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Shop Local: Mother’s Day Gift Guide

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Here at tfcl, we firmly believe in shopping local and supporting our community. We also really really love our moms. Even though there’s no gift that can quantify all the things our moms do for us, we have put together a collection of some of our favorite local shops, boutiques, bakeries, and fun places to help you celebrate the incredible moms in your life!

Wigley Designs

This local husband and wife team create custom home decor inspired by the culture, nature, and joy of living in East Texas.

Buy a sign from their Etsy website and check them out on Instagram and Facebook.

Spring and Prince

Founded by Nacogdoches native Claire Drewery, Spring and Prince is a fun and classy boutique in downtown Nacogdoches. Specializing in women and children, the shop has everything from on trend clothes to unique accessories and home goods!

Shop online at shopspringandprince.com and visit their social media on Instagram and Facebook.

Among the Pines/ETX Market

Among the Pines is in the business of uplifting the small businesses of East Texas. They have created a space for the creatives, just-starting-outs, designers, small business owners, and everything in between to help them make connections and grow!

Visit AmongthePines.com and stay up to date on their upcoming ETX Market events on Facebook.

Market to Market

Market to Market is a downtown Lufkin boutique that seeks to blend vintage inspired pieces with modern fashion.

Start searching for the perfect gift on their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram, or visit them in-person at 119 S 1st St.

Milk and Honey Baking Co.

Milk and Honey Baking Co. is a home-based bakery in Nacogdoches. They have some of the most delicious macarons, ‘lunchbox’ cakes, cookies, brownies, and so much more!

Visit Milk and Honey Baking Co. in person this Saturday at Market on Main in Nacogdoches from 10am to 2pm, or order online at milkandhoneybc@gmail.com. Get to know them on Facebook and Instagram.

White Cottage Mercantile

If you’re not sure what to get the mothers in your life, don’t worry about it! White Cottage Mercantile will curate incredible gift baskets tailored just to your mom’s style. And it doesn’t stop there! They have handcrafted furniture, home decor, snacks, and so so much more!

While you can’t shop online, you can give them a call at (936) 598-7467 or go visit in person at 401 Hurst St Center, TX 75935. Until you can get on the road, get a sneak peek on Facebook and Instagram.

The Abbey Farmstead Bed and Breakfast

If your mom just needs to get away, there’s no better gift than a weekend away at The Abbey Farmstead. Despite being housed in a 1930s farmhouse, the Abbey Farmstead is far from dated. Its classic and simple design elements are a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of life, and its amenities ensure that your room feels like a home away from home with free breakfast and complementary wifi.

Read The Abby Farmstead story at theabbeyfarmsteadbnb.com. Get to know them on Facebook, and book your mom a couple nights away on Airbnb.

AC Athletics Weekly Update

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Roadrunner Baseball:

The Roadrunners dropped a pair of one-run losses on Wednesday at Northeast Texas Community College, falling to the Eagles 4-3 and 8-7 at Mount Pleasant.

AC’s guys will close out the 2022 season at home on Monday, taking on Temple College in a single, nine-inning game starting at 2 p.m. at Poland Field on the AC campus. The team will recognize its 18 sophomores in pre-game ceremonies.

Lady Roadrunner Softball:

The Lady Roadrunners capped off their conference portion of the season with a 7-6, 12-10 sweep over Lamar State College-Port Arthur on Wednesday. AC’s ladies will close out the regular seasons with a non-conference road trip at LSU-Eunice on Wednesday, May 4 in a doubleheader scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.

NOTE: AC Softball head coach Joshua Barnes has set an official program record for total wins in a season for a first-year head coach with 34 (and still counting). The previous record was 18 wins.

NOTE 2: The Lady ‘Runners have clinched a spot in the upcoming Region XIV Conference Tournament. More information included below.

Baseball Camps:

Evaluation Camps: In an effort to find more future Roadrunners, the AC baseball team will hold a pair of evaluation camps for prospective players ages 16 and older in May and June. Those sessions will take place on Saturday, May 28 and Thursday, June 9 at Poland Field on the Angelina College campus.

Link for registration and other information: https://angelina.prestosports.com/general/2021-22/releases/acbsbskillsevaluationcamps2022

Baseball Youth Camp:

Angelina College baseball coaches are offering a three-day summer camp for young players ages 6-13 beginning Monday, June 6 and running through Wednesday, June 8 at Poland Field on the Angelina College campus. Camp times will run from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

NOTE: Full-time AC employees will receive a 50 percent discount on registration/camp fees.

