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No. 16 Lady Roadrunners Sweep Trinity Valley Roadrunners Drop Pair to Panola

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Angelina College right fielder Jessica Husband makes a running grab during Friday’s game. The No. 16 Lady Roadrunners swept Trinity Valley Community College 12-8 and 4-0 for AC’s 12th straight win. (Gary Stallard photo)

The No. 16 Angelina College Lady Roadrunners extended their winning streak to 12 games with a doubleheader sweep of Trinity Valley Community College on Friday, with AC taking 12-8 and 4-0 wins at the Larry Phillips Family Sports Complex in Lufkin.

Across the way, the Roadrunner baseball team dropped a pair of disappointing losses to Panola College, falling 6-2 and 7-5 to the Ponies.

Kaylee Ancelot drilled her team-leading 12th homer of the season in the Lady ‘Runners’ opener. Rachel Agnello drove in three runs, Makayla Rodger finished with two RBI and pitcher Shelby Mixon improved her season record to 10-1 with the win. McKenna Fryar earned the save, her fifth of the season.

Fryar wasn’t finished in the circle. She got the ball for the start in the nightcap and proceeded to no-hit the Lady Cardinals over the first four innings before giving up a slap hit in the fifth. Fryar, who finished with nine strikeouts, closed the door the rest of the way to finish with the complete-game one-hitter.

Agnello drove in two of AC’s four runs, giving her five for the doubleheader. Ancelot and Rodger accounted for the other two.

On the baseball side, the Roadrunners battled to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth in the nightcap, but the clutch hit eluded them in the 7-5 loss. Dillon Nesbit doubled twice in the game; Taylor Meaux and Drake Pierson also doubled in the loss. Euro Diaz finished with two hits.

The Lady Roadrunners (28-6, 13-3) travel to Tyler on Monday to face the No. 5 Lady Apaches in a doubleheader scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

The Roadrunners (24-18, 11-13) will host Alvin College Tuesday in a single, nine-inning game scheduled to start at 5 p.m. at Roadrunner Field.

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

Farm pond management

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Springtime begins a new season in pond management. Spring is the time for stocking and the beginning of regular feeding of catfish.

For most ponds in our area, a catfish only or catfish and fat head minnow combination is the best stocking option. Fishery experts say that unless you have a pond that is larger than one surface acre in size, you would do better with a catfish system rather than including bass, perch, bluegill or other species.

If you don’t know the surface area of your pond, you could look on an online global mapping program such as Google Earth. One acre is 43,560 square feet. By comparison a football field is about the size of an acre. Another way to estimate your pond size is that many city residential lots are about a quarter acre in size.

If you already have catfish in your pond, then you probably need to start feeding them. Catfish begin feeding actively starting in the spring when the water temperature is above 50 degrees.

Experts recommend that most folks feed the floating catfish rations. There are several quality complete catfish feeds to choose from at our local feed stores. While it is true that the sinking catfish food is cheaper, you won’t be able to monitor their consumption. As a rule of thumb, only throw out as much feed as the fish will eat in 10 to 15 minutes. Avoid feeding on windy days when the feed will be blown into the shore or use a feeding ring to contain it.

Catfish typically respond best if fed in the early morning or late afternoon, but they can be trained to eat at any time. Feeding corn, bread, dog food or other substitutes are poor choices and should be avoided.

Channel or Blue catfish, what is best to stock? Both are certainly suitable for our east Texas ponds, but Channel tend to be more readily available for purchase. In addition, Channel cats can better tolerate low levels of oxygen that commonly occur in our summers.

There is no difference in taste or texture between the two and they should grow to an edible size in the same time frame. Cooler weather is the best time to stock catfish as they will be less stressed from being handled, moved around and placed in a new pond.

Check with your favorite, local feed store for the dates when the fish truck is delivering. Many catfish are sold as 4-6-inch fingerlings, and this is about the minimum size to feed out to an edible “eating-size fish” by fall as most growth on catfish happens between April and October.

