The Paris News from Paris, Texas • Page 1

PARIS WEATHER LOWTONIGHT "HIGH TOMORROW A 102 Sunny and hot, south winds. See weather forecast, TUESDAY JULY 7, 1998 SPORTS: Si Re Pak becomes youngest U.S. WomenV Open champ WNBA MWYOMC "OWOTON 78 DETROIT 59 56 128th Year Ko.311 The Paris News Daily Sunday $1.25 ESTABUSHED 1869 SERVING MORE THAN 30.0OO,READERS DAJLY IN AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA REGION NEWS Lake meet in Cooper I Opponents of proposed Sulphur River lakes are to rneet with an environmental group representative at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center. "On dieir part, diey're just feeling people out, making sure it's not just one or two guys upset," said Charles Godwin, who organized tonights.meeting.

Godwin said his opposition to the planned Parkhouse and Nichols lakes downstream from Cooper Lake began before the organization pf a regional board to formulate Northeast Texas water policy. 'I got to searching around, trying to find somebody who agreed with me on opposing die lakes," Godwin said. "I didn't want to be a one-man show." After talking with Sierra Club representatives and with the Audubon Society, Godwin spoke with! Texas Parks and Wildlife officials, who suggested he contact die Texas Committee on Natural Resources. Sandra Skrei, a TCNR representativeVwill'Be at meeting; See Reel River Region, Page IB NEWS BRIEF Gov. Bush plans stop in Paris Gov.

George W. Bush will visit Campbell Soup Company's Paris plant Wednesday to tour and visit with employees. The 9:15 a.m. visit was ptompted by the use of state funds provided by the Texas Workforce Commission's Skills Development Fund and Texas Department of Economic Developments Smart Jobs Program to train Campbell Soup's employees. Bush worked with the Texas Workforce Commission and the TDED to provide the funds to train Campbell Soup's employees on new, more efficient equipment.

Bush's Paris visit will be part of the governors swing through Texas that includes visits to some county courthouses being considered for preservation. INSIDE TODAY 16 pages in 2 sections Around Town 3A Across the Region IB Meetings 12A Opinion 4A Dear Abby 3A 8A Obituaries 4B Classified 10A "My grace is sufficient; for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians Turn to stone Veteran artists painting to be reproduced on local gravestone vriierie D6II bearing infnrmatinn nn CherieBell News Staff Writer In the misery of war, a weary soldier doesn't see that Christ is with him, The deeply poignant image, Christ on the battlefield, was the creation of Paris native Russell Vickers during the Korean conflict while he served in the U.S. Marines. The art work, created with military camouflage paints, was presented.to Vickers' division chaplain and was the subject of a nationwide publication dated April 5,1953. Vickers would go on to become a renown western artist whose works were collected by John Wayne.

Vickers died last year, and family members are using the image of Christ on the battlefield for a tombstone to be placed in a local cemetery. -The special monument accessory, was microscopically oil painted on fine porcelain in Italy for permanent mounting on a tombstone bearing information on Vickers. He was born Oct. 30, 1923, in Lamar County. Vickers was raised in a large family; his father was a horse and mule trader, said a descendant who wished to remain "Russell liked to draw horses, mules, western scenery," the relative said.

As a young adult in World War II, Vickers sketched pinup girls as requested by fellow soldiers. The story goes that Vickers 1 chaplain suggested the gifted Marine use his art to convey something of a higher nature. Christ on the battlefield was born. Age 29 at the time, Vickers was quoted in an article recalling inspiration for the painting and the conversation with the chaplain, saying: "He said he would like to have a picture for the chapel, but he grinned and added it might have to be changed a little. "A few days later we got together and he dug up a pic- ture of a statue of Christ looking over the world.

I used that as a model. My painting showed the head and shoulders of Christ distinctly, and then faded away. In the foreground it showed a tired Marine." The painting was displayed in a tent chapel near a battle line in Korea. By I960, after a lengthy military career, Vickers was a professional artist. His paintings were distributed nationwide through notecards.

Images reflect a proud heritage of one who revered the land and respected hard work of cowboys. One of his scenic western paintings was used as a backdrop during the opening credits of the movie, "Chisum." Vickers died Aug. 23, 1997, after living many years in Arizona arid later Oregon. His tombstone notes Vickers was an artist of western scenery and a combat Marine in the South Pacific and Korea. Russell Vickers painrjng of Christ on the battlefield, painted in 1953 during the Korean war.

Courtesy Bill Hankins News StaffWriter Effects of a General Motors strike are bing felt in Paris, where inventories of cars and trucks are dwindling. "I think we are in for major, trouble," said J. B. Lowry of Lowry Chevrolet Olds CadilIac. "We have about a 30- to 45-day supply of vehicles on the lot now, and if the strikers were to settle today, it would be five weeks before we could see deliveries of new cars." Jim Hodge Motor Co.

has similar problems in Paris, with supplies of GM vehicles almost gone. 'Thank goodness I have those good old Dodges to pull me through," said Larry O'Neal. "I am just about out of General Motors vehicles. I have only four GMC trucks on the yard and those will not last long, so I plan to sell a lot of Dodges." GM vehicle supplies are in such short supply, dealers across the 'area are reluctant to let vehicles go to other dealerships. "Another dealer will not let you have a car you need for your customers," said Lowry.

"So we have begun to find out where the cars are and send our customers to the dealers who have them." The strikes by about 9,200 workers are over staffing levels, work rules and health and safety issues at 1 the Flint Metal Center, a stamping plant, and the Delphi Flint East plant, which makes instrument clusters, spark plugs and other engine components. More than 161,000 GM workers at assembly and parts plants throughout North America remained idled by the strikes. GM said about 1,800 workers returned to work at GM Powertrain plants to fill orders that had been scheduled before the strikes were called. "Many more people'are affected by the strikes than that," said Lowry. "You figure in the General Motors dealers, salesmen and parts people, and the figure quickly rises to 350,000 or more whose income has been affecte'd by this thing.

We have seen the strikes before, and no one ever comes out ahead, not the union or General Motors. I think it is time for them to compromise and move on." Jn Ohio, GM and union officials met Monday to discuss issues that led workers at two brake plants to authorize their leaders to call a strike. T'L 1 ne having a negative effect Qn Paris dealerships as new car inventory shrinks Campbell Foundation hands check for PrimeTime kitchen facility The CampbellFoundation, sponsored and supported by the Campbell Soup has contributed $30,000 to fund installation of food service facilities at the new. PrimeTime senior activity center. Ned Hennighausen, vice president of manufacturing at Campbell Soup's Paris Plant, made the presentation to Gene Stallings, drive chairman, and to Felix Gibson, director of community relations at St.

Joseph's Hospital and Health Center. See CARS on Page 2A En ace where new cars should be are growing at Paris GM dealerships. John "With this donation," Hennighausen said, "we hope to challenge other Paris businesses and industries to step forward and lend their support." Foundation provides funding for projects focused on improving the quality of life in plant communities where Campbell employees live and work. A $25,000 contribution for the renovation and upgrading of Wade Park was the last Paris project supported by the foundation. "We certainly appreciate Campbell Soup said Stallings in accepting the donation.

"The company always has done its share to support the community and to make Paris and Lamar County a better place in which to live." St. Joseph's Hospital and Health Center recently announced the purchase of the historic Hotel Gibraltar and surrounding property and its multiphase plan to renovate the facilities. Phase one will include renovation of the first floor and adjacent annex and the hotel's second floor. Included in phase one will be construction of the community senior activity center..