Etcetera Summer 2022
Kilgore’s people, places — and the rest
COVER STORY
Heart of the City
Mayor Ronnie Spradlin works to better Kilgore
IN VINO FELICITAS Britt Davis turns old Elder School building into wine destination
FIELD NOTES Texas A&M Agrilife’s Overton Research Center delves into the science of agriculture
Spring Time We are Ready Are You?
Skilled Nursing Facility & Rehabilitation 2700 S. Henderson Blvd. | Kilgore, Texas 75662
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FROM THE EDITOR
The wonderful thing is, Kilgore has something for everyone BY MEREDITH SHAMBURGER
mshamburger@kilgorenewsherald.com
W
hen they say Kilgore has everything, they mean everything – and you just have to
look at this issue of Etcetera to see it.
Everyone knows Mayor Ronnie Spradlin. Show up to any event, call out his name, and he’ll answer. He seems to be everywhere. And in his role as mayor, Spradlin has seen a lot of changes happen, from the city diversifying its economy away from oil and gas to the city’s residents deciding to build a new high school campus. Spradlin has felt that call to serve his city since he was young. Even now, he’s still looking to the future and how the city can become even better. “The city now has long range plans and a very good assessment
in our backyard? We all know just how important agriculture is to East Texas, and the good folks in Overton are working from a scientific standpoint to better industry practices. They also host a wonderful flower show each year, which you should attend if you have the time. Finally, I want to direct your attention to this issue’s Hour Glass column because I had a lot of fun stumbling across an article about a group of 50+ church kids getting arrested in 1980. It turns out it was all staged, although the kids didn’t find out until the end. Can you imagine what a wild night that must have been for them? Enjoy this quarter’s issue of Etcetera, and keep an eye out for our next issue in August. It’s going to be a special one celebrating the City of Kilgore’s 150th birthday.
of priorities of needed improvements and repairs,” Spradlin told reporter Lucas Strough. “As funds become available, we know what we need to do next. At the same time we have used grants, matching funds and donations of funds and labor to vastly improve the amenities and quality of life projects at little cost to the citizens. The walking trails, spray park, skate board park and mountain bike trails were all done with very few taxpayer dollars. I think we all take even greater pride in that which we do for ourselves.” Meanwhile, across town at the old Elder School, Britt Davis is making Kilgore cool. Davis has renovated the historic school and turned it into a wine tasting room where people can come, relax and have fun while enjoying delicious food and drink. Davis grew up around the wine industry in California, discovered a passion for it in college and now he’s bringing that love to East Texas. Kilgore, it turns out, is a perfect location, situated in the middle of East Texas’s wine country right on Interstate 20. Who’d have thunk it? Not us, but we’re sure glad Britt did! Reporter Stella Wieser spent some time just outside of Kilgore, in Overton. Did you know there is a Texas A&M research center
4 Etcetera | Summer 2022
Etcetera Summer 2022 Vol. 5 | Issue 2
PUBLISHER
Alexander Gould • agould@mrobertsmedia.com
EDITOR
Meredith Shamburger • news1@kilgorenewsherald.com
ADVERTISING SALES
Linda K. Ballard • lballard@kilgorenewsherald.com Sara Madden • smadden@kilgorenewsherald.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Katie Case
CONTACT US
(903) 984-2593 • news1@kilgorenewsherald.com All contents of the magazine are copyright © M. Roberts Media, LLC. No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner without prior written consent of the publisher. The publisher and editors are not responsible for any changes in event dates after the deadline. Etcetera is published by M. Roberts Media.
CONTENTS Summer 2022
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COVER STORY
Heart of the City: Mayor Ronnie Spradlin works to better Kilgore
FEATURE STORY
In Vino Felicitas: Britt Davis turns old Elder School building into wine destination
FEATURE STORY
Field Notes: Texas A&M Agrilife’s Overton Research Center delves into the science of agriculture
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PET TALK
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HOUR GLASS
Kilgore youth take part in a different kind of worship service
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Selling East Texas for 42 Years!
ON THE COVER Mayor Ronnie Spradlin has felt that call to serve his city since he was young. Even now, he’s still looking to the future and how the city can become even better. Photo by Les Hassell
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COVER STORY
Heart of the City
Mayor Ronnie Spradlin works to better Kilgore
K
BY LUCAS STROUGH | lstrough@kilgorenewsherald.com PHOTOS BY LES HASSELL
ilgore's event calendar is packed year-round, with activities and programs happening nearly every weekend. Attend just a few of these events, and you'll start to notice a familiar face: Mayor Ronnie Spradlin. Spradlin can be seen at nearly every event which happens in Kilgore, from business openings to fireworks shows and Rangerette performances. He reads declarations to congratulate hard-working citizens, helps lead the Christmas parade and dresses up for all sorts of occasions — all while managing the usual duties of his mayoral position. It's clear he loves Kilgore, and becoming its mayor is the realization of a longtime goal. He first became mayor in 2010 when a special election was held. “I remember meeting the mayor when I was 12 or so and thinking I would like to be that some day,” Spradlin said. “I ran for mayor to keep the city moving in the right direction and ensure that Kilgore Economic Development Corporation (that I campaigned to establish) would continue to diversify our
6 Etcetera | Summer 2022
industrial base so we were not sensitive to energy downturns.” Kilgore has changed in many ways since Spradlin was elected, and his time as mayor has seen the city grow and develop while still maintaining a strong link to its roots in the hardworking spirit of the East Texas Oil Boom. “Since being elected, I have seen the diversified steady growth of retail and industry,” he said. “Many old structures have been replaced with newer, bigger ones that add to our tax base. Synergy Park continues to fill up with new industry and many existing industries have prospered and grown.” Even though the last few years have been challenging, as Kilgoreites and people all over the world dealt with lockdowns, supply shortages and economic uncertainty, Spradlin said Kilgore has managed to become even better in spite of these difficulties. “We all hated to see Halliburton leave Kilgore,” he said, “but
CONTIUNED ON PAGE 8
"I think we all take even greater pride in that which we do for ourselves."
Summer 2022 | Etcetera
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1. Kilgore mayor Ronnie Spradlin hands out candy canes to shoppers at Downtown Kilgore’s Mingle and Jingle. 2. Mayor Ronnie Spradlin speaks at the "A Very Derrick Christmas" 25th Annual Lighting of the Derricks event in downtown Kilgore. 3. Mayor Ronnie Spradlin reads a proclaimation honoring Charles Miller at the 25th annual Christmas in the Patch in 2012 in downtown Kilgore. 4. City of Kilgore Mayor Ronnie Spradlin delivers a meal to Syvester Jackson, right, as part of the Mayors For Meals 2011 through Meals on Wheels in Kilgore. 5. Mayor Ronnie Spradlin leads the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance at the City of Kilgore's Fourth of July Extravaganza at the City Park in 2018.
I think we were all surprised when we continued to experience growth in spite of their departure and the COVID quarantines.” As mayor, Spradlin has seen many memorable events here in Kilgore, but two events in particular stand out to him as emblematic of the spirit of this city and its people. “The greatest memories I have are the two times we had the incredible community send-offs for our National Guard Unit going overseas. I don’t think anything like that has been done anywhere in the country. A captain there told me, ‘Mayor, you know a community can do things a city cannot do.’ I’ve always been proud that when a call goes out or a need exists, Kilgore meets the challenge.” Now, Kilgore is poised to continue its forward progress, as the city grows and adds new amenities and landmarks. Even with 8 Etcetera | Summer 2022
the economic challenges of the last few years, new businesses have opened, a new high school will soon be constructed and new opportunities for students, workers and families have been added. “The city now has long range plans and a very good assessment of priorities of needed improvements and repairs,” Spradlin said. “As funds become available, we know what we need to do next. At the same time we have used grants, matching funds and donations of funds and labor to vastly improve the amenities and quality of life projects at little cost to the citizens. The walking trails, spray park, skate board park and mountain bike trails were all done with very few taxpayer dollars. I think we all take even greater pride in that which we do for ourselves.”
