The County Line - September 2011, v4i52 by MyCounty-Line.com

www.MyCounty-Line.com --- 10 YEARS REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 11TH, 201101Volume 4 Issue 52

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

Monthly Issue

SEPTEMBER ,

2011

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vol.4 Issue 52

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In This Issue: The 9/11 Commission Report of July 22, 2004 Growing Up Small Town by Mike W. Norris

Texas Conservative by Chuck Norris

@Ranger Library

by Diana McCullough

Good Neighbors by Clint Coffee

Upcoming Events

by Various Contributors

Area Community News by Various Contributors

Star Pride

by Ginger Tobin

Tumbleweed Smith by Bob Lewis

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

Ol’ Doc’s Homespun Yarns by Luther Gohlke

This Week In Texas History by Bartee Haile

From the Backside

by Henry J. Clevicepin

The County Line http://www.9-11commission.gov Boston: American 11 and United 175 Mohamed Atta, Abdul Aziz al Omari, Satam al Suqami, Wail al Shehri, and Waleed al Shehri had assembled for their morning flight out of Logan International Airport. Between 6:45 and 7:40, Atta and Omari, along with Suqami, and the Shehri brothers, checked in and boarded American Airlines Flight 11, bound for Los Angeles. The flight was scheduled to depart at 7:45am. Marwan al Shehhi was joined by Fayez Banihammad, Mohand al Shehri, Ahmed al Ghamdi, and Hamza al Ghamdi and checked in for United Airlines Flight 175, also bound for Los Angeles. They boarded the flight between 7:23 and 7:28 and their aircraft pushed back from the gate just before 8:00am. Washington, D.C.: American 77 At 7:15, Khalid al Mihdhar and Majed Moqed checked in at the American Airlines ticket counter at Dulles International Airport for American Airlines Flight 77, bound for Los Angeles. Within the next 20 minutes, they would be followed by Hani Hanjour and two brothers, Nawaf al Hazmi and Salem al Hazmi. At 7:50am, Moqed and Mihdhar boarded the flight and were seated in coach. Hanjour, assigned to seat 1B (first class), soon followed.The Hazmi brothers joined Hanjour in the first-class cabin. American 77 pushed back from its gate at 8:09am. Newark: United 93 Between 7:03 and 7:39, Saeed al Ghamdi, Ahmed al Nami, Ahmad al Haznawi, and Ziad Jarrah checked in at the United Airlines ticket counter for Flight 93, going to Los Angeles. The four men boarded the plane between 7:39 and 7:48. At 8:42am, United Airlines Flight 93 took off from Liberty International Airport bound for San Francisco. Scheduled to depart the gate at 8:00, the Boeing 757’s takeoff was delayed because of the airport’s typically heavy morning traffic. The nineteen men were aboard four transcontinental flights. They were planning to hijack these planes and turn them into large guided missiles, loaded with up to 11,400 gallons of jet fuel. By 8:00am on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, they had defeated all the security layers that America’s civil aviation security system then had in place to prevent a hijacking. At 8:46:40, American Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. All on board, along with an unknown number of people in the tower, were killed instantly. At 9:03:11, United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center. All on board, along with an unknown number of people in the tower, were killed instantly. At 9:37:46, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. All on board, as well as many civilian and military personnel in the building, were killed. The cockpit voice recorder on board United Airlines Flight 93 captured the sounds of a passenger-lead assault against the hijackers, muffled by the intervening cockpit door. In response, Jarrah, who was at the controls, began to roll the airplane to the left and right, attempting to knock the passengers off balance but the assault continued. At 10:02:23, a hijacker said, “Pull it down! Pull it down!” The hijackers remained at the controls but must have judged that the passengers were only seconds from overcoming them. The airplane headed down; the control wheel was turned hard to the right. The airplane rolled onto its back, and one of the hijackers began shouting “Allah is the greatest. Allah is the greatest.” With the sounds of the passenger counterattack continuing, United Airlines Flight 93 plowed into an empty field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at 580 miles per hour, about 20 minutes’ flying time from Washington, D.C.

Published by Wolverine Design Mike Norris - Owner

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

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Thanks to our readers in:

Abilene Albany Baird Breckenridge Brownwood Carbon Cisco Comanche Cross Plains DeLeon Desdemona Dublin Eastland El Paso Gordon Gorman Irving Olden Lingleville Lubbock Ranger Rising Star Stephenville Strawn Thurber Weatherford

We appreciate your support! Mike &rris Ruth No

Please read the entire report, available online, linked from our homepage. ~mwnorris

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

3Growing Up Small Town

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ 10yrs Remembering September 11th, 2001 v4.52 ~ www.facebook.com/MyCountyLine

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, Mike W. Norris

September 11th A Day to Remember September 11th has become my generation’s Pearl Harbor and just as December 7th is a day that lives in infamy, September 11th will live on as a day to pause for reflection, remembrance and American National Pride.

Tuesday morning, September 11th, 2001 ~ My long time friend, Rick Rackow, and I are carpooling to work in Abilene. As usual, we are listening to the radio on the drive in and talking about multimedia projects from work and new ways to hunt and kill things in EverQuest. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary from our little corner of the world. From our perspective, it was a beautiful skyblue day doing what we loved to do. When we arrived at work, we walked into the office between the two aircraft strikes against the World Trade Centers. The first aircraft had already hit the North Tower and our coworkers were already picking up news feeds via the Internet and trying to get informed. The second aircraft had already struck the South Tower but the news was so scattered and disjointed that the word around the office was “we are under attack! Planes are hitting the World Trade Center in New York!” In my little mind, “planes hitting the World Trade Center” equated to “military fighters launching missiles at the World Trade Center” which meant to me that we were at war! Someone was actually attacking us -- the United States of America was under military attack! Take a moment to think about that. For a brief moment in time, on the morning of Tuesday September 11th, 2001...I thought that the United States of America was being attacked by a hostile military force. An organized military force was destroying buildings in downtown New York City. For a brief moment in time, my mind was trying to make sense of what I was hearing -- Who are they? Who’s shooting at us? How did they get into our airspace? We’re at war?!? Is this real?? As I sat down at my own work station and got signed into the network, it took a few minutes for me to organize my Internet search for information. Of course, millions of other people all over the country were doing the exact same thing. It took several minutes before I was able to ascertain that we were not under attack by military forces flying military jets shooting missiles and guns at ordinary American Citizens...but rather that we were under attack by supposed airline hijackers who were flying those planes blunt-force into buildings in downtown Manhattan. For years since that morning, I have been chewing on the fact that I found relief and comfort that it was not another Pearl Harbor where a sovereign country had openly declared war upon the United States. I admit that for those few minutes I was truly scared for myself, my wife and daughter, my family, my fellow countrymen, and our military. But when I discovered that our attackers were jihadist terrorists, that wave of fear that had washed over me began to fade away. When I saw the online video of the aircraft striking the towers, I realized that this was an improvised attack. It was not a military strike. The rest of the day, and especially after the towers collapsed, my fear turned to quiet anger. The cowardice involved in carrying out the 9-11 attacks is just an example of the type of terrorist tactics used by illegitimate regimes and subversive

organizations that lack the ability to stand face-to-face with their adversaries and discuss issues and grievances in an open manner. Since they are incapable of standing on legitimate claims and principles, they resort to indiscriminate violence in order to seek international support and recognition for their cause. I refuse to give them that recognition. As far as I’m concerned, terrorists are nothing more than barking dogs who are incapable of just being content to have their own bone and ball to play with. Although I do respect their ability to inflict harm upon innocent people all over the world, I refuse to acknowledge their causes as anything more than self gratification to hear themselves bark. They were terrorists before 9-11 and they have remained terrorists since 9-11. They do not deserve our recognition or our consideration to be anything other than terrorists and I wholly disagree with any stance toward them which grants them more honor or dignity than they deserve. They are enemies of peaceful, sovereign nations and their citizens. Period.

in fact has continued to be a happy day for my family even though so many folks tend to shed a tear or two on that day. Ruthie and I were married on September 11, 1993...eighteen years ago!

