BIG GUNS IN ANTIOCH APRIL 23, 2015 by Eddie Trapp
1380 BIG GUNS IN ANTIOCH APRIL 23, 2015
As suspected, the recent articles about Bonnie and Clyde brought in a few emails about their sightings as they sped along back roads. One was particularly interesting and thanks to Phillip Noble for allowing me to use it. “My name is Phillip Noble and my family is from Delta County. Mark Deatherage is my distant cousin and still lives in Delta County. I visit every summer for a fish fry in Pecan Gap that Mark puts together. Another distant cousin is Weldon Briscoe that once lived in Pecan Gap. I currently live in Golden, Colorado and receive the Cooper Review in the mail, usually about a week late. I am a regular reader of your column and always enjoy the stories. My mother, Verna Charlene Briscoe Noble, was born in or around Antioch. As a young child she had an encounter with Bonnie and Clyde near her home. Her story has been passed down through the family and was even printed in the Dallas Morning News in 1999.”
Here is Phillip’s mother’s story. “The encounter occurred between Pecan Gap and Cooper when I was about ten years old. I’d been down the road hoeing weeds off the ditch bank. It was noon and I was going home for lunch. I was alone and right at the Y in the road. I came up out of the ditch and started walking home. I looked up and a roll of dust was coming over the hill from Pecan Gap. It looked like a tornado coming down that road and my eyes were big. I knew that somebody was really in a hurry. They zoomed right up to me and stopped. And it was Bonnie and Clyde but I didn’t know it at the time. Back then we weren’t afraid of anybody. Everybody was nice. Well, except for Bonnie and Clyde I guess. The car looked like a limo and we usually didn’t see anything except Model T Fords. The man driving said ‘Hello honey. Can you tell me which of these roads will take us to Commerce?’ I walked up to the car, put my arms on the door, and told him which way to go. As I leaned on the door I looked in the back seat and saw a lot of guns. The man thanked me and drove away as fast as he had come. I went home and told Mama about all the guns, big guns. She said not to worry, they were gone now.
Later that evening we had our little radio on. The news man said Bonnie and Clyde had been seen in Bonham, Ladonia, and Pecan Gap. The sheriff had chased them and lost them. I realized then it was Bonnie and Clyde I had talked to. The news man said they had got through Commerce and went on to parts unknown. I was afraid I would get in trouble for helping them get away. I knew they were awfully young. They were neat and clean and she was sitting over close to him. It wasn’t too long after that they were killed.”
Phillip commented on a coincidence that happened at the grave site when his mother was buried in 2011. “Mom passed away on May 2, 2011 and was buried next to my father in Crown Hill Memorial Cemetery just north of Love Field in Dallas. After the service many of our family and friends were telling stories near her grave. The Bonnie and Clyde story was mentioned and the funeral director heard it. He said he wanted to show us something and led us over to where Bonnie was buried. My mother and Bonnie Parker are buried not more than 30-40 yards apart. “
Philip wound up the email with a few more tidbits: “As earlier mentioned I have a lot of relatives in Delta County and quite a few are buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. Some of their names are Noble, Briscoe, Wright, Turbeville, Davis, and Deatherage. There are still some of the remains of the house my great, great grandfather, Joshua H. Noble, built on the corner of CR 4135 and CR 4136. I have one of the bois d’arc stumps from the foundation and it is harder than any rock you can find. Last but not least, you previously mentioned Billy Poteet in your article. He was my P.E. teacher at Maple Lawn Elementary in Dallas many, many years ago. Take care, and maybe we will meet some day when I am passing through. Phillip Noble.” Thanks, Phillip for that historical and interesting information.
Fishermen are really happy about Cooper Lake being only about two feet low. Most people are catching quite a few fish each trip. I talked to Bobby at Johns Creek Lodge last week and he was also excited about the lake. Said this last weekend was the first time every room of his motel was filled with fishermen in two years. Son in law, Jason Barnett, Junior Larkin, and I fished two days and caught several catfish. Friday, Ronny Glossup, Junior Larkin, and I were pleasantly surprised to find Thursday night’s two inch rain around Commerce had South Sulphur running strong. We moved to the running water and caught well over a hundred pounds of blue catfish. Used shad for bait.
