LUFKIN – Continuing to use Proposition 1 funding for the improved safety, mobility and connectivity of our great state, the Texas Transportation Commission today approved 28 more projects encompassing more than $203 million worth of roadway construction, rehabilitation and restoration, which included a Polk County project. Commissioners have now approved final contract awards on 60 of the 200 planned Proposition 1 projects.

“The Commission has again acted in a prudent manner, and our state’s transportation system will benefit because of it,” said TxDOT Executive Director LtGen Joe Weber, USMC (Ret). “The message from community leaders and local planning organizations, as well as the message sent by voters when they approved Proposition 1 last November, is that transportation concerns must be addressed in a manner that is both efficient and effective. The Commission’s action today enables us to do just that.”

Among the specific projects awarded in this round of Proposition 1 funding, Polk County will receive $1.2 million for a construction project on US 287.

“For the past year, the Lufkin District has been collaborating with Polk County to provide safe access to and from the proposed Oriented Strand Board plant west of Corrigan,” Lufkin District Engineer Cheryl Flood said. “With the passage of Proposition 1 in November 2014, the district was able to fund the construction of a left and right turn lane into the plant from US 287, which we hope to have completed by the end of the year.”

Other major projects in the state include the construction of freeway ramps on US 90 in Bexar County; the widening of US 290 in Harris County; and the reconstruction of FM 1472 in Webb County.

Proposition 1, which dedicates a portion of oil and gas tax revenue to the state highway fund, was approved last November by 80 percent of Texas voters. The 200 planned Proposition 1 projects will result in more than 800 miles of rehabilitated highways; nearly 500 miles of new highway lanes; 114 bridges replaced, widened or rehabilitated; and an additional 159 miles of passing lanes on rural highways. Metropolitan Planning Organizations and TxDOT districts worked together and with the public to formulate the list of projects.

Many TxDOT districts plan to use maintenance funds to repair or rehabilitate highways affected by production in energy sectors. These funds, along with Proposition 1 funds specifically allocated for energy sector needs, will allow projects in impacted areas to receive nearly 30 percent of total 2015 Proposition 1 funding.

In addition to addressing congestion, Proposition 1 funding also addresses safety. Over the past five years, there were 248 fatalities and more than 23,000 crashes on the highway segments where the Proposition 1 funded projects are located. The work planned in these areas is designed to enhance safety for drivers and reduce the number of crashes, fatalities and injuries.

For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or (936) 633-4395.

Do you have dinner with your kids? It’s become almost a luxury today, with our crammed schedules. And yet, numerous studies show that no other hour in your children’s day will deliver as many emotional and psychological benefits as the one spent unwinding and connecting over food and conversation.

“A nightly commitment to family dinners can be transformative,” says Anne K. Fishel, Ph.D., therapist, cofounder of  Family Dinner Project, and author of “Home for Dinner, Mixing Food, Fun, and Conversation for a Happier Family and Healthier Kids,” (AMACOM).

Amongst finicky eaters, defiant teens and the lure of fast food, how can home cooking and family dinner be your household’s priority?

In her new book, Fishel shares strategies for busy parents to overcome family dinnertime hurdles. Here she shares a few parenting insights:

Meaningful Conversation
A family meal is an excellent opportunity to connect with your children. Foster dinner conversation by making the family table a technology-free zone. You may find that parents have a harder time than kids turning off their gadgets.

Throughout your day, collect stories that might amuse your children, such as something mischievous the dog did. Starting by telling as story yourself can get the conversation rolling.

Ask questions that demonstrate you’ve been paying attention. For example, “I know that today was your first art class. What was it like?”

To deepen conversation, turn to daily media content. For example, elections can prompt discussions about how democracy works. Scandals can provide fodder for talk about truth-telling.

Trying New Things
Don’t underestimate your child’s taste buds. The idea that young children and adults must eat different foods might be a myth created by food manufacturers and marketers. Your child might like chicken piccata as much as chicken fingers.

Entice picky eaters by modeling adventurous eating. Eat the new food with gusto, and then ask, “Would you like to taste it? Can you describe the taste?” This focuses your child’s attention on the food, rather than on rejecting it.

Avoid letting food become a power struggle. If your child refuses a particular meal, stay calm and offer an alternative such as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich — nothing that makes much extra work for you.

Have Fun
Ask kids to help with meal preparation. Spinning salad greens and setting the timer are some of the many things young children can do. For older kids, do a role reversal one night a week and have them do the cooking.

