Dear, deer

December rolled in with an early morning frosting of Rockdale and temperatures in the 20s, but these lawn deer didn’t mind. They are out to remind us we have moved from the season of thanks to the season of giving what we are thankful for. Reporter photo

County hopes to beef up connections

Communicating is key to informing citizens and connections are key to communicating. With that in mind Milam County is seeking to fill the gap of internet connections that exist in many parts of the county.

COVID numbers keep going up

COVID-19 cases have continued to spike in the county as testing reveals new numbers of the virus in the Monday through Tuesday testing. The county currently has a positivity rate of 25 percent. At the Commissioners Court meeting on Nov.

Many things make one college, career ready

There may be as many definitions of college and career readiness as there are colleges to attend and careers to pursue.

First letter

This year’s first letter to Santa is from Casslyn Rippstein whose grandparents are Charles and Gaye Bland of Rockdale. Cassie, who goes to school in Austin, loves horses, but knows Santa does not make real horses, so all she wants for Christmas is sour candy and cotton candy. Photo provided

NEWSBRIEFS

Thorndale ISD gives all staffers bonuses Thorndale ISD voted to reward employees for what Superintendent Adam Ivy called an “incredible effort” that staffers of all stripes have put in to redesign and implement a new way of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RCS changes pantry hours for holiday

Due to the holidays we have adjusted the Rockdale Christian Services Food Pantry's days of operation in December. The schedule for RCS food pantry is: Dec. 4, Dec. 10-11 and Dec 18. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 12-noon. The Central Texas Food Bank Mobile Pantry will be at the KC Hall Dec.

Travis Co. deputy killed in collision

Friday night Travis County deputy Robert Small, 48, was killed in a collision in Milam County on US 79 between Milano and Gause. Small was driving a motorcycle and collided with another vehicle, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety, which is investigating the crash.

POLICE REPORT

Samatra Iwaina Beckwith, 44, of Rockdale, was arrested Thursday at 3:10 a.m. on separate charges of failure to ID fugitive/give false information, a warrant for probation violation assault family member/impede breath and possession of a controlled substance (less than 1 gram).

FIRE CALLS

• Monday, 5:52 a.m., Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department responded to the Pecan Grove RV Park for a fire with a fatality. • Tuesday, 2:27 a.m., Milano Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fuel tanker loaded with diesel that struck a horse on US 79. The tanker was smoking. • Tuesday, 5:04 p.m.