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Taylor Red to perform locally

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Taylor Red

For its second show this season, Livingston Community Concerts will present Taylor Red at 7:30 p.m. October 16 at the Polk County Commerce Center.

Taylor Red is composed of identical triplet sisters hailing from Nashville. Nika, Natalie and Nicole Taylor make up the girl band whose sound is best described as fresh, fun and country. They are singers, songwriters, composers and multi-instrumentalists who play guitar, banjo, fiddle and mandolin. They were a Dove Award Nominee for Country Album of the Year in 2014.

“Their program is influenced by country artists such as Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash as well as pop music artists like the Eagles and Tom Petty.”

They have opened for Amy Grant, Charlie Daniels, Diamond Rio, Don Williams, High Valley, Josh Turner, Michael W. Smith, Neil McCoy, Ray Stevens and many others. They are also famous for their Sonic Drive-In commercials featured in 2020-2021. They have been featured in People Magazine not only for their music but also their success on social media. Thy have over 7 million followers on TikTok. They grew up in southern Mississippi and currently reside in Nashville.

The Polk County Commerce Center is located at 1017 U.S. Highway 59 Loop North, Livingston.

Memberships in the Livingston Community Concert Association may be purchased for as little as $50 per person and family rates are also available. Membership will allow one to attend all concerts per season.

For additional information go to www.livingstoncommunityconcert.org or contact Sally Frasier at 936-967-0219.

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County to begin process off redistricting

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Polk County LogoBy Emily Banks Wooten
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Attorney Eric Magee discussed and reviewed the initial assessment of Polk County for the purposes of redistricting during the recent regular meeting of the Polk County Commissioners Court. To ensure equal representation, Magee said the county’s total population, 46,409, divided by four, 11,602, should be the population of each precinct. Of the four precincts, he said Precinct 1 grew the most, with a population of 13,721, and Precinct 3 shrunk the most, with a population of 10,164. Commissioners approved adopting the findings of fact regarding the political boundaries of Polk County, Texas and an order redistricting of county political boundaries.

A public hearing on the creation of a reinvestment zone to be known as Polk County Reinvestment Zone-Lone Spur for purposes of tax abatement to provide economic development within the county was held.

“This is a reinvestment zone of approximately 6,600 acres east of Lake Livingston State Park and south of the City of Livingston. It’s a solar project,” Magee said.

“I think it would be beneficial in a lot of different ways,” Bart Goldsmith said.

“I’ve been approached by some property-owners on the list who said they weren’t contacted,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Tommy Overstreet said. “Those people in the project zone were contacted,” County Judge Sydney Murphy said.

Following close of the public hearing, commissioners approved creation of the reinvestment zone and also approved adoption of a tax abatement agreement with Lone Spur Solar Energy LLC.

Several agreements for medical and mental health services at the Polk County Jail were approved. Dr. Raymond Luna will provide medical director services, Ann Luna Winston will provide after-hours inmate medical services and Serenity House Counseling PLLC will provide inmate mental health services.

A proposed agreement from Net Data for justice of the peace case management, real vision imaging, integrated credit card payment system, iticket DPS citation download and GHS collections management was approved.

Modifications to the Polk County subdivision regulations were approved and action regarding Rolling Pines Subdivision Section 1 located in Precinct 2 was approved.

Commissioners approved the nomination of Paul David Evans, by resolution, for the Polk Central Appraisal District Board for the 2021-2022 term.

The regular commissioners court session set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12 was rescheduled to 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 8 due to the court’s attendance at the County Judges and Commissioners Association Conference in Round Rock.

Commissioners approved authorizing Goodwin-Lasiter-Strong to advertise for construction bids on the Texas Department of Agriculture fiscal year 2020 Dallardsville/Segno WSC Plant improvements.

Action regarding the request for proposals #2021-20 for the school lands lease was approved.

Commissioners approved personnel actions form requests submitted since the last meeting and reviewed two authorized emergency hirings, one at the sheriff’s office and one at the jail.

