Visit us at www.facebook.com/EastTexasReview • www.EastTexasReview.com • @EastTexasReview P AT R I C K B U C H A N A N
For Every Child, A Father
The Forever War?
PAGE 6
PAGE 4
C O M M U N I T Y,
E D U C AT I O N ,
TISD Hires Coach
STORY BELOW
P O L I T I C S
&
R E L I G I O N
N E W S
Complimentary Copy
Vol. 21 No. 020
New Coach Kurt Traylor
B U S I N E S S ,
Longview Celebrates Juneteenth
June 8 - 15, 2017
Trey Patterson cuts Grand Opening ribbon. Neal McCoy, Kelsey and husband Ty Patterson; Tiffani Patterson, Ray Cox, Mayor Andy Mack, Jan Maynard, Chris Cobb, State Rep. District 7 Jay Dean, Charlotte Davis, Linda Whitehead, Heather Watson, Linda Voyles, Angela Hanley and others look on.
By ETR Staff Report
The Tyler Independent School District (TISD) Board of Trustees has approved District Athletic Director Greg Priest’s nomination of Kurt Traylor as head football coach at Robert E. Lee High School.
See COACH on Page 2
City Pool Schedule Released
Summer is officially here! Tyler Parks and Recreation pool season kicked off Saturday, June 3 with the opening of Fun Forest pool, located at 900 N. Glenwood Blvd. Fun Forest pool will be open from June 3 to Aug. 12. Its daily schedule is as follows:
By ETR Staff Report Patterson Nissan has relocated to a state-of-the-art new location at 3114 North Eastman Road in Longview. This new, ten-acre facility is packed with new, primarily Nissan vehicles. The grand opening featured a Chamber of Commerce-sponsored ribbon cutting featuring such luminaries as country-western superstar Neal McCoy, who sang the national anthem.
State Representative District 7 Jay Dean, Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt and wife Suzanne, Mayor Andy Mack, officers from Texas Bank & Trust, Kyle and Robin Adams, Chris Tucker with Transet; Ambassadors from the Longview Chamber of Commerce and Nissan Regional Operations Manager Chris Cobb were among the throng teeming in the new facility.
Country western superstar Neal McCoy sang the national anthem
See PATTERSON on Page 3
Lori Eats of Gilmer catered the sumptuous food
See CITY POOL on Page 2
Graduation Set for Kilgore Adult Program
Kilgore College Adult Education and Literacy will award certificates to 38 General Educational Development (GED) graduates at its annual commencement ceremony this Friday, June 9, at 7 p.m. The event will be held at the Dodson Auditorium on the Kilgore campus.
See KILGORE on Page 2
Hospitality Health ER supplied the champagne bar
Summer Art Classes for Kids at LMFA
‘Galveston: Forgotten Gateway’ Exhibit
The Longview Museum of Fine Arts kicked off this week its Summer Art Classes. The ArtWorks Summer Art Camp offers nine oneweek long sessions. Each week offers a new curriculum that is sure to keep young artists motivated, according to ArtWorks officials.
See GALVESTON on Page 2
See LMFA on Page 3
As a major gateway for immigration, Galveston Island was the port of entry for hundreds of thousands of people coming to America from 1845 to 1924.
W H AT ’ S I N S I D E Local................... 2 & 3 Opinion..................... 4 Business.................... 5 Gospel Spotlight...... 6 State........................... 7 Health........................ 8
Trey Patterson receives a samurai sword from Nissan Regional Operations Manager Chris Cobb
Juneteenth Activities at Broughton Park
In partnership with the Emancipation Day Celebration and the Juneteenth Activity Planning Committee, the City of Longview’s Broughton Recreation Center will take part in Juneteenth activities. A parade will be held on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Saturday, June 17. The parade will start at 10:00 a.m. at Ryder Drive and continue to the Broughton Recreation Center, 801 S. MLK Blvd.
Dump the Pump Day Touts Public Transport By Kelly Bell, East Texas Review With gasoline prices and supplies continuing to flucuate, new means of saving money and gas are at a premium. National Dump the Pump
Day encourages commuters to leave their cars home and ride public transportation. The implications are eye-catching.
See PUMP DAY on Page 7
See JUNETEENTH on Page 3
State Sales Tax Revenue $2.5B in May AUSTIN— Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said today that state sales tax revenue totaled $2.5 billion in May, 4 percent more than in May 2016. “State sales tax collections in May indicate a Texas economy expanding at a moderate pace,” Hegar said.
See RURAL on Page 7
‘Heathens’ Headlines Longview’s July 4th Events City of Longview has announced the entertainment lineup for the 2017 July 4 Fireworks and Freedom Celebration. Austin Americana band, The Band of Heathens, will headline an outdoor free-to-the-public concert to be held just before the biggest fireworks show in East Texas.