So happy anniversary, Bobbie Ruthie. I love you bunches!

And finally, a little follow-up from last month. I have not heard a single mention of feedback about the Eastland County fire departments funding issues. Texas is experiencing the worst fire season of my lifetime, and people are ignoring the issue almost entirely. It seems that nobody even wants to talk about it. Well, I’m happy to report that I am completely mistaken!!! It seems that a group of concerned citizens, business owners and volunteers from all walks of life, have taken the matter into their own hands and they are organizing the first ever Eastland County Fire Fest!!! The event will be a festive evening of song and dance, and looks like a good helping of food as well. Take a look at the back cover of this issue On a much, much happier note...September for details and help support our area VFD’s! 11th was a much happier day before 2001 and 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

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, Chuck Norris - The Man

Feds Still Enable Terrorists 10 Years After 9/11 By Chuck Norris

Ten years ago, after 9/11, Americans chanted, “We will never forget.” troops and their families continue to they are willing to trust God and keep sacrifice for us -- something well- him at the center of their lives. Nobody Today the White House is chanting that it is not “just about us.” Terrorism has been tempered and transformed ever since 2009, when President documented by film producer Mike Slee has just slammed down their bat and ball Barack Obama took office and turned the global war on terror into an “overseas in his most recent film tribute to our and gone home.” Ten years ago, in the wake of the worst contingency operation” and coddled the global Muslim community from Cairo service members and their families as a by saying that part of his “responsibility as president of the United States is to part of Operation Patriot Care Package, terrorist attacks in our nation’s history, fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear” and create a highlighted on Sean Hannity’s Fox Americans turned to one another and “partnership between America and Islam.” Since those actions, a slew of terrorists News Channel show and on Slee’s own God for help and comfort. The wise still website, http://ZaragozaPictures.com. seek him. They know the truth -- as did have slipped through the cracks of U.S. international and homeland security. Unfortunately, this terrorism amnesia most of America’s Founding Fathers -Alex Jones’ Infowars.com recently documented several examples of how the feds have “dispensed with all pretense of the war on terror being focused on Al- has spread outside Washington in Psalm 33:12: “Blessed is the nation and infected such officials as New whose God is the Lord.” Qaeda Muslims.” York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, God bless and help all the victims In April 2009, The Washington Times reported that Department of Homeland who has decided that a ground zero Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stood by a DHS intelligence assessment report commemoration for the victims of 9/11 of 9/11, from United Flight 93 to the that “lists returning veterans among terrorist risks to the U.S.” And in the same on the attack’s 10th anniversary will be Pentagon and New York and beyond, month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the FBI was running a probe targeting held without prayer. Neither clergy nor and may the real memory of 9/11 live on in our hearts and minds so that even returning veterans as extremists and a major domestic threat. first responders have been invited to the our posterity will say, “We will never At the end of last year, an Atlanta station, WSB-TV, reported that “the State event, because Bloomberg apparently Department is sending hundreds of millions of dollars to save mosques overseas.” thinks politicians will be sufficient to forget.” The anchor noted that the U.S. Agency for International Development granted comfort the still-grieving families and Send Comments to: enormous funds for mosques in Cairo, Cyprus, Tajikistan and Mali. nation. Please sign the Family Resource chuck@mycounty-line.com In March, Judicial Watch obtained new documents via a Freedom of Information Council’s petition to Act request that revealed that U.S. officials had apprehended 663 illegal immigrants Bloomberg to reverse his last year with suspected ties to terrorist groups. Yet our borders and ports remain as decision and recognize that porous for illegals as a screen through which gnats slip. prayer is needed more than In the same month, ABC News reported that the “U.S. government formally politics. requested the early release of a convicted terrorist (Mohammed Babar) from federal Bloomberg needs to prison, even though the terrorist admitted that he continued to support the killing of take a lesson from people U.S. soldiers serving in Muslim countries.” like Rosellen Dowdell, Just a few weeks ago, as a part of its “If You See Something, Say Something” stoolie the widow of Lt. Kevin campaign, Homeland Security released two videos, in which nearly every segment Dowdell, who was a New Fun starts at 10 AM - Bring a lawn chair! shows a shift in federal strategy from catching foreign terrorists to targeting white York firefighter who gave middle-class Americans who are against big government as terrorists, including tea up his life on 9/11. She told partyers, anti-Fed activists and even veterans. (These videos echo Vice President the Catholic News Service: “I’ve never blamed God. Joe Biden’s recent remarks that tea partyers are like “terrorists.”) Art * Crafts * Games On Aug. 26, Fox News reported that the State Department is protecting the I’ve always looked to God privacy of terrorists by refusing to release documents about Anwar al-Awlaki, the for an answer. I guess I Horseshoes * Washers Muslim cleric who became the first American on the CIA’s kill or capture terrorist always hoped there was Bounce Houses * Face Painting list. In response to a Fox News FOIA request for al-Awlaki’s passport records, solace in going to church the State Department replied, “The release of this information to you would be an and being in the presence Bike Run * Car Show * 5K Run invasion of personal privacy of another person, without written authorization from of God.” Similarly, Monsignor that person.” It’s official: The feds have lost their minds, this time at the cost of forgetting the Michael J. Curran told heart of 9/11 and all the sacrifices made to fight militant Islam since. Ten years CNS: “So many of these after 9/11, the federal government has become an acute enabler of terrorism. It is families, who have every suffering from a self-inflicted terrorist amnesia, despite the fact that even in the past reason to be angry at God, have not given up. They Sponsored by: Ranger Citizens Task Force two years, there have been 126 terror-related arrests, and all have been Muslims. www.RangerCitizensTaskForce.org With the killing of Osama bin Laden and President Obama’s recent order to are still faithful. I’m more withdraw more troops from Afghanistan, it appears that the feds soon will be raising aware of the spiritual the banner that the “overseas contingency operation is mission complete.” But what strength of people. Folks Call Diana McCullough @ the Ranger Library for details are not fair-weather friends they really need is a wake-up call to jar them out of their terrorist amnesia! of God. The question of We should plant the feds in the heart of Afghanistan and have them seriously ‘why?’ is still out there, but reconsider al-Qaida’s assault on America and exactly how and why our courageous 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

Roaring Ranger Day!

September 17, 2011 Live Music All Day

Food Concessions Come Hungry!

254-647-1880

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ 10yrs Remembering September 11th, 2001 v4.52 ~ www.facebook.com/MyCountyLine

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

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ 10yrs Remembering September 11th, 2001 v4.52 ~ www.facebook.com/MyCountyLine

S U R K FO

LOO

! ! ! 1 1 ST 20

E F P I AT R

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

7@The Ranger Library

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, Diana McCullough

Book Reviews and Area News “The Help”, Roaring Ranger Days & Strawn’s New Park By Diana McCullough

Speaking of unlikely This morning I finished the newest novel by John Hart, called Iron House. It is an outstanding story, and readers of suspense are going to LOVE it! alliances, social change, strength, and friendship— Suspense is my favorite genre. the Ranger Citizens Task The LAST book I read was not typical. You’ve probably heard of it, and Force is counting down you may have read it. It is “The Help” by first-time author Kathryn Stockett. the days to Roaring Our library should have bought it when it first came out, back in 2009, back Ranger Day! Please mark when it was on the bestsellers’ list. But we can’t buy EVERYTHING and September 17th on your we didn’t. However, my sister read it lately and recommended it, and the calendar. The fun starts title immediately jumped onto my Wish List. So…when I saw “The Help” at 10 AM, but earlier for a at an Abilene bookstore, I snatched it up! bunch of us. In fact, we are having fun already! Our I read “The Help” pretty fast, for me these days. I think within five days library is fielding questions which included a weekend of heavy reading, sometimes sitting outside on every possible front. keeping Lora’s dogs company. A compliment to the book AND to Emma Still some unknowns, but and Ellie. I passed it to my mom next, and my dad returned it to the library we have lots of FAITH. today. Mom and I discussed the book tonight, on our way to church. This is Please say a prayer, God’s the kind of book that invokes conversation. blessings are needed. A word of caution: It starts out in the voice of an uneducated black woman in August, 1962. The spelling is not correct, the grammar is not correct, and the diction and the dialect are not what we are accustomed to. A little difficult to read—at first—but if you are reading THIS, it might not be so hard for YOU! I fell into the groove surprisingly easy. Reading faster than usual actually, not obsessing with the proofreading side of my brain. I asked my mom what she thought about this book, the one she’d just finished this morning. “Mainly,” she said, “Two things: Too true and too sad.” Not exactly my take on this fictional novel. When I read the nonfiction “Escape” by Carolyn Jessop and her struggle to leave the polygamist cult, THAT bothered me more than the serial killers that I often take home with me. Because it is a TRUE story! But of course, my mom is right. It IS sad to think of how some of the black workers were treated back then, not so many years ago. Not every black woman was treated poorly in this book, however, quite the opposite. Each chapter is written in the “voice” of a different character.

