News Briefs

Published Sunday, March 16, 2008

By Staff

Celebrating Easter
This weekend' s events...

MAIN STREET - The Decatur Main Street Easter Event is 1-4 p.m. Saturday, March 15, on the southeast corner of the downtown square. Activities will include a fun jump, face painting, a barrel train, pictures with the Easter Bunny and an egg hunt at the First United Methodist Church playground (0-23 months, 1 p.m.; 2-3 years, 2 p.m.; 4-5 years, 3 p.m).

EASTER MUSICAL - The choir of Morris Memorial United Methodist Church of Chico will present the Easter musical "Come to the Cross" at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 16. The church is located at 302 S. Weatherford St. Admission is free.

AURORA EGG HUNT - The South Wise Chamber and the city of Aurora will host an Easter Egg Hunt at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 16, at MD Resort, 601 Old Base Road in Aurora. The egg hunt is for children up to 12 years old, and prizes will be awarded in three age categories. The event will also feature the Easter Bunny and live music. For more information, call Aurora City Hall at (817) 636-2783 or MD Resort at (817) 489-5150.

MUSICAL - Church of the Living God presents "Easter, God' s Love Story," a free musical for all ages performed by Patent Pending Creative Ministry, at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 16, at the Bridgeport Stage, 109 Halsell St.

This week' s event...

LIBRARY EGG HUNT - The annual Decatur Public Library Easter egg hunt for preschoolers is at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 19. For more information, call the library at (940) 627-5512.

Next weekend' s events...

EASTER PRODUCTION - The Rhome Assembly of God presents the first Easter at 7 p.m. March 21-23. The event includes live actors, original music and 200 free seats.

CHURCH EGG HUNT - New Vision Ministries will hold an Easter Egg Hunt at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 22, at 3988 N U.S. 81/287.

CHURCH EGG HUNT II - Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Decatur will hold an Easter Egg Hunt at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22, at the church, located at 1295 Greenwood Rd. Children of all ages are welcome. Refreshments and prizes will be available for all children, and kids can have their photo taken with the Easter Bunny.

EGG HUNT AND COOKOUT - Victory Family Church will hold an Easter Day Celebration and egg hunt Sunday, March 23. Services will be at 9:30 and 11 a.m. A candy and prize hunt for kids and an adult egg hunt for gift cards and cash prizes will be at 4 p.m. A free hot dog cookout is at 5 p.m. For information call (940) 627-5820. The church is located at 400 W. U.S. 380 in Decatur.

A TAX REMINDER - The Wise County Appraisal District office is temporarily located in the Decatur City Hall Community Room at 201 East Walnut. The AD offices are being cleaned following a flood of wastewater last weekend. The offices may be in the temporary location for up to a month.

BEWARE OF SCAM - The Wise County Sheriff's Office reports several citizens have received calls from someone claiming to be from the Texas Fire Association who was soliciting donations from a private number. Residents should never release any personal information over the phone. Another possible scam involves calls from someone requesting area businesses to support the area school district by purchasing sponsorship on a tote bag. The local school had not requested the company solicit for advertising sponsorship.

This weekend's events...

MEETING - East Side Alumni will hold a business meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at the home of Sharon Dawson. For more information call Mike Bell at (940) 627-9082.

NORTH TEXAS SINGLES CLUB - The North Texas Singles Club is holding its regular monthly dinner business meeting at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at the Pizza Hut in Decatur. All singles are welcome. For more infomration call (940) 872-6627.

CONCERT - Green Fuz, a local band from the 70s, will reunite to play at the House of Blues in New Orleans in April. They will headline a benefit concert at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at The Bridgeport Stage in downtown Bridgeport. Also performing will be The Flight Plan and Judi Conger. Ticketholders may attend a Meet the Band reception following the event. All proceeds benefit the Wise County Domestic Violence Task Force. Advance tickets are $15 and are available at The Hope Chest, 1015 Halsell St. in Bridgeport. Tickets at the door will be $20. Only 300 tickets are available. For more information, call (940) 683-4741 or (940) 626-4585.

BRIDGEPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK SALE - The last day of the Friends of the Bridgeport Public Library Spring Book Sale is Saturday, March 15.

RECEPTION - A meet-and-greet reception celebrating the first national radio release of Decatur resident Danielle Reed's first single "Follow Me" will be from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, March 16, The reception will be at Lola's Saloon, 2736 West 6th Street, in Fort Worth. During the first week of January Danielle recorded "Follow Me" and two other cuts of an 11-song CD - a production in progress with the completed release date to be announced. In attendance with the Honored Guest will be her manager/producer Rod Harris co-owner of jenn-rod artist directions of Centerville, Tenn. Harris is also the President of the Nashville Association of Talent Directors. For information call Amanda at (817) 680-8338 or birk.hendrix@verizon.net.

