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The newspaper will publish a special edition the week before Veteran's Day and the dedication of the Veteran's Memorial. Inside the edition will be the final list of the names on the Memorial. Also included in this special section will be photographs of veterans (much like Valentine Issue--but veterans pictures instead). The photographs will be surrounded by a frame of small stars. If you would like to honor your veteran in special way and include him or her, in this edition bring a photo to the Lockney or Floydada office by October 24. The photograph can be any size, color or black and white. It can be an old military picture or a more recent picture. Under the photograph will be the name of the veteran, and the rank and branch of service, and the years served. The cost to have the picture included in this edition is $20.00. Punkin Day Will Be Celebrated Saturday Approximately 80 booths are expected to fill the Courthouse Lawn for the Punkin Day activities this Saturday, and local merchants are planning specials of their own. The "Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin" game returns this year but the grand prize has increased to $100 for first prize. The second prize is $50 and third prize is $25. Guesses must be registered by 10:00 a.m. The morning fun begins at 8:00 a.m. with a 5K and 1 mile Road Race. By 9:00 a.m., your pumpkin entries for "prettiest, smallest, and largest", should be registered. The Floyd County Historical Museum will be open early, at 9:00 a.m., and the Friends of the Library Book Fair and Bake Sale will also begin at 9:00 a.m. in the Library Community Room. Arts and crafts booths will be set up for business by 9:00 a.m. on the square and the first motorcycle, in the popular Bead Run, can leave at 8:30 a.m. from the southwest corner of the courthouse. All bikes must return by 1:00 p.m. and be ready for the motorcycle games at 2:00 p.m. Other popular games returning for Punkin Day are pumpkin drawing, pumpkin toss (for 5 & under), wheelbarrow race (13 and up), seed spitting, and pumpkin pie relay. (A schedule sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce can be found on page 12). There will also be a cake walk under the pavilion beginning at 11:00 a.m. The games begin at 11:30 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. Ed Marks Publishes First Book of the "Common Man's" Poetry Ed Marks, a Lockney poet, has just published a collection of some of his poems and short stories in his first book, "Reflections of a Common Man". Many of Marks' poems have been published in this newspaper prompting requests to Marks for more poems. The good reviews were a bit of a surprise to Marks, who says he was ashamed of his work when he first started. "I started writing poetry in 1993," said Marks. "I would hide it because I was ashamed of it. I guess I thought it wasn't normal for a man to write poetry. "My daughter, Jessica, came home from college one day and found my poems in my desk. She told me they were good and encouraged me to go back to college." Marks enrolled in a creative writing course at Texas Tech. "My first paper was turned back to me with so many red marks it looked like it had its throat cut," said Marks. "I told the professor that it had been awhile since I had been in school--the spelling and grammar were a little rough." Even though his paper was marked up, Ed said the professor told him she liked his work. "She said I needed to work on my grammar skills--so I kept learning and studying. Thank God for spell check." Although he has received many rejections Marks was determined to keep trying. Determination has paid off for Marks. In 1996 Marks won a writing award from South Plains Writers Association for a story about his father (included in the book). Marks has also won a writing award from a national magazine for his poetry. "The stories and poems in this book are about things associated with my life," said Marks. An artist who reviewed Marks book called it a "slice of life" book. The book is indeed full of "slices of Marks' life. Born in Lamesa, Marks was raised between Morton and Plains. He attended school at WhiteFace. In 1965 Marks joined the Navy and finished high school in the Navy. He fought in Vietnam in 1968 and also served in the National Guard for one year. After getting out of the Navy, Marks attended Junior College at Snyder and majored in law enforcement. He has worked a variety of jobs, including: truck driver, cowboy, farmer, sheep herder, welder, auctioneer, pilot, and tugboat operator. "I've even run a projector in a movie house," said Marks. "I always had a vivid imagination which got me into all kinds of trouble when I was a kid. But I believe a good imagination is a gift from the Lord." Marks is still keeping himself busy with more than just writing. He owns his own construction business, and is known throughout Floyd County as "the man who built the Unity Center in Muncy". Marks Construction also built the Youth Center in Lockney and PAC buildings in Floydada. He is involved with