News

As we finish off 2016, The Steel Country Bee would like to thank those of you who have helped contribute to your local, community newspaper.

Whether you sent in a wedding announcement, bought an ad, or sent in a news tip, we appreciate your help and assistance. It is difficult to report news when we do not always know events are happening. Likewise, we do not always hear after an event has occurred, unless the community assists us in that.

As the calendar flips to 2017, we would like to once again encourage you to take part in creating “your” community newspaper. See a news tip? Call or email us. Know of something happening in the community? Let us know. Although we cannot ensure that every tip makes the paper, we will definitely look into each one.

Many people feel the dawn of a new year provides an opportunity to clean the slate and begin anew. That notion can be applied in various ways, including around the house.

Cleaning the slate at home may involve reducing clutter around the house. Clutter can gradually overtake a home’s interior, turning a once pristine home into one overwhelmed with nonessential items. Clearing a home of clutter can seem like a monumental task, but the following tips can help homeowners and apartment dwellers make the year ahead clutter-free.

In a year that has seen police officers ambushed and killed simply for the uniform they wear, local churches came together to offer gifts of gratitude to area law enforcement officers. In this season of giving, law enforcement officers were given gift cards as a show of thanks for the work they do.

The idea to bless all the area law enforcement officers with a gift card began with Pastor Chad Thompson of South Union Baptist Church, explained Pastor Randy Seybert, President of the Tri-Cities Ministerial Alliance. According to Bro. Randy, Bro. Chad shared his church’s idea with the local Ministerial Alliance and everyone jumped on board. Participating churches included South Union Baptist, Church on the Rock, Fellowship Baptist, Lone Star Baptist and Life Church.

Get 2017 started off right with a hike through the “Cathedral of the Trees” at Daingerfield State Park. An experienced Park Ranger will take you on an awe-inspiring trek around Lake Daingerfield providing insight on the natural world found in East Texas. Numerous studies have shown that those who enjoy and exercise in the woods have a much happier outlook on life, are more productive at work and are healthier in general. Make Daingerfield State Park your new place to exercise and experience all the wonders a natural Texas has to offer.

Some Morris County residents will be eligible to apply for low-interest emergency disaster loans, according to information from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

According to information obtained from County Judge Lynda Munkres, from the United States Secretary of Agriculture, the county has been designated eligible due to drought conditions.

Information given to Judge Munkres states that emergency loans are available immediately to eligible applicants.

As 2016 winds down, and we prepare for the beginning of a New Year, it is time we take a look back at memorable events that made the news in 2016.

January

2016 opened with new handgun laws becoming effective Jan. 1. The new Texas laws allowed for legally licensed handgun owners to openly carry their handgun, as long as it was holstered. Those owners who already had a concealed carry permit were already considered licensed for open carry, as the requirements did not change.

Open carry was not the only big news in January. It was announced on Jan. 15 that all three local Walmart Neighborhood Market stores would be closed. Stores in Hughes Springs, Lone Star, and Naples, which had only been open since early 2015, were among those affected by the closure. Employees were either relocated to another store, or provided 60 days’ pay to those who were eligible.

Brookshire’s of Daingerfield recently partnered with Hormel Foods Corporation to make a donation to area food banks.
The two companies joined forces to donate $100,000 in Hormel Cure 81® hams to area food banks. Ninety of those hams were divided among local food banks at the Daingerfield Church of Christ and First Baptist Church of Cason.

“Brookshire’s and Hormel Foods are heavily involved in community outreach and are big supporters of programs that provide food for people in need. Hormel Cure 81® Hams for Hunger is an amazing program that allows us to partner with Brookshire’s in support of hunger relief locally,” said Megan Elliot, brand manager at Hormel Foods.

Cason Baptist Church took first place in Lone Star’s Christmas Parade Dec. 12. Second place went to Something Special Antiques, and Froggy’s of Lone Star took home third place honors.”

In order to make it to state competition, Hughes Springs ninth-grader Jaycee Alexander had to place in the top ten at District Cross Country, which she did earlier this year. Jaycee recently went on to earn an admirable 26th place in a crowded field of 149 competitors at the state competition, and Coach James Fitch introduced Jaycee at the regular meeting of the Hughes Springs ISD Dec. 12. Jaycee has been active in Cross Country for over a year, and plans to continue competing.

In other school board business, Jalyn Setser of the CPA firm of Caver and Setser, Inc., presented the board with the 2015-16 audit of its finances. Among other things, the annual audit tests internal controls, looks at how data is received and recorded, reviews the status of taxes due, and conducts tests throughout the year for accuracy and integrity.

By: J. Leslie Riseden

Special Contributor to

The Steel Country Bee

Major improvements to the city’s water and sewer system will move forward in 2017, according to Lone Star Mayor Karl Stoermer. At the regular meeting of the Lone Star City Council Dec. 15, Mayor Stoermer reported that the city has established contact with the appropriate representative of U.S. Steel in Pennsylvania, which was the reason for the delay. Because much of the affected land is owned by U.S. Steel, their signature is needed on a number of easements before work can begin. Some of the land was acquired decades ago, making the research and documentation a tedious and time-consuming process. The shutdown of local U.S. Steel administrative offices has made the task even more daunting, and Mayor Stoermer commended City Secretary Devon Whatley for wading through all the paperwork and following through on taking the necessary steps to get the $2.5 million project back on track.