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Drug-Free All Stars to Kick Off Project Sticker Shock

By
Joshua Blackwell
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The Angelina County Drug-Free All Stars, alongside The Coalition’s Board and staff, will be kicking off Project Sticker Shock on Monday, March 4 with a press conference at Brookshire Brothers Chestnut, 302 S. Chestnut St., in Lufkin beginning at 10:00am. The guest speakers will be Greg Sanches, Angelina County Sheriff; Camryn Lee, Drug-Free All Star and Central High School student; Lauren Chatman, Public/Community Relations Associate for Brookshire Brothers; and Adam Lowther, Buyer at Brookshire Brothers.

Project Sticker Shock is a Drug-Free All Star community awareness campaign that hopes to make adults aware of the dangers of underage drinking and the consequences of providing to minors. The stores participating are Brookshire Brothers & Pharmacy and Tobacco Barns, La Michocana Meat Market, Big’s convenience stores, Hernandez Grocery, and Coleman’s convenience store in Zavalla. The Drug-Free All Stars hold this event annually before the Spring Break holiday. Spring Break is the deadliest time for alcohol related accidents involving minors.

Since 1988, The Coalition has focused on eliminating the use of harmful substances by affecting public policy, laws, attitudes and behaviors, all in an effort to foster healthy life-long choices for the local community. For more information about the Drug-Free All Stars, contact Abby Baker at The Coalition at 936-634-9308.

AC Basketball Teams Hosting Big Night at Shands Gymnasium Scoreboard Dedication, Lufkin Coca Cola Tribute Part of Doubleheader

By
Gary Stallard
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Scoreboard: As part of Wednesday’s women’s/men’s basketball doubleheader at Shands Gymnasium, AC officials will dedicate the new scoreboard and shot clocks while honoring Lufkin Coca Cola for its 40-plus years of community service and support. (Gary Stallard photo)

Wednesday night promises to be a big one for Angelina College basketball teams, fans and the community.

Lufkin Coca Cola Night. Lady Roadrunner Sophomore Night. Orange Out.

Along with a pair of conference matchups for both the No. 14 Lady Roadrunners and the Roadrunners, AC will host Sophomore Night for the Lady ‘Runners in tribute to the seven players – Natasha Mack, Mia Williams, Mia Perkins, Taylor Jacob, Alexis Baston, Diamond Johnson and Shelby Brown – playing in their final home games. That ceremony will take place just before AC’s ladies tip off against Blinn College at 5:30 p.m.

The Lady ‘Runners (24-3, 13-3) are attempting to lock down a Top Three seed in the conference tournament scheduled to tip off on March 5 in Shreveport in hopes of securing a firstever trip to the NJCAA National Tournament in Lubbock.

The Roadrunner men will face first-place Jacksonville College at 7:30 p.m. The red-hot ‘Runners (15-13, 7-8) have put together a five-game winning streak to climb into a tie for second place in the Region XIV South Zone standings with just two games remaining in the regular season.

Moments before the men’s game, AC officials will perform a dedication ceremony for the new scoreboard and shot clocks while recognizing a 40-plus year partnership with Lufkin Coca Cola, which provided the new additions to Shands Gymnasium and has supported Angelina College and its athletics programs for more than four decades.

Fans are asked to participate in the “Orange Out” theme for the games. Both games will be available for viewing via live streaming.

Fans can visit angelinaathletics.com to catch all the action.

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

ALERT!!!

By
Rhonda Oaks
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Crash reported on US 69 South between Lufkin and Huntington. At least one lane is blocked. Reduce speed in the area and prepare for possible delays as this scene clears.

Angelina College Jazz Band Concert Features Gene Dooley

By
Nancy Reynolds
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Angelina College is hosting a jazz concert/high school/middle school jazz festival March 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Hudgins Hall. Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for seniors, students and children. The AC Big Band and the AC Swingin’ Roadrunner Jazz Combo will perform along with special guest artist Gene Dooley.

