After a lightning delay pushed back the start of the game, the Raiders battled through a defensive contest that stretched well into the night.

Rice trailed 18-6 with seven minutes remaining in regulation before rallying to force overtime. After the Raiders tied the game in the fifth overtime period, Glenn Mills intercepted a Wheatley pass and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory.

RICE, 6 The game began as a defensive battle, with the score tied 6-6 entering the third quarter. Rice’s offense found its rhythm in the second half and began finding the end zone.

Quarterback Kor’Dae Johnson led the Raiders through the air, completing 15 of 23 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Ta’Rell Tarver was Johnson’s top target, catching six passes for 39 yards and a touchdown.

Johnson also led the Raiders’ rushing attack with 68 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. Tarver added 65 yards on 15 carries.

Defensively, Rice limited Wheatley’s opportunities and came up with several key plays to keep the Raiders within striking distance. The defense forced and recovered a fumble before Mills delivered the decisive interception return in the fifth overtime.

The Raiders will remain at home in Week 2 when they host Hempstead and look to improve to 2-0.

NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

Northern Gulf of America (AL97)

An area of low pressure located a little more than 100 miles south of the coast of southern Louisiana continues to produce a small but concentrated area of showers and thunderstorms with some signs of organization. Additional development is expected as the low moves slowly west-northwestward, and a shortlived tropical depression or tropical storm is likely to form before the system reaches the Upper Texas or southwestern Louisiana coasts on Tuesday.

Interests along the southwestern Louisiana and Upper Texas coasts should monitor the progress of this system, as tropical storm watches or warnings could be required for portions of the area later today. Regardless of development, this system is expected to bring locally heavy rainfall to portions of the Upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts during the next couple of days. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is scheduled to investigate the system this morning. Additional information on this system, including gale warnings, can be found in High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service. It has a high (70 percent) chance of formation in 48 hours and in the next 7 days.

Near Hispaniola (Remnants of Dolly)

A surface trough of low pressure (the remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly) is producing a disorganized area of showers and thunderstorms that extends from near Hispaniola eastward to the northern Leeward Islands. Redevelopment, if any, would be slow to occur during the next few days as the system encounters generally unfavorable upper-level winds while moving quickly west-northwestward at 20 to 25 mph. Regardless, the system could bring locally heavy rains and gusty winds to portions of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the Bahamas during the next couple of days. It has a near zero chance of formation in 48 hours and a low (10 percent) chance in the next 7 days.

Visit hurricanes.gov to learn more.

As we celebrate our 30th Anniversary, we’re excited to invite you to partner with us as a sponsor of Pickleball Palooza: Play for a Purpose, our first community pickleball tournament fundraiser benefiting Habitat for Humanity.

Visit zeffy.com/en-US/ t i c ket i ng/ pi ck le ball-palooza for tickets and sponsorships.

This fun, family-friendly event will bring together businesses, families, and friends for friendly competition, community connection, food, raffles, side games, and a shared purpose: helping local families have safe, affordable places to call home.

As a small, rural nonprofit, we rely on grants, sponsorships, and fundraising events to make our work possible. Every dollar raised stays right here in Colorado County, supporting programs such as: New Homeownership Program — helping working families create an affordable path to homeownership.

Critical Home Repair Program — helping primarily low-income senior citizens, veterans, and persons with disabilities remain safely and independently in their homes.

Since 1996, CCHFH has helped build 32 homes for 32 local families. These families now contribute nearly $28,000 each year in property taxes, strengthening our community and local tax base.

Since June 2023, we have also helped 45 low-income families — primarily senior citizens and persons with disabilities — remain safely in their homes, representing a community investment of $355,000.

And these aren’t just numbers. These are the people who make Colorado County feel like home: teachers, restaurant managers, daycare workers, healthcare workers, veterans, seniors, and neighbors who quietly serve and strengthen our community every day.

We need your help! We’re not holding our Pumpkin Patch this year so we can focus on what matters most: helping local families. We have 18 senior families waiting for critical home repairs and 6 lots ready for future Habitat homes. Your support will make a difference.

