Miller Grove FFA August 2024 Spotlight Points Out that the Hamburger Supper was a Success
August 30, 2024 – The Miller Grove FFA August 2024 Spotlight highlights how the Hamburger Supper was a huge hit! The hamburger supper took place on August 19, 2024. They had a great turnout. The August Spotlight also points out that September 6, 2024 is the deadline for floral subscription Miller Grove FFA Apparel orders. It also points out that September 30, 2024, is the deadline for FFA dues meat fundraiser. The Miller Grove FFA August Spotlight also points out that they had FFA members compete in various shows over this Summer.
The Next Miller Grove FFA Meetings are Scheduled for September 19th
August 30, 2024 – The next Miller Grove FFA Meetings are scheduled for September 19, 2024. The Miller Grove Jr FFA Meeting will take place from 4:30pm to 5:30pm on September 19th. The meeting will be held at the Miller Grove Multi Purpose Building.
The next Miller Grove FFA Chapter Meeting is scheduled for September 19th, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. This meeting will be held at the Miller Grove Multi Purpose Building. Be sure to join in on all the fun.
4-H is a Global Youth Development Organization that Empowers Young People by Mario Villarino
August 30, 2024 – 4-H is a global youth development organization that empowers young people with the skills they need to succeed in life. Originating in the United States over a century ago, 4-H focuses on “learning by doing,” encouraging youth to engage in hands-on projects in areas like agriculture, science, health, and citizenship. The name “4-H” represents the four personal development areas the organization aims to cultivate: Head (thinking and managing), Heart (relating and caring), Hands (giving and working), and Health (being and living). Youth ages 8 to 18 can participate in 4-H, and programs are available in urban, suburban, and rural areas, making it accessible to a wide range of participants. Members work on projects that interest them, from raising animals to robotics, gardening, photography, and leadership activities. These projects are often showcased at county fairs or other local events. 4-H also emphasizes community involvement, leadership, and public speaking, helping members develop critical life skills. Through a network of clubs, camps, and after-school programs, 4-H connects youth with mentors and peers, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose. Supported by cooperative extension systems at land-grant universities, 4-H continues to grow, with millions of members across the U.S. and around the world.
To enroll in 4-H through the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, you typically need to follow these steps:
1. **Visit the 4-H Online Enrollment Site**: Go to [4-H Online](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://v2.4honline.com/__;!!KwNVnqRv!DJugR7V3rYn8Ml0AL2JykQhuSVP1FHIaU6YvAMX0NwARQr3bGoLtwPNNf_SBf5bXjQ_b7kbcGDXEbAVf5veBGRHI$ ), which is the main platform used for enrolling in 4-H programs.
2. **Create or Log In to Your Account**: If you’re a new member, you’ll need to create an account. If you’ve enrolled before, you can log in using your existing credentials.
3. **Complete the Enrollment Form**: Fill out the required information, including personal details, emergency contacts, and any health information that may be necessary.
4. **Select Your Club and Projects**: Choose a local 4-H club to join, and then select the projects or activities you’re interested in.
5. **Pay the Enrollment Fee**: There may be an enrollment fee required, which varies depending on your location and the programs you’re signing up for. Payment can usually be made online through the 4-H Online system.
6. **Submit Your Enrollment**: Once everything is filled out and paid for, submit your enrollment for review.
7. **Confirmation**: You’ll receive a confirmation once your enrollment is processed and accepted. Your local 4-H office may contact you with additional information.
For more specific details or assistance, you can visit the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s 4-H website: https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/ or contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443
Sulphur Springs City Council Has Full Agenda for September Meeting
August 30, 2024 – The regular meeting of the Sulphur Springs City Council will take place at City Hall Tuesday, September 3rd with the public portion of the meeting starting at 7:00 pm. Council members and city staff will begin an executive session at 6:00 pm to deliberate economic development for portions of Thermo Mine property known as Thermo 2 and Thermo 3. Executive session meetings are closed to the public.
The regular meeting agenda contains several ordinances for the council to consider including items for final budget and setting the tax rate for the upcoming year. New water and sewer rates are also listed on the agenda as ordinances for first reading and ultimately will be brought back to the council at a later meeting for final approval. The full agenda can be seen below.
