Eastland HS UIL Solo and Ensemble participants: Pictured Left to Right: Chris Harrell, Trent Casey, Allison Beaver, Mason Towle, Kirsten Hamilton, Mickela Davis, Karley Simmons, Lisa Tucker, Brittany Roberts, Alana Longson, Travis Naeseth, Roger Reep, Madison Moreno, Chris Howard, Ragan Cummings, Morgan Mangum, Jaime Ibarra, Brantley Fleming, Senjin Thayer, Ashton Arnold, Sherrie Norris, Caitlyn Arnold, Raleigh Darnell, Cody Hutcheson, Tristan Ramsey, Victor Mendoza, and Jacob Barron

On Saturday, EHS Maverick Band members participated in the Region 7 UIL Solo and Ensemble Contests held at Howard Payne University with great success. Students prepare UIL Solos and Ensembles which are classified from a Class 3 (for freshmen only) to Class 1, with class 1 being the most difficult level. Solos and Ensembles are prepared by the students using knowledge and concepts taught in band class with minimal specific instruction and guidance from the Directors. Students are judged on their quality of performance and preparation. They are rated from 1^st Division to 5^th Division.

Earning a 3^rd Division “Average” Rating were:

Percussion Ensemble with Ashton Arnold, Caitlyn Arnold, Jacob Barron, Ragan Cummings, Brantley Fleming, Jaime Ibarra, Morgan Mangum, and Madison Moreno

Earning a 2^nd Division -“Excellent” Rating were:

Lisa Tucker –Flute Solo

Allison Beaver – Clarinet Solo

Roger Reep – Trumpet Solo

Chris Harrell – Tuba Solo

Tristan Ramsey – Tuba Solo

Morgan Mangum – Snare Drum Solo

Jaime Ibarra – Marimba Solo

Brass Quartet with Trent Casey, Mickela Davis, Travis Naeseth, and Roger Reep

Earning a 1^st Division -“Superior” Rating were:

Brittany Robers – Flute Solo

Victor Mendoza – Oboe Solo

Alana Longson – Alto Saxophone Solo

Sherrie Norris – Tenor Saxophone Solo

Chris Howard – Trumpet Solo

Trent Casey – Trumpet Solo

Cody Hutcheson – French Horn Solo

Karley Simmons – French Horn Solo

Senjin Thayer – French Horn Solo

Raleigh Darnell – Trombone Solo

Travis Naeseth – Trombone Solo

Brantley Fleming – Tuba Solo

Caitlyn Arnold – Xylophone Solo

Madison Moreno – Xylophone Solo

This year, the Maverick band advanced 10 students to the Texas State Solo and Ensemble contest that will be held at the end of May. They are:

Soloists:

Cody Hutchison – Class 1 French Horn Memorized Solo

Karley Simmons- Class 1 French Horn Memorized Solo

Brantley Fleming – Class 1 Tuba Memorized Solo

Ensembles:

Woodwind Trio with Allison Beaver, Kirsten Hamilton, and Victor Mendoza

Brass Trio with Raleigh Darnell, Chris Howard, and Mason Towle

Horn Trio with Cody Hutcheson, Karley Simmons, and Senjin Thayer

Eastland Maverick Band makes Eastland Sound Good!

The Eastland Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Outdoor Specialties on February 1st.

Outdoor Specialties is a dealer of  Ranger, Stratos, and SunChaser boats and Hustler mowers.   They are a warranty service center for Evinrude, Yamaha, Ranger and Stratus, and will do the warranty work even if you bought it somewhere else.  They also sell and repair used boats.

Outdoors Specialties is owned by Terry Rose and has six employees.  They are open Monday through Friday 8a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m.  – 1 p.m.   They are located at 10402 North I-20 Access Road on the service road just west of Dairy Queen. map

If you want to be outfitted properly for the lake, Outdoor Specialties is the place to shop.

www.outdoor-specialties76448.com

Cutting the ribbon: Judge Fields, Mayor Hart, Mayor Maples, and Mayor Pipkin

“It is a great day for Eastland County” State Representative Jim Keffer said in his speech during the Eastland County Museum’s ribbon cutting event.   Keffer spoke of many people and events that have been a part of Eastland County history.  “This is a county-wide spirit…. a celebration of our history, a celebration of our hertiage” Keffer stated.

Wednesday afternoon, Eastland County was represented by Eastland Mayor Mark Pipkin, Ranger Mayor Raymond Hart, Cisco Mayor James Maples, Eastland County Judge Rex Fields, as well as many other Eastland County residents and city officials.  Along with the ribbon cutting was the unveiling of the state historic sign which now sits in front of the building.

