Columns

Lifetimes anchored by timeless reminders

Wed, 09/30/2026 - 09:16

“There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children – one is roots, and the other, wings.” – Hodding S. Carter Dear kids and grandkids, Every day, I live with history around me including aging pieces that sat unmoved in my grandparents’ home for 63 years.

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MISSION BRIEFING 018:

Wed, 09/30/2026 - 09:16

ATTENTION ON DECK! Hamilton, look up from your glass rectangles and face front! I have been conducting a tactical sweep of the town square, and what I observed is a complete and utter degradation of situational awareness. We have an entire civilian population walking, talking, and driving through our Area of Operations with their noses buried in handheld electronic tracking bricks.

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National Newspaper Week is Oct. 4-10

Wed, 09/30/2026 - 09:16

Lynne Lance, Executive Director, National Newspaper Association This year marks the 86th celebration of National Newspaper Week. Since 1940, Newspaper Association Managers has sponsored and supported National Newspaper Week, a week-long promotion of the newspaper industry in the United States and Canada.

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This Week in Texas History

Wed, 09/23/2026 - 05:44

Accused of repeatedly sticking their noses in Mexico’s business, Rip Ford and his company of hard-riding, hard-fighting Texas Rangers were mustered out of federal service on Sep. 26, 1851.

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Wed, 09/23/2026 - 05:44

Friends of the Library and Hamilton Public Library Staff and Board completed our THIRD annual “Love Your Library” golf fundraiser. We had a beautiful (very warm) day and an “awesome” course to play on…Thank you to our PCC hosts, Randy Gardner and Crystal Rea, for making our scramble so enjoyable! MANY, MANY Thanks to all our golfers—the young as well as the “young at heart”! Your participation made this event happen…you were a fantastic group, so Thank You! Next, Thank You to our Sponsors….the community has a wonderful group of businesses and people that contributed in support of our benefit: Big Red Brand, Companion Senior Care, Davidson-Craig Real Estate, Kelly Kuhl/Edward Jones, Hamilton Healthcare Systems, Melanie J Financial, Riley-Gardner Memorial, Storm’s Hamburgers, David Turrentine & Turrentine Insurance Agency, CMK Wines, Farmer’s Market, Finley Grace Organization/Mary Owen, Blue Dog/Brandi Murphree, Country Donuts, Craig Ranch/Karen Craig, Brandon/Bridgette Haile, Joy Alexander, and Danna/Clay Hurst.

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Medicaid funding restored to hospitals

Wed, 09/23/2026 - 05:44

TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS Nearly $12 billion in Medicaid funding to Texas hospitals will be restored after a nearly yearlong stalemate between the state and the federal government ended, the Texas Standard reported. Gov.

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Texans rise up against the radicals

Wed, 09/16/2026 - 07:13

Texans from every corner of the unhappy state gathered in Austin on Sept. 22, 1871, for the “Taxpayers Convention,” the first mass protest against the Radical Republican regime.

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Senate GOP opens wallet for Paxton’s campaign

Wed, 09/16/2026 - 07:13

The Texas State Capitol building in Austin. Courtesy photo

TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS Republican leadership is pouring tens of millions of dollars into the U.S. Senate campaign of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is locked in a tight race with Democratic nominee and state House Rep.

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Small Spaces

Wed, 09/09/2026 - 05:56

My father, David Lengefeld, sold the Lengefeld Insurance Agency in 2012 to Extraco Banks, giving he and my mother Saundra, who was on the tail end of a fulfilling career as a Hamilton ISD educator, a well-deserved opportunity to retire. I continued working with Extraco for a year-and-a-half, assisting with the transition before taking over as chief operating officer of Crawford Custom Homes.

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Big shoes to fill

Wed, 09/09/2026 - 05:56

If you haven’t heard or missed the story on the front page, I’m the new guy here at the Herald-News. I started on Sept. 1 and it’s been a blur of activity helping get last week’s paper to the press and then delivered to readers right before the annual Dove Fest. However, meeting and getting to know the staff here has been a pleasure and I feel like I’m joining a team of folks who really care about their work and serving the community. My first impressions of Kim, Kate, Jaxon, Janice and Roger are overwhelmingly positive and I hope to add to their collective efforts in producing a quality community newspaper, that has been serving this area over 151 years. I certainly don’t take that lightly or for granted.

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