Some years ago, I remember a local FFA chapter would stock catfish in a pond near the school in the spring. They would feed the catfish all thru the summer using an automatic feeder (similar to what you have at the deer lease). The students in the fall would then have a day that they harvested the fish, processed and froze them to sell as a fundraiser. Some of the high school boys would drag a huge seine

thru the pond several times to catch all the fish. No doubt a few made it past them, but the vast majority were caught and made into fillets for waiting customers.

We could do the same thing. Imagine supplying enough catfish for a fish-fry for large gathering of family and friends!

Stocking rates range from 100 to 1,000 fish per acre depending upon feeding rates. Know your pond size so that you can stock and feed accordingly.

Above all, you’ve got to harvest your fish, or you’ll eventually lose them when the oxygen levels in your pond run out.

Angelina College Jazz and Big Band Concert April 30

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The AC Big Band and Swingin’ Roadrunner Jazz Combo, under the direction of Larry Greer, will celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month with a concert April 30 at 7:30 p.m. commemorating the birthday of the iconic band leader/composer Edward Kennedy (Duke) Ellington. The concert will take place in Hudgins Hall. Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for seniors. AC students and children get in free.

The program for the AC Big Band program will feature these hits by Duke Ellington: “Take the A Train,” “In a Sentimental Mood,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t got that Swing,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me,” and “C Jam Blues.”

Big Band performers in the saxophone section are Dixon Shanks, Amanda Burns, Jimmy Simmons, Michael Parrish and Bethe Girardi. Trombones are Ken Barnes, Robert Shanks, Melvin Eckman and Jimmy Battle. Trumpet section consists of Eduardo Rocha, Scott Williams, Mel Miller and Ricky Gay. Eric Chinn, piano; JD Salas, bass and Mark Saldana, drum set round out the rhythm section.

The Swingin’ Roadrunner Jazz Combo program includes “Doxy” (Sonny Rollins), “And I Love Her,” (Lennon and McCartney), “Misty,” (Garner) “So Nice,” (Valle) and “Caravan” (Duke Ellington).

Members of the combo are Morgan Roberson of Groveton on trumpet, Andrea Leaman of Crockett on trumpet, Trevor Curtis of Hudson on tenor saxophone, Christian Turbeville of Hudson on alto saxophone, Daniel Kiesel of Lufkin on trombone, Garrett Newton of Hudson on guitar, Qurdale Huff of Clarksville on bass, David Evett of San Augustine on drum set, Tyler Dover of Livingston on drum set and Alex Mize of Hudson on drum set.

For more information about this event call 936-633-5454.

An Update from Trent Ashby

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He is risen! With the Easter holiday upon us, many of us will join together with family and friends to search for Easter eggs, enjoy an Easter lunch, or maybe take a long nap on Sunday afternoon. While these are all part of the Easter tradition, I hope you and your family will make time to celebrate the true reason for the holiday — the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. As 1 Peter 1:3 reminds us, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” He is risen indeed!

With that, here’s an update from your State Capitol. . .

Legislative Update

After another busy week at the Capitol, I want to highlight several pieces of legislation the Texas House passed this week that help protect life, increase access to mental health services, and provide our law enforcement officers with the resources they deserve.

As a pro-life conservative, I was proud to co-author and help pass House Bill 16 to help bolster protections for our most vulnerable Texans. The Texas Born-Alive Infant Protection Act, protects infants who survive abortion procedures, ensuring they receive the same diligent, professional medical care given to any other child born in that hospital. Given the recent national attention to the abhorrent practice of infanticide, and the refusal of Congress to take action against this practice, the Texas House reaffirmed our commitment to protect the sanctity of life for all newborns by providing for a cause of action for the surviving child or their family against physicians who fail to provide the appropriate medical treatment to a newborn.

The Texas House also passed House Bills 14, 19, and 1070, which together will provide the resources and support to address mental health concerns in Texas public schools. By providing additional resources for training and putting a greater emphasis on mental health awareness, we can ensure that teachers and administrators are effectively identifying and treating children with mental health issues, which will help prevent the loss of critical developmental, academic, and emotional maturity.

