The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced new grants available to public and private partners to help support the agency’s mission to manage and protect wild horses and burros. The funding opportunity is open to local and state governments, tribes, other federal agencies and non-profit organizations.

Madison County Sheriff Deputy Frank McIntyre completed and passed an intense two-week K9 handler academy through Sector K9 Foundation on Thursday, July 21. At the completion of his course, Deputy McIntyre returned to Madison County with his new partner, and the department’s newest Deputy, K9 Maverick, by his side.

The North Zulch Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) would like to thank the NZISD and the Madison County community for helping them raise money needed to send their team to the National FCCLA Leadership Conference, held June 28 to July 4 in San Diego, California. The students represented Texas FCCLA in STAR (Student Taking Action for Recognition) Events and to receive a Scholarship.

Tough decisions are being made around Texas as drought conditions force ranchers to cull cattle herds due to lack of forage. Cattle producers must decide whether to continue feeding by purchasing available hay or find other economical feed options, or simply pare down herd numbers.

Keep Madison County Beautiful’s Yard of the Month belongs to Ann Lane, 9552 OSR in Midway. Pictured are Derek Wiggins, Debra Newkirk, Lori Wilson, Ann Lane, and Kay Welch.

The heat wave affecting our communities is also “exacerbating the extreme drought plaguing Texas agriculture,” according to Adam Russell of the Texas A&M AgriLife in a recent press release. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program has had regional specialists from across the state report a “wide range of issues related to triple-digit temperatures and worsening conditions for livestock and crop producers.” In addition to the release, AgriLife also stated “reports of poor forage and growing conditions throughout the state, including failed to stunted plants and lower yield expectations on crops ranging from sorghum, cotton, peanuts and pecans.” In drier areas of our state, livestock producers have been marketing and weaning calves earlier than expected, as well as culling herds deeper than usual, wrote Russell.