Have you heard about a new 3,300 acre State Park planned in the nearby Strawn area? Last Saturday, after an early dinner at New York Hill restaurant, Jim and I drove down the Farm Road from Strawn to Strawn’s City Park and Lake Tucker— their municipal water supply. It is beautiful! I wished for my camera but settled on taking some pictures with my iPhone. (picture shown above)

difficulty”, my grandkids didn’t have Bible Hour tonight, so I had kids on my lap and didn’t hear a whole lot of the sermon. But I think the overall point was, is, God’s grace is a GIFT. We can’t earn it, we can only accept it. With grace, we can say, “Here I am God. Do Your best.” Please take care, Due to some kind of “technical and as always…ENJOY READING! Send Comments to: rangerlibrary@mycounty-line.com

What I like about the book is how the author entwines so many threads to weave a complicated, complete story. I could say more, but I don’t want to spoil any aspect of the book. The reason that “The Help” is getting so much recognition these days is because the movie just came out. Here’s the cool thing about the movie that I learned from the Abilene Reporter newspaper: “The story of how the best-selling novel ‘The Help’ made it to the big screen this summer actually began in 1974.” This is when the author Kathryn Stockett met writer-director Tate Taylor. They were both 5 years old, in preschool together. Close friends ever since, they supported each other on the rejection-strewn road to creative success. Kathryn’s first book has become Tate’s first big studio movie. Tate Taylor was bugging our author before she was even through, telling her how he was going to make it a movie, and Kathryn was like (I quote) “Oh God, let me finish the book.” Tate encouraged Kathryn as her book was rejected again and again—more than 60 times in all. LOTS of stories going on within these 450 pages. It’s a story of unlikely alliances, social change, strength, and friendship. Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.mycounty-line.com

8Rising Star Community News

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, by Laura Quinn

September News By Laura Quinn

Watermelons -- Jim Walker displays a locally grown watermelon. Rising Star is still the place to come to get that crisp, sweet watermelon we all remember as children. Jim and his cousin Willie Ezzell ordered special seeds this year, trying to get away from “production” melons. This species in the photo is a “Carolina Cross”, which can reach sizes up to 200lbs. The drought this year, and harsh conditions, caused this one to weigh in at a mere 80 lbs. One was cut in the field on Friday, the contents was “all heart” which means sweet and crisp all the way to the rind. Soil conditions in Rising Star, and several generations of melon farmers with vast experience and good irrigation management, are all factors in making successful crops. The myth that large melons are somehow inferior in taste and consistency, soon vanish when these giants are eaten. Fire Trucks -- A new water tank fire truck has been on display near the post office a couple of weeks. The new 2012 International was trucked from Hams Trucks Plus located at Seminary, Mississippi. The fabrication shop won a long bidding process after much attention to detail by the Rising Star volunteer firemen. Assistant Chief Greg Clay, and Captain Tim Stone are credited for having an eye for details and the most service for the money spent. A grant from the Texas Forest Service (House Bill 2604) was used to pay 90% of the cost, this came to $155,000. The remaining amount (nearly $30,000 ) was paid with funds from several enjoyable fund raisers put on by the fire fighters. “The apparatus is

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Neighbors, Clint Coffee CLU ChFC State Farm Insurance® Agent

Embrace Life, No Matter What

Have you ever heard, “If I had only had more time” As people grow older, some may have regrets about all the things they did not do. Not taking an exotic trip or missing visits to family members might top the list. Your list might even include “not running a marathon.” One of the biggest regrets may be not telling a loved one how much you care. One thing is for sure: The more you enjoy life and prepare for the unexpected, the fewer regrets you may have. While no one can possibly do everything on a lifetime to-do list, there are plenty of ways to show people you care. One way is to make sure your family has the financial means to continue living their current lifestyle if you are no longer around. Life insurance is one way to

do just that. A strong economic foundation includes adequate life insurance coverage; enough to cover a mortgage, college tuition or outstanding debts. There are many online sites, including statefarm.com®, that provide calculators to determine your life insurance needs. A qualified insurance professional can help you choose a policy to meet your needs and fit in your budget. Once a policy is in place, you can revisit it, especially during different life events, to make certain the coverage is still appropriate. Knowing you have provided for your loved ones will give you peace of mind so you can enjoy doing the things you’ve always wanted to do. 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

9Rising Star Community News

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ 10yrs Remembering September 11th, 2001 v4.52 ~ www.facebook.com/MyCountyLine

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, by Laura Quinn

all paid for and we are waiting for the paper work to go through, and the Forest Service check to clear, before the Tank Truck will be deployed to a fire”, stated Josh Constancio. With a 3500 gallon capacity, you would think that is enough, but the aparatus has a folding water tank that can be quickly set on the ground and filled with the water from the trucks’ tank. With a 10” Quick Dump Valve, the folding tank will take the entire 3500 gallons from the trucks tank in three minutes! This clever operation frees the tank truck to leave to retrieve another load of water. The folding water tank will stay “on station” to supply other pump trucks, fire engines that are fighting the ground fire,...sort of a mobile fire hydrant. Modern Equipment such as this, with well trained people, has kept the wild ground fires from burning the traffic light, stop signs, the museum and our homes and pets within the city limits of Rising Star. Insurance rates are also affected by efficient fire protection. There are 254 counties in the state of Texas, of which, 251 are under a burn ban as of this writing. In the last 10 months the Texas Forest Service and Volunteer fire departments have responded to 19,855 wild ground fires that have burned 3,509,260 acres. It’s no wonder the price of hay in the state has risen to over $100.00 a bale. Last week, August 18 thru August 25, 186 new fires were put out across the state with 19,580 acres burned. The Forest Service often calls on local fire departments to help with large fires, anywhere in the state. The Rising Star fire department went to the Amarillo area to help put out a fire in 2006. The Texas Forest Service has always been quick to help Rising Star with their vast resources such as bull dozers, GPS tracking, water, ground crews, even air cover.

With this new tank truck, Rising Star will be better equipped to fight fires and offer help to other fire fighters in the area. Money and time will spent! We in Rising Star seldom smell smoke because of several factors: the well trained and dedicated fire crews (all volunteers), good modern equipment, and local people being careful, calling 911 soon, and heeding the “burn bans”. There are still several weeks ahead with dry conditions. Lets all continue to be observant and mindful of the extreme danger of fires starting, which we still face in the weeks ahead. More Watermelons -- The Eastland County area has been well known for produce for a number of years. The competition for the biggest melon seems to grow daily. A story was run a few weeks ago about an 80 lb watermelon from Rising Star, last week another story showed another area resident with a melon weighing in at 101 lbs. NOW, comes a 128 lb (giant) carolina cross melon grown by Willie Ezzell. He still has a few others in the field which may surpass this one. It’ll be interesting to see just how large a melon can get. The West Texas Fair held in Abilene in a few days will have a lot of interesting entries.

