Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 125, No. 95, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 6, 2007 Page: 6 of 18
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PAGE 6A • POLK COUNTY ENTERPRISE • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2007
Local brothers headed to
Iraq as the holidays arrive
HEADED FOR IRAQ - A pair of Livingston brothers are both bound for Iraq this holiday
ftdason. Sergeant Christopher Hatton, 23, left for his first tour in Iraq on Nov. 29. Chris served
four months in Afghanistan last Christmas. His brother, Specialist Nickolas Hatton, 19, left his
f>0#t in Hawaii for his first tour in Iraq Dec. 5. Both soldiers formerly attended Livingston High
School and completed basic training in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
The Hattons are sons of Michael and Janet Hatton of Livingston and Kelly and Doug Brewer of
Tallahassee, Fla. They have one sister, Casey, 21, also of Livingston. Christopher is married to
kfisti Hatton of Livingston and has a 4-year-old daughter, Kodie, and a new baby on the way.
$
r Facts about Polk County
Before European settlement, Polk County was inhabited by the Hasinai Indians, a
loose alliance of Caddo descent. The Alabama and Coushatta Indians crossed into the
Big Thicket, which covered much of the region, from Louisiana in the late eighteenth
century. Unlike the Hasinais, they remained in the county, living on land given to them
by the state of Texas in 1854. The Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation, enlarged by
the federal government in 1928, is east of Livingston on U.S. Highway 190.
AG warns of scams Texans
should avoid this holiday
With Texans across the state
prepari ng hoi iday meal s and shoppi ng
for gifts, a few con artists are dusting
off old scams and looking, for new
victims. Over the next few weeks,
consumers should avoid live popular
holiday scams: gift card scams;
online shopping schemes; phony
charities; credit repair scams; and
spam e-mail and other unsolicited
offers.
Gift card scams. Scam artists
often take advantage of gift cards
by writing down or memorizing the
serial numbers on the face of the card
while the cards arc still displayed
in the store. When an unsuspecting
consumer purchases and activates
the card, the scammer simply calls
the card's customer service number,
verifies it is active, and uses the
memorized serial number to make
online purchases.
Sadly, it is often days or weeks
before the legitimate buyer learns
that the card balance was drained by
a thief.
To avoid scammers who drain gift
card balances, consumers should ask
a store clerk to provide them with
a gift card from behind a counter
or one that has not otherwise been
accessible to the general public.
Some gift cards have additional
security measures, such as scratch off
codes, so consumers should always
verify that no one has tampered with
a card or its packaging.
Online shopping schemes.
Consumers should never respond to
bulk e-mails that offer merchandise,
travel deals or solicit charitable
contributions. Crooks often set
up Web sites that look like they
sell products or collect money for
charities when, in fact, all they doMS
collect credit card numbers, take the
money and run.
Consumers should always verify
a Web siteis security status before
placing an order. Online shoppers
also should consider using a credit
card for online purchases. Paying
by credit card often provides an
extra layer of protection making
it easier for consumers to dispute
unauthorized-charges or undelivered
products.
Bogus charities. Charitable
giving is commendable. but
consumers should ask questions
before donating to a telephone or
door-to-door solicitor: Does the
solicitor have identification? How
will contributions be used?
Texans also should independently
check what they are told about
the organization and make sure
their gifts will count. To verify an
organizations legitimacy, donors
can contact www.give.org.
This Web site is maintained by the
Council of Better Business Bureaus
to promote wise charitable giving.
Consumers also should confirm the
tax-exempt status of any organization
before they reach for their wallets.
Credit repair scams. Online or
in the classifieds, credit repair offers
often guarantee consumers loans
despite their poor credit ratings;
all consumers have to do is pay an
upfront "processingfee."Theseoffers
are invariably a form of advance fee
fraud, so Texans should steer clear
of them. Consumers who need extra
money over the holidays should visit
a local lender in person.
