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My five cents…

By
Senator Robert Nichols
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As the last days of summer are fast approaching and you are trying to fit in one last vacation, why not look at some of the exciting destinations in Texas? You can visit the Texas Travel Guide online at www.traveltex.com to find a compilation of attractions and places to stay all across the state, including your Texas State Capitol.

Here are five things happening around your state:

1. Redistricting Committee

I am honored to be appointed by Lt. Governor Patrick to serve on the Texas Legislature’s 2021 Redistricting Committee. When the 2020 decennial U.S. Census is released, the committee will use that information to redraw the boundaries for Texas Senate and House districts, as well as U.S. Congressional districts. We are required by the Texas Constitution to complete this job by the next legislative session, which will begin January 2021.

If the Legislature is unable to adopt a redistricting plan by the end of the session, the Legislative Redistricting Board, a five member body of statewide officials including the Lieutenant Governor, House Speaker, Texas Attorney General, Comptroller and the Land Commissioner have 90 days to adopt a plan. I am grateful to the Lt. Governor for this appointment and look forward to working with all of my colleagues on this very important task.

2. Dogs On Patios

On many days throughout the year Texans can enjoy a meal with family and friends, including their canine friends, on a restaurant patio. Currently, restaurants have to comply with stringent rules to allow their patrons to bring dogs with them, often including an application and a fee. Senate Bill 476, also known as the ‘Fido-Friendly Outdoor Dining Act, will go into effect on September 1. This bill lets restaurants allow dogs on their patios without having to pay a fee. A sign stating dogs are allowed must be posted at the entrance; no food can be prepared on the patio; and pets must be able to get to the outdoor area without walking through the restaurant interior; they must be on a leash and not sitting on a chair.. As a proud dog owner myself, I was happy to co-author this bill.

3. Unclaimed Property

Did you know one in four Texans have unclaimed property from forgotten bank accounts, utility refunds and more? Banks and other entities make an effort to reunite this money with its owners, but if they cannot after a certain period, state law mandates the assets be turned over to the Comptroller’s office. The Comptroller’s Unclaimed Property Division works diligently to give Texas citizens back what is truly theirs. Approximately, $3 billion in unclaimed property has been returned to its rightful owners in Texas.

You can go to the Comptroller’s website at http://www.cpa.state.tx.us/up/ and type in your name or the names of family and friends to see if you or someone you know has money waiting to be claimed. You can also call toll free at 1-800-654-FIND (3463).

4. Bills Effective September 1st

While many bills passed during the 86th Session went into effect the day they were signed by the Governor, most did not. Many are delayed until September 1st of the legislative year, or until the next year to give state agencies and the public time to become aware of new laws or changes to current law. It also marks the beginning of the fiscal year and the new budget cycle, which is important to note as some bills require funding to be put into action.

There are 820 bills which go into effect on September 1, 2019. Some of these you might recognize, such as Senate Bill 6 which helps provide guidelines for local communities in dealing with natural disasters, or House Bill 234 which makes the sale of lemonade and other beverages by children legal without a permit.

5. Tax Free Weekend

As the beginning of the school year draws near, it’s time to start thinking about back to school shopping. Timed to help families during back-to-school shopping, the annual sales tax holiday will provide customers the ability to buy clothing and school supplies priced under $100 without paying state or local taxes.

This year, it will be held on August 9-11th. The law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 from sales and use taxes. The law also allows layaway purchases of these items to qualify for the sales tax exemption. It’s a great time to get prepared for the upcoming school year while saving some money in the process.

AC’s Henson Shines at JA45 Showcase Roadrunner Sophomore Competes Among Nation’s Best

By
Gary Stallard
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Angelina College’s Travis Henson finishes off a dunk during a 2018 game at Shands Gymnasium. The Roadrunner sophomore recently competed in the JUCO Advocate 45, a showcase featuring the top 45 junior college basketball prospects in the country, in Melbourne, Florida. (Gary Stallard/AC Athletics photo)

As a freshman playing for the Angelina College Roadrunner men’s basketball team in 2017-2018, Travis Henson produced several highlight-worthy plays despite playing a limited role in coming off the bench. His gliding, leaping style of play meshed well with his shooting prowess – he converted nearly 35 percent of his three-point attempts that season, notching a pair of 20-point games against conference opponents.

While missing out on the 2018-2109 Roadrunner campaign, Henson continued to work on his overall development. His efforts have paid off in a big way.

