Home Blog Page 323

Texas Named Best State For Business By CEO Magazine For A Record-Smashing 17th Year In A Row

By
Luis Ruperto
-
0

For the 17th year in a row, Texas has again been named the Best State for Business by the nation’s leading CEOs in an annual survey conducted by Chief Executive Magazine. The rankings are determined by the CEO’s assessments of each state’s business climate, workforce, and quality of life. Texas has secured the top spot each year since the ranking’s inception.

“Texas continues to dominate as the Best State for Business because of the unmatched competitive advantages we offer: no corporate or personal income taxes, a predictable regulatory climate, and a young, growing, and skilled workforce,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “As we continue to unleash the full economic might of the Lone Star State, I look forward to welcoming even more innovative, job-creating businesses to Texas. When businesses succeed in Texas, Texans succeed.”

Jasper County transferring from the Deep East Texas Council of Governments to the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission.

By
Luis Ruperto
-
0
PHOTO: Office Of The Governor 3/22/21

Governor Greg Abbott has approved the request of Jasper County to transfer from the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (State Planning Region 14) to the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission (State Planning Region 15). The transfer effective date is April 27, 2021 although the actual transfer of programs and services will take place over a period of time.

“Over the past two years, we participated in several meetings and workshops conducted by the SETRPC to determine the benefits, feasibility and challenges that a move of this nature would
bring,” reported Jasper County Judge Mark Allen. “These workshops included, but were not limited to, short and long-term transportation and transit planning, hazard mitigation planning, 9-1-1, radio communications infrastructure, public safety programs, disaster response and recovery, as well as aging and disability services. Through this process, it was learned that the vast majority of Jasper County’s daily out of county commerce and employment migration was to the SETRPC counties, as well as for medical, veterans and higher education services.”

He added, “Another consideration in this process was the ongoing need for close disaster evacuation coordination, as well as response and recovery training and planning with the SETRPC jurisdictions, as has been evidenced by Hurricanes Rita, Ike, Harvey and most recently Laura and Delta in 2020.”

Allen said Jasper County is thankful for Governor Abbott’s approval of the application to transfer and for the support given during this process by the jurisdictions in both the SETRPC and DETCOG, as well as from Speaker Dade Phelan, Representative James White and Representative Joe Deshotel.

“Jasper County looks forward to working with the counties, cities and districts that make up the SETRPC to continue improving the quality of life for all of the citizens in the South East Texas region,” he said. “The boundaries of regions, counties and cities may have changed throughout what has been over one hundred, eighty-five years since Texas first became a Republic, but the bonds and friendships that our people and jurisdictions hold will last forever. Jasper County will always stand ready to assist our friends and fellow Texans in the DETCOG region.”

DETCOG Executive Director Lonnie Hunt noted that while he hated to see Jasper County transfer out of the Deep East Texas Region, the DETCOG Board had adopted a resolution supporting the request contingent upon the Governor’s approval. “We respect the right of Jasper County officials to decide where they will best be served,” he said. “We will do everything we can to ensure a smooth transition as we hand off existing programs in Jasper County to SETRPC.”

Hunt said there is a likelihood that the DETCOG Housing program will continue to serve Jasper County since SETRPC does not operate a similar program. “And no matter what, Jasper County is our neighbor, and we will continue to work with them and support them as we do all our neighbors.”

Shanna Burke, Executive Director of SETRPC, emphasized that due to the complexity of some programs and funding streams, the transition in some areas will not occur immediately but rather over time to ensure continuity and success. “SETRPC and DETCOG have already been working cooperatively as Jasper County explored this move and submitted the transfer request,” she noted, “and we will continue to work together to ensure as smooth a transition as is possible.”

“The SETRPC is honored to welcome Jasper County, the cities of Browndell, Jasper and Kirbyville, and other special districts as new member governments,” Burke said. “We look forward to and are excited about the opportunity to provide services to each of these communities and their citizens.”

Angelina College Police Academy Graduates New Cadets

By
Gary Stallard
-
0

Class 106 Persevered Through Challenging Year 

The Angelina College Police Academy on Tuesday graduated seven new cadets in a ceremony inside the Community Services building on the AC campus.

            Class 106 completed its long journey with the ceremony after numerous changes to their training schedule because of the pandemic. In fact, Chief Doug Conn referred to the group as “our COVID class.”

