Tyler County News - Breakout

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By Becki Byrd

Betty WhitworthCHESTER – In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we would like to recognize Mrs. Betty Ann (“Mrs. Bebe”) Whitworth.

She is a 1969 graduate of Chester and currently serves as the school librarian. She has been in education for 43 years, 34 of which have been served at Chester. Mrs. Betty Ann has two kids, Stacy and Casey, 10 grandkids, and two great grandkids. She is an avid Astros and Craig Biggio Fan. She loves being outdoors, fishing, and in the mountains. From what we’ve been told she is also an EXCELLENT driver, especially when reversing.

Last Friday, she was made the honorary team captain for the Yellowjackets.

Betty Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and has been cancer free for 12 years.

I spoke with co-workers and students of Betty Ann and here’s what some of them had to say –

Hadleigh Butter states that she likes when “Mrs. Bebe” reads silly stories and when the book fair comes.

Jackson Jones said that he enjoys reading and the library has several of his favorite book series. He wanted to thank Mrs. Betty Ann for all the works she does with UIL.

Demi Garsee’s favorite memory with Mrs. Betty Ann is going on her first accelerated reader trip to Lufkin. She enjoys the way she is greeted with a sweet smile and soft voice when she enters the library.

Harley Jones likes to go to the library because it’s a quiet and peaceful place to read. Mrs. Betty Ann is always helpful with finding new books to read.

Sadie Garsee said that Mrs. Berry Ann puts in a lot of hard work for UIL every year and she enjoys getting to see her smiling face every day.

Abby Grimes favorite memory with Bebe is when they were riding on the buggy through the camp and almost ran over a bushel of hogs heading to the waterfall.

Mrs. Handley said Mrs. Betty Ann is easy to love. She is kindhearted and spread joy to all she encounters. She is resilient and hardworking. We are all so blessed at Chester ISD to work with her.

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STOCK PHOTO

By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – “It’s a very important thing. People are very much aware of the situation,” Tyler County Judge Milton Powers said as he opened up a public workshop last Tuesday evening in the district courtroom inside of the county courthouse devoted to the planned US 69 corridor expansion project, which is planned to run 25 miles, from the north to south end of the county.

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) district engineer Martin Gonzalez explained the proposed route alignments and spoke about his agency’s two planned public meetings in Tyler County concerning the project, and for public input.

Gonzalez spoke of how TxDOT arrives at its projected path alignments for projects. “We always encourage participation to attend these events,” he said, and added that TxDOT incorporates public comments and concerns into its projections.

“We’re still so early in the process that if somebody asks us if this is going to be [a particular element] we can’t tell them now,” he said. “Our goal is to try to mitigate as much as we can as far as impact is concerned.”

TxDOT spokesperson Sarah Dupre said that all of the projected routes presented are preliminary. “Nothing is in concrete right now, no pun intended,” she said.

Dupre encouraged everyone in attendance to submit comments concerning the project through the TxDOT website, txdot.gov.

Pct. 1 Commissioner Joe Blacksher asked the TxDOT representatives about the projected project timeline, which has a 2030 letting date.

Gonzalez provided a detailed timeline, which included a schedule of environmental studies and hearings leading up to route finalization. Right-of-way acquisition would occur after the environmental studies, he said, and currently, by winter 2024, a route selection should be final, yet is always subject to change.

The proposed route is a 25-mile project, which, according to TxDOT is designed to provide a relief route to support safe and efficient north and southbound movement of people and goods between Colmesneil and Warren.

The proposal calls for a new location roadway with two 12-foot travel lanes in each direction, a northbound 13-foot outside shoulder to be used as a hurricane evacuation lane and a southbound 10-foot outside shoulder. Schematics also show two-lane frontage roads in either direction, which would call for 400 feet of right-of-way width.

One TxDOT-hosted public meeting took place on Tuesday evening in Woodville at Kirby Gym, and a second is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 26 in Warren at the Warren ISD Board Room, located at 375 FM 3290 South, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

All comments must be received or postmarked on or by Friday, Nov. 10, in order to be entered into record. For individuals who cannot attend the meeting, an online comment form is available through the TxDOT website: www.txdot.gov, by accessing the project link under the “Projects” header. Comments can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or mailed to TxDOT Beaumont District US 69 Woodville Relief Route, 8350 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont, TX 77708.

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STOCK PHOTO

By Chris Edwards
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TYLER COUNTY – The countywide Christmas assistance program “Adopt an Angel” is up and running. The program, which is sponsored by the Tyler County Child Welfare Board, works with social service agencies, area schools and churches to help provide Christmas to children in the county who might not otherwise have gifts.

According to coordinator Kathy Harris, there are a few more opportunities available for parents or grandparents to sign up their children for the program.

In order to sign up, the service is eligible for children from birth through age 15, and certain criteria must be met. Applicants must be able to provide proof of household income (earned or unearned) within the past 30 days. Applicants must show paycheck stubs or a Social Security award letter. If the applicant’s income is zero, then proof must be provided of who is paying bills.

The documentation required: a driver license or photo identification card and Social Security cards for everyone in the household, including each child. Proof of Tyler County residency is also required.

The applications can be turned in at the Justice of the Peace office, located at 203 West Dogwood in Woodville on the following days, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Nov. 1; Nov. 8 and Nov. 15. Applications will also be received at the Juvenile Probation office, located at 100 West Bluff inside of the Tyler County Courthouse (room 106) on the following Mondays and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Oct. 26; Oct. 30; Nov. 2; Nov. 6; Nov. 13; Nov. 16 and Nov. 20. Harris said applications will also be taken at Lakeside Apostolic Church in Town Bluff on Saturday, Nov. 18 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The last day to apply is Monday, Nov. 20.

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By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – Tyler County commissioners met in a special-called meeting on the morning of Monday, Oct. 23, and tackled a short agenda with the ratification of the countywide burn ban on deck.

Tyler County Judge Milton Powers announced the burn ban’s reinstatement on Tuesday, Oct. 17. It had previously been lifted for five days, and Powers cited an increase in winds, lower humidity and no expected rainfall as reasons for the burn ban being put back into place.

The commissioners voted to ratify the order, and it will be in effect until rescinded. “It’s not gotten any better, and we’ve had a couple of fires over the weekend,” Powers said.

One of the fires came about from an individual grilling a steak, where an ember escaped the grill and burned about an acre of grass, he added.

“We want to try our best to leave this enacted until we get some significant rain,” Powers said.

Powers said the county is following daily charts that are tabulating rainfall, and the previous lifting of the ban was to give residents a window of opportunity to burn.

 

Christmas decorations funding approved

Judge Powers spoke to an agenda item that called for the funding of decorations for the courthouse at Christmastime. The commissioners approved the funding of decorations from the county’s economic development fund.

Powers said the decorating of the courthouse attracts a lot of people to come and participate in the countywide Christmas in Tyler County celebration, which adds revenue. He also spoke about the aesthetic value of having the courthouse decorated as part of the celebration. “I remember as a kid, the courthouse looking so beautiful [at Christmastime], and I’d like to see it back that way,” he said.

Some options he said that have been considered include projection-type decorations.

Bench exchange agreement

On Monday, commissioners approved a bench exchange agreement between Tyler and Jasper counties, with Judge Powers and Jasper County Judge Mark Allen able to exchange roles in the event of a conflict of interest here.

Powers added that aside from any cases that might be on future dockets involving any family members, there are still some cases to adjudicate from when he served as Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace.

He thanked Allen for agreeing to the bench exchange agreement, and said that the issue of compensation for Allen’s services will be determined later.