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Lufkin's Downtown Hoedown
set for April 18-19
By STEVEN ALFORD
The Lufkin Daily News
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Even more music and fun are being packed into Lufkin's 16th
annual "Downtown Hoedown" set for April 18-19. With so much
going on this year, there is sure to be something for
everybody to enjoy.
From concerts to sporting events to fashion shows, it's
going to be a busy weekend for Lufkin as some big names turn
out to show the town a good time. The weekend-long
festivities kick off Friday night with the musical stylings
of a very special guest to the civic center.
Robert Earl Keen will be performing Friday night at the
Pitser Garrison Civic Center from 7 to midnight with a local
group, South First Band, opening up the show. Advance
tickets are $15 and can be purchased at Cavender's, Baskin's
in Lufkin and Nacogdoches, and Room 130 of Lufkin City Hall.
Barbara Thompson, Director of City of Lufkin Main Street, is
excited to be putting on the event.
"We've been really busy. This whole festival is a busy
event, but it's a lot of fun," Thompson said.
The concert is a new addition to the Hoedown that Thompson's
crew along with Debbie Richards, the chairperson for the
event, has been working hard to secure.
"We added the concert this year to give more attention to
the Hoedown and to give back to our community," Thompson
said. "Robert Earl Keen has a huge fan base in the area.
People have been buying tickets from all over the country
for the show and we expect it to be a tremendous concert."
The Texas Country sound that has come to define Robert Earl
Keen's music has deep roots in his time spent in Texas.
A native of Houston, Keen didn't start writing songs until
he picked up a guitar in college at Texas A&M University.
Honing his talents writing songs with classmate Lyle Lovett,
Keen took off for Austin, recording his debut in 1984 on his
own dime and releasing it to rave reviews from country fans,
according to CMT.com.
Shuffling between Nashville and Austin, Keen released
several hit records throughout the 1980s and '90s including
such hits as "The Road Goes on Forever" and "Gringo
Honeymoon."
Keen holds an annual concert festival in his native state
call "Texas Uprising" and has released several new records
on the label Lost Highway which he was recently signed to.
Keen's themes of colorful Texas experiences and just plain
having a good time are a sure bet to get fans to dance the
night away.
After the concert on Friday, the Hoedown's famous
festivities kick off Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. with a
parade featuring several local organizations and community
groups. From there it's a slew of fun events for patrons of
all ages to historic fowntown Lufkin. There will be a myriad
of arts and crafts booths for families to enjoy and a barrel
train for the kids to ride on that will be driving around
the festival.
Be sure to bring your appetite to the Hoedown, because local
food vendors will have several booths set up featuring many
delectable snacks and desserts including turkey legs and
funnel cakes. If cooking happens to be your fortι, The
Lufkin Daily News is sponsoring a new event, the "One Pot
Cook-off," where contestants will be judged on the quality
of a dish prepared in only one pot. Cooking lasts all day,
with the judging of contestant's dishes at 2 p.m.
As a sound track to the Hoedown, live entertainment from
local music groups will be provided all day in Cotton Square
Park, located at the corner of Third Street and Lufkin
Avenue.
For those sports fans attending, there will be wrestling
sponsored by Lufkin Power Supply, with a Texas state title
to be won. The event will commence in front of the Angelina
County Courthouse.
There's also a tricycle obstacle course sponsored by KFOX
and a "Bed Race" sponsored by Y100. To compete in the race
all you have to do is assemble a team of six racers and show
up at noon. The beds will be waiting to square off against
each other.
The glamorous side of Lufkin will be displayed by Cavelle
and Allure clothing stores, which are hosting a fashion show
at 2:30 p.m. on Burke Street. For local girls who are
interested in being a model for the show, contact Diane at
240-8209.
Finally, a living history war reenactment featuring real
soldiers and guns will take place in Bronaugh park.
Participants in the staged feud are driving in from all over
the state to create the realistic war drama for fans.
With just a week left until the festival, Thompson said she
is looking forward to the culmination of her office's hard
work in the 2008 Downtown Hoedown. It's been a year's worth
of planning, but with all that's going on there doesn't seem
to be room for disappointment.
"We've been looking forward to this for quite some time and
we know it's gonna be a huge hit," Thompson said. "Don't
miss out on the chance to get tickets for the quickly
selling concert."
For more information contact the Main Street office at
633-0205.
Lufkin mayor supports I-69
if it follows current U.S. 59
Public comments being taken by TxDOT until Friday
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Despite the uproar over the state's proposal to build
Trans-Texas Corridor 69 through East Texas, Lufkin's mayor
says he supports the highway as long as it follows the
path of the current U.S. Highway 59.
The Trans Texas Corridor/I-69 project is a statewide network
of transportation routes in Texas that will incorporate
existing and new highways, railways and utility
right-of-ways. Anyone wishing to comment on the proposed
road can go online to www.keeptexasmoving.com. TxDOT has
expanded its public comment period for TTC-69 to Friday,
April 18.
"This is an opportunity for Lufkin to have a say in the
allocation of significant resources that will impact our
part of the state for many generations," said Mayor Jack
Gorden. "It's going to take a while longer, but I believe
the Texas Legislature and the governor's office realize that
up through this part of the state, it needs to stick to the
existing 59 route. And that's going to speed up the
process."
The committee members will advise TxDOT on I-69 Corridor
plans. Gorden and others on the committee will study and
prepare reports on the impact of an I-69 corridor on the
economy, politics, society and population. They will also
report on the use of existing, new and upgraded facilities;
road and rail solutions; and financing options, according to
a press release.