By sponsoring Pickleball Palooza: Play for a Purpose, your business will receive valuable community recognition while helping Habitat continue building stronger families and a stronger Colorado County.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a lasting, direct impact right here at home.

COLORADO COUNTY — Nine years ago, Hurricane Harvey came ashore on the Texas Gulf Coast and began a path of disaster whose effects would reach well beyond its landfall.

Harvey made landfall Aug. 25, 2017, as a Category 4 hurricane before producing catastrophic rainfall across Southeast Texas. In Colorado County, rising water from the Colorado River flooded homes, damaged roads and threatened public infrastructure while forcing residents from their homes.

The storm eventually left Colorado County governments facing more than $1 million in repairs. In Columbus, dozens of flooded homes required rebuilding; portions of the city infrastructure were damaged, and erosion along the Colorado River created serious concerns near the city’s sewage treatment facilities.

But the numbers were only part of Harvey’s impact.

Residents opened their homes. Volunteers helped gut and rebuild houses. Churches raised money and collected supplies. Weimar, spared the flooding experienced elsewhere in the county, opened Veterans Hall as a shelter and became a collection point for food, clothing, toiletries and other necessities.

A year later in 2018, local governments were still waiting for federal reimbursements and repairing what Harvey left behind.

Nine years later, much of that work is completed in Colorado County.

But for those who lived through Harvey, the storm remains a dividing line between what Colorado County knew about flooding before August 2017 — and what it learned afterward.

Looking back at The Citizen’s coverage following the storm, the county reported $1.14 million in repairs, primarily involving roads in Precincts 1, 2, and 4, plus another $148,458 for debris removal, evacuations, flood fighting, security and generators.

Columbus estimated $300,000 to $400,000 in hurricane damage, while residential areas south toward the railroad tracks and U.S. 90 experienced severe flooding.

50 YEARS AGO

Sept. 2, 1976

County commissioners were set to hold a hearing Sept. 13 on the ‘76 county budget which anticipated total expenditures of $1.77 million. According to the front-page article, the budget exceeded the previous year by $27,564, and most spending was paying increases for elected officials and employees and dipped heavily into the county’s surplus funds to maintain county services.

A Colorado County grand jury was set to convene the following Tuesday, and one of the cases involved discrepancies in police department funds at Eagle Lake Police Department, which led to the forced resignation of Roy Chisurn as chief of police. Chisurn denied any wrongdoing and said as chief of police he was taking the blame, and that the errors were the result of “typographical errors in the bookkeeping.”

Columbus Cardinal quarterback Billy Bankston was pictured on the front page during a CHS practice. The Cards were preparing to open their 1976 season against the Rice Raiders.

The enrollment in Columbus schools totaled 1,257 on opening day of the ‘76-’77 school year. The total was down 2.5% from the previous year.

Women had been entering the county workforce in growing numbers, and according to government figures, 2,250 over age 16 were working in Colorado County.

Dear Editor:

In August, the United States national debt crossed $40 trillion for the first time.

Put that number in perspective: when Donald Trump first took office in January 2017, the debt was about $20 trillion. In less than a decade, America has doubled it.

But this should not be a partisan talking point.

The debt increased by roughly $7.8 trillion during Trump’s first term. It increased by approximately $8.5 trillion during Joe Biden’s. Now, less than two years into Trump’s second term, we have added nearly $4 trillion more. At the current pace, the national debt could approach $46 trillion by the time Trump leaves office.

Republ icans blame Democrats. Democrats blame Republicans. Meanwhile, both parties keep borrowing.

Last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” is projected by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to add roughly $4.1 trillion to federal deficits through 2034, including additional interest.

Here in Colorado County, farmers, ranchers, businesses and families understand a fairly basic rule: eventually, the bills have to be paid. Washington apparently operates under a different accounting system. Every trillion dollars added to the debt means still more tax dollars going toward interest rather than roads, agriculture, disaster relief and the needs of communities like ours.

Apparently Washington can find trillions for tax cuts and hundreds of millions for presidential ballrooms. What it cannot find is the political courage to spend what it collects.