The sheriff of a small Louisiana town got a call about a huge alligator in a nearby lake. People were worried a kid or pet might get killed. The sheriff got his deputy to go along and they crawled up to some bushes growing close to the bank. As they peeped out over the lake there lay a very large alligator right in front of them just a few feet away. The alligator was looking right at them. The sheriff told his deputy to just stay calm; the alligator is just as scared of you as you are of it. The deputy said, “If that’s the case, the water in this lake ain’t fit to drink.”
Ronny Glossup and Eddie Trapp with over a hundred pounds of blue catfish at the Doctors Creek fish cleaning table. Junior Larkin was also on the outing and took this picture.
Cooper mourns passing of legendary milkshake maker Mabel Wheat
Mabel Wheat, photo credit Cindy Roller
Don’t cry over spilled milk. Legendary milkshake maker Mabel Wheat would not want tears from her fan club. The 93-year old passed away in Cooper on Wednesday, April 22 in Birchwood Nursing and Rehabilitation.
Mabel Wheat spent over 60 years behind the vintage counter as a milkshake maker for Miller’s Ole Soda Fountain on the corner of the Square in Cooper, Texas dishing out life advice and cheering for the Texas Rangers along with her famous “Purple Cows and Redhots.”
A graveside service will be held at the Oaklawn Cemetery in Cooper on Saturday, April 25 at 2 p.m. The service will be under the direction of Delta Funeral Home with the Reverend Johnny Witherspoon officiating. Friends and family visitation will be at the funeral home on Friday, April 24 from 6-8 p.m.
The soda fountain with Mabel Wheat has been a landmark in the community for visitors and residents alike since Aug. 16, 1951. While she was not related to the Miller family, she was member in spirit.
In 2010 after countless years as a Rangers fan, Wheat received the treat of her lifetime as a limousine pulled into her driveway ready to escort her, her family and her boss to the Rangers game at the Ball Park in Arlington. There they were provided with a suite, interviewed on live television and she even hugged the Rangers owner.
This truly marks the end of an era as the lights have gone dim in the soda fountain, and it no longer operates on a regular basis.
The Delta County native was born south of Cooper in a small community called Granny’s Neck on September 28, 1921, and she is the daughter of Charles Talley and Lennie Williams Talley.
She married Sammie Wheat in 1938 in Hugo, Oklahoma. They lived most of their lives in Cooper and Klondike until his death in April 1999.
Survivors include son, Jerrell Wheat of Cooper; son, Hershal Wheat and wife Bennie of Tyler; along with family, friends and neighbors.
The family request memorials to be made to the Delta County Public Library.
Anyone who knew her, knew her pride and joy were her two sons – Jerrell and Hershal.
Mabel – Mothers Always Bring Extra Love.
The original article can be found here. This article re-posted at the request of KETR.
Saltillo FCCLA Students Place at State Meet
Saltillo FCCLA students competed and placed at the State FCCLA meeting in Corpus Christi, Texas April 9-11th. Thirteen students won Gold medals – Melissa Groenewold, Ana Gallegos, Brianna Harvick, Rainie English, Kaili Carr, BreAnna Reynolds, Kendall Hayley, Katy Perea, Paula Boekhorst, Mackenzie Johnson, Brenda Castro, Selena Hernandez & Clarissa Gamez; while five silver medals were won by Monika Wartenbee, Caitlin Shelby, Michael Simmons, Dakota Carroll & Madison Simmons. Bronze medal winners were James Stretcher & Destiny Welch.
Saltillo Academic UIL Sends 10 to Regionals
Saltillo Academic UIL Students qualified for Regional competition following the recent District Academic UIL meet at Northeast Texas Community College.
