Jacob Thornton Competes in Commercial Heifer Show at the Angelina County Fair
Hudson High School Senior, Jacob Thornton, checks on his heifers that will compete in the Angelina County Fair commercial heifer division sponsored by Heritage Land Bank.
There are three kinds of cattle competition at our county fair: Steers, beef heifers, and the commercial beef heifer division. Commercial heifers are a pen of two heifers from quality commercial cattle and cross-bred cattle.
Jacob Thornton is a senior at Hudson high school and the son of Ty and Julie Thornton. He has 3 siblings: 2 sisters and one brother. Unique to the Thornton family, all four siblings have participated in the Angelina County fair for several years.
Jacob credits his dad and older sister, Lauren, with getting him started in the County Fair. He states his favorite part of the county fair is, “Spending time with friends and family and of course those rib-eye sandwiches!”
He did confess, “The hardest part of getting ready for the fair is preparing and finalizing my record book for my heifer project.”
His father Ty affirmed, “Jacob has always been a hard worker, but his involvement in the County Fair over the years has certainly produced in him a strong work ethic. The hard work that goes into having projects at the fair requires so much more than just feeding animals for a few months.” Ty continues, “He has learned real life skills like personal responsibility, planning and preparation, keeping and organizing records, communicating, and negotiating, and financial planning and analysis. His involvement in the county fair has certainly helped to prepare him for life ahead as an adult.”
His mom, Julie Thornton, says, “I think a lot of folks view the fair as just ‘kids and their farm animals.’ Animal projects are certainly a big part of it, but it’s about so much more. Jacob and our other children have always enjoyed participating in the food show, in which they not only have to prepare food, but they have to present it to judges and be able to answer questions and discuss nutrition facts, for example.”
Julie adds, “Older kids have opportunity to develop real life skills by working on and presenting shop projects like tractor implements and trailers. There are opportunities to enter arts and crafts projects, photography, public speaking and even BBQ cooking. And besides all that, the fair provides a fun-filled week to be around great kids, great parents and volunteers, at support from the community. The whole event feels like a family affair.”
Ty asserted, “Obviously, we wish for him to do well in all his competitions. To be able to sell his projects in the auction is a great way to help him financially as he prepares to start his college career. But more than that, we want him to be happy with the outcomes, knowing he did the best he could. We want him to have nothing but great memories of these experiences, and for him to love it so much that he’ll want to continue the tradition with his own family one day!”
Exhibitors usually select their heifers for the commercial division each fall. These heifers will be ear-tagged for proof of ownership in early December. Each heifer must be between 14 and 20 months of age and may be open or bred at the time of the show. They must be reasonably gentle (not halter broken) and should be ready to breed in the spring.
Unique to this competition, there is a 100-point scoring system that is as follows: up to 70 points to the heifers, up to 15 points towards a record book; and up to 15 points from an interview with the judge.
Jacob states, “My biggest goal this year for the fair is being able not only to be successful with my projects but to win the senior interview with my commercial heifers.” He explains, “To do this, the winner has to show the judge that they have an exceptional knowledge of the cattle industry as well as nutrition and finances.”
During the interview, judges’ questions can cover quite a few topics such as their heifers’ breeding, the total cost of the project, weight gained, and cost per pound of gain.
All expenses related to the commercial heifers are to be shown on an expense sheet. These expenses are to include the initial cost of the heifers, feed, hay, vet costs, pasture rent/ or pen rent, winter pasture, concentrates, minerals and salts. Exhibitors calculate an expense for hauling each time they haul their heifers.
The heifers themselves are evaluated on several factors. First the pair of heifers should be uniform in appearance with proper body condition. Their muscularity needs to be adequate and potential to reproduce obvious. Judges will next look for breed types that are adaptable to our climate and environmental conditions. Lastly, their structural (skeletal) soundness is evaluated.
“Jacob Thornton is an outstanding young man, trustworthy, dependable with a strong work ethic who helps serve and lead the Hudson FFA as our vice president,” said Ted Eddins, Jacob’s Ag Science Instructor at Hudson High. Eddins continues, “Jacob has been very active in the Hudson FFA Chapter his senior year competing in multiple activities including Hay Judging, Wildlife management, Hudson BBQ Team, Forestry, Radio Broadcasting, along with his Angelina County Fair commercial heifers. You’ll also find he has entries in Yeast Rolls and a team member on three pieces of equipment: A 14-foot Utility Trailer, 3-point Pasture Spray Rig, and a 1969 David Brown 780 tractor.”
Jacob wraps it up with, “What I hope most is that I, and others like me, will gain an appreciation for our community. The men and women who help the kids with their project often times have no return at all, donations are given out of the kindness of their hearts.” He continues, “Although I hope we learn responsibility and independence, I hope also we learn to be thankful and giving of our own time and resources when we are in a leadership position.”
