GIRL SCOUTS HIT THE TRIALS

Madison County 4-H members are collecting used show clothes to help young exhibitors in need of proper attire prepare for the ring. Show attire has changed over the years and prices have climbed, according to 4-H program assistant Bethany Janner.

High school seniors can get help with scholarship applications this month during a special Madison County 4-H event. Scholarship night at the Madison County Fairgrounds FCS Building is set for Tuesday, Dec.

Madisonville FFA students won seven events and claimed the overall sweepstakes title at the Area IX Leadership Development Events contest Nov. 21.

A cutline in last week's edition incorrectly spelled the name of North Zulch High School's 2025 homecoming king. The correct spelling is Wali Afshar.

F“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” Mark Twain As those of you that read my essays are all too aware, I am that anomaly among the Scot/Irish in that rather than being concise I tend to be wordy, even to the extreme of verbosity at times. This being the case, I often generate what I would consider good ideas, or a written stream (in some cases a steaming pile) of thought that I have great difficulty parting with. Editing, revisions, rewrites all require an author to extract, delete, and sometimes even violently remove the resistant pieces of otherwise good composition. Renowned writer Stephen King referred to it as, “killing one’s darlings.” I say all this to confess that I keep many of these; some, well, are just too good to throw away, and I certainly don’t think I need to “kill” them.

About 1 million Texans over the age of 45 who receive health insurance coverage through the federal Affordable Care Act likely will face monthly premiums of more than $1,000, the Austin American- Statesman reported. That accounts for one-fourth of the state’s 4 million ACA enrollees.

AUSTIN - The Texas Department of Public Safety is warning Texans to guard their personal and financial information as Cyber Monday kicks off the busiest online shopping season of the year. 'With so much shopping being done online, the holidays can be a prime time for online scams,' DPS Chief Information Officer Jessica Ballew said.

Madisonville Intermediate School third graders watched a giraffe during a field trip last month. Students learned how environmental changes affect wildlife and observed animals they had studied in class projects.