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Time Machine: Cedar Rapids man led Gideons in their early days, when they began placing Bibles in hotel rooms
Diane Fannon-Langton
Jun. 1, 2021 10:29 am
The Christian Traveling Men's Association, more commonly known as the Gideons, began as a Christian organization at the turn of the 20th century, with a Cedar Rapids man an early leader in the group known for placing Bibles in hotel rooms.
Conditions for Gideon membership included membership in an evangelical church, being a commercial traveling salesman and agreeing to wear the Gideon lapel button to identify oneself to fellow salesmen.
The button, engraved with a two-handled white pitcher and a flaming torch, represented items used by the Old Testament's Gideon against the Midianite army.
The Gideons trace their beginnings to September 1898 in a Boscobel, Mich., hotel.
Two Wisconsin salesmen, Samuel Hill of Beloit and John Nicholson of Janesville, agreed to share a room in the fully booked hotel. When they were settled in at bedtime, Nicholson told his roommate, "I am a Christian man and make it a practice to read a chapter from the Bible before retiring for the night."
Hill said, "I, too, am a Christian and will be glad to join you."
The friendship was renewed the following year in Beaver Dam, Wis. The two started talking about forming an organization of Christian traveling men. They sent letters to their Christian compatriots, asking them to meet at Janesville on July 1, 1899.
The meeting drew only three men, the original two and W.J. Knight of Janesville.
Undaunted, the three decided to organize anyway with Hill as president, Knight as vice president and Nicholson as secretary-treasurer. Seven months later, Cedar Rapids stove salesman Asahel Burlington Thomas Moore joined the Gideons.
The first national convention was held in Waukegan, Ill., on July 1, 1900. The members met at a central location, then fanned out to churches in the area and took over the pulpits to talk about the evangelical work of the Gideons.
The Iowa Gideons held their first state convention on Dec. 1-2, 1900, in Marshalltown, with 29 members attending.
Moore took the pulpit at the Presbyterian church to talk about the possibilities of the Gideon movement. He told the men gathered that doing God's work should begin while men were young, not when they reached old age.
At the Illinois state convention in Chicago in 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was persuaded to speak. When the service at the First Methodist Church was over, Roosevelt was unanimously elected as an honorary Gideon.
The organization began to grow.
"Iowa was the first to organize as a state and today has five local camps," The Gazette reported in 1902. "Thirty-seven states are represented in the organization, but three-fourths of the entire membership are in three states, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois.
"The membership is increasing very rapidly, and the Gideon button can be seen every day among the army of traveling men who pass through Cedar Rapids."
Cedar Rapids convention
The third annual national convention of Gideons — which had grown to 2,000 members — was scheduled for July 4-6 in Cedar Rapids.
Moore was in charge of a local camp and chaired the entertainment committee. The first session was held at the English Lutheran Church (now First Lutheran) on Friday. Saturday's session was at St. Paul's Methodist and was open to the general public.
Convention delegates elected Moore as vice president of the Gideons.
One noted attendee was John V. Farwell, a dry goods millionaire from Chicago, who had a hand in starting Marshall Field's.
Bibles in hotel rooms
The idea to place Bibles in hotels was not formalized by the Gideons until September 1908 in Kansas City.
The idea for "The Bible Project" was proposed by Moore's Cedar Rapids pastor, Dr. E.R. Burkhalter, at the state convention in Cedar Rapids earlier that year. He suggested churches help pay for the Bibles.
Moore's leadership
In 1909, Moore was elected national president of the Gideons. Two years later, Gideons at the national convention voted to become an international body.
Moore remained president until 1917, when he became ill, and Vice President J. Harry Humphreys was elected to succeed him.
The next year, Moore had recovered, and the convention in Denver chose Moore to be its national executive secretary. Moore moved his family to Oak Park, Ill., and took office Jan. 1, 1919. He retired in 1932 and moved to Minneapolis to live with his son, A.B.T. Moore Jr.
Moore returned to Cedar Rapids for Iowa's state convention in 1936, telling a Gazette reporter about his biography, "A Brand From the Burning."
In the book, he wrote about his days as a young delinquent who grew up to fall in love with a girl who sang in the church choir. The book described picnics on the Cedar and Indian Creek and at Palisades.
Moore died in Minneapolis in April 1944 at the age of 85. He is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. He had served as an elder at Central Park Presbyterian in Cedar Rapids and First Presbyterian in Oak Park. In Minneapolis, he was member of Westminster Presbyterian.
Today, Gideons International has given away more than 2 billion copies of the Scriptures, in more than 95 languages, around the world.
Comments: D.fannonlangton@gmail.com
A.B.T. Moore of Cedar Rapids, shown in this 1936 Gazette clipping, was an early leader in Gideons, the organization that placed Bibles in hotel rooms. He was the organization's national president and then its executive secretary. (Gazette archives)
The Rev. Elliott Osowitt in 2013 points to the passage in the Bible that he says "saved his life" years ago. Osowitt, who led a church in Jefferson, N.C., at the time, said he'd checked into a motel, intending to commit suicide, but decided not to after seeing and reading "Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid" in a Gideon Bible. A Cedar Rapids man was instrumental in the early days of the Gideons, which has distributed more than 2 billion copies of the Scriptures since its founding in 1899. (Associated Press)
Gideon members wear this button, engraved with a two-handled, white pitcher and a flaming torch that represents items used by the Old Testament's Gideon to defeat the Midianite army.
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Jigsaw puzzle of a pile of potatoes from the garden. The potatoes are on a burlap sack on a table.
Started this as a mystery jigsaw with a vague idea about a flower or a painting. About halfway through, became absolutely certain that it was a pig. Near the end, I became absolutely certain that it was a bowl of pears.
I've had a couple that keep me guessing like that. It's funny how we can be so sure it's something, and it turns out to be nothing like that, whatsoever! lol Life is like that sometimes, isn't it? As are people.
It's always fun digging up the spuds - wish mine looked as even as these though!
Love it and really love potatoes!
I love potaoes mashed, baked, or fried!
A very versatile veg, jacket potatoes are my favourite, Whats yours?
God Bless you and keep you in love, peace, and joy.
I have developed a taste for sweet potatoes recently, baked.
Peeled, halved lengthwise, parboiled, sliced into wedges, put onto cookie sheet (covered in foil to ease cleaning the pan), drizzled with melted margarine, sprinkled with salt and garlic powder, then popped under the broiler to get browned and a bit crispy on the outside. Yum!
I am drooling as you each mention a different way to fix them. I love latkes, home fries with onions--AND nobody mentioned potato salad. That's my pick. German or with mayo. I like em both but hold the other veggies like peppers and carrots. Not in my potato salad please. Nor eggs.
Baked in their jackets, then scoop out the 'flesh' into a basin and mash (keep the skins). Mix in a beaten egg, grated cheese, fried mushrooms and onions and cubed, cooked ham. Pile back into the skins, place on a baking tray, and cook at 190 degrees centigrade for about 20 minutes. Delicious.
For me, it is a tie between sweet and red potatoes.
Sweet potatoes for me - baked with lots of butter, casserole with marshmallows on top, or as fries - love it all!
You folks ever made sweet potato pie? It tastes like pumpkin only better.
I don't know 'bout that. I get my pumpkins for pies from the mountains of NC and cook and puree them myself. (I used to grow my own pumpkins but it's an iffy situation here in n.e. Fla with the summer heat.) A sweet potato would be hard pressed to beat them.
I won't argue with anyone who has home grown anything. It always seems better than the store. Let me just say it's better to my taste based on store bought stuff, okay? So have you ever tried it, Trynfindit?
I love sweet potato pie!!
It's unfortunate when our first experience of something isn't good. We tend not to give it a second chance. If you want to try it I can put the recipe on here, trynfindit.
OK, if the C4J team doesn't object.
Microwave cook enough sweet potatoes to get a cup and a half scooped out. I found a good trick is to cook them a day ahead and refrigerate. If you put them in hot with the eggs you get pieces of cooked egg. Yuck.
Slightly beat three eggs. add a cup of brown sugar, t cinnamon, half t salt 1 T margarine and beat it together with the egg. when it's thoroughly mixed add the sweet potatoes. Gradually add one and three quarters cup of milk with the beater on low or you'll get a bath.
