Home Blog Page 371

COMMISSIONERS APPROVE NEW PROJECTS FOR LUFKIN DISTRICT

By
Rhonda Oaks
-
0

The Texas Transportation Commission met virtually in Austin by audio Thursday and approved more than $947.2 million in new construction projects statewide and more than $37.8 million in maintenance contracts statewide. Commissioners also recognized Lufkin District Engineer Cheryl P. Flood upon her retirement after 38 years of service.

Chief Engineer Bill Hale honored DE Cheryl P. Flood and recognized her for her years of service that included a few memories from district employees and comments from TxDOT Executive Director James M. Bass, Commission Chairman J. Bruce Bugg Jr., Commissioner Alvin New, Commissioner Laura Ryan, and Commissioner Robert C. Vaughn.

In other business, the commission approved more than $5.2 million designated for new construction projects and more than $2.9 million designated for new maintenance projects in the Lufkin District.

Construction projects approved for the district included:

  • Districtwide: A $1.9 million project designated for profile striping in 35 locations throughout the district. Stripe-A-Zone, Grand Prairie, TX, will serve as contractor for the project.
  • San Augustine County: A $1.6 million project designated for pedestrian sidewalks and ramps on SH 19 in Lovelady, SH 147 in Broaddus and SH 21 and SH 147 in San Augustine. Project Allied Resources, LLC, Bellaire, TX, will serve as contractor for the project.
  • Trinity County: A $975,968 project designated for the construction of sidewalks and ramps in the city of Groveton. Ti-Zack Concrete, Inc., Le Center, MN, will serve as contractor for the project.
  • Houston County: A $732,076 project designated for a bridge replacement and new approaches on CR 4180 at White Rock Creek and tributary. Stateline Construction LLC, Quitman, TX, will serve as contractor for the project.

Maintenance projects approved for the district included:

  • San Jacinto County: A $1.7 million project designated for mill and inlay operations at various locations in San Jacinto, Trinity and Houston counties. Big Creek Construction LTD, Hewitt, TX, will serve as contractor for the project.
  • Angelina County: A $939,518 project designated for mill and inlay operations in various locations in Angelina, Nacogdoches and Shelby counties. Moore Bros. Construction Co., Lufkin, will serve as contractor for the project.
  • Nacogdoches County: $330,000 designated for flex-base material intended for use in various maintenance projects in Nacogdoches County. Longview Asphalt Inc., Longview, will provide the material that will be stored at the Nacogdoches County Maintenance facility.

For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or at (936) 633-4395.

Weekly Update from Trent Ashby

By
Rep. Trent Ashby
-
0

I want to start this column by encouraging you to join me in praying for our fellow Texans who were recently affected by Hurricane Hanna. The first of the season, Hurricane Hanna caused widespread flooding and power outages throughout South Texas, leaving thousands of South Texas residents and their communities to grapple with how to deal with the damage in the midst of our ongoing fight with COVID-19. While I have no doubt that South Texans will rise to the occasion with the same grit and perseverance that lives inside all Texans, I hope you’ll join me in praying for safety and strength as they be begin the recovery process.

With that, here’s this week’s Capitol update. . .

Capitol Update

As I noted in my last column, I recently wrote a letter to Governor Abbott urging him to exempt Texas public schools from STAAR testing requirements for the 2020-2021 school year. I’m pleased to report that after hearing from scores of administrators, teachers, parents, and legislators, Governor Abbott has decided to waive the grade promotion requirements of the STAAR test in grades 5 and 8 for the 2020-2021 school year. While I maintain that Texas should waive the testing requirements altogether to prioritize quality instruction, growth and development, Governor Abbott’s decision to waive the grade promotion requirements is a step in the right direction. Rest assured that I will continue to advocate for a broader approach towards reducing the burden of high stakes testing for both teachers and students, and I’m hopeful that further action will be taken as we approach the new school year.

Governor Abbott recently extended the early voting period for the November 3rd Election by nearly a week. In-person early voting will begin on October 13, 2020, and continue through Friday, October 30, 2020. I applaud Governor Abbott on his decision to expand the early voting period to provide all Texans with greater flexibility to cast their ballots in a fair, safe, and efficient manner.

