COURTESY PHOTO Scott Vaughn and grandson posing with a hog shot in Northern Tyler County October 30, 2020.

Covid-19 has had people recreating more this past year than in the last several years and with White-tailed deer muzzleloader season being over, there have been plenty of eager East Texan sportsmen wanting to show off a few bagged game animals.

For years, newspapers have been publishing sportsmen and their game. Here recently, showcasing has been less than normal. Maybe it’s time to start showing off those game that hunters haven’t been able to brag on for some time.

Here’s a list of a few of the harvests from East Texas, or people from the area:

Tyler County

1. Tina Barnes

Tina Barnes - 9 point, with crossbow in Chester, TX on October 24, 2020.

2. Dusty Sturrock

Dusty Sturrock - 9 point in Chester, TX on November 15th, 2020

3. KimSturrock

Kim Sturrock – 8 point in Chester, TX on November 8th, 2020

4. Mark Keller

Mark Keller - 9 point 14.5”, spread in Colmesneil, Tx on November 27, 2020

5. Buck Odom

Buck Odom – Hog shot between Woodville and Chester on December 17, 2020.

6. Nathan Vaughn

Nathan Vaughn - 8 point buck at the Diamond T Ranch in Warren, Texas on January 3, 2021.

7. Scott Vaughn

Scott Vaughn - 10 point buck in Northern Tyler County November 8, 2020.

Polk County 

8. Ashton Davis

Ashton Davis - Doe, harvested in Texas hunters club in Soda, TX.

9. Paul Oliver

Paul Oliver - 10 Point with a 19 Inch Spread at the Texas Hunter Club in Soda, TX.

Houston County 

 10. Hunter Burris

Hunter Burris, 9 years old from Danbury, TX holding his first deer, 7-point, on January 2, 2021 in Crockett, TX.

Sleep in heavenly peace commits to ending childhood bedlessness

In the classic song “The Weight” by The Band, a weary traveler’s lament known to every man, woman, child and beast, the late, great Levon Helm sings of someone looking for a place “where a man might find a bed,” to no avail.

There are many who are in search of that same, seemingly basic amenity/comfort, including children, a fact that bothered Woodville resident Brian Smith.

“I had no idea that children without beds was an issue, a problem at all. I simply never thought about it. I have always had a bed; everyone that I knew had a bed,” he said.

Smith and his wife Deborah saw a story on a Beaumont television station’s news broadcast that reported on that particular issue and an organization fighting to end it, and it left a deep impression upon both their hearts and minds.

The story was about a non-profit organization named after a line in the old Christmas time hymn “Silent Night.” Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a nationwide concern, and was began by a concerned church youth group leader named Luke Mickelson.

Mickelson first encountered the issue of children without beds in his church and got a group together to build beds for a family in need. From that humble show of service sprung the organization, which became a non-profit with chapters around the country. Mickelson was even honored by CNN in 2018 as a “Hero of the Year.”

The Smiths added an East Texas chapter of the organization to its growing roster on September 5, 2020, which was a quest of approximately 10 months.

The couple investigated the practical aspects of getting a SHP chapter started, namely the cost of materials and the necessary non-profit paperwork, interest was fomenting, and several members of the community became interested in helping.

With a group together, the “core team,” they had their first building event on that day in September, when they built six twin beds to donate to families in the county who were in need.

“There are children in Tyler County sleeping on the floor, on a couch, in a chair, or are sharing an undersized mattress on the floor with too many siblings or otherwise in a less-than-optimal sleeping environment,” Brian said.

The word got out quickly throughout the community, and Deborah said it was “an extremely rewarding experience” to see her desire to help the community pay off.

Although the story on the news brought the issue into living color for Brian and Deborah, seeing folks who could use a hand-up was nothing new to Brian. He said he has done mission work in some of the poorer areas of Mexico, places “where one sees true poverty,” he said, and seeing how people lived left a deep, lasting impression, which came back in spades when he and his wife saw that broadcast.

“Here, in the United States, to realize that our little county probably has hundreds of children without beds hurts my heart,” he said.

“As a sentimental older man, I still get choked up when I think of the joyous reactions of the children we help. The feelings of peace and security that a real bed gives them gets me up for early morning bed builds,” he said.

SHP currently has 240 chapters across the nation, and in Bermuda, and there are hopes to break into Canada in the near future.

Anyone can volunteer at one of SHP’s bed-build events, and they do not have to bring anything, “except a desire to help others,” Brian said. The group will supply the tools, PPE, drinks, snacks and instructions.

The Woodville chapter of the group hopes to be able to build sturdy, functional bunk and twin beds from dimensional lumber one Saturday each month during the 8 a.m. to noon time period. The volunteer-driven assembly line process allows most anyone to contribute.

According to the chapter’s website, located at shpbeds.org/chapter/tx-woodville, anyone who wishes to volunteer can show up to the build day event or a delivery event, and those dates are available on a calendar on the site. There is also a link on the site to allow anyone who is interested in contributing financially to the cause, or to sponsor a build day.

According to Brian, the cost to build a twin bed is $170 and $350 for a bunk bed, and all of the materials must come from donations. Each chapter of SHP must be financially self-supporting and entirely dependent on donations, which is all carefully accounted for, from local chapters through the national headquarters.

The estimated monthly need for the SHP Woodville chapters is $2,500 to $3,000, which is enough to provide 14 to 17 beds per month, and this is the cost for the bare materials.

The organization also needs tools, such as saw blades, drill bits and other items, such as gloves, safety glasses and many other PPE items.

Brian added that for anyone who needs one of the beds, there is a place on the website to request a bed, and applicants can answer a few basic questions and submit. He and Deborah can also be contacted directly, at 844-432-2337 (extension 5757) or at PO Box 143, Woodville, Texas 75979, for anyone who might be interested in donating to the cause.

MUGSHOT Anibal Villasana

WOODVILLE –  A Tyler County Grand Jury handed down two more indictments to a Woodville man who was first indicted last year, all on child rape charges.

