Halloween is just around the corner! That means it’s time for ghosts and goblins to come out of the wood-works. That’s right, boys and ghouls, it is the hour for the Necroplex to open it’s creaky doors for the fourth year in a row and you are welcome to walk (or run) through…if you dare!

Owned and operated by Linda Pate and Joyce Hobbs, Yesterday’s Memories Antique Shop is preparing for the store’s grand opening. Featuring just about any item that is considered collectible, decorative or just plain adorable. There is numerous treasures waiting to be discovered by you.

The Magic Mirror in Italy, Texas is the place to go if you want the newest trends in hair styles and that “down home country feeling” when you walk in the door. Just tell Heather what you want and she will create a master piece!

These two home grown girls Patty Hernandez from Avalon and Alice Compton from Italy prove that you don’t have to be from a big city to come up with a big idea. With a little bit of creativity, a good idea and a little bit of spunk you can make your dream a reality.

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 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.

The Little Tykes Learning Center in Blooming Grove offers affordable daycare and is equipped with three classrooms, a toddler room, a kitchen and eating area, two separate playgrounds and lots of smiles.

Everyone is very happy to have a pharmacy in Italy. But we are not the only ones happy, the pharmacist, Martin Dennis is happy to be here.

As a Back-to-School Special, all students will receive a free smile exam from Dr. George Telatnyk, DDS at Italy Dental until October 31. Have a great school year everyone and remember to smile!

Italy now has a pharmacy and it is located in the lobby at Dr. John Arkusinski’s office. The owner, Martin Dennis, has been a pharmacist since 1992. He now owns three pharmacies and this one in Italy is his third one. The other two are in North Dallas, (one in Plano and one in Lewisville.)

Saturday at 11:00 am Hobbs Feed and Supply was over flowing with hungry guests, eating hamburgers and hotdogs and could be seen hobnobbing with KBEC radio personalities and some political guests.

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.

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.

Game On Athletics, owned and operated by Erick & Shelly Thompson, celebrated their Grand Opening on Saturday in downtown Italy. There were hotdogs, beverages and candy for the kids as excited patrons stopped in to admire the selection of shirts and caps.

GAME ON ATHLETICS — Owner Erick Thompson and his family invite you to their Grand Opening Event on Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The IYAA will be passing out end of the season basketball trophies and coaches plaques in front of Game On Athletics during their grand opening on Saturday, March 27, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Meet Game On Athletics owner, Erick Thompson, and have a hotdog!

Wednesday was the grand opening of Italy’s new Chinese restaurant, Keng Wok Chinese. It opened at 10:30 am and it was hopping. So many customers it was over whelming. The parking lot was filled with cars and the restaurant had a line out the door and all the tables were full.

Not only was Friday a gray day weather wise, it also was a very gray and gloomy day for Patricia Burk, owner of Burk’s Kinder College. Her lifelong dream of having a Christian daycare died on Friday with the closing of her daycare center.

Saturday, October 31st Burk’s Kinder College held their open house leading up to their opening on November 2nd. There were teachers and owner Patricia Burk present to help you take a walk through their beautiful pre-school/day care and give you an enrollment packet.

Come see what Danza Girls are all about! Owners & Certified Zumba Instructors, Casey Holden and Suzann Hyles will be teaching the dynamic, new exercise craze sweeping the country!

When I walked into Miss Millie’s Restaurant and Music Hall Saturday evening I was met with wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen and familiar tunes from the band, Final Showdown. Everywhere you looked the tables were full with customers and delicious dishes of Mexican and American cuisine.

Esteban Martinez and his wife Juana are expanding Mamma’s place to Avalon. “Mamma’s Place Number Two,” laughed Juana.

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.

On Saturday morning, the birds were singing, the sun was shining and all was right with the world. That’s how some people felt. That was the day Roy Glaspy was awarded the first scholarship given by Hobbs Feed on Hwy 77 and 34, next to Mansell’s. The newest business in town, owners Joyce and James Hobbs want to be a part of this community.

When Steve Varner was ten years old he really wanted to be a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys but instead became a business owner.

