The County Line - June 2011, v4i49

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The County Line Business & Community Journal ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

Monthly Issue

June ,

2011

In This Issue: Presidential Papers of Ronald Reagan

Growing Up Small Town

by Mike W. Norris

Texas Conservative

by Chuck Norris

@Ranger Library

by Diana McCullough

Good Neighbors

by Clint Coffee COUNTY LINE EXCLUSIVE

Texas School Finance

by Mike W. Norris

Star Pride

by Ginger Tobin

Tumbleweed Smith

by Bob Lewis

Daily Devotional

by Wanda Lee Beck Skinner

Love Lessons

by Vicki Stiefer

Treasure Hunters

by Jerry Eckhart

The Breckenridge Wall Local Advertisers

Out of the Box

by Joellen Hodge

Rising Star Bulletin Board Local Advertisers

Out of the Past

by Luther Gohlke

This Week In Texas History

by Bartee Haile

From the Backside

by Henry J. Clevicepin

Please Visit Our Website

vol.4 Issue 49

www.MyCounty-Line.com

President Reagan Remarks With Area Junior High School Students November 14, 1988

The County Line

This marks the beginning of American Education Week, and I’m particularly pleased to be talking to American students in this, the first in a series of speeches that I’ll be giving before I leave office. But before we begin here, I have a special message from my roommate.

She says to please -- for your families, for your friends, for your country, and most of all for yourselves -- just say no to drugs.

P.O. Box 1156 Eastland, Tx 76448 Phone: (254) 433-2693 mike@mycounty-line.com

Now, last week the United States did something so exceptional that people around the world marveled at it. Last week the American people freely elected our government. Some ballots were cast by people who were rich and famous, and others were cast by most ordinary people, but each person had the same, one vote. These ballots were cast in secret, and they were counted in the open, not the other way around.

And when the votes were totaled, those holding or seeking the highest positions in the land all surrendered to the will of the people. Soon, power will be peacefully transferred from those leaving office to those taking office. And, yes, we do this every election year, and that’s what so much of the world marvels at. What we in America take for granted is something that’s rare in history and all too remarkable on this globe, the Earth.

The United States is the world’s oldest democratic government. And at my age, when I tell you something is the oldest in the world, you can take my word for it; I’m probably talking from personal experience.

And it’s not just that our government is the oldest of its kind, but that it’s based on the world’s most revolutionary political idea. You can see that concept in the very first line of our Constitution, and it begins with three simple words: ``We the People.’’ In other countries, in their constitutions -- they all have constitutions, and I’ve read a great many of them, those other ones -- and the difference is so small, but it’s found in those three words. Because their constitutions are documents by the Governments telling the people what they can do. And in our country, our Constitution is by the people, and it tells the Government what it can do. And only those things listed in the Constitution, and nothing else, can Government do. So, in America, it is the people who are in charge. And one day you’ll be those people out there voting and creating the Government.

That vision of self-government was the basis for the American Revolution, the first revolution of its kind and one of the most important historic events not just for our own nation but for all humanity. Because most revolutions have always just been a case of replacing one set of rulers for another set of rulers. Ours was that kind of a constitution where, for the first time, it was announced -- what I’ve told you before already -- that the people were in charge of the Government, not the other way around.

Published by Wolverine Design Mike Norris - Owner

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Mike &rris Ruth No

~ continued on page 7 Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

, Mike W. Norris

Texas School Finance -- Let’s Get Schooled!

How many of you ever took an apple to school to give to your favorite teacher? Anybody? Well, if you’re like me, you probably heard about that or saw that on TV growing up as a kid, or maybe thought about how only the teacher’s pet would ever do such a corny thing. I can remember that scene from several movies of my day where the kid makes the last ditch effort to pass a final exam and on the way out the door leaves an apple on the teacher’s desk.

Well, no matter how you slice it, when it comes to Texas School Finance reform, there’s just not enough apples to go around.

That means that when our kiddos go back to school this fall, no matter what part of the state you live in, there’s going to be a handful of teachers in just about every district that weren’t given an apple on that last day of school.

They might have been given a pink slip.

I know how that sounds and I know how that makes you feel.

You have to feel bad for those teachers. You really do. They completed their tour through high school and directed their energy toward college. Something about the school lifestyle and working with kiddos guided them to grow up to be teachers themselves.

What they probably never considered as they were pursuing their chosen career path, is that the public school system is not the typical profit-oriented business model that most of the rest of us are familiar with. It’s certainly not the kind of business where the customer is always happy and the product produced is always top-notch, supreme. In fact, if you force the public school system into a contemporary business model, you end up with something where the managers and production workers have no control over the quality of the raw materials they are given to work with, no control over the production methods used in the manufacturing process, and no control in the quality of the product once it is delivered to the end user.

In fact, if you take any group of a handful of teachers and let them brainstorm about a better way of doing what they do, it takes all of about fifteen minutes before they all agree that there *IS* a better way. But that’s a whole other discussion so let me get back on track.

The point that I am making here is that the normal, public school teacher is at the very short end of a very long stick when it comes to controlling their career path. True, you can find work just about anywhere in the country...but you’re a public employee and that means that your job is not always in your own hands. To make it even worse, you’re a public employee who works with people’s kiddos. That equates to pretty much being between a rock and a hard place with no room for error.

I sympathize, but there’s nothing I can do to change that. That’s the way it works and that’s why this issue cuts both ways.

The Texas Legislature is (still) pushing through their 2-year budget plan which cuts approximately $4 billion dollars from the Texas public school system over the next two years.

All over the state, there are people calling for the legislature to free up money from the “rainy day fund” in order to avoid these cuts. And yes, I admit, that seems like a pretty simple thing to do...just take the money out of savings and go ahead and give the school system what it says it needs -- everybody is happy, right?

Well, before we all break out the umbrella’s and march on Austin, let me tell you a little story...

Let’s say there’s a business in town that was keeping a close eye on their financial situation and had set aside a lofty sum of savings for a rainy day. The managers of this business were very frugal with their operating fund but the economy was starting to

slump. Things were getting tight and in order to avoid laying off employees or to avoid reducing their product offerings, they began tapping into their rainy day fund in order to keep things on an even keel.

Sounds like a smart business operation so far.

But they had no idea just how bad the economy might get or for how long their market place might be in a slump. Sooner or later, the rainy day fund starts running dry.

The business has done everything it could to avoid laying off employees and to avoid raising prices to their customers. But the savings is running dry and the outlook for the coming year is more of the same.

I think I just described every business in town... but let’s pretend this is your business. You have no choice. You have to consider laying off people *AND* you might even have to raise your prices to offset other costs. You might have to consider dropping one or two products from your shelves because you can’t afford to reorder them or to purchase the materials to produce them. You’ve already done all the easy stuff, now it’s time to do the hard stuff.

Let’s pretend this business is a school district, and you’re the head administrator. Your ultimate choices get pretty slim pretty quick. Under state and federal mandates, you are required to furnish certain services to your students, such as school lunches, special education, teacher-to-student ratios, etc. The list is quite long and is generally covered in red tape. Any one of these special programs or “unfunded mandates” could be the topic of the week around the local teacher’s lounge. In your position, these types of programs are non-negotiable. It doesn’t matter what your

budget is, these programs get top billing...and these programs are also subject to change during the course of the school year. Better keep that raincoat handy.

If you’re a conservative school administrator, you’ve already been encouraging the district to play smart with the district’s finances and you’ve been able to avoid some of the more common debt obligations that other school districts have -- such as building improvement bonds or loan debt for emergency projects. You might have even set aside some funds in the district’s budget to be used on those rainier days.

But just as the forecast calls for severe thunderstorms, you’re looking back over the years and seeing that you spent those rainy day funds on days that were just cloudy or overcast.

So here you are.

The rainy day fund is tapped out, all the easy cuts have been made, all the discretionary expenditures have been delayed, reduced, or avoided, and all the mandated items are accounted for. But the State of Texas is cutting your budget for the next two years and since you were already playing it close to the edge, you’re coming up short next year no matter if it’s rain or shine.

That’s the situation we are in all across Texas and particularly here in Eastland. The issue of school finance is hitting home and it’s affecting everyone.

We’re going to take as close a look at the issue as we can and I encourage you to get involved with your local school district.

This affects everyone.

Send Comments to: smalltown@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

4Texas Conservative ■

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

, Chuck Norris - The Man

Saluting Our Stellar Examples

According to The Associated Press, Todd Weaver’s idea of a romantic gift was not jewelry, roses or mushy cards.

He preferred unique fancy gifts, for example, the time he celebrated the 21st birthday of his wife, Emma, by taking her skydiving.

The AP went on to say that Todd and Emma met in high school in Virginia.

He was a popular baseball and football star. Right before leaving for a tour of duty in Iraq via his service in the National Guard, he ran outside in the rain in his socks to give Emma a kiss goodbye.

After Todd returned from his tour, the couple were inseparable. Todd joined the ROTC while attending the College of William & Mary. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 2008. Todd and Emma married and had a beautiful daughter, Kiley, who was only 9 months old when her father left for his second deployment to Afghanistan.