Link for registration and other information: https://angelina.prestosports.com/general/2021-22/releases/acbsbyouthcampjune2022

THIS WEEK’S GAMES:

Monday, 5/2: Roadrunner Baseball vs. Temple College, single nine-inning game starting at 2 p.m. at Poland Field on the AC campus. The team will hold Sophomore Day festivities prior to the first pitch. This is AC Baseball’s final game of the season.

Wednesday, 5/4: Lady Roadrunner Softball at LSU-Eunice in Eunice, La. The team closes out its regular season with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.

REGION XIV SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:

The Lady Roadrunners have locked down the No. 2 seed in the Region XIV South Zone for the upcoming Region XIV Conference Tournament scheduled to run May 13-16 at the San Jacinto South campus. The tournament hosts will release a full schedule and bracket once this final week of the regular season ends, and we’ll be posting information on the AC Athletics web site at angelinaathletics.com.

Controlling Weeds in Your Farm Pond

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It seems that of all the questions that are received in our local AgriLife Extension office, from cattle to hay meadows, home gardens and landscapes, questions on how to manage a farm pond is the most common. Then when you break up the questions into different management groups, getting rid of excess vegetation is at the top of that list.

Before we start, please understand that some vegetation is good and even needed in most ponds. Vegetation provides cover for fish and helps add oxygen. But as we can imagine, too much vegetation can get in the way and lead to problems.

There are four kinds of aquatic vegetation: submerged (mostly underwater), emergent (having dry vegetative matter existing above the surface), floating (with no roots holding it in place), and algae. In simple terms, these pond weeds are either all below the water, above the water, float around on top, or “pond scum”.

Thankfully, pond owners have more than a few herbicide management options. Let us be very clear, herbicides approved for aquatic weeds, when applied according to the label, are an effective, safe, and environmentally responsible method of eliminating excess vegetation.

Timing is important when applying aquatic herbicides. Pond owners will find a poor response to any treatment that is made in the dead of winter when vegetation is not actively growing. Fall is too late to do much good and summer may find aquatic weeds that are already causing too many problems to get ahead of.

That leaves spring as the ideal time to stay ahead of excessive pond weed growth. True, you can treat for weeds in the summer months, but you will have more total vegetation to contend with and you could run into a low oxygen problem if you try and treat too much of your pond’s weeds at once.

How do we have an oxygen problem that kills fish after killing weeds in the summer? First, warm water holds less oxygen than cold water. There is some exacting science behind this fact. Specifically, “The solubility of oxygen and other gases decreases as the water temperature increases.” This means that colder water can hold more dissolved oxygen available to fish than warmer waters.

Additionally, when something is killed and begins to rot, the decomposition process consumes oxygen. A dead squirrel on the side of the road will not cause any serious lack of oxygen, but the drop in oxygen in a pond full of decomposing vegetation is not easily replenished.

So, if you combine warmer pond water in the summer with a large mass of decomposing vegetation, you certainly can have fish die from lack of oxygen. But do not blame the product used. The blame is all on the timing and actions of the applicator.

One may ask how to avoid any fish die-off in the summer months or during any time of the year. The solution is to treat no more than a third of the pond at a time so that fish have oxygen available.

With the large number of products on the market, there is not enough room in this article to cover them all. Proper identification is a must for any success. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has a tremendous website that will help with weed identification and treatment. Go to aquaplant.tamu.edu for a world of valuable information.

Let us say it again, herbicides approved for use in ponds will not kill fish. If they did kill fish, then I cannot imagine how they would have ever been approved.

It is also important to state that there are products commonly used in ponds that have no business being used. If the label does not state that it can be used in a pond with specific instructions on how to apply it, then it is not legal to use in a pond. No, I don’t care what your neighbor said, if it is not labeled, then it is out of bounds. If you wish to dive deep into farm pond management, go to the website fisheries.tamu.edu/pond-management/. This site has an abundance of pond and sport fish management resources and links. Also feel free to call your local county Extension agent with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.


Cary Sims is the County Extension Agent for agriculture and natural resources for Angelina County. His email address is cw-sims@tamu.edu .

Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, national origin, genetic information or veteran status. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Nacogdoches Home Garden Tour

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The Garden Capital of Texas will showcase some of its most beautifully landscaped gardens during the Tour of Home Gardens, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 21 and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 22.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at participating gardens on the day of the event, or in advance from Garden Club members and at the Charles Bright Visitor Center, 200 E. Main St.; The Hotel Fredonia, 200 N. Fredonia St.; Pemberley’s at The Jones House, 141 N. Church St.; The Plant Shed, 3123 Appleby Sand Rd.; Charles Pool Real Estate, 3505 North St.; The East Texas Garden Center, 2887 Hwy 21 W.; and Laine’s Hallmark, 3205 N. University Dr. Tickets can be purchased with cash or check, and this is a rain-or-shine event.