"Our goal is to enhance the public dialogue and meaningfully
involve more Texans in transportation decisions," Texas
Transportation Commission Chair Hope Andrade stated in a
press release. "These committees will have an important seat
at the table as we work together to shape the future of
transportation in our state."
Gorden said he supports the move toward expanding existing
highways.
"We need to try not to mistreat the landowners," Gorden
said, "but we desperately need the highway. This part of
Texas has more people living at or below the poverty level
than any other part of Texas other than the valley. The
north-south interstate coming through here will do as much
to raise the standard of living for people in this area than
any other project."
FYI: Speed bump requests
should be sent to Public Works
The Lufkin Daily News
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Q: How can I go about getting the city to install speed
humps in my neighborhood? I live close to a school and my
road seems to be a Highway 59 because people run through it
going at least 50 mph or more at times.
A: According to the Lufkin Public Works Web site, for the
department that handles those requests, "The initial request
for the installation of speed humps must originate from a
resident, business, school or other entity whose property is
abutting the requested street segment. The requester must be
willing to act as the primary contact and take
responsibility for notification and the compilation of
evidence of support for their requested street should it be
determined eligible."
All requests must be sent to the Public Works office by May
30th of each year. A written request should be submitted to:
Public Works P.O. Box 190, Lufkin, Texas 75901. The request
should identify the street and blocks where the applicant
desires speed humps and the name, phone number and address
for a contact person, according to the site.
Some rules to ordering speed humps: the street may not be a
primary, industrial, or secondary street type as defined by
the City, also the street must have a speed limit of 30 mph
or less.
City to give residents
bigger trash cans and remove their recycling bins unless
they opt in
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Monday, April 07, 2008
Lufkin's Solid Waste/Recycling department plans to replace
all of the city's residential 65-gallon trash carts with
96-gallon trash carts beginning next month.
Steve Floyd, director of Solid Waste and Fleet Maintenance,
said he hopes the residential cart replacement program will
soothe some problems.
Overloading trash carts causes litter spills, he said. Floyd
also said he hopes the city can reduce the number of special
collections calls made by residents who have too much trash
to fit in their carts.
Trash overload can sometimes cause residents to use their
recycling carts for trash, which contaminates the recycling
material.
"What typically happens now is that when a resident fills
their solid waste cart to capacity, they then put any
overflow garbage in the recycling carts," Floyd wrote in a
memo to the city.
The cart replacement program will begin May 5 with pick-up
crews gradually replacing the old carts with the new ones.
After emptying a cart on its collection day, employees will
take the smaller cart and leave a larger one in its place.
The process may take two collection days for each route in
order to replace all 9,000 carts. This will require 20
18-wheeler loads of carts, according to Floyd.
Floyd expects the city to have all carts replaced by the end
of July.
The city also will give Lufkin residents the option to
recycle in a related voluntary residential recycling
program.
In this program recycling crews will remove all blue
residential recycling carts from homes unless the owner asks
to keep his or her cart. Although Floyd and Lynn Winthrop,
assistant director of solid waste/recycling, said they hope
residents will choose to recycle, the new program will weed
out those who do not recycle and reduce the possibility of
contamination.
"One contaminated cart can spoil a truckload of up to 400
carts, and this material is then taken to a landfill, where
no benefit to the recycling program is recognized," Floyd
said.
The voluntary recycling program will begin the end of July.
Those wishing to keep their smaller carts and/or their
recycling bins, or who need a special collections pick-up,
should call Solid Waste at 633-0281.
FYI: Minimum wage at
biomass plant will be $15 an hour
By The Lufkin Daily News
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Q: What will the minimum and maximum hourly rates paid at
the new biomass plant be?
A: The minimum hourly rate will be $15 an hour, according to
Danny Vines of Aspen Power. The maximum paid position will
be salaried somewhere in the six-figure range for the senior
plant manager. However, Vines said, this position will
require a person with "very good credentials," including
both education and experience.
Aspen Power is in the process of drawing up engineering
plans for the biomass plant. The plant, which will be
located on a 67-acre tract of land off Kurth Drive inside
Loop 287, is expected to open in September 2009, creating
between 150 to 200 jobs. Vines has said it will be the first
of its kind in Texas, using wood debris to generate power.
Local officials talk
funding with Cornyn
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Lufkin leaders met Tuesday in Washington, D.C., with U.S.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) to discuss the city's funding
needs.
Mayor Jack Gorden, City Manager Paul Parker and Economic
Development Director Jim Wehmeier discussed with Cornyn
three of Lufkin's top funding needs priorities: grant
assistance for getting water from Lake Sam Rayburn to
Lufkin; money to extend the runway at the airport to
accommodate more and larger planes; and job training funds
for Angelina College.
"He was very open and friendly and seemed truly interested
in the needs of Lufkin and our area," Gorden said.
The three also discussed with Cornyn the proposed I-69
corridor and help in finding ways to promote making ethanol
from pine trees. According to Gorden, the conversion rate
for pine trees to ethanol is 7:1 while the conversion rate
for ethanol from corn is just 1:1.
East Texas has no shortage of pine trees, Gorden pointed
out.
"That's our largest natural resource," he said.
Gorden hopes the technology could create many new jobs for
East Texans.
"It's a great way to use our largest natural resource in an
environmentally friendly manner," he said, "but the bottom
line is we need more jobs."
Parker said the senator spent time meeting with them one on
one.
"We had ample time and had a very good conversation," Parker
said.
Cornyn recently visited Lufkin to tour the Charles Wilson
Outpatient Clinic, where he and former congressman Charlie
Wilson talked about the importance of health care services
for veterans. He also came to hear about the new clinic
being built.