Jacob will have his heifers and record book judged along with his interview on Friday, March 25th at the Angelina County Fair. The commercial heifer division is sponsored by Heritage Land Bank.
Cary Sims is the County Extension Agent for agriculture and natural resources for Angelina County. His email address is cw-sims@tamu.edu.
The members of Texas A&M AgriLife will provide equal opportunities in programs and activities, education, and employment to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout Texas A&M AgriLife.
TXDOT Participating in Drug-Free All Star Event
Spring Break is a deadly time each year for alcohol-related accidents involving minors. On Tuesday, TxDOT will be joining The Coalition in its annual event to educate parents and students to alcohol dangers.
The Lufkin District will support the Angelina County Drug-Free All Stars on Tuesday, March 8, at 10 am for a press event at Brookshire Brothers, 301 S. Chestnut Drive, to kick off the annual Spring Break Project Sticker Shock. The group will place stickers on alcohol warning parents of the dangers of teen drinking. The event is held each year prior to Spring Break.
Guest speakers will include Seth Franks, TxDOT Traffic Engineer and former Drug-Free All Star, Melissa Crager, PR Coordinator for Brookshire Brothers, and Rosina Camarillo, LHS Drug-Free All Star.
The Coalition is comprised of concerned citizens and parents who work to educate teens to the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The organization was established in 1988 with support from all six school districts in Angelina County. The Coalition is supported in part by a TxDOT grant awarded yearly. The 2022 grant was approved in October 2021 for $92,245.92.
The event is open and free to the public. For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or call (936) 633-4395.
Hippity Hoppity Market 2022
Local produce, baked goods, eggs, cheese, jellies, canned goods, honey, personal care products, local wineries, and locally produced crafts.
The Farmer’s Market is a Smoke FREE facility per city code.
We welcome animals on a leash.
We welcome animals on a leash.
Tips for Nurses to Fight COVID Burnout
I’ve noticed that many individuals in “helping professions”, including nurses, tend to put their own self-care behind everyone else’s. In order for nurses to avoid burnout, it is absolutely essential for nurses to do three things: become attuned with which type of self-care they need and implement it; be aware of, and work to prevent compassion fatigue; and be intentional about seeking out moments that bring joy. I’ve described each of these a little more in depth below:
It’s easy to get stuck on one or two types of self-care. We often think self-care means taking a bubble bath, or getting some exercise. There are 6 types of self-care that can be practiced, and tuning in with how you are feeling is the easiest way to identify which you need most.
If you are tired and exhausted, you probably need PHYSICAL SELF-CARE. This includes taking care of our bodies, but doesn’t have to be vigorous exercise. It could be yoga, going out for a walk, or eating more fruits and veggies.
If you are emotional and find yourself on the verge of tears too often, or even angry and irritable, you need EMOTIONAL SELF-CARE. This is about becoming more in tune with your emotions. Some ideas here would include journaling, mindfulness, or expressing your emotions through painting or writing.
If you are often asking yourself existential questions such as “What is the point to all this?” or only being able to see darkness in everything that is happening around you, try practicing SPIRITUAL SELF-CARE. This type of self-care provides nourishment to the soul, and the ultimate goal is to provide inner peace. This can include meditation, prayer, spending time in nature, reading Scripture, or donating to a charity or cause you believe in.
If you find yourself restless and anxious, you will benefit from INTELLECTUAL SELF-CARE. This is anything that challenges your mind. This can be learning a new skill, reading a book, learning a new language, or watching a documentary about something you’re interested in.
If you find that you feel lonely, you need SOCIAL SELF-CARE. This may look different for introverts and extroverts. Either way, the idea is to connect with someone through conversation. This can be a family member, or an old friend, or simply striking up a conversation with someone at the coffee shop.
If you feel numb (apathy, lack of emotions, lack of excitement or empathy) then you need SENSORY SELF-CARE. This can help nourish your senses – sight, smell, touch, sound. This is effective at bringing your mind to the present moment and will help reduce stress. Some ideas include burning your favorite scented candle, listening to soothing music, or walking barefoot in the grass.