Nacogdoches: Garden Capital Hosting Tour of Home Gardens

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The Garden Capital of Texas will showcase some of its most beautifully landscaped gardens during the Tour of Home Gardens, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 21 and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 22.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at participating gardens on the day of the event, or in advance from Garden Club members and at the Charles Bright Visitor Center, 200 E. Main St.; The Hotel Fredonia, 200 N. Fredonia St.; Pemberley’s at The Jones House, 141 N. Church St.; The Plant Shed, 3123 Appleby Sand Rd.; Charles Pool Real Estate, 3505 North St.; The East Texas Garden Center, 2887 Hwy 21 W.; and Laine’s Hallmark, 3205 N. University Dr. Tickets can be purchased with cash or check, and this is a rain-or-shine event.

This exclusive tour is thoughtfully curated by the Garden Capital of Texas Committee and includes stunning private gardens. Details for each garden destination will be on the ticket.

Presenting Sponsors of the Home Garden Tours are Loblolly Properties and Community Title. Gold Sponsor is Citizens 1st Bank, and Silver Sponsors are Commercial Bank of Texas, Charles Pool Real Estate, StretchER, Nacogdoches Heritage Title, Pemberley’s at The Jones House, The Hotel Fredonia and Landworks Landscapes.

The money raised by the tour will help fund the Garden Capital committee’s planting efforts. The Garden Capital Committee has worked with its partners, including the City of Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches Parks and Recreation, the Parks Advocacy League, Keep Nac Beautiful, SFA Gardens and local garden clubs, to plant more than 2,000 trees in recent years.

For more information about the Garden Capital Tour of Home Gardens, contact the Garden Capital of Texas Committee at Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful, 936-560-5624 or by email at info@keepnacbeautiful.org. The mission of the Nacogdoches Garden Capital of Texas Committee is to educate, engage and inspire Nacogdoches area citizens to become involved in beautifying their community green spaces. The Nacogdoches Garden Capital Committee is a part of Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful.

Gardens featured on this year’s tour include:

“Blue Daze” serves as a border plant in Penny Payne’s front yard, creating a nice complement to the brown brick home.

Penny Payne, 3327 Summer Hill Circle

This romantic garden uses colors and textures to soften and brighten up a small space. There are lots of blue, purple and lavender perennials, with touches of rose and a few Japanese maple and redbud trees. “Blue Daze” serves as a border plant in the front yard, creating a nice complement to the brown brick home. The garden also features a small rock patio to hide unsightly equipment and create a space to place potted plants.

The centerpiece of the Appleby Community Farm is this old Victorian home featuring cottage-style landscaping.

Appleby Community Farm, 11825 US-59

This “garden” is actually a commercial farm that provides food and beauty for member families. The old Victorian home features cottage-style landscaping, and sunflowers and zinnias are the “work horses” of the farm’s cut flowers.

Grace Evans’ informal garden features several rock beds crafted from Colorado pancake stones

Grace Evans, 4125 Red Oak Drive

This fun, informal garden is the result of years of trial and error. It features azaleas, coral vines, hydrangeas, roses and ferns, as well as several rock beds crafted from Colorado pancake stones. One bed started as a small fish pond, but was repurposed into a flower bed.

The Jones’ garden balances natural beauty with design elements, including several sculptures that serve as points of interest.

Corrine and Charles Jones, 173 CR 2053

The garden at these artists’ home unfolds as a surprise, serving as a place to both soothe and delight the senses. Originally planned as a shady area, this garden has changed over the years as some of the surrounding trees have died. The garden balances natural beauty with design elements, including several sculptures that serve as points of interest. Gardenias and azaleas grow well, and gardener Corinne Jones prefers cooler and quieter colors with spots of brighter hues. “I love what survives,” Jones said. “My gardening friends inspire me, especially with their ‘pass-along’ gifts.”

The “Serenity Garden” at The Brown Family Health Center features 31 raised beds that provide healthy vegetables and fruits to members

Brown Family Health Center, 1407 Main Street

Designed by Gary Roberts, this “Serenity Garden” was developed to provide a relaxing environment for patients and family members living with HIV/AIDS and other illnesses. It features 31 raised beds that provide healthy vegetables and fruits, a gazebo, a deck with two water features, a fire pit, a trellis with muscadine grapes and several sitting areas.

