TACO TUESDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2021

Temple College: We have scholarships and financial assistance available for truck driving program

Temple College is partnering with ATDS Truck Driving School to provide Commercial Driver’s License training to students who want to drive trucks for a living. New classes will start Jan. 17, Feb. 14, March 14, April 11 and May 9.

TC hopes to boost truck driving enrollment to help end shipping crisis

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

Despite a nationwide shortage of long-haul drivers that has led to promises of high pay and instant job offers, the Temple College truck driving program has not seen a significant increase in students looking to obtain a commercial driver’s license.

“We haven’t seen an increase in enrollment in our CDL program,” said Julie Escamilla, director of Workforce Development at Temple College.

“We have had several employers reach out with an interest in hiring our student,” she said. “I would be great to have more students in the program, especially right now.”

Escamilla said the college is offering assistance to those interested in pursuing a truck driving career.

“We have scholarships and financial assistance available,” she said.

The United States is short about 80,000 trucker drivers because of COVID-related factors, according to Nick Nyas, executive director of the University of Southern California’s Marshall Center for Global Supply Chain Management.

According to the Federal Reserve, consumer spending is about 15 percent above where it was in February 2020, just before the pandemic paralyzed the economy. Production rose nearly 5 percent over the past year as American factories worked to keep up with an increased demand for goods, and imports have helped narrow the gap between supply and demand.

At the same time, many U.S. workers decided to quit jobs that required frequent public contact. This created shortages of workers to unload ships, transport goods and staff retail shops.

The straining supply chain is illustrated at ports around the country, where dozens of ships wait to be unloaded. The average wait is nearly 17 days at some ports, despite around-the-clock operations.

A lack of drivers at the ports has helped fuel the surge at some truck driving academies but that surge has not been seen locally.

Temple College spokesperson Ellen Davis said today that Temple College offers its CDL training through the school’s Business & Continuing Education Division in partnership with ATDS Truck Driving School.

“A new class starts every month,” Davis said. “For the spring 2022 semester, classes will be starting Jan. 17, Feb. 14, March 14, April 11 and May 9.”

Anyone interested in attending the Temple College program should write to bce@templejc.edu or call (254) 298-8625.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

More than 900 area residents participated in an Our Town Temple social media poll, and over half named tacos as their favorite food.

Julio Zavala serves up spicy pork tacos with a side of cucumber salad and creamy avocado salsa at Mexiko Cafe. The Temple and Belton areas have dozens of options when it comes to tacos, from the traditional to newer creations.

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

When it comes to tacos, the options are endless:

Crunchy or soft? Beef, chicken or carnitas? What about shrimp? Or brisket? Spicy, hot or nuclear winter?

You get the point.

In honor of Taco Tuesday, Our Town Temple talked taco with residents of Temple, Belton, Troy and elsewhere in Bell County. Polls were taken on several social media sites, and the results were crystal clear. Sort of.

One thing is for sure, of the more than 900 poll participants, more than half named tacos as their favorite food. Pizza, steak, various types of seafood and burgers were distance selections.

OK, we all agree, tacos are good. But, the type of taco and where to get them can stir quite the controversy.

So, let’s get to it, shall we?

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What’s your go-to tortilla — flour, corn or a hybrid of flour and corn?

Without a doubt, the Temple area loves flour tortillas. Surprisingly, it’s not even close. More than 69 percent of those participating in the poll selected flour tortillas, compared to 23 percent for corn and 6 percent for a hybrid corn and flour mixture.

One person said it depends on the meat and ingredients that are going on the tortilla.

“It really depends on what’s on the tortilla,” said Judy West. “For tacos, I like corn but flour is OK, too. But for anything else — wraps, breakfast tacos, fajitas or burritos — I want flour tortillas.”

What is your favorite style of taco?

This was a close one.

Crunchy was a narrow winner with 33 percent of the vote, followed closely by soft tacos with 29 percent and breakfast tacos with 27 percent.

More than 10 percent said all tacos are equally great, and about half of those who selected soft tacos said street tacos are their absolute favorite.

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Hey, De Conlin, describe your perfect taco!

