As most already know, The Neotribune has announced they will close as of June 4th.

The South Ellis County Water Department works very hard for me!

My name is Luin McConnell, Sr. I have lived my entire life right here in Italy. I graduated from IHS in the 70’s. I was approached by some of the community leaders to run for city council, because they wanted a fair and honest representative for our community. Someone in which they know embodies the spirit of this community.

We would like to thank all the new Board of Directors for giving of your time and energy to actively participate on all the members behalf in the running of our water system.

Nine (9) citizens attended the Italy City Council’s regular meeting on Monday, November 9, 2015 held at the Italy Community Center. Under Item 5, Closed Session the council went into Executive Session to:

*Added: Mayor Farmer’s Response (4:30pm, 11/12/15)

Memorial Day is now known mainly for its holiday sales and the beginning of summer. A much smaller cross-section of Americans go to places such as Laurel Land Cemetery in Dallas for remembrances, and that’s a shame.

I am a native Texan. I have always been proud that Texas is generally considered a friendly state. We are very serious about our laws and I absolutely have no problem with obeying our laws and paying the penalty for not having done so. I am also a strong believer in good manners, honesty, and integrity. If nobody says anything about the abuse of power at your [Court Clerk’s] office many will be subjected to this judgement and misuse of position to punish people let alone, the disrespect issue.
If we want to live in a better place we have to be willing to be a voice for the betterment.

Paul Cockerham and myself would like to thank the community for their support this past Saturday. It was very refreshing to see everyone come together.

I would encourage everyone that is interested to watch the video from the last council meeting. You will see that the City Council stated that Department Heads have operational control of their departments. In the case of the Police Department, the Chief has operational control which includes determining who is on the wrecker rotation. The only business discussed was wrecker service for the Police Department when they needed a vehicle towed.

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First I would like to welcome Brookshire Brothers to Italy.

Before I filed to seek a seat on the Italy City Council, I had prayed about it, thought about it and talked to several people I respect and trust including my husband, Brian.

I have noticed that the candidates for School Board Members rarely if ever, mention their responsibility to the tax payer, it the ones that through their propery tax make the School District possible. It seems to me that the questions for the candidates and current School Board members should be expanded to include something similar to the below.

As the wife and I neared the house about 4 pm on Tuesday, from a long day in Dallas, we saw that beast that everyone hates to see near their home. The city backhoe amid running water.

I would like to know who made the decision to clean house on face book? Stories about the city problems that were once posted on your page, have either been removed or hidden so they can’t be viewed.

I want to commend many of our community’s citizens for showing a passion for the happenings of our city government. I fear, however, that this passion at times becomes unproductive. I would like to appeal to all of the City of Italy leaders, employees, volunteers and citizens to move forward.

In a speech, made by Elmerine Bell at the Italy City Council meeting last evening, Mrs. Bell explains that the turmoil at Italy City Hall is not a game.

I have put in several requests in at City Hall to receive records under the Freedom of Information Act. Here are the following records I have requested.

Just wanted to commend the City of Italy Chief of Police Diron Hill and Fire Chief Don Chambers for another great job lastnight. I personally had an incredible time in the City of Italy at the 2nd annual Guns and Hoses softball game.

Dear Italy Friends and Family,

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We recently received this “letter to the editor” here at the ItalyNeotribune. The subject matter posed a quandary for the editors. Based on personal experiences, Italy Neotribune editor, Mike South chose to publish the letter along with a letter of his own.

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My name is Jackie Dwayne Cate, and I have been a volunteer firefighter for 25 years with the Italy Fire Department. I have been employed with the City of Ennis as a Firefighter/Paramedic for the last 15 years. I am the President of the Emergency Service District #3 (ESD 3), and have served on this board for 14 years.

It happens—my daughter got a speeding ticket during her spring break from college while driving on the interstate through the city of Italy. So that’s on her. But what happened next is on the city of Italy.

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January is School Board Recognition Month, and Italy ISD takes this opportunity to thank our local leaders for devoting their time to support public education and serve our district.

