Spring Semester
By: Steve May
The 148th annual Gunpowder and Belles Ball is scheduled for Saturday evening at 7 pm and will be held at the O’Brian Manor on the ETU grounds. The ball celebrates the Southern traditions of East Texas as well as the modern South.
Tickets are $100 a couple or $50 for an individual. Many wear period costumes, but evening attire is also acceptable. Music is being provided by the Landis Orchestra and a catered dinner is being provided by Vesty’s Home Cooking.
Spring Semester
By: Dorine Mercy
photo by: Sara Marshall
On Tuesday, April 8th the ETU Track and Field team delayed their training due to the rainy weather conditions. Coach Donald Peterson rescheduled the meet for that evening at 6pm. While there is nothing unusual about these types of rescheduling on campus, this Tuesday appeared to be a very strange evening indeed.
As the team gathered, Peterson noticed a student clad in ETU uniform running at a brisk pace around the track. Peterson noted, “Something wasn’t quite right about him, he was wearing one of the old uniforms from about a decade ago. So, when he starts running toward us, I figure out that it’s Justin Pawlak.” Pawlak– who still holds the university record of a 9.8 second 100m–was reported missing in April of 1999 and had not been seen by friends or family since.
According to Peterson, “Pawlak ran by, and when I shouted at him the kid just kept going.” As Justin completed his loop, he ran from the field out onto the street and disappeared – literally.
Peterson reported the incident. Pinebox PD and campus security organized a search party and combed the campus and nearby thicket for evidence. After several hours the search was ended. Pawlak left no trace of his passing; footprints along what Peterson described as Pawlak’s path could not be found.
A committee made up of Peterson, former ETU alumni and ETU Athletics Director Bill Simms will meet tonight with parents and local officials to determine how best to continue Pawlak’s search.
Spring Semester
By: Dorine Mercy
ETU residents this morning woke up to find multiple flyers with pictures of the Black 13 egg posted throughout most of town. Not a single bulletin board was left untouched, each and every one containing the flyer. The flyer featured color pictures of the egg and red writing along the bottom stating “It is real.”
This year’s Easter egg hunt was very successful, however it being the 13th event, this year’s rumors of the unlucky Black 13 egg were stronger then ever. While it has been almost two weeks since the event, it is apparent that some believers in the Black 13 egg are still thinking about the Easter holiday and trying to get their message out.
Authorities are looking for evidence of those responsible at this time but so far have come up short of answers.
Spring Semester
By: Roy Ryder
Horner’s Used Book Store was burglarized over the weekend, with the owner stating that cash and several rare volumes had been taken. Co-owner Ray Overstreet arrived at the store on the morning of Monday, June 29, and found that the back door had been forced open. He called police, who responded and searched the store. On finding it empty, they began forensics procedures and the store was closed all Monday. Horner’s reopened on Tuesday.
Ray Overstreet and his wife Linda have owned Horner’s Used Books Store since 1992, when they purchased the business from Delilah Horner, the granddaughter of founder Amanda Horner. Ray stated that this is the first time that the store has been burglarized, although they have had several incidents of vandalism occur in the past. Pinebox police have not reported any other recent burglaries in the area. Pinebox police officials refused to say if they have any suspects in this crime.
“We keep only a little bit of cash in the store overnight, so that wasn’t a big loss. But, the burglars got into our special collection and took a couple of rare tomes that we’ll never be able to replace,” Linda Overstreet stated in an interview. “These are historical texts that contain firsthand accounts of science in the middle ages and haven’t been published in centuries. If the police can’t recover them, the knowledge in them will be lost forever.”
Spring Semester
By: Dorine Mercy
An ancient sketch was found yesterday at the ETU Library. The sketch fell out of a folded map of Texas, a historic map kept within the library from the early 1900′s.
The inked sketch contains an image of a lake and “GC, 1836″ was signed on the back of the sketch.
While at first the sketch appeared to have little meaning the librarian Jeanne May suggested something more, “‘GC’ to me at that date might actually be Carter Greystone. It might even be the lake named after him, Lake Greystone. That lake sure looks familiar.”
Carter Greystone had lived with many settlers around the, now named, Lake Greystone back in early 1800 before he traveled north and disappeared from the history books.
Local historian Robert Montgomery examined the sketch at the site of Lake Greystone, “I can imagine that Carter Greystone may have sat at these very waters and created this image himself on one of the many nights he was here.”
Robert Montgomery continues, “The most astonishing thing about this discovery is that this piece of art is well over 100 years old. In that time mother nature and man has made many changes to the landscape and these waters, yet this picture is outstandingly accurate to the current condition of the lake — it looks like it was drawn today and not back in the 1800′s.”
Experts have verified the art to be old as the date states on the back. They are baffled at the similarity of the reality and imagery and will continue to investigate the situation.
Spring Semester
By: Steve May
photo: Sara Marshall
The Raven’s football team recently completed their Spring Training schedule and Coach Preston Blakemore is pleased with the team’s progress. “Our boys came in and have worked their tails off. I’m impressed with our conditioning right now, we run well, and they are really hitting the weight room hard.”
The Ravens went 0 and 12 last season, and many football fans and alumni have called for Coach Blakemore to step aside. When asked about this the Coach stated, “This will be my last year coaching the Ravens, but I look forward to continuing in the ETU Athletics program.” Though he did not explain what he meant, but some surmise he will become an Assistant Athletic Director.
Coach Blakemore began coaching the Ravens in 1999, and has posted three winning seasons, but the team really struggled last year. “We suffered too many injuries to field a competitive team.” Indeed, the entire starting offensive line was injured and out for the season after the second week. This was followed by injuries to QB Matt Jenkins, HB Marcus Turner, and TE Jerald Finch.
Following the first winless season in twenty-years, Coach Blakemore fired Nathan Parks, the Strength and Conditioning Coach, and promoted Vesey LaBeaux to the position and made LaBeaux assistant Head Coach.
“I’m looking for a big turn around in our program this season,” Coach LaBeaux said. “In fact I guarantee it.”