Henson, from Potomac High School in Oxon Hill, Maryland, recently competed in the JUCO Advocate 45 at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, Florida. The JA45 is a showcase featuring the top 45 junior college players in the nation. The event drew the attention of more than 150 Division I basketball coaches ranging from the mid- to high-majors.

Roadrunner head coach Nick Wade, who also coached one of the JA45 teams, said Henson’s performance in Florida was noteworthy both on and off the court.

“Travis did very well. He represented our school in great light,” Wade said. “He was incredibly respectful and was a great teammate. He really helped our men’s basketball program, taking that step forward and putting us in the upper echelons of talent in the country.”

Wade also praised Henson for his continued commitment despite missing out on a season in order to get himself in position to graduate.

“Travis responded very well,” Wade said. “He showed up to work every day and worked incredibly hard, and he’s ready to take the next step in his career. Some of the schools showing interest in him are Oregon State University, the University of Buffalo, Stephen F. Austin University, New Mexico State University, California State-Bakersfield, just to name a few. The list just grows every day.

“He’s someone who’s going to be fun to watch this year as long as he continues to work hard.”

The 6’7” wing should provide the ‘Runners a valuable asset while taking on a bigger role on the upcoming roster.

“He understands he’s a piece of the puzzle,” Wade said. “As long as he does his job and does the best he can, he should do great things. It will never be about just one player here at Angelina College.

“He’s definitely a big puzzle piece, but he has to work hard to fit and make this team move forward.”

The Roadrunners open their 2019-2020 season in November.

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

CONSTRUCTION WORK BEGINNING ON SH 103 EAST OF LUFKIN

By
Rhonda Oaks
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Road work. Orange traffic cones in the middle of the street.

LUFKIN – A pre-construction meeting held Tuesday in the Lufkin Area Office signaled the beginning of a new construction project in Angelina County.

Barricades will be set this week and work is expected to begin Monday, July 29, on SH 103 East from just east of FM 326 to the Angelina River Bridge (Lake Sam Rayburn). Work will include placing a thin overlay asphalt mixture on the main lanes for 9.6 miles that is designed to lengthen the life of the roadway and enhance safety.

Moore Brothers Construction Company, Lufkin, will serve as contractor for the $1.1 million construction project. Work is expected to be completed by August 14, weather permitting. Signage, lighted message boards and flaggers will be in place to alert traffic to lane closures.

Motorists are urged to stay alert and prepare for delays through this work zone. Respect all signage, reduce speed and prepare for a single lane of traffic to be led through the work zone by a lead car. Respect the work zone and be patient as this project progresses to completion.

For updates on road closures and projects statewide, visit drivetexas.org. For more information, contactRhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or (936) 633-4395.

Barash Joins Angelina College Baseball as Assistant Coach Former SEC Standout, MLB Draftee Brings Big-Game Experience

By
Gary Stallard
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Angelina College’s baseball program recently added Michael Barash as an assistant coach. Barash spent his collegiate career in the SEC before the Los Angeles Angels drafted him in 2016. (Gary Stallard/AC Athletics photo)

Michael Barash has been where his incoming junior college players want to go, and he did so at some of the highest levels of his chosen sport.

Angelina College’s new assistant baseball coach has played at the Division I ranks, has been drafted by the major league’s Los Angeles Angels and has advanced as far as the Triple-A level before hanging up his cleats and embarking on his pursuit of a collegiate coaching career.

Choosing to join the Roadrunner ranks was relatively easy, according to Barash. It all came down to location and tradition.

“For me, it was about location and about what Coach (Jeff) Livin has to offer,” Barash says. “This is a great institution with great history. He’s been here 22 years, and there’s a lot of pride going into this program.

“For me as a first-year assistant coach, it was important to step into a place with such a rich culture and a coach with deep roots here. It’s an incredible place to be, and the team competes in a great conference. The idea of working here was extremely appealing.”

Originally from Boca Raton, Florida, Barash spent his freshman season at LSU, where he was a member of the 2013 NCAA World Series team. He transferred to Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth, Florida where he played one season in 2014 under Kyle Forbes and earned First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-State as a sophomore catcher.

After Palm Beach State, Barash transferred to Texas A&M University and played two full seasons in 2015 and 2016. He was the everyday catcher for the teams responsible for winning 99 games in two years; the Aggies reached two Super Regionals and won the first-ever SEC baseball championship in school history.

