A SUPPLEMENT OF
October 2020
ONE TANK TRIP Hot Springs offers variety of fun travel opportunities
page 12
Fall activities offer families chance ..................... page, 4 to make memories, enjoy Halloween A meeting of water and sky................................. page, 6 Joy of the season on tap.................................... page, 10
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| THE GOOD LIFE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS October 2020
ON THE COVER
Fall activities offer families chance to make memories, enjoy Halloween ����������������������������������
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A meeting of water and sky ����������������
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Joy of the season on tap ����������������������������
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One Tank Trip: Hot Springs offers variety of fun travel opportunities ���������������
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Publisher Alexander Gould Editor Wyndi Veigel Writers Christina Cavazos • Bridget Ortigo Advertising Sales Brenna Stevens Graphic Designer Kimberley Bailey
COURTESY OF JOHN MARTELL PHOTOGRAPHY
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| THE GOOD LIFE
Fall activities offer families chance to make memories, enjoy Halloween By Christina Cavazos Contributing Writer
We have a camel, kangaroo, lemurs, goats, sheep. We offer pony rides.” Yesterland Farm also has picnic tables that can be reserved for a fee.
C
On Friday and Saturday nights, Spooktacular Nights at alie Waller is looking forward to seeing families from
Yesterland Farm offer spooky attractions. Attractions remain
across East Texas make lifelong memories this fall at her
family friendly, and have “no blood, no guts, no gore,” Bozeman
pumpkin patch.
noted.
“This is a great way to get outdoors, enjoy the weather and of
Spooky attractions include a creepy corn maze. At night, the day
course take home a pumpkin to carve or to sit on your porch,”
time corn maze transforms into a creepy maze in which a variety of
Waller said. “At Calie’s Acre, no matter what year it is, we’re about
spooky creatures might be lurking around corners. Other evening
making memories.”
activities include zombie paintball, a vertigo vortex, and Chuckles
Waller owns Calie’s Acre, a pumpkin patch experience with a variety of activities for families. Calie’s Acre is one of many fall attractions that East Texans can visit to make memories.
the clown’s funhouse. Since opening in 2000, Yesterland Farm has become a fall tradition for East Texans.
Located at 10589 Texas 300 between Longview and Gilmer,
“It’s a great time to put your phone away and enjoy family time
Calie’s Acre features a pumpkin patch where families can take
together,” Bozeman said. “But we have something for everyone,
photos and pick pumpkins. It also features activities, such as
so this is great for families, date nights, girls nights. There’s
hayrides, a playground, a spiderweb to climb on, a barrel train,
something fun for all ages.”
gem mining and more. This marks the first year for the McKinney Corn Dog Stand to be on site with corn dogs and funnel cakes that attendees can snack on, Waller said. For families looking to get outdoors, Waller said Calie’s Acre has plenty of space to social distance and still have fun.
Located on I-20 in Canton, Yetserland Farm is open for the fall season through Nov. 8. October hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays. November hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. In addition to regular hours, Yesterland Farm will also be open
“This is a great time to get out. We’ve all been indoors a little
Oct. 12 for Columbus Day. Spooktacular Nights are on Friday
more than usual, and this is just a really fun outdoor experience,”
and Saturday nights in October from dark until close. For more
Waller said. “We have a big area to be able to social distance, but
information, visit www.yesterlandfarm.com.
still just have a fun time with the family and make memories.”
Thomas Falls
Admission to Calie’s Acre is $5 per person, but some activities have additional fees. Calie’s Acre is open now through Nov. 6. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For information, visit www.caliesacre.com.
Yesterland Farm In Canton, Yesterland Farm is offering a variety of attractions for both children and adults. “We are open. In most capacities, we are doing the same thing we have done in the past, but we’re spreading things out a bit more,” owner Kama Bozeman said. Activities at Yesterland Farm include rides, a pumpkin patch, a wagon train ride, an apple cannon, a corn maze and a new paintball gallery, she said. “We have pig races throughout the day, and that’s always a cute show,” Bozeman said. “We also have great fall photo ops. We have expanded our Animal Town, which was new last year.