“I love a homemade taco with a crunchy shell, ground meat, shredded lettuce, sweet onion, diced tomatoes, cilantro, cheddar cheese, sour cream and a slice of avocado on the side.”

I’m with you, De!

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What ingredients DO NOT belong on a taco?

Tons of answers, including personal preferences such as rice, onions, olives and sour cream. But, some dislikes are a little different. No offense, Kacy Karma.

“Brisket,” Kacy said. “I love brisket but it’s barbecue not taco food.”

Kacy was alone with that line of thinking.

Nanci Kelly also had a strong dislike. Anchovies.

“I love all taco toppings except anchovies,” she said. “No anchovies please!”

Now for the nitty-gritty. Meat.

What is the ideal Taco meat?

I’m really shocked. In a world that has become healthier and more nutrition conscious over the past decade, I totally expected strong showings by chicken and fish. Nope.

Beef wins by a landslide: Ground beef has 61 percent of the votes and beef fajita is second with 17 percent. Sorry Kacy, but 6 percent of those polled prefer tacos containing brisket.

So what about chicken? Only 4 percent favored yard bird, and a mere 2 percent favored shrimp and fish.

The biggest shocker though was pork. Personally, I love me some carnitas tacos. But, of those polled, less than 2 percent selected pork, including chorizo, ham, bacon and carnitas.

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Let’s ask Denise Karimkhani, a frequent Our Town Temple contributor, to describe her perfect taco!

“I would say a tilapia taco with cabbage slaw, cilantro, radishes, avocado and topped with chipotle lime sauce.”

Ahhh! The coveted fish taco. Nice selection, Denise!

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OK, we’ve covered the basics. Now where do you get your best tacos? Let’s break this into two categories.

Where can you get the best non-breakfast taco in Bell County?

We’ve opened the gates and there’s a flood of answers. But, a few taco joints were named repeatedly.

The most popular? Some of these will surprise you. Lupita’s food truck, a common site around the area, was the hands-down favorite and was mentioned more than 50 times. Mi Pueblo of Belton was another favorite — it was mentioned by 36 people. Others receiving at least five mentions were Taqueria Mi Lindo Nayarit food truck, Mexiko Cafe (you gotta try the spicy pork) in Temple, JNeely’s in Belton and Mexicano Grille in Temple.

Where can you get the best breakfast Taco in Bell County?

Again, there were many places mentioned — 73 to be exact — but the overwhelming favorites were Tres Magueys on North 3rd Street, La Luncheonette in Belton, Salgados in Belton, Rosas in Temple, El Sombrero Tapatio in Temple and Mexicano Grille.

  “El Sombrero Tapatio is the best,” said Adrian Bretado. “The Cowboy Taco is amazing and they charge a fair price.”

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Jennifer Wilson, what’s your favorite taco look like?

“A crunchy shell with shredded lettuce, lots of cheese, shredded chicken that’s extra juicy, guacamole, spicy salsa on top and just a dab of sour cream. I’ll need a side of refried or charro beans but no rice. And chips. With salsa. And queso.”

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Here’s another question that didn’t make it into the poll. What’s the perfect beverage to pair with tacos? Iced tea — sweet or unsweet — is a good choice, but how about something stronger. Let’s ask the experts — J.D. McBride of Fire Base Brewing and Kim Langston from 3 Texans Winery & Vineyard.

“I would have to say any light style of beer — lager or pilsner,” McBride said. “These beers don’t overpower the flavors of the tacos and they might help for those who like ‘em spicy!”

Kim said the style of wine would depend on the style of taco.
“My favorites are Tempranillo with beef tacos and Pinot Noir with chicken,” she said.

Tempranillo is a black grape variety widely grown to make full-bodied red wines.

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I think most people agree, tacos are delicious. But, where did they come from? If you’re guessing Mexico, you are only half right.

Tacos in some form have been around for centuries, but those early forms looked quite different from today’s popular and portable entrees.

Long before it was known in the good ol’ USA, people in Mexico were eating fish and organs wrapped in a corn-based flat tortilla to supply them energy for mining.

Mexican immigrants likely brought this tradition to America in about 1905, but it wasn’t until December 1920 that they were Americanized with ground beef and chicken, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, lettuce and sour cream.

