Are you looking for a pie that will please your caboodle? Then, you will want to make this snickerdoodle pie. This recipe melds the best flavors in the food world- chocolate, custard, and cinnamon. We hope you enjoy making and partaking of Kevin’s version of Snickerdoodle Custard Pie from “Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications Low-Carb Dessert.”
Brush melted chocolate evenly over bottom and sides of prebaked pie crust. Let stand until chocolate is set. For filling, in a bowl lightly beat eggs with a fork. Stir in the next five ingredients (through nutmeg). Gradually whisk in half-and-half until mixture is well combined. Place baked crust on oven rack. Carefully pour filling into crust. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a 1-inch area around edge is puffed and set (center will still be jiggly and appear undone). Remove foil. Cool on a wire rack (pie will set upon cooling). In a small bowl combine the next four ingredients (through nutmeg). Sprinkle over pie. Cover and chill. Before serving, melt 1 ounce chocolate and drizzle over pie. Serve and enjoy!
STEAM for Kids: Build-a-Boat Challenge at the Public Library
The Judy B. McDonald Public Library invites children ages 7-11 years to participate in STEAM 4 Kids: Build-a- Boat Challenge on Thursday, January 26 at 5:30 p.m. Participants will be given a certain set of materials and attempt to build the most successful amphibious craft. Please call the library at (936) 559-2970 to register.
Spaces are limited. The Judy B. McDonald Public Library is excited to host STEAM Labs for children ages 7-11 years who share a passion and a curiosity for all things Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.
Bear School & Toy Sleepover at the Public Library
The Judy B. McDonald Public Library invites kids of all ages to our Bear School and Toy Sleepover Party on Wednesday, January 18 th at 4:30 p.m. Children and their favorite stuffed bear are invited to join us in a celebration of Winnie the Pooh’s birthday. Participants will learn all about real bears in East Texas, and the stuffed animals are invited to stay the night. Librarians will stick around after closing to see what mischief those bears will cause in the library when the lights go out.
Makerspace: Creative Soldering at the Public Library
The Judy B. McDonald Public Library invites makers ages 10 and up to Makerspace: Creative Soldering on Monday, January 23 rd at 5:30 p.m. Participants will get hands-on practice with a soldering iron while creating tiny sculptures from re-purposed electronic components. No soldering experience is necessary. Please call (936) 559-2970 to register.
The Judy B. McDonald Public Library is thrilled to continue and expand the Makerspace program for tweens and teens. Makers are a collaborative community of all ages who share a passion for making things and who are engaged in experimentation, innovation and creativity. The Public Library’s Makerspace merges DIY, craft, art, electronics, programming, math, science and engineering into projects for both young people and their mentors. The goal is to support and grow the Maker movement in the local community through experimental play and hands-on creativity. Look for the new space in the library!
Wellness Basics for Cold & Flu Season at the Public Library
The Judy B. McDonald Public Library invites the community to Wellness Basics for Cold and Flu Season, a workshop presented by Mary Turner. Participants will learn the five areas of your life in which to make simple, cost-effective changes to greatly improve your health and mount a strong defense against the ills of cold and flu season and increase wellness every day. Also get simple tips and recipes for handling illness once it has taken hold.
Samples, recipes, idea sharing, and fun are all in store! Door prizes will be given away and refreshments will be served. Plus, Lego Club will be offered at the same time, so kids can play while parents learn. Please call 559-2970 to register.
The Friends of the Library are on Facebook (as Judy B. McDonald Public Library) and Twitter and Instagram (as @friendsofnacpl).
Texas may not be the coldest place in the country, but we still get some cold days out of our winters. And what is better to do on a cold afternoon than to curl up with a cup of cocoa and a blanket next to a warm fire?
While you are enjoying a toasty fire, it is still important to be aware of the dangers of a home fireplace and how to best keep you and your home safe. Here are some important safety points to consider.
Keep the safety screen in front of the fire when not stoking it or adding wood. Safety screens are required on all fireplaces manufactured after Jan. 1, 2015. The screens are usually one-size-fits-all, so they are easy to purchase if your fireplace lacks one.
Cleanliness is also extremely important to maintaining safety. Regularly dispose of ashes and make sure the flue is working properly so that smoke, smoldering pieces of wood, and flames will follow their designated paths. Using dry and well-aged wood rather than wet or green wood will help decrease smoke and the buildup of soot in the chimney.
Give your fireplace clearance by keeping children, pets, and flammables at a safe distance. Brief children about basic fire safety and make sure someone is watching children around a fire at all times. Also, keep plants several feet away from a fire. I may have once melted a poinsettia plant by accidentally leaving it too close to a fire.