In Diana, East Texans will have a chance to Zipline with the Zombies at Thomas Falls. The fifth annual family-friendly event invites patrons to Thomas Falls for an evening of fun. Guests will arrive at Thomas Falls via wagon, then navigate through a maze where creatures of the night may pop out. In a mystery barn, they’ll then become disoriented with water running uphill and gravity that pulls them toward a casket. A mysterious story will be told, and then guests will navigate to Skull Cliff where a 3-foot-tall skull will talk to people as they get ready to zip line. It’s all part of the fun at Thomas Falls, where owner Stan Thomas says all of the fun is family friendly with no gore. “This is a genuine family fun event, where the oldest people to the youngest will enjoy it equally,” Thomas said. “This is not something where you have to stand by and watch your kids do stuff. You get to participate with the kids and the grandkids.”
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MarshallNewsMessenger.com The zipline course features three ziplines. The first takes guests 900 feet in the air as they soar over a lake, Thomas said. The course finishes with Thomas Falls’ famed Old Shaky zipline. Activities begin at dark with timed entrance. Advance reservations are required. Cost is $39 per person, and children generally must weigh at least 42 pounds to ride the ziplines, Thomas said. For information, visit thomasfalls.com.
Historic Jefferson Railway Meanwhile, in Jefferson, the Historic Jefferson Railway will give East Texans an opportunity to see Bigfoot emerge from the swamp. The Halloween Express, which offers an antique train ride, will have vignettes along the track and attendees can hear about “The Haunting of Big Cypress Bayou” as the train takes them on a 40-minute ride along the bayou. According to the depot, attendees may see a ghostly spirit or Bigfoot emerge from the East Texas swamplands. Halloween train rides depart at 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. each Saturday in October. The Historic Jefferson Depot, located at 400 E. Austin St. in Jefferson, opens at 11 a.m. each Saturday. For information, visit diamonddonempire.com/historicjefferson-railway/.
LES HASSELL /MARSHALL NEWS MESSENGER Top: Kylie Hess shows off a pretty fall outfit amid pumpkins at Calie’s Acre. Bottom Right: The Halloween Express in Jefferson will offer a spooktacular time each Saturday during October.
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| THE GOOD LIFE
A meeting of
Water and Sky
October 2020 | 7
MarshallNewsMessenger.com
Bridget Ortigo Staff Writer
A
Rockport based photographer’s is garnering much attention after capturing breathtaking photos of the Milky Way perched way up in the sky above the Cypress trees and Spanish moss at Caddo Lake. “I try to never self guide when I travel for photography,” Rockport Photographer John Martell said. “Caddo Lake is a great example. If I set out in the dark, in the early morning or late evening, to get a sunrise or sunset shot, it would be easy to waste time trying to find the best place to go for all the elements I’m looking for in my shot.” So Martell, who has visited Caddo Lake a few times before his most recent visit earlier this month, reconnected with Caddo Outback Tours guide John Win. “John has a good reputation among photographers and he knows where to go for the best light at certain times, or whatever setting you’re looking for,” Martell said. “We really depend on these photography guides.” Martell specializes in photos of the Milky Way Galaxy, as well as sunrise or sunset photos so he and John mostly went out shooting during the early morning hours, late evening or midnight hours. Martell was seeking to capture a photograph of the Milky Way high in the night sky above the haunting Spanish moss covered Cypress trees of Caddo Lake. The only problem Martell said, was being on a boat in the middle of a body of water, didn’t provide the sturdiest base needed for the shot. “To get a photo of the sky at night with the stars, you have to leave the shutter open longer, about 20 seconds, and allow for longer exposure, and you have to keep the camera rock steady,” Martell said. “Any movement during that longer exposure, you’d just see blurs instead of stars.” To counteract the problem, Martell and Win put their heads together and grabbed a piece of galvanized pipe, stuck it down into the couple feet deep of mud that sits at the bottom of the shallow areas of Caddo Lake, and put one leg of the camera’s tripod down inside the galvanized pipe, then attached the camera atop. Martell and Win named their invention the “pipe-pod.” “We had a steady base now with the ‘pipe-pod’ and could allow for the longer exposure and it worked,” Martell said. The resulting photo is reported to be the first of the Milky Way above Caddo Lake.