Unsolicited offers. The best way to
guard against scams and swindles is
simple: Never respond to unsolicited
offers. Consumers should never
respond to spam- e-mails sent by
strangers or unfamiliar companies.
Consumers should also be skeptical
of unsolicited telephone offers. Even
if the caller claims to represent
a trusted company or pitches an
interesting offer, Texans should hang
up and call the well-known company
directly using a number that appears
in the local telephone directory.
This simple precaution ensures that
consumers are talking to an actual
company representative.
Fraudulent offers also can arrive
in the mail. As tempting as it sounds,
consumers can rest assured they did
NOT win the Spanish lottery, the
Canadian lottery, or any other foreign
lottery just in time for the holiday s.
Texans should be extremely wary
of cashierfs checks sent by people
they do not know and should never
provide their personal financial
information to unfamiliar solicitors.
Con artists tend to spend money
just as fast as they steal it, so money
lost in these or similar scams is
difficult to recover. Prevention is a
critical factor in stopping thieves in
their tracks. By taking a few simple
precautions, Texans can enjoy a safe
and happy holiday season.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
TO AVOID HOLIDAY SCAMS
• Just hang up on unsolicited
telephone offers.
• Avoid sweepstakes, lottery and
other advance fee schemes.
• Approach a local lender if you
need to secure a holiday loan n be
wary of unsolicited credit repair
offers.
• Ask questions before making a
charitable contribution.
• Verify a Web siteis security
before ordering merchandise online.
• Be a smart shopper when buying
gift cards.
To verify acharitableorganizalionis
legitimacy, visit www.give.org.
To learn more about safe holiday
shopping and how to avoid common
consumer scams, contact the Office
of the Attorney General at (800) 252-
8011 or visit www.oag.state.tx.us.
OBITUARIES
Richard E. Jackson, Sr.
LIVINGSTON - A Mass of
Christian Burial for Richard E.
Jackson Sr., 77, was held Wednesday,
D4c. 5,2007, in St. Joseph’s Catholic
Cfturch, with Father Clifton Labbe,
S.V.D, officiating. A Rosary was held
ill' the Pace Funeral Home Chapel
oh Tuesday evening, with visitation
following.
Mr. Jackson died Sunday, Dec. 2,
at his residence. He was born Nov. 6,
19.30 and had resided in Livingston
fdr 17 years. He retired from Texas
Cjly Terminal as a railroad yard
master and was also in the U.S.
Atrny as a master sergeant during
th% Korean War. He belonged to the
Kljights of Columbus as a 4th Degree
cdlnmander.
.He is preceded in death by his
patents, Edwin S. and Madeline
Jackson and one son, Ronald E.
Jackson.
Frank Anthony Hotter
Oran Merl Crocker
He is survived by his wife, Patsy
Jackson, to whom he was married for
58 years; three sons and daughters-
in-law, Donald and Sandra Jackson
of Dickinson, Richard Jackson Jr. and
Lori of Manvel and John Jackson and
Penny of Santa Fe; two daughters and
sons-in-law, Jeanette Jackson Froyd
and husband John of Livingston and
Patricia Jackson Hall and husband
Gerald of Texas City; one sister,
Dolores J. Poljak; 14 grandchildren,
12 great-grandchildren and a host of
family and friends.
Pallbearers were Donald E.
Jackson, Richard E. Jackson, Jr.,
John T. Jackson, Gerald R. Hall,
Jason R. Glasgow and Frank
Borgesi. Honorary pallbearers were
the Knights of Columbus.
To sign the online guestbook, go to
pacefuneral.com.
LIVINGSTON - A memorial
service for Oran Merl Crocker, 61,
was held Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007, at
the Whirlwind Club, with Bro. Jerry
Owens officiating.
Mr. Crocker died Friday, Nov. 30,
at his residence in Livingston.
He was born Dec. 27, 1945 in
Liberty, the son of Marvin and
Hester Smotherman Crocker.
