90-Day Burn Ban for Bee County

Tuesday morning, a 90-day burn ban was issued by the Bee County Commissioners due to the amount of dry, dead grass in Bee County.  With several grass fires recently, the Commissioners approved the ban unanimously.

Skidmart Open in Skidmore

Skidmart has moved locations to its original home in Skidmore.  Offering all the same services with building materials, garage door installations, and personal attention to you and your current project.  Stop by and let the friendly, knowledgeable staff help you or give them a call, 361-358-2424.

Welcome Home Skidmart!

Wildcat Fireworks

With two locations off of Highway 181 in Skidmore, you can find any variety of fireworks at Wildcat Fireworks stands.  They have all the family packs for 1/2 price and good prices on all their new items.  This year you will find some exciting surprises like the new Parachutes, Super Sonics, the Missouri Tanks, the Camo Packs (bottle rockets) and the new Neon Sparklers.

Unfortunately, the use of aeriel fireworks, such as bottle rockets or any other fireworks with fins is currently banned.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Curious about how and when other people around the world celebrate Christmas?  On the Christmas Around the World website they have information about the festivities and traditions happening all over the world, including Bethlehem.  They also have fun facts, quizzes, and recipes.

Forecast for Christmas Day

No snow today!  Expect a high of 61F with partly cloudy skies and North winds at 10 to 20 mph.

Skidmore Weather Forecast

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

By Anonymous

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Forecast for Christmas Eve

With a 40% chance of rain Friday, December 24th, it looks like scattered thunderstorms especially in the afternoon.  With a high of 78F and South East winds at 10 to 15 mph.

Skidmore Weather Forecast

Aerial Fireworks Banned

Due to the dry conditions of the Bee County area, there is a ban on all aerial fireworks during the holiday season.  Fireworks are not banned totally, just those that are considered pyrotechnics such as the bottle rockets.

There is a burn ban in consideration for the January if we do not have any significant moisture between now and then.  Practice extreme caution when lighting any fire due to all the tall and dry grass we have in our county.  Simple trash burning has resulted in several small fires around the area and the huge 600-acre grass fire this past weekend in Skidmore.

Winter Equinox & Total Lunar Eclipse ~ 1:41am Tuesday Morning

Click here to learn more!

We are in the perfect place to witness an event that has not happened in the past 372 years, the winter equinox and a total lunar eclipse on the same day!  Set your alarm clock for 1:41am Tuesday morning to see this awesome site for yourself.

The totality of the show is estimated to last about 3 1/2 hours beginning with the total eclipse.  Normally the moon is illuminated by the sun, but during the lunar eclipse the full moon passes through the Earth's shadow giving the moon a ghostly color.  Since it happens to be the winter solstice as well tomorrow morning and with all the recent volcanic eruptions around the globe, scientists are predicting that the moon will appear darker, glowing an eerie red or brown.

For more information, check out Yahoo! News.

Beeville Vineyard Wrapping Up Christmas Angels Program

This holiday season The Beeville Vineyard has been extremely diligent in their efforts to help the Bee County residents.  They always give away items to families in need, but since December 6th, they have been assisting community members with individual shopping times and personal shopping assistance to help them find items and gift wrap them for their families.  This program allows these families that qualified the opportunity to go through the entire warehouse and pick out the items they really need.  The Vineyard also delivered items to their clients that have no way of visiting their location.

There are only two days left for their Christmas Angels Program, December 20th and 21st from 8:30am to noon and 1:00 to 4:30pm.  If you would like to give a little bit of your time, please contact The Beeville Vineyard at 358-7500 or 358-2075.  Or you can visit The Beeville Vineyard for more information.

Christmas Cheer in Skidmore

Are you decorating for the holiday season?  Have something special you do with your family during this time of year?

Share your stories with the Skidmore Signal!  We would love to see pictures of your Christmas decorations, trees, and homemade gifts.  Look for the pictures you send to be posted at the top of our home page.

Beeville Vineyard Needs Volunteers

This week is a big one for The Beeville Vineyard!  They have many jobs for volunteers to help spread some holiday cheer to those less fortunate.  The Vineyard has arranged a personal shopping experience in Santa's Workshop for their clients that have been approved for their Christmas Angels Program.  Now they need volunteers to help assist these clients and those that have no way of getting to their location.  Below is a list of jobs the Vineyard needs volunteers for and the dates for each.

