Flomot News

Overheard Christmas Eve at Glen Addie (St. John’s Orphanage) in Bellville in 1951 still remains bright in my memories at my age. I was a teenager at the time. Even though there were no parents present, the 100 children at Glen Addie buzzed with excitement.

CHRISTMAS IN VALLEY

CHRISTMAS IN VALLEY Valley youngsters brought holiday cheer to family, friends and neighbors with their rendition of “It’s Christmas, Charlie Brown,” a special performance last week. | COURTESY PHOTO

In lieu of Chinese Christmas

Chinese Christmas, I miss you. Yes, the term is politically incorrect. So is Chinese fire drill. (If you don’t know about Chinese fire drills you’re probably not reading this column.) Do the Chinese call some crazy stuff American? Maybe. I rather hope so. Either way, we digress.

A humble appreciation to collaborators and contributors

If you look at the folio of this page (the tiny type at the top of the page that tells you the date and page number) it will read THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021. It seems only fitting on the eve of Christmas Eve that we thank the people who help us create the newspaper’s content, week in, week out.

State’s workforce surpasses pre-pandemic high

TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION AUSTIN—The Texas labor market exceeded the previous pre-pandemic high in February 2020 by hitting just under 13 million nonagricultural jobs in November, the Texas Workforce Commission reported last Friday.

Faith in Christmas

It’s Christmas time, when we celebrate the birth of Christ. In the U.S., surveys show that more than 80% of us believe in God. That’s more people than have lawyers, drive foreign cars, believe DNA is absolute proof of a criminal act, own a home, have been divorced, or watch Oprah!

Is that really your jersey?

Is that really your jersey? I want one that says MAHOMES. He’s my new favorite quarterback. Pre-Mahomes I didn’t even have a favorite. I like his nonchalance. He calms my nerves. Patrick Mahomes belongs to a tradition. Athletes and their names have long been used to sell stuff.

It takes a village

In our little newspaper office on Burlington Avenue in downtown Spur, it takes a village to publish three weekly newspapers serving eight counties and ten school systems.

Drier, warmer weather in November

AUSTIN—Blame it on La Niña. By the end of November, nearly half the state was experiencing drought conditions, up 25 percentage points from the end of October, according to Dr. Mark Wentzel, a hydrologist with the Texas Water Development Board.

Deer Hunting Cow Lick

I’ve got a mule deer hangin’ on my wall from northern New Mexico, so I could relate to Rafael’s story. He had joined two of his cousins for a deer hunting trip near Cuba, N.M., where his uncle had a cabin.