Planning Close-out documentation is being implemented for this project. We are working with Langford and GLO regarding payments due to the Buy Out Program being struck from taking place.

TWDB Flood infrastructure Fund Grant 

We are waiting on two property owners near this area to realign the pump line in a straighter manner than what was originally drawn up. This will require two

Sept. 2026 Open Cases Beginning of Period - 32; YTD 482 New Cases Opened 30; YTD 199 Cases Closed 8; YTD 223 End of Month Total 54; YTD 458 *Total Violations Opened 38; YTD 332 * Total Violations Closed 11; 398 Junk Vehicles - 0 Dangerous Buildings - 2

Citations Issued - 0; YTD 15 Warnings Issued - 0; YTD 6 Cases Reported for Back Taxes - 0 Annual Notices - 30; YTD 199 Fines Assessed $0;

YTD $6,830 Fines Paid - $641; $3,786 Served Jail Time - 0; YTD 1 Total Fines Served in Jail - YTD 1,369 Fines Dismissed $0;

YTD $2,616 Total Fines Paid/ SVD/DSMSD - $0; YTD 3,213 Cases Abated by City - 0; YTD 4.00 Costs of Cases Abated- 0; YTD $6,783.74 Abatements Paid - 0; YTD 2.00 Abatements Paid Amount - $0; $5,084 Liens Filed - 0; YTD 3.00

Lien Amount - YTD $$2,271.75 Lines Paid - $432.10;

YTD $1,544.85 Citations Issued: Two Citations issued for code violations. 1 Failed to get a plumbing permit before starting the job. 1 living in a business in violation City Ordinance.

**** Eastland Police Department 

Report Sept. 2026 Total Calls for Service: 260; YTD 3517 Arrests: 10; YTD 188 Offense/Incident Reports: 47; YTD 603 Agency Assist: 1: YTD 473 Business Checks: 795; YTD 12,440 Traffic Crashes: 10;

YTD 125 Domestic Disturbances 8; YTD 106 Cases Filed with DA: 15; YTD 168 Cases Filed Juvenile: 1; YTD 9 Open Records: 27; YTD 199 Traffic Citations: 124;

YTD 1388 Warnings Issued: 385; YTD 4368 Total Contacts: 509; YTD 5756 Animal Control Issues Total Calls for Service: 74; YTD 12040 Citations Issued: 6; YTD 53 Warnings: 7; YTD 151 Impounded 22; YTD 209 Adopted 11; YTD 62 Quarantined 1; YTD 16 ****** Notes: 8- Felony Warrant Arrests; 4Narcotics Arrests; 4Other Arrests.

Downtown Sidewalk Repairs

TxDOT has begun the sidewalk installations and repair project. They are currently on the east side of town down East Main by the Exxon and Dairy Queen. These are prioritized by TxDOT funding.

City Manager Search

The City Manager search has gone well, and we are pleased to have received several qualified applicants. Thank you to Det. McDade for the extensive background assistance.

Langford Grant Management

* We had a meeting with Langford regarding current grants. I have been caught up to speed with where we are with all grants. Once we have a new City Manager, they will do the same to catch them up. * The comprehensive plan grant is underway. The initial kick off meeting was held, and this grant will begin to take off when the new city manager is hired.

* Wildfire Mitigation Grant is still underway, and crews are actively still working throughout town to mitigate hazardous fuels. Planning and Zoning

Officer Brent Barry will be taking the Planning and Zoning Director Job. In the

interim he will be doing both Code Enforcement and Planning and Zoning. Chief Wilson is searching for a suitable officer to fill the Code Enforcement position.

Public Work Director Chad Watson will be working directly under Bobby training to begin taking this new role. He has been coordinating several tasks and has stepped up to fulfill this role once Bobby Jacoby retires.

Community Events

* Boo at the Garden, October 31, 2026 at 6pm. * I will attend the annual TxDOT Winter Weather meeting on 10/19/2026 in preparation for the upcoming Winter season. (Interim City Manager - Tim Pitts)

Pizzas and Planes

On October 19th, local and nearby contestants of the 2026 Adventures in Writing contest (the 15-and-under category of Cisco Writers Club’s Annual Writing Contest) were invited to the Gregory Simmons Memorial Airport in Cisco for a celebration of young writers. Firstplace winner Johanna Huit, her mom, Jessica Huit, and her younger brother, Robby Huit, received a thirty-minute flight around Cisco in a private plane. Plus pizza! Cisco Writers Club members joined in on the celebration.

