Operation Clean Sweep Needs Support

By Michael V. Hannigan

Keep Athens Beautiful is vital in the battle to keep litter off the streets, but a change at the courthouse has the officials at KAB needing a little help.

For several years KAB has conducted Operation Clean Sweep partnered with exit clean Wollongong agencies, where volunteers take crews of probationers performing community service out once a month to pick up trash. Changes in the law have seen those crews dwindle to nearly nobody, however, in recent months.

Apparently the litter hasn’t gotten the memo, because it still keeps piling up. Continue reading “Operation Clean Sweep Needs Support”

Obituary: Jessie Mae White

whitejessiepaperFuneral services for Jessie Mae White, 81 of Athens are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, July 18, 2015 at Carroll-Lehr Funeral Chapel with Charles Tapley officiating. Burial will follow in Carroll-Springs Cemetery.

Mrs. White passed away July 12, 2015 in Athens.

She was born April 9, 1934 in Dallas to Billy and Lillie Mae Hendrix Ward.

Jessie loved playing Bingo and flower gardening. She was a member of Rebecca Lodge. She loved her grandchildren very much. Continue reading “Obituary: Jessie Mae White”

Obituary: Richard Lee Alexander

Alexander, Richard PhotoFuneral services for Richard Lee Alexander, 79 of Athens are scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, July 16, 2015 at Carroll-Lehr Funeral Chapel with Rev. Joe Wood officiating. Burial will follow in Alligator Cemetery.

Richard Lee Alexander, devoted Christian husband, father, grandfather, engineer, inventor, entrepreneur and patriot passed away Friday after a long difficult battle with lung and heart disease.

He was born May 2, 1936 in Morehouse, Missouri to Samuel Everett and Wilmetta Hemling Alexander. Richard grew up in the panhandle near Dumas. He attended Dumas High School and was an Eagle Scout. He was married to Billie Nell Alexander 44 years, raising three sons. He received a Mechanical Engineering Degree at Texas Tech University in 1959. Richard had a busy career as an engineer working for major firms such as JM Huber, Cabot Chemical, Ashland Oil and Dow Chemical Company. He was especially proud of the work he performed for the NASA Gemini Program. As his career matured, Richard went on to become a successful Sales Executive. During the early 90’s he developed employment programs for the Center for the Retarded in Houston and continued to give back to those in greatest need during his time in Athens. Even in his ill health, he donated his time and energy to those in the community who were reconstructing their lives following the ravages of drugs and alcohol. He was also a member of the Gideon’s and distributed many thousands of Bibles. Richard was an honest, hard-working man who was above all a disciple of Christ. A loving husband and father, Richard raised his family in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He will be sorely missed. Continue reading “Obituary: Richard Lee Alexander”

TxDOT Finds Archeological Sites Along US 175 Project

txdotPress release

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced Tuesday the discovery of archeological sites along the US 175 Expansion project in Anderson and Henderson counties that contains artifacts dating back to the 1400s. The findings suggest that the locations could have been a temporary Native American settlement.

The US 175 Expansion has been in the planning stages for years and is a top priority for TxDOT in an effort to improve the safety and mobility of the roadway. It includes three separate projects covering 13.8 miles from Baxter to Frankston and is designed to widen the roadway from two lanes to four-lane divided with a depressed median. Continue reading “TxDOT Finds Archeological Sites Along US 175 Project”

Leases Moving Forward in BMC Failure Aftermath

BMC beatBy Michael V. Hannigan

Athens City Administrator Philip Rodriguez on Monday gave City Council members a short update regarding progress in the Biotech Manufacturing Center (BMC) closure.

Last week, the Athens Economic Development Corporation and the City Council both approved a plan to keep the BMC out of bankruptcy court to try and limit the damage caused by the BMC’s failure. 

Monday, Rodriguez told the council that officials were getting closer to a lease with West Pharmaceuticals, the business currently in the former BMC building, which Rodriguez said, “we all have attested is is a good business partner for our community.” Continue reading “Leases Moving Forward in BMC Failure Aftermath”