The change came as Americans in South Texas and much of the Southwest U.S. began to customize the dish with familiar ingredients. The original organ-filled tortillas were heavily seasoned with spice, and American’s looked to tame that spice with other ingredients.

Although our version of the taco isn’t that old, the name “taco” is. It probably started in what is now Mexico during the 1700s as a convenience food for the working class, including miners.

Gunpowder was wrapped in a paper-like “taquito” and set into rocks prior to detonation.

As the meal gained popularity, they were sold on the street as “tacos de miners” — miner’s tacos.

These were soft corn tortillas with spicy filling and were affordable for the working folks.

The taco first appeared on street carts in Los Angeles, El Paso and San Antonio and were sold primarily by women. Mexican immigrants bought them, but American’s just couldn’t wrap their palates around them. So, in 1920, tacos began to change. Hello cheese, tomatoes, sour cream and familiar meats!

It wasn’t until the 1940s that “American” tacos became crunchy.

A Mexican company patented the fried U-shaped tortillas in the 1930s, but a decade later Glen Bell took the idea to new heights — Taco Bell.

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No matter where you’re from, there’s a strong chance that you’re familiar with the meaning of “Taco Tuesday.”

Maybe it’s because you indulge in a taco or two (or more, we won’t judge) each and every Tuesday. Or maybe you’ve simply heard enough Taco Tuesday jokes to get the idea.

Regardless of your personal experience with it, in many ways, the idea of Taco Tuesday has become something of an American tradition.

Some folks make it a Tuesday tradition of heading to popular taco spots such as Rosas or Fuzzy’s to get their weekly fix. Others prefer to stop at Natural Grocers or H-E-B for taco-making supplies before heading home. But, why tacos on Tuesday.

For the most part, it started and still is a marketing ploy. It’s a way for restaurants or even grocery stores to get you in to spend money. No one really thinks of it as a ploy, it’s a rather cool excuse to “taco out.”

Despite the fact that Taco Tuesday has made appearances around the country since the 1960s, there has been a fair share of controversy.

Taco John’s, a Midwestern chain of Mexican restaurants, claims to own the rights to Taco Tuesday and, in fact, they do. In 1989, Taco Tuesday became a legal registered trademark of Taco John’s in every state except New Jersey. It was already trademarked by another business in that state.

Taco John’s has repeatedly threatened legal action against smaller restaurants who sell discounted tacos on Tuesdays.

Taco John’s says it created the phrase Taco Tuesday, but what about that restaurant in Jersey. Weren’t they first?

Taco John’s claims to have invented the phrase in 1979, 1982 or 1983, depending on the document you are looking at.

It is possible to locate evidence of Tuesday taco deals as far back as 1933, that’s when an ad was published in the El Paso Herald-Post by White Star Cafeteria. They created a week-long campaign to let locals know they were offering discounted tacos every Tuesday.

OK, so White Star didn’t specifically say “Taco Tuesday.” But, Snow White Drive-In in Rapid City, South Dakota (not exactly prime taco country) did in 1973. And, Marti’s in Manhattan, Kansas, also used Taco Tuesday in 1975, long before Taco John’s claimed to have created the phrase.

Anyway, that’s an issue for the courts to decide. Don’t let legalities keep you from enjoying tacos on Tuesday.

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THE COLLEGE MASCOT SERIES: TCU

The first costume was purple and gray, with a papier-mâché head coated and lined with plastic. The body was fabric. The 6-foot Horned Frog debuted at the Sept. 24, 1949, home football game against Oklahoma A&M.

From a boy to a dog to SuperFrog

By JENNIFER WILSON, Our Town Temple

Let’s go back a few years to 1869. Two brothers, Addison and Randolph Clark (both minister-teachers), had a dream of “creating a college where men and women could acquire a classical education and develop character.”

There was just one problem — location, location, location.

Both brothers were based out of Fort Worth, and they felt that their school should distance itself from “Hell’s half acre” — where a, shall we say, disreputable sort of people had gathered due to the cattle industry and forthcoming railroad.

