By Michael V. Hannigan
The News Staff

ATHENS — When the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) filed paperwork with the county last week to display an atheist banner on the Courthouse lawn in December, one of the questions percolating behind the scenes was: “Does it have to be this banner?”

The question wasn’t officially asked out loud; it wasn’t broached during the commissioners’ meeting, at least not yet. But the whispers were there.

The proposed banner reads: “At this season of the Winter Solstice, let reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth & superstition that hardens hearts & enslaves minds.”

The FFRF has many different banners, however, including one that simply reads: “Reasons Greetings.”

FFRF attorney Charles Caperton admitted after last week’s meeting to at least hearing the question, but said he couldn’t give an opinion because he had not spoken to his clients about the possibility of change.

Later, however, FFRF Co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor said the foundation would not go to a different message, pointing out the proposed banner had been displayed in similar circumstances around the country.

“What we are trying to do is directly counter the theology of the nativity display,” she said. “They cannot put up a nativity display or theological display and then tell people who differ from that, ‘We are going to censor your speech.’”

Gaylor said the fact the nativity scene displayed on the Courthouse lawn doesn’t have an overt explanation of its theology is irrelevant.

“The nativity display in essence says there is one true god, Jesus is his son, he was born to save you and if you don’t believe there will be everlasting fire for you and if you do believe you’ll be in heaven,” she said. “This is recognizing and favoring and endorsing one particular messiah over another, and one particular religion over another, and religion over non-religion.”

For its part, the county has its own opinion about the FFRF’s proposed banner.

“It is merely a rant against religion,” said County Attorney Clint Davis.

“When you look at the overall goal of the county, which is to make the town center attractive through seasonal decorations, you have to ask if their banner does that,” he said.

The FFRF is the Wisconsin-based organization that demanded the county remove a nativity scene from the Christmas decorations on the courthouse lawn last December. Later, the foundation shifted its focus from removing the nativity to allowing one of its banners.

Our 8th grade girls were runner up.
The team members are :
Kiana Reed: 2nd Shot put, 3rd High jump, 1st 400meter relay, 2nd 800 meter relay, 5th 200 meter dash
Queen Jackson: 5th shot put, 4th discus
Kaitlyn Harris: 4th high jump, 6th long jump, 1st 400 meter relay, 2nd 800 meter relay. 4th 100 meter hurdles
Candace Denis: 1st triple jump, 1st 400 meter relay, 2nd 200 meter relay, 3rd 1600 meter relay
Hazel Puempel: 2nd triple jump, 1st 400 meter relay, 2nd 800 meter relay, 3rd 1600 meter relay
Edith Gonzalzes: 3rd triple jump, 6th 400 meter dash, 6th 200 meter dash, 3rd 1600 meter relay
Brenda Cruz: 3rd 800 meter run, 5th 400 meter dash, 3rd 1600 meter relay
Yareri Roman 6th 2400 meter run
Porsha Trimble: 5th 100 meter hurdles
Deondra Dowell: 6th 100 meter dash

These girls placed 2nd over all with a total of 113.5 points to finish out the season. Other team members are Heather Wilson, Samantha Ferrell, Cheyenne Ramsey, Jordan Jenkins,

Our 7th grade girls placed 5th over all, team members are:
Kerrian Toliver: 5th triple jump, 3rd 400 meter relay, 3rd 800 meter relay, 6th 1600 meter relay
Kamry Hurd: 3rd 400 meter relay, 3rd 800 meter relay, 5th 100 meter dash
Abby Terzis: 3rd 400 meter relay, 3rd 800 meter relay, 1st 100 meter hurdles
Kenzi Crist: 5th 800 meter run, 6th 200 meter dash
Harmony Matthews: 3rd 100 meter dash, 4th 200 meter dash, 6th 1600 meter relay
Sara Williams: 6th 800 meter run, 6th 400 meter dash, 6th 1600 meter relay
Taylor Black: 4th 100 meter dash,
Hannah Terzis: 6th 100 meter hurdles
Erika Cardnes: 3rd 400 meter relay, 3rd 800 meter relay, 1600 meter relay
Other team members are:Maria Romero, Meagan Miller, Trisha Buck, Kathleen Cook, Angel Chewning, Sarah Perkins, Patricia Garcia.

