Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Offers Resources on Managing Armyworms by Mario Villarino
August 2, 2024 – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension offers extensive resources and information on managing armyworms, a common pest affecting crops and pastures. Armyworms are caterpillars of various moth species. They can cause significant damage to crops, including corn, small grains, and forage grasses. Key species include: Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), True Armyworm (Mythimna unipuncta) Yellowstriped Armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli). Signs of Infestation: Chewed leaves with ragged edges, skeletonized foliage in severe cases. Presence of larvae on plants, typically in the early morning or late evening. Monitoring fields by regular scouting, check fields regularly, especially during the growing season.
Control Methods
According to Dr. Vannessa Corriher, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services, the control of army worms if the grass is being used for hay and is near harvest, then harvest early to prevent extra feeding damage. However, be aware that the caterpillars may consume the cut hay, so this is not always a wise option. Insecticide applications should be made early in the morning or late in the evening if possible, to ensure caterpillars come into contact with insecticide. During hotter parts of the day, caterpillars may be out of the canopy and avoid maximum insecticide exposure.
There are many insecticides that can be used to control FAW caterpillars. Pyrethroids are relatively cheap and readily available. These insecticides take roughly three days to achieve maximum effectiveness against small and large caterpillars. Pyrethroid insecticides tend to have a short residual period and can be washed off by rains. This lack of rain fast protection can be a problem with the recent weather and possible overlapping generations of fall armyworm caterpillars. Addition of a product like Dimilin (or generic products with diflubenzuron) can increase the residual control period to 10-12 days, eliminating caterpillars that emerge in that timeframe. Neither pyrethroids nor Dimilin will continue providing control if rain occurs though. Another fairly inexpensive option in Intrepid (or generic products with methoxyfenozide). This product will provide residual control for about 7 days, but it must be eaten to kill the caterpillar and is not rain fast. If rain is a continuous issue, the only truly rain fast options are products such as Prevathon, Vantacor, or Besiege. All of these products contain the active ingredient chlorantraniliprole, but Besiege also contains a pyrethroid. These products are absorbed by the leaf tissue and are rain fast upon drying. While these products are more expensive, they do provide excellent residual activity and will persist longer at the higher rate. For example, Prevathon at 14 fl-oz/ac will typically provide 14 days control, and a 20 fl-oz/ac rate will provide 20-21 days of control.
For additional questions about FAW control, please reach out to the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at m-villarino@tamu,edu.. Always use an insecticide according to the label. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is not responsible for insecticide applications, damages, or other issues encountered.
Paris Junior College Seeks Stories, Announces Events for 100th Anniversary
August 1, 2024 – Paris Junior College has a year of events planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary and is seeking stories of alumni to share all year long.
An online form is available at https://bit.ly/3vDVX5z where former students may share their details and upload a photo.
“We hope everyone touched by Paris Junior College will tell us about how their lives have been affected by their time at PJC,” said Baleigh McCoin, PJC Alumni Affairs and Institutional Advancement Director. “We know there are amazing stories out there, and look forward to sharing them.”
Formal celebration of the 100th anniversary will begin with a Picnic Bash on September 10 in the center of the Paris campus from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to enjoy free food, bounce houses, a D.J., photo booth, games, campus tours and historical walk-through displays.
To see all the planned events, go to www.parisjc.edu/100-events. This page will be updated with new details, so please check back often.
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.
Brightstar Republican Women to Hold Next Meeting August 13th
August 1, 2024 – The Brightstar Republican Women organization will hold their next meeting Tuesday, August 13th, 2024, beginning at 6:00pm. The event will be held at 1230 Broadway Street in Sulphur Springs, Texas. This month’s program is about promoting Hispanic voter involvement. All republican women are invited to attend. For more information, please call Beth Wisenbaker at 903-348-1614.
Raised VS Ground-based Garden Beds From Master Gardener David Wall
August 1, 2024 – This year’s literature seems overloaded with opinions as to whether raised bed gardens or ground-based gardens are the better choice. SO, what goes into the preferred choice.
If you have high quality soil, either choice is fine. Raised beds usually have high quality soil. On the other hand, the cost for that soil in a raised bed can be expensive, along with the cost of whatever frame you choose.
Uneven ground increases frame costs when they have to be elevated on one or two sides. Then, there’s the cost over time as frames deteriorate. Even on level ground, there’s the cost of the frame whether rocks, concrete blocks, metal or wood. By the way, treated wood has been acceptable since 2003.
Weeds are usually more of a problem with ground-based gardens, at least at first. BUT, weeds will eventually be a factor in raised beds unless you sink a “barrier” up to 12” below ground. I have one raised bed 18” tall, and that didn’t slow down Bermuda grass at all!
Due to the elevation of raised beds, planting, weeding, watering, and picking are usually much easier, particularly if you’re old like me! Also, soils get warmer faster in raised beds, giving you a longer growing season. Watering, however, usually has to be done much more often, up to and including daily in hot summers. Mulching helps decrease weeds, improve soil moisture, and works well in either bed.