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Summer 2022 | Etcetera
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FEATURE STORY
In Vino Felicitas
Britt Davis turns old Elder School building into wine destination
BY LUCAS STROUGH | lstrough@kilgorenewsherald.com PHOTOS BY LUCAS STROUGH
K
ilgore is known for many things, from oil derricks to high-kicking Rangerettes and Shakespearean plays. Now Kilgore may become known in East Texas as a destination for lovers of fine wine. Britt Davis opened “Britt’s Wine & Dine” earlier this year at 400 N. Garcia St., the site of the former Elder School. Combining his longtime passion for wine with sweat and hard work, Davis has slowly transformed the school building into a unique getaway for Kilgore and East Texans. “In the first weekend of February, we did a soft launch and a soft opening. That worked out pretty well. We’re heading into month two physically down here. We’re moving along,” Davis said in March. Now, the tasting room is open and Britt’s has been voted “Best Restaurant” in the 2022 News Herald's Reader's Choice Awards. In an old cafeteria and multipurpose room, Davis and others installed handbuilt furnishings, transforming the look and feel of the space. “We built a wall in this room, we painted, cleaned up the floors,
10 Etcetera | Summer 2022
took out the drop ceiling and added lighting. We also brought in the bars. It was an open, stinking mess! It was horrible. We put in windows. It’s been a real transformation. It’s a good feeling,” he said. With an all-walnut bar and wine barrels repurposed into tables, the tasting room is unlike many other businesses in the area. The realization of his dream has been a long time in the making, Davis said. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a few years. Well, more than a few years. It’s really picked up speed in the last couple of years. I’ve got my own wines now. Essentially, we are a winery and this is more of our tasting bar.” Davis first developed a taste for wine and an appreciation for wine culture while studying at the University of California-Davis. He grew up near some of the most prized wine-producing regions in the United States. While in college, many of his fraternity brothers were winemakers, and some went on to work for successful wineries and vineyards. Following his studies, he got the chance to travel the world and
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1. Britt Davis’s supporters, including members of CrossFit Kilgore, are pictured at the purchase of the historical building located on Texas 31. Courtesy Photo 2. Britt Davis is the owner of Britt's Wine and Dine and Kilgore's new venue called Old School. Courtesy Photo 3. Britt Davis is bringing to life an event center and business venue. Courtesy Photo 4. A selection of Britt's wine is pictured. Lucas Strough
sample wines from other nations and cultures. He has brought all of these experiences back to East Texas and combined them to produce his own series of wines while creating a place for locals to relax, unwind and enjoy themselves. On his return, Davis began hosting wine tastings in his living room and later for clients in private venues. That is the experience he hopes to provide at the newly opened winery and tasting room. “I want this to be a destination for people to come from all over East Texas,” Davis said. “We’re on the Piney Woods Wine Trail. We’re one of the 20 or so wineries or so in East Texas, but in Kilgore, we’re kind of sitting in the middle of all of them right here. We’ve got the highway, so you’ve got access between Tyler and Longview and Marshall. We’re that midway place where people can come in after work. We had a lady call us and she said ‘We don’t get off work until 5 on Friday. Can y’all stay open a little later so I can bring all my girlfriends?’ They just want to have a place to come and hang out and have a little wine and some food.”