The Bazaar will feature Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations, handcrafted items, unique home décor and gift items, gift baskets, framed art, jewelry, collectibles, and lots of mouth-watering baked goods.

ies so parents can make the appropriate choices for their children, THIS IS NOT ABOUT BANNING BOOKS! Unfor- tunately, books that par - ents are concerned about are scattered throughout libraries so the census is a tool to assist parents to make appropriate choic es for their families.

The Library Census provides a public record of school libraries by districts. They provide a factual record of school and public libraries. The Library Census does not rate, rank or decide what is good or bad that is up to you to decide for your family, Families deserve to see what is on the li- brary shelves and de - cide for themselves what books are appropriate for their child's age group. Library Census

Presented by the Lone Star Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), the Regional EMMY Awards recognize excellence in television production across Texas' 19 television markets. Frizzell's film was nominated in the Entertainment — Short Form or Long Form Content category. Winners will be announced November 14, 2026, in Houston.

"It's an incredible honor to be recognized by the Lone Star Emmys, especially for a film we created right here in Abilene," Frizzell said. "We have so many talented people in the Big Country, and this nomination is a wonderful reminder that you don't have to be in a major film market to create work that gets noticed." The Best Days of Richard Davis premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival in April 2026. Filmed entirely in Abilene, the production brought together local cast, student crew, businesses, and educational institutions to create an independent film that has since gained recognition within the region.

Earlier this month, Frizzell received the Big Country Award trophy from the Abilene Frontier Film Festival in recognition of the production's connection to the local filmmaking community.

The award marked another achievement for Frizzell, whose work as a producer has focused on developing independent films in West Texas, while creating opportunities for emerging artists to gain firsthand experience on a professional film set.

"One of the things I love about filmmaking is being able to bring students into the process," Frizzell said. "They get to see how their creative skills translate into professional work, and hopefully realize they don't have to leave West Texas to begin building a career in the arts."

Cisco College art student Emily Reid contributed as storyboard artist and production coordinator, gaining experience in both visual development and production operations. Alumna Tiffany Laird served as set photographer and decorator, applying her artistic background to professional film production.

The film marked the second award-winning short production supported by Cisco College under Frizzell's leadership. The first, Fighting Chance (2023), was filmed on the college's Abilene campus with a student cast and crew. The film earned multiple festival honors, including awards for directing, acting and genre. Frizzell served as producer and cinematographer.

(Submitted by Cisco College)

Sharbino, the actress, writer, and self-taught technologist whose career began at age 12 opposite Kiefer Sutherland in FOX’s Touch, is stepping into her next chapter as the founder of Draped AI— an AI-powered fashion intelligence platform making its public debut at New York Fashion Week, September 10-15, 2026. Built entirely as a solo founder using emerging AI development tools, Draped AI is positioned to redefine how a new generation of consumers discovers, organizes, and shops their wardrobes. Early access is open now at Draped AI.com, with the Apple App Store release date to be announced.

Fashion Week marks the first time the Draped AI stylist is shown publicly.

Sharbino is in New York across the week for runway, editorial, and press commitments, demonstrating the platform for editors, buyers, designers, and creators— walking through live styling sessions that assemble complete looks from a user's existing wardrobe in real time.

She is also taking meetings throughout the week with partners across fashion and technology.

Draped AI is actively onboarding brand and retailer catalogs into its recommendation engine ahead of public release, and Sharbino is meeting with labels, retailers, e-commerce platforms, and technology partners interested in having their products surfaced to users as they build outfits inside the app.

Meeting requests are being scheduled through Symbols PR.

Draped AI brings together four capabilities that until now have lived in separate apps: a personal digital wardrobe, an AI stylist that recommends outfits from items users already own, an outfit recreation engine for replicating inspiration looks, and a fully integrated affiliate, marketplace that allows users to style their friends and earn a share of revenue when their recommendations convert. In short, it is a shopping tool, a stylist, a selling platform, and a creator economy— built into one app.

The tools that make up the modern shopping experience have stayed separate: closet apps that catalog what a wardrobe holds, styling apps that suggest what to wear, and creator platforms that turn recommendations into affiliate income. A shopper who wants all three runs three apps that do not talk to each other.

Draped AI consolidates that flow into a single intelligent platform— a meaningful step forward for both sides of the marketplace.

