Tyler County News

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Mutton Bustin’ is always a popular and fun event at the annual Western Weekend Lions Club Rodeo. Booster file photo by Jim Powers

By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – Now that the annual Dogwood Festival is in week two, that can only mean one thing: Western Weekend is among us.

Tyler Countians and visitors, alike, will be able to enjoy two evenings of rodeo, sponsored by the Woodville Lions Club, along with plenty of other events, running Friday, March 24 through Saturday, March 25.

Friday and Saturday will both play host to the rodeo out at the 4-H/FFA arena, located west of Woodville on highway 190.

The rodeo, which is being produced by Branded for Christ Rodeo Productions, is a CPRA-sanctioned event, and will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Events at the rodeo include bull riding, mini bareback riding, calf roping, barrel racing and team roping. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children. The rodeo also includes a favorite event for the little ones: Mutton Bustin’. Kids aged 7 and under (and 60 lbs. and under) can sign up and pay to compete. Each ride is $25 and sign-ups will be held before each rodeo performance.

Sign-ups at the gate are from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The roots of the Western Weekend date back to 1958, when 75 horseback riders joined the Dogwood Festival parade, starting from the Dickens County Line Store. That tradition continued for 10 years, and due to the increasing numbers of horseback riders, the trail bosses requested a parade of their own.

As a consequence, according to the Dogwood Festival Publicity Committee, the first Tyler County Dogwood Festival Western Weekend was held on March 23, 1968. 

In addition to the Western Day Parade, activities included a special show at the 4-H/FFA arena with performances by riding clubs and drill teams. A Western Teenage Dance and Western Adult Dance were also held that evening. 

A big part of the Western Weekend activities are trailrides, according to the festival’s directors, which are kept up in an effort to preserve the heritage of the East Texas cowboy and to enjoy the natural beauty afforded by the region.

Next week, the Booster is releasing a special, tabloid-sized commemorative section for this year’s Dogwood Festival. It will be inserted in each issue of the newspaper, and also available at the Booster office during the Queen’s Weekend parade for anyone who might want one as a keepsake.

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By Chris Edwards
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MirandaWOODVILLE – A man who was seen carrying an axe while walking along a county road was arrested, according to Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford.

The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 5. Deputies were on a routine patrol when they were dispatched to CR 1040, south of Woodville, in reference to a suspicious male subject who was walking in the roadway and carrying an axe, reportedly.

The subject, Jose Luis Miranda, a 30-year-old Woodville man, was found to have two active arrest warrants, both for criminal mischief charges, issued by Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Ken Jobe.

When the deputies searched Miranda’s person, they discovered a clear plastic baggie with a crystalline substance, which field-tested positive for methamphetamine.

Miranda was taken into custody and transported to the Tyler County Jail. He remains in custody, charged with possession of a controlled substance (for greater than one gram, less than four grams) and the two previous charges that resulted in warrants.

Miranda’s bond was set at $10,000 by Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Trisher Ford.

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From Staff Reports

TYLER COUNTY – A serious crash involving a log truck and a pickup truck between Spurger and Hillister resulted in injuries for one driver.

According to a report from Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Shana Clark, the wreck occurred at about 8:30 a.m. on the morning of Friday, March 3 on FM 1013 at CR 4357. According to reports, the log truck, which was loaded with logs and the pickup truck ended up in a ditch.

Clark said that the driver of the log truck, David Hatton, 72, of Hillister, crossed into the opposing lane and attempted to make a wide right turn from the highway onto the county road, which resulted in the truck, a 2007 Ford, driven by 63-year-old Terry Blankenship of Spurger, hitting the log truck.

Blankenship was transported by ambulance to Jasper Memorial Hospital and Hatton was cited for making an unsafe turn.

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From Staff Reports

“Communities are at their best when there are people helping people,” said American Red Cross volunteer David Guth. “Throughout the year the Red Cross provides people an opportunity to make a differ-ence- whether that be in responding to a disaster, donating blood or providing a financial donation- we can make a difference in our local communities by being a part.”

This March, the Texas Gulf Coast Region is honoring those who make its mission possible during the 80th annual American Red Cross Month celebration — a national tradition that began in 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first Red Cross Month proclamation. Across the Texas Gulf Coast Region local officials have declared March as Red Cross Month, where we will recognize community heroes.

“When help can’t wait during emergencies, people in the Texas Gulf Coast Region rally together to pro-vide relief and hope for neighbors in need,” said Charles K. Blake, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Texas Gulf Coast Region. “This humanitarian spirit is at the heart of our community, and we are proud to honor all those who make our mission possible during this year’s Red Cross Month celebration. You can join in their commitment by donating, volunteering, giving blood, or taking a lifesaving skills course.”

Participate in Red Cross Month by visiting redcross.org/texas to make a financial donation, give blood, become a volunteer, or take a class in lifesaving skills, such as first aid, CPR and how to use an AED. On March 22, you can also join our annual Red Cross Giving Day campaign by donating at red-cross.org/givingday to help provide shelter, food, relief items, emotional support and other assistance for people affected by disasters big and small.

Today’s Red Cross volunteers and supporters are advancing the lifesaving legacy of Clara Barton, one of the most honored women in U.S. history, who founded the American Red Cross more than 140 years ago. Her vision to prevent and alleviate human suffering has never wavered. Generation after generation, people have come together to adapt this timeless mission for their communities’ most urgent needs.

Since, July 1, 2022, the Texas Gulf Coast region of the American Red Cross:

Responded to over 1,000 disasters across the region: more than 600 of them being home fire disasters.

We have also helped over 2,000 families with Red Cross emergency assistance through disasters.