Log in

Top Stories        News         Sports

Trinity County News - Breakout

Early voting to start Monday

Write a comment
Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Vote

TCNS staff

Early voting for the Nov. 8 general election will begin on Monday, Oct. 24, and will run through Nov. 4.

These midterm elections will be for the Texas governor and other state offices; State Senator; State Representative, and for new U.S. Representative, Pete Sessions, after redistricting placed Trinity County in District 17.

Sessions, the Republican incumbent, faces Democrat Mary Jo Woods.

On the state front, incumbent Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, is being challenged by Democrat Steve Russell and Libertarian Desarae Lindsey; and incumbent Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin, faces Democrat Jason Rogers.

Most local races were decided in the May primary election, and the only county election is for treasurer, and Orrin Hargrave faces Cheryl Boggs Savage to replace Bob Dockens, who lost in the primary.

Apple Springs ISD also will have an election. Daniel Murray, Melanie Aycock, Tonya Odom, Amanda Roden and Jerry Sanders are the five candidates vying for the four positions up for election.

For information, contact the Election Administrator’s Office at (936) 642-3959.

Trinity County Early Voting Location and Schedule 

Nov. 8 General/Joint Election 

Early voting hours

Oct. 24-Nov. 4

Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Locations:

•Groveton VFD, 249 W. Front St, Groveton

•Apple Springs VFD, 14755 N. Highway 94, Apple Springs

•Trinity City Hall, 101 W. Madison, Trinity

Polling location for School Board:

•Apple Springs VFD, 14755 N. Highway 94, Apple Springs

  • Hits: 233

County extends burn ban

Write a comment
Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

062322 burn ban in effect

By Tony Farkas
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

GROVETON — The Trinity County Commissioners Court approved extending an open burning ban for the county at its regular meeting on Oct. 11.

The move extended at 7-day ban put in place on Oct. 4 after County Judge Doug Page declared a disaster, since the county has not had rain in some time.

Commissioner Neal Smith said it would be wise to extend it, even though chances for rain have increased.

In support of the move, Page said at the meeting that it seems the county is drier now that during the small drought in the summer months.

In other business, the county:

•approved personnel action forms;

•approved budget amendments regarding replacing funds used for the purchase of a van for the Sheriff’s Department with funds from the recent firearms auction, and for the savings involved in the purchase of culverts;

•approved joining Choice Partners National Purchasing Cooperative;

•gave annual approval to the indigent defense formula grant program;

•approved the allocation of $60,000 from Texas Comptroller Unclaimed Property Capital Credits Funds; and

•reappointed Page as the county’s representative to Burke’s Center’s Board of Trustees.

  • Hits: 227

Back to fighting wildfires

Write a comment
Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

The Groveton Volunteer Fire Department assisted in battling a tractor fire on Wednesday near Apple Springs. Courtesy photoThe Groveton Volunteer Fire Department assisted in battling a tractor fire on Wednesday near Apple Springs. Courtesy photo

By Tony Farkas
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dry conditions have led county fire departments to once again battle wildfires.

On Thursday, the Apple Springs Fire Department battled a blaze on FM 2501 just north of the Apple Springs School at about 5:30 p.m.

Chief Brett Selman said the fire, which was caused by a lightning strike, burned about 2 acres of forest land. Bulldozers provided by the U.S. Forest Service were instrumental in extinguishing the blaze by creating a fire break around it.

At about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, a hay bailer owned by Terry Hines caught fire, which in turn burned 1 to 2 acres of land.

Selman said the department got there 6 minutes, but tractor was already involved. 

The operator, who was not identified, could not get the bailer and tractor separated.

No injuries were reported, but bailer and tractor were totaled, Selman said.

On Tuesday, the Trinity Fire Department and Texas Forest Service responded to a brush fire that broke out at about 1:30 p.m. at Circle P Road off of Mansell Road. 

Approximately 50 acres were burned. The department responded with 4 trucks and 10 men as well as 2 dozers and 5 personnel from the Texas Forest Service. 

An investigation is underway as to who caused the fire.

  • Hits: 334

History of Groveton Independent School District 1895-1978

Write a comment
Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Screen Shot 2022 10 17 at 9.59.47 AM

Editor’s note: The following are excerpts from a research paper prepared by Frank Minton, GHS teacher, while doing graduate work at Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, during the summer of 1978. Minton relied on personal interviews of local people, Flora G. Bowles’s “History of Trinity County Texas, 1827-1928,” Carl A. Brannen’s “History of Groveton,” and 37 volumes of “The Tomahawk” yearbook, and “Records of Trinity County.” This is the second of two pieces.

Red Branch, Antioch, Sulphur Springs, and Pine Island were the only totally African American districts in the county. The other school districts, including Groveton, provided separate facilities for African American students.

With annexation and the changing trends in education, the four-story brick high school building, which was constructed in 1915, was insufficient for the student body. Because of its poor design, it had much wasted space. The octagonal shape caused many nooks and corners, the stairway caused loss of room the center of the building was principally unused space, and there was no gymnasium at all.

