People, Places & Events

Drug enforcement unit arrests Brownsboro woman
Special to The Monitor
ATHENS–Monday, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit investigators were assisted by the Brownsboro Police Department with a narcotics search warrant on Browning street in Brownsboro.
HC investigators arrived at the residence and detained three individuals in the back yard.
The property was searched and a quantity of methamphetamines were located inside the residence.
Child Protective Services (CPS) were contacted in reference to a female, 14, who lived there. CPS was able to place the child with a family member.
Theresa Halsey was arrested for manufacture/delivery of controlled substance, penalty group 1, more than four grams and under 200 grams, which is a first degree felony.
She was also charged with endangering a child, a state jail felony.
Halsey was transported to the Henderson County jail awaiting arraignment.

McDades Nursery has re-opened
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
TOOL–Customers who loved the personal touch, and enjoyed being able to browse and ask gardening questions, or just plain couldn’t wait to see all the colorful choices at McDades Nursery, are thrilled to know, they’re back.
Loretta and John McDade came out of an eight-year retirement to re-open the facility, located at 1000 N. Tool Drive (SH 274), with both old favorites and new plans for the establishment.
“Old” favorites will include the newsletter McDandelines.
“But it will be a new electronic version,” John said. Customers, both former and new, are invited to call or drop by with their name and e-mail address for the mailing list.
“This time we will try to be more ‘green,’ as we are adding a full line of organics,” John said.
Of course there are Texas Certified Nursery Professionals on staff.
The couple, Kim and Shannon Killebrew, who were employed by McDades for 22 years, are returning.
“It’s hard to get your head back into it,” Loretta said, looking at all the work that has been done and is still left to do.
“We are behind in our ordering because that is usually accomplished in the fall,” she said.
But the nursery is stocked as full as possible and growing daily.
“We have bedding plants and vegetables, seeds and lots of color,” she said.
“We have color in various forms, including roses and azaleas,” Loretta explained.
The varieties include the very popular Encore azalea which is great for Texas.
“I have them at my house and they have done very well, actually blooming several times a year,” she said.
Also they carry the Knock Out roses which are more disease resistent, she added.
Former owners Erin and Mark Countryman left around the early spring of 2008.
By the time John and Loretta decided to take it back, there was a mountain of work to do.
“When we got the business back, the buildings and greenhouses were in very bad shape. A lot of clean-up and repair had to be done,” John said.
“The wonderful men at our church, Cedar Creek Lake United Methodist, have worked very hard to help us. We couldn’t have done everything (all the work) without them. They are a true blessing,” she added.
“We hope to rebuild a good customer base plus get re-acquainted with old friends and former customers,” Loretta explained.
The McDades owned the nursery from 1977 to 2000, when they retired.
“We were successful before by running a small ‘mom and pop’ operation, even though we fought a daily battle with the ‘big box’ stores,” John said.
“We were successful because we sold quality merchandise, and had helpful, knowledgeable personnel who appreciated your business,” John explained.
“Our inventory will grow as the season progresses and we make our plans to expand,” Loretta added.
“We don’t have quite the energy or the stamina that we had in 1977, but we are looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones as we get back into the business,” John said.