More Than 700 Lions Receiving Their Degrees This Weekend
August 6, 2025 – COMMERCE, TX, August 6, 2025— The newest crop of East Texas A&M University alums will graduate at commencement ceremonies held on August 9 and 10 at the university Field House—1804 Lee Street—in Commerce, Texas.
In total, 756 graduates will receive degrees in one of three ceremonies held over the weekend. Below are the stats on this year’s summer graduating class:
- Youngest graduate: Age 16
- Oldest graduate: Age 69
- 22 U.S. states represented
- Two countries represented
- 322 first-generation college students
- 30 international students
- 43% have earned academic distinction
Commencement ceremonies are scheduled for the following dates and times:
- Graduate School Ceremony (All master’s and doctoral students)
Friday, August 8, at 4:30 p.m. (Link to view ceremony live stream)
- Undergraduate Ceremony (College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, College of Business, College of Education and Human Services, College of Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts, and the College of Science and Engineering)
Saturday, August 9, at 8:30 a.m. (Link to view ceremony live stream)
- Undergraduate Ceremony (College of Innovation and Design)
Saturday, August 9, at 10:30 a.m. (Link to view ceremony live stream)
Reminders:
- All guests must have an admission ticket.
- A clear bag policy is in place, enforced at the door.
- ALLOWED: Clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags; small wallet-sized clutches; small medicine bags
- NOT ALLOWED: Clear bags that have buckles, hardware, or décor concealing the bag, backpacks, regular-size purses, large totes, diaper bags, or other similar items
For more details or information on summer graduation ceremonies, visit the graduation webpage.
SNAP Restrictions Coming Next Year to Texas
August 6, 2025 – Governor Greg Abbott has announced that Texas has received federal approval to implement new restrictions on the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Beginning April 1, 2026, SNAP recipients will no longer be allowed to use their benefits to purchase sweetened drinks, candy, or beverages containing five grams or more of added sugar or artificial sweeteners. The goal of this change is to improve the overall health of Texans by encouraging healthier eating habits and ensuring that taxpayer dollars support nutritious food choices.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will oversee the implementation of the waiver and work with retailers to ensure proper enforcement. The program will continue to allow purchases of essential and nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, cereals, and even seeds and plants for home gardening.
Governor Abbott emphasized that the new guidelines are aimed at promoting better health outcomes and reducing preventable diet-related illnesses. The waiver, approved by the Trump administration, is part of a broader effort to strengthen families and communities by improving access to healthy food options.
SNAP currently supports approximately 3.5 million Texans, and these changes represent a significant shift in how benefits can be used going forward.
Back to School: CHRISTUS Health Reminds Parents of Required Immunizations as Kids Return to Classrooms
August 5, 2025 – (EAST TEXAS) – As the summer break comes to an end and students across the state prepare a return to the classroom, CHRISTUS Health is reminding parents about required immunizations and their role in limiting transmission of illness.
“In the simplest of terms, immunizations are helping the body build an immune response,” said Dr. Evelyn Chou, family medicine physician with CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. “Vaccines help your body understand what is dangerous and needs to be fought so that if you come across that illness in the future, your body knows what to do.”
Texas law requires children to be vaccinated against several diseases before attending school, including MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), hepatitis A and B, and DTap (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) among others.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), thousands of adults and children in the United States get sick each year from diseases that vaccines can help prevent. For patients with asthma or who are immune-compromised, vaccines can help protect their health from illnesses like influenza and pneumonia.
“By the time a child is 12 years old, most of their vaccines that they need multiples of have already been completed,” Chou said. “After that, we encourage your annual shots, especially flu.”
For children that may have not been vaccinated or are behind on vaccinations, the Texas
Department of State Health Services (DSHS) provides a “catch-up” schedule to ensure that children and adolescents can receive required vaccinations.
Parents who may have questions about the vaccination status of their child are encouraged to speak to their family doctor as well as local school districts regarding any vaccination requirements.
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Kava and Kratom: A Dangerous Combination
August 5, 2025 – Kava and kratom are two herbal substances that have gained popularity for their calming and pain-relieving effects, but both carry risks of addiction when used frequently or in high doses.
Kava, made from the root of a plant native to the South Pacific, is known for promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety. However, with prolonged use, some individuals may develop a psychological dependence. Heavy, long-term consumption has also been linked to liver damage and withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia when discontinued abruptly.
Kratom, derived from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree, acts as both a stimulant in small doses and a sedative in larger ones. It interacts with the brain’s opioid receptors, which can create a sense of euphoria and pain relief similar to narcotics. This effect can lead users to misuse the substance, especially to cope with pain or emotional distress. Over time, tolerance builds, and individuals may need increasing amounts to achieve the same effect—raising the risk of physical dependence. Withdrawal from kratom can involve symptoms like muscle aches, irritability, and insomnia.