Anibal Maurico Villasana, 61, was booked into the Tyler County Justice Center last week on two charges of

Sexual Assault of a Child. He was subsequently released after posting bond. Each charge carried a $100,000 bond amount.

Villasana was indicted on two counts of Indency with a Child by Sexual Contact in December 2020. The indictments came after an investigation regarding incidents alleged to have occurred in Tyler County.

At the time, he was working for the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department. He has worked in various capacities within the Jasper County Jail, including head of kitchen staff and jailer. He had worked for the county for more than 20 years. At the time, he had been placed on leave with pay, pending that case’s outcome.

The four charges Villasana faces are second-degree felonies, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 per charge, between two and 20 years in prison, or both.

Staff Sgt. Jordan L. McFarland (left), 2nd Operations Support Squadron air traffic control craftsman, and Senior Airman Hunter J. Maggard, 2nd OSS air traffic control apprentice (right), keep an eye out for an aircraft that is scheduled to land at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, August 22, 2019. While working eight hour shifts in a small tower, the 2nd OSS air traffic controllers are able to spend a lot of time getting to better know their wingmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Jacob B. Wrightsman)

On March 3, 2021, at approximately 2 PM, the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a military plane flying low to the ground, with smoke coming from the engine.

The citing was reported near the Tyler and Polk County line. First responders concentrated search efforts around and near FM 1943, West of Warren, to Highway 190 West of Woodville, into Polk County.

The Tyler County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers and Air units, Texas Game Wardens, Texas Forest Service, Warren Fire Department, Tyler County Emergency Management Office, Alabama Coushatta Fire Department and Air and Ground Medical units from Southeast Texas participated in the search.

Approximately 2 hours later, responders received information that the aircraft had made a safe landing at the Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

Weatherford said, “Thank you to all our Southeast Texas Federal, State, and local first responders. To protect and serve is truly a team effort.”

JIM POWERS | PCPC FILE PHOTO A group of celebrants, led by Judith Haney, give their toast to Texas during the 2018 annual event at Heritage Village.

Heritage Village in Woodville is gearing up for its annual event to celebrate of Texas Independence Day. It will take place on Tuesday, March 2.

Festivities will begin at 1 p.m. out at the Village Stage, weather-permitting. Masks are required, and seating will be spaced-out, in accordance with recommended social distancing guidelines.

Come and join Texans and honorary Texans in saluting this sacred holiday to our state. The celebration at the Village includes a toast with pure East Texas spring water.

The event is held to coincide with the time and date in 1836 when a group gathered at Washingon-on-the-Brazos to sign a Declaration of Independence from Mexico, which set forth the creation of the Republic of Texas, an independent country for almost 10 years.

Texas Highways magazine suggested that Texans all commemorate the event by stopping whatever they happen to be doing at 2 p.m. on March 2 to drink a toast to Texas. In 1993, historian Joe Franz, who often contributed to the magazine composed a poem to commemorate the event.

Texas Highways, also suggested, according to Dottie Johnson’s “At the Village” column in the Feb. 23, 1994 edition of the Tyler County Booster, that those celebrating Texas Independence Day might also want to write and use an original toast, and the Heritage Society followed suit with their own toast that was used in the program.

Students in Texas History classes from area schools also got involved in writing original toasts, as well.

“Texas Toast” by Joe B. Franz 

To Texas: 

Joyous and Sparkling, 

Ever green when it rains, enduring in drought, 

Timeless, endless in boundaries, exciting, 

Home to the adventurous of yesterday and today, 

with shrines from the past 

and space and spirit for the future. 

To Texas, 

Everlasting in the hearts of your people! 

BRIAN BESCH | PCE The Livingston boys won the Corky Cochran Relays on Thursday, while the Lady Lions finished second.

Varsity Boys Points By School

1st Livingston HS 97

2nd Huntington HS 95

3rd Tarkington 94

4th Woodville HS 93

5th Liberty HS 72

6th Jasper 71

7th Diboll HS 54

8th Northland Christian HS 21

100 M Dash

1st Nic Ray Northland Chri... 11.85

2nd KALEB SELLS Jasper 11.94

3rd Tank Johnson Livingston HS 12.08

200 M Dash

1st Justin Legg Livingston HS 23.66

2nd Nic Ray Northland Chri... 24.37

3rd Ajani Bell Tarkington 24.48

400 M Dash

1st Riley Johnson Tarkington 54.17

2nd Nick Paxon Huntington HS 55.10

3rd Elijah Mansfield Huntington HS 56.93

800 M Run

1st CONNOR MONROE Jasper 2:08.07

2nd Romero Rene Liberty HS 2:09.06

3rd Moran Matthew Liberty HS 2:14.41

1600 M Run

1st Flowers Patrick Liberty HS 4:53.86

2nd Moran Matthew Liberty HS 5:06.45

3rd Romero Rene Liberty HS 5:10.51

3200 M Run

1st Flowers Patrick Liberty HS 10:35.65

2nd Justin Hales Livingston HS 11:44.77

3rd Jason Williams Tarkington 11:45.86

110 M Hurdles

1st Ronald Washington Woodville HS 15.90

2nd Ayden Colbert Huntington HS 15.99

3rd Kevon Paire Woodville HS 16.00

300 M Hurdles

1st Ayden Colbert Huntington HS 44.30

2nd Quincy Humphries Huntington HS 46.28

3rd Tanner Johnson Tarkington 48.29

4x100 M Relay

1st Diboll HS 46.22

2nd Tarkington 46.39

3rd Woodville HS 46.88

4x200 M Relay

1st Woodville HS 1:37.44

2nd Livingston HS 1:39.01

3rd Huntington HS 1:39.22

4x400 M Relay

1st Jasper 3:45.20

2nd Tarkington 3:47.21

3rd Huntington HS 3:51.69

Long Jump

1st ron washington Woodville HS 19’-7"

