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Governor Abbott Signs Chairman White’s Legislation Promoting Apprenticeship Programs

By
Leah Listenbee
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Austin, TX – State Representative James White is thankful to Governor Abbott for signing into law House Bill 2790. The legislation aims to make sure that state money that has been appropriated to apprenticeship training programs goes straight to those programs or through a public school institution, such as a high school or a community college, if the apprenticeship program coordinators choose to partner in such a fashion.
Apprenticeships have largely fallen off the radar for our Texans when it comes to options in pursuing a post-secondary education. These programs are an extremely effective method of combining on the job training with classroom education to give students the hands-on experience and training they need to be successful in their trade. Some who choose apprenticeship programs to further their career may even make more money upon completion than those who obtain a four year degree. This is due to high demand and the technical skills needed to perform these essential jobs.
Skilled trades were once considered the backbone of the American economy. As we advance technologically, the need for competent and educated tradesmen will only increase over time.
“As an educator of many years, I of course have been, and will continue to be a staunch advocate for higher education. However, rising tuition costs and an oversaturation of the entry-level market have created a greater demand for skilled trades,” said Rep. White. “Southeast Texans understand the importance of all jobs that benefit our communities and I applaud Governor Abbott for signing HB 2790 and I am thankful for the support of Brandon Willis of the International Union of Operating Engineers for championing education and good paying middle class jobs in Southeast Texas.”
All documents pertaining to HB 2790 as well as any other legislation from this session can be found on the Texas Legislature online website: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=85R&Bill=HB2790
Please do not hesitate to contact either Saul Mendoza, Chief of Staff, or Shawn Dunn, District Director, with questions at 512-463-0490 or 409-283-3700.

Summer Savings: Travel Expert Shares Ways to Save on Vacations

By
Leah Listenbee
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MANHATTAN, Kan. — Summer vacations don’t have to break the bank, according to Kansas State University’s Kristin Malek, assistant professor of hospitality management, who shares some easy ways to save on airfare, lodging, activities and food.
Malek said it’s important not to book airfare too late or too early. The cheapest time to purchase tickets is 40 days ahead, she said. When cross-comparing between airlines, customers should consider fees that may not be included in the initial amount, such as baggage fees. Malek said one airline’s initial price might be $20 cheaper, but another could charge $40 for extra bags, optimal seat selection and other offerings.
“When you’re just looking at face value, you can’t really compare the full costs,” Malek said.
She suggests enhancing the cross-comparison process by clearing the cookies on your internet browser. Malek said when people return to one airline site after visiting another site, the price for the same ticket is sometimes hundreds of dollars higher, and an added label says a certain number of seats are left. After clearing the cookies, Malek said, the label disappears and the price drops to the original cost.
“The clearing of the cookies is an insider trick that is so important,” Malek said.
When traveling internationally or with connecting flights requiring multiple airlines, buyers should book their tickets through travel sites, which offer discounts for booking multiple flights at once, Malek said. Also, don’t assume landing at the major airport in the destination city is the best option. For example, Malek said Boston’s main airport is more popular but not always as convenient as the one in Providence, Rhode Island.
“Flying into Providence can be smarter because it avoids traffic, airfares are lower and it’s closer to Cape Cod and the east side of Boston,” Malek said. “Just because places are in different states doesn’t mean they’re far apart, especially in the Northeast. Looking at a map can be a huge money saver.”
For lodging, Malek advises using hotel booking sites, sorting from the lowest to highest price and then booking through the hotel, which usually offers the same rate. Malek said booking directly is better because hotel managers perceive those who book directly as more loyal customers and assign them better rooms.
Another lodging option that can save money is renting a house or condominium directly from the owner — an option that may open the door to negotiation, Malek said. Booking a house rather than a hotel can be an especially thrifty choice for multifamily groups. But if the group prefers a hotel, Malek advises asking the hotel for a deal.
“Most hotels will offer discounts to those who call and say they are getting multiple rooms. It’s a benefit to the hotel to know that all those rooms will be booked for those nights,” Malek said. “It never hurts to ask.”
Malek recommends paying for activities ahead of time whenever possible because some attractions often charge higher rates to last-minute travelers seeking spontaneous experiences. Also, she said package deals aren’t always more affordable than purchasing activities separately, so it pays to do research. Malek advises those with children to call ahead or search online for days with special rates for kids at museums, zoos and other places. Some large amusement parks offer layaway plans for people to save beforehand, she said.
Pay cash for activities — from indoor shopping to outdoor recreation — because many small businesses offer discounts to customers who do so, Malek said. Credit card companies charge fees for each swipe, so businesses can cut costs by collecting cash, she said.
To save on food costs, Malek suggests going to a grocery store in the destination city for supplies to make one or two meals a day. Travelers also can save by bringing along their own snacks, which could include a bagel or fruit from the complimentary hotel breakfast, if offered. Some coupon sites provide restaurant coupons in various cities, and other websites provide opportunities to eat a home-cooked meal at a local resident’s home. If traveling with children, look online for free or discounted kids’ nights at local restaurants, Malek said.
How a vacation is paid for also should be considered. Malek recommends opening a certificate of deposit or other separate account and putting part of each paycheck into it. In addition to airfare and hotel costs, Malek also said don’t forget to save for meals, which is what people spend the most on when traveling. Also, she said it is unwise to fund any trip through a credit card.
“Some people think it’s easier to put the vacation on their credit card, but paying on it every month adds up to significantly more costs,” Malek said. “Why not save up the money ahead of time and pay less?”
To save even more money, Malek said another option is the staycation, which nixes airfare. Cities offer recreational activities that local residents may not be aware of or haven’t had a chance to experience.
“A staycation is a time to say, ‘I’m here on vacation, so I’m going to do things in my own city that I’ve never done before,'” Malek said.

