News

Bert Cooper, director of Community Seeds of Lone Oak, says because of the threat of the coronavirus the annual fund-raising Christmas dinner hosted by the organization at 6 p.m., Thursday (Dec. 3) will be a "backward parade." In other words, cars of supporters will pass through the National Guard Armory parking lot on Jack Finney Bouldevard, viewing holiday lights and other holiday attractions, and receive a prime-rib dinner to-go as they leave.  Supporters of Community Seeds should indicate their plans to attend by Wednesday (Dec.

Wayne Bowman, Hunt County Master Gardener, offers his tips for cleaning up fall gardens and preparing for the start of gardening in the spring, including caring for tools.

The Commerce High School Roaring Tiger Band needs new uniforms. Commerce Director of bands Kara Wallace says that each set of uniorms lasts bands about eight years. The outfits are both stylish and durable, and therefore pricey. Wallace says that a fundrasing effort to fund the purchas of new uniforms is about $23,000 short of the needed total.

Those interested in learning more and perhaps donating to the effort can find details at the fundraising web page created by Wallace.

Pud Kearns of Housewarmers of Greenville says among the many Thanksgiving weekend events in Greenville and Hunt County will be "Small-Business Saturday" (November 28) when holiday shoppers are urged to patronize their homesown small businesses.  The Uptown Forum in downtown Greenville has a full schedule of events scheduled for the day.  Among many other events, the Cla

Carol Taylor, chairman of the Hunt County Historical Commission, says Texas had two official Thanksgivings from 1941 to 1957.  President Lincoln set the last Thursday of November as the official Thanksgiving Day in 1863.  President Franklin Roosevelt signed legislation changing the official holiday as the fourth Thursday of November in 1941, in a move designed to expand the Christmas shopping season.

With the 57th anniversary of the John F. Kennedy assassination having passed on Sunday (Nov. 22), Rick Parent of Commerce relates how he happened to acquire a vintage Mannlicher Carcano rifle, the weapon Lee Harvey Oswlad allegedly used to kill President Kennedy.

Think about a town in Fannin County with a population of over 2,000 people. It has several grocery stores, drug stores, banks, clothing stores, and 4 hotels. You’d be forgiven if you think I’m referring to Bonham, which is easily the largest city in Fannin County. In fact, I’m referring to Ladonia. But not Ladonia as it is today. That description comes from Ladonia Historian Muriel Burleson. It describes the city as it was in the 1890s.

Alice Reese, Herald-Banner movie reviewer, reflects on a new trend in which movie theaters are renting themselves to groups of 20-30 people, including Dallas theaters such as the Angelika and Alamo Drafthouse.  The cost is as little as $99.   Alice reviews "The Last Vermeer," a World War II drama in which soldier investigates a renowned Dutch artist who

Commerce Mayor Wyman Williams says the City Council this week passed a tax incentive plan that should be the final action necessary to bring the Chinese company Huaru to Commerce.  Huaru will manufacture plastic pipe in the old Zurn building on Highway 11, on the east side of the city.  The tax incentive plan will extend over 10 years, the mayor says.

Steve Killian, superintendent of Cooper Lake State Park, says the park is seeking designation as a "dark sky" park whene the night skies are dark enough to see much of the Milky Way galaxy.  He says the park has installed new, less glaring parking lot lights to improve the dark-sky effect and make stars even more visible at night.

Kim Saenz, director of the Hunt Regional Emergency Centers in Commerce and Quinlan, says even as an upsurge of coronavirus cases is being seen in Hunt County, the number of flu cases is also increasing.  She encourages as many people as possible to take the flu shot.

Carol Taylor, chairman of the Hunt County Historical Commission, relates the story of Horsehead Pass, the only usable way to cross the Pecos River in West Texas on the way to California in the mid-1800s.  The pass was also used by cattlemen John Chisholm, Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving on cattle drives into New Mexico, Colorado and further north.

Guide Tony Pennebaker (903-474-3078) joins Luke and gives a good update on fishing Lake Tawakoni during the falls. The cormorants are present in large numbers and fishing has been very good around the trees the birds use for roost sites.  

Mary Walker Clark is known to longtime KETR listeners as the host of a travel segment that ran for some years. But the retired Paris attorney has been far from idle since that program's run ended. Clark's new book, Landing In My Present, take the reader from the dusty plains of West Texas to the icy heights of the Himalayan Mountains along the Chinese-Indian border. The story explores the life of her father, Second Lieutenant Charles Walker, a U.S. Army Air Forces World War II veteran whose service included piloting planes delivering fuel and other supplies to help China survive the Japanese embargo to the east.

Descending the stone steps of the Ladonia Fossil Park is like stepping back into another age. Stepping down into the mostly dry bed of the North Sulphur River, the ground is active territory for all manner of arrowheads, fossils, and interesting rocks.

This week Luke visits with Mr. Arlan Sheets, owner of Cedar Cove Ranch (www.cedarcoveranch.com).  Luke spent the day scouting for deer and hogs and fishing here this past week and ranks the ranch an ELEVEN on a ten scale! Situated near Purtis Creek State Park, the ranch is truly a sportsman's paradise. 

CEDAR COVE RANCH- A SPORTSMAN’S DREAM

by Luke Clayton

Lori Cope, the director the Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Hunt County says CASA is seeking more men to serve as volunteers in advocating for children in the foster-care system.  Also, CASA is seeking contributions to provide Christmas gifts for foster children being aided by CASA.