All Around Lufkin

Congratulations to Jim Riggs on his Angelina Award at the Chamber's annual banquet. Jim is the most dedicated person that I know to his projects and ideals. He is one of a kind and I am proud to say that I know him. Jane Ainsworth earned the Golden Anvil Award for her work behind the county's Vision 2020. We need people of this caliber in our community and these two are very deserving.

The Museum of East Texas' halls were full of art that was in the competition for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Arts Program.

Pablo Torres has been the coordinator for the past 21 years and it gets bigger each year. The art show, which has between 600 and 800 pieces, is for those that do not have an opportunity to show an animal. On display in Reliant Center Gallery during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will be the winners who are: Lufkin High School: Terr'l Mark- Best of Show, Brandon Yarbrough - Gold Medal, Elizabeth Stripling - Gold Medal; Brandon Elementary: Joshua Davis - Best of Show, Morgan Duren - Gold Medal. The art teachers at LHS are Lisa Haglund and Alex Brewer. Hudson ISD winning art students are: Hudson High School: Best of Show - Myles Elbel, 9th grade, Gold Medal - Sally Moses, 9th grade; Hudson Middle School: Best of Show - Caylan Bailey, 8th grade, Gold Medal - Payton Ferguson, 6th grade; Elementary Division: Best of Show - Ethan Brown, 1st grade Peavy Primary, Gold Medal - Sylvie Gowin, 2nd grade Bonner Elementary.

Photo by Woodie Hicks Mack and Llewellyn Frazier,LaJune Bradley, Jack Simpson, Pat and Chuck Royston, board member, were among those celebrating at the Kurth Memorial Library 2008 Gala.

Melanie Moses is the District Representative for the Rodeo Art and Hudson Middle School art teacher. Winners from West Sabine High School: Jordan Jones - Best of Show and Nicole Nigh - Gold Medal; West Sabine junior high: Mark Cunningham Best of Show and Jessica Farison Gold Medal; West Sabine Elementary: Katie White - Best of Show and Summer Chaddick - Gold Medal. Their sponsor was Coach Malcolm Carter. If you are in Houston during the rodeo dates, you can see these works of art in the Reliant Gallery. Some parents and friends at the reception were: Melissa Abeldt, Monica Hailey to see Melissa Hailey's art; Eric and Rhonda Pruitt, and Tracie Pruitt were there to see daughter Victoria's art; Charlotte Davis, Leslie Allen Day, and Ellie Mooty plus the art teachers and many folks that I did not know were observing the art. J.P. McDonald was at the door with Eloise Havard who is always at the guest book. The winners are eligible for a week's tuition to art school in Houston at the Glassel School of Art plus tickets to the Awards Program and Show.

Happy Birthday: Emma Carswell, Travis Maroney, Jay Hines, Adam Carter, Davella Fudge, Dot Brookshire, Elsie McLain, Dana Jumper, Carrie Camp, Jimmy Cassels, Esther Loden, Sarah Austin, Charles Young, Lynell Stover, Lauren Spurgeon, Lindsay Gilen, Pat Slaughter, Susanne Lively, Gwen Cunningham, Mary Clark, Madison Bartlett, Tommy Deaton, Jim Harkness, Charles Spurill.

Happy Anniversary: Carolyn and John Haney, Will and Carol Zbranek, Dubby and Judy Perry celebrate 25 years on February 4.

Laverne Ferguson and her friend Linda Powers were out shopping and later Laverne called me trying to find Juanita Spencer to tell her of Dorothy Baker's death. I hope that she found her.

Tom Duncan has a baby blue 1957 Thunderbird hard top convertible that Mary found for his November birthday. I want a ride in it.

The Duncans took their grandchildren to California to the Holiday Bowl where Texas played football and while there they toured the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Lego land and three days at Disneyland. Benjamin, 5, son of John and Amy Duncan of Tyler, and his cousin Emily, 4, daughter of Drew and Laurie Duncan of Austin, spent the week with Mary and Tom and all enjoyed every minute. The children said "they were so glad that we did that." Then Mary and Tom went back two weeks later to a meeting that Tom had and were gone several days. They spent Christmas in Austin.

Congratulations to Krista and Jimmy Cloonan on the birth of Landon James Cloonan, born December 20. Landon weighed 9 lbs. Brothers are Dylan and Austin. Grand parents are Jill Bozeman, Paul and Georganna Bozeman of Crockett. Great grandmother is May Grabbe of Tyler.

Allyson Langston is the marketing, public relations and membership person for the Museum of East Texas. I am behind because she has been doing this for a year. I wondered why the e-mails came from her. Now I know.

I rode to Tyler on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday with Bettie Powell who had a dentist appointment and she let me out to shop. Our first stop was at Rega of Paris, a consignment shoppe and estate liquidation store. We had lunch at McAlister's Deli and got a cookie to go at Jersey Mike's Subs on our way home. She is really up on touring Tyler.

Jule Fenley is the In House lawyer for Brookshire Brothers corporate office.

