The Pizzeria High School Football Scoreboard

Jasper 41  Center 13

Timpson 63  Joaquin 0

San Augustine 6  Shelbyville 27

Overton 8  Tenaha 57

Notice is hereby given that a Special meeting of the Governing body of the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court will be held on the 4th day of November 2020 at 9:30 a.m. in the Courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse at 200 San Augustine Street, Center, Shelby County, Texas to deliberate and consider action on the following items:

Approve and pay weekly expenses.

Public comments on Agenda item.

Presentation of the Community Assistance Program Grant for disaster relief to Shelby County from the Sabine River Authority.

Accept the Community Assistance Program Grant in the amount of $50,000.00 awarded by Sabine River Authority.

Take action to approve the FY2020 Budget Line Item Transfers.

Discuss the FY2020 Ending Cash Balance for each Road and Bridge precinct.

Adjust the FY2021 Budgeted Fund Carryover for each Road and Bridge precinct.

Adjust the FY2021 Expense Budget (per fund carryover) for each Road and Bridge precinct.

Adjourn

TYLER, Texas (Oct. 30, 2020) – The University of Texas at Tyler and Panola College announced a partnership in which students can earn a UT Tyler degree in education at Panola College.

Administrators signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday, October 29 to make the partnership official. It is designed for Panola College students enrolled in the Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree program with the intent of earning a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies (education) degree from UT Tyler.

“As partners in education, we are committed to student success. By working together to offer this degree, we enhance the educational benefit to the citizens of East Texas, in particular those in the Panola College district, by providing not only a seamless pathway to our bachelor’s degree, but also the convenience of earning it in Carthage,” said Dr. Amir Mirmiran, UT Tyler provost.

Panola College recently announced the Charles C. Matthews Foundation Teaching Scholarship to support students in the AAT program. The scholarship will be awarded annually with a preference to a student intending to earn a baccalaureate degree.

“We are proud that Panola College and UT Tyler are entering into a seamless transfer agreement for our students,” said Dr. Billy Adams, Vice President of Instruction at Panola College. “This agreement will expand opportunities by providing access to earn a baccalaureate degree on the Panola College campus ensuring more learning and growth opportunities for our graduates and our community.”

Texas is currently facing a teacher shortage. As teachers retire, administrators face difficulty finding qualified applicants to fill those vacancies. This partnership will help to meet the needs in Panola County.

“This agreement allows Panola College to grow their own teachers to help meet the needs of its district. By working with UT Tyler, Panola College will make qualified graduates available to local school districts, so they don’t have to search for teachers in other areas or across the state,” said Dr. Frank Dykes, UT Tyler School of Education director.

Students can take all UT Tyler early childhood through 6 grade (EC-6) courses on the Panola College campus. They must be enrolled in the Panola College AAT degree program when they apply to UT Tyler and meet the formal criteria to be admitted into the UT Tyler EC-6 teacher preparation program. The EC-6 program prepares students to teach English, mathematics, science, social studies, music, art, health and physical education at the elementary level.

For more information, Panola College students should contact the Panola College Office of Admissions, 903.693.2038.

A member of the prestigious UT System, The University of Texas at Tyler focuses on student success and innovative research in the more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered to nearly 10,000 students. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News and World Report as a National University and Top Public School, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The acclaimed jazz program at Stephen F. Austin State University will present its first and only live concert of the fall semester from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, behind the Nacogdoches Convention & Visitors Bureau in downtown.

The socially distanced, outdoor concert on Pilar Street is free and open to the public and is a collaborative effort between the SFA School of Music and the Nacogdoches CVB, according to Dr. Deb Scott, professor of trombone and director of the Swingin’ Axes jazz band at SFA. Attendees should bring their own chairs for seating and wear face coverings.

To manage the limited number of people allowed to gather according to CDC guidelines, attendance orders will be received through Eventbrite, an online ticket platform. Access tickets at visitnac.org/backporch-jazz. One ticket will be issued for groups of up to four people who will be seated in the same boxed area on the brick streets behind the CVB. Entrance will be through the CVB building.

On the program are works by Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Chase, Glen Miller and other jazz greats.

The evening concert will begin with Dr. J.D. Salas, associate professor of tuba and euphonium and director of SFA’s Swingin’ Aces jazz band, conducting a group that will perform Miller’s “In the Mood,” George Gershwin’s “Summertime” and “Killer Joe” by Quincy Jones and Bennie Golson.

Following the opening set, jazz combos, team taught by Scott, Salas and Mike McGowan, adjunct professor of music, will perform. Two different saxophone sections with rhythm section will perform arrangements by the 1970s group Super Sax, which performed the solos of Charlie Parker, harmonized by Med Flory. The groups will perform “Star Eyes” composed by Don Raye and Gene DePaul, and “Ko Ko” and “Moose the Mooch,” both composed by Charlie Parker. Two groups of five trombones with rhythm section will perform jazz standards arranged by College of Fine Arts Dean Dr. A.C. “Buddy” Himes. The arrangements are of “Birdland” by Joe Zawinul, “Spain” by Chick Corea, and “Night in Tunisia” by Dizzy Gillespie. A group of four trumpets with rhythm section will perform “Con Suerte” by Brad Sharp and “Bochawa” by Bill Chase.

The evening will conclude with an impressive big band tune – “Count Bubba’s Revenge” by Gordon Goodwin – performed by the Swingin’ Axes, conducted by Scott.

Due to the pandemic and as a safety measure, the jazz bands have been divided into smaller groups that have been rehearsing throughout the fall semester under the outdoor tents provided by the university on campus.

At the concert, guests will be greeted by volunteers upon entering the CVB, the only recognized entry to the concert, and shown where to place their chairs following social-distancing protocols. Parking is available for vehicles in and around downtown. Naca Valley Vineyard will sell wine inside the CVB, where restrooms are also available. UR Chef food truck will also be on site. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be rescheduled for the same time and location on Nov. 15.

For additional information, contact the School of Music at (936) 468-4602 or CVB at (936) 564-7351.

Report Shows Average Pay Raise Of $3,800 To $5,200 For Texas Teachers 

Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released a report showing significant pay raises for Texas teachers for the 2019-2020 academic year as a result of House Bill 3 (HB 3). Statewide, Texas teachers who have more than 5 years of experience received an average pay raise of over $5,200, while teachers who have been working up to five years received an average pay raise of more than $3,800. It is worth noting that the pay increases are averages of all teacher raises in Texas; individual raises vary. The pay raises are part of a $1.1 billion annual investment in additional compensation that started last year for Texas teachers, counselors, librarians, and school nurses. 

"Thanks to the historic legislation we passed last session, Texas teachers are already seeing a significant increase in their pay," said Governor Abbott. "When Texas students graduate, we want them to receive more than a diploma — but also the knowledge and skills they need to excel in college or a career. Thank you to Chairman Larry Taylor and Chairman Dan Huberty for leading the way on this critical issue, and thank you to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dennis Bonnen, and members of the Legislature who supported this bill. Their work is delivering meaningful results for Texas students and teachers, and helping our state recruit and retain the very best educators. The State of Texas will continue to enhance our education system and provide a quality education for every Texas student, regardless of zip code." 

"As Lt. Governor, I promised teachers a pay raise and in 2019 I made it my top priority to invest $4 billion to raise teacher pay and ensure that teaching is treated as a profession, not a job. It was a tough fight but I delivered on my promise. Aside from a parent, nothing has more impact on the future success of a child than a teacher. Going forward, these pay raises will also help Texas continue to recruit the best and the brightest teachers anywhere," said Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

"On day one of 86th Legislature, I declared school finance reform to be the top priority for Texas House members because our education system deserved serious, meaningful changes that would transform the lives of students and teachers. House Bill 3 put those objectives into action by finally compensating Texas educators like the professionals they are and by equipping school districts across the state with the resources to attract and retain the best and brightest teachers in our schools. This report is proof that it’s working," said Speaker Dennis Bonnen. 

"HB 3 makes crucial investments in the most important factor in driving student outcomes: our classroom teachers. HB 3 raises the salary of all teachers- incentivizing new teachers to the profession and retaining our veteran teachers. It is my hope that this concerted effort to increase teacher compensation will allow more veteran educators to remain in the classroom where they can continue to change lives and share their expertise with junior colleagues," said Senate Committee on Education Chairman Larry Taylor.

"Coming from a long line of teachers and knowing how just one teacher changed the course of my life, it was critical that we compensate teachers as professionals.  I was proud to be a part of this historic accomplishment and look forward to continuing funding teachers and their peers, so that they not only want to stay in the classroom but stay in the profession," said House Committee on Public Education Chairman Dan Huberty.

These pay raises are a result of HB 3, which the Governor signed into law during the 86th Legislative Session. HB 3 created an incentive pay program for teachers to be on a path to reach six-figure salaries, added career, college, and military readiness bonuses for school districts, funded full-day prekindergarten for students in poverty, and required all elementary school principals and teachers in kindergarten through third grade be trained on science-based reading instruction by 2021. The bill also created a student-focused formula structure, where the needs of a child – not the child’s zip code – determine funding allocation. Additionally, the bill buys down property tax rates by an average of 8 cents in 2020 and implements a 2.5% property tax cap starting in 2021, which will result in a cumulative average tax rate reduction of 12 cents this biennium. HB 3 provided an increase of $2.7 billion in annual net funding for public education and school district budgets. 

A link to each Local Education Agency's (LEAs) report to the Legislature can be found on the TEA website. 

View the report. 

The Timpson Bears will take on the Joaquin Rams at 7:30 p.m. in Timpson on October 30, 2020. The game will be covered live on KQBB 100.5 FM with Don Wall giving you your play by play action.

The Tenaha Tigers will take on the Overton Mustangs at 7 p.m. in Overton on October 30, 2020.

The Shelbyville Dragons will take on the San Augustine Wolves in San Augustine at 7:30 p.m. on October 30, 2020. The game will be broadcast live on KXXE 92.5 FM with Tracy Broadway giving you your play by play action.

The Center Roughriders will take on the Jasper Bulldogs in Jasper on October 30, 2020. The game will be broadcast on KDET 930 AM.

I grew up in the part of Texas that was notorious for its moonshine distillers.  

In fact, while in college in 1955, my roommate was the son of a family known for their moonshine making. I had never encountered real moonshine until *Jim began bringing a gallon of the stuff to our boarding house every Sunday afternoon.  It would last our residents an entire week.

This clear liquid was brutal.  In fact, it would blaze up if touched by a match.  About the only way it could be consumed was a few ounces added to a bottle of Cola.  Then a pure Cola served as a “chaser” to kill the burn.  I don’t know what “proof” this stuff was…100 proof I would guess.  I do believe that it could be burned by any internal combustion engine.

One Saturday afternoon, Jim said to me, “Neal, why don’t you go home with me and spend the night?”  I was surprised at the invitation, but it seemed better than sitting around the boarding house and watching the grass grow.

So, we took off to San Augustine County, across the Attoyac River, then a right down a dirt road to his house.

Jim’s extended family lived all around him in the back woods, accessible only by gravel roads.  We enjoyed a nice supper, then summoned his coon dog and walked around in the woods in search of a coon, rabbit, or possum.

Sunday afternoon when it was time to drive back to the college campus boarding house, Jim said, “We need to make one stop on the way out.”  He drove down a logging road deep into the woods.  He stopped and walked over to a tree stump, reached down inside the hollow, and pulled out a new gallon of white lighting.  This was our week’s supply.

On the way back he explained to me that his grandfather, and his father, had manufactured moonshine for many years, and were still at it, even though their residence was in a “dry” county.  I kept a sharp look-out for any state troopers or deputy sheriffs on the way back.  Had we been stopped with the moonshine, we would have been arrested.

I am thankful that I never did develop a taste for the stuff, and have never tasted any since then. I thought later that I should have asked Jim to take me on a tour of their brewery.  You think he would have…?

* Name changed to protect the guilty.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A number of students enrolled in the Music Preparatory Division of the School of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University have qualified for All Region orchestras.

The competition took place Oct. 10 through 14. Students recorded their audition on a platform on the Texas Music Educators Association website, and qualifiers were notified the following week. Their clinic/concert will be at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at Tyler High School.

Qualifying for the high school orchestra are Shelby Rotramel, violin and high school concertmistress; Holden Kelly, McKenzie Ellison, Haylee Harman, Ashlynn McBroom, Karys Alders, Haley McBroom, violin; Cate Baker, viola; Jessica Schlaudt, principal cello; Will Sams and Grace Hao, cello; and Mason Baker, bass.

Qualifying for the middle school orchestra are Jonah Raychev, violin and middle school concertmaster; and Luke Scala, Gracie Lynn Harman, Lauren Hansen, Maggie Scala and Micah Hayman, violin.

Many of these students are also members of Music Prep’s Piney Woods Youth Orchestra.

For more information about programs offered by the SFA Music Preparatory Division, contact Director Alba Madrid at (936) 468-1291. The Music Prep House is located at 3028 Raguet St.

Cutline: The students in SFA’s Music Preparatory Division who qualified for All Region orchestras are, front from left, Maggie Scala, Micah Hayman, Jonah Raychev; back from left, Ashlynn McBroom, Will Sams, McKenzie Ellison, Haley McBroom, Gracie Lynn Harman, Lauren Hansen, Mason Baker, Karys Alders, Cate Baker, Haylee Harman, Holden Kelly, Jessica Schlaudt, Shelby Rotramel and Luke Scala.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend thanks to the public and local media outlets for their assistance with helping us locate and safely bring home Ashiyah Patton. Patton was returned home on October 28, 2020. Our press release received numerous tips and hundreds of Facebook shares, and this is what helped officers bring him home.

Donna Hughes, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 – the SCSO is very appreciative of your quick response and eagerness to assist, in not only this situation but each time you are needed. We thank you.

We are very fortunate to live in a county that pulls together in the time of need.

Kimberly Campbell, the wife of country singer Glen Campbell visited Stone Creek Village Nursing and Rehabilitation in San Augustine, Texas as part of her book tour. She has written a book about her life with her husband Glenn Campbell.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Demolition is winding down inside the Griffith Fine Arts Building on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus in conjunction with a fine arts expansion and renovation project that will add nearly 68,000 square feet to the current building.

Phase II of the project –  construction/expansion of the building – will soon be underway and is being described by construction officials as “an extensive project” that will start with massive dirt removal, including digging a hole deeper than the current Johnson Coliseum expansion and three times larger.

As a result, motorists and pedestrians in the area should expect construction zone changes that will alter traffic patterns starting next week and continuing for an estimated two years.

Beginning Nov. 3, a construction zone will be established around the Griffith Fine Arts Building that includes the creation of a perimeter fence surrounding the work site. In order to accommodate site preparation and construction, traffic and pedestrian routes in close proximity to the Griffith Fine Arts Building will be impacted. This includes the areas near the intersection of North Street and East College Street, and the parking spaces located along the westbound lane of Alumni Drive. It is anticipated that construction will take up to 24 months, weather permitting. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to use extreme caution in the area, expect minor traffic delays and use alternate routes if possible.

Note the following areas of impact:

• Sidewalks will be closed to pedestrians around the work site, including the east sidewalk on North Street from Alumni Drive to East College Street and the south sidewalk of East College Street from North Street to the Wright Music Building.

• Eastbound traffic on East College Street will be reduced to one left lane only from North Street to the music building.

 • Westbound traffic on Alumni Drive will be reduced to one left lane only from the music building to North Street.

• The small parking lot behind the Music Building, along East College Street will be permanently closed for the duration of the project.

The Fine Arts Expansion Initiative will include extensive renovations to the existing Griffith Fine Arts Building and add handicap parking, a patron drop-off zone (off of East College Street) and new construction which will extend the building along North Street nearly to the corner of East College Street. The renovated and expanded state-of-the-art building will include two dance studios, two theatres, a renovated Turner Auditorium and pre-event lobby space, recording studio, sound stage, audio and video editing rooms, an art gallery, multiple classrooms, rehearsal facilities, faculty offices and the offices of the College of Fine Arts dean. The facilities will house the CFA’s sound recording technology, filmmaking, theatre, dance and musical theatre programs.

Renovation to the existing building and new construction will be underway simultaneously. New construction of 67,905 square feet will bring the total building space to 137,374 square feet.

The anticipated construction will help ease the need for additional space to accommodate continued growth in the College of Fine Arts, according to Dr. A.C. “Buddy” Himes, dean, who has repeatedly stated for many years in his Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ assessment report: “Only through construction of additional facilities will the College of Fine Arts be able to fully alleviate concerns for space, grow to its potential in enrollment, be competitive with similar programs in Texas, and fully capitalize upon student markets for new programs.” 

“Now, this is coming to fruition,” Himes said. “The lesson to be learned is to develop your vision, articulate this clearly for all to see and understand, and never lose sight of this no matter what obstacles may occur.”

Questions or concerns about construction may be directed to the Physical Plant Department Work Control at (936) 468-3206 or the University Police Department at (936) 468-2608.

LUFKIN – A virtual pre-construction meeting was held by the Nacogdoches Area Office Wednesday, signaling the beginning of a new construction project in San Augustine County.

The project is designed to include the construction of passing lanes on US 96 from FM 3451 in San Augustine to SH 21 for 2.72 miles. Barricades and signage are scheduled to be set with work beginning on Nov. 9, weather permitting.

Madden Contracting Company LLC, Sibley LA, will serve as contractor for the $4.8 million construction project that includes reconstructing shoulders, constructing passing lanes and widening drainage structures. The project is scheduled to be completed in September 2021.

As this project begins, motorists are urged to stay alert to traffic control, signage, work zone speed limits, moving equipment and workers near the lanes of traffic. This project is designed to improve traffic flow and enhance safety.

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

The 9th-grade Center football game vs Garrison scheduled for tonight has been cancelled.
We will only have a JV game vs Jasper @ 5 p.m.

A major problem for many hay producers this summer.  Shelby County Agrilife Extension is hosting a forage seminar with emphasis on crabgrass control on November 10, 5:30-7:30 pm at the Extension Gym.  2 CEU credits will be offered for those with a private applicators license.  Contact the Extension office for more information.

Crabgrass is a warm-season annual grass that is commonly found in pastures and hay meadows in parts of Texas. Relative to other warm-season annual grasses, crabgrass has a low- to medium-yield potential but is high in forage quality. As such, it is often a desirable component in pastures and is sometimes planted for forage in pastures. As is the case with many annual grass species, crabgrass is a prolific seed producer which enables new stands to establish in subsequent growing seasons for summer grazing.

Due to its high-volume seed production, crabgrass also has the potential to become a problematic and persistent weed in hay meadows. Its competitive growth among perennial grass hay meadows contributes to stand thinning from spring to late summer; thus, growers are concerned about its economic impact. Crabgrass has a slower drying rate than most hay species, which causes rotting and mold development after baling. Once it is dry, crabgrass often turns a dark brown or black color, which stands in stark contrast to the bright green color of other grass hay crops. This can substantially lower the value of the hay crop, so controlling the growth of crabgrass may be critical for long-term successful production.
 
So how to manage unwanted crabgrass?
If the hay meadow happens to be fenced as well as have a source of water, grazing can be an excellent way to utilize the high-quality crabgrass forage as well as remove it from the meadow. Grazing pressure can reduce seed production and reduce further spread of crabgrass.

Use of herbicides to control crabgrass is probably the most common method practiced. If you haven’t been satisfied with products that are labeled to control or reduce crabgrass then we have an excellent seminar discussing the new product on the market that will give season long control along with broadleaf weed control all as a pre-emerge herbicide.

Shelby County Agrilife Extension is hosting a forage seminar on November 10 5:30-7:30 pm at the Extension Gym.  2 CEU credits will be offered for those with a private applicators license.  Contact the Extension office for more information.

Lane Dunn is the County Extension Agent for agriculture and natural resources for Shelby County. His email is jldunn@ag.tamu.edu

Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, national origin, genetic information or veteran status.  The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.  
 

Demetrice Edmond was arrested yesterday, 10/27, 2020 by SCSO Deputies. She was charged with Harboring a Runaway Child (M-A) and was released on a Personal Bond per JP 1, Donna Hughes.

Patton was reunited with his family late yesterday night.

This case is still under investigation and nothing further is available at this time. 

Ramah Baptist Church located at  131 CR 4475 Tenaha, will be holding a garage sale in their church gym on Saturday, November 7th starting at 8 am.

Household decor, kitchen items, clothes, bikes, too much to list.

Stephen F. Austin State University to announce new academic partnership
2 p.m. Oct. 29 Baker Pattillo Student Center, Twilight Ballroom

SFA President Scott Gordon will welcome John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, to Nacogdoches tomorrow to announce details of a new program-specific partnership with the RELLIS Academic Alliance. Through the partnership, SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education will offer completer courses for the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in EC-6 to Bryan/College Station-area students on the RELLIS Campus in Bryan.

Founded in 2016 by the Texas A&M University System, the RELLIS Campus fosters cutting-edge research, technology development, workforce training and two- and four-year college degrees by tapping the system’s state agencies and multiple universities, along with academic, corporate and government partners. SFA is the first university outside the system to be invited to offer courses on the campus.

In accordance with COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and for the safety of all involved, only authorized participants are allowed in the ballroom. A livestream of the meeting will be available through SFA’s YouTube page. Masks are required in the Student Center and in all SFA facilities.

After the in-person event concludes, SFA’s BSIS EC-6 program directors will host a virtual presentation and Q&A live on SFA’s Facebook page followed by a similar live Q&A at 4 p.m. on SFA’s Instagram.

If you plan to attend this event, please let me know so we may ensure safe social distancing can be maintained.

Tenaha High School Cross Country Team pictured above left to right; Alan Mosqueda, Daniel Loredo, Oscar Flores, Irvin Barona, Eduardo Flores, Evan Plata, Misael Hernandez, and Adrian Lopez.   

Tenaha Cross Country Team Wins District!

The Tenaha Boys’ Cross Country HS and JH teams came away with GOLD at the 23-2A District Meet held in Shelbyville on Monday, October 26th.   The High School Boys took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and 7th, 8th, and 9th places.  Junior High boys  finished 1st and 2nd. Yulitza Perez, Girls Junior High team, finished 8th overall.  The High School Boys’ team will advance to the Regional meet to be held in Huntsville on November 10th .  

Cross Country teams are coached by Laurie Sisk.  

Top 5 High School team runners     Top Junior High Runners

Oscar Flores-1st 17:12                  Jiaro Hernandez-1st
Evan Plata-2nd 17:17                    Max Garvin-2nd
Irvin Barona- 3rd 17:35                 Alex Rodriguiz-8th 
Eduardo Flores-7th 18:18               Yulitza Perez-8th 
Misael Hernandez-8th 18:45 

October 29, 2020-JH vs Overton (Home) 5:00 pm; Fall Pictures PK 3-12; Special Called Regular Meeting

October 30, 2020-Tigers vs Overton (There) 7:00 pm {District}

October 31, 2020- JVG/VG Lady Tigers vs Huntington (Scrimmage) 12:00 There

November 2, 2020-Tiger Day All Day

November 4, 2020-JVG/VG vs Lufkin (Scrimmage) There TBD

November 6, 2020-Holiday; End 2nd Grading Period; JVG/VG vs Chireno (Home) @ 5:00 pm

November 7, 2020-Band-Pre UIL in Carthage

November 9, 2020-Beginning 3rd Grading Period; VCC Regional Meet

November 10, 2020-JVG/VG vs Center (There) 4:30 pm;

November 11, 2020-Thank You Veteran’s

Cross Country

Tenaha boys are the 2020 Cross Country District Champions!

These kids are the absolute best to work with. We’ve had Covid within the team, quarantines, and everyone has been doing all they can to stay healthy and keep running the long miles. I knew this group of boys would be fast when they were in the 7th grade. They truly love running!!!! I want to thank all of the parents for their support too. The UIL state championship is in one month. They will be fine tuned and READY! I can’t wait!    Coach Laurie Sisk

Top 5 team runners
Oscar 1st 17:12
Evan 2nd 17:17
Irvin 3rd 17:35
Eduardo 7th 18:18
Misael 8th 18:45

Jario 1st
Max 2nd
Alex 8th

Yulitza 8th

Great day to be a Tenaha Tiger!

Regional’s will be Nov 10th in Huntsville. Let the fun begin!

US 59 UPDATE: US 59 North of Garrison has reopened to two-way traffic only as crews continue to clear a heavy truck crash. Motorists are being directed through one northbound and one southbound lane. Motorists should reduce speed and obey all traffic control.

Shelby County Chamber of Commerce

Ribbon Cutting

Family Traditions

Southern Eatery

Friday, November 6, 2020

11:00 a.m.

246 Tenaha Street

Center, Texas 75935

SFA Percussion Ensemble’s second virtual concert this fall to feature works by Daughtrey, Pawassar

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Percussion Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will perform works by Nathan Daughtrey, Francisco Perez, Rüdiger Pawassar and other noted composers in a virtual concert at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.

Directed by Dr. Brad Meyer, associate professor of percussion at SFA, the ensemble will perform Daughtrey’s “Shock Factor,” which is primarily driven by battery percussion. The piece features exciting vocal effects all derived from the word "shock." A brief section in the middle of the piece takes a departure from the battery instruments by bringing prominence to the metallic keyboard percussion, such as bells, vibraphone and chimes. “Driving from beginning to end, ‘Shock Factor’ delivers,” according to Daughtrey.

Perez wrote “Nalu” as a marimba quartet for four players on two marimbas. In the Hawaiian language, the word “nalu” stands for wave, in reference to those in the waters surrounding the islands of Hawaii. “Through the use of counterpoint, syncopation, hocket and hints of minimalist techniques, ‘Nalu’ emulates the varying moods and textures of these ever-changing waves in the Pacific,” he writes.

The program also features “Study in 5/8” by Mitchell Peters, a former principal timpanist and percussionist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

Pawassar describes his “Sculpture 3” as “almost a classical-sounding work, but resembles many harmonic structures found in ’70’s and ’80’s jazz.” The composer comments that when writing this work, it resembled to him “the making of a wood sculpture where, in drafts, many parts were cut off, added again, shifted and intertwined with one another.”

The concert concludes with “Ojo” by Joe W. Moore III. The inspiration for the piece comes from Latin American folklore “mal de ojo,” which is looking or staring at someone with envy or praising them without touching them. The goal of the piece is to keep the audience engaged throughout the work with quick passages, rhythmic variety, timbre changes and movements transitioning between instruments, according to Moore. 

