I took this video while driving through Oakwood recently on U.S. 79.

This Christmas village display was set up in a window of the historic Oakwood State Bank.


Oakwood State Bank was actually named the smallest bank in America and is 100 years old.

If you will be driving through Oakwood, stop and see this display. The village is beautifully decorated and a train runs through the tracks. A small Santa and his reindeers circle above.

When you get to Oakwood from Palestine on U.S. 79, turn left on FM 542 near the blicking light in Oakwood. The bank is located on the right side before you get to the railroad tracks.

The Texas State Railroad is headed to the North Pole. Listen and you’ll hear the conductor call “All Aboard The Polar Express™” for an unforgettable journey departing the Palestine Depot starting Friday and running through Dec. 27 on selected dates.

Here's KLTV's story about the first weekend:

Yes, it's been a while since the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life was held back in June. But being the "end" of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I think this is worth sharing, well, it's worth sharing anyway.



Corey Foley sent in this video he made from photos he and his mom Beth Foley (former H-P news editor who took a teaching job down south a few months ago) took during Relay for Life set to Rascal Flatt's "Bless the Broken Road."

Thank you Corey for sharing this with us!

Here are two videos taken at Neches ISD last week. One shows Neches High School varsity basketball players reading to a Neches Elementary School class. The other video shows a class led by teacher Cherri Goodwin using a Smartboard in class.



Also, be sure to check out this story about Neches ISD's new look. There also is photos of the new campus on this photo gallery.

So what are these guys doing? They are firefighters dressed in drag to raise funds for the fire department. Five contestants participated representing the Rusk and Maydelle fire departments at Railfest 2009 held Saturday at the Texas State Railroad Palestine Depot. Emceeing the event is Miss Texas Kristen Blair.



This video below is of passengers boarding the Steam Engine 300 for a train ride.

Here's a video taken at the Navasota at Palestine football game that features the band, drill team and a little football action.



Be sure to check out this Photo Gallery of the football game.

This month, History.com celebrates the value and dignity of work and its role in the American way of life with its Labor Day (September 7) minisite.

History.com examines Labor Day with a comprehensive look at the significance of the day. Visitors to http://www.history.com/laborday can watch videos on the workers fight for labor rights and the fight to end child labor, learn information on labor leaders such as the Knights of Labor, get information on the 8-hour work day, and interact with additional resources.

More holiday information can be found at www.history.com/historyoftheholidays.

I found this video on YouTube and thought it was so cute. I love dogs and cats and get great enjoyment out of watching funny videos with them in it.

But this one was funny to me because the dogs look like they are so embarrassed to be dressed up, yet sit there like frozen popsicles!



If you are ever down in the dumps about life, type in "funny dog videos" or "funny cat videos" into the YouTube search box. You will find hours worth of enjoyment that will take your mind off of anything.

And for the cat lovers, here's another video:



Neither of the videos are new, but they are funny.

Personally, I miss my pets and this gives me an outlet for enjoying the "joy" pets have brought to my life.

Time to keep an eye out for students

Area schools are headed back to school on Monday and that means the time before school starts and the afternoon are going to be busier on the roads.

Drivers need to keep their eyes open and step up safety around school zones, crosswalks, bus stops and wherever children may gather.

• Be ready to driver slower in school zones and bus stops

• Always stop for school buses with flashing red lights. Drivers approaching the bus must come to a full stop while the red lights are on.

• Anticipate traffic ahead of time. This summer you may not have had any trouble getting around Loop 256 in time to make it to work on time. But during the school year, Loop 256 can get congested from Story Elementary School all the way to Palestine High School and the turn by Palestine Middle School. Be prepared for that. The busiest times are from 7:35 to 8:10 a.m. in the mornings and from 2:45 to 3:30 p.m.

• Obey crossing guards.

• Anticipate the worst. There's always a chance a small child may run in front of you — that's why it's important to slow down and prepare to brake.

• Be careful around parked cars and backing up. Small children especially can be hard to see.

• Avoid using cell phones when driving - There are a couple of new Texas traffic laws going in effect on September 1 — one makes it illegal to use a wireless communication device in a school zone unless the vehicle is stopped or a hands-free device is used. We already know using a cell phone while driving is a distraction, so please be extra careful.

Also, be sure to read these Transportation Tips from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that explain how children can be taught to get on and off buses safely.

Have any more safety tips to share? Email me at community@palestineherald.com

Here are a few photos from the Celebrity Waiter Dinner that benefited the Breast Cancer 3-Day teams. Look for a full-page photo page in Wednesday's Herald-Press. The event raised more than $9,000 for the teams.











This last picture is of Texas Express, which provided musical entertainment for the evening.

Can you spot the doctors serving as waiters in this video? Yes, local doctors as well as elected officials and other local "celebrities" lent their hands to a good cause Thursday night for a Celebrity Waiter Dinner.

