The “Times” - January 24, 2012


COMMUNITY


Official Kick-Off: Fairfield Gets Ready to Relay May 25, 2012


A crowd of nearly 50 people attended the kick-off meeting of Fairfield Relay For Life on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at the Presbyterian Church of Fairfield.


During the meeting,


Spain Trask spoke of the organization, the fundraisers it holds throughout the year, and the types of projects supported through the American Cancer Society. According to Trask, the


Fairfield Relay For Life organization has been together for the past twelve years. One project offered thru


the American Cancer Society is the Look Good-Feel Good program where people get free wigs and make-over help. The organization also offers gas cards; rides to appointments, the grocery store and the like; and helps in any way possible. This year’s big event will be held on May 25, 2012, during


Memorial Day Weekend. It will begin at 6:00 p.m. at Eagle Field located on the Fairfield High School campus. Prior to the event, Young Farmers will serve hamburgers with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. There will be a survivor reception at the event with food, door prizes and encouragement. All survivors are asked to register. Presented with a pink ribbon


at the meeting was Karen Starr Rodgers of Teague, who told the story of her battle with breast cancer, from the day she found out, to where she is today on yet another round of chemotherapy. “I’ve participated in the


Relay event for several years and you always see the pink ribbons around, but it’s different when you actually ‘earn’ one,” said Karen with a tear in her eye. “This last year, my friends and family formed a team in my honor,


and I can’t tell you how much that meant to me.” Fairfield Relay For Life


works in association with the American Cancer Society. They help cancer patients and survivors throughout the community in any way possible. Each year for the relay,


people can buy luminaries to honor their loved ones. The bags are weighted down with canned goods and following the event, all canned goods items are donated to an area food bank. “We honor those who have passed and then help those in need, all at one time,” said Trask about the luminaries. To become a member of


Fairfield Relay For Life, be a team leader or team member, to make donations, or purchase luminaries, contact one of the many Relay For Life members or go online to www.RelayForLife. org/freestoneco. There is a 24-hour help


Supreme Court Voids Court Drawn Maps


Drawing Board Primary Dates in Question as


Back to the On January 20, 2012,


nine days after hearing arguments regarding the Texas redistricting maps, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down instructions to the lower court in San Antonio to nullify the election maps they had drawn in place of the Texas Legislature and redraft new maps. The justices said the lower court had “substituted its own values for those of the elected officials” and “had not paid enough deference to the Legislature’s maps.” The decision was


unanimous, with Justice Clarence Thomas issuing a concurring opinion saying he would have instructed the elections to proceed under the Legislature’s maps. Four U.S House of


Representative seats are at issue. The Republican controlled Legislature’s maps appeared to favor the Republican’s who would gain 3 of the 4 news seats; whereas, the Court drawn maps favored Hispanic voters, who tend to


vote Democratic. In order for the April 3rd


joint primaries to take place, the final decision must be made by February 1st. However, the three-judge


federal panel in San Antonio has issued an order for a status conference on that same day. The Republican Party of


Texas is concerned that this action will put the April 3rd Unified Primary Election in jeopardy, as well as the Democratic and Republican State Conventions in June. Therefore, the RPT has filed


a motion with the federal panel to reconsider a status conference at such a late date and to request that it be moved up so that the possibility of an April 3rd primary can be maintained. Until further notice, the


RPT has suggested that the County continue with plans toward the April 3rd primaries, keeping in mind that there is a possibility that this date could be moved. Mary McDonald reporting. _____________________


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helpline that can be reached at 1-800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org. Current Fairfield Relay For Life board members are: *Co-Chairs, Bettye and Spain Trask: 903-389-3917 *Donations, Jane Morrison (Stuart Phillips Accounting): 903-389-7300 *Luminaries,


Mozell


Williamson: 903-389-3686 *Survivors, Carol Chappell: 903-389-2059 *Teams, Spain Trask: 903-897- 2439 *Style Show, Diana Lewis: 903-389-2025 or Janet Bulger: 903-389-2992 *Sponsorship Chair, Billie Brim: 903-389-5529 Nicole Schaefer, reporting. ______________________


1-B


BECKY STEPHENSON PINS A PINK RIBBON onto breast cancer fighter Karen Starr Rogers while Spain Trask reads a passage explaining the meaning and importance of that pink ribbon. (Photo by Nicole Schaefer)


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