Kaufman County Kaumposting Class
Attend a free four-part composting series in Kaufman County, beginning 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 1, with recycling in your yard and 1-4 p.m. with composting basics. Part 3, Organic Solutions is set 9 a.m.-noon Oct. 15; Part 4, is set 1-4 p.m. with Vermi Composting and Alternative Options. The series is held at The Recycling Plant, 1100 Airport Rd. in Terrell. For more information, contact the Environmental Co-op at (972) 524-0007.

October Fest 2011
Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church will sponsor an October Fest from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2 (today) at the Malakoff Community Center, 503 N. Terry St. Chicken dinners will be available for dining in or take out with prepaid ticket. There will be music, entertainment, donkey rides, a cake walk, silent auction, games, bounce houses and a fishing booth. Call (903) 489-2366.

Book Signing and Fund raiser
Mabank resident and author of Born Mad, Robyn Wheeler will hold a book signing 5-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3 at Mabank High School. 10 percent of net sales will be donated to Tri-County Library.

Kemp Intermediate School Book Fair
Kemp Intermediate school book fair will be held during school hours Oct 3-7. Family night is 5:30 - 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4. For more information, contact Debbie Floyd at debbie.floyd@kempisd.org or (903) 498-1367.

Literary Club of Cedar Creek Lake
The Literary Club of Cedar Creek Lake is holding an executive board meeting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4 at the Cedar Creek library . Devotional will be given by Mary Jo Love.

Westside Senior Citizens Center
The Westside Senior Citizens Center opens 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6 and every Thursday at the Cedar Creek Bible Church Activities Building, 700 north Seven Points Blvd., one mile north of the traffic light in Seven Points. Seniors 55 and older are invited for refreshments, card games, dominos and other activities. A light lunch will be served. For more information, call (903) 340-9672.

National Night Out Against Crime
Gun Barrel City is hosting a city wide Night Out Against Crime 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4 at the pavilion. Free pony rides, bounce houses and hot dogs. Entertainment includes great music with Dino Perelli and magician Taw Pruitt. Lock your doors, turn on an outside light and spend the evening with neighbors, police and firemen enjoying fun activities. Don’t forget your lawn chairs.

Tamarack Ladies Club
The Tamarack Ladies Club will meet at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5 for a potluck luncheon in the TLC Hall. All ladies in Tamarack are invited. For more information, call (903) 887-8984.

PSUMC Fellowship
The public is invited to Payne Springs United Methodist Church monthly fellowship night Wednesday, Oct. 6. A covered dish dinner will be served followed by entertainers Jasmine Richman and Friends. The church is located on SH 198 across from the PSVFD. For more information, call (903) 451-2978.

Yard Sale to benefit Susan G. Komen
All proceeds from a yard sale in Paradise Bay will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fund. Sale to be held Fri-Sun Oct. 7-9 at 1209 Aloha Road in Tool. Go to the back.

Designs through Discovery series at Library
The Cedar Creek Lake Garden Club will meet at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 at the Library at Cedar Creek Lake. The program focuses on the use of lilies in design. The hostess is Hyta Sims and the inspiration will be presented by Donna Kay Cooper. Individuals interested in making new friends are cordially invited to attend. For more information, call (903) 498-6544.

VFW benefit suppers
The VFW Post 4376 in on Veterans Way in Seven Points is holding a hamburger benefit supper 7-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 and a hot dog chili supper Friday, Oct. 14 for the homeless veterans fund for $5.

All you can eat fish fry
Knights of Columbus Council 8806 will hold their all-you-can-eat fish fry 5-7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7 at St. Jude Catholic Church on Luther Lane. Menu includes U.S. farm raised catfish, french fries, hush puppies, coleslaw, ice tea/coffee and homemade baked goods.

Lord’s Acre Fall Festival
Kick off the 16th annual Lord’s Acre Fall Festival early this year with a pumpkin patch visit Monday, Oct. 3 . It’s a great opportunity to take photos of the kids and grandkids. The First United Methodist Church, located at 301 S. Third St. in Mabank and is holding its annual Lord’s Acre festival starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 with a fun run at 7 a.m.
There will also be a Country Store open at 9 a.m., barbecue luncheon at 11 a.m. and live auction at 1 p.m. For more information call (903) 887-3691.

