All kinds of fun was going on Wednesday morning at Stafford Elementary. Students and teachers and parents were playing all kinds of games for Stafford’s Annual Play Day.

Italy Gladiator track star John Isaac, a senior at Italy High School, received a heroes send-off before climbing into the Italy ISD van on his way to Austin to compete in the triple jump at State.

Italy High School was the site of the 61st Annual FCCLA (Family Career & Community Leaders of America) and FFA (Future Farmers of America) banquet this week. Awards were given after a wonderful meal of lasagna, salad, bread and dessert. Steve Gaylord was the special guest speaker for the evening.

The Italy Junior High School Honors Assembly recognized 7th thru 8th grades’ top academic achievers on Wednesday, May 12 inside Italy Coliseum. Kristi Souder announced the certificate, medal and Oliphant Cup recipients while Principal Tanya Parker presented the awards with a smile and a handshake.

Currently a Biology major at Hardin-Simmons University and a member of the Cowgirls Softball Team, 6-foot Junior righthander #13 Megann Lewis was honored by the coaches of the ASC and named the American Southwest Conference West Division Pitcher of the Year.

The Lady Gladiators have battled their way into the regional quarterfinal game against the Meridian Lady Yellowjackets. These two met at this time last year with Meridian advancing after surviving a late rally by Italy.

Danny Neil, a graduate of Avalon High School, had known Ronnie Compton, a graduate of Italy High School, all his life. Their parents were friends so the boys had grown up together and knew each other very well. After graduation from high school, however, the friends lost track of each other.

Andy Gee (owner of Starship Pegasus) has not given up on his dream of utilizing his Starship Pegasus dome. He is now opening it up under the name S.P.A.C.E. (Starship Pegasus Associates Community Enterprises) a flea-market/farmers market.

Curfews and scholarships were the topics of conversation at the monthly meeting of the Italy City Council Monday evening.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010, there will be a special called meeting of the Italy ISD Board of Trustees. Canvassing votes from the May 8th Election will be the lone agenda item for the called meeting.

Already bi-district champions, the Italy Lady Gladiators were in an area-round rematch against the Tolar Lady Rattlers on Friday and Saturday. Italy dominated game 1 in the best 2-out of-3 with a 7-0 victory. However, Saturday’s game was a bit more dramatic, not decided until the final “Megahit!”

Mayme E. Onstad, local writer and longtime resident of Italy, has published her first children’s book, Urple Fishing. It is a picture story book for kids ages 4-8 years old. Mayme has teaching principals in her stories, “Lessons they need to learn,” Onstad says.

The IYAA (Italy Youth Athletic Association) 2010 Baseball/Softball season has begun. Despite a few early season rain-outs, several games have been played although some teams did not start until late this week.

Good luck to the Italy Lady Gladiators (19-6) who will attempt to shed the Tolar Lady Rattlers (14-3-1) today in game 1 of a best 2-out of-3 Class A area-round playoff series rematch from a year ago.

Milford’s Ag program has grown over the past two years under the leadership of Mark Jackson. Students competed at three shows this year: San Antonio, Houston and more recently at the 21st Ellis County Youth Expo.

Blame it on the freshman and junior classes. They seem to be the cause for Milford’s high numbers of advancement in UIL academics and track. Although there were fewer participants in UIL academics this year, almost 86% placed in district or advanced to regional competition.

According to the display cases in the front hallway, it has been 20 years since Milford’s one act play advanced to district competition.

The Italy Park Board met Tuesday night and discussed plans for updating our community. The Upchurch Ballfields are home to three playing fields used for Italy baseball, softball & t-ball teams, residents and surrounding towns. The existing concession stand does not meet the current needs and the longtime goals are already set in motion.

The Italy School Board of Trustees and school district hosted its 27th Annual Academic Banquet Tuesday evening at the Multi-Event Center.

Ray A. Scott, age 72, of Irene, was born in Waxahachie on April 28, 1938 to Gertie Bell and Oscar Lee Scott. He passed away Monday, May 3, 2010 at his home. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and never met a stranger.

Today, Tuesday, May 4, 2010, there will be a special called meeting of the Italy ISD Board of Trustees. The agenda states that the meeting will be conducted primarily in executive session to consider personnel recommendations.

The Italy Park Board will meet Tuesday, May 4, 2010. The meeting will begin at 6:30 in the council chambers at Italy City Hall, 105 W. Main Street. The lone agenda item is planning for a summer fundraiser.

Italy — As part of the Don’t Mess With Texas, Adopt-a-Highway program, the Southern Cruisers Riding Club of Ellis County 326 covered two miles of Hwy 77 on Sunday, but not on their motorcycles. Club members and their families walked along the sides of Hwy 77 in their boots clearing debris and trash as they patriotically eagle-eyed the medians and ditches.

Christie & Charles Hyles, owners of the C5 Hyles Car Wash, invite everyone to try out the new Water Wizard 2.0 touchfree automatic car washing system.

There will be a regular meeting of the Italy Economic Development Corporation on Monday, May 3 at 7:00pm. The meeting will be held in the council chambers of the Italy Municipal Building, 105 Main Street. The lone agenda item is stated as discussion and consideration of necessary action(s) regarding Real Property. (Texas Government Code, Section 551.072.) This item is noted as a closed session item.

Glen Rose — After a dazzling 10 strikeout performance by Lady Gladiator pitcher Courtney Westbrook on Friday and 2 scores by Anna Viers to help Italy win 3-2 in game one, the DeLeon Lady Cats were desperate for a win on Saturday to force a third game in the best 2-out of-3 bi-district series.

Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson & Ellis Counties needs additional volunteers to help get noontime meals delivered to the homebound elderly and disabled residents throughout its service area. “With the growing needs in our communities, we are in need of new volunteers,” said Amy Jackson, director of development.

Monday evening’s regularly scheduled meeting found Ellis County Commissioners engaging in an open and productive dialogue regarding tree management practices in county right-of-ways.