Bell County Museum unveils The Legacy of Bob Hope exhibit
OUR TOWN
The Bell County Museum is opening a new exhibit this week to salute one of America’s greatest funnymen.
So Ready for Laughter: The Legacy of Bob Hope tells the story of the entertainer’s unique place in WWII history and beyond.
Using multimedia elements and captivating storytelling —including artifacts, films, rare photographs and an interactive display— the exhibit highlights how Hope helped lift the human spirit during one of the darkest times in American history.
“From the first time my father, Bob Hope, entertained the troops at March Field in 1941, he knew he had discovered a most meaningful audience,” said Linda Hope. “He truly appreciated the men and women who were sacrificing to defend America on the Homefront and abroad.”
“It was his honor, along with the entertainers with whom he collaborated, to connect these individuals with a touch of home and let them laugh — even if only for a brief moment,” Linda said. “Bob Hope knew this was the ‘Greatest Generation’ even as he entertained subsequent generations of troops around the world across six decades.”
“In his memory, the Bob Hope Legacy is thrilled to sponsor So Ready for Laughter, an exhibition which celebrates Bob's spirit and honors the courageous men and women who served our country during the perilous time of World War II,” she said.
Bob Hope came to the United States as an immigrant with his family in the early 1920s, initially working as a newsboy, butcher’s assistant, shoe salesman and amateur boxer. Hope went on to eventually shape his art on the vaudeville stage, and by the start of World War II, he was just emerging as one of America’s most popular radio and film stars.
When the nation went to war in 1941, Hollywood recognized the need for contributions and responded by entertaining troops, raising funds, and boosting morale. Hope’s work quickly took on new meaning when he took his wartime programs on the road to military camps and bases across the country, inspiring other entertainers to join him.
“Bob Hope’s legacy of entertaining the nation’s military began in World War II as he toured the world to lift the morale of the men and women fighting oversees, and his dedication to our troops lasted over seven decades,” said Kim Guise, assistant director for Curatorial Services at The National WWII Museum. “He saw the positive impact laughter could make during the difficult times of the war and believed that it was important to bring a piece of home to the front lines.”
Exploring Hope’s major tours and travels during World War II, So Ready for Laughter features nearly 50 artifacts and also includes an original 11-minute documentary produced by award-winning filmmaker John Scheinfeld.
Highlights include rare and unpublished photographs of Hope; wartime correspondence between Hope and servicemembers; WWII-era relics engraved to Hope; videos of his traveling, wartime troupe and Hollywood Victory Caravan programs and scrapbooks.
“We are fortunate to bring this special exhibit to Bell County,” said Bell County Museum Executive Director Coleman Hampton. “Visitors of all ages will enjoy learning about Bob Hope and others entertaining American troops during times of war. I want to thank the National WWII Museum, Bell County Commissioners, our Board of Trustees, staff, Friends of the Museums, and visitors for making this a reality.”
So Ready for Laughter: The Legacy of Bob Hope will be on display through June 14, 2025, in the museum’s West Gallery.
The Bell County Museum is located in historic downtown Belton and serves all communities in Bell County. The museum hosts exhibitions, programs, outreach opportunities, and school programs in Bell County.
The Bell County Museum exists to engage and educate the community by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the prehistoric and historic heritage of Bell County.
“Our vision for the Bell County Museum is that all people are drawn to a unique and welcoming museum experience where they can learn about and develop an appreciation for those who have gone before, engage with their community of today, and develop a passion to preserve those experiences for future generations,” Hampton said.
The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.
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Urinetown to provide stream of laughter at Temple Civic Theatre
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN
In the not-so-distant future, 20 years of drought leads to a terrible water shortage has led to to a government-enforced ban on private toilets and a proliferation of paid restrooms owned and operated by a single greedy corporation: Urine Good Company.
And, if the poor don’t obey strict laws prohibiting free-peeing, they will be sent to a dreaded and mysterious village.
Welcome to Urinetown: The Musical.
This parody filled with potty humor and loaded with statements about what’s happening in today’s world, Urinetown opens at the Temple Civic Theatre on Feb. 20 and continues Feb. 21-23, 27-28 and March 1-2. Thursday through Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday shows start at 2:30.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $14 for students, and they may be purchased at https://templecivictheatre.com/.
“This is a wonderful show — it’s a parody and a homage to musical theater,” said Artistic Director Natasha Tolleson. “It’s about the rich taking advantage of the poor and an ongoing environmental crisis,”
“Urinetown was nominated for 10 Tony Awards and it won three,” she said. “I first saw this off Broadway, and it’s like nothing you’ve seen before.”
“We did it 13 years ago at Temple High School, and I thought it would be a fun musical now,” Tolleson said. “It’s not well known, but it is an award-winning show.”
The TCT cast Includes Spencer Tolleson as Officer Lockstock, Martha Satterwhite as Penelope Pennywise, Chris Day as Bobby Strong, Kaitlyn Weir as Little Sally, William Thompson as Dr. Billeaux, Nicholas Lopez as Mr. McQueen, Dan Becker as Senator Flipp, Herbert Clardy as Officer Barrel, Ashley Ray as Hope Cladwell, and Abdallah Shulab as Tiny Tom.