Blessing of the animals
The annual Blessing of the Animals will be held 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 at St. James on the Lake Episcopal Church. Bring your pets to be blessed by Fr. Jerry Morriss. After the blessing, we will have a hot dog cook out. Open to the pet-free public as well.

Whitton Community Center barbecue and auction
Donated items such as antiques, arts, crafts and baked goods are wanted for the auction to benefit Tarver Cemetery maintenance and upkeep. Auction and barbecue will be 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 at the center, located on VZFM 1651, four miles north of Jackson off 198. Menu includes brisket, lot links, beans, potato salad, coleslaw, drinks and dessert. Donations of $8 for adults, $4 for children 12 and over accepted.

National Night Out Against Crime
The Mabank Police Department is hosting a city wide Night Out Against Crime 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 on Market Street. The western-themed event will feature entertainment, food, tours of police cars and fire engines and the outdoor showing of a great family movie.
Lock your doors, turn on an outside light and spend the evening with neighbors, police and firemen enjoying fun activities. Don’t forget your lawn chairs.

Model Railroad Show
The 29th annual Model Railroad Show will be held Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 8-9. at the LMRA facility at 3400 Bryant Irvin Road in southwest Fort Worth. The show will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Visitors will see modular model displays of various scales, tour the LMRA club’s 1200 sq. ft. HO-scale model railroad layout that is 90 percent complete. For information, call (817) 732-7731.

Special Olympics Bocce blowout and fund raiser
The Church of Christ in Seven Points is holding a fund raiser 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 to help with the purchase of team uniforms. Hot dogs, chips, soft drinks, water and baked goods will be on sale.
A drawing for special items will be included. Located at 235 W. Cedar Creek Parkway in Seven Points.

Happy Tail benefit fundraiser
Happy Tails animal rescue will be having a benefit fundraiser at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9. Join us for food, fun, live music, a silent auction drawings and prizes. The $20 cover charge includes your meal.
Located at Cedar Isle Restaurant and Baja Beach Club at 2001 E Cedar Creek Pkwy in Seven Points. For more information call (903) 432-2220 or go to www.cedarisle.com.

Adopt a family open Golf Tournament
St. James on the Lake Episcopal Church hosts the 12th annual Adopt-a-family Open Golf Tournament Oct. 10 at the Cedar Creek Country Club. All proceeds go to charity to help families at Christmas and throughout the year. Located at 10707 KCR 4022 near the entrance to the Cedar Creek County Club.

AARP Driver Safety Course
A one-day AARP Driver Safety Program will be held 1-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13 at The Library at Cedar Creek Lake in Seven Points. The refresher course is designed for drivers age 50 and over, but is open to anyone. For more information, call Jean Dirks at (903) 887-3836.

Van Zandt Senior citizen club dance
The Van Zandt Senior Citizens Club hosts a monthly dance at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14 at the Henderson County Senior Center in Athens. Country western music will be provided by Joe Walenta and the Ranch Hands. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call (903) 675-3774.

‘Bookworms’
Tri-County Library book club, the “bookworms,” will meet at 10 a.m. on the second Friday of each month beginning Oct. 14 in the Community Room. Refreshments will be served. No membership fees. For more information, call Madelyn Healey at (903) 880-3699.

Enchanted Oaks garage sale
The annual Enchanted Oaks city wide garage sale is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, located on the east side of the lake. Enjoy shopping the “Red Balloon” houses for a wide variety of items. Maps available at the entrance.

Cotton Row Run 5K Run/Walk
The Cotton Row Run 5K Run/Walk will start at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 in Kerens. Registration will start at 7 a.m. Please register by Saturday, Oct. 1. For more information, please call (903) 872-6045 or visit www.kerens.com.

Kemp Fall Festival
The Kemp Fall Festival will be held Thursday, Oct. 29. Park opens at noon, parade at 2 p.m. Vendors welcome. For more details, call (214) 534-4067.

