“The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” Opens Thursday at PJC
Magic springs to life on stage this week at Paris Junior College with the opening Thursday evening of “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” at 7:30 p.m. in the Ray E. Karrer Theater. Evening showings continue Friday and Saturday and a 2:30 p.m. matinee showing will be held on Sunday.
“The production has been a joy to work on,” said director and PJC drama instructor Robyn R. Huizinga. “It’s not often that a theatre artist gets an opportunity to bring the world of a favorite book from her childhood to life.
Audiences can expect a storybook feel, an unusual set puppeteered by the cast, some humor, and some exciting action sequences. We hope to see kids and kids at heart coming out to travel through the wardrobe with us!”
The play brings to life the beloved story of four children who travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free that land, guided by the mystical lion, Aslan.
Based on the fantasy novel by British writer and Christian theologian C.S. Lewis, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” features not only PJC students, but many children and adult members of the community.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, and free to those with a current PJC student ID. For more information or to make reservations, contact [email protected] or 903-782-0488.
Local Farm Bureau, Farmers Co-op and NETBIO Send Fencing Materials to Panhandle
Wildfires burned across the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado in early March, destroying homes, barns, fences, livestock, and tragically, several lives were lost. The fires charred more than 520,000 acres of land in the Panhandle and killed thousands of head of livestock.
When word of the extent of the losses reached Sulphur Springs, the Hopkins/Rains County Farm Bureau and the Northeast Texas Farmers Co-op along with the support of the Northeast Texas Beef Improvement Organization (NETBIO) and others launched a relief fund drive.
The goal was to raise enough funds to send a load of fencing materials to producers so they can begin rebuilding their pastures and replacing cattle. They reached their goal and more by raising $35,000 by of March 30.
Don Smith, President of the Hopkins/Rains County Farm Bureau, said that through the efforts of a lot of people in Northeast Texas farmers and ranches in the Panhandle can begin to rebuild.
With those funds deposited in Texas Heritage National Bank, Smith said that with the help of Brad Johnson at the NET Farmers Co-op, a truck load of fencing materials including 189 rolls of wire, 3,400 posts, stays and other accessories, was put together and shipped to the Panhandle over the weekend.
“A county extension agent and others will meet the truck there and get the materials distributed to producers,” Smith said. “That will be enough materials to build 11 miles of fence, which will be a big help to some folks.”
Smith said that thanks to the help of members of the NETBIO organization, the Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission, Hopkins County Co-op, Farm Bureau members and others, the wildfire relief fund was a success.
Help also came from around the area, according to Smith. The Hunt County Farm Bureau contributed to the fund, along with people from Mount Pleasant and Rockwall. The national Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) heard about the local fund drive and sent a contribution.
“We are so grateful for what the cattle producers in the area and so many others have done to help those cattle producers who lost so much,” Smith said.
A & M Commerce Names New Men’s Basketball Coach
Texas A&M-Commerce introduced its’ new head men’s basketball coach, Jaret von Rosenberg, Monday. He is a familiar face having served as a Texas A&M-Commerce assistant coach for two years in the recent past. He helped the Lions to a 2015 Lone Star Conference Championship and a top ten national ranking. Von Rosenberg also recruited several notable Lions players.
Von Rosenberg becomes only the fourth head coach in the Division II era for Texas A&M-Commerce. He comes to the Lions from Hartford University, where he served as an assistant coach for the past two seasons. Von Rosenberg’s hiring concludes a national search by Texas A&M-Commerce for a head basketball coach. Jaret von Rosenberg is a 2009 graduate of Hartford University. He’s been a college basketball coach for the past eight years.
Texas A&M-Commerce also announced Monday they are kicking off their 2017-2018 basketball season ticket campaign.
Game Day: Wildcat Baseball, Lady Cat Softball
The Wildcats’ baseball team and the Lady Cats’ softball face challenges from Hallsville on this Tuesday game day.
The Wildcats have a district summit battle with the always tough Bobcats. Both teams have perfect 5-0 district marks. Despite being picked to finish last in district, the Wildcats have used a formula of strong pitching, good defense and timely hitting to win their first five district ballgames. Hallsville looks like the usual strong opponent to Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack who says the Bobcats swing the bats well and have several good pitchers. There will be a JV Royal game at 4 p.m. at Eagle Stadium. The varsity game will follow at around 7 p.m. We will bring you Wildcats’ baseball with Hallsville on KSST Radio at around 7 p.m. We will also videotape the game for replay at a later date on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
Meanwhile the Lady Cats’ softball team will play at Hallsville. There will be a JV contest at 4:30 p.m. with the varsity game at around 6 p.m. The two teams played a varsity contest on March 10 at Lady Cat Park and the Lady Cats got a ten run rule win. Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo figures the Lady Bobcats will play much better in front of their home crowd Tuesday evening. The Lady Cats are 5-2 in district play and they are currently in second place.
District Golf: Wildcats in Second; Lady Cats Fourth After First Day
The Wildcats’ golf team shot a solid round of 302 Monday on the first day of the district golf tournament at the Rockwall Golf and Athletic Club to put themselves in strong contention to qualify for the regional tournament. The Wildcats are in second place, just 4 strokes behind district leader Hallsville. Texas High is in third place with 318, sixteen strokes behind the Wildcats. Pine Tree is fourth with 326 and Greenville is fifth at 327. The top two district teams qualify for the regional tournament. The Wildcats were led by Alex Motes and Matt Calhoun who both shot 74. Caleb Lewis fired a 75. Andrew Escobar shot 79. Other Wildcats scores included Cameron Morris 81, Carter Lewis 87 and Colten Bench 90.