Proceeds will help the 13 Palestine Regional Medical Center female employees and three family members of participants who have agreed to raise a minimum of $2,300 each to help fight breast cancer by participating in the upcoming Breast Cancer 3-Day benefiting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization.

The Ben E. Keith parking lot where the event was held overflowed — so here's hoping that the fund-raiser was successful!

Before appearing on NBC's summer reality show America's Got Talent, Pam Martin and Viva did their "dog dancing" act for BARC, The Humane Society's fund-raiser back in March. In fact, you can watch the videos we took on the Herald-Press YouTube page.




Good luck to Pam and Viva! We will be rooting for you!

Do you remember the little girl Gwendolyn Strong who visited Palestine with her parents to raise awareness for SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy)?

My first story about this amazing family can be read here.

Upon arrival in Palestine, they visited the Texas State Railroad for a special media event.

Making the family's journey extra special, while visiting Gwendolyn's great-grandfather 104-year-old Harry Gillespie (a Palestine native) in Mississippi, Palestine Mayor Bob Herrington made a surprise visit to recognize Gillespie for his connections to Palestine.

It's nice to know the family is back home. We are happy to hear that their journey of love raised more than $40,000 for the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation to find a cure for SMA.

Image from www.gwendolynstrong.com

Want to watch the Palestine Community Theatre's production of "Beauty and the Beast"?

Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. are the last three performances of this show. Tickets are on sale at Education Unlimited on Crockett Road, the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce on Main Street in downtown Palestine, and, if you’re lucky, at the door of the Texas Theater on play nights at 217 W. Crawford St. in downtown Palestine.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children in advance.

Here is a video from CBS 19 promoting the Great Texas Balloon Race which continues through Sunday in Longview.

Click here for the Great Texas Balloon Race schedule.

Here is a video from CBS 19 about the rise of snake bites due to the hot, dry weather.

I'm not a fan of snakes. How 'bout you?

These photos of Palestine's firework show were submitted by local resident Ann Mottern.

Here are some photos from the Fourth of July Children's Parade Saturday in Palestine (taken by Herald-Press News Editor Beth Foley).

More photos can be found on the Herald-Press Photo Gallery.

Here are a few photos taken at the DAV/BARC, The Humane Society's Fourth of July Celebration at Dogwood Trails Assisted Living. (Photos from Tammy Campos).

During the Pet Contest, Most Patriotic Dog award was presented to Junior, a 7 month old Chihuahua owned by Sheridan Whiteside (pictured with Dru Whiteside)

Jane Davis holds Bella (11-month-old Yorkie) owned by Herman and JoAnn Morton
Bella won 2nd place Best Beard.

Pam Smith demonstrates Domino's jumping abilities.

1-and-a-1/2-year-old Jager Hammans poses with Honey (owned by the Campos family). Honey provided entertainment (via a variety of doggie tricks) for the crowd.

More photos from this event can be found on the Herald-Press Photo Gallery.

Happy Fourth of July!

Here are some photos taken by local photographer Tammy Campos at the Fourth of July celebration at Dogwood Trails Assisted Living.

A fund-raiser also was held to raise funds for a much-needed van to transport local veterans to the VA hospital.

BARC, The Humane Society was on hand hosting a Pet Contest. More photos from this event can be viewed at the Herald-Press Photo Gallery.

Happy Independence Day!

If you've been following the Strong family's 5,000 mile journey for a cure from Santa Barbara, California cross country (including a stop in Palestine on Tuesday), you'll be happy to know that they made it to Mississippi where Gwendolyn's great-grandfather (former Palestine resident) Harry Gillespie lives.



The Strongs wrote a very nice blog post about acts of kindness in Palestine which is worth reading. Thank you Victoria and Bill for your kind words! I'm glad East Texas treated your family so nicely! Writing stories like this really make my job worthwhile.

Click here to listen to KYYK 98.3's Gary Richards interviewing Bill Strong about their journey and visit to Palestine.

While stopping in Palestine during their 5,000 mile journey across several states spreading awareness for SMA (Skeletal Muscular Dystrophy), Santa Barbara, California residents Bill and Victoria Strong took a few photos.

The Strong family has done this on their blog in "Where is Gwendolyn Now?" segments several times. Usually their 20-month-old daughter Gwendolyn (who suffers from SMA) is in the segments, but she was sleeping, so Big Bird and Elmo helped her out!

As of Wednesday, the Strong family was in Mississippi, which means they will be meeting with Victoria's 104-year-old grandfather Harry Gillespie (former Palestine resident) pretty soon! He is going to meet his great-granddaughter Gwendolyn for the first time ever!

Here's a photo of former Palestine resident Harry Gillespie:

Want to Sponsor-a-Mile to End SMA? Click here to learn how.

