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Texas state parks present prime viewing for total eclipse

. Special to the News-Times AUSTIN — Less than a month remains until the highly anticipated total eclipse adorns Texas skies. On April 8, a total eclipse will shade 31 Texas state parks along the path of totality. With the exception of Old Tunnel and Lyndon…

Sheriff aids in multi-agency pursuit

Police agencies from a three-county area were involved in a high-speed pursuit of a robbery suspect on March 18. Courtesy photo From SJNT Staff The San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office helped end a multi-county vehicle pursuit with the arrest of a robbery suspect from Porter. On March 18, SJCSO was notified of a vehicle pursuit coming northbound on…
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Former cop pleads guilty to indecency charge

STOCK PHOTO By Chris Edwardsnews@tylercountybooster.com WOODVILLE – Johnathan Broussard Dees, a former law enforcement officer and Doucette resident, who is currently serving time for multiple sex offenses against children, pleaded guilty to another charge on Monday in District Court. Dees was charged with Indecency with a Child by Exposure.…
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Harmon named to DETCOG leadership position

By Chris Edwardsnews@tylercountybooster.com LUFKIN – Last Friday, the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) and Economic Development District announced Tyler County native Andrew Harmon to serve as the new Assistant Executive Director. Harmon will work under DETCOG’s executive director Lonnie Hunt and said “I’m thrilled to announce my…
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Texas files Colony Ridge suit for fraudulent practices

Residents of the Houston-area development, who were maligned by Republicans last year, have complained about the developer for years. By Alejandro Serrano,Texas Tribune HOUSTON — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday sued Houston-area developer Colony Ridge for committing deceptive trade practices and real estate fraud against homebuyers…
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Trinity County site of future movie

AI Image Created with Adobe Firefly By Tony Farkaseditor@trinityconews.com TRINITY — The city of Trinity and surrounding areas, including Groveton, could be the site of a future movie. At the Thursday Trinity City Council meeting, writer-producer-manager Terry Weaver said he plans to produce a film in the county, “The Beast of Trinity, Texas,” and…
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Woman faces felony charges for grade changing

By Tony Farkaseditor@trinityconews.com GROVETON — An employee of the Groveton school district was arrested Wednesday for allegedly altering grades. Breanna Faye Abshier, 35, is facing a third-degree felony charge of tampering with a government record. She is listed on the Groveton ISD website as the registrar for the junior high and high schools.…
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TxDOT to clear memorials from Trinity River bridge

AI Image by DALL-E 2 From Enterprise Staff Crews from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will clear the right-of-way near and beneath the Trinity River Bridge on Monday. There was an outpouring of condolences and sympathy from friends and family of Audrii Cuningham, the 11-year-old Livingston student who was abducted and murdered in…
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Local ranch wins at Houston Livestock Show

Casaray Ranch cattle were big winners at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Red Brahman competition. Courtesy photo from the Brahman Journal Special to the News-Standard HOUSTON — Casaray Ranch of Groveton’s Casaray SF Noble Pasco won Grand Champion red female at the 2024 ABBA International Brahman Show at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, held…
Casaray Ranch cattle were big winners at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Red Brahman competition. Courtesy photo from the Brahman Journal

Corrigan named timber products capital of Texas

STOCK PHOTO From Enterprise Staff For more than 200 years, the City of Corrigan has been recognized for its rich and diverse timber industry. From the lush southern yellow pine forests and timber harvesters, to log truck drivers and wood manufacturing facilities, Corrigan’s economy has been, and continues to be, driven by the forest products…
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Warren ISD investigating threat

STOCK PHOTO By Chris Edwardsnews@tylercountybooster.com WARREN – An incident being described as “a possible terroristic threat” within the Warren Independent School District was reported on Friday. In a statement from the district, Warren ISD acknowledged awareness of the threat, which was directed toward the district’s junior high campus. “It is…
STOCK PHOTO

Mobile home damaged in fire

Firefighters from Trinity Fire & Rescue examine the scene of a fire. TCNS staff TRINITY — Trinity Fire & Rescue responded to a structure fire Thursday afternoon at approximately 3:40 p.m. at 114 Creekside Court. Fire Chief Keith Johnson said the first unit on the scene reported smoke billowing from a single wide mobile home. Two neighbors were…
Firefighters from Trinity Fire & Rescue examine the scene of a fire.

