Engines roar at Portage River Festival tractor pull
27.06.11
As he sat on a strike up, red Wheel Horse tractor Sunday, Elmore resident Dustin Mattingly explained the basics behind The Portage River Feast's Redneck Lawn Mower Pulling Contest.
"Get a tractor with a low gear and see how far it will go," Mattingly said, as he waited in demarcation for his turn in the contest.
Area residents turned out for the lawn and garden tractors and more at the 32nd annual anniversary, in Depot Park hosted by the Elmore Historical Society and Materion.
Spectators lined the facing side of the North Coast Inland Trail to watch the tractors and hear the outburst of their engines, while other visitors sampled some of the festival's quieter attractions.
In addition to the tractor battle, other events included a 5K run, bicycle tour, cupcake baking contest and predilection show.
Festival visitors also got a chance to tour the 19th century-era Mattie Heckman Log Assembly, see a 1950s-era Elmore Village Train layout inside the depot and eat roast beef, sausage and sauerkraut sandwiches.
Source: Fremont News Messenger
Tractor maker, seller sued after man dies in rollover
28.06.11
An Orange County maidservant claims she lost her husband after a tractor flipped on top of him.
Thelma Baxter filed a lawsuit June 24 in Jefferson County Section Court against Bad Boy Inc. and Louis' Yazoo Sales and Services.
In her complaint, Thelma Baxter alleges her recently deceased cover up, Everitt Baxter, was driving a Kawasaki Lightning Z Series lawn tractor on June 26, 2009, when the tractor rolled over and pinned Everitt Baxter underneath it.
"Everitt Baxter was pinned under the lawn tractor until the EMS arrived on the background and was pulled out from under the front of the lawn tractor," the suit states. "The tractor in question lacked any protection for rollover events."
Because of the mishap, Everitt Baxter died and Thelma Baxter lost her husband's advance, care, maintenance, support, service, advice, companionship and services and suffered rationality anguish, according to the complaint. In addition, she incurred medical, funeral and funeral costs,
Source: Southeast Texas Record