AMEN continued to be busy in the month of March. 358 families were served for the month for a total of 1,073 individuals. A total of 173 volunteers for 608 hours served the pantry. A total of 3,445 pounds of food were donated.

In the first quarter, the Gardenia E. Janssen Animal Shelter has taken in 59 puppies and 50 kittens under the age of three months. As of March 29, total intake for the shelter is 350: 193 dogs and 157 cats in need.

E The Chamber will have the monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 9 at 7 p.m. in the dining hall.

The City of La Grange has designated April 15-19, as Spring Cleanup Week. The city will pick up one free load of brush during this week. One load of brush is defined as not more than one pickup truck load. If you have logs, please separate them from the branches. Also, please make sure there is no trash mixed in with the brush. The following schedule will be observed: April 15 & 16 - South Side of the City (Travis St. - Hwy. 71 Bus.)

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Last month, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) settled a lawsuit over the way brokers charge commission. The settlement could lead to some changes in the real estate business.

Arts for Rural Texas (ARTS) is excited to present Song Swap Sundays, a musical gathering hosted by Mike Stroup. Musicians will take turns playing songs, answering questions, and share the stories behind the melodies.

In observance of National Vietnam War Veteran’s Day, retired US Army Sergeant Major Leonard Sternadel raises his Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) commemorative flag in the front yard of his La Grange home. Sternadel was drafted in 1969 at age 19 and spent combat time in both Cambodia and Vietnam. In 2017, the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act was signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, designating every March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. On that day in 1973, the last combat troops departed Vietnam. More than 58,000 US service members lost their lives during the Vietnam War, and since then, thousands more have lost their lives because of the war. Locally, Ammannsville VVA Chapter 870, of which Sternadel is a member, hosted the first annual gathering of five south Texas VVA chapters in 2022; in addition to the local chapter, members from the Columbus, Hallettsville, Victoria, and El Campo chapters spent an afternoon of camaraderie, reflection, friendship, and socializing. Last year’s event was hosted by the Columbus chapter, and this year El Campo will host. Because March 29 fell on Good Friday this year, the event was held April 3, at the Taiton Community Center.