Britt’s Wine & Dine occupies the Old Elder School, which was at one time a segregated school for Black students in Kilgore. Later in its life, it became an alternative school until it was closed about 10 years ago. At this stage, Davis says the property is in “phase one” of its transformation and he has future plans to add dinner theater and outdoor seating. “People want to know the history of the school. At one time, it was what they called the ‘colored’ school. It was also the alternative school. It kind of ended on that about 10 years ago. We’ve got kids who were at the alternative school who are now part of our wine club. Isn’t that funny? "I really want it to be a place where Kilgore can have their private parties and their receptions and just come out and enjoy a glass of wine, maybe a meal, to get away from town and to be a destination where people can come and relax.” Britt’s Wine & Dine is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. To learn more about Britt’s Wine and Dine, visit https://brittswine.com/ or call 1-833-4Britts (427-4887). Summer 2022 | Etcetera
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FEATURE STORY
Field Notes
Texas A&M Agrilife’s Overton Research Center delves into the science of agriculture
BY STELLA WIESER | swieser@panolawatchman.com PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CAVAZOS
T
he Texas A&M Agrilife Research and Extension Center in Overton is an exponential resource for East Texans. There are 13 similar research centers across the state, said Dr. Charles Long, resident director of research and professor. "In the mid 1960s, if you looked across the state of Texas, you can see that (as) you go from east to west, rainfall declines, soil types change, and so the ecosystems change," Long said. "There's probably at least five major and maybe a dozen minor ecosystems in the state of Texas... if you're gonna serve the people of Texas, the thought was in the '60s to put centers with Ph.D.-trained research and extension faculty out in the state to do research and extension programming to meet the needs of the particular ecosystems." The East Texas Center, as it was then called, was established in Overton because of local leaders and the Bruce McMillan Jr. 12 Etcetera | Summer 2022
Foundation, Long said. The foundation was established by W.P. Moore and named for his son, Bruce McMillan Jr., who died at the age of 8 from leukemia. "The Bruce McMillan Jr. Foundation has done a lot of good. Scholarships for people, support to different universities, to churches, to a lot of things," Long said. "They also helped make this center be here because we're sitting on 26 acres of land, which was donated jointly by the Bruce McMillan Jr. Foundation and the Montgomery Family. That shop just right south of here belonged to Jim Montgomery. He had two sons, and the younger son was Jack, he just passed away a few months ago. The older son died when he was a student at Texas A&M... so they donated part of this land in his memory." The Foundation donated the 26 acres, plus funds to construct the main research building as well as equipment and a cow herd of 150. The building was dedicated in 1967.
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1. Cattle being studied at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton. 2. Research Assistant Chloey Guy spends her morning working in the Animal Reproduction Lab at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton. 3. A row of greenhouses at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton. 4. Professor, TAMU Regents Fellow Forager Legume Breeding and Genetics, Gerald Smith in a greenhouse at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton. 5. Resident Director of Research Charles Long of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton.
"We celebrated our 50 year anniversary in 2017, and during that period of time we have operated two farms that belong to the Bruce McMillan Jr. Foundation to do our research, and in 2016 we added a third farm to that," Long said. "So the land where we do our research programs belongs to the foundation, which is really really nice, and they have provided funding over time for a lot of different things." The center has several different research programs. These include research on soil health, beef cattle physiology, forage production/stocking rates and legume plant breeding. The center seeks to research that which is relevant to the area. "Horticulture is very important today," Long said. "It has changed a bit over time — years ago East Texas grew a lot of roses. Over time that has declined, and (now it is) bedding plants, woody ornamentals, vegetables and some fruit crop. So horticulture's important. Depending on the year, 20 to 25 percent of East Texas income comes from horticulture. Another major area is forage-based cattle or livestock systems. The bulk of that is beef cattle, but there's also some dairy and there's some evolving into some small ruminants... Poultry's very important, so is timber to a degree. We're at the western edge of the pine timber, but timber's important. The programs here, to the extent that we have funding, try to address those." The center's forage production and grazing management