Also: Amy Seaman as Soupy Sue, Isabelle Smith as Little Becky Two Shoes, Cinco Brashear as Bobby the Stockfish, Glen Kuriger as Caldwell B Cladwell, Debbie Cable Brown as Josephine Strong, Rachel Clark as Mrs. Millennium, Trevor Flynn as Hot Blades Harry, Jaaron Uyechi as Billy Boy Bill, and Rebecca Johnson as Sticky Fingers Aileen.
Also: Elisa Claycomb as Look Out Lucy, Dustin Larson as Norman the Frog, Reece Beimer as Orphan Oscar, DaShon King as UGC Security, Anita Gibson and Cheryl Rush as the UGC Custodial Crew, and Brynnlee Howell, Sawyer Krcha, Lexy Speegle and Caitlyn Teal as the UGC Secretaries.
Baaaack in Love
Belton-based Goat Shenanigans provides Valentine’s Day visits to loved ones
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN
A Belton woman is offering a unique option to traditional Valentine’s gifts such as jewelry, chocolate and flowers.
Whitney Beissner offers the gift of goats.
Her company, Goat Shenanigans, will bring a baby goat for a visit with spouses, friends and children.
“We do deliver baby goats to kids, but it’s mostly adults,” Whitney said with a smile. “We’ve delivered to offices and classrooms at schools.”
The goats are dressed in Valentine’s attire, and those who order the goats can also select options.
“The goat can deliver flowers to someone, then they can feed the flowers to the goat,” she said. “The goats also can deliver goat-shaped cookies and stuffed animals.”
Goat Shenanigans will be conducting Valentine’s goat visits throughout Central Texas and beyond.
“I have goats at farms in Belton, Leander and Lockhart, and our main farm is in San Antonio,” she said.
Whitney started the goat visits about five years ago, and they have become extremely popular.
“Goat Shenanigans will do up to 200 goat visits during Valentine’s weekend,” she said. “And that number grows every year.”
Whitney was born and raised in Temple but a decision to pursue a career in education landed her smack-dab in the middle of New York City. That’s not where she developed her love for goats.
“I was living in a shared four-bedroom apartment,” she said. “About six years ago I decided it was time to go. I wanted to move back to Texas and buy a ranch.”
Whitney found a piece of property near Lockhart, and it came stocked with barn cats, a few chickens, and yes, goats. Two years ago, she moved to a location in Belton.
“I had no idea how to care for goats, but I fell in love with them and their antics immediately,” she said. “I wanted to hang out with goats all day instead of going to my 9 to 5 job. That’s when I decided I needed to start a business focused on these cute goats.”
So Whitney thought up a name — Goat Shenanigans — started a website, and began asking friends if they would like to have goats at their parties. They did, and business has boomed.
Today, the business has 18 goats and they attend about dozens of events every week.
Whitney started in 2019 by taking the baby animals to children’s birthday parties, but today that’s just a small portion of her business.
“I still do a few birthday parties,” she said with a chuckle, “but now most of the parties are for adults.”
Just as business started to boom, the COVID-19 pandemic caused demand to screech to a halt. But now the goat party business is baaaack with a twist.
“I’ve expanded my offerings,” Whitney said. “I originally thought the goats would be a side gig but this is a lot of work. Goat Shenanigans is my full-time job.”
One of the goat-related activities that has become very popular is goat yoga.
“It’s a real thing in many parts of the country, so I decided to give it a try,” she said.
While it’s fun to imagine the baby goats in a downward dog pose, it doesn’t always work out that way.
“People just like to hang out with the goats, even during a yoga class,” Whitney said. “It’s fun and relaxing, and there’s usually wine involved.”
Baby goat cuddling has recently caught on big at Texas colleges and universities.
“Yes, the goats have broken into the university world,” Whitney said. “We do a lot of business with sorority houses, and the University of Texas, UT San Antonio and Texas A&M-San Antonio are all big customers. The schools hire me to bring in goats to relieve student stress.”
Temple College Hosts Preview Day for high school seniors, juniors is Feb. 21
OUR TOWN
Temple College is inviting high school seniors and juniors to its annual Leopard Preview Day from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, on the Temple campus.
During Leopard Preview Day, students will meet with Temple College staff and faculty and learn about degree and certificate programs in health care, fine arts, engineering technology, science, math, liberal arts, public service, business, workforce and more.
According to Eric Eckert, executive director of Strategic Communications & Outreach at Temple College, Preview Day also is a time for students to ask questions and learn about student life, financial aid, scholarships, transfer opportunities and careers.
Lunch is provided at the event.
“Leopard Preview Day gives students the opportunity to visit campus, meet with Temple College staff and learn all the next steps they can take to reach their education and career goals,” Eckert said. “We’ll take time to showcase the many academic and workforce programs we offer, and we will do our best to answer every question.”