MMS 8th grade boys track team

The Malakoff Middle School 8th grade boys track team recently finished second in its district meet. The team also won the Eustace and Malakoff meets this season. Individual results from district are below:

2400m run
3rd Andy Garcia 9:01
5th Daniel Romero 9:34
6th Matthew Rodriguez 9:37

400m relay 6th
Dylan Grim, Ryan Robinson, Wade Horn, Trey Jackson

110m hurdles
3rd Jake Woolverton 19.26

800m relay 2nd 1:43
Dylan Grim, Ryan Robinson, Wade Horn, Trey Jackson

300m hurdles
5th Jake Woolverton

200m dash
6th Ryan Robinson 26.43

1600m run
4th Andy Garcia 5:45
6th Daniel Romero 5:56

1600m relay 1st 3:57
Trey Jackson, Dylan Grim, Jake Woolverton, Wade Horn

Shot Put
2nd Josh Rodriguez 41’5”
5th Colton Barker 34’11.5″

Discus
1st Josh Rodriguez 153’1″

Pole Vault
2nd Trevor Martin 8’0
4th Matthew Carter 7’6″

Triple Jump
1st Dylan Grim 36’8.5″
6th Wade Horn 34’6.5″

High Jump
3rd Jake Woolverton 5’2″

Malakoff Middle School boys 7th grade track

The Malakoff Middle School 7th grade boys competed recently at the District Track Meet. This meet concluded the season for the middle school track teams. The 7th grade boys had an outstanding season winning 2 meets this year.

The 7th Grade Boys District Track Meet Results
Overall Finish 3rd Place
Buffalo-148
Eustace-121
Malakoff-114
Teague-107
Leon-86
Mildred-23
Blooming Grove-14

Field Events
Shot Put
Dan’yal Littleton-6th place (27’5)
Discus
Dan’yal Littleton-5th place (87’8)
High Jump
A.J. Cook-1st place (5’1)
Q.T. Barker-3rd place (4’8)
Long Jump
A.J. Cook-3rd place (15’5)
Tyler Crawford-5th place (14’4)
Triple Jump
Bryce Ivey- 5th place (31’1)

Running Events
2400 meter run
Bryce Ivey-1st place (9:20)
Chris Boose-5th place (9:50)
400 meter relay dropped the baton in first, picked it up, and still finished the race
Tyler Crawford, A.J. Cook, Brandon Cook, Q.T. Barker-4th place
800 meter run
Bryce Ivey-5th place (2:40)
100 meter dash
Hunter Robinson-2nd place (13.6)
Xavier McCullar-6th place (14.1)
800 meter relay
Brandon Cook, A.J.Cook, Tyler Crawford, A.J. Cook, Q.T. Barker-1st place (1:47.1)
400 meter dash
Xavier McCullar-6th place (67.5)
300 meter hurdles
Jesus Rivera-5th place (55.0)
1600 meter run
Bryce Ivey-1st place (5:56.9)
Chris Boose-6th place (6:28.9)
1600 meter relay
Q.T. Barker, Brandon Cook, A.J. Cook, Tyler Crawford-1st place (4:13.9)

ATHENS — A Commissioners’ Court agenda item that didn’t pass Tuesday morning instead shed a different light on a long-running controversy in Malakoff.

Three years ago, a debate started over a large pile of construction rubble located on land owned by the county in Precinct 1 between The Lindy Mall and Spring Creek Mobile Home Park in Malakoff.

The owners of the Lindy Mall, through attorney Brian Schmidt, call the pile an eyesore and “a danger to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Henderson County.” 

Pct. 1 Commissioner Joe Hall, for his part, said the precinct yard. But in 2011, he said budget constraints wouldn’t allow the move to be made quickly, saying it would cost nearly $20,000 in fuel and manpower.

So the controversy has simmered on low, but never gone away.

Now, during a discussion of a request to use some of the material for a private subdivision in Precinct 1, County Attorney Clint Davis says the construction rubble is salvage and has no value.

He told commissioners Tuesday, “I think if you put it up for bid, there would be no bids.”

The comments came in relation to a request by Tom’s Acres, a private subdivision in Precinct 1, to use some of the material because a road was washed out during the recent rains. Hall — who was attending a funeral Tuesday and was not at the meeting — was willing to provide the material, but needed approval from Commissioners’ Court.

The action was not approved because commissioners Ronnie Lawrence and Ken Geeslin did not want to start a precedent of working on private roads.

Davis, however, said the court could have allowed the action because the material has no value and giving it away “would alleviate some cost to the county.”

“I agree with the County Attorney’s position and have always felt that this rubble that private contractors routinely have to pay waste disposal sites to take has no monetary value and should have never have been dumped on county property,” Schmidt said Wednesday.

It is livestock show time in Henderson County, when area residents celebrate the passing of a farming tradition on to youth.

