Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune (Mount Pleasant, Tex.), Vol. 142, No. 40, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 28, 2016 Page: 1 of 18
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Big decisions face voters Tuesday
See Voters, Page 5A
Late service or latte service
Church finds coffee shop suits its taste, but now it needs more space
in
1
If
—-—
en-
4
to
8
6
Early vote
already
sets record
By LARRY JACKSON
eclitor@tribnow.com
"The
was
area
By LARRY JACKSON
editor@tribnow.com
By LYNDA STRINGER
lstringer@tribnow. com
MOUNT PLEASANT
DAILY TRIBUNE
Ry
Democratic coventions.
Both DonaldTrump and Hillary Clinton
are hoping for decisive victories that will
virtually clinch their nominations. But
three LJ.S. Senators
meet on
Instead, members and visitors
gather on coi
Tuesday marks
Center Church
worship service.
Led by Pastor Jeremy Thomas,
the unusual congregation has
grown steadily over the past
year and is only looking for that
f
quainted with
new
workers.
Things took
vol- Antonio June 16-18.
for
Contributed photo
Pastor Jeremy Thomas finds a horse trough works fine for baptisms at Center Church, which meets on Sunday evenings above Jo's Coffee Shop.
the to set up yet another elec-
tion crew.
But first
looking in
area for a
on Tuesday, re-
one year since
held its first
when White ran
ernor, so she had an
what the job would
When Claretna Vaxter
moved to Titus County,
she felt like she'd found
a patch of ground to call
her own. She didn't know
anybody here ("No fam-
ily, no history," she says),
but it didn't take her long
to change that.
Vaxter had lived in
Richmond, Texas, in the
hustle and bustle of Met-
ropolitan Houston.
"When I retired from
AT&T, I wanted to move
to the country, find a
piece of ground and have
a garden," she says.
But she also wanted
to meet people. Getting
involved with the Demo-
cratic Party seemed the
natural thing to do.
"I'd been very involved
with the Democratic Party
in Fort Bend County, so
I decided to volunteer
here, too," she said.
That quickly led
1
■
'I
04879 12500
answers."
Another "right answer"
was the decision
move here, she said.
ready now." "I've enjoyed every mo-
Tuesday will be elec- ment of it," Vaxter smiled.
tion day, and Democrats "I have a lot more to
will have 15 different look forward to."
How big was this year's
early vote in Titus County?
Astounding. Three times
the number of early GOP
votes four years ago.
In 2014's Republican
primary, the race getting
the most total votes cast
was the one for Congress,
when Ralph Hall was de-
fending his seat against
John Ratcliffe. The total
vote - early, by mail, and
on Election Day - was
1,792.
This year, when early
voting ended at 5 p.m.
Friday, there were al-
ready 1,856 votes cast.
That number includes in-
person and by-mail vot-
ing. Sowhen Election Day
votes are cast on Tuesday,
the total will only grow.
Four years ago, the last
year with a presidential
contest, Republicans cast
only 1,527 total votes in
their presidential primary.
So the early votes alone
this year are 21 percent
more than the total vote in
2012.
The early-vote total for
Republicans that year was
607. This year's early-vote
total was 1,856, Elections
Administrator Krissy Lytle
reported.
Another 337 ballots,
both in-person and by
mail, were cast in the
Democratic primary by
the end of the day Friday.
LARRY JACKSON/Daily Tribune
As a Titus County newcomer, Claretna Vaxter found
political involvement was a perfect way to get
acquainted with the people of her new community.
plenty of activities for the nally she was
new East Texan. the Texarkana
"I really didn't know retirement home,
anything about Mount But a real estate broker
Pleasant," she said. Origi- showed her a tract here
"When we launched that first
the Sunday night, it was packed. It
new was a fun time and throughout
seen close
to know
was
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growth to continue. Thomas' message.
Unlike most churches, the Baptisms are held on
nondenominational flock doesn't patio behind the building;
Sunday mornings, believers are submerged in water this past year, we've 1
a horse trough colorfully to 30 people come
imfy chairs, couches airbrushed with the words, "Made Christ," said Thomas, who
and white-painted pews in the New." The public professions of part of Trinity Baptist Church's
space above Jo's Coffee Shop at 5 faith are followed by a church- ministry team and involved in
p.m. on Sunday evenings to soak wide celebration with a meal Ark Ministries before the new
in the contemporary[ music and they call "Community Night." See Center Church, Ptige 8A
Newcomer plunges into Democratic politics
a new leader. Convention. That will be
The county executive at Luigi's Restaurant in
committee asked Vaxter Mount Pleasant on Sat-
if she would be interested urday, March 19. Among
in the appointment. other things, delegates
"It was a big challenge, will be elected to the
but I accepted it." state convention in San
Vaxter had been a
unteer coordinator for With all the legal re-
"You have to put forth the Bill White campaign quirements of political
some time and energy," when White ran for gov- parties, Vaxter has had a
she says. And the results ernor, so she had an idea lot to learn.
were most worthwhile. what the job would en- "If I don't know some-
"I couldn't have found tail. thing, I call the (Texas)
any better neighbors," "The big challenge secretary of state," she
Vaxter says. was getting to know the said. "They've been very
"They are just an expres- area and the people," she helpful. Or I call the state
sion of the type of people said. "I had some diffi- party office. That way I
living here in Titus Coun- culty in finding people get the right
ty." to work at the polls. But
Vaxter had been a long- I'm learning the different she got
time precinct chair in Fort areas, and I think we're to
Bend County, so she vol-
unteered to local [Demo-
crats to help their efforts.
That meant getting ac-
and she fell in love. quainted with a whole polling places around Ti-
"My prayer was always new set of officials and tus County.
for the Lord just to lead workers. If necessary, there will
and guide me," she said. Things took a sudden be a runoff on May 24,
"I knew no one here, I change, though, when meaning Vaxter will have
had no family here. But I Norma Narramore,
realized, this is where I longtime county Demo-
want to move." cratic chair, suffered a But first will come
She's been happy with stroke. The party needed the Democratic County
the decision ever since.
Importantly, it was close
enough to home that she
would still be able to see
her children and grand-
children.
After retiring from AT&T
in 2014, she settled in and
started getting acquainted.
mary.
That's more
of Republican primary votes
Tuesday's election is shaping up as one mail and on Election Day -
for the record books. years ago or four years ago.
Titus County Electiions Administrator "I hope we ordered enough ballots,"
Krissy Lytle reported that when voting Lytle said Friday.
closed at 5 p.m. Friday, 1,703 early bal-
lots had been cast in the Republican pri- the final day alone.
If there's a big turnout
by far than the grand total cords are likely to fall.
- early, by For Republicans, there's high interest
either two both at the White House and the court-
house. three LJ.S. Senators - Ted Cruz of Texas,
The seemingly endless drama of presi- Marco Rubio of Florida and Bernie Sand-
dential politics could reach a climax, as ers of Vermont - are feverishly working to
More than 300 GOP votes were cast on Texas and 11 other states choose del- block them.
egates on Tuesday for the Republican and
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Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune (Mount Pleasant, Tex.), Vol. 142, No. 40, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 28, 2016, newspaper, February 28, 2016; Mount Pleasant, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1428860/m1/1/: accessed July 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Mount Pleasant Public Library.