Donate cars
Many Boys and Girls Clubs are running a car donation campaign. Donated cars are sold at auction and the funds generated help support their many programs.
For information or to donate call toll-free (800) 246-0493.

Kemp Cowboy Church
The first meeting of the new Kemp Cowboy Church, a non-denominational church, is set for 10:30 a.m. Sunday (today) in the council chambers, Kemp City Hall, located at 304 North Main, Kemp.
Pastor Gary Hooper welcomes all. For information call Wendy at (903) 498-4315.

Kemp senior center
The Kemp Senior Citizens Center is hosting a chili luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday (today). For a small fee there will be chili and all the trimmings and dessert.
For information call (903) 498-4046.

Civic League meeting
The Cedar Creek Civic League meets at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 24, at Tri-County Library, Mabank. Program is by Marilyn May of the Environmental Co-op. Guests are welcome. For information call (903) 451-3229.

CCL Women’s Club
The Cedar Creek Lake Women’s Club meets at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, at the Cedar Creek Country Club. Sharon Lucky will present “Divas of the Desert.” Doors open at 10:15 a.m. For information call (903) 451-2619.

Harbor Point POA
The Harbor Point POA Crime Watch group will meet at noon Tuesday, Jan. 25, at the Ranch House Restaurant in GBC for a dutch treat luncheon. Henderson County District Attorney Scott McKee will speak on “Identity Theft and Other Public Scams.” Other Crime Watch groups are invited to come and hear McKee. For information or to RSVP, call (903) 887-1630.

Grief counsel meeting
First Assembly of God Church, 116 West Market Street, Mabank, is beginning grief counseling meetings at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 27 (each Thursday). For information call Pastor Royce Barker at (903) 887-4881 or the Rev. Kathy Floyd at (903) 880-9692.

Styx gospel singing
The Styx Baptist Church is hosting a gospel singing starting at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, at the church, located at 31800 FM 85, west of Seven Points. Everyone is welcome. If you play and instrument or can sing, bring your music, friends and family. For information call (214) 616-4659. Everyone is welcome every fourth Friday.

Masonic chili lunch
The Malakoff Masonic Lodge No. 759 is hosting a chili lunch with all the fixins’ from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Masonic Hall, 110 Jackson Street. Donation requested.

Cowboy church race
The Rope, Catch & Ride for Christ Cowboy Church Arena Team is sponsoring a 5D Barrel Race starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, at the church located north of Mabank, SH 198, right on CR 2807. Church is on the right and looks like a red barn. For information call Mitzi Pyle at (903) 880-8280.

Baked potato lunch
A baked potato lunch is set for noon Sunday, Jan. 30, at the First Methodist Church, Kemp, benefitting the children’s summer camp. For information call (903) 498-3827.

Tamarack Ladies Club
The Tamarack Ladies Club meets at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2, in the TLC Hall. A potluck luncheon follows the meeting. All ladies residing in Tamarack are invited. For information call (903) 887-7049.

St. Jude Friday fish fry
The Knights of Columbus and St. Jude Catholic Church is hosting an “all-you-can-eat” first Friday fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at the St. Jude Church on Luther Lane, behind the Pizza Hut. All profits benefit local, state and national charities.

Early Valentine dinner
The annual “That’s Amore” Valentine’s Day dinner show is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at Mabank High School Cafeteria. Choir students will serve as wait staff and will provide entertainment. Tickets may be purchased from any choir student, the front desk at the high school or by calling the Fine Arts Department at (903) 880-1620.

Kemp Senior Citizens
The Kemp Senior Citizens Center, 300 North Dallas Street, Kemp, serves lunch for a small donation at noon weekdays. Seniors can enjoy games, quilting, puzzles, exercise class, Bible study and a lot more from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. For information call Lisa Smith at (903) 498-4046.

Free tax help
Free tax help is available at Tri-County Library, Mabank, with Peggy Rogers, VITA. Rogers worked for the IRS for many years and keeps up with current changes. Call the library at (903) 887-9622, leaving name, local phone number (calls from cells with long distance numbers will not be returned), and the best time for her to return your call to set up an appointment.