For creators, Draped AI removes one of the most time-intensive parts of affiliate income: trying on, modeling, and producing original content for every item. The app handles visualization, styling, and recommendations on the user’s behalf, so a creator can begin earning from day one without a full content production cycle behind every link.

For everyday users, the same intelligence works whether they are pulling together a look for a business meeting this weekend or building a long-term affiliate income stream.

“The creator economy has been waiting for its next leap," Sharbino said. "That leap isn't another link in a bio— it’s an intelligent layer that does the heavy lifting so creators can focus on taste."

For shoppers, the app is designed to deliver something the broader market has long been missing: confidence. By understanding what a user already owns and how new pieces will integrate into their real wardrobe, Draped AI helps consumers buy what they will actually wear. For brands and retail partners, that translates into higher conversion rates and meaningfully lower returns—one of the largest unsolved cost centers in fashion- commerce.

“Acting taught me to understand people.

Coding taught me to build for them. Draped AI is where those two skills sets finally meet."

The idea for Draped AI was born from a problem Sharbino lived every day.

As a working actress with a multi-million-follower social presence, she regularly received product from brand partners and struggled to keep track of her growing wardrobe— and to translate it into looks she loved wearing.

What started as a personal tool quickly evolved into a consumer product. Over the course of roughly a year, Sharbino taught herself to build with modern AI development tools, ultimately shipping a complete app without hiring a single engineer. “I built this entire app as a solo female founder with no traditional tech background," Sharbino said. "I want every young woman who’s hesitating to take that as data: the path to building something real has never been this accessible."

That same resourcefulness has defined Sharbino’s career arc. She tested out of high school at 13, has worked as a series regular and feature lead across major studios and streamers—including MGM’s Poltergeist remake, Hulu’s Freakish, and Nexflix's American Vandal— and has expanded her creative work into screenwriting and directing. She has also built side projects in open-source intelligence, including a publicopinion tracking tool called CIV Tracker.

Beyond the launch, Sharbino is increasingly visible as an advocate for young people in the digital age. She has supported the Polaris Project and anti-bullying campaigns, and recently sat in on the Uniform Law Commission in Nashville, contributing to conversations on legislation aimed at protecting children online. She has indicated that mentoring creators and founders is among her

longer-term ambitions. Saxon Paige Sharbino is the daughter of Ron and

Angela Gregory Sharbino of Sherman Oaks, CA.

Her grandparents are Grady and Diana Gregory of Eastland. Angela, Grady, and Diana are

all graduates of Eastland High School.

However, a number of items of importance were additionally on the agenda for discussion and consideration before the board convened in executive session.

These included the approval of EEDI (Eastland Economic Development, Inc.) purchasing land known as the Virginia Russell and Joseph Russell property for the amount of 1.8 Million.

Commissioners also approved the Eastland County Cooperative Dispatch contract. This interlocal agreement is between the County of Eastland, Cities of Eastland, Cisco, Ranger, Gorman, Rising Star, Eastland Memorial Hospital District and Cisco College to provide emergency response communications throughout the area served by the dispatching facility. The County of Eastland has full authority and responsibility for the operation of Eastland County Cooperative Dispatch.

In addition, retaining the services of Roberts & McGee, CPA PLLC, for the purpose of conducting the annual audit, approved.

Following executive session, commissioners voted to appoint Dan Wilson, nominated by Chief Time Pitts, as Eastland Chief of Police.

Interim City Manager Tim Pitts was asked to extend an offer to James of City Manager. King, not present at the meeting, signed the contract at City Hall and position of Eastland City Manager on November 9, 2026.

King comes to Eastland from a position as Cisco Development Corporation’s Executive Director.

Commissioners voted to give $3,000 dollars in compensation to Interim City Manager Tim Pitts for helping out the city with his services.

Various city department reports were presented prior to adjournment.

(See Page 4 ……)

TWO VISIONS FOR OUR CITY: WHO WILL REPRESENT YOU?

Local elections are about a clear choice in direction. When choosing our next City Commissioner, voters deserve to know exactly where the candidates stand and what their priorities will be on day one.

In a public statement, candidate for commissioner Bobby Blackwell laid out his priorities, stating: “The cornerstone of a city commissioner is to support the city, its employees and city management and to remove roadblocks that will allow them to get their job done.”

