According to a release today by the U.S. Census Bureau, eight of the 15 fastest-growing large U.S. cities and towns for the year ending July 1, 2012 are in Texas.

(L-R) The newest member of Red River Regional Hospital, Dr. Ziad Abdo, general surgeon; David Conejo, Red River Regional Hospital Chief Operating Officer; John Farris, Bonham Area Chamber of Commerce President

A time for remembrance, great food, a patriotic parade, music, kids activities, and local crafts -- you will find it all at the Taste of Texoma sponsored by the Clara Blackford & W. Aubrey Smith Foundation. Our traditional event is in it's 16th year, after moving indoors from Heritage Park to the Piazza Building at 506 W. Chestnut Street (the old Safeway store) next to City Hall.

Julie Luton (right) of Bonham receives her award for being CASA Volunteer of the Year from CASA Program Director Sandy Hood.

The Boys & Girls Club of Denison, and the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Denison, are announcing a partnership that some would say is long overdue. Effective immediately, the Boys & Girls Club of Denison, formerly the Denison Girls Club, will take the lead role of providing Club related services to families and young people in Denison.

1974 – death of Duke Ellington, American composer, pianist, and bandleader. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American composer, pianist, and big-band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions. In the opinion of Bob Blumenthal of The Boston Globe, "In the century since his birth, there has been no greater composer, American or otherwise, than Edward Kennedy Ellington." A major figure in the history of jazz, Ellington's music stretched into various other genres, including blues, gospel, film scores, popular, and classical. His career spanned more than 50 years and included leading his orchestra, composing an inexhaustible songbook, scoring for movies, composing stage musicals, and world tours. Several of his instrumental works were adapted into songs that became standards. Due to his inventive use of the orchestra, or big band, and thanks to his eloquence and extraordinary charisma, he is generally considered to have elevated the perception of jazz to an art form on a par with other traditional genres of music. His reputation increased after his death and the Pulitzer Prize Board bestowed on him a special posthumous honor in 1999.