            “That you persevered through so many challenges shows you have the hear to serve,” Conn told the group. 

            Training Manager Lt. Jason Burrous drew from Mark Twain to relate some parting advice.

            “Never let your education get in the way of your learning,” Burrous said. “You’ve gone through a very intense education process here, but your real learning will come from the people around you: Your fellow officers, but more importantly, the citizens you serve. All of them will teach you something every day, and you have to be willing to learn those lessons.”

            Class 106 originally was scheduled to convene in March of 2020. However, the class wasn’t able to fully engage in the training until much later.

            Angelina College was issued a license to operate a police academy in 12 East Texas counties in September of 1993 by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). The academy offers basic and in-service training courses at sites throughout Deep East Texas with the assistance of an advisory board which assists in directing the academy.

            The graduating cadets of Class 106 included Bobby Anderson, Stephanie Garza and Allyson Lopez of Cleveland, Texas; Toni Murray, Charity Tyler and Joshua Watson of Livingston, Texas; and Tristan Groh of Splendora, Texas.

            Burrous added that because of the pandemic restrictions, the class was the first to experience training outside of the main AC campus.

            “You were willing to do whatever it took to succeed,” Burrous told the cadets. “That’s the mark of a great law enforcement officer.” 

            The class valedictorian was Allyson Lopez; the Top Gun award went to Bobby Anderson; and the Best Driver award recipient was Joshua Watson. 

            In addition, Nicole Dickerson received an Honorary Class 106 certificate because of what Burrous called “her never-ending source of inspiration.”

            Academy staff members include Doug Conn, Chief of Police; Lt. Jason Burrous, Training Manager; Lt. Randy Holland, Training Manager; Officer Jack Stephenson, Training Specialist; and Kim Capps, Administrative Assistant.

Budget-Friendly Tips to Celebrate Summer at Home

By
Statepoint
-
0

Summertime is often synonymous with longer days, sweet sunshine and memorable times with friends and family.

Whether it is time spent at backyard cookouts, in the garden or simply basking in the rays, make sure you have your bases covered with these helpful tips for all your summer entertaining needs.

Backyard Hangs

As the temperatures begin to rise, spending time outdoors can be a great way to enjoy the longer days. Summer can provide the perfect opportunity to design a dreamy backyard space. Create an inviting atmosphere by stringing lights, filling potted planters with colorful flowers and updating patio furniture with decorative pillows and cushions. Kids can find endless fun and outdoor adventures with inflatables, water toys or lawn water slides. Repurpose items around the house or in the garage to build an outdoor obstacle course.

Summertime Cookouts

Take cooking and entertaining skills outside and get ready for amazing family cookouts. To host the most budget-friendly get-together, plan ahead by Creating a shopping list of thing you will need so that there is more than enough food and fun to go around.

Decorate the space with patriotic red, white, and blue banners on the porch, American flags in flowerpots or festive tablecloths. Kick off the holiday with a signature drink! Strawberry limeade, fruit punch or a lemonade spritzer are all fun, kid-friendly options. When the sun sets you can also start up a small bonfire to finish off a fun get together.

Entertaining Needs

Welcome friends and guests to a comfortable environment with the right picnic essentials. Stock up on sunscreen, blankets, napkins, plates, cups and tableware. Consider disposable picnic tableware, plate and cups for quick clean-up. During the day, set up umbrellas around the yard to make shady spots. When the sun begins to set, burn citronella candles to ward off mosquitos. And don’t forget the tunes. Hook up a Bluetooth speaker to listen to a favorite summer playlist.

Whether celebrating a summer holiday or having a backyard hang with friends, make memories all summer long with fun and affordable entertaining.

Give your Netflix Profile a good Shuffle

By
Luis Ruperto
-
0

Netflix has been around for some time now and since its boom in popularity, its library of shows and movies has grown exponentially. I joined Netflix somewhere between 2013 and 2015, which, by now seems like ages ago, and I remember being thrilled to have it since it was the thing that everyone was watching or talking about. At first, their library was decent at best with a mixed bag of Netflix Originals, TV Shows, and low-budget films with a few popular ones sprinkled here and there. 

Initially, I couldn’t see what all the hype was about, sure, they had some good popular TV shows at the time but here is the thing, I am not much of a TV show person, I know, hate me if you must, but I just can’t seem to stay hooked on something long-term without ever knowing the end result and so I tend to lean more to the movie side of entertainment. 

