Meals-on-Wheels is part of the reason why our more than 750 clients can continue to enjoy living independently. Some of their unique perspectives – their outlooks of the world and insightful experiences from the past – will be highlighted during the upcoming “Fabulous Forties Fling,” taking place Saturday, March 26, at the Texas Motorplex, located between Waxahachie and Ennis.

The Italy Youth Athletic Association (IYAA) hit the gym floor running this past Saturday to open their 2011 basketball season. The IYAA entered ten teams in five separate divisions and over one-hundred players ready to compete against teams representing the Hillsboro Sports Association.

Total team efforts get the job done as both Italy Junior High boys teams were victorious in their two outings against the Keene JH Chargers inside Italy Coliseum on Thursday.

Once again the Park Board had to postpone this meeting due to lack of quorum. This meeting has been re-rescheduled for February 1.

The youth of Central Baptist Church are taking orders for Krispy Kreme doughnuts that will be available on Friday, January 14th. Orders must be made by Thursday, January 13th, 3:00pm. On that Friday the doors will open at 7 a.m. This time they will ONLY be taking pre-orders.

What does it take to be a good teacher? Patience, love of children, good education, the ability to teach what you know, would probably be some of the qualities you would look for. These qualities are just what Stafford Elementary’s new Title One Math teacher, Sara Muetzenberg has going for her.

The Italy City Council will conduct its regular monthly meeting tonight, January 10, 2011. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at 105 Main Street, Italy, Texas and will begin at 7:00pm.

Italy — Italy’s JV Gladiators went old school in the old Italy gym and handed the Clifton Cubs an old-fashion blow-out loss. Reminiscent of Gladiator teams of old, the JV Gladiators conquered Clifton from both the air and inside the paint.

Chris Baker started his position as director of marketing for Trinity Mission May of 2009. His last day will be Friday, January 7th, 2011. It is with a sad heart that he leaves but he is leaving to further his career with a new job opportunity.

The Junior High Lady Gladiators Basketball Team will travel to Blooming Grove on January 15, 2011 to compete in their annual Junior High Girls Basketball Tournament. Both the 7th grade and 8th grade teams will play their first round games against Wortham.

It was a packed house for Ellis County’s swearing-in ceremony on Saturday, January 1, 2011 at 10 a.m. in the second floor courtroom of the Historic Courthouse in downtown Waxahachie. Voices fairly rang as the large crowd pledged allegiance to our flag, and many hummed along as Max Navarro, a student at Waxahachie’s Finley 7th Grade Center and son of County Auditor Mike Navarro gave a flawless rendition of the National Anthem.

Dallas — After a 10:00 a.m shoot-around inside Italy Coliseum, the 2A Italy Gladiators players, coaches and cheerleaders loaded onto the school bus and ventured into downtown Dallas to challenge the 3A Mineral Wells Rams inside the American Airlines Center (AAC) on Thursday.

Additional photographs documenting the Italy Gladiators and their recent journey into Dallas to play a basketball game against the Mineral Wells Rams inside the American Airlines Center. After a post-game meal, Gladiator Nation returned to the AAC to watch the Dallas Mavericks take on the San Antonio Spurs….what a day!

For as long as I can remember there has always been a Dairy Queen in Italy. Every day the parking lot would be filled with cars while family members were enjoying Dairy Queen ice cream treats and good old hamburgers the only way Dairy Queen makes them.

The Italy Lady Gladiators played three rounds in the 2010 Kiwanis Classic Basketball Tournament on the Navarro College campus in Corsicana. There were highs and lows along the way but Italy finished the tournament strong hoping to carry some momentum with them upon returning to district play.

The definition of happy is lighthearted, cheerful and sunny. What a wonderful way to describe the new daycare in town. Happy Heart Child Care, located at 521 E. Hwy 34 (the old daycare), has new owners and a new look. “This place didn’t have just a facelift, it had a body lift,” Cherie said.

Chicken Express restaurants throughout Johnson and Ellis counties are helping the homebound by partnering with Meals-on-Wheels for a second year in a row to put a hot meal in the hands of every needy person in the two-county area. The participating locations include Alvarado, Burleson, Cleburne, Joshua, Waxahachie, Midlothian, Ennis, and Red Oak.

