This column is designed to give our local readers a place to put news and events that are important to them and others in the community.

Local news such as public meetings, luncheons, events and other non-club local items for not-for-profit associations are listed in this column.

Church events are printed separately in Church News published on Fridays.

To have items placed in the Local Beat column, bring them by the office at 405 E. Collin St., fax them to (903) 872-6878 or e-mail to cmcclanahan@corsicanadailysun.com. Items must have the date of the event, a phone number and must be clearly printed or typed.



Sept. 4

Corsicana Chapter 118, OES, will have a stated meeting at Corsicana Masonic Temple, 201 N. 15th St. All area OES members are invited to attend. Potluck dinner will be at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting to begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call Bonnie Mathison at (903) 874-0226.



Oak Valley Crime Watch will have its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Oak Valley Community Center. The speaker will be Jeanie McCarty from the American Red Cross. The crime report will be given and there will be food and fellowship. Bring a dish and come join in the fellowship.



Blooming Grove Historical Society will have its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. in Heritage Hall of Blooming Grove Methodist Church. Selwyn Hollingsworth will present a program on the descendants of Valentine Hollingsworth Sr. All interested people are invited to attend. For more information, call (903) 695-2724 or (903) 673-2635.



Sept. 4-Dec. 11

Nurturing Program, for parents with children ages 5 to 11, will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays Sept. 4 through Dec. 11 at 100 N. Main St. (Bank of America Building), Third Floor, Suite 308. Attending all sessions is encouraged, and certificates will be awarded at completion. For more information, call Valorie at VOICE Inc., (903) 872-0180.



Sept. 5

Eureka Crime Watch will hold its regular monthly meeting at 1:30 p.m. at Eureka United Methodist Church. Projects of the group will be discussed, and the public is invited. Join your friends and neighbors, and enjoy the fellowship. Refreshments will be served.



The weather warning sirens will be tested at 1 p.m., weather permitting. If you have any questions regarding this test, contact fire marshal James Palos at (903) 654-4961.



The City of Rice will test its emergency storm siren at 1 p.m. If inclement weather, the test will not take place. For more information, contact city hall at (903) 326-7511.



Sept. 6

Blooming Grove Crime Watch will meet at 7 p.m. at the Blooming Grove City Hall. Speaker will be Mayor Alva L. Smith. Light refreshments will be served.



American Red Cross blood drive will be held from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Shriner’s Building, 323 N. Commerce St. Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good general health and have a photo ID. For more information, call (800) 448-3543.

Sept. 7

The Corsicana High School Calicos will have a chili supper in the CHS commons before the home game vs. Jacksonville.



Sept. 8

American Legion Post 22, 632 N. Beaton St., invites members and their guests for an evening with Flashbacks (Jana and Charlie) from Fort Worth from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. No cover charge. Post will open at 2 p.m. For more information, call (903) 874-3938.



Navarro County Genealogical Society will meet at 10 a.m. in the Corsicana Public Library Civic Room, 100 N. 12th St. The program will be “The Use of DNA Analysis in Genealogy,” presented by John and Sarah Barron. The presentation will be a non-technical review of this increasingly important new genealogical tool. It will consist of three parts: basic biology of DNA, genealogical aspects of DNA, and a case study of the use of DNA in genealogy. The public is invited and welcome to attend. All members are urged to attend and to bring a friend.



Navarro County Volunteer Firefighters Association will offer an adult CPR/AED class as part of its annual fire school. The class will be held in the Bain Center at Navarro College beginning at 8 a.m. The class is open to the public. Pre-registration is required and spaces are limited. For more information or to enroll, call Jeannie McCarty at (903) 654-1205.



The Corsicana High School Calicos will have a dance camp at the CHS studio for girls ages 4 through ninth grade. A free football ticket will be given to each girl who attends with an adult.