On Sept. 9, 2010, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Todd W. Weaver, 26, who was assigned to 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky., died serving his country in Afghanistan when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Weaver was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

WTKR in Williamsburg, Va., reported that since Todd was killed in action last September, his widow, Emma, and his parents, Don and Jeanne Weaver, have been seeking to preserve his memory and sacrifice by raising money for a memorial scholarship in his name at William & Mary, an award that will fund a study abroad trip for a student every year. So far, they have raised $40,000 of the $50,000 needed to endow the scholarship.

It chaps my hide when people today belittle our military or say America doesn’t have young people who display the brazen courage of men of old when our service members continue willfully to place themselves in harm’s way and defend freedom to the point of death.

Last year, my wife, Gena, and I visited West Point, where the thousands of young cadets blew us away with how ready and eager they were to serve their country. And who can overlook the guts and nerve of our Navy SEALs as they took down Osama bin Laden? Beyond all these are the hundreds of thousands of patriots since America’s founding like Todd Weaver, who literally have given up their very lives for their country and our freedom.

Each Memorial Day, we honor and commemorate all of our fallen warriors.

The day holds a special meaning for all of us, and for the families of the fallen, it provides a profoundly proud yet painful remembrance.

My father fought and was wounded in World War II in the Battle of the Bulge. I served in the U.S. Air Force in Korea. I am also an honorary Marine.

My brother Aaron served in the U.S. Army in Korea. And our brother, Wieland, served in the U.S. Army, as well, in Vietnam, where he paid the ultimate price on June 3, 1970. (His name is etched among the 58,000 fallen service members on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington.)

Wieland was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with “V” device (first oak leaf cluster) for his heroism Aug. 27, 1970.

The official correspondence about the award from Adjutant General Thomas E. Minix details Wieland’s heroism in this way: “For heroism in ground combat against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam on 3

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June 1970. Private Norris distinguished himself while serving as assistant machine gunner in Company A, 2d Battalion (Airmobile), 506th Infantry, during combat operations near Fire Support Base Ripcord, Republic of Vietnam. When his platoon made contact with an enemy reconnaissance team, Private Norris volunteered to walk in the lead position to inspect the area after the enemy was engaged by aerial rocket artillery. Approaching the top of a hill, he noticed two hostile soldiers waiting in ambush. Private Norris immediately shouted a warning to his fellow soldiers, drawing the hostile fire to himself, mortally wounding him. His alertness prevented the insurgents from inflicting numerous casualties on his platoon. Private Norris’ personal bravery and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.”

On the day Wieland sacrificed his own life, I lost my best friend and brother, and the hearts of my mother and my other brother, Aaron, and my own were torn in two. That day, we unwillingly joined the ranks of those families of fallen warriors.

It has been 41 years since my brother left for his heavenly home, and we miss him and are as proud of him today as we were back then. This Memorial Day week (which concludes with the anniversary of his death), we again honor and commemorate his sacrifice and courage, along with all our other valiant patriots.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Todd W. Weaver and my brother Pvt. Wieland Clyde Norris are just two stellar examples of hundreds of thousands of fallen warriors who are worthy of our thanks and honor. They all serve not only as our heroes but also as reminders that our liberties and republic are worth fighting for.

About such patriots, Gen. George S. Patton was right: “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”

Send Comments to: chuck@mycounty-line.com

To find out more about Chuck Norris and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2011 CHUCK NORRIS - DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM - Reprinted under license by Mike Norris for The County Line.

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

, Diana McCullough

What If?

“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride” so with one phone call our Wish List became a Book Order.

Seventeen new books were ordered today, mostly not yet released, no matter how hard we wish! Two books that are in-stock and can be expected soon are “Doc” by Mary Doria Russell, a fictional account of Doc Holliday and his girlfriend Kate, set in the Summer of 1878 at the peak of the Texas cattle trade, and Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor, a romance by Lisa Kleypas that slipped past unnoticed this past holiday season. Other books that will arrive according to their various publication dates are One Summer by David Baldacci; Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews; Smokin’ 17 (as promised!) by Janet Evanovich; Now You See Her by James Patterson; When Passion Rules by Johanna Lindsey; (and if you believe that, here is…) The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood; (and more realistically…) Born to Die by Lisa Jackson; Betrayal of Trust by JA Jance; Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross; The Abduction by John Grisham; Escape by Barbara Delinsky; Back of Beyond by CJ Box; Iron House by John Hart; Lethal by Sandra Brown; and The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks.

Mark Gimenez, one of our favorite Texas authors, emailed this week. His newest book is “The Governor’s Wife” and it should release this year. We’ll probably have to buy it from across the ocean again, I expect…and he just lives east down the Interstate.

We have two big boxes of new children’s books from the Libri Foundation!

Seventeen Math and Science books were an additional bonus thanks to Hal Berenson and Laura Ackerman, and we received 80 books in all. The book plates for 63 of the books will recognize that the book was “Donated by Ranger’s 47 Club & the Warren Cozbys and in Memory of Aaryn Williams, Billie Dean Beck, and Helen Graham. The Libri Foundation, Eugene, Oregon is printed at the bottom of each label. The Texas Summer Reading theme is “Dig Up a Good Book” and I’m thinking that our Summer Reading Club should be scheduled for July and that this new collection should be processed and celebrated in a Big Unveiling. I still want to do Science Experiments, too.

Donald Edwards deserves more credit than he receives. He is the current commander of Post 553 of the American Legion and the former president of Ranger’s Kiwanis Club. This big-hearted fellow is an energetic community partner and he tugs me along from time to time. This was our third year to “partner-up” together for the Reading/Drawing contest for children and young people. Participants were encouraged to read a book and illustrate a page depicting that book. About 81 “works of art” were displayed recently in our adjoining community room, and the “judging” was not easy!

Donald and I met at 8:15 Tuesday morning in the school auditorium and presented awards to fifteen Ranger Elementary students in five different age categories. A big thanks is also due elementary principal, Mr. Kelly Kunkel, and his staff for their gracious welcome and inclusion.

Jill and several adult and college volunteers painted what I call the old Montgomery Wards building. (I’d still love to see that building restored, but what are the odds?) Later, several of our Task Force members befriended the Granbury owner of what we call “The Smart Shop” (beside the Gholson) and Bill and Sandi Herod contracted Rocki Hughes to paint the front of this downtown building—in three shades of color—Rocki did a GREAT job. The Smart Shop owner told his city friends, “You wouldn’t believe these Ranger people!” He gave me the key, then his combination, and I showed this former department store to potential tenants on several occasions. Now I’m happy to

announce that Roy and Wendy Rodgers and Roy’s sister Nelda have rented the building. Roy is going to use this space for his piano business. Have you noticed the organ in the window front?

I took pictures!

Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

One more silly “if” phrase: “If if’s and but’s were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas.” Please take care, and as always…ENJOY READING! Send Comments to: rangerlibrary@mycounty-line.com

Tonight in my Bible Class, we briefly discussed fear, and how the good Lord does not intend for us to have a spirit of timidity; however, God knows I don’t want to stand up on a stage and speak publicly in front of an auditorium of people. Twice. But I did. I encouraged our young students to read this summer, visit our library, check out books AND bring them back in good condition. Our Texas Summer Reading Club has been set for July 18 – 22 (11 – 11:45 a.m.) and several posters have started our advertising. Each elementary student should receive a “Dig Up a Good Book” bookmark with their final report card, a reminder of not only our Summer Reading Program, but of our library’s very existence!

About two years ago, Jill Page had the unconventional idea of promoting a “Paint the Town Day”. Well…that’s been a little more difficult than I first thought. On our third “Get ‘Er Done Day” and first “Day of Champions”, Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

Winners in the Reading/Drawing contest sponsored by American Legion and Ranger City Library: First places: Cierra Brown, Graciela Gonzales; Second places: Shane Gunstanson, Channing Motley; Third places: Dustin O’Neil and Alex Hernandez.

Front Row, third place: Lathan Powers, Jayton Richardson, and Hunter Squyres.

Middle Row, second place: Gabe Coyote, Tyler Lucky, and Carter Hernandez.

Back row, first place: Malachi Franks, Lucy Hamilton, and Kate Thompson.

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

, George W. Bush (continued from page 2)

Now, the Revolution may seem like something they say happened a long time ago -- to me 200 years seems just like yesterday -- but I think it’ll prove to be America’s most important guidepost for the future. I believe that the chief moral task for America in your generation -- a period destined for great change -- will be not so much to chart a new course or launch a new revolution, but to keep faith with the original American Revolution and that remarkable vision of freedom that has brought us two centuries of liberty and is still today transforming the world.

Over these 200 years, country after country has followed our path, and I believe that ultimately all nations will do so. It’s no exaggeration to say that the political vision of our Founding Fathers has become the model for the world. This is true not just in the many countries that have turned from despotism to democracy these last years, it’s also true even where it’s least apparent. It’s

remarkable to realize that in this century even brutal totalitarian dictatorships kneel at the feet of our Founding Fathers when they try to counterfeit the practices and institutions of democracy in order to claim legitimacy for their ruling their people. Dictators today from Afghanistan to Nicaragua do not want to be called Czar or Commissar; they want to be called Mr. President and to pretend that they rule in the people’s name, even if they don’t. Yes, even Communist dictators holding power through force, against the will of the people, acknowledge the triumph of the American idea when they go through the motions of holding phony elections, forming rubberstamp legislatures to ratify constitutions that will not be honored, and then using our words to call their regimes democracies or republics.

