People, Places & Events

County-wide clean-up gets rid of tons of trash
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
KEMP–The recent Kaufman County clean-up removed tons of junk that may have otherwise ended up illegally dumped.
By helping its citizens with their spring cleaning, the county helped get rid of everything from old furniture and appliances to tires and just plain trash.
“It was a good County Clean-up. It was a great success. The sheriff’s department supplied two trustys at each site to help with the unloading,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Deller said.
The preliminary report for Precinct 4 listed a total of 79 dumpsters filled.
“We used 30-yard dumpsters at a total cost of $26,465,” Deller said.
Five locations were open May 16-17, and in the two day event the sites used as follows: 14 dumpsters at Kemp, 12 dumpsters at Mabank, 15 at Scurry and 19 each at Peeltown and Combine.
There are four precincts in the county with dumpsters at several sites in each. Precinct 4 is the largest precinct.


Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Trustys supplied by the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Department rush to help a
 citizen unload a trailer loaded with trash, while a front-end loader pulls up to
help move another dumpster in.

Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Deller gets into the act, helping to unload trash
 from a pickup at the Kemp Eco Station. Deller said 14 30-yard dumpsters were
filled at the Kemp site during the two-day annual clean-up.

Kemp High School band holds banquet
Monitor Staff Reports
KEMP–Kemp High School band students were honored at an annual awards banquet May 17 at the First Baptist Church of Kemp.
The banquet marked the final event for band director Kenneth Pointer, who has accepted a position at Hillsboro after three years at KHS, his second stint as director.
Assistant band director Jimmy Polk will be moving up to the band director’s position.
The banquet honored 13 graduating seniors, who included class valedictorian Alicia Jones.
Music honor awards were presented to band students who participated in individual competitions and contests, such as the All-Region Band tryouts, the UIL Instrumental Solo & Ensemble Contest, the UIL Piano Solo Competition, UIL Medium Ensemble contest and the Kaufman Invitational Solo Contest.
Honor awards went to Matthew Betts, Todd Looney, Jasmyn Prince, Bobby Dillingham, Chris Malone, Brittany Roberts and Britney Floyd.
Also, Jessica Martinez, Sarah Sterling, Tiffany Floyd, Christian McGaha, Hailey Stovall, Cassie Hollaway, Richard Mitchell, Celia Vaquera and Alicia Jones.
Also, Jacob Neighbors, Elisa Vaquera, Nick Lane, Toni Old, Matthew Wakeland, Curtis Lewis and Quincy Pettigrew.
Student service awards were presented to Bobby Dillingham, Hailey Stovall, Curtis Lewis, Lauren Torres, Ashley Musketnuss, Celia Vaquera, Barrett “Spencer” Smith and Ramon Villenueva.
Student leadership awards were presented to Percussion Captain Nick Lane, Drum Major Christian McGaha and Colorguard Captain Sarah Sterling.
Student improvement awards were presented to Most Improved Freshman Marcher Kelley Cofer, Most Improved Sophomore Marcher Jessica Martinez and Most Improved Junior Marcher Brittany Roberts.
Awards also went to Most Improved Freshman Player Jasmyn Prince, Most Improved Sophomore Player Todd Looney and Most Improved Junior Player Barrett “Spencer” Smith.
Quincy Pettigrew was named the Outstanding Colorguard Member.
Trumpet player Alicia Jones was awarded the Texas Music Scholar award, while the KHS Band Boosters awarded scholarships to Jones and clarinet player Tiffany Floyd.


Monitor Photo/Ronda Pennington
Kemp High School award-winning band members gather at the annual band
banquet May 17 at the First Baptist Church of Kemp.

Tri-County Library summer reading
set to begin June 2
Special to The Monitor
MABANK–Leslie Bell, storyteller for the Tri-County Library Tuesday Story Time, ended this years’s progam May 20 by reading stories to the Central Elementary School’s Kindergarteners.
A new Dewey decimal rug, a gift from the Friends of the Library, provided the children with a place to sit.
Summer Reading starts Monday, June 2, with crafts, stories and games with Ms. Judy.
Kids, sign in for a chance to win a bicycle donated by Wal-Mart. It is on display at the front of the library.
Also, pick up the reading log to earn coupons from local merchants. Join us for a birthday cake, since the Reading Club is 50 years old this year.
Bring your neighbors and friends to help us celebrate.
The Reading Club is for the month of June, but you can keep reading and bringing in your coupons all summer.
At the last meeting of the year of the Friends of Tri-County Library, they donated money for books and snacks for the program.
President Jackie Groom encouraged members to enjoy their summer and brng a new member to the September meeting.
For more information, call library director Claire Stout at (903) 887-9622.


Monitor Photo/David Cason
Standing behind the children waiting for the stories to begin are Central Elementary
Kindergarten teachers (from left) Crissie Kovar, Mary Ann Gregg and storyteller
Leslie Bell. The children are sitting on a new Dewey decimal rug presented to the
library by the Friends of the Library.