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Mayor deplores lopsided spending
Gun Barrel City council approves budget, reseats 4 EDC members
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
GUN BARREL CITY–The Gun Barrel City Council reappointed Economic Development Corporation president Steve Webster despite a spending record that allocated 90 percent of EDC funding to non-job creating projects.
The council also approved the reappointments of Linda Rankin, Sandy Janow and Larry Spiegel to another two-years.
During Tuesday’s regular council meeting, mayor Dennis Wood presented a two-year record (2009-2011) that showed about $1,000,000 spent on park improvements and a land purchase, leaving just under $100,000 used to support existing businesses.
Wood, a former EDC president, said he didn’t “blame” the four members seeking reappointment for what he considers lopsided spending, adding that Webster and he have worked out their differences and are ready to “move forward for the good of the citizens of Gun Barrel City.”
“I don’t want to blame the EDC, because the city council has to approve these projects,” Wood told The Monitor. “It’s more a report card on how the city council has handled oversight more than anything else.”
Wood noted a 90-acre land purchase the EDC made with council approval totaling $750,000.
City manager Gerry Boren responded that the purchase was integral to the city’s plans to develop a park with meandering trails and wildlife areas, a purchase that bolstered the city’s bid for a $500,000 Texas Recreational Parks and Wildlife grant.
Another $192,000 was spent to erect the new park pavilion, which Spiegel argued in December, 2010, would show the citizens “results;” and $15,000 on a city- sponsored concert.
An additional $146,000 were earmarked for improvements to the park baseball fields, the reasoning being improved facilities would attract league and tournament play to the area and provide more customers for restaurants and gas stations, and perhaps hotel rooms.
Boren resented Wood’s characterization of the expenditures, saying, “I disagree that it (the land) was a bad purchase. You’re getting a $500,000 grant from the state, you’re not having to buy right-of way in the future, your setting up Don Davis Road, setting up anything we want to put out there. We’re widening out the roads. It’s not just about job creation, it’s also about quality of life.”
Woods reaffirmed that he thought it was not a proper use of EDC funds. Not everyone agrees with him.
Richard Wendel, former vice president of the EDC, spoke to The Monitor after the council meeting and sent a Letter to the Editor, citing the Local Government Code outlining the uses EDC funds can support including the “promotion of professional and amateur athletics, including sports stadiums, ball parks, exhibition facilities, public parks, open space improvements, museums, parking facilities, recycling facilities, water and sewer facilities, streets and roads, drainage and related improvements, etc.
Wendel says the wording allows the EDC “much latitude” for improvements in the quality of life of Gun Barrel City residents outside of job creation.
In other business, the council:
• approved of a request from Allied Waste to adjust trash hauling service rates to coincide with the Consumer Price Index increase of 4.9 percent. The increase will mean about $2 more on the quarterly residential billing, spokeswoman Laura Capehart said.
With the price of diesel being 80 cents higher than last year, the firm could have also asked for a fuel adjustment. However, it is only asked of the CPI increase, she added.
The contract with the city allows for such adjustments, council members agreed.
The increase will be effective beginning Oct. 1.
• adopted a new city budget for 2011-12. The new budget is a no growth budget and sets nothing aside for capitol expenditures. “All departments are in a spending freeze,” Boren said.
• adopted the Henderson County Hazard Mitigation Action Plan.

Felon arrested at gaming room
Monitor Staff Reports
ATHENS–The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Kenneth Barina, 28, a felon with an outstanding warrant, at a game room in Seven Points Sept. 27.
Barina became a wanted felon when he failed to show up in court following an arrest for possession of a controlled substance last December.
He had been charged with drug possession more than 200 grams and less than 400 grams.
In addition, he had an outstanding warrant for criminal trespass from Navarro County.
An anonymous tip lead investigators to the sweepstakes gaming establishment located on State Highway 274.
Barina was also charged with resisting arrest and harassment of a public servant for kicking and spitting at the arresting officers.
After a brief struggle, Barina was taken into custody and transported to the Henderson Country Jail.
Barina is being held without bond, for violating the terms of his parole.
His previous bonds totaled $43,500.

City to hold fall festival
Special to The Monitor
TOOL–The city of Tool is hosting its third annual Fall Festival, Saturday, Oct. 29.
Last year’s event attracted 200 children and their parents for fun, informational booths, games and treats.
With help from sponsorships, the event was offered free to the community.
Tool is once again seeking sponsors. For a pledge of $25 or more, sponsors will receive an event T-shirt, with their business name printed on the back along with all the other sponsors.
Those who would like to help but cannot give monetarily are encouraged to donate their time for a few hours to help set up, run and/or take down the event that runs 5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. Or you may drop off bags of candy for the event no later than Oct. 14
For more information on sponsorships or volunteer opportunities, call city hall at (903) 432-3522 and ask for Makenzie Blaser.