2nd Ajani Bell Tarkington 19’-0 1/2"

3rd Linus Maninno Woodville HS 18’-9"

Shot Put

1st SHUNMARKUS A... Jasper 48’-7 1/2"

2nd Gums, Jeremiah Diboll HS 41’-2 1/2"

3rd Ladanian Walker Livingston HS 41’-1 1/2"

Discus

1st Gavin Edwards Tarkington 128’-2"

2nd Ladanian Walker Livingston HS 112’-1"

3rd Brynten White Livingston HS 101’-0"

Triple Jump

1st Teal, Chris Diboll HS 41’-9"

2nd Ayden Colbert Huntington HS 39’-9 1/2"

3rd Lloyd Evans Woodville HS 39’-7"

High Jump

1st Linus Maninno Woodville HS 6’-4"

2nd Brandon Lyons Livingston HS 6’-0"

3rd Ayden Colbert Huntington HS 5’-10"

Pole Vault

1st Heifner Trace Liberty HS 9’-0"

Varsity Girls Points By School

1st Woodville HS 140

2nd Livingston HS 112

3rd Liberty HS 82

4th Northland Christian HS 71

5th Tarkington 47

6th Huntington HS 42

7th Jasper 23

8th Diboll HS 10

100 M Dash

1st Knepper, Abbie Liberty HS 13.38

2nd Bolton, Helene Diboll HS 13.64

3rd Azairiah Harrell Livingston HS 13.76

200 M Dash

1st Knepper, Abbie Liberty HS 28.55

2nd Brianna Boddie Tarkington 29.26

3rd Robinson, Cherish Liberty HS 29.46

400 M Dash

1st Julia Hearn Northland Chri... 1:06.00

2nd Maddie Hearn Northland Chri... 1:08.11

3rd Brooklynn Baker Tarkington 1:12.47

800 M Run

1st Anyhia Duncan Livingston HS 2:35.49

2nd Abigail Wietstruck Northland Chri... 2:35.79

3rd Shivers, Julianne Liberty HS 2:40.33

1600 M Run

1st Abigail Wietstruck Northland Chri... 6:06.42

2nd Shivers, Julianne Liberty HS 6:16.93

3rd Trinity Polk Northland Chri... 6:22.26

3200 M Run

1st Ryleigh Stewart Woodville HS 16:05.22

2nd Ashley Davis Woodville HS 16:10.51

100 M Hurdles

1st Kaaliyah Youngblo... Livingston HS 19.54

2nd Ava Hartsell Livingston HS 20.38

3rd Mia Poncho Livingston HS 20.43

300 M Hurdles

1st J. McDougal Jasper 53.93

2nd Bree Davis Huntington HS 57.56

3rd Quiana Castle Woodville HS 1:00.38

4x100 M Relay

1st Liberty HS 52.15

2nd Livingston HS 52.78

3rd Woodville HS 54.00

4x200 M Relay

1st Woodville HS 1:57.55

2nd Livingston HS 1:57.59

3rd Liberty HS 1:58.13

4x400 M Relay

1st Woodville HS 4:51.91

2nd Livingston HS 5:01.37

3rd Huntington HS 5:11.67

Long Jump

1st Brianna Boddie Tarkington 15’-2"

2nd Brooklynn Baker Tarkington 14’-7 3/4"

3rd Azairiah Harrell Livingston HS 14’-5 1/4"

Shot Put

1st Nattali Vonessen Woodville HS 31’-8"

2nd Kamryn Grammer Woodville HS 29’-10"

3rd Jewell Capps Huntington HS 28’-9"

Discus

1st AALIYAH ROBINS... Jasper 113’-8"

2nd Meredith Langdon Northland Chri... 93’-1"

3rd Paxton Joslin Tarkington 85’-5"

Triple Jump

1st Madeline Wietstruck Northland Chri... 31’-8"

2nd Brittany Lilley Woodville HS 29’-10"

3rd Janyrah Kibble Woodville HS 29’-3"

High Jump

1st Tamara Martin Woodville HS 4’-8"

2nd Anyhia Duncan Livingston HS 4’-6"

3rd Kamryn Grammer Woodville HS 4’-6"

COURTESY PHOTO Woodville Mayor Paula Jones presents long-serving councilman Herbert Branch with a key to the city. Branch was recognized on Monday night for both his coming 90th birthday and his long, faithful service to the city.

WOODVILLE – Woodville Mayor Paula Jones began Monday evening’s regular meeting of the Woodville City Council with a proclamation to acknowledge the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Along with the proclamation, Terry Allen, with the Tyler County Child Welfare Board was on hand with other volunteers from the CWB and spoke about the problem of child abuse as it affects the county.

Allen said there are 31 children from Tyler County in foster care, and added that the pandemic has complicated the data, in her estimation, on how many children have died as a result of abuse or neglect.

Branch honored with key

Under the standing agenda item set aside for reporting community interest news, City Administrator Mandy Risinger announced a special “milestone” birthday approaching for a certain Woodville resident – longtime councilmember Herbert Branch. Branch will turn 90 next month.

Jones presented Branch with a key to the city and a hearty thanks for his service to the city. Branch said he has lived in Woodville for 48 years and was appreciative for the gift. “That is so nice. Thank you very much,” he said.

In other business on the brief agenda for Monday evening, the city approved the procurement of Lufkin firm Goodwin Lasiter Strong for engineering services for an upcoming CDBG program grant application.

The grant cycles every two years, Risinger said, and the city will be applying for a street improvement project. One stipulation is that a grant administrator and engineer must be appointed, and Risinger said the city has utilized the firm’s services for past projects.

A special meeting will take place this week to authorize the submission of the application.

Dogwood Dash Winners Group

WOODVILLE – The 78th installment of the countywide Dogwood Festival was a success and drew large crowds for its third and final weekend, Queen’s Weekend.

