People, Places & Events

Councilman Buckley earns BS degree
Monitor Staff Reports
KEMP–At a very young-at-heart age of 72, Leodis Buckley, Kemp city councilman, earned his bachelor of science degree from Devry University.
Buckley studied technical management and computer forensics to earn his BS.
“But, I have no plans at this time to use the degree,” he said.
He served in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed Fort Lee, Va. where he also studied computer technology at William & Mary University.
The time in the service gave him the opportunity to attend several other colleges.
He studied psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin and computer technology at the University of Southern California.
He was discharged in Mississippi in 1979, where he studied more computer technology at the Gulf Coast Junior College.
“From 1980 to 1987 I worked at Northern Telecom in Garland,” Buckley said.
They reorganized and Buckley was laid off, he explained.
“I married my wife, Mildred Mosley, in 1988. She was from Kemp, born and raised there,” he said.
He worked as a substitute teacher in Kemp and worked for seven years in the Dallas District Attorney’s office in medical administration.
Following an illness, Mildred Buckley passed away three years ago.
“After my wife died, I decided to not just sit around so I went back to college,” Buckley said.
Buckley was sworn in as a city councilman in May, 2008.
It is his second term – he served on the Kemp City Council from 1995-1997, he explained.
Mayor Billy Teel declared Dec. 20, 2008, Leodis Buckley Day, in honor of his accomplishment.
Buckley currently is a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church, where he serves as the church clerk.
He is also a member of the Kemp Crime Watch and serves on the board of selection for the Kemp Police Department.
All but one of the couple’s five children live in Texas – Darrell Mosley in Cedar Hill, Mary Love, Mabank, Mark Mosley, Garland and Lori Bishop, Frisco. A daughter, Sharon Miles, lives in Arkansas.
“And I have a whole bunch of grandkids,” he added.


Courtesy Photo
Kemp city councilman Leodis Buckley is honored with his own special day Dec.
20, and presented with a certificate marking the day by Mayor Billy Teel (left).
Buckley went back to college after retirement, and recently earned his bachelor
of science degree.

Post office clerks wear PJs to work
Monitor Staff Reports
KEMP–Technology has changed even the way folks visit the post office.
A trip to the post office may now be accomplished by sitting down at the computer – something one can even do in pajamas.
Postal workers at the Kemp Post Office wore their pajamas to work recently to remind customers of the many services offered over the Internet.
A flyer lists the top five things one can do from the comfort of home:
• order stamps and free eco-friendly shipping supplies and have them delivered to your door,
• print postage for packages and large envelopes right from one’s computer,
• schedule a parcel(s) pick-up with a few clicks of the mouse, and
• change your address or have your mail held during a trip away from the comfort of home.
Once one is finished, they can curl up on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn and watch a favorite movie. For more information on U.S. Postal Service Internet services, visit usps.com.


Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Kemp postal employees call attention to the fact customers may wear their pajamas
while requesting and receiving postal supplies and services via the Internet by
dressing in their pajamas at the Kemp Post Office recently. Pictured are (from left)
Camille Collinsworth, Margie Houston and Marsha Gooch.

Resolve to be green and save green in 2009
Special to The Monitor
KAUFMAN–In 2009, why not make some resolutions to keep Kaufman County clean and green?
Simple changes can make a world of difference to our environment, and might even $ave you some green in your wallet.
Use durable shopping bags to cut down on the number of plastic bags you take from the store – and not just the grocery store. Many stores give a small credit for bringing your own bags.
If you get plastic shopping bags, be sure to recycle them at the store where you get them, reuse them as wastebasket liners, use as shoe covers in your suitcase, keep one in your car to collect litter, or give them to a local food pantry to put groceries in.
While you are shopping with your reusable bag, look for products that contain recycled content, such as refilled ink jet cartridges, printer paper or school notebooks.
Switch to natural, homemade cleaning products instead of chemical products.
You can work wonders around the house with vinegar and baking soda.
Recycle your paper, plastic bottles and cans. About 60 percent of what we throw away can be recycled, and will save landfill space.
Besides, the recycled materials get turned into new products. Resolve to visit your nearest recycling center in Kaufman County:
• Terrell Drop-off Recycling Center, located N. Delphine at High St. (open daily).
• Precinct 2 Drop-off Recycling Center, located at the Precinct 2 maintenance barn in Forney, open 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• City of Forney curbside recycling – check with city for your recycling day
• Kemp Eco-Station, located at U.S. Highway 175 and Plainview Dr. in Kemp, open 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Kaufman Trash and Recycling Center, located at East First North St. and Alton Street, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
Resolve to save energy by replacing at least one incandescent light bulb in your house with a compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb.
CFLs use less energy, last longer and will $ave you money on your electricity bill.
Resolve to save even more energy by turning off lights and televisions when not in use.
Resolve to save heating and cooling costs by turning down your thermostat one degree in winter and up one degree in summer. Small adjustments mean big $avings.
Resolve to conserve water by turning off the water faucet when brushing your teeth and taking shorter showers.
Resolve to give a $10 gift membership to the Environmental Co-op (or become a member yourself) for a gift that keeps on giving to the environment.
Log on to www.trashbusters.org  for membership information, or call (972) 524-0007.
If you have made changes in your daily habits that help the environment, we want to hear from you. E-mail us at environmentalco-op@cebridge.net .
We will publish your tips in the next edition of the Co-op’s newsletter, Center Stream.