Posts

Posted on

Rehearsals underway for ‘Marvelous Wonderettes ’58’

Rehearsals are underway for the Opera House Theatre Players opening show for the 28th season, a cute little musical-comedy called “Marvelous Wonderettes ’58”. The musical will be presented for three performanceson Thursday, Nov 17, Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov 19 at 7:30 pm in the Jefferson Playhouse.

Thie smadsh off-Broadway hit takes you to the 1985 Springfield High School prom where we meet Betty Jean, played byJennifer Dean; Cindy Lou, played by Hannah Howard; Missy, played byPenny Mann; and Suzy, played by Stacey Davis – four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts. As we learn about their lives and loves, the girls serenade us with classic ’50s hits including “Lollipop”, “Dream Lover”, “Stupid Cupid”, and “Lipstick On Your Collar”. We learn about the highs and the lows the girls have experienced in the past and are charmed to find that no matter what life throws their way, they will conquer it together.

Tickets are on sale now online at www.JeffersonOperaHouseTheatrePlayers.com. Adults are $18 and school students are $15 and may be purchaesd by credit card or Paypal. You may also call 903-665-2310 for more information.

Posted on

McGarity’s Saloon wins People’s Choice at Taste of Jefferson 

The Votes are In! It’s official!  This year’s Taste of Jefferson People’s Choice Award  goes to McGarity’s Saloon! Congratulations, Brent & Diana, great job!

The Marion County Chamber of Commerce Board & Staff would like to thank all the restaurants that participated this year!
All the food was wonderful! We heard great compliments!

Special thanks to the businesses that donated goodies for The Jefferson Gift Basket! Jefferson General Store, Pat Ann’s, Made In The Shade, Lafayette Gallery, White Oak Manor, Claiborne House, Yesteryear Boutique, Sara Dee’s, Auntie Skinner’s, Texas Sounds International Music Awards, Marshall Gun & Knife Show, Jefferson Ice Express & Flea Market.
Thank you to all of our Volunteers!

The Beauty Queens! Donna Lang, Heather Terhune & Mom, Ann LeBlanc, Byron Aldredge, Lucas & Lilly and all the music performers!

Also, Congratulation to the Hamburger Store and Kitt’s Kornbread for their winners in the Waiters’ Race!

It was a great event!

 Special Thanks to Kristin Aldredge for Chairing the event! 

Posted on

TSTC Marshall, UT Tyler sign transfer agreement

From TSTC

 State Technical College in Marshall now have a way to transfer semester credit hours to earn a four-year degree at The University of Texas at Tyler Longview University Center.

Administrators representing TSTC in Marshall and UT Tyler signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday morning during a ceremony at TSTC’s South Building.

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with the team at UT Tyler in our continuing effort to place more Texans in great-paying careers across the state,” said TSTC in Marshall Provost Barton Day. “Clearly, answering the growing need for a technically trained workforce is, and should be, a primary goal of our institutions of higher education. We’re proud to be part of those efforts.”

The transfer agreement lets TSTC students who earn the Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Controls Technology, Industrial Maintenance Technology, Computer Aided Drafting and Design, and Computer Aided Manufacturing move forward to pursue the Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology at the Longview University Center.

“We welcome this opportunity to collaborate with Texas State Technical College in Marshall that will benefit students and employers across the region,” said UT Tyler President Rodney H. Mabry. “Our industrial technology program offered at both our Tyler and Longview campuses is one of only two such programs accredited by the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering in the state of Texas. Employers understand the value of an ATMA- accredited program, and as a result our graduates typically receive several job offers following graduation.”

TSTC in Marshall students transferring into the industrial technology program can also earn a minor in business administration.

“Classes in accounting, management, marketing and supply-chain management provide them with the knowledge needed to operate effectively in a business environment,” said Mark Miller, a UT Tyler professor in the College of Business and Technology.

Industrial machining mechanics and machining maintenance workers are expected to grow in demand nationally to more than 530,000 workers by 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
For more information on the Longview University Center, go to uttyler.edu/luc.

