Chamber Connection August 3, 2017
I’m so excited about the upcoming 2nd Annual Chamber of Commerce Photography Contest! Let me review the basics. Anyone of any age can enter as we have a children’s category. The picture must be newer than January 1, 2015, and must have been taken in Hopkins County. The contest will be open from August 1st to August 31st. There are seven categories you may enter: Natural World, Travel, People, The Hopkins County Experience, Altered...
Avoiding a Needless Tragedy By Johanna Hicks
Avoiding a Needless Tragedy Now that we are into summer in Texas, children are spending more time outdoors, which increases the danger of children being left alone in, and around, cars. When we think of children being left alone in cars, our first thought is the danger of children dying in hot cars due to heatstroke. But in addition to heat risks, there are other safety concerns with unsupervised children around cars — including...
Regional AgriLife Research and Extension Center Celebrates 50 Years of Service
The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton will celebrate 50 years serving Texans on July 12. AgriLife Extension has grown to become a statewide, national and international agricultural education agency over the past 100-plus years. Over the past 50 years, the Overton center has helped guide cattle, forage, ornamental plant and fruit and vegetable production. And AgriLife Extension outreach programs to...
July and August-Hot News! By Johanna Hicks
July and August – Hot News! By the time this column goes to print, the 2017 “Kids’ Camp: Fun, Food, Fitness” will be in the history books. Forty-two children in grades 1 thru 4 took part in the 3-week summer day camp which featured a variety of experiences from hands-on food preparation to logging a combined 24,990 minutes (equaling 1,249.5 miles) of physical activity. Fire safety, water and sun safety, bullying, and weather safety...
You’re Never Too Old to Stay Fit By Johanna Hicks
You’re Never Too Old to Stay Fit If you are a baby boomer, your adult years have flown by, filled with the competing demands of family, career and household responsibilities. Then, one day, you find yourself over the age of 50, possibly facing the prospect of retirement, aging, and often serving in a new role as caregiver to elderly relatives. The key is maintaining good health for yourself. Your nutritional needs change as you...
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Offers Something for Everyone and Summer Sewing Workshop
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Offers Something for Everyone Did you know that every state in the United States has an Extension Service? Did you know that every county in Texas has Extension Agents who work with them and that some agents in smaller counties work more than one county? Were you aware that some of the larger counties have multiple agents to cover the large territory? How much do you really know about your Hopkins...
Marriage and Parenting Education Wrap-Up By Johanna Hicks
Marriage & Parenting Education Wrap-up This is the 3rd in a series of program summaries in the area of Family & Consumer Sciences for 2016. (If you missed the first two, they covered Diabetes Education and Health & Wellness in Hopkins County.) One of my favorite workshops to teach is Twogether in Texas Marriage Education. This is a program recognized by the state of Texas and is deemed as being so important that the...
An Agrilife Update By Johanna Hicks
This and That with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Today’s column is different than most, because I have lots of announcements and topics to cover! So, sit back and enjoy! 4-H Project Show We are excited to announce the 2016 4-H Project Show. Our Hopkins County 4-H’ers have entered some amazing items – from wood work to metal work, from photography to food! The items will be on display at the Extension Office October 10...
Spice of Life
Variety is the Spice of Life If the old saying “Variety is the Spice of Life” is true, then I’ve had lots of spice in my life lately! So many great activities have taken place recently, and are still taking place. My middle child married his college sweetheart in a beautiful wedding ceremony and as I write this column, they are honeymooning in the Bahamas! It was wonderful to see out-of-state relatives from Alabama, Tennessee,...
Top 10 Foods with Health Benefits
Texas A&M University Names Top 10 Foods with Health Benefits Interesting research topics often cross my desk, but this particular article caught my attention more than some. As my husband and I read through the list of these beneficial foods, we realized that we consume many of these on a regular basis. This information was posted on Stone Hearth News by Texas A&M University Health Science Center and I wanted to share it...