DAILY BRIEF: Still time to file for city council, school board elections

HOT TOPIC: Time is running out if you’d like to be a part of your local city council or school board.

The filing period for May city and school board elections closes next Friday, March 1.

Because of changes to the election cycle, not all cities or school districts are having an election this May. You can learn more on the reason for that by reading our explainer.

In the City of Athens, the two incumbents are the only ones who have filed so far: Mayor Jerry Don Vaught and Councilman Monte Montgomery.

At Athens ISD, all three incumbents have filed for reelection: Raymond Williams (Place 5), David Freeman (Place 6), and Robert Spears (Place 7). In addition, Blu Nicholson has filed for Place 5.

Other races around the county include the cities of Malakoff, Brownsboro, Gun Barrel City, Caney City and Eustace; and Eustace ISD.

This is your chance to take part in governing.

WHAT YOU MISSED

State Sen. Robert Nichols filed legislation to help customers in Investor-Owned Utility rate cases.

Photos from the Cain Center Heart & Sole 5K.

Photos from the visit to Malakoff by the Texas AME bishop.

Obituaries: Travis Lee Perkins, Bill Bell, and Martha Louise Graham.

WHAT OTHERS ARE TALKING ABOUT

The Henderson County Performing Arts Center has produced a video on bullying. The Review has a story. 

Men called to ‘Walk A Mile in Her Shoes’ to fight against sexual assault. 

ON TAP

The Athens Hornets will take on Kilgore in bi-district basketball playoff action tonight at UT-Tyler. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Don’t forget the Keep Athens Beautiful “Organically Speaking” event scheduled for Thursday. 

If you need something added to the Daily Brief, just click “Contact” in the menu bar and let us know.

You can get the Daily Brief in your inbox, Monday through Friday. Just add your email in the form below and let Henderson County Now come to you.

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Obituary: Martha Louise Graham

Martha Louise Graham
Martha Louise Graham

Martha Louise Graham was born the daughter of Paul Etheridge and Doris Suber Fountain on Jan. 30, 1945 in Houston. She married her husband, John Graham, on June 8, 1963 in Pittsburg, Texas. She later went on to become an R.N. serving 32 years with East Texas Medical Center in Athens as an Infection Control Nurse. Louise was a member of the Dogwood Church and was a dedicated servant of the Lord. She loved children and spent many hours teaching in the Children’s Ministry and with AWANA. She was a member of The Order of the Eastern Star and of A.P.I.C. (American Professionals of Infection Control). Louise loved spending time with all of her family, but she had a very special place in her heart for her grandchildren. She was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and Mimi and will be greatly missed by all she touched.

She was preceded in death by her father, Paul Fountain.

Mrs. Graham is survived by her husband of 49 years, John Graham of Athens; her mother, Doris Fountain of Pittsburg; her two sons, Jim and wife Karen Graham of Watkinsville, Ga., Don and wife Ricki Graham of Forney; one brother, Richard and wife Darlene Fountain of Mt. Pleasant; Sue Hart of Coyle, Okla. and four grandchildren, Justin, Taylor, Cameron and Reese Graham

In lieu of flowers the family would like for donations to be made to one of the following charities: The Dogwood Church Children’s Fund, the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.

AROUND MALAKOFF: Welcoming Alexis Faith Crye

Loretta Humble
Loretta Humble

By Loretta Humble, Around the Town

Lots of nice news around town this week. Of course, the big news is that Alexis Faith, daughter of Jessica and Mark Crye, arrived Friday morning. She weighed 6.5 lbs. and is 19.5 inches long. I do not know why those statistics matter, but people seem to want to know. The main things are these—she is beautiful, as would have been expected, and mother and daughter are just fine, and are already settled in at home.

Alexis’s expected arrival was the final straw that convinced Jessica and Dottie to close their great little shop, My Favorite Things. We all grieved about that. But we are regrouping and we will be fine. We’ve agreed to have coffee and sweet tea down at the Flagg House. If I need to remind any of you, the historic Flagg House houses the Historical Society and the Chamber of Commerce. It is basically a gift to our community from Kenny Andrews, who paid for it, and continues to fix it up and support it, and from Pat Isaacson, who gives her life, and some of her own resources, to tending it. It is a beautiful place and we are working on the idea of making it more conducive to small and larger group gatherings. We need some couches and chairs that are a little elegant-looking in order to fit in with the house, but are sturdy and comfortable, so no one is afraid to sit on them. If you know of some that might be donated, or sold for an affordable price, please let us know.