Our State leaders recently announced that the State of Texas will allocate $200 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for the purchase of eLearning devices and home internet solutions to bolster remote learning efforts for students that lack connectivity. TEA will purchase and distribute devices, hotspots, routers, and other remote learning tools based on needs identified by local educations agencies. This funding is desperately needed to begin addressing the digital divide that exists, but to be clear, our state and country have much more to do in this arena. Connecting rural Texas to reliable internet and broadband service is critical, and I’m working with interested parties on ideas for the next legislative session to help our region have access to more wireless and broadband capabilities.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact our office if we can help you in any way. Our District office may be reached at (936) 634-2762.

The Power to Help Students Achieve Academic Success

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

As students head back to class this Fall, the Boys and Girls Club of Deep East Texas and Georgia-Pacific are teaming up to make sure students have the resources they need to be successful— whether they are in the classroom or completing coursework online.

For the third consecutive year, the local forest products company is contributing $5000 to support the Club’s “Power Hour,” a program that pairs students with academic mentors in an after-school study hall.

“Considering how the 2019-2020 school year ended, many students might need additional help when it comes to mastering math, reading, science and even their writing skills,” said Steve Davidson, Boys and Girls Clubs of Deep East Texas Executive Director. “Power Hour is just another resource we offer to make sure our students aren’t falling behind academically. Georgia-Pacific continues to support our mission by making this program possible and contributing the financial resources we need for supplies, equipment and personnel for this program.”

According to Georgia-Pacific Public Affairs Manager, Yana Ogletree, the Boys and Girls Club’s mission to enhance the lives of area youth through leadership and education is a key focus area for the Georgia-Pacific Foundation. “It is important that we invest in our future leaders and give them the resources that will provide a foundation to build upon,” said Ogletree. “We are proud to be a Boys and Girls Club partner and we applaud the incredible work provided by their staff and mentors.”

Soil Solarization

By
Cary Sims
-
0

I just identified a mess of problems for a local gardener. Root-Knot nematodes and fungal diseases galore.

How does a gardener fix those problems before next spring?

It can be done with a seldom used practice called soil solarization.

Soil solarization is a simple, safe, and effective control of plant parasitic nematodes, soil borne plant pathogens (diseases), and some weed pests. It offers an alternative to some organic and non-organic pesticides as well as the lengthy crop rotations now needed to control many damaging soil pests. In addition, this procedure may give good weed control in many situations.

Radiant heat from the sun is the lethal agent involved in soil solarization. A clear polyethylene mulch is used to trap solar heat in the soil. Over a period of several weeks to a few months, soil temperatures become high enough to kill many of the damaging soil pests and weed seed to a depth of nearly 8 inches.

None of these pests will be eradicated from the treated area, but their numbers in the plow layer (top 6 to 8 inches) will be greatly reduced, allowing successful production of a crop.

The soil to be solarized must be worked up to seed-bed condition–that is, cultivated until it’s loose and friable with no large clods or other debris on the soil surface. A garden tiller will eliminate clods or other debris that create air pockets that reduce heating of the soil and keep the tarp from fitting tightly over the soil surface. A clean, flat surface will also prevent the accidental puncturing of the thin plastic mulch by debris.

Make sure moisture levels are adequate for working the soil before laying the plastic tarp. If the soil is dry, water the areas to be solarized before laying the tarp. This is crucial because most soil pests are more sensitive to high temperatures in wet soil than in dry soil. When possible, lay a soaker hose or drip irrigation lines under the tarp to maintain moisture levels during soil solarization. Tarped raised beds may also be watered by flood-irrigating the adjacent furrows.

You can use any cheap plastic painting “drop cloth”. Using two layers of thin plastic sheeting separated by a thin insulating layer of air will increase soil temperatures and the overall effectiveness of a solarization treatment. The edges of the sheets must be buried or otherwise secured to prevent blowing or tearing of the tarp by the wind.

For effective solarization, the edges of tarps laid over raised beds must be buried in the adjoining furrows. Expect some increase in pest and weed problems along the edge of the stripped mulches. Do not cultivate solarized areas, because healthy weed seed will be brought to the soil surface.

Long, hot, sunny days are needed to reach the soil temperatures required to kill soil borne pests and weed seed. The longer the soil is heated, the better and deeper the control of all soil pests and weeds will be. During our hot summers, a solarization period of 4 to 6 weeks should be all that’s needed to control nematodes and soil borne plant pathogens.

For those concerned about beneficial microbes, populations of beneficial, growth-promoting and pathogen-antagonistic bacteria and fungi quickly recolonize solarized soil, adding a biological control component to soil solarization.