To access the live concert free of charge, go to https://youtu.be/3F3eVf9x5Qw. For additional information, contact the School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is actively seeking the whereabouts of Ahsiyah Terril Patton, 15, from Timpson. Patton is described as a black male, 5’5” and weight 120 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.

 
Patton was last seen in Timpson on Oct. 20, 2020 with his biological mother, Demetrice “Damitriyunna” Edmond.

If you have information in regards to Patton or Edmonds, or if you know there whereabouts, you are urged to contact the SCSO at 936.598.5601.

ALERT: All lanes of US 59 North of Garrison are currently closed after two 18-wheelers collided. Fire is reported and emergency crews are on the scene. TxDOT will assist in traffic control once it is safe. Motorists should prepare for delays. Time of clearance is not known at this time.

A CDC food safety alert regarding a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections has been posted

Key Points:

• 10 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 3 states. All 10 people were hospitalized. One death has been reported from Florida.
• Ill people have reported eating Italian-style meats, such as salami, mortadella, and prosciutto.
• People have reported purchasing both prepackaged deli meats and meats sliced at deli counters. The investigation is ongoing to determine if there is a specific type of deli meat or common supplier linked to illness.
• CDC will provide more information as it becomes available.

Advice to Consumers and Retailers:

• People who are at higher risk for getting sick with Listeria should avoid eating deli meats, unless heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot just before serving.
• Clean: Wash your hands after handling deli meats. Clean refrigerator shelves, kitchen countertops, utensils, and other surfaces that may have come into contact with deli meats.
• Separate: Don’t let juice from deli meats get on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces.
• Chill: Keep factory-sealed, unopened packages of deli meats in the refrigerator for no longer than 2 weeks. Keep opened packages and meat sliced at a local deli in the refrigerator for no longer than 5 days.
• Retailers should follow USDA-FSIS best practicesexternal icon for controlling Listeria contamination in deli areas

About Listeria:

• Listeria can cause different symptoms, depending on the person and the part of the body affected.
• Pregnant women typically experience only fever and other flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue and muscle aches. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
• People who are not pregnant may experience symptoms including headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions in addition to fever and muscle aches.

• People with invasive Listeria infection usually report symptoms starting 1 to 4 weeks after eating contaminated food. Infection is treated with antibiotics.

If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state’s health department.

Governor Greg Abbott issued the following statement congratulating Justice Amy Coney Barrett on her confirmation to the United States Supreme Court:

"Congratulations to Justice Amy Coney Barrett on being confirmed as a justice on the United States Supreme Court. Justice Barrett is a tremendous jurist and a person of the highest character who will adhere to the Constitution and faithfully serve the American people.

I applaud the Senators who voted to confirm her nomination, and I thank President Trump for nominating Justice Barrett—continuing his excellent record of appointing judges who will uphold the rule of law."

                                                     COMMISSIONERS’ COURT

                                                      EMERGENCY MEETING

                                                     SHELBY COUNTY, TEXAS

Notice is hereby given that an Emergency meeting of the Governing body of the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court will be held on the 28th day of October, 2020 at 10:15 A.M. in the Courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse at 200 San Augustine Street, Center, Shelby County, Texas to deliberate and consider action on the following items:

1.     Discuss and possibly take action on repairing or purchasing a new radio console for the Sheriff’s Department.

2.    Adjourn.
 

Tri-County Community Action, Inc. will hold a regular scheduled Board Meeting on Monday November 2, 2020
 @ 6:30pm via ZOOM

If anyone would like to attend the meeting please contact 
Yolanda Neal at (936) 598-6315 Ext: 200.

Tri-County will have a Produce Drop this Wednesday at 9:30 am at the lower end of Ivan Smith Parking lot. For more information please contact LaTisha Stanberry @ 936-598-6315 ext 501.

The Senior Nutrition Site will host a Community Health Care Provider Meeting on Thursday, October 29, at 1:30.  We are inviting all Health Care Providers that work in Shelby County to attend.  We will be discussing our senior meal programs for senior citizens 60 and older.  

We will also discuss the other programs that Shelby County Outreach Ministries offers to seniors in our community.  Due to providing adequate seating arrangements, please let us know if you can attend by 12 noon on Wednesday.  We would love to see you there!  

For more information and to confirm your attendants, please call Mrs. Darlene Mitchell at 936-598-7768.

The Panola College Rodeo Men’s Team still sit on top of the leaderboard after traveling to Mount Pleasant, Texas on October 16^th and 17^th to compete at the Northeast Texas Community College Rodeo.  With the second place finish behind Hill College, Panola continues to lead the race for the College National Finals with a 192 point spread between Panola and Hill for the top spot. 

Seth Rustin, a sophomore from Nacogdoches, won the bullriding at NTCC with a 77 point ride and moved him into second place in the regional standings. 

Kincaide Henry won the Men’s All-Around for the NTCC Rodeo.  He took third in the calf roping, and he and his teammate Brady Blanchard, of Beaumont, TX, took 4^th in the team roping.  Henry, a freshman from Mt. Pleasant, is dominating the calf roping and extending his lead in the region as the number one man by 139 points.  Brady and Kincaide moved up to 8^th place in the region in the team roping. 

Kolt Dement, remained on top of the bareback competition with a second place finish at NTCC. Dement, a freshman from Rusk, TX, won the first two rodeos in the Southern Region at Panola and Southwest Texas.  Teammate Gauge McBride is right behind Kolt in second place in the standings by only 97 points.

In the calf roping at NTCC, freshman Thomas Wallace, of Cushing, TX, was 2^nd moving him to 5^th in the season standings. Macon Murphy, the 2019 CNFR Tie-Down Calf Roping Freshman of the Year and a member of the Panola College 2019 National Championship Team, took 5^th at NTCC and moved up to the 10^th spot for the season. 

On the Women’s Team, Josey Murphy continues to lead the way for the Fillies as she placed 6^th in the goat tying at NTCC.  Currently for the season Josey, a freshman from Keatchie, LA, is sitting third in the breakaway and 7^th in the goat tying.  The Panola Fillies are sitting in 7^th place in the Region Standings after 3 rodeos.

The Panola Rodeo Team will finish out the fall Southern Region circuit at the Sam Houston State University Rodeo in Conroe on November 13-14.   

STANDINGS AS OF OCT 19, 2020

Men's Team

Place     College / Contestant                                Total Points

1.            Panola College                                       1,450.50

2.            Hill College                                            1,258.50

3.            McNeese State University                          858.32

4.            Trinity Valley Community College               740.00

5.            Wharton County Junior College                  728.66

6.            Sam Houston State University                    647.00

7.            Texas A&M University                                553.66

8.            Southwest Texas Junior College                  547.50

9.            Texas A&M University - Commerce              468.50

10.          Northeast Texas Community College           138.00

Women's Team

Place     College / Contestant                                  Total Points

1.            McNeese State University                           737.50

2.            Southwest Texas Junior College                  510.50

3.            Wharton County Junior College                   506.16

4.            Hill College                                               448.50

5.            Sam Houston State University                    410.66

6.            Texas A&M University                                382.00

7.            Panola College                                          332.16

8.            Texas A&M University - Commerce             287.50

9.            Trinity Valley Community College                 60.00

10.          Northeast Texas Community College            10.00

Notice is hereby given that an Emergency meeting of the Governing body of the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court will be held on the 26th day of October 2020 at 11:00 A.M. in the Courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse at 200 San Augustine Street, Center, Shelby County, Texas to deliberate and consider action on the following items:

Discuss and possibly take action on repairing or purchasing a new radio console for the Sheriff’s Department.

Adjourn.

Spring Panola Dual Credit Classes:

Attention High School Students:

Sign Ups are open through Wednesday, October 28, 2020.  

Students can sign up in the front office, or they can sign up on the google doc that is in the

Counseling Office Google Classroom under assignments.  

CENTER VS JASPER

@ JASPER HIGH SCHOOL

October 30, 2020

***ALL TICKETS ARE PRE-SALE***

$5 PER TICKET REGARDLESS OF AGE

YOU MAY PURCHASE TICKETS @ CENTER HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC OFFICE AS FOLLOWS:

-MONDAY & TUESDAY- 8AM TO 4:30PM

FAMILIES OF SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS ONLY: VARSITY FOOTBALL- 4 TICKETS PER PARTICIPANT

-WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY- GENERAL ADMISSION

   WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY- 8AM TO 4:30 PM 

    FRIDAY- 8AM TO NOON

Governor Greg Abbott delivered remarks at the future site of Amazon's 700,000 square-foot robotics fulfillment center in Waco. Announced today, the fulfillment center is the largest capital investment in the City of Waco and is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs. The Governor spoke of Texas' business-friendly environment and highlighted the economic success Amazon's investment will bring to the community. The Governor was joined by Greater Waco Chamber President/CEO Matt Meadors, Amazon's General Manager Evan Luscher, McLennan County Judge Scott Felton, and City of Waco Councilmember John Kinnaird. 

"The Lone Star State is proud to celebrate another economic achievement for Central Texas with Amazon's new investment in Waco," said Governor Abbott. "Texas continues to thrive as the nation's premier destination for companies like Amazon thanks to our skilled workforce, diverse economy, and business-friendly model that promotes economic growth. This facility is the latest milestone in the strong partnership between Amazon and Texas, and I look forward to seeing the prosperity this facility will bring to the Waco community." 

Since 2010, Amazon has created more than 43,000 jobs in Texas and invested more than $16.9 billion across the state, including infrastructure and compensation to employees. Amazon’s investments have contributed more than $18.8 billion in GDP to the Texas economy and have helped create over 49,000 indirect jobs on top of Amazon’s direct hires – from jobs in construction and logistics to professional services. Over 116,000 small and medium business sellers and independent authors in Texas are growing their businesses with Amazon.

The company has greatly expanded their reach throughout Texas this year alone, with announcements of new facilities in areas such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, El Paso, and now Waco.

NACOGDOCHES, TX (October 23, 2020):  On October 22, 2020, around 11:23 p.m. Officers with the Nacogdoches Police Department responded to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital in regards to an adult male victim that came into the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was later determined to be Jacorion Mosbey, 21 years of age from Nacogdoches, TX.

At this time the victim is believed to be in stable condition.  Detectives with the Criminal Investigation Division are continuing to investigate this incident to determine the location and the circumstances surrounding the shooting.  As further information becomes available it will be released. 
 

It is with great regret that the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office is having to cancel this year’s annual Veterans Day Parade that was due to be held on November 7, 2020.

Due to the ongoing circumstances of the Coronavirus we feel it is in the best interest of the public to cancel the event.

The Sheriff’s Office is very thankful to all our veterans that have proudly served our beloved country, and we thank them for their service and we continue to honor them and those that have given the ultimate sacrifice. We continue to pray for them and those that are actively serving.

In tradition and honor of our Veterans Day parade, the Sheriff’s Office we still hand out the annual Veterans Day patches to all veterans, boy scouts and girl scouts who request them. To receive the patches please contact Terry Smith or Ericka Rice at 936-560-7794.

We look forward to next year’s annual Veterans Day Parade.

The Tenaha City Council will meet in a Regular City Council Meeting on Monday, October 26, 2020 at 5:30 pm, Tenaha, Texas. 

FACE MASK ARE REQUIED TO ENTER THE BUILDING AND DESIGNATED SEATING WILL BE PROVIDED DUE TO SOCIAL DISTIANCING.

 
The following items are on the agenda for appropriate action:
Call to Order:

Roll Call: To establish a quorum. 

Invocation:

Pledge: United States Pledge
Citizens Input: This time is provided for members of the public to address the City Council on items that appear within the Consent and Action Items or a matter not listed on the agenda.  Each speaker is limited to 3 minutes.  A Citizens Input Form may be filled out and filed with the City Secretary prior to the meeting.  
Department Head Reports:
Public Works Report
Municipal Court Report
Police Department Report
City Secretary Report
Fire Department Report
Consent Agenda:  Items included under the Consent Agenda require little or no deliberation by the Council.  Approval of the Consent Agenda authorizes the City Secretary to proceed with the conclusion of each item as reflected in the Minutes of this meeting. 
a.    Consider approval of the Minutes from the Regular Meeting held on Monday September 28, 2020.  
b.    Scheduling Next Month’s meeting for Monday November 23, 2020 at 5:30 pm. 
REGULAR AGENDA ITEM(S) (8-13)
8.    Discuss and take action: Discuss and Consider Accepting a Bid for Tax Trust Property; Suit No. 08CV-30,130, Shelby County, Tenaha Independent School District and City of Tenaha. 
9.    Discuss and take action: Discuss and Consider Accepting a Bid for Tax Trust Property; Suit No. 91CV-23,303, Shelby County, Tenaha Independent School District and City of Tenaha vs. Heirs of Ann Evans, Deceased. 
10.    Discuss and take action: Discuss and consider approving the recommendation of the Selection Review Committee to award by resolution Traylor & Associates, Inc. for grant administration services for the City’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) application preparation and project administration, if awarded. 
11.    Discuss and take action: Discuss and consider approving the recommendation of the Selection Review Committee to award by resolution Stephens Engineering for engineering services for the City’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) application preparation and project implementation, if awarded.
12.    Discuss and take action: Discuss and Consider Approving additional job duties that 5 C Utilities will add to their contract and a contract amount increase. 
13.    Discuss and take action: Discuss and Consider approving the September 2020 Financials. 
14.     EXECUTIVE SESSION
Recess into executive session pursuant to Chapter 551, Subchapter D of the Texas
Government Code:
EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA:
A. SECTION 551.071. CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY(s):
Pending or contemplated litigation related to Case No. 2:08-CV-00288-JRG, Morrow, et al. v. Washington, et al. 
B. SECTION 551.074. PERSONNEL MATTERS:
To deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline,
or dismissal of a public officer or employee.  (Interim Chief Bobby Linder)

END OF EXECUTIVE SESSION
Reconvene into open session and take any action necessary because of the Executive
Session.
15.     Council Items: Reports by the members of the City Council on matters not on the agenda will be made at this time.  
16.     Adjourn.
The Council reserves the right to retire into executive session concerning any of the items listed on this agenda whenever it is considered necessary and is legally justified under the Open Meetings Act. 
The agenda is posted as required under Government Code Section 551.041. For more information or for a copy of the open meetings act, please contact the Attorney General of Texas at 1-800-252-8011 or the City Secretary at 936-248-3841. 

Amanda Treat
City Secretary
 

The Pizzeria Football Scoreboard

(936) 598-7117 - San Augustine Street in Center!

Center 48 Madisonville 10

Joaquin 32 Shelbyville 14

Garrison  32 San Augustine 15

Tenaha 36 Cushing 6

Timpson 63 West Hardin 0

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Angela Bacarisse had been looking forward to directing “The Fantasticks” as part of the Mainstage Series this fall for the School of the Theatre at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The theatre professor had eagerly anticipated the casting, costuming and scenic designs for the funny, romantic musical about the love between a boy and a girl amidst the meddling of their two fathers.

Then came COVID-19.

“I was really excited to do ‘The Fantasticks,’ but after looking at all the studies and talking to the music faculty, it was going to be really hard to work safely on music – teaching singing techniques to non-musicians wearing masks,” Bacarisse said, … not to mention trying to perfect the unique performance skills musicals require.

Bacarisse had the script for “Rideshare/Overshare” in her cache of potential scripts for the School of Theatre’s biennial trip to Scotland for the Festival Fringe. She thought it would be well-suited for her theatre students to tour at the festival “because it can be produced very simply,” she said.

There were a number of reason why “Rideshare/Overshare” was brought into the Mainstage Series to replace “The Fantasticks.” The College of Fine Arts and School of Theatre no longer had access to Turner Auditorium in Griffith Fine Arts Building because of a planned renovation/construction project that will take two years to complete. As a result, Kennedy Auditorium has become the main performance space for theatre students, and technical aspects need to be kept at a minimum because of facility limitations. Additionally, “Rideshare/Overshare” has the same number of cast members as “The Fantasticks,” so it just made sense to make the lineup switch.

By Ian McWethy and Carrie McCrossen, “Rideshare/Overshare” is a play about Mike and Elaine, a young couple heading to meet each other on a blind date. They each decide independently to take an UBER to get there, and then they find themselves paired with the weirdest drivers on the road.

“Their various experiences with drivers is what brings humor and pathos to the story,” Bacarisse said.

The ensemble for “Rideshare/Overshare” plays multiple characters, so students will need to create distinct differences in each of the roles they take on, Bacarisse said  adding that creates a special challenge for her in “keeping track of who is on stage and what character they are currently playing!”

“It all takes place in cars, so there will be a need to keep the action interesting and the audience focused on what the characters are saying and experiencing,” she said.

Bacarisse said the play is for ages approximately 10 and up, “simply because younger kids probably won’t find it interesting.”

She further described “Rideshare/Overshare” as “just a nice story with some quirky folks inhabiting it.” The play will be presented at 7:30 nightly Tuesday through Saturday, Nov. 10 through 14, in Kennedy Auditorium on the SFA campus. It will also be livestreamed.

“I hope people get a chance to come out and enjoy some live theatre, or they can stay in and enjoy a live performance on YouTube,” she added.

Because of social distancing requirements, seating in Kennedy Auditorium will be limited for each performance. Patrons are required to wear face coverings. Actors on stage will wear masks during live performances.

General ticket prices are: adult, $15; senior (62+), $10; non-SFA student, $10; SFA faculty/staff, $7.50; youth, $7.50; SFA student, $5; virtual access, $15. Live virtual access is available for all performances. Purchase tickets/access at boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407. For questions about the play, contact the School of Theatre at (936) 468-4003.

Cutline: The SFA School of Theatre will present the play for “Rideshare/Overshare” by Ian McWethy and Carrie McCrossen Tuesday through Saturday, Nov. 10 through 14, in Kennedy Auditorium on the SFA campus. The play will also be livestreamed. Visit boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407 for ticketing or virtual access information.

NACOGDOCHES,TX (October 23, 2020):  The Nacogdoches Police Department is currently conducting a homicide investigation in the 500 block of Ridgewood Dr.  Around 9:22 a.m. Officers responded to a report of a unresponsive subject inside a residence.  Upon EMS and Police arriving to the scene they found the victim deceased.  Due to foul play being suspected the Criminal Investigation Division responded and is actively investigating.

The victim has been identified to be Frederick Roberts 37 years of age from Nacogdoches, Tx.   An autopsy has been ordered by the Justice of the Peace.   As further information becomes available it will be released.  

Notice is hereby given that a Special meeting of the Governing body of the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court will be held on the 28st day of October, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. in the Courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse at 200 San Augustine Street, Center, Shelby County, Texas to deliberate and consider action on the following items:

Approve and pay weekly expenses.

Approve current Payroll.

Public comments on Agenda item.

Discuss and possibly move or cancel the Commissioners’ Court Regular meeting for November 11, 2020 which is Veterans Day.

Nominate two Board members for the Shelby County Appraisal District. 

Tax Assessor-Collector Continuing Education Transcript to be presented to the Court for evidence of Compliance with Texas Property Tax Code Sec 6:231(d) no action needed. 

Proclamation declaring November as “Home Care and Hospice Month”.

Record FY2020 Shelby County Jail Commissary expenditure audit per Local Government Code 351.0415.

Adjourn.

The child was returned to St. Francis Medical Center and is in good health.

For any questions regarding this incident please contact the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-329-1200.

Ouachita Parish – The Louisiana State Police has issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Advisory on behalf of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The advisory is for a newborn baby taken from St. Francis Medical Center, 309 Jackson Street, Monroe, LA.  This incident occurred late last night, just after 11:20 p.m. 

Travis Hargrove, Jr. was born on October 22, 2020, at 7:04 a.m., with a medical condition that will require treatment.  He is a dark skin male baby with no hair, 19 ¾ inches long, and weighs eight pounds and eight ounces. The possible father, 35-year-old Travis Hargrove, left the hospital with the newborn concealed in a black backpack. He was last seen walking south on Jackson Street, away from the hospital.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of this subject should immediately contact the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at 318-329-1200, or Sgt. Michelle King with the Louisiana State Police at HQ Communications 225-925-6636.

Vouchers for the Joaquin vs. Timpson varsity football game to be played on 10/30 will be available at the Joaquin Administration Office starting Monday (10/26).  The band will be traveling to Timpson for this game.  Vouchers will be issued according to the guidelines listed in the table below.

Weekday

Purchasing Group

Ticket Limit

Monday

Parents of students who are participating in the event / Students participating in the event to include: Football players, band/majorettes, cheerleaders & water girls.

Limit 2 per Student Athlete / Participant’s Family

*For parents with multiple students participating, the number still remains at a limit of 2 tickets per family. 

Tuesday-Thursday

General Admission Ticket Sales

Limit 2 per person

Friday

General Admission Ticket Sales

No limit – First come, first served

There are 300 visiting team ‘vouchers’ for this game. Admission for the vouchers will be paid at the gate prior to the contest. Parents of athletes/students who are participating in this event are highly encouraged to come get their two vouchers on Monday!! Go RAMS!

Red Ribbon Week begins Monday, October 26. Center Middle School theme days are as follows:

Monday - Too Groovy for Drugs - Wear Tie Dye

Tuesday - Fall Picture Day - Wear your best smile.

Wednesday - Too Smart for Drugs - Wear a college shirt

Thursday - RED out day - Wear a Red Shirt

Friday - Too Proud to do DRUGS - Wear your Give me 5 shirt.

CMS Yearbooks are on sale. Cost is $25 for early sales. Price will increase after Christmas break.See Tabitha Parker at CMS.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s dance program will livestream senior choreographic works during its production of “Danceworks: The Effect” at 7 p.m. Nov. 12-13 and 3 p.m. Nov. 14.

Unlike past years, only the performers’ immediate family members may attend the concerts in person in the HPE Complex, Room 201, because of COVID-19 guidelines.

Students, faculty and staff, and the public can watch online by making a donation in any amount at sfasu.edu/danceworks. Donors will receive an email the week of the performances containing the livestream link.

“Normally, the revenue we generate from ticket sales funds the next Danceworks performance,” said Heather Samuelson, dance program co-coordinator and assistant professor in SFA’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Science. “Because in-person attendance is greatly limited this year, we’re asking the public to help us support the future growth and success of these students.”

Danceworks serves as the capstone course for dance seniors and features tap, jazz, and modern and contemporary dance. Ten choreographic works will be performed.

“The production teaches students a variety of skills other than choreography,” Samuelson said. “Students learn how to cast a show, promote a performance, design lighting, select costumes and edit music.”

For more information, email Samuelson at samuelsoh@sfasu.edu.''

Two Shelby County 4-H youth were awarded the District 5 Gold Star at a banquet on October 6, 2020 at The Barn in Nacogdoches.  The Gold Star award is the highest award given by Texas A&M University and is based on the 4-H member’s project, leadership and citizenship/community service participation on the county level.  Receiving the award this year were Mr. Lance Holloway and Mr. Wesley Wages.

Lance eagerly joined 4-H in the third grade to show livestock and especially to participate in the Shelby County Shooting Sports program.  He has continually grown in shooting sports including placing at the state games, becoming a Texas Parks and Wildlife Whizbang Qualifier and giving back to his club by becoming a certified assistant coach and State Shooting Sports Ambassador. Lance is the son of John Henry and Chelsea Holloway from Center, Texas. 
 

Wesley is a member of a multi-generational farming and agriculture family.  He began his 4-H career as soon as he was in third grade, being involved in showing market and breeding goats, market broilers and breeding beef heifers.  He has served as an officer of 4-H for five years.  He has also been involved in Livestock Judging, leadership activities, and numerous other volunteer activities.  His passion for the agriculture industry can be seen in every aspect of what he does.  He also truly enjoys helping mentor the younger up and coming agriculture students and offers his assistance whenever he can.  Wesley was blessed to grow up with mentors in agriculture among both family members and friends, and he understands the importance of teaching the next generation of Agricultural leaders.  Wesley is the son of Bryan and Dee Wages of Center, Texas.

First United Methodist Church invites you to be part of our annual Halloween Trunk-or-Treat on Saturday, October 31 from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at 211 Porter Street, Center, Texas. The free family-friendly event is open to the community and will include lots of fun activities, food, and trick-or-treating in our church parking lot.

Our annual Trunk or Treat is happening on Halloween night this year, and WOW, are we super excited! This event is an opportunity for you to your invite friends, family and people in the community to safely go trick or treating from car to car instead of door to door, and it’s just a down-right family-friendly fun event. Expect to be wowed by creative decorated trunks, some friendly games and food. Will we have candy? You bet we will have candy! Lots of individually wrapped candy for your little trunk-or-treaters will be handed out in a safe and fun way from each complimentary trunk in a secure environment.

This year we have added a Best Decorated Trunk Competition! We invite our community to be part of this annual event by contacting Faythe Abraham, Director of Children and Youth Ministry (210) 487-0097 or the church office at (936) 598-2707 to reserve your spot in our parking lot. Registration is free, and the only requirements are bringing a big smile and plenty of wrapped candy! This competition will have a “People’s Choice Award” with two winners in the Best Decorated Trunk Competition: Best Adult and Best Youth (Under 17). The judging criteria will be based on (1) Creativity, (2) Attention to detail, (3) Theme, (4) Costume, and (5) Interaction with the Children. Since many of our trick or treaters will be young kiddos, we ask that participants not use scary items, like blood, bats, witches, spiders, monsters, or gore. Be creative and most importantly have fun with your vehicle’s design – we are going to have an awesome time!

For information about our annual Trunk-or-Treat event or the First United Methodist Church, please contact Faythe Abraham, First UMC Director of Children and Youth Ministry, (210) 487-0097, Rev. Malcolm Monroe at (936) 598-2707 or visit www.fumccentertx.org.

The Center Roughriders will take on the Madisonville Mustangs in Center on 10-23-2020 at 7:30 p.m. the game will be broadcast on KDET 930 AM.

The Tenaha Tigers will take on the Cushing Bearkats at 7 p.m. on 10-23-2020 it will be Tenaha's Homecoming and broadcast live on KQBB 100.5 FM.

The Shelbyville Dragons will take on the Joaquin Rams in Joaquin on 10-23-2020 at 7:30 p.m.

The San Augustine Wolves will have their Homecoming game vs. the Garrison Bulldogs on 10-23-2020 at 7:30 p.m. it will be broadcast on KXXE 92.5 FM.

Ouachita Parish – The Louisiana State Police has issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Advisory on behalf of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The advisory is for a newborn baby taken from St. Francis Medical Center, 309 Jackson Street, Monroe, LA.  This incident occurred late last night, just after 11:20 p.m. 