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COURTESY OF JOHN MARTELL PHOTOGRAPHY Left:John Martell, a Rockport based photographer, has snapped what is reported as the first photograph of the Milky Way above Caddo Lake. The photo has gone viral on social media.. Right: Part of a Cypress is painted in light in a Caddo Lake photograph.
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COURTESY OF JOHN MARTELL PHOTOGRAPHY Top: Light paints the underside of Cypress trees at Caddo Lake Bottom: A Cypress tree is reflected in the waters of Caddo Lake as a rainbow sky lights up the background
“I searched on the Internet to find a photo with that title and couldn’t find a single entry,” Martell said. “This could be the first photos of the Milky Way taken above Caddo Lake, from the research I’ve done.” Some of Martell’s other photos at Caddo Lake show sunrises with the sun’s rays peeking through the Spanish moss of the Cypress trees, while others are sunset photos that show the the leaves of the Cypress trees lit up from below with shadows all around. “We call that ‘light painting’ when we use lights to make the definition of trees and other objects stand out when taking night time photos, other wise you would just see the trees in silhouette,” Martell said. “It’s amazing to think some of those Cypress trees have been there more than 3,000 years.” Martell hadn’t planned the trip to Caddo Lake this summer, but much like the rest of the world in 2020, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affected his travel photography plans this year. “A friend and I were supposed to take a trip to a volcano in Guatemala that you can safely view from a distance erupting every 45 minutes to an hour during this time of year and I wanted to get some photos of the Milky Way above an erupting volcano,” Martell said. “Then we had planned to go to Glacier National Park, but due to COVID-19, and I’m 74 years old, I didn’t want to be on a plane, sitting close to people I don’t know so I looked for places I could drive to by myself.” Caddo Lake ended up being the perfect back up destination for Martell. “Caddo Lake is spectacular,” Martell said. “The water, the sky the reflections of the Cypress trees and Spanish Moss in the water, it’s just spectacular. The Milky Way is also beautiful and so is a sunrise or a sunset but it’s not just them that I want to photograph. I want to photograph the Milky Way or a sunrise or sunset somewhere that you can get a sense of place. I want people to see the photograph and get the feeling that, “I’d like to see the sunrise there. I’ve got to see the Milky Way or a sunset in that place.” Martell has more than 22,000 followers on his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JohnMartellPhotography and posts one photo a day, each day, for more than the past five years. His Milky Way photo above Caddo Lake has been shared more than 1,600 times, has almost 5,000 reactions, more than 500 comments and has been viewed more than 177,000 times as of Wednesday. Martell, who moved to Rockport from Boston 15 years ago, has a namesake gallery in downtown Rockport that has survived Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Martell said the gallery before COVID-19 was open each weekday and Saturday but now has reduced hours, just Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and the extra time off has
October 2020 | 9
MarshallNewsMessenger.com allowed him to drive to more locations and take more photographs. “I do plan to still go to Guatemala, hopefully next year, but right now, I have so much more time for my photography,” Martell said. “A friend told me about this barn out in the country and so last week I went there and took some photos of the Milky Way above this barn that is painted on one side.” Martell has also recently photographed the Milky Way above a cotton field and even managed to get a photo of the Space Station, all of which can be seen on his Facebook page. Martell, an award winning photographer, offers his photos for sell on canvas, cards, metal plates and other objects, through his Facebook page, his art gallery located at 302 South Austin Street and his website at https://www.johnmartellphotography.com/ Next up, Martell plans to drive near to Big Bend National Park, one of the darkest places in the United States, and take photos of the Milky Way. He also said he might return to Caddo Lake. “Caddo Lake is this unbelievable natural gem and one of my reasons for going to these places and doing what I do is because not everyone can get in a car and drive to Caddo Lake, or they can’t get in a plane and fly to Guatemala, or ride a horse and so by taking these photos, I’m able to expose people to the beautiful parts of the earth that they can’t or don’t go to,” Martell said. “I’m also encouraging people to check out places like Caddo Lake, Rockport or Big Bend.” To view Martell’s Caddo Lake photos, visit his Facebook page and scroll the the entry on Aug. 12 labeled, “Success.”