They decided Thorp Spring would be better suited for their educational endeavor, and Addran Male and Female College opened with just 13 students. Five years later they had an enrollment of 450 students, and they soon partnered with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to secure an endowment for the future of the institution. The college was now named Addran Christian University.

In 1895, Addran moved to Waco (if you think the Baylor/TCU rivalry today is fierce, can you imagine what it would have been like if TCU has stayed in Waco?).

Football began in 1896, and according to legend, during the first football practice, the field was covered in horned lizards. When the school was ready to publish its first yearbook the mascot choice came down to a battle between flora and fauna — those legendary horned lizards versus the omnipresent cactus. I think the yearbook staff chose wisely.  The Horned Frog yearbook was published in 1897-98.  The school colors were chosen by the students, “Purple for royalty and white for a clean game.”

In 1902, the school under went another name change — this one would stick: Texas Christian University. A fire destroyed the campus in 1910, and the university was forced to make a decision.

Several towns were pursuing the school, but none more so than Fort Worth. Hoping to improve their “rowdy” image, the city offered the school 50 acres, $200,000, and the promise of streetcar services. TCU accepted the offer.

I’m sure you can guess why TCU never had a live horned lizard as a mascot — a horned toad on a string is certainly not very visible at best and at worst, the poor thing would have been easily squashable. Instead, a young boy served as a mascot from 1921 through the 1960s, and a small black dog named “Blackie” served as the team’s unofficial mascot in 1941.

In August 1949, the student government decided an “official” mascot was needed, and funded a $50 costume. Consisting of a papier-mâché head and fabric body, the six-foot-tall lizard made its debut at the Sept. 24, 1949, home game against Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State). The game ended in a 33-33 tie.

There were numerous suggestions for names, so much so that a contest was held. An article in the TCU paper, The Skiff, stated that, “names should be short, easy to pronounce and a name that everyone in the nation would associate with a frog.” Three of the top contenders were Tex, Addy and Hormone, and ultimately, Addy the All-American Frog was selected.

TCU unveiled a new costume for Addy in 1952, costing a whopping $26.47, and in the 1960s, Addy’s named flipped between Addy and Addie. The name dispute was settled on Oct. 21, 1967, when a new mascot costume debuted at the Texas A&M football game.

The mascot rode a chariot-like Frogmobile with the words “Addie the Fightin’ Frog” emblazoned on the front. Addie would remain the official name for the next 12 years.

Addie went through another costume change and name change in 1979. John Grace, director of Sports Promotion, christened the new frog SuperFrog. As SuperFrog continued to grow in popularity, more and more photos were being taken of the mascot. There was only one problem — he was not attractive.

Gorland Mar, director of Graphic Design in Marketing and Communication, thought a makeover might be in order. Mars sketched several angles of the new SuperFrog, and commissioned Sugars, a Canadian company, to develop a new costume in 1999. 

SuperFrog has gone through just two minor changes since then, and the current iteration — a muscular costume with human tennis shoes seems poised to stay for a while. Unfortunately, the same thing can’t be said about the actual animal.

Horned Toads, Horny Toads, Horned Lizards, Horntoads, Horned Frogs — all are nicknames for the same animal. They are actually lizards (their scientific name, Phrynosoma, actually means “toad-body”) and are named for the crown of horns on their heads. These horns are actual bone, and when threatened they can puff up their entire body. A spiny, bloated lizard is not very easy to eat. Their most well-known defense, however, is their ability to shoot foul-tasting blood up to five feet away from the corner of their eyes. 

More than a dozen different species of horned lizards are found throughout western North America, and three species are found in Texas. The one most people in this area are familiar with is the Texas Horned Lizard or Phrynosoma cornutum.

If you were lucky enough to grow up when I did, you probably have fond memories of finding and playing with these reptiles during your childhood. Easy to catch and seemingly tame, I can remember how very soft their bellies were and how much they seemed to enjoy a gentle stroke on the forehead — their closed eyes and enduring sly grin suggesting a moment of peaceful respite from the day-to-day struggles of surviving. I would always let them go — knowing it would be easy to find another one on another day.

