Trinity County News - Breakout

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Special to the News-Standard

CROCKETT — The Trinity Regional Flood Planning Group will host an open house-style informational session in Crockett to present an overview of a draft regional flood plan for the Trinity River Basin.

The meeting, set for 5-7 p.m. Aug. 30 at Houston County Electric Cooperative Community Room, 1701 Loop 304, will showcase flood mitigation recommendations for the local area and encourage stakeholder input. 

The informational session will begin with a brief presentation, followed by a chance for the public to ask questions, review planning materials and visit with RFPG representatives. 

The plan draws on the best available science, data, models and flood risk mapping to recommend over $1 billion in flood mitigation actions designed to fix local flooding issues and reduce flood-related loss of lives, property and livelihoods throughout the region. 

The plan is important because recommended projects will ultimately have better access to future state funding.

The plan can be reviewed on the Planning Documents page of the Trinity RFPG website, using the Categories tool to sort by “2022 Draft Plan.” Hard copies of the Draft Plan are also available for review at the following libraries across the region during normal operating hours:

•Dallas Public Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas.

•Fairfield Library, 350 W. Main Street, Fairfield.

•Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center, 650 FM 1011, Liberty.

Public comments on the Draft Plan are due to the Trinity RFPG by Oct. 10. For more information on the public comment submission process, please visit www.trinityrfpg.org. 

The Trinity RFPG’s planning region (Trinity River Basin, or Region 3) has an estimated population of approximately 8 million and spans a nearly 18,000-square-mile, 38-county region from Cooke County in the north to Chambers County on the Gulf Coast. For more information, visit the Trinity RFPG website www.trinityrfpg.org, follow the group on Twitter or email the group via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Special to the News-Standard

TRINITY — Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6899 and Auxiliary are kicking off the VFW fall scholarship programs. 

Thousands of dollars in scholarships are awarded each year to students in grades sixth through 12th grades. The VFW is conducting a nationwide youth essay competition which gives students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. 

The deadline is Oct. 31.

The Patriot’s Pen essay is open to sixth, seventh and eighth grade students in public, private or parochial schools or a home student program. The 2022-2023 Theme is “My Pledge to Our Veterans.” 

The Voice of Democracy Program is open to students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home student program. The 2022-2023 Theme is “Why is the Veteran Important?” 

More information is available at https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships.

The brochures can be picked up at the local VFW Post 6899, 400 W. Caroline, in Trinity, or at local school districts. The brochures will give instructions for completing these essays. 

Winners and their speeches can be viewed at vfw.org. By viewing past winners it would give students an opportunity to see what is possible; in District 19 we had a winner from Lufkin that took first in the state and 10th in the nation. If you win locally the student then moves onto district competition and the winners move to the VFW Department of Texas where one winner is chosen to move onto nationals.

The VFW also offers a Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award for Grades K-12. Our local VFW Post can submit one outstanding teacher in grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Please consider this opportunity to recognize those special educators that make a difference in your schools. Deadline is Oct. 31. Brochure gives detailed information about this award. To obtain a application contact local VFW Post 6899 or https://vfwnm.org/uploads/Documents/VFW%20Programs/TeacherEntryForm.pdf.

The VFW Post 6899 Scholarship Chairman is Commander Herb Henderson. For more information, forms or applications, please contact VFW Post 6899 at (936) 594-9467 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Henderson can be reached at his home phone number 512-934-4206. The VFW is open Monday through Saturday from 2-10 p.m

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By Tony Farkas

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GROVETON — After weeks of requests for help from the county, the Trinity County Commissioners Court approved a plan to disburse $1,673,000 in America Recovery Plan Act funds at its regular meeting on Aug. 9.

The list includes $200,000 for area water companies, with Trinity River Water, Westwood Water, and Pennington Water each receiving $49,00;  Centralia, Nigton, Glendale, Woodlake Josserand, and Apple Springs each receiving $9,500; and Centerville receiving $5,500.

The county’s volunteer fire departments will receive $115,000, with Trinity and Groveton each allocated $45,000; Apple Springs $20,000; Highway 356, $25,000; Pennington, $15,000; and Friday, $5,000.

The Sheriff’s Department should receive $400,000 for vehicle purchases over the next three years, and each precinct’s Road and Bridge department will receive $200,000 for a total of $800,000.

For the county’s senior citizens center, Martin Senior Center in Trinity will receive $10,000, and Groveton and Apple Springs centers will receive $7,500.

The county will spend $93,000 for a maintenance building.

In other business, the county:

•approved a bond for the Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 office;

•approved personnel action forms;

•renewed the county’s retiree health care plan;

•approved county equipments as salvage;

•approved an agreement with OMNIA Cooperative Agency to allow local government purchases through an Amazon business account;

•approved the purchase of replacement handheld radios for the Sheriff’s Office and all constables;

•approve road and bridge fees at the same level as currently in use;

•approved participation in a mass notification system facilitated by DETCOG; and

•approved the tax roll submitted by the Trinity County Appraisal District.

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Members of Joe Werner Masonic Lodge presented a $1,000 donation to the Trinity Fire Department. The donation was made in appreciation of the members of the Fire Department for their dedication to fighting fires in and around Trinity. Pictured below are members of Joe Werner Lodge E.J. Bozeman, Tom Hunt, James Moffett and Michael Moffett. Receiving the donation are Wayne Huffman, Neal Smith and Billy Slaughter. Courtesy photo