Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 118, No. 104, Ed. 1 Sunday, December 31, 2000 Page: 4 of 30
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PACE 4A - THE POLK COUim ENTERPRISE, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3L J
2000 marked by tragedies, triumphs, transportation talks
from pegs 1
U S 287 seven mites east of Cor-
rigan.
The Onalaska Independem School
District lost its school counselor
when Karen Vimng, 36, Jed Jan
27 from bead injuries received m a
one-vehicle accident that occuned
Jan 11 on FM 3188 A resident of
Trinity, Vimng was en rouse home
from an OISD board meeting when
the accident occurred Funeral serv-
icer were held in ha hometown of
R us ton. La
Rev. Frank Hood was honored as
Polk Counuan of the Year at the
64th annual Polk County Chamber
of Commerce Awards Banquet Jan
27.
Andrew Sansom. executive three
lor of the Texas Parks A Wildlife
Department, was the guest speaks
at the banquet in which outgoing
President Glenn Cornelius passed
the gavel to incoming President
Sheila Neal Other awards presented
included: Dorothy Johnson, educa-
tion award, Lawrence Oliva, youth
award, Glenda Wipes, community
service award; and Emily Banks md
Alvin Holley, chamber appreciation
awards
The Texas Transportation Com-
mission approved a S19.2 million
environmental study of Texas'
portion of the 1-69 corridor which
would link Canada and Mexico md
is proposed to follow U.S. 59
through Polk County.
February
Residents in the area of Country
Sunrise subdivision were shaken
from ticlr beds early Feb. 2 by a
natural gas pipeline explosion.
However, there was no fire and no
reported injuries. The blowout oc-
curred at around 3 a m on a 30-inch
high-pressure pipeline owned by
Natural Gas Pipeline of America.
y The line, which was carrying
i natural gas under 840 pounds of
pressure, gave way in a wooded area
between Rayon Road and Country
Sunrise subdivision, about a quarter
tjM a third of a mile down the pipe-
lute from FM 1988. About 150
.residents were evacuated from the
turas wmiimv.........
■r. Aims Simon Puller, 77, of Liv-
ytgstou, was killed Feb. 8 follow-
ing! a iwo- vehicle collision on Loop
393 iu.Ckmdkich.
„, Over 100 people attended a meet-
ing to discuss pay increases for
TpCJ employees as part of a state-
wide movement to improve the
salaries. Slate Rep Dan Ellis (D-
,Livingston), Larry Harris, a retired
JDCJ employee representing the
^txas Public Employment Assoda
nop, and Paul Antwine. a sergeant
fiom the Gone Unit in Huntsville,
addressed the crowd and shared their
plans.
Fifteen-month-old Alyssa Duke
was killed in a house fire that oc-
cuned at 11 a.m. Feb. 9 on Ea4
Avenue in Goodrich
The Board of Tmstees of the Liv-
ingston Independent School District
approved the purchase of the forma
Sam Rayburn Municipal Power
Agency building and property at
1412 S. Houston Ave. at a cost of
$290,000, to be used as the dis-
trict's administration/business of-
fice The purchase price included
tunnshings and real estate.
It was learned in February that
die Polk County Pine Cone Festi-
val would get a face lift and return
to older themes when festival or-
ganizers announced a name change
to Polk County Pioneer Days in an
effort to bring back the past while
exploring the future as true pio-
neers.
Foar individuals readied a Hillis-
ter couple and their dhaghter from a
burning home on Menu Luther
King Drive Feb 11 The couple
was staying with fee* daughter’s
family following the lots of then
Hillister home to fire the previous
week
Livingston High School Senior
Jadyn Sibley was crowned Miss
Polk County during the annual
pageant Feb 12. where she also
woo the talent compeotioo Ginger
Hamilton won first runner-up
Crystal Wells won second runner
up. Truhaunda Barnes woo Miss
Congeniality and Crystal Wells
woo Miss Photogenic
Polk County residents began us-
ing the new 936 telephone area code
Feb 19, when the existing 409
zone officially underwent a three-
way split
During its February meeting, the
Board of Trustees of the Onalaska
Independent School District ap-
proved the employment of Ray.
Wood A Fine to protest its 1999
property values, citing a $22 mil-
lion difference between the Polk
Central Appraisal District's *>-
praisal of the school district at
$159,544,351 and the state’s ip-
praisal of the district «
$181,206,020.
An advisory group of local citi-
zens selected by the Polk County
Commissioners' Court met with
County Judge John Thompson nl
Bob Brooks of Brooka/Coonado
Associates of Houston to provide
Input and guidance in creating a
building plan that will serve the
best Interests of county govern
menu and the taxpayers, for the
present and Into the future
Overcrowding at the Polk County
Courthouse prompted the court in
December 1999 to hire the firm to
develop a master plan for the re-
modeling and expansion of the
county’s mfcninistrative aid judicial
facilities and a historic courthouse
masterplan.
