Night work will begin tonight and continue through July 16th, weather permitting, on SL 224 in Nacogdoches that will include bridge repairs at US 59 South and SH 21 East. Motorists will be detoured to exit/entry ramps around these bridges. Stay alert for workers and moving equipment in the area. Motorists are urged to reduce speed and obey all traffic control in and near these work zones.
State Sales Tax Revenue Totaled Nearly $2.9 Billion in June
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar today said state sales tax revenue totaled $2.86 billion in June, 3.3 percent more than in June 2018.
“Moderate growth in state sales tax revenue was led by receipts from the oil- and gas-mining, construction and services sectors,” Hegar said. “Tax receipts from restaurants also were up significantly, while growth in collections from retail trade was negligible.”
Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in June 2019 was up 5.1 percent compared to the same period a year ago. Sales tax is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 57 percent of all tax collections.
In June 2019, Texas collected the following revenue from other major taxes:
- motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $426.6 million, down 1.5 percent from June 2018;
- motor fuel taxes — $328.1 million, up .8 percent from June 2018;
- natural gas production taxes — $124.5 million, up 5.2 percent from June 2018; and
- oil production taxes — $363.4 million, up 7.5 percent from June 2018.
For details on all monthly collections, visit the Comptroller’s Monthly State Revenue Watch. For an extensive history of tax policy developments and fees since 1972, visit our updated Sources of Revenue publication.
Angelina College, Lufkin Coaches Teaming up for Youth Basketball Camp Open to Girls, Boys; Camp Runs July 15-17
Angelina College and Lufkin High School basketball coaches will team up for a youth summer camp scheduled to run July 15-17 at Shands Gymnasium on the AC campus.
The Roadrunner and Lady Roadrunner basketball programs will host the camp, which is open to girls and boys ages 8-13. The camp will focus on teaching youngsters the fundamentals, drills and skills necessary to grow their game skills.
The sessions will run from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., with drop-off time at 7:45 a.m. Campers are asked to wear basketball shorts and shoes appropriate for gym work.
Cost for the camp is $40 per player. Lunches are available for $20 for the week; campers may purchase snacks with money deposited in their “lunch banks.” Any unused money will be returned at the end of the camp. To register, contact Angelina College’s Community Services at ecampbell@angelina.edu, call (936) 633-5206 or register in person at AC’s Community Services Building in Room 101. For camp information, contact Randy McKelvey at rmckelvey@angelina.edu or Nick Wade at nwade@angelina.edu.
The e-mail address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
Chairman White Legislation Promoting Safe Texas Roads Effective in September
During the 2019 Legislative Session, which ended in late May, State Representative White joined his colleagues in passing landmark legislation to transform an archaic and dysfunctional school finance system, provide reforms for the burdensome property tax code, and improve public safety. State Rep. White along with Senator Robert Nichols passed House Bill 61 to promote safety on our Texas roads by providing vehicle escorts the discretion to equip their vehicles with blue and amber lights.
Many of us have seen escort flag vehicles on the highway that follow in front and behind large oversize and overweight vehicles. These flag vehicles facilitate the safe movement of oversize vehicles by giving oncoming traffic and passing traffic a visual indicator to signal a large vehicle’s presence. Escort operators currently position orange flags on both sides their vehicles at 45°. These flags do not provide sufficient indication to other traffic.
HB 61 addresses the issue and facilitates greater safety by providing the option for escort flag vehicles to have alternating or flashing blue and amber lights. The Texas A&M Transportation Institute conducted research on the topic and found that drivers perceive vehicles displaying flashing or alternating lights as indicating a more hazardous situation. HB 61 includes other commonsense safety measures for maintenance/construction vehicles, service vehicles, and stationary vehicles used exclusively for the transport of municipal solid waste.
“I am thankful to my constituent, Allen Fitts, who brought these road safety concerns to my attention and am incredibly thankful to him for driving up to Austin to testify in favor of the legislation,” said State Representative White. “This legislation will help prevent accidents on our roads and promote safety for all.”
Please do not hesitate to contact Saul Mendoza, Chief of Staff, with questions regarding this release at 512-463-0490 or 409-283-3700.
Saving an Old Oak
Many is the time that I get a call about an old, ill oak tree. “It’s been there for generations.” “I used to swing under it as a child.” “It’s was planted by my great grandparents.”
You get the idea. There is huge sentimental value attached to it. And it is doing poorly.
The honest truth is (and it needs to be said up front) is that I don’t have any great solution for saving an old oak tree that is in decline. We can treat for insects or surface fungal problems, but how do you treat a treat for a virus or bacterium? There’s no “Z-packs” or a shot in the hip that we can give.