Travis Hargrove, Jr. was born on October 22, 2020, at 7:04 a.m., with a medical condition that will require treatment.  He is a dark skin male baby with no hair, 19 ¾ inches long, and weighs eight pounds and eight ounces. The possible father, 35-year-old Travis Hargrove, left the hospital with the newborn concealed in a black backpack. He was last seen walking south on Jackson Street, away from the hospital.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of this subject should immediately contact the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at 318-329-1200, or Sgt. Michelle King with the Louisiana State Police at HQ Communications 225-925-6636.

The lowly chicken has provoked a number of interesting questions in the past, such as: Why did the chicken cross the road, and which came first – the chicken or the egg?  

These two questions have been pondered for many years, and every person must come to their own personal conclusion.  I have decided that the real reason that the chicken crossed the road was because she wanted to get to the other side.  Others have stated that she crossed the road to prove to armadillos that it COULD be done.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?  My opinion is that the chicken came first because the Bible says that God created all animals, fowls of the air, and fish in the sea.  Nowhere does it state that God created only the eggs or embryos for the chickens.  But, that’s just me.

A bigger question about the chicken is this one – which end of the egg comes out of the chicken first?  Seems like a dumb question, but the more I thought about it the more this question begins to nag.  Does the larger, round end come out first, or the smaller one?  Or, is it just a random shot?

A question of this magnitude requires much research in order to attempt an intelligent answer. So, I did that. I turned to Cornell University professor Karvous Keshavarz, poultry czar on the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board.  According to professor K., the egg initially moves through the chicken’s oviduct small end first.  When it reaches the uterus, however, it hardens, that is the shell calcifies, then rotates 180 degrees, and makes the rest of the trip big end first.

This may sound like doing it the hard way, but actually it’s the most efficient way to push the egg.  When the muscles of the chicken’s uterine walls squeeze the egg’s small end, it squirts forward and out into the cold, cruel world.  I am sure that you will think about this information each time you crack an egg for cooking.

All of this talk about chickens reminds me of the story about Colonel Sanders, the founder of the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise.  It has been reported that years ago Colonel Sanders was driving along a dusty back road in Kentucky when a three-legged chicken ran alongside his car.  The strange chicken with three legs caught his immediate attention.  He watched as the chicken ran ahead of him on the road, so he sped up to forty miles per hour.  The chicken ran even faster and stayed ahead of him.  Intrigued, the Colonel followed the fast-moving chicken down a dusty driveway to a farm house.  

Colonel Sanders could not believe his eyes at seeing dozens of three-legged chickens in the yard.  In his excitement, he called out to the farmer, “How did you get all these three-legged chickens?”  The farmer replied, “I breed ‘em.  Ya see, we’re a family of three and we all like chicken legs.  We were always one short, so I started breeding this three-legged variety so we could all have our favorite piece.”

“That’s amazing”, said Colonel Sanders.  “How do they taste?”  “Well, I don’t rightly know”, the farmer drawled.  “I ain’t caught one yet.”

So, the next time you see a chicken crossing the road, just consider it “poultry in motion”.

“CHICKEN, EGGS, AND OTHER NONSENSE”

BY: NEAL MURPHY

107 HEMLOCK STREET
PO BOX 511
SAN AUGUSTINE, TX 75972
936-275-9033
Cell: 936-275-6986
Email: sugarbear@netdot.com

561 Words
 

Glen Campbell's wife Kimberly Woolen Campbell has written a book about her late husband and as part of her book tour, she will be stopping in San Augustine, Texas on October 29th, 2020 at the Stone Creek nursing and rehabilitation facility.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre will present the student-directed one-act play “The Bald Soprano” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, in Regents Suite A in the Baker Pattillo Student Center on the SFA campus. The show will also be livestreamed.

Directed by Sulphur Springs senior Kaitlyn McDearmont, “The Bald Soprano” is an absurdist play written by Eugène Ionesco. The storyline follows a proper English couple, the Smiths, who are sharing an evening with the Martins. The play was inspired by Ionesco’s attempt to learn English, and the dialogue is a parody of the kinds of conversations and take place in foreign-language instruction. The couples, eventually joined by the Fire Chief and his lover, who is also the Smiths’ maid, tell stories about their lives.

The cast includes San Antonio freshman Hannah Marfin as Mrs. Smith; Ferris senior Cameron Ralston as Mr. Smith; Mount Enterprise sophomore Mikayla Whitlow as Mary; Houston junior Johana Lenington as Mrs. Martin; Center sophomore Keaton Watlington as Mr. Martin; and Red Oak senior Sedona McDonald as Fire Chief.

Stage manager is Valeria De La Cruz, Zacatecas, Mexico, senior; scenic designer is Jenna Alley, Kingwood junior; costume designer is Cairo Pratt, Scurry junior; lighting designer is CaitLyne Martin, Brownsboro junior; and sound designer is Carson Cook, McKinney junior.

McDearmont is a theatre education major. As an SFA student, she lists her favorite shows with which she has been affiliated as “The Wolves,” in which she acted as assistant director; “Dancing at Lughnasa,” for which she was props master; and “Crimes of the Heart,” in which she acted in the role of Babe.

Faculty production advisor for “The Bald Soprano” is Rick Jones.

Tickets are $4. To purchase tickets or virtual access, visit the SFA Fine Arts Box Office online at boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407. Box office sales end at 4 p.m. on Oct. 30. For more information about the play, call the School of Theatre at (936) 468-4003 or visit theatre.sfasu.edu.

(Longview, Texas)—LeTourneau University’s Fine Arts Department will present a performance of the Mozart Requiem on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. at the Belcher Center on the LeTourneau University campus in Longview. The LeTourneau Singers and Longview Civic Chorus will be accompanied by full orchestra, with singers and orchestra socially distanced on the Belcher stage.  Soloists include Alyssa Marshall Altobell, soprano; Kimberly LaGraff, alto; Jon Starling, tenor; and Scott LaGraff, bass. Admission is open to the public and is free of charge.

“It is great to be able to have a live performance,” says Director of Fine Arts Dr. Jim Taylor, who will be directing the concert. “My perception is that singers, instrumentalists and audience members are eager to get back to great music in-person rather than staring at a screen. The Belcher auditorium can accommodate 500 in the audience with proper spacing, which makes it possible.”

Heard along with the Requiem will be two selections from Prokofiev’s ballet, Romeo and Juliet¸ played on piano by Russian-American LETU flight student, Elijah Dmitrievsky, and the premier of a short orchestral piece, “Capriccio,” composed by Taylor during the COVID time. A pre-concert lecture by the director on the works to be performed will be held in the main auditorium at 6:15 p.m.

“I could perform this work every year,” says Taylor. “Mozart adapts the techniques of Bach and Handel into his style in a work of depth and winsomeness that is hard to describe. It is always fresh and always delights!”

For more information contact Taylor at (903) 233-3379 or jimtaylor@letu.edu.

As the Christian polytechnic university, LeTourneau University engages students to nurture Christian virtue, develop competency and ingenuity in their professional fields, integrate faith and work, and serve the local and global community. LETU offers 140 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across a range of disciplines and delivery models. For additional information, visit www.letu.edu. 

The Shelbyville Dragons will play San Augustine in San Augustine on Friday, October 30, 2020 at 7:30 PM. The following ticket information applies:

Shelbyville has received 300 vouchers. Vouchers must be picked up at the SISD Guard booth Monday through Wednesday 8:30 am til 1:30 pm or until all vouchers have been given out. Spectators will take the voucher to the Visitor’s Ticket Booth in San Augustine and pay $5 for entry. No vouchers will be available at the gate in San Augustine.

Monday - Parents of students who are participating in the event / Students participating in the event to include: Football players, cheerleaders and water girls. Limit 2 per Student Athlete / Participant’s Family.

***The band/majorettes/danceline will not be traveling to away games.

***For parents with multiple students participating, the number still remains at a limit of 2 vouchers per family.

Tuesday-Wednesday -- General Public may pick up vouchers - Limit 3 per person

Go Dragons!!!
 

Agreement Secures Water Deliveries From Mexico To Texas Communities Along The Rio Grande

Governor Greg Abbott announced that Mexico will fulfill its obligations to Texas under the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande (1944 Water Treaty), which was signed February 3, 1944. The 1944 Water Treaty obligates Mexico to deliver to United States 1,750,000 acre-feet (AF) of water over a five-year cycle. The current cycle began on October 25, 2015 and will end on October 24, 2020. Water deliveries under the 1944 Water Treaty are vital for irrigating crops, supplying water to municipalities, and conducting mining and industrial operations along the Rio Grande in Texas. Earlier this year, Governor Abbott sent a letter urging U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to ensure enforcement of these treaty obligations. 

Representatives from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the United States International Boundary Water Commission have been working with Mexican officials for the past several months as the Treaty cycle draws to a close. Today, officials signed an agreement — referred to as a Minute under the 1944 Treaty — for Mexico to meet its Treaty obligations before the end of the cycle by transferring Mexican water to the United States at Amistad and Falcon International Reservoirs. Under the terms of the Minute, Mexico will transfer to the United States an amount of Mexican water stored in Amistad and Flacon International Reservoirs necessary to meet 1944 Water Treaty obligations.

"This agreement helps ensure that water obligations will be met before the end of this cycle, providing a much-needed resource to communities in the region," said Governor Abbott. "This water is essential for Texans along the Rio Grande to grow crops, provide food, and support local municipalities and businesses. Thank you to TCEQ and Secretary Pompeo for working diligently with Mexican officials to secure this agreement and fulfill the terms of the treaty.”

"Fulfilling the current 5-year cycle without a deficit is imperative for U.S. water users along the Rio Grande. I am pleased that we were able to come to an agreement that enables Texans to receive the water they are guaranteed under the terms of the treaty. This would not have been accomplished without the support and leadership Governor Abbott provided in resolving this critical issue for Texans along the Rio Grande," said TCEQ Commissioner Emily Lindley.

The Counseling Department of Center ISD is accepting referrals for the Gifted and Talented program until Friday, November 20, 2020 for our annual assessment period.

Referral forms can be found on the District website and in the front office of each campus and should be returned either to the campus office or to the administration office.

While the district accepts referrals throughout the year, assessments for students after November 20, 2020 will be on an as-needed basis as determined by the district.

If you have any questions, please contact the Director of 504 and Counseling Services at 598-5642 or your campus counselor.
 

The Sabine County Beekeepers will meet for our monthly meeting on Monday November 2nd at 6:30PM. We meet every 1st Monday of the month at 6:30PM at the Sabine County Chamber of Commerce, on the square, downtown Hemphill. We welcome the public to come out and join us. We have no dues, or officers. This is for anyone interested in becoming a new beekeeper or an already experienced beekeeper. For more info, call James at (409)625-4787.    

Please visit our district web page for other details on our school and activities: www.tenahaisd.com (The calendar provides the most up to date events)

Tenaha ISD also has a facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Tenaha-Independent-School-District-486433751368156/

October 21, 2020-Cross Country in Woden (JH/Varsity)

October 22, 2020-JH vs Cushing 5:00 pm (There); JV vs Cushing Cancelled

October 23, 2020-Student Early Release/Teacher In-Service in Afternoon

Tigers vs Cushing 7:00 pm (Homecoming)(Hall of Honor)Pre-game ) Senior Night

(Broadcast: KQBB-100.5; KGAS-)

October 24, 2020-Band-Mineola Marching Festival 1:30 pm

October 26, 2020-District Meet/Cross Country in Shelbyville

October 29, 2020-JH vs Overton (Home) 5:00 pm; Fall Pictures PK 3-12

October 30, 2020-Tigers vs Overton (There) 7:00 pm {District}

October 31, 2020- JVG/VG Lady Tigers vs Huntington (Scrimmage) 12:00 There

November 2, 2020-Tiger Day All Day

November 4, 2020-JVG/VG vs Lufkin (Scrimmage) There TBD

November 6, 2020-Holiday; End 2nd Grading Period; JVG/VG vs Chireno (Home) @ 5:00 pm

November 7, 2020-Band-Pre UIL in Carthage

November 9, 2020-Beginning 3rd Grading Period; VCC Regional Meet

November 10, 2020-JVG/VG vs Center (There) 4:30 pm;

November 11, 2020-Thank You Veteran’s

Tenaha ISD Homecoming activities scheduled for Friday, October 23rd:

5:30- Gates Open
6:25-Senior Night Recognition
6:33-Hall of Honor
6:38-Homecoming Court and Queen Crowning
7:00-Kick Off

Halftime-Senior Cake Auction

Student Video Contest

Collaborate with your classmates to come up with a creative video telling the world about:

A challenge your school has faced and how you overcame it
The life skills taught in your school to help you push past adversity
How your school works together as a team no matter what
How and why Texas public schools are strong, resilient, and successful

https://www.tasb.org/services/communications-and-pr/student-video/home.aspx

The Shelbyville Band Boosters will have a meeting on Monday, October 26th at 6 PM.  The meeting will take place in the foyer of the SHS gym/band hall.  Everyone is invited to attend.

Governor Greg Abbott has been named Best Governor In The Nation in a new study conducted by Laffer Associates, a consulting firm run by Arduin and conservative economists Arthur Laffer and Stephen Moore, and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The criteria includes tax policy, overall state spending levels, handling of COVID-19 funds, union regulations, health and welfare spending, school choice, and other education policies.

"Texas’ success is made possible by the men and women across the Lone Star State who work every day to provide for their families and drive the Texas economy forward," said Governor Abbott. "The Texas model emphasizes personal freedom and fiscal responsibility because it is the proven method to spark innovation, encourage economic prosperity, and create a better quality of life. Working together to protect taxpayers and expand opportunity, we will continue to build an even brighter future for all Texans."

Learn more.

The Tenaha ISD 2020 Homecoming is slated for Friday, October 23rd . The Tenaha High School student body elected duchesses and student organizations chose their sweethearts to represent Tenaha High School Homecoming Court 2020.  The Homecoming Court will be presented and the crowning of the Homecoming Queen will take place during Friday’s pregame activities following Senior Night Recognition and Hall of Honor Presentation.  Pregame activities begin at 6:25pm. 

2020 Homecoming Queen Candidates

Description: Texas Department of Transportation (R)

NEWS RELEASE

LUFKIN DISTRICT
Rhonda Oaks

Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov

(936) 633-4395

November 7, 2000 was the last deathless day on Texas roadways

Oct 19, 2020

AUSTIN – The sound of baseball and the smell of barbecue fills a North Austin neighborhood. It’s the start of a new summer and 14-year-old Alexei Bauereis is walking his best friend home through a crosswalk.

Filled with the excitement only a new summer can bring, Alexei likely didn’t see the car speeding toward the crosswalk. The 19-year-old driver didn’t see Alexei either, because he was changing the music on his phone.

Alexei died instantly, along with his dream of becoming a world class ballet dancer.

“It’s a terrible tragedy not just for the person involved and not even just their family, but a much broader community,” said his father, Eric Bauereis.

This November 7, Texas marks 20 years of daily deaths on our roadways with more than 70,000 innocent lives like Alexei’s lost to preventable fatal crashes. Texas Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan, a champion for road safety and TxDOT’s #EndTheStreakTX campaign, believes ending this streak is attainable, but will require every Texan’s commitment.

“Last year, 20 Texas counties actually had zero deaths on their roadways – that tells me we can end the streak of daily deaths in Texas,” Ryan said. “This is why in 2019 the Texas Transportation Commission adopted a new goal of having zero deaths on our roadways by 2050, and to cut the number of fatalities in half by 2035. We will do our part; and we need drivers to do theirs.”

An average of 10 people die every day in crashes in the state.

“The effort to end the streak of daily deaths in Texas is a shared responsibility and we are committed to including safety enhancements in every project we build or maintain,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “It’s going to take education, engineering and enforcement to get this done, and that’s why this call to action to every Texan is so imperative.”

What we’re asking is simple: when you get behind the wheel buckle up; pay attention and avoid all distractions like phones; never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs; watch your speed, and always drive to the conditions around you.

Because #EndTheStreakTX is a social media, grassroots and word-of-mouth effort, Texans are being asked to do any or all the following to raise awareness:   

Post pictures on social media with this downloadable sign displaying the hashtag #EndTheStreakTX

Use one of our social media profile filters

Join the #TexasTagTen challenge on social media and tag ten family members or friends and encourage them to say what they will do differently to avoid a fatal crash on our roads.

Earlier this year, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, traffic levels on Texas highways dropped nearly 44 percent in some parts of the state. This decrease in traffic encouraged TxDOT to think the horrific streak might finally come to an end. Instead, the death rate was unchanged, even with fewer drivers on Texas roads.

“We can and we must do better,” said Ryan.  

LUFKIN – Motorists will see a new speed limit in effect as they travel US 69 South as crews continue to widen the roadway in a major construction project.

Commissioners approved a reduced speed limit from 75 miles per hour to 60 mph on US 69 from FM 1270 in Angelina County to the Jasper County line. The reduction in speed was warranted to enhance the safety of motorists traveling through the work zone. The speed limit will remain in effect until the construction project is substantially completed. Signs indicating the new speed limit are being set and are enforceable.

Motorists should remain alert for all signage and use caution through the work zones. Obey all traffic control devices and watch for trucks entering and exiting the main lanes and workers and equipment working near the lanes of traffic.

This project includes the widening of US 69 in southern Angelina County from a two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided highway. The projects are being completed in three phases.

Phase One: From Huntington to FM 844, Pinto Construction, Nacogdoches, TX, contractor for the $10.1 million project, worked to extend the four-lane section of highway just south of Huntington. This phase is now completed.

Phase Two: From FM 844 to FM 1270 in Zavalla, Johnson Brothers, Roanoke, TX, contractor for the $72 million construction project has worked to extend the four-lane section of highway and construct several bridges. Crews continue to work through this phase.

Phase Three: From FM 1270 to the Jasper County line, crews continue to widen the roadway to a four-lane divided highway. Drewery Construction Co., Nacogdoches TX, contractor for the $37.5 million project is scheduled to complete the final phase in early 2023, weather permitting.

A Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Center ISD will be held October 22, 2020, beginning at 12:00PM in the Center Independent School District Administration Boardroom 107 PR 605 Center, TX 75935.

The subjects to be discussed or considered or upon which any formal action may be taken are listed below.

Items do not have to be taken in the same order as shown on this meeting notice.

1. Call Meeting to Order and Establish a Quorum

2. Invocation and Pledges of Allegiance

3. Public Comments/Audience Participation

4. Discussion of the Amount of Bond Money Spent YTD and What Is the Remaining Balance
of the Bond Money Presenter: Dr. Morris

5. Consideration to Approve the Guaranteed Maximum Price for the Multi-Purpose Event
Center Presenter: Dr. Morris

6. Adjournment
 

Governor Greg Abbott announced that his Public Safety Office (PSO) will administer more than $296 million in grant funding for a variety of programs and services in Texas to support a broad range of public safety initiatives. This grant funding is made possible through a combination of federal and state dollars.

"Nothing is more important than the safety and security of Texans, and this grant funding will strengthen our efforts to prevent and combat crime while also supporting victims and survivors," said Governor Abbott. "Protecting public safety requires a comprehensive approach, and each of these recipients play an essential role in keeping our communities safe. Texas thanks the hundreds of award recipients for serving their fellow Texans and for working to build a safer and stronger Texas."

The Governor's Public Safety Office administers numerous state and federal grant programs in coordination with state-level and regional partner agencies including the 24 regional Councils of Governments (COGs) in Texas and the Urban Area Working Groups (UAWGs) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Houston, and San Antonio. Entities interested in seeking funds to support their public safety initiatives during the next grant cycle (FY 2022) should reach out to their local COG to learn about region specific timelines and requirements.  

The PSO posts funding opportunity announcements containing program purposes, a description of allowable activities, timelines, and other requirements on the Office of the Governor's eGrants website.

The grants recently released include, but are not limited to, funding for the following:

Addressing Violence Against Women: 87 awards totaling $11.9 million for projects that provide training opportunities, legal advocacy, investigation and technology resources, and protective order assistance to victims of violent crimes.

Bullet Resistant Vests: 58 awards totaling $4.7 million to provide peace officers with rifle-resistant body armor to prevent loss of life during tactical and emergency response operations.

Homeland Security: 412 awards totaling $61.6 million to help prevent terrorism and prepare for the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk to the security of Texas and its citizens. These projects fund equipment, planning, training, exercises and other activities for local, regional, and state-level agencies and strengthen core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal.

Human Trafficking: 54 awards totaling $19.4 million for short and long-term residential services, advocacy, and case management for survivors of human trafficking in Texas.

Justice Assistance: 215 awards totaling $13.5 million to promote public safety, reduce crime, and improve the criminal justice system. Projects funded support personnel, equipment, supplies, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice purposes.

Juvenile Justice and Truancy Prevention: 108 awards totaling $10.6 million to prevent violence in and around schools and to improve the juvenile justice system by providing mental health services, truancy prevention and intervention through community-based and school programs.

Local Border Security (Border Star): 94 awards totaling $5.3 million to provide for overtime and operating costs that support an increased law enforcement presence to detect, deter, and disrupt drug, human, and other trafficking along the Texas/Mexico border.

SAFE Ready Facilities: 42 awards totaling $1.6 million to assist medical care facilities throughout Texas with necessary training, equipment and supplies to achieve and maintain Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE)-Ready designation as defined in Chapter 323 of the Texas Health and Safety Code.

Serving Victims of Crime: 308 awards totaling $104.6 million to provide victim service activities including: first responder mental health services, professional therapy and counseling, crisis intervention services, and peer support groups.

Specialty Courts: 61 awards totaling $7.9 million to support judicially supervised treatment, intensive case management, and other services to assist participants with substance abuse or mental health challenges move toward a healthier lifestyle, reduce the number of repeat offenses, and address congestion in the court system

Statewide Radio Infrastructure: 28 awards totaling $20.4 million to connect regional interoperable communications systems, improve or establish tower sites, and enhance or maintain other radio system infrastructure statewide.

Texas Anti-Gang: 8 awards totaling $8.1 million to provide coordinated law enforcement activity targeting gangs and other criminal organizations operating in Texas. Funds support designated facilities that house personnel from key federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Community Prayer in Timpson, Texas.

This week is HOMECOMING WEEK! The Varsity Wolves will take on the Garrison Bulldogs on Friday, October 23.

Tickets will be available at Admin this week:

regular tickets are $5, and reserved tickets are $7.

There will be an EARLY RELEASE at 1:00 p.m. to prepare for the homecoming parade!

Shelbyville v. Joaquin Football Game—Friday October 23—Senior Night—7:30 PM

All adult fans are expected to wear a face covering for admittance and practice social distancing while at the game.

Ticket prices are $5 (adults and children).

All fans must have a ticket for admittance to the game.

Dragon Stadium will open its gates to fans for the purchase of General Admission home tickets at 6:15 p.m.

Please note:  parents of students who are participating in Friday’s home football contest, which includes football players, cheerleaders, band members, dance line and twirlers may purchase up to 2 presale tickets on Monday, October 19th (8:30 am – 1:30 pm) and Tuesday, October 20th (8:30 am – 1:30 pm) at the Guard Booth.  Tickets are $5 each.  If a Friday night student participant needs more than two tickets for his/her family, additional tickets may be purchased at the ticket booth on Friday night prior to the game on a first come first serve basis.

Visiting fans from Joaquin must have a voucher from Joaquin High School to be admitted.  No visitors’ tickets will be sold at the gate.

Visitors may not purchase home tickets or sit on the home side.

We look forward to seeing everyone at Friday’s home game!  Go Dragons! 
 

The City of Tenaha would like to remind voters that Early Voting continues Monday October 19th through Friday October 30th from 8am until 4pm with Tuesday October 20th and Thursday October 22nd hours from 7am until 7pm.  There is one item on the ballot “The adoption of a local sales and use tax in the City of Tenaha at the rate of 2%”.

Middle School Volleyball Patrons, please note the following requirements for today’s Middle
School volleyball home game against Jasper:

All guests will be required to wear a face covering while at the event. You will not be
allowed to enter without a face covering.

Executive Order GA-29, regarding face coverings, applies to all UIL activities effective July 3,
2020. This includes the 2020-2021 school year. As the public health situation changes, and/or
if subsequent Executive Orders are issued by Governor Greg Abbott, these guidelines may
be further modified.

Exceptions to the wearing of face coverings or face shields include:

Any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering;

While a person is consuming food or drink;

When a congregating group of persons maintains at least 6 feet of social distancing; or

Any other reason or circumstance indicated under Executive Order GA-29.

Social distancing will be required in the bleachers. Yellow tape is used to mark
non-seating areas. Please only sit in allowable areas.

Individuals who are confirmed to have, suspected of having, are experiencing symptoms
of, or have been in close contact with an individual who has been confirmed to have
COVID-19 should not enter the facility.

We will follow all UIL guidelines for game attendance including the 50% capacity
requirement. Therefore only family members of players will be allowed to attend.
Students without a guardian will not be allowed to enter so that we have enough room
for parents and family members.

Thank you,
Jake Henson,
Principal Center Middle School

Association (AMCA) have collaborated to provide the first-ever comprehensive volume of resources to guide mosquito control in areas affected by natural disasters, such as hurricanes and flooding in this special edition of the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association (JAMCA). Hurricanes present several public health concerns, including a rapid surge in mosquito populations, which can disrupt recovery efforts and could lead to increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile.

Effectively controlling mosquitoes after a natural disaster can help communities recover more quickly and avoid potential infectious disease outbreaks from endemic viruses, such as West Nile. The resources in the issue will provide local and state entities with information to help them prepare and respond to natural disasters as it relates to mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases.

In this special edition, there are real-world examples, research, and lessons learned from authors representing federal and state agencies, mosquito control programs and health departments in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas, research organizations, and the military.

The special issue can be accessed here: https://mosquito-jamca.org/toc/moco/36/2s

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Members of Stephen F. Austin State University’s Jacks Council on Family Relations are gearing up for their annual food drive, Thanksgiving Homebound.

Recognized last year by the National Council on Family Relations as a model student-run project, Thanksgiving Homebound has helped more than 100 local families every year since 2011.

“Last year, with the support of SFA organizations and community members, we were able to provide Thanksgiving meals to 150 families in the Nacogdoches community,” said Lindsey Lightfoot, JCFR president. “With COVID-19, we know families in our community are more in need than ever.”

JCFR asks campus organizations, departments, faculty and staff, students and Nacogdoches community members to donate food items families can use to prepare a Thanksgiving meal along with gift items for family members.

“The Thanksgiving Homebound program is a great opportunity to connect with the community and ensure an underprivileged family will have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner,” Lightfoot said.