ASSISTING CLIENTS - ASSEMBLING BASKETS - ANGEL ON CALL

• Volunteers needed for each job from helping clients, wrapping presents, and being on call.
• Monday-Friday, December 6 through 11th from 8:30 to 12:00pm and 1:00 to 4:30pm

PACKING DELIVERY ITEMS

• Volunteers needed to help pack up items to deliver to shut-ins.
• Friday, December 10th  from 3:00 to 7:00pm

DELIVERING ITEMS

• Several teams needed to deliver items to shut-ins.
• Saturday, December 11th

For more information, please visit The Beeville Vineyard website or call 358-7500 or 358-2075.

Best Way To Celebrate

What is the absolute best way you can celebrate Christmas? Maybe you've never thought about that question before. Maybe you've only asked how you can survive Christmas! Even though it can be a very busy and stressful time of the year I believe we can have a great Christmas by doing three things: Reflect, Rethink, Remember.

At Christmas we celebrate the fact that God gave His son Jesus for us and Jesus demonstrates for us what love looks like by sacrificing Himself (1 John 3:16). One of the best ways you can celebrate Christmas is by reflecting that kind of love. Look around you for opportunities to sacrifice a little time, energy, and even a little money to help out someone in need.

But, why would God send Jesus? Jesus came because God wanted a relationship with His creation. That relationship was broken when we decided to do our own thing and ignore God. God gave us the gift of relationship when He sent Jesus. What kind of gifts do we give at Christmas? Would you call them relational gifts, made from the heart, that will mean something for years to come? Usually not! We need to rethink the way we do gifts at Christmas. America spends $450 billion dollars a year on Christmas. That seems to be very different than the humble beginnings of this holiday (Luke 2:1-7). Make a gift for your sibling, write a letter to your spouse, give the gift of time to your kids. Get creative and give like God!

Last but not least, Christmas is best celebrated when we remember what it is all about. It is the arrival of God's son, Jesus, on this planet to show us what a life fully lived looks like and to do for us what we could not do ourselves by reconnecting us with our Heavenly Father. Take some time on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and read the account of Jesus entering into this world. Sing some Christmas songs that retell the story. Attend a Christmas Eve service at your church. Remember the reason for the season.

God bless you as you celebrate this wonderful holiday and may it be the best one yet!

Matt Singleton
Pastor - FBC Skidmore

For more information on how First Baptist Church Skidmore is Reflecting, Rethinking, & Remembering, check out our website atwww.fbcskidmore.com

Skidmore-Tynan Takes First Place

...at the district UIL Meet in Banquete

Skidmore-Tynan Elementary Students

On Saturday, December 4, 2010, Skidmore-Tynan Elementary students and staff traveled to Banquete to participate in the District Academic UIL Meet.  S-T Elementary students competed against students from Banquete, Freer, Odem, Refugio, San Diego and Taft.  The writing portion of the contest took place prior to the meet at each respective school and sent off to be graded. Forty-nine students from S-T Elementary competed in the other events. The students earned thirty-one medals which included eighteen 1^st place, six 2^nd place and seven 3^rd place medals. The students also received 21 ribbons, which included:  six  4^th place, twelve 5^th place and three 6^th place ribbons.

S-T Elementary students earned 534 points and brought home the first place trophy for the third year in a row! The teachers and staff are very proud of the hard work and dedication demonstrated by the students in preparation for their event.

Courtesy of Ms. Dominguez, Skidmore-Tynan Elementary Principal

Small Business Seminar

Looking for some answers to your questions about small business start-ups, existing businesses, loans, or taxes?  The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Coastal Bend College are hosting a seminar this week to help you with these topics and more.  The event will be held at the Lott-Canada Facility, 900 W. Corpus Christi Street (Highway 59 West) on Thursday, December 9th from 12:30 to 2:00pm.

For more information or to reserve your seat, contact Nora Cartwright at 362-2633 or email noracart@coastalbend.edu.

Beeville Vineyard: Decorate Santa's Workshop ~ Last Day!

Beeville Vineyard: Decorate Santa's Workshop ~ Last Day!: "We have one more day to finish turning our warehouse into Santa's Workshop. We will be decorating this Saturday, December 4th from 9:00am t..."