Como-Pickton School District Bond Passes
November 7, 2023 – With 582 votes cast in the Como-Pickton Consolidated Independent School District $29 Million bond election, 63% were in favor of the much needed repairs and enhancements the bond will provide. Votes “for” the bond exceeded “against” on election day as well as in early voting. A total of 367 votes for the measure were made up of 5 absentee, 215 early, and 147 on election day. Those totals eclipsed the against votes of 215 made up of 4 absentee, 99 early and 112 on election day.
TxDOT’S Push to End 23 Years of Fatalities on Texas Roads
Roadway crashes have claimed at least one life every day for more than 20 years
AUSTIN – It almost happened. The long and heartbreaking 23-year streak of daily deaths on Texas highways almost ended. Almost.
On one day in February, Texas experienced a single traffic fatality – well below the average of 12 roadway deaths that occur daily on roadways statewide.
While fewer fatalities is worth noting, the sad fact remains that the streak of daily deaths has continued since Nov. 7, 2000. But that momentary improvement illustrates that the push for engineering safety enhancements and public education can produce positive results. The harsh reality remains, however, that the deadly streak continues and more than 83,000 people have lost their lives on roadways since the streak began.
“Each life lost means a family, neighborhood and community are impacted for a lifetime, and we take safety very seriously as we work to end this horrible streak,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “But it’s going to take all of us working together to get this done.”
TxDOT has committed to enhancing safety on Texas roads, investing $17 billion in safety improvements through the state’s 10-year plan. TxDOT has also developed new changes that may seem small, but could have a major impact:
- Increasing the size of pavement striping from 4 inches to 6 inches. This enhances the visibility of striping on the roadways and encourages drivers to slow down.
- Providing a wider centerline buffer between double yellow stripes with rumble strips or raised pavement markers on undivided highways to alert drivers when they cross the centerline.
- Building innovative intersections like roundabouts, where appropriate, can decrease fatalities at intersections by 90%.
- Implementing a “Safer by Design” program to give roadway designers a way to model safety performance from most of the key design elements used in projects.
Engineering, education and enforcement will always be the key components of traffic safety programs.
While TxDOT builds engineering improvements, drivers can help keep themselves safe on the road. For example, 48% of deaths on Texas roads are from people not wearing their seatbelt inside a vehicle. That one click can have a major impact on fatalities. We all have a shared responsibility to keep our roads and fellow drivers safe.
TxDOT is asking all Texans to do any or all the following to raise awareness:
- Make the best and safest decisions behind the wheel, don’t drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs; always obey traffic laws; always wear your seatbelt.
- Post pictures on social media with this downloadable sign displaying the hashtag #EndTheStreakTX.
- Share personal stories on social media of loved ones who have been lost in a crash and use the hashtag #EndTheStreakTX.
- Follow @txdot social media pages and share the content we post.
Together, we can save lives and end this streak of daily deaths.
Subjects Offered at Paris Junior College Range From Psychology to Welding and Beyond
November 7, 2023 – cutline:
Psychology Lesson
Caroline Gibson of Sulphur Springs, a student at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center, listens and makes notes as Psychology Instructor Marla Elliott discusses topics in her class.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
Economic Forecaster Dr. Ray Perryman is Returning for the Economic Outlook Conference
Mark your calendars now for December 12, 11:30-1:00. Renowned analyst and economic forecaster Dr. Ray Perryman is returning for the Economic Outlook Conference at the Hopkins County Civic Center, sponsored by the Sulphur Springs EDC. Tickets are $25 and include a catered lunch. Tickets available through the Hopkins County Chamber, 903-885-6515.
Dr. Ray Perryman is President and CEO of The Perryman Group, an economic research and analysis firm based in Waco, Texas.
He holds a BS in Mathematics from Baylor University and a PhD in Economics from Rice University. He always felt that the BS would have been somehow more appropriate for Economics. He took his first economics course on a coin flip between economics and psychology. If it had gone the other way, there might be some really messed up people in the world. In addition to his earned degrees, Dr. Perryman has received an honorary doctorate from the International Institute for Advanced Studies. After that one, he told his kids they had to start calling him “Doctor Doctor.” They preferred dork, dweeb, nerd, geek, and loser (on a good day).