Pour into open pie shell (uncooked) and place in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or so. Test with a toothpick to decide if the filling is all cooked.
Choose sweet potatoes that seem heavier for their size than other ones. they will be the juiciest.


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Archived News from 2018 and earlier
Solicitation for Municipal Solid Waste Collection Proposal and for Street Repair and Paving Bid
Routine Monitoring Violation Total Coliform Rule
The City of Hico/PWS #0970002 failed to collect the required number of bacteriological samples for coliform monitoring of the water distribution system during January, 2016. This monitoring is required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's "Drinking Water Standards" and the federal "Safe Drinking Water Act," Public Law 95-523.
Bacteriological samples are used to monitor water quality and indicate if the water is free of coliform bacteria. Our water system is required to submit 2 bacteriological samples each month. Failure to collect all required bacteriological samples is a violation of the monitoring requirements and we are required to notify you of this violation.
Staff submitted 4 bacteriological samples from our system during January, but those were related to the construction of new water lines and didn't satisfy the monitoring requirements. None of the samples have shown any problem with water quality; we simply failed to submit the required samples. Our operators monitor disinfectant levels in our water system on a daily basis to ensure compliance with state standards.
If you have any questions regarding this violation, you may contact City Administrator Michael Leamons at (254) 796-4620.
Public Hearing on Comprehensive Plan
The City of Hico will hold a public hearing at 5:45 pm on March 28, 2016, at Hico City Hall, 120 W. First Street, Hico, Texas regarding the City's Future Land Use Plan and associated map(s), which are part of a Comprehensive Plan the City is considering adopting.
ENGINEERING & GRANT ADMINISTRATION SERVICES
The City of Hico has recently received a Contract award from the Texas Department of Agriculture Office of Rural Affairs (TDA) for constructing sidewalks and making other improvements to the downtown. Accordingly, the City is seeking to contract with a qualified Professional Administrator or Service Provider to administer the contract and to contract with an Engineering Firm to prepare all preliminary and final design plans and specifications, and to conduct all necessary interim and final inspections.
Please submit your proposal of services and a statement of qualifications for the proposed services to the address below:
Mayor Michael Price
120 W. First Street
Hico, TX 76457
Proposals shall be received by the City/County no earlier than ten (10) days after this publication and no later than 5:00 p.m. on the March 30, 2016 to be considered. The City reserves the right to negotiate with any and all individuals or firms that submit proposals, as per the Texas Professional Services Procurement Act and the Uniform Grant and Contract Management Standards. Section 3 Residents and Business Concerns, Minority Business Enterprises, Small Business Enterprises and Women Business Enterprises are encouraged to submit proposals.
The City of Hico is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
The City of Hico is soliciting proposals for grant administration and engineering services for a TxCDBG Project involving improvements to the City's wastewater system. Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. on November 13, 2015.
2015-2016 Budget Filed
The proposed City of Hico 2015-2016 Budget has been filed with the City Secretary. It is available for viewing at City Hall and can be accessed on this site through the City Government – Budget/Audit tabs at the left.
Rezoning Request
The Planning and Zoning Commission will be conducting a Public Hearing in the City Hall Conference Room, 120 W. First Street, Hico, Texas, at 5:30 p.m. on June 18th to consider a request to rezone 102 S. Mesquite Street (located at the southeast corner of S. Mesquite and E. First Streets), described as Lots 6 & 7, Block 1, Original Hico. The property is currently zoned Residential A-5 (One Family). The request is to rezone the property as General Commercial "F".
At the conclusion of the Public Hearing, the Planning and Zoning Commission will decide upon its recommendation regarding the rezoning request and will forward that recommendation to the City Council.
A copy of the City of Hico Zoning Ordinance and Map are available for review at City Hall and are also posted on the City's website atwww.hico-tx.com(to find the Zoning Ordinance, go to the City Government – Municipal Code fly-outs on the left side of our home page; then, click on the "Ordinances" link). Should you have any questions or concerns, please plan to attend the Public Hearing or call City Hall at 254-796-4620.
NOTICE: The City of Hico is accepting sealed bids on an unimproved 100′ X 200′ lot in the Hillcrest Addition, immediately to the west of 537 E. Third Street. The lot is bounded on the north by E. Third Street, on the west by Poverty Hill Lane and on the south by an alley. Zoned as "A-5," single-family residential. Buyer responsible for all closing costs. Sealed bids marked "Hillcrest Lot" may be either mailed or delivered to Hico City Hall, 120 W. First, PO Box 533, Hico, TX, 76457 and must be received by 5:00 p.m., July 10, 2015. Bids will be opened at the July 13, 2015, 6:00 p.m. Council Meeting at City Hall. The City reserves the right to reject all bids. For more information, call 254-796-4620.
Solicitation for Street Repair and Resurfacing Bids
NOTICE: The City of Hico is soliciting bids for street repair and resurfacing. Bid documents available at City Hall. Sealed bids marked "Street Repairs" due prior to the public bid opening on June 18th at 1:30 p.m. at City Hall, 120 W. First, Hico, TX 76457. For information call 254-796-4620.
When in Texas: Wear a Hat, Eat a Steak, Thank a Bee
by Ryan McCrimmon, April 21, 2015, The Texas Tribune
…Jasper wants to be the official Butterfly Capital of Texas; Hico covets the nod for official Steak Capital, and Jim Hogg County wants to be known as the Vaquero Capital. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission maintains a list of official state capital designations — approved by the Legislature over the years — from the Dinosaur Capital (Glen Rose) to the Balloon Race Capital (Gregg County) to the Seedless Watermelon Capital (Knox City). Hoping to add Hico to that list, state Rep. J.D. Sheffield, R-Gatesville, told the committee the city of 1,300, is home to the annual Texas Steak Cookoff, which draws about 7,000 people one Saturday every year…The committee approved sending on to the full House designations for Hico as the Steak Capital and honeybees as the State Pollinator, but lost its quorum before reaching votes on the other suggestions.
Surplus City Equipment Sale
The City will be selling surplus equipment. Bids to be opened at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24th at City Hall at 120 W. First Street. All of the items being sold are listed on the bid form at this link or at City Hall. The items will be available for viewing at the City Utility Yard on Utility Street from 8:00 a.m. until noon and from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. during the week of April 20th. Some of the more substantial offerings include 2 Ford F150 pickups and a 12′ X 20′ portable building.
DINNER, DANCE, LIVE MUSIC, RAFFLE!
Pecan Street, Downtown Hico
Featuring Jake Penrod & his Million Dollar Cowboys .
TICKETS available at Mills County State Bank in Hico, Blue Star Trading, and the Hico Activity Center
$15 for DINNER & DANCE tickets for the grownups
$5 for children ages 3-12
Free for children under 3
Dinner: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich and fixins'.
$20 for each RAFFLE TICKET to win a John Deere Gator 4×4. Tickets sold separately from dinner & dance tickets at same locations. Winner will be drawn during the Texas Steak Cook-Off in Hico on May 16, 2015. Not required to be present to win.
All proceeds benefit the Hico Senior Center Foundation.
Celebrity chef to take part in Texas Steak Cookoff
May 3, 2014, by Lainey Emoto, Stephenville Empire-Tribune
Celebrity Chef, Freida Nicole Davenport
Organizers of the Texas Steak Cookoff have announced the name of the celebrity chef cooking for the VIP dinner portion of the celebration in historic downtown Hico on May 17.
It's Frieda Nicole Davenport, Texas-born-and-bred rancher, gourmet chef, pit-master and winner of the World Champion Wagyu Steak and Brisket Championship in 2010.
Davenport describes her style of cooking as gourmet ranch cuisine with an emphasis on local farm-to-table produce and meats. But it's more than just meat and potatoes. It's "really good food presented in a beautiful way." She also specializes in old-world bread and baked goods. Read more…
NOTICE OF TAX REVENUE INCREASE
The City of Hico conducted a public hearing on August 11th and will conduct another public hearing on August 25th on a proposal to increase the total tax revenues of the City of Hico from properties on the tax roll in the preceding year by 1.2 percent. Read more…
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE
Notice of 2014-2015 Budget Hearing
A public hearing on the 2014/2015 City of Hico Budget will be conducted at City Hall, 120 W. First Street, Hico, Texas, on Monday, September 8th at 5:40 P.M. The proposed budget is based on maintaining the existing property tax rate and is available for review at City Hall and at this link . Due to increases in the property tax base, the amount of property tax revenues raised will increase by 1.2%.