Gene Dooley earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1996. After five years of band directing and freelance performance, Dooley won a position with the US Air Force bands. His assignments include the Band of the Golden West, Travis Air Force Base, California; the Band of Mid-America, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; the US Air Forces in Europe Band, Sembach Air Force Base, Germany.

Since leaving active duty, Dooley has performed with many local and national groups including The O’Jays, Dallas Jazz Orchestra, Pecos River Brass, Crosswinds Big Band, Frisco Jazz Band, Vicho Vicencio, Hunter Sullivan Big Band, Rebel Alliance Jazz Ensemble, and the Alan Glasscock Big Band to name a few. He has also performed for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has performed with Steve Smith, the drummer for the band Journey; Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Daniels, jazz trombonist Jiggs Wiggum, and trumpeter Jon Faddis.

The program for the AC Big Band includes “In the Mood,” “Boplicity,” “Begin the Beguine,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Georgia,” “Autumn Leaves.”

Big Band performers are Dixon Shanks, tenor saxophone; Amanda Burns, tenor saxophone; Jimmy Simmons, alto saxophone; Michael Parrish, alto saxophone; Bethe Girardi, baritone saxophone; Ken Barnes, trombone; Robert Shanks, trombone; Melvin Eckman, trombone; Eduardo Rocha, trumpet; Scott Williams, trumpet; Mel Miller, trumpet; Ricky Gay, trumpet; Dawson Dowdy, pioano; JD Salas, bass; Mark Saldana, drum set; AC music instructor Larry Greer, guitar; and AC music instructor Jimmy Battle, bass.

The Swingin’ Roadrunner Jazz Combo program, under the direction of Larry Greer, includes “Stolen Moments,” “Satin Doll,” “Song for my Father,” “Mood Indigo” and “Chameleon.”

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 Newman of Hudson on guitar, Qurdale Huff of Clarksville on bass, David Evett of San Augustine on drum set, and Tyler Dover of Livingston on drum set. Larry Greer is the director.

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

Tips to Embrace a Keto-Friendly Diet

By
Statepoint
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It seems that everyone these days has a friend following a “keto-friendly” diet — a low-carb eating plan designed to make the body burn fat more efficiently.

Developed years ago to control diabetes and then later to treat epilepsy in children, different versions of the keto diet have gained traction as effective weight loss plans, according to The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

“One thing all keto diets have in common is that they restrict carbohydrates in favor of healthy fats in an effort to achieve nutritional ketosis — the state in which your body burns fat instead of glucose,” explains registered dietitian, Courtney McCormick.

The experts at the South Beach Diet are now taking a safe, effective approach to keto by offering a keto-friendly plan, and are providing helpful tips to get started.

  1. Count net carbs: A keto-friendly diet is based around the idea of net carbs. Limit yourself to no more than 50 grams of net carbs daily. While this isn’t considered a strict keto diet, it follows the keto plan for those looking for assistance with getting started. To calculate this number, take your total grams of fiber and grams of sugar alcohols consumed and subtract that from your total grams of carbohydrates. The resulting number should be within the 40 to 50 net carb range.
  2. No beans, legumes or fruits: To keep your overall daily net carbs within a certain range, even good carbs like beans, legumes and those in most fruits are off-limits except for occasional indulgences. Stick to non-starchy veggies only, like leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms and zucchini.
  3. Water is essential: Your fiber intake is reduced on a keto-friendly diet with the elimination of whole grains, beans and legumes. For digestive health and to ward off constipation, it’s important that you drink sufficient amounts of water.

“We recommend drinking at least 64 ounces per day on the South Beach Diet Keto-Friendly plan,” says McCormick. “Plus, water keeps you fuller longer, prevents overeating before meals and may boost metabolism if it’s ice cold.”

