
seven and one half acres of land off the
same highway on the west service road.
“I’ve lived in Arlington for 31 years,
but I really like the Burleson area and
the people here,” he said. There wasn’t
any question about where he would
locate when he decided to get back into
the manufacturing business. The 50,000
square foot building where the homes
are made is located just south of the
First National Bank of Burleson at 721
N. Burleson Blvd. The first thing you
see is the huge sign, ‘ ‘Holly Ridge’ ’ over
the company name. “Holly Ridge is the
only brand name we produce. We make
four styles of homes and put an empha-
Head ’Em Up,
A brand new Holly Ridge mobile home, manufactured at Skidmore Homes, Inc. of
Burleson, ws^ hitched up Thursday morning and headed out to Roanoke. The pro-
duction piafit, which opened its doors early in October, makek four models of the
Move ’Em Out
homes in varying sizes. Owner and founder John Skidmore was formerly a co-
owner of Ski,dmore-Carter Homes in Burleson before it was sold to Kaafman
Broad.
sis on quality rather than quantity,’’
said the plant owner They hope to be
producing two to three units per day
soon, and the company sells directly to
dealers.
“LOCALLY WE SELL TO Y’s Mobile
Homes, and we also have an outlet in
Roanoke, just north of Fort Worth,” he
said The new Burleson industry is
holding Open House all this week, Jan.
16-20, displaying for both dealers and
the general public the four models they
produce. A tour of the factory with a
bird’s eye view of how the homes are
produced is also open to everyone in the
community.
The company presently employs 48
people, a large percentage residents of
this area, and hopes to increase their
numbers to between 60 and 70 during
the next 12 months
In addition to Skidmore, his staff
members include Lorene Standlee.
bookkeeper and secretary; Mike Bane,
sales manager, Steve Skidmore, ser-
vice manager; Gene Odom, transpor
tation manager; Gene Lambert, plant
manager; Bril Benoy, purchasing di-
rector. and Joe Watson, assistant plant
manager and quality control manager
About 40 more people are employed in
the manufacturing end of the business
“Our present production is about four
units per week,” said Skidmore Plans
for the future also include double-wide
home production, a product in demand
by the consumer
They manufacture two 3-bedroom
styles, one 84’xl4’ and one 81 xl4', and
two 2-bedroom models. 80x14 and 72x14
Some are loaded with extras, such as
microwaves and ceiling fans; and
others have less frills for the con-
sumer needing a more economical
model.’ But quality is the most un
portant feature of each home produced
They sell them both furnished and un-
furnished, said Skidmore.
Mobile homes serve an important
need, especially for young people start-
ing out, he commented. They can pro-
vide the “American Dream” of home
ownership for those who can’t afford
traditional housing, said the plant ow-
ner In the business for the past 31
years. Skidmore has seen great chan-
ges in the mobile home industry.
“IN THE OLD DAYS TOEY were
actually bought for the purpose of their
mobility and they were much smaller,”
he recalled “After the Second World
War when construction boomed, people
had to have that mobility element to
move from place to place where con-
struction workers were needed the
most You could hardly find an apart-
ment in those days wherever the mo6t
construction was going on,” he added.
As the mobile home has become more
and more accepted through the years,
its quality has improved vastly and
sizes have increased Skidmore feels
manufactured housing is still on the in-
crease in supplying housing in this
country "Our percentage of the
market for homebuyers is about 85 per-
cent of homes in the price range of
$40,000 and under That demand isn’t!
going to stop anytime soon,” he said.
Holly Ridge homes include many
features found in site-built homes They
build their own cabinets, offer special
closet and storage features, along with
solid overall construction and many ex-
tras for those who choose them
Skidmore Homes. Inc is the 10th
mobile home factory John Skidmore
has started The manufacturing
warehouse is impressive; the homes
are equally so Perhaps that comes
from the company owner's many years
of experience in the industry Drop by
this week during Open House to meet
the owner and his staff
14 PAGES IN 1 SECTION
MONDAY
EDITION
\/ol. 19 No. 27
January 16, 1984
BURLESON^STAR
25
For Mail Delivery
295-0486
Sheriff’s race getting crowded
DON POLLOCK
D.J. MOULDER
J*ARL GODWIN
Three more Johnson County resi-
dents have announced intentions to run
for the office of county sheriff. Stuart
Huffman will complete his third term
as Johnson County Sheriff this year and
is not seeking re-election.
