Police are often the first people called when someone suffers a mental health crisis. In Fayette County, those calls go to Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Castleberry, the County’s crisis intervention officer.

As part of efforts to focus on student mental health, Tuesday La Grange elementary hosted Loretta Hajovsky and her alpacas Pancho and Lefty, which are certified therapy animals. The students really enjoyed getting a break from their normal routine to hug the animals as part of an informational program on alpacas by Hajovsky, of Holman. In the photo above, right, is teacher Jennifer Calloway who helped coordinate the program. Photos by Jeff Wick

The area around the Colorado River along Business Highway 71 is a busy place these days as a new bridge is being built next to the old bridge that has stood there for 80 years. Junell (Schroeder) Van Horn, who now lives in Horseshoe Bay, thinks her family may have been among the first to cross that 80-year-old Highway 71 bridge when she was just a baby.

The CDA Court Annunciation No. 1962 held their monthly meeting on Monday, Aug. 23 at the Msgr. Harry Mazurkiewcz Center at 7 p.m. After the opening prayer, Regent Shirley Antosh welcomed everyone back from the summer break. The minutes and treasurer’s report were approved as corrected.

The Carmine Lions Club met Sept. 14.

Friday’s newspaper had a lot about the most recent La Grange Independent School District board of trustees meeting. Here’s more: Bilingual/ESL Report Director of Federal Programs, Nicole Ramirez gave her annual report on the bilingual/ESL program at Monday night’s board meeting.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Fayette County is conducting a soil, water, and hay testing campaign Oct. 1-27. This program is being held in conjunction with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Fayette County, Fayette County Commissioner’s Court, and the Fayette County Groundwater Conservation District.

Before entering the front doors of a school, there is little to no training afforded to school resource officers. Once they begin working in the schools, SROs receive a crash course in special education and not always good results. The learning curve can be long and confusing.

Fayette County Texas Ramp Project volunteers repaired an existing ramp on Sparta Field Road recently..

There will be a drive thru pork steak dinner on Oct. 17. It will be held at Saint Michael’s Lutheran Church Park in Winchester. Serving will begin at 10:30 a.m. Tickets will be available at church office, (979) 242-3444, or call Mirlyn Griffin at (979) 966-8912. Tickets are $12 each. All proceeds will benefit missionaries supported by Saint Michael’s.