I began participating in The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in 1998. There were several people in my family that had died of cancer. I also had several friends and family members that were fighting the disease. Little did I know when my participation began at that first Relay in Minnesota, that I would be diagnosed with lung cancer eight years later. From that time, Relay took on a whole new meaning for me. (Continued…)

During our life time we cross paths with some of the most wonderful folks in the world. We learn, we laugh, we grieve, we love; but most of all we rejoice in the many friendships that we develop through the years. This wonderful year has been filled with joy, tears and many other emotions that you can imagine, but the most wonderful thing that we have been blessed with are God’s love, our families, friends and residents. (Continued…)

The three-day, sixteen-team Italy Basketball Tournament, held December 3-5, was a success for the sixth year in a row. As always, there are numerous people to be thanked for their involvement and contributions. (Continued…)

I would like to begin by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and may the Peace of Christ be on you all. (Continued…)

3 comments (Continued…)

I would like to express my thanks to Italy High School for honoring the local veterans on Veteran’s Day. The program was so well planned and executed. It was a very emotional day as we were honored and appreciated. (Continued…)

I will be the first to admit I am not a trained journalist. I do love to write though. Several years ago I began covering Gladiator sports for the Itasca Express – Italy did not have a newspaper at that time. Then I covered all Italy news for the Italy News Herald. After I began writing the City of Italy monthly newsletter, I was approached by the Italy Neotribune to submit articles to them. (Continued…)

I was hurt when I read the recent comments under the article about Qualifying for State, but then I remembered what my parents had taught me that, “True Champions are made from Adversity.”

3 Comments (Continued…)

No matter how much we argue, disagree or interrogate each other we still live in the greatest God Blessed nation in the world. If we want it to stay this way we must be willing to ask questions and voice individual opinions without fear of repercussion. We can find answers and, in most cases, compromise together on solutions. We must stand for the Constitution, Liberty and the freedoms that are God given and we are not being selfish but, on the contrary, we are being wise, thinking of the future generations and not our own wants. Notice I said wants not needs. (Continued…)

In Response to two previous letters written by unknown sources, isn’t it wonderful that we live in a country where we can express our first amendment rights (even when spewing venom) and not fear the Gestapo beating your door down. I am going to use my first amendment right by playing the devil’s advocate. (Continued…)

I had not heard much about the upcoming election regarding beer and wine sales in Italy until a couple of weeks ago. Now, that is just about all I am hearing. After much soul searching and some research, I knew how I wanted to vote on all the issues, not just the local beer and wine sales issue. I exercised my right to vote when I voted early. (Continued…)

As most everyone knows by now, one of the items on the ballot for Tuesday, November 3rd, is a vote whether to have beer and wine sales in the stores in the town of Italy. (Continued…)

There is a new law that has recently been passed by the Texas Legislature. (See the images.) This law is set up to allow any county that wishes to subscribe to it, to force all the home owners in the county to put a regulation size sign on their homes identifying the home. (Continued…)

Over the past four years I have listened to my sister complain about the drainage ditch by her house. Then recently I saw someones post on Facebook about how the street where they lived (Milan Street) was a river. At lunch today I decided I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. (Continued…)

I would like to say thank you to the staff of Trinity Missions. Their compassion and caring attitudes are unbelievable. (Continued…)

Council voted to raise the water bill tonight by 6 dollars on sewage. Also raised the rates on above minimum usage, or per gallon rates up to 6/1000g for water, and 5/1000g for sewer. Increase of 2 on water to 4000, then 1 dollar/1000; and 3 on sewer/1000.

1 Comment (9/10/09 1:24pm) (Continued…)

The Milford city council will meet in a called meeting on Tues Sept 8, 2009 to vote to increase residential water bills by $25.00 per meter in order to collect money towards paying back to the State of Texas over $300,000 it collected from traffic citations issued on I-35 over several years. (Continued…)

What a surprise, what a big surprise to get this letter from Joe Grubbs, county attorney. It turns out the way I read it, any municipality can enact illegal annexations or probably anything else within the city and if it is kept quiet and no action is filed against it within two years; it is automatically beyond any action. In other words, the illegal annexations that were carried out by the City of Italy are now legal. (Continued…)

Letter to Joe Grubbs, Ellis County District Attorney, from David South, publisher of the Italy Neotribune, regarding illegal annexations by the City of Italy. (Continued…)

“I wonder if anyone could do a follow up on his exorbitant pay. I wonder if he makes JUST UNDER what max limit is on welfare or disability. I think this is very sad and hope that this type of thing never happens again. He owes that money to the citizens in the form of taxes, water bill, or city employee raises. A decent man would have objected to that kind of pay. I think some investigation into how they came up with that number would turn over some interesting stones.” (Continued…)