Jody and Jimmy Tinkle tour East Texas for Jody's job of overseeing student teachers from SFA. They like the Pickett House in Woodville, Lone Star in Colmesneil, Cedar Tree, Belle Jim Hotel, and Swan in Jasper. Jimmy heard that Catfish Junction in Broaddus burned.

Martha and Ray Carswell were in Houston to celebrate the fourth birthday of granddaughter Emma Carswell, daughter of Jon and Jill Carswell.

Hilda Mitchell's granddaughter Courtney Meyers, daughter of Nancy and Alan Meyers of Midland, married Justin Lyon in September. They met at Texas Tech University, and he is an architect now practicing in Midland. Hilda's grandson, Mitchell Meyers a freshman, pledged K. A. at the University of Texas in Austin.

Daughter Julie Jumper-Morris and husband Rocky came to town early so Julie and I could shop for a new mattress for our guest bed. We went to Dixon Furniture, and Julie went back in time to when the building belonged to my dad Willie Royle and was the W. C. Royle Typewriter Company. She asked salesman Seth Purvis if she could go upstairs and remembered the desks and closets that they played in and under as children. She had tears in her eyes telling Ardie Dixon about her going upstairs in the building.

We celebrated Ernest and Julie's birthdays on Saturday with Rocky Morris, Ernest and Barbara Rowe, Justin Rowe, Whitney Husband, Jim and Mary Jane West. The weather was terrible, but the guys fried fish under the overhang of the house and a good time was had by all. I had complained about needing a card table to make my table seat 12, but it was a different height. Rocky got on the Internet and found out from a website from a quilting lady how her husband extended the legs on her card table. We bought the PVC pipe and screws and Rocky made "sleeves" for my table legs to make it the same

height. He is our resident Engineer.

Mary Margaret Stevens came up on Sunday and visited with Julie and Rocky.

Woodie Hicks and I went to the 3 rd Annual Kurth Memorial Library "Rock Around the Clock" Library Gala and there were many poodle skirts and "Fonzie" outfits in the crowd. Some that we saw were: Woody Gann, Bonnie Borgfeld, Cathy and Meb Todd, Charlotte and James Wagstaff, Beverly and Sonny Mahan, Don and Dawne Allen, Donna and Brad Busler, Mack and Llewellyn Frazier, La June Bradley, Jack Simpson, Pat and Chuck Royston, Sue Parker, Tamara and Peyton Walters, Beverly and Billy Ball, Sally and Max Alvis, Sheila and Scott Skelton, Steve and Sally Hogue, Judy and Dubby Perry, Debbie and Louis Lloyd, Joan Duncan, Harry Stafford, Mary and James Gibbs, Nancy and Don Reily, Jewel and Frank Arender, Mabelyne McKnight, Elma Alexander, Jetta Westerholm, Mary Nell Taylor, Gloria and Hiram Arnold, Steve and Nancy Hicks, Polly and Charles Young, Tom and Joanie Selman, Tucker and Patsy Weems, Bill Simpson, Mary Jule and Joseph Tatum, Jane and Rick Ainsworth, Harriot and Cotton Whiddon, Michelle and Ron Haney, Susan and Doug Ashburn, Curt and Jule Fenley, Don and Sue Brawley, Billy and Mildred Beavers, Charlene Kolb, J. R. and Janette Cox, J. R. and Pat Ritchey, David and Virgia Walker, Tom and Mary Duncan, Jim and Margie Brody, Joe Ann and Edgar Burton, Garion Taylor, Mike and Cindy Taylor, Virginia and Bob Knibb, Hugh and Linda Anderson, Darin and Susan Simpson, Len and Phil Medford, Bob and Trish Inselmann, Emily Watts, Rick Schiller, Michael and Sandra Bennett, Mary Jean Maroney, Hilda Mitchell. David Lawson was playing the piano. Debbie Richards, with KYBI radio, was the disc jockey for the 50's dancing music. Jule Fenley was in charge of the food: pork tenderloin and green beans catered by Jimmy Moye of Diboll; MarTeres Tea Room's salad, and cheese grits made by Nickie Ashburn, Sheila Adams, Bianca Walker, Michelle Haney and Deanna Vaughn. The rolls came from Brookshire Brothers. Blue Bell furnished the ice cream for the dessert. Mary Margaret Fenley, Anna Catherine Alvis and Kaitlen Eckmann were the coat and purse check girls. Jessica Torres was over the coat check girls that rang the bell when dinner was served. Serving ice cream were Hannah Roberts, Anne Fenley, Andy Adams and Trent Ashby. Lynn and Pablo Torreswere at the ticket table.

It was a fun night and we are anxious to see what profit they made from the silent and live auction items. Their goal is to reach $500,000 with a pledge from the City of Lufkin and a gift from Lufkin Industries. All proceeds from the Gala will go toward this goal of enhancing KML's collection for the entire community to enjoy. I missed the cars outside the other entrance of the Library that were a yellow and black 1956 DeSoto belonging to James and Cookie Yeates and a red and white 1953 Studebaker belonging to Chuck and Pat Royston.

Let me hear your news. Catch you around town. Janice Ann email: roweja@suddenlink.net