Inspiration Along Pathway of Light
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VOLUME 125 • NO. 51 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019 1 SECTION • 14 PAGES • $1 Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1894 Thank a Veteran and a Serviceman Every Day OYSTER MADNESS ‘in house shucked’’ oysters raw, grilled or fried 115 South Madison St. @@ 936-348-3927 0OUIFTRVBSFt.BEJTPOWJMMF tripadvisor· Now Republican HQ, gas station remains Humble ‘Round Town Gala Nettles How can Christmas be only a week away? Granted, for many of us it always arrives too quickly, but this year it feels like the Grinch stole a few shopping, cooking and decorating days doesn’t it? We can’t blame this one on the grinch though . Instead, Thanksgiving is the culprit that snatched some preparation days . According to an article in Inc . magazine, because of- ficial holiday shopping begins with Black Friday, this year is the shortest holiday shopping PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ROY R. REYNOLDS season since 2013 . The Humble Oil station, a local staple since 1931, will now be used for the headquarters of the Republican Party of Madison County. Usually we have 25 to 31 days between Thanksgiv- By Campbell Atkins The building, which has to be good stewards of that a storefront . He volunteered ing and Christmas, but this campbell.atkins@ graced the intersection of landmark .” that area at no cost to us .” shopping season is six days madisonvillemeteor.com State Highways 21 and 75 Hardy allowed the party to The party has met at the shorter . If you feel more since 1931, will now play host establish their new headquar- Madison County Annex Christmas stress than usual, fter nearly 90 years to the Republican Party of ters in the space . courtroom in the past and blame it on Thanksgiving! of storied history, the Madison County . “(Hardy) has been a men- will likely continue to utilize Stress can also tax the A Madisonville Hum- “I told someone that there tor of mine since I moved to the bigger space to hold their printing presses when ble Oil station will add a new are no buildings in downtown the county,” said Counsil . meetings . Once ready, the Christmas falls on the day chapter to its lengthy legacy . Madisonville more iconic “Any time I needed sugges- new storefront will be open you get your paper . It means “You always see people than the Courthouse, Walk- tions or advice, he has been a at certain times during the next week the presses must getting out to take a photo,” er’s Cafe and the Humble Oil person I have visited . I knew week and be staffed by party run a day earlier so columns said John Hardy, who bought Station,” said Kevin Coun- they owned several properties volunteers . like this one must be ready to the station in the 1980s with sil, Chairman of the county’s in town and I talked to him go by this Friday instead of his wife, Toni . Republican Party . “We want about renting one to have for SEE HQ PAGE 10 next Tuesday . Bottom line is if you have birthdays, celebrations or other memorable events for next week’s paper, please send them Thursday to gala@ Four-way race begins to nettlescountry com. or call 936-348-6541 . replace retiring sheriff Here’s what’s been hap- pening round town . By Campbell Atkins and national office, is is Charles Turner for Con- Last week’s chili contest, campbell.atkins@ Nov . 3 . stable Precinct 2 . compliments of the Madison madisonvillemeteor.com Other offices on the With four candidates County Chamber of Com- county slate are tax-as- seeking the party nomi- merce, made not only the Four hopefuls have sessor collector, two nation, the race for sheriff chili-cooking winners happy thrown their (mostly county commissioner is arguably the most com- but also those who sampled cowboy) hats into the seats and two constable petitive in the county . the goods . ring to replace retiring openings . All candidates Travis Neeley, who First-place honors went to Madison County Sheriff who filed for the open held the position from the American Legion Auxil- Travis Neeley, all Repub- positions are Republican, 1988-97 before returning iary, while MARI earned sec- licans . moving the deciding elec- for another stint in 2011, ond place and Madisonville The four hopefuls for tion to the primary . will retire at the conclu- Care Center captured third Madison County Sher- For tax assessor-col- sion of his term . place . People’s choice went iff include Les Neeley lector, incumbent Karen home with Mr . and Mrs . Ed (cousin to the current Lane of Midway will face LES NEELEY Collins . sheriff), Jon Stubblefield, Shanah Grisham, also of Les Neeley brings 42 The 14th Annual Pathway Billy J . Reeves and Bobby Midway . For Precinct 1 years of law enforcement Inspiration along of Light, the live presenta- Adams . Because each county commissioner, experience to his candi- tion of the story of Jesus from