CBS 19 also was at the Texas State Railroad Palestine Depot on Tuesday for the Strong family's media event to raise awareness of the No. 1 genetic killer of children, SMA (Skeletal Muscular Atrophy). Their 20-month-old daughter Gwendolyn suffers from SMA. The family is currently on a 5,000 mile tour which started in their hometown of Santa Barbara, California to raise awareness for SMA.

Here's her story (click the blog title above to see the video):



You can follow Gwendolyn's journey at gwendolynstrong.com

KLTV interviewed the Strong family when they stopped at the Texas State Railroad Palestine Depot for a media event on Tuesday to promote awareness of SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy).

Click the blog title above for the video to show:

Gwendolyn Strong, a 20-month-old toddler, delighted in hearing the train whistles and taking photos in front of The Little Engine That Could™ at the Texas State Railroad Palestine Depot on Tuesday.

Gwendolyn's parents Bill and Victoria Strong of Santa Barbara, California brought their little girl to Palestine as part of their 5,000-mile round trip drive to raise awareness for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a paralyzing and terminal disease. The Strongs are making their trip across the country in an RV armed with banners, corporate sponsors and a call to action to end SMA.

More photos can be found on the Herald-Press Photo Gallery.




The “Sponsor-A-Mile to END SMA” drive (http://SponsorAMile.com), in which each mile driven is sponsored at $10 a mile, has a goal of raising $50,000. All proceeds will go to the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation (http://gwendolynstrongfoundation.org), which seeks to shed light on this deadly childhood disease and to fund SMA medical research that specialists and the National Institute for Health (NIH) believe is within five years of a cure.

The community is invited to meet the Bill and Victoria Strong family of Santa Barbara, Calif. when they stop by the Texas State Railroad's Palestine Depot at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 30.

The Strongs will be in Palestine on Tuesday as part of their campaign to drive 5,000 miles with their 20-month-old daughter Gwendolyn who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a paralyzing and fatal disease, across the country in an RV armed with banners, corporate sponsors and a call to action to end SMA.

A special event for media and community supporters is planned. The Little Engine That Could™ will be displayed at the TSRR during the event. The Strongs will say a few words about their journey, pass out information regarding SMA, and be available to speak to media.

The Texas State Railroad Palestine Depot is located at Park Road 70 on U.S. 84 East in Palestine.

For information on Gwendolyn, visit GwendolynStrong Foundation.org

Also, read the full story about the family and their visit to Palestine here.

Be sure to read Sunday's newspaper for a touching story about an ordinary couple who are doing extraordinary things in the midst of personal crisis.

Santa Barbara, California residents Bill and Victoria Strong have made it their mission to drive 5,000 miles with their 20 month-old daughter, Gwendolyn, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a paralyzing and terminal disease, across the country in an RV armed with banners, corporate sponsors and a call to action -- To END SMA!

The Strongs will be rolling into Palestine on Tuesday. Why are they stopping in Palestine?

Victoria’s grandparents, Harry and Madge Gillespie, were formerly longtime residents of Palestine, as were her great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents.

Her grandfather Harry Gillespie is 104 years old and moved from Palestine to Mississippi in 1964.

“After our daughter was diagnosed we set a trip to see him but it was canceled due to her health,” Victoria Strong said via a phone interview while traveling in the RV on their way to New Mexico on Friday. “Gwendolyn can’t travel by plane so this was our last option. We got an ‘OK’ from her doctors. Gwendolyn is doing well and Harry is doing well, so now was the perfect time.”
Strong said her grandfather still associates his life a great deal to Palestine.

“He spent so much time in Palestine that it really is his home,” Strong said. “All of our ancestors are buried in Palestine. I’ve spent a lot of time there and I want to visit the cemetery and show my family the town because of our family roots.”

The "Sponsor-A-Mile to END SMA" drive (http://SponsorAMile.com), in which each mile driven is sponsored at $10 a mile, has a goal of raising $50,000. All proceeds will go to the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation (http://gwendolynstrongfoundation.org), which seeks to shed light on this deadly childhood disease and to fund SMA medical research that specialists and the National Institute for Health (NIH) believe is within 5 years of a cure.

I know that Anderson County's Relay for Life was a few weeks ago, but I have just now had the time to finish getting this video ready. I had to cut it down so that YouTube would accept it. It's long, but for the couple of hundred of us who were there for Relay for Life, it's meaningful to see the whole thing. Thank you Corey for putting it together!

I really like the beginning of the video when Relay for Life Chair Sarah Jo McDonald explained why it's so important.

I was off work on Relay for Life night so that I could be on a team - a new one called Team Hope. We will be back next year to fight cancer with the other teams.

Sometimes black-and-white photos in the newspaper do not do photos justice. I couldn't resist putting this beautiful hydrangea photo here because of its color.

I also really love the photos from the Grapeland Safari! Notice the food falling out of the little girl's cup while she is feeding it. So cute!