For you, the differences are not all that much. In my old age (!) I’ve gone totally raised beds with treated wood, concrete blocks, and filled with pure compost which are used to raise produce for the needy. With 940 sq. ft., those 7 gardens have to date this season produced over 9K vegetables for the Safety (Battered women’s Shelter) Crisis Center.
Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Final Victory, Forcing Biden to Continue Border Wall Construction
August 1, 2024 – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a major victory stopping the Biden administration’s attempt to unlawfully redirect statutorily obliged funds away from border wall construction in direct violation of federal law. After losing the case in federal court, the Biden Administration declined to appeal, forfeiting any further claims. The Biden Administration was directed by the court to continue border wall construction using the funding that Congress appropriated for the purpose.
At the urging of President Donald Trump, Congress dedicated roughly $1.4 billion to the construction of walls and barriers along the southern border in order to reduce the number of aliens entering the country in 2019 and 2020. Immediately upon taking office, President Joseph Biden issued an unlawful executive order stopping border wall construction and directing the Department of Homeland Security to devise a way to redirect the funds.
Texas sued under the Administrative Procedure Act to stop this scheme, arguing that Biden violated the Consolidated Appropriations Act and asking the court to require the Biden Administration to follow the law and use the appropriated money for the purpose Congress directed. Earlier this year, a federal district court granted a permanent injunction to end the Administration’s effort to illegally defund the border wall. The Biden Administration allowed the sixty-day appeal window to expire on July 29, 2024, and the permanent injunction remains in place.
“This is a final victory against Biden’s attempt to defund the border wall. His Administration illegally sought to prevent the construction of the border wall and illegally attempted to repurpose the money allocated for American safety and sovereignty, working instead to keep the border open,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I sued and won to stop their unlawful scheme. Now, the Administration has thrown in the towel by declining to appeal their defeat and will be legally required to build the wall.”
To read the final order, click here.
2024-2025 Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program Nomination
Jill Dutton
State Representative, District 2
PRESS RELEASE
August 1, 2024
The Office of State Representative Jill Dutton is accepting applications for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program (TASSP) from students residing in House District 2.
TASSP aims to foster participation in Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs at state civilian colleges by awarding eligible students with an annual conditional scholarship. Each state representative may appoint one student to receive this scholarship.
To be eligible for nomination, students must meet two of the following criteria, as specified by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board:
- On track to graduate or have graduated high school and completed the curriculum
requirements of the Distinguished Level of Achievement Plan or the Interactional
Baccalaureate (IB) Program - High school grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Achieved a college readiness score on the SAT (1070) of ACT (23)
- Ranked in the top one-third of the prospective high school graduating class
- Nominees must fulfill additional application requirements provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to receive the scholarship.
Eligible students should submit their resume and a cover better detailing their motivation for Participating in TASSP to [email protected] by 5:00 PM by August 16, 2024.
Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please feel free to contact my office via email at [email protected] or by phone at (903) 263-0395. Thank you for your dedication to the students of Texas and your ongoing support in enhancing higher education.
State Representative, District 2
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Renews Comanche Peak Licenses
July 31, 2024 – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has renewed the operating licenses of Comanche
Peak Units 1 and 2 for an additional 20 years.
Comanche Peak Units 1 and 2 are pressurized-water reactors about 40 miles southwest of
Fort Worth, Texas. Unit 1’s operating license will now expire Feb. 8, 2050, and Unit 2’s on Feb.
2, 2053.
The NRC’s review of the application proceeded on two tracks. A safety evaluation report
was issued in March, and a final supplemental environmental impact statement was issued in
April. These documents, as well as other information regarding the Comanche Peak license
renewal application, are available on the NRC website, which also contains information about
the license renewal process.
Texas Sales Tax Holiday is Aug. 9-11, Marks 25th Year
(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding shoppers they can save money on clothes and school supplies during the state’s sales tax holiday on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 9-11. This will be the 25th year of Texas’ oldest sales tax holiday.
State law exempts sales tax on qualified items — such as clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks — priced below $100, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. The dates of the sales tax holiday and list of tax-exempt items are set by the Texas Legislature.
“For a quarter of a century, Texans have saved more than $1.8 billion on everything from blue jeans to ballpoint pens in preparation for the back-to-school bell,” said Hegar of the sales tax holiday weekend, an annual event since 1999. “As the father of three, I know firsthand how these expenses add up over the years, and this weekend is the perfect time for folks to save some of their hard-earned cash on items they need.”
The Comptroller’s office estimates that shoppers will save $143.4 million in state and local sales tax during this year’s sales tax holiday.
Apparel and school supplies that may be purchased tax free are listed on the Comptroller’s website at TexasTaxHoliday.org.
During the annual sales tax holiday, qualifying items can be purchased tax free in person or by any other means including over the internet, by telephone, or by mail. Purchases are exempt when either:
- the item is both delivered to, and paid for by, the customer during the exemption period; or
- the customer orders and pays for the item, and the seller accepts the order during the exemption period for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period ends.
