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Domestic Violence Awareness
month observed
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
ATHENS–The Henderson County Commissioners proclaimed October Domestic
Violence Awareness month to help educate residents to the prevalence of
this often unreported crime.
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that in Texas
one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her
lifetime. The same is true for one in 33 men.
Nationally, an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical
assault by an intimate partner each year.
The cost of such violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year, with $4.1
billion going for direct medical and mental health services.
Boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their
own partners and children when they become adults.
“Too many victims of domestic violence suffer silently each day,” an
advocate from the Texas Attorney General’s Office said.
“This office is working tirelessly alongside adv ocates
to educate Texans about breaking cycles of abuse and to ensure that
victims get the help they need through support resources in our
communities. Together, we are building a Texas where domestic violence
is not tolerated,” from a statement from the Texas AG’s Office.
In 2006, there were 12,356 adults living in domestic violence shelters
in Texas. The number of reported rapes mounted to 8,511 in 2005, and
there were 120 homicides as a result of domestic violence in 2006 in
Texas.
Six children were reported killed in Texas as a result of domestic
violence in 2006.
According to the Break The Chain of Violence Against Domestic Violence
website (breakthechain.net), more than 80 percent of all abuse goes
unreported.
These victims do not seek help or report the assault because of shame,
guilt, fear, negative family impact, emotional trauma or lack of
information about this crime and are often unaware of existing services.
Asking them to enter a shelter in a rural area – where people know them
and their family is just as hard.
Then they are saying or implying something about their own
decision-making, their own lives, that they do not want the whole world
to know.
In the not too distant past, if a woman considered leaving her husband,
she was defying God, society, family, everything she knew and held dear
for her own “selfish” needs.
There are approximately 3.3 to 10 million children who witness the abuse
of a parent or adult caregiver each year.
Research also indicates children exposed to domestic violence are at an
increased risk of being abused or neglected and at risk of losing one or
both of their parents.
All of these may lead to negative outcomes for children and may affect
their well-being, safety, stability and future personal relationships,
Break the Chain reports.
Teens also face domestic violence in their homes and in their personal
relationships.
In 2006, AG Greg Abbott released results that cited 75 percent of
16-24-year-olds have either experienced domestic violence or know
someone who has.
That’s why the “Know the red flags” program (knowtheredflags.com) was
developed to help educate teens about the warning signs of unhealthy
relationships.
The website has an online quiz to help young adults learn the difference
between behavior indicative of violence and whether their own behavior
needs to be modified.
The website is sponsored by the Texas Council on Family Violence.
Everyone who has been affected by domestic violence may want to make a
donation to help stop it from continuing.
Wal-Mart in Gun Barrel City collects used cell phones for donation to
Break The Chain. Access to a phone can sometimes save a life.
See sidebar above for organizations and resources that could use your
donations so they can help others escape domestic violence and develop
healthy relationships.
Monitor Photo/Pearl Cantrell
A clothesline on the Henderson County Courthouse lawn brings the issues
of
family violence out in the open with T-shirt messages to remind Texans
to the
lives impacted by this very private crime. October is Domestic Violence
Awareness
month in the county.
Eustace hikes rates
By Kerry Yancey
Monitor Staff Writer
EUSTACE–Amidst warnings the city faces defaulting on its obligations to
the federal government, the Eustace City Council boosted water and sewer
rates Oct. 2.
Seven Points CPA Don Kinney told the council the city’s current rate
structure, unchanged since 2006, was not providing enough revenue to
meet debt obligations.
Even with the proposed increases, which he termed “the bare minimum for
this year,” Kinney said the city still faces some severe difficulties.
“I think you guys are the cheapest water department on the lake,” Kinney
said.
At his home, served by Monarch Water Supply, Kinney said his average
monthly bill was at least $120, and his Seven Points office bill (on
West Cedar Creek Municipal Utility District) was at least $40 per month.
Kinney said his proposed minimum rates will raise between $40,000 and
$55,000 more in revenue.
“I don’t know if that will be adequate, but I do know that what you’re
charging right now is not adequate,” Kinney said.
If the city doesn’t meet its contractual obligations to pay back its
USDA loan, “the federal government will step in, and take over your
water system,” he said. “They’ll set your rates, and you won’t like
that.”
Councilman Mark Sanders said he wanted to have more public input on the
water rates, and made a motion to table the item pending two public
hearings.
Councilman Chuck Powers said holding two hearings would delay
implementation of new rates by at least two months.
“We’re $20,000 in the red,” Powers said. “I’m not good in math, but
you’re going to get further in the hole if you don’t do something.
