KILGOROUND
BILL WOODALL

THERE'S GOOD NEWS and then there's great news.

THE great news is that Aaron Davis is coming home Monday.

DAVLYN and Alvin Davis' son was injured July 13 when an improvised bomb was detonated and nine of his fellow soldiers were killed. Aaron has spent time in hospitals in Germany, Washington and San Antonio. And he's not through yet.

BUT he is coming home for a 30-day leave. His flight is scheduled to arive at East Texas Regional Airport at 9 a.m. Monday, though Hurricane Gustav might affect that schedule.

HIS mom would, understandably, like you to join them at the airport. Red, white and blue attire is recommended.

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YES. WE KNOW that Monday is Labor Day. But we've chosen not to labor... the News Herald office will be closed Monday.

WE'LL be back in the of-

fice Tuesday. With any luck at all, we'll be sunburned.

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MAIN Street's Christmas tour looks to be morphing into a gi-normous holiday open house.

WHAT started out to be a tour of three or four downtown properties, including at least one loft residence, not promises to include a string quartet, an art exhibit, finger food, wassail and wine, an more.

THINK of this as a Save- The-Date: November 29, when you're bored to tears with holiday television, make plans to be downtown.

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BONNIE JACKSON KAY, a Hallsville native and now a very active member of the Kilgore community and the First Baptist Church, is the oldest living graduate of East Texas Baptist University... though it was the College of Marshall when she earned her degree.

TUESDAY Bonnie celebrates the end of her first century with a giant birthday card signed by the students and faculty at ETBU.

PAUL Tapp, director of alumni relations at the school, will be at the White Elephant -- the old depot -- Tuesday morning (10-ish) with the elephant-sized card.

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JUST BECAUSE you can fight city hall, doesn't mean you will win. But a 76-yearold guy in Hickman, Neb., will at least win the public relations battle.

THE city council in the town of 1100 people voted to annex Harley Scott's 4-acre tract. Now they tell him he has until Sept. 15 to get rid of the 32-year-old horse he keeps on the property. Scott says there have been horses on the property since 1935 and he's not getting rid of his ageing pet. The city says it will fine him $100 per day.

WE'RE guessing the city council isn't making any friends over the furor.

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HAPPY birthday today, Sunday, to Marcy Sims, Kelli Dawning, Michael Clements Jr., Jo Ann Colbert, R. Mills Griffin, John Barnett, Rhonda Taylor, Diane Lambert, Bill Linn, Philip Couch, Paul Winningham, A.V. Adams, Jan Holt, Tom Boudreau, Kelly Powers, John Jackson, Libby Lane, Chuck Turner, Wesley Causly, Raymond Caldwell, Rocky Vincent, J.F. Burnett, Susan Warren, Chad Gorman, A.V. Adams, Blane Sinclair, Mia Wheat, Jaden Roberson, Greg Pool, Fred Kappen.

CELEBRATING wedding anniversaries today are Mr. and Mrs. Tim Anderson, Wesley and Shara Jobe.

BLOWING out the birthday candles on Monday will be Callie Cunyus, Sandy May, Somer Connelly, Glenn Jones, Tommy Clayton, Kay Shelburne, Cindy Joyner, Earline McCathran, Carl Wayne Gregg III, Anthony Wayne Wheat, Jerry W. Gungton, Ann Wyche, Otis Taylor Jr., Allison Adams, W.W. Troboy, Mary Zuber, Jason Erwin, Jesse Kellebrew, Bobby Williams, Kay Redd,

Mitch Lucas

CELEBRATING an anniversary on Monday will be James and Nell Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Denny M. Smith, Robert and Debbie Copeland, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jamerson, Caroll and Sandra Huffman, Mr. and Mrs. James Robinson, James and Leola Guess, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Elder III, Mr. and Mrs. B.J. Hunter.