Early voting in the March 1 primary begins on Feb. 14 and runs through Feb.

Debilitating diabetes is no longer a rare disease. Approximately 87,000 people died from diabetes in 2019, but during 2020 and 2021, the numbers jumped to roughly 100,000 each year.

The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at UT Health Tyler is now open, and its neonatology team is providing specialized care for babies who are born prematurely or have other complex care needs. The new NICU and renovated nursery is a combined 2,900 square feet and features nine state-of-the-art neonatal beds and the most up-to-date equipment for advanced care and monitoring.

At the recent Annual Meeting of First Federal Community Bank, long time President Richard M. “Dick” Amis stepped down as President and CEO, but remains as Chairman of the Board. “It just became clear in recent years that it was time for me to step aside on my own terms and get out of the way for these great young co-workers of mine to grow and prosper. It might also be time for me to bait a hook. I will continue to be an active working Chairman, just not on a full time basis. I remain involved in the strategic planning, business development and asset/liability management of the Bank.”

Cypress Basin Hospice celebrated the Grand Re-Opening of their Mount Pleasant Thrift Store on Tuesday. members of the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce were on hand to celebrate with a ribbon cutting. TRIBUNE PHOTOS / SARAH STENCE

Area teams got their district assignments for the next two years with the release of the biannual UIL Redistricting assignments, announced Thursday morning. Mount Pleasant, Chapel Hill, Rivercrest, Pewitt and, for the first time, Harts Bluff, received their new district assignments Thursday, with several of the districts falling into a familiar configuration.

The Mount Pleasant High School chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competed against over 200 students in the Area VI FBLA Leadership Conference on Monday, January 31 at the Region 8 Educational Service Center. Of the 54 competitors representing Mount Pleasant High School, MPHS had a very successful day with 48 members qualifying for state. Thirty-one individuals earned 1st place at the area conference and MPHS placed first in 20 of the 30 events they entered. MPHS recently learned that they are the ninth largest FBLA chapter in the entire state of Texas.

The Martha Laird chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has selected Mount Pleasant High School senior, Connelly Cowan, as the chapter winner of the DAR Good Citizen award. Out of six entries from local schools, Cowan has won a $500 scholarship, a certificate and pin and will advance to the state contest. The state winner will be announced later this spring and will represent the entire state of Texas at the national level of competition.