Wouldn’t it be great to surprise your child with a letter from Santa Claus from the North Pole? If you would like to do that, then the Italy Post Office is at your service.

TXI has donated approximately 2 acres of land to Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson and Ellis Counties for the site of a new regional kitchen facility. The property is located at TXI RailPort, a 1,700 acre business and industrial park in Midlothian, Texas.

Uptown Cafe was rated as one of the top forty Texas cafes by the Texas Monthly magazine. The “secret restaurant shoppers” from Texas Monthly had visited over three hundred cafes in the state of Texas and selected our own Uptown Cafe.

If you walked into Italy High School cafeteria on Wednesday afternoon, you would have seen approximately 20 students listening intently on the new rules and goals of the Gold Guild (G²), the newest club at school.

Matilda Jerry Williams and Shermalita Alexander Watson are the proud owners of “Just Fish” a new restaurant that opened in March of 2008 in Avalon, Texas.

On Saturday, November 22, Frost High School will host a basketball camp for kids 3rd grade through 8th grade 9:00 am to approximately noon. This is no ordinary basketball camp. Ty “Hollywood” Brown of Harlem Globetrotter fame will be in charge.

Mandy is a female Cocker Spaniel who is about 8 years old. Mandy was picked up by Animal Control and brought to the Corsicana Animal Shelter. She has cataracts in both eyes and may be a little hard of hearing. She would make someone a wonderful pet. She really needs a good home.

Wednesday, November 19th around 10:30 AM, you could find lots of little Indians and Pilgrims wandering around Stafford Elementary. They were all there celebrating Thanksgiving.

Italy J.V. and Varsity Girls had the Italy High School Coliseum rocking against the Mildred Eagles Tuesday night. Both Italy squads were forced to pull off last minute come backs that had the fans cheering until the last second.

The Italy 8th grade basketball squads got the ball bouncing on their 2008-’09 seasons against Red Oak Life Monday evening at the Italy High School Coliseum. The games showcased many bright young stars from both Italy and Red Oak.

Monolithic would like to thank area businesses and home owners for their support allowing Monolithic to collect organic food waste to be used in an odor reducing compost cover project. However, many are wondering, did the cover actually perform?

The IYAA C-Team Gladiators had to endure a bitterly cold 9:00 a.m. game start to compete for the Conference Championship against the Scurry Rosser Wildcats. Scurry’s previous loss to the Gladiators and the frigid weather didn’t detour them as the Wildcats jumped out to a 19-6 halftime lead.

Yesterday evening at 7:00 PM Milford’s Junior High presented their one act play, “Louder, I Can’t Hear You”. Along with the play you could bid on delicious baked goods and also enjoy some ice cream while watching a great performance.

Bobby Mack Hugghins, life-long resident of Italy, Texas, died on November 17, 2008. Services will be held at the Boze-Mitchell-McKibbin Funeral Home in Italy on Thursday, November 20, at 10AM with Reverend Jim Brown officiating. Interment will follow at Waxahachie City Cemetery.

The Community Based Instruction (CBI) Class at Italy High School displayed their unselfishness at the Italy School Board of Trustee’s monthly meeting held Monday night. The CBI class, taught by Kelly Vernon, won the football signed by more than two dozen Dallas Cowboys at Italy’s Homecoming in October. The class donated the football to the school district at the meeting.

Saturday morning at 9:00 AM in front of the Magic Mirror beauty shop dedicated Relay for Life team members were out selling all kinds of the sweetest baked goods imaginable.

Italy High School Junior, Josh Milligan, was a one of the first prize winners named in the 2008 Family Dollar Scholarship Contest this week.

Monolithic Constructors sometimes burns green waste. Their property is located outside of the city limits. Monday was no exception except the choice to burn that day was probably not a good idea.

Kelly Vernon and students plan to give a special presentation at the Italy ISD regular school board meeting tonight. The board will also discuss what to do with the additional funds from the recent tax changes approved by the voters. Other business includes the standard reports. The planned executive session includes discussing the Business Manager vacancy and school property at 500 College Street. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the administration offices at the high school. Everyone is invited to attend.

ITALY – The Italy Lady Gladiators, led by Senior Captain Becca DeMoss, hosted the Rice Lady Bulldogs Friday night at the Italy High School Coliseum. From the opening tip-off the action was fast and furious.