While I appreciate Bobby’s transparency, his platform highlights a fundamental difference in how we view the role of a City Commissioner.

When a candidate’s primary focus is to remove roadblocks for city management, it means their attention is directed inward— protecting the system, expanding the bureaucracy, and making things easier for the government itself. The city management and the bureaucracy already have a powerful voice in City Hall.

But who is looking out for you?

My name is Sam Williams, and my philosophy is entirely different. I believe a City Commissioner’s true cornerstone is to listen to your concerns and use your tax dollars responsibly.

I look at government from the outside in. My priority will never be clearing paths for the bureaucracy; my priority will be standing up for the families, small businesses, and hardworking individuals who fund our city. When city management asks for budget increases or question will always be: How does this impact the taxpayers?

On Election Day, you have a clear choice. You can vote to support the system, or you can vote to support the citizen. I will represent the taxpayers, not the bureaucracy.

I’d appreciate your vote for Sam Williams for City Commissioner, November 3rd. Early voting starts 10/19/26.

Follow the campaign on Facebook: Sam Williams for Commissioner

Political Advertisement, paid for by Sam Williams.

Cisco College is seeded in second place with a 3-3 record, while Ranger College is first-seeded with a 6-0 record. Hill College is seeded third while Western Texas College is in fourth place in the championship bracket.

Cisco’s 25-year-old Head Coach is Angel Medel, who came to Cisco last year as an assistant coach before being promoted to head coach. Born in Paramount, California, he grew up in Dallas. He has played soccer since he was 4 years old, playing club soccer, then college ball. He went to Mexico to play professional soccer. “I came back, tore my meniscus, and that’s how I got into coaching,” he said.

In college, he played at Cedar Valley in Dallas, then at Arlington Baptist University, and finally at Dallas Christian College, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management.

While playing in college he was a National Goal Scorer all four years, and two times All American. His best record was 30 goals in 18 games.

He coached one semester at Dallas Christian, then became an assistant coach at Hill College before coming to Cisco. “I’m probably the youngest coach in the region,” at 25 years old, he said. “I’ve been coaching since I was 18.”

He is the son of Sergio and Miriam Medel of Red Oak, Texas, and has two siblings, Chucky and Misty.

As for Angel Medel’s success as a coach, “I give credit to the girls who were here last year for sure.” Arriving late in the year with only 13 girls, and still being able to make it to the finals, is huge.”

“It’s not so much me, it’s so much of them. They had the will to win. I tell them, ‘To me, winning is a drug. I need to taste winning. I just can’t go without winning. And I hate losing more than I love winning.’” “Last year, the team that I had, those 13 girls are the reason why the culture is what it is today.” This year the team has 18 girls. Coach Medel recruited in El Paso, Oklahoma, and all over Dallas. The team also has some international players from Jamaica, Canada, England and Italy.

“This year, being able to have a true recruiting class, they understood as well. And it’s like I told them, “One thing I can’t guarantee you is a national tournament, but one thing I could guarantee you is you’ll leave here better.”

“I tell them confidence is key. The culture we have is just being able to have that confidence in order to have the will to win. I think they’re doing just fine with it. Our training sessions, they’re not easy. They’re pretty tough, but they also understand that at the end of the day, I don’t want you hating the sport. So there are times where we enjoy the game. We have music out there.”

“At the end of the day, you fell in love with the sport. You want them to remember that you’re playing a sport because you love it, but you also could enjoy it.”

One of the ways he teaches the girls to enjoy the sport is by taking them on trips, such as a visit to downtown Dallas to play soccer on a rooftop turf. “It was real fun. They enjoyed it. I wanted them to remember when they were a little kid, when they would just chase a ball because they wanted that ball. I need them to understand you can still chase that ball because you want it.”

“Letting them just go out there and play, reminding them of when they were a little kid, was good.”

action.

to information and fulfill These notices may include public meetings, hearings, elections, bids, property matters, ordinances, public sales and other governmental or legal proceedings.

Publishing a notice does not mean the newspaper supports or opposes the action described. The purpose is to provide public access applicable publication requirements.

Residents are encouraged to review legal notices and public notices published in Eastland County Today, county records, meeting agendas, minutes and other publicly available documents.

A published notice does not necessarily mean that every permit or approval associated with a proposed development has been obtained.

Keeping residents informed about these matters is an important responsibility of a along with official

community newspaper.