Discover Historic Downtown Hico at the Annual Texas Steak Cookoff
from the May 2014 Hill Country Current
The 11th annual Texas Steak Cookoff is just around the corner. On Saturday, May 17, 2014, cooks, vendors, and tourists from around the state will make their way to historic downtown Hico, Texas – rain or shine. Hico is just 90 minutes southwest of the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex and approximately two hours north of Austin on scenic U.S. 281. Read more…
Hico's One Act Play headed to Austin
May 6, 2014, Special to the Stephenville Empire-Tribune
Hico High School's One Act Play, "Alice in Wonderland," was selected to advance to the state competition in Austin on May 21.
Hico won the UIL Region II-1A One Act Play Contest with unprecedented awards. Hico's adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland" was written by Gary Brister, Hico's OAP director. It is based on the original works "Alice's Adventure in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," by Lewis Carroll. The theme of this version is "Life is hard, one must adjust." Read more…
Crooked Stirrups: Changing Western Saddle Technology
By J. Michael Ross, Stephenville Empire-Tribune, Jan 31, 2014
Linda and David Jones, owners of the Crooked Stirrups
Archaeologists believe that people were riding horses as early as 10,000 B.C. with the first stirrups showing up remarkably late in the horse-and-human relationship in Assyria at about 850 B.C. Since then the technology of stirrup construction has morphed this way and that, but for a long time, the stirrups used in western saddle making haven't changed much. However, a local company, Crooked Stirrups outside Hico, has changed all that dramatically. Read more…
The Upstairs Inn…
By J. Michael Ross, Stephenville Empire-Tribune, January 24, 2014
Right in the heart of things in laid-back Hico, within easy strolling distance of store after store of fun shopping, is The Upstairs Inn and Drink Shoppe. Owned and operated by Jennifer Jones, it's easily one of the most unique small businesses in our area. As the name implies, on top it's a charming three-room hotel offering two rooms with two queen-sized beds and one room with one king-sized bed. Each has its own bathroom. On the ground floor, it's a quirky, cool wine and liquor store. Read more…
Hico Cowboy Is True Entertainer
Not everyone who longs so badly to be someone who works full time with horses is willing to run away from home to do it. But that is exactly what Canadian-born Bobby Kerr, rodeo performer and TV personality from Hico, did when he was only 14. Read more…
Tigers Run to Final Four
by Caleb McCaig, Stephenville Empire-Tribune, Dec. 7, 2013
photo by CALEB MCCAIG/E-T
ROBINSON – The sweet taste of victory made the bitter cold more bearable for the Hico Tigers, who defeated the Goldthwaite Eagles 14-7 in a 1A Division I quarterfinal at Rocket Stadium Saturday afternoon. Read more…
The Evolution of Hico
by Lainey Emoto Special Contributor, Stephenville Empire-Tribune, Dec. 7, 2013
For a small town with a population of 1,374, Hico's got a lot more going on than most towns its size. On the perimeter of the Hill Country, it's a perfect day trip for visitors from the Metroplex. It has chic shopping with rustic roots. It hosts large, impressive events such as The Texas Steak Cookoff, the Homestead Antique Fair, Billy the Kid Day and Six-Man Super Saturday Football. Read more…
Hico Enjoys Economic Growth, Expansion
by J. Michael Ross, Stephenville Empire-Tribune, Dec. 7, 2013
Mike James, Hico EDC Executive Director
photo by Michael Ross/E-T
Small towns with populations of under 1,500 people dot the landscape in Texas, each with its own economic ups and downs, and some drying up and blowing away altogether in these economic times.
Not so with Hico, a town with a population of 1,374 according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Like its counterparts in the state, it's had its boom times and rough times, but largely due to a dedicated group of civic-minded citizens over the past 100 years, this little town just keeps on cranking. Read more…
Hico's hero: Everybody is Somebody
by Tom Sileo, Bowling Green Daily News, December 1, 2013 2:00 am
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Shawn Hefner, Courtesy of Hico's Hero
You probably haven't heard of Hico, Texas. With a population of well under 2,000, the city's motto, "Where everybody is somebody," captures its all-American charm.
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Shawn Hefner may have lived in a small town, but his dreams were larger than life.
"He was always talking about being a Marine because his dad was a Marine," Shawn's mother, Robin Hefner, told The Unknown Soldiers. Read more…
Good News for Hico!
by City Administrator Leamons, November 13, 2013
Good news for the City! At Monday's meeting, the Council authorized the last piece of a 3-year effort to secure funding for making repairs and improvements to the water system. Approximately $3.1 million in funding with 50% loan forgiveness and with the balance at a subsidized interest rate has been secured from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). Read more….
Notice of Proposed Annexations
Hico: Community Comes Together To Keep Activity Center Open
By: Brittany Semadeni
HICO (July 23, 2013)–City, county and community leaders are coming together to keep the Hico Activity Center open after federal grants were denied to the center last year. Read more…
Hood County deputy dies at JPS after Friday shooting
By Bill Hanna and Bill Miller(Fort Worth Star-Telegram, June 29, 2013)
FORT WORTH — A Hood County deputy shot after responding to a disturbance call near Lake Granbury died Saturday, officials said. Sgt. Lance McLean, 38, of Hico was taken by helicopter ambulance to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth after he was shot in the head Friday. He was pronounced dead at 11:45 a.m.
Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds called McLean, who was a member of the city-county SWAT team, "a great leader" who likely would have been promoted to lieutenant or captain. "He could take care of business," the sheriff said during an afternoon news conference at JPS.Read more…
Tyrrell Library displays WWI letters found in a shoebox
by Tim Monzingo, June 10, 2013, beaumontenterprise.com
WWI Letters Written by Hico Native
…In the Tyrrell Library's collection, they have a collection of approximately 76 letters written to Lottye Fewell, from Tom Woods, while he served overseas in WWI…Woods was born southwest of Dallas in Hico, Texas, in June 1891, and Fewell was born in June 1898 in Iredell, only a few miles east of Hico. Read more….
Hico's WWI Service Men
Public Service Announcement: Fair Housing It's the Law
To promote fair housing practices, the City of Hico encourages potential homeowners and renters to be aware of their rights under the National Fair Housing Law. Read more about this, complaint and grievance procedures for the Community Development Block Grant Program and a policy of nondiscrimination of the basis of handicapped status…
Vet recalls destruction aboard Bunker Hill
by Jessie Horton, May 25, 2013, Stephenville Empire-Tribune
Walker [former Hico Ag teacher and Superintendent] was just two days shy of his 19th birthday when the Bunker Hill aircraft carrier he was aboard was hit by two Japanese kamikaze (suicide) planes in May 1945 off the coast of Okinawa in the Western Pacific.
"It was like a string of firecrackers going off," he recalled. "All that jet fuel just burned and burned. And water was coming in from the damage. I remember the ship's second in command, the Navigation Officer, Commander Odend'hal, set the ship in a circular drift, and as it circled, the burning fuel and water from the deck just slid off and into the sea. It was the strangest looking thing." Read more…
Hico's Wood wins state gold in pole vault
by Brad Keith (Stephenville Empire Tribune)
AUSTIN – Blake Wood is the best pole vaulter in Class A Division I in 2013, and just missed becoming the best pole vaulter in the history of that classification.
Wood, a Hico senior who has signed with Texas Tech, cleared 12 feet to win the gold medal at the 2013 UIL Track & Field Championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium Friday afternoon. She tried 12 feet, 4 inches for the Class A state record and went over the bar but hit it with her arm on the way down. The record is 12-3. Read more….
TWDB approves $3,035,893 in financial assistance for Hico
AUSTIN – (July 18, 2013) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) today approved by resolution financial assistance in the amount of $3,035,893 to the City of Hico (Hamilton County) consisting of a $1,520,000 loan and $1,515,893 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance water system improvements.