Sunnie Wilkinson, of Colmesneil, was crowned as the new Dogwood Queen to top off the festival, and a variety of events took place, with a great deal of family friendly fun to be found in Woodville.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

The Dogwood Dash drew runners from all over the state on Saturday morning, and Jaycie Spann of Idalou, was the overall winner for the female runners with a time of 24:10.9 and Rex McGehee, also of Idalou, won in the male runners’ division, with a time of 19:43.6.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

The overall theme of the festival was “We are Tyler County, a Celebration of the Beginning,” and the 175th anniversary of the county, which occurred on Friday, April 3, was celebrated within the historical play on Saturday night. Additionally, members of the Tyler County Historical Commission served as marshals of Saturday afternoon’s parade, which featured more than 100 entries.

COURTESY PHOTO The Trojans’ season came to an end last Thursday with a 41-28 playoff loss to Woodville.

CROCKETT – Ken Stanley had a hunch that the Coldspring-Oakhurst football team would have its hands full with Woodville last Thursday.

The head coach of the Trojans proved to be right. The Eagles used a balanced offensive attack and took advantage of a handful of Coldspring turnovers as they soared past the Trojans, 41-28, in a Class 3A-Division I bi-district contest at Monte Jack Driskell Stadium in Crockett.

“It was one of those tough nights where once we would get something going, we couldn’t get a stop or something wouldn’t go our way,” Stanley said. “It is what it is. We have to make plays and they made more than we did.”

Coldspring finished the season 8-3. Woodville (8-2) advanced to the area round where it faces Columbus at 7 p.m. Friday at Merrill Green Stadium in Bryan.

Last week’s playoff contest was a role reversal from two years ago albeit with the same end result. In 2018, the Eagles were the champions of District 12-3A-DI and defeated the Trojans, 34-7, in the bi-district round.

Coldspring was the fourth-place team out of 11-3A-DI and operated out of the spread offensively. Woodville ran the double-wing offense in 2018.

This season, the Trojans ran the double-wing and won 9-3A-DI, while the Eagles operate out of the spread and were the No. 4 seed out of 10-3A-DI. However, Woodville was in a three-way tie for second with Anahuac and Buna, but was the No. 4 seed because of a points tiebreaker.

“We knew they were pretty good and we had a pretty good game plan going in, but we didn’t anticipate a three-and-out or fumbling the ball,” Stanley said. “We were doing what we wanted to do, we were running the ball and moving the chains, but when we put the ball on the ground, we had to get in the spread and we were able to get some big plays out of that.”

A three-and-out and a lost fumble on Coldspring’s first two offensive drives led to a pair of Darrius Bean-to-Jaylen Kibble touchdown passes that put the Eagles up 13-0 midway through the first quarter. A second lost fumble on the Trojans’ third drive had Woodville smelling blood and gunning for a bigger lead, but Luke Monroe intercepted a Bean pass in the endzone on the opening play of the second quarter to give Coldspring possession at its own 20-yard line.

The Trojans needed just six plays to get on the scoreboard. Contavious Parker-Harden received a pitch from quarterback Duke Lawniczak, cut to his right and ran through a hole made by the offensive line for a 61-yard touchdown run that cut the Eagles’ lead to 13-7.

But Woodville answered. Bean connected with Jacory Hyder for a touchdown pass and Pop Prejean added the two-point conversion run to increase the Eagles’ lead to 21-7. Coldspring drove to the Woodville 8 as time expired on the first half behind Lawniczak completing passes to Tavaress Chambers and Dante Eldridge.

After blocking a punt on the opening drive of the third quarter, the Trojans set up shop at the Eagles’ 27. Lawniczak connected with Parker-Harden for 18 yards before the senior running back had an 8-yard run to the 1, the drive-capping 1-yard score and the two-point conversion run to trim the Coldspring deficit to 21-15.

The Trojans appeared to have caught a huge break when Bean threw his second interception of the night. But a fumble during the interception return was recovered by Woodville, and the Eagles responded with the first of Prejean’s three touchdown runs to increase their lead to 28-15.

Woodville struck again following a Coldspring interception as Prejean added a second touchdown run to give the Eagles their biggest lead of the night, 35-15, midway through the third quarter. Lawniczak scored on a 27-yard run to trim the Trojans’ deficit to 35-22.

Following a Woodville punt early in the fourth quarter, Lawniczak threw a pass that was deflected twice before being hauled in by Eldridge in the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown that pulled Coldspring within seven, 35-28, with less than nine minutes in the contest. But Prejean took over from there.

The Woodville junior ran the ball 10 times on the 12-play drive, including the drive-capping 7-yard touchdown run. Prejean ran for 138 yards in the second half.

“They kept moving the chains, picking up first downs and scoring,” Stanley said of Woodville. “Tip your hat to them.”

Parker-Harden ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns, while Lawniczak completed six passes for 122 yards and a score, while rushing for a touchdown. Eldridge caught two passes for 54 yards and a touchdown, while Greg Terry ran for 48 yards and caught a 35-yard pass.

“We had 10 seniors and they all played,” Stanley said. “They’re good kids and we’re going to miss them. We hope to get some of them to sign.” 

Eldridge, Lawniczak, Parker-Harden and Terry were four of the 10 seniors who suited up on the gridiron for Coldspring for the last time. The others were Bobby Bishop, Joseph Lemon, Matt Martinez, Caleb Monroe, Reagan Roberts and Trevor Vaughn.

MUGSHOT Dr. Kerry Evans

WOODVILLE – Longtime local physician Dr. Kerry Evans was handed down another charge for sexual abuse of a child. According to Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford, Evans turned himself into the Tyler County Jail on Saturday, May 8 at 7 a.m. that morning.

Evans turned himself in regarding a warrant out of the Tyler County District Court for a first-degree felony charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child. Evans, a 52-year-old Colmesneil resident, is currently out of jail on a pre-set bond amount of $100,000, according to Weatherford.

