Thorndale

Thorndale will host the 2017 Milam County Relay for Life at Thorndale City Park on Nov. 4.

Registration for the chili cook-off begins at 11 a.m. Teams can set up campsites beginning at noon. 

Survivor registration begins at 2:30 p.m. with opening ceremonies at 3 p.m. followed by the Survivor lap at 3:30 p.m.

Activities, games and walking will go throughout the night.

The luminary ceremony will begin at 9 p.m. with awards and closing ceremonies following.

If you would like to join the event leadership team or for more information, contact American Cancer Society Representative Jayne Palmer at Jayne.palmer@cancer.org or (512) 919-1810.

By MARIE BAKKEN

Champion Sports

Thorndale cross country runners Jacob Williamson and Mason Drumm advanced to the state meet after placing high enough in the Class 2A boys Region IV cross country title on Monday in Corpus Christi.  The UIL State Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Nov. 4 at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.

Williamson, who also qualified last year, finished 17th overall in a time of 18:46, with Drumm right behind him at 18th in a time of 18:56.

Milano’s Parker Jones won the 5,000 meter, Class 2A boys’ race in a time of 16 minutes and 40 minutes.  Duncan Naylor of Great Hearts Monte Vista was second in 16:57.

In 2016, Williamson was just the second boy in Thorndale school history to advance to the state cross country meet.  The other was Keon Mays in 2012.

The top four teams advance to the state meet and top 10 individuals not on those top four teams move on as well.

Thorndale Independent School District trustees meet on Oct. 16.

There was a presentation by Casey Sledge of Sledge Engineering to inform the board about the facilities planning and construction management services that his company offers through an agreement with the Region 13 Educational Service Center.

Administrators were on hand to answer questions about their campus reports. There were a few questions for administrators including a question for Elementary Principal Meghan Esau concerning the use of a new reading program called Reading Plus. She reported that this program has been offered as a trial and that she was planning to use it in second through fifth grades. 

Middle School Principal Lee Hafley had previously reported that his campus had started using the new program and he was very impressed with the level of data that his teachers were getting from the diagnostic assessments they had given. 

Thorndale ISD will have a facility meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 9, in the administration board room.

TISD Superintendent Adam Ivy said the meeting will continue discussions and planning that started at the district’s facility tour on Sept. 27.  

“The purpose of this meeting is to answer as many questions as possible and gather as much feedback from the community as possible to allow us to have a positive, strategic plan for addressing our facility needs,” Ivy said. “We welcome anyone that would like to be part of this committee to attend and help us to make important decisions that will affect our students for years to come.”

The community is invited to come share with the district as it plans for the future.

The board room is located at 300 North Main Street in Thorndale.

Thorndale ISD invites any community members to come take a tour of the facilities on Sept. 27.  

“We will be showing some of the improvements that have been made over the past two years and highlighting some of the areas that are still in need of improvement,” TISD Supintendent Adam Ivy said. “Part of this meeting will be to review the recent bond proposal and continue the process of seeking feedback from the community.”

Ivy said anyone with an opinion about updating our school facilities is invited to attend. He said those that voted no on the bond issue are especially needed to give input so that we know what the community wants for their schools.  

Joshua Caffey and Allison Betak were crowned 2017 Homecoming King and Queen for Thorndale High School during Friday night’s football game against Lexington.

By MARIE BAKKEN

Champion Sports

In 2016 Thorndale defeated Milano in the season opener, this year the Eagles returned the favor, winning over the Bulldogs 47-28 in both teams’ season opener at Pruett Field.

Milano (1-0) took a 28-14 lead into halftime, but the Bulldogs (0-1) were able to tie things up in the third.  With the game knotted at 28-28 going into the fourth quarter, the Eagles put three unanswered scores on the board and ran away with the win.

Thorndale head coach Scott Hawkins said despite the loss, the Bulldogs played well.

On Wednesday, Aug. 30, a bat was found at approximately 1:30 p.m. in the 100 block of East Quinn Street in Thorndale. 

Thorndale Police Chief Martin Jackson said contact had been made between the bat and the resident’s dog. It is unknown how long the bat was located near this area. The Thorndale Police Department impounded the animal and submitted it for testing at the Department of State Health Services where it tested positive for rabies.

The bat was tested by the Department of State Health Services and was found to be positive for rabies. If you think that you or someone else may have come in physical contact with this animal, please call the Thorndale Police Department at (254) 697-7033 (Milam County Sheriffs dispatch) or Texas Department of State Health Services Zoonosis Control at (254) 778-6744.

The rains have passed here in Milam County and residents are now working to gather much-needed supplies, clothing and food for those affected by Hurricane Harvey on the Gulf Coast.

Thorndale sixth grader Stiles Patin has started collecting those supplies in hopes of helping people.

Stiles’ mother Tammy said that after seeing the devastation on TV this weekend Stiles decided he wanted to do something to help and started collecting things to take to shelters in our area.

“I would like to ask anyone to look through their closets to see if they could donate clothes, towels, shoes or really anything you think these individuals and families could use in the shelters,” Tammy said.

The City of Thorndale proposed a tax rate of 84 cents during its meeting on Aug. 9.

There will be two public meetings on the proposed tax rate on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 6 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 5:20 p.m.

Council did not approve the budget during the meeting to give time to find the money to budget a $108 stipend for police when they are on call for the weekend and to recalculate health insurance rates for the coming year in the budget. Council is expected to hold a special meeting about the budget tonight, Aug. 17, at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers.

A public hearing on the proposed budget is set for Sept. 13 at 5:15 p.m.

Both the budget and tax rate will be adopted on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.

In other business the council also: approved a criminal justice grant for police body armor, approved a four-way stop sign at the Second and Gibson Streets; and approved new rates for life, health and dental insurance.