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Fugitive survives shooting self in head
Monitor Staff Reports
KEMP–After a stand off between a Kemp man and law enforcement officials lasting almost five hours, Salvadore J. Michaels, age 39, shot himself, inflicting a serious head wound.
He was treated on the scene before being airlifted to a Dallas hospital.
The Kaufman County Multi-jurisdictional Tactical Team, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service DFW Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team were attempting to serve two warrants on Michaels out of Buchanan County, Missouri.
The warrants were for a statutory rape charge and a second warrant issued by the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole.
Michaels barricaded himself inside his parents home in the 8000 block of Woodruff Circle.
All of his family members were safely evacuated from the residence.
He told the investigators he was armed and he threatened suicide.
At approximately 11 a.m., a gun shot was heard from inside the residence and shortly thereafter Michaels surrendered to deputies.

New Kemp Care Center breaks ground
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
KEMP–The Kemp Care is getting more than a facelift – it is getting a whole new building.
“When this is built and open, we believe it will have a great, positive economic impact on the city,” Kemp mayor Donald Kile said.
Kile was joined in a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday by councilman Barry Lummus and Economic Development secretary-treasurer Dorothy Locklin, as well as local business leaders and Chamber of Commerce members.
Kemp Care Center owner Lloyd Douglas said he’s been working and waiting for this day since he purchased the center 12 years ago. “It will be
“This has always been my goal. The end is in sight as we anticipate opening the new building the summer of 2012,” he said. The state-of-the-art facility will offer outpatient therapy services and include 124 beds.
Currently, the center houses 52 residents.
With 56,000 square feet under roof, the new facility will be twice as large as the present one. It is going up on property near the Kemp Fire Station, with WT Cope Construction Services out of Athens already started on the dirt work Wednesday.
When built, Douglas expects to employ 90 people, he said, making him the second-largest employer in the city of Kemp.
Center activity director Teri Webb said she’s anticipating more space to hold social events for residents. “Everything will be spacious,” she said.
Business office manager and Rosser resident Sonja Burly has been looking forward to this day for a long time. She’s been with the care center for 22 years.
“The new facility will attract more seniors, who need our services,” Burly said. “I’m really looking forward to the shiny new building.”
Center administrator, otherwise (a.k.a. Boss) said in his 32 years in the business, this is the first brand new facility he has will have ever worked in. “I look forward to opening this state-of-the-art facility with wider hallways, taller ceilings, computer ready electronics and the latest standards in life and safety codes.”

Monitor Photo/Pearl Cantell
Kemp city dignitaries, business leaders, builders, Kemp Care Center staff and owner Lloyd Douglas gather Thursday to mark the groundbreaking of a new 56,000 square-foot facility going up on Business 175 just past the fire station. The state-of-the-art center will provide 124 beds, twice that of the older building located near the primary school, and will include a separate outpatient therapy facility designed to meet the needs of area senior citizens. Those pictured include (from left) Kemp Care Center financial officer Shawn Conley, general building contractor Andy Steadman, Kemp city councilman Barry Lummus, mayor Donald Kile and Kemp Care Center owner Lloyd Douglas. Also pictured are (from right) center administrator Scott Gilmore and housekeeping supervisor Willie Buster. At center right are business office manager Sonja Burley and center director Gail Bowman.

Cedar Creek Pilot closes
Monitor Staff Reports
GUN BARREL CITY – The Cedar Creek Pilot has announced it will publish its final edition on Thursday, Aug. 25.
The Pilot office on State Highway 334 in Gun Barrel City will close, and the two remaining fulltime employees will move to the Athens Daily Review.
In a story in the Pilot this week, Lange Svehlak, publisher of both the Review and the Pilot said the move is necessary because of a changing media environment and increased costs of newspaper publishing.
“Times are tough. We may have to adjust some of the ways we do business.” Svehlak said in the story.
According to the 2011 Texas Newspaper Directory, published annually by the Texas Press Association, the Athens Daily Review, counts a circulation of 3,487 and the Cedar Creek Pilot, a circulation of 2,739.
The Cedar Creek Pilot was published twice-weekly until 2000, when it changed to weekly publishing on Thursdays.
The closing of the Pilot office leaves The Monitor, The Malakoff News and the Lake Area Leader as the only locally published publications in the Cedar Creek Lake area with full editorial and advertising staff at all local offices around the lake.
The Monitor publishes twice-weekly, Thursday and Sundays, and has a circulation of 5,000 for each issue with paid subscribers and many retail outlets in Athens, Malakoff, Kerens and the entire Cedar Creek Lake area.
The Lake Area Leader is the only source of advertising to each and every home and business in the Cedar Creek Lake area. It is mailed to more than 26,000 addresses each Wednesday and is distributed in both Athens and Kerens.
The Malakoff News is a weekly Friday publication with a circulation of 2,000, with many of its readers living in the Athens area.