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.
(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.
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.
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.
Newest members of Angelina College’s Upsilon Rho Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa pose with AC staff members following Thursday’s induction ceremony. PTK is an international honor society for two-year colleges. (Gary Stallard/AC News Service photo)
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.
Keynote speaker Dr. Kyle King address the newest members of Angelina College’s Upsilon Rho Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa pose with AC staff members during Thursday’s induction ceremony. PTK is an international honor society for two-year colleges. (Gary Stallard/AC News Service photo)
“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.
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.
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.
The latest research indicated there are 20 essential chemical elements (plant nutrients) known to be required for plant growth. This number is different from the 17 nutrients that I learned about in college. All of these elements can be supplied by either organic or commercial inorganic fertilizers.
Strangely, the three most heavily utilized nutrients are not purchased or applied. The three most utilized nutrients are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. These big three come from just the air and water that exist naturally around plants.
The next ‘big three’ are what knowledgeable gardeners and agriculturalists would have thought of first: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.
The final 14 essential elements are iron, calcium, copper, sulfur, magnesium, manganese, zinc, boron, chlorine, molybdenum, cobalt, sodium, silicon and vanadium. With the exception of nitrogen and phosphorus, most alkaline, clay type soils usually contain enough of these elements for vegetable production. In acid sandy soils, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and, at times, sulfur and boron may need to be added for successful crop production. The last three are the newest to be discovered by science: cobalt, silicon, and vanadium. And these three have only been proven essential for a few plants.
Most every fertilizer bag is labeled with at least three numbers. These numbers list the percentage, by weight, of nitrogen (N), available phosphate (as P2O5) and soluble potash (as K2O). These numbers represent nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, commonly referred to as N-P-K. For example, if we have a 100-pounds of fertilizer labeled 10-10-10, it contains 10 pounds of N, 10 pounds of P2O5, and 10 pounds of K2O.
Working our way thru these nutrients of the coming weeks. Let us start with nitrogen. Chemically, nitrogen is a very mobile nutrient. If nitrogen had a personality, I’d call it fickle and flighty – unable to hold a job or stay in any long-term relationship. Honestly, nitrogen’s natural state is as a gas. It wants to be free and, well, be a gas. We simply want it to stay in the soil in a form that a plant can absorb it.
Nitrogen is a major nutrient of all plant life and, of all the elements required for plants to grow, nitrogen is given the most credit for making plants green and vegetative. Without nitrogen, plants will appear yellow and will produce less vegetative growth.
Elemental nitrogen is a mostly an inert gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and, constitutes about 78% of the volume of Earth’s atmosphere. Think about it: almost 80% of every breath you take is nitrogen. Yet, this is a nutrient often lacking in the soil.
Nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is the starting material of all commercial nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen is reacted with hydrogen under great pressure and heat to produce gaseous ammonia (82% nitrogen). In the United States the hydrogen gas is obtained almost entirely from the reforming of natural gas. A fertilizer plant requires about 35,000 to 40,000 cubic feet of natural gas to produce a ton of anhydrous ammonia which is finally formulized into a nitrogen fertilizer.
The three most commonly used nitrogen fertilizers used in our area are ammonium nitrate (34-0-0), urea (46-0-0), and ammonium sulfate (21-0-0).
The complex process of making nitrogen fertilizer roughly outlined above results in the fertilizer we use to make a lawn lush and green. Without the nitrogen component in vegetable gardens, tomatoes, okra, corn and others wouldn’t produce to their fullest amount.
But adding too much can result in unwanted results. A tomato plant giving copious amounts of nitrogen fertilizer and not having enough of the others will result in beautiful tall, green tomato plants that bear little fruit. Too much of this one nutrient on a lawn will encourage disease problems as fungus. So nitrogen is abundant in the atmosphere, often lacking in your soil, and is one of the most important nutrients for green, leafy growth. Next, we will look at some of the other major nutrients.
LUFKIN – Beginning Friday, Dec. 1, crews will close the Spradley Street crossover at US 59 in Nacogdoches in order to continue bridge work at this location. The closure is expected to last up to five months.
Motorists needing to access the northbound or southbound lanes from East or West Spradley should stay alert to message boards and follow the established detour routes.
Drivers should remain alert to changes in detours as this construction project progresses. Be alert for moving equipment in the area and workers working near the lanes of traffic.
For more information on road conditions or closures, visit drivetexas.org. For more information on this project, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or call (936) 633-4395.
With the holiday season underway, The Salvation Army of Lufkin and Nacogdoches has issued an urgent call for community assistance with its Angel Tree program. Over 300 angels representing local children in need have yet to be adopted, just over a week before the gift return deadline on December 8.
“We still have so many children counting on the community to make their Christmas wishes come true,” said Captain Jenifer Philips. “We urging individuals, businesses, churches and organizations to swiftly step up and adopt an angel during this crucial homestretch.”
The annual Angel Tree program provides new clothes and toys for underprivileged youth whose families cannot afford them. Community members can participate by adopting paper angel tags from trees at locations like Walmart, Hobby Lobby, the Lufkin Mall, and Southside Bank. Angels include gift ideas and sizes for each child.
For those who cannot adopt an angel in person, online adoption is available through the Walmart Registry for Good. Visit www.walmartangeltree.com and simply search for The Salvation Army chapter in Lufkin or Nacogdoches. Walmart will ship all donated gifts directly to the local Salvation Army for distribution.
Captain Philips emphasized that every angel adoption makes a difference in showing needy youth that the community cares. “We believe no child’s wish should go unfulfilled at Christmas time,” she said. “With hurried action in these remaining days, we can surprise hundreds of children with expressions of love they’ll never forget.”
Get involved by adopting an angel, volunteering, or making a donation. For details, contact:
Some other locations include Old Navy, Chick-fil-A on the loop, Eye Mart, Cheddars, Texas Road House, Red Lobster, Austin Bank.
About The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army provides assistance to nearly 24 million Americans annually through social services like food, shelter, rehabilitation support, disaster relief and youth programs. For more on The Salvation Army mission or to donate, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org.