Barash was selected in the 9th Round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels. Barash rose quickly through the ranks as he reached Triple-A Salt Lake City in 2018 in his second full season and was invited to Major League spring training during both his years in the Angels system.

Barash served as the Student Assistant Coach at Texas A&M University for one year (2018-19), where he earned his B.S. in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences with an emphasis in Youth Development.

He says his approach to coaching will go beyond developing skills; he hopes to help develop the individual as well.

“I want our players to be better men when they leave,” Barash says. “I think it’s important for them to come here and strive to be great baseball players, but baseball’s only a small part of your life. I want them to be better men, better husbands and better fathers in the future, so when they leave here, Angelina College looks great.

“It’s important to give these guys the tools so when they leave here, their tool belt is full at all times. They’re going to be great baseball players, great students and great members of society. I want them to know I’m here for them.”

Barash also hopes to share his knowledge and experience gleaned from working with some of the game’s best.

“I was a transformation guy as a player,” Barash says. “I changed my swing, I changed my setup. When I moved to the professional level, I worked with a hitting coach by the name of Donald Ecker; he’s the assistant hitting coach for the Cincinnati Reds now. I learned how the body works. I got into biomechanics, which will let you see how your body’s actually working.

“For me, it’s going to be me telling the players what their bodies are telling them to do. To change a swing is very hard to do, but you can tweak what your body is trying to do and let your body flow a little easier. I think it’s going to be important for our guys to know what I’m trying to do is let their body do the work and not try and change their whole swing.”

Barash says allowing players to develop individual skills will translate into a stronger team throughout the roster.

“There’s a team approach we’ll have that we’ll live and die by, but when it comes down to an individual basis, it’s really about what your body is telling you to do,” Barash says. “Your swing is going to be different from someone else’s. What I’m trying to do is make sure the player’s body is working the right way to fit our approach.

“Our goal is that 1-9, there are no holes in our lineup.”

Barash is the son of Debbie and James Barash.

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

CHI St. Luke’s Health August Community Calendar

By
Joshua Blackwell
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AUGUST

August 1 – Diabetes Support Group, Noon – 1 p.m., CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin Community Education Room. Lunch is provided; this is a free event. Please make reservations by the Wednesday prior to class. To RSVP or if you have any questions, please contact the Polk Education Center at 936-639-7585.

August 6 – Childbirth Education Class (1st Class – Prepared Childbirth), 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin Community Room A&B, no fee. The classes are a series of 4 Tuesday night sessions. To RSVP or for more information, please call 936-639-7759.

August 10 & 11 – Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Provider Certification, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin Community Education Room, $200 Registration Fee.  To register, please call (936) 639-7140.

August 13 – Childbirth Education Class (2nd Class – Prepared Childbirth), 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin Community Room A&B, no fee. The classes are a series of 4 Tuesday night sessions. To RSVP or for more information, please call 936-639-7759.

August 20 – Childbirth Education Class (3rd Class – C-section, Anesthesia, Alternatives to Anesthesia and Postpartum Care), 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin Community Room A&B, no fee. The classes are a series of 4 Tuesday night sessions. To RSVP or for more information, please call 936-639-7759.

August 27 – Childbirth Education Class (4th Class – Newborn Care and Breastfeeding), 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin Community Room A&B, no fee. The classes are a series of 4 Tuesday night sessions. To RSVP or for more information, please call 936-639-7759.

Angelina College Soccer Adds Zaroyan as Assistant Coach Temple University Grad Brings Diverse Skill Set

By
Gary Stallard
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The Angelina College soccer program has made steady strides since its inaugural season just three years ago. Both the women’s and men’s programs under head coach Freddy Drago have seen increases in win totals every year.

For the upcoming 2019 campaign, the coaching staff will add a new face – one bringing a wealth of experience at various levels of the sport.

Alex Zaroyan has joined the Roadrunners as an assistant coach. He spent the 2017-2018 seasons as an assistant for Ursinus College men’s soccer in Collegeville, Pennsylvania while completing his senior year at Temple University. Ursinus College is a member of the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference, which features perennial powerhouses such as Johns Hopkins, Haverford, Franklin and Marshall.

Prior to his time at Ursinus, Zaroyan coached club soccer in California and in Philadelphia with the Palumbo Soccer Club.

