News

The Talty Police Department is growing along with the city itself and is pleased to announce the additions and promotion of several officers.

Tommy Phillips County Extension Agent Agriculture & Natural Resources Kaufman County Well the dog days of summer are here for sure! Hard to believe that there is anything gardening related that can be done in this heat - but there is and if done will reap great rewards now and into the fall.

In my first mother-inlaw’s home, a woman I am no longer tethered to by marriage but still refer to as Mom on the phone, there’s an odd room. To some, it’s out and out terrifying. To others, it’s wasted space as there are so many other things one could do with a large bedroom just off a foyer. To me, however, it was always magical. It is, simply, a room full of dolls. There are porcelain collectible dolls, the kind dressed like fine Victorian ladies with details so intricate they look as if they’re about to develop headaches and loft themselves across fainting couches. There are baby dolls with soft bodies that actually weigh 7 lbs. These are so realistic you cannot hold one without feeling your heartbreak just a little bit, aka, the cry of the phantom ovary, for those of us who are a certain age. There are actual antique dolls, so precious they are behind glass cabinets. There are rag dolls. There are entire collections of Madame Alexander lines. There are the 80s Cabbage Patch Kids. There are a few marionettes that look uncannily like ventriloquist dummies. And, finally, there are the offerings by Mattel. All the Holiday Barbies are front andcenter, as are the movie star Barbies, the Barbies from distant lands, and even the Disney varieties. And, interestingly, they are all in their boxes. Yep, every single Barbie is still in her original box. In fact, I remember a Christmas spent in this very home – several, actually. On this particular day, 9 siblings gathered with their spouses while 37ish grandchildren opened gifts in the floor. The moms hovered frantically, trying to grab the wrapping paper mid-tear as the opening frenzy ensued. My daughter, Chynna, then around 7, was down to her last gift. As she popped off the bow and ripped through the paper, her eyes lit up like a sky full of stars. She was the chosen one. Her grandmother had gifted her with the Czechoslovakian Barbie. Unlike the other gifts that season, this one came with a single rule, simultaneously repeated by every mother in that room. “Don’t open the box.” See, it’s worth more that way.

By Henry S. Higdon III

BDear Aunt B, I have a family member that I do not speak to anymore. Do you think that I need to try to make amends before it is too late, or is it better to leave it alone?

Tough decisions are being made around Texas as drought conditions force ranchers to cull cattle herds due to lack of forage.

The current inflation rates are concerning for consumers preparing to begin their back-to-school shopping as students and parents gear up for the upcoming school year. According to the National Retail Federation, 84% of consumers expect higher prices this year, particularly for clothing and school supplies. To help combat increased costs, many consumers are spending more time comparatively shopping online for the best deals on necessary items. Better Business Bureau reminds backto- school shoppers interacting with digital marketplaces to be wary of online purchasing scams and to carefully evaluate the legitimacy of an online seller before paying for advertised products.

TVCC’s partnership with the Texas Court Reporters Association (TCRA) and Mark Kislingbury offers an innovative court reporting experience for Texas residents.

District Attorney Erleigh Norville Wiley announced last week that a Kaufman County jury has sentenced Laquoncy Deshard Ellis, 41, to 38 years in the Texas penitentiary. Ellis pled guilty to the 3rd Degree Felony offense of Evading Arrest or Detention with a Vehicle. On July 19, 2022, following a two-day trial before the Honorable Judge Casey Blair in the 86th District Court of Kaufman County, the jury handed down Ellis’s sentence.

Tonight the sunset was beyond spectacular. It sat low and sinking in the sky in every shade of orange imaginable, plus a dozen or so hues that haven’t been invented yet. Two loons floated serenely on the glassy waters of the lake, their silhouettes small and dark in the foreground amongst the orange symphony overhead.

New research is offering insights into how the world can recover and rebuild from the pandemic, along with how individuals and organizations can address issues they care about in their communities.

Shrinking Cattle Herd Could Equal High Calf, Beef Prices

Many homeowners are eager to step outdoors upon the return of warm weather. Outdoor living spaces have grown in popularity as more and more homeowners embrace opportunities to entertain and lounge around in their yards.