1938-2025 Frances Reynolds Hooper was born May 14, 1938, in the small town of Kittrell, Texas, near Trinity, to James Wiley & Effie Leona Reynolds. She lived a full and rewarding life having attained the age of 86 years and 9 months.

Texas House members filed a bevy of education bills last week, including a proposed $8 billion investment in public education and a voucher bill that ties the amount of money spent for private schooling to the dollar amount allotted to public schools.

Madison County was created from pieces of Grimes, Leon, and Walker Counties in 1853. There were several communities here with large Black populations, including Antioch, Connor, Concord, George. Greenbriar, North Zulch, Perry Hope, The Island, Rogers Prairie, Sand Prairie, Saw Prairie, Sweet Home, Pool Chapel, Rocky Hill, Cedar Creek, and Tanyard.

Get ready for crawfish and guitar riffs. The third annual Mudbug & Music Festival returns to Lake Madison Park on Saturday, May 10.

Over 100 women attended Madisonville First Baptist Church’s annual Women’s Retreat on Saturday, Feb. 22. This was the first retreat hosted by the church, drawing participants from several area congregations.

North Zulch students brought home multiple awards and honors from the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Region IV Conference in Galveston Feb. 13-15.