candidate is a member incumbent Ricky Driskell dacy . He was an inves- birth to resurrection, is now of the same party, the of Madisonville will run tigator with the Harris a memory but what a special March 3 Republican pri- against Matt Post, also of County Precinct 4 Con- Pathway of Light CAMPBELL ATKINS memory it is . A total of 1,677 mary could potentially Madisonville . stable’s Office in Hous- people attended the event . determine the overall In the Precinct 3 county ton and worked on the Tommy Dommert plays Jesus Christ in a scene Of that number, 716 were winner . If nobody wins commissioner race, in- Crimes Against Children portraying the crucifixion during the 14th there for the first time and 37 Annual Pathway of Light at First Baptist Church outright, a run-off elec- cumbent Carl Cannon task force before retiring of them received salvation . of Madisonville Saturday. The reenactment of tion will be slated for May will run unopposed . Jim July 31 . That’s impressive . Jesus’ life included over 250 cast members from 26 . The general election, Jackson is unopposed for One more thing . If you several area churches and lasted from Thursday which will include state Constable Precinct 1, as SEE PAGE missed this year’s production, SHERIFF RACE 5 through Sunday. you missed watching out- standing performances by 250 of our neighbors and friends . We’ve got some really good Ag Issues team takes State actors and support people in Madison and surrounding By Campbell Atkins (SHSU) and will represent Madisonville sent five counties . Hats off to all of you . campbell.atkins@ Texas at the National FFA teams to SHSU on Dec . Congratulations to Devan madisonvillemeteor.com Contest in Indianapolis 6-7, including the Jr . Chap- Clute and Parker Dawson, ter Conducting team, Ag who wed Dec . 9 . Devan is the next year . COURTESY PHOTO Advocacy team and Junior daughter of Stephanie Ben- Madisonville FFA’s Ag The first place Ag Issues Members of the State Champion Madisonville nett Clute and the late Don Issues team won the State team consists of Layla Clark, and Senior Quiz teams . In FFA Ag Issues team (from left) Layla Clark, Kallie Championship during Kallie Tilton, Emma Hurst, order to advance to state, Clute and the granddaughter Tilton, Emma Hurst, Chase McBee, Brooke Huff and Kourtney Fleck pose with FFA coordinator the state event at Sam Chase McBee, Brooke Huff SEE NETTLES PAGE 10 Lynita Foster (center). Houston State University and Kourtney Fleck . SEE AG TEAM PAGE 5 INSIDE THE METEOR The true light that gives light to D eep Root s. N ew Ideas. Business . 8 Normangee Tractor everyone was coming Churches . .7 . into the world. He Classifieds . 9-10 was in the world, and Obituaries . 3 (936)396-3101 though the world was Opinion . 4 NormangeeTractor.com made through him, 333 N. May Street The Calendar . 10 the world did not 936.348.3777 Bank Sports . 12-14 www.fnbhuntsvillet x.com recognize him. OF MADISONVILLE “Nobody Beats Normangee Tractor” A Divis ion of First Natio nal Bank of Hun tsville John 1:9-10 ~ Mem.berFDI C . IIIIJI!IJIJIJllll 11Ill lll 11111, www.madisonvillemeteor.com PAGE 2 THE MADISONVILLE METEOR DEC. 18, 2019 Secretary of state convenes discussion on census AUSTIN — Texas mining the distribution ABBOTT DECLARES of wildfire across the House Speaker Den- Secretary of State Ruth of federal funds to the DISASTER affected counties. The nis Bonnen on Dec. 10 Hughs on Dec. 11 hosted Lone Star State in areas Gov. Greg Abbott on governor added that named seven people to a roundtable discussion such as healthcare, ed- Dec. 12 certified that ex- drought conditions pose the House Interim Study of state agencies to co- ucation, agriculture ceptional drought con- an imminent threat to Committee on Aggregate ordinate efforts to accu- and infrastructure and ditions pose a threat of public health, property Production Operations. rately count all Texans housing, as well as de- imminent disaster in and the economy. The panel will review in the upcoming 2020 termining the size of our the counties of Bandera, Abbott’s declaration the impact of aggregate Census. congressional delega- Blanco, Burnet, Concho, authorizes the use of all production operations Hughs was joined by tion,” Hughs said. Karnes, Kendall, Kinney, available resources of at rock-crushing facil- Dr. Steven Dillingham, “That’s why it’s im- Llano, Maverick, Medina, state government and ities, concrete batch U.S. Census Bureau di- perative that we work Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, of political subdivisions plants and hot-mix as- rector; Dr. Lloyd Potter, Capitol Highlights collaboratively towards Zapata and Zavala. that are reasonably nec- phalt plants across the Texas State demogra- Ed Sterling finding ways that our The declaration states essary to cope with the state and the implemen- pher; and representa- state’s agencies can help that significantly low disaster.