Polk County News

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From Enterprise Staff

The Piney Woods Lakes Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists will begin a new training class on February 1, 2023. Interested nature enthusiasts from Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity and Tyler counties will take 10 weeks of virtual and classroom training delivered by master naturalists and specialists from universities, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas A&M University AgriLife and nature centers. Trainees will get to:

Hang out with other nature-loving people;

Play in the water and mud again without getting into trouble;

Learn to identify birds by their sound;

Lead nature hikes at parks and nature preserves; and

Participate in many more fun and educational outdoor opportunities.

Master Naturalist certification requires 40 hours of training and 40 hours of chapter and community service within one year of beginning training. Topics covered in the training include interpretation and management of natural resources; land and water conservation and management; diverse eco-regions in Texas; pollinators, bird and wildlife identification; and improving natural habitats for all living things.

Additionally, each trainee must complete the annual requirement for eight hours of advanced training in an area of personal interest. Various presentations offered at chapter meetings typically fulfill most of this requirement.

The class fee of $140 covers the bound state curriculum, first year chapter annual dues of $25, temporary and permanent name badges, fees for speakers and facilities and the required Texas Parks and Wildlife Department background check.

Classes, most 5 hours, will be held Wednesdays for 10 weeks beginning February 1 and ending on April 12 with a spring break March 13-17. Most classes will be held at Polk County Chamber of Commerce, Lake Livingston State Park or in the field. Most classes will be recorded in case you miss one.

For more information or to fill out an application, contact Tina Crichfield via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or check out the website and Facebook page. Download the membership application online at www.txmn.org/pineywoodlakes

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From Enterprise Staff

Cory Austin LilleyA 911 call regarding a female in distress and needing assistance led to the arrest of Cory Austin Lilley, 31 of Livingston.

After receiving the call at approximately 8:24 p.m. Thursday, Polk County sheriff’s deputies and a DPS trooper arrived at the scene and saw the male subject assaulting a female outside the residence with children present.

Lilley was transported to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to be interviewed by detectives, attempted to run away and was immediately apprehended and taken to the Polk County Jail.

Lilley was charged with aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault family/household with a weapon, both first degree felonies, endangering a child criminal negligence, a state jail felony, and escape while arrested/confined, a third-degree felony, and remains in the Polk County Jail on bonds totaling $230,000.

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By Emily Banks Wooten
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Monday was a history-making day for the north end of the county, a day that many wondered if they would ever see. With a slew of dignitaries on hand to hold the shovels, ground was broken for the construction of the Corrigan Relief Route, the largest and most expensive project ever undertaken for the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Lufkin District.

“This is a really exciting day and has been a long time coming. It will complement Corrigan and provide a non-stop travel experience,” Lufkin District Engineer Kelli Morris

“Change is coming, and we need to prepare for it,” County Judge Sydney Murphy said. “I do think this project has had more stops and starts than anything in the history of the state of Texas. I know it’s been close to 40 years. I remember being a teacher at Corrigan-Camden and hearing Jasper Cockrell talk about it when I was pregnant with my son Matthew and Matthew’s 38 now. We welcome you and thank you.”

“I’m excited to see the project begin and I’m proud to be the one to lead this project,” Livingston Area Engineer Clint Jones, who serves Polk and San Jacinto counties, said.

“This project will bring Hwy. 59 up to interstate standards and will result in goods and services being sourced in the area for years to come,” Shawn Dunn, speaking on behalf of Sen. Robert Nichols, said.

“I know with growth there are growing pains. This is a project that has been on the books for over 25 years now. There are a lot of people that we owe a debt of gratitude to that are not in this room. We’re standing on their shoulders. This is huge. It’s monumental. I know this is going to be welcome for our traveling public and freight movement,” Rep. Trent Ashby said.

“Getting to break ground today on the Corrigan Relief Route is very exciting. Once complete, it will serve as the hurricane evacuation route,” TxDOT’s Director of Construction Shannon Ramos said.

The $172.8 million construction project will be built to interstate standards and will include construction of new U.S. 59 northbound and southbound lanes with controlled access.