One symptom of burnout that nurses may experience is apathy, or reduced empathy. This can lead to something known as compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue occurs when there is countertransference, or in other words, an emotional reaction to your patient’s experiences. It’s a phrase used by mental health professionals, but it originated in 1992, when researchers noted among nurses “the loss of the ability to nurture”. What researchers noticed was nurses were not only responding to more demanding workloads, but also to their patients’ experiences of pain, trauma, and emotional distress. The effects left nurses feeling angry, tired, depressed, apathetic, detached, and ineffective. Unfortunately, compassion fatigue was not just a phase in the ’90’s, but is common today, particularly in the midst of a pandemic. Nurses are more susceptible to compassion fatigue than other health care professionals. Nurses are not just an observer, but a partner with someone on their journey back to health. Nurses walk into a room when the patient is at their most vulnerable and they have a front row seat into the intricate unsavory details of their patients’ lives. It’s not easy to “turn off” the images or emotional anguish they witness each day. Fortunately, compassion fatigue is reversible by practicing self-care.
Nurses are often exposed to intense medical situations, so it is natural to develop a “doom and gloom” mindset, and it can be difficult to feel positive or hopeful about many aspects of life. That’s why it’s extremely important for nurses, particularly during the pandemic, to be intentional about creating opportunities that bring joy. Set goals for yourself, such as giving at least three compliments per day, or planning something fun with the family. It’s more important than ever to have something positive to look forward to as a way to alleviate stress.
There are a ton of resources for medical professionals. The North Carolina Psychological Association has established a number of counseling professionals who offer free support to those in the medical field. The American College of Cardiology has also established a portal to monitor clinicians’ well-being. Here are those links: https://www.ncpsychology.org/hope4healers
https://www.acc.org/clinicianwellbeing
Connections Counseling and Psychological Services provide various counseling services to children, adolescents, adults, and couples. They are located at 1609 W Frank Ave Ste B, Lufkin, Tx 75904. Contact them at: (936) 272-0555
Roadrunners Sign Hudson’s Holder
Hornet Standout Brings All-Around Game to Angelina College
College coaches spend a lot of time on the road scouting and recruiting prospective players while trying to find those deemed the right fit for a program.
Kanaan Holder, however, had the unique opportunity to scout his future coach.
Holder, a Hudson High School standout, attended several Angelina College basketball game right down the road from his home, so he had ample opportunity to see how Roadrunner head coach J.J. Montgomery runs his program. Clearly, Holder liked what he saw, because this week the Hornet standout signed his letter of intent to join the AC team beginning in the fall of 2022.
“I like the way (AC) uses multiple guards on the floor,” Holder said. “They can handle the ball and stretch the court out to create shooting opportunities. I really like that style of play.
“I also really like (Montgomery’s) work ethic. I think he’s going to relay that to me, just go at it all day, every day. Just put me to work.”
Holder’s own experiences in leagues outside of the high school realm showed him just how tough the competition can be at the collegiate level, but rather than feeling any intimidation, he sees it as a good thing.
“I think the higher level of competition is going to open things up a little for me a little more,” Holder said. “I got double-teamed a lot in high school, and they can’t really do that in college just because there’s so much talent on the floor in every game.”
Holder closed out his senior season at Hudson as just one of two seniors on the team; nevertheless, the Hornets made the post-season despite a relatively inexperienced lineup. Holder led the team in scoring at a 21.1 points per game clip. He was also tops in rebounding (7.1 rebounds per game) and assists (2.7 assists per game).
From his high school coach, Cannon Earp, Holder said he learned what he’d need to continue playing basketball at the next level.
“Coach Earp played college basketball, and he really taught me how to just take it all, knowing how to work and what it’s going to take to get to play after high school,” Holder said.
Montgomery noted that Earp’s system at Hudson is similar to the system Montgomery employs with his Roadrunners – specifically, “a lot of flex, a lot of motion,” so he feels Holder will fit in immediately.
When asked about Holder’s overall abilities, Montgomery cited several times he witnessed Holder’s court-reading abilities and overall court presence.
“In one game, I saw him bring the ball up the floor several times, and he immediately read what the defense was doing and made the right plays to get his team a score,” Montgomery said. “What I like about Kanaan is he’s so poised. He’s never rushed or out of control. He can shoot the ball very well, and he’s got great ball-handling skills. But what I like most about him is his basketball IQ. He’s such a smart player, and he reads the court so well.
“That’s not something anyone can teach. Either you have it or you don’t, and he’s one of those guys who definitely has it.”
Holder said he plans to major in Business in college. He is the son of Tammy and Tony Holder of Hudson. The email address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
Lady Roadrunners Upset Tyler Junior College
AC Advances to Conference Tournament Semifinals
The Angelina College Lady Roadrunners had all the makings of a “one and done” team in the Region XIV Conference Tournament. With only seven players available for action – meaning there would only be two coming off the bench – AC’s ladies faced the higher-seeded (No. 3) Tyler Junior College Lady Apaches in Wednesday’s opening round.
But in a frenetic finish, the Lady ‘Runners pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament thus far.
