admin, Author at Henderson County Now

Daily Brief: Monday, Jan. 21

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day AND happy Inauguration Day.

The Henderson County Black Rodeo Association held a well-attended parade Saturday. See photos from the event here.

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DON’T FORGET: The Henderson County Black History Committee will be hosting its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Candlelight Vigil tonight in Malakoff starting at 7 p.m.

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Congratulations to Bill Hunt of Texas Ragtime Inc. on being named the Athens Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year at the chamber banquet last Friday night.

You can find a list of the other award winners here, as well as our Facebook photo album with pictures from the event here.

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Not everything this weekend was happy. Sunday night, a candlelight service was held at Malakoff High School in honor of Jamiya Givens Williams and her daughter, Alahna Williams. who were killed in a car accident Sunday, Jan. 13.

We were there for the vigil.

Funeral services were set for today at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church on Mitcham Street in Malakoff under the direction of Huckabee/Tomlinson Funeral Home, Malakoff.

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Rich Flowers over at the Review has the first interview with new Athens City Council member Monte Montgomery. Mr. Montgomery took Mayor Jerry Don Vaught’s spot when Mr. Vaught became mayor.

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Average retail gasoline prices in Texas have fallen 2.0 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.14/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 13,114 gas outlets in Texas. This compares with the national average that has increased 0.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.26/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Texas during the past week, prices yesterday were 9.7 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 10.9 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 1.9 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 8.9 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

Awards presented at Chamber of Commerce banquet

Bill Hunt of Texas Ragtime Inc. (left) was named the Athens Chamber of Commerce 2012 Citizen of the Year. He is pictured with incoming Chamber Chairman Mark Allen.

(UPDATED WITH NOMINATION LETTER – JAN. 22)

Bill Hunt of Texas Ragtime Inc. was named the Athens Chamber of Commerce 2012 Citizen of the Year Friday night at the annual chamber banquet.

The award was presented by last year’s Citizen of the Year, Judith McGilvray.

Outgoing Chamber Chairman Tony Kalawe stepped down and welcomed new chairman, Mark Allen.

Other award winners included:

Reindeer Games: Don Lawyer
Ambassador of the Year: Kim Hodges
Small Business of the Year: The Ship Shop
Large Business of the Year: First State Bank

Check out our Facebook photo album.

The nomination letter for Hunt follows:

We proudly nominate Dr. Arch William (Bill) Hunt for Athens Citizen of the Year 2012.

Bill is an outstanding individual who exemplifies a strong leader grounded in good
morals, sound judgment and consistent drive. He arrived in Athens in 1996 and has
been deeply involved in community affairs for the past 16 years. His background as
a college professor (University of Texas-Austin), a restaurant
entrepreneur (Fuddrucker’s start-up) and as a trained physicist has allowed him to
excel on many fronts. Some of his accomplishments that we feel have been important to Athens are as follows:

1. He brought to Athens an international company (Texas Ragtime) which consistently
employs approximately 50 people and adds about $1,000,000 each year to the Athens
economy. This was done without the aid of incentives or tax abatements. He took
all the risks and now owns a very successful company.

2. He has served on numerous community boards, including committees to better our
public schools (speaking out for passage of school bonds and improved standards)
and is currently very active as a member of the Cain Center Board (has supplied
very innovative ideas to the Board, and has seen some of them successfully executed).
As a member of the Board of the Athens Country Club his ideas precipitated changes
which have been permanently adopted and are generally acknowledged to be good.
It is evident that if Bill is on a board, he is going to be an active contributor.

3. He served as President of the Athens Rotary Club and on its Board.

4. He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Athens and has served on several
committees with distinction.

5. He has been generous in his financial contributions to the needs of Athens.

For these and other accomplishments that may be overlooked, we feel Bill Hunt would be a worthy Athens Citizen of the Year 2012.

Obituary: Tonja Rae Rogers

Tonja Rae Rogers, 40, of Malakoff passed away on Jan. 17, 2013 in Tyler.

Tonja was born on Dec. 12, 1973 in Malakoff.

She is survived by her children, Carley Rae Julian, Cortney Gayle Julian; parents David Roberts and Gayle Rogers; father of both girls, Carl Eugene Julian; brother Johnny Hawk Roberts; and uncles, Aubrey Lynn Rogers and Tommy Melton Rogers.

