Q. I grow my tomatoes in large containers in an old vegetable garden in full sun. How important is it to control the weeds growing at the base of the containers in the garden soil? Last year the wildflowers I planted on the site were beautiful but for the first time I had spider mites. Do you think they are related?

Soil testing Soil testing is crucial for understanding the health and fertility of your soil. It involves collecting samples from different areas of your property and sending them to a lab for analysis.

Week of April 15-19 TPWD sued in attempt to block land swap with SpaceX The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is being sued in an attempt to block a land swap deal with SpaceX in South Texas, kut. org reported.

I was recently asked to write about my college football coach. This brought out so many memories. It was hard to begin but once I started, it was hard to stop because my college coach was a giant of a man to me.

The USBC’s motto is “A Future For The Sport”. There is some general concern about the lack of participatory sports in our society as video gaming and social media seem to be predominant activities for many young folks – the future of our sport. According to industry reports, in the 1960s there were 11,500 bowling alleys or “houses'' in the US. Though the sport has remained popular, with about many Americans playing at least once a year, current demand supports only 3,000 or so houses. But the remaining bowling centers are becoming much more than many of the older dingy houses, with more and better lanes and additional attractions. One kind of bizarre factoid I came across is that bowling had the second highest participation rate among Americans (19%), strangely enough second only to the ever-popular cornhole bean bag toss game (20%).

Way to go, Hopkins County! Monday was one of the most special days I have ever witnessed. The weather cooperated to give us a glorious view of one of God’s special wonders, and we had visitors from literally around the world to help us celebrate the Total Solar Eclipse on the centerline.

A dear friend dropped by my yard sale last weekend. I wasn’t surprised, because that’s how Mr. A.J. Brannon and I became friends a few years ago. Now 99 years old, he uses a walker and has a caregiver driver. He’s retained his good spirits, fine sense of humor, and his singing voice. He sang a few lines of “Honey on the Rock’ as we chatted.

When I get older, I want to be a cosmetologist. I've always loved playing with my friends' hair, and of course, doing my own. I learned how to braid when I was seven, and everyday I would come home from school, I would ask my grandma if I could braid her hair. That was my thing to look forward to after being at school all day.

Adequate and proper facilities support educational growth of students. School design, classroom space, and sport facilities promote and enhance academic achievement. Proper facilities help to reduce risk of injury and attract new students. How do districts go about funding such facilities?

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer – find your way to JP’s Classic Lanes for some summer bowling. Leagues are forming and, even though it seems early, the time to sign up is now! The Sunday evening Home-Run League will begin bowling June 16 at 6:30 p.m. Teams will have four members in any combination of male/female. The final competition day will be Aug. 25. Food and drink are included in the weekly $20 charge. And be on the lookout for special promotions.