Another piece of legislation I’d like to highlight, House Bill 14, creates a student loan repayment assistance program for future peace officers, which helps address the growing shortage of officers throughout the state. Everyday our peace officers put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe, and this legislation is our way of having their back to provide the resources needed to attract the best law enforcement candidates in the state.

Reminders

The mobile office is on the road this month and looks forward to seeing you on the following dates, in the following locations: April 24th at the San Augustine County Courthouse in San Augustine from 9:00-11:00am.

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, or you can call my Capitol office at (512) 463-0508

AWARD-WINNING BROADWAY MUSICAL COMING TO LUFKIN

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LUFKIN, TX. The Angelina Arts Alliance is proud to present the award-winning, touring Broadway musical FINDING NEVERLAND live at the Temple Theater on the Angelina College Campus on Wednesday, June 12, 2019. The show begins at 7:30 p.m.

The winner of Broadway.com’s Audience Choice Award for Best Musical, this breathtaking smash “captures the kid-at-heart,” says TIME Magazine. Vogue cheers, “It’s a must-see you’ll remember for years to come!” Directed by visionary Tony®-winner Diane Paulus and based on the critically-acclaimed Academy Award® winning film, FINDING NEVERLAND tells the incredible story behind one of the world’s most beloved characters: Peter Pan. Playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys’ enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will astound London theatergoers. With a little bit of pixie dust and a lot of faith, Barrie takes this monumental leap, leaving his old world behind for Neverland, where nothing is impossible and the wonder of childhood lasts forever. The magic of Barrie’s classic tale springs spectacularly to life in this heartwarming theatrical event.

Based on the Academy Award-winning Miramax motion picture by David Magee, and the play The Man Who Was Peter Pan by Allan Knee, Finding Neverland follows the relationship between playwright J.M. Barrie and the family that inspired Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up – one of the most beloved stories of all time. Directed by Tony®-winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Hair) with book by Olivier Award®-nominee James Graham, music and lyrics by Gary Barlow (Take That) and Grammy Award®- winner Eliot Kennedy, and choreography by Emmy Award®-winner Mia Michaels (“So You Think You Can Dance,” Cirque du Soleil’s Delirium), this new musical, packed with mesmerizing visuals, irresistible songs and plenty of laughs, is a timeless story about the power of imagination… and spectacular proof that you never really have to grow up.

The production features scenic design by Tony Award®-winner Scott Pask (Pippin, Book of Mormon), lighting design by Tony Award®-winner Kenneth Posner (The Coast of Utopia, Pippin), costume design by Suttirat Larlarb (Of Mice and Men), sound design by Tony Award®-nominee Jonathan Deans (Pippin, La Cage aux Folles), hair and make-up design by Richard Mawbey, projection design by Jon Driscoll, music supervision by Fred Lassen, musical direction by Ryan Cantwell and casting by Stewart/Whitley. Finding Neverland is Produced by NETworks Presentations.

For more tour and casting information: www.FindingNeverlandTheMusical.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FindingNeverlandTheMusical

Twitter: @NeverlandBway Instagram: @FNLmusical

“We are thrilled to bring this amazing musical to Lufkin! This show, and many others, demonstrates our commitment to bringing the best performing arts to our region. This is how we fulfill our mission to enrich the community where we live. Don’t miss this show!” said Jennifer Allen, Executive Director of the Angelina Arts Alliance.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit the Temple Theater Box Office on the Angelina College Lufkin campus, Monday through Friday 11 am – 5 pm or call (936) 633-5454, or go online at www.angelinaarts.org . Details and video clips for this performance and the entire new season are on the Arts Alliance website. Follow Angelina Arts Alliance on Facebook for late-breaking news, photos, videos and ticket giveaways.

Angelina College offers FREE RUSH tickets to every AC student (with a valid student ID) for all Performing Arts Series performances this season. Students may obtain their free tickets by arriving at the box office no earlier than one hour before show time. All AC Faculty and Staff receive a 15% discount on all Performing Arts Series performances.

The Angelina Arts Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to present a wide array of diverse, quality performing arts, along with educational and family performances which collectively enrich, engage and educate the community.

