News

By: Toni Walker

Editor of The Steel Country Bee

news@steelcountrybee.com

Experience can be the best teacher. The Northeast Texas Coalition Against Substance Abuse used that belief recently to reach students at Daingerfield High School about the dangers of underage drinking.

By: J. Leslie Riseden

Hats, boots, hay bales and a chuck wagon. The Avinger Chamber of Commerce did it up western style for their annual banquet Feb 20 at Avinger School's McDaniel hall.

To open the festivities, emcee Mike Gilmore introduced Linda Shaddix, who performed a stirring rendition of the national anthem. Following an invocation delivered by Rev. Robert Terry of First Baptist Church of Avinger, chamber members, guests, and honorees made their way through a chuck wagon buffet line.

Ms. Shaddix entertained the crowd with a few more songs, followed by a performance of genuine cowboy-era tunes by Ken Lattimore of the Sons of the Pioneers. (This group, most widely associated with television/film/recording artist Roy Rogers, was formed in 1933. With obvious replacements through the years, they continue to perform today as one of the longest-lasting groups in recording history.)

“Follow the North Star.” “Gather your tools.” “This is a safe house.” Such are the messages said to be concealed in the intricate quilt designs employed by the Underground Railroad. The members of The Pleasant Hill Quilt Club of Linden presented interpretations of ten distinctive quilt patterns at the Legacy Center in Hughes Springs on Feb. 17.

At their regularly scheduled meeting, the Morris County Commissioner’s Court voted unanimously to apply for three grants in the coming months.

The first grant the commissioner’s approved was for the Click It or Ticket campaign for the Memorial Day period of May 23 to June 5. The county, according to County Auditor Shanna Solomon, has been approved for a $2000 grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to reimburse for man hours during the program. According to Solomon, the county has never participated in the program before. The program puts more officers on patrol during peak times for the purpose of ensure seatbelt usage among drivers and passengers. The grant will help offset the cost of paying those extra patrols for their overtime hours. Following a motion by County Judge Lynda Munkres, which was seconded by Commissioner Dennis Allen, the court voted unanimously to apply for the TxDOT grant.

Owner Thomas LaToof, center, prepares to cut the ribbon for the grand re-opening of McDonald’s in Daingerfield, following their recent remodel. With LaToof, from left, are Chamber member Becky Breazeale, swing manager Susie Garrett, assistant manager Wanda Jimmerson, Daingerfield Mayor Lou Irvin,, LaToof, general manager Marlon Chisom, Brookshire’s store director Lane Garland, McDonald’s supervisor Josh Dunavant, and McDonald’s Director of Operations, Victor Martinez. Ms. Jimmerson began with McDonald’s in Daingerfield when it originally opening in October of 1996.

Hughes Springs High School Choir Students recently participated in the Region IV UIL Vocal Solo and Ensemble Competition at East Texas Baptist University on Feb. 19 and have earned a trip to sing at the state competition in May. Each student sang a selection from memory in front of a judge and was rated on various elements of musicianship. All four students received superior ratings, or ones. The students are as follows from left to right: Levi Hawkins, Julia Beers, Celeste O’Dell, Kirby Young, and Choir Teacher, Dr. Jessie Biles.

By Toni Walker
The Daingerfield Public
Library has received new fixtures
from a grant received
from the Tocker Foundation.
Librarian Earline Walton
applied for a grant through the
Tocker Foundation. The
Tocker Foundation was established
in 1964 to carry out the
philanthropic interests of
Phillip and Olive Tocker. The
estates of both Mr. and Mrs.
Tocker were endowed to the
foundation upon their deaths
in 1994 and 1993, respectively.
Prior to the Tocker’s deaths, the
Foundation decided to focus
on grant distribution to rural
libraries servicing populations
of 12,000 or less. The aim of the
grants is to assist libraries in
making services more accessible
to individuals who by reason
of distance, residence,
handicap, age, literacy level, or
other disadvantage are unable
to receive the benefits of public

By J. Leslie Riseden

Special contributor to The Steel Country Bee

By: Toni Walker

Editor of The Steel Country Bee

news@steelcountrybee.com

Numerous city and county officials turned up at the Morris County Annex on Feb. 11 for the Morris County Political Forum, hosted by the Daingerfield Chamber of Commerce and the Business and Professional Women’s Club. The Forum gave candidates the chance to pitch their Political platform to the local voters before the polls open for early voting on Feb. 16.

Moderator Chris Spencer began by welcoming everyone and leading those in attendance in a prayer and the pledge of allegiance. Spencer then introduced the city and county dignitaries that were in attendance, as well as the candidates that had made the effort to attend, as well. Spencer noted that no local candidates will have an opponent on the primary ballots, and some candidates chose to attend, but not to speak.

Flags line Scurry Street in front of the Methodist Church in downtown Daingerfield in recognition of President’s Day, which was Monday, Feb. 15.