Trinity County News - Breakout

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The 74th Trinity Fair and Livestock Show is over and gone. It was a terrific event. There were more people attending this year and the fair had the longest parade that we have had in many years — many floats and lots of three-wheelers. Thank you, Trinity Police Department, for keeping us safe.

Highlights of the Fair were the students’ projects, the fair Queen Coronation, the Little Miss September contest, the dinner and auction, local and talented music, and so many food vendors. The carnival was enjoyed by the children of Trinity and surrounding areas, and the rides were economically priced as well.

The students’ woodwork projects were outstanding this year. They were judged and sold by silent auction under the Trinity Community Center’s covered area by the barn. I am sorry to say, but the fair has outgrown its location. What a wonderful problem to have.

Kudos to the Fair Board, the students, and the parents on a job well done for making this a fair to remember. All the awards, winners, and pictures will be announced in this paper, so stay tuned for that news. I can’t wait until the 75th Fair next year. See you then.

•Monday is the last weekend in September, and it is hard to believe nine months will be gone of 2023. The month of October is one of my favorite times of the year because of the color changes, the weather changes, and it’s only 86 days of the year left to Christmas Day.

Remember the Trinity Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Christmas Show is held the first Saturday in December (Dec. 2) and will be held at the Trinity Community Center this year. The location has changed but the agenda will be the same. Vendors, Santa, parade, entertainment, and a tree lighting ceremony is our standard lineup. Stay tuned for more information to follow each month in this paper.

•On Oct. 7, there is a Golf Tournament to benefit the Trinity Plantation subdivision to be held at the Lake Estates Golf Course, the course is located at 686 Tara Drive in Trinity. For more information, please call Linda Pettitt at (936) 661-0243.

•Also, Martin Senior Citizen Center is planning a garage sale on Oct. 7 on Highway 19 South near the old Alco Center. I will have more details next week. Watch this space.

•This weekend the Westwood Shores Subdivision Garage Sale is happening for two days. On Friday and Saturday, the sale starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. Call (936) 594-3805. Ext. 4 for more information.

•Cancellation: First Methodist Church of Trinity on Elm Street has rescheduled its Rummage Sale from Oct. 4-7 to sometime in November now.

•On Oct. 10 at the Trinity Community Center is the 2024 Scholarship Night which starts at 6 p.m. Students, parents, and local college scholarship donors are invited to attend. For more information, call Tricia Hortman at (936) 662-2137.

•The Pumpkin Patch is open Oct. 15- Oct. 31. Call Yvonne Hastings at (936) 594-3826 for more information.

•On Oct. 15, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church is hosting their second annual Fall Festival. The event starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. For more information, please call Melinda Fitzgerald at (832) 525-5536.

•On Saturday, Oct. 21, Denim & Diamonds Bingo benefiting SAAFE House will be held at the Trinity Community Center and will open its doors at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $50 for Individual Tickets, and $400 for a Reserved Table for 8. Please RSVP by Oct. 16 to Rana at (936) 594-6415 or Tammy at (936) 291-3529 to attend this event.

•Oct. 26 is the Autumn Festival to be held for the Trinity Rehabilitation Healthcare Center from 4-6 p.m. at 314 E. Caroline St. Please call (936) 744-1300.

•On Oct. 28, the Senior Haunted House starts at 8 p.m. and ends at 11:30 p.m. at the Trinity High School Campus. The cost is $5 per person. Please call the office at (936) 594-3560 for more information.

•Also on Oct. 28, the Trinity County Veterans is hosting their 16th annual Wall of Honor Society fundraiser at 5665 FM 356 or Scheelbillies Saloon from noon until 6 p.m. To purchase fabulous raffle prize tickets, please contact Bill Reeves at (936) 661-7107, Tom McCrory at 935-577-8689, or Randy Barclay at (936) 933-0953.

•Now for the best news. My favorite fundraiser is back. First Presbyterian Church of Trinity will host its annual fall fundraiser on the second Saturday in November, which is Nov. 11

The Quilt and Art Show will start at 10 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. Along with the quilt and art displays there will be a bake sale, and the public is invited to attend to come see the beautiful 110-year-old Sanctuary.

The Church was reorganized in 1910. The Church Building was completed and dedicated on Oct. 12, 1913. The Congregation is 113 years serving Trinity Texas and is located at 405 N. Elm St. For more information, please contact Sallie McAfee at (936) 594-8108.

•Thank you for supporting Trinity Lions Club endeavors at the Trinity Community Fair. As you know, the Trinity Lions Club motto is “We Serve.” We have been raising money to benefit the Trinity Lions Club TISD Senior Scholarship Fund, the VFW Post 6899 Veterans’ needs, Martin Senior Citizens Center, and the Boys and Girls Club of Trinity.

We have raised more than $5,000 so far and our projects are ongoing, so thank you very much with your generous donations for these causes.

•It is with regret that I must mention the passing of a Trinity icon this past week. Polly Works Simmons was a great lady who gave of her time and money for the past 27 years that I have known her and volunteered to help every organization in Trinity County. She was the force behind the “Little House” of First United Methodist Church, and the backbone of the Martin Senior Citizen Center for many years.

I had the privilege of knowing about her and her athletic prowess some 20 years before I moved to Trinity. My sister-in-law, Rita McMichael, and Polly were integral parts of the United States team that won the Pan Am Games in 1959. Rita’s position was a spiker and Polly’s position was a setter. At this time, volleyball was not an Olympic sports event for women, or they would have been world champs.