Eastland Count Today Interested in Community Town Hall Meeting Eastland County Today is interested in seeing a community town hall meeting. The purpose would be to provide an open, respectful forum where questions can be asked, concerns can be heard and information can be shared directly among all involved. Community participation is encouraged.

Staying Informed

Residents are encouraged to follow Eastland County Today’s ongoing reporting, review public meeting agendas and minutes, monitor legal and public notices, attend commissioners court meetings and seek information from project representatives.

Eastland County commissioners court agendas and meeting information are available at www.eastlandcounty. gov/agendacenter.

As additional documented information becomes available, Eastland County Today will continue reporting developments affecting Eastland County residents.

An informed community is a stronger community. By encouraging open appropriate officials and

communication, asking questions and seeking documented answers, residents and decision-makers can better understand the opportunities, challenges and choices that may shape Eastland County’s future.

Contact Eastland County Today

Email: eastlandcountytoday@gmail.com Visit: 215 S. Seaman St., Eastland, TX Phone: 254-629-1707

Editor’s Note

Texas state officials.

The commissioners court meetings, dates and county actions referenced in this article were reported in previous editions of Eastland County Today. References to statewide actions are based on announcements from This article distinguishes previously reported and documented actions from information about the possible Flatwood-area data center that remains Questions and concerns included in this article should not be interpreted as established impacts or outcomes.

ECT welcomes additional documentation, corrections, factual information and responses from public unconfirmed. officials, project

representatives and other knowledgeable parties.

The newspaper’s publication of legal or public notices does not constitute endorsement of the matters described in those notices.

*****

Sources and Public Information

Eastland County Today, County Residents Express Views, Concerns at County Commissioners Court: https://www. eastlandcountytoday. com/ article/6272%2Ccountyresidents- express-viewsconcerns- at- countycommissioners- court Eastland County Today, County Commissioners Vote to Adopt Resolution Opposing Solar Farms: https://www. eastlandcountytoday. com/ article/6520%2Ccountycommissioners- votetoadopt- resolutionopposing- solar-farms Eastland County Today, County Court Passes Resolution Opposing Oncor Proposed Project: h t t p s : / / w w w . eastlandcountytoday. com/ article/5924%2Ccountycourt- passes-resolutiono pposing-oncorproposed-project Eastland County Commissioners Court agendas: https://www. eastlandcounty.gov/ - ECT Staff Report

The Panthers, now 5-2 overall, scored all four of their first-quarter touch downs within the fist 5 minutes of the first quar -ter.

After Post had reeled off the game’s first points, Recendez added the 1-point conversion with a short 3-yard run that staked Gorman to a 7-0 lead.

Just over 2 minutes later, Justin Brown got the Panthers into the end zone again, scoring on a 33-yard scamper that upped the GHS lead to 13-0.

The Panthers’ offense was just getting started. Just 1:41 after scoring its second TD, Gorman scooped up an RHS fumble. Moments later, Recendez hit Korbin Coplin with a 14-yard scoring pass.

Brown closed out a 27-0 first quarter run by the Panthers shortly after Recendez’s second TD pass. He intercepted a Bulldog pass on their ensuing series and returned it 31 yards for a score. Recendez tossed two more TD passes in the second – one to Brown and one to Coplin – and drove the Panthers’ lead to 42-0.

With the loss, Ranger dropped its sixth straight outing and fell to 1-6.

Gorman will return to action this weekend with a showdown with winless May on October 16.

The Bulldogs, who are open this Friday, will host May on October 23.

District 10-A Football Standings District Season W-L W-L Gordon 1-0 6-0 Gorman 1-0 5-2 Lingleville 0-0 2-4 Ranger 0-1 1-6 May 0-1 0-7

Designed and painted by Abilene artist Stephanie Prosser, the mural was developed through a collaborative process from initial concept to final installation. Frizzell provided the overarching framework and historical direction for the project, while Prosser shaped the visual narrative, color palette, and overall composition. Numerous mockups were created and refined throughout the process as the artwork evolved.

Completing the largescale installation required more than 130 hours of dedicated work. Prosser, working alongside her father, completed much of the painting during overnight sessions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to accommodate the scale and physical demands of the project.

The effort also became a true community project through designated paint days that invited students, faculty, staff, and local residents to pick up a brush and contribute directly to the mural.

Drawing inspiration from Cisco College historical archives and materials preserved in the campus time capsule, the finished artwork brings together academic programs, student life, regional traditions, and significant moments in the College’s history.

