News

 By: J. Leslie Riseden

Special Contributor to

The Steel Country Bee

"Remember - only you can prevent forest fires." Smokey Bear has been reminding kids and grown-ups alike for almost 70 years of the dangers of wildfires, and how to help prevent them. On June 9, children had the opportunity to meet Smokey Bear in person (so to speak) at the Hughes Springs Area Library.

Toni Walker

Editor

news@steelcountrybee.com

Every summer, the summer reading programs have a theme that library’s can use when promoting their programs. This year, that theme sports-related: “Ready, Set, Read.”

In keeping with that theme, Daingerfield’s Friend of the Public Library sponsored Zooniversity on June 9, who taught children about animals and their survival skills. Owner and Wildlife Educator Allison Blankenship called the program “Survival of the Fittest.”

In the April 2, 1986 issue of the Bee, a photo by Kathy Kimberley showed a donation to the Cason Volunteer Fire Department by the Texas Forest Service. The check was for $4,000, which covered half of the expenses for the new truck the department was to purchase.

As technology has advanced over the years, people have developed more and more of a digital footprint. This digital footprint also extends to the criminal element. Offenders of all kinds have social media accounts, email accounts, computers which contain incriminating evidence and smartphones that tie all three together. Our county has always struggled with this type of evidence. We have to rely on the state crime lab or other agencies labs to process the data on the devices we collect. As of right now, it takes right around a year, sometimes longer, to get a computer processed through the crime lab and returned. It takes roughly six months to do a cell phone. These time estimates are being generous and are by no means the longest possible. The labs tend to give priority service to higher offenses. This can continuously push back your projected return date. Larger entities and areas have their own digital crime labs that process their own evidence.

AUSTIN – If you’re planning a road trip this summer, the Texas Department of Transportation offers the Texas State Travel Guide, Texas Highways Events Calendar and Texas Official Travel Map to help you get where you’re going and have fun along the way.

“Whether you have a particular destination in mind or are just planning to explore Texas, these publications will help you every mile of your trip,” said Joan Henderson, TxDOT’s Travel Information Division director. “Texas is big, and so is the list of things to do and places to see offered in these publications. Plus, the travel information is free.”

The 264-page Travel Guide offers features on history, arts and culture, music, food, shopping, sports, family activities and the outdoors. In addition, you’ll find information on more than 450 cities and 3,000 attractions. The city and attraction listings are separated into regions and each has a section highlighting some of the mustsee places.

(StatePoint) Does Dad love the great outdoors? Show you care this Father’s Day by helping him gear up for upcoming adventures.

There are many different gift options for outdoor dads, whether he’s a hiker, angler or grill master.

Camping and Hiking

Help Dad avoid dull blades far away from home with a portable sharpener. Those from Smith’s Consumer Products are lightweight, compact and durable. They feature a coarse slot to give a new, sharp edge on dull or damaged blades, and a fine slot for regular edge maintenance, as well as a fold-out, tapered diamond rod to sharpen serrations. The brand’s new model, the Pocket Pal X2 Sharpener and Outdoors Tool, helps campers pack light, as it also features several outdoor essentials in its compact frame -- a fire starter, compass, LED light and signal whistle.

 AUSTIN - Governor Greg Abbott participated in a conference call for Governors June 9 to discuss strategies for addressing the Zika threat and efforts to combat the virus. The call was hosted by the White House and led by Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell and Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Tom Frieden.

“Texas is working with our local and federal partners to ensure Texans are protected from the Zika virus,” said Governor Abbott. “With the recent floods, and as we enter the height of mosquito season, I encourage Texans to take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito exposure and heed all warnings and recommendations from health officials.”

Governor Abbott has activated the Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response. The Task Force and the Department of State Health Services are currently finalizing the Zika Virus Preparedness and Response Plan.

 Smoke filled the air at the Lone Star City Park on Saturday, June 11. Lone Star Police, fire crews from Lone Star, Jenkins, and Cason all converged on the park, adding to the smoke. The reason: the second annual Lone Star City Cook-Off. The fire and police teams were joined by a team from the Daingerfield Country Club, as well as the Daingerfield-Lone Star Independent School District Police department to determine who put out the best chicken, ribs, and brisket.

Teams began setting up on Friday evening, preparing their smokers for the competition that would began at 10am on Saturday morning. Each team would prepare smoked chicken, ribs, and brisket for judging by a panel that included Morris County Judge Linda Munkres, Lone Star Judge Bob Mattox, D-LS ISD Superintendent Sandra Quarles and D-LS Curriculum Director Martha Campbell.

 (StatePoint) While racism and bigotry continue to exist in this country, experts say that social change is not impossible.

“Just follow the news and you’ll find ugly instances of racism occurring every day,” says Stephen L. Kanne, author of the new historical novel, “The Lynching Waltz.” “But it’s never too early or too late to promote long-term change through actions and words.”

Kanne, inspired by the way Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” fueled the anti-slavery cause in the 19th century, hopes his new novel can help abolish racism in the 21st. Based on a personal childhood incident, “The Lynching Waltz” recounts the story of a town that defies a visiting stranger’s attempts to exclude black children from participating in a beloved rite of passage -- a ballroom dance class called Fortnightly.

Scams are not a new occurrence. Although many people recognize suspicious calls, it is always good to be aware of potential scams, and what can be done if scamming occurs.

Recently, multiple residents have claimed to have been contacted by a caller claiming they are from the IRS, and demanding payment on an IRS case against them. The caller sounds official, and even gives the victim an official sounding case number. Several calls of this type have been known to show a 206 area code on caller identification devices.

These are not the first types of scam calls claiming IRS action. According to the Internal Revenue website, scams have included asking the victim to use a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer to pay outstanding debts. If a victim refuses to cooperate, the caller then threatens legal action, including arrest, deportation, and suspension of a business or driver’s license.