Issue 15
Published July 3, 2026 · Bilingual special edition
The country turns 250 this Saturday, and we gave the whole edition to it. Where we came from, where to stand when the sky lights up, the true stories behind the symbols, what the day asks of the neighbors who served, and the shops worth spending your holiday on.
The Fourth · Our Roots
America Turns 250. This County Has Been Here for 189 of Them.
Montgomery County was created in 1837, signed into law by Sam Houston. The town next door still claims it gave Texas its flag. A look at the long memory under our feet, told honestly, legends and all.
Read the story →Community · Around Town
Magnolia's Fourth: Where to Stand When the Sky Lights Up
The free Unity Park fireworks Friday night, the markets on the Fourth itself, and the fireworks rules in plain English. The whole weekend, in one place.
Read the story →History · Explainer
The Flag, the Anthem, and the Fourth: A Short History for the 250th
Why July 4 and not July 2, where the Stars and Stripes and the national anthem actually came from, and which of the famous stories turn out to be legend. Enough to answer the kid at the cookout.
Read the story →Veteran Magnolia
For the Veterans Among Us, 250 Years Is a Family Matter
The Fourth reads differently for the neighbors who served. The local posts that carry the flag, the benefits many families never learn are theirs, and one small courtesy before you light your own.
Read the story →Business · Main Street
Red, White, and Open: Magnolia's Small Shops on the Holiday Weekend
The chains close for the Fourth and open Monday. Magnolia's small shops work the weekend, and it is the clearest picture all year of where your holiday dollar actually lands.
Read the story →Coming next
Back to our regular Tuesday and Friday rhythm next week. Have a shop, an event, or a milestone worth a mention? Send it to the newsroom.