Along with his coaching abilities, Zaroyan has accumulated a diverse skill set while working all around the sport. He worked as a live charter and tracker with Match Analysis in the San Francisco Bay area, tracking more than 750 hours of soccer matches in leagues and teams ranging from Major League Soccer, Liga MX, U.S. Men’s and Women’s National teams and NCAA Division I programs across the nation.

Zaroyan’s own playing experiences ranged from playing recreational, club and high school soccer; he also received a tryout invitation with Liga MX Academy.

He obtained his U.S. Soccer D and Cal South E licenses. He’s certified in NCAA coaching and Futsal with the NSCAA, and he recently obtained his U.S. Soccer National C license in June of 2019.

A native of Monrovia, California, Zaroyan began his collegiate studies at California State University-East Bay, finishing at Temple University in the fall of 2018. He received his bachelor’s degree in Sports and Recreational Management with a concentration in Governance and Policy. Outside of coaching, Zaroyan has interned with the Philadelphia Flyers and Bethlehem Steel Football Club.

Zaroyan’s parents are Maria and John Zaroyan of Monrovia, California.

AC’s soccer teams open the regular season with a women’s/men’s doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. against Richland College on Friday, August 23 at Jase Magers Field in Lufkin.

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

Twelfth Annual Guy Davis Golf Tournament Tees Off August 17 at Crown Colony Pre-Tourney Dinner Set for August 16

By
Gary Stallard
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The 12th annual Guy Davis Golf Tournament will take place on Saturday, August 17 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.

The 2018 version of the event eclipsed the previous record for participants: A field of 235 players spread among 47 teams competed.

Hosted by the Roadrunner Foundation, the golf tournament generates funds for Angelina College Athletics programs. Funds raised help AC teams with various expenses in order to keep the various programs competing for conference and national titles. In the 2018-2019 season, two AC teams – the Lady Roadrunner basketball and Lady Roadrunner softball teams – qualified for their respective national tournaments. Their accomplishments marked the first time in Angelina College history two athletics teams qualified for nationals in the same year.

Tournament organizers are currently seeking teams and hole sponsors for the five-man scramble format, scheduled for shotgun starts of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Hole games and prizes include Hole in One (for a 2019 vehicle sponsored by Loving Auto Group), long-drive and closest-to-the-pin contests.

A dinner and meeting for the tournament is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, August 16, also at Crown Colony, with a silent auction featuring various collectibles and other valuable items.

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

A registration form and information flier is located on Angelina College Athletics web site at http://angelina.prestosports.com/information/directory/guydavistourney.

For more information, contact Wes Welch at 214-908-0867 or email at wes.welch@hotmail.com; or contact Dennis McCullough at 936-414-1114 or dmccullough@pivtech.com.

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

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN COMES TO LUFKIN!

By
Joshua Blackwell
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The Angelina Arts Alliance is thrilled to announce the touring Broadway musical YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN will take place at the Temple Theater on Sunday, April 5, 2020 at 3 p.m.

Just in time for the Peanuts 70th Anniversary, it’s Tony Award -nominated musical YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN! With innovative design, reimagined costumes, and a stellar team of talented actormusicians accompanying themselves throughout the show, this all new interpretation of the 1999 Broadway musical, featuring new beloved songs “Beethoven Day” and “My New Philosophy”, will delight Peanuts-lovers young and old. Bringing to life the world of Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Sally, and Snoopy, this fresh production features familiar stories from the beloved Charles Schulz comic strip. From Valentine’s Day to baseball season, from choir practice to Lucy’s iconic five cent counseling sessions, come share fond memories of classic mischief with the next generation of Peanuts fans! Filled with so much joy and pure heart, YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN is the feel-good, family friendly musical of the season.

As part of its annual Discovery Series, where learning and fun go hand-in-hand, this performance of YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN will be available to the public for only $5 tickets for youth and $10 for adults. The Discovery Series is generously funded by the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, the Simon & Louise Henderson Foundation, Brookshire Brothers Charitable Foundation, Ernest L. Kurth, Jr. Charitable Foundation, Lockheed Martin, BPX Energy, Woodland Heights Medical Center, The Medicine Shoppe and Ellen Temple.

“We are very excited to offer this outstanding family performance as part of our annual Discovery Series. This show is just another way we demonstrate our commitment to providing high quality performing arts for families and children of all ages. We believe that by providing these programs at a dramatically reduced ticket price increases access to the performing arts where there is always something to learn and fun to be had,” said Jennifer Allen, Executive Director.