At the center of the mural are graduates wearing solar eclipse glasses, commemorating a memorable campus viewing event while also symbolizing bright futures and Cisco College students reaching beyond expectations.

Surrounding the graduates are detailed representations of the College’s academic and career pathways. A welder surrounded by sparks highlights skilled trades,

52

while a masked healthcare professional holding a flask recognizes health sciences. A cowboy on horseback represents agriculture and West Texas traditions, including the Lone Star regional rodeo. A trumpet player reflects Cisco College’s musical presence in Abilene-area parades, while a baseball player celebrates Wrangler athletics and the College’s connection with Abilene’s Flying Bisons.

The mural also incorporates several recognizable elements of the Abilene community. Dyess Air Force Base aircraft honor the important relationship between the military installation and the region. First Financial Bank’s headquarters recognizes a key community partner, while Winnie the Pooh provides a playful reference to the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council’s sculpture collection and Abilene’s designation as the Storybook Capital of America.

On the eastern side of the mural, viewers will also find a specially requested goat that became a favorite part of the project during production and has since taken on the role of an unofficial campus mascot.

The permanent installation was made possible through financial support and partnerships with the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, First Financial Wealth, and The Rea Charitable Trust. Their support helped transform a prominent exterior wall at the Abilene Educational Center into a visual landmark that celebrates Cisco College’s history, educational mission, and lasting relationship with the Abilene community.

The mural now stands as both a reflection of the College’s first 20 years of growth in Abilene and a symbol of the students, programs, partnerships, and possibilities that will shape its future.

Bandera High School

funding for football field

(Bandera) Bosqueville High School (Waco) Crystal City High School (Crystal City)

Gorman High School (Gorman) Liberty-Eylau High School (Texarkana) Miles High School (Miles) Each school has received a $5,000 prize through the contest, with the opportunity to advance for additional prizes, including regional $1 million grand prize stadium transformation.

T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights contest

finalist awards and a is about more than football. It celebrates the school spirit, community pride and Friday night traditions that bring students, families, alumni and neighbors together. For these schools, upgraded athletic facilities could benefit not only football players, but also marching bands, cheer teams, students and the broader school community.

Article submitted by Roni Singleton

Q&A with Singer-Songwriter Cindy Morgan

by Priscilla Bettis Facebook@ PriscillaBettisAuthor

Cindy Morgan is a Nashville-based singer- songwriter with two Grammy nominees and fourteen Dove Awards. She’s also a novelist, and her latest book, The Dogwood Gospel (Tyndale Fiction) will be released in November. The main character, Charlotte (Charlie) is a teenager in 1954 Tennessee, and she River of Life Church invites you to Revival Worship Night on Sunday, October 18th at 6:00pm. Come join us as we fill the house with praise and honor to our Heavenly Father. Invite your family and friends for a powerful night of praise and worship, prayer, and fellowship. All are welcome.

Revival Worship Night at River of Life

runs away to join the circus. Cisco Writers Club scored a quick Q&A with Morgan.

Q: Your story combines a coming-of-age novel with a suspenseful, police-procedural story. What prompted such a plot?

A: I've always been a fan of books that combine good character development with a plot that keeps the story moving forward. Charlie's story has so many unanswered questions which need investigating. It didn't hurt that I lived next door to a police officer for ten years!

Q: Why the circus?

A: Charlie is adopted and knows nothing about her past. She feels like she doesn't belong anywhere. In the heyday of the traveling circus, the main attraction was often the outcasts of normal society, but among each other, these outcasts found a sense of be-longing. I knew Charlie would find a home there and hopefully get some answers about her past.

Q: Found family plays a powerful role in the book. What do you hope readers take away about belonging and the idea of "home"?

A: "Found family" is a term I love. Growing up in a close-knit Southern family, I think the blood family was held up, almost religiously, but as I have travelled and heard so many stories from people's lives, I've learned that many people find their only safe option is to escape their family. Home is where you are surrounded by a healthy family (blood or found) who understand you and love you for all that you are, good and bad.

Thank you, Cindy Morgan!

Priscilla Bettis is secretary of the Cisco Writers Club. She's the author of Whispers of a Southern Moon.

By Tommy Wells Daniela Rodriguez, Kensie Brown and Alina Torres all legged out top 12 and helped spur the Horman Lady Panthers at the District 22-A Cross Country Championships in Huckabay.