"I am pleased to meet with the Lufkin leaders, including
Mayor Jack Gorden, to get a firsthand update on the
priorities and issues affecting Lufkin residents," Cornyn
said. "I continue doing all I can on the federal level to
ensure their voices are being heard and their concerns are
being addressed."
Energy savings contract
may save city $100,000 a year
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Lufkin city leaders recently entered into an $872,500 energy
savings performance contract which they expect will save
them $100,000 a year in energy costs.
TAC, a provider of building automation solutions, has
already nearly completed the first step in the process of
cutting energy costs, replacing the old fluorescent lighting
with new, long-lasting efficient fixtures, according to
Keith Wright, assistant city manager.
"City council was looking at us to reduce some of our
expenditures due to rising energy costs," Wright said.
"Energy costs have gone through the roof."
Besides replacing the lights, TAC will also install a new
energy management system which will allow city staff to
control heating, ventilation and air conditioning from a
single location. The company will also replace old
insulation and improve exhaust fans.
"This performance contract with TAC allows the city of
Lufkin to make essential improvements to our facilities,"
said City Manager Paul Parker in a press release. "Since we
are trading the money we were spending on utilities to
complete the work, the city's overall budget will not be
impacted to provide our employees with a more comfortable
workplace. Furthermore, the city sets an excellent example
of environmental concern and demonstrates that going green
can be very cost-effective."
At $100,000 a year savings, the cost of the project should
pay off in eight years. TAC offers a guarantee to cover the
cost if it does not save the city this much each year.
"Through this performance contract, the city of Lufkin will
obtain the infrastructure improvements it needs without
diverting funds from services for its citizens," said Wes
McDaniel, vice president of TAC Energy Solutions. "TAC
delivers performance contracts that put the needs of
customers first and offer accountability on all levels,
while providing turnkey solutions to reduce the energy and
operational inefficiencies of building systems. To provide
enduring performance, TAC uncovers the causes of facility
energy issues and focuses on diagnosis and education to
ensure that each project minimizes the customer's risk,
while delivering relevant business value."
The new savings plan will effect seven city buildings: city
hall, animal control, the civic center, fire administration,
fire stations 3 and 5, recycling and solid waste.
Wright said he hopes the project will be complete by the end
of summer.
Duncan, Medford to keep
their seats on City Council
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Lufkin City Council members Rufus Duncan and Phil Medford
will continue to represent wards 5 and 6, after nobody else
filed to contest their seats by Monday's 5 p.m. deadline.
"It was an uncontested race," said City Secretary Renee
Thompson.
That means an election won't be necessary.
"It's good that we won't have to bear the expense of a
race," Medford said, "but it's also healthy to have other
people that want to serve or run for office."
After serving Lufkin for three years, Medford believes he
has learned enough to serve his city with more knowledge and
wisdom than when was first elected.
"I can see the healthy part of new people coming on the city
council because they could bring with them a fresh
perspective," Medford said. "However, having served just a
short time, I also can understand how it takes a new council
member some time to start to really grasp the operation and
budget of the city. I'm just now starting to grasp that
overview of the city, and I hope that I can have a positive
impact on the seasons that are going to be coming in the
next three years."
Medford hopes to work on some capital improvement projects
this year with the city council, as well as continuing to
work on bringing more manufacturing jobs to Lufkin.
"City council is concerned about the loss of jobs in our
area, but we are optimistic that we are going to be able to
attract businesses beyond the retail sector," Medford said.
Duncan could not be reached for comment Monday.
Kurth Drive
beautification project officially under way
By STEVEN ALFORD
The Lufkin Daily News
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Lufkin city council members and civic leaders stood side by
side with neighborhood children to break ground on the Kurth
Drive Beautification Project Saturday morning.
The project is being led in conjunction with a local
non-profit group, the Top Ladies of Distinction, that will
be the first of many new efforts to improve the look of
Lufkin as spring approaches.
With the new park, the first of three, at the corners of
Martin Luther King and Kurth drives, residents can look
forward to plenty of new flowers and gardens in the areas
surrounding Garrett Elementary School.
The park will be dedicated to the memory of Claude Hill Sr.
and Essie May Hill, a Lufkin school teacher. Plans include
two large Lufkin signs on opposite corners to welcome
visitors driving into town from U.S. Highway 69.
"This council prioritized Kurth in the budget this year, and
we wanted to commemorate these educators," said Lufkin Mayor
Jack Gorden.
"It's the first in a series of efforts to make North Lufkin
a more viable place to work and live."
Other city Council members in attendance looked on in the
crisp morning air as the mayor welcomed those gathered and
gave the floor to representatives of the Top Ladies
organization.
"We will be doing projects like these all across the
country," said Louise LaVane, the national beautification
chair for Top Ladies. "Thanks to all of you who helped pull
this together. Thanks to our president Virgina Thomas who is
here today with us. It took everyone joining as a community
to make this possible."
Several shovels were lined up for community leaders and
neighborhood kids to use to break ground on the park. In
unison everyone dug into the earth as one council member
joked, "Now you just have to dig for another hour and a
half!"
Smiling, Mayor Gorden quickly replied: "I think we're gonna
need to get some professionals."
StevenAlford's e-mail address
is jalford@coxnews.com.
Paintings of animals
donated to help fund zoo expansion project
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Monday, February 25, 2008
The hippo started it all.
Forty years ago the Ellen Trout Zoo celebrated its grand
opening. Two years earlier, a big and beautiful girl named
Hippy arrived at the back of Lufkin Industries to greet then
president Walter Trout. Hippy, a Nile hippopotamus, became
the first animal at the new zoo.