Dr. Perryman has held numerous academic positions in his career, including ten years as Herman Brown Professor of Economics and five years as University Professor and Economist-in-Residence at Baylor University, as well as five years as Business Economist-in-Residence at Southern Methodist University. He has authored several books and more than 400 academic papers, and served as President of both the Southwestern Economic Association and the Southwestern Society of Economists. His current academic roles include Senior Research Fellow of the IC2 Institute of the University of Texas and Institute Distinguished Professor of Economic Theory and Method at the International Institute for Advanced Studies. He also lives in Odessa while working in Waco, is the father of five young Texans (ages 35-41—although some temporarily reside elsewhere) and the grandfather of five, gets lost on his own block (he lives on a circle), and once ran one of his cars into another one.
In the professional arena, Dr. Perryman has authored more than 3,000 trade articles, publishes a subscription forecasting service and a monthly newsletter, writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column, hosts a daily radio commentary, and appears regularly on National Public Radio (NPR). His firm engages in a broad range of complex projects for major corporate and governmental interests and has served the needs of more than 3,000 clients, including 12 cabinet departments, over half of the Fortune 100, two-thirds of the Global 25, and the 12 largest technology firms, six largest energy companies, and the five largest financial institutions in the world. In other words, he is an obsessive-compulsive workaholic.
Dr. Perryman has been called a “genius” by The Wall Street Journal, a “world class scholar” by Business Week, the “unofficial state economist” by The New York Times, “the most quoted man in Texas” by Texas Monthly, “the conscience of Texas” by NPR, and, his personal favorite, “the state’s premiere barbecue connoisseur” by The Dallas Morning News. What his wife calls him can’t be repeated in mixed company.
Dr. Perryman has received hundreds of prestigious awards for his academic and professional efforts. He has been named the Outstanding Young Economist and Social Scientist in the US, the Outstanding Young Person in the World in Business and Economic Innovation, one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans and Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the World. It is highly unlikely that he will ever receive another award with the word “Young” in it, or even “Middle-Aged” for that matter.
Dr. Perryman has been honored by The Democracy Foundation for his role in promoting capitalism in China, The Asia and World Institute for promoting international trade and academic exchange, and the Systems Research Foundation for his contributions to the field of modeling (that would be “economic” modeling, not “fashion” modeling; he seems to think there might be some confusion). He has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Institute for Advanced Studies. He was skeptical about that one, thinking it was something you received just before you croaked. He has never played in the NBA, but he has played in Wilson Pickett’s band, sang the National Anthem at a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, and had his name and picture in lights on the marquee in Times Square.
Dr. Perryman has received citations from governments around the world, presidents, governors, Congress, and national and state administrative and legislative bodies, and has been nominated for the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel (Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics). He has received far more citations from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Some of his most gratifying work has been in the field of economic development, where he has played a key role in the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs. He is pleased that, at long last, some of his kids actually hold some of those jobs. He devotes a substantial portion of his time to pro bono efforts seeking solutions to major social problems such as poverty, hunger, indigent health care, and child maltreatment. He is a past recipient of the Outstanding Texas Leader Award and has been honored by the Texas Legislature for his “tireless efforts in helping to build a better Texas.” Dr. Perryman was selected as the 2012 Texan of the Year by the Texas Legislative Conference, received the 2013 Baylor University Distinguished Service Medal, was inducted into the Texas Leadership Hall of Fame in 2014, received the 2016 Cesar E. Chavez Legacy Award for his humanitarian efforts, was named the Most Dynamic Economic Researcher in the US in 2018 by Global Business Insights, received the 2019 Chairman’s Award for Lifetime Achievement in Economic Development from the International Economic Development Council, was selected for the 2019 “Go Global” Award from the International Trade Council as the outstanding global economic analyst for his work on trade, energy, the environment, and other international issues, and named the Best Economic Research Service in the US in 2021 by Corp Today Magazine. He is also an honorary Kilgore Rangerette, although his high kick leaves a lot to be desired, so he is not yet on the traveling squad (but there is always next year!!).
Chamber Connection for November 7
Chamber Connection – Nov. 7
By Butch Burney
Get an inside look at next year’s economic forecast with Dr. Ray Perryman.
The Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce and Sulphur Springs/Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation are happy to announce that Dr. Ray Perryman, a renowned economist, will be headlining the Economic Outlook Conference scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 12, at the Hopkins County Civic Center.
Perryman was a regular speaker at the conference but hasn’t appeared here in five years. It’s time for his return.
Perryman is an author, syndicated columnist, consultant, financial analyst, and economic forecaster. His syndicated daily radio commentary, “The Perryman Report,” is broadcast daily on the Texas State Networks. He also appears regularly on National Public Radio’s “Marketplace” and is frequently quoted in print, broadcast, and electronic media.
