Trinity County News - Breakout

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Today is not a good day for me. I had to say goodbye to my pet cat Cream. He was born in 2003 or 2004. He was having kidney failure. Animals become just like family, and you are devastated when they pass. No more pets for me, please.

My son came to visit yesterday, Monday, and brought me worst news. Fred is back. He lies sunning in the pond next to my driveway, and I wonder if the alligator is really Fred or Ginger. Anyway, the animal is really big, and I don’t agree with the Game Warden that we should have to live with alligators in a subdivision.

With the weather warming up to a balmy 80 degrees, I am sure I will see more of Fred in the coming weeks.

Next week is spring break for most schools and the students will have many wonderful places to go with their parents. My twins are going to San Francisco with their parents. I have never been to San Francisco, but to Los Angeles and Disneyland, yes.

•The Haley Burk Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser was held Saturday at the Trinity baseball fields on Stadium Street, and I did not get to attend. However, I am sure it was a huge success, and I will report on their benefit in the next issue.

•Next week is the Trinity County Fair and Livestock Show in Groveton. The event starts on March 17, with a parade on Saturday, and the auction of animals on Saturday night. Friday, March 17, is also St. Patrick’s Day. If you would like to contribute to the students’ projects and the auction, please contact George Gallagher at (936) 594-1234 to contribute to his buyer’s group.

•This past weekend there was several rummage sales for two churches, and I was told that both were very successful. On March 31 and April 1, Westwood Shores Subdivision will host its annual rummage sale for the spring. They have two subdivision sales each year: one in the spring and one in the fall.

The sale is held on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day. The Westwood Shores POA Civic Club sets up tables at the front of the subdivision by the mailboxes and the club members bring their wares to sell there instead of at their homes.

For families that need help with household goods, medicine, food, and other items, you still have the option of visiting the Little House and the Good Samaritan House for assistance. The Little House managed by the First Methodist Church of Trinity and is open on Wednesdays from 7:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. The Good Samaritan House is open on Wednesday and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. until noon each week.

•Next Tuesday, March 14, First Methodist Church of Trinity is hosting an event at 6 p.m. in the fellowship hall, 131 N. Elm St., for women of all denominations. The guest speaker is Karen Altom, founder and publisher of Postcards Magazine. The message is “We are going to talk about nothing.” For more information, please contact Laura at (936) 594-3826.

•Two blood drives are scheduled for next week and I do not understand why they are back-to-back. One drive is on Saturday at the VFW Hall located at 400 Caroline St. and the other one is on Sunday sponsored by the Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church-Knights of Columbus organization. I appreciate what both organizations do for our community, but different times and dates might get more donors.

For years the Most Holy Catholic Church has scheduled blood drives every quarter in the parking lot of Brookshire Brothers hosted by the big Carter Blood Bank Mobile. On March 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the whole community and surrounding communities will benefit from this blood drive. There is always a need, so please give if you can.

On March 18, the Blood Drive at the VFW Post 6899 is scheduled to take place from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and to schedule a time to give, please call Marilyn Barnes at (281) 782-8309.

•Don’t forget, the Martin Senior Citizen Center is open for lunch Monday through Friday at noon at 400 Walker St. and sells barbecue on Saturdays at the old Alcoa Parking from noon to 4 p.m. They have the best jalapeno poppers ever and run out of them every Saturday.

During the week people enjoy games, dominos, bingo, and other activities while fellowshipping with their neighbors. The center has planned many activities for 2023, so come join the fun and see what we have in store for you for this year. For more information, call Brenda at (936) 594-2625.

•Details for April and May are filling up fast so don’t be left out on the Trinity Community Calendar Schedule, call me. It’s almost Easter time, and decorations are bountiful in all the restaurants, dollar stores, grocery stores, business store fronts, and churches and schools.

•I believe the two rehabilitation centers will have Easter egg hunts for their residents and families and the VFW Post 6899 usually has an Easter egg hunt. Watch this space for new information when it comes in.

•Don’t forget to eat at the Most Holy Catholic Church on Fridays for Lent. The fish dinners are served from 5 to 7 p.m. in the fellowship hall. Each plate is $12 for adults, and $5 for the children’s plates. The Knights of Columbus host this event to benefit their senior scholarships and teen charities. The fellowship hall is located at 401 N. Prospect Drive.

