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DETCOG Extends Welcome To Anyone Interested In Board Meeting

By
Grace Baldwin
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The Board of Directors of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) will hold their regular monthly meeting Thursday, July 28, 2016 in Hemphill, Texas. The board will meet in the Family Life Center at the First Baptist Church on Highway 87 South.

A luncheon will be served at noon, with the board meeting to follow. Welcoming members and guests to Sabine County will be Sabine County Judge Daryl Melton; Hemphill Mayor Robert Hamilton; Sabine County Commissioners, Jimmy McDaniel, Doyle Dickerson, Fayne Warner and Tommy Clark as well as Sabine County Minority Representative Dean Crockett.

DETCOG’s President, Lufkin City Commissioner 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, Ext 5254.

How to Reduce Sugar in School Lunchboxes

By
Misty Boggs
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At a time when even yogurt has come under scrutiny for its sugar content, it’s hard to know what constitutes a healthful lunch anymore.

Any way you slice it, too much sugar can be harmful for your health. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 16 grams of sugar daily for toddlers and a maximum of 32 grams of sugar per day for teens. Many children as young as 1-3-years old already surpass daily recommendations — typically consuming around 48 grams of sugar daily, according to an AHA study. Older kids consume even more. Pediatric health experts recommend reducing sugar in children’s diets.

Some foods that you may not consider “sweet” have more sugar than you may think. A yogurt cup and a granola bar contain about 25 grams of sugar. That’s an entire day’s worth of sugar in one seemingly nutritious snack. Add a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a juice box, and your child may have consumed more than 50 grams of sugar before afternoon snack.

What’s a parent to do? You don’t need to replace your child’s favorite food. You don’t even need to say goodbye to any individual lunch item. However, you can moderate the total amount of sugar that’s being consumed on a daily basis by replacing just one sugary food with a savory one.

With this goal in mind, here are some great ideas for savory swaps.

• Replace yogurt with hummus and carrots.

• Swap out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for a cheese and mustard sandwich.

• Like the convenience of fruit cups? Replace them with Pearls Olives to Go! in a cup, which are gluten-free, sugar-free black ripe olives that are convenient because they have no messy liquid.

• Replace a juice box with water and a twist of lemon.

• Instead of a granola bar, add a serving of almonds or walnuts.

• Other savory items to try: hard boiled eggs, cubed cheese, cheese sticks, different varieties of olives, peanut butter and celery, sliced pickles and air-popped popcorn.

• For fun and flavor: Pack a put-together mini pizza kit: small pita, shredded cheese, a tablespoon of sauce and a Pearls Olives to Go! cup of sliced or whole black olives.

• For dessert, swap out cookies for some blueberries or strawberries. Sugars in whole fruit enter the bloodstream slowly, and don’t cause the same spikes in blood sugar as does junk food.

For more ideas, visit olives.com.

Ask your children for their input, too. This is an opportunity to talk to kids about making good food choices. If the foods you’re trying aren’t working, keep experimenting. Most importantly, don’t try to change too much at once. Being a parent is hard enough without making lunchtime a battle.

Trinity County Construction Project Continues

By
Rhonda Oaks
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Work is expected to resume this week on US 287 in the city of Groveton after a delay in construction occurred due to a wet sub-grade that cement treating will now improve. Smith & Co., contractor for the project that was originally bid at $3.3 million, is expected to remove asphalt and concrete pavement this week in preparation for cement treatment that is expected to begin next week, weather permitting.

Following the cement treatment, which is expected to last three days, paving operations on US 287 will resume. Mixing cement with the wet sub-grade will dry the material and provide a stabilized foundation for completing the project. The construction project is located on US 287 in Trinity County from Harrison Street to Vickery Street in the city of Groveton.

The project is designed to reconstruct the roadway with new concrete curb and gutter and sidewalks. As work progresses, motorists are urged to be alert to moving equipment and workers through the project area. Expect delays and obey all traffic signs or flaggers.

Remember, traffic fines double if workers are present.

Furniss Family Medicine Acquires Coffman Family Practice, Allergy Center

By
Grace Baldwin
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After more than 43 years in private practice in Nacogdoches, Dr. Dennis Coffman announced his retirement. Dr. Willburn “Eddy” Furniss III, M.D. of Furniss Family Medicine, has acquired his practice.

“Dr. Coffman has had a powerful influence on the Nacogdoches medical community, and he has been an inspiration to me in my career,” Dr. Furniss said. “I am honored that he has entrusted me with his patients’ health care, and I look forward to getting to know them.”