They will travel Saturday, April 25th to the Regional Academic meet in Stephenville. Those competing include: Katy Perea in Accounting and Number Sense; Jordan Lane, Walter Tippit, & James Stretcher in Current Events; Carlos Marquez in Current Events & Persuasive Speaking; Brenda Castro in Feature Writing; Marc Boekhorst, Oscar Garcia, Adam Valenzuela in Number Sense; and Rainie English in Persuasive Speaking.
Saltillo Academic UIL students competed in at NTCC for District UIL: Kneeling L to R: Malori Hogue, Russell Edwards, Katy Perea, Clarissa Gamez & Brenda Castro; 2nd Row L to R: BreAnna Reynolds, Selena Hernandez, Caitlin Shelby, Carlos Marquez, Ana Gallegos, Destiny Welch, Rainie English, Monika Wartenbee, & Kaili Carr; Back Row L to R: Trevor Moore, Cade Daniel, Edward Jaime, Oscar Garcia, James Stretcher, Jordan Lane, Ryon Williams, Paula Boekhorst, Marc Boekhorst, Haylee Clover & Kendall Hayley
Lawmakers Push for Consumer Access to Raw Milk
by Eva Hershaw, The Texas Tribune – April 21, 2015
A lawmaker’s push to increase Texans’ access to raw milk stirred controversy on Tuesday, as dairy farmers, doctors and consumer advocates gathered at the Capitol to debate the merits of unpasteurized milk.
House Bill 91 by state Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Canton, would allow licensed farmers to sell raw milk at farmers’ markers and through direct delivery to consumers. The proposed legislation would not allow the sale of raw milk in supermarkets. While raw milk is currently legal in Texas, it can only be sold at farms.
Local farm advocates and Republican lawmakers have teamed up to push for raw milk, underscoring the health benefits of unprocessed dairy products while lobbying for increased market access for small dairy farms across the state. Opponents of the bill, including pediatricians, worry that deregulating unpasteurized milk in Texas could set a dangerous precedent and lead to more foodborne illnesses.
“Any opposition to this bill is based upon general fears that have no basis in fact,” said Flynn, speaking to the House Committee on Public Health. The bill would remove unnecessary economic barriers for farmers operating across state, he said, adding that this was particularly important for his constituents in Hopkins County, which has officially been declared the the dairy capital of Texas.
Currently, the sale of raw or unpasteurized milk is legal in at least 30 states, including Texas, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The organization has joined other medical associations and the Food and Drug Association in calling for a ban on the sale of raw or unpasteurized milk products.
“Any food carries a risk,” said Judith McGeary, executive director of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, a national group that advocates for independent farmers. “We estimate that about three-quarters of a million Texans consume raw milk from farmers, and we value the safety in that relationship.”
The bill would simply allow farmers to come to consumers, she added, rather than the other way around.
But for many testifying before the committee, these benefits do not outweigh what they believe to be well-documented health risks.
“Pasteurization is one of the most effective public health practices put into place in the United States,” said Lisa Swanson, a pediatrician from Mesquite, speaking on behalf of the Texas Pediatric Society. “The more raw milk you sell, given that it has a higher bacterial content, you will inevitably see more foodborne illness as a result.”
Swanson pointed to the recent decision by Blue Bell Creameries to recall all of its products after it discovered contamination by listeria, a bacteria that can be found in soil, water and raw milk. Health officials have reported three people dead and another five people who have fallen ill as a result of the contamination.
While Blue Bell Creameries was not selling raw milk or unprocessed dairy products, many people testifying before the committee pointed to the contamination as evidence that food systems remain vulnerable.
“Blue Bell makes the point,” said Swanson. “That is a well-run dairy, with all the safety measures in place, and they still had an outbreak. We can recall products, but we can’t bring back the people that died as a result of this contamination.”
An identical bill introduced by Flynn last session never made it to the House floor for a vote. On Tuesday, House Bill 91 was left pending.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/21/lawmakers-push-consumer-access-raw-milk/.
