A big rig hauling a 75,000 lb. piece of air conditioning equipment lost its load near the Highway 71 overpass at SH 159 in La Grange Thursday.

The Town of Round Top filed suit against members of the Fayette County Commissioners Court in their official capacity to settle the ownership dispute over the Round Top Precinct Courthouse. The dispute began last year when Round Top Mayor Judith Vincent and the Town Council began discussions about possible renovations to the historic Precinct Courthouse in Round Top.

Students and adults from LGISD and surrounding areas, all the way from Montgomery, TX, traveled through five different countries with LMS teacher & coach, Melody McKee. The group of 20 started their adventure in Berlin, Germany, explored Prague, Czech Republic, took an emotional tour of Auschwitz & Birkenau concentration camps while in Krakow, Poland, ate lunch in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, and ended their tour in Budapest, Hungary.

Henry Mayo, a professional surveyor and wellknown historian at College Station, has recently applied for a historical marker for the First Survey of Austin’s Colony, marking the Sylvanus Castleman half league (2214 acres) located a bit north of La Grange on the west bank of the Colorado River. The narrative for that application is such a compelling story that the Fayette Heritage Museum and Archives has invited Mayo to share it as a program at the Library Meeting Room on Thursday, July 30th at 6:30 p.m.

Fayette County Commissioners Court listened to an earful at their meeting last Thursday – both praise and scorn – from a pair of citizens. Two people signed up to speak during the public comment period at the meeting.

Fayette County Commissioners authorized the County to pursue another immigration- related grant opportunity at their meeting last Thursday, July 9. The County has already received funding through the Federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement 287G program.

Two weeks ago the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office participated in an operation with federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The operation focused on highway traffic in the unincorporated areas of Fayette County.

Stephen Townsend, who was introduced in last week’s article, was also deeply involved in Freemasonry, which was rapidly spreading across Texas during the Republic era. In 1847 he became a charter member of Lafayette Masonic Lodge No. 34 in La Grange. It was there that he formed a close association with John Murchison, a fellow Mason whom Stephen greatly respected and would later honor by helping establish a lodge bearing his name. In 1848 Stephen and several others chartered Florida Masonic Lodge No. 46 in Round Top. Stephen served as the Charter Worshipful Master, demonstrating the respect he commanded among his peers. It is believed he played a key role in guiding his brother-in-law Joel Robison through the Masonic degrees. Joel was likely the first Entered Apprentice initiated at Lafayette Lodge No. 34 and later completed his degrees at Florida Lodge No. 46.