George Moody was credited with
saving the life of bis neighbor,
Shirley Starling, Feb. 20 after res-
cuing the invalid woman from ha
home on Rocky Road upon discov-
ering it was on fire.
Michael C. Brown, 40, of Mis-
souri City, died Feb. 21 after his
pickup truck ran up under a truck-
trailer on U.S. 190, seven-tenths of
a mile east of Livingston.
A 57-year-old female guard at the
Terrell Unit was released unharmed
Feb. 22 following a 13-hour stand-
off, having been taken hostage by
two death row inmates
The Polk County Commission-
era' Court approved both advertis-
ing for bids for the sale of its waste
management facilities and issuing a
request for proposals for contractual
operation of the department
March
Polk County Night was observed
March 3 at the annual Houston
Livestock Show aid Rodeo where
Steve Milter Band was the featured
performer
Fifteen-year-old Chad Whitmire
of Groveton died March 2 after be-
ing struck by a beam a a job site
approximately four miles south of
Livingston where he was working
for his grandfather's house moving
company.
Promoting its annual chili sup-
pa, the Polk County Branch Office
of the American Red Cross an-
nounced that it had spent $82,000
locally on the 205 single-family
fires to which it had responded ova
its 10-yesr-history. During that
same time, the local chapter also
spent $825,000 on 21 nationally -
funded local duasies aid $6,000 for
service to military families, having
assisted 317 military families
Annehese Catherine Hartmann,
13, of Livmgstoo. was killed
Mach 5 following a four-wheeler
accident in San Jacinto County
She was celebrating ha bmbday
when the accident occurred
Polk County's Office of Ema
gency Management conducted coun-
tywide tornado drills Mach 8 in
five of the six school districts in
Polk County in conjunction with
Mach 5-11 being Severe Weather
Awareness Week m Texas The
Livingston Police Department.
Livingston Volunteer Fire Depart
ment and Polk County Sheriff's
Department assisted m the effort
In conjunction with Census
2000, Polk County’s Complete
Count Committee was formed and
began promoting the census and
emphasizing the importance of
completing the questionnaires
which began going out
Early voting ended March 10 for
the Democratic and Republican
primary elections. Seven hwdred
twenty-five Republican and 1,254
Democratic ballots were cast by
personal appearance, while 1,185
Republican aid 401 Democratic
mail-ln ballou were cut.
Two voting boxes were added In
Precinct 1 - Box 19 and Box 20.
Hundreds of area 4-H and FFA
members converged for the 55th
annual Trinity-Neches Livestock
Show and Rodeo. Caret Lowe of
Livingston FFA showed the Grand
Champion stea which sold fa
$10,000 at auction. A total of 119
animals were auctioned, bringing in
$292,908, a new record fa the auc-
tion.
Filing ended March 23 for candi-
dacy in the May 6 city and school
board elections. Due to no contested
races, the cities of Livingston and
Onalaska, the Goodrich and Leggett
school districts, the Memorial
Point Utility District and the Polk
County Fresh Water Supply Dis-
trict No. 2 wae able to forego their
elections.
i April
Lake Livingston Water Supply
Corporation’s Indian Hills/Pine
Shadows water improvement proj-
ect went on line April 5, marking
substantial completion of major
projects totaling ova $1/2 million
that resulted in long-awaited im-
provements to the water quality in
13 lake-area subdivisions.
Mario Flores, 32, of Corrigan,
was killed in a two-vehicle colli-
sion that occuned April 9 on U.S.
59 in Moscow.
The Livingston Volunteer Fire
Department was recognized with a
certificate of appreciation fiom U.S.
Sen. Phil Gramm in conjunction
with National Voluntea Week
April 9-15.
Daniel Blank received his second
death sentence. Arrested in Polk
County in Novemba 1997, he was
charged with six Louisiana murders.
A fire in one of several bok
mulch piles at the Wonda Chemi-
cal Company in New Willard drew
15 area fire departments.
Twenty-five inmates at the Polk
County Jail were baptized April 18
a the end of a three-day jail revival.
Organizers said a total of 47 in-
mates were saved.
Goodrich ISD students Jarvis
Walker, 16, and Amanda Yancey,
15, drowned April 19 when the car
in which they were riding traveled
into a lake at Holiday Lake Estates.
Robot Harold Borma, 47, of
Livingston, was killed and five
people from Louisiana were injured
Livingston Ford Mercury
SALE SALE SALE
New Shipment of Program Cars
2000 Focus - only $12,220
2000 Contour - only $11,2000
2000 Taurus - only $14,650
2000 Mystique - only $11,300
2000 Marquis - only $17,995
For these prices ask for Kevin R. Davis
when you stop by or call.
