People, Places & Events

Payless Car Sales opens dealership in Athens
Special to The Monitor
ATHENS–David Daniels, a local businessman and developer, has formed a partnership with one of the nation’s fastest growing automotive franchises, Payless Car Sales.
“We built a new building with a bright red roof and paved a parking lot that will hold over 75 cars and trucks. We sell late model, low mileage cars and trucks and many still have factory warranties. We are not a buy here, pay here note lot. We don’t look like one and we don’t act like one,” Daniels stated.
The new Payless Car Sales dealership is located at 1824 State Highway 31 East in Athens.
Daniels and his wife, both natives of Gilmer, moved to Athens in 1971 after purchasing a local pharmacy.
In 1977, they built Heritage Square Shopping Center and opened Daniels’ Super Drug in the center.
During the last 35 years, they have developed and operated a number of successful ventures.
Daniels has been an independent car dealer for more than 13 years and has served as a officer and board member of the Texas Independent Automobile Dealers Association.
Daniels has always been highly involved in the community and has served on and led numerous local committees, organizations and boards.
He currently serves as vice president of the Athens Economic Development Corporation Board.
Drue Shelton of Brownsboro is the general manager of Payless Car Sales. Shelton has been in sales and management of car dealerships for more than 15 years.
“We’re the new kid on the block, so we naturally will try harder. At Payless Car Sales, we have banking relationships with over 15 major lenders. For those who qualify, we can offer bank rate financing or we will work with your bank or credit union. Why buy new and pay more when you can get more and pay less at Payless Car Sales,” Shelton commented.
The entire inventory of Payless Car Sales in Athens is available on the internet at their website, www.payless-ofathens.com, or the national site, www.paylesscarsales.com.
The company also lists their vehicles on Autotrader, East Texas Autos, and Ebay Motors.
“Using our website, you will find pictures and details about our cars, trucks, and SUVs, even our prices. It is easy to complete a credit application online,” Daniels said.
Payless Car Sales dealerships are successful because they offer consumers value-added services not typically found at many other used car dealerships.
Payless’ high standards and commitment to excellence is reflected through every aspect of the company. They make the car buying experience pleasant and hassle-free by doing everything possible to “make a good deal… better.” ™
Payless Car Sales is a subsidiary company of Avalon Global Group, Inc., a privately held company headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Payless group of companies upholds the highest business standards and continually strives to diversify and improve the Payless brand.
Since its inception in July 2001, Payless Car Sales has grown to nearly 60 locations in 16 states and Puerto Rico.
“You will be pleasantly surprised and pleased with the high standards set by Payless Car Sales. You have my personal guarantee, no pressure and no bull. You’ll have the most memorable car buying experience or I’ll pay you for your trouble,” Daniels said.

Cat surgery special continues through May
Special to The Monitor
GUN BARREL CITY–Friends of the Animals is offering a special for cats spayed or neutered for the month of May.
All cat spays and neuters are 20 percent off.This makes male cat surgeries, normally $25, just $20 and female cat surgeries, normally $35, just $28!
Surgery is done by appointment only and may be booked by calling (903) 887-PETS (7387).
A male cat can impregnate dozens of females in a single day – and a female cat can give birth up to four times a year: good reasons for getting those cats fixed now before they give birth (again!).
Friends, a non-profit charity, has run the low-cost spay/neuter clinic in Gun Barrel City since July, 2002, and has performed more than 11,000 surgeries.
What this means is that literally millions of little lives have been prevented.
But even without the special sale price, the cost of being a responsible pet owner is very cheap. Dog surgeries range from $35 to $65, depending on the sex and size of the animal.
Surgery is performed by Dr. Glen Campbell, who runs a veterinary practice in Garland and comes to the lake each Tuesday to do surgeries.
Dr. Campbell was named by D Magazine as one of the top veterinarians in Dallas.
The clinic also sells Frontline Plus to control fleas and ticks, a must this time of year. This will be one of the worst flea seasons ever – don’t let your pet suffer.
And the clinic also microchips pets every Tuesday.
For $20, a chip is inserted into the scruff of your pet. If he’s lost, every shelter in the area has a scanner – and your pet comes home. This price includes the chip and the permanent national registration.
Volunteers are always needed at the Tuesday-only clinic. Call (903) 887-PETS for information about the clinic or to volunteer.
Tax-deductible donations may be sent to P.O. Box 5455, Gun Barrel City 75147.
Visit the web site: www.friendsoftheanimals.org
 

Mabank High School FFA hands out awards
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–Valerie Manning was named the Star Greenhand and Erin Hankins was named the Chapter FFA Degree winner during the annual Mabank High School FFA chapter awards banquet May 7.

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Mabank High School FFA chapter members honored with chapter and production awards gather for a group photo during the chapter’s annual end-of-year banquet May 7.

Rick and Rhonda Lozano were recognized as Honorary Chapter Farmers by the chapter officers.
During the past school year, Mabank FFA members brought back more than $52,000 in prize money and a lot of trophies from various livestock shows, chapter advisor Dustin Clark told the gathering.
Manning brought back $1,000 for participating in a calf scramble, while Gabriel Costilla and T.J. Baker each brought home $500 for their participation.
The chapter’s ag mechanics team, the first such team, was given special recognition for restoring a 1948 John Deere tractor – a machine that had a tree growing through it when it was first obtained.
The tractor restoration won numerous awards at shows, and took fifth place in the state in chapter competitions.
Manning took first place in district, second in area and seventh at state competition in Greenhand Creed Speaking.
The Senor FFA Skills Demonstration team of Bradley Trull, Cody Ashton, Daniel Hux and Cole Parker, also took first place in district and 12th in area.
Farm Radio Team members Amy Arvin, Hankins and Colby Grimes took first place in district and ninth in area competition.
Ag Issues Team members Jordan Marshall, Brian Morse and Alex Breedehoft also won first place in district.
Dairy Foods Team members Jacob Parker, Justin Tuley and Jeffery Stockton took first in district and 18th in area competition.
The Horse Judging Team of Breedehoft, Tina Nichols, Lauren Graham and Hankin won first place in district and took 30th place in area competition.
Another first place award in district went to the Wildlife Contest Team of Grimes, Trull and Marshall, who finished eighth in area competition.
Chapter proficiency awards went to:
• Beef Production – Montana Morse.
• Equine Production – Mitzi Pyle.
• Poultry Production – Jordan Marshall.
• Beef and Diversified Livestock and Diversified Horticulture – Brian Morse.
• Ag Mechanics – Vernon Horst.
• Ag Education – Cole Parker.
• Specialty Animal Production – Megan Dossey.
• Swine Production – Hunter Morse.
Former chapter president and MHS graduate (class of ’96) Joey Bray, now the director of horticulture programs at Stephen F. Austin State University, was the guest speaker.
Bray noted SFA now was one of the few universities to have a commercial poultry broiler production, producing more than 800,000 birds each school year.
Bray also gave special thanks to chapter advisor Tom Trull, Mabank veterinarian and school board member Dr. Darrell Kinnard, and the FFA Booster Club for their help to him and their long service to the chapter.
Outgoing officers officially installed the incoming officers to wind up the gathering.
Outgoing officers were president Colby Grimes, vice president Bradley Trull, secretary Brian Morse, treasurer Kelsie Busby, reporter Montana Morse, sentinel Daniel Costilla and student advisor Macey Thomas.
Incoming officers are president Macey Thomas, vice president Erin Hankins, secretary Amy Arvin, treasurer Valerie Manning, reporter Kelsie Busby, sentinel Leslie Lazano and student advisor Nick Nooteboom.