This week's events...

BUTTERFIELD RODEO - Butterfield Stage Days Rodeo Queen and Princess contest signup is Monday, March 17 at 7 p.m. For more information call Stacy Cox at (940) 577-0737.

SUPPORT GROUP - The Wise County Diabetic Support Group will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, March 17, at the Wise Regional Health System Education Room.

SPRING BREAK CAMP - Bridgeport Parks and Recreation is offering a Spring Break Camp for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The program will run Monday, March 17, through Friday, March 21, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. The camp will feature games, arts and crafts and snacks. Each child needs to bring a sack lunch with them each day. Drinks will be provided. Camp fee is $75. The camp will go on two field trips, Frank Buck Zoo and Lunar Mini Golf. For more information, call (940) 683-3480.

GOOD FOOD - The Wise Electric Cooperative "Outlets" are cooking barbecue briskets for sale to benefit the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Briskets can be ordered until 5 p.m. next Monday, March 17 to be picked up after 10 a.m. on March 20. Call (940) 627-2167 to place an order.

HUNTER ED CLASS - A 10-hour Texas Hunter Education Course will be held on March 19-20, 5-10 p.m. at the Wise County Justice Center in Decatur. Attendance at both sessions is required for certification. Minors should have a parent or guardian attend sign-in at 4:30 p.m. on March 19. Cost is $15 per student. Minimum age is 12 for certification. Upon completion, the certification lasts a lifetime and allows hunters to purchase licenses in other states. To pre-register call Bill Russell at (817) 291-2376.

MEETING RESCHEDULED - The Wise County Active Democrats have rescheduled the meeting set for tonight. The group will meet next Thursday, March 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Decatur Pizza Hut with the same agenda that is posted on the Web site at http://www.wisedems.org

BAKE SALE - First State Bank of Bridgeport is holding a bake sale on Friday, March 21, to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Baked goods will be available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WORKING MAN'S TRUCK SHOW - A benefit truck show is set for Saturday, March 22, at James Wood Motors in Decatur. Called a "working man's truck show" the event will benefit accident victim Jackie Murphree. The event will feature a performance by the Brandon Davis band, an auction, a dunking booth and a bounce house for kids. Show time is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with truck judging at 3 p.m. For more information call Chris Fletcher at (817) 929-9161, Clint Mercer at (940) 626-9550 or Asa Johnson Jr. at (940) 393-8847.

PARADISE AUCTION AND BINGO - The Paradise project show cake auction and cow patty bingo is scheduled for March 22 at Paradise Elementary. The show is open to anyone attending Paradise schools. Cooking projects can be viewed at 10:30 a.m. Animal projects can be viewed at 12:30 p.m.

Next week's events...

CIRCUS - The Rhome Volunteer Fire Support Brigade will present the Kelly Miller Circus March 24 next to the fire deparment, located at 261 School Road. Show times are 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available at the community center in Rhome on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. and at Rhome City Hall. Advance tickets are $5 for children under 12 and $9 for adults. Tickets on the day of the circus will be $6 for children and $12 for adults. For information call Kay Spivey at (817) 696-6742.

RAFFLE - The Decatur Youth Fair Buyers Association is giving away a Browning over and under shotgun, a True Test livestock scale and 100 square bales of coastal hay to raise money to purchase sale projects at the Wise County Youth Fair. Tickets, at $10, are available at 2K Pawn & Gun, Sam's Hairquarters and James Wood Motors. Winners will be announced at the Youth Fair sale Saturday, March 29.

REPUBLICANS PLAN PARTY - Former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams will be the special guest at the Rhinestone Roundup sponsored by the Wise County Republican Party and Wise Republican Women on Saturday, March 29 at the Decatur Civic Center. A silent auction is at 5:30 p.m. followed by a VIP reception at 6:30 p.m. and a dinner and live auction at 7:30 p.m. The event will honor United States veterans. For more information and tickets call (940) 575-4754.

BOYD YELLOWJACKETS - Ex-Boyd Yellowjackets are having a reunion from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at the community center in Boyd. Participants are asked to bring a covered dish and a dessert. Drinks will be furnished.

Upcoming events...

GOLF TOURNAMENT - Seven Hills United Methodist Church will hold a benefit golf tournament Saturday, April 5, at The Golf Club at Eagle Mountain Lake. Tee Time is at 1 p.m. and lunch is at 11:30 a.m. It will feature a scramble format. Cost is $75 per person (lunch included). Call (817) 638-2211 or e-mail jfdean001@embarqmail.com.