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

10Upcoming Events

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, Submitted by Jerry Eckart

Leon Boles Third Annual Gun Show to be held November 5 & 6

Leon Boles probably never thought his name would be memorialized on an annual basis, however that is just what happened. It came about because Leon was a gun collector and had gathered a number of every day, usine guns, as well as some highly collectible arms. His family wanted to share these things with others and also contribute to their community. That is why when Leon Boles passed away, the Cisco Chamber of Commerce, which had been planning an annual gun show, decided to honor Mr. Boles by naming it after him. The first show was held at the Hilton Center in 2009. It took place in conjunction with the Hunter Appreciation festivities during deer season in November. Guns, knives and coins were displayed for the first time in the Cisco area. This first effort was a small exhibition, with only a few booths, but the function took root and began to grow. At the close of the first show, the committee immediately began plans for the Second Annual Event. They chose the new Myrtle Wilks Community Center as the site for their next event. It had room to expand and more vendors immediately signed up. Tension was high as the show date drew near, because they weren’t too certain how the public

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would respond. Their concerns proved unnecessary, because more than 600 people attended the two day event. Families wandered the aisles between the booths, admiring the guns, unusual knives and rare collectible coins. There was even a display of old artifacts that had been found with metal detectors. Now that committee is at it again, making plans, and considering new ways to present the fun of firearms and hunting to the general public. While most gun shows are simply that, a place to set out a table and sell guns, The Third Annual Leon Boles Memorial Gun Show hopes to be more than that. Their show is planned to have something to appeal to everyone. This year’s show already has a number of gun exhibitors interested in displaying their wares, as well as coins and knives. For the first time, several free seminars will be held for the general public. There could be a class on beginning coin collecting, one on youth hunting safety, and a short seminar on knife sharpening. The show committee feels strongly that every young person should know basic gun safety, whether he ever becomes a hunter or not. Every housewife will appreciate learning how to sharpen a knife, and coins hold a fascination for everyone. While these classes have not been firmed up yet, it looks as if they will become a reality. Not only will there be seminars, but entertainment

is planned. They are exploring the possibility of bringing a black powder shooting group, a tomahawk throwing club, or a wild west shoot out, to the event. Lots of planning is needed to bring these ideas into reality, but rest assured, when the show committee puts its collective minds to the task, something exciting will come about. The show is scheduled for November 5 and 6 at the Myrtle Wilks Community Center. The cost will remain the same as previously, $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children 12 and under. For exhibit information, go to the Chamber of Commerce web site, ciscochamber.com.

Events, Submitted by Jim Kennedy

Eastland County Fire Fest

http://www.eastlandcountyfirefest.com

On Sunday, September 4, Texas Firefighters responded to 6 new fires that burned 32, 936 acres, including 22 new large fires. This brought the year-to-date total to 18,719 fires that have consumed over 3 and a half million acres, creating the worst fire season in state history. Coupled with the stress of failing water supplies, these men and women are exhausted and, at times, pushed to their limits. Add to that the financial burden of sustaining these local (mostly volunteer) fire departments and the entire situation becomes desperate. After learning about successful fundraising efforts which have raised several hundreds of thousands dollars in Ellenboro, West Virginia for their local fire department, a group from LF Ranch in Desdemona, Kennedy Financial Services, and Main Street Resources decided to develop a similar event benefitting each fire department within Eastland County: Carbon, Cisco, Desdemona, Eastland, Gorman, Olden, Ranger, and Rising Star.

Fire Fest 2011 will be held Saturday, October exciting way to support our local fire services, 29th at Lone Cedar Country Club, beginning at but it will take a lot of volunteers to make it a success. Following are ways you can sign on: 5:00pm. The event will include: Barbecue Dinner Live entertainment, including Rodney Hayden and Charla Corn Dancing – including the “Fire Bug Dance,” featuring Christina Campfield, Miss Dallas USA, & Whitney Windham, Miss Callahan County USA Door Prizes

Buy a Burn Ban Table Sponsor (1-Alarm, 2-Alarm, 3-Alarm, 4-Alarm, 5-Alarm) Donate a Doorprize Become a “Boots on the Ground” Volunteer (selling raffle tickets & event tickets, set up, clean up, etc)

The $50.00 event tickets will also go on sale September 15th and will be available at any of A Polaris Ranger XP 800, donated by Polaris the Eastland County Fire Departments. and Ken’s Motorcycle Shop, will also be raffled at the event, though the Winner need Visit our website www.eastlandcountyfirefest. not be present to win. You must be 18 years of age to purchase a ticket and possess a valid com for more information or email us at social security number. The Winner will also FirefFest2011@yahoo.com if you are interested be required to pay all tax, title, and license in volunteering. fees upon award of the Polaris Ranger, as per Texas State statutes. The $100.00 tickets for Fire Fest Event & Raffle conducted by: Main the drawing may be purchased at your local fire Street Resources—Eastland, Inc., a 501(c)3 department beginning September 15th. organization / P.O. Box 324 / Eastland, TX 76448 / Thank You to our Early Bird Sponsors and Supporters! We believe this will be a fun and

Your gifts and donations are tax-deductible.

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 August & September

Star Pride is a group of local and area citizens who are committed to volunteering and working to improve Rising Star and make it a more beautiful and pleasant town in which to live. The wonderful support which local citizens have given Star Pride in its mission is greatly appreciated by members. Anyone who wishes to become a member is welcome to attend meetings which are usually held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the Rising Star Library at 4:00 p.m. By Ginger Tobin & Laura Quinn

SATURDAY CLUB RESUMES FALL MEETINGS -- The Saturday Club met on Wednesday, September 7, 2011, at Noon to resume meetings after the summer and to enjoy a variety of salads and desserts. Members talked about their travels during the summer; and plans were made for future meetings and programs. The delicious food was enjoyed by all and several members commented that it was so wonderful to see each other again and to enjoy listening to the fun things that various members had done during this summer. Next meeting will be the first Wednesday in October at the Rising Star Library. RISING STAR EDC PLANS GRAND OPENING FOR FULLDRAW LEGENDS -- Saturday, September 24, 2011 is the date set by the Rising Star Economic Development Corporation for the GRAND OPENING of FullDraw Legends, Inc. and is scheduled for 10 AM. The taxidermy company is located at 102 S. Main Street, Rising Star and in addition to wildlife mounts, can do

custom habitats, pedestals and plaques for all mounts. The business, owned by Robert and Connie Harding, also sells hunting licenses. AUGUST HONOR YARDS -- Once again the number of attractive yards in Rising Star made the selection for placing signs difficult. With the cost of watering to keep vegetation alive, it’s apparent that many residents have made real effort to not lose the battle with “Mother Nature”. The soaring temperatures, and heat have been brutal! Suggestions for those to be considered have continued to grow----and we’re running out of months! Rest assured that all suggestions will be honored somehow. The selections for the month of August are: Mrs. Dorothy Schlenker, 503 S. Main, Rising Star, TX. The tree lined lot, with the red house trimmed with white, and the small white rail fence, gives this residence a welcoming appearance which is attractive from the street. The green lawn and these factors give this home curb appeal. Mrs. Dale Holleman, 601 W. College, Rising Star, TX. This corner lot is attractive from all directions. The white siding seems to always be clean, and the autos are usually in the garage (out of site) so they don’t interfere with the view of the green lawn and the attractive flowers near the house. The Westerman residence at 802 N. Main, Rising Star, TX. is a delightful site for the eyes. This lot is always without clutter, and grass trimmed. Trees on the south side of the house are well away from the busy street surrounded by a carpet of grass. This shady seclusion is a welcoming site. Remember that entries for “MOST IMPROVED PROPERTY” are still available if a resident wants to be considered for this award. Please contact Barbara Medley at 254-6431977; or Nancy Bostick at The Antique Mall 325-203-0311, if you know someone who is interested. Send Comments to: starpride@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