The Lady Cats’ golf team is in fourth place in the district golf tournament after shooting 455 Monday in round one Monday. The Lady Cats were led by Alissa Sotelo who shot 99. Morgan Landers shot 104. Alyssa Underwood had 120 and Emma Lane shot 132. Round two is taking place Tuesday.
KSST Donates Texas Rangers’ Tickets to Douglas Intermediate Students
Teacher Kristin Potts, Station Owner Chad Young, Principal Holly Folmar
KSST Radio in Sulphur Springs, TX donated tickets to nine Texas Rangers‘ home games. Douglas Intermediate School will use the tickets to encourage student perfect attendance. As part of the Campus Improvement Program, Principal Holly Folmar hopes each student will attend each day and each hour of the day. “We keep track of each student, and each and every hour they attend our school.” said Folmar. A student that comes to school, then leaves even 30 minutes early, will not have perfect attendance.
KSST donated enough tickets for each of the 17 classes to give one student four tickets in each class. Station owner Chad Young said, “We wanted to give enough tickets in each class so that the student could take friends and family to the game as well.”
Winnsboro Police Report March 27-April 2, 2017
Winnsboro Police made three arrests investigated one non-injury accident, responded to 162 calls for service, and issued 49 citations and 37 warnings during the report period March 27-April 2, 2017.
Matthew Monday, 36, of Winnsboro was arrested March 28th on a City of Galveston warrant.
Johnny Tudor, 22, of Winnsboro, was arrested March 31st for DWI.
Christopher Stone, 34, of Commerce was arrested April 2nd for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 more than 1-gram but less than 4-grams.
A two vehicle accident in the 200 block of West Coke Road was investigated.
PJC Graduation Rates Much Higher Than Peers
The Paris Junior College Board of Regents received good news about PJC’s continued value in comparison to 22 other medium-sized Texas colleges. The report shows that the graduation rate at PJC is much higher than the average, validating the college’s years of work to improve student success and completion.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) also showed PJC again outperforms peer colleges in cost of attendance and graduation and transfer rates. Cost of attending PJC for an academic year, including tuition and fees, is $1,548 compared to the average of $2,221.
Reflecting regional demographics, more PJC students (86 percent) are on some form of financial aid compared to the average of 68 percent, and more use PELL grants (69 percent) compared to the average of 47 percent.
PJC also demonstrates greater efficiency, with less spent on full time employees in core expense categories than peers in instruction ($3,785 to $5,155), academic support ($535 to $931) and institutional support ($1,084 to $1,959).
In other business, the Regents:
- Approved an annexation order temporarily assigning four regents to represent Lamar County precincts not yet included in an election. Assigned were Jim Bell to Precinct 1; Berdie Gibson to Precinct 2; Dr. Cliff Wilkerson to Precinct 3; and Charles Lynch to Precinct 4. The assignments will be in place until redistricting and elections to be held in either May or November 2018.
- Approved local charitable giving through the United Way by opting out of the State Employee Charitable Contribution Campaign, meaning that donations collected locally will remain local.
- Extended the depository contract with Guaranty Bank for an additional two years, per a state law requirement for bidding in odd-numbered years, but also providing the option to extend the contract if all conditions remain the same, which was the case here.
- Approved course fee changes for Summer 2016.
- Approved course fee changes for Fall 2017.
- Approved workforce dual credit course supply fees.
- Approved modification of DEC (Local) Leaves and Absences and DED (Local) Vacations and Holidays. As PJC moves to the new Jenzabar ERP system, the old system of days will be exchanged for a system of hours to accrue various types of leave. The amounts remain unchanged, only the methods of recording have changed.
- Received a report on the PJC 2015-2016 Cost Analysis by Program.
- Learned that the PJC Memorial Foundation Scholarship Allocation for 2017-2018 will be $1 million.
- Accepted 2017-18 faculty contracts, the reassignment of Stephanie Parker as Director of Nursing, effective Feb. 13, and the retirement of Electronics Instructor Rickey McFadden effective May 12.
Work Zone Fatalities Increase in Texas
AUSTIN – Work zone fatalities in Texas last year increased 27 percent, resulting in 181 lost lives. Of those fatalities, 174 (96 percent) were motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.
“People often think work zone crashes result in the deaths of roadside workers, but statistics show the vast majority of these fatalities are drivers like you and me who are passing through as motorists,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “We urge you to pay attention and adhere to posted traffic signs when driving through work zones to ensure your safety and the safety of the men and women who are working on our roads. At the end of the day, we want everyone to return home safely to their loved ones.”
In recognition of National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 3-7, TxDOT reminds drivers that every single day requires caution when driving through work zones. As the state’s population continues to boom, the price of progress can mean more than 2,500 active TxDOT work zones at any given time. The leading causes of fatal work zone crashes statewide – speeding and failure to stay in a single lane – are entirely preventable.
By law, drivers are required to move over or slow down when approaching work crews, emergency vehicles or tow trucks stopped on the roadside or shoulder with flashing blue or amber lights. Traffic fines in work zones double when workers are present and can cost up to $2,000.
As part of its ongoing Work Zone Awareness campaign, TxDOT is partnering with Austin-based Texas Mutual Insurance Company to host events around the state. An integral part of Texas Mutual’s mission – helping employers prevent workplace incidents and minimizing their consequences – aligns with TxDOT’s Work Zone Awareness efforts.
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