It can be fun to re-create meals kids have seen advertised on TV or eaten in restaurants. For example, most supermarkets offer ready-made pizza dough. Combined with tomato sauce from a jar, it’s simple to make pizza at home.

Let teens choose music to listen to during dinner. On other nights, play music you listened to as a teenager.

For more dinnertime insights, and information about the book, visit www.amacombooks.org/HomeForDinner.htm.

Family dinner offers more than just nutrition. Food may bring everyone to the table, but it is the fun and conversation that will keep them there.

Good credit is a key ingredient in succeeding financially; yet building a strong foundation takes time. If you are new to credit or are working to improve it, there are many steps you can take to put you on a path to stronger credit.

Here are three essential steps that help you get started:

• Check your credit report: Experts recommend checking your credit report at least once a year. Your credit report contains details of your credit history, including balances, credit limit and payment status. Lenders, apartment managers and some employers may check your credit report to see how responsible you are with money.

When you check your report, make sure it contains current and accurate information. If you find errors, correct them as soon as possible because they may negatively impact your credit score and even indicate possible identity theft. You can request a free copy of your credit report from each of three major credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — once each year at www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call toll-free 1-877-322-8228.

• Make sure you’re paying your bills on time: Life happens and you may find yourself forgetting to pay a bill on time. Because your payment history is one of the biggest factors in your credit score, it’s important that you stay organized and keep track of all your bills. This applies to more than just credit card bills, but also when it comes to rent, utilities and cell phone payments.

Using free online tools, often available through your financial institution’s online banking, can help your develop a budget and create an automatic bill payment schedule. Many financial institutions also allow you to change your payment due dates for one that is convenient for you. If it helps, you can organize all your payments to be due on the same day of the month.

• Make a budget and stick to it: One of the best ways to keep up with your bills is to closely monitor your spending. Creating a budget can help you decide when to use credit and when to hold off on a purchase. Keeping a budget is also helpful because lenders look at the amount of debt a consumer has compared to their income.

As an important rule of thumb, keep debt at no more than 35 percent of your income or lower. This will tell lenders that your debt is at a manageable level relative to your income, and you are likely to have money left over for saving or spending after you pay your bills.

(Statepoint)

Those who love to camp, hike and fish are always in need of equipment — and Father’s Day is the best time to gift outdoor-loving dads all the items that they need or want for their next big adventure.

Here are some top gift ideas for Dad:

Walkie Talkies
When one is in the great outdoors, he may not have mobile phone reception. But when straying from the camp site, keeping in touch becomes even more important. Two way radios may be an old technology, but they can keep campers connected to one another even when new technology can’t.

Generator
Keep Dad powered up during camping trips, RV adventures and tailgating parties with an inverter generator. Inverter technology makes it quieter than traditional camping generators, perfect for the peace and tranquility of natural surroundings. Be sure to operate this product only outside far away from windows, doors and vents to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide gas from accumulating and potentially being drawn towards occupied spaces.

Cookout Comfort
Make cookouts and fireside chats more comfortable for your dad. Innovative camping chairs can now be as plush as a sofa, with all the portability of their traditional counterparts. From rocking camping chairs to double wide chairs to those with ergonomic armrests and canopies, you can help make relaxation time truly relaxing.

This Father’s Day, consider beefing up Dad’s collection of gear, just in time for camping season.

Those who love to camp, hike and fish are always in need of equipment — and Father’s Day is the best time to gift outdoor-loving dads all the items that they need or want for their next big adventure.

Here are some top gift ideas for Dad:

Walkie Talkies
When one is in the great outdoors, he may not have mobile phone reception. But when straying from the camp site, keeping in touch becomes even more important. Two way radios may be an old technology, but they can keep campers connected to one another even when new technology can’t.

Generator
Keep Dad powered up during camping trips, RV adventures and tailgating parties with an inverter generator. Inverter technology makes it quieter than traditional camping generators, perfect for the peace and tranquility of natural surroundings.
Be sure to operate this product only outside far away from windows, doors and vents to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide gas from accumulating and potentially being drawn towards occupied spaces.

Cookout Comfort
Make cookouts and fireside chats more comfortable for your dad. Innovative camping chairs can now be as plush as a sofa, with all the portability of their traditional counterparts. From rocking camping chairs to double wide chairs to those with ergonomic armrests and canopies, you can help make relaxation time truly relaxing.

This Father’s Day, consider beefing up Dad’s collection of gear, just in time for camping season.

(Statepoint)