  1. Variety is key: Following a keto diet could put you at risk for deficiencies in micronutrients, including selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamins B and C. To compensate, take a multivitamin and stay away from eating the exact same thing each day. Mix it up with an array of lean proteins, healthy fats and a daily serving of non-starchy veggies. Pay attention to changes in your health like hair loss, vision changes, aches, pains or weakness. Simple blood tests can reveal levels of vitamins and minerals.
  2. Plan special occasions: Carbs are king at special meals and holidays. Communicating your needs with family and friends beforehand can help you avoid peer pressure and garner support for your efforts. Offer to bring a keto-friendly dish so you’ll be sure to have something to eat.

When following a keto or keto-friendly eating plan, do so in the safest, healthiest way possible. Consult your doctor and consider following a plan supported by trusted weight loss and healthy lifestyle experts.

Roadrunners Pitch Way to Sunday Sweep of Temple Brown, Gotlieb Homer in Opener

By
Gary Stallard
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Angelina College pitcher Lance Lusk delivers to the plate during Sunday’s doubleheader against Temple College. The Roadrunners earned a 7-4, 5-1 sweep of the Leopards at Hudson High School. (Gary Stallard/AC Press photo)

With the conference opener against Navarro College looming just days away, Angelina College head coach Jeff Livin wasn’t about to burn up his arms in a nonconference affair.

Five Roadrunner teamed up to allow just three earned runs over 14 innings, and the ‘Runners earned a 7-4, 5-1 sweep of Temple College for the team’s fourth straight win Sunday at Hudson High School.

The game was moved to Hudson’s turf field from Angelina College because of the recent rains in the area.

Lance Lusk, Jacob Mead and Dalton Roblin worked the first game, getting offensive help in the way of a two-run homer from Trent Brown, a solo shot from Sam Gotlieb and a three RBI from Drake Pierson. Sean Bergeron also drove in a run in the 7-4 win.

In the nightcap, Tanner Sembera and Eric Worden paired up to shut down the Leopard offense: Sembera allowed Temple’s only run in the top of the first before tossing two shutout innings; and Worden entered in the fourth to finish the game, striking out four over the game’s final four frames.

AC scored four runs in the bottom of the first on a double from Bergeron and a wild pitch, adding the final run in the third when Dylan Murphy scored on another wild pitch. The Roadrunners (10-5) will host Alvin College on Monday in a single, nine-inning game scheduled for a 5 p.m. start at Roadrunner Field on the Angelina College campus. The e-mail address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.

Drug-Free All Stars Attend Advocacy Day

By
Joshua Blackwell
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Advocacy Day 1: Angelina County Drug-Free All Stars with Senator Robert Nichols in Senate Chamber. From left: Natalie Goodwin, Alison Acevedo, Senator Robert Nichols, Kellen Kruk, and Alex Sanchez.

Four Angelina County Drug-Free All Stars recently attended Advocacy Day in Austin, an event hosted by Texans Standing Tall, the statewide coalition focused on tobacco and alcohol prevention for youth. The four youth in attendance were Kellen Kruk, Pineywoods Community Academy; Alison Acevedo, Hudson High School; Natalie Goodwin, Diboll High School; and Alex Sanchez, Diboll High School. In the morning, the students received training on different topics, including: tobacco 21, powdered alcohol, and alcohol excise tax. During the training, Texans Standing Tall worked with the youth on how to talk to their elected officials regarding these topics and helped them role-play different scenarios. In the afternoon, the four All Stars went to the Texas Capitol and met with Senator Robert Nichols, Representative Trent Ashby, and Representative James White. During the meetings, the students shared what they learned about powdered alcohol, tobacco 21, and alcohol excise tax and talked with the representatives about ways to prevent youth tobacco and alcohol use in our community. Thank you to Senator Nichols, Representative Ashby, and Representative White for taking the time to meet with the Drug-Free All Stars and listening to the problems that youth in our community face regarding tobacco and alcohol.

