Join the Nacogdoches community for a fun evening of food, friends, and drinks at The Fredonia Brewery. Enjoy tasty food from the SFA Alumni Owned Big Fellas BBQ food truck on-site while visiting with alumni and friends. Kids & pets are welcome. Live music by Galaxy — a classic rock band.
Date/Time Information:
December 8, 2023, from 4 pm to 9 pm
Location:
138 N Mound St. Nacogdoches, TX 75961
(Austin, TX) – As efforts continue to prepare the grid for the upcoming winter season, ERCOT today announced that a new group of weatherization inspectors have completed the Certified Weatherization Inspector (CWI) program and will immediately be deployed into the field to begin inspections of electric generation units and transmission facilities.
“There are unique challenges that each weather season in Texas presents for the grid. The winter preparedness efforts made by market participants, reinforced by ERCOT weatherization inspections, continue to strengthen the reliability and resiliency of the ERCOT grid,” said ERCOT President and CEO Pablo Vegas.
ERCOT continues to deploy a comprehensive suite of programs and tools to ensure grid reliability and resiliency during the winter months, including additional ancillary services, an expanded firm fuel supply service, and the deployment of additional weatherization inspectors.
“The CWI program is an in-depth training course that requires participants to have a deep understanding of weatherization principles, techniques, and standards,” said ERCOT Vice President of System Planning and Weatherization Kristi Hobbs. “Their expertise in the field will continue to support our advanced winter preparedness inspections.”
Ongoing Winter Preparedness and Grid Improvements
For the Drug-Free All-Star November meeting, the All Stars visited with Judge Todd Kassaw, 159th District Court, and attended Drug Court. The Drug-Free All Stars of Angelina County are a group of high school seniors who serve as role models for the community by living an alcohol, tobacco, and drug-free life. The Drug-Free All-Star program, in partnership with TxDOT, aims to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths on Texas roadways. Judge Kassaw discussed the consequences of alcohol and drug misuse and the impact of the choices students make now on their future. Students also heard directly from several Drug Court participants on how the program has positively affected their lives. Drug-Free All Stars also observed participants during Drug Court who have committed to their sobriety. The Coalition, Inc. appreciates Judge Kassaw and Drug Court for allowing the All Stars to visit and see the positive impact Drug Court has on our community.
Since 1988, The Coalition has focused on eliminating the use of harmful substances by affecting public policy, laws, attitudes, and behaviors, all in an effort to foster healthy life-long choices for the local community. For more information about the Drug-Free All-Star program, contact Abby Baker at The Coalition at 936-634-9308.
The Sabine County Chamber is having a 50/50 Raffle to help with future expenses when we move back into our building. We will be selling the tickets for $10 each with a minimum of 500 sold. The money will be split 50/50 between the winner and the Sabine County Chamber of Commerce. The drawing will be on December 8th at the Sabine County Chamber of Commerce Community Christmas party. To get your tickets come by 107 N Texas, Hemphill, TX, or call 409-787-2732. The more we sell the more we split!!
Crews are scheduled to begin setting beams on the Diboll Relief Route today at 5 p.m.
Intermittent lane closures on FM 1818 will be necessary throughout the night tonight. Work will end at 4 a.m. Tuesday and begin again at 5 p.m. Tuesday and continue until 4 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Motorists should be aware of these closures and choose alternate routes during these work hours.
For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov. For more information on road conditions statewide, visit drivetexas.org.
December 3, 2023
(Men’s basketball photos by Mary Kahraman, Camilla Bedin and Maria Andrade; soccer photos by Gary Stallard)
As we head toward the holiday break, Angelina College’s Athletics teams are still in full stride, with the women’s and men’s basketball teams rocking full schedules, the women’s soccer team showing off some post-season honors and the Roadrunner baseball and men’s soccer teams offering upcoming tryouts for future Roadrunners.
Here’s a recap of the week, along with upcoming events.
Roadrunner Basketball Goes 2-1 for the Week
The Roadrunners showed they’re going to be contenders in a week filled with thrills and spills.
AC on Monday handed a ranked McLennan College team its first defeat, with the ‘Runners taking a nail-biting 68-65 win at Shands Gymnasium. AC trailed by double digits in the first half, only to fight back with a second-half rally to take the win. Patrick Johnson led the team with 20 points, followed by Xavier Owens with 13, Kai’Ree Murray with 12, and Kyle Morgan with 11.
On Wednesday, the Roadrunners opened conference play against No. 5 Trinity Valley Community College. AC gave the Cardinals fits all night long, only to fall 70-62 in overtime.
AC’s men bounced back with a huge road win on Saturday, hammering Tyler Junior College 75-60 in Tyler for the ‘Runners’ first conference win of the season. Murray finished with 15 points to lead AC, followed by Morgan Baldwin with 14, Owens with 13 and Eddie Evans with 11.
