Oct

11

Malakoff Education Foundation to hold tailgate event

Posted by : Press release | On : October 11, 2012

Category: Malakoff, Schools

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Malakoff McDonald’s owners Jeaneane and Kevin Lilly (left) present a donation to Malakoff Education Foundation President Ricky Armstrong. (Courtesy Photo)

The Malakoff Education Foundation (MEF) will hold a Homecoming Pregame Tailgate Event 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, next to Tiger Stadium.

The event kicks off the foundation’s fundraising campaign and will include live music, games and free hot dogs. The first 50 people to register with the MEF will win a free T-shirt.

Door prizes will include a $250 grand prize, donated by The Learning Express; a family fun pack, donated by LaQuinta Inn of Gun Barrel City and Movie Star Cinema, which includes hotel accommodations and a four-pace to a the movies; and popcorn and gift card from Jalopy Joe’s.

Check out the Malakoff Education Foundation website.

Oct

11

Superintendents meeting with Sen. Nichols

Posted by : Erik Walsh | On : October 11, 2012

Category: Athens, County, Government, Malakoff, Schools

Tags:,

State Sen. Robert Nichols met yesterday with school superintendents from Cherokee, Anderson and Henderson counties to talk about education issues and the upcoming Legislative Session. I’m working on a story for next week, but two quick things I noticed: It looks like the meeting took place in Athens, and in the above photo distributed by the senator’s office, that’s Cross Roads ISD Superintendent Clay Tompkins (left) sitting next to Nichols.

– Michael V. Hannigan

Oct

08

Tigers coming at you

Posted by : Erik Walsh | On : October 8, 2012

Category: Uncategorized

Here come the Tigers (playing with a little technology).

 

Oct

08

Athens ISD sets special meeting re: Superintendent

Posted by : Erik Walsh | On : October 8, 2012

Category: Athens, Schools

By Michael V. Hannigan

The Athens ISD Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, to discuss “the employment status of (the) superintendent and the position of superintendent.”

The move comes after the announcement last week that Superintendent Dr. Robert Steeber has tentatively accepted the position is the Deputy Executive Director of Administrative Services with the Region XI Educational Service Center.

Steeber has only been with the district for about a year. He replaced Dr. Fred Hayes.

Oct

08

Malakoff Ex-Students’ and Alumni set homecoming events

Posted by : Staff Reports | On : October 8, 2012

Category: Malakoff, Schools

From Staff Reports

The Malakoff Ex-Students’ and Alumni Association will be celebrating homecoming with a variety of events Oct. 12-14.

The Malakoff Exes Homecoming Parade will be held Friday, Oct. 12. Line up on Jackson Street, in front of the Old Rock Building at 5 p.m. The parade will start at 5:30 p.m., and will end at the high school. If you would like to participate in the parade, call 903-489-8118.

The Tigers will take on Lone Oak at 7:30 p.m., with the homecoming king and queen crowned before the game.

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Oct

08

TVCC gets ready for homecoming

Posted by : Press release | On : October 8, 2012

Category: Schools

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Special to The News

Malakoff High School isn’t the only school planning a homecoming this weekend. Trinity Valley Community College will be remembering the past and celebrating the present next week during the college’s annual homecoming festivities.

Homecoming activities are set to begin Oct. 11 and run through Oct. 13.

This year the college will be recognizing the 65th anniversary of the Cardinal Cheerleading team. The first cheerleading squad began cheering at Henderson County Junior College (now TVCC) in 1947. Since then, the cheerleading team has been an integral part of school spirit at the college.

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Oct

08

Athens man gets chance as replacement ref

Posted by : Erik Walsh | On : October 8, 2012

Category: Uncategorized

Athens resident Mike Peek (far left) poses with his crew before the NFL Week 4 preseason game in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Aug. 30. Peek was selected as one of the replacement referees while the NFL went through a labor dispute with the regular referee’s union. (Courtesy Photo)

By Michael V. Hannigan
The News Staff

ATHENS — The first thing you notice in Mike Peek’s office are the game mementos. One from a Class 2A state title game here, another from a Class 3A title game there, a couple from NCAA playoff games.

Then you see the one with the NFL logo from 2001; that one is the biggest and gets a wall to itself.

But it is the little ones, obvious gifts from friends and family, that tell the real tale. Ceramic snowmen and a frog and a troll and a pinata and what looks like a cookie jar, all dressed like referees.

The personal gifts tell you about a lifelong passion rather than some momentary accomplishments, and for Peek the passion has been refereeing football. For going on 42 years, from middle school to the Dallas Cowboys opener 11 years ago, he’s called games at every level. He’s officiated at the college ball for 27 years, 13 in the Division 1 Southland Conference.

Because of the labor dispute between the NFL and the league’s referees this year, he earned a second shot at the big time and was the head linesman for three preseason and three regular season games before the two sides came to an agreement last week.

