Vol. 134, Issue 25 – 1 Section, 12 pages plus inserts ...

Web Site: www.rainscountyleader.come-mail: [email protected] Hometown Newspaper Since 1887

EMORY, TEXAS – TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020Vol. 134, Issue 25 – 1 Section, 12 pages plus inserts PRICE 75¢

RAINRAIN REPORTREPORTTotal for Nov. 23Total for Nov. 23 ..................................... ..................................... 0.100.10

Total for Nov.Total for Nov. .......................................... .......................................... 0.130.13

Total for Total for yearyear ......................................... ......................................... 4488..1199

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Wildcat NewsWildcat Newspage 12page 12

Community Community Health AgentHealth Agent

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Contributed photo

The RISD Wildcat Marching Band received a superior rating for the second year in a row on Wednesday, November 18, at the Region 3 Marching Band competition held in Mesquite. The fi rst-division rating qualifi es the band to participate at the UIL Area 3 Competition to be held in Midlothian on December 3.

Marching band earns superior rating at regional meet

Leader photo by CHUCK FITTS

Santa leads riders on the 16th annual Toy Run on Saturday, November 21. The event is sponsored by the Rains County Sheriff’s offi ce and NETX Chapter of the Circuit Riders Motorcycle Ministries with proceeds benefi ting the children of Rains County.

Holiday events celebrating Christmas begin in Rains County on Saturday, Decem-ber 5, with the Spirit of East Tawakoni Christmas Parade at 4:00 p.m. Line-up begins at 3:30 p.m. at City Hall. The parade will begin at the city park and after mean-dering through the neighborhood will end at the library in East Tawakoni. There will be a Christmas tree lighting, cookies and hot cocoa, and pictures with Santa.

Also on December 5 beginning at 10:00 a.m., there will be a Christmas Bazaar on the courthouse square in Emory. That evening, Santa Claus comes to town riding in the annual Emory Christmas Parade. The parade line-up is at Senior Suite Care & Rehab at 6:00 p.m. The parade begins at 7:00 heading

south on Hwy. 19. After the parade, there will be pictures with Santa and the annual tree lighting. Live music will be provided by Jody Blankenbaker from 4:00-9:00 p.m. The Emory United Methodist Church will have its live nativity from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

On December 11, the Rains County Leader will hold a Christmas Open House/Customer Appreciation event with door prizes, refresh-ments and an Ugly Christmas Sweater Con-test from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Point continues the holiday festivities at the Point Volunteer Fire Department on Monday, December 14, from 3:00-7:00 p.m. with free photos with Santa. Donations will be accepted and will go to the Angel Tree in Rains County.

Rains County prepares for Christmas events

Leader of the pack EAST TAWAKONI CITY COUNCIL MEETING

Council appoints newmember; approves variance

By CHUCK FITTSRains County Leader staff

The East Tawakoni city council fi lled the vacant seat on the council, adopted an ordi-nance and approved a variance to another ordinance during the regular meeting on Tuesday, November 17.

During the meeting, Mayor Harold Chan-dler presented council members with the resumé of Robert Thompson Jr., as a can-didate for Place 4 on the council. He was unanimously chosen to serve out the unex-

pired term.The council discussed a variance request

for two city ordinances for the new develop-ment, Vintage Shores, concerning plans for street light placement and reducing the scale requirements for plans submitted to the city by half.

Councilman Chuck McDermott raised concern over granting the waiver for provid-ing the street light placement as it is a safety concern for emergency responders and law

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES

Governor Abbott announces vaccine distribution plan

Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) announced the guiding principles for Texas’ COVID-19 vaccine allocation process, which will serve as a foundation for the state’s initial distribution for COVID-19 vaccines expected as early as next month. The principles have been established by the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel (EVAP), created by DSHS to make recommendations on vaccine allocation decisions, including identifying groups that should be vaccinated fi rst to provide the most protection to vulner-

able populations and critical state resources. “These guiding principles established by

the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel will ensure that the State of Texas swiftly dis-tributes the COVID-19 vaccine to Texans who voluntarily choose to be immunized,” said Governor Abbott. “This foundation for the allocation process will help us mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our communi-ties, protect the most vulnerable Texans, and safeguard crucial state resources.”

BROOKSHIRE GROCERY CO.

Pharmacies to offer free COVID-19 vaccines

TYLER – Brookshire Grocery Co. (BGC), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is actively pre-paring for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccination once it’s approved and available for distribution.

As allocated by state offi cials, Brook-shire’s and Super 1 Foods pharmacies will administer the vaccines to the public to sup-port the goal of keeping our communities safe by offering the vaccine at no cost to the patient. Providing the free service will help

maximize efforts to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

“Our company is committed to support-ing our communities and providing for our customers’ daily and essential needs,” said Brad Brookshire, Chairman and CEO for Brookshire Grocery Co. “We are proud to participate in the plan to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines to best serve our com-munities. Our pharmacy team is actively

see ET page 11

see VACCINES page 11

see PHARMACIES page 11

2 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020

GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES

Community outreach & organizations

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Emory – Tues. & Thurs. 7:00-8:00 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 12:00-1:00 p.m., open meet-ings. Emory United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. For info call 903-243-6766 or 903-439-7573

AL-ANON –Thurs., 7:00 p.m., Crossroads Al-anon Group, 103 N. Houston St., Edge-wood, 903-896-7270

AMERICAN LEGION POST 156, Rabb Bro. Mem. Rains Co.– 4th Mon., 7:00 p.m., 215 N. Duffy St., Emory, 903-438-6045. Buffet breakfast - 2nd Saturday 7:00-10:00 a.m.

ARBALA DANCE –Tues., 7:00 - 9:30 p.m., Arbala Community Center

CUB SCOUTS – 1st, 2nd, 4th Sunday, Masonic lodge 4:30 p.m. Email [email protected].

CELEBRATE RECOVERY – every Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Emory Baptist Church

EAST TAWAKONI SENIOR CITIZEN GAME DAY – every Wednesday, 9:00 a.m., 255 Oakleaf Trail.

EMORY LIONS CLUB – No meet-ings at this time. Call for information 903-473-2311

FOOD BANK AT FREEDOM CHURCH OF GOD – 3rd Fri., 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., 10830 FM 514, Emory. 903-473-2457

FRIENDS OF RAINS CO. PUB-LIC LIBRARY – 3rd Thurs., 1:00 p.m., Meadows Cultural Center, Rains County Public Library

LAKE COUNTRY NEIGHBORS – 1st Thurs., 11:30 a.m., www.lakecountryneighbors.com

LAKE FORK BAPTIST CHURCH FOOD PANTRY – 2nd Tues., 1-4 p.m. 9483 W. FM 515, Alba

LAKE FORK CHAPTER OF THE WELL ARMED WOMAN - first Thursday, 4-7 p.m. at Winnsboro Gun Club, Winnsboro TX. Sue Parrish 903-473-9819

LIBRARIES - Point - temporarily closed, call 903-474-0471 for info. East Tawakoni - Wednes-days, 9:00-11:00 a.m.

MARS HILL MASONIC LODGE #1440 – 4th Thurs., 6:30 p.m., Lodge on Hwy. 69

NORTHEAST TEXAS DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE – 4th Thurs., 6:00-7:30 p.m., Rose Community Center

PIECEMAKERS QUILT GUILD OF RAINS COUNTY – 3rd Mon., 7:00 p.m., AgriLife Extension and Con-ference Center

POINT LADIES CIVIC CLUB – 1st Thurs., 6:30 p.m., Point Commu-nity Center, 903-269-8446

RAINS AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION2nd Sat. of each month 9:00 a.m.Emory Volunteer Fire Dept.,

RAINS COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – 3rd Thursday, 5:30 p.m. Visitor’s Center, 903-473-3913

RAINS GARDEN CLUB – 2nd Mon., 11:00 a.m., Sept.-MayEmory Methodist Church

RAINS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY – 3rd Mon., 6:00 p.m., Emory Development Corp.

RAINS COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD – 4th Mon., 5:30 p.m., Feb. Apr. June, Aug., Oct., Meadows Cultural Center, Rains County Public Library

RAINS COUNTY GOOD SAMARI-TANS – Board meeting canceled, Food Pantry open 1:00-4:00 p.m. Mon. & Thurs., 2nd Sat. 8:00 a.m.-noon

RAINS COUNTY GENEALOGICAL LIBRARY Mon., We., Fri., 9:00 a.m.-noon. 140 W Quitman St. 903-473-6277

STITCH AND LEARN QUILTING CLUB – Thurs., 9:00 a.m.-noon, 903-598-3021 Emory Methodist Church

WOMEN’S SERVICE CLUB – 2nd Mon., 6:00 p.m., Rose Community Center

WOMEN IN NEED, INC. – A Battered Women’s Shelter. Call 903-455-4612 or 903-454-HELP

EAST TAWAKONI CITY COUNCIL3rd Tues., 7:00 p.m., East Tawakoni City Hall

EMORY CITY COUNCIL 3rd Tues., 7:00 p.m., Emory City Hall

POINT CITY COUNCIL 2nd Tues., 6:45 p.m., Point City Hall

RAINS COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE: Mon., Tues. and Thurs., 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., 110 E. North St.TRANSPORTATION: To schedule a ride Call 903-474-7231

RAINS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT3rd Thurs. of every month, Rains Tax Office at 12:00 p.m.

RAINS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ COURT 2nd & 4th Thurs., 10:00 a.m., Rains County Courthouse

RAINS ISD SCHOOL BOARD2nd Monday, 6:30 p.m., Rains ISD Board Room

RAINS COUNTY ROAD & BRIDGEOpen Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-4 p.m.903-473-5099 or 5098

RAINS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT #13rd Monday, 6:30 p.m., Emory Fire Station

Established June 10, 1887

(Publication Number USPS 454-560)

Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to:

RAINS COUNTY LEADERP.O. Box 127, Emory, TX 75440

Telephone: 903-473-2653 • FAX: 903-473-0050www.RainsCountyLeader.com • Email: [email protected]

EDITOR/PUBLISHEREarl Hill III

OFFICEDeborah Walker

Published every Tuesday except the last Tuesday in DecemberEntered at the Post Office in Emory, Texas, as a Periodical

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Inside Rains County, 1 year, $28.00; Out of County, 1 year, $35.00; E-Leader (online only edition), 1 year, $25.00.

H.W. Martin - 1887Sam Fitzgerald - Before 1900W.O. Hebisen - Before 1900A.S. Hornbeck - Before 1900J.H. Bradford - 1901-1904

Tom W. Hill - 1904-1937Earl Hill, Sr. - 1937-1960Kathleen Hill Becknell - 1962-1995Earl Hill, Jr. - 1995-2019

ADVERTISINGKay Thompson

WRITERChuck Fitts

PRODUCTIONLea Reed

ROUTE SALESRobert Dean

MEMBER 2020

TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATIONTHE OLDEST BUSINESS IN RAINS COUNTY

FORMER EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS OF THE RAINS COUNTY LEADER:

Read the Leader on the go.Subscribe at

www.RainsCountyLeader.com

NEWS BRIEFSGood Samaritans Holiday Schedule

The Good Samaritans thrift store and clothing store will be closed November 28 and Decem-ber 26. The stores will be open December 5, 12, and 19. There will not be food distribution on November 24. Food distribution on Mondays and Thursdays will begin November 30 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. and the second Sat-urday of the month from 9:00 a.m.-noon.

Rains County Angel Trees Delivered

Rains County Angel Trees have been delivered to City National Bank, Commercial Bank of Texas, Don’s Restau-rant, Sidekick’s Restaurant, El Manna Restaurant, Brookshire’s and Potts Feed. There is a teen-only tree at Hooten’s, LLC. The deadline to return gifts to the locations is Saturday, December 5. Do not wrap gifts. Preferably gifts for each child should be placed in a large black garbage bag. Direct questions to 903-474-3248.