Fiscal Year 2021 budget revisions #2021-19 and amendments #2021-19(A), as presented by the county auditor’s office, were approved.

Offers to purchase tax foreclosed properties, specifically Lots 36, 37 and 38 in Block 11 in Section 2 of Cedar Point in Precinct 2, were approved.

Following a public hearing to receive public comment on the county and district clerks’ preservation and restoration plans for fiscal year 2022 which yielded no comments, Commissioners approved the plans.

The Polk County Historical Commission was recognized and presented the Texas Historical Commission Distinguished Service Award.

Commissioners approved the following items that were on the consent agenda:

Minutes of the Sept. 14 regular meeting;

Schedules of bills;

Order designating surplus property;

County Auditor Louis Ploth’s monthly report, pursuant to Local Government Code Sec . 114.025;

Order setting juror reimbursement for fiscal year 2022;

Order designating regular terms of commissioners court for fiscal year 2022;

Order setting terms of the constitutional county court;

Adoption of resolution expressing intent to reimburse certain fiscal year 2022 expenditures (capital purchases) to be incurred by Polk County, Texas (reimbursement resolution);

District clerk preservation and restoration records plan for fiscal year 2022 and set district court records archive fee in the amount of $10, as reflected in the fiscal year 2022 adopted budget;

County clerk preservation and restoration records plan for fiscal year 2022 and set county court records archive fee in the amount of $10, as reflected in the fiscal year 2022 adopted budget;

Receive and record the district judges’ order of reappointment and oath of Louis Ploth as county auditor for Polk County effective September 18;

Approve request from Precinct 1 Constable Scott Hughes for asset forfeiture expenditure of seized property not to exceed $47,800 for purchase of law enforcement vehicle and $1,480.93 for travel/training;

Approve six-month renewal of memorandum of understanding with Precinct 1 constable regarding monthly salary of Beau Price to be funded solely from Precinct 1 constable asset seizures;

Approve request from District Attorney Lee Hon for asset forfeiture expenditure of seized property not to exceed $1,676 for publication of legal documents;

Accept donations provided to the fire marshal for fire prevention education;

Approve use of $29,980 from maintenance capital outlay buildings (budgeted funds) to replace roof at Corrigan food pantry;

Approve use of $3,044.39 from justice court building security fund balance to install walk-through metal detector at Precinct 2 justice of the peace office;

Approve revision of order authorizing and assigning space in county-owned buildings; and

Approve revisions to animal control ordinance regarding legislated changes in fees.

Joshua Carney, pastor of the First United Pentecostal Church of Livingston, opened the meeting with prayer.

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Tragedy on the tracks

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This is the only crossing for Glover Road, also known as Old Highway 35 North. Photos by Brian BeschThis is the only crossing for Glover Road, also known as Old Highway 35 North. Photos by Brian Besch

By Brian Besch
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Getting to and from home has, at times, been difficult for those living on Glover Road in Leggett the past 30 years. The one-mile stretch has homes on around 16 different plots of land.

Glover Road, also known as Old Highway 35 North, is next to the train tracks that run parallel to Highway 59 in Leggett. The problem is that the road dead ends and there is only one crossing to reach Highway 59 or any other road. Residents remember a time when there was a second crossing and many are hopeful that will again be the case in the future.

“My daughter and my nephew are the only ones that go to Leggett (ISD) on this road because there are a lot of elderly people that live here. I told my husband about a week ago that someone is going to have an emergency out here and they (emergency responders) are not going to be able to get to them. Sure enough, it was my son that had the emergency. It is a terrible thing, and seconds and minutes mean the most when you are not breathing. I needed them.”

These are the wooden planks where paramedics and Monica Franklin performed CPR on K’Twon. A train was on the middle track and blocking the only crossing.These are the wooden planks where paramedics and Monica Franklin performed CPR on K’Twon. A train was on the middle track and blocking the only crossing.The tragic story told by Monica Franklin is an example of why many want the second crossing. Reportedly, trains stop on the tracks for an hour and up to three hours at a time, blocking any vehicles from getting in or going out. 

