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Riding high on the wings of a Houston championship

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DidYouKnow ColumnHeadYay! The Astros won and we got our extra hour of sleep. We will have a lot to be grateful for in our area over the next two months.

Christmas in Shepherd on Dec. 3 and Coldspring on Dec. 10 will be events to enjoy for all. Please look at the web sites for forms to become a vendor or enter a float or vehicle in a parade.

•Coldspring Chamber had the best ever Car Show at Wolf Creek Park. Well over 2,000 people came and enjoyed the weekend.

Next thing on the list for Coldspring is Town Lighting on Nov. 26. This is the 44th annual event and will have Mayor John Benestante doing the ceremony of lighting the Square. This will be at 6 p.m. although the event starts at 9 a.m. with vendors and sales, treats and fun throughout the day.

Chief Jeffrey Sparks of the Shepherd ISD Police Department.Chief Jeffrey Sparks of the Shepherd ISD Police Department.Look in at the shops on the Square. Paradise on the Square will be open till 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and after by appointment only. You can make an appointment by calling (936) 653-2332. Drop by and enjoy some light refreshments too.

•We had two very different businesses hold ribbon cuttings at Coldspring Chamber this week.

First was Lana Shadwick, attorney at law, who is renting an office in the Chamber building. This is to accommodate clients in this area instead of having to visit her office in Livingston. Ms. Shadwick handles family and criminal law cases.

Her experience stretches over 30 years. She was a former family law judge in Harris County, a prosecutor in the same county and has had experience as a probate staff attorney. The Chamber is pleased to have her as a new member.

To call or text her firm call (936) 239-6336 or call (936) 653-2529.

The other business is Houston Carriage LLC. Owner Hurn Allison, with Tim Moore who drives the carriages, has a fleet of carriages for those events like weddings, funerals including military funerals, and other events which call for a splendid showing like birthdays and parades.

There are glass-enclosed hearses and caissons for the military funerals. Mr. Allison donates carriages for those first responders and service men and women killed in the line of duty. Wedding carriages are of course beautifully crafted vehicles for the happy occasion and the business travels all over Texas and has gone as far as Mississippi and Louisiana.

Please look at the website for more information at www.houstoncarriage.com or call (713) 828-6790.

•Over the years I have been writing this column, I have met some extremely interesting people. I would like to introduce you to some of them from time to time. People who serve our communities but are rarely seen yet who do important work. One of them is Chief Sparks, Police Chief at Shepherd ISD.

I talked to him while planning the route for the Christmas Parade and realized how he does an important job which gets very little attention from the public. The chief has been in law enforcement for 40 years. The first 28 years were spent policing the 5th Ward in Houston where he said murders, car chases and violence were everyday occurrences.

Living in our area for a little time, he met School Superintendent Jody Cronin who persuaded him to retire from Houston and take over as a law officer at the school district. He said he was the only police force for all four campuses for 8 years. Change came when tragedy struck the High School in Santa Fe, and more officers were hired in our area. Today there are three more officers full-time with another three part-time who can be called upon if needed.

Chief Sparks said he found he loved the job and has never missed a day of work in the 12 years he has been here. The difference in his life was incredible, he said, and it was during the early years here that he became a dedicated Christian, one who sees his work as an extension of service to his faith and to his community.

Contact the Shepherd Chamber at (936) 628-3890 or the Coldspring Chamber at (936) 653-2184.

Yvonne Cones is president of the Greater Shepherd Chamber of Commerce, and secretary of the Coldspring Chamber of Commerce.

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