Commerce Mayor Wyman Williams says the City Council has not yet set the 2020-21 property tax rate, but he and the council do not expect that there will be a tax increase. The mayor says the city is actually running ahead of its budget for property tax collections and sales taxes this year, despite the coronavirus shut down.

Sarah Latham, Rains County Agrilife Extension Agent, is presenting an online "Health Talk Express" programs with the extension agents in Rockwall and Fannin Counties. Sarah's program is on cardiovascular disease, which is significantly higher in Rains County than elsewhere in the state. We also discuss the trend of more people raising chickens at home for the eggs.

Carol Taylor , chairman of the Hunt County Historical Commission, has been touring the 119 cemeteries in the county this summer. While she's enjoying the tour, it is the responsibility of the Historical Commission to document the county's burial places.

Frances Dalbey, outreach specialist with Hunt Regional Healthcare , discusses ways of keeping senior citizens connected to friends and family despsite coronavirus restrictions. There is no one-size-fits all solution, so choose things that suit you and senior citizens who are close to you and commit to them.

Alice Reese, Herald-Banner movie critic, enjoyed the new movie "Made in Italy," a father-and-son story actually starring a father and son, Liam Neeson and his son Micheal Richardson. It features beautiful scenery from the Tuscany region of Italy. "Made in Italy" is available online and in some movie theaters. "Ana" is a comedy-drama set in Puerto Rico and starring Andy Garcia.

Hunt County Master Gardener Wayne Bowman says now is the time to start planting fall vegetable gardens . In fact, it's already late to start tomatoes from seed, although seedling can still be planted. Wayne says it's important to take into account the average date of the first frost, generally the second week of November for Hunt County. Beans, corn and squash won't survive the frost, but cabbage, broccoli and kale will be all right.

Commerce ISD Superintendent Charlie Alderman says things went smoothly on the district's first day of schools since the coronavirus hit last March. For at least the first two weeks, students will use a "hybrid" schedule in which they are divided in two groups, with each group attending classes two days per week and working online on the other days. Charlie says the students he saw were wearing their masks and maintaining social distancing on the first day.

Tim McMurray, Texas A&M-Commerce athletic director, says fall sports teams -- including football -- will play a half schedule in the spring 2021 semester. This follows the decision of the Lone Star Conferece to call off competition in football, volleyball and soccer in the fall 2020 season, at least partly because the NCAA Division II decided to have national championship playoffs in the fall sports. Cross country will compete as ususal in the fall.

Pud Kearns with Housewarmers of Greenville says a workshop on the city's new comprehensive plan will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, August 13 at the Reecy Davis Recreation Center at 4320 Lee Street and is open to the public. A display of the material will be on view from 2 to 8 p.m., and then will be on view at the W. Walworth Harrison Public Library starting Friday, August 14. The comprehensive plan is based on the "Greenville Forward" public survey that is still underway.

Sharon Feldt of Sulphur Springs, our books commentator, reviews the work of Commerce author Brian Dowsley , a retired U.S. Navy officer who has written an assortment of books on motorbike riding, gourmet cooking (while biking), and now has written a space travel novel, "Galactic Pathfinder."