Maintain the upkeep of safety tools like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and a fire extinguisher. Test them regularly and replace batteries at least once per year.
Never leave a fire unattended. Anything could happen, especially the unexpected. To best avoid disaster, keep a watchful eye on your fire.
So, keep safe and warm this Christmas season and enjoy your fireplace!
Stress can take its toll on the body, mind and soul. Every person has more than likely felt the effects of stress, some more so than others. For the loved ones in your life who may be feeling more stressed right now, try helping promote rest and relaxation, while alleviating tension, stress and anxiety with these gift ideas.
Yoga Class
Yoga is associated with a wealth of health benefits, including stress reduction. For seasoned yogis, consider assisting loved ones with their practice. Great yoga accessories and gear, or a gift certificate to a favorite studio would be much appreciated.
For newbies, you might want to start smaller with a pass to one or two classes.
Try one of the local classes in yoga studios like Morning Glory in Nacogdoches, Paradigm Yoga in Jasper, or Krama Yoga Center in Carrollton.
Any Time Massage
“The medical community increasingly views massage as a necessary tool for achieving optimal health, not just as an extravagance,” says Randi N. West, a licensed massage therapist. “And everyone — from desk workers to active individuals to moms who often report back pain from lifting children — can benefit from massage therapy in terms of injury prevention and improved exercise performance.”
Research suggests the benefits of massage include reduced muscle tension, stress and pain; and an increase in serotonin and dopamine.
But regular massage therapy can be expensive and time-consuming. Give a gift that keeps on giving with an at-home massage cushion that can be used daily as a self-care tool. For a stylish option that won’t get buried in the closet and forgotten, check out M Cushion, which looks like a stylish designer pillow, but actually offers four shiatsu massage nodes, soothing heat and comforting memory foam.
“I use it to relieve my body aches after a busy day providing massage services to my clients,” says West. More information can be found at mcushion.com.
Meal-Kit Service
Busy work weeks can mean scrambling around in the evening to put dinner on the table. Your gift recipients may find themselves resorting to pizza delivery more often than they like. To help take the stress out of healthy weekday dinners, consider gifting a meal-kit plan to someone you love.
When birthdays and special occasions roll around, look to healthy gifts that can help reduce stress in the lives of people you care about.
Angelina College’s Carlos Simpson (3) throws a jump pass over Bossier Parish defenders Timothy Collins (15) and Emmanuel Ejeh (10) during Saturday’s game. The Roadrunners rolled to a 106-79 win over the Cavaliers at Shands Gymnasium. (AC Press
photo/Marcy Flores)
Blackston’s 31 Points Lift AC to Conference Win
Angelina College guard Carlos Simpson (3) scores on a scoop during Saturday’s game with Bossier Parish College. The Roadrunners rolled to a 106-79 win over the Cavaliers at Shands Gymnasium. (AC Press photo/Marcy Flores)
Gary Blackston lit up the scoreboard for 31 points, Isiah Bailey added 22 more and the Angelina College Roadrunners rolled over Bossier Parish Community College 106-79 Saturday afternoon at Shands Gymnasium.
Blackston went 10-of-12 from the field and 3-of-5 from the three-point line in adding up his totals. Bailey hit each of his 10 free-throw attempts, and Corinthian Ramsey chipped in with 13 points and seven assists to lift the ‘Runners to their 13th win overall and fifth in conference play.
Lasani Johnson led the Cavaliers with 22 points; teammate Jerry Perry finished with 15. After taking a seven-point lead into the halftime break, the Roadrunner exploded early in the second half, extending the margin to 21 points in the first seven minutes.
AC defenders forced 19 Cav turnovers, converting those to 24 points on the other end. The Roadrunner bench did its part as well, contributing 37 points for the night. AC (12-5, 5-2) will play on Wednesday at Lamar State College-Port Arthur. That game is set for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
The Lady Roadrunners on Saturday fell at Trinity Valley College, losing 77-42 in Athens. AC’s ladies host Blinn College on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
Cody Oliver, former Angelina College pitcher, will work with the Houston Texans’ athletic training staff beginning this in spring training and continuing through the NFL’s pre-season. (AC Press photo/Gary Stallard)
Still Providing Relief
As a member of Angelina College head baseball coach Jeff Livin’s pitching staff, former Roadrunner Cody Oliver knew his role. He was a reliever, meaning he’d get the call in those typical, late-game emergencies requiring his services.
