Category: Community

Organizations that support endangered children try and reach the community

CPS Supervisor Jodie Calcote speaks at the Children First event in Athens Thursday night. (Michael V. Hannigan)

By Michael V. Hannigan/HCN

My heart broke last night.

I attended a program in Athens Thursday evening called “Children First: Protected and Connected,” which included some of the organizations involved in protecting our community’s most at-risk and endangered children. On the agenda were representatives from Child Protective Services, the District Attorney’s Office, CASA of Trinity Valley, the Rainbow Room and a new Parent Collaboration Group.

The meeting was a community outreach to let people know the scope of the problem and how they can help. There were resources and information available for the community to plug in at almost every level where a child needs help.

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Grand Marshal named for Brownsboro Pioneer Day Parade; Vendors sought

Tim Brown

Press release

The Brownsboro Pioneer Days Festival is proud to announce the Parade Marshal as Tim Brown. Brown is the great-great-great-grandson of John “Red” Brown who founded Brownsboro and was a pioneer in the founding of Henderson County. Red Brown and his wife, Athens, moved to Texas from Alabama and owned 640 acres in the Brownsboro area.

Tim is thrilled to represent his roots. Brown has supported the community and has attended Brownsboro football game. Tim’s family lineage includes a teacher, a judge, a Confederate Captain and a Speaker of the House for the State of Texas.

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Master Gardeners offer gardening guide

Press release

Henderson County Master Gardener Association (HCMGA) is pleased to offer a month-by-month gardening guide to the public for only $15. This guide is specific to East Texas and is available now. The guide lists vegetable planting dates and gardening chores for flowers; shrubs and trees; and lawn and ground cover each month

Specific tips and tricks relating to the chores listed are included. For example, pruning information for roses, hydrangeas, and clematis is given.. Additionally, the four different types of hydrangeas commonly grown in East Texas are listed, along with the correct pruning method and timing for each type. A breakdown of clematis types and the proper pruning of each one is also included.

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Podcast: Scam hits seniors; guest attorney Jeff Weinstein

A new Better Business Bureau report says that sweepstakes, lottery and prize schemes bilked at least $117 million from people in 2017.

The report found that seniors are the most frequent targets and suffer the largest losses by far in these scams. They are targeted through direct mail, cold calling, social media, text messages and smartphone pop-ups.

After learning of the report, attorney Jeff Weinstein renewed his vow to help people avoid being victims of these scams.

“Please run these opportunities by me before you send the money,” Weinstein said. “It’s almost impossible to ever get any of this money back. Once you send it, it’s gone. We don’t charge anything for a call to find out whether these requests are legitimate or not.”

Call Weinstein Law at 903-677-5333.

Read the Weinstein Law blog post here.

Have a manageable vegetable garden

By Lydia Holley/Special to HCN

Henderson County Master Gardener Association Intern Susan Skommesa will present “Square Foot Gardening” on Tuesday, May 15, 5:30 p.m., Clint W. Murchison Memorial Library, 121 S. Prairieville, Athens.

If you grow vegetables, you may already know the benefits. Most people grow their own vegetables for the taste. Even scientists agree homegrown vegetables taste better. According to a study done by Kew Gardens, there are certain chemicals in vegetables that impart a pleasing flavor, and homegrown vegetables have a much higher concentration of these chemicals than those commercially farmed and purchased from a store.

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