Since then the Ellen Trout Zoo has added animals and
exhibits and had over 3 million visitors.
One local artist, Helen Ellise Thiebeault, who passed away a
little over three months ago, painted a series of
watercolors of zoo animals, including one of Hippy.
Thiebeault's son, Jeff Thiebeault, came across some old
clippings his mother had saved of a photo that ran in the
Lufkin Daily News, which she found beautiful and used to
create one of her many loved watercolor paintings. He
remembered how much his mother had loved Lufkin and how
involved in the community she had been for 25 years before
their recent move to Dallas.
Jeff Thiebeault said he knew his mother would want to donate
her zoo painting series to the Ellen Trout Zoo, so on
Wednesday he drove for three hours in order to present the
five watercolor paintings to zoo director Gordon Henley.
"Y'all know my mom loved the zoo," Thiebeault said.
"It was my mom's wish to contribute to the education
building. She believes children, people of all ages, should
understand that we have a responsibility to live in peaceful
harmony with these animals."
Along with the paintings, estimated to be a $2,500 value,
Jeff Thiebeault wrote a check to the zoo for $1,000 to go
toward the new zoo education building currently being built.
Thiebeault suggested, if they wanted, the zoo could get
prints made up of the watercolors and sell them in the gift
shop.
The paintings feature Hippy, the hippo that started it all;
a clouded leopard; billy goats; an eagle; and ducks and
geese gathered near the pond where a swan sits looking out
at the zoo visitors.
"It's our hope that Mom's paintings will be one of the
rotating exhibits that are in the new education building,"
Thiebeault said.
Jeff Thiebeault said he remembers his mother as outgoing,
smart and unafraid to speak her mind even when it went
against the opinion of others. She majored in interior
design at the University of Texas and met his father while
working as an airline stewardess during a flight.
Thiebeault added that he hopes his donation will inspire
others to donate to the zoo as well, allowing the zoo to
continue growing and expanding.
Brittony Lund's e-mail address
is blund@coxnews.com.
Turning a zoo into a
classroom: Work under way on new education and
administration building at Ellen Trout Zoo
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Construction on the new education/administration building at
the zoo will begin soon.
Work has already begun with the setting up of a fence and
arrival of a construction office a couple weeks ago,
according to Gordon Henley, zoo director.
Contributed illustration
(ENLARGE)
This artist's rendering shows the new
education/administration building currently being
constructed at Ellen Trout Zoo. The facility is targeted for
completion sometime in November.
Last week workers relocated the electrical meter, taking
down power lines and placing them where they needed to go
and workers removed all but one tree as of the middle of
last week.
Once the power lines have all been moved, workers will begin
excavating the earth to get a base for the building. If all
goes as planned, Henley expects a completion date for
sometime in November.
Along with new administration offices and a meeting room,
the new center will include rotating outside exhibits, guest
speakers and room for expanded summer programs.
"Our education programs have been kind of held back by the
facility that we have," Henley said. "We'll be able to offer
more things to more people, expand our education programs
and have more kids participate in our summer program. We'll
have enough offices so that everybody will have space and
we'll have rooms for the equipment we have in our reception
area now."
The building will feature a Mayan theme similar to that of
the ancient Mayans of Mexico. "When people come to the zoo
they are removed from Lufkin, Texas and transported to some
exotic place," Henley said.
The zoo began the Mayan theme idea with its jaguar exhibit
and this turned out to be the only authentic Mayan replica
of any zoo in the country, according to Henley.
"Maya is a part of the new world and our own American
history," Henley said.
Some special rotating exhibits Henley hopes to have include
traveling insects, some unusual amphibeans and natural
history exhibits.
Although the zoo has most of the money needed for the new
building, which was donated by donars, foundations, Friends
of the Zoo and the city of Lufkin, the zoo will continue to
seek funds. Anyone wishing to make a donation can call the
zoo at 936-633-0389 or e-mail Henley at ghenley@ellentroutzoo.com.
Brittony Lund's e-mail address
is blund@coxnews.com.
City council finalizes
property annexation
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Lufkin City Council members Tuesday approved the annexation
of 55 acres on U.S. Highway 69 south, extending from the
city limit line to 300 feet east of Garrison Drive.
The public hearing held Tuesday marked the fifth and final
hearing on the matter. At the four previous hearings
residents of a nearby neighborhood, Normandy Estates, made
it clear they were in support of the annexation. They said a
salvage yard in the annexed area created an eyesore as well
as a source of air, water and noise pollution to the
neighborhood. Guy's, the yard in question, sits on the
property now under city control and borders Normandy
Estates.
Residents of Normandy Estates were happy the city decided to
annex, but said they realize the annexation won't get rid of
the salvage yard. However, they said, they hope the
annexation would at least force Guy's to follow city
ordinances on things such as burning and other possible
health or safety hazards.
"We're encouraged that this is the first step toward
bringing more regulation to that area," said Joe Pase, one
resident of Normandy Estates. "We'd like to see it moved
somewhere else, ultimately."
Requests for the annexation were made by two owners of
property on the land now annexed by the city. The owners
wanted the city to annex the area so its property owners
could receive city services such as sewer.
"It will officially start tomorrow, and police and fire have
been notified," said City Manager Paul Parker.
The council also approved a bid to Walker's Rustic Acres for
$31,254 for the beautification project at Kurth Drive.
The project will include three "Gateway to Lufkin" monuments
at Kurth Drive and Martin Luther King Drive, and includes
two signs, plants, trees, lighting and an irrigation system.
The first sign will be displayed on the southwest corner of
the intersection, while the second sign will appear at the
northeast and southeast corners of the intersection.