Overall, Gorman had in the top 15 and tallies just 32 total points.

Rodriguez led the Lady Panthers on the trail. She race in seventh with a all five of its runners place finished the 3200-meter time of 17 minutes, 1.87 seconds.

Brown and Torres Bown took eighth at 17:23.51, and Torres placed ninth at 17:38.25.

Zoey Wycoff and Jimena Recendez also did well for GHS. Wycoff was 13th overall at 18:41.72.

Recendez finished 15th t 19:45.40.

The Gorman boys placed their in the varsity boys’ standings, thanks to a stellar run from Gunner Rainey. The senior turned in a time of 18:31.61 in the 5-K race and finished third in the varsity boys’ race.

Dylan Sanchez also placing seventh overall at 20:19.44.

Carson Johnson, Juan Solis and Ty Roper rounded out the Panthers’ list of scoring runners. Johnsonwas 11th at 21:45.89, while Solis took 18th at 256:18.73. Roper Connor Neel also legged out a top 25 effort for the Panthers. He was 23rd at 32:19.55.

finished 21st at 29:28.12.

With the loss, Eastland dropped to 2-4 for the season and fell to 1-2 in district. Clifton moved to 5-1 and 2-1.

The Cubs, who are tied with Hamilton and Tolar for second in the district race – one game behind Millsap, got off to a fast start against Eastland. They scored twice in the first 12 minutes of play and took a 13-0 lead. The Cubs blew the game wide open in the second, scoring three more times to stretch their lead to 33-0 at the half.

They added TDs in the third and fourth quarter to finish off the contest.

Trey Ishmael led the Mavericks’ offensive efforts. He completed nine of his 21 passing attempts for 138 yards. He also carried the ball 11 times as a runner.

Clifton amassed 489 total yards in the contest, including 272 on the ground.

The Mavericks, who have dropped their last two outings, will return to play this Friday when they host Tolar, starting at 7 p.m. at Maverick Stadium.

Tolar heads into the game with a 3-3 record.

District 5-3A Football standings

Colby McIlroy threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns and Landy Vosburg and July Johnson eached rushed for more than 100 yards on Friday and powered the Cisco Loboes to a convincing 58-6 romp over rival Anson in the District 5-2A opener for both squads.

With the win, Cisco improved to 4-2 for the year and, more importantly, moved into a three-way tie with Hico and DeLeon for the top spot in the district race. Anson fell to 3-3 and 0-1.

The Cisco offense hit the ground running in the first quarter.. They pounded out a staggering 27 points in the initial 12 minutes of play and never looked back.

Terrick Hernandez added insult to injury in the second. The Loboes’ kicker booted a 35-yard field goal in the frame and sent Cisco into the half with a 30-6 lead.

Vosburg and Johnson helped Cisco salt away their fourth win in their last five outings, in the second half with a powerful 1-2 rushing attack. Vosburg finished the game with 143 yards and a touchdown on just 10 attempts. Johnson added 129 yards and a score on 19 carries.

McIlroy also added to the Loboes’ rushing totals. He chalked up 52 yards and three touchdowns on just seven attempts.

Vosburg and Canon Harris starred as receivers. Vosburg had 79 yards and a TD via the air. Harris had 78 yards and two TD receptions on just three catches.

Defensively, Vosburg and Carter Toof helped stymie the Tigers’ offense. Both ended AHS drives with interceptions. The Loboes will return to play this Friday when they travel to Hawley. The game will kick off at 7 p.m.

District 5-2A Football Standings District Season W-L W-L Cisco 1-0 4-2 Hico 1-0 6-0 DeLeon1-0 5-1 Hawley 0-1 2-4 Abilene TLCA 0- 1 2-4 Anson 0-1 3-3

The Rising Star Wildcats closed out their non-district schedule on a sour note on Friday, dropping a tough 40-36 decision to Evant.

With the loss, the Wildcats fell to 3-4 heading into this weekend’s District 11-A opener against Moran. Evant improved to 5-2.

The Wildcats district opener, which will be played at home, will start at 7 p.m.

Moram heads into that game at 0-6.

District 11-A Football Standings District Season W-L W-L Strawn 0-0 5-1 Rising Star 0 – 0 3-4 Sidney 0-0 1-4 Moran 0-0 0-6

The Center is hosting a Fish Fry on Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Our volunteers prepare  fried  fish,  chicken  tenders, beans, french fries, coleslaw, potato salad, hush puppies, and of course, some sweet treats for dessert!