Understanding Honey Bees

By
Cary Sims
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If you are looking for a hobby that can combine science, crafts, gardening, and plenty of time out of doors, let me suggest you keep honeybees.
If you’ve been around most any news outlet, you’ve seen honeybees in the news. Most of the time we hear about the plight of this insect that we rely so heavily upon for the production of all foods requiring pollination.
It can sound scary and, according to some, apocalyptic. Understanding the reality of the natural and man-made stressors that are placed on this linchpin of agriculture can be difficult.
Of the natural stressors, there are many. Most notably are nutrition and pests. If we can think of bees as very small “livestock”, it helps many I consult get a better grasp of the difficulties encountered. Like livestock, issues such as stocking rates, genetics and pounds of honey stored are all components of production.
Like livestock in a pasture, bees need a certain level of nutrition, can’t be too crowded and must fend off other insects and diseases. Yes, the honeybee (an insect) must fend off other insects and mites as well as a host of diseases.
Pests such as hive beetles, wax moths, and a very serious problem pest called the Varroa mite can all plague honeybee colonies. Add in diseases, such as foulbrood, Nosema, and others, and you have a real understanding of honeybee challenges.
Regarding nutrition, we often ask bees to survive and even thrive in areas that are lacking. Hear me clearly, our beautiful pines and St. Augustine lawns are a veritable desert to the honeybee. But that weedy lot down the street or the creek choked with brush that winds thru town? Those “weedy” areas are often the best locations for finding nutrition for a bee.
When explaining bee nutrition, nectar is their source of carbohydrates and pollen is their source of protein. If we don’t maintain landscapes with abundant nectar and pollen, we don’t have much to offer honeybees.
Manmade stressors can include movement of hives, pesticide exposure, taking too much stored honey, and simply poor animal husbandry.
In our world where we produce such vast quantities of food, we often must take the pollinating honey bees to the crops. That mass movement of hives can add stress. Accidental pesticide exposure gets lots of attention in the press and does happen when agricultural producers try to control one insect pest and adversely affect beneficial insects.
Beekeepers that take too much honey and don’t provide extra nutrition also incur difficulties on the hive during seasonal times when they should rely on stored food. This has been the most common problem with my own hives.
With an eye towards understanding the many questions we get about honeybees and their management, the Angelina County Extension Office will be hosting a seminar Understanding Honeybees and Beekeeping on Monday, June 19 at 6:30 pm. This program will be free to the public.
Topics I’ll cover include their history, colony development, problems encountered, and our efforts to manage honeybee colonies. For more information, call 936.634.6414.

Has boredom become extinct?