And if you do want to protect it from fungal problems, how would you spray the entire tree? Their height and volume would be difficult for even a local arborist to treat.
We often create problems for oaks by wanting to be near them. We build next to them, we put lawns under them, and we dig utility lines under them. Oak tree roots are not as deep as most people think. Have you ever seen an oak that has blown over? Their roots are incredibly shallow.
If you locate a new home, or create a circle drive, or do anything that disturbs the topsoil, you are effectively removing the roots that beloved tree depends upon.
Don’t forget buried utility lines or even that recently installed underground sprinkler system. That trench cuts the feeder roots. To add insult to injury, homeowners often cut the roots for an irrigation system and then smother the remaining roots with a turfgrass sod.
With the natural and human induced stresses, water management under oaks is most important to their long-term health. Thus, when we irrigate, we’ve got to irrigate both the tree and the adjacent landscape.
Turf is commonly irrigated twice a week which is not even necessary for turf except in cases of the coarsest sands. For the grass alone, apply one inch of water once a week when we get dry.
Now one inch per week would also be enough for your trees but if you will put out two inches every third or fourth watering, it will encourage deeper root on your trees.
The absolute minimum for oaks, during the growing season when it is not raining, is a single, two-inch application of water once a month. Again, this is only minimum possible when turf is not used.
Optimally, oaks should receive two inches of water once every ten days throughout the summer in the absence of rain. If you have turf under your trees, apply one inch of water per week for the turf and then apply an extra inch every third watering to reach the deeper roots of the trees.
But what if drought stress, construction, or other factors caused the tree to be in poor health? First make sure that it won’t be hazard if or when limbs fall off or the tree falls over.
After you are sure that an old tree won’t be a hazard, realize that you are the caretaker of an aged tree. Pamper it with water when we get dry. Don’t try and push it with extra fertilizer. Remove competing vegetation if that fits into your landscape plan. Above all don’t disturb the roots at all.
I’ve known folks who have collected and planted acorns to perpetuate the tree on other family or important sites. I’ve known some families that make something to remember the tree by out of the wood once it is harvested.
Looking forward, start thinking about what a suitable replacement might be in your landscape. Another tree perhaps? That tree had its heritage, it’s time you start a new one.
An Update From Trent Ashby
On a hot Summer day in July 1776, members of the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia to boldly declare that the thirteen American colonies would no longer be subject to the monarch of Britain. The ratification of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th is still celebrated today, over 200 years later, just as John Adams envisioned so many years ago –“It will be celebrated with pomp and parade, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.”
What a blessing it is to live in a country that cherishes and celebrates freedom. This Independence Day, I hope you and your family take time to appreciate the many liberties we enjoy every day.
With that, here’s this week’s legislative update. . .
Legislative Update
Over the last three sessions, the Texas Legislature has spent nearly $2.5 billion on increased security at the border. These significant investments came in response to inaction at the federal level to secure the border and take seriously the threats that posed to our state and country through illegal crossings, human trafficking, gang activity, and drug smuggling that continues to occur along our southern border with Mexico. For some perspective, in the last three weeks alone, more than 45,000 people have been apprehended in Texas crossing the border illegally. In the month of June, authorities have detained individuals from 52 different countries spanning all across the globe.
Even with our state’s significant investment efforts, the crisis continues to escalate and demands further action. As such, the State of Texas recently deployed approximately 1,000 Texas National Guard troops to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents throughout the region. These brave men and women will provide supplemental staffing and support to the existing presence of federal, state, and local authorities working to maintain law and order in a challenging and volatile environment. Further, the State of Texas has arranged for 100 percent of the costs associated with this short-term mission to be covered by the federal government.
I strongly support the decisive action taken by Governor Abbott, as I believe that this increase in “boots on the ground” will provide much needed assistance to the ongoing security and humanitarian efforts currently underway. Ultimately, the state has a responsibility to keep our citizens and communities safe, while also ensuring the humane treatment of those seeking a better life here in America. Nevertheless, we must establish and preserve an improved immigration system that deters illegal immigration while promoting the legal process through which an
individual may gain citizenship. I’m encouraged by our recent action, as I believe it represents a strong step in the right direction.
Reminders
With a busy schedule of events in House District 57 throughout the month of July, the mobile office will suspend the regular Wednesday schedule until August 7th. For any questions you may have, or issues you need help resolving, please reach out to our District Director, Linda Parker. Our district office may be reached at (936) 634-2762 Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm. We will make every effort to facilitate meetings and respond to your needs.