Vendors Needed, Around The Square

Christmas Around the Square will be held at the Emory court-house square on December 5, from 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Ven-dor spots are available. The cost for a 10'x10' spot is $30. Elec-tricity will not be available. For more information, call 903-473-2465, ext. 6.

WSC Wreath ProjectThe Women’s Service Club

(WSC) of Emory will hold its annual Christmas Wreath Proj-ect to adorn the windows at the Rains County Courthouse. Wreaths may be sponsored in memory of or in honor of a person or organization for a $50 donation. Forms are available at Country Flowers & Gifts and Reka’s Coffee Co. For more information, contact Keeley Roan at 903-474-3022.

Spirit of ET Holds Bake Sale, Nov. 24

The Spirit of East Tawakoni (ET) will hold a bake sale on Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. in the Tawakoni Gro-cery Store parking lot. Baked items including gluten free and sugar free will be sold. The non-profit fund raising committee of the ET Economic Development Committee sponsors events for citizens, using no tax dollars.

Miracle Faith Closes Until December 6

Miracle Faith Baptist Church will close until Sunday, Decem-ber 6, when services will be held in the parking lot at 10:00 a.m.

LCN Mingle Jingle Canceled

Lake County Neighbors (LCN) has canceled the Mingle Jingle that was scheduled for December 12 due to increased COVID cases in the local area.

Free Thanksgiving Hand-up Meal

The 8th annual free Thanks-giving Day meal will be held on November 26 from noon until 4:30 p.m., at the First Bap-tist Church Fellowship Hall in Point. The public is welcome to attend. To volunteer, call Marvin Henson at 903-348-4399. CDC guidelines will be followed. Please wear a mask!

’65 Mustang ChanceThe East Texas Crisis Cen-

ter’s 22nd raffle car is a 1965 Mustang Coupe. It has Metallic Vintage Burgundy paint, stan-dard black interior, 200 ci Inline 6, 4-speed manual transmission and a brand new A/C & Heat-ing system. Purchase ticket(s) at https://autoandcycleshow.com/raffle-car.php. The car will be raffled off at the East Texas Auto & Cycle Show on Sunday, February 21. You do not have to be present to win.

EDWARD JONES

Financial moves for the recently divorced

If you’ve recently finalized a divorce, you’re likely facing some real challenges. But you

can at least help yourself by making the right financial moves.

For starters, now is the time to open your own checking, savings and credit accounts if you don’t

already have them.Next, think about updating

your budget, as your income and expenses have likely changed. Also, ensure you have adequate emergency savings in place.

Then consider your IRA and 401(k). If you weren’t putting as much as you could afford into those accounts before, now may

be the time to start.Although it may be years

away, think about Social Secu-rity. If you were married at least 10 years and you remain unmarried, you might be eligible for spousal benefits that could exceed your own.

Finally, contact your legal advisor to change your will, living trust or other important documents.

It can feel like a long road to stability after a divorce – but by taking the appropriate steps, you may be able to make the trip a little less bumpy.

For more information on that or any other financial topic, give our office in Emory a call at 903-473-1592.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

BRANDON ROBERTSEdward Jones

Financial Advisor

COMMISSIONERS COURT

Court to hold regular meeting Wednesday

Notice is hereby given that a regular meeting of the Rains County Commissioners court will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 25, in the Rains County Courthouse Courtroom.

The items to be discussed, considered or upon which any formal action may be taken are as follows:

I. OpeningII. Open ForumIII. PresentationsIV. Items for discussion and/

or action A. Departmental Reports 1. Road & Bridge a. Permits/Right-of-Way

(ROW) B. Elected Official’s and

Finance Reports 1. Treasurer’s a. Line item transfers/

budget amendments b. Payment of accounts c. Monthly/Quarterly

Report (if presented) 2. Sheriff’s C. RV Park policy D. Interlocal Agreement

w/the Regional Public Defend-ers Office

E. Amendment to Subdivi-sion policy/Private Roads

F. Audit engagement letterV. Administrative Court

Activities and Comments***View the meeting on the

Rains County Leader Facebook page.***

Thompson appointed ET City Council, Place 4


East Tawakoni Mayor Harold Chandler prepares to swear in new councilman Robert Thompson after council members unani-mously appointed him to serve the remainder of the term of Place 4 on the city council.

THE TALENT BOX

Christmas classicsThe Christmas production at

The Talent Box will be “The Classics.” Performance dates will be December 4-6 and 11-13. The classics include “Charlie Brown’s Christmas,” written by Charles M. Schultz; “T’was the Night before Christmas,” written by Andy Pavey; and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” written by Dr. Seuss.

The December 4 and 5 per-formances will be at The Com-munity Room, 307 North 4th Street, Wills Point at 7:00 p.m. The December 6 and 13 per-formances start at 2:00 p.m., and will be at The Lester Park Fireman Pavilion, 899 Wingo Way, Wills Point, weather per-

mitting. If the weather does not cooperate, those performances will be at The Higher Ground Cowboy Church, 2547 Highway 276, Quinlan. Performances on Dec. 11 and 12 will begin at 7:00 p.m. at The Higher Ground Cowboy Church, 2547 Highway 276, Quinlan.

The Talent Box is a nonprofit community theatre. Admission is $12.50 for adults; $10.00 for seniors (60-plus), military, first responders and students; and $7.00 for Children 4-12. Chil-dren 3 and younger are free. Seating is limited so reserva-tions are required and may be made by calling the theatre at 214-356-0505.

3TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020

Rural Texans have a lot to say about the lack of broadband service in their communities. Since we covered the topic earlier this month, many readers have emailed to share their stories and pleas for help.

An example is the email from reader Kathryn Steuart of Freestone County, who reads the col-umn in the Fairfi eld Recorder. In her east central

Texas county of 20,000, she reports that cell phones don’t even work well. She and her husband pay for internet via a high-priced satellite service, which isn’t suffi cient to allow her to work from home.

An IBM AIX and Linux system administrator, Steuart said she has explored a variety of solutions, but found noth-ing.

“We were willing/desperate to pay to have wire strung and present ourselves as a business to get decent speed internet,” she wrote. “The rural phone companies are not incen-tivised to provide this service and quit answering calls. They go broke too often, as well.”

She said she has some hope for Elon Musk’s Starlink company, which is launching thousands of satellites promising accessible and affordable high-speed internet. Initial pricing is $99 a month with an upfront hardware purchase of $500. However, this project is in a testing phase dubbed “Better Than Nothing Beta,” and the company warns customers of varying connectivity speeds and occasional outages during the startup period.

Most employers won’t hire remote workers with only satellite connections, Steuart said.

For more on the subject, watch a replay of the panel discussion “Broadband is a Lifeline” at TexasTribune.org. “Capital Highlights” will monitor how state lawmakers address the issue when they convene in January. For resources on advocating for solutions, contact Connected Nation Texas.

COVID battle rages on

Gov. Greg Abbott touted some good news in Texas’ fi ght against COVID-19.

“Medicines are delivered this week – and every week going forward – to heal those who get COVID,” the governor tweeted. “Vaccines to prevent COVID are expected soon. Medi-cal teams are being surged to areas that need it most.”

Earlier in the day, Abbott visited Lubbock, which is confronting a surge in cases. There, he provided an update on the distribution of bamla-nivimab, an antibody therapy for COVID-19. The state is sending fi rst shipments of the drug to hos-pitals in regions with the highest number of new

case counts, new COVID-19 hospital admissions and total COVID-19 hospital patients.

Abbott emphasized he would not be order-ing any new statewide business restrictions and encouraged people to follow the same health practices, including wearing a mask and socially distancing, that helped during the state’s spike in cases in July.

Texas has reported over 20,000 COVID deaths since the pandemic began, the Texas Tribune reported, based on data from the Texas Depart-ment of State Health Services.

A Thanksgiving gift

Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp is encour-aging all students to get a COVID-19 test before leaving campus for the Thanksgiving break.

Sharp has asked the Texas Division of Emer-gency Management, which is part of the Texas A&M System, to help the system get testing vans and tents to all campuses before the holiday.

“The greatest gift a student can give his or her family – including parents and grandparents – during this holiday season is the gift of a negative COVID test,” Chancellor Sharp said. “Let’s do all we can to stop this pandemic and get back to life as we knew it. Thanks to everyone who chooses to take a test before heading home.”

Thankful and careful

The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is with only those already living in your household, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services advises.

If you’re planning to celebrate with others, the agency suggests that you take steps to make your celebration safer by following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They include:

– Wear a mask that fi ts securely over your mouth and nose and around your face.

– Stay at least 6 feet away from those who don’t live in your household.

– If inviting others over, have a small outdoor gathering rather than an inside meal.

The CDC also encourages people to consider other activities rather than a traditional meal with people outside their household. The agency’s suggestions include:

– Safely prepare traditional dishes and deliver them to family and neighbors in a way that does not involve contact with others. For example, leave them on the porch.

– Participate in a gratitude activity, like writing down things you are grateful for and sharing with your friends and family.

Chris Cobler is a board member and past president of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. He welcomes email at [email protected].

By Chris CoblerTEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

Readers share tale of internet woe

SAVVY SENIOR

Claiming Social Security benefi ts during the pandemic

Dear Savvy Senior,With my local Social Security offi ces being

closed due to COVID-19, what is the best way to apply for my Social Security retirement benefi ts?

Approaching 62

Dear Approaching,Due to the pandemic, all Social Security fi eld

offi ces across the country have been closed since March, so you can’t just walk-in, talk to a counselor and apply for ben-efi ts in person right now. But there are other ways to claim your benefi ts that are much easier and quicker. Here’s what you should know.

How to Apply: The easiest and most convenient way to apply for your Social Security

benefi ts during the pandemic is to do it yourself online at SocialSecurity.gov. It usually takes around 15 minutes to complete the application, as long as you’ve gathered all of the required infor-mation and documentation (more on that at the bottom of the column). You can also save your application as you go, so you can take a break at any time.

If your situation is complicated or you’re uncomfortable using the internet to apply, you can have a Social Security employee assist with the process via telephone. To make an appoint-ment call 800-772-1213. (If you’re hearing impaired, you can call 800-325-0778.) The phones are monitored Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. At the time of your appoint-ment, the representative will call you.

If you start to complete the online application form but fi nd that it’s too confusing or compli-cated, call the agency and set up a phone appoint-ment.

Once you have submitted your application, a representative may contact you with updates or questions about your application. You can also check the status of your application by signing

in to your “my Social Security” account at SSA.gov/myaccount.

When to Apply: You should fi le one or two months before you want benefi ts to begin, but if you’re the worrying type, you can do it up to three or four months before. It takes a little time to process the paperwork, so by putting in your application a few months early, you can fi x any problems that come up without it interfering with your starting date.

It’s also worth noting that if you start receiving your Social Security retirement benefi ts before age 65, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, and you’ll receive your Medicare card about three months before your 65th birthday. It will include instructions to return it if you have work coverage that qualifi es you for late enrollment.

But if you decide to delay your retirement ben-efi ts, you’ll need to sign up just for Medicare at age 65, which you can also do at SocialSecurity.gov or over the phone at 800-772-1213.

Need Information: In order to apply for Social Security benefi ts online or over the phone, you’ll need to be able to document some information about your identity and work history. So before applying, have the following information handy:

• Your Social Security number.• Your birth certifi cate (original or certifi ed).• Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien sta-

tus if you were not born in the United States.• A copy of your U.S. military service papers

if you had military service before 1968.• A copy of your W-2 forms and/or self-

employment tax return for last year.• Your bank information (including your

account number and the bank routing number) where you want your benefi ts direct deposited to.

