HIGH POINTS FROM EL CAMINO REAL
CHRIS DAVIS elcaminoreal@consolidated.net

It's Halloween on El Camino Real and all our little ghosts and goblins are looking to sink a sweet tooth into something good that they collect in their little plastic pumpkins and sacks. Trees in the yards of favorite people usually sprout toilet paper around this time. It happens every year and it has for as long as I can remember. I better give you your four bits' worth of news and leave Halloween to our little spooks and witches.

I was sorry to hear about the passing of Madeline Armstrong over the weekend. Ms. Armstrong was 88 years old. She has been a part of our community for many years and we mourn her passing. Please keep her family in your prayers during this difficult time.

If you thought there was an extra large amount of Hummers in town this past weekend it was because of the big Hummer Rally that was held out at Shiloh Ridge Off Road Park. About 90 Hummers were in town to participate in the rally. I saw one at the grocery store that made my jaw drop it was so jacked up and fancy. I just hope they didn't drive it off in a mud hole. We get to see some real sights when the folks from the big cities bring their toys to Alto to play.

The Alto Middle School Student Council created a mock graveyard of all the famous people who have died because of alcohol and drug abuse. The activity was planned as a component of Red Ribbon Week.

Hilltop Baptist Church will host the sixth annual Fall Fest and Chili Cook-off on Halloween night from 6-8:30 p.m.. This year all children can get an armband for .50 and receive all the food, drinks, games and time on the moonwalk. We will also have a cake walk with lots of sweets made by our sweet ladies in the Worshiping Women, and you can dunk your favorite person in the dunking booth for the low price of three balls for $1. At 7 p.m. they will give away an iPod as a door prize. All proceeds will go to their children's camp ministry. So go by Hilltop and enjoy a frito pie, nachos, drinks, popcorn, snowcones and play lots of games in the name of Jesus. If you have any questions please call Missy at (936) 858-3604 or cell (903) 721-7314 or the church office at (936) 858- 3002.

A. Frank Smith United Methodist Church will be hosting their annual "Trunk or Treat." Church members will have the trunks of their cars and themselves decorated for Halloween. They will be giving out lots of treats to everyone who comes by. Children are invited to come by the church parking lot on Halloween night between 6:30-8:30 p.m. and enjoy this annual event. It gets bigger every year, so stop by for some great Halloween fun.

The Alto Chamber of Commerce will be hosting Trick or Treat on the sidewalks of downtown Alto. Business men and women will be handing out goodies to all the children who pass by on Halloween. It looks like we have some great activities going on this Halloween, complete with lots of candy. It's holidays like this that make me wish that I had become a dentist instead of a judge.

Shannon and Trey Crosby are the proud parents of a new baby boy. Nathon Paul Crosby was born in Athens Oct. 17. The little fellow weighed 6 lbs and 8 oz and was 19.5 inches long. Grandparents are Bill and Fay Hudson of Alto and Dean and Fay Crosby of Palestine. His Uncle J-Hud and Aunt Jana are also here to welcome him to Alto when he comes. You can tell I got my news from the proud father's side of the family and that is why I don't have one speck of information about the new mother's family. Congratulations to the Crosby's on their new baby boy.

Alto will be filling up with vendors and food booths on Saturday, Nov. 3 for the Annual Pecan Festival. Every year the people that put this on work hard to make it a real success. If the weather is anything like it has been, there isn't any reason that this shouldn't be a great day for a festival. Make plans to attend if you are not in the woods kicking off the first day of the regular deer season. It sounds like a good place for the ladies to go while the men are hunting. I know the ladies from the Methodist Church will be down there selling cookbooks and crystal bracelets.

I don't even want to think about a pecan. I've been picking out pecans all week. My hands are sore and nobody will help me. My mother-in-law always says she is going to help, but she never does. She helps eat them and that's about it for her part. I wonder if the law found her in my deep freeze would they believe she just fell in trying to steal pecans? The wife hardly adds pecans in the stuff she bakes because the boys don't like them. I wonder when anybody around here is going to start worrying about what I like. I might just take my pecans and sell them at the Pecan Festival.

Alto High School Senior Matthew Barnes and Ag Teacher John Griffith spent the week in Indianapolis, Ind. at the National FFA Convention. Matthew is the Texas Area 9 FFA President and represents 125 schools. We are very proud of Matthew's accomplishments in FFA and we are lucky to have him representing Alto as our Area 9 FFA president. I watched some of the National FFA Convention on the RFD Channel and I was very impressed with the caliber of young people and the great speakers they had on the program. A big thanks to John Griffith for going the extra mile each year teaching and working with our kids.

The Alto Schools celebrated Red Ribbon Week last week with many activities focusing on keeping kids off drugs. The Alto Middle School student council got into the spirit of the week by creating a mock graveyard depicting grave markers with epitaphs of unfortunate souls who used drugs. Other activities included dress-up days and prizes in drawings for students wearing red ribbons. Red Ribbon week is a national week of awareness for students to learn the dangers involved with drugs.

I guess this is about enough news for the mind to absorb in one sitting. I didn't even talk about the Yellowjackets or the Powder Puff Football game. I'm sure they'll be covered somewhere else in the paper. Keep the news coming and I'll try and make room for it. I'll see ya next week! And remember, Use what talents you have: The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those who sang the best.