From the beginning, the American vision was that our country would be the cradle of freedom for all mankind. Two hundred and thirteen years ago, in Philadelphia, James Allen wrote in this diary that: ``If we fail, liberty no longer continues an inhabitant of ■ Good

this globe.’’ But our Founding Fathers didn’t fail. And now it’s our duty to bring the values of the American Revolution to all the peoples of the world, and this is happening. Today, to a degree never before seen in human history, one nation, the United States, has become the model to be followed and imitated by the rest of the world.

And we’re entering one of the most exciting times in history, a time of unlimited possibilities, bounded only by the size of your imagination, the depth of your heart, and the character of your courage. More than two centuries of American history -- the contributions of the millions of people who have come before us have been given to us as our birthright. All we can do to earn what we’ve received is to dream large dreams, to live lives of kindness, and to keep faith with the unfinished vision of the greatness and wonder of America.

(Editor’s Note: edited for space constraints) Send Comments to: president@mycounty-line.com

Neighbors, Clint Coffee CLU ChFC State Farm Insurance® Agent

Keep Your Backyard Pool Safe

Taking a dip in your backyard pool can be a great way to beat the heat during the dog days of summer. It can be an excellent way to relax with family and friends or be a part of a regular exercise routine.

As much fun as a pool can be, it can also be a source of danger. Unsupervised or poorly protected swimming pools and hot tubs can be very inviting to young children. A curious child can enter a pool area before an adult realizes he or she is missing.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports an estimated 350 children under age five drown in swimming pools each year. Another 2,600 are treated in hospital emergency rooms.

Nationally, drowning is listed as the

leading cause of death to children under five.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a pool in your backyard. There are a number of preventative measures you can take to ensure a safe and enjoyable backyard. With available self-latching gates, safety covers and underwater alarms, you can prevent young children from having access to the pool without appropriate supervision.

The CPSC has a number of publications available through www.cpsc.gov to help you.

When the weather heats up, a backyard pool can be a great way to cool down. Make sure yours is safe as well as enjoyable.

Send Comments to: neighbors@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

8Special Editorial ■

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

, by Mike Norris

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Texas School Finance Reform Hits Home Eastland ISD Financial Update

May 23, 2011 Like all school districts in the State of Texas, Eastland Independent School District is at a crossroads.

The Texas Legislature has not yet passed a budget, and a special session may be necessary before a budget is passed. While it is uncertain how much will be cut, it is certain that there will be a significant cut to school funding.

The EISD Board of Trustees has called a tax ratification election for Saturday, June 18, 2011. This election is to make up for the Texas Legislature’s funding cuts to schools, and the outcome will directly affect all Eastland ISD students.

A 13 cent property tax increase is proposed.

This tax increase will not affect property owners over 65 who have filed their homestead exemption because their tax rate is frozen. What will this tax rate increase cost the homeowner?

The median home value in Eastland ISD is about $45,000. If passed, a 13 cent increase would result in an estimated $39 annual increase for a $45,000 home minus the $15,000 homestead exemption, and a $110.50 annual increase for a $100,000 home minus the $15,000 homestead exemption. An unsuccessful election to replace these funds lost by legislative cuts will result in a significant shortfall of funding; therefore, causing the reduction in activities, employment, and academic programs.

For several years, EISD has been economically conservative. Tax rates have been below the State recommended level for over ten years, and EISD has trimmed over $500,000 from its instructional costs and 18% from its discretionary budget. Instructional costs have been saved by the consolidation of some positions and the elimination of others.

In some instances, the districts fund balance (savings) has been used to supplement or to fund construction projects rather than passing bond elections. With the current economic climate, the use of savings is no longer wise.

The decision to hold a tax ratification election was not an easy decision to reach.

The sole purpose of EISD is to educate its students. Making drastic cuts in employment, programs, and academic opportunities because of legislative budget cuts will not help meet this goal. The Board concluded that there was

no other way to raise the necessary amount of money to continue EISD’s educational responsibilities to its students and to the community.

As in any election, it is important to have accurate information in order to make a decision. EISD Board and administration urge voters to visit www.eastland.esc14.net. Click on the TRE link in the middle of the page or the tax calculator button on the bottom right corner. If you have specific questions, please contact the administration office at 254-6315120. For questions about your property appraisal, please call the County Appraisal District at 254-629-8597.

Most importantly, please exercise your right to vote on June 18, 2011. ================= The above letter was sent to this and other media outlets a few weeks ago as an announcement that the Eastland ISD was expecting a reduction in its 2011/12 fiscal school year budget.

The announced $0.13 increase per $100 appraised property value, as detailed in the letter, most likely would have slipped by without too much fanfare in another economic reality.

However, in the current reality, the idea of raising taxes draws immediate public attention.

And for the most part, that attention is not favorable to any taxing authority casually slipping a few more dollars out of our rapidly dwindling pockets.

In addition to the plight of the local school district and the announcement of the tax increase, just a few days later, the citizens of Eastland began receiving their 3-year updated property appraisals.

To almost everyone’s surprise, in the midst of our country’s most drastic downturn in the American housing market in my lifetime, the citizens of Eastland found their property values increased almost across the board anywhere from 20%, 30% and in some cases, more then 40%. (Yours truly is happy to report that our property value only increased 22.75%. I suppose if I had watered the grass I could have scored better!)

Needless to say, many of the citizens of Eastland cried “foul!” and at the May 31st

School Board meeting, over 100 citizens made a personal appearance to have their grievances heard and their concerns addressed. When I arrived at the Administration Building, the meeting was being moved to the school cafeteria in order to accommodate the crowd of concerned citizens.

During the meeting, the EISD school board and school officials presented a historical account of the EISD tax rate from the 1980’s through the present day. It was obvious that the tax rate has been higher before -- several years in fact. There were also some notable years that the tax rate was much lower.

The highest rate presented was in 1980 at $1.66 which was contrasted by the lowest rate shown to be in 1982 at $0.67.

With a little calculator wizardry, and the help of an actual print out of the slide shown in the presentation, I calculate the average tax rate from 1980 to 2010 for the EISD to be $1.1837 overall.

In other words, the proposed 2011/12 tax rate of $1.17 is LOWER than the 30-yr average tax rate that we have already been paying.

Fact #1 -- The proposed tax rate is lower then the 30-year average tax rate in EISD. On average, the proposed tax rate is in line with what our parents paid when we were in school.

================= In 2006, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1 (2006) which altered the methods used to fund public schools in Texas.

Basically, for fiscal school year 2006/07 and up until now, Texas state-level funding to our local school districts has been based on the “Target Revenue” method.

The general approach is that each district was assigned a per-student revenue target. This target was based on the number of students, student attendance and the district’s budget for fiscal school year 2005/06.

The state of Texas set forth a basic allotment toward every district’s revenue target. That allotment is based on the average cost of an average district to educate an average student.

The basic allotment is adjusted based on other factors that the Texas Legislature has enacted since 2006. Every school district

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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HELP WANTED

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is given an “Adjusted Basic Allotment” each year as their core state funding.

The Adjusted Basic Allotment is taken together with the district’s actual collected tax dollars. The actual collected tax dollars makes up the “Local Funding” portion for the district.

If the basic State Funding and the actual Local Funding fall short of the district’s Target Revenue, then the state has to make up the difference.

As you can probably imagine, this numbers game starts taking place in the Fall and runs all the way through the Spring as school districts file their financial reports with the state and then wait for the state to calculate the schools’ next allotment. This year is particularly problematic because the State Legislature has been wrestling with its own budget and has already cut approximately $4 billion dollars from public school funding.

The Texas Legislature is still debating the methods that will be used to reduce each school district’s funding. At the time of this writing, the prevailing winds point to an across-the-board cut

for 2011/12 to be following by additional cuts for 2012/13.

The initial message is clear from Austin -- there will be cuts.

But the devil is in the details and our school districts need to make sure they have the staff, the materials, and the facilities to open the doors in the Fall.

Fact #2 -- Our school districts are running out of time to set their budgets for the upcoming school year.

They can’t wait for the funds to be in-hand before they make some hard decisions.

================= That brings the discussion to “Local Effort.”

Local Effort is an estimate of Local Funding.

It is a calculation based on the district’s property values, the district’s tax rate, and a ratio that is a measurement of how many taxes the district is able to collect versus what are actually levied.

In other words, “Local Effort” is what the district would hope to collect if all things go well.

The County Line is looking for part-time advertising and circulation representatives for our Summer Sales Drive!

Work from home on the phone or get out and visit with businesses and people that you know in your community.

Lazy types need not apply.

(I’ve got that part covered)

No phone calls, please.

Computer and Internet use is required, so if you are interested, please send your resume to my email address below: workfromhome@mycounty-line.com

Continued on page 10...

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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The school districts use this estimate in their budgeting to represent dollars in-hand that will come in over the course of the year.

By altering the district’s tax rate, “Local Effort” is adjusted during the current budget year. The actual funds won’t start trickling in until the property owners begin paying the new tax rate.