COURTESY OF JOHN MARTELL PHOTOGRAPHY A beautiful mirror image of Caddo Lake.
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| THE GOOD LIFE
Joy of the season on tap By Christina Cavazos Contributing Writer
T
his holiday season families across East Texas will have the opportunity to drive through light displays, participate in festive activities at local businesses, and even see Santa fly across the sky. Cities, individuals and businesses are preparing for the Christmas season with a variety of events and activities to bring joy to the young and the young at heart. In Marshall, the city is preparing for a modified version of Wonderland of Lights. In Longview, a drive-thru light display with nearly 2 million lights is adding a walking trail and new features. In Diana, a zipline course will give children a new way to see Santa. And in Jefferson, the Christmas Express will allow patrons to take a festive train ride.
Wonderland of Lights Marshall is preparing for the Wonderland of Lights holiday festival, but the city is planning several modifications, Main Street Manager Rachel Chapman said. The festival will kick off Nov. 23 with a virtual lighting ceremony. Those who wish can watch the traditional courthouse lighting ceremony via Facebook Live, Chapman said. Many Wonderland of Lights activities, such as ice skating, carousel rides and Santa’s village, will not take place this year as
MICHAEL CAVAZOS/MARSHALL NEWS MESSENGER Carmela’s Mini Santa Land.
the city strives to limit high touch surfaces and encourage social distancing, Chapman said. Nightly carriage rides will continue to take place and downtown merchants will stay open, she said. “We are still going to go ahead with our Saturday events, but for some of them we will have modified versions,” Chapman said. “So, things may look a little different, but we feel this is still something substantial that will give people a way to celebrate while also giving back to downtown.” Instead of having a single day to celebrate StoryFest, there will be six weeks of StoryFest activities that kick off Nov. 23, Chapman said. A different story and activities will be featured each week. “Different pages of the story will be on the windows downtown, so you can walk through downtown and read the story each week,” she said. “In the stores, they will have crafts and activities that relate to the story.” For example, the Nov. 23 story is called “Gingerbread Cowboy,” so some stores may allow children to color a gingerbread man or decorate a gingerbread cookie. On Nov. 28, Marshall will have its sixth annual Wassail Walk in conjunction with Small Business Saturday. Downtown businesses will create their own wassail recipe and shoppers can walk through downtown, sampling wassail at the shops. Chapman said the primary difference this year will be that stores will have occupancy limits in conjunction with COVID-19 regulations. Stores will follow whatever occupancy limit is in place on Nov. 28. That means if a store is crowded, “there may be a short wait to get in.” The city also is not offering souvenir mugs this year. Instead, all
October 2020 | 11
MarshallNewsMessenger.com
mile-long drive-thru display features nearly 2 million lights and a variety of decorations. New for 2020, Davis added characters from “Minions” and “Toy Story” as well as another lighted tunnel, more Nativity features and a quarter-mile walking trail. In addition to the lights, Davis said, food vendors will also be on-site and so will Santa. However, children will have to sit in a chair beside Santa instead of on his lap this year to promote social distancing, she said. Santa will be at Carmela’s Magical Santa Land nightly, starting the week before Thanksgiving until Dec. 23. The drive-thru display itself is a perfect way for families to take in the holiday sights and still safely social distance. “Right now, we need the love and peace from the Christmas season,” Davis said. “There’s just something about Christmas lights. They brighten up your day. This season gives you hope and faith, and it’s a great time to remember Jesus Christ, especially right now.” The price to attend is simply a donation, Davis said.
