UPCOMING

April 12 is last day to register to vote in city,

school elections

Local residents are reminded that April 12 is the last day to register to vote in upcoming city and school elections. Voter registration is underway at the county tax office. City and school elections are scheduled for May 12.

Cherokee County's jail

called 'clean and quiet'

The Cherokee County Jail was certified at its annual Texas Commission on Jail Standards inspection March 21. Sheriff James Campbell said, "The facility passed with no deficiencies found and was issued a certificate of compliance meeting the requirements of Texas Minimum Jail Standards.

More than 21 categories relating to compliance were checked and found to be in order and in compliance. The Cherokee County Jail is a 188-bed facility and averaged 146 inmates per day last year. Texas Jail Standards Inspector George H. Johnson said, "The facility is very clean and quiet."

"I am very proud of our jail staff for the hard work they do each day in managing a safe and orderly facility," Sheriff Campbell said.

Easter snow?

Gardeners are sweating whether they lost their crops during the freeze.

see pg. 8A for more. Income tax filing deadline looms

If you are among the procrastinators who have not filed income taxes yet, an April 15 deadline is looming.

The IRS estimates that 9.7 million individuals will apply for a six-month extension in fiscal 2006, out of 134 million individual Form 1040 filers.

Psychologists have analyzed why procrastinators wait until the last minute. The top two reasons are "fear" and "rebellion."