San Jacinto County News - Breakout

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Special to the News-Times

POINT BLANK — On Thursday, San Jacinto County Precinct 3 Constable’s office received multiple complaints of abandoned dogs located in Point Blank.

Constable Sam Houston and Capt. Pete Sparta found one dog was tied to a tree with no water and no food and approximately 5 inches of cable to move around, while other dogs were in deplorable conditions.

A second dog was found roaming a neighbor’s yard and was also found to be skinny and in need of medical attention.

Sparta and Houston removed the animals from the location, and then took the dogs to the Houston Humane Society for further evaluation and to be placed for adoption.

The constables’ office will be filing criminal charges against the suspects involved.

The Constables office wants to remind everyone that animal abandonment is a crime.

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Special to the News-Times

Communities Unlimited and the TLL Temple Foundation are bolstering civic infrastructure across rural East Texas.

Supported by a five-year $3.1 million grant from the TLL Temple Foundation, the two entities developed an initiative called ConnectRURAL to strengthen the capacities of rural communities to plan for, secure, and manage transformational federal and state funding opportunities.

Communities with strained civic infrastructure have been held back as they work to tackle their long-standing challenges. ConnectRURAL will assist small-underserved communities in accessing funding for federal programs by embedding Community Resource Managers throughout the TLL Temple service area.

These Community Resource Managers will collaborate with community leaders to identify local needs and develop action plans. Through this collaboration, East Texas communities will connect local priorities with CU’s multi-state network of technical assistance expertise in rural water systems, broadband, entrepreneurship, small business lending, and community sustainability.

“This project really has the potential to be a game changer for the region,” said Martha Claire Bullen, CU Director for Community Sustainability. “TLL Temple Foundation’s commitment to this initiative will allow us to address this gap that we know exists between resources that are out there and actually drawing them into rural communities. From community members to municipal leadership there are dollars not making it to their intended destinations and our goal is to make that connection.”

ConnectRURAL also establishes a special pooled funding mechanism for rural communities to access cost share and matching funds, which will mitigate a common burden on rural communities attempting to secure federal grants. The Community Resource Managers will serve as local intermediaries in a web of direct technical assistance and targeted funding that will enhance regional development across rural East Texas.

In addition, ConnectRURAL will initiate an AmeriCorps Program that will place members throughout the region to assist communities with achieving their goals and identifying resources. In the short term, dozens of nonprofit and civic agencies will strengthen their human resources capacities by hosting AmeriCorps members.

In the long term, East Texas will benefit from having a growing cadre of dozens, and eventually hundreds, of young residents who have served their communities in meaningful roles and developed the skills and experiences to become the civic, business, health, and service-oriented leaders who will build a thriving future.

“The ConnectRURAL initiative is designed to overcome the key barriers that rural communities face in accessing transformational resources,” said Wynn Rosser, president and CEO of the TLL Temple Foundation. Rosser said, “Rural communities need both/and models that address immediate needs while strengthening long-term capacity at multiple levels. With regionally based Community Resource Managers supporting bottom-up planning that connects to technical assistance networks, pooled matching and cost share funding, and a pathway to develop the next generation of rural leaders through AmeriCorps, this ConnectRURAL partnership with Communities Unlimited is our chance to do rural development differently in East Texas.”

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Business owner M.J. Coker presented two donations to the COHS CTE program to help students compete at the upcoming SkillsUSA competitions in February. Pictured from left: COHS Senior Kia McGowen, Senior Amani Harwig, Freshman Leeann Isaacks, MJ Coker - President of M&J Electrical Supply, SkillsUSA Advisor Chef Joel Casiday, Freshman Nathan Dolney, and Sophomore Ashton Smith, Photo by Cassie Gregory

Special to the News-Times

COLDSPRING — Coldspring-Oakhurst High School Career & Technical Education (CTE) students have received a huge sponsorship thanks to the outreach of Culinary Arts Instructor Chef Joel Casiday and the generous donation from M&J Electrical Supply.

The funds will be used to help students at an upcoming CTE competition.

The SkillsUSA Texas District 7 contest for CTE students is set for Feb. 16-18 at Lamar State College-Port Arthur and Lamar Institute of Technology in Beaumont.

“Students from schools in Deep East Texas from College Station to Jasper, Nacogdoches to Cleveland, the Golden Triangle of Beaumont and all points in between will travel to compete in career and technical skills and leadership contests covering all 16 CTE career clusters,” said Casiday.  “As the Culinary Arts technical chair, I reached out to our community via social media to see if any business in the technical trades area would like to sponsor our contest.”