Those interested in participating should contact JCFR at sfasujcfr@gmail.com to adopt a family. The group will provide a shopping list and general description of the family to help participants purchase food items and gifts.

After collecting the items in an appropriately sized container, participants need to deliver them to JCFR between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Nov. 9 and 10 and between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Nov. 11 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center, Room 1.204.

Donated items will be distributed to families through The East Texas Family Crisis Center, Solid Foundation and GETCAP Head Start.

For more information, contact JCFR at sfasujcfr@gmail.com.

On Friday, October 16, 2020, the Shelbyville ISD boys basketball team received their 2020 state championship rings in a small ceremony held at the Shelbyville ISD Administration board room. A larger ceremony is planned to be held in the future. Congratulation to the Shelbyville Dragon Basketball team.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Achieving a 100% first-time passing rate on their certification exams, the graduates from the first family nurse practitioner program cohort in Stephen F. Austin State University’s DeWitt School of Nursing are well-prepared to handle anything the profession throws at them.

“The rigor of our courses and quality of our students and nursing faculty is extremely high,” said Dr. Erin Bailey, Master of Science in Nursing coordinator and operations coordinator in the School of Nursing. “The students we produce are capable of entry-level practice with very little transition needed except orientation to their environment.”

SFA’s Master of Science in Nursing with a focus as a family nurse practitioner is designed to prepare nurses to provide primary care with an emphasis on rural, underserved populations. Delivered online on a part-time basis, the program lets students learn while remaining in the communities where they live and work.

A $750,000 grant from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation provided the financial foundation for the development of the program, which includes a few on-campus clinical experiences.

The students in the first cohort began the program in August 2017 and completed 46 semester credit hours and a minimum of 720 clinical hours. To receive their license, the students had to pass either the certification examination offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program.

Anna Beccone, a graduate from the program, received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from SFA in 2013 and knew that when she was ready to advance her education and career, the DeWitt School of Nursing was once again the right place for her.

“The women and men involved in the nursing program go above and beyond in every measure to ensure the success of their students,” she said. “There is a genuine interest in advancing the nursing profession among the faculty and students that shines through in how each SFA alumnus practices as a registered nurse or nurse practitioner.”

This expertise and care for students played a large part in Beccone’s decision to continue her studies at SFA, she said.

“I never felt unable to ask a question, have something explained to me more in depth, or voice any opinions or concerns,” she said. “There was a collaboration between the students and professors to ensure not only our success but also the success of the program.”

Currently serving as a pre-operative nurse at a hospital in Fort Worth, Beccone has also accepted a position as a nurse practitioner, splitting work between two clinics in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

“I’m proud to be a part of SFA’s history as a member of the first cohort of family nurse practitioner students,” she said.

To learn more about the School of Nursing, visit sfasu.edu/nursing.

Governor Greg Abbott announced that his Public Safety Office (PSO) will administer more than $296 million in grant funding for a variety of programs and services in Texas to support a broad range of public safety initiatives. This grant funding is made possible through a combination of federal and state dollars.

"Nothing is more important than the safety and security of Texans, and this grant funding will strengthen our efforts to prevent and combat crime while also supporting victims and survivors," said Governor Abbott. "Protecting public safety requires a comprehensive approach, and each of these recipients play an essential role in keeping our communities safe. Texas thanks the hundreds of award recipients for serving their fellow Texans and for working to build a safer and stronger Texas."

The Governor’s Public Safety Office administers numerous state and federal grant programs in coordination with state-level and regional partner agencies including the 24 regional Councils of Governments (COGs) in Texas and the Urban Area Working Groups (UAWGs) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Houston, and San Antonio. Entities interested in seeking funds to support their public safety initiatives during the next grant cycle (FY 2022) should reach out to their local COG to learn about region specific timelines and requirements.  The PSO posts funding opportunity announcements containing program purposes, a description of allowable activities, timelines, and other requirements on the Office of the Governor's eGrants website.

The grants recently released include, but are not limited to, funding for the following:

Addressing Violence Against Women: 87 awards totaling $11.9 million for projects that provide training opportunities, legal advocacy, investigation and technology resources, and protective order assistance to victims of violent crimes.

Bullet Resistant Vests: 58 awards totaling $4.7 million to provide peace officers with rifle-resistant body armor to prevent loss of life during tactical and emergency response operations.

Homeland Security: 412 awards totaling $61.6 million to help prevent terrorism and prepare for the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk to the security of Texas and its citizens. These projects fund equipment, planning, training, exercises and other activities for local, regional, and state-level agencies and strengthen core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal.

Human Trafficking: 54 awards totaling $19.4 million for short and long-term residential services, advocacy, and case management for survivors of human trafficking in Texas.

Justice Assistance: 215 awards totaling $13.5 million to promote public safety, reduce crime, and improve the criminal justice system. Projects funded support personnel, equipment, supplies, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice purposes.

Juvenile Justice and Truancy Prevention: 108 awards totaling $10.6 million to prevent violence in and around schools and to improve the juvenile justice system by providing mental health services, truancy prevention and intervention through community-based and school programs.

Local Border Security (Border Star): 94 awards totaling $5.3 million to provide for overtime and operating costs that support an increased law enforcement presence to detect, deter, and disrupt drug, human, and other trafficking along the Texas/Mexico border.

SAFE Ready Facilities: 42 awards totaling $1.6 million to assist medical care facilities throughout Texas with necessary training, equipment and supplies to achieve and maintain Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE)-Ready designation as defined in Chapter 323 of the Texas Health and Safety Code.

Serving Victims of Crime: 308 awards totaling $104.6 million to provide victim service activities including: first responder mental health services, professional therapy and counseling, crisis intervention services, and peer support groups.

Specialty Courts: 61 awards totaling $7.9 million to support judicially supervised treatment, intensive case management, and other services to assist participants with substance abuse or mental health challenges move toward a healthier lifestyle, reduce the number of repeat offenses, and address congestion in the court system

Statewide Radio Infrastructure: 28 awards totaling $20.4 million to connect regional interoperable communications systems, improve or establish tower sites, and enhance or maintain other radio system infrastructure statewide.

Texas Anti-Gang: 8 awards totaling $8.1 million to provide coordinated law enforcement activity targeting gangs and other criminal organizations operating in Texas. Funds support designated facilities that house personnel from key federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Shelbyville v. Joaquin Football Game—Friday October 23—Senior Night—7:30 PM

All adult fans are expected to wear a face covering for admittance and practice social distancing while at the game.

Ticket prices are $5 (adults and children).

All fans must have a ticket for admittance to the game.

Dragon Stadium will open its gates to fans for the purchase of General Admission home tickets at 6:15 p.m.

Please note:  parents of students who are participating in Friday’s home football contest, which includes football players, cheerleaders, band members, dance line and twirlers may purchase up to 2 presale tickets on Monday, October 19th (8:30 am – 1:30 pm) and Tuesday, October 20th (8:30 am – 1:30 pm) at the Guard Booth.  Tickets are $5 each.  If a Friday night student participant needs more than two tickets for his/her family, additional tickets may be purchased at the ticket booth on Friday night prior to the game on a first come first serve basis.

Visiting fans from Joaquin must purchase one of the allotted presale tickets sent to Joaquin High School to be admitted.  No visitors’ tickets will be sold at the gate.

Visitors may not purchase home tickets or sit on the home side.

We look forward to seeing everyone at Friday’s home game!  Go Dragons! 

On October 15, 2020, a multi-agency task force executed a narcotics search warrant at a residence just outside the city of Center for alleged narcotics trafficking. A search warrant for the residence was obtained as a result of a narcotics trafficking investigation conducted by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office and Precinct 3 Constable Roy Cheatwood.

The execution of the search warrant yielded approximately 5 pounds of Xanax pills, approximately 2.5 pounds of Marijuana, packaging material used for narcotics trafficking, and an undisclosed amount of cash. Arrested on scene was SeDarrin Williams of Center, Texas, who was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver (1st degree felony), and Possession of Marijuana (State Jail felony). Multiple agencies came together for a successful investigation and execution of the search warrant. The multi-agency task force included, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, Constable Roy Cheatwood, the Center Police Department, the San Augustine County  Sheriff’s Office, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and Texas DPS.

Call The Pizzeria at (936) 598-7117

Friday, October 16, 2020

Center 56    Shepherd 6

Joaquin 46  West Hardin 0

Tenaha 49   Mt. Enterprise 0

Timpson 56 San Augustine 14

With the recent spike in the COVID count for our area, and counts increasing daily, we regretfully inform the public that our 7th Annual Halloween in the Hole has been cancelled.

This was not an easy decision, but we feel it is in the best interest of the county.

Please understand that we will terribly miss this year's event and seeing everyone in their costumes. 

We are praying that 2021 is a better year for everyone! 

Stay Safe~
SCSO and John Burns-Farmers Insurance

Women in the military have a history that extends over 400 years into the past throughout a large number of cultures and nations.  World Wars I and II saw over 362,000 American women serving during war time.  As of July 2016 women made up 14.6% of the US military and their role has changed significantly over the years from clerical duties to ground combat soldiers to fighter pilots. 

Shelby County Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8904 and the Auxiliary will honored the service and sacrifice of all women veterans with a Memorial Wreath laying at the Veterans Memorial, 1885 Historic Courthouse that was held this Friday, October 16th at 11:30 a.m.  

A drop box has been installed in the front lobby at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. The box will allow the public to drop money off to inmates housed within the jail. The box will be emptied from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Envelopes will be provided. Please make sure the inmate’s full name and amount are on the envelope. Cash will be accepted, however, no receipt will be provided. We ask that you please use a money order. 

The Regularly scheduled meetings of the Joaquin City Council, Public Safety, and Economic Development has been cancelled for Tuesday, October 20, 2020. 

Notice is hereby given that a Special meeting of the Governing body of the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court will be held on the 21st day of October, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. in the Courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse at 200 San Augustine Street, Center, Shelby County, Texas to deliberate and consider action on the following items:

1.    Approve and pay weekly expenses.

2.    Public comments on Agenda item.

3.    Review and possibly approve Tax Trust bid for Cause # 19CV-23,303, Shelby County, Tenaha Independent School District and City of Tenaha VS. Heirs of Ann Evans, Deceased.

4.     Review and possibly approve Tax Trust bid for Cause # 08CV-30,130, Shelby County, Tenaha Independent School District and City of Tenaha.

5.    Open Sealed bids on Ferguson model 6 Roller Compactor, 1999 Ford F350 Cab and Chassis, and 2007 Chevrolet pickup truck.

6.    Adjourn

Application Process For All Texas School Systems To Be Fully Operational Within Two Weeks

Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) today announced the creation of a COVID-19 Rapid Testing Pilot Program for Texas school systems. This program will help schools conduct rapid tests of district employees and students — with the written permission of their parents — to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campuses. Through this pilot program, TDEM will provide participating school systems with COVID-19 rapid antigen tests that will be administered to students, teachers, and staff who choose to participate. Schools enrolled in the program will also receive personal protective equipment (PPE) to safely administer the rapid tests, which produce reliable results within 15 minutes. 

The launch of the pilot program will include eight participating school systems with plans to significantly ramp up the program across the state. Texas public and private schools interested in applying for the testing program will be able to apply through the Texas Education Agency no later than Wednesday, October 28. 

"As more students return to campus for in-person instruction, the State of Texas is working alongside school officials to provide resources to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among students and staff," said Governor Abbott. "Thank you to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for providing these advanced antigen tests to the State of Texas. This rapid testing pilot program will be an effective strategy to protect the health and safety of students and staff while helping to further ensure that Texas students have access to a quality education throughout the pandemic and beyond."

Participating school systems include:

Bob Hope School (Port Arthur)

Fabens ISD

Grace Community School (Tyler)

Granger ISD

Lampasas ISD

Longview ISD

Harlingen Consolidated ISD

Ysleta ISD

Home
Governor Abbott

The Center Roughriders will take on the Shepherd Pirates in a home game for Center tonight at 7:30 p.m. the game will be broadcast on KDET 930 AM.

The Joaquin Rams will take on the West Hardin Oilers in a home game tonight at 7:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on KQBB 100.5 FM.

The San Augustine Wolves will take on the Timpson Bears in Timpson tonight at 7:30 p.m. and that game will be broadcast on KXXE 92.5 FM.

The Tenaha Tigers will have an away game vs. the Mt. Enterprise Wildcats at 7 p.m. tonight.

Please use the following link to purchase tickets for the football game against Madisonville on October 23. Total ticket cost is $5 each. 800 tickets are available for purchase today at 7:30 p.m. 

https://www.madisonvillecisd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=129355&type=d&pREC_ID=2052438

The Piney Woods Photographic Society will not hold its monthly meeting.

In December 2019, the Charles C. Matthews Foundation donated $104,461 to Panola College. The funds were used to purchase equipment, including an industrial wiring training system and a SynDaver synthetic human, which arrived this fall.

The industrial wiring training system is double-sided and includes a mobile workstation, service entrance 3-phase power bus, enclosures and conduits, electrical wiring, electrical power distribution, and unlimited electronic curriculum copies.

“We appreciate the Charles C. Matthews Foundation for their support of the School of Energy program,” said School of Energy instructor, Michael Pace. “This equipment will allow students to have a more hands-on training of electrical wiring in commercial and industrial settings, which is crucial for students to be successful after graduating. The success of our program depends on the support of donors like the Charles C. Matthews Foundation. We are grateful to have such a supportive community.”

The synthetic cadaver employs hundreds of replaceable muscles, bones, organs, and vessels that are made from materials that mimic the mechanical, thermal, and physicochemical properties of living tissues. The cadaver will be used by the biology department, primarily for anatomy and physiology courses, and other health sciences.

“The SynDaver will allow students to explore the overall complexity and interconnectedness of various body systems,” said Kevin Rutherford, professor of biology at Panola College. “We are very thankful to the Charles C. Matthews Foundation for the funds used in purchasing the SynDaver. Panola College is one of only two Texas community colleges to have a full-sized model.”

Additionally, $2,000 of the donation went toward the Feed the Need program, the on-campus comfort closet that assists Panola College students who are experiencing basic living insecurities.

Shelbyville Dragons 33

Garrison Bulldogs 14

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A collaborative relationship between the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music and Southern Methodist University’s Guildhall game development program is paving the way for SFA music/composition students to be highly successful in the lucrative video game industry.

Three SFA students are teaming up with a cohort of graduate students at Guildhall to work on a project that will give them valuable real-world experience and put them in the forefront of the industry that scores music and creates sound design for video games.

The project includes students Caleb Guevara, a senior composition major from Houston; Daniel Cooper, distance graduate student majoring in theory-composition from Hilton, New York; and Travis Wattigney, recently-graduated composition major from Fort Worth who was also a College of Fine Arts Dean’s Circle award winner in music.

The collaboration came about through the efforts of Mason Lieberman, SFA music composition graduate and an adjunct music instructor for SFA, and Dr. Stephen Lias, professor of composition in the School of Music. SFA has been working to build its capacity to train composers to score video games over the past few years, and that goal is being met largely due to Lieberman, according to Lias. Lieberman developed specialized classes for SFA and teaches them remotely from California where he works as senior game audio specialist for Tencent, which is considered to be the world’s largest video game vendor.

“A year ago, Mason and I met with the folks at SMU’s Guildhall game development program about the possibility of our students teaming up with their game development teams,” Lias said. “Guildhall is a powerhouse program with deep industry partnerships and international reputation, so our goal was to create a pipeline for our students to work with theirs once Mason’s classes give them the necessary preparation.”

The Guildhall was established in 2003 as a premier graduate-level video game development education program in the United States. It was created at the request of the game development industry to train its future leaders, according to information at smu.edu/Guildhall.

As the senior game audio coordinator for Tencent in the U.S., Lieberman solves audio problems and helps manage the department in pursuit of various company goals to “make sure we’re creating the best music, sound and voice-over possible,” he said. His duties can range from hiring special guest artists for projects and managing studio sessions to designing recording studio facilities and negotiating licensing deals, among many other responsibilities.

“All of this occurs against the backdrop of the largest company in all of game development,” he added.

It was always Lieberman’s goal to work in video games. He scored his first game, a tiny mobile title called “Bounce the Block,” as a freshman at SFA. The students involved in the Guildhall project are like-minded.

“As a participant of this project, I am most looking forward to seeing the final product, and that’s a game with which I helped come to life by adding my touch through music,” Guevara said. “This type of project will more than help me stand out to companies who are looking for composers/sound designers.

“Because of my young age, having this kind of experience will beef up my arsenal of music that I can offer,” he said. “Video game scoring has always been a fascination of mine. One of my earliest memories is waking up early to plug-in my new GameCube that I had gotten for Christmas so that I could start playing. Staying up and just listening to the score of whatever game I was playing was a huge part of my childhood. This project is helping to me into a career that will certainly make me feel like a kid again.”

Cooper said he is looking forward to the “game development team environment.”

“I think having our compositions written and heard is the obvious thing composers are excited for, but outside of that, the team environment is most exciting for me,” he said. “This lets us experience the ‘real world’ of game development, and this project lines up with my career plans entirely.”

Cooper’s earliest influences with music came from playing video games and watching movies.

“As a kid, I think that I knew more themes from the games that I played than the popular songs on the radio,” he said. “Being able to create adaptive music that reacts with a player is such a cool experience. You have to think through every possibility that a player may encounter in a game and then ask yourself how you can encapsulate all the emotions of those moments. The uncertainty of when each change may occur and being able to write for that level of adaptability is a fun challenge! Soundtracks can make or break any moment of a game or film; accepting that responsibility is a true honor for me.”

According to Lieberman, the collaboration between SFA and SMU sets these and future composition students on the path for rewarding careers in game development. The video game industry currently makes about twice as much money as the film/TV/traditional global music industries combined, he said. The courses Lieberman now teaches for SFA were developed as part of his thesis upon completing his master’s degree at Berklee College of Music.

“My courses go straight to the heart of what it takes to become a working professional in this field,” he said. “I want my students to walk out with a firm understanding of what the real game industry is like, with a demo reel ready to go, and clearly-defined skills that will serve them well both in securing their first jobs and for years after as they begin to find their places professionally.”

Lieberman described the game development as “an innately-collaborative field.”

“It is very rare to find a major title produced only by one person,” he said. “In AAA development, teams can be in the hundreds or even thousands. Every opportunity for our students to collaborate with others is a chance to build the sort of fraternal bonds that can lead to professional development, that first gig, or even emotional growth. I think the ability to collaborate with others is perhaps the most important skill in professional music-making, and it can sometimes be one we don’t address very directly. My hope is that these types of partnerships can set a standard for how we at SFA look to teach students to reach their potentials.”

Lias said he is “exceptionally proud” of the SFA students involved in the Guildhall project.

“I know they’ll do an excellent job on the project, but I’m also very happy to see us establish this collaborative relationship with Guildhall and eager to see it grow in future semesters,” he said. “Deepest thanks to Mason for the exceptional investment he makes in our students and for helping make our composition program more relevant.”

October 15, 2020-JH vs Mt Enterprise Cancelled

October 16, 2020-Tigers vs Mt Enterprise (There) 7:00 pm District Game (Tickets will be at the gate)(KGAS internet only at easttexastoday.com)

October 19, 2020-Regular School Board Meeting 5:30 pm; FIRST REPORT 5:15 pm; Student Return to normal classes

October 21, 2020-Cross Country in Woden (JH/Varsity)

October 22, 2020-JH vs Cushing 5:00pm (There); JV vs Cushing 6:00 pm (There)

October 20, 2020-Homecoming ticket sales begin through Friday at Noon.

October 23, 2020-Student Early Release/Teacher In-Service in Afternoon

Tigers vs Cushing 7:00 pm (Homecoming)(Hall of Honor)Pre-game 6:30 pm) Senior Night

October 26, 2020-District Meet/Cross Country in Shelbyville

October 29, 2020-JH vs Overton (Home) 5:00 pm

October 30, 2020-Tigers vs Overton (There) 7:00 pm {District}

October 31, 2020- JVG/VG Lady Tigers vs Huntington (Scrimmage) 12:00 There

November 2, 2020-Tiger Day

November 4, 2020-JVG/VG vs Lufkin (Scrimmage) There TBD

November 6, 2020-Holiday; End 2nd Grading Period; JVG/VG vs Chireno (Home) @ 5:00 pm

November 9, 2020-Beginning 3rd Grading Period; VCC Regional Meet;

November 10, 2020-JVG/VG vs Center (There) 4:30 pm;

November 11, 2020-Thank You Veteran’s

On June 6,1958. I became a changed man.  Around 8:30 pm. I was pronounced “married” by a minister, who happened to be my new father-in-law.  So, I was magically changed from a single man to one who now had a father-in-law, a mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, and, “yes”, a bride.

Now, being all those new things was a lot for a twenty-one year old to comprehend.  Of course, then I did not realize that it was a lot for my new in-laws to comprehend.  In the coming years of married life I learned much about my new grafted-in family, particularly my new father-in-law.  Rev. Clarence Howell was one of those people that you never forget.  In some ways he was a classic “type A”, but other times he exhibited some “type B” characteristics.

One of the things that impressed me was his attitude toward money.  As a pastor of a medium sized church, he never made what we would consider a lot of money. But, he was very frugal with what he earned, probably a carry-over from his up-bringing during the great depression.  When he got paid he would take his check to the bank and get his tithe money in brand new crisp one dollar bills.  He would take the money and put it in his tithe bucket located on the top shelf of his bedroom closet.  He would then distribute the money to the family on Sunday morning to put in the collection plate at church.

He did not like getting bills, so he would walk around to the places that he knew would send him a bill and pay off the balance with cash. If and when he bought a new car, he would always pay cash, no long-term payments for him.  He often said that he would never buy a red car, because they did not look good in a  funeral procession.

One thing he never owned was an alarm clock.  He had the uncanny ability to wake up at any pre-determined hour without assistance from a clock.  On numerous occasions Clara would need to get up early to go on band trips.  She would tell her dad what time to wake her up, and he would always do so.  I never figured out how he could do that.

After the wedding, he gave me two pieces of advice – Always keep your car's tank full of gas, and always be on time, or never be late to anything.  To him, being late to something was a grave mistake.

Every day Bro. Howell would go to town and walk to all the stores sharing a new joke with the customers.  He would go to the hospital and both nursing homes and visit as many people as he could.  He would stop in the drug store and drink coffee with all his buddies, then ended up on the court house square under the cedar tree visiting the older domino players.

He was the only man I ever knew who slept in a night cap, and often with his shoes on.  He always wore a white shirt, suit, and tie every day.  He was fond of stetson hats and wore one constantly when out in public.

Bro. Howell was a school bus driver for many years. His concept of time made him very  prompt and reliable.  In fact, many parents on his bus route said that they could set their watches by his school bus.  On occasion when running a little early, he would pull the bus over and wait for several minutes.  If he was running late, he has been known to run a little fast to make up the time.

Bro. Howell refused to purchase one of those new gadgets taking the country by storm in the 1950s, a television set.   Perhaps he could not decide if they were a good influence on his members, or if they were not, or if it was the high cost of the sets.  Finally, his sister, Bertinia, purchased one for him after Clara and I had married.  I think he finally decided that the TV was a good thing to have.

He had an excellent memory.  When conducting a funeral, his habit was to memorize the names of all the deceased's relatives, and call their names in his eulogy.  He also memorized the Sermon on the Mount from the New Testament, and used it several times.  He memorized his members' car license plate numbers, and their telephone numbers.  He had excellent recall of this information.

Whenever he received a long-distance phone call, he would always have everyone come into the room, and he would pass the telephone receiver to everybody to talk. On several occasions he handed me the phone and I did not have a clue who he was talking to or what I could say.

Bro. Howell was the local weather man.  He had a nice rain gauge and kept up with the amount of rain.  He could tell you how much rain they had received either daily, weekly, or monthly.

Bro. Howell left us on December 3, 2006 to be with his Heavenly Father.  His earthly legacy will be long remembered.  He is probably glad that he does not have to contend with those pesky sons-in-law any longer.

“THE FATHER-IN-LAW”

By: Neal Murphy

259 County Road 214
San Augustine, Texas 75972
Home: 936-275-9033
Cell: 936-275-6986
Email: humptyhumpty1940@gmail.com

886 words

DeSoto Parish – On October 14, 2020, shortly after 7:45 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop G responded to a two-vehicle, fatal crash on U.S. Highway 84 east of Louisiana Highway 510. This crash killed 85-year-old Edward Evans of Mansfield.  

The initial investigation revealed a 1999 Ford pickup truck, driven by Evans, was traveling eastbound on U.S. Highway 84. For reasons still under investigation, Evans’ vehicle crossed the centerline and struck a westbound 2016 Dodge Ram pickup truck head-on. The driver of the Dodge, who was properly restrained, sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

Evans, who was unrestrained, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead. Impairment is a suspected factor in this crash. Toxicology samples were obtained and submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.

Louisiana State Police would like to remind all motorists that if you feel differently, you drive differently. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and other drugs have many effects on the body that negatively affect driving skills. These drugs can impair visual ability, alter the sense of time and space, impair fine motor skills needed to operate a motor vehicle, and decrease reaction times. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and designate a sober driver. Not doing so can have deadly consequences.

Buckling up is the most effective way to protect yourself during a vehicle crash. Failure to take a few seconds to buckle up can have devastating consequences. Louisiana law requires every person in a vehicle, regardless of seating position, to be properly restrained day or night.

In 2020, Troop G has investigated 22 fatal crashes resulting in 25 deaths.

The PWPS will be holding their regular monthly meeting, this coming Saturday,October 17th., 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 211 Porter St., Center, TX.  Social distancing will be observed and masks are required to attend.  The monthly challenge is "The Eyes Have It" featuring photographs submitted by club members with eyes being the main topic.  The workshop will be on tips and techniques on "Photographing Abstracts." 

The PWPS is for camera enthusiasts of all skills and interests.  Our goal is to help you become a better photographer and give you a place to meet others who share your passion for photography.  Featuring programs and activities with information and instruction for all skill levels in an environment of support and cooperation. Visitors are always welcome to attend. 

For more information, contact Billie Jones, 936-591-2426 or Like us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/groups/PineyWoodsPhoto/

The Shelbyville Band Boosters are taking Pre-sale orders for Pecans.  Orders are due by November 2nd.  The pecans will arrive prior to the Thanksgiving break.  Pecan halves and pieces are $14, Milk chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate halves are $15.  Contact any Band Booster or you can e-mail me at rachelc@shelbyville.k12.tx.us or Denise Shofner, denises@shelbyville.k12.tx.us.