research addresses both grazing of cows and calves along with yearlings, Long said. Beef production is broken into phases. "You've got the pure breeders over here that provide seed stock, but if you look in the commercial, you've got the cow/calf segment," he said. "Most of the time these people market their calves when they're weaned, and that goes into the stocker phase. And there's some people that all they do is run stockers, then after that traditional beef production is feedlot phase and a lot of feedlots are in Texas and Oklahoma and Nebraska and all that. There's reasons for the feedlots to be in the drier regions, because cattle do better under drier conditions in terms of feeding, but anyway, you may have a producer that has only 20 cows, and there's a lot of them. So hopefully some of the technology we produce will help them. In East Texas, there are some fairly large producers, but they can also utilize some of these things." Reproductive physiology is an important research area. The profits of a beef cow/calf operation are very important, Long said, and very dependent on having as many cows raise a calf as possible. "If you've got a cow herd of 100 cows, during the breeding season you'd like to wean 100 calves,” Long said. “The really wellrun operations may wean 90. Some of the things that have been researched are the calf pregnancy losses between breeding and say two or three months because a lot of that happens. So some Summer 2022 | Etcetera
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of the research targets those kinds of things. If they can figure out what's causing the embryonic loss, then maybe we can come up with some sort of management technique, and that's the kind of stuff that will help anybody who has cattle." There's a big focus on soil health and environmental quality too. That includes the nutrients in the soil: nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, as well as the micronutrients. "For example, aluminum in the soil is why you cannot grow some clovers and annuals unless you get the pH up, because at a low pH, the aluminum ties up micronutrients and the plant won't grow,” Long said. “But anyway, we have that (research program) going on right now. We have some chemists and microbiologists doing this; we have a plant breeder who does clover and rye grass varieties." It's very important that any agricultural production be environmentally conscious, Long said. "The problem with soil health is not very well defined, so the guys who are doing research in soil health today are also coming up with the parameters to tell you what soil health is. And then greenhouse gas emissions are also important," he said. "So as we move ahead in some of these areas, simultaneously looking at environmental variables, along with production variables, is what we'll be doing, and that will be in general for agriculture. " A plant breeder has turned out about 11 varieties of forage legumes over the last few years, Long said. "That's important because what those do, they provide a basis for producers to be able to meet their needs. For example, why is the legume important? Well, you can have a legume that, if you have the bacteria, can actually inoculate the roots — it'll take nitrogen out of the air rather than you having to put nitrogen fertilizer," he said. "A year ago, nitrogen fertilizer, let's just say either urea or ammonium nitrate, was ballpark $300 to $400 a ton. I bought some the other day for $750 a ton and thought it was a deal, and I can get you quotes for $1,000 a ton for those fertilizers right now. The other thing is, if a person is an organic producer... the organic ones are really, really strict. They cannot apply typical fertilizer, so they have to have plants. So they're a small portion, and they're generally small producers, but they still pay taxes in the state of Texas." The research center's specialists do programs for different topics, training events and more, but the biggest event they have each year is the Horticulture Field Day, which is usually during the third week of June. In the past it has consisted of a morning visit to the fields and the greenhouses along with an afternoon program. In 2020 though, the field day was cancelled, and in 2021 it returned with a field only day in the morning. Long says it will likely be field only this year as well. If you need assistance from the research center, the first thing you should do is check with your county extension agent, Long said. He called them “the first line of defense.” But the research center also works closely with the community to answer questions. 14 Etcetera | Summer 2022
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GARDENING
Creating a garden in the shade BY MELINDA MYERS | Special to Etcetera
Bugbane’s white spires of flowers will provide some height to the shady areas in the landscape.