CONFERENCE QUADRUPLEHEADER AC Softball, Baseball Teams at Home on Friday

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Angelina College’s Rylan Meek, shown here in an earlier game, has homered in back-to-back games. Meek and the Roadrunners will host Panola College in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m., while the No. 16 Lady Roadrunners are home against Trinity Valley College in twin bill also scheduled for a 3 p.m. start at the Larry Phillips Family Sports Complex in Lufkin. (Gary Stallard photo)

Even though recent heavy rains pushed back their respective starting times, both the Angelina College softball and baseball teams will be at home for a pair of conference doubleheaders Friday at the Larry Phillips Family Sports Complex on the AC campus.

The No. 16 Lady Roadrunners will host Trinity Valley Community College in a twin bill starting at 3 p.m. Right across the sidewalk, the Roadrunners will face Panola College in the two-game finale of their three-game series started on Wednesday. First pitch for the doubleheader is also at 3 p.m.

In Wednesday’s game, Roadrunner head coach Jeff Livin showed he’s shifting into a “Whatever it takes” mode as the regular season nears its end. On Wednesday in Carthage, the ‘Runners shook up their pitching staff, giving Wes Gafford the start – he’s been one of the team’s top relievers – and brought Lance Lusk and Jacob Mead in from the bullpen.

The strategy worked, as the ‘Runners handled the Ponies 10-6 in the series opener behind a homer from Rylan Meek – who has homered in back-to-back games. The win also moved AC (24-16, 11-11) into a tie for third place, three games behind the Ponies.

The Lady Roadrunners learned on Tuesday they’d maintained their position as the No. 16 team in the nation. AC’s ladies are riding a 10-game winning streak heading into Friday’s matchup with TVCC after earning a 10-2, 6-1 sweep in Kilgore. Kaylee Ancelot ripped her team-leading 11th homer in the opener, finishing the series with five RBI. Ancelot, Nikki Whitehead and Riley Garrett each drove in two runs in the nightcap.

Currently, the Lady Roadrunners are ranked No. 8 in the nation offensively with a team batting average of .397.

The softball games will be live streamed. Viewers can watch both ends of the doubleheader by visiting angelinaathletics.com.

Angelina College Graphic Arts Student Exhibition Opens April 23

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Jacob Dearing and Lizeth Rodriquez hanging graphic arts works for exhibition

Angelina College Graphic Arts students will exhibit their work beginning Tuesday, April 23 in the Angelina Center for the Arts gallery. A reception will be held from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. The exhibition will be on display through May 7.

Students from Lufkin who will exhibit works are Ra’Nese Canada, John “Cody” Cheavens, Marcus Davis, Elora Flowers, Joshua Giles, Phoenix Gooch, Guillermo Gutierrez, Cameron Jones, Tyler Law, Kaitlyn LePage, William “Eddie” Martin, Denise Moore, Anthony “Mac” Neveu, Eliana Padilla, Craig Reese and Gabriel Tovar.

Students from Nacogdoches participating in the show are Jennifer Banks, Hector Castillo, Kendall Cole, Alisia Lozano, Karen Machain, Cassie Moore, Lizeth Rodriquez, and Melanie Thompson.

Other students exhibiting works are Francisco Lopez and Moises Vasquez, both of Diboll; Ashley Rhodes of Apple Springs, Desirea Spiecher of Etoile, Amber Weaver of Hemphill, Brandin Brewster of Huntington, Josh Weeks of Jasper, Jacob Dearing of Burke, Leeanna Shotwell of Groveton, Fadra Terral of Alto, Taylor René Zaiontz of Cushing, and Nyan Holifield of Onalaska.

Libby Stapleton’s Editing and Layout classes will be showing booklet covers, résumés, business cards with logos, sports story layouts, and magazine layouts that the students designed. Editing and Layout is the beginning design class for visual communications for both graphic arts and journalism students.

The students begin by learning about the history of design, the concepts of typography and the principles of design before they start applying those concepts to their designs. The projects the students complete in class begin with very basic designs, like booklet covers, and end with complex multi-page designs, like a four-page newsletter.