Perryman is a former professor at Baylor University and is currently Senior Research Fellow of the IC2 Institute at the University of Texas at Austin and Distinguished Professor at the International Institute for Advanced Studies. He serves on numerous corporate and civic boards and has won many prestigious awards for his achievements in academics and public service.
Sponsorships are available for $500 for a table of eight, $375 for a table for six and $250 for a table for four. Sponsorships will include corresponding recognition at the conference and leading up to the event. Individual tickets are $25 each.
For more information, contact the Chamber at 903-885-6515 or [email protected].
Cocktails and Conversation
Plan now to attend our next Cocktails and Conversation, the new name for our revamped Business After Hours, at Clarion Pointe on Industrial Drive on Thursday, Dec. 7, from 5-6 p.m. Cocktails and Conversation will be held the first Thursday of every month, from 5-6 p.m., and for December, the Clarion Pointe staff will welcome everyone to their meeting room on Dec. 7.
This is a casual networking event and happy hour. You don’t have to be a Chamber member to attend.
Ornaments and Stew Merch
Our 2023 Christmas Ornaments, featuring the Dairy Festival, are on sale at the Chamber office. We also have a limited supply of 2022 ornaments if you missed last year’s sale. They are $40 each.
The Chamber also has a limited supply of 2023 stew merchandise still available. This includes a few shirts, tumblers, mugs and hoodies. We are located at 110 Main St.
2023 Award Nominations
Nominations are being accepted for Citizen of the Year, Woman of the Year, Small and Large Businesses of the Year and other superlative recognitions. The awards will be announced at the Chamber’s membership banquet on Thursday, Feb. 15, at the Hopkins County Civic Center.
Nominations can be sent to [email protected] or mailed to the following addresses:
Citizen of the Year—Chamber of Commerce—110 Main Street, SS, TX 75482.
Woman of the Year—Chamber of Commerce – 110 Main Street, SS, TX 75483.
Caregiver of the Year—Chamber of Commerce – 110 Main Street, SS, TX 75483.
Community Pride Award—Adult Leadership Class—110 Main Street, SS, TX 75482.
Agriculturist of the Year—Hopkins/Rains Counties Farm Bureau— 233 College St., Sulphur Springs 75482.
Growth and Renewal—DBA—109 Jefferson St. E, SS, TX 75482.
Outstanding Professional Educator (Administrator, Counselor, Diagnostician, or Teacher)—Chamber of Commerce—110 Main Street, SS, TX 75482.
Outstanding ParaProfessional Educator (Secretary or Aide)—Chamber of Commerce—110 Main Street, SS, TX 75482.
Outstanding Auxiliary Educator (Maintenance, Custodial, Transportation, Nurse or Cafeteria)—Chamber of Commerce—110 Main Street, SS, TX 75482.
Businesses of the Year nominations should be for those businesses which exhibit outstanding community involvement—civic, church, educational, benevolent, humanitarian or other.
Large Business of the Year—Chamber of Commerce—110 Main Street, SS, TX 75482.
Small Business of the Year—Chamber of Commerce—110 Main Street, SS, TX 75482.
Christmas Activities
■ The Lions Club Lighted Christmas Parade is set for Friday, Dec. 1, starting at Buford Park. Line-up begins at 4 p.m. with the parade starting at 7. Registration must be received by noon on Tuesday, Nov. 28. Categories will be Large Business, Small Business and Non-Profit, with cash prizes awarded to winners.
Registration sheets are available at the Chamber office, 110 Main St.
■ Christmas in the Park is set for Nov. 25 and Dec. 2 at Heritage Park on Jackson Street. Affordable family fun under the Christmas lights, with Santa, live music, nativity and more.
■ The Christmas Market on Main Street will take place on Saturday, Dec. 2, downtown. You can do your shopping with our local merchants and vendors that day.
■ Northeast Texas Choral Society will have their “A Celtic Christmas” production 7 p.m. Dec. 2 and 2 p.m. on Dec. 3, at the Hopkins County Civic Center. Visit the website SingersCount.org for ticket information.
Empty Bowls
Community Garden will host an Empty Bowls event as a food pantry fundraisers on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 5:30-8 p.m. at 420 West Park St. Bring a food donation bag for local families and you can eat for free. Purchase a $20 ticket and receive a handcrafted bowl. All proceeds benefit Fruitful Harvest Food Pantry.
