Category: Opinion

 

By Michael V. Hannigan

I love when politicians fight for open government, so kudos go to Athens Mayor Jerry Don Vaught this week.

Vaught used his prerogative as the presiding officer of the City Council to bring an important issue out from behind closed doors Monday night.

That night’s meeting agenda called for the council to convene into executive session (behind closed doors) to consult with its attorney “regarding contemplated and pending litigation.” As is required by open meetings law, the agenda further identified the specific issues the council wanted to talk to its attorney about with the Wood Street project being one of them.

Continue reading “Thank you, Mayor Vaught, for standing up for open government”

It must be election time again. Every political mail piece I receive at home tells me how much more conservative one candidate is over another. Issues such as immigration, religious freedom, Obamacare, cutting taxes and supporting pro life values. All wonderful issues.

Criminal attorneys working regularly on federal immigration matters and state and federal criminal cases know how important it is to win your case if you want to stay in the US or have the leisure of returning if you were to leave. Even legal green card holders are up against the same federal immigration regulations regarding deportation and inadmissibility.

Our local issues that appear to need immediate attention: illegal drugs, child hunger, abuse of women and children, fixing our education system, clean water, poverty and mental health.

Continue reading “Let’s concentrate on local issues”

Dear Editor:

Recently, Nina Hendricks and I experienced the real Spirit of Christmas.

We always begin at the Dollar Tree for our annual shopping trip. We shop for veterans residing in the local nursing homes in Henderson and Kaufman counties.

Other members of our Sarah Maples Chapter NSDAR visit and deliver the gifts that Nina will put together. While we were shopping; lo and behold two Christmas Angels were in the same Dollar Tree. They are very difficult to recognize because they look like you and me. Nina and I each had baskets brimming over the top with all sorts of ‘goodies’. We try to get the most for the money donated to us from our members and they are always very generous. One such Christmas Angel walked beside us while we were deciding what to buy and she asked, “Why are you all buying so much of the same product?” We explained our mission and that we were buying for 44 veteran’s that included five ladies. She looked at our baskets and quietly handed us $40.

Continue reading “Letter to the Editor: The Spirit of Christmas”

During Sunday’s storm, my driveway culvert was washed completely away. This morning, the county road crew replaced the culvert and also pulled my truck out of the mud that was stuck because I attempted to drove around to my other gate. Great work by a group of dedicated and friendly county workers that we are lucky to have. Thank you guys for your dedication.

Reba and Richard Archer

The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes campaign was created by Frank Baird in 2001. What started as a small group of men daring to walk in 4 inch red high heels to prove a point has now grown into a worldwide movement with thousands of men raising millions of dollars for local rape crisis centers and Domestic Violence shelters?

In 2007 Frank formed Venture Humanity, Inc. a non-profit 501 (C) (3) Corporation. Venture Humanity, Inc. develops peace, violence prevention education and community projects.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is a campaign to inform the world of the valuable contributions men are making to stop sexualized violence in their own communities.

The East Texas Crisis Center supports this campaign and recognizes that sexualized violence reaches both men and women. If such a campaign existed where women could Walk a Mile in His Shoes, the East Texas Crisis Center would support that campaign as well.

ETCC urges all men in Henderson County to take a stand against sexualized violence and show your support May 30th, 8:45 a.m. @ the courthouse square by wearing red high heels.

Thank you,

Carla Gandy
Director of Outreach
East Texas Crisis Center
903-675-2137