There are legitimate disagreements about taxes, defense, Social Security, Medicare and the proper size of government. Solving our fiscal problems will require painful choices that neither party wants to make.

But arithmetic isn’t partisan.

Twenty trillion dollars became forty trillion in less than ten years.

The frightening question isn’t which party did it.

They both did. The question is: at what number will we, the people, finally force our politicians to care?

Trey Brantley of Columbus

Welcome to the fray. As the newly appointed General Manager and CEO of the Lower Colorado River Authority, you have inherited an incredibly complex and contentious situation regarding the Fayette Power Project (FPP).

The fun is just starting for you. You come to this position with a good name and a well-outlined history of doing the right thing, specifically your hard-fought victories navigating the transition away from legacy coal assets at CPS Energy in San Antonio. Many of us here have a genuine hope that you will bring much-needed cultural change to this agency. But please, do not let the institutional sewer you have just been thrown into blemish your past hard work.

Because as you settle into your new office, there is a hard truth about Fayette County you need to understand: the pollution leaking from the FPP is an environmental crisis, but the machinery protecting that pollution is a far greater threat to our community.

This institutional contempt for rural Texans is baked into the very foundation of the FPP. It is a bitter piece of local history that when the original LCRA managers chose Fayette County as the site for this massive coal plant decades ago, their arrogant justification was that this county was populated by “old, stupid people” who wouldn’t have the money to fight back, and who would simply die of cancer before they ever saw the long-term effects of the pol lution. They viewed our home not as a community, but as a politically weak sacrifice zone.

That exact same arrogance drives the agency today. For years, citizens here have watched the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) operate less like an environmental regulator and more like a lap dog for the LCRA.

When the LCRA gets caught pol lut ing, the TCEQ does not penalize them. They simply move the goalposts. They either ignore the data or change the rules entirely to make the pollution legal—such as arbitrarily declaring that local county judges and landowners are not “affected persons” so they can ignore our protests while relaxing your pollution limits.

This is not a new oversight. For over 20 years, the LCRA has been fully aware of the total failure of their 23 groundwater monitoring wells at the FPP site. Instead of remediating the unlined ash ponds, the agency continually refuses to conduct undiluted testing at the actual points of discharge, preferring instead to mask the heavy metals using diluted math and regulatory loopholes. And now, the bill has come due: just this week, local authorities publicly confirmed a designated, physical effluent leak point near the Cedar Creek dam itself.

But the LCRA’s abuse of rural communities extends far beyond the ash ponds in Fayette County.

How long can our State leaders tell everyone that Texas is running out of water, when the biggest culprits are quasistate entities like the LCRA? The Authority operates as a money machine and an electric monopoly that is totally out of control.

When bureaucratic maneuvering isn’t enough, the LCRA unleashes its legal department. The Authority loves to jump into court, weaponizing its massive, ratepayer-funded financial power to overwhelm and demolish anyone who fatally falls in their path to the money.

Ta ke the hi stor ic groundwater fight just up the road in the Lost Pines region. When local citizens and groundwater districts tried to stop the LCRA from siphoning 25,000 acrefeet— over 8.1 billion gallons, representing nearly $50 million in municipal water value—from their aquifer, the LCRA didn’t back down. Backed by a $117 million ratepayer-funded infrastructure plan, they dragged local defenders through relentless, exhausting litigation, pushing rural families to the brink of bankruptcy just for trying to protect their own wells.

They operate less like a public utility and more like a group of state-funded gangsters, strong-arming everyone, every time.

The LCRA’s mission statement claims the agency operates as the “stewards of the rivers and waters of Texas.” But to the communities actually living next to your facilities, you operate like an entity that views local groundwater as yours to exploit, and local citizens as nuisances to be sued into submission.

Mr. Garza, you are new to this role. You did not build this combative, litigious machine, nor did you create the leaking ash ponds currently drawing federal complaints at the FPP dam. But you are the one at the controls now.

You have a choice. You can continue the legacy of deploying ratepayer-funded lawyers to crush local opposition while hiding behind the TCEQ, or you can leverage your San Antonio experience to actually become the environmental steward the LCRA claims to be.