Cost is by donation. Come enjoy a great meal and community with us.

We will meet at our Veterans Bldg. next to the Ranger Library. We will have a counselor from the Taylor County Vet Center conducting this meeting.

If you are a combat Vet and want to join us please give me a call.

Larry Monroe Group Founder 251-631-9226

#1 Gorman Chamber of Commerce

#2 VFW Post 4136 - Canteen #3 VFW Post 4136 - Veterans #4 Dennis 4 JP 2

1st Place in Each Category Below

BANDS - The Woodbridge Church

TRACTORS - 1945 Oliver 60 - Walter McCarroll

AFTER CLASSIC CAR

- Carrie Pilant

DRILL TEAM/ CHEERLEADERS Ranger Middle School

2026-2027

In Town: FLOATS

#1 Backwoods Horror Haunted House

#2 Ranger ISD Athletes AD Mark Thomas

#3 Ranger ISD Middle/ High School Student Council

#4 Ranger Church of God

#4 The People’s Church of Ranger Miss Ranger Pageant

#1 Lyla Worley & Schuyler Wells

#2 Maybelle Stewart

#3 Scarlett Quirk

#4 Pageant Beauties

#5 Kaylee Leon

Food served from 4:45 to 6:pm. Everything is FREE donated by The Kitchen Table Bible Study Group.

Service starts at 6:pm until 9:pm. There will be Gospel Congregational Music.

Special Guest Speakers: Pastor/ Evangelist Clark Bosher - Willow Park Baptist Church - Willow Park, Texas Pastor Harold Roan First Baptist Church - Rising Star, Texas Pastor Frank Boydstun - Pleasant Grove Baptist Church - May/Lake Brownwood, Texas Come as you are. Everyone is Welcome! Bring a chair of blanket (BYOC). The Revival will be held in the park weather permitting.

Alternative site is the Market Building furnished by Ms. Jo Sledge.

Sponsored By: The Kitchen Table Bible Study Group

The Friendship Meal will be this coming Tuesday, October 20th, 2026.

The menu for October…A spaghetti with meatball meal and dessert. Washed down with tea donated by Dairy Queen in Cisco and then our drawing for gift baskets put together by Wild Flower Florist in Cisco. .

Join us from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at The Holy Rosary Catholic Church Hall, on the corner of 11th & F.

The meal is a food ministry project, run by parishioners of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. It’s a home cooked meal and anyone from any community is invited for food and fellowship. We encourage families and individuals to attend. So, bring friends, strangers and of course, yourself. We know our guests come for the cooking, but they stay for socializing and drawing. The only requirement is an appetite.

Hey, if you just don’t feel like cooking or you want to meet up with friends for a meal, whatever the reason, come and join us.

Because of a kind donation from Cisco Strong, this coming year’s meals will be thanks to their generosity. Cisco Strong will also be having their Cisco TX Pie Fest starting off at 5 p.m. Friday with a chicken Pot Pie Dinner then Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. the town will be vendors, music, food and of course PIE! This is their biggest fund raiser of the year.

Next month’s meal, the first Tuesday of November, the 3rd, we are at the First Baptist Church in Eastland at the corner of Lamar and Valley, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. November’s dinner, turkey of course.

If you have any questions, please call Pete Loftin at 254-5952303.

Polls will open at 7:00 a.m. at each location Voters may vote at any open vote center on election day (November 3, 2026).

Election Day Vote Centers:

Pct 1- Eastland County Courthouse - 100 W. Main St. Set 104A Eastland, TX Pct 2- Olden Community Center - 106 CR 447 Olden, TX Pct 3 - Ranger Community Center - 718 Pine St. Ranger, Tx Pct 4 - Desdemona Activity Center - 6035 HWY 8 Desdemona, Tx Pct 5 - Gorman Community Center - 118 S. Kent St. Gorman, Tx Pct 6 - Carbon Community Center - 201 W. Anthracite Carbon, Tx Pct. 7 - Rising Star Fire Station- 127 N. Main St. Rising Star, Tx Pct. 8 - Cisco First Baptist Church (Family Life Center)-800 Ave. E. Cisco, Tx Pct. 9 - Lake Leon Baptist Church- 2601 FM 2214 Eastland, Tx