By foreseeing a shortfall in state funding, the district can raise the local tax rate, thus increasing the calculation of “Local Effort” and filling the void in the school’s budget.

The only other alternative is to reduce the operating costs of the district in respect to the shortfall and leave most other factors unaffected.

According to the EISD administration, 74% of the district’s operating costs are related to payroll expenses.

The district has already reduced professional staff by 8 positions and auxiliary staff by 15 positions; resulting in a savings of over $600,000 for upcoming school year budget.

The instructional staff currently stands at 135 while the non-instructional staff stands at 51; for a total of 186, making the EISD one of the largest employers in the district.

Fixed costs make up 19.5% of the district’s budget and that leaves only 6.5% of the district’s budget for discretionary costs.

Another question I thought was vitally important was “When did the administration become aware of the budget problem? When does the administration start working on the budget?”

Donald’s reply, “We started working on the budget in January, but you could see this coming back in November. Austin has been working on this for a while and they’re still working on it. They voted down that bill last night and they still don’t know what they’re going to do.”

As of this writing, the Texas Legislature has been in special session debating this vary issue.

Donald was right, they were unable to figure out what to do and now they are just dragging it down to the wire.

Meanwhile, school districts all across the state are watching and waiting. How many teachers won’t be back in the classroom next year? We may all have to wait and see.

As for EISD, the wheels are already in motion.

June 18th is the date for the Special Tax Ratification Election to ask the voters to approve the increased tax rate. Yay or Nay, the administration and staff of the EISD are in for a tough summer and a tough school year in 2011/12.

During the well-attended school board meeting, someone stood up to say the following (I’m paraphrasing):

I met with Donald Hughes, Superintendent of Schools, and Rebecca Hallmark, Assistant Superintendent, the day after the school board meeting to go over some of the details of their presentation the night before and to ask additional questions for this article.

One of my first questions was “Did you know the appraisals were coming up this year?”

Donald answered, “Yes, I knew the properties were going to be reappraised this year. But we didn’t know the values were going to go up like they did. We don’t have anything to do with the appraisals. We estimated about 10% in our budget and based all of our planning on that.”

================= The rest of this discussion is pretty much open for debate. Outside of these few facts, we’re mostly talking about gut feelings, personal opinion, point of view, he said/she said, and generally how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie® Roll Pop. In the school board meeting that I attended with over 100 fellow citizens, the opinions ran the spectrum from supporting the tax increase by an individual close to the district to discussing the dismay of having to let people go in tough times by one of our local business owners.

At the town hall meeting in Carbon, which I

Fact #3 -- Without increasing Local Fact #4 -- “Wether you vote yes or no Effort by raising the property tax doesn’t matter. What matters is that you rate, the district will be required to go out and vote. If the tax rate proposal make additional cuts in personnel and fails, at least this administration is going educational programs. to be able to look people in the eye and ================= say this is what the people want.”

also attended, the discussion danced around the touchy subjects of football programs, school band programs, and even cheerleaders.

There was also talk about the property values and the administration reiterated the fact that the school district doesn’t have anything to do with the appraisal district.

Whatever your opinion is on this matter, you will find people who agree with you, and some who won’t.

Speaking only for myself, here’s my opinion, which I assume you’re interested in hearing and that’s why you’re reading my paper: I’m no more enthusiastic about voting for a tax increase than I’m sure those 186 school employees would be about voting themselves out of a job. But; I’m not convinced that every nickle and dime has been squeezed from the school’s budget.

The school district is saying “Whatever It Takes, Our Kids Are Worth It!” Well, I agree.

And right now it is imperative that we teach our kids that government works for us, not the other way around. It has to start somewhere.

We have to draw a line and we have to stand firm. Our public officials have to understand that we are already sacrificing at home. We are already not going out to eat one or two extra nights a week. We are already buying Ramen Noodles because it’s cheaper than Hamburger Helper. We are making sacrifices every day and we expect our government to make their share as well. “Whatever It Takes, Our Kids Are Worth It!” Ultimately, parents know that kids will ask for all kinds of things as they are growing up. All the time! Candy, drinks, toys, a new cellphone, money for the movies, stay out past curfew, etc. It never ends. We parents already know that our kids are worth it. And we parents sometimes say “NO” just to prove the point -We’re the parent. You’re the child. And you can’t always get what you want. ~mwnorris

PLEASE VOTE JUNE 18TH! Sources used for this article were provided by the Eastland ISD Administration Office and the following: Eastland ISD website: http://www.eastland.esc14.net Texas Association of School Boards website: http://www.tasb.org Texas Legislature Online website: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

11Star Pride ■

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, by Ginger Tobin Rising Star News & Events!!!

Grand Opening On Friday morning, June 3, the Rising Star EDC hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at Betty’s Café on Hwy. 36 West in Rising Star. Joe Sweeney, Mayor; Ron Watkins, City Administrator; Nancy Bostick, EDC President, and Ginger Tobin, EDC member, were present as well as several citizens of the city. Betty’s is open Tuesday-Saturday, 6 AM until 9 PM; has a drive thru for “to go” orders and serves American, Mexican and BBQ food.

“Texas Snakeman” Adorns Building

which Jackie is in a clear bathtub with many rattlesnakes.

A copy of this picture can be seen in the nearby Antique Mall next door to the artwork.

Jackie has won many awards including Guiness Book of Records and will soon be featured on a TV show, Animal World on June 22., 2011.

Kenny Rutledge hired Aren Riley to paint “Jackie on his building” because he and Jackie are friends.

Aren and her husband, Randy recently moved to Rising Star from East Texas; and they love their new location and think the townfolk are friendly and generous. Aren formerly was a Christian missionary in Israel; she and her children all speak Hebrew. Aren is staying busy in Rising Star by painting furniture and anything else her customers ask her to paint.

“Yard of the Month” Winners for May Winners have been chosen by Star Pride’s panel of judges for the month of May and are as follows: (alphabetical order) Betty Busbee, 300 S. Miller Street; Janell Caudle, 514 S. Main (Hwy. 183); and Mildred Childers, 201 W. Pioneer. Yard signs have been posted in each of these lovely yards; and photos will be in this newspaper issue; also, there might be some “handy hints” from these honored gardeners.

yard mowed; plants flowers; and generally has a nice appearance to their property. Our goal is to have our city beautiful as it has been stated that it was in the past.

Help us make this dream come true!

Stay tuned during June for more winners! Thanks to our panel of judges for their hard work.

MOST IMPROVED PROPERTY category did not have entries for May. If a resident wants to be considered for this award, they can call Barbara Medley at 254-6431977; or call Nancy Bostick at The Antique Mall 325203-0311.

HWY. 36 (east & west) improved by weed spraying on June 6 Two Star Pride members (Nancy Bostick and Ginger Tobin) decided rather suddenly on the morning of June 6 to start hoeing and killing weeds on Hwy. 36. The real reason the decision was sudden was due to “no wind” that morning. (You really can’t use weed killer when the wind is blowing like it has been almost every day lately.)

Several people stopped to offer moral support; but one (Mike Hardwick) offered something more: his 100 gallon sprayer, filled with weed killer and an employee to do the work. An hour later, the area two blocks on either side of Main Street on Hwy. 36 had been sprayed and Barbara & Bill Medley reported that the work had been accomplished.

Thanks to Nancy, Ginger, Barbara & Bill and a huge “thank you” to Mike Hardwick and his employee, whose name I did not get.

It is truly amazing what can be accomplished by the cooperation of Rising Star citizens.

Send Comments to: starpride@mycounty-line.com

Local artist, Aren Riley, finished a four day stint of painting June 3 on a commissioned artwork by Kenny Rutledge, owner of a building at N. Main and Hwy. 36 W. in downtown Rising Star.

Jackie Bibby, of Rising Star, is known as the “Texas Snakeman” because of his many shows and exhibits worldwide with rattlesnakes. The artwork shows Jackie in a position with several snakes hanging down his body I have been told there was a long list of yards in the from his mouth. running; but the judges finally agreed on the three above Jackie has traveled to fourteen European countries for for the month of May. exhibitions and has won many records for his poses with Star Pride appreciates each citizen who keeps their snakes, one of which is the famous “bathtub” picture, in Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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, Big Spring

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Grandma Goes To College Jeanette Kelley of Temple had a career as a teacher and principal and retired in 1999. When she was growing up, she wanted to be a teacher. “I taught my dolls,” says Jeanette with a laugh, “I lined them up in the bedroom and I taught them. But I didn’t get to teach until later in life and didn’t actually start college until I had two children in college. I was a high school dropout because I married young.”

Jeanette and her husband were retired from a business in Odessa and living in Rising Star when she decided to go back to college. “I read in the Abilene newspaper that a new school year was starting at Cisco Junior College. I picked up the phone and asked the person who answered it how a grandmother could get into college.”

She was told she had to come and take a test, which was being offered only once over a two-day period and the test was starting in just a few hours. The person at the college told Jeanette she had to be at the test site by ten o’clock that morning and had to bring ten dollars cash. “I didn’t have ten dollars cash in my purse and my husband had the checkbook with him in his truck. In the little grocery store in Rising store, sometimes the owner would be in the back unloading a truck or whatever, so we just rung up our own sales and took care of the cash register ourselves. I went to the store, opened the cash register, took ten dollars out, left an IOU and headed out to take the test. “ The test was a GED, a high school equivalency test.