Mixing Kava and Kratom
- Combined Effects: Combining kava and kratom may increase sedation, dizziness, and cognitive impairment. It could also worsen individual side effects like nausea and liver strain.
- Interactions: Mixing them is particularly risky with central nervous system depressants, including some antidepressants.
- Recommendations: Due to potential risks and unknown interactions, it is generally advised to avoid mixing kava and kratom or to do so with extreme caution.
Although both are legal in many places, their potential for addiction highlights the importance of cautious, informed use and monitoring for signs of dependency.
Governor Abbott Orders Texas Department Of Public Safety To Arrest Delinquent House Democrats
August 4, 2025 | Austin, Texas | Governor Greg Abbott orders the arrest of delinquent Texas House Democrats.
In August 2025, over 50 Democratic state representatives flew to cities like Illinois and New York, denying the House the two-thirds quorum required to hold official votes. Their goal was to block a GOP-backed redistricting plan supported by Gov. Greg Abbott and former President Trump that could net Republicans five additional U.S. House seats.
“Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans,” said Governor Abbott. “By fleeing the state, Texas House Democrats are holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief. There are consequences for dereliction of duty.
“Speaker Dustin Burrows just issued a call of the Texas House and issued warrants to compel members to return to the chamber. To ensure compliance, I ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans. This order will remain in effect until all missing Democrat House members are accounted for and brought to the Texas Capitol.”
Sulphur Springs ISD Announced Policy to Comply With new State law Preventing Students From Using cell Phones
August 4, 2025 – The Sulphur Springs ISD has announced its policy to comply with the new state law preventing students from using cell phones and other personal communications devices in class.
Included in the policy are cell phones, smart watches, tablets, radios, pagers, fitness trackers with messaging capabilties, Bluetooth earbuds or headphones, A-I glasses, personal (non-school issued) computers, gaming devices and two-way radios.
A Facebook post says all personal communications devices must be turned off and stowed away during the school day. The devices must be out of the reach of students in a backpack, purse or locker.
During the instructional school day, including during lunch and between periods, students may not use their personal communications devices.
There are five levels of consequences for violations, ranging from the first offense in which the device is confiscated, a parent is contacted, and the device is held in the office until the end of day, when the student can retrieve it … to the fifth offense, when a parent must retrieve the device and the student will serve two days of in-school suspension.
The new school year begins on Thursday, August 14.
Governor Abbott Signs Child Online Safety, Phone-Free Classroom Laws In Amarillo
August 4, 2025 | Austin, Texas | Governor Greg Abbott ceremonially signed Senate Bill 2420 and House Bill 1481 into law to create phone-free learning environments in classrooms and protect the safety and online privacy of Texas children.
“Educators and researchers have raised concerns about the impact that smartphones have on student learning and student engagement,” said Governor Abbott. “Experts have explained that smartphones and social media affect the mental health of children. If we are going to be number one in education, it is going to require the undivided attention of our students in the classroom.”
During his remarks, Governor Abbott emphasized that House Bill 1481 will ensure Texas students are able to succeed in school, free from distractions. The Governor also explained how Senate Bill 2420, the App Store Accountability Act, will protect children who are trapped by predators into situations beyond their control.
The Governor was joined by Speaker Dustin Burrows, Acting Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Kelly Hancock, Representative Caroline Fairly, Representative Brad Buckley, Representative Jared Patterson, Amarillo Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Deidre Parish, Amarillo High School teacher Mellessa Denny, and other state and local officials.
Senate Bill 2420 (Paxton/Fairly) known as the App Store Accountability Act requires application (app) stores to verify a user’s age when creating an account. A minor’s account must be affiliated with a parent’s account and parental consent is required before a minor can download or purchase an app or make in-app purchases.
House Bill 1481 (Fairly/Creighton) requires schools to adopt polices prohibiting students from using personal communication devices, such as cell phones and smart watches, during the school day. Polices must either prohibit personal devices on school property or provide a designated storage area for devices during the school day.
Governor Abbott Signs Vital Pro-Veteran Laws In Houston
August 3, 2025 | Austin, Texas | Recently, Governor Greg Abbott ceremonially signed Senate Bill 1814, Senate Bill 1818, and House Bill 114 to make the lives of our nation’s heroic veterans easier.
“Texas is home to more veterans than any other state,” said Governor Abbott. “We owe every member who serves our country the deepest appreciation that we have. America would not be America, we would not be the freest and strongest, most powerful country in the history of the world if it weren’t for these soldiers willing to stand up and do the things they are doing. Texas will forever honor the service and sacrifice of those who served the United States of America.”