BRIDGET ORTIGO/MARSHALL NEWS MESSENGER Shoppers check out local vendor booths during Wonderland of Lights’ annual Outdoor Christmas Market event in Marshall.
wassail samples will be single-serve tastings in disposable cups, she said. The annual Outdoor Christmas Market will grow from one weekend to two weekends this year, she said. The move allows the city to space out vendor booths and means that those who want to attend will have two weekends to choose from in an effort to help reduce crowds. “We always have a really good turnout of vendors at the market,” Chapman said. “They sell everything from Christmas crafts and décor to stocking stuffers. It’s a great place to pick up a gift to give to your family and friends.” On Dec. 19, the city will host its Wonderland of Sites, a selfguided walking tour downtown. Chapman said museums will offer free admission on Dec. 19 and there will be plaques downtown at notable buildings to provide more information, she said. “It’s kind of an ‘If these walls could talk’ type of event,” she said. Memorial City Hall is hoping to host Christmas movie matinees this year, but details are still being finalized, Chapman said. The theater must abide by social distancing rules and capacity limits, she said. Chapman encouraged potential attendees to check the Wonderland of Lights Facebook page for updates on events and regulations for each event. Events are listed under the “Events” tab on the Facebook page.
Carmela’s Magical Santa Land In Longview, businesswoman Carmela Davis is preparing for her annual lighted drive-thru display called Carmela’s Magical Santa Land. The event started at Davis’ Longview home and after growing in size moved out to 40 acres of land at 6085 U.S. 259 North. The
Zipline Through the Lights At Thomas Falls, families can ride an old-fashioned wagon and zipline through thousands of Christmas lights. Located at 5543 U.S. 259 North in Diana, Thomas Falls offers a year-round zipline course. At the holidays, the course and surrounding attractions are transformed to the season. Owner Stan Thomas said when families arrive to Zipline Through the Lights, they will enter the area by wagon and children will get to see Santa Claus fly above them via a zipline. Santa will come back to a pavilion to greet the children via a sleigh pulled by a train engine, Thomas said. The Christmas trainsleigh ride won first place in 2019 in the Jefferson Christmas Parade, he said. “All of the kids will get a gift from Santa,” he said. “This is a traditional style Christmas that’s great for families.” The land will be decorated by lights and festive music will play. Attendees can choose from either a two zipline course or three ziplines. The course with two ziplines costs $29 while the course with three ziplines costs $39. Reservations should be made in advance at www.thomasfalls.com. Christmas Express In Jefferson, the Historic Jefferson Railway will give East Texans an opportunity to step back in time on an antique gas-powered train. The railway will have vignettes along the track and attendees can hear about “The Wonder of Christmas” as the train takes them on a ride along the Big Cypress Bayou. Holiday train rides depart at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. each Saturday in December as well as Nov. 27-28. The Historic Jefferson Depot, located at 400 E. Austin St. in Jefferson, opens at 11 a.m. prior to train rides. Cost is $15 per person to ride first class and $12 per person for coach class. For information, visit diamonddonempire.com/ historic-jefferson-railway/.
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| THE GOOD LIFE
PHOTO COURTESY OF SARA REEVES Dinosaurs are featured as part of the Mid-America Science Museum.