The Top Ladies of Distinction as well as Top Teens have
informed the city of their willingness to help maintain the
landscaping once the project is complete.
"I think this will be something rewarding for the area,"
said city council member R.L. Kuykendall. "We all need to
feel good about something."
Plans move ahead for
biomass plant
Aspen Power official says plant may be operational by late
2009
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Plans to build Texas' first biomass power plant in Lufkin
are moving forward.
A year after sending in an application for an air permit,
Aspen Power has received n draft air permit from the state
and has sent it back in with a few comments for the final
air permit.
Danny Vines, whose company, Aspen Power, is working on
building the plant on a 67-acre tract of land off Kurth
Drive inside Loop 287, said he hopes the state will issue
the final draft by mid-March.
In the meantime, approximately 60 percent of the engineering
drawings for the plant have already been drawn up, he said.
Once Aspen Power receives the final air permit from the
state and all of the drawings have been completed, the
company will take soil samples to see what kind of
foundation will be needed for the plant before construction
begins, Vines said. He said he expects construction to take
approximately 16 months and that the company hopes to have
the plant fully operational by September 2009.
Aspen Power plans on using as many local construction
workers as possible, creating 150 to 200 possible
construction jobs once the actual construction on the plant
begins, Vines said.
When Aspen Power first approached the city about the plant,
the company met opposition from local residents worried
about possible air and noise pollution, and increased truck
traffic.
However, Vines promised the plant would produce no smell and
no smoke, and be a clean and neat operation.
"This will be the cleanest power-producing plant within the
state of Texas," Vines said.
Once operational, the biomass power plant will produce 150
to 160 jobs, ones would include health insurance and pension
plans, Vines said. The plant would also open Lufkin to some
grant opportunities from the federal government, including
housing grants and improvements in basic infrastructure, he
said.
"That's a part of Lufkin that could use the support and
help," Vines said. "Over the years, North Lufkin used to
have a lot of manufacturing jobs, and today there aren't
many of these jobs left."
When looking for a good place to build the first biomass
power plant in the state, two things had to be considered,
Vines said. First, there had to be enough fuel supply from
wood and debris within a 70-mile radius of the plant's
location. With Lufkin's location in the center of the
Pineywoods of East Texas, plenty of wood and debris can be
found for the plant's use, he said.
Second, there had to be enough transmission capacity at the
site. Four 138,000-volt power transmission lines cross the
property where the plant will operate.
"This is the only part of the county where you have that
much capacity available in one spot," Vines said.
In May the state Legislature passed House Bill 1090, which
provides a subsidy of $20 per dry ton of wood waste that's
turned into fuel for power plants.
"It's one of the best state subsidies I've ever seen
adopted," Vines said.
In August 2007 city council members approved in a 5-2 vote a
zoning change allowing 10 acres of land on Minnie Lou Street
to be used for a portion of the biomass power plant. Members
R.L. Kuykendall and Rose Boyd both voted against the zoning
change but were outvoted by their fellow council members.
Kuykendall on Monday said the zone change was the city's
only participation in the plant's coming, and that he has
received little feedback from constituents since that
decision.
"We gave permission for those 10 acres," Kuykendall said.
"We haven't heard anything about it since getting that
done."
When Vines first approached the Planning and Zoning
Commission on the zoning change, he was met with a storm of
opposition from North Lufkin residents who worried about
problems the plant might cause.
However, after a trip to St. Paul, Minn., which Aspen Power
paid for, a group of North Lufkin residents came back with
changed opinions. Aspen Power gave them a tour of a biomass
plant much like the one to be built in Lufkin and indicated
there would be no noise and very little air pollution.
"I was blind to what the plant was all about," Pastor Lonnie
Williams of Greater Shiloh Baptist Church said after
visiting the plant. "It will bring economic development and
empowerment."
Other nearby residents weren't convinced.
"We have people who are trying to determine our destiny who
don't even live in North Lufkin," Dr. Dallas Pierre, a
dentist, said at the city council meeting in August.
Mayor proclaims this
'Charlie Wilson Day'
By The Lufkin Daily News
Friday, December 21, 2007
Lufkin Mayor Jack Gorden has declared today "Charlie Wilson
Day," in conjunction with the opening of the motion picture
that chronicles the former Lufkin congressman's efforts to
arm Afghan freedom fighters.
"WHEREAS Charlie Wilson has served East Texas and in
particular the City of Lufkin, in various state and federal
elected positions; and
"WHEREAS his patriotism and personal ability caused events
to happen that changed the world, while never losing sight
of 'taking care of the home folks,'
"WHEREAS he created much needed jobs and greatly enhanced
the quality of life of the citizens of Lufkin through his
dedication to their well being,
"WHEREAS we now call him a 'favorite son' of our community,
"THEREFORE, I, Jack Gorden, Mayor of the City of Lufkin,
Texas do hereby declare the 21st of December, 2007 as
CHARLIE WILSON DAY in the City of Lufkin and request all
citizens of the City to join with us in recognizing Charlie
Wilson for his dedication and commitment to the citizens of
our area."
Long list of
accomplishments endeared Wilson to E. Texas constituents
By ASHLEY COOK
The Lufkin Daily News
Friday, December 21, 2007
While former congressman Charlie Wilson has been
immortalized on the silver screen for his part in battling
the Cold War, it was his drive to fight for folks back home
that his friends in East Texas remember.
Wilson may have had his vices his penchant for women and a
stiff drink are legendary but those pale in comparison to
the good he did while in office, according to one local
civic leader and longtime friend of Wilson's.
Murphy George has known Wilson for 40 years. The two were
good friends when Wilson was in the Texas legislature, and
before that when Wilson worked for Arthur Temple in Diboll.
