Mineola Monitor (Mineola, Tex.), Vol. 141, No. 9, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 2, 2016 Page: 1 of 16
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Take the
Texas Quiz
Page 2A
Last pre-primary
sheriff candidates forum
Page 3A
Billboard truck
features Anderson
Page 3A
Find us on
www.facebook.com/MineolaMonitor
■HHHI
* Mineola Monitor
Mineola’s Hometown newspaper since 1876
March 2,2016
Vol. 141 • No. 9 • Two Sections • 50 cents
We're where you are!”
Mayor reports
on new health
care facility,
need for water
rate increase
During the February
Mineoia City Councii
workshop on Feb. 18
Mayor Rodney Wat-
kins gave a lengthy
report on severai
items inciuding a new
heaith care facility,
buiiding permits and
the need for a water
rate increase.
"Probably the big-
gest thing out of the
meeting, I wouid as-
sume," he said, is the
announcement that
ETMC is going to
open an urgent care
in the oid ciinic beside
Brookshire's. They are
going to move their
ambuiance operation
to a buiiding they're
pianning to rent.
Watkins had been
urging ETMC officiais
and empioyees for
some medicai oppor-
tunities in Mineoia,
and he said that one
of their officiais, Per-
ry Henderson who is
over all of ETMC's op-
See MAYOR, Page 8A
Out &
About
• The Knights of
Columbus Fish Fries
continue on Wednes-
days through March 9
at 6:30 p.m. at St. Pe-
ter's Catholic Church.
Cost is $9 for adults
and $5 for children.
• The Friends of the
Mineoia Memorial Li-
brary will host Wayne
Collins as their guest
speaker Thursday at 1
p.m. at the library and
the meeting is open to
the public.
• APET will hold
an adoption day on
Saturday at Tractor
Supply from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m.
• The Astronomical
Society of East Texas
will host a viewing at
the Mineoia Nature
Preserve Saturday at
the Mineoia Nature
Preserve starting at 5
See ABOUT, Page 2A
Food for the Soul
Story & photos by Doris Newman
The Rafael Espinoza Band with Dr. Otis Webster and Travis Maxey bring blues numbers of B.B., Freddie and Albert King to life on the stage Saturday night.
Blues, gospel concert fundraiser
celebrates music of the 'Kings'
The talents of George Faber were on full display in the Mc-
Farland and Community Cemetery fundraiser. He delighted
those in attendance with the sounds from this melodian,
prompting some impromptu dancing in the audience.
A NIGHT OUT WITH THE KINGS deliv-
ered a profusion of music to Mineoia like
no other event has Saturday at the Addie
McFarland Gymnasium.
The event was a fundraiser with all pro-
ceeds going to the Community Cemetery
and the McFarland Foundation and was a
sort of concluding celebration during Black
History Month. By mid-day Saturday, about
$1,500 in tickets had been raised. But aside
from the fundraising, the event featured lo-
cal and area musicians the Rafael Espinoza
Band, Dr. Otis Webster (Otis and the Met-
ros) and George Faber. Espinoza's sister-in-
law, Lorianne Hubbard of The Hubbards,
brought her individual style gospel music
and Travis Maxey amped up the guitar
talent. The evening started off with the St.
Paul Missionary Baptist Church Choir and
Rufus Jackson of Mineoia.
"The Kings" referenced the three unre-
lated blues giants, B.B., Albert and Freddie
King.
The audience was treated to two and a
half hours of solid gold performances. Near
the end of the evening Espinoza asked, "Do
you think you got your $10 worth?" Smiles,
applause and even a little impromptu danc-
ing during the numbers could have been
their answer.
See KINGS CONCERT, Page 6A
Mineoia moving to become
District of Innovation
Mineoia became the first known school
district in East Texas to vote to explore be-
coming a District of Innovation with the
state last Monday at the regular board
meeting. The school board adopted a
resolution, which is the first step in the
process for the designation.
This new option for school districts was
passed under House Bill 1842 during the
84th Legislative Session and gives tradi-
tional public school districts most of the
flexibilities afforded to open enrollment
charter schools in Texas. The District of
Innovation designation allows for more
local control and allows exemptions from
many statutes under state law including
school start dates, minimum number of
minutes, class-size ratio, teacher certifica-
tion requirements, student discipline re-
quirements and the 90 percent attendance
rule to earn credit.
Superintendent Kim Tunnell explained
the next step is to conduct a public hear-
ing and then form a committee to develop
a plan if there is an interest to pursue the
designation. "We are currently involved
SeeMISD, Page 7A
Mineoia fourth grader Mariana Delgadillo drew this picture of her math teacher, Susan Lomanto which earned
her 11th place in state in the Teacher Retirement System "My Teacher is a Superhero Contest." (Courtesy photo)
(I
Sunday fire destroys
Mineoia restaurant
No injuries were reported as nearly 50
firefighters from five departments fought
a fire that demolished WingDingers res-
taurant north of Mineoia Sunday night.
Only a shell of the building remains.
The restaurant is owned by Chris Fisch-
er of Mineoia.
On Monday Wood County Fire Mar-
shal Tully Davidson was assisted by State
Fire Marshal's Office Deputy Paul Steel-
man. Neither could comment on a cause
of the fire. They were awaiting the arrival
of a dog to search the scene for evidence
of the cause of the fire. A Royse City Fire
Department official was also on the scene
Monday afternoon. A WingDingers in
Royse City had burned in September
2010 a month after Fischer sold that res-
taurant.
Sunday night's fire was reported by a
passerby at 9:40 p.m. who said he could
already see fire going through the roof of
the restaurant on Loop 564.
Mineoia Fire Department firefighters
See FIRE, Page 10A
Some of the firefighters from the five departments that responded are working on the fire from dif-
ferent sides.
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Newman, Doris. Mineola Monitor (Mineola, Tex.), Vol. 141, No. 9, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 2, 2016, newspaper, March 2, 2016; Mineola, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth899369/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Mineola Memorial Library.