Dr. Furniss is board certified in family medicine and has been in private practice in Nacogdoches for more than five years. He attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and completed his residency training at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth.

“Dr. Furniss is a talented and dedicated physician,” Dr. Coffman said. “I am confident that he will provide all my former patients with the thorough, thoughtful health care they have come to expect.”

Dr. Furniss and Dr. Coffman are working together to make the transition as smooth as possible. Furniss Family Medicine is expanding to include Dr. Coffman’s former office and will retain Dr. Coffman’s staff. Dr. Furniss has completed special training to care for Dr. Coffman’s allergy patients, and Dr. Coffman will be available for consultation and assistance for a few weeks after his official retirement.

Furniss Family Medicine, in association with Nacogdoches Health Partners, will keep Dr. Coffman’s former patients’ medical records on file. Patients who choose to seek medical care elsewhere can request that their records be sent to any physician or mid-level provider of their choice. Medical records are confidential, so patients will need to sign an authorization form before Furniss Family Medicine transfers or releases them.

Nacogdoches is home for Dr. Furniss. After graduating from Nacogdoches High School, he attended Louisiana State University and earned a general studies degree in premedical coursework. He was a four-year letterman in baseball and received the 1998 Dick Howser Trophy as college baseball’s most outstanding player. He is a member of the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame, the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. In 2016, the #36 worn by Furniss joined the #15 worn by coach Skip Bertman and the #19 worn by pitcher Ben McDonald as retired jerseys in the LSU baseball program.

Dr. Furniss also serves patients through Furniss Direct Health, a membership practice that offers East Texans a personalized, direct-care relationship for a fraction of the cost of traditional insurance.

First Bank & Trust East Texas Adams Tour Begins Tuesday

By
Grace Baldwin
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First Bank & Trust of East Texas is partnering with the Lufkin Conventions and Visitors Bureau to host the Adams Golf Tour from Tuesday, July 12 to Saturday, July 16 at Crown Colony. The event offered the people of Lufkin to buy a team and join in the tournament with the professional golf players, three of which are from Diboll and Lufkin!

The tournament is free for spectators. This is the second year the Adams Tour has come to Lufkin. This year the number of players in the tournament was 120, while last year there were 80 players.

The schedule will be as follows:

Tuesday –

Pro-am Day: 12 – 5 p.m.

Pro-am Party: 5 p.m.

Wednesday –

120 Players: Open Round 1

Thursday –

120 Players: Open Round 2, Pro fields cut

Friday –

40 Players: Round 3

Sip and Chip Clinic: 6 p.m.

Saturday –

40 Players: Round 4

Champions Presentation: 3 p.m.

Field – 120 Adams Golf Pro Tour Series professionals.

Comprehensive List Of Construction In Seven Counties In East Texas

By
Rhonda Oaks
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LUFKIN – The Lufkin District will begin its annual seal coating as well and mill and inlay projects are scheduled on local roadways beginning next week with work expected to continue in various locations for about six weeks.

Crews will begin the seal coat season in the Lufkin District on Tuesday in San Augustine County on FM 83 in Broaddus and work from SH 147 to FM 705. Flaggers will be in place to lead traffic around the work convoy.

Seal coating is a common type of road resurfacing and involves a coating application to help protect a roadway from additional wear. The treatment is applied to existing pavement and provides a cost effective resurfacing that seals out moisture and extends the life of the road base. The process also provides a skid resistant surface, which enhances the safety of the roadway.

Work convoys will spray the roadway with a mixture of asphalt and water to which a layer of gravel is added onto the surface. The gravel is then compacted into the asphalt using rollers. Seal coat work is typically performed in summer months.

Motorists should also stay alert through mill and inlay operations that are scheduled to begin Monday in Angelina County and Trinity County. Work on Lufkin Avenue between Timberland Drive and SL 287 will begin in Lufkin with Moore Brothers Construction serving as contractor. Work is also scheduled to begin Monday in the town of Trinity on SH 19 in Trinity County from FM 230, working southbound. Smith & Co. will serve as contractor.

Motorists should expect lane closures throughout these projects as they progress to various locations. Be alert to workers and equipment and remember to obey all traffic control devices and signs. All work schedules are subject to change depending on weather conditions.

Other construction and maintenance projects scheduled for the week in the Lufkin District include:

ANGELINA COUNTY

BU 59/A&NR Railroad Underpass: Work will continue on welding the railroad overpass and constructing sidewalks on both sides of the roadway.