“It was the (Sept.) 30th when this happened and I woke up and found my son not breathing,” Franklin said. I immediately started CPR and my husband called 911. It was about 7:30 a.m. or 8 a.m. maybe when we called 911 and the train was on the track at the time.” 

She said 30 minutes before, her 3-month-old baby, K’Twon, had been given a bottle and put down to rest. The baby’s hands were very active and he had a habit of pulling the blanket to his face. Franklin, a nurse, said K’Twon was not stiff or cold to the touch, but she could tell that something wasn’t right when she picked him up and he was non-responsive. She immediately checked for a pulse and then began CPR.

“I was doing CPR on my son on the washing machine for an hour,” Franklin said. “The woman on dispatch told me that there was a train on the track and ‘they can’t get to you.’ I don’t know how many rounds of CPR I did on my son, I just kept going. Eventually, the EMTs came through the train cars to get to me, but they did not bring any equipment with them. As the paramedics came into my home, we did a few more rounds of CPR and they said ‘let’s get him to the ambulance.’ We ran to the train track to crawl back through the train cars and get him to the ambulance, because they (sheriff’s office, ambulance) were stuck on the other side of the track. The train began to start. We ended up doing CPR on the railroad track until the train had passed. Me and the paramedic were doing CPR on the train tracks while the train passed for what seems like forever.” 

Franklin said once the train cleared, they were able to get K’Twon to the ambulance and he was transported to St. Luke’s Health Memorial Hospital. They were able to regain a heartbeat, however, he was not breathing on his own. He was then airlifted to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston and there for two days on life support. Tests showed that his brain did not make it through the trauma. K’Twon was said to be without oxygen for too long and life support was removed Saturday.

“It is just hurtful and if it was anyone else’s family, I would feel the same way,” Franklin said. “I have been told of so many instances that have happened on this road. This is every day of the week, it seems like. I’m a nurse, but I was a stay-at-home mom until two or three weeks ago, when I went back to work. This train holds up our daughter from school and in the afternoon. It’s not like they are hooking up cars and stay on the track for 30 minutes or so. It is literally hours. I have missed a dentist appointment, because for four hours, they were sitting on the track. The thing is, they pull past the main road back there by the store, but they block us by two to three cars. The train that was there the day my son passed was a long train. The majority of the time, it is by two to three cars. I am not sure what goes on with their operations, but I know me and my husband have made over 20 complaints to Union Pacific. The only thing they tell me is that they will contact their supervisor or management.”

Franklin said her 5-year-old daughter attending kindergarten is usually one of the first to get off the bus. Yet, when a train is on the track, the bus will park for a few minutes and then finish the route before dropping her off.

Franklin moved to Leggett on family property from Texarkana early in 2021. Through conversations, she that Leggett ISD has made several reports to Union Pacific over the years.

Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy also has made numerous complaints to Union Pacific. Both she and Leggett ISD superintendent Jana Lowe feel as though their questions and complaints have fallen on deaf ears.

“I have been after U.P. about this crossing for several years” Murphy said. “My worst nightmare just came true. They have been non-responsive. We have no idea if they have made any plans, evaluated the situation, or even reviewed it any further. Our last communication with them was September-October of 2019, when they promised they would come meet with (Polk County Commissioner) Milt Purvis about the issue.”

Murphy explained that the replies she is given include that the company will look into it or evaluate the situation or that the person she spoke with previously is no longer there. The responses have delayed any sort of action. Purvis had discussed the issue with them prior to Murphy taking office.

Lowe said she reports to Union Pacific’s website once or twice each week about a problem in the area.

“I can’t even count how many times in the morning I will come and there has been a 20- or 30-minute wait,” the Leggett superintendent said. “I don’t know if that is acceptable or not. When you have kids on the other side in the bus, especially whenever they are little kids going home — we waited from 3:30 p.m. until nearly 5 p.m. — that is a bathroom issue. Not to mention a behavior issue for little kids to stay that long.”

Blocking FM 942 is also a normal occurrence, according to Lowe. The obstruction there is said to usually be around 20 or 30 minutes and usually around 7:15 p.m. 