The first day, the test had questions about literature and language, things Jeanette was good at because she read a lot. She breezed through that part of the test. “Later that evening I went by the store, picked up the IOU and put a ten dollar bill in the cash register. The owner of the store never even knew it was there. That’s what small town

Texas is all about. It’s just incredible.”

The next day the test questions covered science and math. She didn’t know many of the answers. She said a little prayer, finished the test and handed it in. The instructor told her to wait, that she could get results in just a few minutes. “I failed both the science and math portions of the test, but did so well on the literature part that I was allowed to start college.” When she started signing up for courses, she thought college hours meant real hours, so she signed up for 21 hours.

Later in the semester she dropped one twohour course. After the semester she and her husband moved to Belton to care for aging parents and she entered Mary Hardin Baylor. “Because I had taken so many credit hours at Cisco, they let me continue taking an overload and I finished in two and a half years, graduating summa cum laude.”

Jeanette earned a Masters Degree from Baylor, did some post graduate work and was in education 23 years, earning many honors along the way, including Beltonian of the year from the Belton Chamber of Commerce. She and her husband have been married 52 years.

Doc Brinkley Parachuted Into Normandy on D-Day

R. L. (Doc) Brinkley of Andrews joined the Army in 1943 when he was eighteen years old. It was during World War Two and he heard that paratroopers got extra money, so he signed up for paratroop training. “We had to have five jumps to qualify for our wings,” says Doc. “It was quite an honor to earn those wings.” There was no door on the plane that took them up for jumps. A red light meant get ready, green meant jump. He took advanced training in small weapons and hand-to-hand combat, “just like it would be on the front lines.”

Doc took part in the largest military invasion in history. It occurred on June 6, 1944 on the coast of Normandy in France. It was dark when he landed.

He was issued a cork and matches for camouflage.

He blackened the cork and rubbed it on his face so it wouldn’t reflect any light.

noisemaker. They devised a code for identification purposes. “If you heard somebody, you couldn’t see who it was. So you give them one click. He’s supposed to answer you with two clicks. If he doesn’t he’s not one of our guys.”

Doc was a member of the 101st Airborne Division.

He jumped with other paratroopers from Canada, France and England. “There were hundreds of planes that had flown for two hours getting in just the right position to let the paratroopers jump.” Anti-aircraft fire hit the plane he was on just before he left it. Lots of the planes got shot down. Doc says he saw several on the ground in different places, with bodies still in them. Allied troops from Poland, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Holland, New Zealand and Norway also took part in the invasion. D-Day forces were deployed from bases along the southern coast of England.

“We landed in an open field. It was right in front of a thick natural fence or hedgerow made of trees and bushes. There was a German gun position just beyond the hedgerow. We were about a hundred yards from it.

I hugged that ground for several hours. I had to. I was pinned down. If I had jumped up they would have got me. They started shooting at us with small arms. Tracers were hitting all around me.”

At daylight the next day he and his fellow soldiers attacked that gun position. “A buddy of mine had a Browning automatic and he was shooting into the gun position on one end and we were on the other end. The Germans that weren’t shot we took as prisoners. I think there were 25 or 30 of them.”

He was on the front lines for 33 days before he was relieved to go back to England for a break. “We were dirty and had little food. We had C-rations, but they didn’t last long. We scrounged food from farm houses.”

Years later, Doc returned to the coast of Normandy He and his fellow and took pictures of the place where he landed. He still jumpers were also issued has his cricket and part of his parachute. a military version of a toy cricket, the little tin Send Comments to: tumbleweed@mycounty-line.com Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

13Daily Devotional ■

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, Wanda Lee Beck Skinner

Memorial Day 2011

Here it is again, it is Memorial day. I remember as a child my brothers and cousins were called to the service of their country. My parents were so very upset. Everyone in our community felt in awe of what the young people of the day were doing, going to fight for their country. What a joy and priviledge to fight for the country they all loved. Most of them came home but one had gotten tuberluos and every one was very upset for him. He lived to be almost 90 and lived a good life. Many times the events happen to us happen and we can make the best of everything or we can feel sorry for ourselfs. He made the best of a bad situation. In fact he was a college professor and lived a great life.

What are you doing to proof that you are happy to be an American today. Now what about a Christian. If you are one and I pray that you are, there are many ways to prove that what you say you believe is true.

Are you living for God in the way He would have you to. There are many waiting to see if we are willing to fight for our freedom today.

Harmony Baptist Chruch

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We have services every Sunday morning at 9:45 until 12.00 noon. We would love for you to come and see if you like our services and be a part of us if you do. The Sunday School is always soemthing to enjoy as we have several teachers who spend loads of time studying the Scripture and the internet for good things to share. We have church at 11:00 a.m. every Sunday and every Wednesday except the second Wednesday we have prayer meeting and Bible study. On the second wednesday we have business meeting for the church. Please come and see if you like our lessons and our preaching hours some Sunday. There is always someone there you would be happy to see.

Oh! Happy Day

Oh Happy Day. I say because the sky is clean and the weather is very nice today. Maybe tomorrow will be different but for today I am very happy. Isn’t is strange how quickly things change these day. Well, folks, it is the same as it has always been. Some day the sun is shining and some day the rains and tornadoes come. It is not for us to let the weather decide what will happen in our lives. We can make today a day to remember for a long time. Are you living the way the Lord wants you to live. You know there are many ways you can make a difference in lives around you. Maybe there is some child who feels left out and alone, be a friend to that child. Maybe there is some one your age who feels very badly today, give that person something to make him laugh.

Maybe some person just lost a dear friend to cancer, comfort him and give him courage. Or just maybe there is someone you know who feels that life is over for them and they are waiting for death, give them some words of encouragement and something to do. You see, you are important to someone today Bullock Cemetery

I have been asked to do a platt of the Bullock Cemetery. It has been a long time since anyone updated the information on it so I need your help please. If you can help you can reach me at 254-629-8439 or you can e-mail me at Wanda Skinner 2205 Highway 112 Eastland Texas 76448.

I am working very hard on this area and would love your information on it.

I think there are about 500 names and some of them are only marked with names and no dates. I would love to have names, births, marriages, and deaths. I would appreciate this very much.

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

14Love Lessons Learned So Far ■

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, Vicki Stiefer

When the Honeymoon is OVER!

When you get married you hear everyone chuckle and wink and tell you the honeymoon can’t last forever so enjoy it while you can. You don’t listen because you’re on cloud nine and everything is so sweet and soft and perfect. How are you supposed to know that after you toss the bouquet it’s all down hill from here?

I think the monotony of marriage creeps up on you. One day you’re blissfully happy washing his dirty underwear and cooking his dinner. The next day you wake up and realize what’s going on in the bathroom sounds more like a battle field with all the snorting and spitting. And the ever present battle cry for more toilet paper slaps you in the face almost as much as the smell creeping out from under the door. So when does it happen and why does it happen? I’ve been married for a little over 3 years. Up until about a month ago I was traipsing along in the daisies totally encompassed in my man. What he did, I wanted to do. What he was watching was exactly what I was interested in.

When I made the grocery list I thought about his needs first. Truthfully, I stopped thinking about myself and started focusing only on him.

I lost some girlfriends because I talked about my husband and our fabulous life together. I didn’t think anything about the changes going on in my life. There was just something about marriage that fascinated me. I loved being married. I loved the idea of coming home and having a man there to tell my troubles.

Someone who could save me from the wiles of

the day and make me feel like a woman. I guess in a sense I lost my identity. Instead of seeing this as a problem, I continued to trip through the daisies pressing on as happy as peas in pod never looking back. That is until I woke up to the realization he was sitting on the other end of the couch. I was ignoring his baseball game and had my headphones on while he was intent in keeping score and making sure the cat didn’t try to steal a sip of his diet soda. I immediately thought to myself, “Where did we go?” In the honeymoon phase every Friday night we would watch wrestling and eat pizza together. We sat next to each other on the couch and touched each other. I rubbed his head or he rubbed my feet. There was always some kind of bonding going on. I never thought life would get in the way. I didn’t listen to all of those older couples when they said to live it up because the honeymoon wouldn’t last forever. I skipped on and decided they didn’t know me. They didn’t know my life; but they did.

I think they should rename the “honeymoon” phase. I realize now the chuckle that came from every lip that uttered the two dreaded words was a sign. It was code for a greater lesson; a life lesson that you have to learn on your own as husband and wife. One you have to learn together. These days I like to grocery shop on my own and often make plans to hang out with the girls. I sew and knit for myself now much more than I sew for him. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love my husband as much as I ever did. I love him now more than ever. Even if I am in

the foxhole with the stash of toilet paper, the enemy in the tank is going down!! Because we are in it together, because we took vows and if for no other reason because I love him. This lesson has been a hard one for me to learn. I’ve been quiet and reflective and even had the nerve to wonder where it all has gone. I listened to Willie Nelson as he sang, “Gee ain’t it funny how time slips away.” The second phase of our marriage is not a drag. Nothing is wrong with us. Life is happening and we’re living together making it work. Sometimes we come together in the evening for a quick kiss and sometimes we take a break and get more serious. Either way we’re in it for the long haul. It makes me cherish the times we can sit and eat pizza and watch wrestling on a Friday night.