Oliver performed his duties well: He led AC’s staff in saves in 2013, and his performance led to interest from the University of Texas-Tyler coaching staff, who signed Oliver – a former Hudson Hornet – for the following season. Oliver’s next move after college? He recently signed with the NFL’s Houston Texans. No, he won’t be trading his glove for a helmet. Oliver, now an athletic trainer, has agreed officially to serve as Training Camp and Pre-Season Camp Athletic Training Intern.
“What it will entail is working all the training camps and the four pre-season games with the Texans,” Oliver said. “I’ll be providing all the rehabilitative services, taping, all the things their own staff provides – I’ll be alongside learning from them.”
Former Angelina College Roadrunner pitcher Cody Oliver, who led the team in saves in 2013, has signed with the National Football League’s Houston Texans as an Athletics Training Staff intern. (AC Press photo/Gary Stallard)
Oliver will join elite company. The Pro Football Athletic Trainers Society in 2013 voted the Texans’ staff best in the entire league. Switching from a diamond to a gridiron might seem drastic, but Oliver said it was all part of taking the steps to find the right career.
“Originally, coming out of high school, I considered being a high school baseball coach,” Oliver said. “I soon learned coaching wasn’t for me, but I wanted to stay involved with sports. I was also interested in the medical field, so sports medicine was the perfect route for me. “Donna Olsen (former head of Athletic Trainers at Angelina College) introduced me to the field of athletic training, and I instantly fell in love with it.”
Oliver said that during his pitching career, he gained first-hand experience as to the importance of trainers, seeking their expertise through the various nagging injuries cropping up throughout the seasons. At AC, Oliver earned an associate degree in physical education and health sciences before transferring to UT-Tyler. There, he both finished his playing career and graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology with a concentration in athletics training.
Oliver got a sneak peek of his future career in the strangest of circumstances. During a fall intrasquad game with the Patriots, Oliver was pitching when the team’s shortstop went down with an injury. Since the head trainer wasn’t present for the off-season workout, the task fell to Oliver.
“I just put my glove down on the mound and went out to take care of him,” Oliver said. “Right in the middle of the game.” Working with NFL trainers is an even loftier goal than Oliver originally set for himself, so it’s hard to think much farther down the line as far as his next steps. “This is a great experience already,” Oliver said. “I’ve gotten to experience athletic training at multiple levels, and taking this internship will allow me to get a taste of what it’s like at the professional level. This will let me see if this is something I want to build on and possibly pursue it as a career, but at this point, all my doors are open.”
From the bullpen to the mound to the training room, Oliver’s role really hasn’t changed all that much. No matter where he is, he’ll still be providing relief.
CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial welcomes Board Certified Internal Medicine physician Swapna Bemalgi, M.D. to the medical staff in Angelina County and the Memorial Clinics team.
Dr. Bemalgi specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of adult diseases.
Prior to coming to Lufkin, Dr. Bemalgi served as a hospitalist with the St. Luke’s Internal Medicine Physician Group in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She received her doctorate degree from Gandhi Medical College in India and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Abington Memorial Hospital in Abington, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Bemalgi joins the offices of Doyle Haynes, M.D. and Pratibha Deshpande, M.D. at 818 W. Frank Ave. Patients can schedule an appointment by calling 936-699-5040. Her office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to noon. Her office accepts most major insurance, Medicare and Medicaid.
CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial Clinics, a division of CHI St. Luke’s Health, employs more than 30 providers in 17 locations across East Texas, including Lufkin, Livingston and San Augustine. Our physicians pride themselves on delivering exceptional health care via the latest in technology and patient comfort. The Memorial Clinics specialties include Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Family Practice, Ear, Nose & Throat and Chiropractic care. Memorial Clinics accepts Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance. Visit memorialclinics.com to learn more about our physicians and connect with the personalized patient portal.
Are most of your mornings spent running out the door with breakfast in-hand, and applying your makeup on-the-go? It’s easy to snooze and rush all the way to work, but building a routine that gives you a calm and efficient morning can make you feel more prepared to take on your day. If you haven’t nailed it yet, don’t fret.
To celebrate the similarities and differences of women’s routines, the team at Carefree is offering some tips to make mornings easier.
1. Rise and shine.
Do you hit the snooze button one too many times? Avoid being late again. Place your alarm out of reach so that in order to turn it off, you have to get out of bed. If you use your phone to wake up, consider setting your alarm tone to a song that annoys you — you’ll be happy to get out of bed to make it stop!