BU 59: Crews will continue working to replace bridge railing at the railroad overpass and upgrade metal beam guardrails on Kurth Drive.

US 69: Workers will continue removing and replacing driveway culverts and safety treating fixed objects from SL 287 in Lufkin to just north of Huntington.

FM 3439 (Spence Street): Right of way clearance will continue along with reshaping base material that will widen and reconstruct the pavement from US 59 to SL 287.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY

US 59: Sidewalks and driveways are under construction throughout the project and repairs and replacements are being made to curb and gutter. Various sections of pavement are being built along the US 59 widening north and south of Spradley Street with concrete pavement expected to resume this week on the southbound widening north of Spradley Street.

SL 224 East: Maintenance crews will be working on mill and inlay operations between FM 2609 near Nacogdoches High School and SH 7 East.

FM 95: Crews are currently constructing the bridge detour at Parallel and Dog creeks. The Dog Creek bridge substructure is currently being built.

FM 95: The final surface has been placed on driveways from US 59 to the Rusk County line. Striping and signs have been installed.

POLK COUNTY

US 190: Work will continue to safety treat fixed objects at driveways and side roads from Onalaska to FM 2497.

US 190/FM 350: Replacing and upgrading metal beam guard fence and safety treating fixed objects.

FM 1988: Forms for bridge railing will be set as grading embankment on the west side continues at Long King Creek.

Livingston State Park: Yaupon and Red Oak camping areas remain closed as work progresses in the reconstruction of camp loops and parking areas.

Hooks Road/Howell Road: Bridge replacement continues as crews work to complete bridge decking and bridge abutments.

HOUSTON COUNTY

SH 21: Crews will continue to work on cross culverts and shoulders on two projects from FM 1280 in Austonio to SH 7 in Crockett. Motorists should expect delays as crews work to replace a large culvert in order to rebuild and widen the roadway. A temporary traffic signal is in place and flaggers are helping provide traffic control near Austonio.

SH 287/FM 132: Traffic will be confined to one lane of travel as crews work to remove and replace driveway culverts and install concrete barriers.

SH7: Construction crews will continue wo work west of Kennard.

FM 3151: Crews will continue to remove and replace driveway culverts and install safety end treatments.

FM 227: Crews will continue dirt work and construction at Hickory Creek and Hickory Creek Relief.

CR 3615: Dismantling and removing the off-system bridge at Big Creek Tributary in preparation for the construction of new approaches and bridge.

SAN JACINTO COUNTY

US 59: Embankment and grading operations are underway at frontage roads south of Shepherd.

US 59: Work continues to level up northbound lanes south of FM 2914 with backfilling of pavement planned to begin this week. Crews will also continue replacing metal beam guard fence through the project.

US 59 at FM 2914: Work continues at the overpass as forms are placed for bridge rail and preparation is underway for concrete pavement.

SHELBY COUNTY

US 84/Sabine River Bridge: The proposed westbound main lanes in Texas and Louisiana have been milled and the existing bridge has been removed. Westbound bridge work is continuing with subgrade work underway at LA 5 and on US 84.

SH 7: Crews are working to install driveway culverts from 4 miles east of FM 2913 to US 96.

SL 500: Maintenance crews will work in various locations to repair cracks, patch potholes and repair signs. Contract mowing crews are also scheduled to mow along right-of-ways.

FM 3343: Maintenance crews are scheduled to repair base patches in various locations.

FM 417: Crews continue to prepare the right-of-ways from SH 87 to FM 139 that will rehabilitate and widen the roadway.

SAN AUGUSTINE COUNTY

US 96: Traffic has been shifted and the southbound lanes are being milled from the Shelby County line to FM 3451.

US 96: The bridge deck is complete at Ayish Bayou and crews continue to work on the approaches for the new bridge.

SH 21: Crews are replacing and safety treating metal beam guard fence from SH 147 to FM 1.

FM 1175: Safety treating metal beam guard fence from the end of the pavement to FM 83.

FM 705: Crews are safety treating fixed objects from SH 147 to the end of the pavement.

SABINE COUNTY

FM 1: Crews are working to mix existing base material and prime coating from SH 184 to SS 1.

For more information, contactRhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov<mailto:Rhonda.OaksDonaldson@txdot.gov> or (936) 633-4395.