Tonja is preceded in death by her grandmother, Aubrey L. Rogers; grandfather Andrew L. Rogers; and uncle David Rogers.

A memorial service is set for Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013 at 10 a.m. at New Hope Ministries located at the Red Barn in Log Cabin City with the Rev. Johnny Morgan officiating.

Online condolences can be made at www.tomlinsonfuneral.com.

Obituary: Charlene Douglas Mullins

Our smiling blue-eyed angel went to be with her Lord and Savior in heaven on Jan. 16, 2013.

Charlene Douglas Mullins was born on Aug. 13, 1931 and having been a longtime resident of Malakoff, she graduated a year early with honors. She was a cheerleader for Malakoff High School for many years and also for Henderson County Junior College.

Charlene became Mrs. Claudie Mullins on May 18, 1949 and she and Claudie had five children. Charlene and Claudie had been married 54 years at the time of his passing Jan. 18, 2004. She was a seamstress most of her life and ran the Holiday Cleaners in Malakoff for 20 years.

After taking her last breath on earth and her first breath in heaven, Charlene rejoiced as she reunited with her parents Albert and Jessie Mae Douglas; husband Claudie Mullins; daughter Becky Ray; sisters Billie Ruth Andrews and Jimmie Merle Wallace; brother Clayburn Douglas; mother-in-law Iva Jane Mullins; granddaughter Kaylee Diane Mullins; and great-grandson Joseph Shay Monroe.

She is survived by her children, Sandy Shirey of Malakoff, son Bill Mullins and wife Tammy Mullins of Malakoff, son Charles Mullins of Malakoff, daughter Jay Jay Lee and husband Kelly Lee of Katy, Texas; son-in-law O.B. Ray of Malakoff; sister-in-law Ruby Douglas. Her legacy continues with 17 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and three more great-grandchildren on the way.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Rufus McGuffey, Robert McGuffey, Ryan McGuffey, Adam Ray, Matt Ray, Bart Ray, Tyler Mullins, Lance Mullins, Austin Monroe, and Colton Monroe. Honorary pallbearers will be her granddaughters Lindsey Brignac, Heather McKinley, Amber Feagins, Laci Mullins, Kayla Mullins, Jennifer Lee, and Amanda Lee.

Visitation for Ms. Mullins is Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 from 6-8 p.m. at the Malakoff First Baptist Church. Service will be Saturday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. with Bro. Robert Webb officiating. Interment will follow in the Malakoff Cemetery.

Online condolences can be made at www.tomlinsonfuneral.com.

Daily Brief: The Top 5 Stories of the Week

State Rep. Jim Pitts files House Bill 1, the base budget bill, Tuesday.

Story No. 1 – Eustace fires police chief: The Eustace City Council terminated Troy Tucker Monday night in a 3-2 vote.
Why it is important: Community and council members credit Tucker with helping to clean up the area’s drug problem.
Learn more: We were there, and here’s the story.

Story No. 2 – Malakoff girl, daughter dies: The Malakoff community mourned this week following the death of Jamiya Givens Williams and her infant daughter, Alahna, Sunday night in a car accident.
Why it is important: Jamiya, 16, was a well-loved member of the community and her death hit Malakoff High School hard. A candlelight vigil is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday at the Malakoff High School football field.
Learn more: The Athens Review talked to the DPS.

Story No. 3 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day events: There are plenty of local events scheduled to celebrate MLK Day.
Why it is important: Dr. King stood for justice, and we can still use justice these days.
Learn more: A parade is scheduled for Saturday, as well as a Gospel Explosion. A candlelight vigil will be held Monday night.

Story No. 4 – County to get an armored car: The Henderson County Commissioners’ Court approved the purchase of an armored vehicle for the Sheriff’s Department.
Why it is important: Because our Sheriff’s Department has engaged in plenty of dangerous situations.
Learn more: Eric Walsh over at The Malakoff News has a story.

Story No. 5 – Milburn Chaney’s collection: County Tax Collector Milburn Chaney has a very cool collection of sports autographs.
Why it is important: We’re not sure we’d say it’s important, but it sure is cool.
Learn more: Thanks to the Tyler Paper for bringing us the story.