One Tank Trip Hot Springs offers variety of fun travel opportunities By Christina Cavazos Contributing Writer
W
ith an amusement park, a children’s museum, a tower overlooking the city, lakes and a four-story treehouse that can be explored, Hot Springs, Arkansas, has become a haven for families looking to get away and have some fun. For East Texans, Hot Springs is just a car ride away. Hot Springs is a city of about 35,000 residents. The town is surrounded by Hot Springs National Park and the Ouachita
National Forest. “Its colorful history includes Native Americans, professional baseball players, mobsters and today’s tourists who all come to soak in and drink the water the town is named after,” said Bill Solleder, director of marketing for Visit Hot Springs. According to a history of Hot Springs provided by the city, it is believed that people have been drawn to the area for more than 10,000 years due to the area’s thermal water that flows from 47 natural hot springs. The water has been popularly believed to possess healing powers, and was legendary among several Native American tribes, according to the city’s history. Following federal protection in 1832, the city used its popular waters to create a spa town and became famous for its Bathhouse Row, which still contains popular spas that allow tourists to soak in
October 2020 | 13
MarshallNewsMessenger.com the natural hot springs water. Due to the bathing experience, the city became a hot spot for the famous with visitors including Babe Ruth and Al Capone, according to the city. Today, Hot Springs is a growing community popular among tourists for its spas, downtown shopping, family attractions and restaurants, Solleder said. “There’s no bad time to visit Hot Springs, Arkansas,” he said. “There’s plenty to see, do and eat.”
Attractions Hot Springs boasts many attractions for families to enjoy, Solleder said. “It’s no wonder why so many family vacations happen in Hot Springs, Arkansas,” he said. “Attractions such as Mid-America Science Museum’s interactive exhibits, the four-story treehouse at Garvan Woodland Gardens, roller coasters and water slides at Magic Springs Theme Park, three beautiful lakes and the National Park to discover are guaranteed to keep every family enjoying their adventures.” One of the city’s most popular attractions, the Mid-America Science Museum, sits on 21 acres of land in Hot Springs. It features more than 100 hands-on science exhibits spread throughout the 65,000-square-foot museum and surrounding natural area. Exhibits are designed to help students learn scientific concepts and skills, according to the museum.
W
Permanent exhibits include a Motion Gallery where children can learn how simple motions, such as swinging, circling and falling, can create movement. The Light Bridge allows children to use natural light to examine prisms, filters and color. In the Arkansas Underfoot Gallery, children can discover caves, fossils and crystals. Meanwhile, the Bob Wheeler Science Skywalk offers children a view of the surrounding landscape from 40 feet in the air. On the Skywalk, children can experiment with electricity that naturally occurs in the body on the Music Bench exhibit and roll and run in the Rope Bowl, according to the museum. Another popular Hot Springs attraction, Garvan Woodland Gardens offers families the chance to reconnect with nature and explore the environment. “Garvan Woodland Gardens is the 210-acre botanical garden of the University of Arkansas. The gardens are located on beautiful Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas,” said Sherre Freeman, marketing director for Garvan Woodland Gardens. Highlights of the gardens include the Evans Children’s Adventure Garden which features the Bob and Sunny Evans Tree House. “There’s not another one like it in the world,” Freeman said. “The Tree House offers four levels of interactive spaces that teach about dendrology, or the study of trees. Below the structure, the Root Plaza and wading pools offer opportunities for kids to get up close with nature.”
continued on page 14
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| THE GOOD LIFE For more outdoor fun, Solleder said families can explore lakes in or near Hot Springs. The area’s lakes include Lake Catherine, Lake Hamilton and Lake Ouachita. For those who want to explore the city by land and lake, Solleder encouraged families to consider taking a Duck Tour. On the tour, visitors will ride aboard an amphibious World War II DUKW vessel. On land, the vessel allows attendees to tour bathhouse row and other historic sites to Lake Hamilton. When it merges onto the lake, attendees will take a trip around St. John’s Island to see other historic sites. Within Hot Springs National Park itself, visitors can ride to the top of Hot Springs Mountain Tower to take in views of the surrounding park and city, Solleder said. Other attractions include an alligator farm where attendees can pet an alligator, the Gangster Museum of America which contains a history of how some of America’s most notorious criminals interacted within Hot Springs, and the Maxwell Blade Magic Show.
