IN BRIEF: Monday deadline to register to vote in May 28 Cooke Co. runoff

Apr. 22—IN BRIEF

Deadline to register for May 28 runoff

Anyone wanting to vote in next month's Cooke County Precinct 1 runoff between Republicans Dax West and Gary Hollowell needs to make sure they have registered to vote by Monday, April 29.

Early voting runs May 20-24 at the Cooke County Courthouse Annex between 7 a.m.-7 p.m. in downtown Gainesville.

Go to https://www.co.cooke.tx.us/ page/cooke.Elections or call 940-6685500, Option 8 for more information.

Five years to celebrate for Wesley House

Wesley House Assisted Living and Memory Care will host a five-year celebration on Friday April 26.

The public is invited to come see the community and celebrate this milestone.

This is a come-and-go event, with refreshments to be provided. Door prizes will be donated by the local community and drawn at random.

Wesley House is located at 3291 E. Broadway in Gainesville.

Cooke Co. Extension wants to hear from you

The Texas A& M AgriLife Extension Service has a history of providing educational programs that address critical issues in Cooke County.

With that in mind, the office wants public participation in the Texas Community Futures Forum to be held Thursday, May 9, at 6 p.m. at First Christian Church, 401 N. Dixon St. in Gainesville.

For questions or to RSVP, contact the Extension office at 940-668-5414.

Gainesville wants help with downtown survey

The Gainesville Economic Development Corporation is working with the Texas Downtown Association to do an assessment of downtown and see how downtown can improve.

This is starting with an online survey that all downtown owners and employees are encouraged to take.

The survey is available at gainesvilletxedc. com with a link to the survey appearing as soon as you open the site, or you can go to the survey directly at surveymonkey.com/r/FQ9529Q.

Stanford House raffle tickets on sale

Stanford House Center for Active Seniors has begun selling tickets for this year's Lots of Luck cash raffle. Ticket cost is $50 for a chance to win three prizes of $5,000, $2,000 and $1,000. A limited amount of tickets will be available for purchase.

The winning tickets will be drawn at noon on May 28, 2024. Winner need not be present.

Proceeds will benefit programs offered by Stanford House, including activities and educational opportunities for active Seniors in Cooke County. All programs are offered to participants free of charge.

For raffle tickets, contact Nancy Brannon 940-668-1452 or Henry Koehler 303-988-8191.

Sign up now at Gainesville Aquatic Center

Gainesville Aquatic Center activity registration is now open.

The pool opens for general admission on May 25 and will be open daily from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Daily admission is $6 with kids two years old and younger getting in for free, permitted they are accompanied by an adult. Only one child under two per adult.

Season passes are also available with individual season passes for $80 and family passes for four members for $200.

Water aerobics classes are designed for ages 55 years and older. There will be morning and evening sessions, with $5 per session or a $90 season pass.

Swim lessons are available for kids ages four through 16 years old for $55 per student.

Party cabana rental is available for celebrations during general hours. Renting the space is $40 for a two-hour block. The cabana can also be rented for the entire day for $80.

Parks and recreation is also hiring lifeguards for the season. No experience is necessary, but applicants must have current CPR for the Professional Rescuer and Lifeguard Certification including basic first aid.

For more information, visit Gainesville. tx.us/328/Aquatics or email hskinner@cogtx.org.

USDA offering drought relief in Cooke County

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a natural disaster designation for Cooke and neighboring counties, due to recent drought conditions.

The designation allows the USDA and the Farm Services Agency (FSA) "to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans.

Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts, according to a USDA press release.

FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. The application deadline is Nov. 25.

Go to https://www.farmers.gov/protection- recovery/disaster-tool for more information.