The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 4, Ed. 1 Friday, January 25, 1980 Page: 1 of 6
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PO BOX 4543S
DALLAS
TX 75235
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(ABSORBED THE GAZETTE CIRCULATION BY PURCHASE MAY 12, 1928)
VOL. 1Q5—NO. 4.
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS, FRIDAY, JANUARY 25,1980.
S PAGES -10 CENTS PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
— ’ ■ ——— . 1 1————
Child's play, 'victims'
foil armed robbery try
By JIM MOORE
News-Telegram Staff
Fast action by Sulphur Springs police,
two would-be victims and a young child’s
innocent play resulted in the arrest of a
former Sulphur Springs resident following
an armed robbery at Mr. B’s at 1237 South
Broadway Sunday afternoon.
The suspect, identified as Pamelia Ann
Clayton, 24, of 3550 Overton in Dallas,
remained in city jail Monday morning with
bond set at $15,000 by Municipal Judge Roy
F. Johnson.
According to store personnel, Mrs.
Clayton, a former Sulphur Springs
resident, went to the local convenience
store Sunday afternoon. She purchased
gasoline and a woman traveling with her
bought food items for her child and the two
children of Mrs. Clayton.
Then the suspect allegedly went back
into the store about 1:02 p.m. and held a
chrome-plated automatic pistol on the
clerks.
Mrs. Clayton ordered two customers,
Glenn Love, 22, and James Isaac, 38, both
of whom list Ramada Inn as an address,
from the store.
Witnesses said Mrs. Clayton then ran
from the store, got into her 1968 two-door
coupe and told the woman who was with
her to drive off as she threw a handful of
money into the back of the car.
However, the woman behind the wheel
did not have the keys to the car. Upon
seeing the weapon, she ran into the store
and reportedly asked the clerks, “What
has she done?”
When informed of what had just 00
curred, the woman took her child and left
the scene, witnesses said.
Hie woman, Identified as Wunnett
Hawkins Lusk, 24, also of Dallas, later
went to the police station and gave officers
a statement.
Mrs. Clayton then grabbed her two
daughters, dropped some of the cash on
the ground and confronted Love and Isaac.
While holding the gun on the two, she or-
dered them to get into their pickup and
drive.
Love said that while she was looking at
her children, he grabbed the pistol and
after he had gotten it away from her, she
bit him on the arm.
Isaac then opened the door of the pickup
and took the gun from Love.
At 1:02 p.m., store personnel called the
Police Department and city officers, along
with Hopkins County deputies and DPS
troopers, were enroute to the scene.
Patrolman Ronnie Walden who was first
on the scene, reported that as he arrived
the woman was lying on the ground and he
initially thought that she had been shot.
He reported that the suspect was in-
toxicated and while he was both trying to
calm the two young girls and arrest Mrs.
Clayton,Patrolman David Free arrived.
Free and Sgt. Howard Simms took the
suspect into custody and Free then
transported her to the station where she
was booked at 1:10 p.m. Her two children
were placed with relatives.
Simms reported that Isaac gave him a
“handful of money” and that bills, blown
about by the wind, were found as far away
as Industrial Drive.
“She said to give her the cash,” said one
of the store clerics. Sgt. Simms asked her
what she did then and she replied, “So I
handed her the money.” The clerks said
that they did not know if the weapon was
Sulphur Spring* High School Senior Kelley Fletcher lets loose with a jubilant yell as
she emerges from the Meadows Arts Center at Southern Methodist University
Saturday after winning a spot in the trumpet section of the Texas All-State Band.
—R«x Wiltmon Photo
Local musician nabs
all-state band honor
Sulphur Springs High School Senior
Kelley Fletcher has added yet another
laurel to her growing list of musical ac-
complishments by earning a spot in the
All-State Band over the weekend in
competition atx Southern Methodist
University.
Hie daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John
Fletcher now has climbed from com-
petition for first chair trumpet in the
Springs Wildcat band to the
honor available to a Texas high
ol musician, with only one goal
remaining.
Miss Fletcher will be making the trip to
San Antonio for state band chair com-
petition Feb. 13-14, where the all-state
band will perform in concert as part of the
Texas Music Educator’s Convention,
Sulphur Springs music director Rex
Wilemon said Monday.