Bring your pumpkin in now through October 26. Winner will be announced on Halloween.

-Pumpkin must be brought in to dealership
-Anyone age 12 and under can participate
-Finalist will be judged on most likes when posted to page
-Top 5 finalist with the most likes will have a playoff run October 29th through the 31st
Top post like awards:

1st Place= $100 Gift Card
2nd Place= $50 Gift Card
3rd Place= $25 Gift Card

We will also have a Top Pumpkin overall, voted on by judges. The winner of that will receive a $100 Gift Card.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY – On October 12, the Texas Department of Public
Safety (DPS) responded to an auto-pedestrian crash on US 259, about three miles
north of Nacogdoches.

The preliminary crash investigation indicates at approximately 8:10 p.m., a 2017
Chevrolet passenger car was traveling south in the outside lane. A pedestrian,
reportedly attempted to cross all lanes of US 259 from east to west and was struck
by the Chevrolet in the southbound outside lane.

The driver of the Chevrolet is identified as 20-year-old Kailyn Lewis from
Nacogdoches. Lewis was not injured during the crash.

The pedestrian is identified as 41-year-old Brooke Trexler from Virginia Beach,
VA. Trexler was pronounced deceased at the scene by a Nacogdoches County
Justice of the Peace.

Additional information is not available at this time.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University Symphony Orchestra’s virtual performance scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 20, has been canceled.

Program selections for this concert will be moved to future performances.

For additional information, contact the School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

Excelsior PTO regrets to have to inform the community, but due to COVID-19 and social distancing we will not be having our annual Excelsior PTO Halloween Carnival this year.  We understand the impact this has had on all of the businesses that donate each year.  We look forward to getting back to normal and having a great carnival next year!  Thank you for understanding.

October 15, 2020-Tenaha JH Football game vs Mt Enterprise has been cancelled.

A Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Center ISD will be held on October 15, 2020, beginning at 12:00 PM in the Center Independent School District Administration Boardroom 107 PR 605 Center, TX 75935.

The subjects to be discussed or considered or upon which any formal action may be taken are listed below.

Items do not have to be taken in the same order as shown on this meeting notice.
1. Call Meeting to Order and Establish a Quorum
2. Invocation and Pledges of Allegiance
3. Public Comments/Audience Participation
4. Hearing and Presentation of the FIRST Report
Presenter: Betty McDaniel
5. Consent Agenda
5. 1. Minutes
5. 2. Tax Office Report
5. 3. Monthly Financial Statement
5. 4. Payment Approval
5. 5. Investment Report
5. 6. Overnight Student Activity Trips
5. 7. Amendments to the Budget
6. Annual Bilingual/ESL Program Evaluation
Presenter: Jennifer Guillory
7. Changing from Boardbook Classic to Boardbook Premier
Presenter: Dr. Morris
8. Presentation of Writing Protocols, Rubrics and Samples (Student Goal)
Presenter: Shelly Norvell
9. Highlights of the Board/Community/Staff Relations Goals
Presenter: Dr. Morris
10. Review Bond Project and Budget (Safety/Operations Goal)
11. Consideration to Approve Proposal for Multi-Purpose Event Center
12. Consideration to Approve Center Middle School Project Phase 2 - Re-Roofing Science and
Cafeteria Buildings
13. Superintendent's Report
Presenter: Dr. Morris
14. Closed Session
14. 1. Resignation/Retirement of Personnel
14. 2. Employment of Personnel
14. 2. 1. Approval of Assistant Superintendent Position
14. 3. Extended Emergency Sick Leave
15. Open Session
15. 1. Resignation/Retirement of Personnel
15. 2. Employment of Personnel
15. 3. Extended Emergency Sick Leave
16. Adjournment

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University Office of Multicultural Affairs and Lumberjack Cultural Association are virtually hosting the Tunnel of Oppression from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 2 and 3 on Zoom.

“The Tunnel of Oppression is an enlightening and eye-opening experience that gives individuals who attend an insight on current topics that are affecting the world that they may be unaware of,” said Breanna Moore, LCA president.

The annual interactive museum spotlights different forms of oppression through theatre and multimedia presentations. In the past, the event has shed light on issues such as human trafficking, genocide, racial profiling and suicide.

“I want attendees to learn about different events and social topics and acknowledge the different forms of oppression that do not affect them directly,” Moore said.

The event is free and open to the public. However, due to the seriousness of the topics, children younger than 13 should attend with a parent or guardian.

To register for the event, visit sfasu.edu/oma. For more information, contact the Office of Multicultural Affairs at (936) 468-1073 or oma@sfasu.edu.

Excelsior would like to announce Perfect Attendance for 1st six weeks

Deacon Anthony, Olivia Anthony, Kaleb Bentley, Katelyn Bentley, Stephen Bentley, C.J. Clark, Lexi Clark, Moses Crawford, Anthone Davis-Katan, Hope Escobedo, Gracie Gillis, Dylan Hall, Krista Hall, Sadie Hall, Sterling Jones, Victoria King, Wyatt Lewis, Brian McDonald, Jordin Metcalf, Colton Miles, Jaquelyn Miles, Jaxon Miles, Justin Miles, Marissa Miles, Melanie Miles, Larkin Sears, Zachery Stotts, Kaycee Vaughn, Blake Warren, Devin Warren, Cannon Welch, Jackson Welch, Jakeb Williams, Brilyn Williams, Jaxon Williams, Harlan Williams

Excelsior A Honor Roll
1st grade- Deuce Anderson, Jake Lovell, Codi West, Natalie Whitton
2nd grade – Hallie Barbee, Colton Miles, Cannon Welch
3rd grade – Wyatt Foster, Allen Whitton
4th grade – C.J. Clark
6th grade – Mikayla Anderson
7th grade – Emily Alvy, Gracie Gillis, Emily Leach, Kaycee Vaughn
8th grade – Victoria King, Jaxon Williams

Excelsior A/B Honor Roll
1st grade – Jaxon Nunley
2nd grade – Isabella Almaraz
3rd grade – Deacon Anthony
4th grade – Wyatt Lewis, Justin Miles, Brilyn Williams
5th grade – Hennessy Anderson, Lexi Clark, Marissa Miles, Melanie Miles, Brooklynn Scates, Zachery Stotts
6th grade – Kaleb Bentley, Jocelyn Stewart, Devin Warren, Jackson Welch, Jakeb Williams
7th grade – Jaquelyn Miles
8th grade – Katelyn Bentley, Anthone Davis-Katan, Brian McDonald, Larkin Sears, Abbi Smith

Ponds can be a complex ecosystem. Certainly its an system that we can’t figure out (many times) by simply looking at the surface of water. 

One of the questions I’ll get occasionally is about the “oily” look or perhaps foam that is on top of the farm pond water. “Doesn’t that mean we have an oil/gasoline/petroleum spill from somewhere?” Though it could be, there are some very organic, natural processes that cause slimes, foams, and “sheens” on ponds.

 
A surface film results anytime when insoluble substances enter the water. These substances come from a variety of physical, chemical, or biological sources.

Pollen and atmospheric dust are common causes of surface films. Pine, oak, and other pollen in the spring can accumulate. Its common that spring showers wash pollen into ponds where it floats and forms a yellow-green surface film that will dissipate within a few weeks. 

Films also are formed by the growth of certain kinds of blue-green algae. This can be quite toxic to livestock and is a particularly bad form of algae to have in a pond. Films formed by blue-green algae are usually bright green and form swirls and bands as they move over the pond with the wind. On rare occasion the pond may develop a bright red or blood red film which is the result of the growth of "red algae."

The third source of a “film” is from hydrocarbons and oils. Oils are produced naturally by the decay of leaves, algae and organic matter, but these oils behave differently from cooking oil or motor oil. To determine if the oil sheen you see on your pond is from a natural organic source, poke it with a stick. If it is from the decay of leaves and other organics, it will most likely crack and shatter like a thin layer of glass and will not reform as the stick is removed. If it reforms or does not shatter, it is likely from automotive or cooking oils that have washed into the pond.
Lastly, surface films may be the result of insoluble compounds in the soil. Soil-based films usually accompany muddy water, are similar in color and will dissipate as the muddy water clears. Eliminating the cause of the muddy water will usually eliminate this type of surface film.
Very little can be done to remove a surface film. If it is biological in origin (pollen or algae), it usually will dissipate or biodegrade on its own within a couple of weeks. If the film is the result of soils and muddy water, the problem may persist until erosion can be stopped or the source of the muddy water is eliminated. 

If you have an off-site, non-natural contamination, the source of the oil must be eliminated. This means that you need to be inspect for evidence of oil dumping into storm drains, or the streets and driveways need to be inspected for evidence of an oil spill. 

Foams that form on the surface of stormwater ponds may be the result of illicit discharges of soap or they can be formed naturally, usually in association with algae blooms. 
All plant cells contain natural surfactants that change water surface tension. After an algae bloom occurs and the algae begin to die, their cells rupture and release these natural surfactants into the water. Add some current or wave action to this mixture and this water can begin to form a froth or foam. 

If you’ve noticed this on lakes and the ocean, this is the most common reason. Natural foams also form in water with a lot of organic matter such as in black water rivers and swamps. All of the leaves and woody debris that fall in swamps decay and release their natural surfactants into the water. 

Ever notice the foam on freshly brewed coffee? Yep, it’s the same kind of natural oils!
To tell natural foam from soaps and detergents, foam formed by man-made soaps and detergents will retain its bright white color for many days regardless of the color or clarity of the water. Natural foams, on the other hand, are formed by organics that rapidly biodegrade. For this reason, natural foams usually begin to turn brown within hours of being formed. 

Another way to tell them apart is to look at the individual bubbles in the foam. Soaps are more efficient surfactants so they can create larger bubbles, so bubbles in soapy foams often are large and of variable size. Natural foams cannot create large bubbles easily, so they tend to have small bubbles that are more uniform in size. Last, soapy foams are able to disperse easily, so they often spread out from their source. Natural foams do not disperse as well, so they tend to stay close to the source.

Slimes are usually the result of biological activity in the pond. They often are formed by the growth of algae or microbes at the water's edge or on the bottom in the shallow areas of the pond. These types of slimes are most often green or black, and are familiar to most pond owners. 

So, be it a slime, foam, or sheen on top of your water, all of these conditions are certainly organic and can be a natural part of the cycle of your pond’s ecosystem.

TISD is very thankful to announce that we had another entire week without a confirmed COVID - 19 case on campus. This makes us without a new case for over 17 days in the entire district. Again, it is more than appropriate to give thanks to God who is obviously protecting and looking over us. Continue your prayers and Thanksgiving to Him. 

Early voting for the upcoming General Election began on Tuesday, Oct. 13 - Oct. 30, at the Center Community House.

So far this afternoon approximately 330 people have voted early.

On the 2 Mondays, Oct. 19 and 26, we will be open 7-7.
Saturday, Oct. 24 10-2.
Sunday, Oct. 25, 12-4.
All other days 8-4:30.

Remember, there is no longer Straight Party Voting on the ballot. You will have to mark each individual you wish to vote for. Please allow for time to mark your ballot completely.

PLEASE NOTE: There is NO CAMPAIGNING inside the polling place, meaning no shirts, caps, face masks, etc containing any name or party on the ballot may be worn inside the polling place, or within 100 feet of the front door. This has always been the law. You will be asked to remove anything political before you may vote.

We will be practicing social distancing and sanitizing tables between voters to ensure your safety.

If you have any questions or need to request a ballot by mail, please call the Shelby County Clerks Office at 936-598-6361.

On October 13, 2020, Ja'Kory Standley a Shelbyville Dragon football player received the Built Ford Tough Player of the Week Award. The award was presented by Dan Fussell and Holi Flynt of San Augustine Motor Company. Center Broadcasting Company met with Ja'Kory prior to the event.

Ja'Kory Standley receives his award

Left to Right: Holi Flynt, Ja'Kory Standley, Coach David Benbow, Dan Fussell

Ja'Kory Standley Interview

Participants Will Continue to Walk as Individuals, Families or Small Teams

on Sidewalks, Tracks and Trails across the Nacogdoches area in Wake of COVID 

The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Nacogdoches  residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on October 17.

Instead of hosting a large gathering, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging participants to walk as individuals or in small groups on sidewalks, tracks and trails across the Nacogdoches area. 

“This year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be everywhere,” said Wendy Vizek, vice president, constituent events at the Alzheimer’s Association. “The pandemic is changing how we walk, but it doesn’t change the need to walk. This year, more than ever, we need to come together to support all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. With the dollars raised, the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to provide care and support to families during these difficult times while also advancing critical research toward methods of treatment and prevention.”

Time-honored components of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s are being replicated. On Walk day, an Opening Ceremony will feature KICKS 105 personality Danny Merrell  and a presentation of Promise Flowers to honor the personal reasons participants join together to fight Alzheimer’s and all other dementia, all delivered to participants' smartphones, tablets and computers.

To enhance the participant experience leading up to the event and on Walk day, new features are being added to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app to create an opportunity for the community to connect. Participants can use the app and new “Walk Mainstage'' to track their steps and distance, follow a virtual Walk path, manage their Facebook fundraisers, and access  information and resources from the Association and Walk sponsors to help individuals and families affected by the disease. A new audio track is available to encourage participants along the way and to congratulate them upon completion of their Walk.

“Alzheimer’s is not taking a hiatus during COVID-19 and neither are we,” said Crystal Capps, Walk manager.  “We must continue Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and we are working with all participants to ensure they have a powerful and moving experience that is felt when we are together. Many of our constituents are at higher risk when it comes to COVID-19 and we know that our volunteers and participants appreciate our commitment to keeping all involved healthy and safe.”

More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease – the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 16 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Texas alone, there are more than 400,000 people living with the disease and over a million caregivers. 

To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Nacogdoches Walk to End Alzheimers, visit: alz.org/walk. 

Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.  Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.  

Tri-County will have a Produce Drop tomorrow Wednesday, October 14 @ 9:30 am
@ Ivan Smith parking lot near Old Sombreros.

Please use the following link to purchase tickets for the JH football game vs. Carlisle to be held on Thursday, October 15th, at 5:00 p.m. at Carlisle.  

https://carlisleisd.ticketbud.com/carlisle-jh-football-vs-joaquin-d9d61c92-2fab62ec5fd3 

There are 135 tickets and 50 standing only tickets for Visitors. Tickets are $5 each. Fans are allowed to bring chairs if they purchase a standing only ticket. Tickets must be purchased through this link. There will not be tickets at the gate. Go Rams!

Submitted by: Wade Lawson, JISD Boys Athletic Director

A time honored tradition continues at Tenaha Independent School District.  Tenaha ISD recognizes those that have displayed outstanding dedication and commitment to their community.  Through the years numerous members have been initiated into the Hall of Honor. 
The process begins with nominations from members of the community.  A committee then begins the difficult task of deciding who will be chosen.   This year Tenaha ISD proudly presents Colette DePriest and Tony Willoughby as the 2020 Hall of Honor inductees. 

The 2020 Hall of Honor Inductees will be recognized October 23rd during the Homecoming 2020 pregame activities at 7pm.

Colette (Cross) DePriest
Former Miss THS and 1990 graduate of Tenaha High School, Mrs. Colette (Cross) DePriest is honored to be inducted into the Tenaha Hall of Honor Class of 2020.

While attending THS, Colette was an active member of the National Honor Society and student council. She also served as a class officer and was a Who’s Who Among American High School Students. Elected by her peers as the 1990 Miss THS, Colette also participated in numerous extracurricular activities, including band, UIL and tennis. She also was a Tiger cheerleader and state qualifier in golf.  

Following high school, Colette attended and graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1994, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics with a teaching certification. She has taught in various independent school districts for the past 26 years. Colette’s passion is teaching students by building and forming strong lasting relationships that often begin with a simple smile. 

Colette truly enjoys serving her community and other various organizations. Aside from helping with countless community projects, she devotes her time to assisting with TENaha Together and serves as the secretary for the Pineywoods Youth Rodeo Association. A lifelong Tiger supporter, Colette has served for the past two years on the TISD Board of Trustees and can often be seen “cheering on those Tigers!”  

Tony Willoughby

Tony Willoughby is a 1980 graduate of Tenaha ISD.  He was very active in football, basketball, and also a member of the FFA.  After graduation Mr. Willoughby began his life long career in the welding industry.  He began his own business, Center Welding, Inc., in 2009 and it continues today. 

He has been very active in the little league sports of Shelby County where he has coached and refereed for over 20 years.  He and his family are active members of the First United Pentecostal Church of Center.  He takes pride in supporting various activities hosted at TISD and is always willing to lend a helping hand when needed. 

 Tony is married to Traci Willoughby and together they have 5 children, Britlee Willoughby, Levi Willoughby and wife Chasity, Austin Craig, Hagan Craig, and Lincoln Willoughby.  They have 3 beautiful granddaughters, Fallon Sullivan, Elly Willoughby, and Tillie Willoughby.  

Family Crisis Center of East Texas

Empowering Survivors T-Shirt Project Unveiling

Cline Family Medicine 630 Hurst St., Center, TX

11:30 a.m., Friday, October 16, 2020

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To commemorate the month and bring awareness to the incidence of domestic violence locally, the Family Crisis Center of East Texas is unveiling its “Empowering Survivors T-Shirt Project” display at the Cline Family Medicine, 630 Hurst St.
 

Please join us, along with agency staff and a few limited community members at 11:30 a.m., Friday, October 16, at Cline Family Medicine. The display will be available for viewing through Sunday, October 26.

The Family Crisis Center of East Texas (FCCET) is a non-profit organization that empowers survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault by providing crisis intervention and advocacy services. The FCCET also engages the community through education to build awareness and prevent domestic violence and sexual assault.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — With schools moving education online across the world, Stephen F. Austin State University understands access to high-speed internet is more critical than ever and is inviting area K-12 students to use campus Wi-Fi and computer labs.

“The need for online learning due to COVID-19 has made high-speed internet a requirement for so many students,” said Tim Lewallen, assistant director for customer service in SFA’s Information Technology Services. “We recognize that many in the community do not have high-speed internet available where they live, so our intent is for this initiative to aid those students. We recognize the value of an education and want to assist local students in any way possible.”

For years, SFA has offered Wi-Fi access to the public through a campus sponsorship program. Previously, a faculty or staff member was required to sponsor an individual’s account. The sponsorship requirement has since been removed.

“While we currently have instructions for campus visitors to connect to the SFA-Guest network, we will be producing instructions that are specific to K-12 students and their guardians,” Lewallen said. “Guest wireless services are available all over campus, but it would be best for our visitors to limit themselves to the Baker Pattillo Student Center and Steen Library.”

Though not part of it, the offering is in line with an initiative by Nacogdoches Independent School District called Dragon Connect, where locations across the city are placing signs to signal that students may use the location’s Wi-Fi. However, Lewallen specified that any Nacogdoches County student may connect to SFA’s Wi-Fi.

“All students are welcome to come to our campus and use it, regardless of where they are enrolled,” he added.

Unlike some of the other local Wi-Fi locations, SFA is in a particularly unique position to offer internet access in a setting already geared toward education. Rather than sitting in cars or on park benches, students have access to “special academic spaces with furniture and technology specifically geared toward optimal study environments,” Lewallen said.

In addition to Wi-Fi access, a select number of campus computers in the Library Information Network Center, or LINC lab, are available to students in need.

“We also have public-use computers in our Steen Library LINC lab that are available to local area K-12 students,” Lewallen said. “Guests to campus who have issues or questions should visit the LINC computer lab’s help desk on the first floor of Steen Library.”

Visitors to campus must follow COVID-19 guidelines, which include wearing a mask in all indoor spaces as well as maintaining a safe social distance from others. An adult must accompany any child under the age of 13 while in the library.

For more information on connecting to SFA’s Wi-Fi, visit help.sfasu.edu.

(Lufkin, TX) The 106th annual meeting of the Texas Forestry Association will be virtual this year with two days of training, speakers, and awards held Oct. 28-29, 2020.

“We are branching out this year to a virtual event for the health and safety of all our members, sponsors, and attendees,” said Rob Hughes, TFA Executive Director. “We’ll still provide the same quality information as well as some innovative networking experiences while utilizing technology to bring us together in this time.”

The festivities begin Oct. 14, 2020, with a Facebook Live kickoff event for the annual meeting on the Texas Project Learning Tree page. The online silent auction will open immediately after and will continue through the annual meeting on Oct. 28-29, 2020.

Speakers for the event include Brad Southern, LP Building Solutions Chairman and CEO; Aaron Welch, Vice President of Southern Timberlands for Weyerhaeuser; and John Esparza, President and CEO of Texas Trucking Association, and Executive Director of Southwest Movers Association. Closing out the Thursday session, Tom Boggus, Texas A&M Forest Service State Forester and Director, will provide a humorous and informative look back on 2020.

“We are so grateful we can still come together and celebrate Texas forestry on so many levels,” said Hughes. “It may look a little different, but we are excited to offer many of the experiences of our annual meeting in a new format.”

The gun raffle and second annual fun run/walk will also be virtual this year. Tickets are now available for the gun raffle through the annual meeting website at www.TFAAnnualMeeting.com/gun-raffle. The winner will be contacted directly after October 29, 2020. The Fun Run/Walk is now open, and participants are asked to share their 5k journey online by visiting the annual meeting website to submit a fun run selfie. The photo must be submitted by Oct. 25, 2020, to be entered in a drawing for prizes.

“During the 2020 Pandemic, the timber industry in Texas was placed on the front line like never before,” said Hughes. “We’re excited to have this opportunity to showcase the ways Texas timber was instrumental during the pandemic and how we can move forward together in 2021.”

For more information on this year’s meeting and to see a full schedule, visit www.TFAAnnualMeeting.com. Registration is now open and available through the website or by calling the TFA office at 936-632-8733.

The DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's assistance in locating a missing juvenile out of the Stonewall area.

15 year old Jekyra Carter became missing during the day of October 2, 2020. She was last seen wearing pajama type pants, white in color, with a t-shirt. Jekyra is not believed to be in danger; however, this is an ongoing investigation with an attempt to bring her home to safety. She is believed to be in the Shreveport area at this time. At the time of this post, this was the only image we have been able to locate.

If you or someone you know encounter this juvenile or have information leading to her safe return, please contact the DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Office at (318) 872-3956.

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:

WHEREAS, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, issued a disaster proclamation on March 13, 2020, certifying under Section 418.014 of the Texas Government Code that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) poses an imminent threat of disaster for all counties in the State of Texas; and

WHEREAS, in each subsequent month effective through today, I have renewed the disaster declaration for all Texas counties; and

WHEREAS, I issued Executive Order GA-31 on September 17, 2020, relating to hospital capacity during the COVID-19 disaster;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas, do hereby amend the paragraph of Executive Order GA-31 that defines “areas with high hospitalizations” to read as follows, effective at 12:01 a.m. on October 14, 2020:

“Areas with high hospitalizations” means any Trauma Service Area that has had seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a percentage of total hospital capacity exceeds 15 percent, until such time as the Trauma Service Area has seven consecutive days in which the number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients as a percentage of total hospital capacity is 15 percent or less.  A current list of areas with high hospitalizations will be maintained at www.dshs.texas.gov/ga3031.

This proclamation shall remain in effect and in full force for as long as Executive Order GA-31 is in effect and in full force, unless otherwise modified, amended, rescinded, or superseded by the governor.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and have officially caused the Seal of State to be affixed at my office in the City of Austin, Texas, this the 8th day of October, 2020. 

Governor Greg Abbott

The Panola College Concert and Jazz Bands will present their fall concert on Tuesday, October 27 at 6:00 p.m. The concert will be presented on the outdoor quad, located between the Martha Miller Administration Building and the M.P. Baker Library on the Panola College campus.

The concert band will perform “Flight of Eagles” by the American composer, Elliot Del Borgo, who wrote the music for the closing ceremonies at the 1980 Olympics. The band will also perform Robert W. Smith’s “Encanto.” Both pieces contain exciting rhythms very suitable for the outdoor event.

The jazz band will also perform “I Feel Good” by James Brown, as well as “I Dreamed a Dream,” and “Here’s That Rainy Day.” The band will feature soloists on “The Way We Were,” as well as “Boogie Shoes” and the Beatle’s hit, “Lady Madonna.”

“We are hoping to provide a safe and enjoyable opportunity for members of the community to come out and take part in an evening of music,” said Dwaine Hubbard, Panola College Band Director.

The concert is open to the public with admission being free of charge. Due to concerns regarding Covid-19 and the health and safety of the audience and musicians, social distancing is required. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets to sit on.

Limiting close face-to-face contact with others is the best way to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

What is social distancing?

Social distancing, also called “physical distancing,” means keeping a safe space between yourself and other people who are not from your household.

To practice social or physical distancing, stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Social distancing should be practiced in combination with other everyday preventive actions to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including wearing masks, avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands, and frequently washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Why practice social distancing?
COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet) for a prolonged period. Spread happens when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, and droplets from their mouth or nose are launched into the air and land in the mouths or noses of people nearby. The droplets can also be inhaled into the lungs. Recent studies indicate that people who are infected but do not have symptoms likely also play a role in the spread of COVID-19. Since people can spread the virus before they know they are sick, it is important to stay at least 6 feet away from others when possible, even if you—or they—do not have any symptoms. Social distancing is especially important for people who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

If you are sick with COVID-19, have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, it is important to stay home and away from other people until it is safe to be around others.

COVID-19 can live for hours or days on a surface, depending on factors such as sunlight, humidity, and the type of surface. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes. However, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Social distancing helps limit opportunities to come in contact with contaminated surfaces and infected people outside the home.

Although the risk of severe illness may be different for everyone, anyone can get and spread COVID-19. Everyone has a role to play in slowing the spread and protecting themselves, their family, and their community. In addition to practicing everyday steps to prevent COVID-19, keeping space between you and others is one of the best tools we have to avoid being exposed to this virus and slowing its spread in communities.

Tips for Social Distancing
When going out in public, it is important to stay at least 6 feet away from other people and wear a mask to slow the spread of COVID-19. Consider the following tips for practicing social distancing when you decide to go out.

Know Before You Go: Before going out, know and follow the guidance from local public health authorities where you live.

Prepare for Transportation: Consider social distancing options to travel safely when running errands or commuting to and from work, whether walking, bicycling, wheelchair rolling, or using public transit, rideshares, or taxis. When using public transit, try to keep at least 6 feet from other passengers or transit operators – for example, when you are waiting at a bus station or selecting seats on a bus or train. When using rideshares or taxis, avoid pooled rides where multiple passengers are picked up, and sit in the back seat in larger vehicles so you can remain at least 6 feet away from the driver. Follow these additional tips to protect yourself while using transportation.