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION APPROVE NEW PROJECTS
Texas Transportation Commissioners on Thursday approved more than $619 million for construction projects statewide that included more than $43 million in the Lufkin District.
Angelina County was approved for Phase III of a widening project on US 69 that will continue to widen the two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided highway from FM 1270 to the Jasper County line. Drewery Construction, Company, Inc., Nacogdoches, TX will serve as contractor for the $37.4 million project. No timeline for completion has been determined.
Phase I of this construction is an $11 million project that includes widening the roadway from the Huntington city limits to FM 844. Phase II is a $65 million construction project from FM 844 to FM 1270 in Zavalla. Both Phase I and Phase II are currently under construction.
Shelby County was also approved for a new construction project on FM 1645. The work will include rehabilitating and widening existing pavement and placing profile edge and centerline markings from US 59 to SH 87. Longview Bridge and Road, LTD., Longview, TX will serve as contractor for the $5.7 million project.
As these construction projects begin, motorists are urged to reduce speed through work zones, stay alert to workers and moving equipment and respect all traffic control in and near a work zone.
For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or (936) 633-4395.
My five cents…
On July 4th, we will celebrate our nation’s freedom. The signing of the Declaration of Independence, in 1776, marked the birth of the United States of America as an independent Nation. I hope you are able to celebrate with fireworks, friends and family, as I know I will be.
Here are five things happening around your state:
1. Rural Broadband
Senate Bill 14, with I authored, has been signed into law by the Governor. This bill will help to increase access to broadband internet for rural areas in Texas. This would be done through the help of Texas Electric Cooperatives (Co-Ops). These Co-Ops are member-owned non-profits, which have over 300,000 miles of distribution lines throughout rural Texas. By utilizing their existing electricity infrastructure, they would be able to deploy broadband to the members they serve and meet their need for high speed internet. There are large areas of rural Texas that do not have access to high speed internet or even cell phone coverage, many of them within Senate District 3. This will help rural Texans to not only have access in their everyday lives, but also for their businesses.
2. Veto Period
Upon receipt of a bill, the Governor had 10 days to review and either sign or veto the bill before it automatically became law. In addition, the governor has the power of line-item veto for the states budget, where he can remove certain provisions listed, without killing the entire budget.
The Governor’s veto period ended on June 16th and he vetoed 58 of the approximately 1,323 bills passed by the Texas Legislature. Some of the bills he vetoed were because he felt they interfered with Texans rights, or that they may have an unintended consequence. For the first time in many sessions, the Governor did not exercise his line-item veto powers and signed the states budget, which is approximately $250 billion for the next two years, exactly as it was passed by the House and Senate. I am very proud of the work the Legislature accomplished this session and look forward to getting back to the district and sharing with you all that we accomplished.
3. Stealing Packages
When you think of thefts, mail theft might not be the first thing that comes to mind, however, Texas ranks 15th in mail thefts in the nation. To address this, House Bill 37 was passed and signed into law this session, which will criminalize mail theft. The penalties will range from a Class A misdemeanor to third degree felony, depending on the number of addresses mail was taken from. If there is evidence an offender intended to obtain someone’s information or steal from the address of a disabled or elderly person, the punishment could go up to a first degree felony.
Before this bill was passed, mail theft wasn’t defined in the state’s penal code, so crimes were often charged as property or identity theft. This legislation also gives state and local law enforcement department the ability to handle the cases, instead of being required to refer all mail crimes to federal officers
4. Selling Lemonade…Legally
Many kids grow up earning spending money by selling lemonade or other beverages in their neighborhoods. However, did you know that it is actually illegal for them to be doing this, as homemade drinks are banned under the Texas Food Establishment Rules because of health concerns? Thanks to House Bill 234, which goes into effect on September 1st, Texas children will now be able to operate lemonade stands…legally. It legalizes temporary lemonade stands or stands selling other nonalcoholic beverages run by anyone under the age of 18 on private property or in public parks. Property owners associations would be prevented from adopting rules, or requiring permits or fees to prevent children from running a stand.
5. Texas Unemployment Rate
Texas unemployment rate of 3.5 percent is the lowest it has been since the federal government began collecting the data used to calculate the rate in 1976. In the past month, Texas has added 19,600 non-farm jobs, and jobs categorized as professional and business services exceeded all other categories with an additional 8,100 jobs. 4,500 additional education and health services jobs were the second highest increase in May. Many municipalities have even lower unemployment rates. Providing Texans with jobs not only ensures they are able to contribute to our economy, but also means that they can provide meaningful changes for themselves and their families.