The City of Hico intends to use the funds to address issues with its water distribution system. The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional planning and preparing the State Water Plan for the development of the state's water resources. The TWDB administers cost-effective financial programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, and agricultural water conservation projects.
Bob Perry, Prolific GOP Donor, Dead at 80
by Ross Ramsey (The Texas Tribune)
Bob Perry, a wealthy homebuilder and philanthropist who was among the nation's largest political givers, has died at his home in Nassau Bay, near Houston. He was 80. [His father, Baylor Dean of Men W. C. Perry, had roots in Hico.] Read more…
2012 Drinking Water Quality Report for Hico
Cody Ohl Brings Bull Riding to Hico
PRCA champion tie-down roper Cody Ohl (featured in an article near the bottom of this page) is bringing a Professional Bull Riders sanctioned bull riding event, The Texas Steak Cookoff Chute Out, to Hico as a grand finale for the 10th Annual Texas Steak Cookoff. The event, featuring 35 bull riders, will be conducted at Hico City Park on the banks of the Bosque River beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18th. Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover Champion Bobby Kerr (featured in a video near the bottom of this page) will be providing entertainment during a break from the bull riding. Ticket information is available through the PBR calendar .
Good News on the Financial Front
by City Administrator Michael Leamons
In recent weeks, the City has received some good news. We were able to free-up about $80,000 a year by restructuring our Utility System debt, and we received notice from the Texas Water Development Board that the City's request for funding for improvements to our water system had been approved. Read more…
Goldthwaite to Buy First National Bancshares in Texas
by Chris Cumming, American Banker, May 24, 2013
…First National Chief Executive Dianne Stone, who owns approximately 80% of the company, plans to retire and wanted to find a buyer with a culture similar to First National's, according to C.K. Lee, managing director of Commerce Street."What was important was not selling to the first bidder, but finding a bank in the same geographic area that would provide the same level of service that her customers had gotten used to," Lee said. "She wanted to preserve the community-bank feel." Read more…
Fossil Rim [between Glen Rose and Hico]
Works to Save Texas Prairie Chicken
by Steve Cambell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
GLEN ROSE — Like a preening Texas cowboy strutting his stuff on a barroom dance floor, the testosterone-stoked little guy is doing his best to attract a cute hen. His neck sac is inflated like two orange balloons; he's stamping out a steady drum roll with his feet, extending showy feathers over his head, puffing up his chest, throwing back his wings and letting loose a mesmerizing booming sound. But what makes the Attwater's prairie chicken's mating ritual all the more imperative is that it also represents a last dance by a bird on the edge of extinction. Read more…
Hico ISD Adds New Portable Classrooms From Ramtech
Mansfield, TX (PRWEB) March 26, 2013
Commercial modular building firm Ramtech Building Systems of Mansfield, TX has announced that the company has secured a contract for the design, manufacture, and construction of a new eight-classroom modular building and two portable classrooms for the Hico Independent School District in Hico, TX. Part of a district-wide facility consolidation program, the multiple classroom building will be installed on the parking lot at the current junior high school location…Read more…
Tickets on sale for Texas Steak Cookoff
E-T Staff Report, Stephenville Empire-Tribune
The 10th annual Texas Steak Cookoff is just around the corner. On Saturday, May 18, cooks, vendors, and tourists from around the state will make their way to historic downtown Hico – rain or shine. The Texas Steak Cookoff is the largest steak cookoff in the Southwest…Read more…
Hico Sponsors Appraisal Protest Training by City Administrator Michael Leamons
On Thursday, April 25th at 6:00 p.m. at the Hico Activity Center, the City of Hico is sponsoring a workshop to help equip local citizens, who feel their property has been over-valued on the tax rolls, to file a protest with the appraisal district. As do the other local taxing entities, the City needs property tax revenues to fund the (non-utility) services it provides. The City Council, however, doesn't want anyone paying more taxes than they ought to. Read more….
City of Hico Soliciting RFQs for TWDB Project
The City of Hico is soliciting RFQs from financial, bond counsel and engineering firms for a TWDB Project which is expected to be approved and funded later this year. Read more…
RFQ UPDATES
The zip code on the Bond Counsel RFQ is incorrect. The correct zip code is 76457. A few questions were received regarding the Engineering RFQ. Those questions and the answers to them follow:
1. Page 1, paragraph 3. I assume that the "DO NOT INCLUDE COST INFORMATION" is referring to our engineering fees only. We often describe the size of a project with a statement similar to, "SRA designed a $1.5 million, 24″ diameter pipeline for the City of XYZ". Will this type of cost information be acceptable?
Answer: Correct, "cost information" refers only to engineering fees.
2. The scope is described as including an automated metering system. Does this include both large diameter transmission meters as well as residential and commercial service meters?
Answer: The automated metering system will probably be confined to residential and commercial service meters. However, it is possible metering at the two City wells and at the transfer pump station could be included.
3. Have you posted any addendums or updates? I haven't seen any, but I just wanted to double check.
Answer: No addendums or updates have been posted.
Strategy Session for Senior Citizen Center
On March 28th during the noon hour, concerned citizens are invited to attend a strategy session regarding the future of the Hico Senior Citizen Center (perhaps soon to be Hico Activity Center). Read more..
Equine educators never stop learning
by Barbara Duckworth, The Western Producer
"We never stop learning and that is why we don't call ourselves trainers. We educate." The couple [Michael and Tiffany Richards, based in Hico, ed.] teaches relaxation, harmony and balance for rider and horse. Harmony and balance are especially important for Michael, who has been a paraplegic since 1986 after a Jeep rollover. He had to develop a new perspective about the world around him, which came partly from therapeutic riding that started five weeks after his accident. Read more…
Hico woman learns an appreciation for sport horses
by Joyce Whitis Special Contributor, stephenvilletexas.com, 02/12/13
Sandra Airola and husband John were living in Germany in the late 1990s when she became interested in sport horses found throughout Europe. The horses, which includes the Hanoverians, Oldenburgs, Belgian Warmbloods and other breeds, are part of the widely bred "war horse" descendants. These stout, sometimes beefy horses were used to pull carts, plows and perform other duties around the farms of Belgium, Germany, England and other European countries but they are best recognized for their value in battle. If you saw the popular movie, "War Horse"…read more .
Unless you like to stare at bumpers, avoid I-35
by Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The "Main Street of North America" is more like the main headache. So until Interstate 35 is finished in 2014, expect traffic jams in Hico.
"It was bumper to bumper last weekend — five blocks solid," said Lynn Allen, owner of the 45-year-old Koffee Kup Family Restaurant, a burger-and-pie landmark on U.S. 281. But on I-35, the backup was 10 miles.
In a blunt warning, state highway officials in Fort Worth are urging motorists to drive U.S. 281 to Austin and completely stay off I-35, slowed for 60 miles of expansion projects between Waco and Temple.Read more…
When Opportunity Knocks
Hico began as a frontier trading post located on Honey Creek some 2 1/2 miles southeast of its present location. When the railroad came, community leaders heard opportunity knocking. They responded by relocating Hico to the railroad. Plank-by-plank the town was torn down, moved to its present location and rebuilt. Talk about commitment to economic growth! Read more…
Review the Hico Economic Development Plan
Texas Reads: Authors examine women's roles in Texas history
by Glenn Dromgoole, Abilene Reporter-News
"Texas Dames" (The History Press, $19.95 paperback) is subtitled "Sassy and Savvy Women Throughout Lone Star History" and includes 53 stories of women, many of whom you probably haven't read about before, such as the Rev. Mary Billings of Hico, perhaps the first ordained women minister in Texas. She was 68 when her husband ordained her in 1892, and she became an outspoken proponent of prohibition. Read more…
City-wide Clean-up This Saturday
The Hico Beautification Committee is sponsoring a city-wide clean-up this Saturday, March 23rd. City residents may dispose of household garbage at the Transfer Station free of charge. Volunteers will be available to help unload vehicles at the Transfer Station, while other volunteers with trailers will be available to pick up loads for those without the appropriate means of transporting waste. For additional information, please call City Hall at (254) 796-4620
March 28th Meeting On New Vision for the Senior Center
by City Administrator Leamons
As you probably recall, last year the community almost lost the Senior Citizen Program when Hill County Community Action announced it would be terminating its involvement in Hico and Lometa unless local financial support was increased significantly. As a stop-gap measure, the Senior Citizen Foundation, County and City agreed to provide the additional funding necessary to keep the program going through September 30thof this year. Read more .