Over time Netflix only got bigger and better, along with its library. Soon I was watching my favorite movies and even getting hooked on some Netflix Originals like Stranger Things and Narcos which offered short, ten-episode seasons that were easier for me to stick with. 

All was good until eventually, I started to run into a bit of a problem. You see, Netflix has this “prediction” feature, otherwise known as recommendations. When you finish watching a show or a movie, Netflix will pull up similar programming on your home page.

This feature sounds great, and it is, but it’s not perfect. Eventually, when you have exhausted all of the content that is similar to each other you will slip into somewhat of a rabbit hole. For example, if I like to watch sci-fi movies and tv shows and I watch all of the Netflix suggestions then it would recommend programming that is in the sci-fi genre but from other countries, in another language or content that isn’t even related to what I like to watch.

Nonetheless, you have the power to reshuffle your deck. 

When you open Netflix and are on the profile selection screen, click on manage profiles, this lets you change the profile name, picture, and a few other settings but most importantly it lets you delete a profile. 

I know at a glance it sounds scary but trust me, your account management information is intact and will not be lost. When you delete a profile, your recommendations are reset, and what you have been watching is also lost but that doesn’t mean you can’t watch it again, you just have to remember where you left off. 

Deleting a profile can give you a breath of fresh air when you want to watch something new but are tired of getting the same recommendations over and over again. It reshuffles your deck for you to see what’s popular and trending first, instead of it being on the bottom of the deck. I try to do this once every six months or so to keep things interesting. The last time I deleted and created my profile again I was really surprised at the movies that I had been missing out on because I had no prior watch history.

Now I’m curious, I wonder what new things I have been missing out on, excuse me while I go reset my profile.

Emergency Closure: TxDOT

By
Luis Ruperto
-
0

ALERT: Northbound main lanes of US 59/SL 287 beneath the Chestnut Street/FM 58 overpass in Lufkin are closed due to a bridge strike. Traffic is being diverted to the exit ramp at FM 58 and will enter back onto SL 287 north of FM 58. Law enforcement is assisting with detours. TxDOT is scheduling a bridge inspection. Motorists should reduce speed and stay alert through the area.

SFA A Cappella Choir to present ‘Hope is the Tide That Rises’

By
Luis Ruperto
-
0

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music will present the A Cappella Choir performing the program “Hope is the Tide That Rises” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 1. The concert may be accessed virtually at music.sfasu.edu.

Under the baton of Dr. Michael Murphy, featured works are Franz Schubert’s Mass in G Major and the 2021 commission “Tides” by SFA’s own Reginal Wright, who earned music degrees from SFA in 1997 and 2007. The program also includes choral music by Joel Thompson, Lili Boulanger and Moses Hogan.

Dr. Ron Petti, director of accompanying at SFA, will also perform, along with music faculty Dr. Jennifer Dalmas and Fabiana Mosca, violin; Prof. Melissa Nabb, viola; Dr. Evgeni Raychev, cello; and Dr. Carlos Gavira, bass. The concert features Debbie Berry, soprano; Dr. Ric Berry, tenor; and Dr. Scott LaGraff, baritone.

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

TxDOT CALLS FOR SAFER DRIVING AS WORK ZONE TRAFFIC DEATHS RISE DURING PANDEMIC

By
Luis Ruperto
-
0

Even with less traffic during the pandemic, Texas work zone fatalities increased 9-percent in 2020 compared to 2019. That’s why TxDOT is calling on drivers to make safety their number one priority at all times and especially when passing through active construction and maintenance work zones on the roadway.

National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 26–30. Last year, there were more than 22,000 traffic crashes in Texas work zones with 186 people killed, including four road workers.

In the nine-county Lufkin District in 2020, there were 171 traffic crashes in work zones, resulting in 3 fatalities and 17 serious injuries. In Lufkin, there were 11 traffic crashes in work zones, resulting in no fatalities and 1 serious injury. In Nacogdoches, there were 57 traffic crashes in work zones, resulting in no fatalities and 4 serious injuries.

“We know driving through work zones can be challenging,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “There can be extra congestion, slow-moving heavy equipment, temporary barriers, and vehicles that make sudden stops. We can’t stress enough how important it is to give driving your full attention and slow down—for your own safety and that of the people who work alongside the road.”