You may not have time for a full workout in the morning, but moving a bit upon getting out of bed can get the blood flowing, help wake you up and give you a metabolism boost. Start the day with a few stretches and body weight exercises, such as lunges and planks.
2. Perk up.
Perk up with a morning ritual that activates your mind. Enjoy your cup of coffee or green tea alongside a brain teaser, Sodoku or crossword puzzle. Or spend the time writing a journal entry, scanning the morning headlines, or reading a chapter of a book. Taking a few moments to warm up the mind can encourage greater productivity all day long.
3. Eliminate bed head.
You can shave substantial minutes off your morning routine by doing your hair the night before. After washing and conditioning your locks, leave hair up in buns or clips while sleeping. In the morning, undo the up-do and use a little spray before heading out the door.
4. Makeup magic.
When there’s no time for a full morning makeover, stick to the basics. Start with a moisturizer with SPF so you can protect your skin and keep it hydrated. Use under eye concealer to easily eliminate any signs of fatigue. If you do need to abbreviate the full eye makeup routine, don’t omit a quick coat of mascara, which can help you look wider-eyed and more awake with a few seconds of effort. Lastly, give lips shine and protect them from chapping with a lip balm that preferably contains SPF.
5. Be Free to Be You.
Feminine care is one routine element that links all women. It’s a part of life, and as we all know – it’s not always predictable. “Liner Up!” every morning with Carefree Acti-Fresh liners, which are soft, thin and absorbent enough to go unnoticed, helping you feel confident as you go throughout your day. It is easy to incorporate them into your daily regimen by storing them in your underwear drawer—you will never forget to give yourself a layer of protection again.
There is a new rule in town regarding the purchase and use of livestock feed containing medication.
There has been some hullabaloo over it from some parties, but, quite frankly, I think it’s overrated.
It has caught enough attention that I’ve invited a professor/veterinarian from Texas A&M to come and visit with local producers this coming Monday, Jan 16 at 6:30 pm. Our featured speaker, Dr. Tom Hairgrove, is a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Professor and Livestock Health Specialist.
His topics will include the Veterinarian Feed Directive (VFD) and other topics. There is no fee for Monday night’s program.
Last week in this column we discussed an old livestock health issue that once again made its way onto an island in the Florida Keys. We learned about the history of the screwworm and it’s elimination from our country. Over the past week, I’ve visited with some folks that do remember the dropping of the sterile male flies.
I’ve gotten a lot of questions about it. “What is the reason for this new rule?” “Will I be able to get the same medicated feed?” And even “Will this make beef more expensive?”
Looking to the VFD, let’s review what it is.
Before enacting the VFD in 1996, the FDA recognized two categories of animal drugs: over-the-counter and prescription. Because requiring prescriptions for animal feeds containing antibiotics was considered impractical, medicated feeds were classified as over-the-counter.
In 1996, the FDA added a third category, VFD drugs, to the list. Significant amendments, known as the Second VFD Rule, were published in June 2015. The VFD concept attempts to balance the need for antibiotic use to protect animal health with concern about how the overuse of antibiotics both in the livestock industry and in human medicine might contribute to antibiotic resistance.
The revised VFD rules ensure that antimicrobial drugs are used for therapeutic (to treat sick animals), rather than production purposes and that licensed veterinarians supervise such use.
Will you be able to get medicated feed? Yes, provided you have veterinarian give you a “feed directive.”
Now, just like prescribed medication, a vet will have to provide you with instruction and proper
documentation to purchase medicated feed.
As every good stockman knows, you must have a good relationship with a competent veterinarian. Such a relationship has, and continues to be, an asset to any livestock operation.
Nacogdoches Parks and Recreation, along with Texas Parks and Wildlife, Doches Credit Union, H & R Block, Nacogdoches Naturally, Texas Forestry Service, Head Start, and Nacogdoches Fire Department, are gearing up for the annual Kid Fish. The event will be held on Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration starting at 8 a.m. at Lakeside Park, 4800 Pearl St in Nacogdoches.
Thanks to the partners with Texas Parks and Wildlife, the lake will be stocked with Rainbow Trout, and kids, ages 1 – 16, will compete for prizes in categories such as, Biggest Trout, Smallest Trout, Biggest Fish (any species caught) and Heaviest Stringer. Aside from fishing, the event will offer a visit from Smokey the Bear and angler and outdoor education.
We hope to see you there, ready to reel in some fun and tackle the competition. Participants will need to bring their own fishing equipment.
For more information, visit the C.L. Simon Recreation Center located at 1112 North St. or call (936)559-2960.