Burglary Averted by Arrest
A 19-year old Sulphur Springs man was arrested for breaking into a home with the intent to burglarize the residence on Tuesday. The Sulphur Springs Police Department received a report of a suspicious person entering a home in the 200 block of Craig Street just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. When the first officer arrived on the scene, he noticed back doors at the home were closed.
When other officers arrived, they saw that one door had been opened. A man was found hiding behind a storage building in the back yard. The man confessed to entering the home with the intent to steal things.
Jesus Castro was charged with burglary of a habitation before Justice of the Peace B.J. Teer who set bond at $50,000.
Changes to End of Year Schedule for SSISD
According to Rusty Hardin, Director of Human Resources and Communication for Sulphur Springs IDS, Sulphur Springs schools’ will be using Thursday June 4th as their second bad weather day for this school year. This will make June 4th the last day of school for students. Students will be released at 12:50 pm on that day. Friday, June 5th will be a teacher workday.
TEA has also approved a waiver for the 3rd bad weather day. Sulphur Springs schools’ will not have to do a 3rd make up day.
Winter weather caused local schools to close more often than usual this school year. The make-up days are set to enable schools to comply with the number of school days mandated by the Texas Legislature.
Kid’s Fish Derby Set for Cooper Lake
Children from 5 to 13 years of age are invited to participate in the Kid’s Fish Derby to be held at Cooper Lake State Park/South Sulphur Unit. Come join Cooper Lake State Park Rangers and sponsors; Tin Top Bait and Tackle, Farmer’s Electric Co-operative, Wal Mart, Sulphur Springs Kiwanis Club, Sulphur Springs Fix and Feed, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for this special event.
Don’t know how to fish? Don’t have a fishing pole? Don’t let that stop you from comin’! This is all about learning how to fish. You can bring your own bait and tackle or we will have a limited amount of tackle and bait available. Plenty of volunteers will be around to help the kids learn how to tie on a hook, learn how to cast, and how to handle a fish. The kids can use single hooks, treble hooks, or lures.
Added this year will be several activity tables that will include knot tying, casting and a backyard bass game. The Kiwanis Club of Sulphur Springs will be on hand to cook hotdogs following the event.
The event will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2015, from 9:30a.m. to 11:30a.m. at the Park Fishing Pond. Registration will begin at 8:30a.m. at the park headquarters. Fishing will begin at 9:30. The Grand Prize will be a two night stay for the winner and their family in one of the park’s Premium shelters and free entry into the park for those two days for up to 8 people. There will also be prizes for the three heaviest stringers of 5 fish. All fish caught will be weighed, recorded and the fish may be released or kept. Each child will be allowed to take up to 10 fish with them no matter the size. The place and prizes for the stringers and drawing for the Grand Prize and will be at 11:45. All of the rules will be posted at the registration table. You must be present to win. There will be a $5.00 park entry fee for adults.
Come get hooked on fishing! LIFE IS BETTER OUTSIDE!
For more information or questions contact Cooper Lake State Park at (903) 945-5256.