By
Ezra McMullen
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Do our kids’ ever-present devices prevent them from experiencing in-between moments when they aren’t engaged in something — bored moments when there’s “nothing to do”? The idea of “nothing to do” seems quaintly old-fashioned in a world where kids busy themselves texting or online, filling every micro-moment. Once upon a time, they might instead have done a bit of daydreaming or reflecting on the past, musing about the future, observing the people and space around them, or just following their imaginations to new and interesting places.
Screen-attached kids nowadays are missing out on…boredom! Why does that matter? Because boredom is the prelude to imagination. When bored, the mind is given the time and space to do nothing but drift and wander — to indulge the imagination. It’s the imagination at play when we daydream, follow our thoughts and fantasies, work out solutions to problems and challenges, and discover what interests us most.
Research has recognized for years a connection between children’s imaginative capacity and their exposure to external sources of stimulation. A large-scale study in the 1980s of three Canadian communities compared the imaginativeness of children who lived with no television against kids who watched TV. The children in a community lacking TV reception scored significantly higher in imaginativeness than the kids with television in their homes. Two years later, after TV became present in all the children’s homes, the difference in imaginative capacity disappeared.(i)
“Imagination is important,” writes psychologist Teresa Belton. “Not only does it enrich personal experience, it is also necessary for empathy — imagining ourselves in someone else’s shoes — and is indispensable in creating change. Children…often fall back on television or — these days — a digital device to keep boredom at bay.”(ii)
You needn’t feel guilty if your kids complain of boredom. Better to see boredom as an opportunity, not a problem that needs fixing. Encourage your kids sometimes to do nothing but gaze out the window, or find new ways (with your oversight) to occupy themselves with stuff already available — in the basement, attic, kitchen, garage or yard. There’s much to be gained by exercising imagination to pass the time, rather than always depending on a screen to do the work for us.
(i) Williams, T. M. The Impact of television: a natural experiment in three communities. (Orlando: Academic Press) 1986.
(ii) Belton, T. How kids can benefit from boredom. The Conversation.com. September, 2016.

Read Outside the Box to Keep Students Learning During Summer Months, Says ISU Professor

By
Leah Listenbee
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AMES, Iowa – It was not unusual for Emily Hayden to spend the first three or four weeks of a new school year re-acquainting her students with material they had learned the previous year. That’s typically how long it would take to overcome the learning students lost during three months of summer vacation.
Often called “summer slide” or “summer brain drain,” educators recognize that time away from school is going to have an impact come fall. Hayden, an assistant professor of literacy education at Iowa State University and former elementary school teacher, says every day she spent playing catch up was one less day to devote to new material. While students deserve some time off, Hayden encourages parents to incorporate learning into summer activities.
“Summer is a good time to explore,” she said. “Find things your child loves so that it doesn’t feel like school work.”
Here are a few suggestions Hayden has for parents:
  1. Read outside the box. Summer reading should be fun. Hayden says it is OK to select books with lots of pictures and less text, if it will encourage children to read. Match books to their interests, whether that’s bugs, cars or making crafts. Hayden says any time spent with eyes on text is beneficial.
  2. Buy a science notebook and have your children record their daily observations. Have them spend time outside taking notes and drawing pictures of what they see in nature.
  3. Spend an hour at a bookstore or the library and help your children pick out four or five books they may enjoy reading. Give them time to read the first few pages of each book and select only those that capture their attention. Allowing children to “try out” the book will increase the likelihood they will want to read and finish the book, Hayden said.
  4. Ask children to help write a grocery list or create a menu plan for the week to encourage writing. Pack a journal on vacation so they can write about their experiences and include photos or memorabilia.
  5. Plant a small garden. Children like the idea of growing things and bringing things to the table to eat. It can be something simple and easy to grow – Hayden recommends green beans – in a small pot or space in the backyard.
Hayden says it is important for children to have ownership and interest in the activity.
“Give children a choice and avoid telling them what book to read,” Hayden said. “Help them pick out options that are appropriate and fit their reading level, but let them make the decision.”
Help for struggling students
Getting children involved in the selection process can also help those who struggle to read, Hayden said. The problem is generally not because of a lack of effort on behalf of the child, it’s a matter of finding the right reading material. She recommends selecting books for summer that are a step below your child’s reading or grade level, so they do not get discouraged.
“You want your child to have experience reading and persist through a piece of text, not give up or have it be a painful experience,” Hayden said.
Parents might also consider enrolling their children in a reading program or having them work with a tutor. Many options are available at local libraries across east Texas like the Nacogdoches Public Library or the T. L. L. Temple Memorial Library.