With a final score of 58-54 against the Venus Bulldogs, the Italy Varsity, led by Coach Aiden Callahan. “The Bulldogs played with an expect to win attitude. They are a great club,” said Coach Callahan. “They did a good job taking care of the ball. However, our kids persevered and played through. I am proud of them.”

The month of December is well known for Christmas but for Trinity Mission it is also known for lots of birthdays to be celebrated, eight to be exact.

In a special meeting on Friday, December 17, Ellis County Commissioners appointed Patrick Wilson of Waxahachie to the office of County and District Attorney. The appointment was made necessary by the recent gubernatorial appointment of Joe Grubbs to the bench of the 378th District Court. Grubbs will replace Judge Al Scoggins, recently elected to the 10th Court of Appeals.

The Italy Gladiators will travel, to the big city of Dallas, and play a game against the Mineral Wells Rams inside the American Airlines Center on Thursday, December 30 with a start time of around 2:15 p.m.

The Italy High School Gladiator Regiment Band entertained the crowd with special Christmas music on Thursday night, directed by Jesus Perez. The crowd was awed by the enormous amount talent emanating from the building evident by several standing ovations.

Christmas secrets and Christmas surprises are alive and well with Christmas coming upon us. Children are dreaming of Santa Claus and surprises that will be left under the tree. Everyone would like to see Santa and lucky Stafford students got to do just that!

The Italy J.V. Gladiators’ basketball team wins three of the four games they played during the Ferris JV Tournament to finish in 3rd place. You can catch the Italy JV team in action, tonight at the Junior High gym in Whitney, starting at 5:00 p.m.

Coach Callahan and his varsity Gladiator basketball team will travel to Castleberry High School in Fort Worth to compete in their annual holiday tournament. Italy first game will be on Monday, December 27th at 1:30pm. See bracket for more details.

As you walked into Trinity Mission last Thursday morning your ears were delighted with tunes of Christmas songs being sung by Stafford Elementary second grade students. You could see smiles on the faces of the residents and you could even hear some of them singing along.

Everyone knows that “the moon on the breast of new-fallen snow gives the luster of mid-day to objects below.” That is, except during a lunar eclipse. For the first time in many years, northern winter is beginning with a total lunar eclipse.

The Lady Gladiators will be matched up with the Kerens Lady Bobcats in their first game of the 2010 Kiwanis Classic Basketball Tournament. Game time will be 6:30pm on Monday, December 27 at the Wolens Special Events Center located on the Navarro College campus in Corsicana.

The holidays are here, and for Meals-on-Wheels, like everyone else, it is a busy and critical time of the year. With school being out and people going on vacation, Meals-on-Wheels needs caring volunteers and supporters to share holiday cheer. You may be involved by helping to deliver meals during the holidays, or give back a little something to a homebound person. Meals-on-Wheels will be serving on Christmas and New Year’s Eve this year.

Italy — After an eventful four games played between Italy’s and Axtell’s junior high girls’ basketball squads on Monday, Axtell’s teams managed to escape with 3-out-of-4 wins. However, much improved Italy teams made the task for Axtell more difficult as opposed to an earlier season matchup between our two towns.

December 7th Stafford Elementary’s second grade through sixth grade students participated in Academic UIL along with the seventh through eighth grade students from the High School campus.

Final IYAA Basketball Sign-ups are scheduled for Thursday, December 16 and Saturday, December 18. Eligible players are kindergarten thru 6th grades. There will be no sign-ups allowed after Saturday so please do not delay.

Firemen and their families gathered at Central Baptist Church on Tuesday night for the annual Firemen Appreciation Dinner. Honored were Emergency Service District #3 (ESD). Brad Chambers, 12 year fireman, was honored as Italy Fireman of the Year.

Local celebrity and Italy High School band director Jesus Perez was surprised early Tuesday morning when IHS Principal Tanya Parker called for an 8:00 a.m. assembly inside Italy Coliseum with Perez being the honored guest.

Tuesday morning Trinity Mission’s halls were filled with children’s voices singing Christmas songs for all to hear.

There was a lot of hustle and bustle on Saturday morning-not from shoppers scurrying from store to store. More like, the wheels grinding and gears turning for the love of fellow man. The Italy Ministerial Alliance took care of business, so to speak. Volunteers from churches in town took the task of preparing and delivering food baskets to the needy and artfully mastered the challenge.