“She is the best trumpet player we’ve
had since I’ve been here,” Wilemon said.
“She is a classic example of hard work
paying off - she’s up there in the band hall
as soon as it opens every day, and she
works hard at her music.
“She not only has the basic talent,”
Wilemon said, “she also has the
willingness to put forth the effort required
to be among the best. A lot of musicians
have the talent but not the deter-
mination...”
Among Miss Fletcher’s musical ac-
complishments this year, Wilemon said,
are first chair in the AlLState Honor Band;
first chair, Four States Honor Band; first
chair, All-District band; and a first
division rating in state solo and ensemble
competition.
"That’s a long road of competition,”
Wilemon said, “and it starts early here.
When you have as good a band as we have,
it’s tough enough to make first chair in
your own band; you have to beat a lot of
people just to get that far.”
Miss Fletcher and her trumpet have
been featured in the Sulphur Springs High
School Stage Band for the past two years.
Her school musical career began with
the junior high program here, and now she
already has a scholarship lined up at East
Texas State University, where she plans to
major in music, and next month will be
going for the top trumpet chair prize
against some professional-type com-
petition.
In addition to her studies with Wilemon,
she takes private lessons from an ETSU
teacher, Conrad Bauschka.
Before the state tryouts at SMU
Saturday, Wilemon said, she already had
earned a top spot in the regional com-
petition to qualify for area tryouts.
“Our area includes Dallas-Fort Worth,
Richardson, and a lot of other big schools
with fine music programs and top
musicians,” Wilemon said. “And die was
first chair in our area.
“I got a look at the scores from the state
tryouts,” Wilemon said; “and it appeared
to me she had the highest score.”
Sulphur Springs
Young Farmers
collect honors
A delegation of 28 members
representing the Sulphur Springs
Young Fanners and their wives
returned from San Antonio during the
weekend with a number of awards
and memories of a delightful trip.
The chapter was recognized as the
runner-up for the state outstanding
title, after winning first in the area
competition.
Bill Allan, last year's, president,
was named outstanding area officer
at the convention. He was awarded
two trips, one to Bryan for the Texas
Banker’s Cooperative, and a second to
Nebraska for the National
Cooperative meeting.
The Sulphur Springs chapter
captured the publicity award for its
scrapbook of newspaper clippings,
compiled by reporter Herb Flora.
Allan also won another award for
Outstanding Young Farmer of Area
VI.
Wade Bartley made a strong bid for
state association president, but came
up a few votes short.
Richard Watson, chapter president,
accepted all the awards for the group.
Going for
the big finish
Debbie Osborn danced her way into the
1980 Miss Sulphur Springs title
Saturday night in the Civic Center. The
music of “Imapsody in Blue" began
with a swaying ballet and concluded
with a rousing jazz interpretation. The
5-foot, 7-inch daughter of Mr. ind Mrs.
Duane Osborn is a captain in the Blue
Blazes drill team and has been taking
dance lessons for two years.
SSpi
1
loaded or not but “it wasn’t worth getting
killed to find out.”
The store reported that approximately
$399.59 had been taken in the robbery — a
figure taken from cash register tapes that
did not include a count of the change still in
the drawer. However, officers were only
able to find $269 after searching the car,
the suspect and the area. Simms said that
some of the money may have blown away
when it was dropped on the ground.
Walden had placed the two youngsters,
ages approximately 4 and 7 years of age, in
his patrol car as he collected evidence and
statements from witnesses... and the elder
child was still playing with the missing set
of car keys.
And the winners are.
Flanked by her court is the new Miss Sulphur Springs, Debbie
Osborn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Duane Osborn. The Sulphur
Springs High School senior was also chosen as Miss Congeniality
by the other contestants before a capacity crowd at the Civic
Center Auditorium Saturday night. First runner-up is Sherry
Lynn Brinlee, left, daughter of Mrs. Opal Brinlee. Second
runner-up is Karen Durham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John
West. Miss Durham's rendition of "You Decorate My Life,"
brought down the house.
-?lflH Photo by JAN BLAKE
Osborn scores double
win in beauty pageant
By JAN BLAKE
News-Telegram Staff
Debbie Osborn walked away from the
1980 Jaycee sponsored Miss Sulphur
Springs Pageant Saturday night with two
titles — Miss Congeniality and Miss
Sulphur Springs.
