People, Places & Events

People, Places & Events

Lake Area
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East Cedar Creek Freshwater Supply District meets at 12:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month at the ECCFSD office on Hammer Road just off Welch Lane in Gun Barrel City.
Eustace City Council meets at 7 p.m. in the Eustace City Hall the first Thursday of each month. For more information, please call 425-4702. The public is invited to attend.
Eustace Independent School District meets at 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month at the Eustace High School Library. For more information, please call 425-7131. The public is invited to attend.
Gun Barrel City Council meets in Brawner Hall at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. For more information, please call 887-1087. The public is invited to attend.
Gun Barrel City Economic Development Corporation meets at 1831 W. Main, GBC, at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. For more information, please call 887-1899.
Henderson County Commissioner’s Court meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. in the Henderson County Courthouse in Athens. The public is invited to attend.
Henderson County Emergency Services District #4 meets at 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month at 525 S. Tool Dr. in Tool.
Henderson County Historical Commission meets the first Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. in the HC Historical Museum.
Kaufman County Commissioner’s Court meets the first, second, third and fourth Monday of each month at 9:45 a.m. in the Kaufman County Courthouse in Kaufman. The public is invited to attend.
Kemp City Council meets at Kemp City Hall at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month. For more information, please call 498-3191. The public is invited to attend.
Kemp Independent School District meets the third Tuesday of each month in the Board Room in the Administration Building. For more information, please call 498-1314. The public is invited to attend.
Log Cabin City Council meets the third Thursday of the month in city hall. For more information, please call 489-2195. The public is invited to attend.
Mabank City Council meets at 7 p.m. in Mabank City Hall the first Tuesday of each month. For more information, please call 887-3241. The public is invited to attend.
Mabank Independent School District meets at 7:30 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month. For more information, please call 887-9310. The public is invited to attend.
Payne Springs City Council meets at city hall at 7:30 p.m. every third Tuesday of each month. For more information, please call 451-9229. The public is invited to attend.
Payne Springs Water Supply Corp. meets the third Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. at the Payne Springs Community Center, located at 9690 Hwy. 198.
Seven Points City Council meets at 7 p.m. in Seven Points city hall the second Tuesday of each month. For more information, please call 432-3176. The public is invited to attend.
Tool City Council meets at 6 p.m. in the OranWhite Civic Center the third Thursday of each month. For more information, please call 432-3522. The public is invited to attend.
West Cedar Creek Municipal Utility District is held at 5 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month. For more information, please call 432-3704. The public is invited.

Tool joins National Flood program
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
TOOL–In order for individuals to purchase flood insurance for their homes, the city of residence must be a member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Oct. 15, Tool City Council members approved a resolution allowing the city to be in the National Flood Insurance Program (recognized by FEMA) by a 3-2 vote.
Councilman “Red” Phillips was absent, and both Nelson Wright and Tracy Bush voted no. Mayor Mike Black added his vote to the “yes” to break the tie and pass the resolution.
In other business, council members:
• approved a resolution to apply for block grants through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation program.
Council members were told there is $3.2 billion available to be used in energy projects, such as using energy-saving materials in building a new fire station.
• discussed with resident Buzzy Hale the status of the city road study project.
A study on the main entrances and feeder roads is almost complete, Black said.
Cost figures for concrete, asphalt or chip-and-seal surfaces are being compiled, he added.
“I would still like to have a contractor come in and give us a price and a timetable,” Hale said.
• took the necessary actions to remove former councilman Leland Pitts from bank signature cards for Citizens State Bank and First National Bank, to be replaced by Bush.
• nominated Mack McKenzie as a candidate to serve in Place 4 on the Henderson County Appraisal District’s board of directors.
• heard the city of Tool Trash Off is set for 8 a.m. until the dumpsters are full Saturday, Nov. 7.
Items not accepted include paint, carpet, tires, Freon and brush.
Appliances with no Freon will be accepted.

Santa’s helpers seek assistance
Monitor Staff Reports
SEVEN POINTS–The Seven Points Police Department is once again conducting its annual Blue Santa program.
This program provides gifts of toys to needy children who live on the west side of Cedar Creek Lake.
Santa’s helpers are asking for public support to ensure they have the funds to help those most in need, so it will be a Merry Christmas.
In this struggling economy, the need is greater than ever.
Together, this community can help relieve some of the pressure these parents feel at this extremely stressful time of year.
Monetary donations or new unwrapped toys are being received at the Seven Points City Hall.
For more information, call (903) 432-4610.