Dining
PHOTO COURTESY OF SARA REEVES The Bob and Sunny Evans Tree House at the Garvan Woodland Gardens offers four levels of interactive spaces that teach about dendrology, or the study of trees.
Meanwhile, a 450-foot-long, 20-foot-tall access bridge leads to a garden that features a waterfall, a man-made cave for exploration, a crawdad hole, and a maze comprised of more than 3,200 tons of native Arkansas boulders, Freeman said. Other highlights at Garvan Woodland Gardens include the Garden of the Pine Wind, which Freeman said ranks as the fifth best Japanese garden in North America; the Flowering Borders which features nearly 10,000 square feet of seasonal floral displays; and Warren’s Woodland Walk, a one-mile trail that winds through the gardens. Meanwhile, secluded within the garden’s quiet trees, the 160-seat Anthony Chapel features glass walls and a wooden truss ceiling. Freeman described the chapel as an architectural treasure. Magic Springs Theme and Water Park features rides for families and children on its grounds. The amusement park also features water attractions, and during the fall will celebrate Halloweekends with fall family fun. Halloweekends activities include a hay maze, bumper cars, and pumpkin chunking in which visitors can use a catapult to launch pumpkins.
No trip would be complete without dining and Solleder said Hot Springs boasts a variety of restaurants certain to please any taste bud. Popular family restaurant, The Pancake Shop is renowned for its breakfast offerings. One of the oldest family-owned restaurants in Hot Springs, The Pancake Shop has been serving breakfast since 1940. The restaurant has been featured in the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, Southern Living and on the Food Network. Its offerings include a variety of pancakes, omelets, toasts and cereals as well as breakfast staples like bacon, eggs and sausage. For lunch or dinner, Mr. Whiskers features seafood, burgers, po-boys and a variety of other options; Rocky’s Corner offers up Chicago-style pizzas and Italian sandwiches; and The Purple Cow serves American food, ice cream and malts in a purple, bovinethemed restaurant. For dessert, Fat Bottomed Girls Cupcake Shoppe is located in downtown Hot Springs. The bakery, which was featured on The Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars,” offers classic cupcake flavors. Its renowned Crème Brulee, Lemon Lavender and Salted Caramel were featured on “Cupcake Wars.”
COVID-19 Regulations related to COVID-19 are continuously changing as states across the nation alter their guidelines. The city of Hot Springs is posting updates to its website, www.cityhs.net, and visitors are encouraged to check the website prior to traveling. Solleder said in late September there is a face mask mandate stating that everyone must wear a face mask when social distancing is not possible. “Face coverings must be worn in restaurants until drinks are brought to the table,” he said. “Hot Springs and Garland County are having success with safety precautions and cases are relatively low.” For more information about traveling to Hot Springs, visit www.hotsprings.org.
October 2020 | 15
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Fall Sale!
Conveniently located across from Marshall Cinema Hours: Monday-Friday 9-5 • Saturday 9-1 • Or by Appointment
SERVING YOU AND YOURS FOR OVER 50 YEARS!
Fall Sale!
Please call us to learn more about how we can meet your family’s health care needs! 24 Hr Skilled Nursing Short Term Rehab & Respite Care In-Network with Major Insurance Companies, Medicare, Medicaid, & Medicaid Pending
5915 Elysian Fields Road • Marshall, Texas 75672
903.935.6700
What matters most! Thank you, Educators, Administrators, and Support Staff. We appreciate what you are doing each and every day for the ongoing education of our children and the safety of our community. We recognize your dedication to meeting the challenges of teaching while seeking creative and innovative ways to connect with students through online learning‌ you continue to inspire and encourage our East Texas Students!
You are our community. We are your community bank.
Always Texas Strong.
MEMBER FDIC