Nearly $600M project years away, early concerns surface The Texas Department of Transportation is planning to widen about 14 miles of Interstate 45 through Madison and Walker counties, with construction expected to begin as early as 2032. TxDOT held a public meeting April 30 at the Truman Kimbro Convention Center, where residents reviewed project displays and spoke with staff in an openhouse format.

Madison County residents pack the Madisonville Sidewalk Cattlemen's Association Pavilion Saturday, May 2 for the organization's 86th annual Steak Dinner and Dance. The event raises funds for youth scholarships through silent and live auctions and an FFA ag-mech project sale.

The Madison County Library will host its 2026 Summer Reading program, “Unearth a Story,” with a focus on dinosaurs, dirt, fossils, rocks and the United States’ 250th birthday. Registration opens Friday, May 8.

The Madisonville High School track and field team poses with medals at the 4A Region 3 championships. The girls relay team members are Stacia Mark, Stephanie Edwards, Teilani Lain, Cedaja Ford and K’Mari Major. The boys relay team members are Kedrick Moffett, Tristan Whaley, Konnor Greer, Jaden Simpson and Chris Tolliver. All eight athletes advance to the UIL 4A State Meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 14 at the University of Texas.

Madisonville senior Jacquan Hastings drove in runs in nearly every series the Mustangs played this season. He doubled home two in the seventh-inning comeback against Rudder, doubled to left to cap the sixrun rally against Groveton, singled home Nash in the 10-4 win over New Waverly and collected five hits across two bi-district games against Silsbee.

HOUSTON — The Madisonville High School Mustangs varsity baseball team’s season came to an end Saturday, May 2 after Silsbee took both games of a bi-district playoff series at CE King High School. The Tigers won Game 1 on Thursday, April 30 by a score of 2-1, and closed out the series Saturday with a 3-2 win.

The following persons were arrested or booked into the Madison County jail on Sunday, April 26, through Sunday, May 3. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The average price for a gallon of gasoline in Texas has risen from $2.55 in early February to $3.91 as of Sunday, according to AAA. Diesel prices hover around $5 a gallon. The average Texan now spends $233 a month on gasoline, according to a study reported in The Texas Tribune.

The local Civilian Conservation Corps was recognized with a State historical marker in 1988. The marker stands about a mile west of the Courthouse on the south side of Highway 21. Almost a century ago, our country and world was hit by hard times known as The Great Depression, which began in 1929 and involved high rates of unemployment and poverty.