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HOUSE BILL 5, EXPANDING BROADBAND SERVICE, SIGNED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT

By
Luis Ruperto
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Today, Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 5 by State Representative Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) and State Senator Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) which will increase access to and adoption of high-speed internet throughout Texas. The measure was deemed by the Governor as one of only eight Emergency Items for the 87th Legislature and received a low bill number, indicating priority status, by both Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dade Phelan.

“Thank you to Senator Nichols and Representative Ashby for their leadership on House Bill 5, which will help increase high speed internet access in Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “Broadband is no longer a luxury — it is an essential tool for education, business, and healthcare, which is why I made the expansion of broadband an emergency item this session. HB 5 will help close the digital divide throughout Texas.”

With Governor Abbott’s signature, the provisions in the legislation become effective immediately. The first order of business for the newly created Broadband Development Office will be identifying which areas of Texas have access to broadband and which do not, ultimately defining who will be eligible for state, federal, and philanthropic funding.

“The passage of House Bill 5 requires the state to create and maintain a broadband access map,” said Senator Nichols. “This will identify corners of the state that are lacking broadband. Those areas can receive targeted support and funding to build the infrastructure necessary to deploy broadband. This bill exemplifies Texas’ commitment to developing critical 21st century infrastructure and expanding broadband access.”

One of House Bill 5’s most critical components is the establishment of a state broadband plan to establish long and short term goals that guide the development and investment of broadband infrastructure for all Texans. As one of only six states in the United States without a broadband plan, Texas often finds itself at a disadvantage when applying for federal dollars. 

“Without a state plan for broadband, Texas was leaving precious resources on the table,” said Representative Ashby. “House Bill 5 creates this plan to establish goals and guide our state’s investment in broadband. The more we can do to bring the 21st century to rural and underserved communities, the better chance we have at closing the social and economic gap that has widened due to lack of reliable, high-speed internet. 

SFA music faculty to present virtual recital

By
Luis Ruperto
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Stephen F. Austin State University music faculty members Jacob Walburn, trumpet, James Pitts, piano, and Deb Scott, trombone, will present “Romantic and Contemporary Music for Trumpet and Piano” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 16, accessible on the School of Music’s website at music.sfasu.edu.

Works by Oskar Bohme, Brendan Collins, Eric Ewazen, JN Hummel, Nathan Ost, Joseph Turrin and Justin Writer will be performed.

To access the virtual recital free of charge, visit music.sfasu.edu the night of the performance. For additional information, contact the School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

ETCOG Accepting Pre-Applications for Rental Assistance Waiting List Lottery

By
Luis Ruperto
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The Deep East Texas Regional Housing Authority (DETRHA) will open its waiting list lottery for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and begin accepting pre-applications on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. CT through Friday, July 31,2021 at 5:00 p.m. CT. Pre-applications will be accepted online at
https://www.waitlistcheck.com/TX2875 and will NOT be accepted at the Housing Authority’s office, nor by fax or mail.

The date and time the pre-application is submitted during the waiting list lottery opening period does not determine whether a pre-application will be selected for the waiting list. Pre-applications will be selected using a random lottery system. DETCOG will accept 1,000 applications during the waiting list lottery opening period. Applicants will be placed on the waiting list by random lottery and according to DETCOG preference(s). Applicants – will be notified of waiting list status by September 15, 2021 through their waitlistcheck.com login.

Preferences include: 1) Families who live or work in the DETCOG Regional Housing Authority service area, including: Angelina, Hardin, Houston, Jasper, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity and Tyler .~ Counties (Houston County does not include Houston, Texas nor any part of Harris County, Texas; Tyler County does not include Tyler, Texas nor any part of Smith County, Texas); 2) Veterans and veterans’ families; 3) Victims of domestic violence; and 4) Families whose head, co-head or spouse is disabled.

Pre-applications will be accepted on-line at https://www.waitlistcheck.com/TX2875  and may be submitted anytime day or night during the waiting list lottery opening from any computer or mobile device with internet access. Any computer or mobile device with internet access can be used to complete the pre- application. Request for a reasonable accommodation can be made by calling our office at (936) 634-2247, Ext 5262. There is no cost to apply for housing and a credit report is not needed to apply.

No applicant has the right nor is entitled to be listed on the waiting list, or to any particular position on the waiting list. Placement on the waiting list does not indicate that the family is eligible for assistance. Receiving assistance is subject to eligibility requirements.

