Around Town
August 26, 2017 - Looking for something to do besides watching Hurricane Harvey? Mike and Nita invite you to go to the Rio Theatre to watch Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature and a chance to win!
For a Back to School celebration this Saturday only, August 26th, there will be drawings for Nut Job 2 spinners, frisbees, t-shirts, dodge balls, journals, and a grand prize of a $50 gift certificate to the Rio. Come out for a night of fun watching the Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature.
Enjoy the crazy action in the movie and get away from nature's nutty weather! Box office opens at 7pm and movie starts at 7:30pm. Show ends at 9pm.
August 23, 2017 - President Helen Collard called the Golden Harvest Ministries Club to order at 11:30 AM on August 21 at the Fellowship Hall at First Baptist Church in Center, Texas. Joe Anderson led members and guests in singing favorite hymns, and Alice West accompanied on the piano.
Maudie Warr and David Mathis celebrated August birthdays, and anniversary greetings went to Mike and Linda Bordelon who celebrated 52 years on August 14. A special cake was shared with members.
Ron Barbee presented a program on the work and opportunities of Texas Baptist Men which included relief given in times of natural disasters. These men serve as first responders.
The tables were decorated with late summer flowers from Linda Bordelon's gardens.
Submitted by Linda Bordelon, Reporter
Click image for larger version
August 22, 2017 - An open house was held at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office’s new location at 266 Nacogdoches Street in Center on Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
Andi Foster, Chamber Ambassador President, spoke welcoming words, “Good morning everyone and welcome to the AgriLife Extension open house and on behalf of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, Directors, and staff, we extend our congratulations to you today at your open house, your new facility, and our appreciation for being a chamber member.”
Foster then gave Lane Dunn, Extension Agent, an opportunity to introduce everyone, “This is Jheri-Lynn McSwain, our Family Consumer Health, Felicia Thompson who is our BLT (Better Living for Texans) assistant, and Ms. Daphne Lovell is our staff secretary that is helping us out and keeps us going good. Then, here is our County Judge [Allison Harbison] and Commissioner Jimmy Lout and we owe them a lot and lots of praise and thanks for this great facility and we really do appreciate it. It’s been utilized already but I think you can see how well its gonna be utilized in the future.” Dunn also introduce Sheila Lewis, AgriLife’s District Administrator.
Jheri-Lynn McSwain gave a description of the new building, inviting everyone to take a tour and visit all the offices. She said, “Look around and look at all the 4-H projects that we have on display. We are really, really, really proud of that. In the past parents would come in and they would say ‘What’s 4-H? Tell me about 4-H.’ You can only tell somebody verbally but if you could show them, then that really tells the story. We’ve already had that experience with a gentleman came in and he just went through everything and he was like, ‘my child wants to do that, and that, and that.’ I think that is going to be a great visual tour to give people.”
McSwain gave special recognition to Peaches Conway for attending. Conway was the Gold Star 4-H member for Shelby County in 1954 and she brought memorabilia for everyone to see.
The first 4-H Kickoff at the new facility will be held Sunday, August 27 at 2pm. The AgriLife Extension agents invite everyone to come out to the kickoff and learn more about 4-H.
Related article:
Shelby County Extension Office Has Fresh Beginning at New Location
August 21, 2017 - The final countdown has begun for with the eclipse being just hours away. According to Courier-Journal, the moon will be in the sun's path starting at 11:46am and continue for 2 hours 59 minutes.
Don't look at the sun without looking through a protective solar eclipse filter. The sun can damage the eye.
Below is a schedule for the best time to see the peak of the eclipse locally.
- Center, Texas - Expect to see the moon cover 75.3% of the sun. The best time to see the peak of the eclipse will be at 1:17pm.
- Joaquin, Texas - Expect to see the moon cover 76.2% of the sun. The best time to see the peak of the eclipse will be at 1:17pm.
- Shelbyville, Texas - Expect to see the moon cover 75.6% of the sun. The best time to see the peak of the eclipse will be at 1:18pm.
- Tenaha, Texas - Expect to see the moon cover 76.1% of the sun. The best time to see the peak of the eclipse will be at 1:17pm.
- Timpson, Texas - Expect to see the moon cover 75.6% of the sun. The best time to see the peak of the eclipse will be at 1:16pm.
Recommended Links:
- Eclipse Safety - https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety
- Smartphone Photography of the Eclipse - https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/smartphone-photography-eclipse
August 18, 2017 - The Center High School Alumni Association is pleased to announce our 2017 Hall of Honor Award winners! After careful consideration from one of the largest groups of nominees ever, the Committee has selected:
- Luke Motley III, representing the Class of 1957 (celebrating their 60th Class Reunion)
- Joy Ann Weaver Harvan, representing the Class of 1967 (celebrating their 50th Class Reunion)
The CHS Alumni Association would like to congratulate our newest Hall of Honor Inductees. Their awards will be presented during the Annual CHS Alumni Association Meeting that will be held on Saturday, September 16th at the Windham Civic Center from 9am until noon.