Also, maybe we’ll still get to meet for coffee at the former Favorite Things building. The new folks going in there are doing extensive remodeling, going to open up the whole back of the building. The Cryes had fixed up the front half of the building beautifully, but had just used the back for storage, as the floor was caving in, among other problems. These guys are fixing that. And while they won’t be serving food for a while, I do believe there will be coffee and a nice place to drink it. Maybe even a goody if we are lucky. By the way, last time I asked, they hadn’t decided what to name it.

Down at the Bartlett House, the wonderful ruin with the legendary gardens the Garden Club is restoring, great things are happening, much of it through the effort of Cheryl Kietscheraski who has adopted the place and brought her family in to help her. She is going to be planting a rose garden next week. But we got a great boost last week when Acme Brick sent over a crew of four men and a little bulldozer, headed by Rick Vieregee. They uncovered and brought back to be restored big hunks of brick and mortar that had fallen off the porches, and had been dumped at the edge of the property.

The folks out at Long Cove, the fabulous development just north of town, have taken an interest in the property, and have proposed to pay for major clean up and securing the house to keep vandals out. And not just boarding up the windows, but securing it beautifully, with ironwork that fits the style of the house.

Plus, the narcissus are just gorgeous right now. Please drive by and take a look.

It’s fun to watch Kay Asher and Shelly Fugit get ready for the Funky Junk affair Country Chicks are going to have at Harvey Hall this weekend. Last week they had their booth framework set up in the parking spaces outside Country Chicks, practicing how to set it up fast. Kay hopes she can get all the shops and our upcoming events a lot of publicity out of this.

And we do have a lot of things coming up—Cornbread Festival, Art Garden Tour, Knife and Tomahawk Gathering, Big Bass Tournament, and some other stuff I forgot, but I’m out of room. Anyhow, they are all more than a month away, so I can talk about them next time. And the next.

Lady Cards softball sets record

By Benny Rogers, TVCC Sports Information

The Trinity Valley Community Lady Cardinals matched a school record for consecutive wins in the first game of a softball doubleheader Monday afternoon at Cain Park with a 4-2 decision against North Central Texas College.

Things didn’t go as well in Game 2 for Coach Ashley Johnston’s squad, which fell 6-3 to see a six-game win streak halted and drop to 11-5 on the year.

The Lady Cardinals are scheduled to be back in action Wednesday on the road against Hill College. Action begins at 1 p.m.

Chantelle Whitehead and Chyna Phipps had two hits each in the Game 1 win, Whitehead drove in a run. Candise Wise had a hit and a RBI.

In the second game, Erica Jordan led the Lady Cardinals at the plate, going 2-for-3 and driving in a run.

The Lady Cardinals are scheduled to travel Saturday to Lufkin to play Angelina in a doubleheader at 1 p.m.

The next home game for the Lady Cardinals is March 14 against Navarro.

Obituary: Bill Bell

150x222-Bill_Bell
Bill Bell

Funeral services for Bill Bell of Athens are scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, 2013 at the Sand Springs Baptist Church in Athens with Pastor Eric Graham officiating.

Mr. Bell passed away in Palestine, Texas on Feb. 15, 2013.

Billy Jack Bell was born the son of Harry and Cornelia Pearce Bell on Oct. 16, 1929 in Athens. He was a member of the Sand Springs Baptist Church and was a man with a strong work ethic and lived his life farming and working cattle. He enjoyed reading and spending time with his family. He was a loving father, brother and great grandfather and will be greatly missed by all those who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his wife of more than 50 years, Betty Jean Sipkins Bell and his parents.

Bill leaves behind two daughters, Sheryl Bonner of Allen, Texas, Lisa Garza of Athens; two sons, Scott and wife Julie Bell of Palestine and Wes and wife Adria of McKinney; two sisters, Dorothy and husband Kenneth Hensley of Mabank, Ann Costello of Forney; one brother, Tom Bell of Chandler; eight grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers the family would like for donations to be made to: Sand Springs Baptist Church, 1212 FM 1616, Athens, TX 75751.