I wish all the old couples in the world would save the cryptic comments for practical things like yes, women will grow hair on their chin when their hormones are crazy. Yes, the hair on a man’s head is on a journey and the destination is his back. I could have used the practical advice early on. It would have saved me a lot of worry and heartache. It’s worth it though; it’s a life lesson I can pass on having started the new journey through it.

Send Comments to: lovelessons@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

15Treasure Hunters ■

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, Jerry Eckhart

Historical Eastland County

You won’t read much about Eastland County, Texas in the major history books. As a matter of fact, there isn’t a lot in Texas History books either. In spite of that, Eastland County has a rich historical background. It has often been referred to as the Gateway to the West.

Our county has some of the earliest settlers recorded, many coming here in the 1840’s and 1850’s. We have seen Indian battles, soldiers, and Texas Rangers all within our borders. The history is there, we just don’t see it publicized it much. What has been published is only the tip of the iceberg.

Several years ago, I obtained the copyright to the earliest history of Eastland County. That was a book called “History of Eastland County, Texas,” written in 1904 by Mrs. George Langston. Once I received that copyright from her grandson, George Schmitz in 1998 I immediately began retyping and editing the original.

It was an exciting time doing so because once the word got around, folks who were descendents of original pioneers came forward with stories of their own and a few different versions of certain stories.

The book was a great success and the first copies of my edited version sold out. A few years later, I shared that copyright with H. W. O’Brien of Eastland County Newspapers where a number of copies were printed in a magazine format. It looks as if another edition will soon be necessary.

It isn’t so important as to who published it. What is important is the vast number of first hand accounts of our original settlers. In this issue of County Line, I would like to share one of those stories with you. I think you will find that treasure isn’t always in the form of money, but in what we learn and carry with us throughout the ensuing years.

The First Wedding (This took place at Fort Blair, near Desdemona and is written in Mrs. Langston’s words.)

“Ma, guess what I found.” Mr. Blair stood in the doorway.

“Found?” echoed Mrs. Blair, rising up from the hearth, where she was putting coals on the lid of the skillet into which she had just put the cord dodgers to bake. “Found a cougar or panther, like as not.” Then noting the look of satisfaction on his face, she cried out, “Not a bee tree, Pa?” “Yes, a bee tree, and chuck full of honey, too. Where’s a tub?”

Mrs. Blair smiled and looked at Sarah jane, who clapper her hands, while all the little Blairs jumped up

Editor’s note: To see more of Jerry’s treasure finds, visit his Facebook profile.

Just search Facebook for “Jerry Eckhart”

and down in glee.

When one remembers that on this far western frontier, one hundred miles from the nearest mill, only necessities were provided – bread, coffee, beans, etc.: no sugar, no fruit – one can readily comprehend the glee of the small children at the thought of a “tubful of honey,” but may wonder at Sara Jane crying, “Honey cakes, Ma! Honey cakes! Oh think of it!” A bee tree wasn’t found every day, and they had no cakes any other time. But, a more subtle reason, still existed and caused Sara Jane’s delight.

Only the night before the daughter had said, “But think Ma, a wedding without cakes! And everybody’ll be here.”

“But Honey, you have a pretty white “nainsook” dress trimmed up in embroidery, and made low neck and short sleeves. And, another thing you have – I wasn’t going to tell you ‘til he was through with ‘em – is such a pretty pair of shoes as Bill McGough is making you, the vamp all notched; and he’s goin’ to shine ‘em up, and they’ll look like real store-bought shoes.” Now, that the cakes were assured, Sara Jane’s cup of happiness was running over. (Mr. Blair paid fifteen bushels of wheat, at 75 cents a bushel for the wedding dress.)

Preparations for the great event to take place next Thursday assumed a new dignity which was personified in beautiful Sara Jane, for there was not a boy on the Sabanna or in the fort but envied handsome Coon Keith. All the petty jealousies within those picket walls were for the time forgotten and everybody lent a hand in the preparation. Venison and turkey were brought in the greatest plenty, and the men barbecued the fat mavericks.

Coon Keith and Jim McGough, on good mounts went to Comanche town for the license, and on the day of the wedding Joe Smith was delegated to go for the preacher, Reverend Coker, who came alone from Comanche to Albert Sowles’ on the Sabanno, where he was met by Mr. Smith. After a ride of a couple of miles the two men came upon a fresh Indian trail, and they wondered if there would be any interference in the wedding arrangements.

They halted presently where the Indians had breakfast.

There was the cow freshly slaughtered, part of her eat ling still in the skin and the fire warm and glowing.

The men rode cautiously and slowly on. It was past the noon hour, and they had ten miles yet to go. The

wedding was to take place at four o’clock, and Smith was the “best man.”

At last the trail made a sharp turn to the west, and the men reightly surmised that the Indians were going home on the Western route, and again spurred their horses onward, and were soon at the Fort. At last the hour arrived. The long tables glistened when the sun fell on them through the thick-leaved branches of the sturdy oaks. The minister took his stand, and the couple to be married walked out into the yard.

Coon Keith, the man, was eighteen years old. He had black hair and eyes, cheeks like June Apples, carried himself like the young Apollo he was, and was dressed in blue pants and black sack coat, with two bit “sixshooters buckled around him. The girl holding his arm so timidly, half frightened by the impetuosity of the man’s eager love, looked like a unique lily. A faultless skin, without a shade of color, large, deep blue eyes, her throat and shoulder and arms rivaling her embroidered nainsook dress in witness (whiteness?), and crowning this, her blood-tinged, yellow-brown hair comed loosely back and tied with a white ribbon, made a picture.

The menu of this first wedding was : Beef, a la barbecue, Turkey, with dressing and sliced eggs, Venison, bread, butter, coffee, milk, honey cakes.

After the wedding, Reverend Coker wanted to preach.

This, they would not allow on such a festive occasion, but gave themselves up to the pleasures of “Weavely Wheat” and kindred games until the yard was beaten into powder, and the cock was crowing for the day.

Miss Lizzie Keith, now Mrs. Presley of Curtis, maid of honor, and Joe Smith, best man, both wore white.

Mr. Keith has accumulated much wealth, and lives with his still beautiful wife in Erath County, not many miles from Desdemona.

(Tom Keith, a cousin, had intimated that he meant to enter objections when the time came.)

Thus ends Mrs. Langston’s account of the first wedding in Eastland County. No date for the wedding was mentioned, although there may be a record somewhere.

Who is it to say that treasure cannot be in the stories from our past?

Send Comments to: treasure@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

If you do business in Breckenridge, contact The County Line to advertise here for an unbeatable low, monthly cost!

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

Angel Food Ministries Ordering Cut-Off Date Friday June 17th

Go online to Order: www.angelfoodministries.com

Distribution Saturday June 25th **NOTE** Ranger orders can be made online or at designated locations and can be picked up in Cisco or delivered by Church of God of Prophecy.

Call Ilene for more information

(254)442-1969

HELP WANTED

The County Line is looking for parttime advertising and circulation representatives for our Summer Sales Drive! Work from home on the phone or get out and visit with businesses and people that you know in your community.

No phone calls, please.

Computer and Internet use is required, so if you are interested, please send your resume to my email address below: workfromhome@mycounty-line.com

Rising Star Trade Days April through October 4th Weekend each month Call 254-643-1611 for details

Business For Sale

Established downtown bookstore and gift shop with complete inventory, display shelves and cases. Turn-key. I’m ready for retirement and would like to see someone continue this enjoyable and social business. Call for details: (254)559-2770

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

18Out of the Box ■

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49 ■ Community

, Joellen Hodge

Finishing What You Start

After way too many years to count, I have returned to college to finish what I started. My goal is to get my Certification as a history teacher. With that idea in my sights, it seemed like a good idea to head back into the local school system to interact with students. Do I still like children well enough to want to work with them? Despite the warnings from well meaning friends and co-workers, I jumped in feet first to find my answers.

First and foremost...anybody under the age of ten seems to pretty much be the same as I was at that age. I think they are taller, but as short as I am , everyone seems a lot taller now days. They are much more techno savy than most of adults today. That too is to be expected...they are constantly being drowned in a sea of the newest and bestest gadgets to be found on the market. A huge change I discovered is in the younger set. They are more aware of fashion and what is “in and out” for their respective grade level. I eavesdropped on a long and in depth conversation as to why Dora is not up to snuff after second grade, but Hannah Montana rocks until at least the 5th grade. Good thing I choose Sponge Bob socks that day...The “Under the Sea” club is cool enough for even 6th graders. The fact that I was wearing Dora undies was known only to myself and I chose not to share the fact. I am smart enough to know that bad fashion can make even the youngest fashionista blow chunks.

Junior High/Middle School is a mystery mess. Just as it was 40 years ago, these teens and tweens, are bouncing from playground to puberty with the usual clumsiness of that age group. For whatever reason, the emotional outbursts and angst of this present generation of in betweeners seems to be wrapped up in the entertainment industry’s idols and anti-heros. You can only imagine the amount of weight carried by such outstanding film productions as Hangover and Hangover 2 in the hallowed halls of our educational system. Still, it is just as sad to watch those in camp Harry Potter come to the realization that it was all just books and movies. Life will go on without magic and Pottermania will die faster than a prom queen’s wrist corsage. They seem little different from one group of guys I knew in Junior High who wrote a threatening letter to 20th Century Fox if they ever quit making Planet of the Ape movies. Fortunately... they moved onto football and dating about the time the last original of the series was released in 1972.