All single tickets to all Arts Alliance shows in the 2019-2020 Season go on sale to the general public on Monday, August 5 at 11 a.m.. To purchase season tickets, call Kristie Bailey, the Box Office Manager at (936) 633-5454, visit the Temple Theater box office in person, or visit the website angelinaarts.org. Box Office hours are Monday – Friday 11 am to 5 pm. Follow Angelina Arts Alliance on Facebook for late-breaking news and ticket giveaways.

Evaluating Your Landscape

By
Cary Sims
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This is a great time of the year to take a good look at your landscape. How’s it working for you?

I generally like the way mine looks. We’ve had a good amount of color in our landscape from the recent rains. While I could complain about the excess rainfall that plagued us from last fall all the way thru spring, it did help much of my landscape thrive.

Unlike the inside of your home, landscapes change seasonally. It would be ridiculous for you to rearrange your living room furniture for the summer months to then move the sofa back into a place for the fall, then move it again for winter…

I surely hope no one paints their bathroom to match a season. What a nightmare.

But our seasons do change, and the outside “décor” of your residence does change in color and with what grows. Maybe it’s just from green to brown and back to green, but still, you get the picture.

And as it changes, do you like what you see? I think everyone gets excited about spring blooming plants, but fall is yet another time that we can have lots of color.

Next time you drive up to your house, park at the curb with the air conditioner running and take a good look at what your neighbors and passersby see. Is it what you want to show? How’s the irrigation working? Are there bare spots or cluttered areas?

Shrubs can get overgrown as they certainly do have a lifespan. Are they needing replaced? Are there bare spots that need filling?

Vegetable gardeners, that is good vegetable gardeners, are thinking ahead to their fall garden with some longer maturing varieties already in the ground.

How’s the hardscape? “Hardscape” is your sidewalk, fences, borders or other parts of your landscape that are not plant material. Does this need updating?

Take a good look at your back yard. Is it the family retreat, entertainment center, or kid-friendly play zone that you want it to be? What do you need to add (or remove)? Are the beds manageable? Do you need to add more structure such as walkways, arbors, or a deck?

I really want a new sidewalk and arbor with a water feature. Something simple that I can do myself. And I have it already mapped out.

For those looking for a simple change with plant materials, there are a number of annuals to add as the seasons progress. I’ve never really gotten into planting annuals, except in the vegetable garden. I don’t like the idea of planting something that I know will be gone in just a few months.

It seems as though I’m always looking for perennial plants, shrubs or even a new tree that will provide a change of scenery as we move thru the months. Adding perennials can be a larger change as they may grow quite large, multiply and cover a significant part of the landscape.

For the record, fall is THE best time to plant trees and shrubs as well as many perennials.

Looking ahead, I just cannot imagine that we wouldn’t be in for a typical hot, droughty summer. There should be no doubt that our hot, dry summers are the hardest time of the year for yards, gardens, orchards, and fields.

So, lets get ready to make it thru summer’s heat and probable dry weather, and make plans for changes come fall.

State Representative James White Offers Opportunity for Students to Apply for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship

By
Rep. James White
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State Representative James White is now taking applications from Southeast Texas students who want to be selected as recipients of the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program (TASSP). The purpose of the TASSP is to encourage students to become members of the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, the Texas State Guard, the United States Coast Guard, or the United States Merchant Marine, or to become commissioned officers in any branch of the armed services.

Students who wish consideration must be enrolled in an institution of higher education directly from high school and meet two of the following four criteria at the time of application:

– Be on track to graduate (or have graduated high school) and complete the curriculum requirements of the Distinguished Level Achievement Plan or the International Baccalaureate Program (IB);

– Have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher; – Achieve a college readiness score on the SAT (1590) or ACT (23); and

– Be ranked in the top one-third of the prospective high school graduating class.

“It is an honor to be able to recommend outstanding Southeast Texas students who plan to be active in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs for this scholarship opportunity,” said Rep. White. “As a former officer in the army, I am glad to see these young men and women, who are interested in serving our country, seek out a quality college education.”

Additional information and applications for the TASSP can be found at www.hhloans.com. Students may send their applications to Saul.Mendoza@house.texas.gov before July 31st, 2019. If you have any questions, please contact State Representative James White’s office at (512) 463- 0490 or (409) 283-3700.

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