With a heart to help others and a generous spirit, Joe and Linda Wingo founded Angel Food Ministries in 1994 to provide food for friends and neighbors who were struggling financially. Today the Angel Food program now is helping provide food relief to more than 500,000 families each month.

Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing food relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States. The program began in 1994 with 34 families in Monroe, Georgia (between Atlanta and Athens), and has grown to serve hundreds of thousands of families every month across 44 states. Angel Food Ministries crosses denominational lines and has spread the good news of the gospel of Christ through salvation tracts that are placed in each food order.

First Baptist Church Brownwood is pleased to announce the creation of a new Sunday Morning Bible Study class for young adults.  This class will meet during the Sunday School hour, at 9:30 on Sunday mornings.  All adults, beyond college age through age 39 are invited to attend.  Married and single adults alike are welcome.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Vicki Vaughn as the teacher of this class.  Dr. Vaughn is a long time member of First Baptist Church and brings a wealth of teaching and life experience to this class", states Joe Franklin, Associate Pastor of Education and Administration.

Early Police released the following reports regarding seperate incidents involving the apprehension of an illegal immigrant, a DWI and an arrest for marijuana and drug paraphernalia in a Drug-Free Zone.

On Monday 03/29/10 the Early Police Department was dispatched to the 200 block of Eastover to assist U.S. Border Patrol who was involved in a foot pursuit of an illegal immigrant.  Early K-9 Unit consisting of Officer Johnny Brown and his K-9 partner, Tessa, arrived on scene.  After briefing with the Border Patrol Agents, Officers learned that one of the fleeing subjects fled into a heavily wooded area near a creek.  Officer Brown deployed Tessa on a track for the suspect.  After a few minutes Tessa found odor of the fleeing subject and led Officer Brown to him where he was hiding in heavy underbrush.  He was successfully detained and placed into custody by the U.S. Border Patrol.

East Elementary honored selected students with the Paw Pride Awards for the 4th Six Weeks.  Each received a certificate.

Below are pictures of the recipients by classes.

A room full of United Way supporters filled the Beadel Dining Hall at the Mabee Center of Howard Payne University on Tuesday.  Although the local 2010 United Way Campaign goal was not met, its success was celebrated at the annual luncheon due to the fact that “over $300,000 was able to be raised in hard times” said Karen Lynch, Executive Director of the Brown County United Way.

Member agencies that will benefit from the United Way in 2010 that serve Brown County are:  American Red Cross, Salvation Army Loaves & Fishes, Boy Scouts of America, Latch Key Program, Family Services Center, CASA, Small World Child Development Center, Brown County Association for Retarded Citizens, Mid-Texas Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse, Boys & Girls Clubs, Brown County 4-H Clubs, Girl Scouts of Central Texas, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Ark, and Cancer Services Center.

Eight area high schools attended the annual Texas State Technical College Welding Competition at the Brownwood TSTC campus on Tuesday.  This was a chance for the students to show off their welding and fabrication skills.  There were 23 students from Bangs, Brownwood, Blanket, Breckenridge, Coleman, Gustine, and Priddy.

There were two divisions of competition, individual and group projects.  Each project was made prior to the event.  Individual projects showcased the skills of the one student who had to possess all the skills needed to complete the project.  In contrast, the group project allowed students to do more complex projects with teamwork that used each student’s particular interest and aptitude. Group projects had to be documented with reports such as supply lists, blueprints, and pictures showing the progress of the project similar to a scrapbook.

Each school picked one student to be their on-site welding contestant.  Students were asked to weld using the MIG and/or stick processes. Blueprint reading and torch cutting was also part of the test.

The Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program reservations officially begin Monday, April 5, at 7 a.m. CT, when consumers can receive rebate forms for select ENERGY STAR® appliances by visiting the online reservation system at www.TexasPowerfulSmart.org or calling (877) 780-3039. Texans can use the rebates to buy energy efficient appliances in eight different appliance categories and replace the same type of old, functional appliance.

Both the online reservation system and the toll-free phone number will offer bilingual customer support in English and Spanish. Once all guaranteed rebates are reserved, consumers may continue to sign up on a waiting list for any guaranteed rebates that go unused; it is important to note that placement on the waitlist does not guarantee a rebate.

At Brownwood Intermediate School, six 6th grade Gifted and Talented students are learning about quilt blocks from quilter and Intermediate Counselor Jan Golub.

The students are making a story quilt.  Below is a picture of the group with the quilt they are constructing.

 

The National Weather Service in San Angelo has issued a red flag warning... (for most of the Big Country, Central Texas and into the Panhandle of Texas) which is in effect from noon to 8 PM CDT Tuesday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect.

Very warm afternoon highs approaching 90 degrees and a very dry airmass will lead to afternoon relative humidities of 15 percent or less. In addition... strong south winds around 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph will lead to critical fire weather conditions. The greatest fire danger will occur mainly west of a Brownwood to Junction line.

Four individuals were arrested early Sunday morning after Brownwood Police suspected them of intentionally damaging a parked vehicle.

Police received a report at 3:32am Sunday of a man standing on a car and bashing in the windshield in the 1300 block of 13^th St according to police reports.  When officers arrived, they reported that a group of people scattered and ran in different directions.  Officers Brian Tomkins and Trey Weathermon chased two of the suspects on foot to the 2400 block of Coggin.  The police report states that officers ordered the men to stop and get on the ground, but they ignored the commands.  Officer Weathermon used his Taser Electric Control Device to subdue one of the suspects identified as 37-year-old Anthony James Garcia, Sr.  The other suspect identified as 19-year-old Anthony James Garcia, Jr soon surrendered to officers as well.  Both men were arrested for Criminal Mischief >=1,500<$20k and Evading Arrest.

The police report indicates that witnesses identified other suspects in the incident.  A short time later, Officer Weathermon located the suspects driving in a vehicle in the 400 block of W. Commerce.  29-year-old Ricky James DeLaRosa and 17-year-old Valerie Dawn Gomez-Ortega were arrested and both were also charged with Criminal Mischief >=1,500<$20k

Monday morning, the Brown County Commissioners Court approved a resolution for the DWI Court Grant.  By approving this resolution, the court has enabled the county to reapply for the grant obtained in 2008 that was funded by a matching grant which funds intensive court supervision of Multiple DWI offenders. 

The grant currently provides enough money to fund the program for about 7-9 people; however, if the grant is awarded to Brown County again, it will enable the county to have up to 20 participants in the program.  This year will be different in that the grant is not on a matching basis but will be entirely funded by the State of Texas. 

The application is for the amount of $82,205, which will enable the court to reach more participants with better testing and equipment.  The testing available will help test even metabolized alcohol, enabling a longer history of alcohol consumption to be more closely monitored.  Smart Start equipment that makes the offender take a breathalyzer test to start their car is now more developed with a cost that is approximately $70 per month versus the previous costs of about $300 per month to monitor those in the program.  This Smart Start equipment also takes a picture of who is actually blowing into the apparatus.