Since 1988, The Coalition has focused on eliminating the use of harmful substances by affecting public policy, laws, attitudes and behaviors, all in an effort to foster healthy life-long choices for the local community. For more information on tobacco 21, visit www.texas21.org and for information about the Drug-Free All Stars, contact Abby Baker at The Coalition at 936-634-9308.

AC’s Mack Earns Fourth National Player of the Week Honor Lufkin Product Recently Set Career Scoring Record

By
Gary Stallard
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Angelina College’s Natasha Mack this week earned her fourth NJCAA Division I National Player of the Week honor. She is the only AC athlete ever to win the award more than once. (Gary Stallard photo)

Natasha Mack’s big week just got even bigger.

Just days after establishing a new, all-time career scoring record for Angelina College, Mack earned the NJCAA’s Division I Player of the Week honors – the fourth time the Lufkin product has earned the honor in her two-year junior college career.

Mack is the only AC athlete ever to earn the award more than once. On Tuesday in Jacksonville, Mack took an entry pass in the lane and scored the recordbreaking bucket. She broke a 38-year old record of 1,267 points set by Lesa Jones in the 1979- 1981 seasons.

Mack currently has 1,285 points with three regular-season games to play. The No. 14 Lady Roadrunners will host Paris College at 2 p.m. on Saturday as part of AC’s “Coaches vs. Cancer” event.

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

My five cents…

By
Senator Robert Nichols
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A weekly column from Sen. Robert Nichols

This week the Texas Forestry Association (TFA) was recognized at the Capitol. TFA is a nonprofit organization with a goal to advance forestry and enhance the state’s forest resources. Covering 12 million acres, the forest area of East Texas has created more than 130,000 jobs, with a total economic impact of more than $30.3 billion dollars.

Here are five things happening at your Capitol this week:

1. Mental Health Consortium This week SB 10, which creates the Texas Mental Health Consortium, was heard and passed out of the Senate Health and Human Services committee. This Consortium will be made up of an advisory board of representatives from the state’s health-related higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations which focus on mental health.

They will be tasked with creating mental health initiatives, helping to create stronger collaboration between medical schools, improve research for mental health and expands mental health telemedicine for children. It would also create mental health hubs in each region of the state with psychiatrists, social workers and other mental health professionals. This bill will now move to the full senate for approval.

2. Fido Friendly Patios On a nice day, many Texans like to enjoy being outside and possibly enjoying an outdoor patio at their favorite restaurant with their friendly pet. Senator Kelly Hancock has filed SB 476, also known as the Fido-Friendly Outdoor Dining Act, to allow restaurant patrons to bring their dogs along with them to restaurants across Texas to patios and sidewalk cafes. Some of the requirements include a sign stating dogs are allowed should be posted; no food is prepared on patio; pets must be able to get to the outdoor area without walking through the restaurant interior, be on a leash and not sitting on a chair.

Currently, many restaurants have to comply with stringent rules to allow this, including an application and fee. This bill would alleviate all extra expenses and processes they must go through. As a dog owner myself, I was happy to co-author this bill. My five cents… A weekly column from Sen. Robert Nichols by Sen. Robert Nichols, Senate District 3

3. Ethics Commission Reform In 1991, Texans approved an amendment which created the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC), which is an administrative entity overseen by the Legislature who determines their powers and duties. TEC is responsible for ensuring elected officials and political action committees are in compliance with all laws passed by the Legislature, and providing a due process to protect those who may have had a complaint filed against them. Senator Brian Birdwell has filed Senate Bill 548, of which I am a coauthor, to ensure that TEC has clear direction on how to carry out the duties prescribed to them by the Legislature. The bill provides clarifications and protections for those who may have had a penalty brought against them, or specifying the timeline for when certain actions may be completed.

4. Teacher Salary This coming Monday, February 25, the Senate Finance Committee will hear the bill layout and testimony on Senate Bill 3, by Senator Jane Nelson. This bill provides a $5,000 across-the-board pay raise to all classroom teachers in Texas. This will be done by creating a new allotment in a school districts budgets which will only be used for pay raises in addition to a teachers current salary.

