July 4th

Hear that marching band playing patriotic music? Smell those hot dogs cooking on the grill? See those fireworks exploding in the night sky? Then it must be Independence Day.

Don’t believe fireworks misinformation

There is a lot of firework misinformation going around our town. I had a very nice meeting with Jerry McPeek on Tuesday. Jerry and his wife own and operate Big Tex Fireworks out by the KC Hall and they have been doing so for 15 years. “Fireworks” are not banned. “Aerial fireworks” are not banned.

Singing national anthem strains vocal chords

(A timely column from the late Willis Webb from 2014.) As I sit at the desk in my “man cave” (Life Mate’s name for it) in the predawn hours of Independence Day, I think about strained vocal chords. Mine, when I try to sing “The Star Spangled Banner,” even in my mind as I’m doing now, it hurts.

Looking back... Through The Reporter Files

100 YEARS AGO… A special called meeting of the Austin Presbytery was held in Rockdale for the purpose of examining, receiving and ordaining Rev. D.C. Wallace, who was chosen by the Rockdale Presbyterian church as pastor. Our fellow citizen, Lem Smith, was taken very ill and became unconscious.

Stop the hate

(Mary and Murray Judson, publishers of the Port Aransas South Jetty newspaper, are another Texas newspaper family and longtime friends of the Cookes. Mary makes some good points about the hate-filled world we live in. And it could happen here in Rockdale too.— K.W.C.

This week you get a very punny column

One of my fondest childhood memories is going to story hour at our Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library when I was a kid. I once checked out a book that was full of puns. I must not have known what a pun was because I was laughing all the way through the book and checked it out numerous times.

Milam County news and updates for June

Burn ban in effect As of 12:01 p.m. Thursday, June 16, a countywide burn ban is in effect. Drought conditions, high winds and extreme temperatures warrant the burn ban. This week, large grass fires have required us to call out the Forestry Service to help put out the fires.

Looking back... Through The Reporter Files

100 YEARS AGO… The first public concert of the season by the Rockdale Boys Band, under the leadership of Dr. C.E. Wisecup, was given on Fountain Square. There were 21 instruments on duty, and a splendid program was rendered.

Grilled chicken, peach dessert

I would normally grill chicken thighs instead of breasts, but this is a good recipe for breasts and some kids (and some adults) won’t eat a thigh. The brown sugar in the marinade will give you dark grill marks.

‘Thank you’ from Bad to the Bone Riders

Dear editor, MARC Ride loyal supporters, you never cease to amaze us. We are proud to announce a record year. The auction brought in $29,000 with checks still coming in. We are already at $48,000 for the total that will go to the MARC Center. The 21st annual MARC Ride fundraiser took place Saturday.