Polk County News - Breakout

Write a comment

From Enterprise Staff

Farmers and ranchers have until Aug. 1 to nominate candidates to serve on the Polk-San Jacinto County Farm Service Agency (FSA) Committee. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) accepts nominations each year in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAAs) for individuals to serve on these locally led committees.

“The Aug. 1 deadline is quickly approaching,” Reagan Robertson, executive director for FSA in Polk-San Jacinto Counties, said. “Committee members play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of the agency and are vital to how FSA carries out disaster programs, as well as conservation, commodity and price support programs. This is your opportunity to have a say in how federal programs are delivered in our county.”

This year FSA in Polk-San Jacinto Counties are accepting nominations in the following local administrative areas (LAA) for:

• LAA 1 -Polk County which runs west of Hwy. 59 and north of Hwy. 190 and includes Carmona, Onalaska, Moscow and Wakefield;

• LAA 2 - Polk County which runs east of Hwy. 59, north of Hwy. 190 and south of Hwy. 190, east of FM 1276 to the county line and includes Barnes, Camden, Corrigan, Hortense, Ollie, Pluck and Skinner Town; and

• LAA 4 - San Jacinto County which runs west of Hwy. 59 and north of Hwy. 150 and includes Camilla, Coldspring, Evergreen, Maynard,Oakhurst, Point Blank, Pumpkin, Staley, Stephens Creek and Waverly.

Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in a USDA program and reside in the LAAs up for election this year, may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits.

Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are made up of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Individuals may nominate themselves or others and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. USDA encourages minority producers, women and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote, and hold office.

Producers should contact their local FSA office today to register and find out how to get involved in their county’s election, including if their LAA is up for election this year. To be considered, a producer must be registered and sign an FSA-669A nomination form. Urban farmers should use an FSA-669-A-3 for urban county committees. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.  

Election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters beginning Nov. 7.

Write a comment

A large group of children recently attended Dinosaur Discovery, a special exhibit that the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Wheels recently presented at the Livingston Municipal Library. This is just one of a series of programs the library has hosted for children this summer. All children are welcome to participate in the summer programs. Several weekly events are offered at the library. These include baby time on Tuesdays, story time for older children on Wednesdays and toddler time on Thursdays. The events begin at 10:30 a.m. The library is located at 707 N. Tyler Ave. in Livingston. Courtesy photos

Write a comment

Polk County Clerk Schelana Myers Hock was named “Clerk of the Year” during the 127th annual summer conference of the County & District Clerk’s Association of Texas July 10-14 in Waco. The award is given for distinguished and exemplary service. Hock has been in office since 2009. Courtesy photo

Write a comment

At Polk County Jail

From Enterprise Staff

An unannounced visit from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards on July 14 to conduct an unexpected inspection of the Polk County Jail produced a successful result, according to Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons.

The Commission on Jail Standards was implemented in 1975 by the Texas Legislature to ensure that all jails meet the minimum jail standards. The inspector will view a sample of documents regarding the care, custody and treatment of inmates as well as facility equipment, maintenance and jail operations.

According to Lyons, during the July 14 visit, the inspector looked at inmate files and how they are maintained and interviewed several of the inmates incarcerated in the Polk County Jail. The inspector also reviewed use of force reports, the ability to track such reports, fire drills and life safety equipment, even going so far as to test the generators.

“For the past year we have been short-staffed and managing 200-plus inmates while fighting COVID. I want to say thank you to my detention staff which is led by Captain Larry Dawson and Lieutenant Matthew Brown. Their outstanding attention to duty and inmate care has resulted in another successful jail inspection,” Lyons said.