SYCAMORE HOUSE FIRE – Fire destroyed a vacant home on County Road 2526 near the Sycamore community Thursday afternoon. Greenwood/Slidell, Decatur and Alvord firefighters battled the blaze on a heavily wooded lot. Greenwood/Slidell Fire Chief Adam North said the cause of the fire is under investigation. One firefighter, Rodney Yard, had to receive treatment for heat exhaustion after battling the blaze. The fire was reported shortly after 3 p.m. A nearby resident Richard Argraves said the structure was the homestead of the deceased J.M. Carpenter.

FOOTBALL BEGINS – Tonight is the first night of high school football for most area schools. Local games include Decatur hosting Trinity Christian, Bridgeport at Alvarado, Boyd at Gunter, Grandview at Paradise, Millsap at Alvord and Chico taking on Frost at Pennington Field in Bedford. All games begin at 7:30. The Messenger’s Friday Night Football blog returns tonight, and scores will be posted this evening. Go to WCMessenger.com/scores. Last night, Northwest won 42-14 over Grand Prairie.

HIGH WIRE CAT RESCUE – After struggling for almost an hour at the high end of a ladder with a cat tangled in telephone pole wire, Rhome Volunteer Firefighter Katy Wacasey finally managed to free the angry and injured feline yesterday morning. J.D. Renfroe, who lives in the 300 block of E. Morton St. in Boyd, found an orange colored cat dangling 25 feet off the ground. The claws on one of its rear legs had become embedded and entwined in the wire, leaving the cat to hang upside down. Wise County medics arrived to tend to Wacasey, who sustained several punctures and deep scratches to her hands during the rescue. Then medic Jacob Souder climbed the ladder and helped pry the cat’s claw from the tangled wire. A Boyd police officer transported the cat to Boyd Animal Hospital. The cat was bleeding from the leg and mouth where it had tried to chew through the wire. After the cat was treated at the animal hospital, it was taken to the Wise County Animal Shelter for a 10-day quarantine.

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS – Banks and government offices will be closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday. The Wise County Animal Shelter will be closed Saturday and will reopen at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

PARK SPRINGS HOMECOMING – The 58th Park Springs reunion is Sunday in the Fellowship Hall of Victory Baptist Church, Texas 101 in Park Springs. Registration, a potluck lunch and visiting is at noon, and official ceremonies begin at 2 p.m.

CHEER FOR THE DRAGONS – Parents and Chico Dragon fans are invited to a Chico All School Pep Rally at 2:45 today in the high school gym to show support for the band, cheerleaders, volleyball squads and football team.

BRIDGEPORT SOCCER – Bridgeport Youth Association is having soccer sign-ups at the Bridgeport Library 1-3 p.m. Sunday. Registration is $60.

SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS – Two different Wise County Grief Support Groups, one for teens and one for adults, will be Monday and will continue to be held the first and third Monday of every month from 6-7:30 p.m. The teen group (for ages 13 and older) will meet at the Wise County Sheriff’s Department. Parental permission is required for the teen group, and a form can be obtained by calling Laura Tanner at (940) 626-2973 or Eva Czernaik at (940) 210-5452.

VENDORS WANTED – Vendors are still being accepted for Chisholm Trail Days 2012 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 8 on the Decatur Square. Call (940) 399-9558 for pricing and availability.

LAST CHANCES TO SWIM – Runaway Bay City Pool remains open 1 to 6 p.m. this weekend – Saturday through Monday – before closing for the season. For more information, call Peggy Barton at (940) 626-9046.

AMPUTEE MEETING -Amputees in Motion (AIM) meet the first Tuesday of the month in the Fit-N-Wise board room in Decatur. For times, email aimdecatur@yahoo.com or search Amputees In Motion on Facebook. Amputees and their family members are invited.

AIM RAFFLES – Amputees In Motion will raffle a DPMS AR-15 flat-top rifle Sept. 9. Tickets are $5 each or five for $20. They will also raffle a Rugby II “rough and tough” phone Sept. 4. Tickets are $3 each or two for $5. For tickets, call (940) 393-9779.

HAPPY LABOR DAY – Due to the Labor Day holiday, there will be no Update Monday. Any breaking news will be posted at WCMessenger.com throughout the weekend. Have a safe and happy holiday.

FUNERALS – Service for Marvin Picha, 69, of Decatur is 10 a.m. today at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home Chapel in Decatur with burial at 2 p.m. at Moore Memorial Gardens in Arlington.

FUNERAL for Shirley Ann Hayes, 75, of Decatur is 10 a.m. today at the First Baptist Church of Decatur with burial at Oaklawn Cemetery. Coker-Hawkins is handling arrangements.

FUNERAL for Tina Renee’ Kincaid, 42, formerly of Decatur is 2 p.m. today at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Chapel in Decatur with burial at Boyd Cemetery.

VISITATION for Kathy Ann Sanchez, 48, of Decatur is 3-7 p.m. today at Coker-Hawkins.

GRAVESIDE service for M.L. Teague, 74, of Greenwood is 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Greenwood Cemetery. Family visitation is 6-8 tonight at Coker-Hawkins.

MEMORIAL service for Rayford Jerome Phillips, 77, of Bowie is 2 p.m. Saturday at Bowie Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness. Coker-Hawkins is handling arrangements.

MEMORIAL service for Ema Lue Cobb, 67, formerly of Decatur is 2 p.m. Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Boyd. Coker-Hawkins is handling arrangements.

MEMORIAL service for Jana Sue Windle, 55, of Newark will be held at a later date. Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd is handling arrangements.

MEMORIAL service for Elizabeth Ann Largent, 80, formerly of Wise County is 10 a.m. Wednesday at Decatur Ave. Baptist Church in Fort Worth. Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport is handling arrangements.