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on’t let limited sunlight stop you from growing a beautiful garden. Make the most of shady locations with proper plant selection and design strategies. Start the season with native spring ephemerals like hepatica, spring beauties and trout lilies. These plants grow and flower early in the season before the trees leaf out, shading the area. They dieback soon after flowering as shade tolerant plants fill the garden. Look for those native to your region. Select bright and lime green foliage plants that stand out in the shady corners of your landscape. Combine them with your favorite dark leafed and flowered plants that tend to disappear in the shade. The contrasting colors help both plants pop. Use plants with variegated foliage to light up the garden long after their flowers fade. Siberian bugloss (Brunnera) has blue forget-me-not-like flowers in spring and variegated heart shaped leaves. Variegated Solomon Seal’s upright stems covered with green leaves edged in cream, white bell-shaped flowers and yellow fall color provide multiple seasons of interest. Barrenwort (Epimedium) also provides seasonal color in the shade. The heart shaped leaves are tinged red and emerge with the flowers in spring. The leaves turn green for the summer and then change once again to red in fall. Add some height to those shady areas with bugbane. The leaves are topped with white spires of flowers in summer or fall, depending on the variety selected. The white or pink blossoms of Roger’s flower brighten the early summer garden. The big, bold leaves of this moisture-loving perennial resemble those of a horse chestnut tree. The narrow leaves of sedges and Hakone grass create a striking contrast with the bold leaves of hostas. For an even bolder statement and focal point, include a few elephant ears. Look for shade tolerant plants with a variety of leaf shapes and sizes. The differences in texture add interest to the shade
16 Etcetera | Summer 2022
PHOTO COURTESY OF MELINDAMYERS.COM
garden. Repeat the leaf sizes and shapes to unify the garden. Use this same strategy to create continuity between sun and shade gardens in your landscape. Include a variety of plant shapes. Use columnar plants to create a focal point and weeping and mounded plants for a sense of fluidity in the garden. A lack of sun is not the only factor to consider when planning a shade garden. The density of the canopy of trees or an overhang may also limit the water that reaches and is available to the plants below. Growing dry, shade-tolerant perennials will help reduce your long-term maintenance. Barrenwort, liriope, coral bells, foam flower, sweet woodruff and hellebores are fairly shade tolerant once established. Make sure all new plantings are watered thoroughly and when the top few inches of soil are crumbly and moist. Proper watering the first few years will result in deep, drought tolerant root systems that will help these plants grow and flourish despite the dry shade. When planting under or near trees, be careful not to kill the trees when creating your shade garden. Don’t cut or remove surface roots, creating entryways for insects and diseases. Adding as little as an inch of soil over the roots can kill some tree species. Avoid deep cultivation, which can damage the feeder roots that are critical for water and nutrient absorption since the majority grow within the top 12 inches of soil. If there’s too much shade to grow even shade-loving plants, consider mulch to protect the soil and tree roots. Add a chair for relaxing and enjoy this cool space as summer temperatures rise. Melinda Myers is the author of over 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardener’s Handbook and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program.
PET TALK
Creating a cat-friendly environment in your home Toys and plenty of room to roam can help make your feline friend a happy kitty. Special to Etcetera
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Creating a cat-friendly environment in your home can make both you and your cat happy and healthy. PHOTO BY MEREDITH SHAMBURGER
ome is all about having a space to make your own. As humans, we all need a space where we are comfortable enough in our own skin to relax. And, believe it or not, our feline friends have similar
needs. Creating an environment where pets are free to roam and be themselves has been directly linked to reducing a multitude of medical and behavioral issues, according to Paula Plummer, a credentialed veterinary technician and feline advocate at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. When it comes to cat-friendly atmospheres, pet owners should think about creating an environment of plenty — meaning, plenty of room to roam, plenty of litter boxes, plenty of food and fresh water, and plenty of things to do. All of this to create an environment pets can consider home. “Toys can be a great source of entertainment for cats,” Plummer said. “Pet owners can also work on testing different toys to see what their cat likes. While some may like toys with catnip, others may like toys with bells or lasers. “Finding the toy a cat will like and play with can take a little time due to all the options on the market,” she said. An added bonus of making time to bond with your pets is creating meaningful relationships over time that will last. “Playing with cats and their favorite toy can incorporate quality time that both you and your cat will look forward to,” Plummer said. This kind of routine is also important for reducing a cat’s stress and anxiety.