If you have plans for a fall garden, this will interfere and give you a late start. But the results of letting our hot summer work for you can be fantastic.

My Five Cents… Budget Forecast

By
Senator Robert Nichols
-
0

The history of East Texas is rich with stories of Texans fighting for our states independence. In July of 1832, an order was given requiring Texans to surrender their weapons to the Mexican army. In response, a band of settlers in Nacogdoches attacked the town’s Mexican garrison. To some historians, the Battle of Nacogdoches not only freed East Texas from Mexican military rule, but also served as the starting point of the Texas Revolution and led to the independence of our great state.

Here are five things happening around your state:

1. Comptroller Projections

Earlier this month Texas State Comptroller Glen Hegar released his projected forecast for the states biennial budget. Due to economic troubles caused by the global pandemic, Texas is predicted to have $11.6 billion less than was originally estimated. This means the states budget could have a $4.6 billion deficit when the biennium ends in September 2021. Texas relies on state sales tax revenue as its single largest source of funding. Revenue for sales tax in April, May, June was approximately 9.7 percent lower compared to the same time last year. While Comptroller Hegar will release an updated forecast before we go into the 87th Legislative Session this coming January, this latest estimate will help the state budget writers as they begin to prepare for this coming session. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I will be working with my colleagues to ensure we are efficiently allocating funds, while ensuring we have a balanced budget for the state.

2. STAAR Test

Each Spring, students in third through twelfth grade must take the STAAR exam. For fifth and eight graders, they must pass these exams to be able to move to the next grade. If they do not pass the first time, they have an opportunity to retake it later in the semester, or over the summer. Governor Greg Abbott announced recently that the reading and math tests for fifth and eighth grade would only be offered one time this coming year. Local school officials will have the discretion to determine whether a student should be promoted to the next grade, whether they passed or failed the STAAR exam.

3. Federal Funding for Higher Education

At the beginning of July, the State of Texas announced it will invest $57 million in federal funding to help the states need-based financial aid programs to help students to be able to stay enrolled in their colleges and universities. In addition to this, an additional $118 million has been allocated for higher education from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law by President Trump. This funding includes allocations to assist students, whose families have been severely financially impacted by COVID-19, to stay in their higher education institutions. It will also provide financial aid for upskilling and reskilling displaced workers in high-demand fields, including workers who have earned some college credit but no credential, allowing new paths into the workforce with higher earning potential.

4. November Early Voting

In light of the many issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Greg Abbott has issued a proclamation which allows for an extended time period for early voting for the upcoming November elections. Early voting for the November 3 election will now begin October 13 instead of Oct. 19. The end date will remain on October 30. The proclamation also allows for those who are eligible for a mail-in ballot to hand deliver their ballots to the early voting clerks office before election day

5. Tax-Free Holiday

Mark your calendars for this year’s sales tax holiday, which be held on August 7 – 9. Timed to help families during back-to-school shopping, the law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 from sales and use taxes, which could save shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. Layaway is also available for the purchases of qualifying items. All sellers in the state are required to honor the sales tax holiday, so it’s a great time to get prepared for the upcoming school year while saving some money in the process

Due to COVID-19, you can buy qualifying items online, by telephone, mail or custom order during the tax-free weekend if the order is paid for and delivered during the weekend, or if the order is paid for, and the seller accepts it for immediate delivery, even if it is delivered after the tax-free weekend.

Newcomer Bookworms: ESL Story Time & Book Book Club

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

The Nacogdoches Public Library recently received a grant from the
Dollar General Literacy Foundation to purchase books to strengthen family literacy and
encourage summer reading.

The Nacogdoches Public Library is forming a Newcomer Bookworms: ESL Story
Time & Book Book Club that will meet each Wednesday at 6:00 pm in front of the
library.

The first session will be August 5th. Each session will include storytime, reading
aloud practice for children and adults, and tips for developing early literacy skills.

“Before the pandemic, the library had a robust group of adults who were
preparing for their citizenship exam. Several adults asked for more opportunities to
practice their English-speaking skills. They also expressed a desire to help their
children with their reading and pronunciation. The idea for a family book club for
English-as- a-second language-learners was formed.” said Mercedes Franks, library
director.

Book club books will be available at the library. Participants may also order
books and DVDs from the library’s collection for curbside pick-up. Ordering may be
done online at www.ci.nacogdoches.tx.us/library or by calling staff at (936) 559-2970.
The book club is free, but registration is requested.