Solar, Wind, and Carbon, OH MY!!
August 29, 2024 – Hopkins County residents have been inundated with the promise (or threat) of green energy projects needing thousands of acres in different parts of the county. Many solar plant projects already have been approved, built, and operating, but more solar companies are leasing land and asking for tax abatements. The green energy projects keep expanding and now include wind (huge windmills), Carbon Capture (C02 gasses pumped underground) and Lithium (brine water extraction). Add to these projects, Hopkins County has already approved a Lithium Battery Storage Facility and has been contacted to approve a CryptoCurrency Mining Facility. Currently, the end seems no where in sight as outside companies want to gobble up Hopkins County real estate, mostly by leasing, to profit off the land that so many families depend upon.
The City of Sulphur Springs has already given their stamp of approval on a Lithium Extraction Project for the old Thermo Mine Land, with one council member, Jay Julian, singing the praises of the company contracted with the city and urging residents to do their own “due diligence” by visiting the company’s website. Jay Julian touts this project as a “done deal” but companies are still visting landowners to try and shore up more leases in the area as the company reportedly wants to pull the water from over 30,000 acres.
The Hopkins County Commissioner’s Court has felt the backlash of neighbors against various projects as they move through the process on each project of defining a reinvestment zone to considering tax abatement levels for each company. Residents still feel that they are not fully informed about the projects ahead of time, nor do they feel that Hopkins County is adequately protecting those neighbors from the project. Hopkins County is now utilizing a consultant, Jeff Snowden, to help the county naviagte the process, even adopting new “Guidelines and Criteria for Granting Tax Abatements” in September of 2023. This 19-page document lays out the requirements for companies wanting a tax abatement including project size, road repair responsibilities, and number of new jobs created as well as many other factors. In the end, for most projects, Hopkins County favors a 100% tax abatement on the improvements (usually the building, machinery, windmills, solar panels, etc.) and defines a set payment for the county to receive over the first 10 years of the project. This is called Payment in Lieu of Taxes or PILOT and attempts to let the county “lock-in” the amount of dollars the county will receive over the taxable period without a variation caused by depreciation or a decreasing tax rate.
Some may argue that these companies would not come to Hopkins County and make any investment unless they get a tax reduction. Others may say that Hopkins County would not have any control over the project without a Reinvestment Zone or Tax Abatement. Either or both may be true but the business of dealing with multi-billion dollar companies tends to be difficult.
These companies are identifying rural areas for two reasons: (1) there is a lot of vacant land, and (2) there is little to no oversight on these projects. This is happening in rural counties all over Texas and across the country, and most, if not all, counties are behind in their planning. Twenty years ago, no one thought to have regulations for solar, wind, carbon, or brine because these industries did not exist. Fast forward to 2020 and the flood gates opened for green energy projects as federal funding and tax credits became available for these companies to pour millions of dollars into huge projects. Unfortunately, rural counties and residents are unsure what the future holds for the life of these projects and what long-term effects they may have on the land and the neighbors.
Future Projects
Carbon Capture
Tenaska (Carbon Capture) is the latest company to address the Hopkins County Commissioner’s Court with an informational presentation describing a 20,000 acre area that they hope to lease and build a pipeline (possibly from Texarkana) to pump liquified CO2 deep into the ground. It would seem that Tenaska needs to sign up every landowner in the 20,000 acre area that they have identified, as they are pumping the CO2 deep into the substructure and are unable to predict exactly where that product will end up. The project is also dependent upon getting the liquified CO2 from the business or factory producing it out to the capture field through a pipeline which would cross literally hundreds of landowners from Hopkins County to Texarkana. The term “eminent domain” comes up for this project, as some landowners reluctant to lease their land for the project could be forced to lease or sell their land at a rate determined by someone else for the “greater public good.” The long term effects for this process, on this scale, are unknown at this time.