Chamber Connection – July 30, 2024
By Butch Burney
The anticipation has been growing and now it is time for the actual preparation. We are looking forward to a fantastic 55th Annual Hopkins County Stew Contest on Oct. 26, and it’s time for stew cooks to start registering.
Registration for last year’s cooks are going out in the mail and email this week, so be looking for it in your mailbox and inbox. You can also register online at HopkinsChamber.org/stewcooks.
We are keeping the registration fee the same as in past years at $100 per stew site, with the sponsor asked to provide $150 to each cooking team for ingredients.
If you have been a Stew Cook in the past, we look forward to seeing you again and tasting your delicious stew. If you have won the contest in the past, you are eligible to enter the Super Stew competition.
Each returning stew team will have the option of keeping their 2023 site. These sites will be reserved until Monday, September 30, and then on Tuesday, October 1, the “unclaimed” stew sites will be open to “new cooks” and to returning cooks who would like a new site location. After Sept. 30, all sites will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. As in 2023, we will have sites open on both the north and the south side of Connally Street, where we will have a serving tent and market vendors.
We will have a Stewcomers meeting at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 15 for any new cooks or those who are thinking about entering. You can get all the information you need to start planning for the largest annual single-day event in Hopkins County.
If you need more information, call the Chamber at 903-885-6515 or email [email protected].
The theme for this year’s stew contest is Stewper Heroes, and we would love for you to participate and be a Stewper Hero!
Adult Leadership
Even if you think you know Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County, you are sure to learn a lot through Leadership Sulphur Springs, which is back on this year, with applications online!
The leadership class is for Hopkins County men and women who want to learn and become more invested in their local community. It’s an intensive nine-month program that immerses the participants in the business and government of Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County.
The tentative dates for this year’s program are attached to the application, which can be accessed at HopkinsChamber.org.
You can also have an application mailed to you by emailing me at [email protected]. The deadline is Aug. 9, so get your information in as soon as possible.
The registration fee is $500 and that covers the cost of the food, drinks, transportation, etc. for the year.
Cocktails and Conversation
Join us for our main networking monthly event when Heritage Home Health and Hospice hosts our Cocktails and Conversation on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Chamber office.
You don’t have to be a Chamber member to attend. It is free to everyone, and a prime time to make friends and contacts.
Please make plans to attend to enjoy some cocktails, snacks and great conversation.
Designer Handbag Bingo
The Hopkins County Healthcare Foundation’s extremely popular Designer Handbag Bingo event is coming Aug. 8, and tickets will go quickly.
Tables of eight for the event are currently on sale, and individual tickets will be up for grabs on July 13.
The link to access sponsorship and ticket information is handbagbingo24.givesmart.com
Quilt Show
The Lone Star Heritage Quilt Show is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21 at the ROC on Putman Street. Numerous projects will be on display, and one special quilt will be up for raffle during the event.
If you’re interested in entering your own quilt project, those arrangements must be made by July 31. To request entry, email [email protected].
Ribbon Cutting
Cumby Collegiate ISD will host a ribbon cutting and open house at their new high school facility at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3. Everyone is invited to attend and see the new building.
Dinner Bell for July 31, 2024
The Hopkins Rains Farm Bureau became a Partner with The Dinner Bell Feeding Ministry on February 17, 2016 during its promotion of “Farm Connection Week”. It has continued that relationship and has even added another date this year for Partnership. It also gave the ministry a member of the swine family purchased at the Hopkins County Junior Market Livestock Show to butcher and use for meat for several menus. Though the Farm Connection Week is no longer celebrated, the Farm Bureau will always champion its agricultural related clients.
The Farm Bureau is an insurance provider built by Texans for Texans in 1952. Its mission is to help its policy holders manage the financial risks of everyday life and successfully recover from insurance losses through prompt, professional services based on high ethical standards. As a unified voice of Texas agriculture, Texas Farm Bureau functions as a member of Farm Bureau, a national grassroots organization with members across America that focus on building strong, prosperous agricultural communities.
The relationship between The Dinner Bell Feeding Ministry and The Farm Bureau of Hopkins and Rains Counties highlights its commitment to agriculture and the good nourishing food farms provide for our neighbors who need a meal in Sulphur Springs/Hopkins County.
GRAB and GO with a meal from the distribution area under the covered driveway (porte cochere) on the Northeast corner of the First United Methodist Church campus starting around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
MENU
A Trio of Salads on a bed of lettuce
(Chicken, Tuna and Pimiento Cheese)
Frito Corn Salad
Crackers
Do Nothing Cake
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AS COVID AND FLU ARE STILL LURKING IN OUR MIDST! WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN! WEAR MASKS WHERE REQUIRED! GET INOCULATED AND BOOSTED!!!
DINNER BELL CARES ABOUT YOUR HEALTH!!!
