Visit from the sky

Parents brought their children to see the LifeNet air ambulance which visited Avery last Saturday during the Volunteer Fire Department Fish Fry. Members of the LifeNet team were there to show everyone the helicopter and explain what it does.

Historical Society plans Spring Tea

The Red River County Historical Society is once again hosting a Victorian Spring Tea at the Lennox House in Clarksville May 12 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. This will be the third year for this event and there are always people on a waiting list for the limited seating.

Guests will be treated to a series of delicious sweet and savory delicacies, as well as a most delicious blend of tea. Hats and gloves are encouraged, but not required. The price per person is $20 with a reduced price for children.

The proceeds of this event benefit the storm repairs of the very historic 1875 Miss Belle's House on North Walnut Street in Clarksville. For more information or to make a reservation, call Patsy Dial at 903-427-0652.

Early voting starts Monday

By LOU ANTONELLI
Managing Editor
Early in-person voting starts Monday for both the City of Clarksville and the Clarksville ISD.
The City has five positions up for election, the Mayor and four council seats. James Ellis in Place 1 and Pat Smith in Place 2 are unopposed for re-election.
Mayor Ann Rushing is being challenged by Gary Rodriguez. Place 4 incumbent Heath Humphrey is facing Gary Read.
Place 3 incumbent Charlie Malone is being challenged by a declared write-in candidate, M.R, Butts.
Voting will take place in the City Secretary’s Office during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, April 23-27, and again on Monday, April 30.
Voting on Monday April 23 and Monday, April 30, will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The other days it will be during normal business hours, 8-5.
The Clarksville ISD is having a trustee election with four candidates running for three at-large seats. Two of the three incumbents, Greg Lewis and WaDonna Cherry, filed to run again; Kathy Garrison did not.
They are contending with Brandon Watkins and Wilbert Owens for the three seats on the board.
Early in-person voting will be held from Monday through Friday, April 23 through April 27, and Monday and Tuesday, April 30 and May 1, during normal office hours – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – in the board room of the school administration office.
Election Day is Saturday, May 5.

Times to host Candidate forum

The Clarksville Times is holding a Candidates’ Forum on Monday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the Hub Community Center. All candidates in contested races for Mayor, City Council, and School Trustee have been invited to speak to the voters. This is the first day for early in-person voting.

Clarksville Times Managing Editor Lou Antonelli will be the host for the evening, assisted by Publisher Patricia Antonelli. Each candidate will have three minutes for an introduction at the start of the evening, and a two-minute summation at the close.

Questions from the audience will be moderated, and audience members will not allowed to ask the candidates questions directly.

Any candidate who comes will be able to participate. Unopposed candidates are invited to introduce themselves to the voters but otherwise will not field questions from the floor.

The Times held a forum last year for the local spring election and it was very helpful in informing the public.

Times take five awards in press competition

Ed Pryor stopped by The Times office to pick up his award.

GRANBURY - The Clarksville Times received five awards Saturday in the 2018 North and East Texas Press Association (NETPA) Better Newspaper Contest.

Times Owners Lou and Patricia Antonelli attended the NETPA annual convention at the Hilton Garden Inn on Lake Granbury April 6-7.

In the annual Better Newspaper Contest, The Times took First Place for Column Writing and First Place for News Photo. The judges also awarded The Times Third Place for General Excellence.

This year's contest was judged by members of the Panhandle Press Association.

Lou Antonelli’s entries in the Column Writing competition were “The great unanswered question”, published Oct. 17, 2017, and “Money, money, who’s got the money”, published March 30, 2017.

Of “The great unanswered question” – where Antonelli lambasted the Red River County Hospital Authority – the judges wrote: “Wow! Fantastic research and pointed column writing. Great job!”

Of “Money, money, who’s got the money?” – where he discussed why economic development is hindered in Clarksville because no one will admit to having any money – the judges said “Good insight on a familiar topic for all small towns. Great call at the end to be more positive.”

The Times was the only weekly newspaper to win twice in the same category. Ed Pryor received Honorable Mention (4th Place) also for Column Writing.

His two entries were “Sudden surgery while on the hunt”, published Sept. 28, 2017, and “The Frankenstein Monster of Red River County,” published Aug. 17, 2017.

“Sudden Surgery” tells of an escapade with Ed and friends while rabbit hunting that resulted in an errant shot castrating their hunting dog Old Ranger.

“Frankenstein Monster” tells of when Ed and some friends stole a manikin of the Frankenstein monster from in front of the Avalon theater.

Of “Sudden surgery”, the judges wrote “Good story telling and lead.” Of “Frankenstein Monster”, they wrote “Vivid story, very enjoyable.”

The top prize for News Photo went to the photos on the front page of the May 18, 2017, issue that showed when a bulldozer fell into a hole while demolishing the remains of a department store at the corner of Main and Walnut Streets downtown.

The judges wrote “These photos were very timely and good. Way to be on the scene!”

On the basis of points received for awards ("The Sweepstakes"), The Times finished sixth overall among all weeklies.

New loan approved for Clarksville General Hospital

By LOU ANTONELLI

Managing Editor

A Houston-based bank last week approved a $14 million loan for the construction of Clarksville General Hospital.

A spokesman for the group which is bringing the hospital to Red River County said Friday they changed financial institutions because they were dissatisfied at the pace the loan was moving to disbursement.

Abu Tariq, regional president for Wallis State Bank in Dallas, said its Loan Committee approved the $14 million for Clarksville General Hospital on Friday; the entire project cost is $22 million.

Wallis Bank is probably a better fit for the hospital’s financing, he said. It was founded in 1903 in Wallis.

“It’s a small town, close to Houston,” he said. “We’ve always been a community bank. We believe in giving back to the community.”

Wallis State Bank was recognized as one of the top performing community banks by in the nation by the Independent Community Bankers of America in 2016.

Tariq said he believed the Clarksville General Hospital financing was slowed up when the original bank that made the loan was bought up.

“I think they put a freeze on everything that had been approved,” he said.

A spokesman for the Clarksville General Hospital group said they were satisfied Wallis State Bank would love the loan ahead “more aggressively.”

There is still paperwork to be filed because of the loan guarantees from the USDA, but construction may start as early as June, he said...

(Pick up a copy of this week's Clarksville Times to read the complete story.)