Van Zandt News (Wills Point, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 49, Ed. 1 Monday, May 14, 1984 Page: 1 of 16
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Howell, Parker honored
(See Page 16A)
E'wood Housing fight
(See Page 10A)
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VOUINU I NUMBiR 49
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I an Zandt X
MONDAY, NUT 14, 1914
COUNTY, TEXAS
ONE SECTION,
Settlement doesn't heal wounds
Randy and Jeremy Vasquez, three and two years old, respectively,
were glued to the action in the center ring while industriously stuffing
their mouths with popcorn during one of the performances of the Roller
Bros. Circus in Edgewood May 7. Parents Sammy and Annette Vasquez
brought the brothers to the Circus, which was sponsored by the
Edgewood Chamber of Commerce. (Photo by Kerry Yancey)
Entries still needed
for Park Fest activities
EDGEWOOD • Entries are still
needed for contests at the “Park Fest
’84” Saturday, May 19, according to
Diana Wilcoxin, president of the
Edgewood Chamber of Commerce.
Almost any type of craft might
win a trophy at the art show, canned
goods show, quilt show and the craft
and needlework show, all set at the
Edgewood Senior Citizen's Center. A
bake sale is also set in the Chamber
office downtown, according to Mrs.
Wilcoxin.
Forty different categories are
open for crafts, and 55 categories
are open for needlework. In the art
show, there will be professional and
non-professional divisions, with 24
categories open in each division,
covering oils, acrylics, watercolor,
pastels, ink or charcoal.
In the baked goods sale, there are
30 divisions, from cookies to bread
to pies, and the canned goods show
will have divisions for vegetables,
fruit, pickles, relish, jams, jellies
and preserves.
The quilting contest will have
eight different divisons, Mrs.
Wilcoxin noted. Each entry will be
$1 or five for $3, she said.
To enter the art show, contact
Duran Sims at 896-4979: for canned
goods, contact Fmma Smith; for the
crafts and needlework shows, con-
tact Christene Kidd at 896-4577;
and for the quilt show and other in-
formation, contact Mrs. Wilkinson
at 896-4589 after 6 p.m.
Ribbons will be awarded for first,
second and third place, and there
will be a grand champion trophy for
each of the nine major divisions.
In addition, the Bill Haynes
Shows carnival will set up at the City
Park grounds Wednesday through
Saturday, May 16-19.
(Continued on Page 16A)
WILLS POINT After almost 20
years, Vietnam War veteran Ron
Cheek still carries memories of
horror. He accepts that, but his
daughter also carries the war's
legacy, and that he is fighting again
st.
Cheek is one of the thousands of
Vietnam veterans involved in a law-
suit against eight of the largest
chemical companies in the U. S.
That lawsuit charged that the com
panics and the federal government
were negligent in failing to warn vet-
erans of lasting physical harm from
exposure to Agent Orange.
Agent Orange, a 50-50 mixture of
two potent herbicides, was dumped
on Vietnam for almost a decade in
an effort to strip entire forests of
cover for the enemy. It was often
contaminated with dioxin, the most
toxic man-made substance yet
derived.
The eigl t major companies an-
nounced a $180 million out of court
settlement of the lawsuit at 4 a m.
Monday, hours before the suit was to
go to trial. Figuring that the money
will draw around $61,000 a day in
interest, the settlement award may
grow to over $250 million before ac
tual distribution of the money starts.
Cheek himself will be checked for
dioxin contamination Tuesday, May
15. "I'm not as concerned about
myself as I am about the men who
have already died," he said in an in
Recount slated Monday
terview Thursday. “I'd like to
their families taken care of first."
The 37 year old Cheek spent 23
months in Vietnam, and weathered
the horrors of the Tet Offensive in
1968 at Chu Lai, where he was part
of the physical security task group,
the men responsible for holding the
base perimeter.
Holding the perimeter "got pretty
hairy" during the Tet Offensive,
Cheek admitted. "It scared me to
death." His unit was decorated by
General William Westmoreland,
but he threw his medals away when
he returned home.
"I just wanted it to be over," he
said. “We were shot at when we left
and we were spit on when we got
home."
Cheek returned to Flagstaff and
Prescott. Arizona, where he gained
a reputation as a talented Westeni
artist. He and his family moved to
the Wills Point area in January,
1980, because 80 percent of hi* work
was collected by Texans, and his
wife Jerri's parents lived in the area.
“I haven't really thought about
any of this for a long time," he ad-
mitted. He got involved with the
original lawsuit back in 1979, but
his Arizona attorney refused to even
return his calls until the Monday an-
nouncement of the settlement.
