Monthly Archives: July 2012

Week of July 23, 2012

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Mugshot of Guthrie.

Story No. 1 – Murder suspect back in Henderson County: Jackie Guthrie was arrested in Galveston last Friday on a murder warrant after a statewide manhunt. He is suspected of murdering an 18-year-old woman in Coffee City and kidnapping his 19-year-old pregnant girlfriend.
Why it is important: This is the county’s first murder since July 4, 2011.
Learn more: It seems like every media outlet had this story. Check out The Athens Review and The Athens News.

Story No. 2 – Tuesday is Election Day: Runoffs in the state’s primary election are set for this coming Tuesday.
Why it is important: It seems like this primary has been going on forever, but really it has only been since late last year.
Learn more: Check out The Malakoff News and The Athens News, because they have a list of combined polling places.

Story No. 3 – County budget coming: For the past few weeks, county officials have been going through the budgeting process for 2013.
Why it is important: According to the Athens Review, the cost of running the county is going up, but the government has no more money.
Learn more: Rich Flowers has the story.

Story No. 4 – Tool police chief fired: The Tool City Council fired Police Chief Warren Loscuito last week, citing “personnel problems,” in a 4-1 vote.
Why it is important: Combined the change at the Tool PD with the craziness at Seven Points PD the past couple of years and you have to at least consider the problem of instability on the northwest corner of Cedar Creek Lake.
Learn more: The (Mabank) Monitor and the Athens Review both had stories.

Story No. 5 – KAB Eco Camp: Keep Athens Beautiful and The East Texas Arboretum hosted an ECO Camp for children kindergarten through fourth grade all this past week.
Why it is important: Because with murder, taxes and firings at the top of the list, I needed something happy. Plus, there are some great photos on the KAB Facebook page.
Learn more: Check out the photos here.

Week of July 16, 2012

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Republican candidates for Pct. 1 commissioner seat Scotty Thomas and Ken Hayes.

Story No. 1 – Primary election continues: Early voting for the Texas primary runoff elections begins Monday.
Why it is important: Locally, the runoff will select the Republican candidate for Pct. 1 commissioner between Scotty Thomas and Ken Hayes, and will determine the constable in Chandler.
Learn more: The Malakoff News has the story.

Story No. 2 – Filing for local school boards: While the runoff election has whatever attention it can get from voters, another election is on the horizon in November: local school boards. NOT Athens ISD, however. AISD would have held its election in May if it had a contested race – which it didn’t.
Why it is important: When you get right down to it, the school districts employee the most people and spend the most money. Selecting the people to guide those entities seems pretty important.
Learn more: No real story in the newspapers here … but check out what’s happening in your district by going asking administration (Malakoff, Trinidad and Cross Roads ISDs all have board members with expiring terms).

Story No. 3 – Watch for scams: County Attorney Clint Davis issued a press release recently saying that scams were on the rise. He lists several specific scams hitting the area.
Why it is important: Forewarned is forearmed.
Learn more: All the local papers carried the story, but here it is in the Review.

Story No. 4 – Million dollar rainfall: Rick Hirsch told Kiwanis Club members that drought-killing rains have Henderson County agriculture looking much better this year.
Why it is important: Agriculture is a $100 million-plus industry in the county.
Learn more: Check it out in the Review.

Story No. 5 – Recovery by the Cross: Pastor Tim Heifner is back in Athens now that his Recovery by the Cross outreach has found a new home.
Why it is important: Recovery by the Cross reaches places the more mainstream outreach efforts miss.
Learn more: Michael Hannigan has a story in The Athens News (remember to scroll to the end of the file).

Week of July 9, 2012

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The Rev. Carl Anders (left) holds the 1954 Colored High School State Champion trophy along with MISD Assistant Superintendent Sybil Norris in this July 2011 file photo. The 1954 Malakoff team that won the trophy will be inducted into the Prairie View Interscholastic League Hall of Fame later this month.

Story No. 1 – 1954 team headed to Hall of Fame: The 1954 Malakoff Colored High School State basketball champions will be inducted in the Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame during the group’s annual banquet July 28 in San Antonio.
Why it is important: This is a piece of county history that’s not only about sports, but also about segregation.
Learn more: The Malakoff News has the story.

Story No. 2 – Power outages hit Henderson County: As many as 3,000 residents in, and around, Athens were without power Tuesday after a downed transmission line took out three other electric lines.
Why it is important: At its peak, the outage reached from Trinity Valley Community College and the Athens Square, all the way down Highway 31 to FM 753.
Learn more: Rich Flowers at the Review wrote a story.

Story No. 3 – See you later, out-of-county inmates: The money-making part of the Henderson County Jail is closing down. The county will not be keeping out-of-county prisoners any longer — which produced revenue — because surrounding counties have built new jail facilities or undercut prices.
Why it is important: With the county in budget mode, the loss of a revenue stream has to hurt.
Learn more: Check it out in the Review.

Story No. 4 – Work at Bel Air continues: That pretty much says it all: Work continues at Bel Air.
Why it is important: With about six weeks to go before the start of the 2012-2013 school year, the clock is ticking.
Learn more: Rich Flowers over at the Review had a good week, hitting 5 Things for the third time.

Story No. 5 – When paranormal mentioned, Fuller Park pops up: A paranormal group will be holding a convention in Marshal this August, which brought up the subject of ghost stories. And how can you tell a ghost story in East Texas without mentioning Fuller Park in Athens. The answer is, you can’t.
Why it is important: Because it’s Friday the 13th, of course.
Learn more: The Tyler Paper is covering the haunted beat.

Week of July 2, 2012

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Story No. 1 – Athens, Malakoff picked for playoffs: The annual high school football predictions are on the stands in the form of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. In it, both Athens and Malakoff are predicted to be in the postseason this year.
Why it is important: Reading Texas Football is a annual event for many people.
Learn more: The Malakoff News and The Athens News had stories.

Story No. 2 – Drive-by anniversary: The Fourth of July marked the one-year anniversary of a drive-by shooting in Athens that left one dead and one injured. James Garfield Marshall of Athens, 20, allegedly fired several shots from an assault weapon into a crowd celebrating the holiday on Jonathan Street.
Why it is important: Marshall’s trial on murder and aggravated assault charges will start next month.
Learn more: The Athens News (remember to go to the end of the file).

Story No. 3 – GBC Bingo Bust: Last week, police from Gun Barrel City and the Sheriff’s Office conducted a raid at the Golden Belle Bingo Hall, seizing 98 “gambling devices.”
Why it is important: A lot of folks went to the Golden Belle to get their fix of flashing machines and a chance at a jackpot.
Learn more: Art Lawler at the Review has a report.

Story No. 4 – TVCC Orientation set: Freshman orientation has been set for July 19 at Trinity Valley Community College. However, those who would like to attend must register by July 12.
Why it is important: Because a large number of Henderson County residents start their college careers at The Valley.
Learn more: Check out TVCC’s website.

Story No. 5 – Texas worst in health care: That’s the findings in a new report by  the federal Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. “Texas ranks worst in the nation in health care services and delivery.”
Why it is important: Texas ranks worst in the nation in health care services and delivery.
Learn more: The Tyler Paper.