The City of Milford has come up with a new way to help folks at Christmas time. They are going to provide dinners for five families.

If you are interested in participating in Operation Christmas Child, please submit your filled shoeboxes to Italy’s First United Methodist, Central Baptist or First Baptist by Sunday, November 16. It is time to turn in the gift boxes.

On November 6th, the Titus Women’s club held their monthly meeting and the main topic discussed was starting a coat drive.

Meals-on-Wheels celebrated National Philanthropy Day on November 6 by honoring The Joe Barton Family Foundation at a luncheon held at the Renaissance Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth. The annual event was sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Zeke Agreda and Kim Serrata were raised in Milford, Texas. They attended school in Milford and are now raising their family there. They have two children, Ethen and Kasen Agreda. They have decided to open their own business, K&E Tires and Wheels in Hillsboro.

Silver Bullets is the new name for the Italy Relay for Life team. Now, they mean business, they want to raise as much money as they possibly can for the American Cancer Society.

Friday night was the last night for 5th Quarter at Cornerstone on Main Street in Italy. Kids from 7th-12th grade were invited to participate in food and fun, that included a special guest.

It was a proud and happy group that was gathered at Avalon ISD in Superintendent David Del Bosque’s office Thursday afternoon.

The Italy Lady Gladiators JV and Varsity squads tipped-off their 2008-2009 basketball seasons Thursday night at the Italy Gladiators Coliseum. The Varsity girls were outfitted in brand new uniforms as they competed against the Dawson Lady Bulldogs in a very physical ball game.

Barbara James Wade passed away November 7, surrounded by her family. Services were held Tuesday, November 11.

Milford ISD put on a wonderful tribute honoring the veterans with their Veterans Day program. The program took place in the gymnasium at Milford ISD, on Tuesday afternoon – Veterans Day.

On Tuesday, Pablo Jacinto was honored as well as other Veterans in Italy. The community assembled and took a few minutes to honor the ones who gave everything to help keep us free.

The gymnasium at Stafford Elementary at 9:00AM on Tuesday was packed. It was packed with proud veterans, proud parents and proud grandchildren. Everyone was gathered there to honor the men and women that served our country in various branches of the military.

Saturday evening the Italy, Milford and Forreston fire departments were called out to a house fire at the corner of Harpold and Park St. in Italy, Texas.

The IYAA football teams wrap up their regular season and prepare for playoffs! In the playoffs this Saturday, November 15, B division’s third ranked Italy B-Team (6-2) will play Scurry Rosser. Undefeated C Divison Champions the Italy C-Team (8-0) will play Scurry Rosser as well. Let’s all make it to the games and support our young players in Hubbard!

Saturday, November 8th, College Park Mall in Corsicana held their annual arts and craft show. Corsicana Animal Shelter had a booth set up there hoping to adopt out some of their animals. It was a great success for the homeless animals. Fifteen adult dogs were adopted and found new homes. There were six cats that were up for adoption and all six got adopted.

Buckles were shining and the smell of new saddles was in the air recently as Ellis County Equine Association (ECEA) awarded its year-end winners at the club’s annual awards banquet at the Flying Dollar Ranch in Italy.

Freedom, wonderful freedom. I have never fought in a war. I have never lost a child to war. Yet, I am allowed to live in a land that is free due to great sacrifice of others. I take for granted that I can go home each night to a warm, safe house and sleep in a warm bed. I have no worries of bombs going off where I lay trying to sleep. I don’t worry about trudging through foreign lands and foreign terrain praying I don’t step on a land mine or turn a corner and run into the enemy staring down his gun.

Drippy candles and sounds of soft music permeated the area near the Uptown Cafe on Saturday night. The IHS Regiment Band hosted a spaghetti supper fundraiser.

The Milford Police department is sponsoring their fifth annual Angel Tree. Today, Monday, November 10th is the first day Milford Police department is taking names of children that are going to need your help with Christmas this year. They already have seven angels on the tree.

ITASCA — The Italy 7th grade football team ended their successful 2008 season unfortunately with a loss to the Itasca Wampus Cats 6-0. Italy finished in second place behind Axtel. A classic defensive battle relied on a busted play to determine the outcome in this one.