"I don't remember how we first met ...He's a longtime friend
of mine, and I've been a longtime supporter of his," George
said. "I think he's done an outstanding job for the
community, and for all of his constituents."
Wilson is the subject of the movie "Charlie Wilson's War,"
starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour
Hoffman, based on the book by the same name.
The movie, opening in theaters today, tells the story of how
Wilson, a renegade CIA agent and a Houston socialite team up
to lead the largest and most successful covert operation in
history, according to the movie's promotional Web site
www.charliewilsonswar.net. Their efforts contributed to the
fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the
site explains. Wilson and wife Barbara attended the
Hollywood premiere of the movie Dec. 10.
While the movie is "really great" and a great conversation
piece, and Wilson did a good job in Afghanistan, it's his
work in East Texas that is truly memorable, George said.
"The thing that stands out for me is what he did for the
people that he represented," George said.
George, with William George Produce, a food service company,
said he remembers Wilson stepping in to help his business
out years earlier when gasoline was being rationed. One day,
the oil company that provided their fuel called to say the
company's supply would be cut 50 percent.
"Well, that would have put 50 percent of our territory out
of business. I just picked up the phone and called Charlie
Wilson," George said.
Wilson swung into action, and before too long, George was
getting a call from the president of the Houston oil
company. They would be getting all of their gas.
"'I want you to call your congressman and tell him that
you're happy.' That's one of the things I remember (the oil
company president) saying," George said.
Something else George said he'll always remember nearly
word for word is Wilson's retirement speech, given to a
packed house at the Lottie & Arthur Temple Civic Center in
Diboll.
"He said, 'You know, I want to apologize to you people
because you didn't get all you deserved from Washington
while I was there, and you didn't get all you wanted from
Washington while I was there. But you got a heck of a lot
more than you would have if I hadn't been there,'" Wilson
said, according to George.
Wilson took care of the communities he served, and while you
find people who want to talk about the bad habits he may
have had, there might be a reason for that, George said.
"I think most of them envy him more than they criticize him
for it," George said, laughing. "He's a great guy. He'll
always be remembered."
The publicity surrounding the movie unfairly characterizes
Wilson as a playboy who didn't do much of anything before
his work in Afghanistan, said longtime friend Buddy Temple.
In fact, Wilson was instrumental in bringing about the local
airport and the transit system, as well as taking good care
of his constituents' personal needs, he said.
"He almost single-handedly got the Big Thicket created,"
Temple said. "I wouldn't exactly call that doing nothing."
Temple met Wilson around 1964, both interested in politics.
Wilson was a state representative at the time, and they got
to be close friends, Temple working in Wilson's campaign and
Wilson helping Temple when he got into politics.
The two developed a close, personal relationship, Temple
said. Temple met wife Ellen on a first date doubling with
Wilson and his first wife, he said.
It's difficult to talk about someone as complex as Wilson in
the course of a short interview, Temple said, describing him
as the "most brilliant political mind" he'd ever
encountered. Wilson has tremendous instincts and always
seemed to come out on the right side of things, he said.
"Charlie was a wonderful representative. He got more done
accidentally than most people do on purpose," Temple said.
"...I wish he was representing us in Congress right now."
There would never be another one like Wilson, someone who
combined the personal qualities he has with his ability to
get things done, Temple said.
Jerry Huffman, president of the Lufkin/Angelina County
Chamber of Commerce, said he had always been impressed with
Wilson's stature, and not just his physical presence.
Huffman Wilson had the ability to reach even people who
started out not liking him, usually changing their minds,
Huffman said.
"When he walked into a room, he exuded confidence," Huffman
said. "...He just had this charisma about him."
Huffman said he learned firsthand that Wilson was "very,
very interested" in taking care of his constituents,
particularly veteran's issues, getting his staff deeply
involved in helping people in East Texas.
It was something Turner continued, according to Huffman.
"It was just there, built in, and we did that," Huffman
said.
Another person who will always remember Wilson is Al Meyer,
owner of Al Meyer Ford in Lufkin.
Meyer said his dealership always made sure there was a Ford
Crown Victoria at the ready to pick up the long, tall
congressman upon his arrival home in Lufkin.
"He was a very tall individual and he wanted a big,
comfortable car," Meyer said.
Meyer pointed out that Wilson's staff was also prompt in
paying for services rendered.
"He never asked for anything free," Meyer said. "His staff
was pleasant to work with, and they paid their bills, which
we liked a lot."
Meyer said he met Wilson a number of times at civic events.
He held Wilson in high regard because he was loved by the
people and was a "working-man type" of representative, Meyer
said.
"He was a local individual. He used to work with
Temple-Inland and Mr. Temple supported him, and that was
good enough for me," Meyer said.
Meyer, a Vietnam veteran, got to know Wilson who served
his country as a U.S. naval officer a little better in
1990 when the congressman recommended his son Darrell J.
Meyer, a high-ranking Lufkin High School graduate, for the
Naval and Air Force academies.
His son, later attending the Air Force Academy, was caught
up in the middle of a bureaucratic downsizing, Meyer said,
when Wilson stepped in to save his son from being cut from
the academy.
Wilson led a congressional inquiry, meeting with the
Secretary of the Air Force, which resulted in Meyer's son
being able to graduate, get in his time in service and
eventually go on to a civilian career in Washington D.C.
The Meyer family will always be grateful.
"Charlie Wilson is a hero at the Meyer residence," Meyer
said. "...He can do no wrong. We'll always be in his camp.
He's a great citizen, and he fought for the people of East
Texas."
