The Italy City Council will meet on Monday, September 14, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 105 Main Street, Italy, Texas. Along with the usual department reports there will be a hearing on the 2009-2010 budget. The agenda includes ten discussion/action items. Approval of the budget and regulations regarding alcoholic beverages in the city are two of the agenda items listed.
Inside one of the world’s ultimate storm shelters, a Monolithic dome, known locally as Italy Gladiator Coliseum, the Lady Gladiators battled the Lady Milford Bulldogs in volleyball.
Samantha Michelle (Shelley) Nance, age 20, graduate of Italy High School class of 2007 was found murdered on September 11th, 2009 in her Dallas Apartment.
On Tuesday, September 15, the Lady Gladiators and Avalon Lady Eagles will host a Pink National Breast Cancer Awareness Rally at the Avalon gym beginning at 6:00 pm. The teams will promote breast health education in the community as well as raising funds for research. Everyone is invited to attend and help with this worthy cause.
IYAA Vice President Gary Wood announced that all the IYAA football games, scheduled to be played Saturday in Palmer, have been cancelled due to the inclement weather.
On September 11, the local firefighters, city employees, police, Murrie Wainscott and Mayor Jackson gathered and remembered the fallen of the twin towers. This is the 8th anniversary of the tragedy.
Last evening during the blinding rain storm Logistics Inc.’s big rig took the turn too wide on exit 386 and went off into the muddy ground. Consequently being stuck in the mud all evening. At approximately 10:00 a.m. this morning a wrecking company out of Fort Worth came and began to pull the semi out of the mud.
Although Italy’s 7th Grade football team tied the Palmer Bulldogs 0-0 in their Thursday scrimmage, they did manage to beat the rain. Italy did forgoe it’s last offensive series due to lightning and ultimately rain. However, the 8th Grade and JV teams will have to wait until next Thursday against Malakoff.
Ronola Shears was happily living and working in Dallas for CBI as assistant to the controller. It has always been her husband’s (Terry Shears) dream to move from the big city to a small town and purchase a house with a few acres of land. Two years ago this dream became his reality which meant Ronola had to commute from Avalon to Dallas. “It was a very hard year commuting back and forth from Avalon to Dallas. I wouldn’t get home until seven at night,” explained Ronola.
Council voted to raise the water bill tonight by 6 dollars on sewage. Also raised the rates on above minimum usage, or per gallon rates up to 6/1000g for water, and 5/1000g for sewer. Increase of 2 on water to 4000, then 1 dollar/1000; and 3 on sewer/1000.
1 Comment (9/10/09 1:24pm)
In a pre-season game on Tuesday night, the Lady Gladiators took on the Lady Chargers from Keene. In a 3 game set, Keene narrowly gained the win.
Gloria Gunn, 75 of Milford, passed away September 3, 2009 at Baylor Medical Center of Waxahachie. She was born to the late E.P. and Eula Trull Jenkins on September 9, 1933 in Avalon.
Three public hearings in Commissioners’ Court passed without public comment on Monday, September 8.
The 22nd Annual Meals-on-Wheels Golf Benefit, set for September 17, at Hidden Creek Golf Course, is ready for the big day! “Our field is now full!” said Ike Vera, Golf Benefit Chairperson. The Benefit was limited to the first 66 teams to register, and registrations were accepted until the field was full, on a first come first served basis.
Brandy Hamilton was quite surprised when she realized her passion was for teaching. She had gotten her degree in Radio and TV Broadcasting. Never did she think she would end up teaching and loving every minute of it.
You and your friends are invited to join us for an exciting 10-day tour of Athens and the Islands on June 16-25, 2011.
Italy earned their first win on the season with an impressive victory over the Chilton Pirates. Chilton, who upset 1A power Mart (No. 16) last week 39-16, had the air pounded out of their sails Friday night by a determined group of Gladiators 33-27.
Thursday night at the Chilton ISD football facilities, lightning did strike and thunder rolled as the Italy Gladiators JV rained on the Chilton Pirates’ parade.
The Milford city council will meet in a called meeting on Tues Sept 8, 2009 to vote to increase residential water bills by $25.00 per meter in order to collect money towards paying back to the State of Texas over $300,000 it collected from traffic citations issued on I-35 over several years.
Cockran always wanted to be a teacher. Before she started her teaching career she was a “stay at home mom”. “I always wanted to be a teacher but waited until my children were old enough to begin my teaching career. When my children started school, I did too.”
One year ago Jeannie Richardson met with a few women in Milford and together they decided to form the “Titus Women’s Club”. Their mission was to unite the women of Milford and to be Jesus in their community by meeting one another’s needs and encouraging each other to be all they can be in Christ.
Last Friday, Italy welcomed two very special visitors to town. Paul Bottalico and his friend, Rose, were visiting from Santa Ana, California. At one time, Paul had very strong family ties to the “Biggest Little Town in Texas”.
The Lady Bulldogs of Palmer made a short trip to Italy on Tuesday night to take on the Lady Gladiators for the second time this pre-season. Italy defended the net with enthusiasm but it didn’t take Palmer long to perform the duties at hand. With a four game set, Palmer won 3 out of 4.
Esteban Martinez and his wife Juana are expanding Mamma’s place to Avalon. “Mamma’s Place Number Two,” laughed Juana.
At Italy High School on Friday night, the dome was buzzing with activity. Red Oak Life came to play the Lady Gladiators and left with their hats in their hands.
The 4-H Horse Club of Ellis County will have its first meeting of the school year on Thursday, September 3, at 6 p.m. at the Flying Dollar Ranch, located at 230 Chambers Dr., Italy, Texas. If you are interested in becoming a member or learning what 4-H is about, please attend this meeting.