Evans was first handed down two indictments in July 2019 for continuous sexual abuse of a child and multiple counts of indecency with a child by contact and indecency by exposure, which range from first-degree to third-degree felonies.

According to those indictments, handed down by the District Court, Evans is accused of having sexual contact with two minors, one of whom was younger than 14 and another who was younger than 17 at the time of the alleged abuse took place.

One of the indictments, which consists of eight counts, alleges a series of incidents taking place around May 18, 2012 through May 17, 2014, while the other, three-count indictment, alleges incidents that took place in April, May and June of 2017.

At the time of those charges’ issuance, Evans’ attorney, Ryan W. Gertz, of the Beaumont-based Gertz Law Firm, released a statement concerning his client and the charges, and said Evans submitted to and passed polygraph exams regarding the allegations, and that other forensic analysis indicated “no evidence of deviant sexual behavior.” The attorney alleged that “a nasty, multi-year divorce” was the source of the allegations.

There is no word on a trial date scheduled for Evans at this time.

CHRIS EDWARDS | TCB Woodville High School senior Payton Flannery (left) was presented with the Student Hero citation from the Texas Education Agency. Matt Robinson from TEA (right) presented her with the award. It recognizes students in pre-kindergarten through high school who do outstanding volunteer service. One student from each of the 15 State Board of Education districts is recognized with the award. Flannery started a group at WHS called Eagles for Christ. Flannery is involved in a variety of other clubs and activities, including the WHS Interact chapter and Future Farmers of America.

Wolf when he served as Tyler County Sheriff. PHOTO COURTESY OF KENDALL COLEMAN

WOODVILLE – Former Tyler County Sheriff Jessie Wolf died on Monday at the age of 68. Wolf was a long-time lawman in the county and served one term as sheriff. He died of natural causes.

In a profile of Wolf written by the late scholar and community leader Mayme Canada Brown, and published in the Sept. 25, 2014 edition of the Booster, Wolf was described as a stand-out athlete during his high school days at Warren ISD.

Wolf was, according to Brown’s story, one of the “new generation in the time of total integration,” in 1968, and following his graduation in 1970, he and his twin brother James were scouted by Prairie View A&M University and accepted to the program in 1972.

Wolf was a collegiate star athlete, as well, and was inducted into the university’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. In addition to being a football star, Wolf also earned a collegiate letter in the university’s track and field division.

Following his graduation from college in 1976, he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins. He also played for the Birmingham Americans and the Canadian team the Stamp Platers.

After his semi-pro and professional football career ended, he returned to Tyler County, and worked in law enforcement. He eventually worked his way up to Chief Deputy under the late former Sheriff Gary Hennigan.

Jessie Wolf in the ‘70s as a Prairie View A&M football star. BOOSTER FILE PHOTO

In 2004, when Hennigan retired due to declining health, Wolf became acting sheriff, and was later elected to the position. He took office in 2005 and served one term.

Wolf, according to Brown’s piece, made history as the first Black sheriff in the county’s history. When he retired from his law enforcement career, aside from being a highly respected member of the law enforcement community, he was a shining example, as Brown wrote, of someone who had the courage and willingness to move forward in life.

A public celebration of Wolf’s life is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Eagle Summit on the campus of Woodville High School, which will be prefaced by a public viewing starting at 9 a.m. The services for Wolf are being handled by Kendall Coleman and Coleman’s Family Mortuary of Woodville.

EMILY WOOTEN | EAST TEXAN Fried steak fingers from Happy Days Diner.

“One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock. Five, six, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, rock. Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, rock. We're gonna rock around the clock tonight.”

When I heard that song during my childhood and adolescence I knew it was Tuesday night and time to gather around the TV with my family to watch the beloved sitcom “Happy Days” and see what the Cunninghams were up to. Oh, how we loved that middle-class family from Milwaukee and their idyllic life in the 1950s.

While it’s not Al’s Diner and you won’t find Richie or Fonzie there, you will find some solid good food at Happy Days Diner in Shepherd, Texas. There’s a jukebox in the front corner and the walls are covered with pictures of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Humphrey Bogart, as well as a few classic cars.

The menu is entertaining as all the dishes are song titles from the 50s and 60s.

On a recent trip there, my 13-year-old daughter and I ordered the “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet,” which was hand-breaded homemade steak fingers with cream gravy, a choice of French fries or mashed potatoes, a house salad and a dinner roll. She chose brown gravy for her mashed potatoes while I preferred the cream gravy for mine.

The plate arrived with four beautiful steak fingers that were each the size of the palm of my hand. I kid you not. They were first class. The meat was tender and the crunchy breading was perfect. I’d definitely order it again.

the “Ooo Baby Baby,” which was two center cut pork chops, fried or grilled, with choice of French fries or mashed potatoes, a house salad and a dinner roll. He ordered them grilled and was a little disappointed. While they were seasoned perfectly, he said, they were so thin that they’d dried out during grilling.

EMILY WOOTEN | EAST TEXAN Pork chops from Happy Days Diner.

Our first experience at Happy Days Diner was in August of 2006. I was three and a half months pregnant with our daughter and we’d stopped there for breakfast on the way to Houston for a day of shopping and a movie. I had two scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and hashbrowns with a side order of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and cream gravy. I ate and enjoyed every bite and didn’t think a thing of it. My sweet husband didn’t say a word but just smiled and continued drinking his coffee. Several days later, I accidentally overheard him telling my mother that he’d never given much thought to that whole “eating for two” thing but that he’d certainly witnessed an increase in my appetite as my pregnancy had progressed. We still laugh about that today.

We’ve had something of a family tradition evolve over the years at Happy Days. After we’ve placed our order, to pass the time as we’re waiting on the food to arrive, we each select our favorite picture of Elvis and Marilyn from the selection on the walls. There are plenty from which to choose and it’s not uncommon for our individual faves to change from one visit to the next.