WILD HOG COOKOFF - The Wise County Sheriff's Posse will host a Wild Hog Cookoff and Tailgate Party at the Posse Grounds from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, April 12. The cookoff is sanctioned by the International Bar-B-Que Cookers Association and will also feature live music by Cody Robbins and Family Tradition and King Cone and the Tailgate Philharmonic, rides, games, vendors and a silent auction. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children 6-12 and free for children under 6. Admission includes a barbecue plate and drink. The Sheriff's Posse needs volunteers to trap hogs, and they are seeking cooking teams, vendors and sponsors for the event as well as volunteers for the day of the event. For more information, call Ben McCall at (940) 399-3013 or visit www.8fdtexas.com/wildhog.

HEALTH FAIR - A health fair for people of all ages will be sponsored by the Wise County Health Forum and Wise County United Way from 10 a.m to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 3, at the Decatur Civic Center. Booth space is $25 and deadline for reservations is April 15. To reserve a booth, call Amy Hodges at (940) 389-0470 or email ahodges@integracarehh.com. The health fair is part of a nationwide emphasis on the uninsured and underinsured. "This is for those age zero to geriatrics," said Hodges. "We hope to attract a large number of vendors."

5K RUN - The Second Annual Decatur 5K run-jog-walk is at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 10. The start and finish line is on North State Street at the Wise County Veterans Park. The fee to enter is $15, and you can register by mail, on-line at http://www.active.com or at the front desk of Fit-N-Wise. Trophies will be given to the top three male and female finishers and awards will be given to the top three finishers in five age groups. The run is hosted by the Wise County Veterans Group and Fit-N-Wise. For more information, call Mike Bowers at (940) 391-9057 or e-mail mike.bowers@wiseregional.com.

CHURCH ANNIVERSARY - Oak Grove United Methodist Church will celebrate their 130th Anniversary Sunday, May 18, from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The event will include reenacting life in the late 19th Century. The church is located at 1295 Greenwood Road in Decatur. The church will have an ice cream social from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, May 17.

RELAY FOR LIFE - Cancer survivors will be honored at the May 30-31 Wise County Relay for Life at the Decatur track on FM 51 S. Caregivers will also be honored at a reception at the Relay. In addition, the Decatur Church of Christ will honor survivors with a dinner at 6 p.m. at the church May 6. To RSVP for the dinner by April 30, call Earlene Niblett at (940) 627-3557 or tdduck@netcommander.com. Give T-shirt size. Survivor and caregiver registration for the Relay is also through Niblett. Deadline is April 25. Relay for Live benefits the Wise County Unit of the American Cancer Society.

In other news...

GOOD-BYE TO A FRIEND - "Zoe," the Carson Elementary School therapy dog, died recently. Zoe spent six years at the school. In memory of Zoe, a fund at the Decatur Veterinary Clinic has been set up to help pets receive medication/procedures that the owners cannot afford.

NEW PARKING RULES - Bridgeport will soon implement new off-street parking regulations for residential areas. The new rules are intended to eliminate parking in front or side yards except when on a defined driveway perpendicular with the road. The driveway can be defined by gravel, paved or unpaved tire runners, unpaved tire running paths, concrete or asphalt, pavestone, brick or similar materials. If the vehicle is not parked on a defined driveway perpendicular to the road, it must be parked on a surface paved with the materials listed above. For more information, call (940) 683-3411.

AL-ANON - The local Al-Anon chapter meets at 6:30 p.m. Mondays and at 10 a.m. Fridays at 602 North U.S. 81/287 in Decatur. For more information call (940) 627-3800.

GIVE A PHONE - Wise Hope Shelter is seeking old cell phones which can be given to victims of domestic violence for use as 911 phones. Drop off phones at Wise Hope Center at 303 S. State St. in Decatur. Call (940) 626-4855 for more information.

ABATE - Motorcyclists interested in participating in a Wise County ABATE (American Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education) chapter should contact Scott Gates at (940) 389-0200. For more information on ABATE, visit http://www.texasabate.com

CLINICAL TRIAL - Skin cancer specialists at the Mary Crowley Cancer Research Center in Dallas are recruiting patients into a large Phase 3 study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an investigational product for advanced melanoma. To learn about qualifications for the study, visit http://www.melanomatrial.com

HAZARD MITIGATION - Decatur's Hazard Mitigation Action Plan team has posted an emergency preparedness survey on the city's Web site at http://www.decaturtx.org. Decatur citizens are encouraged to log on to the site and take a short seven question survey to help identify and rank the hazard concerns throughout the city. The survey is one of the first steps in a coordinated effort to help the city identify and prepare for the possibility of a disaster in order to qualify for disaster relief funds. Events qualifying for disaster status include tornadoes, hail, high winds, lightning, winter storms, summer heat, drought, wildland fires and flooding.