“When a cat is stressed, they will exhibit negative behaviors such as inappropriate urinations or defecation, pulling out their hair, scratching, or behaviorally acting out,” Plummer said. By creating an environment that promotes natural behavior, owners can help combat this issue and ease their cat’s stress. Scratching posts also are an excellent outlet for cats to ease some stress. By allowing a cat to scratch only on these posts from a young age, cats are able to embrace this natural behavior without their owner’s furniture paying the price. “Over time, environmental enrichment will help reduce incidence of behavioral and medical issues because your cat will be living a fulfilled lifestyle without need of expressing themselves in a negative manner,” Plummer said. Another tip for enriching your cat’s environment include devices like puzzle feeders to encourage natural hunting behaviors. Owners can also try hiding food throughout the room as another way to encourage such activity. If any behavioral or medical concerns, such as inappropriate elimination or behavioral changes, arise, Plummer always recommends a thorough physical examination by a veterinarian as the best starting point for addressing those concerns. There are many different ways pet owners can tailor their home to their pet’s needs. These little changes may seem insignificant, but can greatly impact the mental health of our feline friends. Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be found on the Pet Talk website. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.
Summer 2022 | Etcetera
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HOUR GLASS
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Kilgore youth take part in a different kind of worship service
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The Kilg ore New s
Herald (K
ilgore, Te xas)
re, Texas) The Kilgore News Herald (Kilgo
1 · Sun, Jul 27, 1980 · Page 2022 Downloaded on Apr 27,
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BY MEREDITH SHAMBURGER Res erved. papers .com. All Rights Copyright © 2022 News mshamburger@kilgorenewsherald.com
T
he News Herald’s front page on July 27, 1980 probably would have shocked a lot of readers, or at the very least caught their attention real quick. It’s not every day more than 50 teens get arrested at one time. Luckily for the town, there was not an outbreak of teens gone wild. It was a mock arrest of a church group, designed to show them what it’s like to practice Christianity in places where it is against the law. Reporter Kevin McDaniel’s story,"'Underground church' stages arrest," included a photo of the scene that Friday night as police officers Jerry Rosegrant and B.W. Acker staged a mock arrest. Here’s the story in full: When Kilgore Police officers Jerry Rosegrant and B.W. Acker answered a “disturbance” call at the Triple D Oil Shell Station Friday night, they found a strange scene. Almost 50 young people were sitting in a small storage area. They were dressed neatly, and looked anything but guilty. 18 Etcetera | Summer 2022
· Sun, Jul 2 Downloa
Yet the lock was broken, the door was open, and they were inside. “This is the underground church,” said the Rev. Jim Roberts, “and we’re doing something a little different tonight.” “I’ll say you are,” Acker said. “Looks like you’re teaching these kids about burglary.” So began the last in a week of unusual meetings for the Youth Underground Church of Kilgore. Roberts, youth minister for the First Baptist Church, organized the group, and during the past week, they worshipped in some very un-church like settings, such as abandoned warehouses and creekbeds. One of the aims of the program, Roberts said, was to show the youngsters what it was like to be “guilty” of Christianity. In the early days of Christianity, believers had to meet covertly to avoid capture by the Romans. And even today, he said, in countries like Russia that do not allow freedom of worship, Christians must worship secretly. So to top the week off, Roberts arranged to have the group
ded
arrested by Kilgore Police Friday. The group arrived at the Triple D Oil Shell Station around 8. They were to hold their meeting in a storage area at the station. The door would be unlocked, Roberts assured them. According to the plan, it wasn’t. Roberts and some of the group members began looking for a way to get in. Roberts returned with the hacksaw blade he hid earlier in the day. At this point, some of the members were laughing nervously and, and walked away. “They’d haul us all down for breaking and entering,” said one girl. Sensing mutiny, Roberts led the group around the side of the building, where Mike McGraw led them in singing. Roberts and Bob Barton, a member of the group, went back to the lock. They sawed through the sturdy lock while the church members “covered them” with lively rounds of “Do Lord” and “I’ll Fly Away.” The door was raised, and the group moved inside where the singing continued. As scheduled, Officers Rosegrant and Acker arrived in patrol cars around 8:45. Acker was stern, authoritative. Rosegrant was equally tough. The officers said they were going to commandeer the church bus, and told everyone to get on it. When they arrived at the station, two other officers were waiting to “guard” the prisoners. The girls were led to a cell, and locked in. Then, Acker locked up the boys. At this time, Jerdy Wolverton, minister of education and administration at the First Baptist Church, arrived. He and Rosegrant stood within earshot of the girls’ cell. “Mr. Roberts is charged with burglary of a building,” said Rosegrant. “Now, if you want to get him out tonight, you need to get in touch with a bondsman.” “Where can I find a bondsman this time of night?” Wolverton said. The girls’ cell was quiet for the first time. Now, it was Justice of the Peace G.C. Weatherly’s turn in the spotlight. He looked at the youngsters sternly as they filed in before him. “Boys and girls,” he said. “I understand you’ve been charged with breaking and entering?” “They didn’t tell us that,” said a boy. “Your Honor,” said Roberts, “We didn’t break and enter.” “As far as I’m concerned,” said Acker, “it’s breaking and entering.” “This is Mickey Mouse,” Roberts said.