Aldermen Koonsman, James and Cryer to Serve Another Term
Only the three incumbents, Linda Koonsman, Mike James and Betti Cryer, filed for the three open seats on the Hico City Council, so the City will not be conducting an election this May.
Hico native is top ad man for presidential campaign
by Tim Madigan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
After a long and remarkable rise to the top of American advertising, Jim Ferguson was back home in Texas in 2011, running a boutique agency in Dallas and making weekend jaunts to his boyhood home, Hico, population 1,300. His brother and parents were there, and so was the six-man-football festival he helped create, as well as the memories of collecting eggs, working on a turkey farm and hanging out with friends at the Koffee Kup Family Restaurant.
But that summer, a man named Stuart Stevens came calling. A senior strategist for presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Stevens had a slightly less bucolic vision in mind for Ferguson. He wanted him to serve as creative director and chief image maker for the Republican's 2012 campaign. Read more…
Texas Midwest conference brings communities together
by John Mangalonzo, Abilene Reporter-News
If you hear the name Hico, Texas, what's the first thing that comes to your mind? Perhaps many would say Ollie L. Roberts, aka "Brushy Bill" Roberts, aka William Henry Roberts — a Hico resident during the late 1940s who claimed to have been the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid.
It's little towns such as Hico, population 1,400, that make the Texas Midwest Conference work, said Linda Koonsman. She's mayor pro tem there…"We have a good school system, good business atmosphere and friendly people," Koonsman boasted. "More than anything else we would like more industry to come in." Read more…
City Council adopts Discharge of Firearms Ordinance .
City Business Column 10-02-12
Over the weekend, 21 Airstream travel trailers set up camp in City Park. It wasn't the best of weather for an outing, but campers who visited City Hall expressed admiration for our Park and the recent improvements. Read more…
Hico 1893 Ordinances Re-Discovered
A bound volume of Hico Ordinances published in 1893 was recently discovered in the Texas Collection of Baylor University. The ordinances provide an interesting glimpse into the technology, issues, culture and organizational structure of late 19th century Hico. The document has been scanned and posted in the Municipal Code section of the website (at the bottom of the page) and can be viewed by anyone with an Adobe X reader.
Texas town wants lower property values
by Eva-Marie Ayala, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
It's a win-lose proposal for Hico, but City Council members say it's the right thing to do…Higher property values typically mean more money for a city's coffers, but Hico officials say the appraisals don't reflect the real estate market and are squeezing homeowners in the city of about 1,400 some 60 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Read more…
Needs Assessment Survey of Regional Ground Transportation
Anyone interested may participate in the above survey by clicking on this LINK.
Senior Citizen Center and Law Enforcement Updates
Thanks are due to all the citizens who engaged and helped preserve Hico's Senior Citizen Program…Read more…
The attorney general has ruled; appraisal districts must comply
by Marlene J. Bohr, The Daingerfield Bee
"I believe first that this opinion gives every homeowner in Texas what we have asked for and that is fair and equitable appraisals," Mr. Davis said. "It gives us everything that we asked, but more importantly, my hats off to Sen. Eltife, Sen. Dan Patrick, and Rep. Ken Paxton for having the courage to first pass this law and then second, to follow through and see that the law is being enforced. What has occurred is that when a law passed that someone in power, the appraisal district, in this case, disagreed with, they chose to ignore it. In this particular case the appraisal district will no longer be able to ignore existing law and in fact, should they continue to ignore it as they have in the past, they will be subjecting themselves to official oppression and official conduct charges both civilly and criminally. This has been reaffirmed by the Attorney General's office." Read more…
Hico's Justin Yost Wins Team Roping Event
At 6.5 seconds, Hico's Justin Yost and partner Bucky Campbell of Benton City, Washington took first place in team roping in the first leg of the Harley Tucker Rodeo Series in Union Oregon. Read more in the LaGrande Observer…
August 13th City Council Agenda Column
The City is moving forward with plans to re-establish the Hico Police Department. As with any government-related endeavor, there are reams of paperwork. One official with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) suggested the process could take as much as two months to complete. Read more…
Appeal to the Hill Country Community Action Board to save the Hico and Lometa Senior Citizen Programs
…Lometa and Hico, with populations of 856 and 1,379, respectively are the two smallest program participants in HCCA's service area. Additionally, with a per capita income of $10,428, Lometa is the most economically challenged community in the service area. With a per capita income of $14,122, Hico comes in 4th from the bottom. The State average is $19,617. We propose, rather than causing the full brunt of the shortfall to fall upon the service area's two smallest and most economically challenged communities, the deficit be made up by a 5% across the board reduction in the program…
…Last week, when speaking with a member of the Silver Haired Legislature, I mentioned how I was looking for a senior citizens advocate. That individual said, "HCCA used to be that advocate, but over time its focus has shifted from advocacy to program administration." With the decision now facing this Board, I'm asking you to restore this agency to its historic role as an advocate for the region's senior citizens. Read more…
Hico Senior Citizen Program in Jeopardy
On July 19th, Peggy Forrest and Vela Booker, the directors of the Senior Citizen nutrition (including meals on wheels), utility assistance and weatherization programs in Hico and Lometa, respectively, were informed the programs at their two centers would be eliminated effective September 30, 2012…The loss of the Senior Citizen Program would be a real blow to some of our citizens. Obviously, some will suffer financially, but many more will suffer socially. The program serves as a nucleus for a number of social venues.Read more…
Nutrition Program Budgets
Hill Country Community Action Nutrition Program Budgets for Hico and Lometa
Hill Country Community Action Total Nutrition Program Budget
County Judge and Commissioners Choose Not to Place Hico's Counter Offer on the July 23rd Agenda
On Wednesday, July 18th, the day the Joint Law Enforcement Contract for 2013 offered by Hamilton County was set to expire, City Administrator Michael Leamons delivered the City of Hico's counter. Judge Randy Mills informed Leamons he had already been made aware of what was being offered, and that he had spoken with all of the Commissioners except for Boatwright about the matter. He said any one member of the Court could request the item be placed on the agenda, but that the Hico counter wasn't expected to make it onto Monday's agenda. Friday morning, Leamons was told, as expected, the matter hadn't made it onto the agenda. Mayor Lavern Tooley has called a special City Council Meeting for 1:00 p.m., Monday, July 23rd to consider Hamilton County's response and to make contingency plans for a City operated police department.
City Council Counters on Law Enforcement Contract
(And Wants Tax Appraisals to Reflect Real Market Values)
The City Council continues to grapple with Hico's law enforcement options. At a recent Town Hall Meeting, the majority of those who spoke were opposed to continuing the joint law enforcement with Hamilton County. Citizens expressed dis-satisfaction with the level of service and with the significantly higher price tag placed on this year's contract by the Commissioners Court ($227,000 versus last year's $150,000). Read more…
Boys Overall Coach of the Year: Priorities guide Wellington coach Wade Williams
by Britt Hart, Amarillo Globe-News
Coach Williams took Hico through 20 years of success, making the playoffs 16 times and reaching the Class 2A state quarterfinals in 2002. Read more…
Big, beefy event set for Hico on Saturday (This year's event is already past, but make plans to be part of next year's 10th Annual Steak Cookoff—webmaster)
by Kim Pierce/Reporter, dallasnews.com
Historic downtown Hico, about 90 minutes southwest of Dallas, is the site of the Ninth Annual Texas Steak Cook-off, an event where amateurs compete to produce the best 12-ounce Texas ribeye and lay claim to the title "Best Steak in Texas," Read more…
Friday tosses bull rankings; Idaho native has the highest score at Friday night's Redding Rodeo
by T.J. Holmes, Record Searchlight
Team roping: The duo of Justin Yost (Hico, Texas) and Bucky Campbell (Benton City, Wash.,) turned in the best go of the night with a 5.8, tying them for third place. Read more…
Daytrippin' to Hico
by Linda Lambert, Horseshoe Bay Beacon, March 1, 2012 Issue
There is no end to the creativity going on in Hico, so take a break from that long drive and explore the many surprises in this friendly town.Read more…
Another version of Linda's article, Take a Break in Hico: "Where Everybody is Somebody" is included in the 2012 Hill Country Magazine, a portion of which can be viewed here.