Lithium Mining from Brine Extraction
Extracting valuable lithium from water deposits deep underground involves drilling a well, pumping out the water, extracting the lithium from the water and then pumping the residual water back down into the same area from which it came. The leases on the land for this process prove to be complicated as currently the water that they pump out of the ground belongs to the surface landowner (not the mineral rights owner). Also, there are several different lithium extraction methods used once the water gets to the surface, some of which may be damaging to the environment. The companies employed to secure land leases (from the surface owner) are offering a one time payment up front and then a royalty share on the lithium extracted. Anyone receiving an offer on their land for this or any project should consult an attorney before signing anything.
Apex Clean Energy
The term “wind farm” may sound pleasant but these giant windmills which could reach 800 feet tall or higher are massive structures that can be noisy and contain a massive amount of hydraulic oil at the hub. Apex Clean Energy has expressed their desire to lease anywhere between 10,000 to 14,000 acres to erect approximately 100 turbines across the county to connect to either of the two transmission lines that traverse our county. They are seeking mostly contiguous land to line up these windmills in order to easily connect them back to the grid. Representatives of Apex have been busy sigining leases with interested land owners and are committed to coming to Hopkins County with or without a tax abatement. But, Hopkins County officials continue to explore the option of granting Apex a tax abatement to have more control over the project. Apex revealed to KSST News that they offer what they call a “good neighbor lease” to adjoining land owners who may be affected by a windmill on a neighboring property. KSST News research shows that these neighboring leases also allows Apex to build their windmills with fewer restrictions closer to neighboring property.
CryptoCurrency Mining Facility
The Hopkins County Commissioner’s Court received a letter from Harbor Blocktech indicating their intentions of building a cryptocurrencty mining facility in the southwestern portion of the county. Other communities have fought these installations as some feel they are noisy and obtrusive. It is not clear at this time if Harbor Blocktech or their agents will be asking for a tax abatement. KSST News reached out to agents of Harbor Blocktech and did not receive a response.
What’s Next?
It is anyone’s guess as to what the next “big project” to come to Hopkins County may be, but rest assured any company looking for lots of open land and few restrictions will have Hopkins County in their sights. The appeal of any additional tax revenue is very attractive to county officials as these companies promise and quickly agree to PILOT payments for the first 10 years, but simply not enough time has passed from the first project to the last request to know exactly what can happen. Other green energy projects in other counties sit abandonded and damaged with no cleanup in sight. One can only assume that the company has defaulted on their contract and not continuing to pay their reduced taxes or PILOT or whatever agreement they had.
In these past few years since the first solar plant was proposed, Hopkins County has instituted new subdivision rules and restrictions, new “wrecking yard” restrictions, and tougher septic and clearwater rules for county residents, but there are still no restrictions to build a solar plant, battery plant, windmills, or brine extraction plant……unless you want a tax abatement, and even then most restrictions are no different than state minimums. The restrictions for some or lack of restrictions for others do not fit what many say, “a person can do what they want on their own land.”
Attorney General Ken Paxton Makes Good on Promise to Sue Texas State Fair
August 30, 2024 – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the City of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas for unlawfully prohibiting firearms from government-owned public property in violation of Texas law.
Earlier in August, the Office of the Attorney General gave the City of Dallas fifteen days’ notice to reverse the Texas State Fair’s recently announced prohibition of firearms in Fair Park before a lawsuit would be filed. Fair Park is owned by the City of Dallas which contracts with the State Fair of Texas for the management of the annual fair. Since state law permits gun owners to carry in places owned or leased by government entities unless otherwise statutorily prohibited, the prohibition represented an unlawful infringement on Texans’ legal rights. Dallas and the State Fair have refused to comply with state law.
Attorney General Paxton asked the court to grant injunctive relief to prevent the City of Dallas or the State Fair of Texas from enforcing the unlawful ban on firearms.
“Municipalities cannot nullify state law nor can they avoid accountability by contracting official functions to nominally third parties,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Neither the City of Dallas nor the State Fair of Texas can infringe on Texans’ right to self-defense. I warned fifteen days ago that if they did not end their unlawful conduct I would see them in court, and now I will.”