“I don’t want to raise rates, but you’re shooting at the bottom of the
barrel right here,” Powers added. “If I’m going to offend myself and all
my neighbors, I don’t want to turn around and have to offend them again
in a couple of months.”
Mayor Laura Ward said the city was not required to hold public hearings
over water and sewer rates, and pointed out the rate question had been
on previous agendas for two years.
“You’re not going to have a group of people come in here and say ‘go
ahead and raise my bill’,” she said.
“You’re not talking to them, mayor,” Sanders countered.
Saying he was stepping outside his CPA shoes, Kinney said he agreed that
holding public hearings would not be productive.
“You should have been holding these hearings six months ago,” Kinney
said. “I told you last year your new system was going to cost more to
operate. It’s going to take six to 12 months to build your reserves up
(and) I’m not sure this (rate structure) will do it.”
During the discussion, councilwoman Lisa Roberts objected to a proposed
$70 fee when customers call out water employees after hours for a
non-emergency situation.
“I don’t have a problem with the other (proposed) fees, but I won’t go
for that,” she said.
Noting the proposed rates offered by water superintendent Tom Acker and
Kinney were a minimum, Powers suggested slightly larger increases to
make it more certain the new rates would be adequate.
“I can read red numbers,” he said. “I think we need to do something.”
Powers offered different figures (crossing out the after-hours fee) and
the other council members didn’t disagree – except Sanders, who asked
Ward to declare his motion to delay for hearings dead for lack of a
second.
She did so, and Powers offered a motion with his new rates, which passed
3-1, with Sanders opposing.
“It’s not what I want, but I think it’s what we have to do,” Powers
said. The rates will go into effect with the October meter readings.
As approved, the new base rate includes the first 1,000 gallons
(previously 2,000 gallons). Residential water base rate is $22.40
(previously $20) and base residential sewer is $18 (previously $15).
Over-base rates increased to $3.05 per 1,000 gallons for water and $2.09
for sewer, with no maximum cap.
Base commercial water increased from $26 (for the first 2,000) to $40
for the first 1,000, and commercial sewer increased from $25 to $30.
Weekend events galore
Monitor Staff Reports
HENDERSON COUNTY–This Saturday a host of fun events are taking place.
Make sure you don’t miss out.
The First United Methodist Church of Mabank is hosting its 13th annual
Lord’s Acre Harvest Festival starting with the Country Store opening at
9 a.m. featuring baked goods, plants and crafts.
A live auction gets underway at 1 p.m. with games and activities for
children starting at 10 a.m. including a visit from Santa.
A barbecue lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For to-go orders,
call (903) 887-3691 between 10:30 a.m. and noon.
In Kemp, the annual one-mile “Walk of Faith” benefitting Kemp
Intermediate student Desiree Wrenn kicks off at 8 a.m. at Kemp City
Park.
A donation of $10 for adults and $5 for students will be appreciated.
Desiree was badly injured in a car accident on her way to school several
years ago. Her family makes the most of it as they meet their daughter’s
needs as a paraplegic.
For information, call Gwenn Allen at (903) 498-8801 or Shannon Garmon at
(214) 735-3794.
The 17th annual Cedar Creek Marching Festival gets started around 9 a.m.
at Mabank High School’s Panther Stadium.
The free all-day event features the thrills of performing bands from all
over Northeast Texas.
The East Texas Arboretum has an all-day slate of activities and
demonstrations for its annual Octoberfest.
Food booths, children’s activities, antique and classic car exhibit,
arts and crafts, scarecrow trail and Wofford House Living Museum, buggy
rides and much, much more are on tap beginning at 9:30 a.m. and
continuing through 3:30 p.m.
This year, several cook-offs are also being held, including the Fletch
Hamburger Cook-off, a children’s cook-off and a black-eyed pea cook-off.
For more information, call (903) 675-5630.
In the evening, the 11th annual Henderson County Cattle Baron’s Ball
will be attracting Stetson and boot-clad guests to a soiree benefitting
the American Cancer Society.
The event kicks off at 7 p.m at the Henderson County Fairpark Complex.
Tickets are $75.
Some featured events include the riderless horse ceremony provided by
Keith Mitchell, live music, food, a caricature artist renderings and
silent and live auctions to include cattle to Dallas Cowboy tickets.
For more information, call Janice Ellis at (214) 533-7150.
In Malakoff, the inaugural October Festival, sponsored by Mary Queen of
Heaven Catholic Church, is set for 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12,
at the Malakoff Senior Citizens Community Center, 503 North Terry,
Malakoff. Food includes hot dogs, brats and Tex-Mex.
A live band, The Sidekicks, will provide entertainment, while kids and
adults enjoy a bounce house, hole-in-one, face painting, cake walk and a
white elephant silent auction. |