Students from Jan Anderson-Paxson’s black and white, wet chemistry basic photography class will exhibit photos that demonstrate their knowledge of the creative controls of the camera, controlling depth of field, understanding directional lighting as well as paying particular attention to the photographic composition. They will also show a project that involved printing a cell phone image, where they combined new technology with traditional darkroom photography techniques.

Students in Anderson-Paxson’s Digital Publishing I class will show projects including brochures, CD covers, posters, advertisements and newspaper and magazine layouts.

Reg Reynolds’ Digital Video, Vector Graphics, Digital Imaging I, and Portfolio and Internship students will exhibit examples of video creation, digital imaging, web design, fashion photography, food-styling photography and pure digital art and experimental imaging.

The Design and Applied Arts program prepares students for employment as entry-level graphic artists with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform desktop publishing, photography, computer layout, graphic arts, digital imaging, web design and video production.

For more information about the Graphic Arts Program at Angelina College, call 936-633-5233.

My five cents… A weekly column from Sen. Robert Nichols

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This past weekend the northern part of Senate District 3 was hit hard by tornadoes, resulting in the loss of lives, severe injuries and property. My office is working closely with these communities to ensure they are receiving the aid they need to help with their recovery and rebuilding. Our thoughts and prayers are with all who were affected by this disaster and the families who lost loved ones.

Here are five things happening at your Capitol this week:

1. Property Tax Relief

This week, the Senate approved Senate Bill 2 which would cap property tax revenue growth for counties, cities and special taxing districts at 3.5 percent. School districts would be capped at 2.5 percent a year, while receiving additional funding through other school finance legislation. This rate could be exceeded if an election is held and voters approve of the increase. Only revenue generated on existing properties, not new construction, would count toward the threshold. Currently, local governments could increase property tax revenue up to 8 percent without an election. Only revenue generated on existing properties, not new construction, would count toward the threshold.

2. Powdered Alcohol

Powdered alcohol has become a contentious topic in the Legislature with bills being filed for both sides of the issue. Powdered alcohol, which usually has an approximately 6.5 percent alcohol content, can be added to any liquid to make an alcoholic beverage. Under current law, anyone who wishes to make it must get a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) permit. While there have been permits granted by TABC, but no powdered alcohol is currently distributed in the state.

Senate Bill 455 was recently heard in committee and would define powdered alcohol under the Alcoholic Beverage Code, exempting it from laws banning the sale of the product and allowing it

to be taxed. House Bill 1610 was recently heard in House committee and would ban the product from Texas overall.

3. Tax Payer Lobbyist

The Texas Senate recently passed Senate Bill 29, also known as the taxpayer lobbyist bill. This legislation would prevent political subdivisions, such as cities and counties, from paying an individual or group to lobby on their behalf. Officers, employees, and elected officials of political subdivisions would still be allowed to provide information to members of the legislature and appear before committees at the committee’s or member’s request.

This bill would prevent political subdivisions from joining or paying dues to any association or organization that directly or indirectly influences legislation, unless a majority of the governing body votes to approve membership. They may also join the association if it exists for the betterment of local government. The associations can not be directly involved in influencing legislation, or contributing money and services to a political campaign or endorsing a candidate.

4. Alert for Missing Adults

The majority of the ideas for bills passed in the Legislature have been brought to us by constituents who have personal experiences with different situations. House Bill 1769 was brought to the author by a mother whose daughter was killed after she disappeared and was assaulted by her boyfriend. Friends knew of previous abuse by the boyfriend and reported it, but nothing was able to be done in time to save the daughter

This bill would allow officials to issue an alert for any missing adult who is believed to be in imminent danger, or whose disappearance is believed to be involuntary. This alert would be similar to a silver alert, which informs the public of missing senior citizens with documented mental condition and amber alerts, which informs the public about a child abduction.