He called games at historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Soldier Field in Chicago, and was even under the lights in prime time for Monday Night Football.

“I asked the supervisor when the thing first started, ‘Where would I want to go (to officiate) if I could go to one place?’ He said Green Bay,” Peek said. “We got to talking, and he said the next closest place, because of the history, would be Soldier Field.”
“So you talk about lucky, I got to go to Green Bay and then Chicago.”

READ THE REST OF THE STORY IN OUR ONLINE EDITION.

Sep

28

Obituary: Weldon Leopard

Posted by : Erik Walsh | On : September 28, 2012

Category: Obituaries

Weldon Leopard of Malakoff passed away on Sept. 23, 2012 in Tyler, at the age of 87.
He was born on Jan. 17, 1925 in Henderson County to Albert William Leopard and Velma Leota Chesser Leopard.
He served the country in the Merchant Marines during World War II and the Army from 1948 to 1949. Early in the war he was in the European Theater and toward the end of the war he was in the Pacific.
He was a self-employed photographer for many years.
He is survived by his wife of many years, Wilma Leopard; daughters Luana Price of Fort Worth, Jacquie and husband Rick Smith of Tool; three grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert William and Velma Leota Leopard; brother Alfred Leopard; sisters Vera Jo and Helen.
Visitation was held Sept. 26, 2012 at Huckabee/Tomlinson Funeral Home, Malakoff. Service followed at 1 p.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Casey Perry officiating. Interment was at Malakoff Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Justin Smith, Jordan Smith, Noah Resse, Rick Smith, Pat Smith, and Johnny Poole.
Online condolences can be made at www.tomlinsonfuneral.com.

Sep

22

Tigers fall to Palestine Westwood, 34-30

Posted by : Erik Walsh | On : September 22, 2012

Category: Malakoff, Sports

Tags:

By Michael V. Hannigan
The News Staff

The Malakoff Tigers, playing shorthanded, could not find an answer for Palestine Westwood’s Keke Hicks Friday night as the Panthers handed Malakoff its first loss of the season, 34-30.

Hicks rushed for 124 yards, passed for another 126, and scored all five Westwood touchdowns as he accounted for more than 80 percent of the Panthers’ offensive output for the night.

His final touchdown was a 21-yard scoring strike to Dra Ross with just 33 seconds left in the game to give the Panthers the win.

The loss drops the Tigers to 3-1 on the year. Westwood improved to 2-2.

While Hicks played great for Westwood, a subplot on the Malakoff sideline was the list of injured. The Tigers entered the game with four two-way starters out because of injury (Tate Taylor, Jesse Ochoa, Demontes Dowell, and Thomas Acol-Kekauoha), and lost starting linebacker and kicker Cesar Garcia early in the game.

For most of the game, the Tigers were able to overcome their injuries.

Sophomore Stephan Wolfe started his first game at quarterback for the varsity and was very efficient running the team. In the first half, he was 5-of-8 passing for 118 yards, and threw for one touchdown and ran for another.

Dariuhn Jackson was Wolfe’s main target, catching three passes for 100 yards and a 25-yard touchdown. He also ran for an 11-yard score.

Marcus Dowell shouldered the load at running back, picking up 97 yards on 21 carries and scoring twice.

The Tigers roared out to a 30-13 lead midway through the third quarter, but seemed to tire as the Panthers scored 21 unanswered points to finish the game.

The referees also seemed to tire in the fourth quarter, and had great difficulty administering the game. Multiple times, the head referee signaled one team for a penalty and then marched off yardage against the other team without explanation. The officials threw their flags 11 times in the final quarter, hitting Malakoff for 15-yard penalties five times.

Although the Malakoff defense struggled with Hicks, the Tiger defenders continued their ball-hawking trend by forcing the Panthers into two turnovers, fumbles recovered by Keonte Ross and Emanuel Gonzalez.

Special teams also got in on the turnover fun on the game’s opening kickoff when Philippe Ruiz recovered a loose ball.

Malakoff will be be home again next week, looking to get into the win column against Grand Saline. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Sep

21

Tough times for HCPAC

Posted by : Erik Walsh | On : September 21, 2012

Category: Uncategorized

By Michael V. Hannigan
The News Staff

ATHENS — The Henderson County Performing Arts Center (HCPAC) will turn 50 in 2014. Supporters want to make sure the anniversary year isn’t also the theater’s final year.

Tough times economically and dwindling crowds have the theater in a difficult place financially.

“We’ve gone through a couple of really lean years because of the economy, but we’ve always been able to bounce back,” said HCPAC Director Dennis Gilmore. “But we’re like any other small business in the economy today, and that is you just keep holding on hoping it is going to turn around and to date it hasn’t turned around.”

The struggles aren’t because of a lack of effort. Two years ago, the HCPAC started its Legacy Program.

READ MORE IN OUR ONLINE EDITION.