And once you’ve satisfied your appetite at the Happy Days Diner, you may also do a little shopping. There’s a rack with a selection of T-shirts for sale, as well as a large array of hair bows and $1 hair scrunchies. You may also replenish your stash of Scentsy wax bars or Avon Skin So Soft.

Happy Days Diner is located at 6230 US-59 in Shepherd. It’s open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. They don’t deliver but they do offer take-out. The telephone number is 936-628-6515.

Some time back we received a circular in our local newspaper that was a menu for a place called Tammy’s Country Kitchen, east of Woodville. The menu touted the “best burgers in town” and “breakfast all day.”

My husband and I decided to drive over one Saturday and check it out. I’d studied the menu pretty closely and had a fairly good idea of what I was planning to order. On the way over, however, I decided to look it up on my Trip Advisor app and check out the reviews. There were plenty and one after another raved over the burgers.

EMILY WOOTEN | EAST TEXAN Cheeseburger and sweet potatoe fries from Tammy's Country Kitchen..

My curiosity was definitely piqued so I changed my mind about my order once there. I selected a cheeseburger and sweet potato fries and my husband ordered a hamburger and onion rings. Oh. My. Goodness. The reviewers had not overstated. That may have been the best burger I’ve ever had. I’ve wracked my brain trying to determine what it was that made it so good and I still can’t put my finger on it. I do know, however, that there will be more Saturdays in our future in which my husband and I will drive over there for no other reason than to get those burgers again. We enjoyed both the sweet potato fries and onion rings too.

Tammy’s Country Kitchen is located on 233 US Hwy. 190, one mile east of Woodville. Hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. The telephone number is 409-331-9

While they don’t deliver, they do offer curbside pickup.

CHRIS EDWARDS | TCB Willis Motel in Woodville, Texas

WOODVILLE – A motel that is said to be more than 75 years old is the subject of concerns by the city of Woodville.

The Willis Motel, which was the location of a fire in late 2019, is the topic of a hearing set for Monday, April 26. The City Council will meet in the capacity as the city’s Building Standards Commission and give consideration to the condition of the facility and what action(s) should be taken.

The city has compelled the owner to attend the upcoming hearing to “show cause why [the motel] should not be ordered vacated, secured, repaired or demolished.”

The Willis Motel, known to many locals simply as “The Willis,” or “The W,” has long been in operation in Woodville. City Administrator Mandy Risinger said the motel’s owner said at a previous hearing that it was more than 75 years old. A file on the motel from the Better Business Bureau indicates that it has been in operation as the Willis Motel since at least Jan. 1, 1978.

Risinger said that the fire marshal investigated the Willis after the fire and requested that the city’s building inspector come and assess things.

The pandemic hampered the city’s ability to work on cases of dilapidated structures last year, and also, Risinger said, the fire marshal, Chuck Marshall, died last year and there was no documentation that the Willis’s owner had resolved any of the issues.

Risinger said that at a recent hearing, held on March 29, the owner was under the impression that all of the issues had been resolved.

The Jasper fire marshal, whom the city is contracting, re-inspected the property, Risinger said, and found issues to be addressed, which the owner began working on. Additionally, the fire marshal requested the city’s building inspector and health inspector look into the facility.

Risinger said the city has also received a number of complaints from residents of the motel as well as charitable organizations who have used the facility to put people up. She said the owner is compiling a list of livable rooms to present to the Building Standards Commission and has to provide a plan for addressing all of the existing issues and a timeline.

Public records show an LLC, Vaishvi, as owning the Willis Motel. The Secretary of State’s office lists a Dipesh Lad as the principal with Vaishvi.

For the coming hearing, the council is sitting as the Building Standards Commission. Under the city’s by-laws, they can either appoint one or serve as the commission themselves. They will choose how to move forward with the owner and the facility, and can give the owner 30 days to address the issues. If they give him more than 90 days, Risinger said, a detailed timeline is required.

Progress reports on the work will also be required. At present, Risinger said the owner is supposed to be getting estimates on how to bring the problem parts of the property up to code.

Risinger said it stands to reason that the property would need continual maintenance and upgrades over time, and that typically in the motel industry, as well as with most commercial property, major overhauls usually take place.

CHRIS EDWARDS | ETN Woodville businesswoman Tammy Rucks, of Tammy’s Pizza and Party Palace, chats with Christina Cole, of the Angelina College Small Business Development Center, at an open house event in Woodville hosted by the SBDC and the Tyler County Chamber of Commerce.

WOODVILLE – On Thursday evening, the Angelina College Small Business Development Center, in conjunction with the Tyler County Chamber of Commerce, hosted an open house event, at the Nutrition Center in Woodville. The event was a networking opportunity to showcase the variety of services the SBDC has to offer for small businesses, as well as non-profit organizations.

According to Dianne Amerine, director of the center, funding from the CARES Act allowed the SBDC to hire three independent contractors to assist its regular staff and to help conduct events such as Thursday’s open house.

Amerine said the SBDC and the Chamber both agreed the event would be a good method for local businesspeople to network and learn about the services that are available. “We decided this would be a good opportunity to get the word out,” she said.

The consultation services available to businesses are free and confidential and range from creating comprehensive plans to assistance with debt restructuring, financial analysis, as well as marketing. According to a one-sheet provided to attendees of the event, the college’s SBDC, which is under the Texas Gulf Coast Network of Small Business Development Centers, the advisers working to help businesspeople through Angelina College’s center have more than 100 years of practical business experience to assist local entrepreneurs.

“If a business was impacted by COVID, the SBDC can help them,” Amerine said.

Anyone who is interested in seeing what the SBDC can do for them can contact the center by phone at 936-633-5400 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

MUGSHOT: Robert L. Holcomb, Jr. Courtesy of the TYLER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

WOODVILLE – After a long hiatus from jury trials due to the pandemic, Tyler County District Attorney Lucas Babin is back in action.