For a complete checklist of what you’ll need to complete your application, see SSA.gov/hlp/isba/10/isba-checklist.pdf.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.The Savvy Senior book.

By Jim Miller

AG PAXTON

Settlement with Apple over iPhone throttling

AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton joined a coalition of over 30 other attorneys general in a $113 million settlement with Apple, Inc. regarding Apple’s 2016 decision to throttle custom-ers’ iPhone speeds in order to address unexpected shutdowns in some iPhones. After a multi-state investigation, during which Texas served on an executive committee with Arizona, Arkan-sas, Indiana, Missouri, Louisiana, Ohio, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia, the attorneys gen-eral allege that Apple discovered battery issues led to unexpected shutdowns in iPhones. Rather than disclosing these issues or replacing batteries, Apple con-cealed the issues and reduced

iPhone performance. Apple’s concealment of the battery issues and decision to throttle caused Apple to profi t from selling additional phones to customers whose phone performance had decreased.

“I am pleased to announce that Apple is being held account-able for their deceitfulness with consumers and secretive deci-sion not to inform consumers of known issues,” said Attor-ney General Paxton. “This set-tlement is a victory for honest business and customers and a stern warning to any companies who attempt to cover their mis-takes at the expense of consumer choice.”

Texas will receive just over

$7.5 million in monetary pay-ment. In addition to the mon-etary payment, Apple must also provide truthful information to consumers about iPhone battery health, performance and power management on their website, update installation notes, and in the iPhone user interface itself. Assistant Attorneys Gen-eral Beth Chun, Paul Singer, and Rick Berlin represented the State of Texas. Apple also recently entered into a proposed settle-ment of class action litigation regarding the same conduct and upon fi nalization will pay out up to $500 million in consumer restitution.

Beautifying the park


Making beauty plans. Volunteers Teresa Runion and Janelle Lyons from the local chapter of the Texas Master Gardners plan out the beautifi cation of the Emory City Park on Wednesday, November 18.


CITY GIRL

How Thanksgiving growsLike everything else this year, Thanksgiving

is going to be a bit different. We usually go to the home of relatives for the holiday, but as the messages began coming in that various families

were staying home alone this year, I began to plan my menu. David said I didn’t have to cook anything special, but I knew we would both be disappointed with hamburgers.

It’s hard to make a special meal for two without an over-whelming amount of leftovers, so I suggested we invite Connie and Charles from across the street to share our bounty. Then

I talked with Aunt Fay, and after she told me that she was going to buy a bag of dressing mix and a rotisserie chicken for her meal, I suggested she join us. She’s a busy lady and wasn’t sure if she could make it – but if she does, our Thanksgiving dinner for two will have grown to fi ve.

The menu grew along with the guests. Even the smallest turkey seemed too big for two – or fi ve – so I decided to bake a hen. Connie had one in her freezer that she offered to donate to the cause, but when I looked at the 5-6 pound bird, it looked a bit small. And no Southern cook worth her spatula wants anyone to leave her table hun-gry. So I added a small ham.

Cornbread dressing came next because that’s my favorite, and you can’t have dressing without gravy. Then there’s the sweet potato casserole with the pecan topping that could be a dessert if you put it in a crust, cranberry sauce, and rolls. I planned to top it off with a pecan pie and call it done.

But in the interest of something at least a little bit healthy, I added a fruit salad. And because David thinks every meal, especially special ones,

should include beans or peas, I added speckled butter beans. Then Connie sent over a can of black olives with the hen – and I have a relish tray I just love – so I picked up some baby dills, some sweet gherkins and a jar of pickled okra. The tray has seven sections, and even if I put the cranberry sauce in the middle, that’s only fi ve items. But I have some eggs I need to use, so I’ll fi ll the last two sections with deviled eggs.

I thought I was fi nished at that point, but I thought about the math of fi ve people and one pie – not enough leftovers, so I added an apple pie. My dressing recipe won’t require an entire pan of cornbread, so I’ll probably have some of that to add to the buffet – and maybe some mashed pota-toes for those who don’t care for sweet potatoes. You’ll notice an absence of the obligatory green bean casserole since that’s not one of David’s favorites, but who knows what will happen between now and Thursday.

After-dinner entertainment will be different since we are currently without internet – and since we switched to streaming, that’s our only source of TV. David has ordered a SIM card for a two-week trial with a new carrier, but unless it arrives before the big day, there will be no foot-ball. We may have to actually talk to one another about something other than whether the referees are blind or not.

So my little Thanksgiving has grown a bit. Instead of fi xing one or two dishes to take to someone else’s house, I will spend most of two days in the kitchen. It will be an act of love and gratitude as I think about all the blessings this year has brought – even though it has been the strangest year on record!

Linda Brendle writes a weekly column for Believ-ers’ Baptist Church. She is a published author and also writes about caregiving, faith, and family on her blog at http://www.LifeAfterCaregiving.WordPress.com. You can e-mail her at [email protected].

LINDA BRENDLELeader Correspondent

Interesting Point

Community newsEmory ... from my view

Hey y’all, it’s Thanksgiving week. That means Black Friday is here. Remember to shop local and enjoy the holiday as safely as you can.

It looks like Cathy Haynes’ husband surprised her with a camping getaway. How sweet! I know y’all enjoyed it.

Aubrey Moore is selling the cutest rubber band bracelets she makes herself. You go girl. Always proud of young people being entrepreneurs. It really builds character.

If you are reading this from a friend’s paper, please consider a subscription of your own. This

is our county newspaper with all the best info you will ever need.

Well, I hope this brought a smile to your day. After all, it is the best medicine for what ails you.

submitted by Penny Wittrock

EATING FRESH

Stuffi ng or dressing?I have heard the baked seasoned bread and

vegetable mixture often served with a turkey din-ner referred to as both stuffi ng and dressing. I’ve heard the fare delineated based on whether the starch was cornbread or white bread and whether

the family came from the North or the South.

I’m inclined to think that stuff-ing is the term used when the mixture is actually stuffed into the cavity of the poultry being roasted. That further fl avors the mixture with the juices from the bird. I’ve read that the term dress-ing just means seasoning and trussing the fowl in preparation

for roasting. I also suspect that unless you are an experienced

cook, it is easy to have problems with the stuffed mixture not cooking throughout while inside the bird, causing cases of salmonella.

Perhaps that’s why we are encouraged to cook our stuffi ng in a separate casserole dish, so that eggs, giblets and other items are cooked com-pletely and are safe for consumption. My mother used to prepare it both ways. Some inside the bird and some on the side – because it seems you never have enough.

However, she still removed the stuffi ng from the turkey before she carved it and placed it in another casserole. Then while the turkey rested and was carved, she baked the stuffi ng for 20 minutes or until she felt comfortable it was done.

So, I will refer to the following recipe as stuff-ing regardless of whether I stuff it or not.

Cornbread Stuffi ng with Giblets

4 c. turkey or chicken brothturkey giblets (the neck and stuff)1 stick butter2 c. diced onion2 c. diced celery1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves2 eggs1/4 c. chopped parsley6 c. stale cubed cornbread8 c. stale cubed white breadsalt and pepper, to tasteadditional butter

Simmer turkey neck and giblets (except liver) in 4 cups broth until tender, about 1 hour. Add liver and cook fi ve minutes more. Strain allowing neck and giblets to cool and reserve the broth.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are soft. Beat eggs with parsley in a large bowl; add cornbread and white bread, then pour in reserved broth mixture and toss. Separate meat from neck and chop giblets into small pieces. My kids always preferred to not know they were in there, so I chop them pretty fi nely.

Transfer mixture to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes; uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes.

For more recipes, visit DellaTerraFarm.com/blog.

DEBORAH WALKERLeader Staff

Hello everyone, I hope every-one is having a great week! There are a few birthdays I want to recognize: Paisley Hines is turning two, Carter Cox turned one year old, and Gunner Stew-art and Heather Griffi n both celebrated birthdays.

Canyon and Samatha Gibby and Mitch and Randa Ramsey celebrated anniversaries. Here’s

to many more years of happiness to both couples.

A little update on Cooper Cochrane, he’s gained a little weight (2 oz.) and he was able to have some skin to skin contact. He’s a little over a week old and still under 3 lbs.

Christmas around the square and the Christmas parade are December 5. Be sure to mark

your calendars. I know I can’t wait to see our courthouse all lit up this year! Nate Carista does such an amazing job with the lights around the square.

Hope everyone has a great week, and remember to spread more love today than yesterday.

submitted by Shala O’Neal

Alexander St. under construction


Construction continues on Alexander St. in Emory on Wednesday, November 18. The street and its bridge are being rebuilt to accommodate more traffi c.


By BRUCE C ALLENRains County Leader correspondent

For the Lake Fork Angers, (LFA) it started out cold on Thursday morning, November 19, around 48 degrees like last week. By the time we got off the water, it was in the low 70s. However, there was a brisk wind when we got on the water, and it just got worse as the day pro-gressed.

The Major League Format (MLF) counts every fish over 10 inches, including slot fish. We fish three rotating sections on Lake Fork every other Thursday during the day about 22 times a year. Members must fish at least eight tournaments to maintain membership. All of our members can qualify for the semi-final by catching 6 lbs. in one tournament during the year or by fishing 80 percent of the year.

We started with the top seven boats surviving the semi-final

each with a boater and co-angler. We fished the third of three pre-determined sections of the lake. It was everyone’s least favorite section.

Boater Results

First place went to Randy Bunch of Lake Fork with 9 bass for 24.21 lbs., with the boater lunker of 4.97 lb.

Second place Dennis Bubi-nas of Lake Fork with 10 bass for 15.62 lbs., with a 1.72-lb. lunker.

Third place went to Gary Par-dini of Tyler with 7 bass for 10.58 lbs., with a 3.31-lb. lunker.

Fourth place went to Jack White of Farmers Branch with 5 bass for 9.32 lbs., with a 3.46-lb. lunker.

Fifth place went to Don Over-street of Sulphur Springs with 5 bass for 9.05 lbs., with a 3.16-lb. lunker.

Co-angler ResultsFirst place went to Greg

Geisler of Lake Fork with 3 bass for 10.45 lbs. and the co-angler lunker of 6.40 lbs.

Second place went to Bob Lambert of Lake Fork with 5 bass for 7.03 lbs., with a 1.87-lb lunker.

Third place went to Don Cox of Garland with 3 bass for 5.63 lbs., with a 3.78-lb. lunker.

Fourth place went to Jackie Price of Alba with 2 bass for 3.09 lbs., with a 1.92-lb. lunker.

Fifth place went to Bill Ailes of Sulphur Springs with 1 bass for 1.21 lbs.

In all, 55 fish were caught and there was 1 skunk.

For information on join-ing the LFA, send an inquiry to [email protected]. We only fish on Thursdays at Lake Fork. Dues are $5 a year and tourna-ments are $15. The 100-percent lunker is $5, and boaters charge a $20 fee.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department released the follow-ing in for mation for Lake Fork and Lake Tawakoni taken on November 18:

LAKE FORK: Good. Water lightly stained; 64 degrees; 2.14 low. Largemouth bass are good on skirted jigs, crankbaits and spinners near heavy tim-ber, roadbeds, brushy points and rocky shorelines. White and yel-low bass are fair in deeper water with slabs, small swimbaits and jigging spoons. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs in 14-25' in brush piles and standing timber near creek ledges or drop-offs. Catfish are good on punch bait

and cut bait in 8-24'.LAKE TAWAKONI:

Excellent. Water lightly stained; 63-67 degrees; 1.48 low. Catfish are excellent on live bait, punch bait and cut bait. Largemouth Bass are good on crankbaits, finesse worms, football jigs and swimbaits. White bass and hybrid stripers are excellent on live bait and slabs, with some fish schooling on the surface. Use sonar to locate fish in deep-er water near ridges, flats and humps in the main lake. Crappie are excellent on minnows and jigs around brush piles, docks and bridge pilings.

