Stage Stores, Inc. (the owner of the former Bealls location in La Grange that was transitioning to Gordman’s) announced Sunday that the company has filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division. The Company will simultaneously solicit bids for a going concern sale of the business or any of its assets and initiate an orderly wind-down of operations. The Company will terminate the wind-down of operations at certain locations if it receives a viable going-concern bid.

The congregations of the Shared Lutheran Ministry are planning to gather for a parking lot worship on Sundays, May 24 and 31 at 10 a.m. at the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Warrenton parking lot. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative conducted its annual meeting on Tuesday, May 12, without public attendance in adherence to coronavirus-related guidelines from federal and state public health officials.

On Wednesday, May 6, the Ellinger Volunteer Firemen held the drawing for the raffle it sponsored. The drawing was to be part of the 29th Annual Feast and Fundraiser that was scheduled for Sunday, April 26. The Fundraiser was cancelled due to health risks involving Covid-19. The cost of each ticket was $20 and there were 20 prizes.

Last week, we left Shirley G. Wilkins of La Grange in the small detached office of a store in Catoosa, Indian Territory on the night of February 7, 1895. His friend, Sam Irvine, had just been shot in an attempted robbery by Jess Cochran. Wilkins had returned fire and killed Cochran. Out of ammunition, he slid his shotgun on the floor next to Irvine and hid behind a bureau as Cochran’s partner, Jim French, one of the last members of the Bill Cook gang, entered the building and said, “Come out with your hands up and I will not kill you.”

Turtle Wing Foundation will again be partnering with Schulenburg/Weimar Area Parents as Teachers to provide quality training for early childhood educators, daycare providers, their staff and all parents of young children.

The Lower Colorado River Authority has donated $104,000 to 52 food banks throughout the LCRA service area to help support communities during these challenging economic times.

Ellinger firefighters put out a small grass fire in a pasture off Power Plant Road on Sunday, May 10. Ellinger Volunteer Fire Department got the call around 3 p.m. on Sunday. They quickly got the fire under control. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office reported that two roman candle fireworks were found in the pasture. No one else was at the scene when firefighters arrived.

La Grange Police helped retrieve a nine-year-old autistic child who ran away from his mother in the Tractor Supply parking lot last week.

Schulenburg Police arrested a Flatonia man for displaying a set of fake license plates on his vehicle last week.