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Malakoff ISD
names a finalist for district superintendent
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
MALAKOFF–School trustees named a finalist in their search for a new
superintendent, Monday.
The search has been on since Superintendent Larry Hulsey announced he
was leaving the district to take up a post at Hartley school district in
the high country near the Colorado state line.
Trustees named Dr. John Spies (pronounced SPEESE) as the finalist for
superintendent.
For the last two years, Spies has served as superintendent at Valley
Mills ISD, with three campuses in McLennan County.
Prior to 2006, all but one campus was Recognized by TEA. The end of
2006, all three had achieved the Recognized rating. The district’s goal
for 2007 is to become an Exemplary district.
On the district’s financial performance, Spies is credited with
implementing investment and business practices that led to a $75,000
increase in one year.
Fund balance increased by over $300,000, while adding seven new
professional positions to the district in 2007.
Stand and Poor’s named Valley Mills (2006) as one of 77 “outperforming”
districts in Texas.
Spies application is now under a 21-day public review process before
becoming final, June 25.
Hulsey has been superintendent with the 1,114-student Malakoff school
district for three years and has overseen two large building projects,
adding a new elementary school at Tool and rebuilding a building
destroyed by fire at the Malakoff Elementary campus.
Woman dies in wreck on U.S. 175
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
ATHENS–Payne Springs resident Kimberly Linn Pryor, 34, was pronouced
dead May 30 following a car accident on U.S. Highway 175 the day before.
(See obituary on page 9A.)
Pryor was a front-seat passenger in a 1986 Mazda pick-up driven by her
brother-in-law, Timothy James Pryor, 28.
They were traveling west, away from Athens under heavy rain conditions
at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, when they neared a 2002 Ford F-150
truck stopped to make a left turn.
Veronica Lynn Paradis, 36, of Kemp was driving the Ford pickup with a
passenger on board.
According to the accident report filed with the Department of Public
Safety, Timothy Pryor failed to control speed and took faulty evasive
action to the left into oncoming traffic.
While veering off, Pryor’s Mazda truck clipped the Ford pickup, before
turning broadside to the eastbound traffic.
Traci Jo McAteer, 35, of Athens, was eastbound in a 1995 Plymouth Grand
Voyager with her children (ages 10, 8 and 1) on board, when her vehicle
struck the passenger side of the Mazda..
With the impact, McAteer’s minivan turned clockwise, also hitting the
Ford truck in the front.
Pryor’s Mazda continued across the roadway and landed in the south
ditch.
Rescue workers had to pry Kimberly Pryor loose from the pickup with
power rescue tools.
She was flown to a Tyler hospital, where she was pronouced dead several
hours later at 1:43 a.m.
Pryor is survived by her husband, Arthur, and a young son and daughter.
Services were held Saturday at Libery Baptist Church in Gun Barrel City,
where she was a member.
McAteer and her children were transported to ETMC-Athens, with possible
injuries and later released.
Timothy Pryor was charged with criminal negligent homicide.
Mabank woman hurt in wreck
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
MABANK–A two-vehicle accident Friday left two drivers without their cars
and one slightly injured.
Rita Eleaine Armstrong of Mabank, driving a 2004 Chevrolet 1500 pickup,
proceeded to cross State Highway 198 at Market Street.
Danny Dickens was traveling northbound on SH 198 in a 1994 black Ford
Ranger when he collided with the left side of Armstrong’s pickup.
“I had just come from paying my water bill at city hall,” Armstrong
said.
“I was on my lunch break and was going to have lunch with my
grandmother,” a very shook, but uninjured, Dickens said.
Armstrong was taken to the East Texas Medical Emergency at Gun Barrel
City, where she was treated and released.
“The doctor said I have some real severe bruises,” she said.
The police report listed a witness as stating Armstrong entered the
intersection without yielding the right-of- way,
and noted her failing to yield to oncoming traffic as a factor in the
collision.
Dickens was cited for having no proof of insurance and no valid driver’s
license.
No other citations were listed.
Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Danny Dickens (left) was uninjured when his Ford Ranger collided with a
2004 Chevy pickup Friday in Mabank. The second driver is being put onto
a gurney by medical technicians to transport to East Texas Medical
Emergency in Gun Barrel City.
Maylee
Friemel wins Miss Kemp
 Courtesy
photo
Kemp High School senior Maylee Friemel (center) was crowned Miss Kemp
2007 Saturday, in a pageant hosted by the Kemp Chamber of Commerce. The
title for Most Congenial went to Hannah McDonald (left) and Audience
Choice went to Alicia Jones. Contestants competed in personal interview,
casual wear, aerobic wear, talent, evening gown and live interview. |