The Rains Co. Sheriff’s Of-fice took the following reports of activity during the week of November 13-19:

Arrests

11-14: Mick-

ey Dean Gray, Emory. Pos-session of a controlled sub-stance PG 1 greater than or equal to 1 gr. less than 4 gr.,

$5,000 bond.11-15: Charles Rufus Moore

Jr., Farmersville. Manufacture and delivery of a controlled sub-stance PG 1 greater than or equal to 1 gr., less than 4 gr., $50,000 bond; possession of marijuana less than 2 oz., $1,000 bond.

11-16: Michael Patrick Bra-zill, Sherman. Probation viola-tion, possession of a controlled substance, court ordered inter-mediate sanction facility.

11-17: Bryan Alexander Eby, Point. Assault causing bodily in-jury, $3,000 bond; driving while intoxicated, $1,000 bond; evad-ing arrest detention with a ve-

hicle, $25,000 bond. 11-19: Alfred Carl Duncan,

Quinlan. Probation violation, possession of a controlled sub-stance, no bond.

There were 5 arrests for the week; 1 posted bond and was re-leased; As of Friday, November 20, there were 15 males and 5 females in custody.

Calls

11-13: CR 4251 Domestic dis-turbance, FM 515 Burglar alarm, Sheriff’s Office (SO) lobby Ref-erence restraining order, Point Northcutt Addn. Dog loose and chasing chickens and other ani-mals, Point Ave. B 911 hang up, Public service Reference public workplace restraining order, Emory Hwy. 19S Welfare check on elderly female in black dress and white socks dancing in parking lot, CR 1425 Neigh-bor’s dogs killed chickens, FM 2795W Medical assist 63-year-old female with chest pains and breathing issues, CR 1219 Shots fired, Hwy. 276 at CR 1605 Red side-by-side driving up and down the road using a spotlight, Public service Reference dad falling but

does not need any help, CR 1632 Medical assist.

11-14: Public service Refer-ence female says she was in dan-ger and call was transferred to Hunt County, CR 3345 Domestic disturbance son tearing up the house, CR 4252 Lift assistance needed, Emory Senior Suite Care & Rehab Medical assist, CR 2130 and FM 3274 Cows out, Hwy. 19N Cows out, Emory Courthouse Square Man driv-ing around and yelling, Emory Hwy. 19N Lady left wallet on top of car and it fell off, FM 515 near Wood County line Reckless driver, Steamboat Shores Two satellites stolen, Emory Manor Welfare check requested, Point Two reckless drivers, Hwy. 276 and FM 47 Medical assist for male having a seizure, CR 2180 Disturbance, CR 3445 Medical assist male with several issues.

11-15: FM 47 at spillway Kids playing in the water, East Tawakoni (ET) Hwy. 276 One-vehicle rollover accident, Point Smith Cir. Burglar alarm, Hwy. 19N near FM 514 Reckless driv-er, Emory McMillan Rd. Medi-cal assist male fell and injured knee, Eagle Inn Apts. Female

threatened, CR 1532 Male needs lift assistance, Emory Eagle Inn Apts. Medical assist, Hwy. 69S Domestic disturbance and daugh-ter having panic attack, FM 3274 Cows out, Emory Brookshire’s Two-vehicle minor accident, CR 3345 Control burn out of control, CR 1490 Control burn out of control, Point Locust St. Medi-cal assist, Hwy. 276 and FM 47 Traffic and narcotics found and one arrested, Emory Sidekick’s Female causing a disturbance, CR 1530 Medical assist female can’t move her legs, Point North St. Items stolen.

11-16: FM 515 Reference threats made by a neighbor, ET Harris Harbor Assault family vi-olence, Emory Sidekick’s Issues with an ex boyfriend, Emory west Quitman St. Welfare check requested on a male, Hwy. 69 and PR 5169 Two hay bales on fire, Emory Airport Rd. Welfare check requested on a female, Emory Lennon Dr. in front of Sonic Major fatality accident, CR 1330 Medical assist male passed out, CR 3317 Dog bite, Emory Duffy St. Person being loud and cussing and driving around, Emory Senior Suite Care

& Rehab Medical assist. 11-17: FM 2946N Cows out,

CR 4252 Medical assist elderly female has fallen, ET Braziel Bay Electrical short in a resi-dence, Star Mart Gas pump dam-aged as if someone tried to break into it, Point Hwy. 69 south bound Reckless driver, FM 779 Horses out, FM 513 Deer hit, CR 1520 Medical assist, Hwy. 276 Medical assist, Emory Woods St. Suspicious female going through garbage can, FM 275 Medical assist cancer patient, CR 1151 Someone tapped into water line stealing water, CR 4252 Lift assistance needed, SO lobby Reference something on Planters St., Emory Rhodes Dr. Medical assist.

11-18: CR 3340 EMS needs assistance, ET Oakleaf Tr. Bur-glar alarm, CR 4252 Medical assist, CR 1399 Medical assist, FM 2324 Suspicious activity possibly going on around a resi-dence, CR 1490 Medical assist, CR 3030 Theft of a weed eater, ET Harris Harbor Welfare check on a female, Emory Max-A-Mart Medical assist employee passing out, CR 1502 Grass fire, Emory east Lennon Dr. at dollar store

Possible gas leak, FM 3274 Cow out, FM 47 Flats Unauthorized use of a vehicle, Point Hwy. 69 Reckless 18-wheeler, Emory Welfare check requested on a female, FM 47 and FM 2324 Fire of some kind, Hwy. 69N between Point and Emory Reck-less driver.

11-19: PR 5503 Fire at shed earlier is starting again, CR 4252 Lift assistance needed, Emory Ravine and College Sts. Welfare check on a female, CR 4252 Medical assist, Emory Abbing-ton Walk Apts. Keys locked in a vehicle, CR 2160 Horse out, FM 513 Hooker Cemetery Aban-doned vehicle, Point Katherine St. Lift assistance needed, Emory Bent Tree Motel Domestic dis-turbance, Emory Best Western Disturbance and possible unau-thorized use of a vehicle, SO lobby Reference stolen items, Hwy. 19S Reckless 18-wheeler, CR 1300 Domestic disturbance, Hwy. 19S Vehicle hit a deer, PR 7423 Medical assist female with breathing issues.

Sheriff’s Report

COMMUNITY HEALTH AGENT

Healthy holidays

DAVID TRAYLORRains County Sheriff

FISHING REPORT

LAKE FORK

Anglers’ report

Subscribe to the Rains County Leader for as little as $28 a year!!

I thought with social gatherings being limited this year, it would be easier to avoid the holiday treats that seem to be my seasonal downfall. I

was wrong, sort of. Even though I have not attended as many in-person functions this year, I am guilty of baking more on my own. My social media news feeds are filled with holiday food posts, from fancy new fin-ger foods to a twist on an old favorite. I am bombarded with temptation from every direction and apparently, I am not alone. Statistica (2019) reported a more

active lifestyle and weight loss as being at the top of resolutions each year.

While Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings may look different this year, many are like me and will still bake their favorite holiday dishes. As warm and fuzzy as comfort foods make us feel, it is important to remember there may be fewer mouths to feed; and while it is tricky to stay on a healthy path during the holidays, it is not impossible. If you are like me and struggle to eat healthy and stay active during the holidays, be sure you keep the challenges this year has added in mind. However, all hope is not lost, there are a few healthy holiday tips that may help you avoid becoming a New Year’s resolution statistic.

Moderation, modification and movement may be your best friends this holiday season. Mod-eration is an essential part of enjoying the tastes you crave while maintaining a healthy goal. Go ahead, enjoy the dressing or potatoes you have looked forward to for months or eat a piece of the pie you only bake once a year. Just be sure you do not to eat the entire pie. In other words, do not try to avoid the temptation, that is an uphill battle. Instead, allow yourself to indulge a little (in moderation).

Likewise, if your holiday meal went from a gathering of 30 to a gathering of four, modify what you cook so you are not facing an over-abundance of leftovers. In addition to modifying the amount of food, you may also want to try your favorite dish with a healthy twist. You may be surprised at how delicious a healthy substitu-

tion can taste! The American Heart Association (2020) rec-

ommends these simple substitutions:– Instead of 1 cup of whole milk, try 1 cup

of skim milk plus one tablespoon of liquid veg-etable oil.

– Instead of 1 cup heavy cream, use 1⁄2 cup low-fat yogurt.

– Instead of unsweetened baking chocolate (1-oz.), try 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.

– Instead of sour cream, use an equal amount of Greek yogurt.

– Instead of 1 cup sugar, try 3⁄4 cup plus one tablespoon of honey.

Finally, make sure you stay moving. Focus on little movements throughout the day, like vacuuming or playing catch with your children; staying physically active does not mean you need to run a marathon every day, being conscious of little adjustments can make a big difference. If stress is a part of your holiday season, try going for a short walk. A 30-minute walk will provide a boost of energy and the endorphins released will improve your mood and lower your stress levels.

Whether you want to stay healthy or want to head in a healthier direction during the holidays, small changes may be just what you need, just remember the three M’s, moderation, modifica-tion and movement.

The Rains County Texas A&M AgriLife Ex-tension Office wishes you a happy and healthy holiday season!

If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, 903-473-4580 or email [email protected]. You may also read more about this and many more topics on my blog, http://agentsarah.blogspot.com/. Follow Rains County AgriLife on Facebook for additional in-formation and upcoming events.

References: American Heart Association. (2020). Smart Substitutions to Eat Healthy. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/cooking-skills/cooking/smart-substitutions-to-eat-healthy Statistica. (2019). America’s Top New Year’s Resolutions for 2020. https://www.statista.com/chart/20309/us-new-years-resolu tions-2020/

SARAH LATHAMCommunity Health Agent

TXDOT

Motorists urged to take precautionWith health and safety a top

priority for millions of Texans, TxDOT reminds motorists of one of the simplest and easiest precautions everyone can take to protect themselves and their loved ones: buckling up.

Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of dying by 45 per-cent for people in the front seat of passenger cars. For those in pickups, seat belts reduce the risk of dying by 60 percent since pickups are more likely to roll over than passenger vehicles.

“Our annual Click It or Ticket campaign is about saving lives,” said TxDOT Executive Direc-tor James Bass. “While almost 91 percent of Texans have got-ten into the habit of using seat belts, there are still far too many motorists who are taking unnec-essary chances by not buckling up. Whether you’re the driver or a passenger, wearing a seat belt – day and night – is the single most effective way to protect yourself from serious injury or death in a crash.”

TxDOT officials report that in 2019 there were 925 traffic fatalities involving an unbuck-led driver or passenger, a 6-per-

cent drop over the previous year. Although around 9 percent of Texans do not wear a seat belt, the lack of seat belt usage was reported in 42 percent of traffic fatalities for those people who had the option to use a seat belt (excluding pedestrian, bicycle and motorcycle fatalities).

In addition, a 2019 Texas A&M Transportation Institute survey noted that drivers and passengers in 18 Texas cities buckle up less at night (between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.) than during the day. In Texas last year, of crashes in which an un-buckled driver or passenger was killed, 59 percent happened dur-ing nighttime hours (6:00 p.m.-5:59 a.m.). Seat belt use among pickup drivers and passengers also continues to lag behind that of other motorists. Almost 46 percent of the 499 pickup driv-ers killed in crashes last year weren’t buckled up.

From November 16-29, as we approach and celebrate Thanks-giving and more drivers take to the road, state troopers, police officers and sheriffs’ deputies statewide will step up enforce-ment of the state’s seat belt and

child car seat laws. Texas law requires everyone in a vehicle to be properly secured in the front or back seat or face fines and fees up to $200. Children younger than 8 years must be restrained in a child safety seat or booster seat unless they are taller than 4 feet, 9 inches. If a child isn’t secured, the driver faces fines of up to $250.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Admin-istration, the Click It or Ticket initiative in Texas is estimated to have saved more than 6,234 lives, prevented more than 100,000 se-rious injuries, and resulted in $23.6 billion in economic sav-ings since the campaign began in 2002.

The Click It or Ticket cam-paign is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX.

Emory Livestock AuctionThe following is a consolidated

report of the Emory Livestock Auc-tion Inc. auctions held:

Tue., Nov. 17 Sat., Nov. 21878 Head 1442149 Sellers 281

STEERS* $95-200 Under 300 $80-185$80-170 300-400 $75-170$80-155 400-500 $75-155$70-140 Over 500 $70-145

HEIFERS*$80-165 Under 300 $80-170$75-155 300-400 $70-155$70-135 400-500 $70-135$65-125 Over 500 $60-120

SLAUGHTER*$25-55 Packer cows $25-53$55-85 Packer bulls $60-80

PAIRSNone Top 1000-1150$500-1000 Low/Middle $500-975

OTHERS*$45-100 Stocker cows $55-95$25-200 Calves (hd) $25-200None Horses (hd) $150-1200$45-250 Goats/Sheep (hd) $50-400* per hundred lb. unless noted otherwise


Masonic Lodges award funds


Savanna and Eric Christian were named Foster Family of The Year at the annual Help-A-Child Benefi t held on October 17. On Friday, November 20, the Christians were presented with a check by members of local Masonic Lodges from funds raised at the benefi t. Those attending were (l-r) Jimmy Plain, Denis Flemings, Jim Wright, Jason Rabe, Savanna Christian, Eric Christian, Wade Bartley, Bill Faughten-berry and Clay Bartley.

Decoratingthe square


Trimming the utility poles, City of Emory employees deco-rate the courthouse square for the holiday season on Thursday, November 19.

TAMU

Safer holiday gatheringsWhile the COVID-19 pan-

demic has kept many people at home, the fall and winter holi-days traditionally are a time for friends and family to gather, and that isn’t expected to change in 2020.

“One of the travel trends our research on travel and COVID-19 shows is that during the pan-

demic people have shown an increased desire to be among family, and the holidays provide an opportunity for family gather-ings,” said Angela Durko, travel expert and associate professor in the Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences Department of Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Some suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for safer holiday gatherings during the pandemic include:

• Hosting outdoor activities rather than indoor activities as much as possible. If hosting an outdoor event is not pos-sible, avoid poorly ventilated or enclosed indoor spaces and open windows and doors to the extent that is safe and feasible based on the weather.

• Inviting people from the

local area as much as possible, as attendees coming from out-side the area pose a greater risk.

• Limiting the number of attendees to help with social dis-tancing.

• Helping guests understand any COVID-19 safety guidelines and steps in place to prevent the spread of the virus.

• Providing or encouraging attendees to bring extra masks, sanitizer or other items for their safety.

Those who should not host or attend a gathering in person include the elderly, especially those with an underlying health condition. However, for those who feel secure attending a gath-ering, some things to keep in mind include:

• Maintaining your distance from people outside your own household and being cautious

about congregating in small or enclosed areas.

• Avoiding close-contact ges-tures such as hugging, shaking hands or even bumping elbows. Wave and verbally greet others instead.

• Wearing a mask at all times when around people who don’t live in your household as a means of reducing the risk of spreading the virus.

• Avoiding loud talking, sing-ing or shouting, especially if not wearing a mask and within 6 feet of others.

• Following social distancing protocols in the two weeks lead-ing up to your family gathering.

Rebecca Dittmar, AgriLife Extension program specialist, Kerrville, said while there is no evidence handling or eating food is associated with the direct spread of COVID-19, people should still be cautious of touch-ing surfaces that may have the virus and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes.

• Making sure guests have access to facilities for washing their hands or provide hand sani-tizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

• Cleaning and disinfecting any surfaces where food will be served or placed.

• Encouraging guests to bring food and drinks for themselves and for members of their own household instead of having a potluck offering.

• Limiting the number of peo-ple going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled.

• Wearing a mask or face shield while preparing or serv-ing food to others who don’t live in your household.

• If practical, having one per-son with a mask or face shield and gloves serve all the food so multiple people do not use the same utensils.

Take extra precautions and consider getting a COVID test.

Written by Paul Schattenberg, [email protected]


Answers provided by Rains Elementary Pre-K students

Happy Thanksgiving 2020Happy Thanksgiving 2020

What are you thankful for?

Mrs. Corley Pre-KSantiago A - my Mom and Dad and new shoesCamila C - my Daddy, Mommy, sister and brotherKendall C - my Dad, my dog and little sisterAbigail D - my Dad and my Mommy who helps me with my socks and reads a book to meRiver D - my sister, I will keep her safeBlakely H - my Mom, 2 dogs, my Dad-dy and sisterLiam L - my Dad and MomBrant M - my Daddy doing my mo-hawk, new bed covers and 4 wheelerMatthew R - my Mom, brother and DadRaquel R - for Brysen, my Bubba and AspenLincoln S - Santa Claus, my Daddy gets me candy, my Ironman, dirtbike and 4-wheelerEvelyn T - my Mom, sisters, brother and DaddyJasper V - my Mom giving me Christ-mas stuff to play with and my teach-er giving me letter necklacesLe‛Novia W - my Mommy, my Grandpa and my Daddy

Mrs. Ramsey Pre-KBlaze B - his chickens and baby brotherLuke B - helping hands and his toysElizabeth H - Bonnie her horseMadison K - TV, to make pum-kins, plant trees with GrandmaHoney K - mommy, Kloe and fam-ilyRoss N - GodShiloh P - sister and brothersPaisley S - a new puppy, sisters, brothers, mommy and daddyZane W - his dogs

Mrs. Hodo Pre-KHeath H - Books and Ms. JulieKorbyn B - Computer gamesWyatt M - Disney and Dreamworks movies, Ritz crackersMadison U - DinosaursTiegann Y - Family

Mrs. Glover Pre-KAsher B - DadAnthony C - DadJessie G - HomeLevi H - Dad got me grapesRadlee K - BrothersKloe K - FoodLucas L - Mom gives me foodAlfonso M - SchoolAllen M - BrotherCamila P - Mom feeds meZoe P - DogsNoah P - Playing outsideJayden V - Friends play

Mrs. Coffman Pre-KBryson B - riding the busLilly B - my MomSydnee E - my friends and familyMaci G - my schoolLeland P - my teacherAustin H - getting to play with my dogBrenleigh H - my MommyKarter J - my friend LelandStephen L - my family and Jesus and GodFinley N - my teacherReagan P - craisinsWesson P - my friends!!!!!!!Sa‛Niya R - popsicles and getting to go swimmingAubrey S - to have friends like LillyKamden S - his whole family and friendsIsaiah W - my mom picking me up


By Donna BoughtonThe Sunday before Thanks-

giving has always been a day to focus on giving our Great God, Our Yahweh Yireh, Great Pro-vider, praise and adoration for all the goodness and mercy He has extended to us through the year.

Sunday school began with a song about God’s faithfulness to lead us day by day. Our les-son focused on the Lord’s name. Both King David and Christ instructed us to “Hallow the Name of the Lord.” The les-son title was “For His Name’s

Sake.”Worship services were led by

Joel Frazier and again our songs focused on praise, adoration and thanksgiving for God’s bless-ings. There were many added to our prayer list, including sev-eral families that suffered the loss of loved ones last week. Pray for those who grieve dur-ing this holiday period. Grat-itude and thanksgiving were shared. Kelsey Frazier brought our morning prayer.

Special music was provid-ed by Kelsey Frazier, Benny Thompson and Pastor Mike Fra-

zier. All of the songs directed our thoughts to praise and ado-ration for the King of Kings who continually gives us abundant blessings.

Pastor Mike’s message rein-forced the need to give God abundant praise – not just one day a year or even one time a day – but continually, lifting up the name of the Lord.

Our hearts are full of praise and adoration for all God’s good-ness to us. Please continue to pray for the healing of our nation and the healing of all those who are sick and in sorrow.

Emory United Methodist Church

Country Baptist Church

Believers' Baptist Church

Shady Grove Baptist Church

By Mary White“Then He will answer them

saying, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these you did not do it to Me.” Matthew 25:45

I don’t even know how to start my news anymore. Everything is so undecided. But you know what, we just need to trust and know that God is up to some-thing wonderful.

Sunday’s message, titled “Recognizing Jesus” with scrip-

ture text taken from Matthew, tells how we as disciples of Christ are suppose to get out there and be taking care of oth-ers. I have to say, our Rains County Good Samaritans do a great job. We have so many vol-unteers that work each week and help those who are in need.

Our church office will be closed at noon on Wednesday.

The Everyday Advent study starts Nov. 30.

The Live Nativity is on Sat-

urday, December 5, from 6:00--7:00 p.m.

Birthday wishes go to Betty Ancheta and anniversary wishes to George and Jeri Humphrey.

Prayer requests are for the Mae Shedd family, Linda Gen-try, Geneva Abla, Lt. Charles and Haven Walker.

Have a wonderful safe Thanksgiving, and remember God loves you.

By Linda Brendle“The Spirit of the Lord is

upon me, because he has anoint-ed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to pro-claim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” Luke 4:18

We continued the schedule of no Sunday school and two wor-ship services. The nursery was available for both services and evening services were resumed.

Watch the Facebook page, web-site, or email for next Sunday’s schedule or call the church office at 903-474-0027.

Sunday morning Pastor Jerod brought a message from Luke and other passages, titled “Hum-ble Yourself.” He said that we are all spiritually poor and blind and can gain righteousness before God, not by merit, but only by humbling ourselves before Him.

The topic of the Sunday eve-ning Foundations Class was

“God is good – all the time – the story of the Good Shepherd.”

Episode 61 of the Asking for a Friend podcast is “Will God give me more than I can handle?”

The church office will be closed November 25-27 for Thanksgiving.

Family Advent devotion-al material is available in the Faith@Home Resource Center. Be sure to pick yours up so you can begin on December 1.

By Lana Carlisle“Verily, verily, I say unto you,

The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”

John 5:25There are two days until

Thanksgiving. Shady Grove Baptist Church is thankful for

every day that God has given us, for every day our doors have been open and to you for the many prayers you have prayed for our church, our families and friends. With a thankful heart we say Happy Thanksgiving.

On our prayer list are Pat Schutter’s little sister, Dirk and Pat’s Schutter’s daughter, Wayne

Milan, unspoken, Sharon Luther, Bro. Milan, and the Medders family.

David Harvey opened with prayer. Bro. Wayne Wolfe’s morning message was titled “The Voice of God,” from John.

Prayers for all. See you next Sunday, Lord willing and the saints don’t rise.

First Baptist Church of PointBy Tina Graves

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

Psalm 100:4Lisa Oler led the congre-

gational singing. Bro. Zack reminded all of Thanksgiving day dinner with Marvin Henson. Dinner will be served at FBC, but to-go meals will be provided as well with Pastor Robert Burns and Miracle Faith volunteers. The community event is free of charge.