If you walk down Main Street in downtown Milford don’t be surprised to see a large man with an eye patch and wearing a kilt sitting out in front of his

Back in 1926 the Dallas – Waco electric interurban rail road had reached Milford Texas. Milford began a slow decline due to the depression and in 1948-49 the railroad was closed down.

Tina & Allen Richards, with a little help from their family, will be selling fireworks for their 6th consecutive year. From giant jumbo assortment packs for the serious fireworks enthusiast to smaller kid assortment packs for the youngsters, the Richards’ firework stand is the place to go this 4th of July!

Jessica Clark received her first camera when she was twelve years old. This sparked a life long dream of being a photographer and owning her own studio. “Being a photographer is all I ever wanted to be.”

Carlene Hunt Perryman loves to collect antiques, so much so, that her husband told her if she purchased one more thing for the house she would have to take something out. That sparked the idea of owning her own antique shop.

John Abbott is the owner of Abbott Metal Craft located in Forreston, Texas. He began his business in Erie, Michigan in 1978. Abbott’s business consists of making metal products in his welding and machine shop. In 1980 due to the bad economy he closed his business and reopened it in 2006 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In January of 2009 Abbott moved his business to Forreston.

What do you do when your place of employment of twenty years closes down? You no longer have a job, what do you do?

Alvin and Mayme Onstad, long time residents of Italy, Texas hope to start a new business. This couple has come up with a way to cut their electric bill in half.

Everyone was very sad a few weeks ago when Italy Donuts was not open for business. Everyone can smile again. It is re-opened!

There was a full house on hand at Hobbs Feed & Grain on Saturday due to the grand opening. The newest owners were happy to meet the citizens of Italy during the festivities. Many from the community came to participate in the event. So many, there was hardly any parking available.

Saturday morning many cars could be seen pulling up to the Italy Donut shop, located at 148 W. Main street in Italy and then leaving empty handed. Italy Donuts have closed their doors and have gone out of business.

The talent for cooking must run in the Mitchell Family. Doris Mitchell owns Uptown Cafe downtown Italy, her granddaughter Amber Hudson has her own catering business, Lady Ella Catering and now Ricky Whitney’s (Doris’s grandson) sister in law Stacey Tolliver makes her own creation, “Cake Bites.”

James & Joyce Hobbs, owners of Hobbs Feed & Supply in Italy, are excited about their upcoming grand opening. On March 13 & 14, 2009 they have many activities planned for the residents of Italy and the surrounding communities.

Express Electronics and Movie Rental opened in July of 2008 and now is sadly closing it’s doors. We now have another vacant space on Main Street in downtown Italy.

Doris Mitchell, owner of the Uptown Cafe in downtown Italy, loves her customers. Visitors that dine at the Uptown can see that the relationship between Mitchell and her customers is special. For that reason, she opened the cafe on Christmas Day to share food and fellowship with anyone that wanted to come.

Who would have ever thought that I would open a restaurant? This was Juana Martinez’s (owner of Mamma’s Place) thoughts when her Pastor suggested she open a Mexican restaurant. “I had never even worked in a restaurant before,” stated Juana.

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.

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?

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.

How much fun would it be to run a dry cleaners and antique store in Italy, Texas? Well, the Spradling family thought this was a wonderful idea.

A business of my own, what a scary idea! What if no one would really want to have items embroidered? We have a lot of bills, what if we can’t pay them? Then what?

The Italy Gladiator’s Homecoming game is Friday, October 24. We all know what that means — football, queens, kings, a dance, a parade, mums and garters!

Josh Trees graduated from Italy High school at 17, went to Hill College and received his associates degree. At the ripe old age of 19 he purchased his grandfather’s business, Best Disposal, when his grandfather decided he did not want it anymore.

Todd Graham lived in College Station, Texas about ten years ago where he owned a business that made extruded concrete landscape edging. He decided to try the “corporate America” scene. He sold his business and moved to Midlothian, Texas where he went to work for “big box” store Target. He was the manager over the distribution warehouse. He worked for Target for about four and a half years and decided he really liked working for himself better than working for someone else.