During his remarks, Governor Abbott touted that Texas is the No. 1 state for jobs created by veteran-owned businesses—more than doubling the amount of those jobs since 2022. The Governor also highlighted Senate Bill 2308, which he signed into law to provide matching funds for research of ibogaine – an emerging treatment for neurological and mental health conditions. Governor Abbott emphasized that ibogaine shows promise in treating opioid addiction and other behavioral health conditions, especially those affecting veterans.
The Governor was joined at the annual Combat Marine Outdoors (CMO) Gala by Acting Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Kelly Hancock, Representatives Charles Cunningham, Morgan Meyer and Dennis Paul, United States Marine Corps (USMC) Ret. Colonel and CMO Co-Founder and President Alan Orr, USMC Ret. Master Gunnery Sergeant and CMO Co-Founder and CEO Arturo Garcia, and other state and local officials.
Senate Bill 1814 (Hancock/Hefner) instructs the Texas Veterans Commission to establish and maintain an electronic database of contact information for service members leaving active duty who give consent. The database will allow state agencies and veteran organizations to access the information with the intent to provide individuals within the database with resources to veterans.
Senate Bill 1818 (Hancock/McQueeney) requires Texas licensing agencies immediately issue a provisional license recognizing the out-of-state licenses of military service members, veterans, and military spouses.
House Bill 114 (Cortez/Zaffirini) consolidates responsibility of several veteran related programs from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Veterans Commission.
Increasing Tomato Production During This Heat From Master Gardener David Wall
August 3, 2025 – Tomato production and may stop during the summer heat. Day temps of 95° and night temps not lower than 75° cause pollen to hardens to an extent that bees can’t do their job. Further, tomatoes have great difficulty manufacturing ethylene, which is necessary to trigger the ability to turn red.
To get around this, one can put green tomatoes with ripe or ripening tomatoes and perhaps a ripe banana. The ethylene from them can trigger ethylene production in the green tomatoes.
Another way is to take a cluster of tomato flowers in your hand and gently shake/vibrate them for several seconds as fast as you gently can! The vibrations can shake loose pollen for bees to do their job in helping pollination.
Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants whose flowers contain both male and female reproductive organs. They rely on external stimulation for pollination to occur. An external force transfers the pollen between the anthers (the male part) and the stigma (the female part) within each flower. Breaking the hardened pollen allows both parts to come together when pollinators gather pollen. Does this method work? Yes, but unfortunately, many shake way to hard or not hard enough.
Vibrations to break up hardened pollen is called buzzing, which mimics the buzzing effect of pollinators such as bumble bees. A new method of electric buzzing is providing great results. Instead of using your hands to vibrate, one hand holds the flowers and an electric toothbrush is placed against the base of each flower and turned on for a few seconds every 2-3 days. This takes a lot of time, but production is dramatically improved.
The best time of the days to buzz is noon or alternatively, from late morning to early afternoon, because the flowers are fully open and thus more receptive to pollination.
Boil Notice Rescinded for Brashear
August 2, 2025 – The boil water notice for Brashear has been rescinded.
On July 31, 2025, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) required Brashear Water Supply Corporation, public water system #1120010, to issue a Boil Water Notice (BWN) to inform customers that
due to a broken water line feeding into our system, the water from our system had to be boiled prior to
consumption.
We are pleased to report that the issue has been corrected and that follow-up water quality testing confirms that the water no longer requires boiling. As of August 2, 2025, the Boil Water Notice is officially rescinded.
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding during this event. If you have any questions, please contact our office at (903) 582-2670.
AVISO DE CANCELACIÓN DEL AVISO DE HERVIR EL AGUA
El 31 de julio de 2025, la Comisión de Calidad Ambiental de Texas (TCEQ, por sus siglas en inglés) exigió a la Corporación de Abastecimiento de Agua de Brashear, sistema público de agua #1120010, emitir un Aviso de Hervir el Agua para informar a los clientes que, debido a una línea de agua rota que alimenta nuestro sistema, el agua debía ser hervida antes de su consumo.
Nos complace informar que el problema ha sido corregido y que las pruebas de calidad del agua confirman que ya no es necesario hervir el agua. A partir del 2 de agosto de 2025, el Aviso de Hervir el Agua queda oficialmente cancelado.
Agradecemos su cooperación y comprensión durante este evento. Si tiene preguntas, comuníquese con nuestra oficina al (903) 582-2670.
Due to a broken water line feeding into our water system, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the Brashear Water Supply public water system to notify all customers to boil
their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). Children,
seniors, and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria, and all customers should follow these directions).
To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and
ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption
purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.
In lieu of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable
source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the public water system officials will notify customers that the water is safe for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact the office at Brashear Water Supply Corp at 903-582-2670