Good Friday is April 7, and Easter Sunday is April 9. Fifty-one years ago, it snowed on April 1, 1972. Thirty-five years ago, it snowed on April 1, 2007. No snow this year, please, on April 1. We already froze in February of this year.

•Saturday, April 22, is the Trinity ISD junior/senior prom to be held at the Manor House on Pinecrest Road.

•I have not heard any plans about the TCFA Annual Crawfish boil for 2023. It is usually the Friday before Mother’s Day, which is Sunday, May 14.

•I was surprised to learn the last day of TISD school year is May 25, and that graduation day is May 27. Graduation has been held in June for the last couple of years.

The ceremony location was not changed and is still being held at the Sam Houston Civic Center in Huntsville in the afternoon. Another date not scheduled yet is the 2023 scholarship and awards program for the graduating seniors and other students.

I am going to have to get out more and bring you up to date news. I am getting stale. See you downtown.

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By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — The wood shavings are being laid, the grounds are tidied up, and the participants are prepping the animals for the 2023 Trinity County Fair and Livestock Show.

The event will take place at the County Fairgrounds at U.S. 287 and State Highway 94 on March 16-18.

Shop projects will be checked in March 16 from 8-11 a.m., and steers will be weighed and sifted between 4 and 5 p.m.

On March 17, all other animals will be checked in starting a 7 a.m. Competition, starting with broilers, will run from noon to 7 p.m.

March 18 will see the Home Economics projects, the commercial heifer, steer and halter heifers shows, and will end with the awards presentation at 4:30 p.m. and the livestock sale at 5 p.m.

For more information contact Joey Rowe, President, at (936) 581-1006; Chad Arbuckle, Vice-President, at (936) 852-3395; Rebecca Cockrell, Secretary, at (936) 707-3946; and Lisa Sharp, Treasurer, at (936) 676-3656.

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By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — The Trinity County Commissioners Court found the county has above-average collection on both tax revenue and jail inmates.

Sheriff Woody Wallace told the court at the Feb. 28 regular meeting that the county has an average daily prisoner count of 49, 28 of which are housed in San Jacinto County Jail.

The cost for housing the prisoners was around $98,000 a month; additionally, the county had spent $23,000 on medical bills for its prisoners.

Wallace also told the court that in January, the Sheriff’s Department answered 1,712 calls for service, which is higher than average.

For some good news, County Auditor Bonnie Kennedy said that the county has collected 75 percent of budgeted tax revenue and 70 percent of other revenue in the first four months of the fiscal year, while only spending 34 percent of budgeted expenses.

Additionally, the county investment pool is in good shape, she said.

In other business, the commissioners:

•approved renewal of official bonds;

•approved personnel action forms; and

•approved seeking a land survey on a proposed purchase of property for Precinct 1.

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By Tony Farkas
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TRINITY — The Trinity ISD Board of Trustees found there was quite a bit of support for the district to transition to a 4-day week.

Superintendent Dr. John Kaufman said at the Feb. 27 meeting that the results of student and staff surveys show approval in the 90 percent range.

There were 151 staff responses, and 93.29 percent were in favor of the idea, Kaufman said. Additionally, 75 percent would come in on Friday for instruction if necessary.

There were 481 student responses — third- to eighth-grade levels — and 92.9 percent were in favor. Kaufman said that 46.86 percent of those students participate in an extracurricular activity, and of those, 11 percent do not have transportation to those events if held on a closed day.

He also said that 67.16 percent of students would take home a bagged meal on Thursday if offered.

Kaufman said that from here, there will be a parent Q&A page on the district website and the district’s various Facebook pages, and parents and community members will be surveyed.

After that, at least two public forums will be held.

“The numbers look promising, but we will see where it goes,” Kaufman said.  “We still need to hear from the community and parents.”

In other business, the board:

•discussed a state safety audit done on two of three campuses. The district passed with flying colors, and the third campus will be audited in March;

•re-invested the district’s certificates of deposits; and

•hired Ashley Sustatia as a math teacher.