Our church of the week was FBC of Fate, with Pastor Glen Cook. The scripture reading was from Psalms.

After the offertory hymn, Teri Ballard and Lisa Oler were in perfect harmony singing a duet.

Bro. Zach began his sermon and how all that’s happened this year may remind us of oth-er notable days in history: D-Day, JFK assassination, 9-11, etc. COVID has caused normal events to be magnified and been a valley for believers to navigate. But even in our deepest times

we have reason to praise God and give thanks. Christians are not immune to difficult times, but in spite of them can remain fearless, for God is always with us! We have a good shepherd who knows how to safely navi-gate our way. Let Thanksgiv-ing remind you of all the Lord is doing in your life, whether in valleys or on mountaintops.

Come to First Baptist Point to learn more about sharing the gospel with others, or watch our sermons online at FBCpoint.com.

Emory Baptist ChurchBy Ronnie Witt

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zeal-ous and repent.”

Revelation 3:19Bro. Richard shared a message

on Sunday morning from Reve-lation, titled “Is Cold toward God Ever Good?” In the mes-sage to the church at Laodicea, Jesus had no encouragement for them. They had become self-assured and distant from depen-dence on the Lord. On Sunday evening, Bro. Richard shared another message from I Samu-

el, titled “Give Us a King!” It concerned Israel’s unfortunate request for a king.

Christmas Shoeboxes were delivered to the dropoff location in Greenville. Operation Christ-mas Child workers prayed over the boxes and the impact those presents would make around the world.

There will be no evening activities on Wednesday night, November 25. The office will also be closed on Thursday, November 26, for Thanksgiv-ing.

Sunday, November 29, is the first Sunday of the Advent sea-son. The McNeills will have a concert on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. EBC will take a love offering for the McNeills that night from those who attend the concert. The Lottie Moon Post Office also opens on Sunday for EBC attendees to send Christ-mas cards to each other. The Lottie Moon Post Office is a fundraising opportunity for the annual Christmas offering for World Missions.

CalvaryBaptist Church

INDEPENDENTFUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST

10:00 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship 6:00 p.m. Worship

Pastor: Jimmy JarrettHwys. 515 & 779, 2-1/2 MilesEast of Emory • 903-474-9463

Chapel HillBaptist Church

Bonanza Community“The church with an opendoor and an open heart”

Sunday School 10:00 a.m.Church Service 11:00 a.m.Evening Service 5:00 p.m.Wed. Night Service 6:30 p.m.

Pastor Billy WalkerEVERYONE WELCOME!

We invite you to study God’s Word with us soon.

CHURCHOF CHRIST

Hwy. 69 N. • P.O. Box 68Emory, TX 75440

903-473-2658Sunday Bible Classes 9:00 a.m.Sunday Morning Worship 10:00 a.m.Sunday Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.Wed. Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

FreedomChurch of God

10830 FM 5146 mi. N on Hwy. 19, east on 514

Sunday School 10:00 a.m.Morning Worship 10:45 a.m.Sunday Evening 6:00 p.m.Wednesday Evening 7:00 p.m.

Nursery ~ Children’s ChurchCome Worship With Us

Pastor David HammChurch 903-473-2457

County LineBaptist Church

Bro. Wayne DartySunday School 9:45 a.m.Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.Sunday Evening 6:30 p.m.Wednesday Night 7:00 p.m.

nursery availableHWY. 275, 3 miles south

of Miller Grove903-994-2125 • 903-459-3219

Welcome to

The CountryBaptist Church

in Point on Hwy. 69

Pastor: Mike FrazierSunday School 10:00 a.m.Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.

NO EVENING SERVICESAT THIS TIME

Emory UnitedMethodist

Church

456 N. Texas StreetOne Block from Square

Worship Services . . .9:30 & 11:00 a.m.

Phone 903-473-2411

Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

Rev. Danny Barrett

Connect with God Connect with God’s Word Connect with God’s People Connect with God’s Plan

Sundays9:15 a.m. Sunday School10:30 a.m. AM Worship Toddler Church Preschool Church Children’s Church6:00 p.m. PM Worship

Wednesdays 6:30 p.m.Prayer Service

Youth Bible StudyKids Inside-out

9483 West FM 515 • Alba, TX 75410903-473-9523 • www.lakeforkbaptist.org

MIRACLE FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH

(Independent)820 SH 276 • Emory

Sunday School 9:00 a.m.Worship Service 10:00 a.m.

ALL SERVICES OUTSIDEWed. Night Service 7:00 p.m.Wed. Night Activity 7:00 p.m.

Pastor: Robert Burns IIChurch: 903-473-3238

SHADY GROVEBAPTIST CHURCH

Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:45 a.m.Morning Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:00 a.m.Evening Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:00 p.m.Wed. Night Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 p.m.

Pastor: Wayne Wolfe • 903-473-4590

19N @ RCR 3200 • EVERYONE WELCOME!

Everyone is welcome at

Bright StarBaptist Church

P.O. Box 680, Alba, TX 75410Two miles West of Alba on

FM 2795, 1-1/2 miles N. of US 69Sunday School 10:00 a.m.Worship Service 11:00 a.m.Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.Wed. Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

Pastor: Bro. Jerry Jackson Jr. 903-513-3120 • 903-569-7100

Pastor: Dr. Jason RolenMinister to students and families: Jerod HaygoodHwy. 19 – 1 mile north of courthouse in Emory

903-474-0027 • www.bbcemory.org

SundaySunday School .................. 9:15 a.m.Morning Worship ............ 10:30 a.m.

WednesdayAWANA ............................6:00 p.m.Student Ministry ...............6:00 p.m.

Daugherty Baptist Church

2 miles west of Hwy. 19N on FM 514 Sunday School .........10:00 a.m. Morning Worship ......11:00 a.m. Evening Worship ......6:00 p.m. Wed. night ................7:00 p.m.

Pastor Joe Pierce903-886-6522

Pilgrims RestBaptist Church

1140 FM 2946, EmorySunday School . . . . . . . 9:45 a.m.Morning Worship . . . 10:45 a.m.Evening Worship . . . . . 6:00 p.m.Wed. Bible Study . . . . . 6:00 p.m.“Reaching Out Because We Care”

Bro. Steve Couchwww.pilgrimsrestbaptistchurch.org

Bible Classes 9:00 a.m.Worship Service 10:00 a.m.Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.Wed. Eve. Service 7:00 p.m.

Everyone welcome!Richard Kellam

www.pointchurchofchrist.org

FirstAssemblyOf God

Services

Sunday School ........... 10:00 a.m.

Morning Worship .......11:00 a.m.

Sunday Evening ........... 5:00 p.m.

Wednesdays ................ 7:00 p.m. Phone: 903-473-2371

340 South Texas St.

(Hwy. 19 South 2 blocks from traffic lights)Pastor: Montie L. & Sandra J. Parker, Sr.

903-473-2653 to have your church ad placed in this directory

6345 FM 47, Point • 903-456-7614

Sunday School 10:00 a.m. • Morning Worship 10:45 a.m.Sunday Evening 6:00 p.m. • Wednesday Evening 7:00 p.m.

Children’s and Youth Ministries availablePastor Nathan Bounds • First Lady Jana Bounds

You’re invited to worship with us.

Clarks Chapel Church of God

You Are Always Welcome at

Free BridgeBaptist Church

903-447-3772“Holding Forth the Word of Life”Sunday School 9:45 a.m.Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m.

Highway 276 • TawakoniDon Ridgeway - Pastor

SSunday Sunday Morning Small Groups 9:15am Morning Worship 10:30am Evening Worship 6:30 pm

WWednesday Wed. Worship 6:30pm (Adults, Youth, Children) Choir Practice 6:30pm

On The Square Corner Of North & Planters

Downtown Emory 903-473-3357

emorybaptist.org

Dr. Richard D. Piles—Pastor Chris Henderson—Minister of Music & Sr. Adults

Ronnie Witt— Minister of Youth & Education

The Gatheringat “The Barn of Emory”

Spirit-fi lled Believers1st Sunday of every

month Sabbath Meal at 1:00 p.m.Every Sunday:

Teaching 2:00 p.m.Worship 3:00 p.m.

550 RSCR 3425, Emory, TX 75440For more info, 903-422-2888


By Glenda Galyean“Enter into his gates with

thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

Psalm 100:4Last Wednesday evening

after the meal, the youth and the adults all met together. The youth blessed our hearts with a beautiful song before Bro. Andrew’s message from Judg-es about “Samson, the 13th Judge.”

Sunday morning service was wonderful. We are so thank-ful for all the blessings that

God has bestowed upon us and our church. Our hearts were overflowing when Courtney Spence and her children sang the special before Bro. Jerry Jackson’s special thanksgiving message, titled “Being Thank-ful for Family, Friends and Blessings” from Psalms. Bro. Jerry announced at the end of the service that we would have a singing service in the evening service.

In the evening service that’s what we did. We had our Fifth Sunday Singing on the fourth Sunday ... a week early. What

a blessing it is to see little chil-dren, and the older ones too, willing to use the talents that God has given them to praise His name. We are proud of the adults also.

Anniversary greetings go to James and Becky Kilborn.

Our mid-week service will be on Tuesday. The next ladies’ meeting will be December 1 at 6:00 p.m. The adult Christmas party will be December 16.

Have a super blessed and thankful Thanksgiving and a safe week.

Bright Star Baptist Church

Always Local!News, sports and more!

Send us your photos & news [email protected] • www.rainscountyleader.com

903-473-2653

Subscribe today for $28 a year! (in county)

ObituariesIda Hass1951 – 2020

Ida Hass, 69, of Emory died on November 18, 2020. She was born April 13, 1951, to William and Mittie Bell Steen in Rains County.

Mrs. Hass is survived by her son, William Hass; sister, Linda Rhodes; and nephews, Charlie and Jackie Rhodes.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Isaac Andrew Hass; her parents; a brother; and a niece.

No services are planned at this time.Arrangements are under the direction of Wil-

son-Orwosky Funeral Home.

Patsy Ruth Davis Rakestraw1939 – 2020

Patsy Ruth Davis Rakestraw, 81, of Alba, died on November 16, 2020, in Emory. She was born March 12, 1939, in Leonard, to Oren Lee and Claudia Mae Collins Davis. Patsy had lived in the Alba area since 1997. She loved cooking, gardening and redoing furni-ture. She also enjoyed tinkering in the yard, antiquing and going to garage and estate sales.

Mrs. Rakestraw is survived by three daughters, Carol Hutton of Weather-ford, Dee Ann Phillips and husband Randy of Lone Oak, and Vicki Cantu and husband Stephen

of Celina; brother, Herman Davis of Lindale; sister, Joy Dee Moore of Mid-land; seven grandchildren; two great-grandsons; and numerous other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, James Franklin Rakestraw; seven brothers; and seven sisters.

Interment will be in Salem Cemetery, Alba.

Arrangements were under the direc-tion of Wilson-Bartley Funeral Home, Alba.

Mae Shedd1937 – 2020

Funeral services for Mae Shedd, 83, of Emory were held on November 21 at Miracle Faith Baptist Church in Emory. Brother Robert Burns officiated.

Interment followed at Turner Cem-etery.

Mrs. Shedd died on November 18, 2020. She was born October 23, 1937, to William Hopkins Jones and Ollie Lee Greer Jones in Lone Oak. She married Jimmie Dee Shedd on May 30, 1953.

