News

The Avinger Chamber of Commerce honored
Trico Lumber Company, in Hughes
Springs, as their featured business. Shown,
from left, are Elaine Mouton, Judson Morgan,
Rebecca Morgan, Kyle Morgan, Wanda
Bailey, Ronnie Politi, and Sharon Simmons.

Honors Northeast, the
honors program at
Northeast Texas
Community College, will
premiere an original historical
film Friday, Feb. 17
at 7 p.m. in the Whatley
Center for the Performing
Arts. The production, Sam
Houston and the Fate of
the Texas Cherokee, is the
fifth film Honors
Northeast has completed in
the last five years.
Free refreshments and a
brief panel discussion featuring
NTCC scholars
William Fox, William
Jones, Presley McClendon,
Ryan-Rose Mendoza,
Cassidy Watkins, and
Honors Director, Dr.
Andrew Yox, will be featured
after the film in the
Whatley Foyer. Admission
is free and the public is
welcome.
This year’s one-hour film
traces the relationship of
Texas’ founding father with
the Cherokee, their
estrangement, the tragic
Battle of the Neches, and
the transformation of

The Daingerfield Lone
Star Educational Foundation
will once again be hosting its
Annual Spelling be on Jan.
27.
The Spelling Bee serves as
a fundraiser for the
Foundation, which uses the
proceeds to fund teacher
grants. In 2015, the
Foundation funded teacher
grants that totaled over
$13,000. Those grants then
benefit the teachers and students
in Daingerfield-Lone
Star ISD.
Teams consist of three
members and one alternate,
and the entry fee is $25.
Anyone interested in placing
a team in the Spelling Bee
must submit an entry form
to Texas Heritage National
Bank by Friday, Jan. 20.
Teams are also invited to
bring their cheering squad,
as the 2017 Spirit Award will
be up for grabs. This award
will be given to the most
innovative and enthusiastic
cheering squad, and table
decorations are encouraged

Many times, situations
arise where assistance may
be needed, and all too
often, individuals do not
have the knowledge or
information to find the
assistance needed. That is
where 2-1-1 Texas comes
in.
2-1-1 Texas, a public/private
partnership, is coordinated
by the Texas Health
and Human Services
Commission and works to
give information and referral
services. Although not a
service provider, operators
have access to a list of local
agencies who provide a
variety of services. 2-1-1
connects Texans to: local
community resource, state
benefits access, fraud
reporting, disaster related
information, and the State
of Texas Emergency
Assistance Registry.
This benefit is available
to all Texans, 24 hours a
day, and 365 days a year.
Calls are answered by
local call centers, and callers

Northeast Texas
Community College is accepting
applications for its next
evening police academy, which
begins March 13. Classes meet
Monday throughThursday
from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. and
Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 5
p.m.
Upon successful completion
of the Academy, cadets are eligible
to sit for the TCOLE Basic
Peace Officer Certificate. The
deadline to apply for the next
evening academy is March 1.
For more information, contact
the NTCC Continuing
Education Department at 903-
434-8134 or visit ntcc.edu/continuinged.

At the March on
Washington on August 28,
1963, the Reverend Doctor
Martin Luther King Jr.
delivered his inspirational
“I Have a Dream” speech.
King’s dream was equal
rights for all Americans,
regardless of the color of
their skin.
CASA of Titus, Camp,
and Morris Counties also
has a dream this Martin
Luther King Jr. Day – a
dream that every child in
Texas has a safe, permanent
home.
When children are
removed from their homes
due to evidence of abuse or
neglect, they are placed in
the child welfare system,
sometimes far away from
their friends and loved
ones. Often times, they are
left to navigate the system
on their own without a
consistent adult to guide
them.
CASA (Court Appointed
Special Advocate) volunteers
are appointed by
judges to speak up for a
child in court. A CASA

CASA (Court Appointed
Special Advocates) of
Titus, Camp and Morris
Counties is excited to welcome
Cathy Homer and
Josie House as new CASA
Advocates.
Cathy and Josie completed
the required training
and took an oath with
The Honorable Virginia
Schnarr on January 3, in
Titus County Court. Cathy
and Josie will be assigned
to a child or children’s case
and help them navigate the
foster care system while
being away from their
families. CASA Advocate
Volunteers are sometimes
the only consistent face
and voice ...these children
will ever see or hear while
placed in a foster placement.
Please consider
being a voice for these precious
children. They need
you so they don’t get lost in
the system.
If you are interested in
GIVING A CHILD A
VOICE, please contact
Michelle Cobern at 907-

As sex trafficking and
domestic violence are
increasing in occurrence,
victims in Northeast Texas
are finding an advocate, a
voice, and safe place to
heal.
Shelter Agencies for
Families in East Texas, or
SAFE-T, serves victims of
domestic abuse and sexual
assault in eight counties,
including Morris, Titus,
Camp, Franklin, Hopkins,
and Red River. Their main
office is in Mount Pleasant,
and there are satellite
offices in Sulphur Springs
and Paris. The agency also
operates a thrift store in
Mount Pleasant, and the
funds are used to help victims
of abuse.
SAFE-T offers a wide
variety of services, including
a 24-hour crisis hotline.
They also offer counseling
and support groups, crime
victim assistance, rape crisis
intervention, and will
offer legal assistance, court
accompaniment, child visitation

The Community
Theatre of East Texas
will hold registration for
their new dance classes
on Saturday, Jan. 28,
from 11-2 at the theatre.
Dance instructor Cherí
Degenhart, as well as
theatre director Mandy
Gammill, will be available
to answer questions.
Classes available will
include: combo (ballet
and tap), jazz, hip-hop,
lyrical, and musical theatre.
Tuition will be as follows:
one hour per week
at $60; two hours per
week at $75; three hours
per week at $90. There
will also be a family plan,
unlimited classes available
for $125. There will
also be a one-time registration
fee of $20.
Classes will be available
for: 3 to 4 year olds,
5 to 7 year olds, 8-11 year
olds, and 12 year old
through adult. Classes
will begin on Feb. 1.
Makes plans to attend
the registration day, and

AUSTIN — Lawmakers
gathered at the state
Capitol in their respective
houses on Jan. 10, opening
day for the 85th regular
session of the Texas
Legislature. The 140-day
session will conclude on
May 29.
After taking the oath of
office and being sworn in,
the Texas House of
Representatives, on a vote
of 150-0, unanimously reelected
Rep. Joe Straus, RSan
Antonio, to a fifth term
as speaker of the House,
tying a record for the most
terms as speaker.
Meanwhile, after being
sworn in, the Texas Senate
voted unanimously in favor
of Sen. Kel Seliger, RAmarillo,
as speaker pro
tempore.
Seliger will wield the
Senate gavel in the absence
or temporary disability of
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who
presides over the 31-member
body. Should the governor
and lieutenant governor
be temporarily