Photo couresy of The History Center Thirty Years Ago This Week The Diboll Volunteer Fire Department’s three man pumper team wins first place in district pumper race held in Lufkin. Fire Chief Gary Jones, Leon “Crazy Man” Grumbles and J.E. Rast make up the winning team. They get to keep the winning trophy until next year’s races and can keep it permanently by winning three straight years. ONE YEAR AGO

Newly elected Diboll High School FFA officers for the 2008-2009 school year are Tyler Reynolds, secretary; Jennifer Reeder, chairman of Agriculture Awareness; Sara Badeaux, advisor; Hallie Smith, chaplain; J.J. Ojeda, president; John David Eddins, vice president; Jonathon Coleman, historian; Colin Lowther, parliamentarian; Edward Phipps, chairman of chapter of recruitment; Adam Lowther, sentinel; and Zane Anthony, chairman of Healthy Lifestyle.

Amisha Standley, senior student at Centerville High School, Groveton, places 2nd in the District 26-A cross country meet held at Apple Springs High School. Standley will advance to the regional cross county meet in San Antonio.

More than 100 Diboll High School alumni and their guests gather at the Lottie and Arthur Temple Civic Center for the 2008 Diboll Day “All Years Reunion” with the event raising $637 for the Alumni Scholarship Fund.

Diboll businessman Raymond Smith, owner of the local ServiceMaster franchise speaks to city council offering his services to bring the Diboll High School Pop Jordan Field as well as other community groups sport fields up to a higher level of function and appearance.

Daniel Smith, a member of Boy Scout Troop 128, earns the rank of Eagle Scout. Smith is a sophomore at Diboll High School.

FIVE YEARS AGO

Jim McReynolds wins re-election over Billy Clemons in State District 12 Representative’s race; Pct. 5 Constable Eddie Horton defeats Butch Parish with 56 % of the votes; Republican Tom Selman tops Democrat Trent Burfine in the Pct.1 constable race; Robert Loggins beats Jerry Patterson by 438 votes to capture the Pct. 3 county commissioner’s race.

Lufkin’s Jorvorskie Lane’s 5 touchdowns guide the Panthers past The Woodlands 35-28 to the brink of 14-5A state title.

Angelina College Fine Arts Division produce the classic play, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck.

U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Michael Brent Homan of Diboll weds U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Sarah Marie Leair of Wausaw, Wisconsin.

Huntington Elementary School is the recipient of a $36,000 T.L.L. Temple Foundation Grant to aid the school’s science program

Diboll High School Lumberjacks thumps Crockett Bulldogs 44-21 behind 404 total yards in Class 3-A football action. The win assures the Jacks a playoff berth.

Angelina County Airport receives $3.3 million Texas Department of Transportation grant to be used to make necessary repairs and improvements to one of the major runways.

TEN YEARS AGO

Pinecrest Retirement Community breaks ground on expansion that increases retirement center to 310,000 square feet.

Diboll Junior High School student Scarlett Hankla, wins Angelina County Red Ribbon Logo 2000 with her entry depicting a person shaped puzzle with the theme, “Don’t let drugs be a piece of your life.”

Sylvia Ashley, author of children’s play, “Don Coyote,” speaks to students at Angelina College Fine Arts Division with introduction to theater ambitions.

Diboll’s newest business is Nita’s Restaurant, located across from the post office and is owned and operated by Nita Oliphant & family.

The cooking team of Jack Matthews & Mike Bentliff are judged Best of Show for their presentation of “Redneck Chili” during the Temple-Inland Chili Cookoff.

Diboll High School running back Terry Colquitt breaks 40-year season rushing yards in 55-13 win over the Rusk High School Eagles. Colquitt’s 219 rushing yard efforts set new record with 1,581 yards with one game remaining. The old record of 1,553 was set by Bobby Ramsey.

Apple Springs Eagles clinch playoff berth with 46- 14 win over the Chester Yellowjackets. Apple Springs is 7-1 on the season and 3-1 in district play.

Diboll ISD Finance Director Gary Micinski leaves Diboll for similar position with Klamath Falls, Oregon ISD.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

Burke couple, Rosemary and Russ Swetland are appointed Grand Duet at the 107th session of Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star.

Former Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjack coaches Jess Hess and Lynn Graves, architects of the highly successful football program, are inducted into the SFA Lettermen’s Association Hall of Fame.

Diboll High School Band Seniors Trina Walls and Chris Nash are named band sweetheart and band beau.

Representatives of Durham Transportation meet with Diboll ISD board to review their plans to operate the district’s buses.

The athletic programs at Diboll and Huntington schools are hit with two years probation following a fight that took place at the end of the Diboll-Huntington game in Huntington on Oct. 20.

Members of the Diboll High School cross country team this year are Michael Nettles, Joey Archer, Chris Mewborn, Juan Reyes, Miguel Mireles, Trudy Tamez, Emily Sloan, Heather Brandon, Dinorah Salazar, Martha Olivares, Janie Flournoy, Sonya Olivares, Allison Thompson and Coach Carol Drake.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

Feature story involving Diboll’s Mrs. W.F. Purdy, beloved piano teacher for over 40 years to the children of Diboll

The annual Halloween party at South Meadows Nursing Home brings out some strange faces this year. Winners in the costume contest are Hettie Hallmark, first place; Susie Collins, second place; Lillian Washington, third place in the Ladies Division and in the Men’s Division, Gordon McCarty, first place; A.F. Sturrock, second place; and Guy Sumners, third place.

New officers in the National Honor Society at Diboll High School are Diane Garrett, president; Gregg Spivey, vice president; Tonya Clark, secretary; Susie Capps, treasurer; and Bobby Cobb, reporter.

Coach Bobby Baker’s Diboll Lumberjacks sets school record under a new coach Friday night by winning their fifth game as they stopped the Rusk Eagles 21-13. Four victories are the most any Lumberjack team has ever won under a new coach.

Several directors of Diboll State Bank inspect progress on the new bank building under construction. Making the visit are H.G. Stubblefield, Joe C. Denman, Joe Elliott, Dr. R.W. (Woody) Ingram, Harold Maxwell, H.C. White, Ernest Grossman (architect) and building contractors Kenneth & Delbert Richardson.

A proposal for the construction of a new soccer and football practice field to be financed by the city and the Diboll Booster Club and maintained by the Diboll ISD is brought before the Diboll School Board.