the prison ministry and is the volunteer chaplain at Formby Prison. He is also a member of the Christian band, "Riders for the Cross". Marks said he is glad he has had the experience of working at so many different jobs. "I worked at those jobs because I wanted the experience of doing it." Ed says he believes God uses common people to do his work and that God has used him in some extraordinary situations. "If you think God can't use you because you have nothing to offer--think again. You are just the person He has been looking for. "God needs strong men to fulfill their role as husband, father, grandfather, and leaders in their communities," writes Ed on the cover of his book. Ed has been married to his wife, Joyce, for 32 years. Joyce has worked at Lockney Elementary for 23 years--running the cafeteria. Ed and Joyce have 3 children: Robin Keyser, of Abilene; Jessica Davis, of Lorenzo; and Joe Marks, of Lockney. There are also five grandchildren who refer to Ed as "Poppy". According to Ed this is just the first book he has had published--but he had 4 unfinished novels he is currently working on. "My next book will be a children's book, entitled 'Nickel's Great Adventure. "I'm also working on a western, a murder mystery, a romance novel, and a comedy." "Reflections of a Common Man will be shipped to Ed in approximately 2 weeks. The cost will be $11.00 and can be purchased from Ed, or ordered through Barnes and Noble, Borders, or Amazon.com. "But if you get it from me I don't have to pay commission," said Ed. "Reflections of a Common Man" really does reflect Ed's life. The poems pay tribute to mothers, fathers, daughters, friends, and even your favorite pet. Many of the poems give praise and thanks to God. Ed also tips his hat to the local barber and the thrill of high school football. "Perhaps these poems and short stories will encourage you to break free from a life of complacency. Maybe they will bring a smile to your face and peace to your spirit." Ed also hopes the inspirational writings may minister to those who are hurting. "Maybe a non-Christian will pick up the book and read it and it will help them. I just want to touch lives with the book."  ED
MARKS
CHARLES ELAM Services for Charles Berry Elam, 86, of Kress were held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, October 5th at the First Baptist Church in Kress with the Rev. Ted Samples officiating and Ray Macha assisting. Burial was in Plainview Memorial Park under the direction of Lemons Funeral Home of Plainview. He died Thursday, October 3, 2002. He was born March 27, 1916, in Gaines County and married Norene Hamilton on December 3, 1937 in Tulia. He grew up and attended schools in the Aiken area. He farmed southeast of Plainview for 62 years. He retired from farming and moved to Kress in 2000. He was a member of First Baptist Church and was ordained as a deacon in Aiken in 1972. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Betty Bryan of Plainview, Carolyn Holder of Dripping Springs and Rhogene Easley of Amarillo; a brother, Bert of Birmingham, Alabama; two sisters, Jewell Hyatt of Tulia and Joyce Billlington of Borger; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials to a favorite charity.
Dear Alice, I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Skyler & Julianne Cornelius for the tremendous amount of work they have done for the Veteran's Memorial. Skyler began this idea of a Veteran's Memorial as a 4-H Citizenship Project. Had he known then what a huge undertaking it would become, he probably would have turned and ran! He began with the idea, took pictures of Memorials in different cities, formed a Junior Board of fellow 4-H'ers, and a board of adults from both Floydada and Lockney. They found a company to come up with Memorial designs, and the board members chose a truly great one. He and Julianne wrote countless letters, visited with county commissioners, made presentations to organizations and enlisted the help of volunteers to find veteran's names (close to 4,000) and raise money. $90,000&emdash;what a daunting amount of money to raise! Floyd County came through in red, white and blue and responded generously to this worthwhile project. 4-H'ers were kept busy gathering names from the cemetery and writing thank-you notes. With their unflagging enthusiasm and hard work, a short year later they are close to reaching their goal! However, as in all projects, it hasn't been without hitches. Skyler had a rather harsh lesson in politics when a vote changed the site for the memorial from the front to the side. These disappointments notwithstanding, the Veteran's Memorial will soon be a reality. Groundbreaking was October 2 and this Veteran's Day on November 11, thanks to the Cornelius' vision, Floyd County will have their own Veteran's Memorial. Skyler and Julianne have arranged a ceremony befitting the occasion complete with an Airforce flyover. What an accomplishment for a 16 year old and his mom! I would encourage everyone to thank them for their efforts and I personally am looking forward with pride to seeing the Memorial.
