News

In-person early votes reach record high
Hamilton County voters are turning out in record numbers during early voting for the Nov. 3 general election.
Trinity Lutheran celebrates 135 years
Trinity Lutheran celebrates 135 years
Trinity Lutheran Church of Pottsville has stood through the community’s history, lived through world wars and managed the appearance of cars and the telephone, as well as the changing roles of women in the church — and after 135 years, the faithful continue to gather.
City seeks counsel after potential breach
Hamilton officials hired outside legal counsel to investigate a potential data security breach at City Hall and moved to protect city records Monday. At a special called meeting Oct.
briefly
The Billingsley-Wilson- Lovell Goodfellow Organization Application period is from Sept.8 through Nov. 1. All applications must be done online. Contact Beverly Rohde at 254-216-1154 for more information. More details in next week’s newspaper.
The research and development 2 team, Bree Harle (left), Kennon Lee and Chaska Downs, give their flight profile presentation Oct. 15 for a SystemsGo launch event this spring. Courtesy photo
Hamilton High rookie rocket engineers present to NASA
Four Hamilton High School students took their homemade rocket designs to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where they pitched a plan to break the sound barrier. Students Chaska Downs, Bree Harle, Kennon Lee and Catherine Hooper traveled with instructor Tom Parrish to Houston Oct.

Lifestyle

Eleven-year-old Gus is one of only four dogs remaining in the Hamilton shelter — all pit bulls. Photo courtesy Nicole Allyn
Dog of the week
Almost all of Hamilton’s shelter dogs have found homes, but a senior pit bull named Gus is still waiting for his. Hamilton Animal Control Officer Nicole Allyn’s efforts have gotten nearly every dog at the Hamilton Animal Shelter adopted.
Biscuit is Dog of the Week
Biscuit is Dog of the Week
Meet Biscuit, a male cur/ hound mix puppy who is approximately five months old. He and his eight siblings were found abandoned in the Hamilton Cemetery, scared and full of porcupine quills. Five of his siblings have been adopted, but Biscuit and his three brothers have not. Wolfie, Chestnut and Rosco are also looking for their forever homes. The puppies love to play, be held and loved on. Biscuit and his brothers have been given two rounds of puppy shots as well as dewormed/ flea/tick medicated, rabies vaccinated and neutered. If you’re interested in adopting Biscuit and/or his brothers, please call or text Nicole at the City of Hamilton Animal Control Office at 254-499-2814.
Those interested in fostering or adopting Jasmine can contact Allyn at the Hamilton Animal Shelter, 254-499-2814. Photo courtesy Nicole Allyn
Jasmine is Dog of the Week
Jasmine, a sweet, petite mix full of love, is looking for a home through the Hamilton Animal Shelter. The 25-pound female may have some rat terrier or Collie in her, according to the shelter.
Annual Community Center Hamburger Lunch Oct. 16
Annual Community Center Hamburger Lunch Oct. 16 It will soon be time for the much-anticipated Hamburger Lunch fund raiser for the Hamilton Community Center. For only $12 you get a burger, chips and a drink and forms of payment accepted include cash, Venmo, and Square payments. Location is 110 E. Main St., Hamilton, Oct. 16. Free delivery available to the school.
Class of ‘71 celebrates 55th reunion
Class of ‘71 celebrates 55th reunion
The Hamilton High School graduating class of 1971 held a 55th reunion on Saturday, October 10 in the gathering room at Riley- Gardner Memorial from 10:00 – 2:00 pm. The graduating class of 1971 had 68 graduates of which 21 were able to attend the reunion on Saturday – former classmates enjoyed reminiscing, lunch and fellowship.

Sports

Volleyball seniors celebrated in final season
Volleyball seniors celebrated in final season
Volleyball seniors celebrated in final season
AWE, HPL to host family literacy night
Hamilton families can celebrate a new collection of books for young readers at a literacy night aimed at building confidence and a love of reading. This summer, the library received a $2,500 grant from the Texas Book Festival to buy a collection of high-interest, low-level graphic novels and early-reader series for early, developing and struggling readers, including children with dyslexia and other reading difficulties.
COACH EM UP: Kase Lewelling receives some advice and plays from Coach Marwitz and Coach Moore during a timeout.
7th grade shows out against the Rattlers
The Junior High Bulldog football teams took home some points in their split-result action against the JH and Junior Varsity Rattlers Thursday night, October 22. The JH teams traveled to the snake farm, where the 7th grade team found themselves in a good position. The 7th grade team beat Tolar 22-12.
KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES: Sophomore Tayte Haile is fast with her second jump to quickly put the ball back over the net while McGregor defenders aren’t ready. Photo by Jaxon Hansard
Lady Dog volleyball sweeps last match and are playoff-bound
Hamilton will be in the playoff s after placing fourth in 3A Region 3, District 18 and will face Elkhart October 29th at 6:30 p.m. at the Midlothian Competition gym.
Six Volleyball
Six Volleyball
Six Volleyball

Columns

Alt Text for Image
State has record number of registered voters
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS With early voting ending Oct. 30, Texas Secretary of State Robert Howden announced the state has 19 million registered voters — a record number ahead of the Nov.
Mark Henry Area Publisher
Friends gather, go vote, trick or treat
Last week, friends of Grant Lengefeld gathered in the commons area of the high school to show their appreciation for his 12-year term of owning and operating the Hamilton Herald-News. The newspaper staff and I joined them and the turnout was great. It was a pleasure to see so many locals come by to shake Grant’s hand or hug his neck, or both. There were cookies, punch, old photos and lots of laughter.
Content knowing only what my kids confessed
Content knowing only what my kids confessed
by Leon Aldridge “Gray hair is hereditary. We get it from our children.” — heard from my mother “I told my children once they were grown, if you’ve done dumb things you never told me about, don’t tell me now.
This Week in Texas History
This Week in Texas History
The main source for this special Halloween column is Ghosts of East Texas and The Pineywoods by Mitchel Whitington. Fourteen of the 40 or so short chapters and vignettes in this 2005 book come from Jefferson, the old riverport turned tourist magnet a short distance from the Louisiana line in the northeastern corner of Texas.
This Week in Texas History
This Week in Texas History
On Oct. 27, 1962, New York Giants quarterback Y.A.

Obituaries

Travis Hearol Cozby
Travis Hearol Cozby
Nov. 9, 1941-Oct, 20, 2026 Travis H.
James Hughes
April 11, 1948-Aug, 8, 2026 James Elliot Hughes,78, of Jonesboro, passed from this life on August 8, 2026. James was born Aprill 11, 1948 in Comanche County to James Woody Hughes and Ollie Jean Snodgrass.
Garrett Lane
Garrett Lane
Nov. 14, 2020 - Oct.
Judy Beth White
Judy Beth White
Jan. 5, 1949- Oct. 7, 2026 Judy Beth White, 77, was born in Belton to Charlie Cleo and Nadine Elizabeth Stevens on January 5, 1949. She passed away on October 7, 2026 surrounded by family leaving a legacy of love and compassion.
Raymond Roberts
Raymond Roberts
June 23, 1938-Oct. 11, 2026 Raymond Leroy Roberts of Hamilton,88, passed away on Sunday, October 11, 2026.

101 N. Rice
PO Box 833
Hamilton, TX 76531
254-386-3145