Pinebox Diner to Reopen

Fall Semester
By: Steve May

In the 1960s, the Pinebox Diner was a meeting place for Raven’s students, locals, and was known as having the best fresh pies in all of East Texas. However, in 1974, the Pinebox Diner shut its doors after thirteen years of serving our fair city. The owner, Tim Simmons, disappeared and as there was no owner, the enterprise had to end.

But now, Jimmy Tyler, a class of 65 alum of ETU, has purchased the diner’s remnants and is in the process of rebuilding the Pinebox icon. “It meant so much to me and I want to bring that same spirit back to our town.”

Mr. Tyler is planning a grand reopening on August first of this year. “The diner is going to be retro, like it was in the early 1960s. Authentic booths, a soda bar, and we are going to serve the biggest burgers in Texas, with huge orders of homestyle French fries, malts, and follow it up with homemade cherry and apple pies.”

The entire building has undergone basic reconstruction with a new roof, siding, and windows. “It’s been a dream of mine for many years, and now I am in a place where I can make it a reality,” Mr. Tyler said. “We have even purchased an authentic jukebox, though the music will be a mix of modern as well as the best of the sixties.”

“The place has great ambiance, and it’s like the spirits of the those who went ahead of us are there with us, hoping to make the diner come alive again.

This article was inspired by JD Wiker’s story Last Exit to Pinebox to be published in the Horror Anthology Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas. It is a ghostly tale with a horrific twist that anyone who has had to travel during the holiday season can identify with.

JD Wiker has been writing since he got his first (toy) typewriter at age 8. After years of struggling along as a stockboy, gas station attendant, disc jockey, computer systems operator, game designer, and IP developer, he returned to his first calling, and is currently working on his first novel. JD lives in Virginia with his wife Keri. This story was inspired in part by their drive across northern Texas when they relocated from southern California.

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Fires Baffle Ninevah Investigators

Fall Semester
By: Steve May

ninevah

photo by: The Ninevah Weekly

The town of Ninevah has experienced several unexplained fires in the past month and  Fire Chief Levins is stumped.  “We just don’t know what’s causing these fires.  They do not appear to be maliciously set, and there is no source that we have been able to identify.”

The fires have “spontaneously” broken out throughout the town in no regular pattern.  The first occurred at Jan’s Deli during lunch service.  “It was in the corner beneath the television set.  One second everything was fine, then boom, flame was everywhere,” Jan Corey, the owner of the Deli stated.  “We thought it was probably an electrical fire, but the investigation could not explain it.”  Ms. Corey also said that the insurance agency was not helping her rebuild as they are wanting a cause of the fire to be determined.

“It’s a real catch 22.  They won’t give me any of the insurance money until the cause of the fire is determined, and the Ninevah Fire Department can’t determine the cause,” she said.

Other fires of similar nature have occurred at Marshall’s Warehouse, Toys 4 Kids, Newberry’s Restaurant, and Big Green.  “Of course there may be an arsonist behind all of these fires, but if we can’t find a cause, it makes the investigation very difficult,” said Chief Levins.

“We keep hoping these fires will end, but it seems another is happening daily.  We’ve been lucky that no one has been seriously hurt so far, but at this rate, it may only be a matter of time.”

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Vandals Stealing Local Scarecrows

Fall Semester
By: Roy Ryder

The crows of Golan County are happy. More than a dozen local farmers have reported the theft of their scarecrows to the Sheriff’s office. The missing mannequins have been from all across the county, from a corn field in Cavalas to a decorative scarecrow taken from a front yard in the Indian Summer trailer park.

Deputy Henry Putter, the officer assigned to the case, believes that local vandals are responsible. “This kind of thing happens now and then,” Putter said of the thefts. “Some kids think it would be cool to rip off the scarecrows or the chicken statue in front of Texas Fried Chicken or something like that. We’ll probably find them all in somebody’s backyard.” Putter advises local farmers with scarecrows to put them away or chain them to a heavy object until the thefts are resolved.

Not everyone is so sure that youthful vandals are responsible for the thefts. One victim, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that he found no footprints around the missing scarecrow other than those of the shoes worn by the scarecrow itself.

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Night Lights Discovered to Be Geese

Fall Semester
By: Roy Ryder

Several observant citizens of Golon County witnessed a strange V-shaped formation of blinking lights in the sky last night and reported it to the County Sheriff’s office. However, on investigation, it was determined that the lights were actually the lights of Pinebox reflecting off the underside of flying geese. The “flying saucers” were later found to be nesting at Lake Greystone.

This is not the first time a flock of geese has been mistaken for a UFO in Golon County. During the 1950s, and later in the 1970s, flocks of geese created panic among local residents. Many called local AM radio station KSPK with wild tales of alien landings and abductions.

The Sheriff’s office has advised all residents who see more of the Unidentified Flying Objects to pay listen and hear the bird’s honking before calling in any reports.

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Gambling Ring Busted in Trailer House

Fall Semester
By: Steve May

The Golan County Sheriff’s department raided a trailer in the Blackburn community yesterday.  The county confiscated over 15 two-dollar gambling machines, and over $15,000.

“Apparently, this operation had been going on for some time.  They had regular games of Texas Hold ‘Em and some were pretty high stakes,” reported Sheriff Butch Anderson.

Five people have been arrested for organized criminal activities and two others may face indictment.  “This kind of thing brings in organized crime and gang activity.  We don’t want this in our county and I’ll fight them to end.  No gangmember, drug pusher, or organized Mafia types will be safe from justice in Golan County.  I guarantee it.”

Several organized, illegal gambling organizations have been uncovered in the past two years and more are suspected and being investigated.  Last year a chicken fighting operation was uncovered at the O’Conner Chicken Farm, and several deaths have been attributed to the operation, including the O’Conner brothers and several others who apparently were murdered at the site.

“We have to fight them and keep them out of our county.  Too many good people here depend on us, and we won’t let them down.”  Sheriff Anderson explained.

Sheriff Anderson has been nominated for Outstanding Sheriff of Texas  for his efforts to keep Golan County safe.

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Professor Adds New Dimension to Night Sky

Fall Semester
By: Roy Ryder

Dr. Mortvedt's lasers are powerful but harmless.

Dr. Mortvedt's lasers are powerful but harmless.

While most people are content to enjoy the four dimensions we all enjoy, people like Dr. Nancy Mortvedt want more. Dr. Mortvedt is a visiting professor from the University of Vienna and is currently teaching upper-level classes in the ETU Physics Department. Students may not know her, but most have seen part of her latest experiment in the multiple green laser beams aimed at the sky each night from the Physics building.

“Most people know me as the one who makes the light show each night,” laughs Dr. Mortvedt. “The lasers are pretty, but they have a purpose.”

Dr. Mortvedt is the leading proponent of a radical theory among astrophysicists that postulates that the universe is not consistent, but instead has areas where the standard rules do not apply. These areas, both large and small, are locations where different dimensions are “bulging” into our own. The effect of a “bulge” is theoretically undetectable, but Dr. Mortvedt believes she can identify them.

“The lasers measure the tiny dimensional variances in the atmosphere. Once we gain an understanding of how the space-time fabric is warped in our local area, we can possibly begin to manipulate it to create new and exciting sources of energy. The beams are not just a pretty show for the marijuana smokers in the nearby dorms. This is serious science.”

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