Rotary Club learns about mining in East Texas
By GREG COLLINS For the News Herald

David Castles of the Kilgore Rotary Club presents a book to Rick Hanning of Luminant Energy.

Rick Hanning with Luminant Energy was the guest speaker for the Kilgore Rotary Club on Wednesday. He discussed his company's mining operations in East Texas which help produce electricity for millions of people.

Luminant Energy used to go by the name Texas Utilities, but the company was purchased by investors who have now begun an aggressive campaign to produce clean, efficient energy for the residents of Texas.

Hanning presented a video which detailed mining operations and how the lignite used to produce electricity is removed from the ground. The video also detailed how the land is reclaimed and how Luminant has planted 26 million trees on reclaimed lands since this operation was begun.

He said his company produces 18,300 megawatts of electricity — one megawatt will serve 8 million homes — and is one of the largest producers of electricity in Texas. He also said the company has pledged to pump $1 billion into the environment and has reclaimed 63,000 acres in Texas.

Luminant serves people in Tyler and west of Tyler but not really any customers in the Kilgore area. The company has lignite mines in our area, however, which produce electricity for those customers. Hanning, himself, lives in Henderson.

In other Rotary news, Pam DeCeault was feted for eight years of perfect attendance, while Gordon Reed was honored for 24 years of perfect attendance.

The Kilgore Rotary Club Fish Fry is set for Saturday, Nov. 8, in the Fellowship Hall of First Baptist Church of Kilgore. The event runs from 5 until 8 p.m. and tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children 13 and under. All proceeds from the fish fry go to Kilgore Rotary Club's charitable efforts during the year. John Lockman is chairman of the fish fry once again.

This Thursday, Rotarians will join the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce for a luncheon at Meadowbrook Country Club with Congressman Louie Gohmert as the guest speaker. The club will then not meet on Wednesday as usual — for this week only — so that the joint meeting with the Lions and Chamber can be attended on Thursday.

The following Wednesday, the Kilgore Rotary Club will once again meet on in the ballroom of the Meadowbrook Country Club. Guests are always welcome.