News

It could easily have been a scene out of a classic Christmas movie. A dedicated group of community activists put together their time, their talent and – most of all – their hearts, and invited the entire town to dinner. That was the setting at #7 Main Street in Avinger on Dec. 10. Baked ham, countless casseroles and plenty of desserts adorned the buffet enjoyed by about 50 Avinger area residents. The evening was put on by members of the Avinger Area Chamber of Commerce, the Cress Community Foundation and the 1936 Study Club. The volunteer force of well over a dozen people planned, decorated, cooked and served the buffet meal, which also offered coffee, tea, and even spiced cider.

Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD) chose Owen and Tatum Whitmore as the first sibling Kid Conductors for The Trains at NorthPark, a beloved holiday tradition presented by Bank of Texas and benefitting RMHD. The brother and sister pair, who have both spent time at RMHD, opened the most elaborate miniature toy trains exhibit in Texas at a special media preview on November 18 from 1 to 4 p.m., the day before The Trains at NorthPark opened for its 29th season at its new home next to the American Eagle location in NorthPark.

A Daingerfield man is being held in the Morris County Jail following a disturbance in which knives were involved.

According to a statement from the Daingerfield Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Walker Street at approximately 11:46 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6. The call was regarding a disturbance in process. Upon arrival, the officers quickly determined that the altercation involved two family members. Knives were also involved in the incident.

Two people were injured in the exchange, and both were transported to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. Through evidence recovered at the scene and eyewitness accounts, it was determined that one of the injured parties was suspect.

It is said in theatre that “The show must go on.” It has been seen, time and time again. When something happens to an actor during production, either a body double is substituted, the character is changed, or the character is killed off. In local theatre, options are usually fewer and far between. Many times, a show may have to be cancelled or postponed due to illness of the main character.

Santa Claus made his last visits to area towns for parades in Daingerfield and Hughes Springs recently.

One of the most popular Christmas flowers is the Poinsettia, with its bright red or crisp white leaves, and deep green stems. Poinsettias were first introduced to the United States in 1825 by Joel Robert Poinsett, amateur botanist and first ambassador to Mexico. He introduced the plant to the United States when he brought some cuttings to his plantation in Greenwood, South Carolina. December 12 is National Poinsettia Day, an official day set aside to enjoy this symbol of holiday cheer. It was established upon the death of Mr. Poinsett to honor him and the plant he made famous. He died in 1851.

With holiday travel beginning, the Texas Department of Transportation recently announced the implementation of Safe Phone Zones at 55 Safety Rest Areas and Travel Information Centers (TICs) across the state. The GEICO sponsored Safe Phone Zones are part of the Department’s S p o n s o r A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t Program, which seeks companies to fund various benefits for drivers – such as free Wi-Fi at Safety Rest Areas and TICs – in exchange for receiving public recognition through highway signage.

Hudson Duke, son of Allison and James Duke, visits with Rudolph at the Daingerfield Public Library’s “Breakfast with Rudolph” event on Saturday, Dec. 3.

For right at 20 months, the Community Theatre of East Texas has called Hughes Springs home. In that 20 months, the theatre has produced four major productions, and had countless numbers come through their doors as actors, crew, and audience members.

Those who have taken part in previous productions use a special word to refer to the theatre: family. When one spends 12 weeks with a group of people, they have a tendency to form a bond very kin to that of a family. The company’s current production is no different. After spending many long hours together, the cast and crew of A Christmas Carol can feed off of and react to one another as if they have known each other for years.

Shane Strawbridge, a 2001 alumnus of Daingerfield High School, has been commissioned by the Hollins Theatre Institute to write a stage adaptation of the awardwinning children’s book, Marvelous Cornelius, by Phil Bildner. The play will tour schools in Roanoke, Virginia this winter, then open on Mill Mountain Theatre’s Trinkle Stage on Jan. 28, 2017.

At Daingerfield High School, Strawbridge was an honor student and participated in many extracurricular activities. He graduated in the top 10 and received the 2001 “Ideal Student” award from the Twentieth Century Club. Strawbridge has had his plays performed across the country. Several of his plays will be published in December by Polychoron Press. As an actor, Strawbridge has been nominated for and won many awards. He was named one of Dallas-Fort Worth’s best actors by CBS in 2011.