News

A woman was paging through the morning paper. Suddenly her eyes fell upon an ad in the personal column. It read: “Are you lonely, depressed, or desperate? Call 239-4305 and just listen.” Out of sheer curiosity the woman went to the phone and dialed the number. A pleasant voice answered and said: “Know that wherever you find yourself there also you will find God. God is within you. You are never alone. No matter where you are or in what situation you find yourself. God is always there to help you.” The voice then went on to talk about the “law of the echo.”

The Ennis News is proud to announce the winners of our February Coloring Contest.

One of the most distinguished women in the early commercial history of Ennis was Lou Ella Allen (1875-1953), known to locals as Mrs. P. V. Allen, who operated a downtown dress and hat shop for over 40 years.

Next Saturday, April 2, marks the outset of the Bluebonnet Market in downtown Ennis, and once again it is claiming several blocks on North Dallas Street.

Starting her first year in the height of the pandemic at a place experiencing an administrative turnstile, Rachel Kistner brought a balance of strength and kindness to the Italy Independent School District. This week marks her oneyear anniversary at the biggest little town in Texas, and she is showings signs that her rapport with the community has staying power.

Louis Armstrong sang of the goodness of people and in “seeing skies of blue and clouds of white, the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.” Ben Vyers, of Monster Splash Art, captures it well in the mural in progress at Ennis’ Helping Hands, 604 NE Main St.

The musical entertainment lineup for the 70th annual Bluebonnet Trails Festival of April 8-10 has been announced by the City of Ennis who with other entities is sponsoring the event which is presented by the Ennis Garden Club. The headlining performer will be country music singer Rick Trevino and his band. Trevino is known for such hits as ‘Bobbie Ann Mason,’ and ‘She Can’t Say I Didn’t Cry.’ He will be supported on the bill by PRB Band, The Rich Girls, Windbreakers, Allan Conner and Infinite Journey.

Exiting the century old corner of South Dallas and West Brown, city employees and leaders have vacated the former Municipal Court building and moved into the newly remodeled City Hall building at 107 North Sherman Street. While the four-block exodus isn’t complete, City Manager Marty Nelson confirmed that 14 of the 18 making the initial transition have arrived at their new location.

The story of a pioneer settler of Ellis and Navarro Counties, Emily Middleton, which began in last week’s edition of the Ennis News, is the special contribution of Sugar Glaspy of The Ennis Heritage Society. Glaspy spoke recently to the organization about Middleton and her connection to the discovery and preservation of Middleton’s diaries which tell of the wonder and struggles of life in the late Victorian times of the Ennis area.

There’s a short story by Richard Pindell called “Somebody’s Son.” It opens with a runaway boy, named David, sitting by the side of a road. He’s writing a letter home to his mother. The letter expresses the hope that his old-fashioned father will forgive him and accept him again as a son. The boy writes: