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New school principals hired
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
KEMP–Kemp ISD has hired two school principals and expects
to make an announcement about a third and an athletic director next week.
Superintendent Peter Running announced Lisa Lowe as the new principal at the
primary school and Phillip Edwards as the new principal for the junior high
school.
Edwards comes to Kemp from West Mesquite High School where he’s been an
assistant principal since 1998. Edwards is replacing Amelia Hood, who is
retiring after 36 years in education. Hood came to Kemp Junior High in 1999.
This year, Lowe is the principal for Celeste ISD’s elementary and junior
high. Prior to that she served as assistant principal in Ferris since 1997.
Lowe is replacing Stephen Parrish, who said, he “is exploring other
options,” including those outside the field of education.
Parrish has been the principal at the primary school since 2003.
“We’re very excited about them (the new hires). We feel we had excellent
applicants with a depth of experience,” Running told The Monitor.
The two new hires were selected from a field of about 35 applicants, he
said.
Following a brief transitional period, Running is hoping the two new
principals will be able to take up their duties in Kemp right away.
Assistant superintendent Sam Swierc and selection committees narrowed the
field of applicants and made recommendations to Running, who reserved the
right to make the final choice. Thursday, Running said he had a short list
of candidates for athletic director and planned to meet with them early in
the week following Easter, and have a final selection by the end of the
week.
Selection of a principal for the intermediate school will follow.
A full-blown welcome is planned immediately after everyone is in place,
Running said.
“We’re looking in a positive direction toward our future,” Running said.
“We’re trying to line things up to move toward becoming an ‘Exemplary’
school district,” he said.
In January, the district was assigned the “Recognized” status by the
Academic Excellence Indicator System.
County consolidates voting precincts for
May 12 election
By Mary Landrie
Monitor Staff Writer
ATHENS–Henderson County Commissioners approved the
consolidation of all precincts for the May 12 election.
Voters will need to double–check polling locations before the election or
risk showing up at the wrong place.
Due to the number of elections being held consecutively, demand for polling
machines is abnormally high.
School boards, counties, and city councils are holding elections, the
statewide Proposition 1 will be on the ballot, and some districts are also
holding bond elections.
The county is mandated to rent out any available equipment to those cities
holding elections. However there isn’t enough equipment for all polling
places to have separate machines.
“This consolidation will only be for the May 12 election,” County Clerk Gwen
Moffett said. “We really couldn’t find any other way around the situation.”
Some cities that own their own machines will still need assistance to count
votes because they don’t have the computer software to do it themselves.
Voters will still have a two week window for early voting and the option of
voting by mail.
“I realize this will be a slight inconvenience for some, but I hope our
voters understand,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Ronny Lawrence said.
“We hope this doesn’t deter anyone from voting, and we want to thank all of
the people that work in preparation of these elections because they tend to
go unnoticed,” County Judge David Holstein said.
In other business, commissioners:
• approved a bid of $860 for Lot 246 and 247 in Golden Oaks III.
• appointed Steve Higgins, former Chief of Police for Trinidad, as a deputy
to Precinct 5 Constable Tommy Barnett.
• approved a request from the Sheriff’s department to hire additional
personnel.
• set a public hearing for April 24 at 9:30 a.m. to discuss closing 75 feet
of County Road Lakefront Shores that intersects with Lot 11 and Lot 12 in
Precinct 4.
• declared April Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
• set a public hearing for April 24 at 9:30 a.m. to discuss setting speed
limits on certain streets in Cedar Branch Park Subdivision in Precinct 2.
• received financial reports
• approved notification of payroll changes.
• approved budget amendments.
• paid bills totaling $165,030.58.
• approved a bid from Quality Plumbing for plumbing services.
Reckless Kelly at Gaters April 13
Special to The Monitor
GUN BARREL CITY–Reckless Kelly will perform Friday, April 13, at Gaters
Sports Bar and Grill, 623 S. Gun Barrel Lane in Gun Barrel City.
Named for the Australian “Robin Hood” robber, Reckless Kelly was formed in
Oregon in 1996, by brothers Willy and Cody Braun, Casey Pollock, Jay Nazz
and Chris Schelske.
With a genetic propensity to make music, all band members grew up performing
with family bands and are already musical veterans, even in their 20s.
Each of their original sons (by Willy Braun and Schelske) blends pop, rock
and country with stories-of-life lyrics backed by a full sound of
instrumentation, all perfectly produced.
Their covers of such tunes as Ray Price’s “Heartaches by the Number” and
AC/DC’s “Shook Me All Night Long” are just as unique.
Reckless Kelly’s diverse musical influences include Hank Williams, Bob
Marley, Steve Earle, The Eagles, Jimi Hendrix and The Police.
Meet the candidate
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–The Mabank Fire Department has set a Candidate Forum for 7 p.m.,
Monday, April 9 at the fire station.
Six candidates are vying for two council seats. Councilman Jeff Norman is
seeking re-election. The other candidates in the running are Chrissy Adams,
Midge Odom, Chris Pickens, Kim Allen Forester and Shannon Steakley.
The forum will be moderated by Mabank’s First State Bank branch manager
Ronnie Davis.
The evening will open with statements from each candidate and followed by
written questions submitted by the audience.
A verbal Q&A period closes the evening. |