Sadly, that is not the case anymore. Habitat loss, habitat degradation, invasion of exotic species, pesticides, collection for the pet trade, and the disappearance of their main food source, the harvester ant, has made seeing these once prevalent lizards a thing of the past. The species has been on the endangered species list since 1977.

Luckily, TCU has partnered with Texas Parks & Wildlife and the Fort Worth Zoo to restore their numbers. In fact, in September of this year conservationists celebrated the release of the 1,000th captive bred animal. You can read all about it here: Horned Frog Comeback Q&A: TCU Biology Professor and Horned Lizard Expert, Dean Williams, Responds to Breakthrough in Reintroduction Efforts. 

Hopefully, these numbers will continue to increase in the future, and with the help of a few friendly Frogs — I think it just might. To paraphrase Shakespeare: And thought they be but little, they be fierce….

To learn more about this amazing animal visit: Horned Lizards - Horned Lizard Conservation Society and This Small But Mighty Lizard Has An Incredible Defense Mechanism | Little Giants - Bing video

Sources for this article include: The TCU Website, TCU Magazine-Fall 2017, TPWD: Horned Lizard Facts (texas.gov)

TCU has partnered with Texas Parks & Wildlife and the Fort Worth Zoo to restore horned frog numbers across the state.

POSTCARD FROM THE PAST

The community of Oscar was originally known as Jones Gin, named after the gin’s owner W.H. Jones. The gin attracted other businesses, and by 1891 the farming community had added a school, a mill and a church, all grouped together in a quarter-mile area. Rudy and Grace Schiller established Oscar Store in 1934 and it became popular in the 1970s for turkey shoots and family gatherings. The original store, shown above in 1986, burned down in 2005. Thomas Maddox rebuilt the store and it reopened in 2009.

WHAT’S HAPPENING, CENTRAL TEXAS?

Central Texas largest and most complete calendar of event:

Temple Public Library

TEEN CRAFT CORNER: Every 4th Monday at 5 p.m. Join us for Teen Craft Corner! Take a break from the stresses of school and life, and create something fun during our monthly craft program! Our crafts will include projects such as string art, painting, learning about artists and their techniques, mixed media, and so much more! All supplies provided. (254) 298-5557

GREAT BOOKS ADULT BOOK CLUB: 2nd and 4th Mondays at 6 p.m. Seminal texts of Western civilization, pre-20th century philosophers, scientists and novelists. Readings span from Homer and Plato to Nietzsche and Freud. (254) 298-5557

BABY BOOKWORMS (Ages 0-12 months: Every Tuesday at 11 a.m.  A half-hour of book sharing, rhymes, songs, exercises and parachute play. (254) 298-5557

SCHOOL-AGE STORY TIME (K-3rd Grade): Every Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. A half-hour of short films, stories and constructive play. (254) 298-5557

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME (Ages 3-5): Songs, stories, and a variety of literacy activities. (254) 298-5557

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (Ages 12-18): First Thursday of the month at 5 p.m. Looking to explore the world of D&D but not sure where to start? Join us at the Library for our Beginners Dungeons & Dragons Program!

Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum

FACING THE INFERNO: THE WILDFIRE PHOTOGRAPHY OF KARI GREER: Colorful, intimate, and intensely dramatic images that capture the work of wildland firefighters in this new exhibit that runs through Jan. 15. Amazing photography.

November

November 24, Wednesday - Comedy Open Mic at Corkys. Up-and-coming comics, humorists or regular Joes can get 5-minutes to try our their set, work on jokes, or just try to see if they can make the crowd laugh. This is adult humor and intended for mature audiences. 8 p.m.

November 25, Thursday - Thanksgiving Outdoor Movie Night at Barrow Brewing in Salado. “A Christmas Story.” 6 p.m.

November 26, Friday — Kenny Orts & No Chance Band at Bo’s Barn. 8 p.m.

November 27, Saturday - Wreath Laying Ceremony at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery. 10 a.m.

November 27-28 - Kris Kringle Mart presented by KC Council 3444, 2218 W. Avenue D, Temple. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

November 27, Saturday — Dave Jorgensen at Bo’s Barn. 9 p.m.

