Meetings VFW to hold fish fry The Jefferson chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars will host their monthly First Saturday Fish Fry this weekend.  Set for 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, lunch will include fried fish, fries, coleslaw, beans and a drink— all for a $10Continue Reading

Newspaper went too far… Dear Sirs, I am new to the Jefferson area.  As soon as I moved to town, I subscribed to your newspaper because I wanted to know what was going on in my new community.  I was disturbed about an article in your most recent issue.  TheContinue Reading

Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer The authors of the Texas Constitution supported public education.  They wrote: “A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision forContinue Reading

Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Houston had long been an important city for Texas.  Businessmen like Jesse H. Jones helped make it an international center for commerce.  He had arrived in Texas as a young man and worked his way through the ranks of his uncle’s Dallas-based lumber company before coming to Houston where he would soon invest in all sortsContinue Reading

Mary Eleanor Belcher Albright Cremation Services for Mary Eleanor Belcher Albright, 82, of Karnack, Texas, are under the direction of Haggard Funeral Home.  Mary was born on Aug. 11, 1940, in Jefferson, to Woodard Belcher and Althia Mae Harp Belcher and passed away on Feb. 1, 2023, in Longview. MichaelContinue Reading

Marcia Thomas Contributing Writer Jefferson’s community theatre has come up with a super idea for their annual fundraiser that falls on Super Bowl Sunday, February 12.  It’s “Souper Bowl Chocolate Sunday”, a day when all the good cooks with creative imagination and will come forth with their best chocolate creation toContinue Reading

Lawmakers push $15K teacher raises A group of House Democrats is proposing a $15,000 raise for the state’s teachers and a 25% raise for other state employees by using some of the state’s record budget surplus. State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, announced the bill last week and was joined byContinue Reading

West Mountain VFD donates fire engines to Gray VFD MARION COUNTY, Texas — West Mountain Volunteer Fire Department (Upshur County) donated two Type II fire engines to Gray Volunteer Fire Department (Marion County) in a direct donation through the Texas A&M Forest Service’s Helping Hands program. Winter Storm Uri inContinue Reading

Jan 25-Feb. 1, 2023 • White male, 35, arrest Jan 28, Charges: 22.07(C)(1) Terroristic Threat of Family/Household, 28.03(B)(2) Criminal Mischief, $1,500 bond, In Custody • White female, 41, arrest Jan. 26, Charges: 25.06 Harboring Runaway Child, $3,000 bond, Released • White male, 41, arrest Jan. 31, Charges: 22.01(A)(1) Assault CausesContinue Reading

The Jefferson Carnegie Library board selected Stacy Mills to be the new president of the library. She thanked outgoing president Tony Jones for his loyal and dedicated service over the last two years. Victor Perot will serve as the new vice-president with Tony Jones becoming the new secretary. Cathey BrannonContinue Reading

Marion County Seal

Hugh Lewis/Jefferson Jimplecute Water, water, everywhere, and maybe the right to drink. A Local Option Election to legalize “the legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed beverages” in Justice of the Peace Precinct No. 1 will be on the ballot in May as Commissioners accepted and approved calling theContinue Reading

History Today Texas

1933: United States and Mexico sign Rio Grande Rectification Treaty On this day in 1933, the United States and Mexico signed the Rio Grande Rectification Treaty, which called for construction of a 590-foot-wide floodway and 66-foot-wide normal flow channel along a stretch of the river from Cordova Island to belowContinue Reading

According to Jefferson Mayor Rob Baker, the City of Jefferson offices will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, February 1. Baker said according to the current handbook, the offices may be closed due to emergencies. He also said the city has traditionally followed the lead of the school district in making closureContinue Reading

According to Facebook posts from Jefferson and Karnack ISDa: Karnack ISD will be closed the entire day- Wednesday, February 1st due to flooding on the majority of our routes, as well as the possibility of morning ice. Safety is our top priority. There will no bus transportation tomorrow. If youContinue Reading