5. Feral Hogs

Texas is currently home to one of the largest feral hog populations in the United States with an estimated 2-3 million hogs in the state, and a large part of that population being in East Texas. They can cause millions of dollars worth of damage on the land of farmers and property owners, as well as disrupt the natural patterns of other animals. Previous laws have been passed to allow a landowner to kill a feral hog, without a hunting license, if they are destroying their property at that time.

In an attempt to further address this issue, Senate Bill 317 recently passed the Senate and will allow a hog to be killed at anytime, whether they are destroying property at the time they are killed or not, without a hunting license. The hope of this provision is to enable landowners to further protect their property from damage.

DETCOG Public Safety Programs

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The Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) has launched an online Community Survey to obtain input about criminal justice services in Deep East Texas. This includes information about juvenile services, mental health services, crime victim services, and other aspects of the criminal justice system. Information gathered will help guide future funding decisions for criminal justice and victim services grants.

“We need input from all 12 counties to prioritize needs and identify gaps in services that should be addressed,” said DETCOG Public Safety Director Mike Claude. The input we receive will be used to develop a regional strategic plan which will be used by our Criminal Justice Advisory Committee to help determine priorities for yearly grant applications.”

The Criminal Justice Advisory Committee is made up of 26 community members from throughout Deep East Texas, representing citizens, non-profit service organizations, mental health service providers, law enforcement, and prosecutors. This group advises the DETCOG Board of Directors on criminal justice issues and screens grant applications for criminal justice grant programs.

“Our criminal justice grant funds come through Governor Greg Abbott’s Office,” explained DETCOG Executive Director Lonnie Hunt. “The grants are intended to address priorities and fill gaps that are identified in the regional strategic plan. That’s why it’s so important for us to receive input from persons in each of our 12 counties who are knowledgeable about these programs.”

The online survey will be widely distributed in the DETCOG region by email, social media, and posting on the DETCOG website. Persons are encouraged to share the survey with friends and co-workers. There are a variety of topics covered in the survey, and Claude says citizens are asked to provide responses on any topic they are knowledgeable about. If a person doesn’t have knowledge about a particular topic, there is an “unsure” box that can be checked.

The survey link can be found on the Public Safety Program page of the DETCOG website (www.detcog.gov) on the Public Safety Program page. For more information, contact Public Safety Director Mike Claude or Planner Candy Hartman at 936-630-0592 or 936-630-0593.

Angelina College Presenting “The Glass Menagerie”

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Raquel Rothschild as Laura, Cody Carter as Jim

Angelina College will present the Tennessee Williams’ classic play, “The Glass Menagerie,” April 25-27. All performances will be at 7:30 p.m. in Black Box Theater in the Angelina Center for the Arts on the AC campus. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for seniors, students and children.

The play, under the direction of Andrew Reed, AC theatre instructor, is a haunting family drama that shows what happens when reality shatters one’s illusions.

Raquel Rothschild of Spring Branch will portray Laura, a 23 year old woman who, due to a disability, has mostly withdrawn from the outside world. Laura spends her time playing old records and admiring her collection of glass figurines.

Dylan Holland of Lufkin will play Laura’s younger bother Tom, an aspiring poet who must work at dead-end job to support the family. He finds escape from the drudgery of life through movies, literature and alcohol.

Cassidy Kelly of Waller will portray Amanda, the matriarch of the family. Amanda is a proud woman who clings to the past.

Cody Carter of Lufkin will play Jim, an old friend of the family and coworker to Tom. Unlike Tom, Jim is ambitious and is determined to become successful.

Student crew members are Alyssa Moss of Nacogdoches, stage manager; Blaze Steptoe of Lufkin, sound board operator; Karlee Cline of Lufkin, light board operator;

Tari Dean of Pollok, projections operator. Cassidy Kelly of Waller is serving as the costume head, helping the cast design their costumes.

Meredith Taylor, AC technical manager/production designer, is the scenic and projection designer and Tyler Arnold, AC theatre staff member, is the sound designer. Taylor and Jamie Hill, AC theatre staff member are the lighting designers. Both Taylor and Reed are the prop designers.

For more information about this production, call (936) 633-5233 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. or email areed@angelina.edu.