The average salary for a teacher in Texas is $53,000, with the average starting salary starting at just about $47,000. However, for most teachers in school districts within Senate District 3, the average can be much lower. I am a co-author on this bill, as I believe the Legislature should do what it can to ensure our teachers are taken care of, as they play an integral role in our children’s lives. To watch the committee hearing, please visit https://capitol.texas.gov/.

5. Official Food of Texas Did you know that pecan is the State’s official pie, or Chili is the official dish, and tortillas and salsa are the official snack of our great state? There are 16 different designations for official foods in Texas, however, the one designation missing is the official food of Texans. This session, House Concurrent Resolution 57 has been filed with an intent to remedy that, and make tacos the official food of Texas. The resolution even provides lists for the various ingredients that can be made into a taco, but the great thing about a taco is that you can put whatever you want in it. To see all other state symbols of Texas including our state bread, crustacean, dog, grass or horse you can visit https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/abouttx/symbols.html.

February is the Time to Focus on Your Heart

By
Joshua Blackwell
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Each year, the employees at CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial participate in the Go Red for Women movement, helping raise awareness about this devastating disease.

Most Americans can describe the classic signs of a heart attack – a tight ache or pressure in your chest, shortness of breath, left arm pain. However, there are a variety of complications that come under the umbrella of cardiovascular disease – arrhythmia, peripheral artery disease, arterial fibrillation, cardiac aneurysms and heart valve issues – just to name a few. With hearts being the primary theme during the month of February – both paper and real – CHI St. Luke’s HealthMemorial wants East Texans to educate themselves about how to prevent all types of cardiovascular disease.

The heart has two systems – “plumbing” and electrical – and both can be affected by cardiovascular disease. Just like the plumbing in a house, plaque buildup can narrow the arteries in the heart, making it more difficult for blood to flow properly. If a blood clot forms, it can stop blood flow causing a heart attack or a stroke. The electrical system in the heart controls the timing of your heartbeat by regulating your heart rate, which is the number of times your heart beats per minute, and heart rhythm, which is the synchronized pumping action of your four heart chambers. Irregular heart rates and rhythms can also have serious consequences.

Women are at a particularly high risk. Each year, cardiovascular diseases claim the lives of nearly half a million women—almost one per minute In fact, more than 8 million women are currently living with heart disease, and last year alone, 267,000 women died from heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Unfortunately, the signs and symptoms of cardiac distress present themselves in women much differently than men, who often experience the more classic signs, such as chest and left arm pain.

“Although men and women can experience pain as pressure that feels like an elephant sitting on their chest, women can experience a heart attack without chest pain,” said Ravinder Bachireddy, F.A.C.C., interventional cardiologist and President of the Heart Institute of East Texas. “Women may experience shortness of breath, pressure or pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, dizziness and fainting, upper back pressure, extreme fatigue, or profuse sweating. Even when symptoms are subtle, the consequences can be deadly, especially if women experiencing these symptoms do not get help right away.”

If these signs are present, call 9-1-1 immediately. Seeking medical attention from a high quality health care facility is also essential. CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin was recently recognized by the American College of Cardiology as a HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence for its comprehensive heart care program, including its accredited Chest Pain and Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, along with the advancement and quality focus in the Cardiac Cath Lab, Electrophysiology Lab and Heart Failure program. There are dozens of standards that must be met in order to achieve the HeartCARE designation. Examples include improving re-admission and mortality rates, tracking the time it takes for a patient to receive certain tests or medications and how long it takes for a patient to be prepped for any necessary interventional procedures or cardiovascular surgery.

While family history dictates what diseases a person is predisposed to there are simple precautions that can be taken to reduce risk factors for heart disease. Eat a balanced low cholesterol diet, exercise regularly, manage stress appropriately, control your diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol with medications, if necessary, and quit smoking. Preventive measures also include regular follow-ups with a primary care physician to monitor any problems or changes that could require further testing.

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