Dan Hudson, Ed Allcorn, Rhyne Hobbs

Eastland County Museum Board President, Terry Simmons, extended the boards thanks to the many people who helped with the museum project.  Ed Allcorn was recognized as the person who, as Simmon’s stated, “birthed this idea”.   Ed Allcorn was the Majestic Theater manager for years.  Along with those responsibilities he was always gathering information, items and photos that recounted the history of the area.   The Eastland County Museum was a project he invested much of his own time and resources to get the doors open.  Ed became ill and was no longer able to continue with the museum project and it’s future became questionable.  The Eastland County Museum reorganized with a new board of directors and the help of many in the county, has been given new life.

The Eastland County Historical Commission were instrumental in getting the historical marker for the building.  Board members of the commission are Chair: Ed Allcorn, Co-Chair: Jeane Pruett, Treasurer: Donna Thackerson, Secretary: Ruth Stewart, Wynelle Brown, Dan Hudson, Dean Vernon, Martha Elliott, Joy Conner, and Jeannie Griffin.

Eastland High School Jazz Band

The Eastland County Board of Directors are Terry Simmons, president; Jeannie Griffin, treasurer; Anna Ford, secretary; Anne Zoellick, Rhyne Hobbs, and Angela Kennedy-Robinson.  John Bailey recently resigned from the board.  John had been instrumental in helping find legal documents and background information that was needed to get the museum open again.

The Eastland High School Jazz Band offered entertainment before the event began.  Eastland High School FFCLA made the cupcakes that were as delicious as they were decorative.  Ann and Claire Zoellick made the punch with Claire doing the serving throughout the event.

The Historic marker states the following:

Jeane Pruett and Rep Keffer unveiled the State Historical Marker

Early Banking in Eastland

The evolution of Eastland banks reflects local economic conditions and global influences.  Soon after the Texas and Pacific Railway reached town in October 1880, a Mr. Berry of Stephenville opened the first bank in Eastland in Jacob Alexander’s Dry Goods Store.  Eastland National Bank began in the fall of 1890 on the square, with Major W. H. Parvin as president and John T. Yeargin as cashier.  Eastland County Bank ran from the late 1890s to 1904 in the same location.  City National Bank opened in 1905, with G. H. Connell as the first bank president and T. E. Downtain as vice-president.

First State Bank opened in 1909 as the first state chartered bank in Eastland.  The next surge in new banks followed discovery of the Ranger oil field in 1917.  In two years, Eastland’s population grew from 1,000 to 9,368, and banks in the county numbered eighteen.  In 1919-21, First State Bank built a new headquarters on this site, designed by architect Henry T. Phelps.  Oil production declined in the early 1920s, and First State absorbed smaller banks.  City National Bank closed in 1921 after a brief incarnation as Security State Bank and Trust.  First State Bank failed in January 1924, with Texas State Bank taking over the building and assets.

A few months after the stock market crash of 1929, the county’s banks had decreased to seven and Texas State was Eastland’s only bank.  After a run on deposits on October 1, 1931, Texas State Bank closed its doors for good.  The town was without a bank until a new Eastland National Bank opened on this site in November 1934.  As the city and nation slowly emerged from the great depression with strengthened banking regulations and a more diverse economy.

Video

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February 10th from 7-9 PM

@ Myrtle Wilks Community Center

Dancing & Refreshments!

$5 for Dads and $3 for Each Child K-5th Grade

Avoid Long Lines – Pre-Purchase Tickets @ MWCC

1498 I-20 West in Cisco
Call Levi Goode @ 442-4479 for More Info

Click for Myrtle Wilks Community Center Calendar

Photo by Cecil Funderburgh Jr.

Tuesday and Wednesday the area received some much needed rain.   4″ to 5″ have been reported around the area.  Runoff  from that rainfall is still raising lake levels.

Thursday morning the Eastland County Water Supply District reported that water had spilled over the Lake Eastland spillway about six inches since Wednesday night. All water over the spillway ends up in Lake Leon.

This morning morning Lake Leon was sitting at 67.50 % full.  This is the first time it’s been over 50% full since June 29, 2011.  It’s lowest point over the past year

Hwy 108 East of Strawn, January 25, 2012. Photo by Brent Elrod

was  40.50%  on October 8, 2011, and it hadn’t been more than 62 % full over the past year until Thursday.  January 1, 2011 the lake was just under 44% full.   Although this rainfall hasn’t put Lake Leon at 100% yet, it has made a significant dent in what was looking to be a very dismal future.

The slideshow at the top of the page shows the difference in the water levels at Lake Leon on August 4, 2011 and yesterday.

Cisco Lake is only 44.29% full, increasing from the 41.93% they were sitting at on January 10.  This was the lowest level the lake had been over the past year.

Hwy 108 between Strawn and Mingus and Davidson Cemetery Road were both covered by water Wednesday morning. Strawn’s Tucker Lake had water running over it’s spillway.