Polk County News - Breakout

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The Polk County Historical Commission was well-represented at the Dunbar Alumni Association of Livingston’s scholarship/reunion banquet April 22. Members of the historical commission in attendance included (l-r) Mona Rae Marsh, Kathryn Richardson, Laverne Taylor, Nita Battise, Patricia Snook, Kathy Lott, Otto Lyons, Emily Banks Wooten, Polk County Museum Curator Betsy Deiterman, Bobby Lowe and Annette Lowe. Courtesy photo

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Camille Summer Johnson, a member of the deer clan of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, was crowned second runner-up and won best public speaker in the 2023 Miss Indian World Pageant Sunday, held in conjunction with the Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, N.M. The Miss Indian World Pageant is the largest and most prestigious cultural pageant for young native women who compete in various categories including public speaking, personal interview, talent and dancing. Miss Indian World serves as a cultural goodwill ambassador to all those across Indian Country. Camille is the daughter of Retha Johnson and the granddaughter of the late Principal Chief Mikko Skalaaba Herbert Johnson and the late Deloris Sylestine Johnson. She is currently pursuing a masters of public health degree from Baylor University, while working full time for the tribe as director of public health for the Chief Kina Health Clinic.
Photo by Victoria Johnson/Skye Breese Photography

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Following are the unofficial results of the May 6, 2023 General Election. An “I” denotes the incumbent. An asterisk denotes the winner.

City of Livingston (3 at large positions)

Clarke Evans (I) 99

*Elgin Davis (I) 115

*Dr. Ray Luna (I) 101

*Bobby Jackson Sr. 119

City of Onalaska (3 at large positions)

*Zachary Davies (I) 109

*Shirley Gilmore (I) 110

J.R. Chance (I) 78

*Ronald Gilbert 95

Corrigan-Camden ISD (Positions 1, 2 and 3)

Position 1: Peter Burks (I) 245

*Misty Woodard 265

Position 2: Thomas Roberts (I) 163

Carmen Martinez 26

*Elisha Bell 331

Position 3: Lawrence Jolly Jr. (I) 163

*Tracy Cobb 319

Krystal Currie 38

Onalaska ISD (Positions 4 and 7)

Position 4: *Jake Ard 140

Bubba Cleveland 119

Position 7: *Candice Davies (I) 233

Chester ISD (bond election)

*For: 159

Against: 137

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By Emily Banks Wooten
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The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday for voters in the cities of Livingston and Onalaska, and the Corrigan-Camden, Onalaska and Chester Independent School Districts. Early voting for the general elections began April 24 and ended Tuesday.

The City of Livingston has three aldermen up for reelection – Clarke Evans, Elgin Davis and Dr. Ray Luna. All three incumbents filed and a fourth person, Bobby Jackson Sr., also filed. Voting will be held at the Livingston City Hall located at 200 W. Church St. in Livingston from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, 63 ballots had been cast early.

The City of Onalaska has three at-large positions on the ballot, those presently held by Zachary Davies, Shirley Gilmore and J.R. Chance. All three incumbents filed and a fourth person, Ronald Gilbert, also filed. Voting will be held at the Onalaska City Hall located at 372 S. FM 356 Ste. 102 in Onalaska from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Positions 1, 2 and 3 will be on the ballot in the Corrigan-Camden Independent School District. Position 1 Incumbent Peter Burks filed for reelection and drew one challenger, Misty Woodard. Position 2 Incumbent Thomas Roberts filed for reelection and drew two challengers, Carmen Martinez and Elisha Bell. Position 3 Incumbent Lawrence Jolly Jr. filed for reelection and drew two challengers, Tracy Cobb and Krystal Currie. Voting will be held at the Sechrest Webster Community Building located at 101 W. Front St. in Corrigan from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, 329 ballots had been cast early.

Positions 4 and 7, presently held by Johnny Byrd and Candice Davies, will be on the ballot in the Onalaska Independent School District. Although Byrd did not file for reelection, Jake Ard and Bubba Cleveland filed for Position 4. Davies filed for reelection to Position 7 and drew no challengers. Voting will be held at the Onalaska City Hall located at 372 S. FM 356 Ste. 102 in Onalaska from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Chester Independent School District is holding a bond election in which voters will vote “for” or “against” the issuance of $5,315,000 school building bonds for the construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, renovation, expansion and equipment of school buildings in the district, and levying and imposition of taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and the costs of any credit agreements.

The proposed projects to be funded by passage of the bond include: a new junior/senior high school consisting of eight to 10 classrooms plus a science lab, restrooms, teacher workroom, teacher restroom and front office; demolition of the junior high classrooms, high school building and weight r; a new entry and restrooms for the competition gym; fume ventilation for the ag shop; and cafeteria kitchen repairs. Voting will be held at the Chester ISD Administration Building located at 273 Yellowjacket Dr. in Chester from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, 150 ballots had been cast early.