12Tumbleweed Smith

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, Bob Lewis

The Legendary Home of the Chicken Fried Steak By Bob Lewis

The Texas legislature has recognized Lamesa as the official legendary home of the chicken fried steak. This year, Lamesa had its first chicken fried steak festival. “We had an awesome turnout,” says Lamesa city secretary Maria Hatchett, who worked with the event. “We had a dozen entries in the cooking contest.” Judges included coaches from Texas Tech and TV personalities from Lubbock. The winner of the chicken fried steak cookoff was Darin Epley of Lamesa whose cooking mantra is “be bold in your seasoning.” “I just used a lot of egg, a lot of flour and a lot of salt and pepper,” he says. “Just throw it on there. Don’t get too fancy. I’m not too well known for cooking chicken friend steaks, but my mama and grandma could fry up some good ones.” The legendary story of the first chicken fried steak allegedly took place a hundred years ago. Actually it originated from an article in the Austin American Statesman written in 1976 by Larry Beshaw. “It was a short order cook and his name was Jimmy Don Perkins,” says Maria. “He worked at a café here called Ethel’s Home Cooking. The waitress had two customers come in. One of them ordered fried chicken. The other person ordered steak. She wrote it down as chicken, fried steak. Jimmy Don didn’t want the waitress to think he didn’t know what she was talking about (really he didn’t notice the comma) so he decided to batter up a piece of round steak with flour and milk, just like you would fried chicken, and dropped it into a frying pan filled with hot grease. That’s kind of how it got started. It’s funny because nowadays we eat it with mashed potatoes and cream gravy, but when it was first served it came with French fries.” Just like in eating establishments all over Texas, chicken fried steak is a popular menu item in Lamesa. “It’s in most of our restaurants,” says Maria. “We even have a Mexicanstyle chicken fried steak here.” In addition to the chicken fried steak cookoff, there was a pie baking contest,

a climbing wall, live entertainment, team roping, cow patty bingo, a pet costume contest, a wine tasting and a classic car show. Approximately fifty-two vendors from as far away as Austin came and set up shop. Maria says the chicken fried steak festival is to become an annual event in Lamesa the last weekend of April. The state’s recognition naming Lamesa the official legendary home of the chicken fried steak came the night before this year’s festival started. “We just thought it would be a good idea if they would proclaim us as the legendary home of the chicken fried steak,” says Maria. “The proclamation, signed by Governor Perry, came overnight in the mail on Thursday before the event started on Friday.” MARJA’S BRAS: HOLDING UP THE NATION’S BUST LINE

Jacksonville had a factory that made brassieres from 1939 to 1969. It employed nearly 400 women. The company was well known in the industry due to one half-cup bra that was considered risqué and revolutionary when it came out in the forties. After Life magazine did an article that included a full-page color photograph of the bra, the company was on the map. Its bras were sold in Neiman-Marcus and Fredericks of Hollywood. The company’s slogan was “Holding Up The Nation’s Bust line.” The company was Marja’s Brassiere Company, named for the owner, the former Margia Childs, who was born into a wealthy Jacksonville family. Eventually she had five warehouses with two or three stories each and hundreds of sewing machines with women using them. Deborah Burkett of the Cherokee County Historical Commission has done some oral histories with people who worked at Marja’s. “Margia was born in 1903,” says Deborah. “She went to Baylor where she made bras for her girl friends, a practice she started in high school.” Deborah says the women she talked to who worked at Marja’s were well paid and worked under good

conditions. “They all said it was like a family. Margia and her husband, Harold Hamlin, opened their home and gardens just outside of Jacksonville to employees and guests. They lived on seven acres and the gardens had camellias, azaleas, dogwood and was considered a showcase. Many of the women who worked at Marja’s lived in neighboring towns and carpooled to work. During the war years, some women who worked at the bra factory lost their husbands and were comforted by the Hamlins and their fellow workers. It was big accomplishment when a woman was promoted to supervisor.” Marja’s was important to women because in the fifties and sixties family farms were dying and women could find work there and feed their families until they made a transition to something else. Many women said Marja’s saved their lives. In 1969 the company was sold to Henson Kickernick, a lingerie company that originated in Greenville. During the time the sale was being consummated, there was a fire in one of the main warehouses. “The top floor fell into the one below and the weight crushed everything into the basement,” says Deborah. “The bulldozers came and leveled the ground. The sewing machines are still there under a bank building that went up on the site.” You can’t have a bra factory in a small town without a few jokes. Well, many jokes. One of Deborah’s fellow historical commission members, Shelley Cleaver, told me about a prank that he and some high school classmates pulled one night. A service station had a big sign that read WE FIX FLATS. Shelley and his buddies took that sign and put it under the sign that read MARJA’S BRASIERRE FACTORY. The newspaper took a picture of it and sent it to the Associated Press. It went all over the country. 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

13Area Community News

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, Mike W. Norris

RECIPIENTS IN COMANCHE, EASTLAND, CALLAHAN AND COLEMAN COUNTIES BENEFIT FROM ALMOST $900,000 OF USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDING Rising Star puts new police vehicle into service with grant from USDA Rural Development.

TEMPLE, TEXAS, September 6, 2011 –USDA Rural Development State Director, Paco Valentin, with Area Director John Powell, today presented ceremonial checks totaling almost $900,000 to four benefactors in Comanche, Callahan, Coleman and Eastland counties. “These funding presentations represent the diversity of assistance USDA Rural Development can provide to communities to increase the quality of life for residents and businesses in rural Texas,” said Valentin. “From water system improvements to new emergency response vehicles and hospital equipment, Rural Development is pleased to assist these recipients by providing the needed funding to their communities.” The City of Comanche was awarded $750,000 in loans and grants through Rural Developments Water and Waste Disposal Program. The city plans to use the funding to install a .273 MG standpipe, and approximately 6,100 linear feet of PVC water line. The new water line will increase pressure demands as well as increasing the disinfection residuals throughout the entire city, providing improved services to almost 5,000 residents. Rising Star will benefit from a $34,729 grant to purchase a new police car. The funds, made available through Rural Development’s Community Facility program, will be used to replace an aging police car used to protect 835 rural residents in the city. The City of Cross Plains will also use Rural Development funds to purchase a new patrol vehicle. The city was awarded $33,981 to purchase a new reliable patrol car to protect its 1,068 residents. Lastly, the Coleman County Medical Center District received a $25,000 grant to purchase a new electronic medical records system. The new electronic system will maintain more efficient and accurate collection, storage, analysis, and distribution of data than current manual operations. The Coleman County Medical Center serves a population of almost 10,000 rural residents in Coleman County. USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $155 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. For further information regarding these and other USDA Rural Development programs, and to find your local area office, please visit: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/TXHome.html Rising Star city officials Joe Swinney, Ron Watson, Greg Clay, Municipal Court Judge Betty Jo Clay, with Chief of Police William Kelcy and Fire Chief Josh Constancio, with Rising Star Economic Development Council President, Nancy Bostick and Chamber of Commerce representative, Cindy Wood and Eastland County Commissioner T.J. Cummings were among others who were present for the check presentation by USDA State Director Paco Valentin and Area Director John Powell.

