December 23, 2020 Issue

Martha Eudean “Dean” Rumbaugh was born January 27, 1930, in Mt. Vernon, TX, to the late John Palmer “JP” Chambers and Margaret Louella Allen Chambers. She passed away on December 13, 2020, at home in Cross Roads. Dean was a member of First Baptist Church of Mason. She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers Clifton and Ernest Chambers. Survivors include her five children, Michael W.

I am one week and one day away from my final day as editor at the News. And, this is my final Christmas in this role. After one of the strangest and most difficult years most of us have ever endured. On top of that, this week's paper is the 52nd of the year.

Dear Editor, Fact, Theory, and Fiction. “You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your facts.” My wife and family and I come to Mason from Colorado several months each year. We’ve owned a place in Mason County since 2003. We have lots of friends here and we consider ourselves part of the community.

I’m still isolating and patiently waiting for my turn to receive the COVID vaccine. COVID Christmas will be different but, the reasons for celebrating will be exactly the same as always. We are delivering Christmas/Birthday presents, maybe with a socially distanced Christmas carol. Leave the grandparents alone they will appreciate the respect for their health.

"It may look beautiful now on a Christmas card or in a religious picture, but there is not really anything lovely in hunting desperately fer lodgings when your wife is pregnant and near her time. There is nothing romantic in having your first baby in a drafty cave because no one in the inn next door will give up his bed for you, and it isn't really much fun to put your baby to sleep in the cattle's feeding trough because there is nowhere else except the dirty floor.

This is not exactly a “baking” project, but the resulting pie is so good and so Texan, and so appropriate for the holiday season, that I just had to share it with you. Ingredients: 1 nine inch pie crust, unbaked 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/3 cup powdered sugar 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1.5 cups pecans, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt Process: Bake crust according to package directions and let it cool ...

Recent conversations--okay, maybe just banter--have me thinking heavily about grandmothers. Those who’ve had the nurturing of two are doubly blessed. (I knew just one, since the flu epidemic in the 1920s took one away several years prior to my birth.) They constitute a special group, these grandmothers who answer to many names, some of which they’ve chosen to announce to grandchildren.

My mom (Myrtle Geistweidt) always made any Holiday, special but Christmas was her favorite. My most treasured memories were of her and I making Christmas cookies, together and all the other preparations of the Advent season. She would put Christmas music on the record player, and we would spend the day making Christmas cookies and decorating the Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas from my house to yours. This will be a different looking celebration than we have had in the past. It will be that way for many. My prayer is that we all remember that we are celebrating the birth of our Saviour. The parties and decorations, food and drink, and the gifts from family and friends are just sideline events.

AUSTIN, Texas – The Lower Colorado River Authority has donated $26,000 to more than two dozen local food banks in 22 counties throughout its service territory. LCRA contributed $1,000 each to 26 food banks to help provide food for people in need. “This year has been one of extraordinary challenges,” said Phil Wilson, LCRA general manager.

Several Mason businesses responded very generously to the Mason County Food Bank’s need for food for individuals and households that are food challenged at this time. These businesses include: Priscilla Krauss Beauty Counter Missy Crocker Restored Rocks/MTXBEEF Jasmine Rodriguez La Copa Joe Donna & Michael Logan Logan Ranch Camp & Mandy Beatty Color Street Nails Britni McMillian The Power Barn Pictured below are some of the items that were donated to the Mason Coun ...

Mason County was represented at the annual meeting of the state’s largest general farm and ranch organization in December. Six delegates from Mason County Farm Bureau traveled to Waco for the one-day business session where they helped shape the future of Texas Farm Bureau (TFB). “Texas Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization,” Will Frey, Mason County Farm Bureau president, said.

The year 2020 has affected us all in many ways, and we are all looking forward to a better 2021. Fund raising opportunities has been virtually non-existent and most non for profits are needing a bit of help. Crosby Cemetery has been without a proper sign for over 6 years and the Crosby Cemetery Association is in the process of having a nice sign erected.

The library building is currently closed but we are offering curbside services once again. We will be closed on December 24th and 25th for Christmas, and closed next week on December 31 and January 1. Any hour changes or building closures for the library due to Covid will be posted on our Facebook page (@masontexaslibrary).

Sprigs of mistletoe are popular decorations around Christmas. The green leaves, white berries, and a little red ribbon give us the colors of the season, and of course there is the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. There are many stories and myths associated with the origins of this kissing tradition.

EL DORADO, Kan. – Butler Recognizes students who maintain a 4.0 grade point average for the President’s Honor Roll and a 3.50 - 3.99 grade point average for the Dean’s Honor Roll. Students are organized by city and listed last name, first name. President’s Honor Roll Texas Mason Martin, Aspen Butler Community College, an Aspen Institute Top 150 U.S.

SAN ANGELO, TX (12/17/2020)-- Angelo State University conferred 381 undergraduate and 191 graduate degrees to its fall 2020 graduates that were recognized in a virtual commencement on Dec. 6. A full list of the graduates is available on the ASU website at angelo.edu. Nicholas Escobar of Brady (76825), Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Erin Haley of Mason (76856), Bachelor of Arts in Communication Taytum Morris of Brady (76825), Master of Education in Student Dev and Leadership ...