He was preceded in death by his
parents and brother, Carey Crocker.
Survivors include his wife,
Barbara Ann Crocker of Livingston;
son and daughter-in-law, John David
Crocker and Kcra Dawn Crocker of
Frankston; stepdaughters, Jada Lynn
Crocker Seeton of Jacksonville and
Connie Lynn Mayhew and husband
Chris of TRC, N.M.; stepsons,
Bubba Tobin of Bevaro, N.C.
and Terry Tobin of Bevaro, N.C.;
grandsons, Ethan Gran Crocker,
Taylor Mayhew, Nathan Tobin
and Aaron Tobin; granddaughters,
Taylor Morgan Crocker, Halee
Elizabeth Mitchell and Ashley Tobin
and brothers, Larry Dee Crocker of
Deriddcr, La. and Norman Crocker.
Cochran Funeral Home was in
charge of arrangements.
William E. Brooks
LIVINGSTON - Frank Anthony
“Tony” Hotter was born in Durango,
GdJo. on Aug. 2, 1941 and died Nov.
30, 2007 in Conroe.
.ftetpent the last 20 years of his
life living in and loving the Lake
Livingston area. He was preceded
in death by his wife, Ann Nixon and
son of a previous marriage, Frank
Anthony Hotter Jr.
•fie is survived by two sons,
Rodney and Scott Hotter and wife
Margetta; four grandchildren; many
stepchildren and step-grandchildren;
sister, Alma Gaston, who resides
in El Paso; two brothers, Don and
George Hotter of Colorado Springs,
Colo, and many other relatives and
friends.
He was known as someone who
did well in many things, including
building and repair, and who loved
his family, friends, his dog “Nicki,”
cooking, fishing and the Dallas
Cowboys.
Memorial services will be held
in Huntsville, Texas and Carlsbad,
N.M.
LIVINGSTON - USAF veteran
William E. “Sonny" Brooks of
Livingston died Friday evening,
Nov. 30, 2007, at the Brooks
homestead.
He was the only son of Forrest and
Jana Maye Brooks, born on Nov. 18,
1942. He was preceded in death by
both parents.
Survivors include his daughter
and son-in-law, Jana and Jeremy
Jersey; sons and daughters-in-law,
Jason and Tami Brooks and John
and Gina Goff; five granddaughters,
Brooke, Marissa, Peyton, Ryan and
Julienne and adopted son, Sonny
Remmington.
He will be laid to rest with
his parents at a small graveside
“speakeasy” at 11 a.m. Sunday,
Season SSEIf
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A celebration of his life will
follow at the Brooks homestead on
Old Bold Springs Road.
For more information, call 936-
327-4938.
Ralph Anthonie Ferrell
LIVINGSTON - Funeral services
for Ralph Anthonie Ferrell, 23, were
held Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007, in
the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel,
with Bro. Harold Isaacs officiating.
He was born April 27, 1984
in Lake County, III., the son of
Anthonie and Patricia Blackwell
Ferrell, and died Saturday, Dec. 1,
in Livingston: •
.Hi was preceded in death by his
parents.
Survivors include his brothers,
Jeremy John Ferrell of Pensacola,
Fla. and Bert Brudmcki of
Livingston; grandfather, Walter
G. Brudnicki of Livingston; aunt.
Holly Schlack and uncles, Paul A.
Brudnicki of Livingston and Steven
RALPH FERRELL
... services held Wednesday
Brudnicki of San Diego, Calif.
Margarite Stokley
LIVINGSTON - Services for
Margarite Stokley of Moscow are
pending at Pace Funeral Home.
Mrs. Stokley. died Monday,
Dec. 3, 2007, at her residence.
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WIH >0UR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS ?
112 West Polk
Livingston, TX
(936) 327-5211
2300 US Hwy. 190 West
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Reddell, Valerie. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 125, No. 95, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 6, 2007, newspaper, December 6, 2007; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth788314/m1/6/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.