The Italy Gladiators began their highly anticipated football season by hosting, their long-time rival, the Maypearl Panthers Friday night. 2009 marks the second year Italy has returned to 1A competition where they have enjoyed trophy case after trohy case of success in years past.
A message and a gift from our one time neighbor, Margaret Smotherman. Mrs. S. lived across the street from the library for many years and is now residing in Houston. She misses Italy, and she misses all her old friends. She posted two Large Print books, Standing In The Rainbow, by Fannie Flagg and Just Rewards, by Barbara Taylor Bradford as gifts to the library for all her friends to enjoy. We miss you Mrs. S….and your lovely British accent!
Scott and Amanda Connor announce with joy the birth of their son, Trenton Bryce Connor. Born August 21, 2009 at 6:15 p.m., he weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces and was 20 inches at birth.
After a JV Gladiator win on Thursday against Maypearl, the Italy student body threw a Pep Rally for the Varsity players before their game against the Panthers on Friday.
It was birthday month again at Trinity Mission and everybody was ready for cake and ice cream.
Elnora Hooks an Italy resident passed August 25, 2009. She is survived by her husband Johnny Hooks. Viewing will be Friday, August 28, 2009, 11am – 6:30pm at Jackson Community Funeral Home. The wake will be Friday, August 28, 2009, 7pm – 8pm at Jackson Community Funeral Home. Funeral is scheduled for Saturday, August 29, 2009, 11am at Union Missionary Baptist Church.
The Italy High School Regiment Band is ready. They have been practicing for several weeks and started long before school began. They are ready to march on the field at halftime on Friday night’s game against Maypearl.
The Italy Gladiators had one of their best practices Wednesday. There is definitely an energy surrounding Willis Field in anticipation of the upcoming JV and Varsity football games this week against Maypearl. Playing under the Friday night lights will be fun but don’t forget about the JV game that will be played under the Thursday night lights in Maypearl.
IYAA football for ages kindergarten through 6th grades is in it’s second week of pre-season practices. The Majors (5th & 6th grades), the Minors (3rd and 4th grades) and then Bantam (K-2nd grades) make up the three teams the IYAA will be fielding in 2009.
Meals on Wheels of Johnson and Ellis Counties have released their meals menu for September 2009. These meals are subject to change.
The Avalon Eagles are starting their third year in organized football. Avalon’s, JV and Varsity Six-Man Football squads scrimmaged the Bynum Bulldogs in Bynum this past Friday. The Eagles expect to have their best season since first putting on the shoulder pads back in 2005.
Around 12:15 in the afternoon I arrived at Miss Millie’s Restaurant and Music Hall and was delighted with what I saw. There was a huge stage all lit up with wonderful music wafting through the air as one of the bands were warming up for a performance.
Henry Raymond Sollers of Forney, Texas, passed away on August 24, 2009 in Forney, Texas. Henry was born on January 16, 1933 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to the late Robert and Nellie (Myers) Williams.
The Italy Economic Development Corporation held its monthly meeting Monday evening to discuss information gleaned from a recent joint meeting with the city council, school board and various community leaders.
Patricia Burke had been a director for the daycare center at the Avenue Church in Waxahachie for six years. Her love for Christ, children and the desire to be closer to her home in Milford inspired her to open up a Christian daycare center in Italy. It is called Burke’s Kinder College.
Milord ISD had a wonderful turn out for Meet the Teacher night Thursday evening. Marilee Byrne, (principal of Milford ISD) said, “We are glad that so many of our parents came. This is probably one of the better turnouts that we have had for Meet the Teacher Night in several years and we are so excited that our parents are interested. This way we can have more parent involvement and partnership with the parents in educating our students.”
What a surprise, what a big surprise to get this letter from Joe Grubbs, county attorney. It turns out the way I read it, any municipality can enact illegal annexations or probably anything else within the city and if it is kept quiet and no action is filed against it within two years; it is automatically beyond any action. In other words, the illegal annexations that were carried out by the City of Italy are now legal.
The halls were over flowing with happy parents, smiling students and all the teachers at Stafford Elementary Thursday evening for “Meet the Teacher Night”.
The Italy Economic Development Committee will have a meeting today, August 24, 2009 in the Italy City Hall Council Chambers at 6:30pm. The agenda has a long list of 11 items that will be up for discussion/action during this meeting. A major part of the meeting will be considering recommendations resulting from the recent meeting of the EDC Strategic Plan Steering Committee.
Avalon ISD was ready for Meet the Teacher Night. Everyone was there Thursday evening. Students and parents were meeting teachers and learning where all the class rooms were located. Teachers were happy to meet their new students and ready to make this year a good one for all.
Although the Italy Gladiators were out pointed 2-0 in the Friday scrimmage against 2-time defending TAPPS Division III State Champion Waco Reicher Cougars, you won’t find any gloom around the Gladiator practice facilities. Feeling good about their progress, Italy is ready to meet the Maypearl Panthers head-on, in the first non-district game of the season.
Does the Japanese art of Raku sound like it would be fun to learn? How about the Chocolate Lovers Workshop? “Sample 7-11 kinds of chocolate while learning interesting facts.” Knitting, crochet or basic dog obedience are interesting. It’s time to register for class and just a simple drive north will start your life time of adventures.
The Gladiators will take on Waco Reicher this evening at 6:00 pm in Waco. This final scrimmage of the preseason will help prepare the Gladiators for their first non-district game next week against the Maypearl Panthers. Take a road trip to Waco and cheer on our boys!
When Larry Swanson retired from the City of Italy in 2003 due to health concerns, he really would have preferred to continue to work. After all, he has never been the type of person that could just sit around doing nothing. The change in lifestyle of staying home every day has been quite an adjustment.
