Texas State Rep. Lance Gooden attends Henderson County Board of Realtors officers installation

by David Webb

David Webb is a veteran journalist who has written for the mainstream and alternative media for three decades. He is now a freelancer who lives in the Cedar Creek Lake area. He is a regular contributor to cedarcreeklake.com. E-mail story ideas to davidwaynewebb@yahoo.com.

GUN BARREL CITY -- Texas State Rep. Lance Gooden, of Terrell, paid an unexpected visit to the Henderson County Board of Realtors' officers' installation at Vetoni's Italian Restaurant Dec. 14.

Gooden told the real estate agents he decided to stop by the meeting because he was in the area for another meeting he had just finished. The Republican freshman legislator who represents Henderson and Kaufman Counties in District 4 has announced for re-election.

Gooden told the audience he expects a pending decision by a San Antonio federal court about when primary elections will be held to command the public's attention in coming days.

A new Texas congressional map that would create four new congressional districts in the state is under review by federal courts and is expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court in January.

The Department of Justice is contesting the Republican-drawn map because three of the seats would go to Republicans. There is debate about whether the new map provides for enough minority districts.

"I'm available if anyone has questions about redistricting or anything else," Gooden said.

House District 4 created in 2011 includes all of Kaufman County and part of Henderson County. The county chairs of the two political parties in Henderson and Kaufman Counties are waiting to hear if the primary elections will require special scheduling.

After his unscheduled talk Gooden watched the installation of the Board of Realtors' new officers who are Curtis Webster, president; Brad Rummel, vice president; Marsha Bourne, secretary; Robert McAtee Jr., treasurer and directors Ralph Monroe, Donna Sadler, Robert Blaase, Steve McAtee, Angie Tuley and Chuck Harley. See pictures below.

Ronny Willis, of Corsicana, vice president of Region 5 of Texas Association of Realtors, conducted the officers' installations.

Buckely Butler, a representative of the Tarrant Regional Water District, gave a presentation to the real estate agents about drought conditions on Cedar Creek Lake.

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