The Public Library To Hold Several Events

By
Grace Baldwin
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The Judy B. McDonald Public Library will host its monthly Lego® Club on Saturday, July 16th at 2:30 p.m. for children ages 5-17 years. The library has thousands of Lego® pieces so kids can build whatever they can imagine. The program is held the third Saturday of each month at 2:30 p.m., and no registration is required. Children can count Lego Club program attendance on their Summer Reading & Programs Log for a chance to win one of the many prizes this summer.

For more information, please call 559-2970.

The Judy B. McDonald Public Library will offer free Microsoft Excel, Part II at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12th. Part II will feature file organization, using multiple sheets, and using special features.

For more information about the library computer classes or other programs, please call 559-2970.

La biblioteca de Nacogdoches, Judy B. McDonald Public Library, ofrece dos clases de proyectos de decorar su casa sin tener que cocer. La primera clase es 11 de julio a las 5 p.m. En esta clase, los estudiantes aprenden hacer almohadas de decoración. La siguiente clase es el 15 de julio a las 5 p.m. En esta clase los estudiantes aprenden hacer cortinas sin cocer.

Las clases son para personas 12 años o mayor. Las clases son gratis pero si es necesario matricularse. La biblioteca tiene muchos programas para niños, adolescentes y adultos. Para matricularse, llame 936-559-2970.

The Judy B. McDonald Public Library invites the community to a workshop on succession planting and square foot gardening on Saturday, July 16th at 2:30 p.m.  Participants will learn how to get the most out of their garden space by learning how to stack the planting crops in order to attain a continuous harvest while transitioning from the summer to the fall vegetable garden. They will also cover an introduction to the time and space saving square foot gardening method invented by Mel Bartholomew.

“Since we’re in the Garden Capital of Texas, we want to promote innovative ideas that save time, space and money in the garden,” says Elia Ali, library circulation clerk and workshop presenter.  “These ideas are for people of all ages and skillsets.”  

This free event will be held simultaneously with Lego Club, so kids can play while parents learn.  Please call 936-559-2970 to register.

The Friends of the Library are on Facebook (as Judy B. McDonald Public Library) and Twitter (as @friendsofnacpl).

How To Become More Generous In A Me-First World

By
Grace Baldwin
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Americans like to think of themselves as generous people.

And often, the numbers back that up, such as a recent report that revealed they gave a record $373.3 billion to charity in 2015.

But as impressive as that sum seems, most people still struggle with the stingier side of human nature, putting their own material wants first and considering charitable giving only as an afterthought, say John Cortines and Greg Baumer, co-authors of the book “God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School.” You can find more about the book at this website.

“We don’t need to point fingers at ‘those greedy people over there on Wall Street’ or wherever,” Cortines says. “Greed lurks in all of us. The question is: What are we going to do about it?”

The good news, Cortines and Baumer say, is that while greed is a widespread human characteristic, so is generosity. Reflecting on their lifelong journey, they took a hard look at biblical passages while at Harvard and became convinced that their own hearts were full of greed and needed to change.

“Take your pick of a worldview and it encourages sharing with others,” Baumer says. “Eastern faiths, Abrahamic faiths, atheism – it doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to this topic. Virtually all of humanity values generosity.”

But valuing generosity is one thing. Making it a significant part of your lifestyle is something else. Cortines and Baumer say mindsets about money can be broken down into three groups: spenders, who pursue the greatest amount of consumption right now without much thought of tomorrow; savers, who limit their consumption to accumulate wealth; and servants, who limit both consumption and wealth building so they can give the most money possible to help others.

“That last group, unfortunately, is the rarest,” Cortines says.

There are steps people can take to become more generous, Cortines and Baumer say. Those include:

• Make giving a priority. In any endeavor, how well you do depends on how much of a priority you make the goal. It’s tough to be generous if the amount you give is based on what’s left over after you’ve satisfied your own wants. Cortines and Baumer give right off the top, before setting the rest of their monthly budgets. (They give away 12-18 percent of their gross incomes, currently.)

• Talk about your finances. In our culture we talk about almost everything, but are strangely silent about personal finances. Sharing your financial life with a trusted friend can help you gain perspective, Cortines and Baumer claim. They each fully divulge their finances to close friends, soliciting advice and encouragement.

• Set “financial finish lines.” While it’s important to take care of yourself and your family, Cortines and Baumer say it helps to come up with a cutoff point where there is no further need for more spending or more wealth accumulation. Both authors have publicly committed to live a middle class life, regardless of their earnings. Getting more money should increase our standard of giving, not our standard of living, they say.

“You can always find ways to justify more spending and more accumulation of wealth,” Baumer says. “But at some point you should ask yourself, ‘How much is enough?’”

