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Banquet honors local standouts

By JON AWBREY, Publisher

Another year of exciting work by the DeLeon Chamber of Commerce and various community volunteers and business was celebrated at Saturday night’s annual Chamber Banquet.

The event, held for the first time in many years in the City Hall Auditorium, was attended by some 261 ticket holders who made up a near-capacity crowd.

The banquet, catered by Cook’s Fish Barn, was by all accounts more successful than in years past.
“I thought it was a lot of fun,” said Chamber Executive Director Linda Levens. “It was more like a celebration of the people we honored. We raised a lot more money than last year. It was generous and wonderful.”

Attendees were treated to a short skit, written and directed by DeLeon High School actress Jennifer Lewis, that included in its theme a message of mutual respect.

Other students participating also in the skit included Jacob Paul, Kolby Powell, Tanner Jordan, Courtney Caraway, Margaret Nabors and Wesley Wilkerson.

Co-starring in the role of “Granny” was Levens herself, complete with powdered wig and country accent.

Special mention was also made of businesses and community leaders who received aid from the DeLeon Industrial Board, including Phillip Levins, Claudia Stevens, and Mr. and Mrs. Jim Lampman.

Annual reports of the Chamber of Commerce and the Women’s Division followed, with mention of DeLeon’s many annual activities including newer events such as the DeLeon Open Rodeo and the Indian Artifacts Show, along with the tried and true Peach and Melon Festival.

The Women’s Division also reported on their events of the past year, including the upcoming appearance of Ricky Boen and Texas Mud of Branson, MO. The Women’s Division also awarded Jason Swinney a certificate in recognition of his many actions as a volunteer.

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Court places stop sign, buys loader for DeLeon area

By JON AWBREY, Publisher

Monday’s meeting of the Comanche County Commissioners Court was uncharacteristically short, due to few items on the agenda.

However, two items directly affected DeLeon and the surrounding area.

All commissioners, Gary Underwood, Kenneth Feist, Sherman Sides, and Jimmy Dale Johnson, were present for discussions on the purchasing of new equipment for Precinct Four and the installation of a legal stop sign just north of DeLeon.

Also held in conjunction with the meeting was a public hearing regarding the placement of the stop sign, to be located at the intersection of CR454 and CR456 in Precinct Four, a stretch of county road that eventually becomes N. McKinney St. in DeLeon.

The sign previously at the intersection was never legally installed, and, therefore, any traffic tickets handed out it reference to it would not stand up in court.

“I guess we’ll get it legal, so that if the sheriff’s ever out there and if someone runs the stop sign, he can give them a ticket,” said Johnson.

No public comment opposed the stop sign, and Johnson motioned to place a legal stop sign on CR454 at the intersection of CR456. All approved.

At least two accidents have occurred on CR454 in recent months.

Commissioners also discussed the $8,000 damage done to the County Annex at 211 S. Austin, after a water pipe broke in the ceiling and flooded a back storage room (the old surgical room) after bitterly cold temperatures in early January.

Reportedly, two ceilings were destroyed, and carpet was soaked.

City work crews suggested pulling the carpet up and not replacing it, and replacing the damaged ceilings with unpainted sheetrock to “go as cheap as you can.”

It was also suggested that the county remove the sprinkler system from parts of the building, but it was reported that insurance rates would go up if the sprinklers were removed. There was also some concern for the ambulance crews who man the building 24 hours a day, and their safety, as the old wooden building, if it was to catch on fire, would likely burn quickly.

County employees who work in the building were present at the meeting, and said that they would be more comfortable if the court kept the sprinklers.

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For full article, subscribe to the DeLeon Free Press. E-mail edition is only $20/year.

Area firefighter heads to Haiti

By MONICA SEGURA, Staff Writer

Most mornings the majority of local residents are on their way to drop their kids off at school, drink a cup of coffee, or head into the office for a normal day of work, but not Tim Martin.

Martin, a Desdemona resident and volunteer firefighter, departed from Texas Tuesday, January 25, onboard a flight that will eventually land him in Grand Goave, Haiti, a city west of the Haitian capital Port Au Prince.

The city of Grand Goave has a population of approximately 10,000 people and is in complete ruins. With a school, an orphanage and many homes destroyed, Martin has gone to give a helping hand.

According to Martin, one hundred people a day in Grand Goave are being seen by physicians at the local clinic.

“They’ve got more people than they can take care of, that’s for sure,” Martin said.

With that in mind Martin, along with Steve Rew, an United Airlines pilot, and his son Jason Rew, a trained search and rescue worker from Colorado Air Search and Rescue, will work with Lifeline Christian Mission to assist in any way possible.

This past weekend, for example, Lifeline worked with the military to feed 4,500 people, and Martin expects to be a part of a similar effort.

In Haiti, Martin hopes “to lend assistance to doctors and to those that are doing the feeding, and assess the needs they have - whether to bring teams of people or to raise money.”

This is not Martin’s first experience with natural disasters. He has been involved in disaster relief since January 2006, when he directed a non- profit and worked in Katrina relief.

His mission is simple.

“I was a minister for 30 years,” said Martin, “and I wanted to be more in the trenches.”

Martin is not due to return until February 7 from Haiti. Once he arrives home, he will decide whether to return back to Haiti with teams of volunteers supplies.

In recent days, Martin has received a helpful hand from local organizations.

“The First Christian Church in DeLeon gave me some money to take to Lifeline for them to buy supplies. Jim Bundick at Pate’s Hardware gave me N-95 masks, to protect against disease, and rubber gloves for clearing rubble,” he added.

“It’s going to be a long effort,” said Martin. “Don’t forget about the needs of the people down there.”
Martin also asks that if any DeLeonians or other area residents are interested in helping in Haiti, contact him by email at tim@spiritofthewest.org .

Coming Events

Call 254-893-6868 if you have an event to list

Cinderfella Pageant

First United Methodist Church will hold a “Cinderfella” pageant as a fundraiser for their youth program on Saturday, February 13 at the DeLeon City Hall beginning at 6:30 p.m. The pageant is open to men and boys ranging from high school age and older.

Ricky Boen and Texas Mud

Ricky Boen and Texas Mud, a well-known Texas Swing Band, will perform at the DeLeon City Hall auditorium Thursday, February 18, 2010 beginning at 7 p.m.

Alumni Baseball Scrimmage

The alumni baseball scrimmage is set for Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. at the DeLeon Baseball Field.

Danny Owen, the Mayor of De Leon, has a personal website.

Open Danny's website by Clicking Here

Scott Hall has creating an Internet website with history & photos of our town.

Click Here to visit his website

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