LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Editor,

I am very disappointed that the the KHPF is no longer going to support the downtown building lighting during the holidays. They have supported it for along time and the lights have been part of the downtown Holiday tradition for years, long before Kilgore was part of the Holiday Trail of Lights. I know the citizens of Kilgore have enjoyed the lights and the lights have encouraged people to go downtown.

I am very, very, very disturbed about a CHAIN of events that has occured over the past couple of years that this decision may add a another link to.

I think the World's Richest Acre Park is the only thing that attracts tourists to downtown Kilgore. It is an awesome centerpiece that the KHPF has created. They have created it and control it. The park was an important part of the Derrick Festival and the Keltic Festival.

The Keltic Festival is now located in a school playground because of conflicts with the KHPF. It is my understanding that KHPF made so many rules and regulations the next year that they had to find another location. I venture to think that the Keltic Festival will not survive in a playground. More importantly the Keltic Festival was an asset to downtown Kilgore. It is a privilage to have the Keltic Festival in Downtown Kilgore and it should never have felt the need to move.

The Derrick Festival was growing. We attracted star entertainment on the big stage which were supported by national addvertisers paying thousands for sponsorship. The local entertainment presented on the Worlds Richest Acre stage was well represented by local talent and schools. It was reported that the Derrick Festival was not attracting out of town patrons and that was the reason for discontinuing it. I know that the real reason was conflicts with stipulations with KHPF.

The Holiday Trail of Lights is probably going to cease to eixist with this decision from the KHPF to not support the Holiday Lights on the downtown buildings. This is the second stab at the Trail of Lights. The first happened two years ago when the Chamber decided not to hold the Christmas shopping arcade in the Historic Post Office because of conflicts with the KHPF. The Chamber spent a great deal of money on the beautiful Christmas Tree in front of the post office hoping to attract people coming to the Trail of Lights to come to the tree, see Santa and shop in the Historic building.

I think KHPF is a great organization and has done countless things to improve and restore Kilgore. KHPF has done an outstanding job on the CRIM and Texan exteriors, the World's Richest Acre, Commerce Street Derrick's, Crim house and Christmas Tree park.

It is so sad that KHPF has driven off ALL of the Downtown festivals and is now starting the demize of the Holiday Trail of Lights.

Harry Crouse

Kilgore

Dear Editor:

Shock and surprise don't properly describe my feelings concerning the front page article in the Sunday, March 12th, edition of the Kilgore News written by Lester Murray. This is just my opinion but, I would think there would be a more average couple about whom you could write such a human interest story. Every child in the Kilgore school system knows that a man and woman living together is not acceptable in our community. I would think you would be hard pressed to find one mother who is concerned about the best future for her family who would advise her children to go out into the real would and live as this couple is living if your story is correct. I believe a high percentage of Kilgore residents are outraged at the notoriety given to people who live this kind of life and seemingly don't care who knows it. I would think they would be reluctant to tell all this to a reporter.

G. W. Boyd