DETCOG to Hold Open House and Board Meeting in Nacogdoches

By
Leah Listenbee
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As a part of celebrating “50 Years of Service” the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) will be holding an Open House before its Thursday, June 22, 2017 board meeting in Nacogdoches. It will be held at the Nacogdoches County Courthouse Annex from 11 a.m. to 12 Noon and the public is invited.
The Board of Directors of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) will hold their regular monthly meeting following the open house. A luncheon will be served at noon with the business meeting to follow.
Welcoming members and guests to Nacogdoches County will be Nacogdoches County Judge Mike Perry, Nacogdoches Mayor Shelley Brophy, Nacogdoches County Commissioners Jerry Don Williamson, Elton Milstead, Robin Dawley and Jerry Stone along with Nacogdoches County Minority Representative Anita Farr.
DETCOG President, Lufkin City Councilperson Lynn Torres, would like to extend an invitation to the meeting to all interested parties. Anyone needing information may contact the Deep East Texas Council of Governments Office in Jasper at (409) 384-5704.

Make Them Wait

By
Leah Listenbee
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We increasingly hate to wait. If waiting is a kind of muscle, it’s fair to say we’re exercising it less now that packages arrive the same or next day, Visa and Mastercard let us bring stuff home right now, and our devices cushion the waiting-in-line distress while we surf the Internet or read and send texts. Waiting is unlikely to go extinct any time soon, despite its evolution through the decades.
The Stanford Marshmallow Test of 1960 is a well-known study about waiting. Youngsters alone in a room were shown a treat — often a marshmallow but some were shown candy or a pretzel — and were told by the researcher that he’d be leaving them alone for 15 minutes.  He explained that if they waited until he returned before eating the treat, they’d receive two treats instead of the one. Some of the children predictably couldn’t resist the temptation and gobbled down the treat, while others waited and received double the reward.
What gave The Marshmallow Test a unique place in research psychology is that Walter Mischel, the primary investigator, tracked down many of the study participants years later. He was astonished to find that the children who delayed gratification and didn’t eat the treat while the researcher was out of the room were found to have better life outcomes, as measured by SAT scores, educational attainment, body mass index, and other indices.
The Marshmallow Test has been a reference point for the importance in life of delaying gratification. While there’s some controversy about Mischel’s conclusions, it’s hard to dispute the idea that youngsters who demand instant gratification — “I won’t wait! I want it now!” — may find it difficult to achieve long-term goals.
It seems wise, then, to give our children practice in delaying gratification. They’ve trained many of us — with our complicity — to answer their phone calls instantly when their name shows up on the caller ID, and to respond to their every text as soon as it arrives. Deep down we sense something awry in our puppet-like obedience, but we’ve embraced the myth that “it could be an emergency” to justify our behavior. It might do our youngsters good to delay our response and sometimes, when what they want has no particular urgency, to not respond at all until we see them later that day. It’s a form of muscle exercise that can serve our kids well.

Pack Baseball Well Represented on All-District Team

By
Ezra McMullen
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Playing against competition from one of the hotbeds for baseball talent in the state of Texas, the Lufkin Panthers still managed to string together a postseason performance in the 2017 season. Several of those players received individual honors as the 12-6A
All-District Baseball Team was recently announced.
The Panthers put two players on the first-team squad to go along with three second-team picks.
Lufkin was led on the first team by senior hurler Kolton Eberlan, who had a tremendous season to emerge as the ace of the staff. He helped lead Lufkin to a pair of victories over eventual district champion The Woodlands.
He was joined on the first team by outfielder Jonathan Dewberry. In addition to his stellar work at the plate, Dewberry also emerged as a defensive presence for the Pack.
Those players were joined by a trio of Panthers on the second team.
Senior shortstop Dylan Murphy led the way for those selections.
He was joined by a pair of Lufkin juniors in Max Quick and Dillon McDuffie. Those players provided Lufkin with options at various positions throughout the season.
McDuffie earned his selection at third base although he also saw time on the mound for the Pack.
Quick had a well-deserved spot on the team as a utility player. After playing at first base, Quick filled a need in stepping in at catcher for the Panthers.
Lufkin’s all-district selections were rounded out by Tanner Green, who was an honorable mention pick.
In addition to those Lufkin was well represented on the academic all-district team as Luis Dominguez, Hunter Van Schoubroek, Kolton Eberlan, Dylan Murphy and Max McCarty were each honored for their work in the classroom.
Oak Ridge’s Tyler Davis was named the District MVP, while his coach Mike Pirtle was named Coach of the Year.
The Woodlands’ freshman Drew Romo was named Newcomer of the Year.
Other first-team picks were utility player Zack La Canfora (The Woodlands), designated hitter Avery Ortiz (The Woodlands), pitchers Marshall Prether (Conroe), Devin Fontenot and Steven Beard (The Woodlands) and Jacorey Boudreaux (Oak
Ridge), catcher Scott Horn (Conroe), first baseman Ryan Wohlschlaeger (Conroe), second baseman Travis Washburn (College Park), third baseman Ryan Eshelman (Oak Ridge), shortstops Jordan Hood (Montgomery) and Tyler Linniweber (Conroe) and outfielders Eric Bordovsky
(College Park) and Shane Sirdashney and Vincent Secrest (The Woodlands).
Other second-team selections were pitchers Gavin Lubruyere (Montgomery), Colton Debowski (Conroe), Cole Sichley (The Woodlands) and Chase Burchett and Luke Trahan (College Park), catcher Austin Pritchett (Montgomery), first baseman Isaac
Rivera (College Park), second basemen Dawson Shibley (Conroe) and Wyatt Spoon (Oak Ridge), third baseman Will Swope (The Woodlands), shortstops Michael Loggins (College Park) and Rey Chapa (Oak Ridge) and outfielders Dillon Smith (Montgomery), Angel Hernandez
(Conroe), Ryan Tackett (The Woodlands) and Logan Letney (Oak Ridge).