Gospel music concert for charity to benefit the House of Refuge will take place at Martin’s Music Hall, 201 S. Beaton St., at 7 p.m. Tickets will be $10 per person and may be reserved by calling (903) 872-8226. Dining is available at 6 p.m. Featured performers will be Brenda Ballew, Leslie Bruce, Christi Driskell, Judy Haeger, Janet Martin, Virginia Martin and One Voice Quartet.



The Coyote Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force, both staff and squadron, will meet at 10 a.m. There will not be a meal following the meeting.



Sept. 9

Spring Hill Cemetery Association meeting will be 2 p.m. at the new Dawson pavilion. Those interested in the cemetery are invited to attend. Those wishing to make donations to the upkeep of the cemetery can send donations to: Spring Hill Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 94, Dawson, TX 76639.



Sept. 10

Woodmen of the World Lodge 5 will have a salad supper at Liberty Hall at 6 p.m. All members, their families and guests are cordially invited.



Navarro County Historical Society will meet at 7 p.m. at the Senior Activity Center, 919 W. Park Ave., across from Pioneer Village. This will be a very interesting meeting as Rick Hocker, the owner of the new steakhouse about to open on South Beaton Street, will tell about his recent discovery of the underground basement dating back to the early days of Corsicana. This caused quite a stir on the Texas news and a flood of interested history seekers to descend on Corsicana. So come to the meeting and hear the latest on this discovery. Everyone is welcome. It will be a perfect time to become a Navarro County historian. Refreshments will be served. The executive board will meet at 6 p.m.



Sept. 11

A book club for adults will be held at 7 p.m. in the Corsicana Public Library Civic Room. The first book discussed will be “Between, Georgia,” by Joshilyn Jackson. If you are planning to come to the meeting, call Sharon Borak at the Corsicana Public Library, (903) 654-4810.



287 Richland/Chambers Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department will meet at 7 p.m. at the fire station, located 1/10 mile south of Spur 294 on South U.S. Highway 287 (just before the bridge over the lake). Support members, firefighters, and anyone interested in being a volunteer, support member of firefighter are encouraged to attend. For more information, call (903) 872-2336 or e-mail to 287RCfire@gmail.com.



Blooming Grove Masonic Lodge will have a regular stated meeting at Barry Masonic Lodge to honor the district deputy on his official visit to the lodge and to award one of the members with his 50-year pin. The Eureka Masonic Lodge will cancel its meeting to join in for this special event. A meal will be served starting at 6:30 p.m. All masons are invited.



City of Blooming Grove has rescheduled its September monthly city council meeting to 7:30 p.m. at city hall, 200 S. Fordyce, Blooming Grove.



Sept. 13

Dawson Masonic Lodge will have a regular stated meeting at 7:30 p.m. A meal will be served starting at 6:30 p.m. All masons are invited to join in welcoming the district deputy on his visit.



Sept. 15

The Palace Theatre, 112 W. Sixth Ave., will present The Platters, Elsbeary Hobb’s Drifters, and Cornell Gunter’s Coasters at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $55, $50 and $45. For more information, call the Palace Theatre at (903) 874-7792.



American Legion Post 22, 632 N. Beaton St., invites members and their guests for an evening of Drag ‘n’ Sounds Entertainment with Steve Brooks from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. No cover charge. Post will open at 2 p.m. For more information, call (903) 874-3938.



Corsicana Hispanic Heritage and Mexican Independence Day celebration will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. on the soccer field on South 17th St. in Corsicana. There will be music, food, dancing, health information, raffle, and silent auction. Admission will be free, although booths will sell food items with proceeds going to the LULAC scholarship fund. The public is invited. For more information, call Diana Sanchez at (903) 851-4169 or Dennis Armon at (903) 641-8641.



Sept. 17

Navarro County 4-H will have an event at 5:30 p.m. at the Fannie Mae Vernon Room of the Navarro County Exposition Center to celebrate Texas 4-H becoming 100 years old in 2008. All 4-H alumni (from any 4-H club) and anyone interested is invited. There will be booths of past events, information about projects currently available. 4-H is open for students third grade to 18 years of age. For more information, contact Texas Cooperative Extension at (903) 654-3075.