PETA calls on feds
to investigate dog attack at Ellen Trout Zoo
By GARY WILLMON
The Lufkin Daily News
Thursday, December 20, 2007
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has sent a
letter to Dr. Robert Gibbens, Western Regional director of
the U.S. Department of Agriculture's animal care unit,
urging him to investigate Lufkin's Ellen Trout Zoo after
five blackbuck antelope were found dead and dying, victims
of an apparent dog attack.
Earlier this week, an animal care supervisor found four
antelope dead and one near death while making morning
rounds. Most of the antelope had bite wounds on their necks,
and some had broken teeth and broken jaws. Police found paw
prints in the enclosure and discovered that a hole had been
dug under the fence.
PETA officials say they believe that the zoo may be in
violation of the Animal Welfare Act, which requires that
outdoor facilities be secured against "animals and
unauthorized persons."
"Tragedy after tragedy demonstrates that zoos are not the
safe havens that they claim to be," says PETA Director
Debbie Leahy. "Not only was this incident terrifying and
ultimately fatal for the antelope, other animals may be at
risk since security is obviously lacking."
Leahy said PETA is also calling on zoo employees to report
animal abuse through its "whistleblower" Web site,
ZooInsiders.com, or by calling 1-866-ZOO-TIPS.
The complete text of PETA's letter to the USDA is as
follows:
"Dear Dr. Gibbens,
"Please consider this letter an official request for the
USDA to investigate the following incident at the Ellen
Trout Zoo in Lufkin, Texas, license # 74-C-0054.
"According to media reports, on Monday, Dec. 17, the zoo's
five blackbuck antelope were discovered prostrate in their
exhibit. Four of the animals were dead, and the fifth died
shortly after being found. It is believed that the animals
were killed by a dog (or dogs) who entered the zoo by
digging a hole under a fence. Four of the antelope had bite
wounds on their necks, and one or two had broken teeth and a
broken jaw, possibly caused by running into the fence when
they attempted to flee from their attacker(s). This incident
appears to be a clear violation of the minimal standards of
the Animal Welfare Act, specifically the following:
"3.125 Facilities, general. (a) Structural strength. "The
facility must be constructed of such material and of such
strength as appropriate for the animals involved. The indoor
and outdoor housing facilities shall be structurally sound
and shall be maintained in good repair to protect the
animals from injury and to contain the animals."
"§3.127 Facilities, outdoor. (d) Perimeter fence. "All
outdoor housing facilities ... must be enclosed by a
perimeter fence that is of sufficient height to keep animals
and unauthorized persons out. ... The fence must be
constructed so that it protects the animals in the facility
by restricting animals and unauthorized persons from going
through it or under it and having contact with the animals
in the facility ...."
"We respectfully request that you investigate this
situation. Thank you for your time.
"Sincerely,
"Lisa Wathne, captive exotic animal specialist."
Officials with Ellen Trout Zoo say PETA "cannot be any more
concerned about our animals than we are."
"We had an inspection less than a month ago and we had a
clean report," said Charlotte Henley. "Twice a year they
have unannounced inspections of zoos under the Department of
Agriculture's Animal Welfare Act. We've had no deficiencies
on it.
"PETA does this all the time," Henley said. "We do our very
best here, and we have our animals' well-being and welfare
as a priority."
Charlie Wilson's roots:
Trinity County residents remember him as a youngster growing
up
By CHRISTINE S. DIAMOND
The Lufkin Daily News
Friday, December 21, 2007
To many, Charlie Wilson may have been an enigma, but to the
people of Trinity those that remember him, anyway he was
simply "Charles" or "Skinny."
The tall, charismatic man portrayed in ''Charlie Wilson's
War'' by Tom Hanks came into politics naturally, learning it
from his mom and dad, according to Ginger Thornton and Ruth
Tullos who attended First United Methodist Church with the
Wilson family.
Wilmuth Wilson, a florist, worked out of the Wilson's frame
home across from the hospital, and down the road from the
funeral home. At one point she ran for and was elected to
the school board.
"One time, I was sick," recalled Tullos. "I lived six miles
out of town and she drove out with a Coke bottle that had a
golden raintree blossom in it. She was a politician, so he
got it naturally."
Wilson Sr. was an accountant and always took care of the
books for the Thorntons, who ran LifeCheck Drugs.
At church the ladies said, while visiting at the drugstore,
Wilson Jr. was a "little busybody."
Always "refined" and "high class," yet a "busybody" all the
same, they said, laughing.
"He never sat still, and he smiled a lot," Tullos said. "I
don't know anything bad about Charlie."
"He was a politician way back then," agreed Thornton.
Long after Wilson left home, these women continued to share
in his successes and his challenges through his mother, who
was by then their good friend.
"Everything that happened to Willmuth the whole church
knew about," Tullos said.
When asked, most living and working around the small town,
located at the crossroads of Highway 94 and Highway 19, say
they have never heard of Charlie Wilson.
"Is he a country singer?" asked the barber, Eric Vaugh, at
No Doubts Beauty and Barber Shop.
Others who remembered him quite well, having played with him
in the high school band or sang with him in the choir,
refrained from commenting other than to say that "Charles"
was never "as fat as" the actor portraying him in the movie.
In fact, one former acquaintance recalled how Wilson ate
bananas in order to qualify for the military.
"We called him 'Skinny,'" agreed Cecil Webb, who was in
grade school when Wilson attended "The Old Red Schoolhouse."
"He was a nice guy; he did some boxing."
Wilson was a "character" who was "just a lot of fun," said
Roy Cude while shopping at Stubbs Chemical and Feed.