Governor Abbott Signs House Bill 928 by Chairman White

By
Leah Listenbee
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Austin, TX –
State Representative James White is proud to see that Governor Greg Abbott has signed House Bill 928 into law. Rep. White authored and filed this legislation to ensure that the Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS) robustly assist children in the foster care system with the process to apply for institutions of higher education.
Compassionately, the Lone Star State already provides our foster care children with financial aid for college education. The navigation of the college admission and financial aid process is daunting for the youths blessed with the support of their father and mother, let alone our children emerging from the foster care system. HB 928 tasks DFPS and community resource groups to help these children obtain what the state has set aside for them while also assisting them in applying for scholarships, visiting institutions, and submitting admissions applications.
“These children have already endured many hardships that many of us will never face. Helping these children is the right thing to do and is already an expectation of the People of Texas,” said Rep. White. “As a former public school teacher, education opportunity is the best and most effective strategy in improving the quality of life and ending the cycle of hardship. I am thankful for the help Senator Uresti provided in sponsoring this legislation in the Senate and thank Governor Abbott for signing this law that will benefit our youth.”
All documents pertaining to HB 928 as well as any other legislation from this session can be found on the Texas Legislature online website:
Please do not hesitate to contact either Saul Mendoza, Chief of Staff, or Shawn Dunn, District Director, with questions at 512-463-0490 or 409-283-3700.

First-Time Home Buyers Can Save Thousands with Mortgage Tax Credit

By
Leah Listenbee
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Austin, TX –
State Representative James White reminds Texans that June is Homeownership Month. As a firm believer in the right to property, Rep. White and the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC) would like to remind first-time home buyers to take advantage of TSAHC’s Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program when purchasing their first home. The MCC Program is a tax credit that gives eligible first-time home buyers the ability to save up to $2,000 each year on their income taxes.
Specifically, an MCC allows first-time buyers to take 40 percent of their annual mortgage interest (up to a maximum $2,000) as a tax credit, reducing potential federal income tax liability. A tax credit, as opposed to a deduction, provides a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the amount of tax owed.
Here’s an example:
On a $125,000 mortgage with an interest rate of 4.50%, a first-time home buyer would pay approximately $5,625 in interest the first year.
The MCC would allow them to take a federal income tax credit of $2,000 (max allowed) for that year.
The home buyer can still claim a mortgage interest deduction for the remaining amount of the mortgage interest paid ($3,625 in this example).
In addition, home buyers:
Must be first-time buyers or not have owned a home in the past three years.  Must be purchasing a home in Texas as a principal residence.
Must fall within certain income limits, determined by county and household size.
Will get the MCC tax benefit for as long as they live in their home.
Can combine TSAHC’s MCC and down payment assistance grant programs.
Can receive a FREE MCC if eligible for down payment assistance through TSAHC’s Homes for Texas Heroes Program.
“I highly encourage home buyers looking for their first home to ask their realtor or lender about TSAHC’s MCC Program,” said Rep. White. “Southeast Texans know the importance of their right to property and this program will help those first-time buyers in financing a home that is suitable for them and their families.”
Complete information on TSAHC’s home buyer programs, including income limits and an eligibility quiz for home buyers, can be found by visiting www.readytobuyatexashome.com. Buyers may also contact Janie Taylor with TSAHC at 512-477-3563.
Please do not hesitate to contact either Saul Mendoza, Chief of Staff, or Shawn Dunn, District Director, with questions at 512-463-0490 or 409-283-3700.
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