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

Manslation (Man Language Translated) By Vicki Stiefer

Everyday God proves to me that making humans was his greatest entertainment. The Tower of Babel was kids stuff compared to the way he made girl brains and guy brains. Since he is all knowing and has a plan for each and every one of us, I have an ongoing master list of questions that someone will tuck neatly in the side corner of my casket. So when the rapture comes I can grab the list and start picking St. Peter’s mind the minute I hit the pearly gates! He is after all, technical, which makes him a killer problem solver so it shouldn’t take him any time to get to the bottom of my list. Some of the questions will involve nose and ear hair on guys and girls. If it is there to block particles and debris, why does it need to grow? I think I just have questions about hair in general. Why does the hair on a man’s head throughout his life make the sojourn to his back? His hair looked just fine on his head right where it was. Hair aside, men and women’s brains are so fearfully and wonderfully made but they are so very different. I thought maybe I would translate a common situation that drive women crazy when trying to communicate with a man. You do not have to be married to the man for him to drive you crazy. It is in his nature and while God is getting a big chuckle out of it he did give you free will to make the situation livable. Situation-The Phone Call Woman Scenario: You’re girl friend calls and you chit chat away about this and that until you have run out of breath and need water to keep your throat from completely drying out. You know, the phone call that you hang up from and sound like Carol Channing when you are done. What is the first thing you do if a man is nearby? If he is a good friend or spouse I bet you run to him and want to give him the play-by-play of the entire call. Word for word you can give him the low down complete with voices and sound effects if necessary.

would not be able to recall. His brain does not work that way. He is a problem solver. Give him the details, tell him what you want and then get out of the way. My husband and I recently moved and I wanted to decorate the place with all sorts of new colors and designs. He went along with it the first couple of trips to the fabric store, but then sat me down with an earth shattering message. He told me he did not care what the place looked like. He only needs a roof over his head, good food and me to make his life complete. The rest is gravy. My woman brain had a lot of trouble taking that information in and getting it through the processor. I do not want to sit in the living room if I cannot rest my elbows on some throw

pillows. He would sit on cinder blocks and flannel and be happy as a clam. Guys are simple. For women that is almost impossible to fathom. Women multi-task. Men do one thing well and then move on to the next thing. So how does a woman handle the phone call situation? Ask direct questions and move on. Stick to the girlfriend to girlfriend chit chatting and make your own master list of questions for God. Send Comments to: lovelessons@mycounty-line.com

Man Scenario: You hear the phone ring. He mumbles about 3 “yea’s” or “got it” and he hangs up. He then goes back to doing whatever he was doing. I immediately want to know what the conversation was about. The man on the other hand takes in the information. He accesses the details, makes a plan of action in his head and poof! He is done. Even if you ask him the he-said, she-said of the conversation he

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

Old Photos: A Time Machine to the Past By Jerry Eckhart To see more of Jerry’s treasure finds, search Facebook for “Jerry Eckhart”

Old photographs are popular with almost everyone. Senior citizens like to look at them so they can remember what things used to look like. Younger folks like to marvel at the out of date clothing and old fashioned items. They can also be an important part of research when a treasure hunter wants to find out where an old site is or what something looked like a hundred years ago. To get the most out of old photos, you must study them closely. It is not necessary to have particular photos of your area or subject to study. Just about any old photo will do. From them you can learn styles of dress, jewelry, autos, wagons and potential treasure sites. It isn’t hard to find old photos, drawings or woodcuts. Pictorial representations have been around since the cavemen. Anthropologists still study drawings on cave walls to decide what life was like for the caveman. Many libraries, especially university libraries, have sections specifically dedicated to photographs. These usually fall under the Reference Librarian’s domain and you will have to go through them to get a look at historical photographs. You must ask to see them and probably will be required to sign in and out. Most libraries do not allow you to check photos out, however many are available as copies. You can also use your phone camera to copy them. The best place to find photos of an area is in the local museum. It doesn’t matter whether that is a large or small town, there will be photos of the area. From those, you can learn a lot about what went on in days gone by. Visit your local museum. Look around. Talk to the museum director or the person who is working as a greeter. They can direct you to where the photos you may be looking for are located. State, national or world histories all contain photographs back to the time when photography began. If there are no photos of a particular area, there may be engravings or sketches of important events. From those, you will learn how people lived during certain periods. All history books and encyclopedias contain old photos. Those old pictures transport us into the past in a way nothing else can. Computers have come of age in the search for old photos. Encyclopedias of all kinds are now available through the world wide web. Historical sites abound and many are the websites specializing in finding treasure. Most of them allow you to download or print old photos. The first step in historical photograph study is to gather pictures of the era in which you are interested. Try to find pictures of the area that pertains to your search. Select as many as you can which fit your category. If you are interested in military history, old photos will show uniforms, badges, accoutrements and weapons. Old photos will depict the style of clothing worn, belts, buckles, jewelry or lack of it and the accessories such as swords or side arms. A strong, high quality magnifying glass is the best tool you can have for studying old photographs. It should be at least four inches in diameter, perhaps larger for good study. With it, you can search out the most obscure details. You can often read labels on cans sitting on a shelf in the background. You can spot artifacts otherwise missed and see how they were actually used. the main subject in the photo is not what you want to inspect Important details often lie in the background. A friend and I once came across a photo of an old time western character that had a pistol in his hand. Was it an outlaw, lawman, or just a cowboy posing for a wild looking

picture? Closer study with a magnifying showed the edge of a badge peeking out from the left edge of his unbuttoned vest. Bingo! We now had an identity as a law officer. That made everything else in the photo important because we now knew we were dealing with a specific category. As we examined the other details in the photo it became clear that the subject was standing inside the local jail. Until then, we weren’t even sure there was a jail in this particular town. Street curbs had different shapes during different time periods. This gives you a hint as to how old a neighborhood might be. Modern homes are often built where older houses once existed. There may be no hint except for the way the street curb is constructed. Up until the 1930’s, curbs were straight, vertical and high. It wasn’t until modern curbing equipment came about that the rounded curb appeared. Is the curb crumbling in the photo? If so, that gives you an idea just how old the area is. Should a curb show crumbling and the photo dates perhaps to the 1920’s you can almost bet that the curb was installed around the turn of the century. Tree types and sizes tell how old the area might have been when the photo was taken. If you are looking at a photo taken in the 1920’s and you see trees that are large and tall, it is a good bet the neighborhood is much older, especially if those trees are of a species not native to the area. Shrubbery may or may not have existed at the time the photo was made, so compare past to present when possible. Areas now covered with bushes and shrubs may have been bare in the past. Treasures lost then may be out in

the open now. The opposite is true as well. Bushes, hedges and shrubs always attracted children. Toys and coins were commonly lost in the vicinity of bushes. An old photo will tell you where that shrubbery was even if there is no clue today. Compare old photos with recent ones to see how the terrain or location has changed. Note the absence of trees, brush or buildings. Orient recent photos with older ones by locating natural features such as hills or bluffs. Try to pick out the spot from which old pictures were taken and then make new ones from that same point whenever possible. Shadows play an important part in photographic research. Their position can tell you whether a picture was made in the morning or evening and give you a sense of direction. Most streets and roads were laid out on a north-south or east-west line. If shadows are parallel to such a road, then in all probability, the road ran in the same direction. If shadows are perpendicular to the street, the street would be on a north-south line. Often knowing the general direction of those items in a photo puts the site into proper perspective. All roads don’t run true to the compass, and the sun does not, at all times of the year rise directly to the east and set directly to the west. That means there will be some variables in each photo. It is easy to tell the seasons by the foliage on trees. Bare branches normally mean winter. These are just a few ideas how one can use old pictures to hunt for treasure. Using old photos make old places come alive. They give us that so often needed ability to take a peek into the 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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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

www.MyCounty-Line.com ~ 10yrs Remembering September 11th, 2001 v4.52 ~ www.facebook.com/MyCountyLine

Angel Food Ministries Ordering Cut-Off Date Friday September 16th

Go online to Order: www.angelfoodministries.com ***Check the Online Specials***

Distribution Saturday September 24th 6:30-7:00am at FBC Activity Bldg. W. 8th. & Ave. E.

