Malakoff ISD Superintendent Don Layton (from left), the district’s seven school board members and a former trustee turn the dirt May 23 at the site of the new Malakoff High School, which voters approved as part of a $72 million bond package. School board and political action committee (PAC) members receive a commemorative paperweight noting the May 23 Malakoff High School groundbreaking.
GUN BARREL CITY–Gun Barrel City Council approved the use of $80,000 out of the Hotel and Motel Fund for an Electric Fall Festival in November. The festival was the idea of Council Member Gary Lerew and Mistletoe Mania Owner and Event Planner Renee Weaver. Both Lerew and Weaver say the goal is to make the festival the equivalent of the Edom Art Festival and McKinney’s Arts in Bloom festival.
MABANK–The Mabank Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) proudly announces the 67th Annual Mabank Rodeo and Western Week to be held Monday, June 20 through Saturday, June 25. The tradition which began in 1955 will consist of Rodeo Queen events, a parade, street dance and game night to name a few activities.
HENDERSON, NAVARRO COUNTY–District 20-2A announced their All-District honors for the 2021 softball season, which includes multiple players from Kerens and Cross Roads following their playoff runs.
Kerens, which ended its season in the Regional semifinals, was led by 20-2A Co-Most Valuable Players Kenadee Lynch and Rylee Spivey. Kerens’ Jayson Engel was named 20-2A Coach of the Year, with Olivia Holt of Kerens named Utility Player of the Year.
MABANK–A record that had stood since 1959 in the history books of Mabank High School was finally broken at the Area meet in late April 2022.
The team of Ty’Rand Blanton, Beau Kilgore, Jayden Rodgers and Sean Henry broke the school record for the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:26.43, advancing to the Regional track meet just weeks ago.
HENDERSON COUNTY–Commissioners’ Court of Henderson County voted May 17 to approve two floodplain permits for the Integrated Pipeline (IPL) project, which will move water from Lake Palestine to Dallas-Fort Worth.
County Floodplain Administrator Joy Kimbrough said one permit is in Precinct 1 to tunnel under Cedar Creek north of State Highway 31. The other permit is located between Farm to Market (FM) 59 and FM 753, crossing Hollywood Lake south of Athens.
KERENS–After an emergency reading, Kerens City Council gave approval May 10 to raise sanitation rates across the board for residents and businesses for an overall total of 4%, which matches the rate increase of the city’s service provider.
City Administrator Katherine Combs said the price hike will be effective June 1 and will recoup the city’s costs of a Republic Services increase. Republic Services said its increase is tied to the consumer price index (CPI), council members were told.
MALAKOFF–Malakoff ISD trustees voted May 16 to delegate authority to Superintendent Don Layton to employ contractual personnel and make vehicle purchases in June, July and August only.
“We need the ability to hire people right now,” Layton told the school board, adding that the district has received more employment applications this year as compared to last year. Layton told trustees he would text hiring details to board members for their information.