“I reported every time and I have never once been contacted by anyone,” Lowe said. “I am just extremely frustrated by it and I think it is a dangerous situation. I think it is ridiculous that they don’t take any notice of completely blocking the only route those people have out. I feel so sorry for those people and I just can’t imagine having a child that was affected to the extent that they ended up losing a child because they can’t get an emergency person down there. I feel like this is one of those situations, and I am not throwing rocks at a major industry, but if that were blocking homes in The Woodlands, I guarantee you that there would be a crossing. But in Leggett, Texas, it is like, ‘eh, they have reported it a few times,’ and that offends me. We just need some sort of communication with the railroad, but good luck trying to find it.” 

There is a fear amongst many on Glover Road that a similar emergency could occur again. There have been multiple house fires with older homes on the road. There are also many senior citizens that live in the area, including a mobile home park for those aged 55 and over.

The Enterprise obtained a letter written by W.T. “Pete” Glover from Feb. of 1992. The man for which the road is named was concerned then of the three-hour delays and how it was “very unreasonable, when there is no other outlet.” 

“We could probably drive around and wait and miss our appointments and miss our school and that kind of thing. That is easy stuff to get by, but when you have a life-threatening emergency and nobody can get to you, those are the things that are very concerning,” Franklin said. “I have been late to work due to this train. I work for agencies and we have a nurse rating. If you are late or you have to call for your shift, your nurse rating goes down and we can’t pick up more shifts. There are only so many shifts you can pick up at a time. That is where I am at now. I am not able to work as many hours now because my rating went down.”

A memorial service will be held both locally and in Texarkana, but times and dates have yet to be determined. A bank account has been established in K’Twon’s name at First National Bank. The location where donations will be accepted is 308 West Church Street in Livingston. Checks can be written “For Benefit of Baby Franklin.” 

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Missionary addresses Rotary Club

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KINDNESS SHOWN - Students at Leggett ISD recently made and posted a banner in their school that says “Leggett ISD is thinking of Livingston ISD,” signed by numerous students, to show their support for Livingston ISD in light of the tragedies that have befallen the district this past week. A senior band member was killed in an automobile accident following the Homecoming football game last Friday and just days later, two beloved teachers died from complications stemming from COVID-19. (l-r) Addison Hinson, Jacolby Sells and Jesse Calderas. Courtesy photoJosh Dorrell, a member of the Galveston Rotary Club, recently presented a program to the Livingston Rotary Club about the Segera Mission in Kenya, of which he serves as executive director. Photo by Emily Banks Wooten | PCE

By Emily Banks Wooten
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Josh Dorrell, a member of the Galveston Rotary Club, recently presented a program to the Livingston Rotary Club about the Segera Mission in Kenya, of which he serves as executive director.

According to Dorrell, the Segera Mission was founded by Rev. Carlton “Pappy” Gleason in 2002, after first visiting Kenya four years earlier and seeing the tremendous needs. At the age of 88, Gleason, called “Pappy” by all that knew him, started a medical clinic, a school, a feeding program for widows and orphans, and a mission outreach program. When he died there at age 94 over 1,400 people attended his funeral.

Following his death, Gleason’s daughter Janice ran the mission while searching for someone who could carry on her and her father’s work at Segura Mission. Through a series of connections, the search ended in 2019 with Dorrell.

“After visiting Segera Mission, meeting the incredible team on the ground in Kenya, and seeing the vast impact Segera Mission had on the community, I felt the Lord was calling me to take over,” Dorrell said.

Located 30 miles from the remote village of Nanyuki, considered the “Gateway To Mount Kenya” in Central Kenya, Segera Mission is nestled  between the Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Mount Kenya National Park. The capital city of Nairobi, where the country’s international airport resides, is located approximately 150 miles from Segera Mission.

Segera is primarily a farming community filled with community members whose families have worked the land for multiple generations. Segera is also home to three main tribes: the Turkana, the Masai and the Samburu. Each tribe is highly revered by their respective communities and has their own distinct beauty and challenges.