Texas Wins Ninth Gold Shovel Award For Job Creation And Business Investments

By
Luis Ruperto
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0

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that Texas is again recognized with a Gold Shovel Award by Area Development magazine for leading among the most populous states in attracting high-value business investments in 2020 that will create a significant number of new jobs in communities across the state. This is the ninth year Texas has won a Gold Shovel Award.

“It’s no surprise that Texas continues to lead the nation in job creation and economic expansion,” said Governor Abbott. “The Lone Star State offers innovative businesses the freedom to flourish with our pro-growth economic policies, a predictable regulatory environment, and our young, growing, and diverse workforce. I thank Area Development Magazine for their recognition, and I look forward to welcoming even more new business investments and job creation as we unleash the full might of the Texas economy.”

Also named by Area Development as the manufacturing project of the year is the Tesla “gigafactory” project in Del Valle just outside Austin, a $1.1 billion investment expected to create 5,000 jobs.

Other significant job-creating investments in diverse industries across Texas cited by Area Development included: Amazon in Waco, Oak Cliff, and Pflugerville creating 3,500 jobs; Peloton in Plano creating 1,600 jobs; FedEx in Dallas creating 1,200 jobs; Navistar International Corp. in San Antonio creating 600 jobs; Max Midstream in Point Comfort creating 474 jobs; Freshpet Inc. in Ennis creating 427 jobs; and Gulf Coast Ammonia LLC in Texas City creating 40 jobs.

Progress continues on Griffith Fine Arts Building renovation, expansion

By
Luis Ruperto
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0

Despite the obstacles created by Mother Nature and a worldwide pandemic, construction and renovation work at Griffith Fine Arts Building on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus continues to move forward.

This summer, those passing the building situated on the corner of North and East College streets will see “a building rise from underground and new life be given to the existing structure,” according to Jessica DeWitt, project manager and assistant director of projects and construction at SFA.

The Fine Arts Expansion Initiative will extend the Griffith building along North Street. The project will include renovations to W.M. Turner Auditorium, and the state-of-the-art building will also feature two dance studios, two new theatres, recording studio, sound stage, audio and video editing rooms, an art gallery, multiple classrooms, rehearsal facilities, faculty offices and the offices of the College of Fine Arts dean. The facilities will house the CFA’s sound recording technology, filmmaking, theatre, dance and musical theatre programs.

“This new, fantastic facility is going to be a beehive of activity for decades to come,” said Gary Wurtz, interim dean of the College of Fine Arts. “Watching the progress from a window or through a chain-link fence is both exciting and a test of our patience. The opportunities it will offer for teaching, learning, performing and exhibiting are endless, and we simply can’t wait to move in.”

Building design is by Kirksey Architecture and construction is by KDW. The project, which was designed to take place in two major phases including renovation of the existing building and construction of a new addition, is in various stages of work, Dewitt explained.

“In the renovation of the existing building, there is a lot of above-ceiling rough-in work for plumbing, electrical, internet and air distribution,” she said. “These activities are going to take care of the building’s deferred maintenance needs and bring those systems back online more efficiently.

“The construction of the new addition is in the critical stage of pouring the foundation and underground structure,” she said. “This has been quite the feat, given we are building down instead of up. We’re having to adapt to the slope of the site and maintain the overall relationship to the existing building.”

Adding to the anticipated challenges of a project like this, major winter storms and recent rains, along with a wide range of delays relating to materials and labor as a result of the global pandemic and overall changes in the world have created additional trials, DeWitt explained.

“Thankfully, KDW has picked up some ‘lessons learned’ from the construction of SFA’s new basketball facility to keep work on track,” she said. “As a project management team, it is our job to watch the market, stay in contact with sources, and keep things flexible at all times. To say a project is going ‘as planned,’ or not, is an unfair assessment to the process; the plan is always moving, but our target is clear.”

While it is still too early to narrow down a completion date, DeWitt said the project management team has “strong expectations” that the building will be available for occupancy in mid 2023.

 To view design plans and artists’ renderings, and for up-to-date construction progress, visit finearts.sfasu.edu/expansion.

Governor Abbott Signs ERCOT Reforms, Power Grid Weatherization Legislation Into Law

By
Luis Ruperto
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Governor Greg Abbott today signed Senate Bills 2 and 3 into law to reform the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and weatherize and improve the reliability of the state’s power grid. Governor Abbott made ERCOT reform and weatherization of the power system emergency items this past session. The Governor was joined for the bill signing by Representative Chris Paddie and Senators Kelly Hancock and Charles Schwertner.