. ^r>
2400 HWY. 59 SOUTH
LIVINGSTON
FORD
MEflCURY
Ik
a a two-vehicle cofhtioa that oc-
cuned Emm $mtm morning
(April 23) oa FM 1988,12 mites
west of Livingston
Polk County teamed it would re-
cave $117,288.27 of the $100 mil-
lion in funds from the Texas to-
bacco settlement disbursed by State
Comptroller Carole Keeton Ry-
landa to hell oi set costs of provid-
ing indigent care. This was Polk
County’s second payment from the
tobacco funds, having received
$541,965.36 in January 1999
Dipping to a two-yew low. the
county's unemployment me fell to
5 percent
May
Voters decided (he May 6 city and
school trustee races
The Livingston City Council
adopted an ordinance regulating
mobile amusement rides and carni-
vals on municipal property, having
prohibited carnival-type rides on
city-owned property fa ova 20
yean As • result, organizers of
Polk County Pioneer Day* now
plan to offer carnival rides at the
two-day event in Octoba
A May 14 house fire in Lake
Livingston Village claimed the
lives of two cousins - Melvin
Wayne Simpson. IS, aid Arin Jef-
frey Mtrr, 14.
TXDoT officials presented a new
timetable aid revised plans fa the
bypass In Corrigan to City of Cor-
rigan officials.
Travis Ray Burt, 18, of Cold-
spring, was arrested aid charged
with arson less than 24 hours after
a half dozen arson fires were set
during a one-hour period early May
18 in San Jacinto County. Hie rash
of fires, which drew numerous area
firefighters, destroyed the ok) Jones
High School, India-Grace School
building, a 1930s-era building that
housed the Coldspring-Oakhurst
ISD administration offices and First
Calvary Church in Camilla
County lodge John Thompson
received the prestigious Dr. Ralph
W. Steen “East Texan of the Year
Memorial Award” during the 30th
annual membership meeting and
awards banquet of tire Deep Em
Texas Council of Governments m
Lufkin.
Polk County Sheriff's Depart
mem officers arrested four people
aid seized 286 grams of crack a>
came during a May 20 drug slop
State leaden announced that ova
20,000 TDCJ employees woukl
recave a pay increase as the result
of an interim salary adjustment plan
effective July 1.
June
Hurricane season began June 1
and Hurricane Forecaster Dr Wil-
Iiam Gray, professor of atmospheric
science at Colorado State Univa
sity, predicted 11 named storms
Forma California resident Ctsto
Frausio Jr. , 29, was arrested md
charged with murder following the
June 7 stabbing death of Mary
Bncka, 30, of Rye, at the Royal
Inn
The Livingston City Council
conunued to discuss concerns with
TXDoT, specifically regarding traf-
fic and stop lights.
In a close runoff election, Franz
Baldwin defeated five-term Incum-
bent Bobby Smiley in the race for
mayor of Corrigan.
Local Voluntea Chaplain Wil-
liam Paul Westbrook, 78, was
transported by Life Flight to Hrc-
mann Hospital after having his urn
nearly levered by a death row in-
mate at the Terrell Unit June 9.
Foma DPS Troopa Daron An-
derson gave up his right to a trial
and pleaded guilty to felony anon
in conjunction with an April 1999
incident. He was sentenced to five
yean probation and ordered to pay
State Farm Insurance $16,144 fa
the pickup truck he burned.
Submission of a master plan
supporting historic preservation of
the courthouse and annex was ap-
proved by the Polk County Com-
missioners' Court. As part of a
state plan to renovate and preserve
historic courthouses, a pool of $50
million was established Polk
County could feasibly apply for a
competitive grant of up to $4 mil-
lion.
He City of Uvagaoa's etoctnc;
department received a safety awaad
from the America Public towa;
Association for the 12th coosecu- j
live year
The City of Livingston cne-j
tracted for the danohtioo of its old:
eiectnc warehouse a 110 N. Wash-
ington The building had been im- j
usable fa yean, even before the)
April 1999 flood that sent the water
of Choates Creek through the build-1
mg
Leona Stephens. 93, of Goodrich,!
Jed in a fire in ha home off FM;
2969 June 17.
David Ktrwin Ktnscla. 20, of
Livingston, was lolled and his wife
seriously injured following a rwo-
vehicie accident that occurred June;
17 on U.S 190, 3.3 miles east of
Livingston
Additionally, Thomas Pollard
Walla, 89, of Livmgstoo, was
killed in a one-vehicle accident that
occuned June 19 on FM 1988 ini
Ml Rose
The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of !
Appeals denied the appeal and arc-1
tificate of appealability of convicted
killer Johnny Paul Peary and also,
vacated his stay of execution.
Local Publisher Alvin Holley J
was Installed as president of the
Texas P si Association (TPA)
during ceremonies at the group’s
121st annual convention June 24 In
Arlington. Holley was also pre-
sented with TPA’s Golden 50
Award which recognizes Individuals
who have waked fa 50 yean in
the newspaprc business
(Thurtday: Evtnti from
July through Dtctnbtr re-
viewed.)
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 118, No. 104, Ed. 1 Sunday, December 31, 2000, newspaper, December 31, 2000; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth789650/m1/4/: accessed June 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.