Dallas massacre holds resemblance to Essex shootings

The Emporia Gazette

The July 7 sniper attack in Dallas has resurrected memories across the country of a young Emporia man who mounted a similar attack against police on Jan . 7 , 1973 , in New Orleans .

Major news outlets have published or broadcast retrospective pieces about Mark James ( Jimmy ) Robert Essex , 23 , who was killed January 8 on the rooftop of the Howard Johnson ’ s Hotel .

The articles find a parallel between Essex , a former dental technician in the U . S . Navy , and Micah Xavier Johnson , 25 , of Mesquite , Texas , a military veteran who ’ d served in Afghanistan .

Johnson killed five police officers in the incident . Police searching his home later found bomb-making material , ballistic vests , rifles , ammunition and a personal journal of combat tactics , according to news reports .

Police who later went to the apartment where Essex was living found its walls covered with what The New York Times reported as “ revolutionary writings .”

Among the graffiti reported by the Times were “ My destiny lies in the bloody death ,” “ Kill black pig devil ,” “ The quest for freedom is death , then by death I shall escape to freedom ,” and “ Revolutionary justice is black justice , shoot to kill .”

Both Essex and Johnson had become angered and frustrated by racial issues , with much of their animosity targeted toward police officers .

Johnson killed five officers and wounded seven more officers and two civilians .

Essex ’ s 11-hour attack resulted in the deaths of three police officers and four civilians ; eight others were wounded .

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune , Essex earlier had killed two police officers and wounded another in incidents a week before the rooftop attack .

Too close to home

The Emporia community reacted in shock and disbelief at the news that one of its own had been identified as the New Orleans sniper .

The Gazette ’ s late executive editor Ray Call had responded with a Jan . 10 , 1973 , editorial , “ The Human Side of the News .”

In it , he detailed the explosion of telephone calls to the newsroom early that January afternoon , after Essex and his hometown had been announced . Calls had come from newspapers , magazines and television stations across the nation . Reporters arrived in Emporia later in the day and descended on the Essex home on Cottonwood Street .

“ There , the happiness of a fine , respected Emporia family was shattered by unexpected and unbelievable news ,” Call wrote . “ The Essexes had no time to accept with normal dignity the sad news that their son was dead . There was no time to weep quietly . No time for the consolations of friends . No time to be alone .”

Thrust suddenly into the glare of national publicity , “ the Essexes will bear up under the indignities and outrages like the fine , gracious people they are ,” Call wrote . “ The Essex family has been cut by tragedy .

“ Hopefully the sympathy and solace pouring out from friends and neighbors in Emporia will help heal the wound .”

Essex family members asked The Gazette to announce that everyone in the community , regardless of race , would be welcome to attend the funeral service ; the announcement

Please see Essex , Page 16

G . E . Arnold / New Orleans Times-Picayune via AP

Above : In this Jan . 7 , 1973 file photo , Patrolman Leo Newman takes the pulse of dying Patrolman Philip Coleman outside the Downtown Howard Johnson Hotel during a sniper incident in New Orleans . The attacker was Mark Essex , a black , former military man from Emporia , who was shot and killed from a helicopter . He harbored deep-seated hatred for whites that people who knew him said took root in the Navy . Below ; Mark “ Jimmy ” Essex . lyon county

By John Robinson john @ emporia . com

The Lyon County Commission began discussion on the 2017 Lyon County budget during an action session on Thursday .

“ Currently — as it sits today — it ’ s at three ( mill levy ) increase ,” County Controller Dan Williams said .

Williams said because the budget talks are just beginning , commissioners will continue to discuss the budget in the coming weeks and that projection should come down in the following weeks .

“ We ’ re starting out at three mills and we ’ ll work our way down .”

Williams said the commission also needs to baseline the cash position the county is in to stay out of trouble in 2018 .

“ It doesn ’ t necessarily mean that our costs will go up ,” he said . “ But we need to levy for the amount of cash we have as far as expenses go , so when we go into the cap in 2018 that we ’ re not in trouble .

“ It ’ s planning to set yourself up for next year ’ s budget . The last two or three years we haven ’ t increased our expenses — we ’ ve maybe increased our expenses a half a mill to a mill — but it ’ s the cash position , getting ourselves into a cash position where we can cover all the costs in our budget .”

In the 2016 budget , commissioners voted to approve a 4.1 mill raise on property taxes .

The Lyon County Commission meets at 8 a . m . every Thursday for an action session with 9:45 a . m . being the time for public comment .

Jessie Wagoner / Gazette

The Jacobs family and the Habitat for Humanity Board gathered for a groudbreaking at the site where the 18th home will be built .

VOL . 125 , NO . 12

Jessie Wagoner / Gazette

Shara and Chris Jacobs and their four children are the recipients of the 18th Emporia Area Habitat for Humanity home . The family will contribute 300 hours of sweat equity during the building process .

By Jessie Wagoner jessie @ emporia . com

The Jacobs family dug in their shovels and turned the dirt at a ground breaking ceremony for the 18th Emporia Area Habitat for Humanity home on Thursday evening .

The family , comprised of Shara and Chris Jacobs and their children , James and Katie Jacobs and JJ and Harmony Williams , was notified in May they would be the recipients of the home , which will be located at 210 S . Mechanic Street .

“ When I found out I cried ,” Shara Jacobs said . “ I didn ’ t think our application would be approved because they only build three-bedroom homes .”

It is true that the previous 17 homes built by Emporia Area Habitat for Humanity have been three bedrooms , but this year an exception was made . Jim Kessler with Habitat for Humanity explained the board approved building a four-bedroom , one-and-one-half bath home for the family .

In the coming days , the concrete slab for the home will be poured and construction will begin shortly afterward . The family will contribute 300 hours of sweat equity helping with the build . Katie Jacobs said she is already planning for her and her sisters room to be painted pink and purple . She also has a plan to help during construction .

“ I ’ m going to pull weeds and pick up trash around the construction site ,” Katie Jacobs said .

Volunteers will be needed to complete the project . If interested in volunteering , contact Kessler at Modern Air at 342-7577 . The home is expected to be completed in six months .