Under Senate Bills 2 and 3, Texas will now require the weatherization of power generation facilities, natural gas facilities, and transmission facilities to handle extreme weather. The Texas Railroad Commission and ERCOT will be required to inspect these facilities, and failure to weatherize these facilities can result in a penalty of up to one million dollars. These bills also create a “Power Outage Alert” where Texans will receive an emergency alert whenever the power supply in the state may be inadequate to meet demand. Additionally, this legislation establishes the Texas Energy Reliability Council to improve coordination between state agencies and industry during extreme weather emergencies and extended power outages. Finally, the legislation makes significant reforms to ERCOT, including having eight fully independent board members of the 11-member board, and requires board members to be residents of Texas. 

“During the winter storm, too many Texans were left without heat or power for days on end, and I immediately made reforming ERCOT and weatherizing the power system emergency items,” said Governor Abbott. “We promised not to leave session until we fixed these problems, and I am proud to say that we kept that promise. These laws will improve the reliability of the electric grid and help ensure these problems never happen again. Thank you to Senators Kelly Hancock and Charles Schwertner and Representative Chris Paddie for your leadership on these important issues.” 

SFA biology student wins award for research studying threatened fish species in East Texas

By
Luis Ruperto
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0

For the past nine months, an SFA biology student has ignored unforeseen weather extremes and other hurdles to wade into the waters of Banita and Lanana creeks in search of a threatened fish – the Sabine shiner. The Southwestern Association of Naturalists recently recognized his efforts with the Student Field Natural History Award.
 
Zachary Hutchens, a senior from Nacogdoches, is conducting research to assess the status and habitat conditions of local populations of Sabine shiner in the Lanana Creek watershed.
 
“In winter and summer sampling trips, we face extreme conditions, such as freezing and scorching temperatures,” Hutchens said. “Regardless of the weather, we maintain a consistent sampling schedule in order to standardize our data collection.” 
 
The Sabine shiner is a small fish found in clear, shallow streams and is currently classified as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Texas, necessitating a need for tracking its geographic distribution in East Texas waterways.
 
Using a seine, Hutchens and his faculty mentor, Dr. Carmen Montaña, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, collect the fish and mark them with visual implant elastomer tags to study their movements in the creeks.
 
“It is a species lacking research into their movement patterns,” Hutchens said. “My project has shown that there is an isolated population of the Sabine shiner in Banita Creek, and it does not move very far from the tagging location.”
 
Because the last study on the fish was conducted 20 years ago, Hutchens’ research will provide a much-needed update.
 
“That study reported a much higher abundance and stable populations of Sabine shiner compared to what we are finding today,” he said. “This presented a great opportunity to investigate exactly how much this population has changed and search for reasons as to why.”
 
Once collected, results from Hutchens’ study will be compared to the previous study.
 
“As a faculty member and a mentor, I am proud of our students,” Montaña said. “They work very hard in the field and lab settings to produce quality scientific data and increase their involvement with scientific research.”
 
Hutchens recently presented his research to judges, students and other scientists at the 68th annual meeting of the Southwestern Association of Naturalists where he was recognized for his outstanding oral presentation and the strong field component in his research.
 
“This conference gave students a platform to present their research to a diverse group of scientists and graduate and undergraduate students working in the fields of ecology and conservation,” Montaña said. “Their participation in this meeting allowed our students to grow as scientists.”
 
To learn more about the Department of Biology, visit sfasu.edu/biology.

DETCOG Sponsoring a Fair Housing Seminar

By
Luis Ruperto
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0

Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) will be holding a Fair Housing Seminar on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to Noon, both online and at the DETCOG office at 1405 Kurth Drive in Lufkin.

Speakers for the seminar include Melaney Morris from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Keegan Warren-Clem. Ms. Warren-Clem is an attorney and adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law and McCombs School of Business.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the federal Fair Housing Act in 1968. The law provides that no person shall be subjected to discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion sex, disability, or familial status in the sale, rental, financing, or advertising of housing. 53 years later, the provisions found in the Fair Housing Act are still important and relevant today.

Seating at the DETCOG office will be limited. You can reserve a place by calling Carolyn Stephenson at (936) 634-2247 ext. 5353. Instructions for accessing the presentations online can be found at DETCOG.gov.

Governor Abbott Activates Resources As Heavy Rain, Flooding Threaten Eastern, Southern Regions Of Texas

By
Luis Ruperto
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0

Governor Greg Abbott today activated numerous resources to assist South, East, and Southeast Texas communities that are expected to receive heavy rain and flooding through the beginning of next week. Severe storms are also forecasted across West Texas on Sunday afternoon and evening, including storms that could bring damaging winds and large hail. 