The ‘Runners (8-2, 1-1) play just once this week: Another conference matchup, this time against Panola College at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Shands Gymnasium.
Lady Roadrunners Blast LSU-Eunice
AC’s ladies hit the road to Eunice, Louisiana on Wednesday, blasting the Lady Bengals by a 97-72 margin. Jade Fry (31) and Amyria Walker (29) combined for 60 points in the win, with India McMahon adding another 11 points.
The Lady Roadrunners (6-6) host Western Gulf Community College at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
Lady Roadrunner Soccer Players Earn Postseason Honors
Angelina College’s Lady Roadrunner soccer team landed several players on the Region XIV All-Conference list after AC’s impressive 2023 season.
Forward Marlene Flores and defender Ana Rendon earned 1st Team All-Region honors, midfielder Estephany Aguilar earned 2nd Team All-Region honors and forward Tannia Diaz earned Honorable Mention All-Region honors.
The Lady ‘Runners finished the season with an 8-4-1 record and an appearance in the Region XIV Conference Semifinals.
AC Soccer, Baseball Holding Evaluation Sessions in December
In hopes of finding some new Roadrunners, both the AC men’s soccer and baseball programs will host tryout/evaluation sessions in December.
The soccer program, fresh off back-to-back appearances in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament, will host its showcase starting at 9 a.m. and running until noon on Saturday, Dec. 9. The session includes a campus tour.
The event is geared toward providing high school students and college transfers the opportunity to train and experience skills evaluation from college coaches while learning more about the recruiting process.
The registration link for the soccer camp is https://www.angelinasoccercamps.com/.
Baseball’s showcase takes place the very next day: Sunday, Dec. 10 starting at 10 a.m. AC baseball long has served as a pipeline for players moving up to the upper levels of the collegiate ranks as well as the professional ranks.
Players at December’s session will be evaluated on their tools, (speed, arm strength, hitting, fielding, and power); there will be no scrimmage. Pitchers will throw brief bullpens to grade all of their pitches.
The link for pre-registration is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/baseball-evaluation-camp-december-9-2023-registration-755778402547?aff=oddtdtcreator.
One other note: Angelina College Athletics has contracted with the crew from TSBN Sports, which will handle streaming for all our athletics events moving forward. You can check out the schedule of upcoming events at TSBN.com, and we’ll be posting links for each game on our AC Athletics social media.
That’s about it for now. We’ll be starting final exams this Friday, Dec. 8, and next week will feature a very light schedule game-wise. Then we’ll all head out for the holiday break.
If there’s anything else I can do for you, please let me know.
I’ll see you at the games.
Organization Recognizes Academic Excellence in Two-Year Colleges
Angelina College on Thursday inducted 17 new members into its Upsilon Rho Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa – the international honor society for two-year colleges – in a ceremony held inside Temple Theater on the AC campus.
AC president Dr. Michael Simon greeted the inductees and their families, sharing that Angelina College has sponsored the Upsilon Rho Chapter since 1969.
Keynote speaker Dr. Kyle King shared his “unconventional path” to his career in dentistry.
“My dental career began with, of all things, an act of service,” King said. “As a college student, I went to Mexico on a medical mission trip, and I saw what an impact I could have on a community.”
King went on to share advice he received: “Take care of your patients, and the rest will work itself out.”
“I thought those words could be extrapolated further,” King told the audience. “Take care of others, and the rest will work itself out.”
The new inductees strolled the stage to sign their names into the PTK book while receiving their traditional candles and roses, along with the ceremonial cord presented by Simon. Chapter administrator Dr. Tim Ditoro, along with PTK advisors Dr. Tom McKinney and Dr. Carrie Geisbauer, also addressed the inductees.
AC’s newest PTK members include Jennifer Adams, Ana Del Toro, Tannia Diaz, Antonia Henao, Justice Jackson, Eliana Lopez, Laranda Matlock, Abigail Mays, Kaylynn Moore, Brooke Pond, Luan Rangel, Kailee Richey, Eden Rowland, Emily Sanchez, Jasmine Seay, Mir Raciv Tayamen and Leta Wood.
From AC’s Phi Theta Kappa page:
“Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society for the two-year college. The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa is demonstrated in the four hallmarks of the society: scholarship, leadership, fellowship, and service. Through activities, the organization strives to honor those hallmarks for the improvement of the community, the college, others, and themselves. To be eligible for membership, a student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and have completed at least 12 hours of college work. Members must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA each semester following their induction. Provisional membership is available to students who have not yet completed twelve hours of college credit.”
For further information regarding PTK, contact Dr. Tim Ditoro at tditoro@angelina.edu.