Event details are at CraversTX on Facebook and Instagram.
Ribbon Cuttings
Sulphur Springs Country Club hosted a ribbon cutting for its new pro shop and fitness center at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 1.
Trans Load held a ribbon cutting at on Wednesday, Nov. 1, at its new facility located at 250 Heritage Parkway.
The Pine RV and Cabin Resort in Mount Vernon as well as the Rosewood Venue hosted ribbon cuttings at noon Friday, Nov. 3, at 4069 CR SE 4250 in Franklin County. Come out and see the facility.
Owens Insurance will have a ribbon cutting at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 1335 Shannon Road East, Suite A. You are welcome to join us for this event.
The new county jail trustees’ facility on Houston Street, across from the county jail, will have a ribbon cutting at noon on Monday, Nov. 13. Please join us for some refreshments at the event.
Is Good Turf Worth the Effort? From Master Gardener David Wall
Many debate the need for quality turf or grass in their yard. While it’s true the EPA reports an average lawn consumes about 10,000 gallons of water over and above rainfall, and a lawn mower operating for one hour equals the amount of pollution emitted by a car driven for about 20
miles, there are many benefits.
For example, turf saves energy by staying 30 to 40 degrees cooler than bare soil and 50+ degrees cooler than streets, helping keep homes cool. Then, grass produces oxygen more efficiently than trees, with a
50-by-50-feet patch of lawn producing enough for a family of four. One acre of lawn can soak up 100 pounds of sulfur dioxide each year. And a 10,000 square-foot lawn can prevent erosion by sopping up as much as 6,000 gallons of rainwater during a rainstorm.
What about a bare lawn or bare spots in a lawn. If you can get mulch and till it in, you are already well on your way to a quality lawn, even when clay content is high. What about weeds? The natural way to control
weeds is to build the soil by increasing the organic matter and then, most weeds won’t be a problem. In the interim, hand-pull problem weeds. Yes, hand-pull them. You get to sit or lay down when doing this, so it isn’t really difficult work!
Turf doesn’t have to be St Augustine, Zoysia, Bermuda, or centipede, but your neighbor are going that way! Stay away from Zoysia though. It’s weak and can easily be taken over by non-desired grasses/weeds.
All in all, a quality turf or grass lawn that you can walk barefoot on during the hottest day of the year and feel like you’re walking on a soft cushion is well worth the effort. Go for it!
Winnsboro Police Department Media Report 10-30-2023 – 11-5-2023
Arrests:
Durbin, Brenda, 32 years of age, of Como, TX, was arrested 11-1-2023 for Possession of Controlled Substance PG1/1-B>=1G<4G.
Calls for Service:
The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 91 calls for service during this reporting period.
Citations:
The Winnsboro Police Department issued 25 citations and 22 warnings during this reporting period.
Grocery Supply Company donates $90,000 to Local Sulphur Springs Charities
On October 30, 2023, GSC Enterprises, Inc. held its 35th GSC Charity Golf Classic at Golf Clubs at the Tribute in The Colony, TX. The company presented $90,000.00 to six local and regional charities. These charities included Morgan’s Mercy Mansion, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center, Community Chest, SSISD Education Foundation, and the GSC Benevolence Fund.
Trego Family Pledges $400,000 to TAMUC Electrical Engineering
November 6, 2023 – COMMERCE, TX—Lion alumni Bruce and Barbara Trego have generously pledged $400,000 to benefit the Department of Engineering and Technology at Texas A&M University-Commerce. The Trego Family Engineering and Technology Endowment makes history as one of the most substantial planned gifts from a private donor to the department.
The endowment serves a dual purpose: providing scholarships to electrical engineering majors while supplying discretionary funds to the engineering department.
In a recent interview, Bruce said he hopes the scholarship will open the door to an engineering degree for economically disadvantaged students who might otherwise miss the opportunity.
“Barbara and I are excited to assist students in this way. This planned financial donation is another way to help aspiring electrical engineers achieve their goals,” Bruce said.
The Backstory: Bringing Electrical Engineering to A&M-Commerce
Bruce Trego’s behind-the-scenes work to bring the electrical engineering program to A&M-Commerce makes this story even more remarkable. It all started in 1985 when he began his undergraduate journey as a non-traditional student at age 32. By then, he had been employed at E-Systems (now L3Harris) for over a decade and was ready to start college and advance his career.