Wilson's handwriting was so illegible the teachers sought to
make an example of him, by making him type all his papers,
Cude recalled.
However, "he pretty much calls Lufkin home now, after he
went to work for Temple-Inland," Webb said, echoing the
sentiment of many other townsfolk including a few who
refused to comment.
"He never forgot about Trinity," said Mayor Lyle Stubbs.
"People forget, but he helped a lot of people around here.
He helped the Trinity people a lot."
Trinity County Judge Mark Evans remembers election night
1971 when his father had run for sheriff and Wilson stopped
at his family home in Groveton on his journey from Lufkin to
Trinity to see how his friend had done.
"One of my prized possessions," Evans said, "is my copy of
'Charlie Wilson's War,' which he signed, '(To) A man worthy
in his own right, but whose daddy outshone us all.'"
"I always thought he had a Lyndon Johnson mentality," Cude
said.
LPD detective given
90-day suspension without pay
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The Lufkin Police Department has placed Detective John Davis
on 90 days unpaid suspension following the discovery last
week of Davis appearing in numerous pornographic videos and
photographs on an adult pornography site.
The suspension began Wednesday. Davis, who had recently
become a certified forensic computer examiner and member of
the cyber crimes division, will be transferred back to
patrol once his suspension is complete.
"He'd never been in trouble before, and he's been a good
officer," said Lufkin Police Chief Larry Brazil. "This is
the highest amount of days other than indefinite suspension
that can be given, so this was a very severe punishment."
Brazil said the photographs and videos of Davis having
sexual relations with his wife, who he married in 2006, have
been removed from the Web site.
"He cannot continue to do that," Brazil said.
Eric Carcerano, attorney for Combined Law Enforcement
Associations of Texas, an organization that gives legal help
and advice to police officers, said he felt Brazil made the
right decision.
"Under these circumstances we know the chief had a very
difficult decision to make, and we appreciate the fact that
he used his discretion under the civil service laws to come
up with a resolution that was satisfactory for all the
parties involved," Carcerano said.
After a story KTRE-TV ran early last week about Davis
receiving his certification and becoming a member of the
cyber crimes unit, they received a tip that Davis had
participated in adult pornography. The station called Brazil
to let him know, and an internal investigation began while
Davis was placed on paid administrative leave. In an earlier
interview, Brazil said that Davis had not broken any laws
but had violated police department policy.
Five antelope at zoo found
dead; dog break-in, attack is suspected
By DENISE HOEPFNER
The Lufkin Daily News
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
An Ellen Trout Zoo supervisor early Monday morning made a
shocking discovery in the blackbuck antelope exhibit when he
found four of the five animals dead, and one barely alive.
Area Supervisor Phillip Matthews was doing his morning
rounds when he noticed all five blackbuck antelope lying
down on their sides, something that at first puzzled him.
"They were all lying down in a posture they don't usually
lie in," Matthews said. "I thought, 'Oh my gosh, something's
terribly wrong here.'"
After realizing most of the animals were dead, Matthews
notified the general curator, who called zoo director Gordon
Henley, said Charlotte Henley, educational director.
The antelope, which are native to India, are smaller than
white-tail deer, weighing from 85 to 100 pounds each, Henley
said.
The four antelope killed in what is believed to be a dog
attack were all females, three of which were born at Ellen
Trout Zoo, Henley said. The surviving antelope, a male named
Jetson, was moved to the clinic where Dr. Michael Nance, zoo
veterinarian, started him on intravenous fluids to raise his
body temperature. Jetson survived until noon before
succumbing to cardiac arrhythmia, Henley said.
Officers from the Lufkin Police Department at first treated
the exhibit as a crime scene, believing the animals may have
been shot, Henley said. "In looking around in the exhibit
they realized there were dog tracks in the mud. There was a
place in the exhibit fence on the visitors side, where a
hole had been dug under the fence. The dog or dogs came
in that way."
All of the antelope, except for the male, had bite wounds on
their necks, Henley said, although those wounds did not
appear to be the cause of death. "One or two had broken
teeth and broken jaws, possibly where the dog ran them into
the fence," she said. "We don't know for sure if they died
from the trauma because it wasn't like their throats were
torn out. When attacked, antelope go into this state where
their body starts shutting down, because of what is about to
happen to them."
Nance confirmed there were no bullets or pellets in the
animals after radiographing their necks. "They were just
bites," Henley said.
The exact time of the attack is unknown, but it likely
happened sometime Sunday night, or very early Monday
morning, Henley said. "All the animals were cold when we
found them, but it was a really cold night, so we don't
really know what time it happened," she said.
No stray dogs have been seen around the zoo recently, Henley
said, but because Kurth Memorial Animal Shelter, which
serves as animal control enforcement for the City of Lufkin,
was once located near the zoo, people will still
occasionally drop off unwanted animals in the area. Response
to strays from animal control is prompt, Henley said. "If we
have a dog that is running loose in the park, animal control
is usually really good about helping us," she said. The
facility is now located at 1901 Hill Street, near Morris
Frank Park.
Animal control workers on Monday delivered four traps to the
zoo, Henley said, which were then placed around the
perimeter fence. After dog tracks were found around one of
the perimeter gates, maintenance crew members lowered the
gates and chained them at the bottom, she added.
The zoo is looking to purchase three young blackbuck
antelope for the exhibit, Henley said. "We contacted Fossil
Rim facility over in Glen Rose that's where we got our
original female we thought maybe we would bring in three
youngsters," she said. "They adjust to confined spaces
better than adults do."
The loss of the antelope saddened zoo staff, who earlier
this year mourned the death of Pancho, a male hippo, who
died after swallowing a child's foam ball.