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

In Ranger at COGOP church. Food is for anyone who wants to order. Food Stamps questions, call Ilene. Call Ilene for more information

(254)442-1969

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

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, Joellen Hodge

The Wheels On The Buss Go Round & Round By Joellen Hodge

As of August of this year, I took on the title of school bus driver. For the past two weeks hauling your kids from the front door of your home to the school and back have pretty well taken over my days. This is my second stint as an “educational transport technician” in my life. (I like the fancy title…maybe I should get a raise. HEHEHE!) The first time was years ago when I had more patience and energy. This time around, I seem to be slower, but I think that is a lot safer. Which brings me to the least safe part of my jobs…and that is your children. Yes, we know little Tommy taught himself to play Chopin on a plastic recorder when he 3 months old…and Suzie Q over there actually cut her own umbilical cord less than a minute after she was born. People, despite these huge intellectual brains they are hauling around, you need to know they do not have a clue about keeping themselves out of harm’s way. It is up to you and me to teach them to stay alive. I need your help in this because, hopefully, they see you as the most important grown up in their personal world. Collaborating with your child’s educational team should include everyone at the school. From lunchroom to bus barn, library to classes, the schools are all populated by professional adults who take your kid’s schooling very seriously. Primarily, let them know their bus driver is doing this job for many reasons. We do it because we need some extra money, because we want our local kids to have a safe and regular ride to and from school. (I personally drive because I think I look good in yellow.) None of the operators I know drive so they can make themselves and a busload of someone else’s children miserable twice a day.

or being hit by a train. There are very few first graders who could sustain a direct hit by a locomotive and come back Monday morning with a great show and tell story. 4) Meet them or walk with them to the stop. If you cannot, ask neighbors, enlist a family member. Maybe an older kid rides the bus with your child. Offer them a few bucks each week to make sure your younger student gets to the front door. I try to make sure they are on the porch before I pull off. There are 50-70 other kids on the bus who also want to go home, and I cannot hang around forever.

These are just some really basic steps parents can take to keep the kids safe even when they are not around. There is no such thing as being too involved with your offspring. They may roll their eyes to the heavens as you list off the do’s and don’ts of your household, but they will appreciate that you care. Maybe not today…but eventually, they get it! Send Comments to: outofthebox@mycounty-line.com

1) Back us up on the safety rules. I ask that all students walk out and away from the bus on the door side where I can see their faces. This is because they are short and the hood of the bus is tall. I cannot even see them if they are directly in front of the bus. There are mirrors there, which work great for me…but what about the idiot behind me who decides to whip around? A small child in front of 5 to six foot school bus hood is invisible and a potential target. 2) Tell them to pick up their stuff for two very good reasons. A) All those supplies you bought…all that homework you spend hours helping them complete is just going to end up in the garbage if they leave it on the bus. B) The second reason is for sanitation purposes. Trash invites bugs and mice. Think how much fun it would to reach into Tommy’s backpack and pull out a handful of roaches. EWWWWWWWWW! 3) Maintain “indoor” voices. You can hear a train long before it hits you. We are trained to stop at the tracks, open the door for what I call look-listen…looklisten…look-listen. Every year we hear of some school bus hitting Published by Mike W. Norris d.b.a. Wolverine Design ● P.O. Box 1156 ● Eastland, Texas 76448 ● http://www.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

20Ol’ Doc’s Homespun Yarns

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, Luther & Pat Gohlke

Whitesboro’s Surprise Play By Luther Gohlke

In the fall of 1946, I entered Denison High School as a freshman. Our family lived at 307 West Texas Street and my brothers Gene and Duane and I attended Peabody grade school which was one block from our home in the south part of Denison. I skipped 2nd grade and went into 3rd grade because of a new state law that added 1 year to the grade school system in Texas. This made 8 grades for grade school, but continued 4 grades for high school. During the fall of my 7th grade year, the Denison School system organized a city wide grade school sports program for boys. I played football and baseball both my 7th and 8th grade. The city wide sports program was very successful. Football and fast pitch soft ball were the main sports. So, when I entered high school the fall of 1946, I was very interested in sports, and went out for football. The freshman team was called the Yannigans and was coached by Concy Woods. He was also our wood shop class teacher and was recruited to coach because the coaching staff was short one coach and Mr. Woods had been a coach in the past. I’m not sure how the term Yannagans came about. I do know that the new grade system apparently caused a shift in the high school sports program and the need for more coaches. Some school district programs did not have freshman teams so we were forced to play teams of smaller schools. Since their smaller school systems had a much lower enrollment. They, therefore, had a smaller number of boys to select from. So most of them could barely muster enough players out of their high school system for just one team. The team would be comprised of a few players from each class freshman, sophomore, junior and senior. One such school was Whitesboro about 30 miles west of Denison; and arrangements were made for us to play them. The event occurred downtown Whitesboro on some large vacant lots. No bleachers, no pruned ball field with green grass. Just an ordinary vacant lot marked off crudely with lime. We all questioned its dimensions. The field was rough as a corn cob, very uneven, with cracks you could stick your hand in - it must have been a very dry year. No referees, just a couple of local citizens with whistles. Their players were of all sizes. The largest about 6’4” and about 240 lbs. Their team was rather makeshift. Some had pads, some not, sweatshirts with homemade numbers sewn on, tennis

shoes. None of the equipment was first class including their football. We had to use one of our footballs for the game. They had only one coach for the whole school. I think their total team numbered 13 or 14. Not all had head gear. To say the least, a ragged looking bunch. We thought we were going to beat the socks off them! Now Denison high school was a large school. Our players had hand me downs that were about worn out from use by the A and B teams. But we all had pads, head gear, shoes with cleats and a number of plays we had practiced. We also had lettered jerseys. Surely not polished and great, but a pretty good freshman team. We were very proud! The game started, a cool fall Saturday afternoon as I remember. A few people on both sidelines, mostly Whitesboro fans. Their team apparently had no plays and I don’t believe they really worked out much or had played other teams. They seemed to have had little experience in the sport of football. We were soon to find out that they didn’t need any! Just a bunch of tough farm boys in my opinion. They seemed to have one play. Their QB would take the snap and pitch or hand off the ball to that 6’4” 240lb senior who could and did run over us and around us at will. There would be one of our players on his back and 1 or 2 hanging on each of his legs to finally bring him down. On defense, he was it. They literally beat the socks off us. We were bruised, bloody and down, ready to hit the road home by half time. The only touchdown we nearly made was by Jim Palmer. I’ll never forget it. He got loose and was headed for the goal line, not a defensive player within 15 yards. Would you believe that a big collie dog tackled him on about the 20

yard line? Their mascot? I don’t know! Sicced on him by someone on the sideline? I don’t know! But after this we all started laughing and really having a good time, both teams and fans. Our team got roughed up and with a bad loss. But came to find out after it was all over they were just a bunch of good old boys just like we were A lesson learned: don’t ever underestimate the power of a small town team and a large collie dog! Send Comments to: outofthepast@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

21This Week In Texas History

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, by Bartee Haile

Crime-Fighting D.A. Murdered In Bloody Borger By Bartee Haile

After a seven-month absence, the Texas Rangers returned to Borger on Sep. 15, 1929, this time to hunt down the killer of a courageous crime-fighter. Two days earlier, District Attorney Johnny Holmes made the final preparations to appear the next morning before the Hutchinson County grand jury at Stinnett. Finished at last with his probe of crime and corruption in Borger, the prosecutor was ready to eradicate lawlessness in the Panhandle boomtown. On that Friday the 13th evening, Holmes stopped his car alongside the house to let out his wife and mother-in-law before driving into the garage. As he lowered the door, a concealed killer fired five shots. Three bullets hit the flesh-and-blood target, and the D.A. dropped like a rock in the driveway. Mrs. Holmes ran out the back door to see the gunman, smoking pistol in hand, bending over her dead husband. In the dim twilight, the dazed woman did not get a good look at the assassin, who vanished leaving his victim lifeless on the gravel. Forty-eight hours after the murder of the crime fighter, the Texas Rangers were back in Borger. The state lawmen had left the wild oil center the previous February with the faint hope that vice and violence had been weeded out during their two-year stay. But the bloody boomtown refused to stay cleaned up. Borger did not even exist until the spring of 1925, when oil was discovered 40 miles northeast of Amarillo. A.P. Borger and other oilmen from Oklahoma and Missouri opened a tent town not far from the strike and braced for the inevitable flood of fortune hunters. Forty thousand frantic souls inundated Borger, each one eager to grab his or her share of the instant riches. To enforce their own brand of law and order, Borger and his associates imported Dick “Two-Gun” Herwig, a convicted murderer free on appeal. The notorious Oklahoman brought along a gang of felonious friends to staff his city marshal force and to establish the infamous Borger “line.” The “line” was organized crime Panhandle style. Herwig sanctioned and supervised wide-open saloons in defiance of Prohibition while