“This year’s spring season has brought an unprecedented amount of rain and flash flooding to many of our communities, and I urge Texans throughout the eastern and southern regions of the state to remain alert to changing weather conditions and heed the guidance of their local officials,” said Governor Abbott. “These resources will help the State of Texas continue to support our communities and keep Texans safe.” 

The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) has activated and deployed the following resources:

  • Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) – Texas A&M Task Force One and Task Force Two: Boat Squads
  • Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD): Search and Rescue Boat Teams
  • Texas Military Department (TMD): Helicopters with Hoist Capability and High Profile Vehicles

TDEM has requested the following agencies to identify resources to support response operations should they be needed:

  • Texas A&M Forest Service: Saw Crews, Incident Management Teams 
  • Texas Department of State Health Services: Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Severe Weather Packages
  • Texas Department of Public Safety: Helicopters with hoist capability
  • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Public Drinking Water/Waste Water System Impacts
  • Public Utility Commission of Texas:  Power outage monitoring/coordination with utility providers in the threat areas   

Texans are urged to follow these flood preparedness and safety tips during severe weather events:

  • Know types of flood risk in your area. Visit FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center for information here: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
  • Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.
  • Build an emergency supply kit. For more information on how to build a kit, visit: https://www.ready.gov/kit
  • Purchase or renew a flood insurance policy. Homeowner’s policies do not cover flooding. It typically takes up to 30 days for a policy to go into effect so the time to buy is well before a disaster. Get flood coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
  • Keep important documents in a waterproof container. Create password-protected digital copies.
  • Protect your property. Move valuables to higher levels. Declutter drains and gutters. Install check valves. Consider a sump pump with a battery.
  • Be extremely cautious of any water on roads or in creeks, streams, storm drains, or other areas – never attempt to cross flowing streams or drive across flooded roadways and always observe road barricades placed for your protection. Remember, Turn Around Don’t Drown.
  • For more flood safety tips, visit ready.gov.

Resurgent Lumberjacks Bolster 2021 Roster with Spring Transfers

By
Luis Ruperto
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 SFA head soccer coach Anthony Minatta announced this week the addition of four spring transfer additions to the Lumberjack soccer program, which will bolster the team’s ranks heading into the 2021 fall season. Alexia Moreira, Bri Beaty, Destiny Ramirez and Delaney Hemperly will join mid-year enrollee Carly Wyatt, who was with the ‘Jacks this spring, as new faces for 2021 and beyond. 

“As we transition into the WAC, we are very excited to be adding this group of transfers, as they all come from incredibly successful programs”, said Minatta. “The understanding that they are bringing to the team of what it takes to consistently compete at the highest level, will greatly enhance our team and our ability to be successful in the new league. We knew from the recruiting process that they would all be a great fit for us as people, who will all bring a little something different athletically and positionally. We are excited to get them integrated into the team and see what we can accomplish together.”

Fresh off a championship of their own during the 2020 spring championship season, the ‘Jacks will benefit from the championship experience of Alexia Moreira (2019 National Champion) as well as Beaty and Ramirez (2019 Conference USA Champions) as they look to continue their winning ways in the Western Athletic Conference next season. 

Moreira is a transfer out of Tyler Junior College, where she played in all 23 games for the Apaches (22-1) in their run to the 2019 NJCAA national title. A Jacksonville, Texas native, Moreira stays close to home with her decision to come to SFA, and will bring championship level experience out of the midfield for the ‘Jacks next fall. 

Teammates Bri Beaty and Destiny Ramirez join the Lumberjacks from the University of North Texas, where they helped the Mean Green post a 7-3-1 record in 2020-21. Ramirez, a Duncanville native, played in six games for UNT in 2019. Beaty, a 5-3 midfielder, is a hard working player who earned the respect of players and coaches at UNT. She saw limited action in 2020 after the decision was made to enter the transfer portal. 

Delaney Hemperly joins SFA after being a part of a 14-member freshman class at Baylor, wherein she did not suit up for the Bears and comes to SFA with all her eligibility intact. Hemperly is a Highland Village native who played club soccer for Solar and lead her high school team to a state runner-up finish in 2018. 

The Lumberjacks will return to campus for fall camp beginning in August as they prepare for SFA’s inaugural season of competition in the WAC. Stay tuned to sfajacks.com for more information on the Lumberjack soccer program. 

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