Georgia-Pacific Names New Leaders for Camden Operations
Local wood manufacturer Georgia-Pacific has named new leadership for its Camden, Texas operations. Myrton Thompson of Lufkin has been selected to run the Camden Lumber Mill while Lester Knight has been promoted to serve as the Camden Complex Manager.
With more than 29 years of service in the wood industry, Thompson began his career in the maintenance department at Diboll Lumber in 1990. He spent the next 14 years with two different contract companies managing the fabrication and installation of equipment before returning to Georgia-Pacific as a project manager for Camden Lumber. Most recently Thompson served as a regional engineer for the company.
In addition to his new role at Camden Lumber, Thompson is the Pastor at Promise Land Baptist Church in Lufkin. He and his wife Gina reside in Lufkin with their 7 children.
Meanwhile, Lester Knight has accepted the role of Camden Complex Manager. In this new position, Knight is responsible for identifying, leveraging and optimizing opportunities for both Camden Plywood and Camden Lumber. Knight began his career with the local mill 26 years ago after graduating from Corrigan-Camden High School. Knight has served as the Camden Plywood Plant Manager for the last two years. He and his wife Sandy reside in Corrigan with their two children.
Tomatoes struggling
I’ve read somewhere that tomatoes are the most popular vegetable grown by home gardeners in America. I don’t know if that’s really true, but I do think of it as one of the most popular vegetables in East Texas.
I’ve been asked recently about some problems with our local garden tomatoes. Recent rains and our typical humidity are starting to cause problems on tomatoes for area gardeners.
Three different types of issues have been brought to my attention so far this season. Fungal disease physiological problems and herbicide injury.
We see a world of fungal problems on years like this one where we get so much extra rain. Early blight is the fungal problem that I’ve seen the most. Early blight, like its name suggests starts it’s appearance on the older leaves at the bottom of the plant nearest the ground. As the disease progresses, the lesions expand, becoming darker in color with concentric black rings giving a bullseye appearance. Left unchecked, this can spread to the cover the fruit and stems to the entire plant.
Blossom end rot is the common physiological problem that we see most years. Often mistaken for a disease, blossom end rot starts just like the name suggests, a rotting of the tomato fruit at the end where the bloom has fallen off. Not a disease at all, this condition is caused by two conditions working in tandem: low calcium and frequent swings in soil moisture.
If blossom end rot is found on your tomatoes, I’ve had good luck stopping the progression by spraying the plants with “Tomato Rot Stop”. This product is readily available at most garden centers and feed stores. It’s really nothing more than calcium fertilizer that you can spray on the plant.
To prevent blossom end rot, you can prevent both of the triggering conditions. First mulch your tomato plants to keep them from drying out. Secondly, be sure to add lime or some other type of calcium containing soil amendment to the soil.
My friends Tommy and Lynn gave me some crushed eggshells that I put in each hole that I planted tomatoes this year. Egg shells have a tremendous amount of calcium in them and serves as a slow-release calcium fertilizer. To date, I haven’t seen any indication of blossom end rot in my tomato patch.
Last week a gardener from Zavalla called to ask why her tomatoes had a curling, cupped leaves near the top. Commonly, this is from using a broad-leafed herbicide in your garden. The worst case of this that I’ve heard of happened years ago. A couple new to gardening was sold a “weed and feed” product that was supposed to both fertilize their garden and reduce weeds. Don’t ever do this to your garden or you will have a disaster. Weed and feeds are made for your lawn and should only be used in a lawn.
Using this product in a vegetable garden would leave only the grassy weeds that typically creep in and would then kill every kind of vegetable you have except maybe corn. You see, everyone of your vegetables is a broadleaf plant.
There is a disease called curly top virus that could also be the culprit of curly leaves at the top of the plant. It affects a number of vegetables such as tomatoes, beans, potatoes, peppers, all the cucurbits as as well as spinach and beets.
Curly top and other viruses can only be controlled by stopping the insects that spread the disease. It’s a tiny leafhopper insect that spreads the disease in most gardens.
If growing tomatoes is indeed your favorite vegetable to grow, it may hurt you to hear this but one of the simplest and most effective methods to control diseased plants is to simply remove them entirely from the garden to keep the rest of your tomato patch healthy.
I’ve got 4 of my original 6-pack of Celebrity tomatoes still doing well and 5 of the original 6 pact of my Sweet 100 tomatoes are very healthy. I hope you are doing as well as well