Save Water, Time, and Money With These Lawn Care Tips

By
Cary Sims
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There are several competing concepts to “care for the environment” while keeping your yard and landscape looking great.  Below I’ll lay out some practices that benefit our environment, saves you time, and keeps money in your pocket all while helping your lawn look good.  

Most people like a beautiful, green lawn and often use more fertilizer and water than necessary.  More mowing, extra back-breaking work in bagging grass clippings, and higher water bills often result.

It is a two-step plan that involves not bagging your lawn clippings and watering just once (if possible) each week.  

Between March and September, the volume of residential solid waste increases 20 to 50 percent due to grass clippings.  During the spring and summer months, grass clippings put extra work on the garbage collection system and use up valuable landfill space.

First, don’t bag up your grass clippings.  By leaving then on the lawn, you won’t have to stop every 10 minutes to empty your mower bag.  Homeowners following this “Don’t Bag It” lawn care plan report they mow their lawns in 38 percent less time than when they bagged the grass clippings.

By leaving the clippings on the lawn, you will allow them to work their way back into the soil, recycling itself.  Just imagine a free fertility product that was slow release over the complete growing season and provided all the nutrients your lawn needs.  Indeed, this comes from the lawn clippings.  

Grass clippings left on your lawn don’t contribute to thatch, but return valuable nutrients to the soil.  They contain about 4 percent nitrogen, 0.5 percent phosphorus and about 2 percent potassium, as well as all the necessary minor elements plants need.

If you want to go the extra mile, you could bag up some of your grass clippings to make an excellent compost for gardens.  Compost use is the best way to improve garden soil because it returns nutrients to the soil and improves the soils physical characteristics.

The second step is changing your watering regimen.  The best time to water is early morning so less water is lost to evaporation.  The worst time to water is in the evening because the lawn stays wet all night.  This mimics the time of day when the lawn is naturally wet from the dew each morning.  Watering at night keeps the leaves wet for a much, much longer time frame and absolutely begs for disease to take your lawn.

Water is a needed component for a great lawn.  During the driest period of summer, our lawns usually require about 1 inch of water every 5 to 6 days.   If an irrigation system runs for 15 minutes every other day, you are shortchanging your lawn and not getting the most out of your water bill as well as the investment in the sprinkler system.  

Furthermore, lawns watered too frequently tend to develop shallow root systems which make them more susceptible to grub damage.

If possible, apply about an inch of water to your lawn all on one day each week.  This will soak the soil far deeper than the same total amount spread out over three applications in a week.  If water runs off the lawn before 1 inch is applied, turn the sprinkler off, let the water soak in for about an hour, and then continue to water later the same morning.  

I challenge you to take this approach with your lawn and see if you have a healthier, lower cost lawn with fewer problems.

City Continues Five Part Discussion Series With Sidewalk Discussion

By
Grace Baldwin
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Part Two discusses walkability and sidewalk needs throughout our community.

The City of Nacogdoches invites all residents to a face-to-face discussion about sidewalks in our community. The discussion will be held at Nacogdoches High School in the Commons Area on July 12, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

This is part two of the multi-part discussion series to be held over a course of months in order to gain feedback about issues involving the City of Nacogdoches and its improvement efforts. Residents are invited to share ideas to help shape the future of our community in regards to connectivity, walkability, and sidewalks. After group discussion on the philosophy of sidewalks in our community, a group activity will be conducted to continue the sharing process.

“This is a topic the city has been asked to address by several citizens and we feel it’s important to have a broad discussion about sidewalks prior to enacting or writing any related ordnances, Larissa Philpot, Director of Municipal Services said. “This is the first of many steps to making our community more practical, walkable, and cohesive.” The discussion event will address the following questions:

  • Topic 1 – How should sidewalks be funded (public or private)? * Topic 2 – Who should maintain sidewalks?
  • Topic 3 – What is the economic impact of new sidewalk ordinances on private business owners, local government, and the community? * Topic 4 – Where are sidewalks a priority in the community?

“Overall this discussion is important because we need to begin a two-way conversation that will allow city leaders and community members to understand what’s needed in Nacogdoches,” Steve Bartlett, City Engineer said. “There is a cost to sidewalks and wide-spread connectivity. This must be practically balanced with input from community members and creative strategies from all parties involved.

A second discussion series session regarding sidewalks will be held after this event in order to begin defining specific, ordinance-related verbiage for future proposed ordinances. This date will be announced after the July 12th event.

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