Shelby County Today

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October 6, 2016 - The 40th East Texas Poultry Festival has kicked off as members of the community flocked to the big tent on the Center square for the opening ceremonies October 6, 2016.

Jim Sawyer, Festival Committee Co-Chairman, welcomed everyone and thanked sponsors of the event. Allison Harbison, Shelby County Judge participated in the opening event and she said, "This is a time for the whole county to come together, cross county rivals in football are friends here."

Incoming Shelby County Chamber of Commerce President Meg Camp also made a statement welcoming everyone, "Welcome, on behalf of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce we welcome you to the 40th East Texas Poultry Festival."

"It is a time to celebrate our chicken industry, the poultry industry here in Shelby County, what a vital industry it is for all the growers and all the children who have been actively raising those chicks, I can't wait until this Saturday with the broiler show," said Camp.

Camp thanked all of the volunteers who commit their time to the poultry festival and make the event possible. She stated Jim Sawyer and Josh Payne are co-chairmen of the festival and they are supported by a steering committee of around 30 people. She stated the Chamber Ambassadors, Junior Chamber members and Ambassador children who will be helping in the coke booth.

Madelynn Hutchins, East Texas Poultry Festival Queen and court were on stage and they were all introduced by Sawyer. Following their introduction, the Queen performed the ceremonial cutting of the feathers.

During the event, Timpson Kindergarten students recited the Pladge of Allegiance and the Center High School Band performed the Star Spangled Banner.

October 4, 2016 - The Center Police Department announces the appointment Center Police Officer Chris Knowlton to Sergeant.

Knowlton has been employed with the department since July 11, 2009 and since then has served as a patrol officer and Narcotocs Detective. He is currently the Assistant SWAT Commander of the department.

Currently, Knowlton holds an Advanced Peace Officer License with the State of Texas and holds additional TCOLE certificates, some of which include: Field Training Officer; Basic Narcotics Investigator; Basic Instructor; Basic Firearms Instructor; Basic, Advanced and Advanced Hostage Rescue SWAT Certificates; Police K-9 Training (Basic Handler).

Knowlton has also achieved his Bachelors of Applied Arts and Sciences with an Area of Specialization in Law Enforcement Administration and an Area of Professional Development in Public Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University. He is also currently a Law Enforcement Instructor for the Angelina College Police Academy.

October 1, 2016 (More Photos - Album1, Album2) - The Center High School Cafetorium was filled without an empty chair available to view the coronation ceremony of the East Texas Poultry Festival Queen's Scholarship Pageant as the 2015 Queen Kamaryn Smith placed the crown on the new 2016 Queen, Madelynn Hutchins. 

With Chris Watlington serving as the master of ceremonies, candidates were escorted onto the stage and introduced to the audience while they demonstrated their stage presence. The children's court then join the queen candidates on stage and were interviewed by Watlington concerning their experiences during the Poultry Festival pre-events especially having the opportunity to ride in the Doo-Dah Parade.

Special guests attending the Scholarship Pageant were past queens who Watlington introduced and welcomed to the stage to discuss their experiences with past pageants. Past Queens attending were 2014 Queen Zoey Stuever, 2013 Queen Makayla Perry, 2010 Queen Sarah Harkness, 2009 Queen Megan Hart, 2008 Queen Madison Jones (The first 'Junior' queen, pageant contestants had to be in their junior year of high school,) 2008 Queen Audra Wilburn Richburg (The last 'Senior' queen,) 1999 Queen Dr. Carmen Mackey, and 1984 Queen Shana Brittain.

The final walk of honor was made by Queen Kamaryn Smith with her escort Austin Craig by her side before awards were given and the top candidates were announced.

The top three candidates were Madelynn Hutchins, Rylee Morris, and Emma Locke. The interview question asked of them by Watlington was 'What does success mean to you?'

Miss Hutchins referenced her experience with FFA and setting goals, "In my life, success means to me setting a goal and taking steps to get there and one day achieving that goal. And that is the best feeling ever, that sweet success that other people may not realize but that you on the inside know you worked really hard to get there."