Thirteenth Annual Guy Davis Golf Tournament Scheduled for August 15 at Crown Colony Kickoff Dinner on August 14; Proceeds to Benefit Angelina College Athletics

By
Gary Stallard
-
0
Lions Club: Teammates on the Lions Club group react to a putt during the 2019 Guy Davis Golf Tournament at Crown Colony Country Club. The 13th Annual Tournament takes place on August 15 at Crown Colony, with proceeds going toward Angelina College athletics programs. (Gary Stallard/AC Athletics photo)

The current pandemic may have put a damper on Angelina College athletics programs for the next full academic season, but supporters are already gearing up and preparing for the teams’ returns in the fall of 2021.

The 13th annual Guy Davis Golf Tournament will take place on Saturday, August 15 at Crown Colony Country Club in Lufkin, and organizers are inviting the public to participate as players or sponsors in what has become one of the largest annual tournaments in the area.

Hosted by the Roadrunner Foundation, the golf tournament generates funds for Angelina College Athletics programs. Funds raised help AC teams with various expenses such as travel and equipment in order to keep the various programs competing for conference and national titles.

In a coronavirus-shortened 2019-2020 season, AC saw both its soccer teams qualify for the post-season – with the men’s squad earning the program’s first-ever playoff win. In March, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams also competed in their respective conference tournaments, with the Roadrunner men capturing the conference title and punching a ticket to the national tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas for the first time since 1998. The tournament was canceled because of the pandemic.

“We’re preparing for next year ahead of time,” Foundation president Wes Welch said. “We’re all disappointed that we won’t see our teams in action this year, but that’s not going to slow our efforts for the next season.

“The money raised at this tournament is for AC Athletics. When we get back in 2021, we’re going to be ready to go and ready to support.”

Tournament organizers are currently seeking teams and hole sponsors for the five-man scramble format, scheduled for shotgun starts of 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Hole games and prizes include hole-in-one, longest-drive, and closest-to-the-pin contests, with prizes for each of those events.

A welcome party for the tournament is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, August 14, also at Crown Colony, with various raffles and a silent auction featuring various sports collectibles and other valuable items. The tournament and the dinner’s settings will adhere to current COVID-19 safety guidelines.

“With current events the way they are, we’ll practice social distancing, and the welcome party on Friday night will take place outside around the putting green and patio at Crown Colony,” Welch said.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Current sponsors for this year’s event include presenting sponsor Southside Bank, Lufkin Coca Cola, Strata Roofing, Lufkin Printing Company, Loving Auto Group, America State Bank, Dedicated Orthopedic Center of East Texas, Carroway Funeral Home, Angelina Excavating/Joe McCleskey, Security & Guaranty Abstract Company, Etch, Inc., Integra Insurance Services, Goodwin Lasiter Strong, Renfro Sausages, East Texas Powersports and BancorpSouth.

A registration form and information flier are located on the Angelina College Athletics web site at angelinaathletics.com.

For more information, contact Wes Welch at 214-908-0867 or email at wes.welch@hotmail.com; or contact Mark Wiedenfeld (936) 414-9462.

The e-mail address for Angelina College’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu

ANGELINA ARTS EXTENDS DEADLINE TO PURCHASE SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 2020-21 SEASON

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

Angelina Arts announced today that – due to the tremendous response to the 20th anniversary season announcement – the deadline to order season tickets has been extended. Season subscriptions will now be available for purchase until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 28. Season ticket orders can be made online at www.angelinaarts.org, over the phone at 936-633-5454 or in-person at the Temple Theater Box Office (3500 S 1st St, Lufkin, TX).

In conjunction with the extension of season ticket sales, the on-sale date for single tickets has been postponed to Monday, September 14 at 11:00 a.m.

Of the response to the new season, Angelina Arts Executive Director Jennifer Allen states, “We couldn’t be more pleased with the enthusiasm from our community about our 20th season. The best way to assure yourself of the best seats at the best price is to secure a subscription before the new deadline of August 28!” Jennifer continues, “We thank everyone for their support during these difficult times. We are so proud to present these shows to our East Texas community.”

The 20th Anniversary Performing Arts Series, themed “A Toast to Our 20th,” includes performances by Tony Award® Winner Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton, The Color Purple, Rent), Grammy® winner Marty Stuart, Parsons Dance Company, Blue Man Group and the national tours of Broadway musicals Escape to Margaritaville and Beautiful – The Carole King Musical. Visit www.angelinaarts.org for more about the 2020-2021 season.