Limit Contact When Running Errands: Only visit stores selling household essentials in person when you absolutely need to, and stay at least 6 feet away from others who are not from your household while shopping and in lines. If possible, use drive-thru, curbside pick-up, or delivery services to limit face-to-face contact with others. Maintain physical distance between yourself and delivery service providers during exchanges and wear a mask.

Choose Safe Social Activities:It is possible to stay socially connected with friends and family who don’t live in your home by calling, using video chat, or staying connected through social media. If meeting others in person (e.g., at small outdoor gatherings, yard or driveway gathering with a small group of friends or family members), stay at least 6 feet from others who are not from your household. Follow these steps to stay safe if you will be participating in personal and social activities outside of your home.

Keep Distance at Events and Gatherings: It is safest to avoid crowded places and gatherings where it may be difficult to stay at least 6 feet away from others who are not from your household. If you are in a crowded space, try to keep 6 feet of space between yourself and others at all times, and wear a mask. Masks are especially important in times when physical distancing is difficult. Pay attention to any physical guides, such as tape markings on floors or signs on walls, directing attendees to remain at least 6 feet apart from each other in lines or at other times. Allow other people 6 feet of space when you pass by them in both indoor and outdoor settings.

Stay Distanced While Being Active: Consider going for a walk, bike ride, or wheelchair roll in your neighborhood or in another safe location where you can maintain at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and other pedestrians and cyclists. If you decide to visit a nearby park, trail, or recreational facility, first check for closures or restrictions. If open, consider how many other people might be there and choose a location where it will be possible to keep at least 6 feet of space between yourself and other people who are not from your household.

Many people have personal circumstances or situations that present challenges with practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please see the following guidance for additional recommendations and considerations:

Households Living in Close Quarters: How to Protect Those Who Are Most Vulnerable

Wildfire smoke can irritate your lungs, cause inflammation, affect your immune system, and make you more prone to lung infections, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that cause COVID-19. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, preparing for wildfires might be a little different this year. Know how wildfire smoke can affect you and your loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic and what you can do to protect yourselves.

Tennis

The Center vs Bullard Tennis game tomorrow 10/13/20 @ 4pm will be here in Center. 

Football

CENTER VS SHEPHERD

@ ROUGHRIDER STADIUM

October 16, 2020

***ALL TICKETS ARE PRE-SALE***

$5 PER TICKET REGARDLESS OF AGE

YOU MAY PURCHASE TICKETS @ CENTER HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC OFFICE AS FOLLOWS:

-MONDAY & TUESDAY- 8AM TO 4:30PM  

FAMILIES OF SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS ONLY: VARSITY FOOTBALL, CHAPARRALS, CHEER, & BAND - 4 TICKETS PER PARTICIPANT

-WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY- GENERAL ADMISSION

   WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY- 8AM TO 4:30 PM 

    FRIDAY- 8AM TO NOON

-SCHOOL EMPLOYEES MAY COME ANY DAY OF THE WEEK AND GET ONE TICKET FREE OF CHARGE (must come in person with school ID)

Governor Greg Abbott announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will receive more than $20 million in additional federal funding for disaster crisis counseling services for Texans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding is provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Regular Services Crisis Counseling Program.

"As the State of Texas combats COVID-19, we are ensuring that Texans have access to the mental health support services they need," said Governor Abbott. "Thank you to our federal partners at FEMA for their continued support throughout the pandemic and for providing this crucial funding for our state's crisis counseling services."

"People throughout Texas experiencing mental or emotional stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic can get the support they need with the help of this federal funding," said Sonja Gaines, HHS deputy executive commissioner for Intellectual and Developmental Disability & Behavioral Health Services. "This grant allows Texas families to have greater access to the services they need during this challenging time."

This grant is in addition to the $5.8 million in FEMA crisis counseling funds health officials announced in May and will extend counseling services to 28 local mental health and behavioral health authorities in Texas. The grant is expected to connect an additional 240,000 Texans throughout the state to short-term crisis counseling services.

The funding will also continue the COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line and support various organizations that focus on emergency management, public health, social services and crisis counseling in emergency shelters. Individuals struggling with substance use issues will also benefit from the disaster crisis counseling services. 

For additional resources, visit the Mental Health & Substance Use Resources web page. Texas residents can dial 2-1-1 to learn about programs and services.

Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation setting Saturday, December 19, 2020, as the date for special runoff election to fill the seat being vacated by Senator Pat Fallon. The early voting period for this runoff election will begin Wednesday, December 9, 2020.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — A new tuition funding opportunity as well as modernized application requirements are just two of several reasons officials believe Stephen F. Austin State University graduate enrollment increased by more than 10% this fall, despite bleak educational forecasts based on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A third major contributing factor was the transition of hundreds of courses to distance formats as the university sought to evolve its fall semester to meet physical-distancing challenges.

“Collaboration between the Office of Research and Graduate Studies staff members and program coordinators in all six colleges has led to truly innovative initiatives aimed at program enhancement and meeting students’ unique circumstances,” said Dr. Pauline M. Sampson, dean of SFA’s research and graduate studies. “Our office has worked very hard on recruitment strategies, and we see that students understand the many benefits of graduate-level educational pursuits at any time, but especially during an economic downturn.”

Flexible learning

SFA’s College of Liberal and Applied Arts experienced the largest enrollment increase at 22.1%. The college’s Department of Mass Communication and School of Social Work comprised the two biggest portions of this growth.

“Since our Master of Art in mass communication is 100% online and was even prior to the pandemic, it meets students where they are,” said Dr. John Allen Hendricks, chair and professor in the Department of Mass Communication. “The online aspect is very attractive to working professionals who want to pursue an advanced degree at their own rhythm as well as work from the safety of their homes during the pandemic.”

School of Social Work officials echoed the contributions of flexible learning on enrollment.

“Virtual learning has offered students flexibility in juggling family and job responsibilities with career opportunities,” said Dr. Freddie Avant, School of Social Work director and associate dean in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts. “Also, the reputation of our faculty, staff and internship programs create unique experiences that prepare students for their career journey.”

The College of Fine Arts experienced the second largest graduate enrollment increase at 19.7%, with the School of Music comprising the largest portion of growth.

“We have several fully online graduate degrees that have become very attractive thanks to the dedication and hard work of faculty members who oversee them,” said Dr. Gary Wurtz, director of the School of Music. “Our online Master of Music in theory/composition, in particular, has gotten to the point where there are more applicants than we can accept. Our success is entirely attributable to the quality and dedication of our faculty.”

SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education comprises the largest graduate enrollment of the university’s six colleges at 874 students for fall 2020, which is an increase from 808 in fall 2019.

Creation of LEAP

University administrators also attribute a portion of the increase to the creation of the Lumberjack Education Assistance Program, which SFA’s Board of Regents approved in April.

For SFA employees, their spouses and dependents, the LEAP program exempts mandatory tuition and fees except statutory tuition, which is $50 per semester credit hours for undergraduate classes or $80 for graduate-level courses. Employees who enroll in classes receive scholarship support to cover the statutory tuition costs, and there is no cap on the number of courses eligible participants may take with the LEAP benefit.

LEAP replaced SFA’s previous employee scholarship program, which offered a maximum of $3,000 per academic year.

“We have 259 graduate students taking advantage of the LEAP program this fall. Of those, 131 are teaching or research assistants and 65 are first-time enrollees in graduate programs at SFA,” Sampson said. “We also had 128 faculty and staff take advantage of LEAP for graduate courses.”

Modernizing application processes

In addition to LEAP funding and the perks of virtual learning, key changes to application requirements have modernized the application process, making it easier for students to apply to SFA’s graduate school while retaining the university’s high academic standard.

Significant changes include only requiring applicants to submit their bachelor’s degree transcript rather than transcripts from all previous institutions and removing the requirement for GRE submission in several programs.

“Many universities, including Ivy League institutions, have removed the GRE requirement because it tends to restrict access to graduate study,” Sampson explained. “There is a substantial cost not only to take the GRE, but also to access study resources, take the GRE multiple times if a higher score is desired, purchase tutor materials or hire tutors. For many prospective students, these are undue burdens.”

Research and graduate studies officials also opted to extend a graduate application’s active period to one calendar year. This reduces application costs for prospective students who may apply then experience a life change that sets their enrollment back by a semester.

“All of these changes allow us to recruit a more diverse graduate student body while reducing obstacles to potential students,” Sampson said. “We want our academic programs to be rigorous, but we want access to those programs to meet the unique circumstances each future Lumberjack faces.”

SFA’s graduate programs each have unique deadlines and application requirements. Information for each program can be found on the ORGS website at sfasu.edu/graduate by selecting “Areas of Study” under the Graduate Admissions 

Women in the military have a history that extends over 400 years into the past throughout a large number of cultures and nations.  World Wars I and II saw over 362,000 American women serving during war time.  As of July 2016 women made up 14.6% of the US military and their role has changed significantly over the years from clerical duties to ground combat soldiers to fighter pilots. 

Shelby County Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8904 and the Auxiliary will honor the service and sacrifice of all women veterans with a Memorial Wreath laying at the Veterans Memorial, 1885 Historic Courthouse on Friday, October 16th at 11:30 a.m.  The public is cordially invited.  Masks and social distancing required.

Questions or more information contact Post Quartermaster Larry Hume at 936-332-0349 or email chiefhume95@gmail.com.   

Larry E. Hume
Quartermaster, VFW Post 8904
Center, Texas
Gold Legacy Life Member

Early voting for the upcoming General Election will begin Tuesday, Oct. 13 - Oct. 30, at the Center Community House.

On the 2 Mondays, Oct. 19 and 26, we will be open 7-7.

Saturday, Oct. 24 10-2.
Sunday, Oct. 25, 12-4.
All other days 8-4:30.

Remember, there is no longer Straight Party Voting on the ballot. You will have to mark each individual you wish to vote for. Please allow for time to mark your ballot completely.

PLEASE NOTE: There is NO CAMPAIGNING inside the polling place, meaning no shirts, caps, face masks, etc containing any name or party on the ballot may be worn inside the polling place, or within 100 feet of the front door. This has always been the law. You will be asked to remove anything political before you may vote.

We will be practicing social distancing and sanitizing tables between voters to ensure your safety.

If you have any questions or need to request a ballot by mail, please call the Shelby County Clerks Office at 936-598-6361.

Jennifer L. Fountain
Shelby County Clerk
P.O. Box 1987
Center, TX 75935
Shelby County, Texas
Ph. 936-598-6361
Fax 936-598-3701

High School Football Scoreboard Sponsored by:

         The Pizzeria - 936.598.7177

Friday October 9, 2020

Carthage 56  Center 14

Timpson 34  Garrison 6

Saturday October 10, 2020

Joaquin 32  San Augustine 28

Tenaha 36  West Sabine 16

POSTPONED UNTIL OCTOBER 17! 

Due to the weather forecasted for this weekend, OCTOBER 9 & 10, 2020, we have decided to POSTPONE this year's 50 Mile Trail of Treasure UNTIL SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17

Please plan accordingly with your hotel reservations and travel plans.  This gives you one more week to plan with your booths and budgets.  We look forward to seeing you all NEXT SATURDAY!

The Panola College Rodeo team remains on top of the men’s division of the Southern Region after they traveled to Uvalde, TX on October 2 and 3 to compete in the Southwest Texas Junior College Rodeo.

Kincade Henry and Kolt Dement continued to dominate calf roping and bareback riding by winning for the second rodeo in a row. Gauge McBride finished second in the bareback riding, behind Dement, for the second rodeo in a row. Others that contributed to the success of the team were Riley Rieken and his team roping partner, who finished third, steer wrestler Hazen Martin, who also finished third, and Isaac Ingram, who finished sixth in the bareback. Others include Michael Womack and Clint Franks, who finished fifth and sixth in the saddle bronc, and Seth Rustin, who finished seventh in the bulls.

Jade Kenney, Abbie Muckleroy, and Neely Grover led the way for the Fillies team as they posted points in their events. Kenney placed sixth and Muckleroy placed eighth in the barrels. Grover ended up fifth in the goat tying to round out the Fillies scoring.

The Ponies remain on top of the Southern Region after winning the Panola Rodeo and the fourth-place finish at the Southwest Texas Junior College Rodeo. The Fillies slipped to fifth place overall in the Southern Region after the win at the Panola Rodeo and the ninth place finish this past weekend. Currently, the men’s division standings include: 1. Panola, 2. Wharton, 3. Hill, 4. McNeese State, 5. Trinity Valley, 6. Texas A&M Commerce, 7. Texas A&M, 8. Sam Houston State, 9. Southwest Texas, 10. Northeast Texas.  The women’s division standings include: 1. Wharton, 2. Sam Houston State, 3. Hill College, 4. McNeese State, 5. Panola, 6. Texas A&M, 7. Southwest Texas, 8. Texas A&M Commerce, 9. Trinity Valley, 10. Northeast Texas.

The Panola Rodeo team will be back in action the weekend of October 16 and 17 at the Northeast Texas Community College Rodeo in Mt. Pleasant, TX.

We knew that when this school year began, it would be met with challenges. After eight weeks of school, our Tiger students and staff have done an amazing job of handling school AND doing their part to mitigate Covid-19. Across the nation, organizations are facing tough decisions at this moment as Covid-19 infections have surged yet again. It’s a real virus... people get sick...but the worst part of this virus, is that it is spreading.

With that said, this virus has hit our staff relatively hard this week. We do have a handful of active student cases, and another chunk of the student population in quarantine for family members; but, we are down over a dozen staff members due to either infection or close contact quarantine.

So... reluctantly... I am declaring that Tenaha ISD enter into fully remote school for next week, October 12-16. All grades moving to online for one week..... Hopefully, that will allow folks to get well who are already in quarantine and may slow the exposure rate. We will try and keep all other school activities functional in their respective “bubbles” much like they did back in July the last time this virus surged.

Our goal in dealing with Covid-19 and school has not changed. We knew from day one it would not be preventable. Our goal is mitigate outbreak and spread. Luckily, we have the remote option available to us. I fully recognize that any decision in regards to Covid is debatable and open to criticism. I trust my staff and administration team to have the proper instincts for the situation and I trust my instincts as well.

Hang in there Tigers... we can do this ... Let’s take a little Fall Break in house next week and see everyone back on Monday, October 19.

Scott Tyner

Superintendent

The Center Roughriders will take on their rival the Carthage Bulldogs in Carthage tonight October 9th, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. the game will be broadcast on KDET 930 AM. 

The Joaquin Rams will take on the San Augustine Wolves in San Augustine the game was rescheduled for tomorrow October 10th, 2020, at 6 p.m. the game will be broadcast on KXXE 92.5 FM with Tracy Broadway giving the play by play.

The Tenaha Tigers game versus West Sabine has been moved to Saturday, October 10th, at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on KQBB 100.5 FM with Don Wall giving you your play by play action. 

The Shelbyville Dragons football game versus West Hardin has been postponed due to COVID-19.

The Timpson Bears will take on the Garrison Bulldogs in Garrison this evening at 7 p.m.

Shelby County Outreach Ministries would like to say Thank You to Brookshire Brothers in Center.  On May 14th, they launched an initiative to raise money to provide food to those who have lost jobs, income, and their health due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Customers were given the opportunity to donate $1, $3, or $5 during checkout.  For every customer donation, Brookshire Brothers matched it dollar for dollar!  

The money raised through this effort will help Shelby County Outreach Ministries continue to feed the hungry and assist the needy in Shelby County.  We want to thank all the generous customers and Brookshire Brothers for their efforts and support.  Together, we can do more and make a difference.  

The Shred and Recycle services are provided free to the public as a service of the Shelby County Beautiful Clean program of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and our generous Sponsors:

    Shelby Savings Bank, Presenting Sponsor for Shredding Services
    Farmers State Bank, Gold Sponsor for Shredding Services
    Republic Services, Presenting Sponsor for Recycling/Disposal Services

The mobile Shredding Unit will be available at McAdams Propane today from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Community members are invited to bring documents that need to be shredded.

The Recycle Containers will be at McAdams Propane today and tomorrow   Hours will be from 10am until 5:00pm today and 9:00am until 1:00 tomorrow.  Items NOT permitted in the containers are as follows:  NO Hazardous Material, NO Bioharzard Materials, NO Toxic Materials, NO Paint or Tires, NO Freon, Oil or other Regulated Chemicals, NO Gasoline, Propane, other Highly Flammable Chemicals, NO Special Waste that requires a License to Transport.   

Electronics are permitted in the containers.  Other items allowed include, lumber, siding, drywall, roofing, wiring, insulation, all types of bathroom and kitchen appliances, cabinets, windows & doors, piping, landscape debris, municipal waste such as standard household business trash.

A very Special Thank You to McAdams Propane for volunteering to host Shred and Recycle Day at their place of business located at 191 State Highway 96 N.  We appreciate your support and involvement.

Volunteers will be available to assist with unloading your vehicles and disposing of your items.

For more information please contact the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce at (936) 598-3682 or info@shelbycountychamber.com.

Joaquin ISD Substitute Orientation/Training will be held Wednesday, October 14th, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. till noon at the Joaquin ISD Annex building behind the high school.  All potential substitutes must attend in order to be considered for this position.  If you have any questions you can call or email Donna Vergo at (936) 269-3128 ext. 225 or dvergo@joaquinisd.net.

Please go online to complete an employment application.  The application can be accessed through the Joaquin ISD website, www.joaquinisd.net, under the 'Employment Opportunities' tab. Create a username and password, complete all parts of the application and then "apply" for the substitute job.  

Applicant must be 18 years of age, have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent and a criminal history background check will be performed.

Submitted by Donna Vergo, JISD Human Resources

Nineteen years ago, America launched its counterattack against terrorism in Afghanistan and ushering in OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM and THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR.

To remember the service and sacrifice of Afghanistan Veterans, Shelby County Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8904 and the Auxiliary will hold a wreath laying at the Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the 1885 Historic Courthouse in Center, Friday, October 9th, 2020 at 10:00 am.  Two veterans from Shelby County, US Army Sergeant Kevin “Casey” Roberts and US Army Specialist Cory Bertrand were both killed in action in 2008.

As always, the public is cordially invited to remember their fellow Americans.  Social distancing and masks required. Information call Post Quartermaster Larry Hume, 936-332-0349 or email chiefhume95@gmail.com.

Larry E. Hume
Quartermaster, VFW Post 8904
Center, Texas
Gold Legacy Life Member

Tigers vs. West Sabine Football has been moved to Saturday, October 10 at 6:00 PM. Being on the border of the path of Hurricane Delta makes travel for fans and players from West Sabine an uncertainty.

P.T Barnum was right when he said that “there’s a sucker born every minute.”   I am living proof of that, having been taken for a sucker while on a vacation trip in 1965.  I hope that my experience will be a warning to others who let their eyes overpower their brains.

While living in Houston, Texas in the 1960s, my wife and I thought it would be a good vacation trip for the family to travel into Tennessee for a few days, then go back home by way of Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Tennessee is a beautiful state, however the few days we were there they received about one-half of their annual rainfall.  So, our outside activities were somewhat limited.

We made our way into Hot Springs on a Friday night, rented a room at a motel and spent the night.  Saturday was spent seeing all the sights offered there, the hot springs, the mountain trails, and the souvenir shops.  Late Saturday afternoon we were walking through the downtown area checking out the stores and shops when we happened upon a large store in a corner building.  There were a large number of people inside, sitting in chairs, and taking in whatever was going on in the front of the store.

I glanced up at the sign on the building and noted that it was a public auction house.  Neither of us had ever seen a live auction, much less participated  in one.  The lure was too great to refuse, so my wife and I wandered inside, mind you, just to watch.  After all, we were returning from a vacation and had little money left to spend at an auction.  “Don’t raise your hand for anything”, I advised my wife.  “Don’t even scratch your nose”, I warned.

We sat down on the back row and began to watch the auctioneer sell off the merchandise.  It looked like very expensive watches, rings, jewelry, and such other items.  And, they were being sold at seemingly low prices.  All at once, the auctioneer pointed at us and asked, “Where are you nice folk from?”  “From Texas”, I stammered, shocked that he had even noticed us.

He peered over his half-glasses and said, “Well, now, come on up here a little closer so you can see better.  I have some very nice items to auction off.”  The bait had been trolled by our lair, and we bit unwittingly.  We got up and walked farther to the front and sat down.  

I was shocked to hear myself bidding on a nice ring, just once.  I lost, as I had intended, but it was fun.  My wife offered up a bid on a vase, and we lost again.  Suddenly the auctioneer held up a beautiful ladies watch.  He said, “Who in this crowd of people would like to own this beautiful watch for only $500….?”  Well, it appeared that most everyone there raised their hand...who wouldn’t like to have that watch for only $500..?  So, I raised mine, too.  Big mistake.

The auctioneer suddenly pointed at me and said in a loud voice, “Sold to the gentleman from Texas!”  I could hardly believe what I had just heard.  I looked around quickly to see if perhaps there was another Texan in the crowd.  Didn’t see one, so it had to be me.  “Come on up to the front and make arrangements for payment”, he instructed me.  So, confident that I could get out of this since I really had not made a firm bid, I walked up to a large table with several chairs around it.  Another man sat down beside me with clip board and papers, and the watch.  “How do you want to pay for this?”, he queried.

Now this was getting ridiculous.  I did not want the watch.  I had not intentionally bid on it, and I did not have the $500 to pay for it.  I protested all this to the new player, but he took a dim view of my reasoning.  He informed me that under the laws of Arkansas I had made a legal bid.  I thought of calling in the police to handle this matter, but I decided that the cards were stacked against me.  With my luck, the chief of police would have been his brother-in-law.

Now, quite apprehensive over this turn of events, I asked, “What is it going to take for me to get out of this?”  The man cleared his throat and said, “Well, it will cost you 10% of the bid, if the auctioneer will agree to let you off the hook”, replied the man.  “Wait here and I will go check” he orders as he gets up and walks into another room.  I had decided that I was doomed.

When he returned, I noted that he had placed the watch in a nice box.  “I am afraid that there is no way out but to honor your bid, sir.”  The final nail in my ill-fated bid.  I was devising a plan even as I got my check book and wrote out a check for $500.00 and handed it to the man.  I took the watch, grabbed my wife and hastened out of the building and back to our motel room.  My wife was very upset over this revolting development.  “Not to worry”, I said.  “I have a plan.”

When we got back home in Houston, I went to my bank early Monday morning and placed a “stop payment” on the check.  Then I wrote the auctioneer a letter, and mailed the watch back to him.  I fully expected to hear from the Hot Springs police, or the state auction commission, or some other such regulatory authority, but I never did.

We have since been through Arkansas, but have never been back to Hot Springs.  We have never been to another auction, having been played the sucker once, we have honored our vow to keep it only once.  Thank you, P.T Barnum.

“Going Once! Going Twice! SOLD!”

BY:  Neal  Murphy
PO Box 511
107 Hemlock Street
San Augustine, TX 75972
936-275-9033
cell: 936-275-6986
Email: sugarbear@netdot.com

Governor Greg Abbott issued an Executive Order to open bars and similar establishments at up to 50% capacity in conjunction with county officials. In hospital regions with low COVID-19 hospitalizations, County Judges will be able to opt their county into opening bars beginning October 14th, provided they assist in enforcing health protocols. The Governor's Executive Order also increases the occupancy levels for all business establishments other than bars to 75%.

"Even as more businesses have opened and students return to school, Texans have shown we can contain the spread of COVID-19," said Governor Abbott. "Thanks to Texans following the best health practices, our state is prepared for additional openings, including bars. Working with industry leaders and our team of medical experts, the State of Texas has now developed strategies to safely open bars under certain health protocols. To ensure bars open safely, these openings will be done in conjunction with county officials. County Judges will be able to opt their county into opening bars so long as they assist in enforcing the health protocols. Opening bars does not mean that COVID-19 is no longer a threat, and most Texans are still susceptible to the virus. As bars and similar businesses begin to open, we all must remain vigilant and show personal responsibility to protect ourselves and our loved ones."

For Trauma Service Areas (TSAs) where COVID-19 hospitalizations are less than 15% of hospital capacity, a County Judge may authorize the opening of bars and similar establishments at 50% occupancy. If a County Judge authorizes the opening of these establishments, certain protocols must be followed. As recommended by trade associations representing bars, dance floors at bars and similar establishments must remain closed. Consistent with protocols for restaurants, all patrons must be seated while eating or drinking (with limited exceptions for sampling at breweries, distilleries, and wineries), and must wear masks when they are not seated at a table. Additionally, tables must be limited to six individuals or less and all establishments must follow specific curfew guidelines. 

Beginning Wednesday, October 14, all counties where COVID-19 hospitalizations are less than 15% of hospital capacity can open all businesses other than bars to 75% capacity. 

Additionally, the Governor released a web video with his Executive Order, encouraging Texans to continue following best practices to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in their communities. The video can be viewed on YouTube.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Students in Stephen F. Austin State University’s DeWitt School of Nursing will be partnering with East Texas Community Health Services to provide free flu vaccinations Oct. 7 through 10 during a drive-through event at the DeWitt School of Nursing.

Fourth-semester nursing students in the community health course will administer the shots from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The event is open to the public, and health insurance is not required. Children 4 years of age and older are eligible for a vaccine.

As the weather turns colder and people spend more time inside, the threat of a “trifecta” – a perfect storm of COVID-19, the flu and the measles – looms larger, said Michelle Klein, clinical instructor in the School of Nursing.

“It is recommended now more than ever to get a flu shot,” Klein said.

Klein hopes the convenience as well as the added safety of the drive-through format encourages more people, especially vulnerable populations like the elderly, to attend.

Masks are required for attendees.

For more information about the School of Nursing, visit sfasu.edu/nursing.

LUFKIN – A virtual public meeting will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 for a proposed construction project in Nacogdoches County.

The project includes the widening of US 259 from SH 204 to the Rusk County line. To attend the public hearing, got to http://txdot.gov and search US 259 Widening. The public is invited to leave comments on the proposed project.

The virtual meeting will consist of a pre-recorded video presentation explaining the proposed project and will include audio and video components along with other exhibits for review. The video will be available for viewing by 10 am on Oct. 13. The public is invited to post comments and take the survey. Formal comments may be provided by mail, email or online and must be received by Wednesday, Oct. 28.

