History Center Press Clippings . . . . Events from the pages of The Free Press

A Public Service of The History Center

ONE YEAR AGO

Diboll 11-12 year All-Star team places first in regional baseball tournament hosted in Groveton. Team members include Jay Lowe, Carlos Lewis, Sergio Castillo, Everado Castillo, Tony Hernandez, Javier Hernandez, Homer Vasquez, Jason Cook, D.J. DeJesus, Cody Gelvin, Cole Colwell and coaches Daniel Castillo, Tom Williams, Derek Lowe and T.J. Colwell.

Angelina Arts Alliance announces James Earl Jones will inaugurate Distinguished Speakers Series at the Temple Theater on the campus of Angelina College.

Dog trainer Larry Innerarity give demonstration showing how dogs herd sheep for young readers as part of the final summer reading program presentation at the T.L.L. Temple Memorial Library in Diboll.

Continuous construction work of FM 706 in Hudson is causing traffic delays. The work is part of a street project to rehabilitate and widen FM706 from SH 103 to SH 94.

Plans are being made for the H.G. Temple High School of Diboll to host all-school reunion with special recognition to the Temple Tigers of 1966.

More than 140 families participate in the annual Rocky Hill Community Garage Sale.

FIVE YEARS AGO

Brookshire Brothers Company officials announce plans to remodel and upgrade the store in Diboll.

Tony Sanchez, Democratic candidate for Texas Governor campaigns through East Texas with stop in Lufkin at the Central Fire Station #1.

Beulah resident Marshall Capps exhibits his 300-pound pumpkin he homegrown in his patch.

Angelina County Commissioners decide to close access road leading to historic cemetery located near the shore of Lake Sam Rayburn near Zavalla. Anyone who has family members buried at Gilliland Cemetery will be furnished with key to barricaded gate.

Judge Esther Crager Barger attends 2002 Joint Ethics Conference held in San Antonio, Texas.

Delbert Jones & family purchase the Beulah Store located on FM 1818. The family will also operate the Round-Up Café located at the back of the store.

TEN YEARS AGO

Angelina County Citizens Committee recommends the county build jail to accommodate 250-300 inmates with adequate facilities such it can be expanded upward to hold as many as 600 inmates in the future. Marie Davis speaks at dedication ceremonies of the Clark's Ferry and Cemetery State Historical Marker, located off U.S. 59 South of Diboll near the Neches River.

Members of the Diboll FFA attend state convention held in Amarillo. Members making the trip include Jennifer Webb, Melissa Hannah, Kori Brandon, Jennifer Ortiz, Brooke Crager, Daisy Welch, Melanie Wilkerson and advisor Kevin Swor.

Lufkin Educational Broadcasting Foundation announces new Christian radio station in East Texas-KAVY 91.9 FM.

Doodles the Chicken, Chick-fil-A's mascot, greets children of all ages at the T.L.L Temple Memorial Library in Diboll to wrap up its Summer Reading Program.

The Promised Land Quartet celebrates 20 years of gospel singing. The original members still remain Lanny Wilkerson, Curtis Grigsby, Kevin Porter, Gary Porter and with musicians Burlon Wilkerson (lead guitar) and Reidel Wilkerson (bass guitar).

TWENTY YEARS AGO

Home Financial Corporation and Home Savings & Loan Association of Lufkin announce the resignation of Chief Executive Officer and President John Henderson

Kevin C. Smithart is elected president of Lufkin Printing Company.

U.S. Army Captain Jon Bunn of Lufkin takes command of Bravo Company, 6th Battalion, 10th Field Artillery, Bamberg, Federal Republic of Germany.

Carol McCurry of Lufkin and David Sinclair of Katy are united in marriage.

Jim Waters, local insurance independent agent, speaks at the Angelina County Historical Forum with talks of the history of the Lufkin Kiwanis Club of whom he was a charter member.

Kristen Hall is elected state historian of the Texas Division, Children of the Confederacy at the 49th annual convention held in Bandera. Miss Hall is the daughter of Ronnie and Karen Kurth Hall of Lufkin.

Lufkin City Councilmen report the city's new public bus system, Brazos Transit System, is still on schedule for September 1 start-up date.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

Diboll Police are keeping a sharp lookout for a person they think may be a firebug after recent suspicious fires at radio station KSPL and the Jif-E-Mart store.

Deborah J. Williams, daughter of Mrs. Darlene Landrum of Diboll, is appointed to noncommissioned officer (NCO) status in the U.S. Air Force. Sgt. Williams is a dental specialist at Incirlik Common Defense Installation, Turkey.

Long-time Department of Public Safety Office Fred Davis passes away at 58. Davis had been with the Highway Patrol for 29 years.

Carolyn Ann McDuffie and John Richard are united in marriage at the First Baptist Church in Diboll with Rev. Austin Grandgeorge reading the vows.

Back-to School sales at K's Thrift Center in Lufkin include: Men's Wrangler jeans, $7, Boys wrangler jeans, $4; Girls' dresses, $5-6, Ladies dresses, $10.99.

The Lufkin News, its editor Joe Murray, former reporter Ken Herman and publisher Tom Meredith are honored at the Lufkin Civic Center for winning the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. More than 600 attend the event.

Dick Gray is the new owner-operator of Diboll Auto Parts. Gray and his family just moved to Diboll from South Carolina.