Miss Locke responded, "Success to me is not only personal gain but accomplishing a goal that not only helps yourself but everyone around you and that your family and friends and everyone else can be proud of. To be successful doesn't necessarily mean that you win but that you accomplish the goal that you set yourself to do. I feel that success is important in our life because without goals we would never have a set mountain to reach so to speak."

Miss Morris' answer to the question was, "Success to me would have to be achieving your goals whether that would be being a good example which is my goal, I try throughout everything that I do to be a good example and show that hard work pays off and or whether that be going to college which is also one of my goals. Going to college and eventually going to medical school and becoming a surgeon. Also, I believe that success could also mean being a mother. I think that was one of my personal goals, being a mother and raising a good family to hold values that are true to me."

First runner-up was announced to be Rylee Morris and second runner-up was Emma Locke.

Additional awards given were:

Doo-Dah Parade
Sweepstakes Award - Madelynn Hutchins
Presidential Award - Lexi Moody 
Mayor's Award - Jessye Massey
Honorable Mention - Alexia Baldwin

Miss Congeniality - Lexi Moody

Committee Award - Elizabeth Chavez

Essay
Winner - Emma Locke
1st Runner-up - Rylee Morris
2nd Runner-up - Madelynn Hutchins 

Most Photogenic
Winner - Emma Locke
1st Runner-up - Lexi Moody
2nd Runner-up - Madelynn Hutchins and Katelyn Jackson

Social Skills
Winner - Emma Locke
1st Runner-up - Rylee Morris
2nd Runner-up - Madelynn Hutchins

Grade Point Average
Winner - Katelyn Jackson
1st Runner-up - Rylee Morris
2nd Runner-up - Emma Locke

Community/School Participation
Winner - Katelyn Jackson
1st Runner-up - Rylee Morris
2nd Runner-up - Madison Kirby and Madelynn Hutchins

Interview
Winner - Madelynn Hutchins
1st Runner-up - Karley Broadway
2nd Runner-up - Rylee Morris

Stage Presence
Winner - Madelynn Hutchins
1st Runner-up - Rylee Morris
2nd Runner-up - Karley Broadway and Emma Locke

Grand Duke - Cale Hall, Kaden LaRock and Austin Craig

Related article - 2016 East Texas Poultry Festival Queen's Scholarship Pageant

September 28, 2016 (More Photos) - East Texas Poultry Festival celebrates all things chicken and what better way to enjoy than a Chicken Cooking Contest on the Historic Courthouse grounds. Shelby Savings Bank swept the People's Choice Awards taking home the Best Tasting Dish and the Best Dressed Dish. Natalie Oswalt, the master of ceremonies, thanked everyone for coming and introduced the representatives from Tyson Foods, Platinum Sponsor for the event, who were Amber Dodds, Brandon Davis, and Mike Mason. 

Youth Division
Brandon Davis with Tyson Foods presented the awards for the Youth Division.
1st place - Zeke Richey (Asian Chicken Wings)
2nd place - Kadence Polley (Chicken and Dumplings)
3rd place - Carly Gray (Cheese Chicken Taco Breadstick Dippers)

Teenage Division
Amber Dodds with Tyson Foods presented the awards for the Teenage Division.
1st place - Brianna Aldaco and Kelli Plunket (Chicken Bacon Alfredo French Bread Pizza)
2nd place - Ashley Roberts and Destiny McKinney (Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Poppers)
3rd place - Jonathan Ariza, Kissel Arcibar and Skyler Ferguson (BBQ Chicken Bacon Pineapple Kabobs)
Honorable Mention - Prisilla Ramos and Yessenia Chavez (Buffalo Chicken Bites)

Adult Division
Mike Mason with Tyson Foods presented the awards for the Adult Division.
1st place - Shelby Savings Bank (Buffalo Wings)
2nd place - Farmers State Bank (Farmers State Bank Chicken)
3rd place - Maxie Chumley (Chicken Spaghetti)

Oswalt commented after members of the audience were having a friendly exchange of words saying "I think we kind of have a battle of the banks going on here, if I'm not mistaken, Shelby Savings won it year before last, Farmers won it last year, and Shelby Savings won it again this year. So, we'll see what happens next year."