Posted on

FRESH Fall Festival

F.R.E.S.H. FAMILY!!!! WE ARE PLANNING OUR FIRST F.R.E.S.H. FALL FESTIVAL OCT 29 6PM-10PM AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. WE ARE PLANNING TO DO A TRUNK OR TREAT, GAMES, CAKE WALK, PRIZES, FACE PAINTING, BOUNCE HOUSES, FOOD AND MORE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY……….. THERE’S NO EVENT LIKE A F.R.E.S.H EVENT …. WE ARE ASKING A LITTLE HELP TO MAKE THIS A HUGE SUCCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND WE WOULD LIKE FOR EVERYTHING TO BE FREE NO CHARGE, JUST A FUN, SAFE EVENT FOR EVERYONE…….. WE ARE ASKING FOR HELP FROM OUR F.R.E.S.H. FAMILY………….. PLEASE SEE THE LIST BELOW AND LET US KNOW IF WE CAN SIGN YOU UP TO HELP!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!! #WEAREFRESH!!!!! WE HAD OVER 70 KIDS AT OUR LAST EVENT AND WE ARE EXPECTING MORE AND WE LOVE IT!!!!!!
1. CANDY (LOTS OF CANDY WILL BE NEEDED)

2. VOLUNTEERS (LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED)

3. GAMES

4. FOOD/DRINKS (NACHOS-FRITO-PIES-HOT DOGS-POPCORN-PICKLES-SODA-WATER-JUICE, CARAMEL APPLES)

5.PAPER GOODS

6. FACE-PAINTERS 

7. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW US TO USE YOUR CAR OR TRUCK TO DO THE TRUNK OR TREAT LET US KNOW

8.TRUCK-TRAILER-HAY(For HayRide)
9. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO A MONETARY DONATION PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THE F.R.E.S.H. ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Posted on

Animals, Floods, Trash, Tourism Top Council Agenda

Editorial:

Jefferson City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. tonight in their regular monthly meeting at City Hall.

On the table are a variety of items but four of which should be top concerns for Jeffersonians.

Animals

The City has long had a problem with Animal Control. There are very few people who do not have a problem with stray cats or dogs on or near their property.  Enter the Dixie Humane Society, formerly the Marion County Humane Society.

Whether or not one likes Caroline Wedding, one must admit she is doing a job no one else wants to do: taking care of unwanted, or un-cared for, animals. And she does it for far less than the job is worth in other Cities and Counties.

The City gives her a pittance of an annual fee. It’s $8,000 a year. That won’t cover electric for most small homes, let alone an entire animal facility. And, the City has already budgeted for this, and approved the budget for 2017, so, why is this even an issue? Approve the contract and move on.

Several Council Members have personal issues with Mrs. Wedding. But, those issues should NOT be taken into account when looking at the job she is doing for the City. But, guess what, they appear to be making it personal – big surprise right?The job of a Council member is to do what is best for the City. Not what is best for said Council member or their family.

And, let’s face it, an Animal Control Officer would cost the City at least $32,000 plus benefits, plus a vehicle (another $50,000), plus paying some facility to take in the animals picked up. Marshall won’t take in our animals for only $8,000 a year. $8,000 is a bargain for the City and it’s Citizens.

However, this is Jefferson and Council often doesn’t do what’s in the best interest of the City has a whole. So, if Council chooses not to approve a new contract with Dixie Humane Society, then they need to be ready with another solution to the Animal Control problem we have here in town. And one that fits within the approved $8,000 budget.

Yeah, good luck with that.

Flooding

Also on the agenda is a real can of worms Council may be about to open: reimbursement for flood damage to private entities.

Bad idea.

Many buildings downtown were affected by the regular high water the City experiences. I mean, how many times has Bayou Bakery had several inches of water in their building? We live in a city which is very close to or below sea level, elevation wise. So, high water is a part of Jefferson’s history and regular way of life.

We feel for the Museum, who is making this request. We’re sorry their pumps in the basement couldn’t keep up with the incoming water. But, don’t store valuable materials in the basement.

And really, who should be blamed for the high water? The City? Well, maybe because the drainage system is inadequate to handle flood stage water. How about the US Army Corps of Engineers? They control the dam at Lake O’the Pines. Maybe they should have held more water and kept it out of downtown Jefferson. Wait, they did. The uncontrolled spillway was close to having water go over it this spring. If that happens then there would be even more water in downtown than their was. Maybe we should blame Mr. Alley and Mr. Urquhart for founding Jefferson where they did. But, hey they wanted a thriving river port city.

Truth is, the Museum has insurance. They should have flood insurance. That’s what it’s for – floods. Deal with it.

If the City approves this request, I hope every business who had flood waters in their building this spring makes an application to the City for reimbursement of damage or deductibles.  I know I will.

Commercial Waste

Jefferson’s new City Administrator introduced a concept into the 2017 Budget: a Franchise Fee for Commercial Waste Companies. This in itself is not a bad idea. The State gets funds from vehicle registration to use on streets, etc., but the City doesn’t. So, to make up for the damage caused by big vehicles, cities implement a fee to help.

