admin, Author at Henderson County Now

Athens Farmers Market Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon

Photo courtesy Athens Farmers Market Facebook Page.

Farmers Market press release

We are growing, growing, growing, not only in produce, but in size!

Visit historic downtown Athens for a fun day of community support. This weekend we will be featuring the Humane Society and the Texas Swing Festival. You may purchase tickets for their fundraiser on May 11 complete with the live music of Ruby Jane, great food and lots of fun!

The North 19 Volunteer Fire Department returns with their near famous homemade breakfast taco in which sales each weekend help keep gas in their trucks. Summer is on its way and they need our support!

Drink sales will benefit the Girl & Boy Scouts and American Heritage Girls.

We have everything from baked goods (breads, cookies, sweetbreads and pies), tamales, jams and jellies including: strawberry pineapple, peach, blackberry, blueberry, wild plum, pickled vegetables, salsas, relishes and soups. Don’t forget about free-range eggs, fresh grown herbs, local raw honey, granolas and sugar scrubs. We also feature local artisans’ handcrafted items such as etched glassware, screen printed t-shirts, Texas crafts and handcrafted natural gemstone jewelry.

Local produce includes but is not limited to naturally grown carrots, greens, kohlrabi, mixed lettuces, purple and green okra, cabbages, onions, frozen shelled peas (black eyed, red ripper, and zipper cream).

If you would like to know more about the market or becoming a vendor please visit us at www.atxfm.com. Also be our fan on Facebook@ http://www.facebook.com/ATxFM.

Lady Cards play for national tournament berth

The Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals had never won a tournament game going into this week’s Region XIV Softball Tournament.

Now they’ve won two.

Friday, the Lady Cards notched a 3-2 win over Blinn in the second round after knocking off nationally-ranked Galveston in the first round.

Today, TVCC will play Paris at 3 p.m. in Corsicana at Navarro College.

The winner of the game earns a national tournament berth. The TVCC-Paris loser falls into the consolation bracket semifinals Sunday with another chance to reach the championship game and earn a national tournament berth.

The top two teams advance to the national tournament May 15-18 in St. George, Utah.

Obituary: Guy Mann Horton

Guy Mann Horton, 80, of Athens, passed away April 30, 2013 from Alzheimer’s disease. He was born April 11, 1933, the youngest of 12 children of Hyter and Nelia Horton, one of the pioneering families of the Blackjack community.

After graduating from Brownsboro High School in 1950, Guy left the farm fields to pursue his love of education, a passion that would become his lifelong career. At the age of 20, he graduated from East Texas State College with a degree in journalism, and was soon drafted into the Army (1st Cavalry Division) during the Korean War. Stationed in Tokyo, he served as a correspondent for the “Stars and Stripes” and as editor of “The Cavalier.”

After his service, he returned to East Texas State and earned a Master’s degree in journalism. During his first semester as a professor at San Angelo College, he met Linda Green, and they began a wonderful 54-year journey together.

In 1969, Guy earned a Ph.D. in journalism from the University of Missouri, where he served 25 years before retiring as Executive Assistant to the President. He was well-respected throughout the nation’s higher-education community for his professionalism and ethical standards, and he received numerous state and national awards during his tenure.

Guy’s greatest joy was his family, and he never lost touch with his Blackjack roots. He loved hosting the annual Horton Reunion and was adored by many generations of cousins, nieces and nephews. He was a passionate gardener, football fan, bass fisherman, worldwide traveler and volunteer. Guy was a kind and generous man, blessed with an incredibly dry sense of humor. He was loved by many, and was a true friend to everyone he met.

Guy was an active member of the Athens First United Methodist Church and Builders Sunday School class, and proudly served in many leadership positions within his church and community.

He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Linda; his daughters, Ellen (Ken) Shriner of Boynton Beach, Fla., and Amy (Robert) Hayhurst of Houston; and his beloved grandson, Nathan Hayhurst.

He was preceded in death by his parents and 11 siblings.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 6, 2013 at First United Methodist Church with Dr. Faulk Landrum and Barbara Robberson officiating.

Burial will precede the service at 10 a.m. at the Blackjack Cemetery under the direction of Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home.

Memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 911, Athens, 75751 or the Henderson County Food Pantry, P.O. Box 2062, Athens, 75751.

City of Athens Department of Tourism receives award in recent photo contest

Athens press release

The Texas Forest Trail Region recently held a “We Pine for East Texas” photography competition and invited photographers to enter the spring photo contest to showcase the wonder, uniqueness and the character of the Texas Forest Trail Region, a 35-county area of East Texas.

Images were judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact, artistic merit, and support of the mission of the Texas Forest Trail Region. The judges were a panel of Texas Forest Trail Region staff, board members, and volunteers responsible for selecting images for various Texas Forest Trail Region printed and online marketing membership materials. Eligible photos had to be taken within the 35-county region and in a place that is accessible to the general public.

The City of Athens Department of Tourism entered a photo, taken by tourism coordinator Sherri Skeeters, of the tulips in bloom at the East Texas Arboretum in Athens. The photo caught the eye of several of the judges and was awarded Honorable Mention.

“We are honored to receive this award from the Texas Forest Trail Region and to have the opportunity to showcase one of our beautiful attractions,” said Skeeters.

The East Texas Arboretum and Botanical Society is open year-round and spans one hundred wooded acres offering visitors an opportunity to explore two miles of nature trails, picturesque gardens, a historic home and enjoy bird watching.

Lady Cards get historic win

The Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals celebrate after defeating nationally-ranked Galveston Community College Thursday. (COURTESY PHOTO)

By Benny Rogers/TVCC Sports Information

How ‘bout those Lady Cardinals!

They played bracket buster in the cold, gusting north wind and mist Thursday in the opening round of the Region XIV Conference in Corsicana. The Lady Cardinals, the No. 4 East seed, pulled off a shocker with a 5-2 win against Galveston, the No. 1 South seed and the nation’s eighth-ranked team.

Coach Ashley Johnston’s squad, now 31-23, used a four-run fourth inning to fuel the college’s first-ever regional tournament win and the biggest win in the history of the softball program. The Lady Cardinals were hitless through the first three innings.

Galveston, which defeated the Lady Cardinals 8-0 the first weekend in March, dropped to 42-16.

The Lady Cardinals are scheduled to return to action today against Blinn (32-18). Blinn was a 12-2 winner against the Lady Cardinals in March.

With a win against Blinn, the Lady Cardinals would play at 3 p.m. Saturday against the Paris-Northeast winner. With a loss, they would play at 10 a.m. Saturday against the Alvin-San Jacinto winner.

In Thursday’s other games in the opening round, it was: Northeast 5, San Jacinto 0; Blinn 9, Navarro 1 and Paris 7, Alvin 6.

The top two teams in the tournament qualify for the national tournament May 15-18 in St. George, Utah.