Incumbents all sign up to run again

According to city secretary Janelle Williams, councilman Vernon Denmon Jr. has officially entered his name in the hat for the District 2 council race, meaning that the current office holders - Denmon, Jim Yelverton in District 4 and Steve Presley in District 6, as well as Mayor Carolyn Salter - all have filed for re-election in the May 9 city election.

So far, the mayor's race and the District 2 race have drawn multiple candidates.

Joining Salter on the ballot are Bob Herrington and Dan Bochsler. Herrington is the president of the Planning and Zoning Commission and son of former Mayor Johnnie Herrington, as well as the stadium announcer for Palestine Wildcat football. Bochsler is the president of the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce, teaches as an adjunct instructor in engineering and business at UT-Tyler, has been involved in a number of community committees and also substitute teaches at Palestine Middle and High Schools.

In District 2, local resident Julie Abston is seeking the council seat held by Denmon. Abston and her husband Pat have become active in the community since moving here and purchasing a historic home.

The final day to file an application to be on the May 9 ballot is Monday, by 5 p.m. The applications are available for free in the city secretary's office in city hall, 504 N. Queen St. City hall is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

Nice to see interest in what's going on

Last night's Palestine City Council meeting drew a standing-room-only crowd into the council chambers at city hall. Normally, the "crowd" consists of the city department managers, the cable access person broadcasting the meeting from the back of the room, me and maybe a half dozen other people. A good many in attendance last night came because their kids were being recognized by the city for their outstanding efforts in the YMCA Youth & Government programs at Westwood and Palestine High Schools and Palestine Middle School. Still, several dozen (maybe three dozen or more???) were there to hear discussion and witness the votes regarding the old Senior Citizens Center property on Kickapoo Street and the contract to provide senior services at the new facility (still being renovated) on N. Church Street. As a journalist, you're not supposed to take sides and I try not to. I'm not taking sides now. But I did notice a few things about the group that came for the senior center votes. First, they showed up on a rainy night, regardless of which way they wanted the vote to go. Second, most of them made their preference known by donning baseball caps printed with "Support Your Seniors" on the front. Third, they fit the voting (and newspaper reader) demographics - the generation either nearing retirement age or at it. Let me reiterate - I'm not "for" or "against" either group represented in the senior center discussions. I don't have a dog in this fight, so to speak. I'm just glad to see people taking notice of what's going on in their local government and participating by being present. Come back again.