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.

New books, activities at the Tri-County Library
Special to The Monitor
MABANK–The Tri-County Library regularly adds new books to its collection.
When books are on the best-seller list, many will be found at the library.
New fiction includes “Christmas Blizzard” by Garrison Keillor, “Christmas is Murder” by C.S. Challinor, “Intervention” by Terri Blackstock, “The Law of Nines” by Terri Goodkind, “Too Many Murders” by Colleen McCullough, “Deeper Than the Dead” by Tami Hoag, “Honor of Spies” by W.E.B. Griffin, “Last Words” by George Carlin and “Gift for Ron” by Everson Walls.
There are new ones for the younger crowd – four new R.L. Stine “Goosebumps HorrorLands,” book four in the “Ranger’s Apprentice” series by John Flanagan, two new ones in the Hank the Cowdog series and some new ones in the Star Wars series.
For much younger patrons, to help them learn to read, are some in the “I Can Read” series and the “Step into Reading” series.
New books on CD are “Five Little Peppers and How They Grew” by Margaret Sidney, “A Season of Gifts” by Richard Peck and “First Family” by David Baldacci.
There are six new large print westerns, which many gentlemen patrons will enjoy (some ladies too).
There is a new publication called “College,” a very informative publication giving opposing views to help students gain an awareness of current issues and develop critical thinking skills pertaining to further education.
GED help is available from 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays. Kay Robinson is at the library to give one-on-one help to those who desire to prepare to take the GED test.
No one is too old to get a GED. Only practice testing is done at the library. Library help is free, but Trinity Valley Community College does charge for the test.
“Whisper” the Tri-County Library cat is almost ready to take the GED test, if only she could write. She has sat in on many of Robinson’s classes.
Classes will resume Thursday, Jan. 7.
“Whisper” has also sat in on the ESL (English as a second language) classes that Jennifer Young teaches from noon to 1 p.m. each Saturday. Her classes are also free.
“Whisper” will miss the Christmas tree.
Being too heavy to climb up into it this year, she has had her fun by knocking off the low hanging ornaments and even a lower limb or two.
“Whisper” and the library staff wish all a great new year.

UT-Tyler holds fall ’09 graduation
Special to The Monitor
TYLER–The University of Texas at Tyler held fall commencement ceremonies Dec. 18-19, President Rodney H. Mabry announced.
Seven hundred forty one degree candidates were recognized in the UT Tyler R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center.
Commencement speakers and the ceremonies during which they spoke were, Dr. John English, Bethesda Clinic executive director/medical director – Colleges of Nursing and Health Sciences and Arts and Sciences; Amy Proctor, Texas Bank and Trust Company vice president and trust officer – College of Business and Technology; and Dr. James Nelson, UT Tyler College of Engineering and Computer Science dean – Colleges of Education and Psychology and Engineering and Computer Science.
The presentation of degree candidates were made by the deans of each of the university’s colleges: Dr. Alisa White, Arts and Sciences, Dr. Harold Doty, Business and Technology, Dr. William Geiger, Education and Psychology, Nelson, Engineering and Computer Science and Dr. Linda Klotz, Nursing and Health Sciences.
Mabry gave remarks and certified the degree candidates at each ceremony. Alumni representative Roy Guerra Martinez gave alumni association presentations.
One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler offers excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service.
More than 90 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 6,000 high-ability students at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine.
Local graduates were:
Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences
GUN BARREL CITY – Richard Kent Wendel.
Bachelor of Business Administration
MALAKOFF – Joel Weldon Tanner, management; and Trent Wilson, accounting.
Bachelor of Science – Interdisciplinary Studies
MABANK – Teri Louise Rohm.
Master of Science in Nursing
ENCHANTED OAKS – Patricia Anne Vasquez.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
ENCHANTED OAKS – Patricia Anne Vasquez.
KERENS – Alisha Kay Camehl.
MABANK – Jennifer Michele Compton.

AARP provides free income tax help
Monitor Staff Reports
CEDAR CREEK LAKE–That dreaded season is almost here, the time to file one’s federal income tax return.
But help is here, as the American Association of Retired People (AARP) is once again offering free assistance with filing, including electronic filing.
One need not be elderly to take advantage of the services offered Monday, Feb. 1, through Wednesday, April 14.
Taxpayers are advised the first few weeks of February are the busiest time, but if the client is patient and can come later in the season, the volunteers probably won’t be as busy and the wait will probably be shorter.
Married taxpayers should come to the site together, unless one is incapacitated.
Returns are not prepared for those filing “Married Filing Separately,” or returns that are extremely complicated.
However, assistance and advice is offered, plus what steps should be taken to get their return completed.
Counselors may not be present for assistance if no taxpayers are present.
Taxpayers should bring a copy of their 2008 return, and all tax-related documents for 2009, such as W-2, 1099, SSA-1099 and any statements showing dividends, interest, capital gain distributions or sale of capital stock.
They also should bring the amount of 2009 property taxes paid, state and local sales taxes paid on the purchase of a new vehicle after Feb. 16, 2009, and its purchase price, information on the purchase of a home and/or purchase and installation of insulation, college tuition or expenses paid in 2009, and amounts of estimated tax payments made to the IRS for 2009 from their 2008 return.
Taxpayers must bring Social Security cards for all taxpayers and all dependents, along with the date of birth for all dependents and taxpayers.
Services are available from 8 a.m. to noon Fridays at the Henderson County Senior Center in Athens, from 8 a.m. to noon Mondays at the Library at Cedar Creek Lake in Seven Points, and 8 a.m. to noon Wednesdays at the Senior Citizens Center in Malakoff.

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