The residents of Fayette County are testing their wells, the federal complaints are filed, and the public is watching. We are looking to you to change the culture.

By Jerry Moerbe of Nelsonville

Every two years, county voter registrars across Texas mail out new Voter Registration Certificates to active registered voters. While this official document is widely recognized as a sign that you are ready for the polls, its actual legal roles under Texas law often surprise residents.

Why It Can’t Be Used as Primary Voter Identification

Under Section 63.001 of the Texas Election Code, in-person voters must present one of seven approved primary forms of photo identification:

• Texas Driver License (issued by DPS)

• Texas Personal Identification Card (issued by DPS)

• Texas Election Identification Certificate (EIC)

• Texas Handgun License (issued by DPS)

• U.S. Military Identification Card with photograph

• U.S. Citizenship Certificate with photograph U.S. Passport (book or card) This law became into effect in Texas on August 10, 2016.

The Missing Element: Photo Verification The Voter Registration Certificate lacks a photograph and biometric security features. Because it is printed on paper without photo verification, state law explicitly prevents it from standing on its own as primary identification to establish identity at the ballot box.

While your voter registration certificate isn’t a primary photo ID, state law and administrative codes recognize it for several critical uses across state and local government:

Eddie volunteered for the U.S. Marine Corps, spending his first two years at Camp Pendleton, California. He served as an administrative clerk and office manager, processing orders for Marines being transferred to duty in the Western Pacific— specifically, assignments to Vietnam.

In October 1967, Eddie received orders to report to the 1st Marine Air Wing Headquarters & Helicopter Squadron 1 in Da Nang, Vietnam. There, he processed orders for Marines preparing to return to the United States. After four years of service, he returned home just three days before Thanksgiving and received an Honorable Discharge.

Later in life, at age 42, Eddie had the opportunity to join the Texas Army National Guard through a program titled “Try One for the Guard.” This allowed individuals to enlist for one year before deciding whether to continue. Eddie reenlisted repeatedly, ultimately serving 16 years in the Guard. Combined with his four years in the Marine Corps, his 20 total years of service earned him a military retirement pension and benefits.

During his time in the Guard, the United States became involved in the Gulf War. His unit packed their bags and prepared their wills, but the conflict ended before their deployment.

Following the attacks of 9/11, Eddie’s unit expected deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. They received orders for active duty in December 2002. To their surprise, they were assigned to protect and defend Air Force bases throughout Texas under a contract between the U.S. Air Force and the Texas Army National Guard. They served on active duty for two years and received an Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Army on March 15, 2005.

Service members who serve during times of war or national conflict are awarded the National Defense Service Ribbon. Eddie proudly wears three— for Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the Global War on Terrorism. His flagpole stands in his yard as a tribute to that service.

Another reason Eddie proudly flies the American flag is to help his grandchildren understand the importance of national pride and patriotism. Eddie and Debra have four children and nine grandchildren who have attended or currently attend school in the Columbus ISD system. Columbus ISD has done an outstanding job educating students about the importance of recognizing our veterans and appreciating the sacrifices required to preserve our values and way of life.

The game was scoreless for the first quarter of the game, and then Boilg scored two touchdowns in the second quarter to carry a 14-0 lead into halftime.

The Wildcats responded by scoring their lone touchdown of the game after a scoop and scoring on fumble recovery. The point after the touchdown was no good to arrive at the final score of 14-6.

Offensively, the Wildcats quarterback, Collin Morrison, completed six of his 13 pass attempts with two interceptions. His top target was Ace Mesa, who caught one pass for 11 yards.

On the ground, Mesa was the leader for the Wildcats carrying the ball 13 times for 45 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball Ty Chmelik and Morrison each recorded 12 tackles. The Wildcats finished the game with 10 tackles for loss and two sacks, and Chmelik accounted for three tackles for loss and half of a sack.

The Wildcats recovered four fumbles in Friday’s loss with Morrison recovering two of them. As for the defensive touchdown, it was Cayden Conway who picked up the fumble and carried it all the way into the endzone to get the Wildcats on the board.