Carter BloodCare changes donor eligibility
Cancer survivors eligible 2 years after treatment ends
Special to The Monitor
TYLER–Carter BloodCare has changed its blood donor eligibility guidelines to allow survivors of solid-organ tumors, including breast cancer, to give blood two years after treatment is completed rather than wait the most recent, five-year period.
Many cancer survivors receive regularly scheduled blood transfusions during the course of treatment and are eager to share the gift of life with someone else who is undergoing similar therapy today.
The shorter, two-year wait after cancer treatment ends, means that cancer survivors can begin helping others three years sooner than before the new guidelines came about.
If already deferred for five years, then donors have to apply for re-entry through Carter BloodCare’s Donor Notification department by calling (888) 480-8200 for more information.
“The change in these eligibility guidelines reflects a review of medical evidence that the types of cancer we’re talking about are not transmitted by blood transfusion and the shorter deferral period is safe for patients,” chief medical officer Laurie Sutor, M.D. said.
For survivors of the skin cancer melanoma, new donor eligibility guidelines are especially good news.
Previously, a melanoma diagnosis placed a would-be blood donor on the indefinite deferral list. Now, these survivors are also eligible to participate in the blood donor re-entry process by contacting Carter BloodCare’s donor notification number.
“A blood donor who has been told he or she is indefinitely deferred for any reason must go through a re-entry process,” assistant manager of donor notification James Giacoletti said.
“This is a different process than the one for donors who are temporarily deferred or for cancer survivors who have never attempted to give blood before,” he added.
The third recent change in blood donor eligibility involves people who have a diagnosis of hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) from a doctor.
The inherited disorder is one in which excess iron gets deposited in the body’s tissues.
The iron deposits can reach a very high level and ultimately lead to organ failure if not treated. Persons with hereditary hemochromatosis undergo therapeutic phlebotomy, during which a unit of blood can be withdrawn each time at a frequency specified by the ordering physician.
It may be several units a month or just one unit every other month or less.
The blood withdrawn from HH patients was previously not processed for use in the community blood supply. Carter BloodCare charged a nominal fee to provide the therapeutic treatments.
Now, persons with an HH diagnosis who are interested in becoming allogeneic donors and able to provide the necessary information to the donor notification department will be allowed to participate as volunteer blood donors if they meet other screening qualifications.
If the HH person does not meet donor eligibility requirements, he or she may continue receiving therapeutic phlebotomy from Carter BloodCare without charge.
Currently, people with HH who receive therapeutic phlebotomy from Carter BloodCare are notified of the potential to become volunteer blood donors when they call to schedule an appointment.
Potential blood donors must be at least 17 years old or 16 with a parent’s consent, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good general health.
Photo ID is required. There is no upper age limit for donors and most medications do not interfere with donor eligibility. For more information or to make an appointment to give blood, call (800) DONATE-4 or visit carterbloodcare.org.

Come Adopt Us At The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake
The domino effect is a chain reaction that occurs when a small change causes a similar change nearby, which then will cause another similar change, and so on. My name is Domino, and I got my name not only because I’m black and white like a domino tile, but also because my outgoing, cheerful personality causes my doggie roommates to smile. This also causes our human friends to smile, which even causes the kitties in the cat room to smile. I am an 8-month-old male Pointer/Terrier mix. I love children, other dogs, and even get along great with kitties. I’ve had all my shots and am ready to be adopted. If you’d like to experience the domino effect, I am sure to put a forever smile on your face when you take me to my forever home. I currently live with a foster family, so if you would like to meet me, call my friends at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake at (903) 432-3422 to make an appointment. You can also email them at dogshsccl@yahoo.com.
	We have many animals at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake in Seven Points in dire need of a good home. Please call or stop by the Humane Society today and rescue one of these forgotten animals. The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake is located on 10220 County Road 2403 in Seven Points. For more information, please call (903) 432-3422 after 11 a.m. We are closed on Wednesday and Sunday.
For further information visit our website at petfinder.com