More information about the recipients will be coming soon.
August 18, 2017 (More Photos) - More than 300 kids attended the 3rd Annual Back to School Bash held August 12, 2017 at the First Baptist Church in Tenaha.
The event provided families with much needed school supplies. Education is important and giving kids the tools they need to learn is priceless.
Kids enjoyed art projects, a bouncy house, and food which included hotdogs and popcorn.
Volunteers who came out to help included school board members Tracy Collins and Aaron Roland along with their spouses who worked the concessions table, school board member Vickie Jernigan, City of Tenaha Mayor Carl Jernigan, youth director of Tenaha FBC Austin Barna, youth director of Ramah Church Cord Sheard, FBC Youth Center President Jimmy Bowlin and wife Jean, Tenaha HS cheerleaders, volunteers representing business sponsors, and community members.
Banner sponsors of the event were Tyson Foods, Apex Dental, and the Hope Project. Thank you to all the contributors.
August 18, 2017 - The Center Rotary Club presented a $32,000 donation to the Roughrider Scholarship Foundation (RSF) at their August 15, 2017 meeting. The donation money was raised during the club's Fun for Funds Benefit Auction.
Prior to the check presentation, Jerry Pinkston spoke to the Rotary Club of Center to give an update on the scholarship foundation.
The Catherine Pinkston Roughrider Scholarship Foundation initially started in 1989 with limited funds. However, with the support of the community and the Rotary Club, the funds have grown to $2.4 million. Of the $2.4 million, the Rotary Club has donated $1,148,637 through its Fun for Funds Benefit auction it hosts in the spring of each year.
Pinkston gave a brief history about how the foundation started, "In 1989, the first year we started recording [the scholarships], what happened is we had this money donated when they sold the old youth center building - that's city hall today. And they sold it and they didn't know what to do with the money because the bylaws of the Roughrider said it had to be given to the Center ISD students. It's their money, their building so we honored that. When they found a checking account they had from when they ran the old youth center and nobody had ever spent, that was $38,000 more, so well we will use that too. And we started and then a couple of years later the Rotary Club started kicking in [in 1991]."
The first year the foundation gave 19 scholarships totaling $15,000. Last year the foundation gave 120 scholarships to Center graduating seniors totaling $120,000. In 2014 and 2015 each scholarship was $1,200; however, as the class sizes continue to grow, the scholarship amount was lowered back to $1,000. Over the recorded 28 year history of the RSF, the organization has given 1,771 scholarships to graduating seniors which totals $1,462,200.
Pinkston finished by saying thank you to the club on behalf of the RSF and advised them, "We have taken good care of your money. And we've retained every penny of it." Today, scholarship money given is from interest earned off of the money managed by the RSF which ensures the longevity of the program.
August 18, 2017 - Travelers who may be heading to Tenaha as their final destination of travel, or who are stopping off in the city during their journey to another location, won't be confused about where they are as a new welcome sign has been erected.
In appreciation of the support of the Tenaha Business Men's Club in achieving this goal, club president Claudine Howard has announced the placement of the sign and thanks to the club:
"Thanks to the Tenaha Business Men's Club for the new Welcome to Tenaha, TX. sign. We want to thank James Grimsley and Roland Cross for all the work and effort put into getting it erected. It is located on 84 West in Tenaha near the Loop.
Thanks
Claudine Howard/President"
August 15, 2017 - Cat Spec Specialty, a Stronghold Company specializing in Oil and Gas refineries across the United States, is hosting a job fair at the Carthage Civic Center Friday, August 18th and Saturday, August 19th.
The job fair starts at 8am and ends at 5pm. Cat Spec Specialty is currently interviewing and hiring for work to begin now and throughout the year.
The Carthage Civic Center is located at 1702 S. Adams Street, Carthage, Texas 75633. Contact Melvin Crouch for more information at 1-361-537-2877.
August 11, 2017 - Start testing out your Chicken Recipes for the 41st Poultry Festival Cooking Contest sponsored by Tyson Foods. Chicken dishes can be grilled, baked, fried, in a casserole, in a dip – any way you love to cook and eat chicken. The Chicken Cooking Contest is open for participation in three categories: Youth (ages 8-13), High School Youth (ages 14-17) and Adult (age 18 and above). Trophies and cash prizes are presented to the winners in each category. So, crank up the grill, heat up the oven and start searching for unique and delicious chicken recipes or fine tune that family favorite.
The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and the 41st East Texas Poultry Festival Steering Committee extends a special note of appreciation and gratitude to the Poultry Festival Presenting Sponsor Farmers State Bank, and Gold Sponsors City of Center and Tyson Foods.
The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce is organized to promote and advance economic enrichment and development, tourism, and the social and civic interest of Shelby County and adjoining areas. For additional information, please call 936.598.3682, email info@shelbycountychamber.com or visit www.shelbycountychamber.com