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The Oakwood Cemetery Restoration Committee will present the fourth annual "Spirits of Oakwood" from 1-6 p.m. Saturday at Oakwood Cemetery, Chairperson Maxine Herbst said.

The "Spirits of Oakwood" is a walking history tour through the historic Oakwood Cemetery, located at Palace and Oakwood streets in Tyler. Tours will begin every 15 minutes between 1-6 p.m., with the last tour starting at 4:30 p.m.

Guests will follow tour guides, dressed in period attire, through the cemetery, visiting grave sites of historical figures from the past. Historians, or family members in period clothing, will be standing by these tombstones and will tell about "their lives," Mrs. Herbst said.

Oakwood Cemetery was established in 1849, and it includes veterans from all American wars, many government officials, including one Texas governor and members of Smith County's African American and Jewish communities. It is also the resting place of 231 unknown Confederate solders.

"The oldest grave is that of 4-year-old P.M. Scott, who died Sept. 2, 1852, and the most unusual inscription is for Katie Bannon, 'Erected by Henry Reynolds - her affianced.' The importance of this cemetery lies in its rich mixture of cultural history, the history that tells of the development of Tyler and Smith County," Mrs. Herbst said.

Oakwood Cemetery is a city cemetery, and is maintained by the Tyler Parks Department. Many of schools in Tyler are named after people buried in Oakwood - Bell, Douglas, Hubbard, Marsh, Bonner and Ramey. Also, many of the streets in Tyler are named after people buried in Oakwood, she said.

Funds from the "Spirits of Oakwood" event are designated to help repair the broken monuments in the cemetery. The cost is $5 per person. The annual event is held in conjunction with the Azalea and Spring Flower Trail.

Donations to help with the project are welcome. Checks made payable to Oakwood Cemetery Restoration Committee can be mailed to Mrs. Herbst, 2509 Bateman Ave., Tyler 75701.

For information, call 903-593-4642 or e-mail mhautumn-@aol.com.

CASCADES HOME TOUR



The Cascades of Tyler announces the second annual Cascades Azalea Home Tour is scheduled to begin Saturday and continue through April 6 in Tyler, event spokesperson Zoe Kerr said.

The tour will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily and noon-6 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are available for advance purchase at the Sweet Gourmet in Tyler, and at the Cascades before and during the event.

Steve Braley, president of Cascades Properties, said the Home Tour is a festive way for the community to come together and enjoy Tyler's azaleas, as well as a way to benefit the East Texas Crisis Center and the Tyler Museum of Art.

Several new homes and condominiums will be featured on the tour, he said.

The TMA will present an art exhibit, featuring works from local artists. TMA Director Kimberley Tomio, who said the juried show will feature life in East Texas as its theme, will curate the exhibit exclusively for the Cascades Azalea Home Tour.

"The Tyler Museum of Art is honored to be a part of The Cascades Azalea Home Tour for the second consecutive year," said Mrs. Tomio. "This exhibition is invaluable for us, not only in that the proceeds benefit the museum and the East Texas Crisis Center, but as an ideal venue to showcase the talents of East Texas artists. We're looking forward to another enormously successful collaboration."

The exhibit will be installed inside one of the tour homes.

Braley said the annual event was created in an effort to raise money for the ETCC and the TMA.

Last year's event raised more than $10,000 for the two organizations - a total Braley hopes to top this year, Ms. Kerr said.

New to the tour this year will be the Children's Art House. Children who spent time at the East Texas Crisis Center and benefited from its services created "unique and evocative pieces of art," which will be on display in one of the homes, Ms. Kerr said.

The ETCC is a nonprofit organization that provides shelter, crisis intervention and support services to victims of family violence, sexual assault and other violent crime. The organization has been serving East Texas families since it began in 1978 as a volunteer-operated telephone hotline.

For more information about this event, call the Cascades of Tyler at 1-800-641-8514.

TYLER



DOWN UNDER PUB: Downstairs: Teazur, 9 p.m. Saturday. $5 cover, 21 or older. 212 Old Grande Blvd. Phone 903-939-3339.

CLICK'S BILLIARDS: Halo The Vehicle Reason, She Craves and Streamline, 9 p.m. Saturday, $5 ages 21 and older, $10 for 18-20. 1946 ESE Loop 323. Phone 903-593-6499.

HALF MOON GRILL AND SALOON: Never Say Tomorrow, Saturday, no cover, ages 21 and older. 16884 Farm to Market 2493 (Old Jacksonville Hwy.) Phone 903-534-1884.

BROOKSHIRE'S: Java Jams featuring Tressie Seegers, 8 p.m. Saturday. 100 Rice Road.

BOOTLEGGERS: Bart Crow Band CD Release Featuring: Bart Crow Band and Keith Davis Band, 9 p.m. Saturday, $15 cover, ages 21 and older; 3955 Hwy 155, Phone 903-509-2668.

ST. LOUIS RIB FACTORY: Nu Tatoo, 8 p.m. Saturday. Call restaurant for details. 1523 E. Erwin St. Phone 903-592-0404.

WHERE?S RUFUS!: Wesley Pruitt Band, 9 p.m. Saturday. $5 cover, ages 21 and older 6100 S. Broadway. Phone 903-581-9999.

CIMARRON: N 2 Deep, 8 p.m. Saturday, no cover, ages 21 and older. 5201 S Broadway Ave. Phone: 903-939-2200.

GLADEWATER



GLADEWATER SATURDAY NIGHT OPRY: Travis Koonce, Jordan Todd, Deborah Fox, Dale Cummings, Amber Cole, J.T. Orms, Jade Curtis and Tylor Lattery. For reservations call 903-845-3600. Adults, $8, children $5 with under 6 free. Showtime is 8 p.m. each Saturday. The Gladewater Opry House, 108 E. Commerce. Phone 903-845-3600.

WHITEHOUSE



SOUTH LAKE GRILL: Six Foot Shaft, 8:30 p.m. Saturday, no cover. 18183 Concession Road. Phone 903-839-2827.

AARP Tax-Aide: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 230 W. Rusk St., Tyler; 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Lindale Library, 200 E. Hubbard, Lindale. Free tax return preparation service for low and middle income taxpayers, especially those age 60 and over. Bring Social Security Cards or SSA documents for all persons on the tax return along with all tax documents: W-2s, 1099Rs, 1099INTs, 1099DIVs, 1099-MISC, SSA-1099, etc. and 2006 Federal Income Tax return. Handicapped access and e-filing available. No appointment necessary. Contact Jim Novy at 903-581-1809 for information.

Yoga: 9 a.m., Tyler Unity Cen-ter, 14024 Texas Highway 155 South. For information, call Linda Dyer at 903-509-1177 or 903-312-4342.

Tyler Chess Center: 4:15-8:30 p.m., French Quarter Shop-ping Center, 4546 S. Broadway Ave., Suite B. Around the back in offices. Scholastic Chess Tourna-ment, K-12th grade; 4 round Swiss with g/30 time controls. For information go to www.tylerchess.com.