Temple College, which now offers more than 80 associate degree, certificate and workforce programs across four campuses, has increased enrollment by more than 22 percent over the past three years.
In fall 2024, the Temple College Foundation awarded 423 scholarships totaling more than $372,000. This year, the Temple campus will open two state-of-the art facilities – a new main building and the Visual Arts & Workforce Building. A new health sciences building is also under construction.
“It’s an exciting time to be a Temple College Leopard,” Eckert said. “Temple College provides great and affordable opportunities for students who are looking to enter the workforce quickly or students who plan to earn an associate degree and then transfer to a four-year university.”
Registration is now open for Leopard Preview Day. Students may sign up at www.templecollege.edu/preview.
School districts or high school counselors interested in bringing a group of students, please contact Michael Pilgrim, recruitment coordinator, at 254-298-8327 or Michael.Pilgrim@templecollege.edu.
Belton to buy Miller Heights Elementary
Old school could be used for public safety services, police substation
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN
The Belton City Council on Tuesday agreed to purchase Miller Heights Elementary School for $750,000 plus closing costs and the cost of a survey of the property.
According to information provided by Matt Bates, assistant Belton city manager, the building will be used to provide space for the city’s expanding services.
The city became aware in November that the 8.36 acre, 40,000-square-foot property was being prepared for sale by Belton Independent School District and took steps to purchase the school building for both intermediate and long-term needs. The city already owns about 3 acres adjoining the school property
According to Bate’s statement, the facility in southeast Belton could be used for public safety services and a police substation, which would improve response times and safety in the area.
Other uses could include storage, space for victim services, and room for the city’s RU OK program.
Future uses for the old school could include an emergency shelter and warming center for residents who are unsheltered.
Bate’s report said the school’s cafeteria and theater, plus a commercial-grade kitchen, would make an ideal location to quickly establish essential services for unsheltered residents in times of crisis.
The massive building offers many opportunities to accommodate the city’s growing needs well into the future, and the existing layout is well-suited for adapting secure office and storage spaces.
“A dedicated public safety center would enhance crime prevention, improve emergency response times, and build community trust through outreach programs and engagement efforts,” according to Bates’ study.
“Repurposing the facility is a cost-effective solution that allows for multi-department collaboration, providing essential space for police, fire, EMS, and emergency operations. Additionally, the site offers potential for workforce training, and Belton’s only warming/emergency shelter.”
“The potential for a game-changing neighborhood park also reinforces that the city is not only investing in safety in the area, but also the quality of life for residents in the surrounding area,” the statement said.
Also Tuesday, Council set a General Election for council-member places 5, 6 and 7 on May 3, and authorized an agreement with Belton ISD for conducting a location-only joint election. Voting equipment will be leased from the Bell County Elections Department.
Council adopted a resolution to nominate Freddy Robles, assistant director of Belton’s public works, as the city’s candidate for election to the Central Texas Water Supply Corporation’s board of directors.
Scott Hodde, the director of public works, is currently serving as the city’s representative on the board. Hodde recommended Robles to assume this role representing the city on the board of directors.
Based on another recommendation by Hodde, Council authorized the city manager to execute a construction contract for the replacement of storm-damaged roofs at Harris Community Center, Fire Station No. 2 and the Belton PD Storage Buildings. According to a statement by Hodde, the roofs were damaged during 2924 storms.
“While the wind and hail damage did not compromise the structural integrity of the buildings, we took the necessary time to assess the scope of repairs needed,” Hodde said in the statement. “Through this process, we worked with our insurance provider to secure insurance funding for the roof replacements.”
TML Insurance reimbursed the city $101,398.52 for the repairs.
Also Tuesday, Council OK’d a resolution authorizing the publication of Notice of Intention to Issue City of Belton Combination Tax & Limited Revenue Certificates of Obligation.
According to a statement by Mike Rodgers, Belton’s director of finance, the 2025-29 Capital Improvements Program identifies nearly $65 million of potential capital projects to be completed over the next five years.
The most significant of these projects is the expansion of the Temple-Belton Wastewater Treatment Plant. Belton’s 25-percent share of the $71.2 million project is $17.8 million. Other projects include improving the city’s lift station, Loop 121 utility relocation, a public safety center, and the purchase of an aerial apparatus for the Belton Fire Department.
Raymond Suarez, general manager of The Hop gave an update on the transportation company’s transition to a micro-transit system.
“In 2021, the majority of our routes were fixed routes and they were underperforming,” Suarez said. “We were running one-hour frequencies, and the routes only ran in one direction. Folks using the system had no other form of transportation. The Hop was seen as a system for low-income people. It often took an hour to get where you were going … just a lot of barriers.”
Suarez said the new microtransit system works much like Uber or Lyft.
“We’re covering more area than ever before,” he said. “Wait times are up to 15 minutes instead of an hour. We have 11 vehicles working on Fort Cavazos, and we now provide 230,000 rides a year.”
“We’ve been operating for five months and we’ve already seen ridership growth of 35 to 50 percent,” he added.