US 259 serves as an important corridor for rural connectivity, a freight and evacuation route.

The proposed widening includes:

• Two 12-foot northbound and southbound travel lanes
• Two 10-foot outside shoulders
• One 16-foot center two-way left turn lane
• Typical 200-foot right-of-way width
• One 12-foot acceleration lane for SH 204 traffic heading south on US 259

The proposed project is designed to reduce congestion, enhance safety and mobility along US 259 and provide a more efficient hurricane evacuation route.

Once public comments are received, TxDOT will begin right-of-way mapping, environmental documentation, engineering plans and estimates. ROW acquisition is estimated to be completed in Spring 2023 with utility relocations beginning thereafter. Necessary permitting and engineering designs are scheduled to be completed in Spring 2024. Construction is anticipated to begin in March 2024. “

This proposed project was identified in the TxDOT Unified Transportation Program (UTP) which is a 10-year plan that guides the development of transportation work across the state.  Despite its importance to TxDOT as a planning and programming tool, the UTP is neither a budget nor a guarantee that projects will or can be built.

Property Owners may postpone paying current and delinquent property
taxes on their homes by signing a tax deferral affidavit at the Shelby
County Appraisal District office if they are:

age 65 or older;

disabled as defined by law;

qualified disabled veterans, their unmarried surviving spouses, or
their unmarried children under age 18, if no surviving spouse; or

unmarried surviving spouses of U.S. armed service members killed
on active duty and their unmarried children under age 18.

Once the affidavit is on file, taxes are deferred -- but not cancelled -- as
long as the owner continues to own and live in the home. Taxes
accumulate with 5 percent interest per year. The law extends the tax
deferral to the surviving spouse of the person who deferred taxes on the
homestead if the surviving spouse was at least 55 years old when the
deceased spouse died.

A filed tax deferral affidavit keeps homeowners from losing their
homesteads because of delinquent property taxes. A pending sale to
foreclose on the homestead’s tax lien will also cease as a result of filing a
tax deferral affidavit. In addition, no taxing unit can start or continue a
lawsuit to collect delinquent taxes once an affidavit is filed. There are no
penalties on delinquent taxes during the deferral period; however, a tax
deferral does not cancel penalties that were already due.

All deferred taxes and interest become due when the homeowner or
surviving spouse no longer own and live in the home. If the tax debt
remains unpaid at that time, penalties may be imposed, and taxing units
may take legal action to collect the past due amount.

For further details about property tax deferral, contact the Shelby County
Appraisal District at (936) 598-6171. 

Shelby County Outreach Ministries will be closed on Monday, October 12th in observance of Columbus Day.  

Food boxes will be available on Wednesday and Friday from 10-2.  We are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause you.  

We hope you have a blessed holiday.  

Update:

The Tenaha ISD administrative team has decided to EXTEND the High School Closure ONLY for one additional day, Friday, October 9th, 2020.

High school staff will continue to report on Friday and continue their remote learning from their classroom. 

The Middle School and Elementary will continue as normal. 

The Junior High & JV games for tonight against West Sabine have BOTH been CANCELLED.  As of right now, the High School game is still scheduled as normal, Friday 7:00pm.

Fall pictures for tomorrow have been CANCELLED as well. 

Howdy Center Roughriders,

My name is Justin Smith, Principal at Carthage High School. We welcome you to our facility for this week’s game and provide information to help ensure you have a great experience. We are asking for visiting fans to park in the visitors parking area located on the east side of the stadium. All visitors will enter the Stadium on Championship Spur and access parking from that area. Our address is #1Bulldog Drive, Carthage, TX 75633. Please view the video and directions below and help us honor protocol set in place by UIL. 

GAME DAY COVID Precautions Video

CISD Screener Form (Please complete prior to the game)

We appreciate you wearing your mask, self-screening prior to the game, and following the skip-a-seat signage we have in place. Have a safe trip to Carthage and visit our wonderful restaurants and businesses while you are here. Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Justin Smith

Carthage High School Principal

Slated for October 9th and 10 that McAdams Propane

Time to start your Fall Cleaning.  The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce announces that the mobile shredding unit and a Recycle/Disposal unit will be in Center October 9th.

The mobile Shredding Unit will be available at McAdams Propane on Friday, October 9th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Community members are invited to bring documents that need to be shredded.

The Recycle Containers will be at McAdams Propane on October 9th & 10th.   Hours will be from 10am until 5:00pm on Friday and 9:00am until 1:00 on Saturday.  Items NOT permitted in the containers are as follows:  NO Hazardous Material, NO Bioharzard Materials, NO Toxic Materials, NO Paint or Tires, NO Freon, Oil or other Regulated Chemicals, NO Gasoline, Propane, other Highly Flammable Chemicals, NO Special Waste that requires a License to Transport.   

Electronics are permitted in the containers.  Other items allowed include, lumber, siding, drywall, roofing, wiring, insulation, all types of bathroom and kitchen appliances, cabinets, windows & doors, piping, landscape debris, municipal waste such as standard household business trash.

These services are provided free to the public as a service of the Shelby County Beautiful Clean program of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and our generous Sponsors:

    Shelby Savings Bank, Presenting Sponsor for Shredding Services
    Farmers State Bank, Gold Sponsor for Shredding Services
    Republic Services, Presenting Sponsor for Recycling/Disposal Services

A very Special Thank You to McAdams Propane for volunteering to host Shred and Recycle Day at their place of business located at 191 State Highway 96 N.  We appreciate your support and involvement.

For more information please contact the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce at (936) 598-3682 or info@shelbycountychamber.com.

LUFKIN – A virtual pre-construction meeting was held Tuesday, signaling the beginning of a new construction project in Nacogdoches County.

Work will begin on FM 1275 the week of October 12 when barricades are set near the work zone. The project will include construction to widen and add shoulders to FM 1275 to the end of pavement and is designed to enhance safety.

Pinto Construction Co., Nacogdoches, will serve as contractor of the $6.1 million project. Work is scheduled to be completed in July 2021, weather permitting.

As work begins, motorists are urged to stay alert for barricades, flaggers and possible lane closures. Obey all signage and reduce speed through the work zone.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art will present exhibitions that showcase the works of its faculty members in shows planned for Oct. 22 through Dec. 31 in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House.

“Oil and Water” features photographs taken along the Texas Gulf Coast by Amanda Breitbach, assistant professor of art at SFA.

“These photographs represent the dual nature of the Texas Gulf Coast as an important ecosystem that provides vital habitat for wildlife and a site of oil and gas development that is equally vital to the global petrochemical industry,” Breitbach said.

Breitbach grew up on a family farm and ranch in eastern Montana. She studied photography and French at Montana State University before serving as an agroforestry volunteer with the United States Peace Corps in Guinea, West Africa. She has worked as a newspaper photographer, writer and editor as well as a freelance photographer. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2016.

The Breitbach show will be in the upstairs Reavley Gallery while an exhibition in the downstairs Ledbetter Gallery will feature works by other SFA art faculty members.

Art exhibitions are sponsored in part by William Arscott, the Friends of the Visual Arts and the Nacogdoches Junior Forum.

The Cole Art Center is SFA’s historic downtown art gallery located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call the School of Art at (936) 468-4804. Admission is free.

Dear Parent/Guardian and Staff:

In keeping with Joaquin ISD’s practices to respond to COVID-19, we are notifying all student families and staff members that one Joaquin ISD student was lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. The student was last on campus on October 5, 2020 and tested positive October 6, 2020. Due to privacy requirements, we will not be releasing the name of the individual or details that may identify him or her.

We are working closely with the local health department on this matter. After careful review, we have determined that the COVID-19 positive student either did not come into contact with students, staff, or areas accessed by students or staff, or the student was wearing proper PPE and social distancing while on campus. JISD campuses and buses are sanitized daily to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Operations at Joaquin ISD will continue as usual, and we will keep you apprised of further updates.

While we do not have reason to believe that those who were not in close contact with the infected individual have reason to be concerned, we ask that you, as always, to watch for symptoms of COVID-19.

Any of the following symptoms indicate a possible COVID-19 infection:

Temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher when taken by mouth;
Loss of taste or smell;
Cough;
Difficulty breathing;
Shortness of breath;
Headache;
Chills;
Sore throat;
Congestion or runny nose;
Shaking or exaggerated shivering;
Significant muscle pain or ache;
Diarrhea; or
Nausea or vomiting

If you or any member of the Joaquin ISD community does begin to experience any of these symptoms in a way that is not typical, we encourage you to contact your physician. We encourage anyone in the Joaquin ISD community who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 to please notify our school by contacting 936-269-3128.

Sincerely,
Ryan Fuller, Superintendent

The 13th Annual Health and Fitness Fair, Presented by Cline Family Medicine will be held next week on Friday, October 16th at the Windham Civic Center from 9:00 a.m. until 12noon. Gold Sponsors Focused Care of Center, Hope Community Medicine and Nacogdoches Medical Center also helped in making the event a success.

This year’s theme is “Healthy Living. Healthy Living is when our physical and mental health are in balance and functioning well.  

Healthy Living is a lifestyle choice which includes healthy eating, regular exercise and good sleep habits.  Experts will be available at the Fair with information to help you achieve your Healthy Living goals Cline’s Family Medicine will be offering Flu Shots.  There will be new vendors and new information.  

A Scavenger Hunt will be held again with three drawings at the end of the Health Fair.  Prizes include ear buds, a healthy gift basket and a 32-Inch Flat Screen TV. Attendees and vendors are invited to participate in finding items throughout the fair.

The fair is free to the public featuring over 30 vendors with give aways and door prizes.   Masks will be required and available.

The purpose and goal of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Healthcare Committee and the Health and Fitness Fair is to educate Shelby County and the surrounding areas about health care resources available in the area and about their personal health.  There will be a variety of health screenings available including glucose, cholesterol, bone density, spinal screenings, heart awareness, diabetes information, allergy testing information and vision.

For more information please contact the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce at 
(936) 598-3682, email info@shelbycountychamber.com or visit www.shelbycountychamber.com.

Timpson ISD is happy to report that we have had no new cases of Covid-19 in the entire district for a little over 10 days now. It is appropriate that we should all say a great prayer of Thanksgiving to God who is responsible for this and pray that He continues to take care of us.

A regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Shelbyville Independent School District will be held on Monday, October 12, 2020, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Shelbyville Independent School District at 5322 St. Hwy 87 S, Shelbyville, Texas.

The subjects to be discussed or considered or upon which any formal action may be taken are listed below. Items do not have to be taken in the same order as shown on this meeting notice. Unless removed from the consent agenda, items identified within the consent agenda will be acted on at one time. 

1. Call to order
2. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
3. Open forum
4. Consent agenda 
a. Minutes of the September 14, 2020 meeting of the board
b. Monthly financial reports
5. Principals Month
6. Consider for approval
a. Asynchronous Instructional Plan
7. Principal’s/Director’s Reports
a. Campus events
b. Recognition of Staff and/or Students
8. Superintendent’s Reports
a. Annual Bilingual/ESL Evaluation
b. School Facilities Improvements
c. Articles of Interest
d. General Updates
9. Executive Session
a. Resignations/Employment
b. Personnel
10.  Adjournment

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — After transitioning a considerable portion of courses to distance formats as a result of the pandemic, Stephen F. Austin State University has multiplied its fall course section options significantly, announcing that it will be offering 201 course sections during its second eight-week fall semester.

This increase means students interested in enrolling in the second half of fall have dozens of courses from which to build an ideal schedule.

The second eight-week fall semester begins Oct. 15; however, students may register online through Oct. 19.

Students also may continue to register Oct. 20 through 22 by filling out a special permit form. A link to the form is located in mySFA by clicking “Registration Request Form” in the “Register” box under the “Registration” tab. Directions for submitting the form are included in the link.

“We have had an amazing response to our new eight-week semester options and are thrilled we are able to offer so many more courses during the fall’s second half,” said Dr. Steve Bullard, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The eight-week option, coupled with added course sections, means Lumberjacks have more flexibility to build a schedule that works for them — and potentially finish college in less time!”

For more information on fall registration, visit sfasu.edu/registrar/687.asp. If you’re not currently a student, apply to SFA today at ApplyTexas.org.

High Roller Angus, Center, ranked as fourth largest in registering the most Angus beef cattle in Texas with the American Angus Association® during fiscal year 2020, which ended Sept. 30, according to Mark McCully, Association chief executive officer.

Angus breeders across the nation in 2020 registered 305,531 head of Angus cattle. “Despite a challenging year, our Angus breeders continue to see strong demand for Angus genetics,” McCully said. “Our members are committed to providing genetic solutions to the beef cattle industry that maintain our long-held position as an industry leader.”

Shelbyville vs. Hallettsville Sacred Heart-Madisonville, TX  811 South May St. Madisonville, TX

Oct. 8, 7:00 P.M. Kickoff Shelbyville is visitor.

Tickets: $5 Adults/ $3 Students

No Pre Sale.  All tickets sold at the gate.

700 capacity for the Visiting side.

AUSTIN – In observance of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is encouraging women to get screened for breast cancer.

Eligible women can receive free screenings through HHSC’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Services program. BCCS helps fund clinics across the state to provide breast cancer screening and diagnostic services such as clinical breast examinations, mammograms, and breast biopsies. In 2019, the program helped more than 24,600 women in Texas, including more than 16,000 women who received breast cancer services.

“Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Texas women, so we want to stress the importance of getting screened on a regular basis to detect cancer in its early stages when treatment is most likely to be effective,” said Dee Budgewater, HHS deputy executive commissioner for Health, Developmental and Independence Services. “The screening and diagnostic services that BCCS provides are life-saving tools that can lower the mortality rate of breast cancer in Texas.”

In addition to breast cancer services, BCCS provides cervical cancer screenings and treatment for precancerous cervical conditions. Uninsured and underinsured Texas women who have an income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible to apply for BCCS. Additional eligibility requirements can be found here.

As a grantee of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, BCCS is partly funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The federal program provides grants to states for early detection of breast and cervical cancers. Between June 2019 and June 2020, the federal program awarded BCCS more than $6 million as part of the effort.

To find services or learn more about women’s health, visit www.healthytexaswomen.org or dial 2-1-1. 

Parent company HCSC has provided more than $930 million in relief during COVID-19 public health emergency through customer premium credits and other support actions

Richardson, TX (October 6, 2020) – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) announced today that it will take further action to support its members, customers and communities during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing approximately $104 million in relief to fully insured Texas employer customers in the form of a premium credit.

The premium credits are the latest relief action BCBSTX, its parent company Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) and associated health plans have taken, totaling more than $930 million in response to the global health crisis. The purpose of these actions is to lessen the financial hardships many may be experiencing.

In addition to the premium credit, other relief steps taken by BCBSTX include:

Adjustments made to initial 2021 individual and group rates to provide further financial relief for group plans, individuals and their families — delivering approximately $109 million in savings
Extensions of the waivers of cost-sharing for telehealth services as well as COVID-19 testing and treatment — delivering approximately $181 million in savings for members and their families
 

“Providing meaningful support to our members, customers and the communities we serve in Texas has been our primary focus,” said Jeff Tikkanen, Senior Vice President, HCSC Markets and interim BCBSTX president. “Supporting our customers through this public health crisis by providing additional support and financial relief is not only right, but a commitment we take seriously. In these critical times, we need to stand together to meet the needs of Texas families and our customers.”

In addition to these actions in response to the COVID-19 crisis, BCBSTX recently issued rebates totaling approximately $250 million to individuals and small groups this fall who were eligible under the MLR rebate consumer protection process under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) relating to their 2019 coverage.

While there continues to be uncertainty concerning health care spending and the impact of deferred care for the remainder of the year, BCBSTX will continue to closely monitor the evolving health pandemic and health care claim trends to determine how best to support customers, communities and health care delivery partners in Texas.

The premium credit and other relief actions are intended to continue to assist members and businesses across Texas to help expand access to care and to offer members some relief during this difficult time.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The Counseling Clinic at Stephen F. Austin State University is hosting the following free therapy groups for all SFA students and Texas residents via Zoom.

·         Stress Management and Relaxation Group, 3 p.m., Monday

·         Virtual Support Group for Caregivers, 5 p.m., Monday

·         Career Exploration Group, 4 p.m., Tuesday

·         Virtual LGBTQ+ Support Group for High School Students, 5 p.m., Wednesday

All group sessions last an hour and will run through the end of the semester.

In addition to the free groups, the clinic continues to accept new clients and waive fees during the pandemic.

Though in-person appointments aren’t possible because of COVID-19 concerns, the clinic is helping clients via Zoom from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays. Clinic staff members hope to offer in-person sessions again soon.

Once the pandemic is over, the clinic will return to its usual fee system. Costs for community members are determined using a variable fee scale based on gross family income and family size ($5 minimum to $20 maximum per service). SFA students pay $5 per service.

The Counseling Clinic is part of the Department of Human Services and Educational Leadership in the James I. Perkins College of Education at SFA. It assists SFA students and community members while training graduate students who are in the practicum and internship portion of their education. These graduate students provide counseling services to clients under the supervision of licensed counselor education faculty members.

For more information or to sign up for the groups, contact the clinic at (936) 468-1041 or sfacounselingclinic@sfasu.edu.

Early voting for the upcoming General Election will be held on the following dates and times, at the Center Community House, 423 San Augustine St., Center, TX:

Click here for a sample ballot

Tuesday, October 13 - Friday, October 16, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Monday, October 19, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Tuesday, October 20 - Friday, October 23, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 24, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 25, 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Monday, October 26, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Tuesday, October 27 - Friday, October 30, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Also, please note the following change on this year's ballot:

In 2017 Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 25 which ends the ability to allow voters the option of voting a straight party ballot.

Straight-ticket or “straight-party” voting allowed voters to select all a party’s candidates on the ballot with one mark. Straight-party voting elimination in Texas met intense opposition, and although the change was signed into law almost three years ago, a last-minute amendment to the legislation delayed its implementation until this year’s November 2020 General election.

Therefore we ask all voters to budget a few extra minutes in your time when coming in to vote your ballot since you will have to review the entire ballot and mark each individual candidate you wish to vote for.  Remember, curbside voting will be an option if you are unable to come inside the polling locations. 

If you have any questions or wish to apply for a ballot by mail, please call the Shelby County Clerk's Office at 936-598-6361.

This year’s event will take place Oct. 29, 2020, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Center High School baseball field.  Kids dressed in costumes 13 and under are invited to an evening of trick-or-treat fun! 

Table reservations are required to pass out candy and treats to trick-or-treaters. To reserve a spot for your business, organization, club, etc., contact Leah Chase at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office at (936) 598-5601 or leah.chase@co.shelby.tx.us or John Burns at (936) 427-5077 or jburns2@farmersagent.com.

Businesses will need to have a decorated table with a sign displaying the business name and setup will begin at 4:30.

We look forward to seeing you at the hole!

The Texas Film Commission (TFC) today announced that the Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) is offering a statewide Texas Film Round-Up mail-in event for the entire month of October. Individuals, businesses, and institutions are invited to submit their Texas-related films and videotapes to TAMI for free digitization in exchange for contributing a digital copy of their materials for possible inclusion in TAMI’s online archive.

The award-winning Texas Film Round-Up discovers, preserves, and shares the stories of Texans by digitizing and providing access to their obsolete media. The program has resulted in the digitization of more than 50,000 films and videotapes dating as far back as 1910 and spanning through the decades of media technology.

"We are so proud of our longstanding partnership with TAMI and the Texas Film Round-Up,” said TFC Director Stephanie Whallon. “We look forward to seeing the contributions from Texans and continuing the preservation of Texas’ rich history for both education and entertainment.”

A curated collection of more than 5,000 videos is available at texasarchive.org. This online video-sharing platform welcomes the public to watch, explore, and learn about Texas history and culture. It also includes free lesson plans to assist educators in using the videos as primary and secondary source materials for teaching Texas and U.S. history.

To participate in this year’s month-long free digitization event, contributors are asked to register on TAMI’s website, then mail their Texas-related films and videotapes, including home movies, industrial films, educational films, advertisements, local television and promotional films, directly to TAMI’s office.

To qualify for free digitization, the films and videotapes must be Texas related, and participants must be willing to donate a digital copy of their materials to the program. The materials must be sent to TAMI during the month of October, will be digitized in Austin, then returned by mail to the owners, along with a digital copy. More information about the program and its requirements is available at texasarchive.org/round-up.

About TAMI: The Texas Archive of the Moving Image is an independent non-profit organization founded in 2002 to discover, preserve, make accessible, and serve community interest in Texas’ moving image heritage. Additional support for TAMI comes from Humanities Texas and the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the federal CARES Act.

About TFC: The Texas Film Commission in the Office of the Governor’s Economic Development and Tourism Division helps to grow local jobs and local economies by promoting the Lone Star State as the premier destination for film, television, commercial, animation, visual effects, and video game production.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Dr. Sarah Straub, assistant professor of education studies at Stephen F. Austin State University, was awarded the 2020-22 Montgomery Professorship for Humane Education in the James I. Perkins College of Education.

“Dr. Straub embodies the spirit of this professorship, and we are excited to see her plans unfold,” said Dr. Brandon Fox, chair of SFA’s Department of Education Studies.

The professorship was established by the late Charlotte Baker Montgomery in memory of her husband, Roger. Its purpose is to encourage and perpetuate the teaching of humane education concepts and methods in public and private elementary and secondary schools through the support of teacher preparation in humane education.

“It is an incredible honor to continue the work of professors like Dr. Brandon Fox and Dr. Leah Kahn,” Straub said. “Humane education pushes for compassion, justice and respect, so I am overwhelmed to be recognized as a faculty member who demonstrates these values.”

Humane education is a process that assists children in developing compassion, a sense of justice and respect for all living things, according to the Humane Education Coalition. It helps children gain the knowledge and understanding to behave according to these principles and foster a sense of responsibility needed to affirm and act upon humane education principles.

It also encourages cognitive, affective and behavioral growth through personal development of critical thinking, problem-solving, perspective taking and empathy as it relates to people, animals, the planet and the intersections among them.

Straub’s plan for the professorship has three main goals: 1) facilitating the summer ELED 4345 Humane and Environmental Education course through an expansion on partnerships built by Kahn, assistant professor of education studies, with ReadingRovers; 2) reviewing and updating the newly identified Roger Montgomery and Charlotte Baker Montgomery Humane Education Collection in the Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center; and 3) growing relationships with teachers in the Nacogdoches Independent School District, which Straub plans to do through a coordinated effort with the Texas Environmental Education Advisory Committee.

Fox; Dr. Judy Abbott, dean of the Perkins College of Education; and Dr. Eric Torres, associate chair of the Department of Education Studies, selected Straub for the award.

As the recipient of the professorship, Straub will manage the humane education program, which includes teaching and recruiting students for courses and professional development in the field; maintaining a collection of books and humane education materials for students, teachers and the public; encouraging humane education projects and activities; serving as a TEEAC liaison; and annually attending animal welfare organization conferences.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Chamber Singers at Stephen F. Austin State University will present a virtual concert entitled “Sojourn: An Evening of Sonnets, Spirituals and Love” when the ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13.

“The choral works presented on this concert represent a diverse repertoire of both festive, soulful and intimate sounds that will free the mind from the world for an evening,” according to Dr. Michael Murphy, director of choral activities in the SFA School of Music.

Works by American, British and Italian composers will be featured. The program includes music and/or arrangements by Williametta Spencer, Vittoria Aleotti, Undine S. Moore, L.L. Fleming, Stephen Paulus and more. A highlight of the concert will be a performance of Eric Whitacre’s “Five Hebrew Love Songs” with violin and piano.

The concert will also showcase Dr. Jennifer Dalmas, professor of violin at SFA; graduate student conductor and pianist Greg Simmons of Tyler; and graduate conductor David Zielke of Albany, Oregon.

Obtain free access to the online, live-streamed concert by visiting music.sfasu.edu on the night of the performance. For more information about the School of Music, contact (936) 468-4602.

Darren Vaughn was the winner of the 2020 Center Noon Lions Club truck raffle. Darren Vaughn works at Jack's Saw Shop located in Center, Texas.

C&J A/C and Electrical, one of the newest members of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, is having a new member Ribbon Cutting on Tuesday, October 13th at 11:00am.  The public is invited to join the celebration.

C&J A/C and Electrical is a family owned business started in 1990 by Carl Jernigan.  For 30 years, C&J A/C and Electrical has been dedicated to providing the best possible cooling and heating solutions for you home or business.  The trained technicians keep customers up to date with new laws and energy saving technology offering the safest and most efficient equipment for your home or business.

Join the Chamber Ambassadors in welcoming Vicki and Carl Jernigan as new Chamber members.

C&J A/C and Electrical is located at 955 Southview Circle, in the old Radioshack building.  Hours are Monday – Friday 7am – 5pm.  They also offer 24/7 Emergency Service for their customers.  

For more information, contact the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce at 936-598-3682 or email info@shelbycountychamber.com.

Due to COVID-19 regulations at West Hardin, Shelbyville High School’s varsity football game scheduled for Friday, October 9th against West Hardin High school is postponed for a later date. The Dragons are looking for another game this week. As soon as we receive more information, we will let you know. GO DRAGONS!!!

Parents and Guardians,

We are about to move into the next phase of construction at Center Middle School. This next phase will cause us to make some changes to our current parent pick up/drop off as well as the bus pick up/drop off. These changes will begin Monday, October 12th. We will move parent pick up/drop off to the parking lot adjacent to the school. There will be 3 lines for pick up in the afternoons. There will only be one line for drop off in the morning. Please pay close attention to Officer Spark's instruction and students crossing after bus drop off.

See map for visual details of the new parent pick up lines. (Map can be found on the Center Middle School Facebook page and on the CMS webpage.

The 2020 East Texas Poultry Festival Broiler Show started off the day at the Shelby County Expo Center.

Fifty-eight Shelby County 4-H and FFA youth exhibited at this year's show, with 40 pens of broilers making the sale. We would like to give special thanks to Judge Micah Osburn for taking the time to come judge the show. Mr. Osburn spoke to several of the exhibitors and gave them several tips on how to grow an outstanding broiler.

The 2020 East Texas Poultry Festival Broiler Sale started at 7 P.M. under the big tent behind the Shelby County Civic Center. A total of $132,750 was raised for 4-H and FFA youth!

The grand champion pen of broilers was exhibited by Jacie Lee of Center FFA and purchased by Farmer’s State Bank for $7,500.00. 

The reserve grand champion pen of broilers was exhibited by Laura Anne Scull of Shelby County 4-H and sold to East Texas Poultry Supply and Ace Hardware of East Texas for $6,000.00.

