Trinity County News - Breakout

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Trinity ISD honored its employees of the Month Kara Huffman, Craig Troutman and Amanda Schubert at its recent meeting. Pictured are (from left) Paraprofessional Kara Huffman, Board Secretary Dorothy Franklin, Maintenance Director Gillian Campbell, Transportation Director Craig Troutman, John Foreman, LES Principal Kelli Robinson and TMS Principal Kent Copley. Courtesy photo

By Tony Farkas
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TRINITY — The Trinity ISD Board of Trustees honored the cross country runners and staff superlatives, and took steps toward helping its police force at its regular meeting on Nov. 28.

Superintendent John Kaufman said the board approved a measure allowing the district’s officers to take police cars home.

Kaufman said it will save time, including response time in case something happens at night, and will  save money on transportation.

Additionally, it’s a good will gesture, since the department has done a good job for the district, he said.

The board, however, tabled a measure to purchase a door alarm system to seek additional bids and information. That measure was to be taken up at a special meeting on Dec. 5.

In other business, the board:

•discuss targeted improvement plans for all campuses, addressing what is being done to improve the scores. Kaufman said the district is analyzing the data and getting input from teachers, parents, and the community to help improve schools;

•discussed replacing the marquee sign at the high school, which has broken and is not replaceable. Kaufman said the board is waiting on prices to replace it, and possibly add another to be placed at the Old Red schoolhouse; and

•approved a deposit agreement with First National Bank of Trinity.

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By Mollie La Salle
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WOODVILLE – Christmas in Tyler County kicked off with a bang last Friday evening. Tyler County Chamber of Commerce President Cathy Bennett warmly welcomed everyone to the festivities and gave a special shout-out to Chamber Director Holly Wells for making it all come together.

Several dignitaries were on hand to help with the evening’s festivities including Pct. 1 County Commissioner Joe Blacksher (who also served as the head of the Chamber’s Christmas committee), Woodville Mayor Paula Jones, Ivanhoe Mayor Cathy Bennett, County Judge-elect Milton Powers and Bubba Sheffield, representing the City of Colmesneil.

There was a brief appearance by the Grinch, who seemingly came out of the shadows, attempting to steal Christmas presents, but he was swiftly apprehended by Woodville Police Sgt. Marc DeShazo, and brought before Judge Ken Jobe for sentencing.

The Grinch begged for forgiveness and was sentenced to community service and assigned to work with Santa to spread Christmas cheer.

Friday’s festivities continued with the lighting of the courthouse, and finally, Santa Claus (a.k.a Jim Goodman) made his appearance, where he was given a key to the county. The Woodville High School band and Kelsi Risinger provided music, Wee Wisdom provided the live nativity scene, and Christmas carols were sung by Fellowship Primitive Baptist Church. Dancers were on hand from Tawnya’s School of Dance, there was a bounce house for the kids and Dogwood Hills Baptist Church had a fun train ride.

The Chamber also held an Ugly Sweater contest and a Battle of the Beards contest. Also, this year, they had a Christmas punch card contest, with more than 30 businesses participating.

The response was overwhelming, and participation far exceeded their expectations.

Saturday brought round two of the events, beginning with the Rotary Club of Woodville’s annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church; the first ever Jolly Jeep Jingle contest downtown and the Mistletoe Market on the square.

Saturday evening played host to the Twilight Tour at Heritage Village, with plenty of entertainment, including a lively performance from the children of St. Paul’s Episcopal School, and the City of Ivanhoe held its annual lighted Christmas boat parade.

Christmas in Tyler County 2022 was an all-around jam-packed weekend full of fun and laughter.

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Special to the News-Standard

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wants to remind hunters to report their harvest during the antlerless deer season.

Mandatory reporting is required for any antlerless deer harvested during the four-day doe season, along with any antlerless deer harvested during the archery, youth-only and muzzleloader seasons.

Within 24 hours of harvest, hunters in the listed 21 counties must report their harvest to TPWD using either the free My Texas Hunt Harvest mobile app (for iOS and Android) or on the My Texas Hunt Harvest web page.

Counties required to report their harvest include Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal (east of I-35), De Witt, Fayette, Goliad (North of U.S. 59), Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays (east of I-35), Jackson (north of U.S. 59), Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Travis (east of I-35), Victoria (north of U.S. 59), Waller, Washington, Wharton (north of U.S. 59) and Wilson.

