News

The Milam County & District Attorney’s Office will sponsor the 20th Annual Tree of Angels ceremony Monday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m., at the Milam County Museum located at 112 West First Street, downtown Cameron.  

The Tree of Angels program is celebrated each year across Texas and enables survivors of violent crime and victims’ families to place an angel ornament on a special Christmas tree in support of or in memory of their loved one.  This tradition was started in 1991 in hopes that the blessings of the holiday season would comfort the victims and their families during this difficult time.

Members of the armed services will also be remembered and honored. All military families are invited to attend and place an angel on the tree in honor of or in remembrance of their loved one.

Cameron’s holiday tradition will have a Texan flair this year.

The Cameron Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas Parade is set for Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in downtown Cameron. This year’s theme is “Merry Texas Christmas Ya’ll.”

Activities downtown will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a great line-up of arts and crafts vendors, jewelry, jams and jellies, vegetables and more, along with food and snacks provided by area organizations. The Yoe  FFA will have hot coco and s’mores.

Downtown merchants The Bling Box and The Mini Pearl, along with others, will be open before and after the parade with some Christmas specials and treats. There is still room for arts and crafts, food and other vendors to participate in our Christmas Parade downtown activities. You can call the Chamber office at (254) 697-4979 for more information.

The Yoe High Band named its Band Beau and Band Sweetheart during pre-game activities Friday night. Seniors Nikolas Keratsopoulos and Ny’ely Yglecias received these honors.

Milam County Commissioners approved updates to a tax abatement agreement with Bitmain Technologies during at meeting Nov. 13.

Milam County Judge David Barkemeyer said the company requested changes be considered in the wording of the agreement. 

“We had a workshop session on this and did the revisions to the original proposal,” Barkemeyer said. “What we decided in our workshop was that we were going to approve this revised agreement in court today and present this to Bitmain as approved by the commissioners. This is our tax abatement agreement to them. We are not negotiating with them on this. They came to us and asked for a tax abatement and we are presenting it to them.”

Yoe High held its annual Flame Pep Rally on Nov. 7. Flame King and Queen for 2018 were Junior Tiffany Bolivar and Senior Anthony Layne. Other nominees were freshmen Jesse Martinez and Brandi Drake; sophomores Randy Flores and Halle Berry; junior Billy Collier; and senior Emily Graham.

Milam County’s new judge will be Steve Young.

Young, a Republican, will replace current County Judge David Barkemeyer who will retire at the end of this term. Young received 5,418 votes. Challenger Jared Melde received 2,513 votes. 

“I was pleased to get that much of the vote,” Young said. “That support is important moving forward and will help to get things done.”

Young said he spoke with Melde and thanked him for running a clean, positive campaign.

“The number one thing I am ready to work on is economic growth and jobs and growing a tax base for Milam County,” Young said. “We have gotten that started with the economic development committee and I hope to grow that. We want business to know that Milam County wants you to come here.”

The Cameron Planning and Zoning Commission heard several thoughts on its proposed new zoning ordinances from the community during and public hearing Tuesday night at City Hall.

This was the first step in the update of a new zoning ordinance for the City of Cameron. The last time the city passed a zoning ordinance was in 1986.

About 60 residents were at the meeting to voice concerns over parts of the ordinance, which is available for residents to look at on the city’s website at camerontexas.net. There are also copies of available at City Hall and the Cameron Public Library.

City Councilmember Melissa Williams said planning and zoning has been working on the proposed changes for almost three years. She said the changes are needed because at this time there are several land uses in the city that don’t match up to what the current zoning map has that land zoned for.

Oveer 400 trick-or-treaters filled Bea’s Kitchen on Halloween night as part of Cameron Chamber of Commerce’s Trunk or Treat. Cameron businesses and organizations handed out candy and treats. For results from the costume contest can be found on Page 3.

Early voting results from Milam County are:

County Judge
Steve Young - 3,789
Jared Melde - 1,543

Proposition 
For - 1,528
Against - 3,210

The Bell Brigade has become a tradition for several Cameron families.

Sam Berry and John Graham served on the first Bell Brigade in 1990 and now their daughters Presley Berry and Emily Graham are serving on the Bell Brigade. James Parker also served on the Bell Brigade in 1990 and his niece Gracen Dach is now a member. 

Sam Berry said the original Bell Brigade began in 1990 when a group of them decided to take the bell to games during the season. 

“Back at that time the student council was in charge of ringing the bell,” he said. “Our junior year we had it and we were in charge.”

He said that during their senior year the group - Jerry Kostroun, Chad Burnett, Sam Berry, John Graham, James Parker and Matt Stone - got together and wore camo during pep rallies and rang the bell. They then decided to wear black shirts and maroon berets and take the bell to games with them.