The 6.3-mile project will be from 3.4 miles north of U.S. 287 to 3 miles south of U.S. 287. Work will include the construction of overpasses at United Pacific Railroad, U.S. 287 and Union Springs Road. Entrance and exit ramps will be added at U.S. 59 tie-ins and at the U.S. 287 overpass and will include the construction of four main lanes for travel.

James Construction Group LLC of Baton Rouge, La. will serve as contractor for the project that is scheduled to be completed in six years.

Planning for the Corrigan Relief Route began in the late 1990s when environmental studies began but were stopped due to budgetary constraints. Project development resumed in 2012 when I-69 in Polk County was considered a top priority by the I-69 Segment Two Committee. Schematics and right-of-way maps were studied and in 2014, an open house was held for the public to view the proposed path.

Further refinements to the plan were made and presented to the public in 2015, and in 2016 environmental studies and schematic reviews were performed. A public hearing was held in 2017 to gather public comments and the Texas Transportation Commission approved the revisions and funded the project.

The Corrigan Relief Route will be built to promote public safety, improve emergency evacuations and support freight transport. As the work begins, motorists should be alert to moving equipment and workers near the work zone. Reduce speed and obey all traffic control.

For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (936) 633-4395.

 

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From Enterprise Staff

The annual Texas winter tradition of rainbow trout stocking is heading back to waterbodies across the state to kick off the holiday season. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) began stocking thousands of rainbow trout on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.

“TPWD stocks catchable sized fish during winter months to create unique winter angling opportunities throughout Texas,” TPWD Rainbow Trout Program Director Carl Kittel said. “Rainbow trout love cold water and can be caught on a variety of baits and lures (worms, commercially available pastes, corn, spinners, spoons, flies and more), and are great to take home and eat. Our winter rainbow trout program has been a favorite of anglers for over 40 years.”

TPWD plans to stock 337,469 rainbow trout in Texas through March 3. Because rainbow trout are unable to survive in Texas after winter, anglers are encouraged to keep up to their daily bag limit of five trout. Rainbow trout are an attractive, tasty fish and anglers can easily find recipes to prepare them online.

The Neighborhood Fishin’ program offers some outstanding opportunities to catch rainbow trout for families and new anglers in and around major cities. TPWD manages 18 Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes statewide in most major urban centers, including Austin, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Houston and San Antonio. These lakes are frequently stocked with rainbow trout during the winter stocking season and offer plenty of amenities so family members of all ages can enjoy a fun and relaxing day fishing and connecting in nature.

Tailrace fishing is popular during trout season. TPWD will stock rainbow trout into the Canyon Tailrace on the Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake, and the Possum Kingdom Tailrace on the Brazos River below Possum Kingdom Lake for anglers willing to try their hand in tailrace fishing. Those locations often have very cool water and provide excellent conditions for trout fishing.

Other stocking locations include dozens of local city and county managed park ponds, the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center casting pond, and several rivers including the Frio, South Llano and Guadalupe rivers and the Clear Fork of the Trinity River.

In addition, anglers can pursue a fish in a Texas State Park from a bank, dock or pier for free without a fishing license. TPWD recommends anyone planning a trip to a park reserve a day pass in advance. Day passes can be reserved online though the TPWD website or over the phone by calling (512) 389-8900.

The good news is it doesn’t take a lot of sophisticated fishing equipment to reel in a rainbow trout. They can be caught using simple, light tackle or on hand-tied flies using a fly rod. However, anglers should keep an array of baits and lures nearby as well as ice to keep trout fresh. For more tips on how to catch rainbow trout, gain some insight from TPWD staff on the TPWD YouTube channel.

In Texas, children under 17 fish for free, but adults must have a fishing license with a freshwater fishing endorsement. An angler fishing in a Community Fishing Lake or from a dock, pier or jetty within a Texas State Park may use no more than two poles. The statewide bag limit is five trout, except on parts of the Guadalupe River where special limits are in effect.

The dates and locations are subject to change due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Be sure to check the 2022-23 Trout Stocking Schedule online before you go fishing to confirm the stocking date, check fishing regulations and to find other winter trout stocking program angling tips.