On Monday, Babin and first assistant DA Pat “Hawk” Hardy successfully brought a conviction for the state in the case of Texas v. Robert Lloyd Holcomb, Jr. District Judge Earl Stover handed Holcomb a sentence of 20 years in state jail on the charge of Possession of Meth with Intent to Deliver.

“I appreciate Judge Stover for his attentiveness to the evidence and his sense of justice,” Babin said.

During the trial, Holcomb took the stand and testified that he was only a meth user and not a dealer. He also attempted to explain why he was carrying digital scales, a loaded short-barrel shotgun, $800 in cash and close to an ounce of meth when he was arrested.

Babin and Hardy’s evidence proved that Holcomb was a dealer, and one witness testified before the jury that he had purchased meth from Holcomb at least 10 times.

After Holcomb was sentenced, Babin said “The message is that selling meth in Tyler County has consequences.”

Babin gave thanks to Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford and his deputies’ efforts in apprehending Holcomb.

“Without their efforts, this offender would still be on the streets endangering our law-abiding citizens,” he said.

Holcomb is one of several convicted methamphetamine traffickers who have been tried in Tyler County and received stiff sentences. Following a full year of jury trials in 2019, Babin and his office have had to take most of this year off from the courtroom due to COVID-19.

“I’m glad to be back in the courtroom,” he said. “In addition to this case, we resolved several dozen other felonies last week and will be resolving more cases next month.”

Babin added that last year between the months of March and September there were hundreds of jury trials performed, statewide, but that number has been “barely 20” this year.

“I’m ready to get our justice system moving again, and I know other DAs across the state feel the same.”

Holcomb will be confined in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility.

LOGO Tyler County Sheriff Office

WOODVILLE – A Jefferson County woman is in the custody of the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office following a police pursuit that began in Dam B and ended in Woodville.

According to Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford, on Monday, at approximately 7:25 a.m., a 911 call came in, reporting a nude woman standing on the side of the road. Deputies with TCSO and EMS headed toward the location, FM 92 North at county road 3715, as the caller had reported. The caller, who was a female passerby, told dispatch that she had stopped to check on the naked female subject, and in the process, a log truck driver had also stopped.

While the deputies were heading to the location, the subject jumped into the driver seat of the vehicle and drove away with the caller’s two grandchildren in the backseat. The woman had reportedly offered the woman, who complained of thirst, a bottle of water, and when she went to open her trunk is when she took off with the car and children.

Weatherford said that two minutes later, the deputies received word that the suspect dropped the children off at the Dam B Jiffy Mart at the intersection of FM 92 and US Highway 190. Weatherford said the two children were returned safely to their grandmother.

The deputies were soon able to locate the stolen vehicle westbound on 190, and traveling at speeds of up to 95 mph.

TCSO deputies and officers with the Woodville Police Department pursued the vehicle throughout the city of Woodville, and the pursuit ended on Wheat Street, right before 8 a.m.

The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Lacie Cole, of Orange, and was taken into custody.

During the pursuit, one eyewitness said the suspect was seen in the Walmart parking lot, where she backed into a patrol unit. Reportedly, she also traveled into opposite lanes of traffic during the chase.

Cole was later evaluated at Tyler County Hospital, and according to Weatherford, the case is under investigation.

COURTESY OF OFFICIAL COUNTY WEBSITE The Tyler County courthouse

WOODVILLE – The Tyler County Commissioners Court approved a resolution in opposition to two pieces of legislation they say would, if passed, “silence county officials.”

The officials adopted several resolutions and proclamations during its regular monthly meeting on Monday morning. The first resolution the officials approved was to voice opposition to Senate Bill 234 and House Bill 749, of which County Judge Jacques Blanchette said “is of a concern to all of us who hold public office.”

The bill in the Senate (by Sen. Bob Hall) and the House bill (by Rep. Mayes Middleton) would prohibit the usage of county funds to support any non-profit organization engaging in legislative communication.

Blanchette said information is going around about the bills, which are among the thousands of pieces of legislation up for examination in the current legislative session, and other counties across the state are voicing similar opposition.

“It is just simply our way of enjoining ourselves to the other counties who are expressing themselves and their voices to the legislature in the opposition to any of our efforts to speak out to the legislature regarding laws they pass that place burdens upon us that are in turn passed on to the taxpayer,” Blanchette said.

The second item under the heading “Resolutions/Proclamations” was to proclaim the month of April as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in Tyler County.

CASA board member Donnie Wayne Gulley spoke to the issue before the officials on Monday morning. Gulley, who was a foster child himself, said he has striven to be an advocate for abused and/or neglected children who are in the foster care system.

Gulley said that through the last year there were 188 confirmed victims of child abuse and/or neglect in the county last year, which he said was “188 confirmed victims too many,” along with 87 total children in the child welfare system.

He outlined the process of the Court Appointed Special Advocates and what they do. “The difference that CASA makes for children who have experience abuse or neglect is definitely life-changing,” he said, and spoke of his own experience and memories of abuse at 18 months old when he was removed from his first home.

“We can stop the cycle of abuse by being a much-needed voice of support,” Gulley said.

Library funding discussed

Pct. 2 Commissioner Stevan Sturrock brought an agenda item up for discussion concerning funds allocated to the Allan Shivers Library in Woodville. Sturrock said that he has researched commissioners court minutes from the 1950s or 60s and could not find anything that specified how county funds to the library were to be applied.

Sturrock wanted to bring the item up so that the court could have, in writing, a way for the facility to use county funds in whatever ways its governing board sees fit.

Blanchette and Pct. 3 Commissioner Mike Marshall are both on the library’s board, and former county employee Kay Timme was recently appointed. “The concept is certainly laudable and has a lot of merit,” Blanchette said of Sturrock’s agenda item. He recommended suspending any action until more information comes from the governing board for the library. He also described its funding structure, which comes from three different entities: Woodville ISD, the City of Woodville and Tyler County, and is supplemented further by grants, fundraisers and donations.