In the meantime, he got used to
the Veterans Administration's
refusal to recognize any physical
problems as connected with ex-
posure to Agent Orange "The VA
has never acknowledged any of it,"
he noted.
After some runarounds from the
(Continued on Page 16A
CANTON • A recount of the
Precinct 3 balloting in the May 5
Democratic primary was scheduled
to start at 10 a.m. Monday, May 14,
in the Van Zandt County courthouse
basement assembly room.
Incumbent Precinct 3 Commis-
sioner Bruce Wilemon requested the
recount Wednesday, May 9, in an
attempt to avoid a June 2 runoff
with challenger Charles Holland.
Wilemon, seeking his third term,
was 16 votes short of beating the
total vote of both Holland and sec-
ond challenger Rusty Hogan, forc-
ing a runoff, according to a canvass
of the primary balloting Tuesday.
"I told them to go ahead with it
today (Wednesday)," Wilemon said.
“I think I should. Of course, I got
some advice from other folks, and
they all told me that I should go
ahead."
He added, "I think it will save
both of us some money."
The Democratic Executive Com
mittee met Thursday night to select
a recount committee. No one con-
nected with the election as a judge,
observer or precinct chairman can
take part in the recount, according
(Continued on Page 16A)
Artistic expression art
teacher's work reward
By Jacque Hutchins
VAN Dan Howell gets to see the
creative side of his students. Many
high school teachers aren't fortunate
enough to see students expressing
their artistic personalities in the
classroom.
As an art instructor, Howell is
able to help form each student's
Von High School art teacher Dan Helms looks over a drawing by student Melinda Baker during an outdoor
sketching session recently, with Becky Smith seated at right. Becky said she would like to be a cartoon arlisf.
Melinda wants to use her artistic talent as a hair designer (Photo by Jacque Hutchins)
creative expression. “Some have a
natural talent for drawing because
they can see things differently from
anybody else. You have to be very
observant," Howell said.
The Van teacher explained that
anyone can learn to do most any
type of art work But it’s the student
who determines excellence or medi
ocrity by reaching down inside to let*
the creative juices flow.
"Many can make an F in here and
an A in other classes or an A in here
and a F in other classes.” he said.
"Most that take it are really inter-
ested in art or they wouldn't be
here.'
While all the students can’t be
Picassos, they all are taught aspects
of art that are genuinely fun and in-
triguing.
The students learn to do paper
mache’. often times making bizarre
masks or full-size heads. The masks
help illustrate the personalities in
the class, as they are all different.
They also design their own kites,
which can be of any shape but must
fly. "After we do the kites, we pick
one day and go out and fly all of
them. The highest flying one gets a
trophy and the best design gets one,”
said Howell. “We keep the trophies
in here because more than one
might work on it And. when they
come back for homecoming they can
look at them and remember when."
Soft sculpture art has taken on the
form of humorous Cabbage Patch
characters Using only a pair of pan
tyhose and cotton, the students cre-
ated faces that appear ready to pre-
sent comedy routines. Many are
mounted on boards with each stu-
dents message printed by the char-
acters side.
(Continued on Page 9A)
Graduation ceremonies
set at three VZ schools
Three Van Zandt County schools
have set graduation exercises next
weekend, with Fruitvale and Wills
Point Friday night. May 18, and
Martins Mill Saturday night, May
19.
The Martins Mill graduation is
notable because it will be the first
senior high graduation in 25 years,
since 1958 Seven students will take
part in the service, slated for 7:30
p.m. in the school gym.
Both Wills Point and Fruitvale s
exercises are slated for 8 p.m. Fri-
day. with Wills Point's service in the
High School gvmnatorium and
Fruitvale s service on school football
field In case of rain, the Fruitvale
exercise will move into the school
gym
The other four Van Zandt County
schools will send off their senior
classes next week, beginning with
Canton High School at 8 p.m. Tues
day. May 22
Edgewood, Grand Saline and Van
High School senior exercises are all
scheduled Friday night. May 24.
Denice Weaver
Valedictorian
Mortins Mill
Robert Duhon
Salutatorion
Martina Mill
Jimmy O'Brien
Valedictorian
Wills Point
Jeff Wharton
Salutatorion
Wills Point
Kevin Strickland
Valedictorian
Fruitvole
Dole Gipson
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Van Zandt News (Wills Point, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 49, Ed. 1 Monday, May 14, 1984, newspaper, May 14, 1984; Wills Point, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth991876/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Van Zandt County Library.