The stranded mill population, which did not have anywhere to go when the sawmill stopped, was without work until the WPA came in to being. The Groveton School Board launched a great school building program to utilize the available WPA labor and to make the much-needed improvements in the school plant.

A gymnasium, agriculture and shop building, and homemaking cottage was constructed. The high school building was demolished and a new modern rock building was erected. All of this work was accomplished by NYA or WPA. Native rock dug from the ground about six miles west of Groveton was used in the construction of these building which are still in use in 1978.

The African American school was still housed in a frame building, but efforts were made to improve their program. Vocational agriculture and homemaking were added to the curriculum. The African American school was affiliated and ran nine months of the year, as did the white school. The African American school had a faculty of 14 teachers, the number required for their 426 students.

The main concern of the 40s was the pressing issues of World War II and recovering from post-war problems. The Groveton schools participated in the defense program through aircraft spotting, selling of bonds and war stamps, and the local teachers registered individuals to receive their ration books. The African American school also operated a defense shop. Very little change took place in the education system during these times.

During the tenure of Mr. Emory S. Starkey as superintendent, the Pennington Schools were consolidated with the Groveton School in 1958, bringing with its faculty and student body, some outstanding academic and athletic talent. At this time, the Groveton Schools were known as the Groveton Independent Consolidated Schools.

In July 1964, Mr. James T. Coker Jr. came to Groveton as superintendent, and under his guidance, integration began in 1965-66 and was completed during 1966-67. The smoothness with which the people of both races effected this transition has been the envy of many schools.

During the 20-year span between 1958 and 1978, education has become more specialized. Many new programs were added to the curriculum, such as auto mechanics, building-trades, cosmetology, and federally funded programs. As a result of these new programs, many additions and changes have taken place in the Groveton School faculty. The Groveton Independent Consolidated School District became known as Groveton Independent School again in 1970.

A self-evaluation of the Groveton Independent School District, at the request of the Texas Education Agency, was begun in 1975, which determined that the greatest need of the district was to construct a new facility to serve kindergarten through grade eight with a cafeteria and gymnasium to serve the entire student population.

Due to the finding of the self-evaluation, the Board of Trustees of the Groveton Independent School District, by unanimous vote, called a bond election on Oct. 21, 1978, to determine the will of the people of the district. The bond election to issue $1,350,000 in bonds carried by approximately a two-to-one vote.

The building was completed and put in to use for the school year 1978-79. It provides climate- controlled classrooms for kindergarten through grade eight, including the necessary support facilities such as science laboratories, library and remedial laboratory. Included in the structure also is an ultra-modern gymnasium and a cafetorium which will the serve the entire student body, kindergarten through grade 12.

The Groveton Independent School District now serves the patrons of an area covering 602 square miles in the heart of Trinity County. Its tax rate is $2 per $100 evaluation. The assessed value is 50 percent. The Groveton School district has an estimated valuation of $14,970,000. There are 669 students enrolled for the year ,1978-79 — 449 in kindergarten through grade eight and 220 in high school. The faculty and support staff total 62.

Groveton is proud of its schools and proud of the fine citizens who have gone out in to the world and proven themselves to be great men and women, making important contribution to their community, state, and nation.

  • Hits: 935

Library a source for many services

Write a comment
Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

LibraryServices Graphic

GrovetonLibrary GraphicYour librarian thinks that most of Trinity County is in the dark about what our library and the Trinity Library can help them accomplish. Our library has a student from Sam Houston State University who comes here to complete his homework online. Another junior high student from Groveton ISD comes to the library to complete her homework on most days. Many come to complete the government forms and print out insurance cards, etc. that is required for their everyday needs. In January, people will start coming to use the computers to file their income taxes. Your librarian says all this to make the point that we need our library and we have outgrown our present space. We are looking for a building that will meet our growing needs. If you know of anyone who is willing to donate to help with this goal. Please send them our way.

Texas Workforce Solutions will be in the library on Tuesday, Oct. 18th from 1 to 4 pm. There are new services that are available for employment if anyone is interested. There is a hiring event for Veterans, Military and their spouses on November 3 at the CL Simon Recreation Center in Nacogdoches. It starts at 10:00 am and ends at 2:00 pm

•Our New Library Building Fund total is $2,807.53 and the pennies are starting to show up at the library. Your librarian has tired but happy fingers. 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 will be reaching out to all organizations in our area in the near future to ask for their help.

•We have several fundraisers that you can help the library to be a success. Handmade greeting cards were donated to the library by Mrs. Fleck, and they will be on sale for $1 each. If you need a greeting card, then look no further than your library. The library will have another greeting card class on Wednesday Oct. 26, and Thursday, Oct. 27, from 3-5 p.m. If you are interested, please call your librarian.

•The library is having a fundraiser for our 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 win.

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

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.

  • Hits: 268