This Week In East Texas

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This Week In East Texas 11-06-2025

All around East Texas
Columnists

Loofah Firsts in 2025

Last time I wrote about my loofah plants, I talked about how to process the loofah gourds. Since then, I have picked my first two dried gourds, my first immature gourd to eat, had neighbors Mike and …

Tangled Feet

“Psalm 25:15: Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; For he shall pluck my feet out of the net.” Years ago my family went swimming at Huntsville State Park at Huntsville, Texas. A …

Can we talk sensibly about Veterans Day?

“Write something sensible.” I’m finishing this column on the first anniversary of my mother’s passing, and I can still hear her cajoling me to cater to her down-to-earth …
Opinion

Celebrating unemployment

UPS laid off nearly 50,000 workers last week, and Wall Street broke into applause. The stock jumped more than eight percent in a single day, and analysts called it a “turning point” for …

Paxton versus Tylenol: Pseudo science meets political theatre

      While an underlying cause for autism remains elusive, elected officials with no scientific or medical background whatsoever have singled out a culprit: Tylenol. …

Taking a different road this week

I’m getting a little battle fatigued over the political landscape, so this week I’m going to focus on some of the things that have me puzzled but don’t require excessive thought, or …
Sports & Recreation
Bulldog senior quarterback William Ratliff gets help on a run from his blockers, including sophomore receiver Emmanuel Foreman.

Bulldogs finish third, look to playoffs

The Corrigan-Camden Bulldogs fell 42-14 to the Centerville Tigers in the last regular season matchup on Friday. Similar to last season’s match versus Centerville, the Bulldogs could not …
T.J. Garner caught nine passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns in his final game.

Lions can't keep up with Joneses

On their final night of 2025, a familiar theme emerged, as Livingston football struggled to stop the run. The Lions allowed a season high in points to Vidor, dropping a 65-45 game at Kenneth Ivan …

District runners-up reach area round

Livingston volleyball saw its season end in the area round of the playoffs at Tarkington Thursday versus Lumberton in four sets, with scores of 25-20, 18-25, 25-9 and 25-19. The Lady Raiders …

Schwertner files legislation to strengthen border security measures

AUSTIN — Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, filed legislation to aid county jails in their coordination and collaboration with ICE and provide stronger legal tools to discourage the …

Texas land commissioner urges court to investigate sale of border wall material

Border wall panels in Starr County.

AUSTIN — Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., announced that the Texas General Land Office, the State of Texas, and the State of Missouri are asking a U.S. District Court judge to …

Bite by Bite

Healthy, cozy and effortless is calling my name

Maple-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Wedges and Brussels Sprouts

I’m sure that I’m starting to sound like a broken record by now, but as a home cook, there’s nothing quite so rewarding as when a recipe comes together quickly and easily and is a …

Obituaries
Mildred Elaine Barnett Smith
Mildred Elaine Barnett Smith entered the Gates of Heaven on Saturday, October 31, 2025. Born May 2, 1920, in Akron, Ohio to Samuel and Johnie Snowden Barnette, and reared by Will and Ellen Barnett in …
Mary Clifton
Mary Lou Clifton, 80, of Livingston, Texas, passed away on November 2, 2025. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, she leaves behind a legacy of faith and love that will live …
N.M. Barham Jr.
N.M. (Tutie - Newt) Barham Jr. passed away peacefully in his home in Livingston, Texas on October 27, 2025 at the age of 95. He was surrounded by his family and left this life feeling loved and being …
Robert Erdmann
Robert Alfred Erdmann passed away peacefully on October 27, 2025 with his sons by his side. A proud Vietnam veteran, Robert served his country with honor and courage. Robert had a deep passion …
Sherry Kimball
Sherry Kimball, 76, of Colmesneil, Texas passed away Monday, October 13, 2025 at Harbor Hospice in Jasper, Texas. A Celebration of Sherry’s life will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, November 1, …
Outdoors
Larry Wieshuhn (left), Jeff Rice and Luke stand in front of a see-through pop-up blind. These blinds have become very popular in the past couple years. The hunter can see out but game cannot see in.

Take a stand

Through my many years, I have hunted from all sorts of deer stands, everything from a couple of two by fours nailed to a forked tree limb to later in life elevated stands with all the amenities of a …

Thanksgiving dinner from the wild

Thanksgiving and turkeys go together like, well, bread and butter. I seldom think of Thanksgiving that my mind doesn’t conjure up a plate full of roasted turkey setting atop a plate full of …
Our publications
News from around the web
Stress Less, Celebrate More: Holiday Cleaning Hacks
(BPT) - The holiday season is filled with fun, laughter, and festivities, but it can also be marked by chaos. From gift-wrapping mania to the cookie crumbs, spills, and clutter of prepping and …
Santa Bass’s holiday gift guide for anglers on the Nice List
(BPT) - When it comes to gifting the perfect holiday present to the anglers in your life, no one has better instincts than Santa Bass.Gifted with the same powers as the jolly man from the North Pole, …
The secret to big savings and a stress-free holiday season
(BPT) - The holiday season is around the corner, and here is the scoop on savings that'll be a gift to your family and yourself. Between Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and endless to-do …
2 Practical Solutions to Improve Office Productivity
(BPT) - Often success in business is determined by one key factor, employee productivity. Which is why so many executives took notice of a recent study from Oxford University that found happy workers …
Happy paw-lidays! How to keep it festive with furry family members
(BPT) - With the holiday season fast approaching, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos.If you're worried about how you and your pet can enjoy the festivities safely, you're not alone. A recent …