Mrs. Shedd is survived by her chil-dren, Patsy A. Shedd Moore and husband Tommy, Stephen D. Shedd and wife Pamela, David Shedd and wife Reene, and Dee Shedd Adams; grand-children, Christie Moore Weaver and husband Ste-

ven, Michelle Moore Perry and husband Andy, Tamara Shedd, Jeffery Shedd and wife Laurie, Kelsey Shedd Varner and husband Zach, Jordan Shedd Story and husband Austin, and Ava and Grace Adams; great-grandchildren, Devon and Dylan Weaver, Luke and Lily Moore, Nikolas, Morgan and Micah Shedd, Kenadie and Braxton Shedd, Amelia Story; sister, Pat Lovell; and brothers, Robert “Bob” Jones and Hoyt Jones.

She was preceded in death by her husband and parents.

Arrangements were under the direction of Wil-son-Orwosky Funeral Home.

Bobby Lee Medders1939 – 2020

A funeral service for Bobby Lee Med-ders, 81, of Emory, was held November 23 at Emory Baptist Church.

Interment followed with military honors at Clifton Cemetery.

Mr. Medders died on November 20, 2020. He was born on February 14, 1939, in the Daughtery community to James Walter and Lois Garrett Med-ders, the fifth of six children. He started school in Miller Grove, attended sev-enth grade in Dallas, and returned to fin-ish his education in Emory. He graduated in 1958. While in high school, he worked for Frank Alex-ander Groc. and the Rains County Leader. After graduation, he went to work for the Texas High-way Department, rising to Chief Inspector.

On November 7, 1961, Mr. Medders was drafted into the U.S. Army into the 2nd Armored Calvary Squadron. After basic training, Private Medders was assigned to Bamburg, Germany during the Cold War, during 1961-1963 as a tank driver with additional duties as a border guard on the eastern front between Germany and Czechoslovakia. Bor-der guard duty on the outpost was freezing and his water canteen would freeze. He received his Army Honorable discharge in 1963, returned home and served in the Army Reserves for six years.

Awards include National Defense Medal, Rifle M-1, Marksman (BAR), Marksman 30 cal., and the Good Conduct Medal. In 1966, he went to work for Texas Instruments in Dallas. He worked in the space program as long as TI was involved in space exploration. He worked on many proj-ects (11 total) including MARINER MARS and

VIKING. He never lost his love for space exploration. Later, he transferred to Government Products and was a faithful and loyal employee. He retired in 1996 after 30-plus years. He made numerous friends along the way.

He married Sue Sisk on June 21, 1967, at a country church pastored by Robert Renfro, Former pastor of Emory Baptist Church. Together they had three children, Melanie, Mistie and Ryan. They lived in Garland for 35 years and

moved back to Emory in 2004. He loved fishing, camping, gardening and working with his cows. Bobby was a 59-year member of Shiloh Masonic Lodge in Lone Oak and a member of Lake Fork Baptist Church.

He is survived by his wife; children, Melanie Medders, Mistie Roberson and husband Cody, and Ryan Medders; grandchildren, Hunter, Makenzie, Peyton, Ty, Samantha, Jasmine, Katelyn, Hannah and Skylar; sisters, June Patterson, Altie Wolf and JoAnn Prather; and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; broth-er, Billy Medders; sister, Joy Terry; and broth-ers-in-law, A.H. Terry, Zane Prather and Preston Wolf.

Memorials may be made to Shiloh Masonic Lodge #307, PO Box 131, Lone Oak, TX 75453, to the Clifton Cemetery Association, 10216 FM 275 S., Cumby, TX 75433, or the charity of your choice.

Arrangements were under the direction of Wil-son-Orwosky Funeral Home.

Leader photo by Kay Thompson

The Rains County Chamber of Commerce held its monthly networking luncheon on November 18, sponsored by The Emory Economic Development Corporation and catered by Marshall’s BBQ. Michael Ellsberry, Director of Trinity Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC) of Athens, and Jamee Nitschke, business advisor for SBDC covering Rains County, spoke on ways they can help with new business start-ups or acquisitions.

Chamber luncheon

10 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER, 24, 2020

Classified Ads 473-2653We Accept

(9

03

)

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE11:00 A.M. MONDAYS

PUBLIC/LEGAL NOTICEFOR SALEMISCELLANEOUS

Very Good SHELLED PECANS available. Scott’s Orchard. 903-243-2130.

REAL ESTATE30 ACRES FOR SALE. 469-552-1737.

LOTS near Lake Fork. Private boat ramp. Call for details. (75783) 903-878-7265.

UNDER $200/MONTH buys land at Lake Fork. 50’x100’. Perfect for site-built homes, mobiles/RVs. 903-878-7265.

SALESTHE GOOD SAMARITAN Thrift and Clothing Store will be Closed November 26.

HELP WANTEDSENIOR SUITE CARE & REHAB is now accepting applications for housekeeping, nurses, dietary cook/helper. Apply in person at 983 N. Texas St., Emory, TX.

RAINS ISD NEEDS: Maintenance/Grounds Employee, Custodian/Custodian Substitutes, Bus Drivers/Substitutes, Food Service, Full-Time Child Development Center. Salary based on experience. $275/month of full-time employee health coverage paid. Apply on-line at https://www.rainsisd.org Equal Employment Opportunity.

PART-TIME FUNERAL HOME ASSISTANT. Must have professional appearance, be able to lift over 50 lbs., have a flexible schedule, be available after hours and week-ends for on-call duties. Wilson-Orwosky Funeral Home. Please contact Hesston Taylor at 903-335-5530 or email resumes to [email protected].

RENT/LEASE

ALL BILLS PAIDEAGLE INN APARTMENTS

2-BR $734/mth. $500 deposit. Apply at eagleinnapartments.com.

3-BR, 1-1/2 BA, ch/a, fenced yard, $850/mth. 903-474-4007.

3-BR, 2-BA, ch/a, fenced yard, $1,200/mth. 903-474-4007.

INSULATED BUILDINGS FOR LEASE - 40’x50’ and 50’x60’. (shop & office) 903-814-1000. EMORY BUSINESS PARK.

STORAGE UNITSEMORY SELF STORAGE, Hwy. 69S, 410 E. Lennon. Now offering climate-controlled units. 903-474-9150, 903-348-5459.

SERVICESCLEANING

2 COUNTRY GIRLZ professional home cleaning, local women, rea-sonable rates. 903-474-7627.

CONSTRUCTIONSEAMLESS ALUMINUM GUTTERS. Patio covers, carports, metal haul-off. Tri-Star Services. 903-355-3004.

PHILLIP’S PLUMBING COMPANY 24-hour repair service. Lic. Plumber. Trenching service. Home 903-473-3857; cell 903-474-3054.

HARDWIRE ELECTRIC - Service calls, residential and commercial. Owner Ethan Fritz, TL 34728, 903-474-0494. Free estimates.

UNETWORK CONSTRUCTION AND COMPANY. (formerly Lane’s Concrete Work) Houses, drive-ways, patios, sidewalks, GRAVE CURBING (any size). 903-268-1400.

CONSTRUCTIONMCKENZIE LAKE WORKS. Superior quality waterfront solutions. Boat docks, steel/metal bldgs., & more. www.mckenzielakeworks.com. 903-356-2300, 903-269-6173.

DIRT & TRACTOR WORKG&G GRAVEL – All types of gravel, chipped asphalt, available for spreading, free estimates. Miller Grove. Bret Garrett 903-268-6910, Mark Garrett 903-348-3872.

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DIRT WORK. Concrete piers and slabs, retaining walls – wood and concrete, boat houses, docks, metal roofs, remodeling, rock, sand, gravel, clearing, driveways, demolition, ponds, lakes. JOSH CHRISTIAN CONSTRUCTION – 903-474-3704.

TONY JENNINGS DIRT WORK – Will pump out and clean out pools, fence rows, etc., with excavator/trackhoe. Free estimates. Home 903-473-2508. Cell 903-530-7014.

LAWN/LANDSCAPE/MOWINGHOOTEN’S LAWN

& TREE SERVICE, LLCTim Hooten

Lawn maintenance, sodding, land-scaping, tree trimming & removal, retaining walls, irrigation systems. LI 0019094.903-473-8706, 903-474-4402.

LEAF VACUUMING/CLEAN-UP, tree trimming, tractor shredding, rock spreading, etc. 903-474-5130.

JERRY’S LAWN CARE & TRACTOR WORK. Big or small – excavator, backhoe, bobcat, mowing. 903-335-3741.

MISC. SERVICESFREE ROOF INSPECTION – Have hail/wind damage? Leaks in roof? Call Zack 210-607-9847.

INDIGO INDUSTRIES LLC - Custom gates and fence. Solar powered, Free Estimates. 903-473-2303.

Subscribe to the Rains County Leader! Just $28/year!

(in county)

PUBLIC NOTICENOTICE TO ALL PERSONS BUYING

PROPERTY IN THE VICINITY OF THE SHIRLEY WATER SUPPLY

CORP.Shirley Water Supply Corp. urges any

prospective buyer to verify with the man-ager at the office, located on FM 1567, east of Hwy. 19, north of Em ory, Tex., or south of Sulphur Springs, Tex., whether or not water is available at the tract of land in question.

Shirley Water Supply Corp.6684 FM 1567 W

Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482.

CITATION BY PUBLICATIONTO: UNKNOWN OWNERS OR

CLAIMANTS OF THE SUBJECT REAL PROPERTY; RESPONDENT, GREET-INGS:

NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: YOU HAVE BEEN SUED. YOU MAY EMPLOY AN ATTORNEY. IF YOU OR YOUR ATTOR-NEY DO (DOES) NOT FILE A WRITTEN ANSWER WITH THE CLERK WHO IS-SUED THIS CITATION BY 10:00 A.M. ON THE MONDAY NEXT FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF FORTY-TWO (42) DAYS FROM AND AFTER YOU WERE SERVED THIS CITATION AND PETI-TION, A DEFAULT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU.

The PLAINTIFF’S ORIGINAL PETI-TION filed by HEATH SISK AND KRISTI SISK, was filed in the 354TH DISTRICT COURT of Rains County, Texas on the 11th day of November, 2020, styled,

CAUSE NO. 10981HEATH SISKKRISTI SISK

-VS-UNKNOWN OWNERS OR CLAIMANTS OF THE SUBJECT REAL PROPERTYThe real property made the basis

of this suit is described as follows: 18.216-ACRES, W.B. MILLER SVY, A-153.

Plaintiff requests “TO ESTABLISH TITLE BY LIMITATIONS BY ADVERSE POSSESSION OF THE SUBJECT PROP-ERTY” as is more fully shown by Plain-

tiff’s Petition on file in this suit.The Court has authority in this suit

to enter an order that will be binding on you.

ISSUED AND GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND THE SEAL OF SAID COURT, at office, this 16th day of November, 2020.

LAURA PATE, DISTRICT CLERKRAINS COUNTY, TEXASBy: Amber Davis, deputy

“CITATION BY PUBLICATION TO THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF REY-

NA, JOHN DAVID, DECEASED, GREET-INGS:

YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNTY COURT OF RAINS COUNTY, TEXAS AT THE RAINS COUNTY COURTHOUSE ANNEX LOCATED AT 220 W. QUlTMAN ST., EMORY, TEXAS 75440. BY FILING A WRITTEN CONTEST OR ANSWER TO THE APPLICATION TO DETERMINE HEIRSHIP AND APPLICATION FOR IN-DEPENDENT ADMINISTRATION AND LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION FILED BY REYNA, CAROLYN RENEE ON 11/20/2020 IN CAUSE 3094 IN THE COUNTY COURT OF RAINS COUNTY, TEXAS AND BEING STYLED: IN THE ESTATE OF REYNA, JOHN DAVID, DE-CEASED ON OR BEFORE THE MON-DAY NEXT FOLLOWING THE EXPIRA-TION OF 10 DAYS FROM THE DATE THIS CITATION WAS PUBLISHED. BY THE APPLICATION TO DETERMINE HEIRSHIP AND APPLICATION FOR DEPENDENT ADMINISTRATION AND LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION, AP-PLICANT SEEKS THE COURT TO DE-TERMINE AND DECLARE THE HEIRS OF REYNA, JOHN DAVID, DECEASED AND THEIR INTERESTS IN SAID ES-TATE.

