Several local churches are planning holiday services this weekend: First Baptist Church: Candlelight Christmas Eve service at 6 p.m. Saturday. Worship service only at 11 a.m. Sunday St. Paul UMC: 5p.m. today. Shun Mitchell will be special musical guest. No services on Christmas Day Heritage Baptist Church: Candlelight Service 6Continue Reading
The Jefferson ISD band program presented its annual Christmas Concert on December 15 in the High School Gym. The Junior High and Intermediate band performed first followed by the High School Band. Jimplecute photo by Laura AllenContinue Reading
Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York’s Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history’s most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languagesContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Charles M. Schulz created a comic strip that captured the hearts of millions in the nearly 50 years that Peanuts ran in thousands of newspapers around the world. Schulz, an amiable and soft-spoken Minnesota native and World War II veteran, had been drawing the daily strip since 1950. Fifteen years later, heContinue Reading
Shalom friends, Joy to the world the Lord is come! The prophecy of old – “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would be born and thatContinue Reading
Dear Santa, Bring some toys for the Christmas tree. Memphis Dear Santa, Bike, Game boy, Racing Cars, Books, Games, Lots of toys Christopher Dear Santa, Hello. I am 6 years 6 oldI have been nice this year. Please bring me some blocks. Conor Schoentral Dear Santa, I have been good!Continue Reading
Dear Santa, I love you. I have been good at home and school. I am five years old. I want a four wheeler. Jamarion Dear Santa, I love you. I have been good at home and school. Can I come to your house? I want a barbie dreamhouse. IContinue Reading
1927: “Santa Claus” robs bank but muffs getaway On this day in 1927, the Santa Claus Bank Robbery occurred in Cisco, Texas. At noon Marshall Ratliff, Henry Helms, Robert Hill, and Louis Davis entered the First National Bank of Cisco with guns drawn. Ratliff, dressed in a borrowed Santa ClausContinue Reading
1943: Escaped POW William Dyess resumes flying and dies in plane crash On this day in 1943, war hero and escaped prisoner of war William Dyess resumed his flying career and was killed while attempting an emergency landing in Burbank, California. Dyess, born in Albany, Texas, in 1916, was sentContinue Reading
Best Friends Animal Society, a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of cats and dogs by 2025, offers the following tips to keep your pet as safe as possible: If you don’t have a pet and are considering opening your home to a new furry companion, nowContinue Reading
By David Wall Seeds do expire (germination rate goes through the floor), but several factors influence “when,” and even then, that so-called expiration date is a guesstimate. Many people mistakenly think a date written on the seed packet backside and is an expiration date. Seeds are alive and able toContinue Reading
1847: Governor Wood takes office On this day in 1847, George Tyler Wood took office as the second governor of the state of Texas. The Georgia native had fought in the Creek Indian War at the battle of Horseshoe Bend, where he met Sam Houston and Edward Burleson. He movedContinue Reading
Duval County Democratic leader shot, opening door for Parr dynasty On this day in 1907, Duval County tax assessor and Democratic leader John Cleary was killed by a shotgun blast while sitting in a San Diego restaurant. His assassin escaped as local lawmen were enjoying a fiesta, which they claimedContinue Reading
Rival Lubbock County towns consolidate On this day in 1890, the rival Lubbock County towns of Lubbock and Monterey agreed to consolidate. In July 1890, W. E. Rayner and several associates found a suitable site for a town on the north side of Yellow House Draw in Lubbock County. ButContinue Reading
Conjunto legend dies On this day in 1984, conjunto accordion legend Santiago Jimenez Sr. died in San Antonio. Jimenez was born in the Alamo City in 1913 and took up the accordion at age eight. His first record, “Dices Pescao”/”Dispensa el Arrempujon” (1936), was a success, and he became known for hisContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer For generations, doctors were often reluctant to perform any type of operation involving the heart. The lack of a clear understanding about the heart made treating many conditions difficult. Texas surgeon Michael DeBakey spent decades researching and developing new techniques that have completely changed the understanding of theContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran Minister Every now and then, you deliver a sermon that when you leave the lectern you haven’t the foggiest idea how those words you just preached landed with those sitting in the pews. It happens to all of us clergy, I imagine. At least I hope! Preaching toContinue Reading
Marion County children enjoyed the Jefferson Carnegie Library’s annual “Breakfast With Rudolph” this week with a hearty breakfast, book story telling, games, activities, and, of course, the head reindeer himself. Zack Baldwin had the honor of playing Rudolph this year. Continue Reading
For the Jimplecute Jefferson’s Opera House Theatre Players kicked off their first performance of the season with a highly anticipated production of “It’s A Wonderful LIfe – A Live Radio Play” by Joe Landry. The radio style show played to a full audience on the Dec 9 opening night andContinue Reading
Mexican governor born in San Antonio On this day in 1778, Juan Martín de Veramendi, future Mexican governor of Coahuila and Texas, was born in San Fernando de Béxar (San Antonio). Veramendi, an early friend to Anglo-American colonists, and Juan José Erasmo Seguín met Stephen F. Austin at Natchitoches, Louisiana,Continue Reading