Big Lots Stores May Close Soon
August 29, 2024 – Big Lots Stores may soon be a thing of the past. The discount giant is considering a potential bankruptcy filing and may seek court protection within weeks.
The company is scrambling to find investors with cash in hand to prop up the company and avoid Chapter 11.
Share of BIG fell 27 percent in extended trading and have lost nearly 88 percent of their value this year.
The closest Big Lots store in operation is here.
CHRISTUS Health Celebrates Community Partners for Fighting food Insecurity in Northeast Texas
August 29, 2024 – (TYLER, Texas) – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System recognized 10 organizations from Northeast Texas as part of the annual community benefit breakfast this week. .
The groups were honored Tuesday for their work in fighting food insecurity in the region.
“These organizations play a vital role in meeting community needs, and we are blessed to partner and collaborate with them in changing the fabric of our communities,” said Crissy Chanslor, program manager for community benefits.
Those honored were:
The Dinner Bell, Sulphur Springs
Hopkins County Christian Alliance
Winnsboro Community Resource Center and Food Pantry
Winnsboro Volunteer Fire Department
H.O.P.E. (Helping Other Pursue Enrichment), Jacksonville
Henderson County HELP Center
East Texas Food Bank
St. Vincent de Paul, Tyler
Oak Grove Church of God in Christ
North Tyler Developmental Academy
“At CHRISTUS Health, we are guided by our mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, so our success and our growth translate directly to our community,” said Chris Glenney, senior vice president for group operations, CHRISTUS Northeast Texas. “We are always asking ‘how can we invest in this place, in these people? How can we make an impact with our partners where it counts the most?’ That’s what our Community Benefit Program is all about.”
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CHRISTUS Health Awards More Than $3.3 Million to Non-profit Organizations
Four Northeast Texas groups from the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances ministry received funds totaling $300,000 for community health initiatives
August 29, 2024 – (TYLER, Texas) – CHRISTUS Health is proud to announce the distribution of more than $3.3 million to 47 non-profit organizations across Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico through the CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund.
Four groups in Northeast Texas received funds collectively totaling $300,000. The announcement came at an event on Tuesday.
Selected organizations were awarded the funds for programs addressing critical social determinants of health in the communities they serve. Priority issues include chronic disease management, mental health and well-being, safe housing, and food insecurity.
The recipient organizations are:
- Carevide in Sulphur Springs
- Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County
- People Attempting to Help (PATH) in Tyler
- St. Vincent de Paul in Tyler
“We saw a need for support within local CHRISTUS communities and knew we had to create more ways to contribute and collaborate with local organizations beyond community benefit dollars,” said Jessica Guerra, CHRISTUS Health program manager for community development. “This fund allows us to invest in the programs helping to improve our communities.”
The CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund launched in 2011 and is a CHRISTUS Health initiative supporting programs led by local organizations responding to the needs of the community and improving its health and well-being.
Since inception, CHRISTUS Health has invested more than $22 million in the communities it serves.
The CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund will open its next applications process on Oct. 1. For more information or to apply, visit our website: www.christushealth.org/connect/fund
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CBP Officers Seize $910K in Methamphetamine at Hidalgo International Bridge
August 29, 2024 – HIDALGO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers at Hidalgo International Bridge this week seized more than $910,000 in methamphetamine in a single enforcement action.
“Our frontline CBP officers continue to maintain their vigilance as summer travel traffic begins to fade and their effective application of inspection skill and technology yielded this significant seizure,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Laredo Port of Entry “These types of seizures perfectly illustrate CBP’s efforts to protect our communities from the harm caused by the smuggling of hard narcotics.”
The seizure occurred on Aug. 27 at the Hidalgo International Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2009 Dodge driven by a 48-year-old female lawful permanent U.S. resident for secondary inspection. CBP officers conducted a secondary examination that included utilization of a non-intrusive inspection system and CBP canines. Upon conducting a closer physical examination, CBP officers discovered 95 packages containing a total of 101.89 pounds of alleged methamphetamine hidden within the vehicle. The narcotics had a street value of $910,903.
CBP seized the narcotics and vehicle. Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested the driver and initiated a criminal investigation.