The Wildcats will learn from this loss and quickly set their sights on returning to their home field on Friday, Sept. 4, where they will host Stockdale and look to jump back into the win column in week two.

The Cards left Bay City with a 34-19 win thanks to a stellar performance on both sides of the ball.

The game was scoreless in the first quarter but in the second quarter both teams were able to get points on the board. The Cards scored twice while Bay City scored once to carry a 14-6 lead into halftime.

Both teams scored once more in the third quarter, and the Cards held onto a 20-13 lead going into the fourth. The Cards extended their lead by scoring two touchdowns, and they gave up one more score to Bay City to arrive at the final score of 34-19.

Defensively, the Cards had two takeaways in the form of interceptions from Jayden Spaulding and Kiyan Johnson. They also limited Bya City’s offense to only 19 points and helped lift the Cards to their first win of the season.

Offensively, the Cards’ new quarterback David James had a great game on the ground. He carried the ball 14 times for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

He was not the only Cardinal to have a great game on the ground as Doc Cantu also rushed for over 100 yards. He carried the ball 20 times for 145 yards and found the endzone twice as well. One of the newest Cardinals Mikael Shifatu also scored a rushing touchdown in is Cardinal debut to help the Cards start the season 1-0.

Through the air the Cards tested James’ arm, and he completed three of his seven passes for 40 yards. All three of those passes were caught by Jack Schobel, while Irving Giles went 2/3 on extra points and Enoch Loafman went 2/2 on extra points to cap off the week one victory.

The Cards will now return to their nest for their week two matchup against La Grange on Friday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m.

The Lady Raiders took on Bloomington, Gonzales, Katy Harmony and Ganado during their last four games, picking up their first two wins of the year. in their first match the Lady Raiders faced Bloomington and won the match in four sets. The first set went in favor of the Lady Raiders with a final score of 2514.

In the second set, Bloomington came back and picked up a close victory with a final score of 2523. The third set was just as competitive and required overtime to find a winner.

The Lady Raiders never quit in this set and ended up coming away with a 27-26 win in the third set. This win gave them to finish off Bloomington in the fourth set with a score of 25-18 to win the match in four sets.

Their next game against Gonzales saw the Lady Raiders back in tournament play, and they were handed a loss in two sets. The first set ended with a final score of 25-12 and then the second set ended with a score of 2510.

This did not phase the Lady Raiders too much because in their third match in this stretch the Lady Raiders jumped back into the win column.

In their third match, the Lady Raiders faced Katy Harmony School of Innovation, and they won the game with back-to-back set victories. The Lady Raiders dominated both the first set and came away with a 25-8 victory. in the second set Katy Harmony School of Innovation came back and scored 21 points to push the Lady Raiders to their limit. The Lady Raiders kept competing and closed out the set with a final score of 25-21 to capture their second win of the season. in their fourth match the Lady Raiders faced Ganado, and they needed all five sets to declare a winner. The first set went in favor of Ganado with a final score of 25-15. in the second set the Lady Raiders came storming back and won the set 25-16 but Ganado quickly answered with a 25-21 set win in the third set. With their backs against the wall, the Lady Raiders gritted their teeth and willed themselves to a 25-23 set win in the fourth set to set up the fifth and final set.

In a race to 15 points, the Lady Raiders scored 11 points to end the match with a 15-11 final score in favor of Ganado to end the match.

The Lady Raiders will not let these losses deter them from their main goal of pushing for a playoff spot as they are set to open their district schedule on Friday, Sept. 4, against Hempstead on their home court at Rice Consolidated High School.

During this three-game stretch, the Ladycats faced Cyress Ridge, Richards and Columbus losing a total of three sets. in game one of three the Ladycats faced Cypress Ridge and won the match thanks to back-to-back set wins. They won the first set with a final score of 27-25 in a closely contested set.

The second set was just as competitive, but the Ladycats still found a way to emerge victorious with a 25-20 final score.

In the second game of three, the Ladycats faced Richards and again only needed two sets to claim the victory. The Ladycats won the first set with a score of 25-19 and then followed that up by winning the second set 25-14 for their second win in this three-game stretch.