Miss Osborn is the 18-year-old daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Duane Osborn. She danced
to the music of "Rhapsody in Blue.” She
was sponsored by Safeway. Her hostess
was Julie Hager.
First runner-up honors in the pagent
wait to Sherry Lynn Brinlee, who played a
jazz arrangement of “Bandstand Boogie”
on the electric bass as her talent
presentation. She is the daughter of Mrs.
Opal Lee Brinlee and was sponsored by
Kentucky Fried Chicken. Her hostess was
Lasca Harry.
Karen Durham won the second runner-
up position, but it was in the talent com-
petition that she made her presence *
especially known to the capacity crowd in <
the civic center auditorium, Miss
Durham’s rendition of “You Decorate My
Life” was interrupted several times by
applause from the full house attending the
Jaycee-sponsored event. She is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John West. Hie
second runner-up was sponsored by
Primrose Lane and her hostess was Due
Brittain.
The entertainment started early as the
Tiny Miss Sulphur Springs contestants
trotted, loped and sauntered across the
stage. The escorts of the 4—to 6-year-old
group soon discovered who was boss while
on stage. Each of the young ladies
displayed a mind of their own.
Hie winner of the savings bond in the
Tiny Miss contest was 4-year-old Brandie
Lynn Brown. First runner-up was
Rachelle Kay Roberts, age 6, and second
runner-up was Shelly Vickery, age 4.
Camera-clutching parents raced from
all over the Civic Center auditorium and
elbowed for the best position; the front of
the stage area packed quickly with
shutter-snapping parents during the brief
period all the young girls were on stage.
In the Little Miss Sulphur Springs
pageant, for contestants between the ages
of 7 and 9, Kim Fowler was named the
winner. The first runner-up was Kristin
Irvin and second runner-up was Chresta
KunkeL
The Miss Junior Sulphur Springs title
for 1980, for young women between 10 and
13 years old, went to Cynthia Lawrence.
First runner-up is Rhonda Roberts and
second runner-up is Kim McCasland.
Miss Teen Sulphur Springs winner isi
Tammy Gregg. Her court members are
first runner-up Frances Tolson and second
runner-up Missy Hannon.
Glover, Richey re-elected
In a voting turnout that saw about half of
the number that voted last year, Com-
mission Chairman Millard Glover and
Commissioner Vaden Richey Saturday
were returned to their second two-year
terms on the Sulphur Springs city council.
In January, 1979, Gerald Bowers
received more votes than there were
voters Saturday. Bowers was elected to
the commission in.1979 with 495 votes and
only 436 bothered to vote in the first city
election of the ’80s. The 436 included seven
absentee ballots.
Glover was re-elected with 250 votes to
lead the field for 57.3 percent of the total
ballots.
Richey received 209 votes for 47.9 per-
cent of those voting.
Vernon Davis, a former two-term
member of the commission who had
served as vice chairman, was third in the
final tally with 114 for 26.2 percent followed
by C.S. (Steve) Eitelman who polled 105
ballots for 24.1 percent of the field.
Keith Klein gathered 80 votes for 18.4
percent and John E. Fennell had 52 ballots
for 11.9 percent.
There was only one write-in - for for-
mer Commissioner Larry D. Willmann,
who was not an announced candidate.
In the last flection there were 796 people
who turned out in bad weather to vote for
three positions on the commission.
BowersTLewis Helm (410 votes) and Dee
Mabe (400 votes) were elected to the
commission at that time.
The record year for votes was 1973 when
1,326 citizens turned out to cast their
ballots.
As to the low voter turnout, “All you can
do is count the ones that will come," said
Jim Luce, one Of the election judges.
The irony of the low number of voters at
the polls is that former Commission
Chairman J.D. Franklin was defeated in
January, 1979 after receiving 387 votes -
almost 50 percent more votes than were
required to win the first election of the new
decade.
Hie results of Saturday’s city election
will be canvassed at the first meeting in
February and the re-elected members will
be officially sworn in at the first session of
the city commission in April.
Also-at that time, commissioners will
elect a chairman and vice chairman.
Glover is currently chairman with Helm
serving as vteechairman: .
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Keys, Clarke & Woosley, Joe. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 4, Ed. 1 Friday, January 25, 1980, newspaper, January 25, 1980; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth780075/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.