He considered a degree in electrical engineering, but East Texas State University (now A&M-Commerce) didn’t offer it, so he pivoted and pursued a degree in computer science from ETSU instead. That decision led to a successful 40-year career at L3Harris. Later, he capped his bachelor’s degree with an MBA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
As he climbed the corporate ladder at L3Harris, Trego continued to encounter the need for an engineering program at A&M-Commerce. For several years, he was involved with recruiting engineers to Texas, a challenging task.
“A large part of my job, on occasion, was traveling around the United States trying to recruit engineers to move to Texas, which frankly wasn’t always easy,” he said. “People had families and were not always willing to leave.”
In 2017, A&M-Commerce administrators met with Trego and other senior L3Harris administrators. By that time, Trego was president of the Mission Integration Division at L3Harris’s Greenville facility. During the meeting, he learned that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) had denied permission for A&M-Commerce to offer an electrical engineering program, citing a lack of industry demand in the region. Trego was stunned; he knew that an electrical engineering program at A&M-Commerce was exactly what local industries like L3Harris needed.
“At that time, L3Harris had somewhere between 200 to 300 engineering openings, and a fair number of those openings were for electrical engineers,” Trego said. “Having a quality electrical engineering program at A&M-Commerce would only increase L3’s ability to recruit and retain engineering talent in the local area.”
After the meeting, Trego and Tom Brown, head of Human Resources for L3Harris’s Aerospace Group, rolled up their sleeves and got to work. They were determined to help A&M-Commerce appeal the decision and convince THECB that Northeast Texas could indeed support an electrical engineering program. Several other local industries joined the effort, and A&M-Commerce successfully gained THECB approval for an electrical engineering program in April 2017.
Looking to the Future: The Electrical Engineering Program Expands
Thanks to supporters like Trego, the electrical engineering program has seen remarkable growth since its inception, and the future is bright. Dr. Andrea Graham, dean of the College of Science and Engineering, emphasized that the Trego Family Endowment is vital to the program’s future expansion.
“Bruce and Barbara Trego have been instrumental in the success of the electrical engineering program from the very beginning,” Graham said. We are so grateful for their invested interest in our students. As we look to the future, we can’t begin to measure the impact the Trego Family Endowment will have on our engineering program and our region’s industries. It’s a gift that will keep on giving.”
A&M-Commerce President Mark Rudin also expressed gratitude to the Tregos, affirming that their generosity resonates with the Lion spirit.
“We are indebted to the Tregos for their significant impact on engineering at A&M-Commerce,” Rudin said. “Bruce and Barbara’s spirit of service lifts others up, and we are thankful that they are a part of the Lion family. The Trego Family Endowment will educate future generations of electrical engineers for the state of Texas and beyond.”
A Lifetime of Commitment
The Trego’s connection to A&M-Commerce spans decades. The couple met in the 1970s when Barbara was studying journalism and political science at ETSU. The couple has actively supported the university in many ways over the years, through financial gifts and service.
Bruce has taught as an adjunct instructor for the College of Business and served on various advisory boards. He was also honored as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2018 and has served on the A&M-Commerce Foundation Board.
The Trego’s story is a testament to the power of education and the impact of giving back. It is an inspiring legacy that strengthens the university and the community it serves.
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Upshur County Sheriff’s Office Seeks Suspect in Double Murder
November 6, 2023 – The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office released a statement as they are looking for a suspect in a Double Murder in Gilmer over the weekend.
Statement from Upshur County Sheriff’s Office:
On November 4, 2023 at approximately 11:42 pm. Upshur County Deputies, along with Gilmer Police Officers and Texas State Troopers responded to a report of a shooting at a home in the 2800 block of U.S. Highway 271 South, near Bluebird Road. Upon arrival Deputies found two persons deceased, victims of apparent gunfire. They are identified as Mandy Ray, 35 years of age, of Gilmer. Witness statements at the scene provided information that has led to the issuing of a capital murder arrest warrant for Alvin Charles McKnight, 41 years of age, of Gilmer, in connection with the case. McKnight is a black male, 6ft 5in tall, weighing approximately 280 pounds. He is described as having braided hair with blond highlights and is physically muscular in build. McKnight is reported to have several relatives and friends in the Upshur County and Gladewater area. Anyone seeing this person is asked to not confront this individual, but to contact their local law enforcement agency. Suspect McKnight and victim Dermetrica Waters had lived together until recently, and this case is considered an incident of domestic violence. Justice of the Peace Lyle Potter pronounced the victims dead at the scene and ordered autopsies for both victims.
