Trinity County News 2

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TONY FARKAS | TCNS Health professionals from HealthPoint provide COVID-19 immunizations at a clinic held at Trinity High School on Saturday. More than 700 vaccinations were provided through a combined effort of the Trinity Memorial Hospital Board, HealthPoint, the city, the county and the school district, as well as numerous volunteers.

HealthPoint, hospital board hold COVID vaccine clinic

TRINITY — Seven hundred residents received the first round of COVID vaccines at an immunization event at Trinity High School on Saturday.

The event was a joint effort between the Trinity Memorial Hospital Board and HealthPoint.

Marjory Pulvino, vice president of the TMHB, said HealthPoint received 925 vaccinations from the state very recently, and when the event was announced online, 600 people had registered for the vaccinations within hours.

On Feb. 1 and 2, 120 people who did not have online access were registered through the Trinity Community Health Resource Center.

On Saturday, 45 health professionals from HealthPoint, along with help from TMHB, Trinity schools, Trinity Police Department, and County Judge Doug Page and the county’s Emergency Management Operations Center, as well as volunteers, held the drive-through clinic at Trinity High School.

Pulvino said there were no problems with people receiving shots because of the work of everyone involved.

TMHB President Randy Karnes called the event incredibly successful.

“We would like to express our deep gratitude to HealthPoint for their generous support,” he said. “We are fortunate to have HealthPoint in the community. I also would like to recognize the community for supporting this event.”

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TONY FARKAS | TCNS Trinity ISD Superintendent John Kaufman and other administration officials present December employee of the month plaques to Magaly Zamora, professional; Ibeth Caceres, paraprofessional; and Crista Caceres, support, at the monthly School Board meeting on Jan. 26.

TRINITY — The Trinity ISD School Board heard a presentation regarding two students who were arrested in November for allegedly breaking into the high school and destroying school property.

Isaac Debose, pastor of Lone Star Missionary Baptist Church, said that while the events of December were tragic, he believes the two teens are being falsely accused.

The two teens were arrested Dec. 3 and face charges of criminal mischief greater than $30,000 but less that $150,000 and burglary of a building, both felony charges.

“The accusation doesn’t bother me, as I understand that someone needs to pay,” Debose said. “What really bothers me is the way this process is being handled.”

Debose said the system has been unfair to certain types of people, but said that because of the open investigation, he declined to offer specifics.

TONY FARKAS |TCNS Trinity ISD Superintendent John Kaufman and other administration officials present a January employee of the month plaque to Karen Shelton, professional, and the School Board meeting on Jan. 26. Other January honorees (not pictured) are Bridget Ladnier, paraprofessional, and Cassie Thompson, support.

He said that the students have been publicly humiliated by this ordeal.

“At what point does this go beyond hearsay or sub-par investigative work,” he said. “We need answers and we need results. The officers need to do their due diligence, and if there is no evidence, they need to be released.

“These children need to … salvage what’s left of their senior year,” Debose said. “This is so wrong on so many levels. The people will not stand for it. We, as a people, will talk to whoever we need to talk to and take whatever measures we need to take to seek justice.”

In other business, the board:

•extended full pay for staff who are out with COVID through the end of the school year. The program ended Dec. 31;

•approved 300 pages worth of changes to the school policy manual, based on recommendations by the Texas Association of School Boards. Local changes include additional cybersecurity training, adding a grievance process for terminated at-will employees, and setting parameters for the administration of non-prescription drugs;

•discussed the system’s academic performance perform, which is done annually. However, since there was no testing done last year, and no testing will be done this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers that were provided were from 2018;

•approved a change to the school calendar regarding COVID-related days;

•approved the adoption of a food service procurement manual; and

•called May 1 as an election day. Board positions held by Elizabeth King and Judy Bishop are up for election this year.

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COURTESY PHOTO

A Groveton native is set to compete in the Ultimate Cowboy Showdown, a reality competition broadcast on the INSP Network.

Hunter Arnold, a rodeo cowboy and horse trainer, will be one of 14 people on the program, which is scheduled to air Feb. 24.

According to a release from the network, Season 2 of Ultimate Cowboy Showdown boasts a diverse group of 14 cowboys (men and women) from all across the country compete for a life-changing prize.

Arnold said he was approached at the Professional Bull Riders Finals in Las Vegas by some of the show’s producers.

“They asked if I would like to try out for the show, and I told them that I definitely would be interested,” he said.

Arnold said wasn’t really sure what to expect, but wasn’t surprised that we had challenges involving ranch work, day work and roping cows.

“I had put myself in the mindset to be ready for anything,” he said. “When I headed into this competition, I just tried as hard as I could, and gave it my all.”

Arnold has garnered 100 buckles and 20 saddles in roping and rodeo competitions, and has trained more than 100 horses, many of which have gone on to qualify for the World Series of Team Roping.

“I’ve lived in Groveton for 24 years; I went to elementary, middle and high school in Groveton, and graduated in 2014,” he said. “My Agriculture teacher, Mr. Fortenberry, helped to teach me how to rope. We’re still neighbors today.”

•In the second season of Ultimate Cowboy Showdown, viewers will watch 14 contestants undergo a series of physical and mental challenges that will test them individually and as teams. The last cowboy standing will walk away with a prize package that includes a herd they can take to market, a Rawhide Portable Corral, an Arrowquip Q-Catch 87 Series Cattle Chute, the coveted Ultimate Cowboy Showdown belt buckle, and a lifetime of bragging rights.

Ultimate Cowboy Showdown shows at 8 p.m. CST on Wednesday, Feb. 24 on INSP.

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By Tony Farkas

GROVETON — The people of Trinity County live in a time where health care is of special importance, especially since there is no full hospital in the area.

Imagine, then, if in a health crisis, the ambulance ends up at an address on the wrong side of the county, or across the street, or down the block.

Proper addressing will help first responders, utility installation, mail delivery and even the tax office, and 911 Addressing Coordinator Jolynn Wars can help make sure things are right.

“I give incoming residents addresses if there is not one already, verify existing addresses if there is one, and if I get a state error report on an address, I correct it, and notify the resident, landowner or business owner,” she said.

FCC regulations stipulate that 911 is the universal number for emergencies, in order to increase public safety. Enhanced 911 provides addresses to emergency personnel when a call is made, or a location if the call is made from a cell phone.

To make the system work its best, addresses throughout the county were inspected and changed, if necessary, Wars said. However, the work is not done, and not without some resistance.

“There’s a lot of the county not done, mainly in (the City of) Trinity,” Wars said. “When (addressing) first started, it wasn’t addressed properly. The odd and even (address numbers) are swapped on almost every street. Westwood Shores is the same. There also are problems with numbers being in the wrong range of the road.”

The problem becomes worse, since residents and business owners continue to use old address numbers, even after the new address has been posted. Also, many addresses are not posted with the correct numbers, if at all.

“For people moving into the county, their first phone call should be to me,” Wars said. “Utilities can’t be set up, or mobile homes can’t be moved onto properties, without a proper address.”

Posting the address numbers, especially on roadways, is very important as well, she said, as well as changing letterheads and business cards for businesses.

For more information, or to verify addresses, contact Wars at (936) 642-3904 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..