Then they traveled to Columbus High School to take on the Columbus Lady Cardinals in a Colorado County Showdown. The Lady Cards came out of the gate hot and won the first set with a score of 25-18.

In the second set, the Ladycats came back and held the Lady Cards to 17 points as they picked up a 25-17 victory. The Ladycats then pushed the third set into overtime.

The third set was highly competitive as both teams got points on the board, but it was the Lady Cards who came out on top with a 28-26 set win. In the fourth set the Ladycats again had a strong showing as they scored 21 points, but the Lady Cards were once again able to pick up the win with a score of 25-21.

The Ladycats now look ahead to their next match, which will be on Friday, Sept. 4, where they will enjoy home court advantage as they take on Ganado at 5:30 p.m.

After defeating Marion, the Lady Cards went on to defeat Edna, Shiner, Brazos, Schulenburg and Flatonia to win the gold bracket championship.

The Lady Cards opened things up by facing Edna and needed only two sets to emerge victoriously. The Lady Cards won the first set with a score of 2517 and then came back to win the second set 25-16.

In their second match they faced Shiner and lost their first set of the tournament. in the first set against Shiner the set went into overtime and the Lady Cards lost with a score of 26-24.

The next two sets of the match though, the Lady Cards returned to their winning ways. The won the second set 25-13 and then won the third set 2512 to win their fifth match of the tournament.

Their next match was against Brazos, and the Lady Cards defeated them in two sets. The first set ended with a score of 2517, and the second set ended with a score of 2520 against a scrappy and determined Brazos Cougarette team.

Then the Lady Cards ran into the host , Schulenburg, in the semi-finals of the tournament. The first set of this match went overtime, and the Lady Cards emerged with a win posting a score of 26-24.

In the second set, the Lady Cards dominated Schulenburg and cruised to a 25-10 win to earn a spot in the championship match.

In the Championship, the Lady Cards faced Flatonia and again only needed two sets to be crowned the champion of the gold bracket. The first set once again went into overtime, and the Lady Cards came away with a 26-24 win.

During the second set, the Lady Cards held Flatonia to 18 points as they picked up a 25-18 set win to win the championship.

The Lady Cards went 8-0 in this tournament to win the championship and even had a few players named to the All-Tournament team. Harper Gerik was named MVP of the tournament with her teammates, Logan Glueck, Mary Fitzgerald and Riley Kainer all earning All-Tournament team honors.

The Lady Cards will be back in action on Friday, Sept. 4, on their home court where they will face Giddings at 4:30 p.m.

It’s one of my favorites because it is a true story about the terrorist attack and hostage situation at the Munich Olympics on September 5, 1972.

The movie shows a different perspective of this entire situation and instead of Hollywood taking their normal approach of getting us inside the dorm room where nine Israeli hostages were held were held and dramatizing the events.

They gave us the point of view of the media team covering it, specifically the sports broadcasting team.

Naturally since these were the Olympic games, the ABC sports broadcasting team was tasked with covering the event. But when the hostages were taken, ABC told their sports team to stand down and wait until the News team arrived to cover the unfolding events.

ABC’s sports broadcasting team never backed down and told their bosses that this was their story and their coverage, and they were not going to allow the News team to come in and take it from them.

It is something that resonates with me as a sports journalist because too often sports journalists are overlooked. We are often seen as insignificant or not as important as the reporters covering hard news events/ Always seen as “just a sports guy”.

As a journalist I am trained to cover murder cases, shooting and government meetings jsut like everyone else that enters this field. In fact, my college professor made me exclusively cover government meetings while in school because he knew that I wanted to cover sports when I finished school.

He wanted me to be well rounded so when I do get in the field, I can handle any situation thrown at me.

While I was and still am appreciative of him making me do that, I chose to cover sports because I love sports with passion and while they may not be as big as some stories, there are still some amazing and beautiful stories to tell within sports.

I do agree that hard news should always take precedent over sports because a murder story is obviously more important than a blowout victory on Friday night.