The events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut bring to light just how vulnerable schools can be. As parents, Cassie and I send our kids to school with an expectation they are learning and they are safe.

As we begin the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, a certain group has faded from the memory of most of the public. This organization was made up of veterans from World War 2 who simply wanted the benefits that had been promised to all returning veterans, but were in fact kept from most minority veterans.

Friends send a message of love to the family of, Laura Garcia, who recently lost her life in a tragic car accident.

If you own property and get your water from this organization you are a member. Their annual meeting will be April 30, 2012 at their office in Italy, Texas. You should be aware that the decisions this organization makes through their board of directors directly effects YOU.

Another Easter Party has come and gone, and my, how I look forward to next year‘s event!

The Italy Gladiator Regiment Band and Booster Club would like to thank the many generous people of this community who donated items and who attended the spaghetti dinner fundraiser Saturday evening.

I am curious as to why Coach Bales was asked to resign by the Superintendent?  Was this an action that the entire School Board prompted?  Or was this brought about by one or two School Board Members bringing pressure on the Superintendent at their bidding?  If so did the rest of the Board KNOW that this was taking place?

As we enter the new year of 2012 we want to communicate with great joy how blessed the past year of 2011 has been.  We have been blessed to partner with churches, businesses, city governments, schools and individuals in bringing hope to so many.

My mother, Beverly Carter is a resident of Trinity Mission in Italy, Texas. While we were putting away the Christmas decorations in her room, I noticed there were more decorations to put away than I remembered putting out earlier in December.

To set the record straight the “hammer and sickle” are not symbols representing Russia today.

Perhaps the ISD should pay a little more attention to teaching history instead of band. The school board should have been shocked by the lack of knowledge displayed by the students and either the lack of knowledge or the misrepresentation by a teacher. And I am shocked by the lack of knowledge by the School Board.

I stopped by City Hall and expressed my concerns to Mayor Jackson on Monday since I would be out of town on Tuesday and could not make the Italy EDC meeting.  While I appreciate that some of the citizens would like a community center, I feel that the Italy Economic Development Corporation needs to take a step back and consider some issues that are more vital to our future economic development. 

Just an idea, why not sell the bricks from the old Community Center? Some residence of Italy may be sentimental about those bricks.  The money made from the brick sales could go towards the new Community Center or beautification of Italy.  I would be a brick buyer!

Dear Italy Independent School District Patrons,
With end-of-school activities, vacations and adjusting our daily schedules for summer, we have all been busy these past weeks since the school board election. However, I did not want any more time to pass without thanking you for electing me to the board.

The problems we are encountering in this country did not begin in Washington DC. Unfortunately they began in the smallest of towns and communities across this country. If we could restore the ethics from the ground up, then the United States of America might be able to stop the cliff we are getting so close to falling off of.

Last week, the Texas Comptroller’s Office publicly announced that the names, addresses, Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses of more than three million Texans were inadvertently stored on a publicly accessible website. The information exposed on the website included data from the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), the Texas Workforce Commission and the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS).

The Central Baptist Church Relay For Life team would like to express our thanks to everyone in the community that supported our recent garage sale. We were so blessed with donations, volunteers and shoppers.

My family and I moved to Italy in 2007, so I am not a long time resident of the city. But I am a native Texan. My personal belief is that the City Government could use some new blood. No one has opposed Mayor Jackson for several years, and 2 years ago, after he faced no opposition, his salary ballooned to the point that he is paid more than all of the other mayors in Ellis County combined. (see story excerpt 2 & 3) What else has happened in Italy during Mayor Jackson’s tenure?

I am very blessed to have been born in America for many reasons. Here we have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to bear arms, etc. We are so blessed to live in the most wonderful country in the world and have so many rights that other countries don’t offer.

The Italy Gladiator Regiment Band and Band Booster Club would like to thank the many generous people of this community who donated items and who attended the spaghetti dinner and dance Saturday evening.

This letter is to inform you that the award winning Italy Gladiator Regiment Band is seeking donations for their upcoming spring trip to Orlando, Florida. The trip is a reward for their outstanding achievements over the last 5 years of competition.