ISSUED AND GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF SAID COURT AT OFFICE IN EMORY, TEXAS, THIS

NOVEMBER 23, 2020.LINDA WALLACE, COUNTY CLERK

RAINS COUNTY, TEXASBy: Karen Knight, deputy

MISC. SERVICESAVS APPLIANCE SERVICE – Servicing most household appli-ances. All work guaranteed. 903-473-3664, 903-473-8862.

PEST CONTROLALL PRO PEST CONTROL. Termites, roaches, spiders, ants, scorpions. Call Robert 903-268-7263.

RODGERS PEST CONTROL – rats, mice, roaches, ants, spiders, what-ever bugs you. 903-394-4531.

TREE SERVICESHOOTEN’S LAWN & TREE SERVICE, LLC. Tree trimming/removal. Credit cards, insured. LI0019094. 903-473-8706, 903-474-4402.

M&M TREE SERVICE. 15 yrs. pro-fessional experience. Complete ser-vice available. Competitive rates. FREE ESTIMATES. References available. *INSURED* 903-408-0161.

LEGACY TREE SERVICE. www.TheWilsonLegacy.com 903-455-1587. Insured, credit cards, appointments. We specialize in high risk removals. Trimming, Removals, Stumps.

WANTEDWANTED: FRESH UNGRADED CHICKEN EGGS, we pay $3.00 per dozen. The eggs must be delivered to Emory, TX. Must be fresh, clean, labeled with your contact informa-tion and in new egg cartons. Email us at [email protected] for more details.

NOTICEA classified ad may not discrimi-nate on the basis of gender, age, marital status, religion or race. Nor can it be used to slander.

SUDOKU SOLUTION


Read the Leader on the go. Subscribe online at: www.RainsCountyLeader.com

50 Years Ago This WeekGleanings from the Rains County Leader archives

Thursday,November 26,

1970Thanksgiving ServiceA community Thanksgiving

service will be held in the Emory Baptist Church Wednesday eve-ning at 7 p.m.

The Rev. Calvin Durham, pastor of the Assembly of God Church, will deliver the Thanks-giving message.

The Rev. Fred W. Hampton, pastor of the Emory United Methodist Church, will share in the program as well as Pastor Charles Goodson.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend this ser-vice.

Open House ForElementary School

Superintendent Glynon Wil-liamson has announced that an open house will be held in the newly completed elementary school Sunday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Rains Trims MabankIn ’70 Finale

The Rains Wildcats started and ended district play with victories, but did not win any games in between. The Wildcats defeated Mabank here in what could be the last game played in the Acorn Bowl, by a score of 19 to 10. The Wildcats finished with a season record of 3 wins, 6 losses and 1 tie. Their District 18A record was 2 wins, 4 losses and 1 tie.

On a wet field with cold rain falling, neither team could estab-lish a consistent game. Fumbles were amazingly few during the game. Mabank dominated dur-ing the first two periods. The two teams traded interceptions late in the second quarter. Terry Moore intercepted for Mabank and set up Maback on the Rains 31-yard line. Two plays later, Charles Smith intercepted for Rains at the goalline. A penalty during the tackle moved the football

to the Rains 24-yard line with 5 seconds remaining in the first half.

Jerry Williamson passed to Tony Garrett and as the buzzer sounded Garrett was racing to the end zone for the first touch-down of the game. W.C. Asbill kicked the extra point and Rains led 7 to 0 at halftime.

The Wildcats scored the first two times they had the ball in the third period. Randy Traylor intercepted a Mabank pass on the 50-yard line to start the first touchdown drive. Aided by a 15-yard penalty, the Wildcats scored in only three plays with Wil-liam Abercrombie scoring on a 20-yard run. W.C. Asbill’s kick was wide right leaving a 13 to 0 Rains lead.

The Wildcats took possession the next time on their own 30-yard line. The rushing duo of Jim McCauley and Charles Smith drove the Wildcats to the Panther 19-yard line. Jerry Williamson then passed to Mike Willis for the Wildcats’ third touchdown. The pass from a fake kick was knocked down and Rains led 19 to 0 with 2:11 remaining in the third period.

Mabank made one scor-ing threat in the fourth period when they drove to the Wildcat 8-yard line. The threat ended when Danny Fenter recovered a Mabank fumble. The Wildcats then used the remainder of the time to end the game with a final score of 19 to 0.

Tacky ExpertsA “tacky” party was given for

the young people of the Church of Christ and their friends last Saturday night in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Boren.

There were 10 young peo-ple and 7 adults present. Those attending were Harold White, Beverly Goodson, DeLee Gil-ley, Nelda Pound, Dianne and Scott Rabe, Gene Wade, Mac and Waymon Allen, Larry Mc-Keown, Mr. and Mrs. Emery Cathy, and Mr. and Mrs. James Liles, Mrs. John Paul Lee, and the hosts.

Games were played and priz-

es were given to the tackiest boy dresser, girl dresser and adult dresser. Dianne Rabe, Harold White and Janice Lee were the winners.

DaughertyBy Della Blanton

The weather report for this morning is cold and windy. The sun is peeking through the par-tially cloudy sky, but we have no grumbles to make.

We enjoyed an interesting Sunday school lesson. Tommye Sue Griffin and little daughter, Lora Kem, were our guests.

We missed those who were absent.

Donna Vititow has missed several days of school lately. She has been suffering from an ear infection.

Mrs. Ida Braziel’s broken arm is slowly improving.

Verna Barnett is suffering from an ailing wrist.

Cora and Cleon Spradling had a telephone visit with the Alton Spradlings of Houston Sunday morning. They are doing fine. Alma will get the cast removed from her foot in two weeks. She has been suffering from a broken ankle.

Velma Skidmore is staying with her daughter Mrs. Bill Groom in Dallas while Horace is in the hospital. They visit him together.

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Culbert-son and sons, Dallas, spent the weekend with Gladys Braziel.

Betty did her best to help win the ladies’ basketball game here. She went home with sev-eral bruises but no regrets.

Talk about getting the best of dad and big brother, listen to this: Mark Groves, Robin, Tim and Mike Grove, Denton, went deer hunting Saturday. Mark and Mike carried deer rifles, Robin and Tim carried rifles for lesser game. On arriving at the lease, Robbin and Tim were stationed at a protected place until Mark and Mike went for the haul. Returning to the beginning point empty handed, they found Rob-bin and Tim had felled a nice buck.

enforcement, as well as the resi-dents of the subdivision. The developer told the council that landowners in the development will be expected to install some lighting at a later date and just wanted the waiver from requir-ing the street plan with the plat.

Mayor Chandler stated that Hayter Engineering, the city’s engineering firm, submitted a letter to the council that rec-ommended allowing the waivers and approving the final plat for

the subdivision.The variance request was

approved by the council with McDermott voting against it. With the waiver passed, the council unanimously approved the final plat for the Vintage Shores Subdivision.

Council members were presented and unanimously approved an ordinance on flood damage prevention.

In the monthly report for the Spirit of East Tawakoni, the

group is looking into installing a temporary flag pole near the library building for a Christmas tree decoration, while looking into installing a permanent pole at a later date.

The group informed the coun-cil that a bake sale will be held on Tuesday, November 24, and the Christmas parade is sched-uled for Saturday, December 5, starting at 4:00 p.m.

All council members were present for the regular meeting.

The next meeting of the East Tawakoni City Council is sched-uled for Tuesday, December 15, at 7:00 p.m. in the council cham-bers of city hall.

ETContinued from page 1

enrolling with each state in order to be ready to safely adminis-ter vaccines when available. We care about our neighbors and are committed to doing what we can to lessen the impact of COVID-19.”

Once the COVID-19 vaccine is available, BGC pharmacy

staff will partake in the neces-sary training to ensure the safe administration of the vaccine, as well as educating our patients about the process. BGC phar-macists are trained to be vac-cine administrators. BGC will share available information and updates regarding timing and

distribution once the process moves forward.

BGC’s top priority is the safe-ty and health of our employee-partners, customers and com-munities. The company has continued to take proactive and preventive measures, including sanitation practices beyond our normally stringent standards. Retail employee-partners have increased the frequency in which they sanitize surfaces such as shopping carts and baskets, key-pads, counter tops, etc.

Based in Tyler, Texas, BGC is a regional family-owned grocery business that employs more than 15,000 individuals throughout Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. The company operates more than 180 stores under the Brook-shire’s, Super 1 Foods, FRESH by Brookshire’s and Spring Mar-ket banners, along with three distribution centers and corpo-rate offices.

PHARMACIESContinued from page 1

Texas will initially allocate COVID-19 vaccines based on the following criteria:• Protecting healthcare work-

ers who fill a critical role in caring for and preserving the lives of COVID-19 patients and maintaining the health care infrastructure for all who need it.

• Protecting frontline workers who are at greater risk of con-tracting COVID-19 due to the nature of their work providing critical services and preserv-ing the economy.

• Protecting vulnerable popula-tions who are at greater risk of severe disease and death if they contract COVID-19.

• Mitigating health inequities due to factors such as demo-graphics, poverty, insurance status and geography.

• Data-driven allocations using the best available scientific evidence and epidemiology at the time, allowing for flexibil-ity for local conditions.

• Geographic diversity through a balanced approach that con-siders access in urban and

rural communities and in affected ZIP codes.

• Transparency through shar-ing allocations with the public and seeking public feedback.EVAP has recommended, and

the Commissioner of Health John Hellerstedt has approved, healthcare workers likely to pro-vide direct care for COVID-19 patients and other vulnerable residents to be the first group to receive the vaccine. That includes staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities, emergency medi-cal services and home healthcare workers. As part of its ongoing work, EVAP will make recom-mendations on how and when to roll out vaccine to other critical groups.

VACCINESContinued from page 1


SportsStately WildcatRAINS WILDCATS & LADY CATS BASKETBALL

Wildats open season with victory,Lady Cats notch two more wins


Taking it to the Mabank Lady Panther, junior Jaycee Nugent (20) takes a running jumpshot in the lane during the 54-28 win at home on Friday, November 20. The Lady Cats opened the game with a 28-0 run that lasted into the second quarter of the game.

By CHUCK FITTSRains County Leader staff

The Rains Wildcats opened their season with a win and the Rains Lady Cats reeled off two wins last week.

The Lady Cats traveled to

Tyler on Tuesday, November 17, and beat the Lady Lions, 50-39.

On Friday, November 20, the Rains girls varsity basket-ball team held the Mabank Lady Panthers scoreless the entire first quarter and rolled to a 54-28 victory in Emory.

The Wildcats were in Mineola on Friday and held on for a 54-50 win over the Yellow Jack-ets. Senior Daniel Balthrop led the team with 19 points and four steals, and senior Drake Hurley contributed 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.

The Rains Lady Cats improve to 3-1, while the Rains Wildcats start the season at 1-0.

The high school teams will be on the road on Tuesday, Novem-ber 24, with the girls at the Saltillo Lady Lions and the boys at the Liberty-Eylau Leopards.

Contributed photo

Senior Ben Gudger competed at the UIL Class 3A State Cross Country Meet in Round Rock on Monday, November 23. Gudger finished 33rd in the state with a time of 16:45.96.

Vol. 134, Issue 25 – 1 Section, 12 pages plus inserts ...

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Transcript of Vol. 134, Issue 25 – 1 Section, 12 pages plus inserts ...