Sincerely, Judy Schacht
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We see by the papers where the Democrats up in New Jersey have decided that one of their very own, Senator Robert Torricelli (the "torch", they call him) can't win his race for reelection, so they will merely place former Senator Frank Loutenberg in his slot, and the race will go on. New Jersey, of course, is a Democratic state. And I mean Democrat with a big "D". About the only Republican we can remember winning up there, in recent times, was a "RINO", (a Republican In Name Only) called Christi Whitman. She won by getting the votes of many women concerned about feminist issues, of which she was a champion, plus the votes of those Republicans who care about little except the name. In short, Ms. Whitman was an aberration. Torricelli, on the other hand, is no aberration. One upon a time he was in the House, representing a Democratic district in New Jersey, where he got so notorious he had to quit. Whereupon he ran for the Senate. New Jersey Democrats, knowing full well his propensity to push the envelope in ethics matters, supported him heavily and he was elected hands down. By the time it came for him to run for reelection, he had gotten in all sorts of troubles for, shall we say, using his office to reward certain individuals who gave him and his family expensive gifts. That didn't seem to matter with New Jersey Democrats, so they nominated him again. All went well until little driblets of information hit the press concerning his tendency to enlarge upon his tendency to demand, and accept, financial rewards for official favors. Even that didn't matter until polls showed a substantial number of voters turning away from him, and towards a little-known Republican candidate named Forrrester, or something like that. The Senate's top Democrat, Tom Daschle, went up to New Jersey to try and save the day, praising Torricelli highly, and pointing out how important it was that he be reelected. But, Torricelli's poll numbers continued to plummet. His scandalous behavior, when publicized, began to be too much even for many loyal Democrats.
Something had to be done. But what? New Jersey law plainly sets the terms of the elections, a fact made just as plain in the U.S. Constitution. Well, never mind the law. The law, up there, says if a candidate does not drop out before 51 days before an election, his name remains on the ballot. But it was (then) only 31 days until election. Again, never mind the law. Just do it. So they did, substituting the name of a former Senator who quit six years ago because, he said, he was just worn out. (He is now 78 years old.) The matter quickly landed in the New Jersey Supreme Court, a few of whom had been appointed by the afore-mentioned Christi Whitman. That Court ruled that election law in New Jersey has a history of being enforced "liberally", and there was no need to change now. The Democrats, said the Court, could substitute Loutenberg's name for Torricelli's, regardless of what the law said. Needless to say, Republicans in New Jersey were upset. They said they will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court for relief. In our view, and we hope we are wrong, that avenue will prove fruitless. Time is too short. Those Americans serving overseas in the military who have already voted will just have to kiss their ballots goodbye, as a wasted effort. But never mind those small details. The important thing is for the Democrats to retain control of the Senate. It is there that they can thwart the President's initiatives with political maneuvers clothed in high-sounding "principles." Whatever means must be employed to achieve that goal, are well worth the effort, the law notwithstanding.
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COMMUNITY
JOINS HANDS AT GROUND BREAKING--The ground breaking ceremony
for the Veteran's Memorial began with an invocation by Rev.
Ralph Jackson. Those in attendance joined hands in a large
circle, surrounding the future site of the Memorial, and
bowed their heads in prayer. Skyler Cornelius, the 4-H
member who spearheaded the project served as the emcee and
led the pledge of allegiance. The youth board (consisting of
4-H members) and the adult board of the Veteran's Memorial
project all took an army trench shovel and broke ground for
the Memorial. Veterans in attendance were also asked to join
in the ground breaking. Concrete will be poured soon for the
Memorial and the site will be dedicated on Veteran's Day,
November 11, at 1:30 p.m. Veterans will pre register,
beginning at 12:00 noon, under the awning in front of The
Hesperian-Beacon. An Air Force flyover, from Tinker Air
Base, in Oklahoma City, is planned and veterans are being
asked to wear their uniforms or hats to the unveiling. A
Color Guard from Altus, Oklahoma will also be a part of the
dedication. Lockney and Floydada schools are turning out for
the ceremony and the two bands will play together. Kenny
Maines will sing and Texas Speaker of the House, Pete Laney,
will be the keynote speaker. Photos by Lyle Miller