November 27, Saturday - Beer Run 5K at Fire Base Brewing Co. Ever wanted to run for beer? Here's your chance. It’s a friendly little 5k right here in Downtown Temple. $10 entry fee gets you your first beer upon completion. Route and more details to follow, but we're working to keep it relatively simple and safe.

November 27, Saturday — Small Business Saturday in Temple. Businesses will be offering specials throughout the day.

November 27, Saturday - Name That Tune Bingo at Fire Base Brewing Co. We've all got Friends in Low Places so come on down to Fire Base Brewing for Name That Tune Bingo: Country Music Edition! YeeHaw!!! $2 gets you started for chances at prizes, drinks and brewery swag! Family Friendly! 7:30 p.m.

November 28, Sunday - Margarita Madness at Corky’s. Four types of margaritas and more. 2-6 p.m.

December

December 1, Wednesday - Comedy Open Mic at Corkys. 8 p.m.

December 2, Thursday — Die Hard at The Beltonian. It IS. a Christmas movie!. 6 p.m.

December 2, Thursday — Teen Dungeons and Dragons for beginners at Temple Public Library. 5 to 7 p.m.

December 2, Thursday — Taproom Trivia at Fire Base Brewing Co., 7 p.m.

December 3, Friday — Mark Richey at Bo’s Barn. 8 p.m.

December 3, Friday - Christmas and Holiday Season First Friday downtown Temple. 5 p.m.

December 3, Friday - Sammy G’s Toy Drive Block Party at Fire Base Brewing. 7 p.m.

December 3, Friday - Clint Walker Blues Band is back at O’Briens Irish Pub. 9 p.m.

December 3-4 - Christmas on the Chilsom Trail, Central Avenue and East Street in Belton. 6 p.m.

December 3-5 — Disney’s Aladdin Jr. at Temple Civic Theatre.

December 3,4,10,11 — “A Christmas Carol” at Tablerock Amphitheater in Salado. 7 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Todd Snider, Cultural Activities Center, 7:30 p.m.

December 4, Saturday — Marcus Lindsey at Bo’s Barn, 9 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Preschool Story Time at Temple Public Library. 10:30 to 11 a.m.

December 4, Saturday - Barrow Brewing Christmas Market, Salado. Noon.

December 4, Saturday - Santa at the Depot, Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum, 5-8 p.m. Put on your jammies, grab your favorite stuffed animal and come enjoy a magical evening with Santa at the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum. Visitors can marvel at the sights and sounds of the holiday season as they wander through the winter lights on the Santa Fe Plaza and enjoy Christmas music. Enjoy delicious hot chocolate available for purchase from Kona Ice while waiting to see the man in the big red suit! ICKETS ON SALE at https://bit.ly/3CfFHFE. ALL tickets are ADVANCE purchase only. Tickets are required for admission. Limited ticket quantity is available. Tickets are $5.00 per person, children 2 and under are free. Ticket includes visit with Santa and a gift bag for children. General museum admission will be closed on December 4th to prepare for Santa's visit.

December 4, Saturday - Lance Wade Thomas rocks O’Briens. 9 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Temple Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert featuring soprano Priscilla Santana and tenor Brian Joyce. Temple High School. 7:30 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Chisholm Trail Christmas Ball featuring Rick Trevino. Bell County Expo Center. 6 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Game of Thrones Trivia Night at Fire Base Brewing. Free to play. 7 to 9 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Epically Hogwarts Holiday at Mayborn Science Center in Killeen. 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

December 4-5 - Kris Kringle Mart presented by KC Council 3444, 2218 W. Avenue D, Temple. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

December 6, Monday - The 75th Annual Christmas Parade and City Christmas Tree Lighting will begin at 6:15 p.m. This year's theme is “The Magic of a Traditional Christmas." Details will be made available on templeparks.com.

December 6, Monday — Belton Lake Parade of Lights at Dead Fish Grill. Watch boats on the lake decked with Christmas lights. Hot chocolate and chocolate bombs filled with marshmallows. 6 to 9 p.m.

December 7, Tuesday — Baby Bookworms ages 0 to 12 months at Temple Public Library. 11 to 11:30 a.m.