The Angelina Arts Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to enrich, entertain and educate by presenting and promoting the performing arts.

Nichols Cautions Local Governments Against Raising Property Taxes

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

As a former mayor and city councilman, I understand firsthand the challenges that are presented when balancing a budget – in good times and bad. Currently, as a Senator and a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I have the honor of working to ensure the state is responsibly allocating the taxpayers money, and being a good steward of its resources.

During the 86th Legislative Session, I co-authored and helped pass Senate Bill 2, which lowered the amount by which city and county revenues can increase to 3.5 percent per year. Prior to this law being enacted, city and county budgets could increase by as much as eight percent each year, without seeking voter-approval.

One provision in the law created an exception for local governments if a disaster declaration had been issued by the Governor of Texas. Some counties and cities have interpreted this provision to apply to both physical disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, and financial disasters, such as an economic downturn.

Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued a formal opinion, in which he states, “A court would likely conclude that the Legislature intended to limit the temporary tax exemption to property physically harmed as a result of a declared disaster. Thus, purely economic, non-physical damage to property caused by the COVID-19 disaster is not eligible for the temporary exemption provided by Section 11.35 of the Tax Code.”

As a co-author of this bill, I whole-heartedly agree with Attorney General Paxton’s findings. Nobody could have ever foreseen a global pandemic which has resulted in a statewide disaster proclamation, when Senate Bill 2 was passed. Texans have lost their jobs and are hurting financially because of the global pandemic. This is not the time to raise their property taxes, when the current economic crisis has hurt so many families already.

This is the time to tighten our belts, and limit unnecessary expenditures. That’s what the State of Texas, local businesses and families across Texas are doing. I believe local governments must do the same, or risk facing the consequences of fighting this battle. A legal fight to raise property taxes, could cost taxpayers and communities even more of their hard-earned money.

In these uncertain times, Texans must work together and for each other to ensure our economy and our beautiful state comes out on top, as we work through the economic struggles brought on by this unforeseen global pandemic.

Governor Abbott, HHSC Extend Deadline For Pandemic Food Benefits For Families Affected By COVID-19 School Closures

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is extending the application deadline for the federal Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer program (P-EBT) to August 21 to ensure eligible families have more time to apply for this one-time food benefit.

P-EBT is a one-time benefit of $285 per eligible child and can be used in the same way Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits pay for groceries. Eligible families include those with children who lost access to free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) due to school closures.

“The P-EBT program helps ensure that families continue to have access to healthy food as some schools, and subsequently school lunch programs, remain closed due to COVID-19,” said Governor Abbott. “I encourage eligible Texans to apply for these benefits so they can continue to provide food for their families during these challenging times.”

“If your family is eligible, we want you to apply for this one-time benefit because we don’t want to leave federal lunch money on the table,” said HHS Access and Eligibility Services Deputy Executive Commissioner Wayne Salter. “We’re pleased with how many families have so far received this benefit, but there are still thousands of eligible families in our communities that can apply for assistance.”

HHSC partnered with the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas Education Agency to launch the $1 billion federal program on June 1 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than three million children in Texas were certified to receive free or reduced-price meals at school during the 2019-2020 school year. To date, nearly $790 million in P-EBT has been issued to families, benefiting more than 2.8 million children. Families who are eligible for P-EBT were notified by their school districts in May. After completing the online application, families receive their benefits on a new Texas P-EBT card in the mail.

Families who have been denied but think they are eligible should contact HHSC within 15 days of receiving their denial notice. They can either call the P-EBT Call Center at 833-613-6220 or send an email to AES_PEBT_Complaints@hhsc.state.tx.us with proof of free or reduced-priced meals. Proof includes the award letter that is sent to parents when their children become eligible for the National School Lunch Program.

Visit hhs.texas.gov/pebt to learn more about P-EBT and other types of proof acceptable. For questions regarding eligibility or to learn more, Texans may also contact the P-EBT Call Center at 833-613-6220, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Standard Time. When applying, it is especially important to include a valid phone number on their application. HHSC staff may need to call families to get additional information to approve P-EBT benefits. The deadline to apply has been extended to Aug. 21.

Texans in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP and Medicaid, at YourTexasBenefits.com or use the Your Texas Benefits mobile app to manage their benefits.

1...370371372...759Page 371 of 759