At Home With: Don Edwards (America's Cowboy Balladeer opens up about his life in music, his love of the cowboy way, and his latest recording project.)
by Tom Wilmes (published in American Cowboy)
Don Edwards [a resident of the Hico area], 72, is known as America's Cowboy Balladeer and recently celebrated his 50th anniversary in the music business. Read more… To hear a song, click here
Texas Country Reporter at the Billy the Kid Museum
View the 3 1/2 minute video.
The Mysterious Hico Structure
by Paul V. Heinrich
Although conclusive evidence for the extraterrestrial impact origin of the Hico structure is still yet to be found, it appears that it is quite likely an extraterrestrial impact structure. Read more…
Like Heaven on a Plate (…worth 2 1/2-hour drive to Hico)
By the Lunch Bunch, Wichita Falls TimesRecordNews
HICO — Oh, Great Gods of Diners! You have answered my prayers. You have given humanity the Koffee Kup Family Restaurant. Read More…
European luxury in unexpected places (It's hard to find European anything in Texas, and this store is worth the trip just to see their goods.)
By Robin Mayfield
Many years ago, there was a gorgeous European Antique store named Homestead in the heart of Texas Hill Country, in Fredericksburg, TXRead More…
Hico Featured in Regional Guide
Hico is one of 42 communities featured in the 2012 Texas Midwest Guide.
WNFR Round Two: Tie-down roping results
By Jolee Lautaret, Rodeo Examiner
Nothing could be scarier for the world leaders in the tie-down roping than the image of Cody Ohl (of Hico) looming in the rearview mirror. The six-time World Champ thrives on pressure and adversity. Read More…
Keiffer Shipp, born September 29, 1911, in Hico, recently celebrated his 100th birthday. Read More…


text:
5:55 PM Player One Coffee Introduces A Brand New Roast That 'Neebs Gaming' Fans Will Love!
4:40 AM DOOM Eternal For Nintendo Switch Coming "A Bit Later" After Launch (VIDEO)
1:20 AM Animal Crossing Reveals Adorable New Nintendo Switch Controllers
9:40 PM The Witcher: Nightmare Of The Wolf Anime Film Announced
9:23 PM Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Review Round-Up (VIDEO)
8:55 PM Magic: The Gathering Teases New Ikoria: Lair Of Behemoths Expansion
Chet Faliszek, Half-Life 2, Portal, and Left 4 Dead Writer, Has Left Valve
The turnaround rate within the gaming industry fluctuates rather often. While some will stick with a company until they retire, others come and go as they move on to bigger and better things. That's where Chet Faliszek comes in. Gamers might recognize this name from such great titles as Half-Life 2, the Portal series, and the Left 4 Dead franchise. That is because Faliszek has helped write these memorable games, but he has also become a sort of public spokesperson for Valve. Well, those days are over as Chet has announced he is leaving the gaming giant to "change things up."
I was with Valve for 12+ years, but a fan for even longer. Can't wait to play what is coming next. pic.twitter.com/FumRoP0VTS
— Chet Faliszek (@chetfaliszek) May 2, 2017
Of course, with Chet now leaving Valve, that means there are no primary writers left that worked on the Half-Life series. Unfortunately, this means that the final nail in the coffin that is the third installment has likely met the crushing blow of the hammer. It was a long-shot to begin with, but there is always hope in this day and age. Well, except for Half-Life 3… that will probably never happen now. Even if that is a bit of a heartbreaking reality that many don't want to accept, we will have to trust that Chet will go on to make something awesome. In a message to GamesIndustry, Chet Faliszek made sure to note that his departure from Valve was nothing dramatic and that it was amicable.
[It was]Nothing exciting or drama filled," he wrote of his departure. "I worked there 12 years, shipped a bunch of great games and some amazing hardware and wanted to change things up. There's no news on what's next etc, I will let you know when that happens."
In his most recent work with Valve, Faliszek worked in developer relations for those looking to get their games on the Vive VR platform. Since he isn't sure what is next, maybe he will stay the road of virtual reality. Maybe he will go on to create his own company. Maybe he is secretly working on Half-Life 3 in an underground bunker that only a few people have access to via retina scans, voice verification, and blood analysis. However unlikely that last one is, Don't Feed the Gamers wishes Chet Faliszek all the best in his future endeavors!
What say you, gamers? A little sad that Half-Life 3 is probably more dead than ever before? What will Chet Faliszek do next? Drop those thoughts and theories in the comments section below! As always, be sure to follow DFTG on Twitter for live gaming and entertainment news 24/7. If it's more reading that you're needing, check out the following:
Kentucky Route Zero Review – "A Fantastic Example of Story Telling Within the Indie Video Game Industry"
New Code Vein Trailer Features First Look at Vampire RPG Gameplay (VIDEO)
Here's the Full List of Games Releasing May 2017 – Including Injustice 2, Prey, and Minecraft
Chet Faliszek
To Celebrate Two Huge New Milestones, Blizzard is Giving Away Free Hearthstone Card Packs
Troll Ruins Historic Moment in Elite Dangerous History During In-Game Event (VIDEO)
Eric Garrett1628 Posts
Eric is an editor and writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. When he is not staring at a computer screen filled with text, he is usually staring at a computer screen filled with controllable animations. Today's youth call this gaming. He also likes to shoot things. With a camera, of course.
Studio Ghibli Making Global Debut On Netflix, Just Not In North America Or Japan
PUBG Season 6 Starting Soon, Now Live On Test Server (VIDEO)
Untitled Goose Game's Goose Runs Amok In Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Mod (VIDEO)
Half-Life Game Series Now Free To Play Until Release Of Half-Life: Alyx
Left 4 Dead 3 Is "Absolutely Not" In Development, Says Valve
Grand Theft Auto IV Steam Delisiting Explained By Rockstar
Grand Theft Auto IV Mysteriously Delisted From Steam
Valve's Cancelled Portal Prequel 'F-STOP' Revealed (VIDEO)
New Stats Page Shows Incredible Number of Steam Refund Requests Reply
[…] Valve averages about 75,000 help requests daily and now averages near the 10,000 mark on requests still awaiting a response at the end of the day. As shown in the graph above, this is a tremendous dive, in the best way, from their 50,000 or more left waiting at the beginning of the year. Valves blog post discusses their effort in support but the numbers speak for themselves in terms of how many Steam refund requests the company has to sift through. Valve, however, remains optimistic: […]
Half-Life 2 Writer "Surprised" By Marc Laidlaw's Episode 3 Reveal Reply
[…] that he never felt compelled to pursue story information regarding Half-Life 3. During his former employment at Valve, Faliszek came to the conclusion that the game-making process as more of a team effort rather than […]


Read our January 2018 eNewsletter to learn about: Fire-Tuff Case Study, Simulation Video Features listing Click on the image or click here to view the issue. Want to receive next month's issue? Sign up for our eNewsletter today.


ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The first victim of the nightclub shooting to reach the hospital was relatively stable, and doctors working the overnight shift hoped any others would arrive in a similar condition.
Then five more came, in much worse shape. And then more, and more still, until people bleeding from gunshot wounds were lining up inside the Orlando Regional Medical Center.
"They were dropped off in truckloads, in ambulance-loads," said Dr. Kathryn Bondani.
The trauma bay quickly overflowed, forcing doctors performing triage to move critically injured people elsewhere and focus on those whose lives were most in danger.
Luckily, the Pulse nightclub isn't far from the region's main trauma hospital, but its emergency room staff usually gets advance word that severe cases are on their way. In this case, victims started arriving within minutes of the shooting, and the staff had to scramble.
Choking up a bit, Dr. Chadwick Smith described how he and others called for reinforcements.
Angel Colon was shot several times in his leg, and his bones shattered as he was trampled in the crowd. Then he was hit again, in the hand and hip, as the gunman shot the injured, apparently "making sure they're dead." Later, as a policeman dragged him to safety, his body was cut by shards of broken glass.
