HONOR ROLLS

Projects lift ‘18 to No. 2 building year

Permits for two colossal projects—the new Tiger Stadium and an 84-bed nursing home—rocketed 2018 to second place all-time for construction in Rockdale. The 2018 total was $11,374,309, second only to $30,877,029 in 2008.

That’s C-L-O-S-E-D

The Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department, assisted by other agencies, made two high-water rescues at the same location within 10 hours Thursday, both to free trapped motorists who drove around “Road Closed” signs into Brushy Creek flood waters. Above, at 2:30 p.m.

QUICK LOOK

Lions’ annual soup suppers start Thursday The Rockdale Noon Lions Club’s annual soup suppers, a delicious winter tradition, begin Thursday in the New Salem Clubhouse at Fair Park and continue every Thursday through Jan. 31. Price is $8 per person and includes roll/cornbread, tea/water and dessert.

Water rates: Wild cards, consensus at town hall

A curious and engaged crowd of about 50 appeared ready to buckle down and face the painful task ahead regarding their water rates at the first of four town hall meetings Thursday evening at New Hope Baptist Church.

MLK parade set Jan. 20th downtown

Elias and Margaret Green will be grand marshals for Rockdale’s annual MLK Day Parade, set for 4 p.m. Jan. 20, the day prior to the actual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. The parade forms at the corner of Ackerman and Cameron (US 79).

Here we go again

It’s a familiar site whenever Rockdale is visited by heavy rains. Barricades go up on the East Belton Avenue low water crossing. That was the case overnight Wednesday-Thursday when a 3.5-inch rain sent area streams out of their banks for the second time in a week.

‘Progress’ reported in talks about clinic

Details aren’t being released but officials involved in the process say there’s “progress” being made in the effort to reclaim at least some health care facilities for Rockdale. County Judge Steve Young said some progress has been made by “the Rockdale Hospital Board and a lot of others.

Wednesday first day for city, school filings

Wednesday, Jan. 16 is the first day to file for the May 4, city and school board elections in Rockdale and there will be a number of terms expiring this spring. City voters will elect a mayor and two council members and there will also be amendments to the city charter going to the public.

Seven sentenced in court action

CAMERON—Seven persons were sentenced in the first 2019 session of 20th District Court, according to Prosecutor Bill Torrey, who listed case dispositions as follows: • Stacey Hall Brewer, 33, Rockdale, sentenced to two-year state jail term probated five years, 99-day county jail term, $2,500 fine,...