In addition to facing dangers from natural disasters like droughts, Segera’s remoteness makes meeting basic needs like medical care challenging with the closest medical facility being 35 miles away on foot.

“Our goal at Segera Mission is to give the people of Kenya the message of God’s love and a chance for a better life through our four pillars which are discipleship, community development, education and healthcare,” Dorrell said. “We build God-centered communities primed to reach Kenya with the gospel of Jesus.

“We want to ensure that they have access to basic needs like clean water, as well as economic stability and proper housing,” he said, adding that 60% of illnesses there are from bad water. “We make sure they have access to clean water.

“We want to invest in Kenya’s future by providing quality education and making sure that every student has what they need to be successful. There are 325 kids that attend our school every day and they receive two meals a day at school,” Dorrell said, commenting that the school is for fourth through the eighth grade and that the high school students attend boarding schools.

“We provide opportunities for Kenyans to truly thrive without the fear of things like harmful cultural practices or unsafe birthing conditions. Healthcare is a huge, huge issue in our region,” he said, adding that there are over 1,000 monthly visits to the clinic and 25-30 births a month. “The primary healthcare issues are HIV/AIDS/TB testing and treatment and female genital mutilation which is systemic, unhealthy, ungodly and just dangerous.

“It’s one of the poorest countries I’ve ever seen in my life,” Dorrell said, adding, “Job training is one of the biggest ways to change systemic poverty.”

Dorrell was born and raised in Waco and his parents were involved in urban ministry and international ministry. He’s a 2004 graduate of Baylor University.

To learn more about Segera Mission or to contribute, go to segeramission.org.

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Two Livingston locals convicted of DWI

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Tracy AdrianTracy AdrianFrom Enterprise Staff

A Polk County jury returned a guilty verdict against Tracy Todd Adrian, 52 of Livingston, Wednesday. Adrian was found guilty of the offense of driving while intoxicated in conjunction with an incident that occurred at 1:35 a.m. on April 7, 2019.

According to evidence presented during the trial, a 911 caller told a dispatcher that Adrian’s vehicle, which was traveling eastbound on Hwy. 190, was “all over the road … like really, really bad … he just almost ran into the guardrail.”

An officer with the Livingston Police Department responded, locating and making contact with Adrian. Standard field sobriety tests were administered and blood was drawn pursuant to a search warrant. The analysis reflected Adrian’s blood alcohol content to be more than twice the legal limit. Video of the stop was not provided to jurors as the camera was in nonworking condition at the time of the stop.

Adrian faces up to six months in jail and up to a $2000 fine.

On Thursday, a separate Polk County jury found Michael Jermaine Chidester, 41, guilty of driving while intoxicated-second offense. Similar to the other case, a 911 call came in at approximately 2:30 a.m. on June 14, 2020 in which the caller reported “… there’s a car … going northbound in the southbound lane (of Hwy. 59) … hauling ass … it passed us …”

Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. According to testimony, Chidester refused to submit to the standard field sobriety tests and his blood was drawn pursuant to a search warrant. While the analysis showed Chidester had a blood alcohol content of more than twice the legal limit, it was excluded from the trial because of issues related to its admissibility. The deputies’ video of the stop was also excluded at trial.

Michael ChidesterMichael Chidester“Prosecuting a DWI case without a blood alcohol analysis or standard field sobriety tests presents a unique set of challenges to say the least,” Polk County Assistant District Attorney Tommy L. Coleman said. “Fortunately, the jury found the testimony of the deputies in the case to be credible and obviously thought that the other evidence in the case was sufficient to support a guilty verdict.”

Because this is Chidester’s second conviction for DWI, he faces up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4000.

“The danger to the motoring public by intoxicated drivers cannot be overstated and all too often other innocent motorists suffer the tragic consequences of bad choices made by intoxicated drivers,” Polk County District Attorney William Lee Hon said. “We appreciate these Polk County jurors reminding everyone that you will be held accountable in this county if you choose to drive drunk or high.”                

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