But when something like a terrorist attack happens at a sporting event. We as sports journalists should never be put on the back burner and let someone else come in and take a story that is rightfully ours.

In the movie ABC’s Sports Broadcasting team did exactly what we were trained to do. They moved cameras up on a hill to get a direct shot of the dorm where the hostages were held, they were able to get a phone call with one of the terrorists, and they broadcasted it on live television.

When another news station wanted to pick up their live feed, they watermarked their material, so they got all the credit for being on top of this story. They even verified all the information they received with two sources so they could ensure accuracy before getting it out to the public.

In those moments this team was not just a sports broadcasting group. They proved that they were not just “some sports guys” that gather results from a track meet or a football game. But they showed not just ABC but the world, that they were journalists that could deliver hard hitting and breaking news with accuracy and efficiency.

COLUMBUS – A new chapter is beginning for a longt ime Columbus business. The Columbus Chamber of Commerce invites the community to join us on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony celebrating Southern Comfort Furniture & Mattress, located at 905 Walnut Street in Columbus.

Southern Comfort Furniture & Mattress has been a local ly owned, family-operated business serving Columbus and the surrounding communities since 1985. Today, owner Haley Stork is carrying on the legacy of her late mother and former owner, Cindy Kovar, continuing the family business and the tradition of friendly, personalized service that customers have come to know over the years. The store offers quality furniture and mattresses for every room of the home, with options for a variety of styles and budgets.

We are honored to celebrate Haley as she carries her mother’s legacy forward and begins this new chapter for Southern Comfort Furniture & Mattress. We invite the community to join us for the ribbon cutting on Sept. 3 and help us celebrate this special milestone.

The organization will have dominoes, cards, Mahjong, Bunco, board games and more for community members to play with strangers or friends.

The fun will be hosted in the Buddy Rau Room. The opera house is located at 425 Spring St., Columbus.

A new ranch home could lead to a new family

After his marriage fails, single father Ryder Sinclair returns to his hometown with his young son to care for his ailing mother. He’s surprised to run into his teenage crush, Kendall Hunt, whose career as a professional chef has been shaken by scandal. As the two work together to save an Easter event usually hosted by Ryder’s mother, Kendall finds hersel f longing for this s e n s e of family with Ryder and little Shepa r d. Bu t when she has a chance to go back to the li fe she once knew, will she choose the dream she’s spent years chasing…or the new dream that has taken hold of her heart?

The Pagewalkers Book Club is designed to bring residents together through reading while strengthening community connections with the Eula and David Wintermann Library.

The club’s kickoff will be held on a Saturday in September at the library, with residents being asked to help select the date. During the event, participants can sign up for library cards, order the club’s first selection, A Deadly Inside Scoop, provide T-shirt sizes for club shirts and meet other members.

Organizer Jeremiah Paige said the club is intended to provide a welcoming space for readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Residents interested in participating are encouraged to share which Saturday in September works best for the inaugural meeting.

Email safepassageinitiativeco@ gmail.com for more information.

Southern Comfort Ribbon Cutting Thursday, Sept. 3 | 3:30 p.m. | Southern Comfort Furniture Store, 905 Walnut St | Columbus Southern Comfort Furniture & Mattress is a locally owned, family-operated business proudly serving Columbus and the surrounding communities since 1985. They offer quality furniture and mattresses for every room of the home, along with friendly, personalized service to help customers find the perfect fit for their style and budget.

Blood Drive in Memory of Vernon Warschak

Sunday, Sept. 6 | 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | St. Anthony Catholic School, 635 Bonham St | Columbus Donors will receive a free pair of socks and a complimentary cholesterol screening. To schedule an appointment to give blood, visit commitforlife.org/donor/ schedules/drive_schedule/421074/.

Columbus Children’s Community Choir Kick-Off Tuesday, Sept. 8 | 3:45 p.m. | First United Methodist Church Columbus, 1229 Milam St | Columbus “Homes Around the World” Youth Art Awards Reception Wednesday, Sept. 9 | 5:30–7 p.m. | Live Oak Art Center, 1014 Milam St | Columbus Celebrate the winners of Colorado County Habitat for Humanity’s youth art contest. The exhibit will be on display Sept. 9–30 viewable during LOAC’s open hours.