Sept. 18

Kerens Masonic Lodge will have a regular stated meeting at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served after the meeting to honor the district deputy’s visit.



Sept. 18-27

VOICE will offer the Texas Youth Tobacco Awareness Program, a state approved program for minors charged with attempted purchase, consumption, or possession of tobacco and is designed to the mandates of Texas law. VOICE staff is certified to facilitate this program. The class is an eight-hour program divided into four two-hour sessions. Classes will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 18, 20, 25 and 27. The classes are $80 (cash only) for all sessions. For more information, contact John Goodnight at (903) 872-0180 or jgoodnight@voiceinc.org.



Sept. 20

Navarro County Service Agency Network will meet at noon at the Bank of America seventh floor meeting room, hosted by VOICE. The mission of the network is to provide opportunities to better serve the residents of Navarro County by sharing of information and resources. Lunch will be available for $3. For more information or to RSVP by Sept. 18, call Gina Dieterichs at (903) 872-0180 or e-mail to gdieterichs@voiceinc.org.



Daisy Girl Scout troop information meeting will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Sam Houston Elementary School cafeteria, 1213 W. Fourth Ave. Daisy Scouts are for girls in kindergarten and first grade, and is the first step in the progression of Girl Scouts. Families interested in joining Daisy Scouts are encouraged to attend. Weekly meetings will be held on Thursdays following the Corsicana Independent School District schedule starting Sept. 27 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. For more information regarding this troop or other age groups, call Misty Coles at (903) 641-6603.



Sept. 20-29

Warehouse Living Arts Center Theatre, 119 W. Sixth Ave., will present “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20-22, 25, 27-29 and 2 p.m. Sept. 23. The cast of one Neil Simon’s most-popular comedies includes Frank Means, Monica Miller, Fred O’Brien, Frances Seidensticker Dodds, Diana Reynolds and Darlene Pleiner. Tickets are $13 for adults, $11 for students and seniors 65 and over, and $7 for kids 12 and under. For tickets or more information, call (903) 872-5421.



Sept. 21

Kerens Kiwanis will host the annual homecoming hamburger supper at the Kerens Alumni Center building in downtown Kerens from 5 to 7 p.m. Plates will be $6 each and will include a hamburger or cheeseburger, chips, drink and homemade desserts. This will be a fund-raiser for the Kiwanis Scholarship Fund. For more information, contact Gina Dieterichs, Kerens Kiwanis president, at gdieterichs@yahoo.com.



Sept. 22

The “2007 Legends Ball” will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Navarro Shriners Building, 323 N. Commerce St., hosted by the Jackson Ex-Students Association Miss Juneteenth Committee. Formal attire, please. Tickets are $12.50 or a table of 10 for $100. RSVP no later than Sept. 1 to Barbara Kelley at (903) 872-7973 or Millicent Daniels at (903) 851-6495.



American Legion Post 22, 632 N. Beaton St., invites members and their guests for an evening of First Class Entertainment Karaoke with Nedra and Jerry House from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. No cover charge. Post will open at 2 p.m. For more information, call (903) 874-3938.



Sept. 23

Navarro County Survivors/Caregivers Appreciation Day will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. at Camp Wanica. Entertainment will feature Erma Young, Corsicana Cloggers, Wayne Douglas, Virginia Martin and more. There will be snack foods, cake walks, photos, and children’s activities including a bounce house. Bring your lawn chair or blanket to enjoy the entertainment at the new outdoor Discovery Theatre at Camp Wanica. Various cancer support and activities groups of Navarro County will be present to provide information and education to attendees. Reach for Recovery donation box will be available for items such as wigs, hats, and blankets for cancer patients. Everyone is welcome. If you would like to volunteer or for more information, contact Jamie Kitchens at (903) 875-9729 or by e-mail at navarrocountysurvivors@yahoo.com.