Lakeside Apostolic Church destroyed in blaze

Lakeside Apostolic Church was destroyed by a fire on Saturday afternoon. CHRIS EDWARDS | TCB By Chris Edwardsnews@tylercountybooster.com DAM B – A weekend fire destroyed Lakeside Apostolic Church in Town Bluff. The cause of the fire is officially undetermined at present. According to reports, the fire broke out on Saturday afternoon at the church,…
Lakeside Apostolic Church was destroyed by a fire on Saturday afternoon. CHRIS EDWARDS | TCB

Fleeing suspect apprehended following tip

STOCK PHOTO From Enterprise Staff A tip of a possible sighting resulted in the apprehension and arrest of a Point Blank man who led multiple local law enforcement agencies on a high speed chase and subsequent manhunt. The Livingston Police Department on March 8 initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle stolen out of Houston. The driver refused to…
STOCK PHOTO

TCSO makes arrest of felon with firearm

STOCK PHOTO By Chris Edwardsnews@tylercountybooster.com TOWN BLUFF – The Tyler County Sheriff’s Office made a recent arrest in the Barlow Lake Estates community of a convicted felon from Hardin County who was in possession of a firearm. According to Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, deputies were patrolling the area at…
STOCK PHOTO

TxDOT, students team up to prevent DUI crashes

Special to the News-Standard LUFKIN — As spring break approaches, TxDOT is teaming up with college students to make sure their celebrations don’t have catastrophic consequences. The Drive Sober. No Regrets. campaign is traveling to college campuses and spring break hot spots across the state to spread the message that there is always a safe and…
DUICrash STOCK

Livingston residents arrested on warrants

By Chris Edwardsnews@tylercountybooster.com WOODVILLE – Deputies with the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office made a pair of arrests last week in Woodville of two individuals with felony warrants, according to Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford. The deputies were made aware of two individuals from Livingston, whom they identified as Ramon Joseph…
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Overcoming - recovery gave me back my son

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Overcoming 2021COURTESY PHOTO Kyle and his mother, Nancy.

By Nancy Carr

Becoming a mother was one of the greatest joys I had ever experienced. Kyle was a vibrant, exuberant child with a larger-than-life personality from the day he was born. Our family was truly blessed. He was always the center of attention and became friends instantly with anyone he met. He had this thirst for life, until he was about 12 years old. That’s when things started to change and fracture our family unit until Kyle entered recovery in 2013.

Kyle was always precocious and outgoing, it was his defining character trait. So, when he started to isolate in middle school, I became extremely concerned. He began asking why he was “different” and why he didn’t fit in. As a parent, all I wanted to do was provide the best possible life for my child, so I looked into different therapists and psychologists to help him through this period. I thought, “he’ll grow out of it – he’s so personable and has such a bright future.”

Little did I know that would be the beginning of a decade-long battle against addiction. Kyle began showing signs of depression and anxiety. He asked to see doctors, who put him on prescriptions. Kyle began abusing those medications, and soon graduated from pills to heroin. His father and I would have never guessed our child was shooting up heroin at just 15 years old.

The next eight years would be filled with ups and downs. Kyle’s father and I were in complete denial of his addiction – we thought he would rebound every time he said “I’m done.” We sent him to multiple psychologists, therapists, treatment centers, and facilities. We were able to find centers in-network but we traded quality of care for cost. Finding a treatment center that treated all three aspects of addiction seemed nearly impossible. We saw him deteriorate in front of our eyes, attempt getting sober, then fall off again and again. Kyle would hide from the world feeling overwhelming shame and guilt, but continue using. He was a slave to the drugs.

In 2013, something finally happened. After a string of failed career moves, arrests, overdoses, and increasing medical problems, Kyle finally told us he couldn’t keep doing this. We sought out a treatment center that worked on mind, body, and spirit. As parents, all Kyle’s father and I wanted for him was to be happy and productive. We listened to addiction professionals who had overcome the same debilitating disease of addiction.

Our family experienced, what I like to call, “a collective enlightenment” as a result of Kyle’s recovery. Through intensive work, Kyle finally became open and honest enough to share with our family that he was gay. He had sat in fear for so many years, thinking we would turn our backs on him. He began coming out of his shell again and engaging in life for the first time in years. I saw the vibrant, social Kyle again. Our entire family started addressing issues we had glazed over for years. We became a true family unit.

Recovery has completely changed our lives. As a family, we’ve begun to have direct and open communication with one another. Kyle and his brother are best friends again. Kyle’s father and I have never had a better marriage. Kyle’s able to show up for us and participate in his own life again. But what’s most miraculous is how those dark days are now the foundation of the strong family bond we’ve built.

Almost four years later, our lives are completely different. It was through practicing honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness, that Kyle found himself. He’s since identified that “different” feeling he experienced was due to his addiction and fear of coming out of the closet. Today, he’s a proud gay man and is a respected member of his community. He’s engaged to a wonderful man and living the life he’s always wanted. There is no greater gift than watching your child live life to the fullest, and that’s exactly what’s happened since Kyle got sober.

There’s no “right” way to prepare for a loved one’s addiction. This disease blindsides you, it hits you when you least expect it. Our family was able to overcome this disease by listening to our child, providing support any way we could, being cautious not to enable his addiction, and helping to find a recovery solution when Kyle became ready. My hope is that every parent who struggles with their child’s addiction is able to find the freedom we have, and to let them know that it gets better.

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