O.D. Bales
June 26, 1936 — February 2, 2025 Sulphur Springs Memorial service for O.D. Bales, age 88, of Sulphur Springs, Texas will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home in Sulphur Springs with Buddy Wiggins officiating. There will be no formal visitation. Mr. Bales passed away at Sulphur Springs Health and Rehabilitation on Sunday, February 2, 2025. O.D. Bales was born on June 26, 1936 in Willis,...
Jerry Paul Porterfield
August 19, 1945 ~ February 2, 2025 (age 79) Jerry Paul Porterfield was born in Sulphur Springs, Texas on August 19, 1945, to Claude and Pauline (Johnston) Porterfield. During his childhood, the Porterfield’s lived all over the southern United States due to his father’s job as a welder with Chicago Bridge and Iron. The family returned to live in Sulphur Springs where Jerry graduated high school in 1963. He resided in...
What is USAID? And Will It Be Missed?
What is USAID? USAID, or the United States Agency for International Development, is an independent agency of the U.S. government primarily responsible for administering foreign aid and development assistance. Established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, USAID’s mission is to promote broad-scale human progress at the same time it expands stable, free societies, creates markets, and fosters innovation. The agency focuses on various...
The Least Visited State Park in Texas
February 3, 2025 – Based on recent visitation data from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Big Bend Ranch State Park is often cited as the least-visited state park in Texas. Despite being the largest state park in the state—with over 300,000 acres of rugged, undeveloped terrain along the Rio Grande—it sees far fewer visitors compared to more accessible parks such as Garner or Pedernales Falls State Park. Big Bend Ranch...
Abbott Deputizes Texas National Guard
February 3, 2025 – The state of Texas has taken unprecedented steps in its immigration enforcement efforts by granting Texas National Guard troops the authority to detain and arrest migrants. This move, part of Governor Greg Abbott’s broader Operation Lone Star, aims to curb illegal border crossings amid what Texas officials describe as a federal failure to secure the southern border. By deputizing state guard members, Texas...
Sulphur Springs Emergency Sirens Will Be Tested February 3
February 3, 2025 – Emergency sirens will be tested in Sulphur Springs at noon today by the Sulphur Springs Emergency Management Office. The test is to gauge the reliability of the emergency warning system and is conducted to find any potential flaws in the system so they can be corrected prior to a real emergency situation. The sirens could be sounded not only for weather warnings such as tornadoes, which are the most common in the...
UT Architecture Library Named for Texas’ First Black Architect
February 3, 2025 – AUSTIN, Texas — Two days after the U.S. Supreme Court integrated American higher education with its 1950 Sweatt v. Painter decision, John Chase, a Black student, enrolled in the School of Architecture at The University of Texas. Now, the library at the heart of that school will be named the John S. Chase Architecture and Planning Library, thanks to a generous gift and pledge from Chase’s son, Tony Chase, and...
What Happened to Joann Fabrics?
February 2, 2025 – Joann Fabrics, a prominent fabric and craft retailer established in 1943, has faced significant financial challenges in recent years, leading to two Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings within a single year. The first filing occurred in March 2024, attributed to declining sales and shifting consumer behaviors post-pandemic. Despite restructuring efforts that eliminated approximately $500 million in debt, the company...
A Message of Inspiration From the Author of Living Loved, February 2, 2025
Hey friends, do you ever feel like you’ve completely messed up and have destroyed Gods plan for your life? Let me speak to that spot. Let me remind you that God chose you in Christ to be holy and made right long before he even created the world! Let’s just talk about David the Shepherd Boy. Friends, it just hit me. It hit me that as Samuel was anointing David, the young Shepherd Boy, with oil to be...
Donald Meeks
Graveside for Donald Meeks, age 68, of Como, Texas will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at Greenpond Cemetery in Como, Texas with Buddy Wiggins officiating. Pallbearers will include Levi Barnes, Jeremiah Meeks, Wayne Wilkerson, Jim Murray, Evelyn Horne, and Carrol Meeks. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at Murray-Orwosky Funeral Home in Sulphur Springs. Mr. Meeks passed away...