Don Pollock, a 48-year-old Grandview
resident, and Jearl (Tiny) Godwin, a
43-year-old resident of Joshua, both in
formed The Star Jan. 6 of their inten-
tions to run for the county office. D.J
Moulder, a 30 year old Cleburne resi-
dent, announced his candidacy Wednes-
day, bringing the number of candidates
to six. Paul Busby of Alvarado an-
nounced intentions to run in October,
and Delphus Runnels and Eddy G
Boggs, both of Cleburne, announced
their candidacies in November.
Pollock is a veteran officer with over
14 years experience in law enforce-
ment. He served as an investigator with
the Houston Police Department and
was chief narcotics officer with the
Montgomery County Sheriff's Depart
ment before assuming his current
duties as Detective in the Criminal In-
vestigation Division of the Forest Hill
Department of Public Safety Office in
Fort Worth.
By TERRY M. EVANS
Watching her young son at play. Jan
et Nelson had no doubt about what he
would eventually become. From the
age of two, she said, Johnny would sit
on the floor and take his friction cars
apart t« see how they worked. Then, he
would reassemble them in perfect
working order.
“I had to search for my kitchen
knives all the time because he used
them for screwdrivers,” Janet Nelson
said. “When he was four, he could
identify any car on the road by make
and model. His attention was focused
on cars all his young life and I knew
he’d grow up with that same focus.”
Johnny Nelson (24) realized his life-
long dream in 1983, his first year to race
in genuine competition. He chose to
begin his career in professional racing
with Mini Sprints, but his ultimate goal
is the Datona 500. He made a fine
beginning, finishing third in point
standings last year.
MINI SPRINT CARS ARE the smal-
lest racers for professional competition
and are, according to John Nelson,
Johnny's father and half of the pit
crew, “kind of a preliminary to the
Midgets and Sprints.” The other half of
the crew is nine-year-old Michael, the
gofer.
The small vehicles are distinguished
HE HAS ATTENDED the University
of Houston, and the University of Col-
orado, and has achieved basic, in-
termediate, advanced, and instructors
certification with the Texas Commis-
sion of Law Enforcement Officers Stan-
dard and Education. He has successful-
ly completed more than HIM) hours of
specialized training in all phases of law
enforcement, including patrol, acci-
dent. jail, management, burglary, rob-
bery. homicide, and narcotics.
Over half of his career in law enforce-
ment has been spent as an investigator
working criminal investigations and
narcotics, said Pollock. Narcotics is an
area he feels should have strong priori-
ty in the department’s activities He
feels a concentrated effort should be in-
itiated by the sheriff’s department to
combat the ever increasing problem of
drug related crimes. “Cooperation with
state and federal agencies is a key ele-
ment in dealing with crime,” he added
I will see that tht^men and women of
the sheriff's department receive the
leadership and training they deserve,”
he said, i will also strive to bring
salaries in line with other area law en-
forcement agencies to insure the best
from the larger cousins by size and
power plants. The Mini Sprints use a
Midget chassis with a 72-inch wheel
baSe powered by a motorcycle engine.
The Nelsons' car is driven by a l,100cc
Kawasaki with fuel injection. It has
been clocked at 73 mph in one-eighth
mile and in excess of 90 mph on a
one-half-mile track.
Midget cars are powered by special,
highly-tuned and labor-intensive VW
engines that can run $7,800 or more.
Special parts are made for the VW
Midget engines that are not available at
the local parts store.
Sprints are exactly twice as large as
the Midgets and are powered by Chevy
350 to 400-cubic-inch engines. The
power plants have aluminum heads,
fuel injection and magneto ignition and
cost between $18,000 and $20,000.
