News

CEDAR CREEK LAKE-A 43-year-old man drowned while swimming in rough waters with his family June 22.
Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said the incident took place around 5:45 p.m. near the Mantle Manors subdivision of Gun Barrel City. 
The man was swimming with his family when he went after a float but went under in rough water and drowned. 
Hillhouse stated that game wardens cleared the scene before the drownings of two girls later the same day. 
Authorities have not released the man’s name.

Monitor Photo/Carla Gray
Mabank Mayor Randy Teague (left) congratulates Kynleigh Smith as the 2025 Rodeo Queen during the annual Queen’s Dinner held at Mabank Eubank Hall June 24. Smith will serve as the official ambassador for the 70th Annual Mabank Rodeo which will be held at the Alene and Andrew Gibbs Memorial Arena. The Queen’s Dinner kicks off Rodeo Week which is traditionally held the last week in June and brings a week full of events, hometown spirit and rodeo entertainment. 

Monitor Photo/Ashlee Sawyer
Cedar Creek Country Club Business Developer Hunter Young (from left), visits with Owners of Home Instead Kim and Eric Gassman during the Business After Hours event hosted by BnR Country June 17. 

HENDERSON COUNTY—Henderson County Judge Wade McKinney has chosen not to seek re-election. In a letter dated June 20, McKinney states that, “When I started with the county in 1994 I was a road hand filling potholes in Precinct 2. I never set out to hold office. I just wanted to chase cows and bale hay. Commissioner Harold Hammer talked me into coming to work for the county for a year and one year turned into 32.” 

Courtesy Photo/Lana Ahrens
Kyra Mason (from left), La’Darrius Mason, Cailee Mason, Douglas Omari and Imani Allen attend Malakoff’s Community Juneteenth Celebration June 21 and show off their bracelets made during the event.

CEDAR CREEK LAKE—A boat carrying 10 adults and two children capsized in the Heatherwoods subdivision of Cedar Creek Lake around 10 p.m. June 22. 
Tool Volunteer Fire Department Lt. Randall Newkirk told The Monitor that the boat lost power, was pushed around by the waves and capsized after a large wave pushed the boat over. 

Courtesy Photo/Tri-County Library
Tri-County Library starts off the summer reading program with an explosion of fun from Texas A&M University Chemistry Road Show June 5. Demonstrator Jim Pennington starts off the show with chemical wonders that turn ordinary objects and events into exciting learning experiences. 

HENDERSON COUNTY–At the June 10 meeting of the Henderson County Commissioners’ Court, speakers turned out to protest the proposed drilling of 22 groundwater wells in eastern Henderson County between Moore Station and Coffee City by private companies with a Dallas address that plan to extract more than 5 billion gallons of water per year, which the court opposes.

Courtesy Photo/Kaufman County

Courtesy Photo/City of Kemp
City of Kemp’s Myranda Gilmore (from left) welcomes new Chief of Police Curtis Kaloi. Kaloi’s new position for the city became effective May 27.