Consumer, business confidence is growing
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
KEMP–Members of the Henderson County Women’s Council of Realtors heard the Mabank Economic Development Corporation director say he is cautiously optimistic about the area’s future prospects.
During the council’s monthly breakfast meeting Wednesday, Scott Confer said previously he would have been happy to entertain a single business prospect, but he is now entertaining three.
Also, during the past 10 months, Mabank’s gross sales tax collections have seen a 3 percent to 12 percent increase, Confer said.
“That’s significant, given that for three to four years previously, the figures were flat,” he pointed out.
The country’s economic recovery is evident in the build-up of orders of manufactured goods, stock market activity and growth of private investment sources for new business, Confer said.
As soon as the banking and appraisal industries fully adjust to new rules and regulations, Confer foresees more capital being made available for business and real estate loans.
Confer said he, like real estate agents, has seen the distressingly large inventory of commercial property and empty store fronts on main thoroughfares in the area.
“Businesses formerly on those properties were operating close to the edge to begin with. They are now out of business,” he told the council.
“Those with wider margins were brought to the edge (through the recent economic challenges),” he added.
Like so much in life, business is also about attitude, he said. “More business owners are beginning to feel ‘maybe, now’s the time to get going again,’” he said.
In other business, WCR officers:
• installed two of its newest members – Lou Anne Whitley of L&W Whitley and Courtney Dickens with Johnson Monroe Realty.
Membership chair Sue Stalcup noted other new members added to the chapter this month also included Tim Sutton/Century 21 Excite, Liz Loncar/S Realty, Donna Sadler/Johnson Monroe and past-president Sue Richardson, rejoining. New affiliate member Scott Damuth of East Texas Title was in attendance.
• heard a presentation from sponsoring affiliate Moore Insurance Agency, given by agent Sherry Bendall. She introduced members to an incentive referral program that represents a win-win for both Realtors and new homeowners.
• heard Hoss Pratt, well-known as the “prospecting king,” will be the guest speaker at the March 16 breakfast meeting.
• heard a recent fund-raising dinner in Austin raised $16,000 for the Texas Realty PAC fund.

Fire destroys home at longtime hatchery
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
TOLOSA–Last Sunday afternoon (Feb. 13), the Kemp Fire Department responded to a grass fire call at the property of Cody Shelton at 19824 State Highway 274.
Cody and his wife were in the house at the time and were unaware of it until his father, Cotton, called him about it.
The father and son are best known in the area for their Timberline Hatchery operations at the back of the property.
(The hatchery, here since the 1980s, used to host school tours, and according to semi-annual state inspections of the operations, the Sheltons own the largest sole propriety hatchery in Texas, Cotton said.
“I can hatch 1,250 chicks at a time,” he added.)
Kaufman fire marshal Larry Ewing said the cause of the grass fire was undetermined Thursday.
However, it appears that it started towards the back, in front of one of the many small barns of fowl – this one where the turkeys live – and progressed downwind and surrounded the house. Only one out building closest to the residence was threatened by the heat, blowing out the glass door and melting some vinyl siding.
Whether it began due to a stray cigarette ash, warm lawn mower or by some other means may never be known for certain.
Cotton said there were no leaves, as these are kept raked and removed as part of the hatchery’s operations.
The investigation is now in the hands of the insurance carrier, Ewing said.
Cotton told The Monitor he was at the Yellow Rose having lunch when a neighbor called him by cell phone to tell him about the grass fire. He called his son.
“We didn’t know until the call that there was a fire all around us,” Cody’s wife said.
Kemp firefighters put out the fire. However, hours later, when the couple were out eating dinner at the Western Cafe in Kemp, flames were seen and called in by neighbors.
Apparently, embers from the afternoon fire may have worked their way under the vinyl siding and smoldered toward the roof, Cotton speculated.
Besides losing all their personal furnishings and effects, a 1929 classic Chevy four-door sedan in mint condition was also destroyed along with its paperwork.
The car had been seen in a variety of parades in Mabank and Gun Barrel City since the couple acquired it about 18 months ago and also played a part in several weddings.

VOICE speaks to Kiwanis
Monitor Staff Reports
GUN BARREL CITY–A program that started out as an anti-drug effort aimed primarily at black students in Corsicana has expanded to a multi-racial program helping a cross-section of students in four Cedar Creek Lake area school districts.
The program, VOICE, started in 1989 in Corsicana, but now sponsors student activities for pre-K to seniors, marketing/development director Gina Dieterichs told Cedar Creek Lake Kiwanis members at Wednesday’s weekly luncheon.
“Three years ago, our contract was extended, and we extended into the Eustace, Tool, Malakoff and Trinidad school districts,” Dieterichs said. “Last year, our contract was extended again, and we now have two locations serving eight counties.”
The Corsicana office (she is from Kerens) primarily focuses on schools in Henderson, Navarro and Freestone counties, she said.
Some of the programs offered through VOICE include “Too Good for Drugs” for K-12 students, a Kids Connection (a 10-week school curriculum aimed at elementary students), Project Towards No Drug Abuse (for high school students) and alcohol, tobacco and drug presentations with age-appropriate related activities for pre-K through 12th grade.
One program that has been remarkably successful is “Spring Training,” a fitness day camp for elementary students conducted during the school’s spring break, Dieterichs said.
There is funding available for the program, but the problem has been locating an appropriate site, she explained.
“Our staff members go into the schools, so they need something to do (during spring break), as well,” Dieterichs said.
VOICE also sponsors CAP (college achievement program), which helps students and parents prepare for college, learning how to apply for financial aid or scholarships and explaining the registration timelines colleges use.
For more information on VOICE, check the website www.voiceinc.org.
In club business, Kiwanis members:
• agreed to participate with Mabank school students to collect items (such as personal hygiene items) to be packed into “care packages” for former Mabank students serving in the U.S. armed forces overseas.
The drive is being conducted as a “Rachel’s Challenge” activity, and involves students at every grade level, members heard.
Past president Ralph Fortner agreed to chair the club’s collections committee.
• briefly discussed plans for the club’s traditional “Pancake Day” fund-raiser, set for 6-11 a.m. Thursday, March 24.
 

 

Come Adopt Us At The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake

We have many animals at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake in Seven Points in dire need of a good home. Please call or stop by the Humane Society today and rescue one of these forgotten animals. The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake is located on 10220 County Road 2403 in Seven Points. For more information, please call (903) 432-3422 after 11 a.m. We are closed on Wednesday and Sunday.

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