supplying the illegal barrooms with his own beer and hard liquor. Proprietors were licensed, the local version of protection, and coerced into selling only “line” alcohol. Dozens of these saloons, which also offered oilfield roughnecks gambling and narcotics, soon flourished. Two thousand prostitutes practiced their ancient profession, each paying a weekly “fine” of eighteen dollars to stay in business. From this source alone, Herwig took in an estimated half million dollars in just six months. The city marshals also made money hand over fist. In addition to a share of the “line” loot, they padded their pockets with on-thespot collections of arbitrary fines, the buying and selling of stolen cars plus a personal piece of the saloons, gambling, drugs and prostitution. The marshals were far too busy to bother with such unprofitable duties as protecting law-abiding citizens. At the mercy of armed robbers who pulled stick-ups around the clock, honest townspeople carried “courtesy rolls,” bundles of bills they contributed to the criminal cause in exchange for their lives. In the summer of 1926, two deputy sheriffs were shot down on a Borger street by one of the many fugitives, who had bought sanctuary from Herwig. Like all homicides this double murder went unpunished and provoked a crackdown by state and federal authorities. An army of Prohibition and

narcotic agents, U.S. marshals and Texas Rangers raided Borger in October 1926. The bars and gambling dens were padlocked, and an ocean of confiscated booze along with tons of gaming equipment were destroyed. Hundreds of suspected criminals were herded into a domino hall by shotgun-toting federal marshals and strongly advised to relocate. The Rangers were the last to leave, staying in town until February 1929. No sooner had they exited, however, than the bad guys were back in business. The Holmes slaying in September was the last straw. The Rangers returned and were joined two weeks later by the Fifty-Sixth Cavalry of the Texas National Guard mobilized by Gov. Dan Moody to put teeth in his martial-law decree. Neither the Rangers nor the governor pulled any punches in an all-out effort to cleanse the tainted town once and for all. Dick Herwig and his henchmen were arrested, and all known characters were escorted to the city limits. Moody appointed a close friend as district attorney and replaced the mayor and county sheriff after both opted to resign. When military rule ended on Oct. 29, 1929, only a fraction of the original residents remained. That minority reformed Borger into an outstanding community chosen a generation later as an AllAmerican city. But as for the killer of D.A. Holmes, he got away with murder. 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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LOOK

!!! 1 1 0 2 FEST

TR A S U OR

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

23From The Backside

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, Henry J. Clevicepin

Peeing in the pool, Obama is Chief Walking Eagle & Walmart to run the country! By Henry J. Clevicepin Collaborated by Nellie Frecklebelly and Agnes & Ophilia Fudpucker

Well, this old weather shore ain’t changed any….it’s still hot and dry. Ol Nellie Frecklebelly told me the other day, that down at the Buzzard’s Roost Municipal swimming pool that the water was evaporating so fast they told the kids to just ignore the “No Peeing in the Pool Rule”. And ol Estee K. Bibbles, my mulebarn partner, got out of the shower the other morning and told his wife it was just too hot to wear clothes and ask her what she thought the neighbors would think if he mowed the lawn naked. His sweet little wife answered right back” I imagine they will think I married you for your money!!!!”. Now, I think I told you here awhile back we had us a new doctor here in Buzzard’s Roost named Dr. Goldfinger. Well, he is kinda of good looking young doctor and he walked into one of his waiting rooms and there set a lady with a baby. He ask the lady what seem to be the problem and she told him the baby was being breast fed and was losing weight. So Doc took the baby over to a table and did an exam on him and turned around to the lady and told her to disrobe down to her waist. After doing a very thorough hands on examination of the lady, the Doc exclaimed…”no wonder the baby is losing weight….you don’t have any milk !!!!” I know I don’t she said…cause I’m his grandmother….but I shore am glad I brought him in today !!!!! I’ve told you’ll before that ol Estee K, my mulebarn partner, is a literary genius. Lately he has been into poetry and especially religious poems, so he brought me one the other day he had ran across and I thought I oughta pass it on. I think a bunch of you heathens out there could get some good out of this little humdinger …… It goes Like this: I was shocked, confused, bewildered As I entered Heaven’s door, Not by the beauty of it all, Nor the lights or its decor. But it was the folks in Heaven Who made me sputter and gasp-The thieves, the liars, the sinners, The alcoholics and the trash. There stood the kid from seventh grade Who swiped my lunch money twice. Next to him was my old neighbor Who never said anything nice. Bob, who I always thought Was rotting away in hell, Was sitting pretty on cloud nine, Looking incredibly well. I nudged Jesus, ‘What’s the deal? I would love to hear Your take. How’d all these sinners get up here? God must’ve made a mistake. ‘And why is everyone so quiet, So somber - give me a clue.’ ‘Hush, child,’ He said, ‘they’re all in shock. No one thought they’d be seeing you..’

There might even be hope for some of them k-niving politicians up in Washington. Have you ever seen such a mess….and I don’t care which side of the fence you are on. Ol Estee K. told me there was a movement going around to replace the Eagle with a skunk for the symbol of the American President, since he is half black, half white and everything he does stinks !!!!! We heard the other day that Obama made a speech to an American Indian group and went on for about an hour and a half about his future plans for the United States and the American Indians. When the speech was over the tribes presented him with a plaque inscribed with his new Indian name “Walking Eagle”. As the proud President left in his big motorcade, a reporter ask one of the chiefs how they came up the name “Walking Eagle” for the President. The ol chief explained that “Walking Eagle” is the name given to a bird that is so full of crap it can no longer fly !!!!”. Now, me and ol Estee K. ran across a little list of statistics on Wal-Mart the other day. You know we all go to Wally World and these figures will blow your dress up. Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart every hour of every day. That is $20,928 in profit every minute. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot, Kroger, Target, Sears, Costco & K-Mart combined. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people, is the world’s largest private employer and most speak English. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger & Safeway combined and they did this in 15 years. During the same period 31 big stores filed for bankruptcy. Wal-Mart has 3900 stores in the USA of which 1906 are Super Centers…..this is 1000 more than they had 5 years ago. 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart. And me and ol Estee K. could go on & on , but here is the point….we kinda think we should just get Wal-Mart to run the economy and get that darned thing fixed in a few years. Obama and all of them 535 corrupt morons up there in Washington should have to read this. Now let’s see how their record is….. and before you yehews start hollering… these little stats cover both Democrats & Republican morons: U.S Postal Service was established in 1775…had 236 years to get it right & they are broke. Social Security was established in 1935…had 76 years to get it right & they are broke. Fannie Mae

established 1938…had 73 years to get it right & they are broke. War on Poverty was started in 1964…had 47 years to get it right…1 trillion of our money confiscated each year & given to the poor….they are still broke and want more. Medicare & Medicaid established in 1965…had 46 years to get it right and they are both broke. Freddie Mac established in 1970… had 41 years to get it right and it is broke. Dept of Energy created in 1977 to lessen our independence on foreign oil. It now has 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 Billion a year and we import more foreign oil than ever before. They had 34 years to get it right and it is a total failure. Them sapsuckers up there in Washington have failed at every government service they have shoved down our throat while overspending all of our tax dollars and wanting more. Since the Eisenhower era there have been over 200 taxes added to our taxpaying citizens. And just to prove to you how big of bunch of morons they really are, they took over the Mustang Ranch in Nevada for not paying their taxes and tried to run it and now it is closed……those idiots couldn’t even run a house of prostitution. Now somebody please tell me what in the cornbread world is wrong with the American people. Why do we keep sending these idiots up there. You better votem out and start raising hell with them while they are in there !!!!!! Whew !!!! me and ol Estee K. gotta go down to the Buzzard’s Roost Bar & Grill and chill out a little. Words of Wisdom from ol Henry J.: It is only a gambling problem if you are losing. You can email Henry henryjclevicepin@aol.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