Finally, we move into the high school classes. The intelligence level is the same as we always knew...dwarfed by disgusting jokes concerning body parts, drunken behavior and sex. No matter what anyone thinks of their kid, they are talking about these things today...just as we did back n the day. These almost adults are also self centered and overly confident in the low standards of their abilities. It is kind of scary in this technological world to see so many used by their i-pods, i-phones, lap tops and x-boxes, rather than using them.

They chatter through their classes, refuse to do their work and lie through their teeth when they get home about how cruel and mistreated they are in by their teachers. In other words...nothing has changed in the least.

The majority of our students are regular kids. Just kids who make mistakes and act silly, want to play and act out. They are always testing the limits of the adults around them, as well as the laws of man and nature. They aggravate, exasperate and fan the flames of irritation in their educators. It is their mission to make us wonder if we are doing right by the ways we teach them, love them and discipline them. And that is good thing.

At some point in all the madness and craziness of being around a bunch of kids, you begin to see the sparkle that is youth. They shine with the ability of becoming more than we as a last generation ever became. It is that precious moment that we become our parents and teachers and the children become us all over again. We realize that they do get “IT” and they will be ok. The world will not fall apart and the sun will rise again and again. It is supposed to work this way...thats why we keep the faith of a better tomorrow.

Announcement, Submitted

Goodwill West Texas Veteran Outreach Program

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Veterans have served our country, now Goodwill would like to serve them. This program was made possible by a Grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. Help us put this money to good use.

The program gives Goodwill West Texas the chance to support our veterans with needs such as; counseling, housing assistance, and limited emergency financial assistance. We are also able to assist in employment, training, education and job placement along with other services such as Family and Children services. We even offer transportation assistance to those in need.

Our organization works closely with other Military Support Organizations to aide Veterans and their independents.

We are hoping to increase and improve services to veterans in your area, reduce barriers that prevent veterans from obtaining and maintaing stable and consistent employment.

Each year more than 200,000 men and women leave our military and return to civilian life. They struggle in the adjustment from military into civilian job market.

Our military bring to the work force leadership, teamwork, intergrity, respect and accelerated learning curve. They have the ability to triumph over adversity.

This program will serve veterans of Taylor, Callahan, Runnels, Jones, Shakelford and Nolan counties.

With our new Outreach program, we are reaching out. Help us find your veterans so that we may assist them. If you are, or if you know of any veterans that could use assistance, contact Goodwill West Texas.

Chuck Wilson, Veteran Coordinator (325)676-7925

Send Comments to: outofthebox@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

If you do business in Rising Star, contact The County Line to have your business card posted here for an unbeatable low, monthly cost!

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

20Ol’ Doc’s Homespun Yarns ■

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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

, Luther & Pat Gohlke

The All Time World Famous Brangus Breeder - NOT It was the natural thing to do. My dad had recovered from a devastating and lengthy illness that nearly took his life. Plus that, Pat, my wife and I had purchased 160 acres off I20 West of Ranger. We were in the planning stages, with intentions to build a country home on the land. My practice was going well as a rural doctor and I needed a Thursday day off outlet to release some of that inner anxiety and frustration. Golf was not my game!! I could normally shoot in the 70’s or 80’s. If it got any hotter than this, I was totally wiped out. Golf went by the wayside. My dad suggested we buy some cows and get involved in the cattle business.

A great idea! He was raised on a farm and knew a lot about livestock. I was almost a green horn.

However, my grandparents had cows and I knew how to milk. I knew about birthing calves. Not a total wipeout. So we bought about 10 or 12 cows some with calves. They were delivered late one night in a bobtail truck. The rancher we bought them from backed up to a tank dam, let down the ramp and turned them loose. About three days later, we finally located them, thank heaven in our pasture, a heavily wooded and a completely new territory to those cows and calves.

We were in the cow business - no hay, no barn, no cross fences, poor outside fences, winter coming on.

But we were in the cow business?

It took us one winter to become near experts.

We mapped out plans, built a barn, sprigged coastal, pushed brush, bought more land and developed a reasonable operation. Experience, of course, is always the best teacher. The culls we started with, we sold.

Then we got into the registered polled hereford breed, which, also proved to be a mistake. Finally, my vet friend suggested I get into the brangus business. I did!

I sold all those herefords!

What proved to be a thirty year brangus breeding program started at the local Ranger Auction Barn. A local rancher brought in about 20 half breed angus/ brahma crosses. Just what I was looking for! Just 450 500 lb heifers. I raised them and bought more. Wound up with about 40 of them. Bred them to angus bulls, sold the first calves and angus bulls. I then went with registered brangus bulls so as to eliminate inbreeding and wound up as of this writing August 2002 with a

strong pure bred herd of brangus cows - growthy, no scurs and gentle. My herd dates back to 1971.

However, there is a chapter in this brangus business I reluctantly must tell. Brangus, if you don’t know are black, mulely, and blood wise they are a cross of angus and brahman cattle. The cross being 3/8 brahma and 5/8 angus. Now, at times I can be a rather impulsive and impatient person! As I have gotten older I have tried deligently to overcome these, at times, undesirable traits. I wanted a short cut to pure breed brangus cows. The person I bought these from, I reasoned, had registered black angus cows and registered brahman bulls. If I could get the papers on his stock, that is the registration papers, I could file these with the American and Texas Brangus breeders association and get each certified. I successfully did that, spending a lot of time and money. Now all I needed was a quarter bred bull - 1/4 brahma and 3/4 angus. Crossing him with my 1/2 and 1/2 cows would give a pure bred 3/8 brahma and 5/8 angus. I finally located one in McKinney, Texas. Dad and I went to pick him up about 1979. We had a fun trip just he and I. We named him McKinney. Just couldn’t wait to get the $1600 critter with those 1/2 breed cows. I could see it now - perfect, growthy, black calves. I was on my way to being a brangus breeder. I felt good about it - in fact, pompus, proud, ego blossomed.

Nine or ten months seemed like years.

Finally, the first calf dropped. Al least, McKinney was not sterile. I’ll never forget the day my dad walked in the back door of the clinic as he often did.

He was laughing, yet trying to be serious, because he knew how important it was to me. “You have...” pause to laugh, “You have...” pause to laugh some more. Why the laughter? My first pure bred calf.

“It’s white!” He blurted out and nearly rolled with laughter. “No way, must have been my neighbors bull.” I replied. “But I don’t have neighbors with white bulls.” It couldn’t be!! All those plans, all that money, all those hopes! “Must be an albino”, I was in denial 100% so. Pride of life! Brangus breeder!?!

Down the drain. The forth coming months proved to be disasterous. Black and white calves, small, pot bellied, a total wipe out. I ate crow, black feathers all around my mouth. My dad would not let me forget it. When those calves were old enough to the sale

barn they went. Also included Old McKinney. Took the lost, ate more crow. The boys at the sale barn commented “Doc, we thought you had brangus cattle.

What happened?” Silence. More crow.

Home, back to the basics 1/2 breed cows, registered brangus bulls and now a pure bred string of fine livestock. My dad to the day he died would still chuckle and even laugh out loud about the “All Time World Famous Brangus Breeder.”

I learned another lesson in life’s battles and tribulations. Pride of life? Proverbs says it all in chapter 16 verse 18. “Pride goeth before a fall” and 1John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Control pride and self, consider others first, self last. As a result if you are a brangus breeder all your calves will be black!

Send Comments to: outofthepast@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

21This Week In Texas History ■

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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49

, by Bartee Haile

BUFFALO BILL GOES TARGET SHOOTING WITH BEN THOMPSON

Ben Thompson, gunfighter and lawman, received a gold-plated target pistol in the Jun. 13, 1881 mail from his new friend, famed showman “Buffalo Bill” Cody.

After “Scouts of the Plains” finished its threeshow engagement in Austin, Cody invited Thompson along for the San Antonio leg of the tour. Once again they entertained the admiring masses with their marksmanship before parting the best of friends.

The two men met a year and a half earlier, when Cody brought his current stage It was not long before their friendship was production, a melodrama loosely based on his put to the test. own exploits called “Scouts of the Plains,” to Austin in December 1879. Ever the hospitable The following June, Thompson was in Dodge southerner, Thompson welcomed the visitor to City on a working vacation playing cards and the Texas capital within minutes of his arrival. taking other men’s money, when he heard his baby brother had gotten himself into another Just for the fun of it and to see how good scrap. “What now?” Ben must have wondered the other really was with a firearm, Cody and since he had spent much of his adult life saving Thompson adjourned to the country for some his sibling’s hide. friendly target practice on Dec. 9, 1879.

