‘Jesus Welcomes You to Hawkins’ Sign in East Texas Scheduled for Removal

Jesus Sign Hawkins
Photo: CBS9 Video Screenshot

City officials in a small East Texas city say that they have scheduled to remove a sign stating “Jesus Welcomes You to Hawkins.”

The city attorney announced in August that the sign stood on private property, according to a report by Gerardo Martinez on KYTX CBS9. On Monday, city council members told the media that a private contractor says that the sign sits on city property.

Hawkins is in Wood County, Texas, and has a population of approximately 1,300 people. The city has a total area of 2.2 square miles. It is located between Mineloa and Big Sandy, Texas, on U.S. Route 80 in eastern Texas.

Hawkins Mayor Will Rogers told KYTX News,“I just want to express my disappointment for what’s about to take place.” KYTX reported that Rogers made this statement after the council returned from an executive session behind closed doors.

According to the local media outlet, City Council member Sherry Davis voted to remove the sign because a recent survey showed that it stood on public property in the city.

KYTX reported that Davis said during Monday night’s city council meeting. “Don’t judge me,” explained Davis to Monday night’s crowd. “I am a Christian. Don’t judge me and say just because I voted against this that I’m not a Christian.”

Mayor Rogers reportedly expressed skepticism that the “Jesus Welcomes You to Hawkins” sign sits on private property. KYTX reported that the Mayor said, “I don’t think the sign is going down. I’ll have to see that,” said the mayor. “And if it does, I’m sure it will go back up rather quickly.”

Hawkins resident Marc McDonald agrees that the sign is located on private property. “Every American citizen, for their constitutional rights, should be upset about this,” McDonald told KYTX. “Whether you’re atheist or not, you should be upset about [the city council] stealing private property off private land.”

Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as a prosecutor and an associate judge in Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2

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