Kevin Huckabee brought this idea forward and we applaud it.

He’s now working on getting a City-Wide Commercial Waste Contract in place. This would provide City facilities with free trash pickup and citizens with clean-up day receptacles – like the County does during Earth Day week.

As an added bonus, businesses who have dumpsters would receive a discount on their costs for trash.

This is a win-win for everyone – other than each household which needs door-to-door trash service – but one step at a time.

Tourism

Lastly, the City will conduct interviews with applicants for the  Tourism/Marketing Coordinator position.

The City has gone far too long without a Tourism Director. Council members have claimed the City couldn’t afford it, even though the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) has been fully funding it for the last decade.

Huckabee recognizes the need for this position and made it a priority. Now if we can just hire someone qualified for the $30,000 budgeted… but someone is better than no one.

In any event, Jeffersonian’s should attend tonights meeting and voice their opinion and hear what City Council is doing.

Posted on

City to Meet tonight

Jefferson City Council will meet  at 5:30 p.m. tonight at City Hall.

According to the posted Agenda, topics of discussion and action will include:

CONSENT AGENDA (City Council reserves the right to remove items from the Consent Agenda and consider and/or approve individually)
a) Consider and/or approve Monthly Financial Report.
b) Consider and/or approve Building Permit Application – Lisa Lowder
c) Consider and/or approve Sign Permit Application – Shop Max

ACTION ITEMS
a) Consider and/or approve abandonment of an “Alley” located between Lots 1 & 7 of Block 113, Urquhart Addition. – Mark Texler, Master Woodcraft
b) Consider and/or approve City-wide Commercial Waste Contract Award. – City Administrator
c) Consider and/or approve Oakwood Cemetery Board building a 20×30 pavilion. – Oakwood Cemetery Board
d) Consider and/or approve a request for a Historical Marker Presentation to Jack Lloyd. – Chad Shaw
e) Consider and/or approve reimbursement for flooding damage claim and/or insurance deductible for the Jefferson Historical Museum. – Cheri Smith
f) Consider and/or approve Agreement for Private Animal Collection and Shelter Services. – Humane Society of Marion County

7. EXECUTIVE SESSION
a) Executive Session; Section 551.074 Personnel Matters. Tourism/Marketing Coordinator interviews.

Posted on

TSTC: Get a job, or get a refund

TSTC: Get a Job, or Get a Refund Texas State Technical College Chancellor and CEO Michael Reeser has announced that beginning on Nov. 1, 2016, the college will offer money-back guarantees to students who complete degrees in high-paying, high-demand technologies but fail to find jobs within six months of graduation.
TSTC students may apply to participate in the money-back program, which will be retroactive to fall 2016, during their first semester at school. Graduates earning associate degrees in Welding, Instrumentation, Electrical Lineworker, Diesel Equipment, and Electrical Power and Controls programs may be eligible for a refund if they fail to find a job in six months. 
“This bold new initiative is certainly unconventional,” said TSTC Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operations Officer Elton E. Stuckly Jr. “The notion of a money-back guarantee may be new in higher education, but we have an outstanding track record of 50 years in successfully placing skilled graduates in great jobs and with major employers in Texas who know the quality of our graduates. We’ve gotten so confident in our ability to serve the state as its technical provider that this guarantee is putting our money where our mouth is.”
“Our unique mandate is to be Texas’ technical provider,” said TSTC Vice Chancellor and Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Kilgore. “We’re doing something to help reverse the student debt crisis that is crippling many in our country. The biggest impact is going to be on the success of our students. We’re doing this for our students and for the workforce of the state of Texas.” 
“There are many benefits to this, but the biggest impact it’s going to have is on the success of our students,” Reeser said. “Families in Texas can send their kids to school confident in the fact that they aren’t going to be burdened by extraordinary debt or lost interest payments if they fail to get a job.”
The money-back guarantee is a part of TSTC’s Get-a-Job program, a comprehensive extracurricular development program in which students learn the skills they’ll need to locate and land a great-paying job. 
“Colleges focus on giving students the skills they need to be successful in their job,” said Reeser. “The Get-a-Job program teaches students the skills they need to land that job. At a time when some colleges are going out of business because their practices are not leading to gainful employment, TSTC is putting its guarantee behind the job-placement promise that students receive when they sign up for these high-demand programs.”
“An increasing trend in Texas families is to seek a higher-ed option that offers the best value for the tuition and time invested,” said Kilgore. “TSTC is putting its guarantee in place to demonstrate that if you don’t get a job, you’ll get your money back. This is a contribution to addressing the growing disparity between increasing student debt and decreasing employment rates among college graduates.”
“We think the fact that TSTC offers a money-back guarantee in these high-demand programs will make it easier for families to make their college selection,” said Kilgore. “Families are increasingly concerned about what they get for their college tuition dollar. If the employment goals of the student are not achieved, they’ll be getting those tuition dollars back.”
Additional information about the program will be available on Nov. 1 at tstc.edu.