Appearing at a news conference Tuesday in a wheelchair, Colon turned to the doctors and nurses who treated him and said: "I will love you guys forever."
The trauma center is used to handling four or five people each shift. A total of 44 patients arrived that night, with all manner of bullet gunshot wounds, broken bones and other injuries. Nine of them were too far gone to be saved, said Dr. Michael Cheatham.
Eleven victims were treated at other hospitals, and most of them have been released, Cheatham said.


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We have been learning all about the water cycle in 3rd class. We had great fun exploring, investigating and analysing the different stages of the water cycle through a simple, but effective experiment.
Can you see the condensation forming in the bag? Tap the cloud to see the rain fall!
We have been learning about tens and unit and have used lots of fun methods to understand place value.
The boys and girls in Fifth Class made a fantastic job of their design a bridge projects. Having explored the different types of bridges - arch bridges, suspension bridges, single span bridges, multiple span bridges, footbridges etc., we decided to design our own bridges. We chose a bridge type and investigated which materials might be useful in the construction of a strong bridge. Our constructions were very impressive and we displayed them in our room yesterday for the pupils and teachers in the school. Everybody thought the bridges were superb and agreed that there are plenty of budding engineers in the class!
5th Class: Have a look at some more pictures from our Canine buddies visit on Tuesday!
We had a visit from Canine Buddies yesterday. We learned all about being ready to have a dog, where to buy dogs from, how to care for them and the importance of vaccinations and cleaning up after our dogs. We especially enjoyed having Babe the greyhound and Homer and Marge in to visit us. Some of us didn't want them to leave!! We also got some lovely prizes and certificates.
Fifth Class used marbling inks to create prints on white card. Look at how we made our colourful designs.
We picked Mexico as our non-European country to study for the People and other Lands strand in Geography. Mexico is a beautiful country, full of rich history and fascinating culture. We looked at the geography, economy, history, people and culture of Mexico. It proved to be a very interesting choice and we learned a lot.
Junior Infants had such fun making rice krispie buns today. We first made a shopping list to make sure we got all our ingredients. We got all our utensils ready. Next we melted the chocolate in the microwave and poured it over our rice krispies. We all helped to mix the chocolate and rice krispies together using a wooden spoon. We put some mixture into our buncases and decorated with marshmallows. Yum!!!
As part of the National 1916 Centenary Programme, The Irish Defence Forces have implemented a "Flags to Schools" initiative where each Primary School in Ireland is presented with the National Flag and a copy of The Proclamation. Today (Friday 8th January 2016), we had a short ceremony for our official presentation. We were visited by three members of the Defence Forces - Lieutenant Ruairí Millane, Corporal Desmond Padden and Private Brendan Connaughton.
The Presentation Ceremony was attended by all classes. While two of our 6th Class pupils (Hannah & Conal) welcomed the members of the Defence Forces at the Front Gate of the School, our Traditional Music group treated us to a short session. Hannah & Conal then accompanied them to the school hall where they were welcomed by Mr Carney & Ms NicCumhaill.
Lieutenant Ruairí Millane then gave us an outline of the history of the Irish Flag and the correct protocol to be observed in relation to our National Flag. He also gave us some brief background information on the Proclamation.
Next, six of our 6th Class pupils (Roisín, Conor, Daniel, Alexander, Odhrán and Michael) each read a paragraph of the Proclamation. After this, two school representatives - David from Junior Infants and Órlaith from 6th Class - were presented with the Flag and the Proclamation.
Following a short Question & Answer session, the ceremony concluded with the singing of the National Anthem and another short session from our Trad Group.
We were very pleased to be a part of the 1916 Flags to Schools initiative and we look forward to hoisting the flag with the rest of the schools in Ireland on the 15th March which is National Proclamation Day.
Happy New Year! We would like to welcome everyone back for the New Term.
We hope parents, pupils and staff have a great term and a great New Year!
Our school Newsletter has been distributed today and can also be found under the "more" tab here on our website.


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Applications should be submitted 30 days prior to the event. This will allow enough time for the review and approval process by the District Alderperson, Department of Public Works, and the Milwaukee Police Department.


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Home > IV Online magazine > 2020 > IV542 - March 2020 > Movement against neoliberalism and confessionalism grows
Movement against neoliberalism and confessionalism grows
Monday 9 March 2020, by Joseph Daher
Lebanon is currently seeing mobilizations at a level not seen for decades, starting from 17 October 2019 following the government's announcement of new taxes, notably on the WhatsApp instant messaging application and against a backdrop of an ever deeper economic crisis. The popular protest quickly spread to all the cities of the country, causing the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri on 29 October 2019. The demonstrators oppose the government's neoliberal economic policies, austerity measures and corruption, but are also challenging the entire Lebanese confessional system. All the confessional political parties which compose it and dominate political life are targeted.
Since the end of the 2000s, Lebanon has been shaped by the growing divides resulting from the implementation of neoliberal reforms. Twenty-eight per cent of the population lives in poverty, earning less than $4 a day. The incomes of the poorest households stagnated or fell by 25-30% between 2010 and 2016. Unemployment is also high: only a third of the working-age population has a job, while among young people aged 15-24, the unemployment rate is on average 23.3% (35.7% for young graduates). Between 40 and 50% of Lebanese residents do not have access to the National Social Security Fund or any other public social assistance. The percentage of informal workers, that is, those who have no health insurance, is around 55%. Precarious foreign workers, whose total number is estimated at just over a million, or around 20% of the population, also have no social protection. According to a study by the Central Statistics Administration, half of daily workers and more than a third of farmers in the country live below the poverty line. The richest 10% receive 56% of the national income. The wealthiest 1% alone, just over 37,000 people, receive 23% of income.
This situation has led to many demonstrations in the past: at the beginning of 2011, with a first movement for the abolition of the confessional system; between 2011 and 2014, with large rallies and strikes to protest against working conditions and for wage increases; and in the summer of 2015, with the popular movement "Vous puez", which started as part of a garbage management crisis and which also led to a questioning of the confessional system and neoliberal policies as a whole.
The popular movement started in October 2019 challenges the system even more radically. It is explicitly denounced (all parties combined) as responsible for the deterioration of socio-economic conditions. Confessionalism must be understood as a tool of the ruling parties - and therefore of the Lebanese political elites - to intervene ideologically in the class struggle, strengthen their control over the popular classes and keep them in a position of subordination to their confessional leaders. In the past, protest movements have been kept in check or crushed not only by repression but also by playing on community divisions.
While the majority of the population sank into poverty, the dominant denominational parties and the various groups of the economic elite took advantage of the privatization processes, neoliberal policies and the control of government ministries to develop powerful networks of patronage, nepotism and corruption. This approach recognizes confessionalism as a product of modern times rather than an alleged cultural tradition.
By this yardstick, the non-denominational nature of the current movement takes on its full dimension. It is significant that in terms of its social composition, the October 2019 uprising differs from previous mobilizations in that it is much more rooted in the popular and waged worker classes than the mobilizations of 2011 and 2015, in which the liberal middle classes had played a more important role. The current movement has also spread to all regions of Lebanon and has not been limited to Beirut. Protests have exploded across the country: Tripoli, Nabatiyeh, Tyr, Baalbek, Zouk, Saida, Jal al-Dib and other cities. Its scope is significant: as one of the flagship slogans of the popular movement says "All means all", challenging neoliberal economic policies and corruption means denouncing all the representatives of the faith-based system. Calls and messages of solidarity between the regions and the different religious denominations have multiplied since the protests began, for example between the districts of Bab al-Tabbaneh in Tripoli (majority Alawite) and Jabal Mohsen (majority Sunni), where armed conflicts have been numerous in recent years.
In this sense, the demands of the protest movement for social justice and economic redistribution cannot be dissociated from their opposition to the sectarian political system. These cross-sectarian and socio-economic mobilizations pose a potential threat to all representatives of the Lebanese political elite.
Continuation since October 2019
The popular protest movement has continued since 17 October. It has widened to other causes, feminist, ecological, socio-economic (the question of foreign workers and so on).