But this year’s show comes in the shadow of worry over federal bureaucracy and possible changes to a way of life.

In September 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) proposed changes to child labor regulations for kids under 16.

“Children employed in agriculture are some of the most vulnerable workers in America,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis when the proposal was announced. “Ensuring their welfare is a priority of the department, and this proposal is another element of our comprehensive approach.”

According to the DOL, some of the major changes would include:

- All tractors operated by 14- and 15-year-old student learners be equipped with rollover protection and seat belts.

- Remove certification programs for 14- and 15-year-olds to operate most tractors and farm implements without supervision.

- Prohibit engaging or assisting in animal husbandry practices such as, but not limited to, branding, breeding, dehorning, vaccinating, castrating, and treating sick or injured animals.

- Limiting farm work involving construction, communications, roofing, at elevations greater than 6 feet, wrecking, demolition, and the operation of most power-driven equipment and manually operated hoists.

- Prohibit the use of most electronic devices, including communication devices, while operating power-driven machinery, including automobiles, tractors, farm implements and woodworking machines.

The rule would also prevent children under 18 from working in grain elevators, grain bins, silos, feed lots, stockyards, livestock exchanges and livestock auctions.

Not everyone agrees. In fact, the DOL has received more than 10,000 comments on the proposed rules change and is expected to resubmit the portion concerning the so-called “parental exemption” in early summer.

Henderson County Pct. 2 Commissioner Wade McKinney, who said he learned how to drive a tractor at age 7, is one of those against the measure.

He said working on the farm gave him “an awareness of circumstances around me. It taught me to think, and it has for everyone that has grown up in an agricultural background.”

“It gives you an awareness of the world that, in my opinion, that is lacking as we get farther away from an agrarian society,” he said.
The DOL has tried to calm fears, pointing out that the rules are only for children who are employees, and “a child of any age may perform any job, even hazardous work, at any age at any time on a farm owned by his or her parent.”

When told that, McKinney laughed and said, “Oh, employment. You know how many people I worked for doing these very same things before I was 18.”

The agency also says the rules changes will not hurt student ag programs.

“The Department of Labor fully supports the important contributions both 4-H and the FFA make toward developing our children. The proposed rule would in no way prohibit a child from raising or caring for an animal in a non-employment situation — even if the animal were housed on a working farm — as long as he or she is not hired or ‘employed’ to work with the animal,” according to a DOL website.

Still, the DOL believes the changes are needed, pointing to the fact that agriculture labor laws haven’t been updated in 40 years.

“Children serving as employees in the agriculture business are among the most vulnerable of our nation’s workers,” Nancy Leppink, a DOL deputy administrator, told a Congressional subcommittee in February. “The fatality rate for young agricultural workers is four times greater than that of their peers employed in nonagricultural work places.”

In March, members of both the House and Senate introduced bills to end the DOL’s attempts to change the agriculture child labor rules.
McKinney has a simpler solution.

“The government needs to stay out of anything dealing with the family and not impede someone’s ability to get a job,” he said.
“Do I believe in child labor being exploited, of course not,” he added. “But, in my experiences in the agricultural sector that’s not an issue.”

The procedure for changing the child agricultural labor rules is expected to take several months – if Congress doesn’t block the process.

It is a milestone year for Malakoff’s annual festival.

The Malakoff Chamber of Commerce Cornbread Festival will mark its 15th year Saturday, April 14. The day will also see the Rotary Club of Malakoff Pancake Breakfast and the 13th Annual Texas State Knife & Tomahawk Championship (see Page 13A).

Organizers will be rolling out some new events, plus all the old favorites in celebration.

The event will start off with the annual 5k run, sponsored this year by Brookshire’s of Malakoff. Sign up early for $15 per person or $20 the day of the race. Trophies will be awarded, lots of great door prizes and each runner will receive a gift bag and a T-shirt.
Vendors will open up at 9 a.m. and are always a hit at this event.

This year, organizers are introducing “Garage Sale Alley.” These booths will be set-up on East Mitcham. There will be lots of great entertainment gracing the stage on Melton Street across from the City Hall.

The Cornbread Cook-Off will be held at Cedar Lake Nursing Service on Terry Street. Each entrant will receive an exclusive cornbread apron, and trophies will be awarded. After judging, the cook-off will be opened to the general public and they will vote for the “People’s Choice.” Beans and samples of entries will be sold.

At noon, sign up for the inaugural Corn Eating Contest. Each entrant will be timed on gobbling down three ears of corn. Trophies for first, second and third will be awarded.

