• Persons interested in molasses making are invited to an event Oct. 1-7 at the old John Mitchell place at 9411 Highway E, which is about two miles from U.S. 63 north of Houston. Cooking will occur Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and stripping and squeezing of cane is Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Work begins early and continues until dark.
• Organizers of a walk last Friday to benefit the Houston Senior Center and its meals program say the event will exceed its goal of $5,000.
• The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission was in south-central Missouri on Wednesday to learn more about the lack of rural broadband in the region. Ajit Pai joined a roundtable with U.S. Rep. Jason Smith in West Plains. The former head of Rural Development in Missouri was in Houston last week. Janie Dunning is acting as a consultant to Missouri Farm Bureau to tackle the problem and lead a new initiative on rural broadband.
• An organization that has clinics at Cabool and Houston won a $175,700 grant to expand access to programs for mental health and opioid use. Douglas County Public Health Services Group Inc. — which operates Missouri Ozarks Community Health — was awarded funds, said U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt.
• Caleb Arthur, the Houston native who is owner of a solar systems company, announced last Tuesday he is dropping out of the race for the 30th Senate District because his wife is pregnant with their fifth child.
He said he will devote his time to his family and business, Sun Solar.
• There is a Houston connection to the former Missouri State and Logan-Rogersville linebacker who had his first career NFL start Thursday night for the Texans against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Dylan Cole is the grandson of Terry Cole, a Houston High School alumni. His grandfather played on the 1958 SCA conference championship team.