June 2021

Terrell will combine a new method of pavement improvement with a more traditional approach as the city launches a program to smooth and improve 8.71 miles of city streets this year. The council Tuesday night unanimously approved a $600,000 expenditure that includes a contract with Donelson Construction Co.

Wanting to take advantage of today’s interest rates, the city council on Tuesday approved issuing notices of intent for three borrowing packages that will fund a wide range of capital projects in Terrell.

Members of the Class of 2021 on June 4 walked from the stage into a new life – a life no longer bounded by the confines of Terrell High School or the expectations of its educators. Students from the Class of 2021 will no longer walk the school’s hallways filled with friends and classmates or sit in its classrooms offering enrichment and learning.

Due to a rapid decline in people seeking COVID19 vaccinations at Kaufman County’s vaccination hub in Terrell, the county decided to close the site at Trinity Valley Community College after Wednesday, June 9.

Hulsey Public Library Director Rebecca Anderson snips the ceremonial ribbon Tuesday evening, marking the official start to the library’s Summer Reading Program. Hundreds of people turned out for an Activities Fair, which featured fun and games for children, informational booths, vendors, bounce houses and more. Anderson expects 600-800 children to register for this year’s Summer Reading Program, which conducts special reading activities Tuesday through Friday. The summer program tailors many of its lessons to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) education, according to Anderson. The Activities Fair was funded by The Friends of the Library. See more photos of the library’s Activities Fair on page 9. HANK MURPHY PHOTO

My love for building a cabin back in the woods began at an early age. Two neighbor buddies and I used hatchets to hack down several sweet gum saplings in the patch of woods beside our farm to construct our first “cabin.”

All eyes are on Gov. Greg Abbott now that the regular session of the Texas Legislature is over.

The Texas Legislature sent a $248 billion two-year state budget to Gov. Greg Abbott after the House approved the measure last Thursday. The 140-day legislative session ended at midnight May 31. Senate Bill 1 is $13.5 billion less than the previous biennial budget, with the difference to be made up from COVID-19 relief funds from the federal government. As previously reported, Abbott plans to allow legislators to decide how to allocate those funds during a special session this fall. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has suggested a special session for this summer to address some of his pet bills, such as limiting the participation of transgender athletes in school sports, banning lobbyists paid with public funds and putting limits on social media’s power to restrict users. The Austin American-Statesman reported that Abbott called Patrick's proposal “pretty goofy,” however. Only the governor can call a special session and dictate the topics to be addressed.

Arrests: Latora Denise Henderson, 44, Dallas, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with suspended/invalid license, expired license plates. Mandell Waynewood Kelley Jr., 39, Mesquite, theft of property of more than $100 and less than $750.

A Kaufman County man who sexually preyed on young girls via Snapchat has been sentenced to 35 years in prison by a Rockwall County district judge. Taylor Craft, 26, was arrested in March 2019 after a three-month investigation that began in Connecticut and extended to Rockwall, Kaufman, and Dallas counties.