LITTLE DRIBBLERS WRAP UP SEASON

Madisonville Elementary first and second graders take part in the school's annual Kid's Heart Challenge. Students raised more than $6,400 for the American Heart Association to fight heart disease and heart defects.

Ellie West struck out eight batters in seven innings Thursday, April 2 against Center, and the Madisonville High School Lady Mustangs backed her up with nine runs to earn a 9-0 district win after a lopsided loss to Bullard three days earlier. Bullard’s Brannen struck out 10 Lady Mustangs in four innings Tuesday, March 31 as the Panthers won 11-0.

Campbell, Goodwin close out Center after 10-0 loss at Bullard Lane Beckett doubled to right field with two outs in the sixth inning Thursday, April 2 to score Malik Kovar and Gavin Kovar and give the Madisonville High School Mustangs varsity baseball team a 5-3 win over Center for their first district victory of the season. It was a needed result after a rough week.

The following persons were arrested or booked into the Madison County jail on Sunday, March 29, through Sunday, April 5. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

After public outcry, a physical border wall through Big Bend National Park appears to be on hold, The Texas Tribune reported. In February, the Trump administration waived more than two dozen environmental laws to clear the way for a 150-mile-long wall through West Texas, including Big Bend and the adjoining state park.

The State historical marker for Robbins Ferry sits under the Trinity River bridge on the eastern boundary of Madison County. When driving east on SH 21, you must exit to the right and before the bridge to reach the marker. Recently, the marker was vandalized, and the local historical commission plans to have it repaired. Its inscription reads “First known as “Paso Thomas (Thomas’s Ford) at the crossing of the San Antonio and La Bahia Roads and over the Trinity River.” The ferry was first established about 1821 by Joel Leakey, who was part of the first wave of settlers in Austin’s colony. Next, Nathaniel Robbins began operating the ferry in about 1827, and it was named after him. Then, in about 1852, it was acquired by Elisha Clapp, son-in-law of Nathaniel Robbins. Clapp managed the ferry until his death in 1856, and then his descendants continued to operate the ferry until 1930 when Clapp’s Ferry Bridge was built.

Crawfish, zydeco and lawn mower races are coming back to the lake. Madisonville’s fifth annual Mudbug and Music Festival takes over Lake Madison Park on Saturday, April 18.

NORTH ZULCH — If new energy projects are headed toward Madison County, officials may look toward a sales tax opportunity as a way of addressing their impact on local infrastructure. That was the pitch April 2 from County Judge Clark Osborne at the Madison County Sheriff's Office Neighborhood Watch meeting.