News

By Toni Walker

news@steelcountrybee.com

Strong statements from Hughes Springs Police Chief Randy Kennedy captured national news last week with a Facebook video urging local and U. S. citizens to get an open carry permit and arm themselves stating “be ready when the wolf comes to the door because it’s on its way.”

“This is not a call for an armed uprising against the President of the United States of America,” said Chief Kennedy. “This is a call for citizens to legally arm themselves for protection.” As he watched the President’s speech on Sunday, Dec. 6, he waited to hear what the President would offer in the way of measures to protect the local, rural communities.

By Tim Emmons

temmons@casscountynow.com

The University Interscholastic League released the cutoff numbers for conferences and football classifications a couple of weeks ago and the scrambled result has Linden-Kildare dropping down to 2A Division 1.

This year the UIL will shake things up even more when they re-district football teams for the 2016-2017 seasons on Feb. 1.

A “snapshot” was taken back on Oct. 30, and the attendance at L-K High School was tracked over the course of a year and sent to the Texas Education Agency in June.

A Snapshot or School District Profiles is a Texas Education Agency product that provides an overview of public education in Texas for a particular school year. In addition to state-level information, this website contains a profile about the characteristics of each public school district.

From Staff Reports

LINDEN-- After a rousing success with the club’s last fundraising luncheon, the Linden Garden Club is expanding its service to include delivery of orders for the upcoming lunch.

On Dec. 16, the menu will be everyone’s favorite Italian dish, lasagna. Rounding out the meal will be a salad, bread, dessert and a drink. The suggested donation of only $8 makes the meal a great bargain. The clubhouse is located at 300 E. Houston Street and the lunch is served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Club members hope folks will stop by and visit to eat – the clubhouse will be decked out in holiday décor – but if time is of the essence, orders can be picked up to-go OR delivered, if within town.

Advance notice is recommended for best service. Call 903-601-1394 for take-out or delivery orders anytime from Dec. 15 to 11 a.m. to Dec. 16.  

From Staff Reports

LINDEN—Fans of multiple Grammy-Award winning group Asleep at the Wheel will be in for a treat this month with the band playing at Music City Texas, in Linden, on Dec. 11.

This month the group kicks off a tour that will take them across the U.S. and into Canada in support of their newest album Still The King- Celebrating The Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.

The band released their third Bob Wills tribute album in March. Their two previous tribute albums earned them six Grammy Awards.

Still The King is a star-studded tribute to the King of Western Swing with line-up of guests artists including country and western icons George Strait, Merge Haggard and Lyle Lovett among others.

Music City Texas is the second stop of a nine-month concert tours that will include stops in Nashville, Anchorage, and Havelock, Ontario.

By Bobby Horn Jr.

news@casscountynow.com

Heavy rains and wet road conditions, plus high speeds are being blamed for a collision Nov. 29 on U.S. Hwy 59 which claimed the lives of Walton and Serelda Johnson, of Mountain View, Az

The accident took place about four miles south of Atlanta.

Read full story in the Dec. 2 edition of the Citizens-Journal  and the Cass County Sun.

From Staff Reports

BOWIE COUNTY-- The Texas Department of Transportation said that on Tuesday, Dec. 1, from  8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until work is completed the connector ramp from I-369/US 59 Northbound to I-30 Westbound, and US 59 between Farm-to-Market Road 2148 and the Sulphur River will be closed.

Workers will be installing a camera on the entrance ramp from I-369/US 59 Northbound to I-30 Westbound this morning requiring the ramp to be closed to traffic. The camera will be used to monitor traffic and weather conditions on the structure. Detour route around the ramp closure will be signed.

The Texas Department of Public Safety will be conducting a crash investigation on US 59 just south of FM 2148. Traffic will be diverted around the investigation site and may cause some traffic delays.

From Staff Reports

LINDEN—Beat the cold weather with a steaming bowl of chicken stew.

The Linden Lions Club will hold a Chicken Pot Stew fundraiser on Dec. 4, beginning at 11 a.m.

The price is $5 a bowl (including drink and crackers). Takeout orders are available for $10 for a quart and $35 for a gallon.

The fundraiser will be held at 109 N. Main.

LINDEN—The 13^th Annual Community Christmas Pageant will be held at First Baptist Church of Linden, across from the historic courthouse, on Dec. 13 at 6 p.m.

The pageant will feature 125 singers, musicians and actors from Linden area churches. There will be adult, youth and children’s choirs, a bell choir, sign language ensemble, living nativity, audience sing-a-long, soloists and a Christmas bluegrass band.

There will be no charge for admission. 

Workers install a metal shroud over Linden's 1935 firehouse to prevent further weather-related damage. The Linden Heritage Foundation is providing the work on the building while they seek grants to aid in its restoration. The foundation is also seeking a private investor to take over development of the historic property.

Photo by BOBBY HORN JR.