For Saturday, the forecast calls for partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms in the morning. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 82F. SSW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Frank “Ardith” Norris was killed in action in 1942 in Ploesti, Romania. His remains were recently returned to family in Quinlan, Texas, where he’ll be laid to rest Saturday. Funeral service at Ford High School at 2:00 p.m., followed by a procession leading to Paynetown Cemetery (just west of FM 36 @ CR 2526.) Full military honors will be provided by the United States Army.
The Commerce Police Department participates in the “National Drug Take-Back” from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in front of the department headquarters at 1103 Sycamore Street in Commerce. This event is an opportunity to responsibly clean out medicine cabinets and dispose of any unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications safely and securely. Information at 903-886-1139 or online at takebackday.dea.gov.
Commerce Rotary is hosting a Blood Drive on Saturday in the City Hall parking lot. The Carter Blood Care bus will be on location. Community blood supplies have not yet rebounded from pre-pandemic levels, and blood donations are in high demand. Potential blood donors may volunteer at age 16 with parental consent, and anyone above age 17 can give independently with no upper age limit. The Commerce Rotary Blood Drive is Saturday April 30, 9am ‘til 3pm at 1119 Alamo Street in Commerce. For details, or to make an appointment, call 903-513-8676, and for more on donor eligibility visit CarterBloodCare.org.
The City of West Tawakoni Cleanup event is taking place on Saturday. Residents can bring trash items to the Wastewater Treatment Plant at 1401 East Rabbit Cove Road in Quinlan between 8am and Noon, or until the dumpsters fill up. An ID and West Tawakoni water bill are required to drop off trash, and hazardous waste and tires will not be accepted. Also, you must be able to unload trash items from your vehicle or truck on your own. The cleanup is free of charge, but Keep West Tawakoni Beautiful accepts donations for their projects around the city. More info at the Keep West Tawakoni Beautiful Facebook page.
The Hunt County Fair continues Saturday with the Creative Cooking Contest, the Buyer Barbecue, the Sale of Champions, and of course, live music in the evening with Dylan Wheeler and also the Read Southhall Band. Gates open at noon on the weekend.
The Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit is hosting the Buffalo Soldiers Program on Saturday. Texas Parks and Wildlife Uniformed reenactors will take guests on a trip back in time to learn about the formation, lives and history of the Buffalo Soldiers and the African American Military experience. Multiple education stations will be set up at the Heron Harbor Day Use Area, and the program is included with the park entrance fee, which is 5 dollars for ages 13 and up, children under 12 receive free admission. The Buffalo Soldiers Program is Saturday from 10am-4pm, and you can find more by searching Cooper Lake State Park on Facebook.
The Sulphur Springs Rotary Club’s “Claws for a Cause” crawfish dinner is from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at Celebration Plaza (113 Gilmer St.) in downtown Sulphur Springs. The annual event benefits selected non-profit organizations and scholarships. Live music by Dubb and the Love Machines. Tickets at City National Bank in Sulphur Springs.
The Northeast Texas Trail Gran Fondo 50 is a regional community ride celebrating the newly improved sections of the trail. The towns of Roxton, Paris, Reno, Blossom, Detroit, Bagwell, and Clarksville are participating. Bicyclists can ride as little or as much of the 50-mile stretch between Roxton and Clarksville as they like. Each town along the way will be offering refreshment and other perks for cyclists. It’s scheduled for Saturday, April 30, from 8 a-m to 2 p-m. Shuttle rides will be available by reservation. More information is available online at NETexasTrail.org.