Sept. 24

Barry Masonic Lodge will have a regular stated meeting at 7:30 p.m. A meal will be served starting at 6:30 p.m. to honor the district deputy’s visit. All masons are invited.



Sept. 25

Winkler Masonic Lodge will have a stated meeting. The district deputy will be making his official visit. A meal will be served starting at 6:30 p.m. All masons are invited.



Sept. 26

VOICE, in partnership with the Navarro County Texas Cooperative Extension office, will have an informative kick-off meeting at 3:30 p.m. at Bank of America, 100 N. Main St., Suite 308. The groups are looking for teams to compete in Walk Across Texas. Along with eight weeks of friendly competition, VOICE will also host informative “Healthy Texan” classes, taught by extension agents on a monthly basis. For more information on Walk Across Texas, visit http://walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu/. For information on attending the classes, contact Gina Dieterichs at VOICE, (903) 872-0180 or by e-mail at gdieterichs@voiceinc.org.



Sept. 28

Corsicana High School cheerleaders will sponsor their annual Tiger tailgate party from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Tiger Field before the Waxahachie game. Tickets will be available from high school cheerleaders or at the event.



Sept. 29

American Legion Post 22, 632 N. Beaton St., invites members and their guests for an evening of County Sue’s Karaoke from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. No cover charge. Post will open at 2 p.m. For more information, call (903) 874-3938.



A benefit bull riding for Kirby Jackson will be held at 7 p.m. at Foxfire Arena, North Interstate Highway 45, Exit 235 West, Corsicana. There will be 40 head open bull riding, top 10 back to short go. Entry fee will be $75 with $25 stock charge and $50 to jackpot. First 40 paid entries ride. Judges will be Matt Austin, 2005 bull riding champion, and Sandy Kirby, former NFR qualifier and 2006 inductee in Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. Books open from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 9-10. Call in numbers are (903) 396-2809 and (903) 654-2664. To secure entry, fees can be mailed to: Kerens Riding Club, P.O. Box 75, Kerens, TX 75144. Minors must have a notarized parental release. Not responsible for accidents.



Oct. 2

Corsicana Chapter 118, OES, will have a stated meeting at Corsicana Masonic Temple, 201 N. 15th St. All area OES members are invited to attend. Potluck dinner will be at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting to begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call Bonnie Mathison at (903) 874-0226.



Oct. 6

Retreat Volunteer Fire Department will have its fall fish fry at 6 p.m. at the fire department, located at the corner of Farm-to-Market Roads 2555 and 709. Everyone is welcome. Meals will be $7 for adults and $4 for children 12 and under. Retreat VFD Explorers will be auctioning themselves off for a day’s work (four days will be auctioned off), a 50/50 drawing, silent auction, and an auction for a crocheted Retreat VFD blanket. You are invited to come out and join the fun.



Oct. 16-25

VOICE will offer the Texas Youth Tobacco Awareness Program, a state approved program for minors charged with attempted purchase, consumption, or possession of tobacco and is designed to the mandates of Texas law. VOICE staff is certified to facilitate this program. The class is an eight-hour program divided into four two-hour sessions. Classes will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 16, 18, 23 and 25. The classes are $80 (cash only) for all sessions. For more information, contact John Goodnight at (903) 872-0180 or jgoodnight@voiceinc.org.



Oct. 20

The third annual Kerens Cotton Harvest Festival will be held in downtown Kerens. There will be arts, crafts, jewelry, food and drink vendors. Activities will include rides and games, 3-on-3 basketball, target shooting, a horseshoe contest, a chili cook-off, quilt show, mule wagon rides, tours of an operating cotton gin and a downtown street dance featuring Ira Bradford. Vendors may reserve their space by contacting Betty Partain at (903) 396-7337.