Other Shelby County 4-H and FFA members selling their pens and buyers were:

    3.  Molly Scull, Shelby County 4-H; McAdam’s Propane; $4,750.00     
    4.  Autum Andrusick, Shelby County 4-H; Spartan Structures; $3,500.00
    5.  Mason Hughes, Joaquin FFA; Pilgrim’s Pride; $3,000.00

    6. Carter Greer, Shelby County 4-H; Shelby Savings Bank, General Shelters, Campbell’s
    Portable Buildings; $3,250.00

    7. Klayton LaRock, Center FFA; High Roller Logistics; $3,500.00

    8.  Logan Williams, Shelbyville FFA; Hawkeye Hunting Club; $3,500.00

    9.  Brayden Britt, Center FFA; Link Charolais and Odessa Link; $3,000.00

    10.  Collin Lloyd, Shelbyville FFA; McAdams Propane and Covington Lumber; $4,500.00

    11.  Cale Cornelius, Shelby County 4-H; Spartan Structures; $3,500.00

    12.  Kolton Smelley, Timpson FFA; Pilgrim’s Pride; $3,000.00

    13.  Alexis Truitt, Center FFA; East Texas Poultry Supply and Ace Hardware of East 
       Texas; $3,000.00

    14.  Megan Gutermuth, Timpson FFA; Austin Bank-Timpson; $3,500.00

    15.  Gracie Boyd, Shelby County 4-H; East Texas Electric Co-Op; $3,000.00

    16.  Taylor Gutermuth, Timpson FFA; Shelby Savings Bank, General Shelters and
       Campbell’s Portable Buildings; $3,500.00

    17.  Addison Lloyd, Shelbyville FFA; Despino’s Tire; $3,000.00

    18.  Hollie Hamilton, Joaquin FFA; State Representative Chris Paddie and Deep East Texas 
       Electric Co-Op; $3,000.00

    19.  Chance Shuemaker, Joaquin FFA; East Texas Surveying & Mapping and Raymond 
       Construction; $3,250.00

    20.  Lance Holloway, Center FFA; Heritage Land Bank; $6,000.00

    21.  Landree Jousan, Shelby County 4-H; Port-A-Cool; $3,500.00

    22.  Sayre Hall, Center FFA; Bird Forestry; $3,000.00

    23.  Mason Fults, Joaquin FFA; American State Bank; $2,500.00

    24.  Addison Whiteside, Shelby County 4-H; McAdam’s Propane; $2,500.00

    25.  Tucker Meyer, Center FFA; Shelby County Farm Bureau; $2,800.00

    26.  Trista Britt, Center FFA; Citizen’s Bank; $2,500.00

    27.  Naomie Meyers, Joaquin FFA; Cornerstone Construction, Shelby Veterinary 
Associates, Dean’s Hardware, Steel Building Supply and Worsham Grocery; $2,500.00

    28.  Hannah Hicks, Tenaha FFA; Covington Lumber; $3,100.00
    
    29.  Mason Perry, Center FFA; Tyson-Carthage; $2,700.00

    30.  Kenson LaRock, Center FFA; High Roller/Limitless Supply; $2,500.00

    31.  Emma Reese Whiteside, Shelby County 4-H; Pilgrim’s Pride; $2,700.00

    32.  Clayton Hinton; Shelbyville FFA; Despino’s Tire; $2,500.00

    33.  Eli Bush, Shelby County 4-H; 4B Trucking and DB Farms; $2,700.00

    34.  Emilee Elliott, Center FFA; Bird Forestry; $3,500.00

    35.  Jase Bird, Center FFA; Shelby Savings Bank, General Shelters and Campbell’s 
       Portable Buildings; $3,000.00

    36.  Carter Bell, Shelby County 4-H; Windham Family Dental, David & Renea Sanders 
       and Shelby County Today; $2,500.00

    37.  Baylee Whiteside, Shelby County 4-H; Tyson-Carthage; $2,250.00
    
    38.  Kadence Polley, Shelby County 4-H; K&L Contractors, ULTRA, Hammer Equipment, 
       Chris Taylor, Collin Hairgove and Marcus McCann; $2,500.00

    39.  Cori Lawson, Shelby County 4-H; Tyson-Center; $3,250.00

    40.  Camille Greer, Shelby County 4-H; Shelby County Farm Bureau; $3,000.00
   
Logan Williams, a senior at Shelbyville High School, will be awarded a $500 scholarship from Shelby Savings Bank for being the highest placing senior with his pen of broilers at Shelbyville’s awards ceremony.  

Thanks goes to Boles Feed for the purchase of the wing bands and the wing-banding for the broilers.

Thank you to 4-L Logging for donating the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion buckles.  
 
All exhibitors making the sale will receive a minimum of $3,250.00 with a donation received from Border’s Poultry Supply to increase auction proceeds. 

First Financial Bank added $50.00 to each pen.

Also contributing to the sale were: Bird/Crawford Forestry, Borders Poultry, Farmers State Bank, Shelby County Farm Bureau, Shelby Savings Bank, American State Bank, Ace Hardware, East Texas Poultry, High Roller Wells, Limitless Supply, Spartan Structures, Austin Bank-Timpson, Pilgrim's Pride, Portacool, Tyson-Carthage, Covington Lumber, Heritage Land Bank, Deep East Texas Electric, Despino's Tire, First Financial Bank, General Shelters, McAdams Propane, State Representative Chris Paddie, Hawkeye Hunting Club, East Texas Surveying & Mapping, Raymond Construction, Link Charolais, Ms. Odessa Link, Hammer Equipment, Chris Taylor, Collin Hairgrove, Marcus McCann, R&D Distributing, Fish & Still Equipment, 4B Trucking, DB Farms, Windham Family Dental, Cornerstone Construction, Shelby County Today, Shelby Veterinary Associates, Center Tire Company, Keith Oswalt Logging, Cititzens Bank, David & Renea Sanders, Mathews Real Estate, Sabine State Bank, Boles Feed, ULTRA, K&L Contractors, Mettauer Law Firm, Few Ready Mix, Wheeler Law Office, Smith Sawmill Services, 4-L Logging, Dairy Queen, Bounds Insurance, Light & Champion Newspaper, Elliott Waldren Title Co., Judge Allison Harbison, Ihlo Sales & Imports, Ward Animal Clinic, Dean's Hardware, Steel Building Supply, Shoop Financial, Worsham's Grocery, Hardy's Machine Shop, Action Credit, Payne's Rentals, Payne's Community News, Wayne Christian Financial

We would like to take this time to say thank you from the Shelby County 4-H and FFA members and the Broiler Show Committee to all the Contributors, for their generous contributions and to the many volunteers that help make the annual “Broiler Show and Auction” the great event that it is every year!
 

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Theatre students at Stephen F. Austin State University have prepared for their presentation of “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” in ways they have never experienced, even for the most seasoned actors and crew members.

With the world still in the throes of the COVID pandemic, all students – from freshmen to seniors – are taking extra precautions to keep each other safe while still trying to connect with their acting partners on stage, according to Crayten Clendion, senior from Cypress who has acted in numerous Mainstage plays at SFA.

“It’s different from previous years – from stage management to the cast,” she said.

Safety for actors and crew used to mean creating the stage scenic environment in a safe manner and keeping physical safety in mind while choreographing and blocking for a show. Today, the connotation of safety takes on a more earnest meaning, said Cleo House Jr., director of the School of Theatre and of the play.

“Like everyone, I’m processing what we’re living through on multiple levels,” House said. “Naturally, safety is a concern, but also of concern is our students’ development as artists. I think moving on with doing shows live has provided a sense of normalcy and stability. Rehearsing a show is partly about building community and ensemble. We’re in a time where many communities, for good reason, are fractured or don’t exist. Participating in this process is as much as much about preserving mental health of those who need to be around others as it is about serving our students pedagogically.”

Bert V. Royal’s “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” is a play about a teenage boy, CB, who begins to question the existence of an afterlife after his dog dies. The School of Theatre will present the show at 7:30 nightly Oct. 6 through 10 in Kennedy Auditorium on campus. It will also be live streamed.

Freshman Astrid Maldonado of Katy is new to collegiate performing, and her indoctrination to the Mainstage Series comes with wearing a mask.

“That’s what has challenged me the most – getting used to acting with a mask on and remembering to be aware of things I've never had to worry about before,” she said. “Covid-19, plus being in my first Mainstage at SFA, has been such a new experience, and I'm learning new things and trying to adjust to this environment. Everyone I have met and worked with has been a huge help in getting me accustomed.”

Despite the mask requirement, Maldonado still feels connected to her castmates.

“I’m grateful to be a part of my first Mainstage with such hardworking and talented people I can learn from,” she said. “Something that's surprised me is how fast the rehearsal process seemed to fly by. It feels like so much has happened in such a short amount of time.”

For Houston junior Nychollete Easter, assistant director of the play, a difference in directing today and directing pre-COVID is “a lot less face-to-face contact and staging.”

“We have to make sure that the actors are safe, but also that the show still looks good and not awkward,” she said. “There’s a lot of reworking scenes to adjust to a safety precaution that needs to be considered. Overall, there is just a bit more to consider this year.”

Regardless of the rehearsal circumstances, Easter hopes the audience, both in person and virtually, “gets the real-life aspects of the show.”

“The events that take place in the show are problems that are happening every day to teenagers all over the world,” Easter said. “These things are real problems that a lot of older adults don't see happen or choose to ignore. This show is very good at showing how grief affects a person no matter how popular or good looking they are. This show is meant to make people uncomfortable, because usually when people get uncomfortable, they want to change the thing that made them uncomfortable. I want the audience to want to bring about change so that issues like the ones discussed in the show are addressed.”

Clendion believes that the new lessons she is learning about preparing for a stage role in the midst of a pandemic will bode her well as she seeks employment post-graduation.

“The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is like a pre-professional program that teaches you how to be successful in the professional world of theatre,” she said. “My professors have supported and guided me so that I understand what life is like after graduation. They have shown me the tools that I will need in order to be successful.”

House said “Dog Sees God” is for mature audiences and would likely be rated R in movie terms, mostly due to language and subject matter.

Because of social distancing requirements, seating in Kennedy Auditorium will be limited for each performance. Patrons are required to wear face coverings. Actors on stage will not wear masks during live performances. However, performance areas are more than six feet away from patron seating.

General ticket prices are: adult, $15; senior (62+), $10; non-SFA student, $10; SFA faculty/staff, $7.50; youth, $7.50; SFA student, $5; virtual access, $15. Live virtual access is available for all performances. Purchase tickets/access at boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407. For questions about the play, contact the School of Theatre at (936) 468-4003.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The A Cappella Choir at Stephen F. Austin State University will present a virtual concert entitled “Autumn Splendor and Solemn Ritual” when the ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18.

The choir will perform works by composers from Slovenia, Germany, Italy and Norway, along with new music written in response to the COVID pandemic, according to Dr. Michael Murphy, director of choral activities in the SFA School of Music.

“The choral works represented on this concert are inspired from festive and solemn rituals composed from the 18th century to just a couple of weeks ago,” Murphy said.

The choir will dedicate “In Remembrance” by American composer Jeffery Ames “to all those who have lost their lives to COVID-19,” Murphy said. Dr. Charles Gavin, professor of horn at SFA, will join the choir for the tribute.

American composer Dan Forrest asked the choir to premiere his newest composition, “fermata,” that speaks of those who had to suspend performing because of the pandemic. The word ‘fermata” is Italian in origin and means a pause of unspecified length on a note or rest.

Other works on the program include music and/or arrangements by Damijan Mo?nik, J.S. Bach, Johannes Brahms, Ildebrando Pizzetti and more.

The concert will also feature graduate student conductors Greg Simmons of Tyler and David Zielke of Albany, Oregon. Dr. Ron Petti, professor and director of collaborative piano, will accompany.

Obtain free access to the online, live-streamed concert by visiting music.sfasu.edu on the night of the performance. For more information about the School of Music, contact (936) 468-4602.

CENTER VS CARTHAGE

@ CARTHAGE HIGH SCHOOL

October 9, 2020

***ALL TICKETS ARE PRE-SALE***
$5 PER TICKET REGARDLESS OF AGE
YOU MAY PURCHASE TICKETS @ CENTER HIGH SCHOOL
ATHLETIC OFFICE AS FOLLOWS:

-MONDAY & TUESDAY- 8AM TO 4:30PM
FAMILIES OF SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS ONLY
VARSITY FOOTBALL- 4 TICKETS PER PARTICIPANT

-WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY- GENERAL ADMISSION
 WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY- 8AM TO 4:30 PM

 FRIDAY- 8 AM TO NOON

Shelbyville v. West Hardin Football Game—Friday October 9—Pink Out Game—7:30 PM
All adult fans are expected to wear a face covering for admittance and practice social distancing while at the game.

 
Ticket prices are $5 (adults and children). 

All fans must have a ticket for admittance to the game.
Dragon Stadium will open its gates to fans for the purchase of General Admission home tickets at 6:15 p.m.

Please note:  parents of students who are participating in Friday’s home football contest, which includes football players, cheerleaders, band members, dance line and twirlers may purchase up to 2 presale tickets on Tuesday, October 6 and Wednesday, October 7 from 8:30 am – 1:30 pm at the Guard Booth.  Tickets are $5 each.  If a Friday night student participant needs more than two tickets for his/her family, additional tickets may be purchased at the ticket booth on Friday night prior to the game on a first come first serve basis. 

Visiting fans from West Hardin must purchase one of the allotted presale tickets sent to West Hardin High School to be admitted.  No visitors’ tickets will be sold at the gate. 
Visitors may not purchase home tickets or sit on the home side.

We look forward to seeing everyone at Friday’s home game!  Go Dragons! 
 

Center Noon Lions Club Truck Raffle Winner

Darren Vaughn

Broiler Show

Grand Champion of show Jacie Lee

Chicken Clucking Contest Ages 17 & Up

1st place  William Jacobs
2nd place  Clayton Paul Windham
3rd place  Logan Vincent

Wing-it Wing Eating Contest

1st Place Ray Fountain

Chicken Trot

1st Place Male Jacob Garcia 19, time 18:38

1st Place Female Caroline Chadwick 26, time 25:43

Photographer Contest Adults Division

Best of Show Lawrence Davis

Creative Art Show Adult Art

1st Place Jeannie Gaines

Creative Art Show Adult Woodwork

1st Place Frankie Desoto

Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) today announced $3.5 million in federal funding for nursing facilities to purchase plexiglass barriers and tents to allow for safe visitation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing facilities may apply for this funding through HHSC beginning October 5, 2020.

"As we open nursing facilities to essential caregivers and visitors, the State of Texas is working to protect the health and safety of both residents and their families," said Governor Abbott. "With this funding, we will help keep nursing facility residents and their families safe while ensuring that residents can be with their loved ones and receive the support they need." 

"This funding will enhance the health and safety of nursing facility residents and their families as facilities across the state welcome essential caregivers and other visitors, who are providing much-needed support to their loved ones," said HHSC Executive Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young.

Nursing facilities that complete an application and are approved by Texas HHSC can receive up to $3,000 per facility to purchase the plexiglass barriers and tents to help facilitate in-person visits for residents. The tents can be used for outdoor visitation and screening of visitors before they enter a facility. The plexiglass barriers can be used for indoor visits with residents for nursing facilities in counties with a COVID-19 positivity rate of less than 10 percent, per federal direction. People can have in-person visitation with their loved ones under the agency’s new expanded visitation rules, which apply statewide.

For more details on how to apply for funding, visit the Texas HHS website.

HHSC is allocating Civil Money Penalty (CMP) funds for these efforts. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services imposes CMPs against Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities found out of compliance with federal requirements. A portion of these funds is set aside for projects and activities that benefit nursing facility residents by improving their quality of care or quality of life.

“ENTERTAINING  ANGELS”
(PART THREE)

BY: NEAL  MURPHY

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”  ( Hebrews 13:2 )

Our daughter, Kay, had recently married and was living in St. Joseph, Missouri.  Our son, Doug, was attending college in the same city.  In the summer of 1980 my wife and I had enjoyed a weekend with them, driving there from our home in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Interstate 35W was still busy with traffic, even at 1:00 a.m. on this early Sunday morning as we returned.  About twenty-five miles north of Ft. Worth my 1975 Volkswagen Rabbit suddenly became a turtle, then a snail, and finally died.  I coasted over to the shoulder without power and stopped.  We looked at each other as we pondered our sudden predicament.

We had a few options, but none were desirable.  Should we lock the car with our luggage inside, and attempt to find a telephone?  Should I do this alone, or should we both walk?  I really did not want to leave my wife alone in a disabled car on the side of an interstate freeway.

I took inventory of any open convenience stores or gas stations on the feeder road, but nothing was in view.  My wife began to pray for God’s assistance while I opened the hood and peered inside.  I saw nothing dramatic under the hood, however not being a mechanic I was not totally surprised.  A large truck passed by so closely that the wind almost blew me over.  We needed help fast.

About that time a man in a pickup truck pulled off on the shoulder ahead of us.  He exited his vehicle and walked back to me, a big smile on his face. “You out of gas?”,  he asked me.  “I don’t think so as my gauge showed about half a tank.  The engine just suddenly stopped as though a switch was flipped”, I reported to him.  “Well, I have a five-gallon tank of gas in the truck bed, let’s put a couple of gallons in there and see what happens.”

I did not see any writing on the side of his pick up, and wondered about this Good Samaritan.  Who was he, and what was his game?  I felt that I needed to be on alert in case he was planning something sinister.

Then he appeared at the rear of my Rabbit with the gas can.  After putting in a couple of gallons, I attempted to start the car, but it would not co-operate.  “I guess you were right about the gas”, he stated.  “We’ll have to do something else.”  I decided it was time to smoke him out.  “Do you work for AAA, or a towing company?” I asked, watching him closely.  “No, I don’t”, he replied while handing me a business card.  “I am a member of the CB Rescue Club of Fort Worth.  We volunteer to patrol the freeways on week ends looking for people in trouble like yourself.”  That sounded reasonable to me at the time.

“Where do you folks live?” he asked.  “Gosh, we live in Wedgwood.  That is a long way southeast of here, maybe fifty miles”, I replied.  “No problem, folks, just grab your luggage and get in the truck and I will drive you home”, he offered.  I hated to leave my Rabbit stranded on the freeway.  It would probably be towed away overnight.  But, his offer seemed the best one on the table under the circumstances.  It was now close to 2 in the morning.

He drove us to the driveway of our home.  He seemed like a really nice, pleasant fellow.  We invited him into our home so he could relax a few minutes.  We would not normally have taken that chance, but felt compelled to help him in return.  My wife made some sandwiches, opened some chips and a Coke.  He seemed to be hungry, though he refused to sit on our furniture because “he would get it dirty”.  He admired my Kel Light, a flashlight used by police officers, so I gave it to him.

We thanked him for his kind assistance.  He refused any money as payment for his expenses.  He reported that his wife was in the hospital and that he needed to go be with her.  Then he left.  I looked at his business card.  It gave his name along with “Tarrant County CB Rescue Club”, and a telephone number.  

My wife thought it would be a nice gesture to call his club the next day and thank them for their help.  However, the phone number was not good.  I tried to locate the man in the telephone book.  We could never locate him or his organization.  The man appeared suddenly, and disappeared mysteriously.  Suppose we had entertained an angel unawares?

Notice is hereby given that a Special meeting of the Governing body of the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court will be held on the 7th day of October, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. in the Courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse at 200 San Augustine Street, Center, Shelby County, Texas to deliberate and consider action on the following items:

1.     Approve and pay weekly expenses.

2.    Public comments on Agenda item.

3.     Discuss and possibly approve the Grant Application for the 2021 Indigent Defense Formula Grant Program.

4.    Discuss and possibly approve the Resolution to apply for the 2021 Indigent Defense Formula Grant Program.

5.    Discuss and possibly take action on the disposition of the salvage property from the Expo Center which includes boards and steel tresses.

6.    Recommendation by Shelby County Historical Commission to abate the asbestos in the Historical Courthouse Annex.

7.    Review and possibly approve Tax Trust bid for Cause # 19CV-23,303, Shelby County, Tenaha Independent School District and City of Tenaha VS. Heirs of Ann Evans, Deceased.

8.    Review and possibly approve Tax Trust bid for Cause # 08CV-30,130, Shelby County, Tenaha Independent School District and City of Tenaha.

9.    Discuss the Tax Sale of Property in District Court cause # 18CV34348 and possibly approve the Resolution regarding the transaction. 

10.    Discuss the bid process for tires, gravel, etc.

11.    Commissioner Pct. 3 to discuss putting rock on a private drive County Road 3801.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

12.    An executive session will be held for the purpose of consulting with the law firm of Flowers and Davis. This closed session is authorized by the Texas Open Meeting Act, Texas Government Code Section 551.071.

13.    Reopen Special meeting.

14.    Discuss and possibly make a decision on issues discussed in the Executive Session.

15.    Adjourn.
 

Joaquin 26

Garrison 17

San Augustine 49

West Hardin 0

Tenaha 41

Colmesneil 0

Carthage 35

Pleasant Grove 7

(Thursday Game)

Timpson 41

Shelbyville 25

The Timpson and Shelbyville football game final score Timpson Bears 41 and Shelbyville Dragons 25.

The Joaquin Rams will take on the Garrison Bulldogs in a home game Friday, Oct 2 at 7:30 p.m. the game will be broadcast on KQBB 100.5 FM with Don Wall giving you your play by play action.

The San Augustine Wolves will take on West Hardin in West Hardin Friday, Oct 2 at 7:30 p.m. the game will be broadcast on KXXE 92.5 FM with Tracy Broadway giving you your play by play action.

The Shelbyville Dragons will take on the Timpson Bears in Shelbyville on Thursday, Oct 1 at 7:30 p.m. the game will be broadcast on KQBB 100.5 FM with Don Wall giving you your play by play action.

The Tenaha Tigers will take on Comesneil in an away game on Friday, October 2 at 7 p.m.

The Center Roughriders will have a bye this week.

Participants Will Continue to Walk as Individuals, Families or Small Teams

on Sidewalks, Tracks and Trails across the Nacogdoches area in Wake of COVID 

The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Nacogdoches  residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s^® on October 17.

Instead of hosting a large gathering, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging participants to walk as individuals or in small groups on sidewalks, tracks and trails across the Nacogdoches area. 

“This year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be everywhere,” said Wendy Vizek, vice president, constituent events at the Alzheimer’s Association. “The pandemic is changing how we walk, but it doesn’t change the need to walk. This year, more than ever, we need to come together to support all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. With the dollars raised, the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to provide care and support to families during these difficult times while also advancing critical research toward methods of treatment and prevention.”

Time-honored components of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s are being replicated. On Walk day, an Opening Ceremony will feature KICKS 105 personality Danny Merrell  and a presentation of Promise Flowers to honor the personal reasons participants join together to fight Alzheimer’s and all other dementia, all delivered to participants' smartphones, tablets and computers.

To enhance the participant experience leading up to the event and on Walk day, new features are being added to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app to create an opportunity for the community to connect. Participants can use the app and new “Walk Mainstage'' to track their steps and distance, follow a virtual Walk path, manage their Facebook fundraisers, and access  information and resources from the Association and Walk sponsors to help individuals and families affected by the disease. A new audio track is available to encourage participants along the way and to congratulate them upon completion of their Walk.

“Alzheimer’s is not taking a hiatus during COVID-19 and neither are we,” said Crystal Capps, Walk manager.  “We must continue Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and we are working with all participants to ensure they have a powerful and moving experience that is felt when we are together. Many of our constituents are at higher risk when it comes to COVID-19 and we know that our volunteers and participants appreciate our commitment to keeping all involved healthy and safe.”

More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease – the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 16 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Texas alone, there are more than 400,000 people living with the disease and over a million caregivers. 

To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Nacogdoches Walk to End Alzheimers, visit: alz.org/walk. 

BEAUMONT, Texas - U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox announced today that 17 individuals have been arrested in the Eastern District of Texas pursuant to a federal indictment which alleges drug trafficking and firearms violations.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment on Sep. 17, 2020, charging the following individuals with drug and gun crimes:

            Jonathan Limbrick, 43, of Jasper, Texas;

            Rhonda Monschelle Felder, 36, of Houston, Texas;

            Deandre Romerus Limbrick, 44, of Jasper, Texas;

            Terrence Neil Bronson, 51, of Jasper, Texas;

            Don Raynard Larkin, 46, of Beaumont, Texas;

            Cedrick Demond Hunt, 42, of Beaumont, Texas;

            Dominic Devonte Limbrick, 26, of Jasper, Texas;

            Crystal Michelle Carruth, 39, of Jasper, Texas

            Alisha Nicole Cleveland, 31, of Vidor, Texas;

            Corey Devond McQueen, 34, of Jasper, Texas;

            James Parker, 48, of Jasper, Texas;

            Ernest Houston, 60, of Jasper, Texas;

            Curtis Brumley, 44, of Jasper, Texas;

            Russell Limbrick, 36, of Jasper, Texas;

            Calvin Jewan Bell, 36, of Jasper, Texas;

            Shana Brooks, 39, of Brookeland, Texas; and

            Thomas Hadnot, 41, of Kirbyville, Texas.                

The defendants were arrested by a joint law enforcement task force today and will make initial appearances in federal court next week. 

According to court documents, the defendants are charged with possession and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.  This joint DEA and ATF operation began in 2018 when agents learned of a Jasper, Texas-based methamphetamine trafficking organization allegedly distributing large amounts of methamphetamine throughout Southeast Texas.

This is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case and is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Jasper Police Department, the Beaumont Police Department; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Jasper County District Attorney’s Office; the Vidor Police Department; the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; the Orange County Sheriff’s Office; and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Service.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.  OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country and its mission is to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States. The prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency task forces leverage the authorities and expertise of federal, state, and local law enforcement.

An indictment is not evidence of guilt.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Commissioner Pct. 4 is taking sealed bids on Ferguson model 6 Roller Compactor, 1999 Ford F350 Cab and Chassis, and 2007 Chevrolet pickup truck.

Bids can be dropped off at the County Judges Office at 200 San Augustine Street  2nd floor

Bids must be in by October 19, 2020 by 4:30 P.M

Sealed bids will be opened October 21, 2020 in Commissioners Court

Contact Commissioner Pct. 4 Tom Bellmyer for any information. 936-254-4571

Available for viewing at 13371 State Hwy 87  from 6:30A.M -3:00P.M Monday –Friday

Thank you