The Haunted Tour is sold out; thank you everyone

Our Haunted Tours are sold out both Friday and Saturday nights. May I say how pleased we are.

Thank you, all of you, who signed up. And thank you to all of those who put this event together. 

So here we go. If I missed someone, it is my fault alone:

Pat Blair and the Wharton County Historical Commission. Pat did invaluable research, assembled a powerpoint of such, and has been helping hand and guiding light all along.

A special shout out to Crystal and Jason Martinez of Sixth Realm Paranormal Investigations and Research. These folks are the experts and bring it to us with professionalism, good will and friendship.

The Plaza Theatre, which graciously opened the theatre to this event, and board member Hailey Roberson, who serves on our workgroup and has been a constant hand the whole way. If you want great guidance and a hard work, you can count on Hailey.

And a big thank you to Amanda Gonzales, who has been a workgroup constant from the beginning, too, providing  inspiration, guidance and support that has been invaluable to me. 

Her husband, E.J. Gonzales is providing the trailer and hay for hayrides to take our guests from location to location for our Haunted Tours. Thank you!

And a "thank you" to our newest workgroup member, Barbie Fortenberry, also a new member of the chamber's Board of Directors. For those who have worked with Barbie, you already know this: she always comes through to make things happen. 

And also to Amy Morales of Keepesh Marketing. Amy produced our excellent graphics and is a great asset as a workgroup member and beyond. Thank you, Amy.

And a big "thank you" to Ray Roberson, who is giving a talk and tour of the Most Oldest Jail on Rusk Street, and to Josh Owens, whose home also is on the tour.

And let's also thank Linda King, the chamber's administrative assistant who keeps me organized and on point. She's the one who took the reservations and ticket sales and made it work on whartonchamber.com, too.

And of course, thank you to my bride, Sandra, who, behind the scenes, keeps me going. (Oscar and Molly want to go on the tour but have been called to Washington, DC for consultation.)

Community building is a team sport. We are stronger pulling together than pulling apart. I am so blessed.

Locke is Parade Marshal

Coleman Locke, a fifth-generation member of the J.D. Hudgins family, will be the Parade Marshal at the 41^st Annual Wharton Chamber of Commerce Christmas Holiday Parade.

Locke, president of J.D. Hudgins Inc., also serves as chairman of the Texas Animal Health Commission, having been appointed by both Governors Rick Perry and Greg Abbott.
   
The parade will be 7 pm Tuesday, Nov. 23. The theme is “Christmas in Toyland.” You can get the sign-up sheets for entries and vendor booths at 

Coleman Locke

whartonchamber.com/annual-parade.
 
The Hudgins organization has been raising and marketing Brahman cattle worldwide since about 1915.  The ranch has sent Brahmans and Brahman genetics to 35 states and 43 countries.  
 
He has been involved in the family business for well over 50 years.  He and son John Coleman Locke operate the Locke Division of J.D. Hudgins.  
 
Locke is a past president of the American Brahman Breeders Association and is a lifetime director of that organization. He is a past chairman of the Texas Beef Council and an honorary director of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.      
 
He served on the board of trustees of the Wharton Independent School district from 1983 until 1998 and was board president for several of those years.  
 
He is a charter member of the East Wharton County Crimestoppers and currently serves on the board of the Wharton Cemetery Association.  
 
Locke also is a musician. He has served as principal tuba for the Ft. Bend Symphony Orchestra since 2002 and is a song leader for the Abell St. Church of Christ. 
 
He is lifelong Wharton County resident and a graduate of Wharton High School and Abilene Christian University with a degree in Marketing.   
 
Locke and his wife Regina have four children and twelve grandchildren.  
 

What's in a name?

So what's with the name Monterey Square, anyway?

Well, that's what the courthouse square is officially called. The name comes from the original deed, reflecting the original land grant from a fellow named William Kincheloe. 

So, we use the name, Monterey Square, as it is unique to Wharton. Signs on all four corners the square state such. 

And that's why the Wine & Arts Fair is the Monterey Square Wine & Arts Fair, too.

There is a historical marker on Burleson Street that tells the story briefly of Monterey Square:

...Land for a courthouse, named Monterey Square, was given from the land grant of William Kincheloe, one of Stephen F. Austin's "Old Three Hundred" colonists who settled in this area in 1822. ..

The deed is dated Feb. 12, 1855, and describes it as:

A lot or parcel of land situated in the town of Wharton, in the said County of Wharton and laid down in a plot of said town and known as Monterey Square Number Eight ... bounded by Burleson Street, Fulton Street, Milam Street and Houston Street. ...

Any county seat around here might have a "courthouse square," or a "downtown," or a "central business district." But only we have a Monterey Square. We got it. We use it.

"Players win games, but teams win championships."

Help is on the way

 Old dogs can learn new words. For me, the new word is "chatbot." 

Just about everyone — including dinosaurs like me — have dealt with a chatbot — whether knowing the actual, proper word or not. BTW: A chatbot is when you call a company and you carry on a conversation with a machine like the machine is a real person.

Do people like using chatbots? A google search answers with a resounding "yes." But, of course, all the answers come from the companies that build, install and support chatbot technology.

I sometimes have success in these chatbot experiences. But usually I have to say something outrageous so I can be transferred to a real person to actually help me actually. 

It is true that chatbots are getting more sophisticated — and thus “better” —  all the time.  But… You still need humans. 

Humans, not machines, still have to be able to intercede, on the spot, when things don’t go right. All too often, things don’t go right.

Customers will take only so much. If they have the digital door slammed in their face too much for too long, they will revolt. In time.

The following is an example:

In my pre-dinosaur days, there were three (3) TV channels. If you didn’t like what you were watching on any of the three, the answer was to watch it anyway. The concept was “the lowest common denominator” — you increase viewers and lower standards until if you lower standards any more, you would lose that mass audience.

It works, until there is an alternative that makes you happier. Like zillions of TV channels.

Let’s get back to Mr. and Ms. Chatbot: What is the alternative if the chatbot doesn’t understand what you need and you get frustrated without a resolution?

The alternative is doing business in Wharton, Texas. Small businesses that provide real employees, for reach conversations, for real customer experience, for real customer service, and for products you get to see and touch.

Thank you to our small businesses, and to our Chamber of Commerce members. It’s getting better all the time!

Players win games, but teams win championships.