News

Turkeys may not be able to fly, but they’ll be flying off the shelves after the Chamber of Commerce’s Turkey Bingo returns to Avinger next month.

Back by popular demand, “Turkey Bingo” takes place at Main Street Education, #7 Main Street in Avinger, on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. In addition to cash prizes and gift cards, turkeys will be included in the Bingo prizes given away at this pre-Thanksgiving fundraiser. “We encourage everyone to come early,“ said Chamber president Elaine Moulton. “Seating is limited, and this is one of our most popular events.” So, find your favorite daubers and line up your lucky troll dolls, and you just might win a turkey for your holiday dinner. For additional information, contact the Avinger Area Chamber of Commerce at 903-601-1370.

  By: J. Leslie Riseden

Special Contributor to

The Steel Country Bee

Bleachers in the gym at Hughes Springs Junior High School are slated for replacement, following unanimous approval by the HSISD Board at its regular meeting Oct. 10.

The HSJH gym was constructed during the 1978- 1980 building program, and the bleachers that are being replaced are the originals, according to HSISD Superintendent Sarah Dildine. “The new plans call for seating for approximately 530 people,” said Dildine. The current capacity is approximately 320, so the new gym should be able to accommodate well over 50 percent more people at events.

By J. Leslie Riseden

Hughes Springs Chamber of Commerce is once again organizing “Christmas Trees in the Park”, and the site will be Spring Creek Park, next to City Hall.

The Chamber invites local businesses, merchants, and organizations to adopt a tree for the season. The adoption fee is $15.00 per tree; the Chamber of Commerce will match each contribution to make up the required $30 per tree. The trees will be in place and ready to decorate by Wednesday, November 16. Each tree will be approximately eight feet tall and will need at least eight strands of 100 lights each. (There are several sets of lights available for use at City Hall, first come-first served.) All decorations must be weatherproof, i.e., suitable for outdoor use.

The tree-lighting will be November 21, in conjunction with Holiday on First Street and Cork and Fork. For additional information or to reserve a tree, call the Chamber at 903-639-2351.

The Daingerfield City Council met on Monday, Oct. 10 for their regularly scheduled meeting. The meeting began with Chief Tracey Climer introducing two new Police Department employees.

Officer Ruben Ayala comes to the department from Pittsburg, where he had three years of experience, and Michelle Jones was introduced as the new Court Clerk.

In other business, the council voted to table a discussion and possible action on a request by Rite Track #15, located across from Daingerfield’s South Elementary. Representative Mark Preistner was to present a request for a variance to the distance requirement to grant Rite Track a beer and wine permit. Priestner had informed City Manager Rocky Thomasson of a death in his family earlier in the day, leading to a suggestion by Thomasson that the item be tabled until the November meeting. Councilman Mike Carter made the motion to table, which was followed by Councilwoman Martha Campbell’s second, and approved unanimously.

By J. Leslie Riseden

Two new staff members were formally introduced to the Lone Star City Council at its regular meeting Oct. 20. The Council approved the hiring of Shane Townson to fill the position of Public Works Supervisor. Shane currently resides in Mt. Pleasant, but plans to move his family closer to Lone Star. In related action, the Council also approved an amendment to the Water and Sewer budget for 2016-17 to include the purchase of a truck for the Public Works Supervisor.

Stephen Rathbun has joined the Lone Star Police Department as a reserve officer. Stephen is a graduate of the East Texas Police Academy in Kilgore; he is also a registered EMT and a certified firefighter.

Every year children anxiously count down the days until they are able to put on their costumes and head out into the neighborhood in search of candy. Although Halloween is meant to be a fun occasion for the young and the old alike, it can also be unsafe.

Costumes may impair a child’s vision and motor function. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that studies indicate Halloween is in the top three among holidays that produce the most visits to hospital emergency rooms. Finger and hand injuries account for 17.6 percent of injuries, and children ages 10 to 14 sustain the greatest proportion of Halloween injuries. Trips and falls also account for a high number of injuries.

There are also a good deal of children who become injured before Halloween arrives, many of whom sustain lacerations when carving pumpkins.

To make Halloween a safe holiday, children and adults can heed these suggestions.

With Veteran’s Day fast approaching, The Steel Country Bee would like to once again honor our veterans for their service. We would like any and all veterans, or their families, to submit a photo of the veteran with name, rank, branch, and service time. This can include war- and peacetime deployments, as well, as era served (WW2, Vietnam, Korea, Gulf, Afghanistan, etc.) These photos will be compiled on tribute pages in our Nov. 10 issue. The Bee is also looking for stories for our veteran’s issue. Every veteran has a story, no matter their era, and no matter if they were deployed or not. Please help us by submitting your veteran’s stories. The world is losing veterans from every era, and in order for their legacy to continue, we need to share their stories. All veterans’ information and photos can be emailed to news@steelcountrybee. com or delivered to our office at 404 Broadnax Street, Suite 4.

Cass County has issued their newest list of most wanted individuals.

Raymond Alcala Anguilano; wanted for bond forfeiture, driving while intoxicated.

Jeremy Lee Ezell; wanted for probation violation, assault, family violence.

Melisa Russ; wanted for bond forfeiture, driving while intoxicated.

Crystal Gail Sharbine; wanted for probation violation, possession of a controlled substance.

Scott Anthony Solley; wanted for probation violation, possession of a controlled substance.

Christopher Tristen Watson; wanted for harassment w/previous convictions.

Multiple arrests have been made, with more pending, in a case involving stolen vehicles and property from Daingerfield- Lone Star Independent School District. The property and vehicles stolen totaled $105,000.

According to D-LS ISD Police Chief T.J. Frazier, the incident occurred the evening of Oct. 16. “At approximately 8:20 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, Morris County dispatchers received a call stating a Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD pickup was seen on Highway 67. After receiving the call, a perimeter search of the school was made, followed by entrance into the maintenance building. It was found that the suspects gained entrance to the building by prying a side door open. It was discovered that four vehicles, as well as tools, and miscellaneous items were missing from the maintenance department. A BOLO (be on lookout) was issued for the four vehicles,” said Frazier.

By Rebecca Smith

One of the things parents across the region tell me when I encourage them to talk to their children about their disapproval of underage drinking and the dangers is that their kids already “know better.”

Of course we always want to assume the best about our children. And I would believe the parents who say there’s no way that their kids drink — if research didn’t say otherwise.

Only 10 percent of parents think their own teens (ages 13 to 17) drank alcohol within the last year, according to a 2011 poll by the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

Unfortunately, that’s not what teens in East Texas say.

The average age of first use in this area is 12.9 years old, according to the 2014 Texas School survey, conducted by Texas A&M University. About 38 percent of East Texas kids had their first drink when they were younger than 13.