Patrick Greene

Story No. 1 – Christian No More: Patrick Greene made plenty of headlines when he converted to Christianity, but it didn’t last very long. A month later, Greene says he’s back to being an atheist.
Why it is important: As part of the nativity scene controversy, Greene has become a pretty big figure in Henderson County. Athens’ Sand Springs Baptist Church played a big part in his original conversion.
Learn more: Mysanantonio.com had the best story. 

Story No. 2 – Kemp Dumps Police Department: The City of Kemp disbanded its police department this week, citing budget pressure as the reason.
Why it is important: Kemp may be a little far from home, but the city’s problems could be a cautionary tale for area small cities. Just how close can municipalities cut finances and ignore maintenance to keep taxes low before tempting disaster?
Learn more: The Athens Review has a story.

Story No. 3 – Monarch Reaches Agreement: Monarch, a subsidiary of SouthWest Water Company with thousands of customers in Henderson County, reached an agreement on a proposed rate hike last week.
Why it is important: The agreement will impact county residents around Cedar Creek Lake and Lake Palestine.
Learn more: The Athens News and The Malakoff News had the story. 

Story No. 4 – Jake’s Skate Park Anniversary: Jake’s Skate Park in Malakoff will be celebrating its second anniversary Saturday with a festival/competition.
Why it is important: The unique park, located in front of the Malakoff Community Center, is the only facility of its kind in the county.
Learn more: Again, The Malakoff News has the details. 

Story No. 5 – Earthquake in East Texas: A 3.7-magnitude earthquake hit Mount Enterprise Thursday morning.
Why it is important: Although the quake didn’t cause a lot of damage, there’s still something a little scary about the words “earthquake” and “East Texas” in the same sentence.
Learn more: Check out the Tyler Paper story.