Monday Afternoon and Evening ... Scattered intense Thunderstorms are expected, most likely severe. Large hail, high winds and the potential for isolated tornadoes will be the main threats. Locally heavy is rain also possible with these storms. Please check in with News 12 throughout the day for weather updates ... both On Air, On-Line at KXII.com, Twitter and Facebook.
PARIS, TEXAS -- Across our nation and here in Texoma, people recognize Christmas will never be the same in Newtown, Connecticut.
So one Paris, Texas 7-year-old sent a thoughtful letter to Santa this year.
In wake of the tragic shooting, he wrote to Santa on behalf of the young victims.
Allison Harris caught up with Austin-Bryan Spann today at Chisum Elementary School to meet this little boy and hear his letter firsthand.
"Santa, please go to heaven and give the kids their gifts. Love, Austin," Austin read.
"Why did you decide to write that to Santa?"
"I felt sorry," Austin said.
7-year-old Austin did something only a sweet, innocent child would do.
He reached out to Santa for help after hearing the news from Newtown.
"I come running in," Austin said.
"And he noticed on the screen that the majority of them was born in the same year as him," Austin's mom, Kim Ruthart-Spann, said.
"Yeah, one of them had the same birthday as me," Austin said.
That got Austin's attention, realizing that those children could have been his friends.
"He said, 'They won't get to have Christmas with their mom and dad,' and I said, 'No they won't, but they'll get to have Christmas in heaven,'" Kim said.
That's when Austin grabbed his favorite colors: yellow and blue.
"I tried my best on this and I wanted it to be perfect. I messed up on some of it and I had to re-do it," Austin said.
Austin's mom posted his letter to Facebook and in just a few short days the likes and comments multiplied to nearly 50,000.
"I've been reading them to him and he'd say, 'Oh now that lady's nice, I want to meet that lady!'" Kim said.
Austin's teacher Carla Sanders was one of many who shared the letter on the Rest In Peace Sandy Hook Children page.
"I didn't know it'd go viral but I wasn't surprised because we just have a lot of kind-hearted children at our school," Carla said.
To Austin's mom, there's a powerful message in her son's words.
"These horrible things really don't happen very often. That nice things happen a lot more than bad things," Kim said.
Posted: 05/08/13 - The Sherman Public Library is very excited about our upcoming Summer Reading Club for children and teens. Children ages birth-11 can Dig into Reading and join the Youth Summer Reading Club. The theme for the Teen Summer Reading Club this year is Beneath the Surface and it is open to teens ages 12-18. Read More
Posted: 05/07/13 - DURANT, Okla. – Regent Terry Matlock will deliver remarks at Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s Spring Commencement, scheduled for Saturday, May 11, at Paul Laird Field. The ceremony (for all schools) will begin at 10 a.m. A reception will follow at 11:30 a.m. in the Visual & Performing Arts Center. Read More
Posted: 05/06/13 - SHERMAN, TEXAS—Members of the Austin College Class of 2013 are counting down the days until graduation—with both excitement and trepidation. Austin College President Marjorie Hass will present diplomas to more than 340 bachelor’s degree candidates and 18 Master of Arts in Teaching degree candidates who will take part in graduation events May 18 and 19 on campus. Read More