December 7, Tuesday — Tarok Card Party and Lessons at Czech Heritage Museum & Genealogy Center. We play for fun! Come learn to play Taroks, the 1400s European card game Czech brought to Texas in the 1800s. It’s just as popular today and tournaments are held all over Texas. Jimmy and Carolyn Coufal are award-winning tournament champions who teach and advise us purely for the love of the game. No fees or admissions. Just come join us! 7 to 9 p.m.

December 10, Friday - TISD Jazz Band – Merry Christmas and All That Jazz at Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.

December 10, Friday — Vista’s Jingle Jam 2021 at Vista Community Church. Join us for the most fun, biggest, Christmas party of the year for your whole family. We'll play games, sing Christmas songs, have Christmas cookies and cocoa, and hear the Christmas story in a way kids can understand. And it is totally FREE! We’ll have a Jingle Jam session at 5:30pm and 7pm.

December 10, Friday - Bone at O’Briens. 9 p.m.

December 10, Friday —Branded Heart at Bo’s Barn. 8 p.m.

December 10-12 — Disney’s Aladdin Jr. at Temple Civic Theatre.

December 10-12, The Texas Nutcracker, performed by Classical Ballet Conservatory of Lisa's Dance Connection, performance at the Cultural Activities Center.

December 11, Saturday — Adult Lego Club at the Temple Public Library. Creative building as well as conversation about our favorite bricks.

December 11, Saturday — Downtown Temple Holiday Market & Food Truck Frenzy. Its Holiday Season! We are excited to partner our market series with another Food Truck Event! Come join us in Downtown Temple and spread some holiday joy by supporting local businesses in our area!

We will have plenty of vendors, food trucks to satisfy anyone's cravings, live music and activities for kids! Come find that perfect gift for your loved ones - whether it be a new piece of jewelry, some unique bath products, or a fun knickknack. 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

December 11, Saturday - 5th annual Holiday Extravaganza at the Troy Community Center. Shop with local small businesses. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

December 11, Saturday - Tucka Texas Takeover with LJ Echols, Fat Daddy and Mr. Smoke. VFW Post 1820, Temple. 7 p.m.

December 11, Saturday — 35 South at Bo’s Barn. 9 p.m.

December 11, Saturday - Holiday Laser Light Show at Barrow Brewing Co. in Salado. Part of the 61st annual Salado Christmas Stroll. 7 p.m.

December 12, Sunday - Temple High School Band Winter Concert in the THS Auditorium, 2:00 p.m.

December 13, Monday - Temple High School Orchestra Christmas Concert at THS Auditorium, 7 p.m.

December 14, Tuesday - Temple High School Choir Holiday Gift at THS Auditorium. 7:30 p.m.

December 17, Friday - Matt Cearley & The Rowdy Few, O’Briens. 9 p.m.

December 17, Friday — Hyway Traveler at Bo’s Barn. 8 p.m.

December 17, Friday — “It’s a Wonderful Life” at The Beltonian Theatre. 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

December 18, Saturday — “It’s a Wonderful Life” at The Beltonian Theatre. 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

December 18, Saturday — The Real Gun Show at Bell County Expo Assembly Hall. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

December 19, Sunday — The Real Gun Show at Bell County Expo Assembly Hall, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

December 19, Sunday – When Harry Met Sally… (1989), free movie at Cultural Activities Center. Boy meets girl, boy sees other girls, and girl sees other boys.  Maybe boy and girl should have seen each other.  “I’ll have what she’s having.”  The event will include a pre and post-movie discussion with Dr. Joseph Taberlet. 2 p.m.

December 18, Saturday - Shinyribs, Cultural Activities Center, 7:30 p.m.

December 18, Saturday — People’s Choice at Bo’s Barn. 9 p.m.

December 23, Thursday - Santa & Elvis at Fire Street Pizza. 6-9 p.m.

December 25, Saturday — Christmas Dance at Bo’s Barn featuring Secondhand Rose, 8 p.m.

LIST YOUR EVENT! Email info to OurTownTemple@gmail.com with “What’s Happening” in the subject line. Keep it short and sweet — what, when and where. You may include a short description. You must include a phone number for verification purposes. The phone number will not be published unless requested by submitter.