With the Christmas holidays right around the corner, we are entering into a season of giving. As we run around town looking for stocking stuffers and gifts to put under the tree, I want to encourage you to consider our fellow Texans who are struggling and in need of support this holiday season. Together, by donating blankets, old coats, canned foods, or making a financial contribution to a local charity, we can make a profound difference in the lives of others. As it says in Proverbs 19:17, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed.” This Christmas season, let’s join together to make others’ holidays a little more merry and bright by helping those who may be homebound or in need.
To find a donation center near you, please visit: https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/uss/location-search
To find a food bank near you, please visit: https://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/resource-centers/
With that, here’s an update from your State Capitol . . .
Capitol Update
The voters of Texas have spoken. In the recent Constitutional Election, roughly 2.5 million voters rallied to support 13 of the 14 propositions that were on the ballot. These critically important propositions will help deliver historic investments that will serve to benefit the future of Texas.
Perhaps the most notable outcome of the election was the resounding support for delivering the largest property tax cut in Texas history, which was supported by over 2 million Texas voters. Given the persistent problem of skyrocketing property taxes, this proposition will help reduce the financial burden of property owners across our great state.
Texans also supported historic investments in infrastructure, by approving propositions to establish constitutionally dedicated funds to increase access in rural areas to reliable broadband service and enhance our water infrastructure to meet the future demands of a growing population. The voters of Texas also signaled a commitment to protecting and expanding our natural parks by supporting the propositions to create the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, which will help ensure access to the outdoors for future generations.
Equally as significant, Texans demonstrated their appreciation for our retired educators by supporting a proposition to deliver a much-needed cost-of-living-adjustment for our retired teachers. As a coauthor of this resolution, I was proud to see the overwhelming support and gratitude for our retired teachers.
In summary, I was pleased by the resounding statement made by Texas voters to endorse initiatives that will help rural Texas and serve to address several of the challenges we face as a growing state.
Reminders
The mobile office is on the road again and our District Director will look forward to seeing you on the following dates in the following locations: December 6 at San Augustine County Courthouse from 9:00 – 11:00 am; December 13 at the Polk County Commissioner’s Courtroom in Livingston from 9:00 – 11 am, or the Tyler County Commissioner’s Courtroom in Woodville from 1:30 – 3:30 pm; December 20 at the Houston County Commissioner’s Courtroom in Crockett from 9:00 – 11 am, or at the Trinity County Commissioner’s Courtroom in Groveton from 1:30 – 3:30 pm.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can help you in any way. My district office may be reached at (936) 634-2762 and our Capitol office at (512) 463-0508. Additionally, I welcome you to follow along on my Official Facebook Page, where I will post regular updates on what’s happening in your State Capitol and share information that could be useful to you and your family: https://www.facebook.com/RepTrentAshby/.
Session Provides Instruction, Recruiting Process Info
The Angelina College men’s soccer program, fresh off back-to-back appearances in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament and consistently ranked among the nation’s top junior college programs in the nation past couple of years, is looking to continue its recent successes on the pitch, and the team is looking for some new Roadrunners to help continue the charge.
The Roadrunners will host an “ID Showcase” on Saturday, Dec. 9 at the Larry Phillips Family Sports Complex on the AC campus. The session, scheduled to run from 9 a.m. until noon, includes a campus tour.
The camp is geared toward providing high school students and college transfers the opportunity to train and experience skills evaluation from college coaches while learning more about the recruiting process.
The cost of the session is $50 for on-line registration, and $75 for in-person registration on the day of the camp. The cutoff for on-line registration is Dec. 6.
Attendees are asked to bring their own water bottles, soccer balls, shin guards and soccer cleats.
The camps’ schedule, registration and payment information are available on-line at https://www.angelinasoccercamps.com/.
For further information, contact AC men’s head soccer coach Martin Melchor at mmelchor@angelina.edu.
The email address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
Session for Prospective Players Taking Place in December
The Angelina College Roadrunner baseball program has established itself as a pipeline for players seeking to advance to the next level, including those at the university levels and the major leagues. With numerous former Roadrunners having earned their way to the next level – including Major League Baseball’s ranks – AC Baseball has long been a proven source of locating and developing young talent who launched their careers from the diamonds at Angelina College.
In an effort to find more future Roadrunners, the AC baseball team will hold an evaluation camp for prospective players ages 16 and older in December. The session will take place at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10 at Poland Field on the Angelina College campus.
The fee for each camp is $40.00. Participants should pre-register for the session by visiting the following link:
Walk-up registration will be available at the gate on the day of the camp by credit card only – no cash transactions will take place.
The camps will focus on skill evaluation only. There will be no game. Staff will grade on running, arm strength, fielding, hitting, and power. Pitchers will throw brief bullpens in order to grade pitches and velocity.
For further information, contact the AC baseball staff at (936) 633-5367, or e-mail head coach Jeff Livin at jlivin@angelina.edu.
The e-mail address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
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