Posted on

‘Marvelous Wonderettes ’58’ has been cast!

By Marcia Thomas

Hannah Howard is cast as CINDY LOU, prettiest girl in school!

Stacy Davis is cast as SUZY, going steady for 3 yrs and pinned!

Penny Mann is cast as MISSY, a Prom Queen nominee!

Jennifer Dean is cast as BETTY JEAN, who has a date for The Prom and is Thrilled!

The show was created by Roger Bean as an ode to his mother who grew up in the 50s.

It is a one-act musical hit that takes you to the 1958 Springfield High School prom where we meet the girls as they serenade us with classic 50s hits including “Stupid Cupid”, “Lollipop”, “Dream Lover”, “Lipstick on Your Collar” among others. Director for the show is Marcia Thomas.

The musical will be presented on November 17-18-19 at the Jefferson Playhouse  and tickets will be available soon at OMG Lulu’s Boutique or online at the theatre website www.JeffersonOperaHouseTheatrePlayers.com. Tickets will be $18 per person and seating is limited in the small venue which was formerly a Jewish Synagogue.

Posted on

It’s National Save for Retirement Week – So Take Action

From Edward Jones 

Congress has dedicated the third week of October as National Save for Retirement Week. Clearly, the government feels the need to urge people to do a better job of preparing for retirement. Are you doing all you can?Many of your peers aren’t – or at least they think they aren’t. In a recent survey conducted by Bankrate.com, respondents reported that “not saving for retirement early enough” was their biggest financial regret. Other evidence seems to show they have good cause for remorse: 52% of households 55 and older haven’t saved anything for retirement, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, although half of this group reported having a pension.

Obviously, you’ll want to avoid having either financial regrets or major shortfalls in your retirement savings. And that means you may need to consider making moves such as these:  

Take advantage of all your opportunities. You may well have access to more than one tax-advantaged retirement plan. Your employer may offer a 401(k) or similar plan, and even if you participate in your employer’s plan, you are probably still eligible to contribute to an IRA. You may not be able to afford to “max out” on both plans, but try to contribute as much as you can afford. At the very least, put in enough to your employer’s plan to earn a matching contribution, if one is offered, and boost your annual contributions every year in which your salary goes up. 

Create an appropriate investment mix. It’s not enough just to invest regularly through your IRA, 401(k) or other retirement plan – you also need to invest wisely. You can fund your IRA with virtually any investments you choose, while your 401(k) or similar plan likely offers an array of investment accounts. So, between your IRA and 401(k), you can create portfolios that reflect your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. It’s especially important that your investment mix offers sufficient growth potential to help you make progress toward the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned. 

Don’t “raid” your retirement accounts early. If you start withdrawing from your traditional IRA before you turn 59½, you may have to pay a 10% tax penalty in addition to normal income taxes due. (If you have a Roth IRA and start taking withdrawals before you are 59½, the earnings will be taxed and may be subject to a 10% penalty – but contributions can be withdrawn without any tax and penalty consequences.) As for your 401(k) or similar plan, you may be able to take out a loan, but you’ll have to pay yourself back to avoid any tax or penalty consequences. (Also, not all plans offer a loan option.) More importantly, any money you take out early is money that no longer has a chance to grow to help you meet your goals. Try to do everything you can, then, to keep your retirement plans intact until you actually do retire. One suggestion: Build an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses, kept in a liquid, low-risk vehicle outside your IRA or 401(k). 

National Save for Retirement Week reminds us that we all must act to help ourselves retire comfortably. By making the moves described above, you can do your part.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

 

EdwardJones

MAKING SENSE OF INVESTING

Amber Fultz I BOA

126 W. Lafayette St. I Jefferson, TX 75657

Ofc: 903-665-9965 Fax: 877-222-1931 

 

Posted on

Senior Pioneer Days a success




The 5th Annual Pioneer Days for senior citizens was today  at First United Methodist Church in Jefferson. Almost 50 residents of area nursing and assisted living facilities participated along with 50 JISD student volunteers. 

Seniors had games, a sport and banner contests and prizes.