The Badders’ garden features traditional rose gardens, a small orchard and a collection of perennials and evergreen trees and shrubs closest to the house.

Jackie and Jeff Badders, 1974 CR 104

This garden is an eclectic mix of plants. While there are traditional rose gardens, a small orchard and several “cut-out gardens” around the 8 acres closest to the house, the main focus is the collection of perennials and evergreen trees and shrubs closest to the house. The original gardens around the home were professionally designed ten years ago by Kim Wright, who owned Dragon Fly Nursery. Since the original installation, the Badders have had some professional help, including from Christi Wright, but have made most of the design decisions themselves. Because of voracious weeds, they prefer faithful perennials and low maintenance plants. The recent freeze brutalized many smaller sized trees, hawthorns and azaleas, and they are patiently trimming and nursing as many as possible back to life.


Scan the QR code to purchase tickets online:

Angelina College Baseball Holding Summer Evaluation Camps

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Two Sessions for Prospective Players Taking Place in May, June

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 a pair of evaluation camps for prospective players ages 16 and older in May and June. Those sessions will take place on Saturday, May 28 and Thursday, June 9 at Poland Field on the Angelina College campus.

Each camp begins at 9 a.m., and the fee for each camp is $40.00 payable at the game. Campers may register at the gate beginning at 8:15 (cash only).

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.

2021-2022 Drug-Free All Star Applications Now Available!

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Attention Angelina County high school juniors! Applications for the Drug-Free All Star program are now available. The Drug-Free All Stars of Angelina County, funded by a grant from TxDOT, are a group of high school seniors that serve as role models for the community by living an alcohol, tobacco, and drug-free life. All current high school juniors that are passionate about being drug, alcohol and tobacco-free are eligible for the program. The application can be accessed on The Coalition’s website at www.angelinacoalition.org/youth. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, May 31st. For more information on the Drug-Free All Star program, visit The Coalition’s website or social media channels @thecoalition936, or contact Abby Baker at abaker@angelinacoalition.org.

For over 35 years, 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. Since the inception of the Drug-Free All Star program, The Coalition has trained over 1,500 youth as drug, alcohol and tobacco-free leaders in the community.

AC Athletics Weekly Update

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Roadrunner Baseball:

The Roadrunners suffered a pair of tough losses at Tyler JC on Wednesday, falling 3-1 and 9-1 in Tyler. AC’s guys bounced back with a hard-fought split at home against Panola College on Saturday, losing a 14-13 slugfest in extra innings in the opener before rebounding for a 12-2, run-rule win in the nightcap. MaCrae Kendrick and Landon Roque each drove in three runs in the win, with Heladio Moreno driving in another pair. Roadrunner pitcher Matthew Tippie earned the complete-game win on the mound, striking out six while scattering six hits over six innings.

Lady Roadrunner Softball:

AC’s ladies dropped both games of a home doubleheader against the conference’s second-best team, San Jacinto College, on Wednesday, coming out on the short end in the 10-2, 2-1 losses. The team welcomed some special visitor: Girls from the local Xplosion team attended the game and had their photos taken with the Lady Roadrunners afterward.

Despite the Wednesday losses, the Lady ‘Runners gained ground on San Jac in the conference standings with a road sweep Saturday at Coastal Bend Community College, winning 4-2 and 9-0 in Beeville.

In the opener at Coastal Bend, Bailey Frenzel drove in two runs and Alyssa Collazo another to back the pitching of Haley Primrose (5 IP, 0 earned runs) and Mia Gilmore (1 IP, 0 earned runs).

In the nightcap, Frenzel and Leighton Landreth collected two RBI each, while Sara Mayes, Hailey Fuentes and Trenity Miller drove in a run each. Pitchers Gilmore and Jazz Tucker teamed up to allow no earned runs in the win.

BASEBALL CAMPS:

Evaluation Camps: In an effort to find more future Roadrunners, the AC baseball team will hold a pair of evaluation camps for prospective players ages 16 and older in May and June. Those sessions will take place on Saturday, May 28 and Thursday, June 9 at Poland Field on the Angelina College campus.

Baseball Youth Camp: Angelina College baseball coaches are offering a three-day summer camp for young players ages 6-13 beginning Monday, June 6 and running through Wednesday, June 8 at Poland Field on the Angelina College campus. Camp times will run from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

THIS WEEK’S GAMES:

Monday, 4/25: Weather permitting, Roadrunner Baseball will travel to Dallas to face Dallas College-Mountain View in a single, 9-inning game scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Wednesday, 4/27: Roadrunner Baseball vs. Northeast Texas Community College, doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at Poland Field.