Sheridan Lions Club Bingo for Bags and Bling Saturday, Sept. 12 | Sheridan Community Center, 5803 S Logan Park Dr | Sheridan Must be 21 years old or older to attend; bring your own booze. All proceeds to benefit community projects. Prizes include authentic designer purses, jewelry and men’s items. Tickets are $40 each or $500 for a table of 10. Contact Carol Drozd at (361) 772-5631.

Faith Lutheran Church Annual Fish Fry Sunday, Sept. 13 | 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Faith Lutheran Church, 615 S Eagle St | Weimar Enjoy a homecooked meal of fried catfish, mac ‘n cheese, hushpuppies and coleslaw for $15 per plate. Peruse a bake sale and enter into a raffle for prizes.

Lunch and Learn: Preparing a Fall Garden Wednesday, Sept. 16 | 11:50 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. | County Services Building, 305 Radio Ln | Columbus Free educational seminars on various gardening topics delivered during lunchtime and hosted by the Bluebonnet Master Gardners Association. For questions, call (979) 732-2082.

Blend Hair Salon Ribbon Cutting Friday, Sept. 18 | 4 p.m. | Blend Hair Salon, 524 Walnut St | Columbus Blend Hair Salon was created by stylists KJ Guentert and Charlsie Atteberry with a vision to bring an elevated, modern hair experience to the heart of Columbus. Offering blonding, color, styling, extensions, tanning, and more, Blend combines a polished salon experience with the warmth and comfort of a small-town atmosphere.

New Ulm VFD 75th Annual Celebration

Sunday, Sept. 20 | 10 a.m. | New Ulm Fireman’s Park, 1899 Track Rd | New Ulm Meal sales to go for $20 starting at 10 a.m. Drive-thru line for plates to go at 10:30 a.m. Barbecue beef and pork serving starts at 11 a.m. with per plate tickets priced at $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 6-12. Auction and silent auction with all proceeds going toward firefighting equipment to start at 1 p.m. Special attractions include raffle drawings, kids games, cake walk and plant bingo.

Weimar Library Movie: Goat (2026) Monday, Sept. 21 | 3:45 p.m. | Weimar Public Library, 1 Jackson Square | Weimar Free popcorn and bottled water.

Eagle Lake Chamber of Commerce Mixer Wednesday, Sept. 23 | 5–7 p.m. | The Painted Tree Emporium, 119 E Main St | Eagle Lake All chamber members and those wishing to join are welcome to attend. Come mix, mingle and learn more about what’s happening in Eagle Lake.

People all over the world can contribute by submitting photos of butterflies in the wild to the community science project and app iNaturalist. Submitters don’t need to know the type of butterfly—or be sure that it isn’t a moth—as experts will be able to help. Visit inatural ist. org to submit photos.

Butterfly Big Day is coordinated by the Urban Butterfly Initiative as a col laboration of butterfly organizations around the world. Visi t u rbanbut ter f l ies. org /s c ience/ but te r f ly- big- day to learn more.

Warschak relied on frequent blood and platelet transfusions during his battle with acute myeloid leukemia, a blood and bone marrow cancer. These donations allowed Warschak to spend more precious time with family and friends.

Donors will receive a free pair of socks and a complimentary cholesterol screening. All donations will into the general blood supply for all patients in the Texas Gulf Coast region through Gulf Coast Blood.

To schedule an appointment to give blood, visit commitforlife.org/ donor/schedules/drive_ schedule/421074/.

For children in kindergarten through sixth grade, WEBC will offer an after school program in partnership with Pioneer Club weekly from 4–6 p.m. While the children’s group program has already started, Pioneers will officially start Sept. 9. Registration is free and closes Sept. 2. Call (832) 992-6041 to register.

For junior high and high school students, the church is running its LifeChange’s bible study on the Biblical book of James every week at 6 p.m. The study will be taught by a rotating group of teachers.

WEBC is located at 7577 Ernst Parkway, Industry. Learn more at westendchurch.net/.