The number of new COVID-positive tests performed by the Hemphill County Hospital lab department has continued to accumulate over the last seven days. The hospital lab confirmed 19 additional positive in-county cases during that period, and an additional 22 cases in out-of-county residents.

Late last week, Hemphill County reported 40 active cases. By midweek, that number had peaked at 57 cases before dropping to 36, as the status of patients was updated from ‘active’ to ‘recovered.’

My Christmas Tradition is… We make cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. Then, we go to sleep wake up wait for 2 year old Damian to wake up and then open our presents. After that, we go to my grandma’s (she lives in town) and open presents from her and our cousin. ESMERIALA SHIELDS

CHRISTMAS SONGS along with “Auld Lang Syne” are the only songs we hear and sing once a year. Hoping to write about the most popular carols, I discovered songs I had never heard of on the many lists of Most Popular Christmas Songs. Even when I listened to them on YouTube, they were unfamiliar. Can you sing a verse of “Purple Snowflakes” or “Ain’t No Chimneys in the Projects?” Songs by Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, and Ariana Grande made most of the lists. The Good Housekeeping list suggested songs by the Jonas Brothers, John Legend, Taylor Swift, and Britney Spears.

The Lady Cat softball team joined forces with the Comancheria Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to show gratitude and respect to our veterans at Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery at noon Saturday, Dec. 19. Millions of Americans gathered together safely as one nation at over 2,400 locations across the United States to remember, honor, and teach.