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July 8, 2016 - Album - Antonio Chavez and Madison Brown were the overall winners of the 5th Annual What-A-Melon 5K Run/Walk Saturday morning, July 9, 2016.

Chavez had a finishing time of 18:45 and Brown's time was 24:18. Wiggins Farms donated watermelons at the event to help keep participants cool and handed out slices after participants crossed the finish line.

Participants lined up on the Center square early in the morning to begin the race. Center Police Officers traveled with the runners at the beginning and end of the line of runners to provide safety as they traveled the route. Following the race awards were presented by 2016 National Watermelon Queen Carla Lynn Penney, of Vienna, Georgia.

Funds raised from the event will go to the Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library.

(Update) Complete results are in and can be viewed here: What-A-Melon Crawl 5K Results

The run results according to age division is as follows:

Pictured are (from left): Madison Brown, 2016 National Watermelon Queen Carla Lynn Penney and Antonio Chavez.

Fun Run
1st place - Cori Lawson
2nd place - Logan Galindo
Madeline Cassell
Savannah Cassell
Cayden Askew

Male Open Winners
1st place - Antonio Chavez

Male No Age Provided
1st place - Joe West

Male 12 and Under
1st place - Lance Holloway
2nd place - Seth Shamblin

Male 13 to 19
1st place - Ruben Soto
2nd place - Corles Bstament

Male 20 to 29
1st place - Marcos Angel
2nd place - Moises Arcibar

Male 30 to 39
1st place - Jeremiah Soape
2nd place - Matthew Gregston
3rd place - Juan Monsivais
4th place - Scott James

Male 40 to 49
1st place - Steve Allen
2nd place - Keith Davis
3rd place - David Wheeler

Male 50 to 59
1st place - David Wheeler

Male 60 and Over
1st place - Chandra Atholi
2nd place - Carlos Gray

Female Open Winners
1st place - Madison Brown

Female No Age Provided
1st place - Dorothy West
2nd place - Sarah Fletcher
3rd place - Alice Pate

Female 12 and Under
1st place - Adreia Sanchez
2nd place - Riley Ross
3rd place - Hannah Ross

Female 20 to 29
1st place - Camille Stanfield
2nd place - Carolina Angel
3rd place - Promise Lunsford
4th place - Candice Turner
5th place - Destiny Russell
6th place - Ana Gutierrez
7th place - Ting Snider
8th place - Ashton Askew
9th place - Brittany Gilchrist

Female 30 to 39
1st place - Jenny Rhodes
2nd place - Courtney Sanchez
3rd place - Porfi Williford
4th place - Summer Jackson
5th place - April Broughs

Female 40 to 49
1st place - Sabrina Smith
2nd place - Yanci Hendricks
3rd place - Marisela Almanza
4th place - Benita Collard
5th place - Anjanette Dunn
6th place - Cindy Furlow

Female 50 to 59
1st place - Hermilla Mendoso
2nd place - Margo Griffith
3rd place - Karen Gray
4th place - Laree Bounds
5th place - Lori Davis
6th place - Shandra Russell
7th place - Kathy Baily
8th place - Karen Cunningham
9th place - Kay Ross

Female 60 and Over
1st place - Ann Bridges
2nd place - Nina Barnett

Sponsors for the event were Farmers State Bank, John Black and Associates, Baldwin Tree Service, Boles Feed and East Texas Poultry Supply. Shelby Savings Bank sponsored 25 of their employees to participate in the 5K.

July 8, 2016 - There will be a prayer vigil and moment of silence at 12:00 Noon today on the San Augustine square in the vicinity of Columbia Street facing the Courthouse area in support of the families of the brave officers who lost their lives last night in Dallas.  The Mayor of Dallas announced that they will be doing one there at Noon and has asked that all who can across our great State and the Nation join with them.  Please come out and give your support if you can. 

Pictured are (from left) Doug Cogswell, Lexie Terrell and Olivia Johnson.

July 7, 2016 - Album - The melons have been weighed and four exceeded the 100 lbs! Doug Cogswell clinched the contest for the second year in a row with his 112 lb melon followed by Lexie Terrell in second place with her 104 lb entry and third place to Olivia Johnson's 103 lb melon.

Over $5,000 was given in prize money with $2,500 going to the first place winner. The complete weigh-in results were as follows with prize money:

1st place - Doug Cogswell, 112 lbs ($2,500)
2nd place - Lexie Terrell, 104 lbs ($600)
3rd place - Olivia Johnson, 103 lbs ($500)
4th place - Jenny Johnson, 101 lbs ($400)
5th place - Amber Terrell, 99.5 lbs ($300)
6th place - Whitley Johnson, 96.5 lbs ($250)
7th place - Tate Johnson, 95.0 lbs ($200)
8th place - Jaleigh Johnson, 93.5 lbs ($150)
9th place - Louise Johnson, 86.0 lbs ($100)
10th place - Renee Johnson, 85.5 lbs ($80)
11th place - Jimmy Matthews, 85.0 lbs ($70)
12th place - Shelby Johnson, 82.0 lbs ($60)

936 Crossfit was instrumental in helping the weigh-in to go smoothly as representatives of the gym volunteered to help move the melons. Those individuals were Grant Belrose, Joe Welch and Jose Bueno.

Following a busy day at the courthouse, Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison provided the unbiased opinion at the scales as she was the official judge of the weigh-in.

July 6, 2016 - The 27th Annual What-A-Melon Festival is underway following the ceremonial cutting of the watermelon on the Center square July 6, 2016.

Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison wielded the knife and cut the melon. She was accompanied by 2015 Miss What-A-Melon Jaden Washington, outgoing Center Rotary President Anna Lee, Center Police Chief Jim Albers, and Shelby County Sheriff's Posse Rodeo Duchess Abigail DePriest.

Once the melon was cut, those present partook of a slice of the melon.

Check the What-A-Melon Schedule of events here.

July 5, 2016 - The Center Garden Club is so pleased to announce that Sammie & Lewis Harbison was chosen for the "Garden of the Month." Through many years, additional gardens & new blooming plants were added for beautification. Much of this month will be spent mulching, watering and protecting their plants. Mrs. Harbison loves to check on her plants daily, and care for them regularly. Congratulations!

Submitted by Jackie Hancock


Click the image above to see a larger photo

July 1, 2016 - The First Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ held a ground breaking ceremony on Sunday, June 26, 2016 at the future site of their new church building.

The church was founded by its current pastor, Bro. M.D. Lamon, in 1966. The church building originally belonged to Central Baptist Church and was located in Center.  The building was divided into 5 sections, moved, and put back together on 4 acres of land which is its current location on Folsum Chapel Road, FM 2026. 

Bro. M.D. Lamon has been overseeing the new construction project which is divided into four phases. The first phase is what is happening now with the ground breaking and the soon to begin construction of the sanctuary. The construction of the 6,000 square feet sanctuary will also include a foyer, nursery, restrooms, and a welcome center. The 2nd phase will be the education wing, the 3rd phase will be the fellowship wing, and the 4th phase will include the parking lot and landscaping.

The church members have worked diligently over the past 8 years raising funds for the new construction and plan to build the facility debt free. By the will of the Lord, the sanctuary will be completed by the end of the year.

Following the ground breaking, the congregation gathered at the John D. Windham Civic Center to celebrate the 50th Pastoral Anniversary of Bro. Lamon. Those attending honored Bro. Lamon and his wife for their 50 years of service to the Lord, the church, and the community. Everyone enjoyed a wonderful time of praise and worship.


July 1, 2016 (Video by Scott Flowers) - A crowd gathered at 11am on the steps of the Shelby County Courthouse to hear the ceremonial reading of the Declaration of Independence by local criminal defense  lawyers, Jeff Adams and Deck Jones on Friday, April 1, 2016.

The reading was part of an organized event across the State of Texas by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. This was the first time all 254 Texas counties have performed the reading of the United States Declaration of Independence. The Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association is proud to participate in protecting the rights of all persons in this country.

The National Center For State Courts, The Texas Center For The Judiciary, and the Texas Association for Court Administration, has announced the 2016 Graduates of The Texas Court Management Program

(Left) Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Nathan Hecht presents Karen Warr (right) with her Texas Certificate in Trial Court Management.June 30, 2016 - On Thursday, June 23, 2016 the National Center for State Courts, the Texas Center for the Judiciary and the Texas Association for Court Administration held graduation exercises for 32 graduates of the Texas Court Management Program. Karen J. Warr, Certified Court Manager was among these graduates. Karen is the Court Manager for the 123rd and 273rd District Courts in Shelby County.

This labor-intensive program consisted of more than 130 hours of study designed by the Institute for Court Management. Courses included Case Flow Management, Leadership Skills, Ethics, Civil and Criminal Procedure, Court Management Core Competencies, Court Performance Standards: CourTools, Managing Technology Projects and Technology Resources, Purposes and Responsibilities of Courts, Fundamental Issues in Case Flow Management, Managing Court Financial Resources, Managing Human Resources.  

Graduates were presented Texas Certificate in Trial Court Management by Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Nathan Hecht and graduates will also receive a certification from the National Center For State Courts.  Also honoring the graduates was David Slayton with the Texas Office of  Court Administration and Ed Wells, Institute of Court Management Fellows. These Graduates are certified to manage any state or federal court in the United States. Texas has more than 3,000 judges and now has 120 Certified Court Managers to help manage those courts.

Click the above image for the full size photo.

June 29, 2016 - Album - Timpson Masonic Lodge #437 swore in new officers on Saturday, June 25, 2016.

Installing officers for the event were Bobby McKee, Past Master of St. John's Lodge #51, and Duane Hosick, Past Master of St. John's Lodge #51.

Officers sworn in include Jesse Maynard, Worshipful Master; Charles Grigsby, Senior Warden; Burt Coan, Junior Warden; Leslie Gill, Treasurer; Dale Eldredge, Secretary; Bob Crump, Chaplin; Larry Molloy, Senior Deacon; Jamie Beasley, Junior Deacon; and Kevin Kirk, Tiler.

Those to be sworn in at a later date include Dustin Norris, Senior Steward; and O.J. Britton, Junior Steward.

Special appreciation was given to Amanda Duckworth and Dianne Cantrell.

June 29, 2016 – Carla Lynn Penney, of Vienna, Georgia, was crowned the 2016 National Watermelon Queen during the annual National Watermelon convention in New Orleans, Louisiana in February. Carla will represent the National Watermelon Association at the 2016 Shelby County What-A-Melon Festival.  She will be attending all of the Saturday events, beginning with the What-A-Melon Crawl 5K! Her trip to the East Texas What-A-Melon Festival is sponsored by Wiggins Farms.

About The National Watermelon Association, Inc. 
NWA is voluntary, membership trade association dedicated to making a positive difference in the business and lives of its Watermelon family – those involved in the growing, grading, handling, transporting, distributing, and selling of watermelon. The National Association has members in over 30 states, Canada and Central America and is comprised of regional chapters in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois-Indiana, Maryland-Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and the Western United States.

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