Dairy Management Protects the Environment by Mario Villarino
Recent precipitation has got me concerned about the excessive water going into places it should not be. Ponds and lagoons have the tendency to overfill and excess water can take a toll in ditches and retention walls. Our large dairy operations have strict regulations to respond to rainy days just as the ones we had before. According to Texas A&M Extension publications, dairies, swine operations, beef cattle feedlots, and poultry houses generate substantial amounts of manure. This by-product is an excellent source of nutrients that can be used to feed plants. The manure also adds organic matter to soil that improves its nutrient retention, water-holding capacity, infiltration, and porosity. When properly managed, manure can be a valuable resource. Research demonstrates that advanced manure application techniques that incorporate manure into the soil are superior to traditional surface application in terms of retaining nitrogen and reducing negative environmental impacts. These advanced methods vary in their ability to reduce nitrogen loss from ammonia volatilization, nitrate runoff and leaching, and nitrous oxide emissions. Therefore, farmers must consider cost, nutrient efficiency, and environmental risks when choosing an application method. Understanding the nitrogen cycle and environmental impacts is essential to choosing application techniques that are most compatible with specific manure characteristics, land use and cropping regimes, and farm management practices. Animals convert a portion of feed nitrogen into milk and meat protein; the remainder is excreted in urine and feces as organic and inorganic nitrogen. This manure is treated/stored, then applied to crop or forage land, where the nitrogen (as urea and organic nitrogen compounds) undergoes various chemical transformations. Manure application: Nitrogen is excreted in livestock and poultry urine as urea (in mammals) or uric acid (in birds), and as urea, ammonia, and organic nitrogen (proteins, organic acids, and amino acids) in feces. Urea hydrolysis: Hydrolysis of urea by urease (produced by microorganisms in feces and soil) converts urea into ammonia, ammonium, and carbon dioxide gas. Soil pH greater than seven favors ammonia volatilization and enhances this process. Ammonia volatilization: This process is the conversion of liquid ammonium into ammonia gas that is lost to the atmosphere. High soil pH and temperature favor ammonium to ammonia conversion. Losses are greatest when this conversion occurs at the soil surface when manure is spread and not incorporated into the soil immediately. Nitrification: Ammonium has a positive charge that binds it to negatively charged clay particles that can be taken up by plant roots. Under aerobic conditions (oxygen present) nitrifying bacteria in the soil converts ammonium to nitrite and then to nitrate in a few days or weeks. In process, nitrous oxide and nitric oxide gases are lost to the atmosphere. Nitrate is highly soluble and plants take it up more rapidly than ammonium–ammonium is bound to clay particles in the soil where roots must reach it. Denitrification: The process by which soil bacteria convert nitrate and nitrite into gaseous nitrous oxide and nitric oxide, and eventually to nitrogen gas, which are lost to the atmosphere. This process occurs under anaerobic conditions (e.g., oxygen-poor soils due to water logging).
Leaching: Nitrate is leached mainly during rainy seasons and fallow periods, when percolating rainfall washes it from the plant root zone. Immobilization: This process occurs when soil organisms take up nitrate and ammonium and temporarily lock up the nitrogen. When these organisms die, the organic nitrogen in their cells is mineralized into ammonium, which is again available to plants. Mineralization: This process is the reverse of immobilization. Microbes in the soil convert organic nitrogen from manure and organic matter to ammonium. The rate of mineralization increases with soil temperature, moisture, and oxygen. Applying large quantities of manure without a proper nutrient management plan can damage soil, water, and air quality. Ammonia, nitrate, and nitrous oxide are the nitrogen compounds that pose the greatest concern for human health and the environment. Nitrous oxide and methane, which emit from stored manure, are potent greenhouse gases. Advanced manure application techniques vary in how well they minimize ammonia volatilization, increase crop nitrogen uptake, improve forage and crop quality, and reduce emission of nitrous oxide. These measures differ according to manure consistency and nutrient loading, application rate, timing of application, weather conditions, land cover and topography, soil structure and moisture content. All of these manure application techniques, particularly for slurry manure, reduce ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions compared to conventional surface application methods. For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact me at [email protected] or call the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443.
Bad Night in Hallsville
Bad night for the Wildcats and Lady Cats in Hallsville Tuesday as both teams lost to the number one team in district.
Wildcats lost 3-0. Hallsville’s number one starting pitcher added another notch in the win column. Wildcats are in second place with two games left in district.
Lady Cats lost 6-1 to Hallsville who are 13-0 on the district season. The Lady Cats had 3 hits and 4 errors during the game. Kassey Moore had two hits for the locals. The Lady Cats are second place and qualified for play-offs. The Lady Cats travel to Greenville Wednesday for a make-up game. The game will be played at 1:30 p.m. Soggy field conditions have forced the Lady Cats to spend much of this season on-the-road.