Polly was a private person who gave anonymously and would not talk about her endeavors or accomplishments. My family is very sad, but grateful she had 91 beautiful years of blessings. She will be sorely missed by her church family, the First Methodist Church of Trinity, and all her other friends.

•We often don’t acknowledge people or their attributes and accomplishments until they are gone, but today I am going to ask you to be a part of a birthday celebration this Friday to honor Patsy Mangrum who is still with us and needs to be recognized for her 31 years of service at the Martin Senior Citizen Center. Her dedication and devotion to the Martin Senior Center has saved this organization from closing its doors on many occasions.

Just like Polly Works, Irene Gosley, and Patsy Mangrum, they followed the dream of Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Barnes to feed the poor and the downtrodden, and they gave their lives trying to make Trinity a better place to live and keep this dream alive.

Patsy still manages the front desk, drives to and from her home to the center, and greets everyone who comes into the door at the Center. The only time Patsy is not there is when she goes on a cruise or goes to the casinos. Patsy says her longevity and good health is due to her staying busy and not sitting too long.

Come have lunch with us on Friday at noon. We are serving catfish or chicken strips with all the trimmings. We have a large sheet cake to celebrate Patsy’s 98 years of knowledge and share her birthday with her family and friends.

Another pearl of wisdom about Patsy and her “first” late husband: The two of them were ice skaters in the entourage of Sonja Henie when she appeared on stage in the United States theaters in the early 30s and 40s. Sonja Henie was a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist in 1928, 1932, and 1936.

Come eat cake and learn more about our noted skater from long ago and other tales of adventure.

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Grace Tullos shows her emotions after her Grand Champion steer sold for more than $10,000 at the Livestock Auction. Photos by Tony Farkas

TCNS staff

TRINITY — Grace Tullos showed her Grand Champion steer through tears as it sold for more than $10,000 during Saturday’s Junior Livestock Sale, part of the 74th annual Trinity Community Fair.

Other emotions — laughter, screams of joy mixed with a little fear — rang through the Midway during what is called “the last free fair in Texas.”

Publicity Co-Chair Tally Stout said the community truly exemplified the motto of  “Country Pride, Community Wide” this year.

Early figures show the auction sale total was $139,075, and there was an increase in booth vendors and parade entries; the carnival was a main attraction; the entertainment created great sounds; and the crowd beamed with excitement, Stout said.

“Thanks to everyone that came out and helped make the 2023 fair a success,” she said. “See you at the Crawfish Boil in May.”

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By Tony Farkas
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TRINITY — The Trinity City Council approved the FY 2023-24 budget on Thursday, one that includes some fee hikes for city services and increases municipal court fines.

The new fee for solid waste disposal was increased 7.5 percent for residences and $5 for businesses; the monthly charge for solid waste disposal services for residences will be $18.54.

City Manager Tim King said the increases were necessary to keep up with expenses.

Water rates will now be $27.83 for 2,000 gallons or less, and $4.62 per 1,000 gallons thereafter for residences within the city limits, and $46.20/$5 for those outside city limits.

Sewer rates will run from $13.78 to a maximum of $21.24.

The overall general expenditures are expected to be $2.076 million, and $4.41 million with sewer, water and solid waste added in.

In a separate matter, the council ended up in executive session after County Attorney Colton Hay discussed a lack of communication between his office and the Police Department.

Hay said that it came to his attention that his services in prosecuting cases in Municipal Court were less than effective, and that the Police Chief recommended the city hire its own prosecutor.

Hay handles prosecution in cases for Trinity every 2 months for no charge.

Hay also said the sentiment may have come from an instance where he dismisses charges in 20 cases as the officer who handled the tickets failed to show up for trial, leaving him with no evidence.

Police Chief Daniel Kee said that if there are complaints against him, it should be handled in writing to the mayor and not in a public forum, which was echoed by Mayor Billy Goodin, who said he did not like discussing employee performance in public as well as not having a chance to discuss the matter beforehand.

The council then moved the matter into executive session.

In other business, the council:

•discussed a mobile health care service that hopes to visit the Trinity area monthly;

•tabled approving a tiny home community until questions about utilities were researched;

•approved an ordinance required the upkeep and removal of signs; and

•approved the city’s holiday calendar for the coming fiscal year.

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By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — Trinity County Commissioners Court passed a balanced budget for the upcoming fiscal year, one that is projected to bring in $609,268, or 9.6 percent, more revenue.

The commissioners, except for County Judge Danny Martin, approved the proposed budget at its regular meeting on Sept. 12. Martin was absent because of an illness.

Initially, projected expenditures were forecast at $11,000 less than revenue, but a discussion over the amount of hours for two part-time employees being different led to a change adding the funds back in.

One employee was cast only to work 20 hours, while a second was set at 29.5; Commissioner Neal Smith said it was his preference that the hours be the same.

In other business, the county:

•approved a bond for Linda Rosser;

•approved a plan for retiree health care through the Texas Association of Counties;

•approved the purchase of cloud-based software for the treasurer and auditor as the current system is no longer supported. The cost of the new system will be $2,700 per month;

•approved a raise of funds for Pet Fixers for animal control in the county;

•approved an agreement change with Windstream to replace and upgrade outdated telephone equipment;

•approved the fee schedule for the Sheriff’s Office and constables;

•approved the extension of D.L. Kee Road for county maintenance;

•approved an agreement with Ttione Currie to address drainage issues; and

•approved seeking grant administration services for an application for Community Wildfire Defense grant funds.