Timme read the deed for the library, which states that if there is a failure to keep the facility going on the part of the three contributing entities, the funding would revert back to a foundation associated with the Shivers family.

Other documents that Timme uncovered spelled out what particulars the county is responsible for funding, which include the staff along with books and professional supplies.

Library board member Josh McClure also spoke on the topic, specifically to the inclusion of the word “may” within Sturrock’s agenda item, as in “Tyler County may support the Allan Shivers Library in the amount agreed upon by the Commissioners’ Court…,” which McClure said could be problematic in the future, with regard to whomever might be elected to serve in the future and their desire to fund or not to fund.

“I do think that wording needs to be visited,” McClure said. “If the policy said ‘may,’ and then one day someone who doesn’t support the library is voted in…and says ‘Hey, we don’t have to do this,’…it would put more of a burden on the county.”

Other Business

During Monday’s meeting, the commissioners also approved the following items:

• A proclamation recognizing March as Red Cross Awareness Month in Tyler County

• A resolution for an indigent defense grant program

• A proclamation to proclaim March 1 through April 3 as “It’s Dogwood Time in Tyler County”

• Billie Read and Walter McAlpin were re-appointed to the Tyler County Hospital Board of Managers to begin serving new two-year terms.

• The starting of procurement services for engineering and administrative services for the fiscal year 2021-22 TDA CDBG grant cycle, along with the appointment of a rating committee were both approved.

TONY FARKAS | TCNS Trinity’s Jakai Miller-Gates (No. 13) goes up for two of his 18 points during a Dec. 4 match with Woodville. The Tigers won the game 62-59.

TRINITY — Practice made for almost perfect as the Trinity Tigers downed the Woodville Eagles 62-59 on Friday.

Head Coach Jacoby Mitchell credited gym time for the improvement over their opening game.

“I felt like we been in the gym a lot more, and they were realizing what is a good shot and a great shot, and had less problems with turnovers,” Mitchell said.

Top scorers in the match include Terius Maxie, who posted 20 points as well as banking the double-double, pulling down 12 rebounds; Jakai Miller-Gates with 18 points; and Trey Goodman with 13 points.

Trinity VS. Woodvillle Video

Boys Basketball

Trinity

Dec. 1 vs. Grapeland, 66-56 loss.

Nov. 23 vs. Huntington, 51-44 loss.

Groveton

Nov. 24 vs. Corrigan-Camden, 34-30 win.

Apple Springs

Dec. 4 vs. Richards, 54-40 loss.

Dec. 1 vs. Zavala, 54-21 loss.

Nov. 23 vs. Brookeland, 55-27 loss.

Centerville

No scores reported

Girls Basketball

Trinity

Dec. 5 vs. Centerville, 53-31 loss.

Dec. 4 vs. Corrigan-Camden, 56-22 win.

Nov. 23 vs. Livingston, 49-32 win.

Groveton

Dec. 4 vs. Caney Creek, 35-32 win

Apple Springs

Dec. 1 vs. Zavala, 46-33 loss.

Nov. 23 vs. Brookeland, 25-22 loss.

Centerville

No scores reported.

JASON CHLAPEK | PCPC Spurger Pirates Colton Fredieu and Luis Jimenez cross the finish line.

HUNTSVILLE – Tyler County was well-represented at the UIL Region 3 Cross-Country Regional Meet.

The meet, for the 2A through 6A conference schools, was held Nov. 9-10 in Huntsville at Sam Houston State University, and found teams from Spurger; Colmesneil; Warren and Woodville competing in the 2A and 3A events, respectively.

For the Spurger Pirates, the boys placed in eighth, overall, with 223 points.

In the girls’ two-mile run, Katy Curry came in 55th place with a time of 15:36.60 and Jillian Leasman placed at 111th with a time of 18:34.50.

The boys had six runners compete in the three-mile run. Jose Jimenez placed at 24th with a time of 19:26.80. Luis Molina Jimenez came in 53rd place, with a time of 20:26.70, and Colton Fredieu came in right behind at 54th with the same time. Nicholas Wilson got a 65th place finish with a time of 21:12.20; Bryce Oseguera got the 100th place finish with 25:01.80 and Coby Anthony got the 104th place with 25:32.90 on the clock.

The Colmesneil Bulldogs’ cross-country runners put a team of six girls in the two-mile run and Treston Horton running in the boys’ three-mile event. Horton placed 66th with a time of 21:20.20.

For the girls, Katherine Vargas-Martine placed 18th, with 14:39.40; Alyssa Mabry came in 37th with 15:04.70; Bernice Pittman placed 87th with 16:47.30. Erin Frazier got 97th place with a 17:05.20; Karen Vargas-Martinez got 113th with 18:41.20 and Katelyne Guerrero placed 115th with a time of 18:48.

The Warren Warriors cross-country boys had a team consisting of Jerrod Yeagin (#42, 18:21.70); Eli Carrell (#105, 20:46.40); Arturo Bustamante (#118, 21:26.50); Jonathan Lee (#126, 22:02.80); Jerry Don Brinkley (#133, 23:01.30); Juan Lianes (#137, 23:45.90) and Corley Dilbeck (#138, 24:03.70.) They placed 15th in the three-mile event with a total of 378 points.

Abby Carroll from Warren also ran in the 3A girls’ two-mile run and finished 24th with a time of 13:57.70.

The Woodville Eagles were represented in the 3A girls’ two-mile run with a ninth-place finish for a team of seven Lady Eagle runners.

Here are the results for Woodville individual runners at the meet: Kristina Nash (#60, 14:55.50); Brittany Lilley (#63, 15:00.30); Raegan Frantz (#71, 15:23.30); Ryleigh Stewart (#85, 15:23.30); Aubrianna Torres (#96, 15:50.40); Ashley Davis (#118, 16:35.30) and Kenadi Frauenberger (#129, 17:28.20.) The Lady Eagle runners accumulated a combined 258 points.