Lady Roadrunner Softball at Lamar State College-Port Arthur, doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. in Port Arthur.

Ultimate Cowboy Showdown: Shelby County Cowboy Premieres Tonight on INSP

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Friendship may be the Texas motto, but this Texas cowboy will have to put friendships aside in order for him to win the title of America’s ‘ultimate’ cowboy. 

Cody Anthony (Center, TX) is among 14 contestants throwing his cowboy hat into the ring in the third season of the INSP cowboy competition series Ultimate Cowboy Showdown, hosted by country music icon Trace Adkins. With the chance to win a life-changing prize package on the line, Cody, an old school ranch manager turned cattleman; will have to use his unique cowboy skills throughout a series of thrilling individual and team challenges, in order to become the ‘lone’ cowboy on top.

In Ultimate Cowboy Showdown, top cowboys from across the United States compete to win a herd of cattle (worth at least $50,000), a coveted belt buckle, and a lifetime of bragging rights. As they lock horns in a series of grueling challenges, they are judged on their skills, knowledge, grit, and passion. The diverse male and female contestants include ranch owners and managers, horse trainers, ranch hands, bull riders, and rodeo competitors. One-by-one, the cowboys who don’t perform are eliminated by country music icon Trace Adkins and a panel of expert judges. In the end, only one cowboy rides away with the herd.

The 10 episodes of Ultimate Cowboy Showdown will air on INSP starting on Thursday, April 21st at 8PM ET.  

You can get a first look at the series by clicking here.

Angelina College Visual and Performing Arts Hosts Scholarship Ceremony

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Scholarship recipients pose during Angelina College’s Visual and Performing Arts signing ceremony at the Angelina Center for the Arts Gallery. Pictured with the students are (bottom left) AC president Dr. Michael Simon and (bottom right) VPA division director Beckie Compton. (AC News Service photo)

Angelina College’s Visual and Performing Arts Division this week held a ceremony recognizing area students who signed scholarships with various areas of the program.

A total of 18 students signed with Graphic Arts, Visual Arts, Music (either Band or Chorale) or Theater.

VPA division director Beckie Compton said the event is as much a welcome as an announcement.

“We’re calling this our Scholarship Signing Event, and it’s only the second time we’ve done this for our Visual and Performing Arts students who are receiving scholarships for the coming year,” Compton said. “For us, it’s the time to get to meet our students and their families and congratulate them while making it official.

“For the students, we want them to know this is a special time for them. We want them to know they have a support system, and that we’re really excited to have them here.”

The incoming students not only will have the opportunity to hone their personal skills in the arts, but also learn of the numerous career opportunities in those areas. Whether the student is intent on making his or her form of art an actual profession, or is simply exploring his or her creative side, the scholarships and the courses will ensure each artist has the opportunity to develop.

“Most of these scholarships come from our VPA funds, but some of the students are also receiving some of the endowed scholarships listed on our web site,” Compton said.

“We’ve been able to offer scholarships to both majors and non-majors in those areas. Some of the students may not choose to major in a specific area, but they can still receive scholarships for being involved.”

The students recognized in the recent ceremony (along with the hometowns of record and their Arts focus) include the following: Haley Drahos (Huntington), Music-Chorale; Erik Baltazar (Hudson), Music-Band; Eryn Forrest (Lufkin), Theater; Jared Huber (Nacogdoches), Music-Chorale; Madeline Gipson (Lufkin), Theater; Matthew Ledbeter (Diboll), Graphic Arts; Isacc Rojas (Lufkin), Graphic Arts; Miguel Rodriguez (Lufkin), Graphic Arts; Victoria Steptoe (Lufkin), Graphic Arts; Jazlynn Deltoro (Lufkin), Visual Arts; Collin Fuller (Nacogdoches), Visual Arts; Brooke Engbrecht (Nacogdoches), Visual Arts; Jaylen Sowell (Lufkin), Music-Chorale; Elizabeth “Lily” Varner (Lufkin), Music-Chorale; Kevin Solis (Lufkin), Visual Arts; Jacob Anderson (Lufkin), Music-Chorale; Faith Clark (Lufkin), Theater; and Robyn Assuncao (Livingston), Graphic Arts.

For further information on AC’s Visual and Performing Arts programs and potential scholarships, contact Beckie Compton at bcompton@angelina.edu.

For any other information on AC programs and scholarships, contact Krista Brown at kbrown@angelina.edu.