He was contacted by M&J Electrical Supply, owned by M.J. and Jeremy Coker, for more information about the organization and contests.

“Once they knew about the organization’s purpose and the regional impact it had on our students and area schools, they decided to contribute $1000 to purchase supplies for the Culinary Arts contests,” said Casiday. “When I contacted them about the financial procedures for the donation, they informed me that they wanted to donate an additional $1000 to supply all of the electrical trades contests as well!”

M.J. Coker said she and her husband were thankful to have the opportunity to support the students in such a great endeavor.

“Thank you for allowing M&J Electrical Supply Inc. the opportunity to donate to these amazing programs offered,” said Coker. “We truly believe in the importance of students continuing their education in fun-filled and exciting ways that will build them into living out their passion in life and experience growth at all levels. We are honored and blessed to support such an amazing district, teachers, and students!”

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Chamber President Barbara Justice (left) sets the tone for the Mardi Gras-themed event. Courtesy photo

It’s February already. Rain and wind have caused some meetings to be re-arranged because of the weather. One big event was able to go forward and it was a great success: the Coldspring Chamber of Commerce held their first big San Jacinto County Awards Banquet on Saturday.

This was the first time we had been able to use Jones Hall since COVID hit us. The hall was full, the evening was filled with music from DJ Joe LaBlanc and catered by Mary Gray. The food was delicious and Joe kept things moving by announcing door prizes throughout the evening.

President Barbara Justice welcomed the guests and brought them up to date on the past year’s activities. She invited those who had not been to the Chamber Office to see the remodeling which has been completed over the last year. VP Katheryn Hall led in giving the Pledge and presented the awards. Cassie Gregory gave the Invocation and Christina Mallett announced the Auction winners.

The guest speaker was State Rep. Ernest Bailes. He reminded everyone he was a local boy as were his ancestors and went on to explain how the Legislature worked. From submitting a bill, to it going through what seems to be innumerable committees, with amendments made upon amendments, it is a difficult procedure.

He added that the State is working on how to use the excess funds in the coffers. Bailes said there were many different ideas on this situation, and it would take a lot of time.

Awards were given, photographs were taken by Tony Farkas of the San Jacinto News-Times, which won in the favorite newspaper category, and also by Terri MacIntyre, who is director of Shepherd Library. (I took a few too.)

The full list will appear elsewhere and also on the Chamber website, but I must mention how well represented Shepherd did this year. Voters paid attention to the online ballot as well as writing in for their favorite business, person or non-profit organization.

The Children’s & Community Impact Center came in second in two categories, won first place for Community Outreach and Teddy Elliot won first place as Volunteer of The Year. He also received a plaque which will hang permanently in the Courthouse.

Citizen of the Year was Brenda Myers for her work as Founder of the Impact Center. She talked about the how she was inspired to begin working for young people when so many of them faced great hardship, even to the point of some committing suicide. She began “Hug a Tree, Kiss a Fish,” a free weekend for families who could not afford to take their children for time out fishing or camping.

Best Towing Company was Will Hall of Shepherd, while Best Bar was The Den on the outskirts of Shepherd. TD’s won for Best Gas Station. More Electric and Calvert Plumbing came in first in their categories and Linda Deeter won as Best Artist. Paradise on the Square won for best gift shop and Paradise Grille for Best Breakfast.

Also featured was Sandra Houston, wife of Constable Sam Houston, whose work with rescuing dogs has been noted several times in the newspaper. Best Daycare was ‘God’s Precious Creations’ owned by Joyceyln Traylor.

Best Ministry was St. Galilee in Coldspring, Harris ‘Red’ Blanchette won Best JP, Commissioner Marrs won Best, with Commissioner Brandon second in their category. There were many more winners, please look them up on the Chamber website.

Shepherd Chamber invites nominees for board membership after Board member Bruce McInzie moved out of state to be with his ailing parent. If you are interested in being a member of the board which meets once a month on the fourth Monday of each month, please email a short bio about yourself to the Chamber web site www.greatershepherdchamberofcommerce.org. You can also call me at the number below if you prefer.

Members of SJC Women’s League will be sad to hear that member Linda Winkelman died on Sunday. Her sister Sylvia Roesler held the funeral for her husband Gene this week. Prayers are asked for her and Linda’s family at this very sad time.

SJC Republican Chairman Dwayne Wright announced the death of G. Nick Carter who died on Saturday. Please remember his wife Sharon and family in your prayers.

Contact the Shepherd Chamber at (936) 628-3890 or the Coldspring Chamber at (936) 653-2184.

Yvonne Cones is president of the Greater Shepherd Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Coldspring Chamber of Commerce.