The Nelsons plan to work their way
up through the cars, as money and
expertise allows, to eventually race
Nascar They cut corners wherever
possible with their first car and, though
neither had experience working with
motorcycle engines, built Number 72
from a chassis they bought from Pickle
Racing Products in Tulsa, Qkla.
“We race on a reasonably low budget
against high-budget people and still
compete,” said John Nelson. “We have
See Over 100. Page 4
Child’s play turns
into man’s hobby
possible personnel within the Johnson
County Sheriff’s Department. I will be a
full time working sheriff.” he added
Pollock is the son of A.L "Skeet” and
Betty Pollock of Cleburne and has two
grown children. Stephanie Pollock. 24,
and Kevin Pollock. 21, who live in Col-
orado
ALSO SEEKING THE Democratic
nomination for Sheriff of Johnson Coun-
ty is Jearl (Tiny) Godwin. He is
presently employed as chief deputy
sheriff and Investigator of Somervell
County Sheriff’s Department, a position
he has held for three years
He worked for the Johnson County
Sheriff's Department for five years,
where he served as communications
and jail officer, civil processor patrol
officer, and lieutenant investigator He
;s currently a certified peace officer
and received certification about Hi
years ago.
Godwin has 550 classroom hours of
police related courses from the North
Texas Central Council of Governments
Police Academy and the Department of
Public Safety Academy
“With Huffman stepping down. I feel
!’m the most qualified person for the
job he said T have experience in ad-
ministration and in budget along with
the other specific areas mentioned And
I am anxious to work in my home coun-
ty. ’ he added
Deterring crime is the first element
for attention, which can be emphasized
by strong Neighborhood Watch pro-
grams and having patrol cars more
visible in the rural areas, said Godwin
APPREHENSION OF THE crimi-
nals is the next area which would
receive priority time under my direc
tion.” he added
Godwin’s wife of 22 years. Wanda
Hillard Godwin, is an employee of the
Fort Worth Postal Department They
have four children. Dennis. Mark.
Glynis. and Jodie His sons are grown
and his daughters attend Joshua
schools. Godwin has been a resident ot
Johnson County for 14 years.
Danny Joe (D J - Moulder is present
lv a sergeant with the Johnson County
Sheriff's Department, in charge of two
patrol shifts He has seven years of
experience with the local department,
serving as an investigator for one and
one half years.
Those years have given him a good
understanding ol w hat needs to be done
in ;he future lo brine about changes in
law enforcement within the county
which w ould be beneficial lor everyone,
he said Moulder considers opening a
manned sheriffs sub-station in Burle-
son as a top priority goal ’It will speed
service to people n 'he northern half of
the county, he said Its not a ques-
tion of cost feasibility The sub court-
house in Burleson is available, and
there is definitely a need for a Burleson
office. ' he added
MOULDER (.RADI \TEI) IN 1972
from the Grandview School System He
received his Basic law enforcement
education through the Texas A&M sys-
tem. and since that time has furthered
his education 'hrmtgh college courses
and courses offered through the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement Offi-
cers Standards, and Education.
He is a 16 year resident of Cleburne
and attends the North Anglin Street
Church of Christ with his wife Charlotte
and three children. Amv. Heather and
Alicia Moulder states, As vour sheriff
I will uphold the good tradition of that
office Everything that I do will be done
alter caretul thought and using com-
mon sense.”
Vv
First Car
A Winner
John Nelson (I) and Johnny Nelson stand with the Mini Sprint that carried the lat-
ter to a third place in point standings for his first year in racing. The two knew little
about motorcycle engines when they started building Number 72. but learned
quickly and kept it going through the 1983 season despite two major accidents. The
first eight races were spent learning how to feel the car as it careened around the
dirt oval. Nelson said Photo by Terry H. Tran*
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Moody, James. Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 27, Ed. 1 Monday, January 16, 1984, newspaper, January 16, 1984; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth761313/m1/1/: accessed June 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Burleson Public Library.