This time Billy Thompson had started a fight Fawning over the well-known guest, the with a saloon keeper in Ogallala, Nebraska Austin American reported, “Buffalo Bill went that ended in gunfire. No serious wounds were out of town yesterday with Mr. Ben Thompson sustained by either party, but Billy was under and some other gentlemen, and he showed them house arrest in his hotel and there was talk of a a little crack shooting. With Mr. Thompson’s lynching. rifle he struck six half dollars out of seven that The same source that informed Ben of his were thrown up.” brother’s predicament warned him against The duo did it again the next day much riding to the rescue. The tavern owner was to the delight of a larger crowd. This time well-liked in Ogalla, which meant a welcoming the newspaper went completely overboard committee was sure to be armed and ready. declaring Cody “one of the best marksmen now on the American continent. His shooting was So Ben turned to an old ally, and Bat Masterson caught the first westbound train. Failing to buy perfectly marvelous.”

Billy Thompson’s freedom, he drugged the Ben Thompson was probably more amused guard standing watch outside his hotel room than angered. While Buffalo Bill was making and with the escapee in tow sneaked aboard the his reputation slaughtering defenseless bison, midnight flyer to North Platte. he was earning his against opponents that could While Masterson was wondering how he shoot back. With Bill Longley six feet under and John Wesley Hardin behind bars until was going to get from North Platte to Buffalo 1894, he was the deadliest gunfighter alive and Bill’s ranch outside of town at two o’clock in the morning, he spotted a saloon still open for everybody knew it. business. He stepped through the swinging doors and saw the bearded storyteller holding a roomful of drunks spellbound.

After listening to Masterson’s account of the evening’s

adventures, Cody announced, “The Ogallala authorities will not take you from here.” With one of their generous host’s best horses and his wife’s carriage, Masterson and Billy Thompson reached the safety of Dodge City without further incident.

Back in Austin, Ben Thompson had cleaned up his act enough to win the city marshal election in December 1880. As soon as Cody learned of this almost laughable career change, he sent a congratulatory gift.

“Yesterday morning Marshal Thompson received a very handsome present from Buffalo Bill,” read an article in the Jun. 14, 1881 Austin Statesman. “It is a … costly target pistol (with) mountings of gold, handle beautifully tinted pearl, while the glittering steel barrel is most artistically and beautifully carved. It is engraved on the handle: ‘From Buffalo Bill to Ben Thompson.’”

From all indications the aging gunfighter had turned over a new leaf. He did such a fine job of policing Austin that voters elected him to a second term.

Then it all came apart for Thompson. He settled an old score with Jack Harris, owner of a San Antonio theater, by shooting him dead in July 1882. After six months in the infamous Bexar County jail, during which he resigned as city marshal, Thompson was acquitted by a surprising sympathetic Alamo City jury.

Anyone in his right or sober mind would have stayed out of San Antonio after that but not Ben Thompson. He returned with King Fisher to the scene of Harris killing in March 1884, and both were dispatched execution-style by waiting gunmen.

As for the gold-plated pistol, it remains in near-mint condition in a private collect 130 years later. And, from time to time, it goes on display at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming.

Send Comments to: texashistory@mycounty-line.com

Bartee Haile lives in Friendswood, TX and is the author of one of the most long established Texas History newspaper columns in the state.

Column collections available at twith.com or request list from Bartee Haile, P.O. Box 152, Friendswood, TX 7754

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

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23From The Backside ■

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www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ June Issue, 2011 v4.49 , Henry J. Clevicepin

Estee K. Bibbles: American Fairy Tale A Must Read!!!

By Henry J. Clevicepin Collaborated by Nellie Frecklebelly and Agnes & Ophilia Fudpucker

Well, we got a little more rain here in Buzzard’s Roost this week and luckily we missed all of the wind, hail & tornados. Everybody here is still praying for rain and praying for those pore folks that lost everything in those storms. Speaking of praying ol Estee K. Bibbles, my mule barn partner was telling me about ol Bubba here in Buzzard’s Roost going to church the other morning and the preacher said for anyone with special needs to come forward and he would pray for them. The preacher asks ol Bubba what he needed praying about and Bubba said he needed some praying about his hearing. The old preacher put one finger in Bubba’s ear and the other on his head and prayed up a blue streak. When he quit he stepped back and ask Bubba “how is your hearing now?’ Bubba said I don’t know, it ain’t til Thursday down at the Court House.

Now ol Estee K., as you’ll all know is quite the literary genius and loves to read fairy tales. Now, he brought the latest one down to the mule barn and read it to me last week and I thought it was so touching I wanted to pass it on. Here is the way it goes: And it came to pass in the Age of Insanity that the people of the land called America, having lost their morals, their initiative, and their will to defend their liberties, chose as their Supreme Leader that person known as “The One.” He emerged from the vapors with a message that had no meaning; but he hypnotized the people telling them, “I am sent to save you.”

My lack of experience, my questionable ethics, my monstrous ego, and my association with evil doers are of no consequence. I shall save you with Hope and Change. Go, therefore, and proclaim throughout the land that he who preceded me is evil, that he has defiled the nation, and that all he has built must be destroyed. And the people rejoiced, for even though they knew not what “The One” would do, he had promised that it was good; and they believed. And “The One” said “ We live in the greatest country in the world. Help me change everything about it!” And the people said, “Hallelujah! Change is

good!” Then he said, “We are going to tax the rich fat-cats.” And the people said “Sock it to them!”

“And redistribute their wealth.” And the people said, “Show us the money!” And then he said, “redistribution of wealth is good for everybody..”

And Joe the plumber asked, “Are you kidding me?

You’re going to steal my money and give it to the deadbeats??” And “The One” ridiculed and taunted him, and Joe’s personal records were hacked and publicized. One lone reporter asked, “Isn’t that Marxist policy?” And she was Banished from the Kingdom’s press corps “. Then a citizen asked, “With no foreign relations experience and having zero military experience or knowledge, how will you deal with radical terrorists?” And “The One” said, “Simple. I shall sit & talk with them and show them how nice we really are; and they will forget that they ever wanted to kill us all!” And the peoples said, “Hallelujah!! We are safe at last, and we can beat our weapons into free cars for the people!” Then “The One” said “I shall give 95% of you lower taxes.” And one, lone voice said, “But 40% of us don’t pay ANY taxes.” So “The One” said, “Then I shall give you some of the taxes the fat-cats pay!”And the people said, “Hallelujah!

Show us the money!” Then “The One” said, “I shall tax your Capital Gains when you sell your homes!”

And the people yawned and the slumping housing market collapsed. And He said. “I shall mandate employer-funded health care for every worker and raise the minimum wage. And I shall give every person unlimited healthcare and medicine and transportation to the clinics.” And the people said, “Give me some of that!” Then he said, “I shall penalize employers who ship jobs overseas.” And the people said, “Where’s my rebate check?” Then “The One” said, “I shall bankrupt the coal industry and electricity rates will skyrocket!” And the people said, “Coal is dirty, coal is evil, no more coal! But we don’t care for that part about higher electric rates.”

So “The One” said, Not to worry. If your rebate isn’t enough to cover your expenses, we shall bail you out. Just sign up with the ACORN and your troubles are over!” Then He said, “Illegal immigrants feel scorned and slighted. Let’s grant them amnesty,

From the Backside Sponsor

From the Backside Sponsor

Social Security, free education, free lunches, free medical care, bi-lingual signs and guaranteed housing...” And the people said, “Hallelujah!” and they made him king!

And so it came to pass that employers, facing spiraling costs and ever-higher taxes, raised their prices and laid off workers. Others simply gave up and went out of business and the economy sank like unto a rock dropped from a cliff. The banking industry was destroyed. Manufacturing slowed to a crawl. And more of the people were without a means of support. Then “The One” said, “I am the “the Chosen One”- The Messiah - and I’m here to save you! We shall just print more money so everyone will have enough!” But our foreign trading partners said unto Him. “Wait a minute. Your dollar is not worth a pile of camel dung! You will have to pay more... And “The One” said, “Wait a minute. That is not fair!!” And the world said, “Neither are these other idiotic programs you have embraced. Lo, you have become a Socialist state and a second-rate power.

Now you shall play by our rules!” And the people cried out, “Alas, alas!! What have we done?” But yea verily, it was too late. The people set upon The One and spat upon him and stoned him, and his name was dung. And the once mighty nation was no more; and the once proud people were without sustenance or shelter or hope. And the Change “The One” had given them was as like unto a poison that had destroyed them and like a whirlwind that consumed all that they had built. And the people beat their chests in despair and cried out in anguish, “give us back our nation and our pride and our hope!!” But it was too late, and their homeland was no more.

Ol Estee K. said after reading this , that it kinda sounded like our geat country. I told you he was a literary genius. You may think this a fairy tale, but it’s not. It’s happening RIGHT NOW, RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES !!!!!!!! BETTER WAKE UP AMERICA !!!!!

Words of Wisdom from Henry J. : There are three kinds of men: ones that learn by reading, ones that learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence to find out for themselves !!!!!

Joe Bond Construction

Life Settlement Investments

Call: 254-631-2658

Call: 817-228-7745

Fencing, Metal Buildings, Dirt Hauling Motorgrading Roads

Average return for 18yrs = 14.07% $50,000 minimum investment Low, Low Risk

You can email Henry J at : henryjclevicepin@aol.com

Send Comments to: backside@mycounty-line.com

Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com