The demonstrators have carried out targeted actions in front of public institutions, denouncing their corruption. Among them, the Banque du Liban, private banks, and institutions linked to telephone services and the management of the electricity system such as Electricité du Liban (EDL) and Ogero. Other places have seen demonstrations like the Zaytouna Bay port in Beirut and the site under construction of the Eden Bay hotel complex, which are symbols of the privatization of maritime properties. In the North, actions have targeted poor waste management. Likewise, civil disobedience campaigns have been launched, calling on people not to pay electricity bills to the EDL to denounce the sector's inability to provide continuous electricity supply, or to no longer repay bank loans to challenge the restrictions imposed by the banking sector while managers and businessmen were able to transfer billions of dollars to Swiss banks from the start of the dispute.
Another campaign, made up of activists from the left, called Tamîm al-Mâsarif ("Nationalization of the banks") encourages and assists savers wishing to withdraw their money from private banks and organizes political discussions on the need for a radical change in the economic policy of the country through the nationalization of the banks.
Victories and difficulties
Several significant victories have been won by the movement since the withdrawal of the taxes that had triggered it and the resignation of prime minister Saad Hariri. Among them, the court decision obliging the mobile phone companies to issue their invoices in Lebanese pounds following the complaint filed by "The Judges' Club" with the Consumer Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Economy and Trade. Melhem Khalaf, an independent candidate from the civil movement, was elected head of the bar association, while the Bekaa League candidate Ali Yaghi, an independent supported by the popular movement, won the elections to the council of the order of dentists.
The protest movement, however, faces many challenges, most notably the lack of organization and alternative representations likely to counter the dominance of the confessional parties and ruling economic groups. Furthermore, the weakness of trade union structures poses a recurring problem. Confessional parties have actively contributed to weakening the union movement since the 1990s, forming separate federations and unions in a number of sectors in order to gain dominance within the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL). As a result, the CGTL was unable to mobilize workers despite the intensification of neoliberal policies and was marked by its absence from the current protest movement. The Trade Union Coordination Committee (CCS), the main actor in union demonstrations between 2011 and 2014, has also been marginalized by similar methods.
In addition to this lack of structuring of the movement, the economic crisis continues to worsen. According to a survey, more than 220,000 workers saw their jobs temporarily or permanently eliminated between October 2019 and the end of January 2020. In parallel, the Lebanese pound has experienced a remarkable depreciation against the dollar, a consequence of the decision taken by the Banque du Liban at the end of summer to restrict the quantity of dollars on the market: the dollar was trading at around 2,000 pounds at the end of December, while its official price was still 1,507.50 pounds, a fixed rate in effect since 1997.
However, attempts to structure new independent unions have emerged, including a "Rassemblement des professionnels" modelled on the Sudanese Professionals Association, which brings together representatives from different professions (medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, engineering, law, social work, university teaching, journalism, economics and cinema) and which plays an ever greater role in the demonstrations. Some members have declared in the press that they want to rebuild trades unionism independent of the confessional and neoliberal parties. The objective of this new union structure is to promote the productive sectors of the economy, to offer better working conditions to employees and to facilitate student access to the employment market. Other independent unions are being created among journalists, NGO workers and in the universities. Likewise, feminist and student organizations have also spearheaded protests and intervened in a coordinated fashion across the country. Some are also trying to organize themselves through municipalities in different regions, under the name of "Communes du 17 Octobre", and others at the neighbourhood level.
The appointment of a new government in mid-December 2019 was rejected by the popular movement, as it is part of the continuity of neoliberal and sectarian policies in Lebanon. The new Lebanese government has also started a formal process to request technical assistance from the International Monetary Fund, while policy statements by new Prime Minister Diab have hinted at austerity measures, saying that some of the decisions needed to revive the economy would be "painful". At the same time, repression against the demonstrators has continued to increase since the beginning of the year with hundreds of wounded. Confessional and neoliberal forces continue to co-opt, suppress or undermine the protest movement with a common goal of ending its initial aspirations for radical change. Despite a less intense popular protest than at its inception, the determination of the demonstrators remains. Their demand remains unambiguous but always ambitious: "The people want the regime to fall". Internationalist solidarity!
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movement-against-neoliberalism-and-confessionalism-grows_a6444.pdf (PDF - 363.5 kb)
A persistent political and economic crisis in Lebanon
Continuous Crisis in Lebanon
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Zionist Colonization and Its Victim
After the Pandemic Subsides, We May See a Third Wave of the Arab Spring
Far from Spring
Palestinian liberation and the MENA revolutions
Egypt's Uprising and Its Fate
Ten years after the popular uprising in Syria
An Unfinished Epoch of Revolution
Joseph Daher
Joseph Daher is a Swiss-Syrian academic and activist. He is the author of Syria After the Uprising: The Political Economy of State Resilience (Pluto, 2019) and Hezbollah: The Political Economy of Lebanon's Party of God (Pluto, 2016), and founder of the blog Syria Freedom Forever. He is also co-founder of the Alliance of Middle Eastern and North African Socialists.


I have felt this amputated unmothering. It is raw and violent, but with Alzheimer's it's prolonged and continual, like losing your hand multiple times through the years. It's slow at first. Though you're aware of how much worse it can, and will get, you can't force yourself at the time to be thankful for small gifts, you can't postpone your grief for worse days. The first time your mother forgets your name, it tears at your soul. It's hard to be thankful for the sound of her voice when her voice is asking who you are.
When my mom couldn't find my name in her jumbled mind, the pain was acute, like the unmothering referred to above. And yet, today, I would be thrilled to be called anything by her, as her relative silence cuts just as deep, creates just as much empty space now as her frustrated utterances did a few short years ago. Losing someone to Alzheimer's is slow torture, akin to having your hand removed, replaced surgically, and removed again and again. She disappeared slowly at first, when shock prevents you from grabbing hold of what you still have, until suddenly she's almost gone. And yet she's still here, so you're not allowed in The Grieving Children's Club. She still needs care and love; she just lacks the ability to give it back. I don't bemoan this lack of reciprocation; she gave us so much love and care while she was still herself that I could not possibly repay what I've been given. I just miss sitting in the warmth of my mother's love.
My biggest fear is that in all this losing, and grieving, and caring; in the time it took Alzheimer's to erase my mom, that it is also erasing my own memories of a healthy mother, a pre-Alzheimer's mom. I was 24 when she was diagnosed; so much of my life and who I am has been decided and molded in these last 9 years and not the 24 pre-diagnosis years, which fuels my fear. What if ultimately the thing amputated is not a metaphor about losing my mother, but that my mother is amputated from me completely? That losing her has molded me more than being loved by her?
I have uttered these fears of forgetting my mother- that Alzheimer's was stealing both her memories and mine to others who have lost parents and have been comforted with the assurance that the memories come back. But, if I let myself, I dwell on this and I wonder if there is any of my mother in me. If I have forgotten so much of her that I am like a daughter raised without a mother. This then leads me to think about myself as mother, the years we've longed after a baby and children who aren't mine who I've failed. Then I start to think fears that I refuse to put in writing. Because this, my friends is a dangerous thought train to board.
See, while the article was insightful and true, it lacked something we all need. Here's where the differing world views come into play. As a Christian, I'm supposed to be set apart. I'm supposed to be part of a peculiar nation; I'm supposed to have freedom and peace. Never, was it promised that Christians wouldn't experience loss, wouldn't grieve the loss of a mother…. Or spouse, or sister, or child. We ache for peace is a fallen world as much as anyone. What should be different? The difference is that peace is ours for the taking. The freedom from fear is given to us from Christ.
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us so.
Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. 7 And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].
There are many more passages about faith, about peace, about a God who is with us through the storms, a God who holds us through life's torments. Christ is there, but as in every relationship, we must also do our part. We must turn to Him for the comfort, we must seek Him. I'm not always great at that-as you can tell from my previous post. I'm not going to claim that Jesus makes me stop missing my mother's love- it still hurts to lose her- but I'd rather walk through that pain with Christ strengthened me than attempting to walk through it on my own.
But this God that stands guard over our hearts and minds; this Christ who died to provide us with salvation? Surely He can salvage memories from the ashes of my mother's illness. He raised the dead, I'm confident he can heal my metaphorical amputation.