The now famous Hat Contest and Dog Contest will both return. Each contest is being updated. The Hat Contest will be judged for the hats “WOW” factor. Hats will be judged for theme, color, construction, size, movement, glitz and presentation. Businesses in Malakoff will be displaying and sponsoring hats two weeks prior to the festival. For further entry information, contact Sherry Andrus or Cesar at Citizens National Bank 903-489-1999.

The day will finish with the “Corny Balloon Relay.” Grab a partner and enter. One person will fill a flat balloon with 10 pieces of corn, then run it to their partner who must blow the balloon completely up and return it to original partner. This is a timed event. Trophies will be awarded.

For applications and additional information, call the Malakoff Chamber of Commerce at 903-489-8118 or drop by the office located at 207 E. Main St. in Malakoff or go to our web site at: www. malakoffchamber.org.

Also getting in on the fun will be the First United Methodist Church and the library.

The church this year will be enjoying the festival and promoting its 160th anniversary celebration, set for Sept. 16.
As one of this year’ fundraisers for its missions and outreach programs, church members will be selling State Fair-quality corndogs and “finger- licking good” chili cheese fries.

In addition to the food, raffle tickets will be on sale for a beautiful king size quilt. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Sept. 16 anniversary celebration at the church. As in years past the quilt is donated by church pioneers Zilla Jackson Cook , Martha Dee Thompson, and Edwina Carson and is dedicated to the Malakoff United Methodist Men’s group.

At the Red Waller Community Library, the Friends of the Library will be holding its annual book sale. This is a great time to pick up a lot of popular books for low prices.

I make the news list this week as Sunday on the way to church, I took a less traveled road to deliver a newspaper article to someone. I decided to continue my route as I like new landscape, slowly went around a curve, and let my front left tire slip off an obscured culvert in all the foliage. The ditch below was quite deep. Before I realized what was happening, my new car slowly it seemed kept slipping, stopping when the top of the car was at the bottom of the ravine.

I thought I might be hidden, and no one would come this way for a long time. With everything falling from the bottom to the top, I tried to get my key out of the ignition to use my panic button. Confusion took over; even left and right have never been my friends.

Finally the key came out, and I heard a woman screaming behind me as I pushed some buttons. I could even open the trunk for an escape route. The front windshield was crushed, but my seat belt had kept me tightly against the back of the seat. I began gathering what I could as rescue help in front and behind me. I opened my front door which let me out partly; a new person in town pulled me to standing position. I didn’t choose to go to the hospital. The Fire Chief took me home. All day I felt physically fine and lucky. But the next day the mental part hit me. For the second time in years I had wrecked a pretty car we had not even made the first payment on. I wanted to go somewhere and cry, still do. With all my other blunders, I have became a high maintenance mom and wife.

At the time this transpired, I had sold my first horse. Blaze and I wanted another horse. I had looked at several horses that were advertised in the paper, but didn’t see any I liked.

One day I decided to go to the North Houston Sale Barn to see what they might have. All I had was $50, but thought it might be enough. When the sale started, the first thing to enter the ring was a small black and white paint mare, she stood about 13-14 hands high and seemed to be gentle as a lamb.

Back then, all horses came into the ring wearing a braided grass rope halter with a lead rope three or four feet long. One of the men working in the ring got on her and rode around the ring showing what she could do. When the bidding started, the auctioneer started her at Twenty-five dollars, she went to Thirty dollars, and I bought her for Thirty-five.

I had hitch-hiked to get there, and thought, “How am this going to get this mare home?” Of course the solution was simple; I would have to ride her home. We lived 10 or 12 miles from the sale barn, and I didn’t have my saddle or bridle, so I had to ride her home bareback. I was fortunate she was gentle because all I had was the halter she had on. I would ride awhile, get sore, get off and walk awhile and then ride again. Didn’t think I would ever get home, but I did.

The next day, I saddled the mare (I didn’t have a name for her yet) and headed toward the Hempstead Highway where a friend of mine lived. He and I often rode together, and I wanted him to see my new horse. It was hot when I got to Royce’s house and stopped at a pond just inside their gate to water my mare. She walked out into the pond, pawing at the water as she went. She was soon knee-deep in the water and something happened that I had never experienced before. She just laid down and started rolling over and over; I thought she was dying so I jumped off and got her up. She shook herself and was just fine. I later shared this with “Old Man Shelton,” and he said that she must have been a “May Colt.” He explained that colts born in the month of May would lie down if they got in water over knee-deep.

Now you may not believe this, but every time she got in water over knee deep “Water Baby,” that’s what I named her, would lie down.