Drivers and their passengers account for the majority of those who have died in work zone crashes. In 2020, 147 motorists and vehicle passengers were killed in Texas work zones, along with 35 pedestrians and bicyclists and four road workers. 

The Texas Mutual Insurance Company, which helps employers prevent workplace incidents and their consequences, is partnering with TxDOT to promote safe driving. The “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign outlines five key steps drivers can take to safely navigate a work zone:

  1. Slow down. Follow the posted speed limit and drive to conditions. Unsafe speed is one of the main causes of crashes in work zones.
  2. Pay attention. Avoid distractions, keep your mind on the road and put your phone away.
  3. Watch out for road crews. The only protective gear they wear is a vest, a hardhat and safety boots. Remember, they want to get home safe, too.
  4. Don’t tailgate. Give yourself room to stop in a hurry if you need to. Rear-end collisions are the most common kind of work zone crashes.
  5. Allow extra time. Road construction can slow things down. Count on it, and plan for it.

Angelina College Baseball Names Spivey Assistant Coach Former Roadrunner Brings Collegiate, Professional Experience to Program

By
Gary Stallard
-
0

In the search for a new assistant baseball coach, the Angelina College Roadrunners reached out to a familiar face – one with extensive experience and knowledge of the game at every level.

            Seth Spivey, who played for current head coach Jeff Livin and the Roadrunners from 2011-2012, has been named the program’s new assistant. 

            Spivey, a Brenham High School product, was a 10th round draft pick of the Texas Rangers organization in 2014. He played all nine positions in his five-year minor-league career, earning Mid-Season All-Star status at Spokane of the North West League – once as a catcher, and once as a second baseman. In 2016, Spivey won the league’s Home Run Derby. 

            In addition, Spivey was named an MLB.com organization and Baseball America All-Star in 2014. With the Frontier League in 2017, Spivey’s squad finished as league champions as Spivey earned three separate Player of the Week awards, culminating in his All-Star selection. 

            In his two years as a Roadrunner, Spivey was a 2011 JUCO All-Star and a 2012 All-Conference selection. A hard-hitting, slick-fielding infielder, led the ‘Runners to the NCAA Region XIV tournament in 2011. 

            From Angelina College, Spivey signed with Abilene Christian University, earning Lone Star Conference Honorable Mention honors, along with the 2014 Southland Conference 2nd Team Catcher honors. He earned his degree in Kinesiology from ACU in 2014. 

            Spivey’s high school career also generated numerous accolades. The three-year letter winner was an All-State Tournament catcher in the 2010 state tournament. He was an All-District utility player, an All-Houston and All-Brazos County selection and a 2009 state semifinalist. Spivey also was chosen to participate in the Houston Area Coaches All-Star Game. 

            Spivey’s coaches and mentors had this to say about the young coach:

            “Seth is a “player’s coach.” He relates to each player and treats them with respect. He is interested in developing the whole person which includes skills relevant for winning baseball games, a competitive spirit and most importantly, good sportsmanship/citizenship.”

             Spivey is the son of Sheila and Marty Spivey.

The Pantry now offering baby-related items to SFA students in need

By
Luis Ruperto
-
0

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The Pantry, Stephen F. Austin State University’s on-campus resource to help students in need, recently added baby supplies to its shelves with help from SFA’s Organization for Women’s Leadership and Equity.

“We learned last fall that there was a need for baby-related items in the food pantry on campus, but those were not being stocked,” said Dr. Heather Olson Beal, OWLE faculty co-chair and a professor of education studies.

OWLE worked with staff members in SFA’s Division of Student Affairs to develop a process to inventory and stock these items. Then the organization held a baby product drive to fill The Pantry’s shelves.

“Many of our members are mother-scholars themselves, so helping SFA students with babies and toddlers is personal for us,” said Sarah Sanchez, visiting lecturer of dance and chair of OWLE’s Mentoring, Outreach and Membership Committee, which manages the inventory of baby-related items for The Pantry.

Diapers, baby bottles, pacifiers, bibs and more were collected during the drive.

All registered SFA students are eligible for food and baby supply distributions. To request baby items, students need to complete the online form at sfasu.edu/studentaffairs/1319.asp.

For more information on The Pantry’s donation and volunteer needs, visit sfasu.edu/studentaffairs/1319.asp.

1...322323324...759Page 323 of 759