Additionally, for the four counties that remain dedicated to archery-only hunting (Dallas, Grayson, Rockwall and Collin), hunters are now required to report all white-tailed deer harvests within 24 hours through the My Harvest Hunt App during all white-tailed deer seasons.

Accurate reporting allows agency wildlife biologists to properly study hunting impacts on local herds and develop more hunting opportunities.

For more information about hunting regulations, methods and seasons, consult the 2022-23 Outdoor Annual. Hunters can download the Outdoor Annual app for free for iOS and Android.

TPWD reminds hunters that agency wildlife biologists and animal health officials are collecting and testing Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) samples from hunter-harvested deer to get a clearer picture of the prevalence and distribution of the disease across Texas.

Proactive monitoring improves the state’s response time to CWD detection and can greatly reduce the risk of the disease further spreading to neighboring captive and free-ranging populations.

Hunters in surveillance and containment zones must meet submission requirements of harvested CWD-susceptible species. Additionally, hunters outside of established surveillance and containment zones are encouraged to voluntarily submit their harvest for testing at a check station, for free, before heading home from the field.

Hunters can find a map of TPWD check stations for all CWD zones on the TPWD website. Hunters can also contact their local biologist to submit a sample.

For more information about CWD, visit the TPWD web site or the TAHC website.

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Texas Workforce Solutions will be in the library on Thursday, Dec. 1, from 1-4 p.m. If you know someone who needs help with their resume or help with a work application, please come to the library. They have helped many people in our community.

•The library will have a booth at the Groveton Hometown Country Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. We will have used paperback books for sale. Jan Batchelor’s three children’s books will also be for sale and would make great gifts for your special child. Our raffle for you to take chances and our penny donation jars will be available.

•Make your plans to come by the library on Thursday, Dec. 22, between 1 and 6 p.m. for our Library Christmas Open House. We will have the drawing for our raffle at 5 p.m. You do not have to be present to win.

•The library has received a donation of the machines and a few materials to make our own greeting cards to sell. If anyone is interested in making their own greeting cards please come by and see what we have to offer. The library also has homemade cards for sale as a fundraiser. Come check us out. All cards are $1.

•The library is having a fundraiser for a new library building. The tickets are $5 per ticket. There will be three chances to win. The first item is 114 volumes of Louis L’ Amour leatherbound books which are a$1,000 value. The second item is a volume of “Journey to Jubilee, Groveton, Texas, USA,” a $100 value. The third item is three books written and signed by Janet Batchelor, our local author and they are “Al & the Owligator,” “Princess, Fred Frog and the Thing on the Log,” and “Fraidy Fox” with a $50 value.

All ticket sales will go towards our New Library Building Fund. The drawing will be held on Dec. 22 at the Library Christmas Open House. If you would like to purchase tickets, please call the library at (936) 642-2483 or come by the library between the hours of 1-6 p.m. Your librarian will also be at upcoming events to promote our library. Please stop and visit if you see me in your area. You do not have to be present to

•Donation jars are at One Stop Grocery and Pizza, McClain’s Hardware and Susie Q’s. Please support these businesses because they support our town and your library. The donation jars and the card class proceeds were $72.55. This brings our New Library Building Fund total to $3,047.83. Thank you to everyone who is bringing pennies and dropping change into jars. It will take everyone saving pennies to reach our goal of 1 million pennies. That goal will happen, and I believe it will be soon. Your librarian is reaching out to all organizations in our area asking for their help.

More information will be coming soon about this fundraiser.

•The library offers copy services and fax services and Notary Public services.

The library offers ESL (English as a Second Language) class on Monday and Friday from 2-3 p.m. If anyone is interested, please call or come by the library. This is a free service to the community and is taught by a retired teacher who donates her time.

If you are aware of any person that is homebound and cannot get to the library but would like to have books to read, please call the library. We will work on a time for delivery and pickup of books if someone shows interest. This is your library. Please let me know how I can be of service to you.

Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 1 to 6 p.m.

Story time is at 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. ESL class is at 2 p.m. Friday

The library phone number is (936) 642-2483, and the location is in the rock building just east of the courthouse.

Cathy Czajkowski is director of the Groveton Public Library.