With the game tied at 62-62 and fewer than 10 seconds to play, AC’s Aaleyah Jones came up with a steal and headed up the floor, drawing a shooting foul with 2.5 seconds remaining in the game. Jones sank a free throw, and a Tyler desperation shot bounced off the rim, setting up a midcourt celebration and sending the Lady Roadrunners into Friday’s semifinal round.
Jakayla Parks led the Lady Roadrunners with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Sumaiyah Abdur-Rahim added 14 points, and Zaraya March – who played all but six seconds of the game – added 13 points. Michelle Smith finished the game with 12 points and seven steals.
Those steals were a big part of the AC win. The Lady Roadrunners collected 15 swipes, forced 22 Lady Apache turnovers and converted those into 26 points.
AC’s willingness to bang the boards also paid off, with the Lady Roadrunners scoring 14 second-chance points off 25 offensive rebounds.
Tyler’s Tia Morgan led the Apaches with 17 points, including a pair of buzzer beaters to end two of the quarters played.
The Lady Roadrunners next will face No. 2 seed Trinity Valley Community College at 3 p.m. on Friday in the women’s semifinals.
The email address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
Roadrunners’ Season Ends with Tournament Loss
Bossier Parish Overtakes AC in Second-Half Run
The pre-season prognostications didn’t show a lot of hope for the Angelina College men’s basketball team heading into the 2021-2022 season. A brand-new head coach with no collegiate coaching experience, added to a year away from game competition because of the pandemic, were reasons the Roadrunners weren’t expected to do much at all.
AC surprised plenty by qualifying for the conference tournament, and the team nearly pulled off an even bigger shock in Tuesday’s opening round of the Region XIV Conference Tournament in Jacksonville.
Instead, the ‘Runners ended their season in heartbreaking fashion on Tuesday, falling 66-59 to the Bossier Parish Community College Cavaliers – a team that beat AC by 20 points in December.
AC had fought its way to a five-point lead midway through the second half, only to see the Cavaliers put together a 13-1 run for BPCC’s final lead of the game. The Roadrunners hit some big buckets in the final minute, but the Cavaliers made enough of their free throws to hold off the charge and oust AC from the tournament.
Quandre Bullock led the Roadrunners with 19 points and nine rebounds. Caleb Johnson finished with 12 points and Errol White grabbed 12 rebounds to go with his six points.
The Cavaliers’ Jaeden Marshall led his team with 17 points.
The Roadrunners, under first-year head coach J.J. Montgomery, finish the season with a 13-16.
The email address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
Roadrunners Top Blinn in Home Finale
Bench Play Fuels Win over Bucs
Angelina College’s Roadrunners closed out their regular season at home on Saturday with a huge win over the Blinn College Buccaneers.
Next stop: The Region XIV Conference Tournament in Jacksonville.
AC’s bench played a pivotal role in the ‘Runners’ 71-56 win over the Bucs in the home finale at Shands Gymnasium. Edoardo Buffo hit for 17 points, going 3-for-4 from three-point range, 3-for-3 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. Kevin Jamieson scored six points, with all three buckets occurring within a two-minute span to help AC extend its lead.
Caleb Johnson also scored 17 points, and Quandre Bullock notched a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Raeshaun Ambris added 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Facing a Buc team with a noticeable size advantage, the Roadrunners nevertheless beat the Bucs to the boards, finishing with a 43-23 rebounding advantage.
The win leaves AC’s regular-season record at 13-15, 9-10. The Roadrunners now await seeding for the conference tournament; AC will play on Tuesday’s opening day of the tourney, with opponent and time to be announced by Monday.
The email address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
SFA’s Contemporary Ensemble to present ‘Live From the Studio
The Contemporary Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will present its first “Live From the Studio” event at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3, on the School of Music YouTube channel.
In collaboration with SFA’s fine arts video and lighting production teams, the Contemporary Ensemble will perform music by Chau, Kiltro, FJK and Tom Misch and Palmas.
With James Adams, director, and Zach Moore, graduate teaching assistant and assistant director, the ensemble performs music by living composers and songwriters. Currently, the ensemble is comprised of SFA’s sound recording technology majors.
The diverse set of works to be performed includes FJK and Tom Misch’s popular song “Losing My Way,” Chau’s Spanish song “No Te Va Gustar,” Kiltro’s Spanish-English hybrid song “Curico” and Palmas’ “Bad Dreams.”
“Viewers will be treated to pristine audio quality in real-time,” Adams said. “The audience will hear exactly what the studio control room is hearing, giving listeners and viewers a special seat in the studio. We encourage our viewers to use headphones or capable playback systems to maximize their listening experience.”
Access https://music.sfasu.edu/youtube to view the event.