AARP free tax help
AARP free tax services will be available from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Feb. 2, through Wednesday, April 13, at the following locations: Fridays at the Henderson County Senior Center, Athens; Mondays at The Library at Cedar Creek Lake, Seven Points, and Wednesdays at the Senior Citizens Center, Malakoff. For information call (903) 778-2423.

Flu shots available
Flu shots are available for adults and children. Contact the Texas Department of State Health Services at (972) 932-2038 for an appointment. Medicare/Medicaid accepted, sliding fee scale or $20 for adults. The clinic is located at 3001 S. Washington, Kaufman.

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New interim super says he’s ‘Ready to dig in’
Monitor Staff Reports
ATHENS–Corey Jenkins, a longtime Trinidad ISD teacher, was named interim superintendent last month, replacing David Atkeisson.
Atkeisson unexpectedly announced he was leaving the district to take a job in the Palestine ISD business office in November.
Atkeisson left a big job for Jenkins, considering TISD was rated “Unacceptable” by the Texas Education Agency last year.
TEA claimed that eight of the 19 seniors who graduated in 2009 did not complete their requirements for graduation. Atkeisson said he was appealing the rating.
“It’s not even based on this year’s TAKS scores, in which 70 percent of the scores were either Recognized or Exemplary,” Atkeisson said.
“Sure, there are areas where we’d like to improve, but when all student scores for reading fall in the Recognized category and writing and social studies scores match Exemplary, and when all science scores come up to Recognized and math is Academically Acceptable, well that’s something to be proud of,” Atkeisson told The Monitor in August.
The Monitor caught up with Jenkins, whose titles include Reverend, at a candlelight service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday at the courthouse in Athens, and had the following conversation with him.
TM: How does it feel to be the interim superintendent after all this time?
Jenkins: It is very humbling, but it is very exciting as well.
TM: Trinidad has some issues. Any idea about where you’re going, what you’re trying to do?
Jenkins: Basically, right now I’m just trying to look at all the data.
I’m looking at all the academic data first of all, and then also data about staff makeup and things of that nature. Hope to just take it from where it is now and improve it. We don’t know where that’s going to go at this particular point, but I’m just ready to dig in my heels.
TM: You’ve been in Trinidad a long time. Can you tell us a little bit about how you feel about the City of Trinidad itself?
Jenkins: Trinidad is my heart. I always tell people I bleed blue and gold. I was born and raised in Trinidad. I love it. I hope to build in Trinidad one day, and I’m actually flattered that they’ve entrusted me to this position. I’m ready, I’m just ready.
TM: Considering the national holiday to honor Dr. King, can you tell me what he means to you?
Jenkins: A symbol of hope; a symbol of pride; a symbol of justice. He said, “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” And I believe he is a forerunner of a lot of things happening now and the culmination of a lot of things happening. For me he is one of the names that just transcends time, no matter what generation you come up with, you’re going to hear his name and you’re going to hear his speeches and you’re going to see the movement, and that’s been special for me.
TM: I have to ask because of the day it is, have we had any other black superintendent in Henderson County?
Jenkins: I really haven’t done that research, somebody else asked me that same question the other day. I said I really don’t know; I know I’ll be one of very few, if we have had any, and to me that’s very special. That tells me that anything is possible.
Trinidad ISD school board set 7 p.m. Tuesday as its next regular monthly meeting at the school’s auditorium.

Kemp man charged with continuous ‘sexual abuse of a child’
Monitor Staff Reports
KEMP–A Kemp man is still in jail after being arrested for continuous sexual abuse. Kaufman County investigators began an investigation in the last days of December and initial findings resulted in the arrest of Jeramiah David Bryan, 26.
Investigators found Bryan had been sexually abusing several female victims over a period of the last year.
Bryan was charged with two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a young child/children, and one count of sexual performance by a child.
Bryan was originally arrested Dec. 18, 2010, and charged with indecency with a child by sexual contact by the Kemp Police Department.
He remains incarcerated in the Kaufman County Law Enforcement Center with bond set at $400,000.

Vigil honors Dr. Martin Luther King



Monitor Photo/Michael Hannigan
Marva Barker pours out her heart in song as grandson Jaden Barker, 4,
keeps his eyes on the flame during the annual Henderson County Black
History Committee candlelight vigil held at the Henderson County Courthouse
Jan. 17 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Both grandmother and
grandson are from Athens.