People, Places & Events

MAGS food pantry shelves near empty
Special to The Monitor
MABANK–President of the Mabank Area Good Samaritans, Inc., (MAGS) Lowell Pahl has asked the “Simply His Clowns,” composed of Ms. Dolly (Roberta Denson), Bo Jangles (Pauline Moore) and Rose Bud (Sue Sawyer), to present a fund-raiser to replenish the shelves and freezers of the food bank.
In March, the Good Samaritans served 524 people with food from their pantry, which greatly diminished food supplies for April and May, Pahl said.
“Simply His Clowns” will be conducting face paintings and balloon shaping for cash donations:
• 5-7 p.m., Friday, May 9, at the Chuck Wagon Restaurant in Gun Barrel City.
• 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 10, at Mom’s Kitchen No. 2 in Seven Points.
• 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 24, at Mom’s Kitchen in Mabank.
Donations of nonperishable food items will also be accepted at these fund-raising events. Further, collection boxes will be provided at the Dollar Tree store locations as well as others, yet to be named.
The Food Pantry operated by MAGS is located at 110 E. Troupe St. in Mabank. It is an emergency food source open Monday through Friday.
MAGS is made up of area, churches including Central Baptist Church, Faith Bible Church, First Baptist Church, First United Methodist, A Sinners Hope, Elm Grove Church, First Assembly of God, First Presbyterian and Harbor Baptist. Each member church makes a monthly donation to the pantry.
For more information, contact any of the following MAGS board officers: Pahl, (903) 340-9299; Dorothy Hensley, (903) 887-2331; Pat Chadwick, (903) 451-2670; or Betty Jones, (903) 887-3522.

A view of the May 10 election
Monitor Staff Reports
CEDAR CREEK LAKE– The local uniform election for cities, school boards and utility districts election is slated for May 10.
Also, some of these will be holding special elections on this day on propositions, unexpired terms and bond issues.
Some entities will not be holding an election, as no opposing candidates have filed.
Those would be Eustace and Trinidad school districts, East Cedar Creek Fresh Water Supply District and West, Cedar Creek Municipal District, the cities of Mabank, Malakoff and Star Harbor.
Payne Springs residents will once again be asked to approve the sale of alcoholic beverages for off-premise consumption. Many on the city council see the switch from “dry” to “wet” as helping the city increase its sales tax revenue. In last year’s election, this same proposition failed.
Malakoff ISD is seeking approval for a $7 million bond to fund a 10-year renovation plan for the middle and high school. Part of the monies will also become a replacement fund for the district’s buses and technology.
Superintendent Dr. John Spies says the bond will help the district keep taxpayer money in the district, amounting to more than $1 million over the 10-year period, without raising taxes.
“That’s like getting two free buses every year,” Spies said back in January.
The strategy calls for shuffling a nickel’s worth of tax rate between the two district funds: Maintenance and Operations (M&O) and Interest and Sinking (I&S).
In this way, no increase in taxes is needed to support the bond, Spies said.
Gun Barrel City will be listing about 10 proposed changes to the city charter and ask voters whether a portion of the Economic Development Corporation funds should continue to be used toward street repair.
Councilman Marty Goss is seeking to be mayor and if elected will leave a seat on the council which it may fill with an appointment.
A similar situation is seen in Log Cabin, where Mayor Gene Bearden is seeking a council seat along with his wife Judy, who hopes to retain her seat.
If elected, the mayor will have to resign as mayor, leaving the mayor’s seat open, or filled by appointment of the council or by special election to be held in November.
Of course, if he loses his bid for a council seat, he will retain his seat as mayor.
Gene Bearden has been the subject of an investigation for the possible wrongful use of a city credit card.
The case is in the hands of the Henderson County district attorney’s office. Bearden has maintained his innocence.
In the Log Cabin council race, seven people are seeking three seats.

Eustace youth drama troupe to present ‘I Saw Him’
Special to The Monitor
EUSTACE–Parable, the youth creative arts team of First Baptist Church in Eustace, will present its spring creative arts ministry titled “I Saw Him.”
The play, written by Sara Walton Miller, depicts inanimate objects in the city of Jerusalem sharing their account of what happened the day Christ died.
Each place, such as the Garden of Gethsemane, is portrayed by one of the actors and gives a detailed account of what they saw happening to Jesus that particular day.
It is a very unique and creative way to present the Passion of Christ.
An award-winning creative movement piece entitled “He Holds The Keys” depicting Christ conquering death and hell will also be presented.
In February, Parable was recognized as an OutstandingYouth Creative Arts Team at the Mississippi Christian Creative Arts Festival in Jackson, Miss.
The team has been invited back to the festival next year as a featured youth team and will perform several drama pieces.
“I Saw Him” will be presented in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church in Eustace at 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 2-4.
The public is cordially invited to attend.
This summer the youth group has the opportunity to go on a missions trip to northeastern Tennessee to work with the people of the Appalachian Mountain region.
A love offering will be taken nightly, following the presentation, to help underwrite the costs of this mission trip.
The church is located at 209 Meredith Street in Eustace and more information can be obtained about the production by calling the church office at (903) 425-2261.