“You tell that to those bars back there,” replied Acker. Finally, Wolverton revealed the ruse, and the group cheered. “Can we recommend an Oscar for the man right there?” a boy said, pointing at Acker. “And let’s have a hand for the judge,” said another. “How many of you had any idea it was a set-up?” Wolverton asked. About a third of the group raised their hands. On the bus afterwards, one woman said she had suspected the whole thing from the start. And a 12-year-old girl was asked what she would have done if she had spent the night in jail. “Probably cry,” she said. Roberts said Saturday the purpose of the group was to allow the youngsters to experience their religion in a setting other than church. “In a church setting, it is too easy to sit and not sing the songs, or listen to the sermon,” he said. “We took them out of the church, and brought them to an awareness of what walking in the footsteps of Jesus really means.” The mock arrest, he said, was one way of dramatizing for them the kinds of sacrifices people make for their religion. In this way, he said, the religious experience becomes more valuable.
“We took them out of the church, and brought them to an awareness of what walking in the footsteps of Jesus really means.”
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SEE & BE SEEN
RotaryRangerette Luncheon PHOTOS BY LUCAS STROUGH & LINDA BALLARD The guest of honor at the luncheon was Mrs. Clemmie Richards, a member of the Rangerettes from 1946 to 1948. Richards was born in Kilgore in 1928. She grew up on a farm near Pirtle and attended Kilgore College and, in 1946, she traveled with the other 'Rettes to the Junior Rose Bowl in California. At the time, the Rangerettes were under the direction of the group's founder, Gussie Nell Davis, but Richards also befriended directors Deana Bolton Covin and Dana Blair.
First Lady Chosen PHOTOS BY LUCAS STROUGH
20 Etcetera | Summer 2022
Jan Wylie was named First Lady of Kilgore at a ceremony at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church hosted by Beta Sigma Phi sorority. Wylie is the 75th woman named First Lady since the award was first presented in 1948 to Olga Lapin.
SEE & BE SEEN
Tunesday PHOTOS BY LUCAS STROUGH East Texas singer/songwriter Ramoth Gilead livened up the lunch hour for downtown Kilgore in April. The performance was the second in the ongoing “Tuesday Tunesdays” live music series hosted by Kilgore Main Street.
Black Tie Gala
Farmers Market Opens PHOTOS BY LUCAS STROUGH The sun was shining and business was brisk at the opening day of Kilgore's new farmers market. Local vendors set up their stalls at the World's Richest Acre to entice customers with a variety of handmade items, food, crafts, clothing and more.
The Kilgore Legacy Foundation presented its Black Tie Gala, formerly known as the Red and Black Ball, on March 12. The annual event includes food and entertainment at the annual scholarship program and fundraiser. The KLF also crowned its Juneteenth Queen and King. Their next event is the Juneteenth Parade and Fun Day in the Park, which will take place in
PHOTOS SPECIAL TO ETC. MAGAZINE
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