News

The annual October vote of the members of the Great Plains Honors Council (GPHC), an association of 80 honors colleges and programs, recently confirmed Matthew Jordan, a Presidential Scholar at Northeast Texas Community College, as the 2013-2014 Student Representative of its Executive Council.
The  2012 Salutatorian of Pittsburg High School, will become the highest ranking student in an organization that represents thousands of honors students, including those at large and prestigious universities. Moreover, he is the first community college student in memory to have obtained that distinction, according to GPHC archivist, Ryan Diehl, whose records on this question extend through the last 10 years. Jordan defeated the president of the Honors Scholars Council at John Brown University, Kelsey Gulliver, by two votes to win the election.

Pepsi has made a $15,000 contribution to Northeast Texas Community College. The funds were designated to benefit the NTCC Eagles Athletic program. Beth Thompson, NTCC vice president for administrative services, and Dr. Jonathan McCullough, NTCC vice president for advancement, received the gift on the college’s behalf.

Five students have completed the fire academy at Northeast Texas Community College and were honored during a graduation ceremony held in the Student Union Building. The graduates, from left, are Aaron Nugent of Winnsboro, Matthew Hernandez of Mount Pleasant, Fenton Godfrey of Mount Pleasant, Wesley Kizer of Pittsburg and Colter Antonsen of Ridgecrest, Calif. These students are now eligible to take the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Exam to complete certification. NTCC is enrolling students for the 2014 Fire Academy. For more information contact Lisa York at 903-434-8134. Limited financial aid may be available.

Ready for the Thanksgiving holiday, David and Toni Black’s home radiates the holiday season with pumpkins, scarecrows, wreaths and many other holiday decorations. The Blacks live at 225 N. Russell in Hughes Springs.

Ready for the Thanksgiving holiday, David and Toni Black’s home radiates the holiday season with pumpkins, scarecrows, wreaths and many other holiday decorations. The Blacks live at 225 N. Russell in Hughes Springs.

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
Andrew Arnold, auditor from the firm of Arnold, Walker& Arnold Company, P.C., informed the board of trustees that the audit for the Daingerfield-Lone Star Independent School District was clean. Mr. Arnold spoke to the board at the Nov. 18 meeting. The board unanimously approved the audit.
“I appreciate you all letting us do the work for you,” Mr. Arnold said. “It was a pleasure to work with Lisa White and Sandra Quarles. Your revenue in the general fund is $750,000. That was an increase to the general fund balance, so we have added a million and a half to the fund balance the past two years. We also absorbed some payroll costs that were paid by federal funds last year. The cost-cutting measures were effective, and that helped.

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
A Lone Star city councilman was concerned with a dead cat and public works reports at the Nov. 21 meeting of the Lone Star City Council.
Councilman Earl Alexander asked questions of the council, mayor and city secretary.
“I can’t get anything out of the public works report,” Mr. Alexander said. “How much time does it take to read meters? I used to work in the Army Motor Pool, and I could do everything sitting at a desk.”
Mayor Karl Stoermer said they used to have a report that had items on to check.
“Now each would have a time sheet saying what they worked on in that day,” Mayor Stoermer said. “It still does not have hours per job.”
Mr. Alexander had further questions.
“I assume there is no accounting,” he said. “The reports don’t do any good. I also would like to know how much overtime everyone gets.

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
A mixed team of students and faculty from The Shelby Automotive Program at Northeast Texas Community College ran its first endurance go kart race at the Lone Star 500.  The team came in third place in their division, according to NTCC President Dr. Brad Johnson. The report was given to the board of trustees at the college’s Nov. 19 board meeting.
“There were roughly 12 teams that did not even finish the race,” Dr. Johnson said. “We had at least two breakdowns. Our students handled those breakdowns and did a really good job. We intend to make experiences like this the NTCC difference, not only in quality of instruction in the classroom, but the experience students have hands on. The high performance emphasis that exists in racing fits very nicely with the program the Shelby is putting together.”