City of Rockdale

Grants and major projects top city’s list of 2025 accomplishments (The Reporter reached out to the city to ask for a list of 2025 accomplishments and City Manager Tim Kelty responded.—K.W.C.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear editor, Happy New Year! I hope the year 2026 will bring peace to Ukraine. I can’t help but wonder what President Putin told President Donald Trump up in Alaska since President Trump was going to end the war on Day 1.

Hopeful for 2026

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” (Psalm 91:4) Here are my random thoughts as we wrap up 2025 and move into 2026. First of all, hallelujah! Christmas is over! Please don’t misunderstand. I like the Jesus part of Christmas.

Poetry that has changed my life

As the new year is upon us, may I share with you two pieces of poetry that have always blessed and challenged my perspective on life and the meanings life may have. The first was composed by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Bless our emergency responders

Ihad intended to open the 2026 newspaper article season with a recap of the 2025 year in county government; and I actually already wrote the article last week, but then something happened.

New Year’s resolutions

To deepen your New Year’s resolutions, make them specific and meaningful (your “why”), break them into small, actionable steps, track progress with a journal, find supportive accountability partners, and build them into daily habits, forgiving slip-ups along the way for real, lasting change.

The birth of Jesus and a few other births

We had such a nice Christmas with almost all family members present. We had 10 at every meal and boy did we feast. Our family is more about food than presents these days. Daniel Willie gave us two smoked turkey breasts and smoked is mom’s favorite. We enjoyed that.

Good luck food for 2026

I’m giving you a fairly standard black-eyed pea recipe so you’ll have good luck in 2026. The most important part, in my opinion, is to use some sort of smoked meat: ham hocks, sausage, turkey necks, ham, slab bacon, etc. It just needs to be smoked.

Looking back...

10-20-40-100 YEARS AGO 100 YEARS AGO A most fitting entertainment, appropriate to the Christmas season, was the dinner party given by Mr. And Mrs. W.E. White last Friday evening to the “Ye Merrie Wives” and a few additional guests.

Christmas in Milam County

Christmas in Milam County has always been about more than decorations and gifts. It is a season defined by community, tradition and the quiet strength of small towns that know how to come together when it matters most.