See JULY 4TH on Page 2 The Band of Heathens, an Americana band
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:32 (KJV)
2
Local News
Galveston: Forgotten Gateway to US Exhibit Ongoing at Gregg Museum From Page 1
Forgotten Gateway considers the importance of place in the immigrant experience—tracing the history of Galveston Island as it changed from a small harborage for sailing vessels, to a major cosmopolitan steamship and railroad hub, and back to a nearly abandoned immigrant station—and explores universal themes of immigration including leaving home, encountering danger, confronting discrimination, and navigating bureaucracy. The traveling exhibit is currently at the Gregg County Historical Museum in Downtown Longview, until the 17th of this month.
Forgotten Gateway explored the Port of Galveston’s role in the story of 19th and 20th century immigration to the United States. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Port of Galveston was one of America’s top-ten transoceanic ports of entry into Texas and the United States. Through a collection of photographs, film footage, graphics, narratives, handson interactive experiences, and historic artifacts, the exhibition told the individual stories of coming to America through Texas. Following its exhibition at the Bullock Museum,
Forgotten Gateway embarked on a national tour to other institutions, including Moody Gardens in Galveston and the Ellis Island Museum in New York City. A small-format version of the exhibition continues to be available through the Humanities Texas Traveling Exhibit program. This exhibition was awarded a We the People grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Support for the Bullock Museum’s exhibitions and education programs provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.
Graduation Set for Kilgore Adult Literacy Program From Page 1
Tucker Weems has been named the class salutatorian and will give the welcome address. Jonah Phillips has been named the valedictorian and will give the farewell address. The ceremony will feature graduation speaker Terry Booker, KC’s coordinator of dual credit education. Booker retired from KC in 2011 after 29 years of serving as a history and government instructor. He spent seven years as instructional dean of the Liberal & Fine Arts Division and established the current dual credit program in 2001. In retirement, he has continued to serve KC for the last six years as the part-time coordinator of dual credit education. The dual credit program began under the direction of Booker with 12 students. It now has more than 1,600
Featured speaker Terry Booker
dual credit students from more than 20 high schools. Booker serves on the Board of Elders for Alpine Church of Christ in Longview, and he will be the president of the Rotary Club of Kilgore for the upcoming year. He holds degrees from both Abilene Christian University and Texas A&M University. The 2016-17 GED graduates are: Big Sandy: Brooke Lo-
gan George and Chadwick Eugene Lowery Carthage: Sameisha L. Black and Makaela Reeder Gilmer: Charles Smith and Breanna Danielle Tolleson Gladewater: Crystal Burgess, Hugo Javier Martinez, Sunday Sharrer and Amanda Sharrer (sisters), Timothy Cole Smith and Tucker Weems Henderson: Samantha Maldonado; Stephanie Medford and Michelle Sowell (mother and daughter) Jefferson: Justin Oliver Kilgore: Yolanda Marie Contreras, Cindy Reed and
William Reed Longview: Halecsia Brown, Kris Burkhalter, Summer Farrar, Holly Gregg, Zenorina Gonzalez, Abigail Hernandez, Molly Kirkpatrick, Heaven Makenzie Lee, Ladarius Travon Moore, David Olvera, Graciela Marie Parga, Jonah Phillips, Natasha Rane Reitinger, Chelsea Nicole Shivers and Michelle Vazquez Marshall: Veronica Brown and Elizabeth Friz Ore City: Elyza Beth Sherrill Overton: Alicen Akin More info about the Kil-
gore College Adult Education and Literacy Program: The program offers a full range of free services to help adults improve their lives including English as a Second Language (ESL), basic literacy skills, exam preparation, High School Equivalency (HSE), Integrated Education and Training and Intensive College Readiness preparation. Day and evening classes are offered at 25 locations. For more information on the GED program at KC visit www.kilgore.edu/ged.
Tyler City Pool Schedule Released From Page 1
• Open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m. for open swim • Lap swim is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. • Open Fridays and Saturdays from 1 to 7 p.m. for open swim It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Admission to Fun Forest pool is free, but children ages 12 and under must have an adult present with them at all times. Youth 13 to 18 years of age must have a signed emergency card to enter without an adult. Parents or legal guardians can fill out emergency cards at the pool. Once submitted, the emergency card is good
It all starts Here...
Register Now!
for the summer season. All swimmers must have swim suits to get into the pool and the sprayground. No undergarments under swim suits or cotton can be worn in the pool. For more information, please contact Debbie Isham, special events/recreation manager, at (903) 5311214.
Avoid the Frustration of Closed Classes
uttyler.edu TYLER, LONGVIEW & PALESTINE
Longview’s July 4th Events From Page 1
Vinjac and Black Lillies are also scheduled to perform. The event will fill the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex, located at 100 Grand Blvd on Tuesday, July 4, 2017. In addition to the concert, many other activities are scheduled throughout the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex as part of the July 4th Fireworks and Freedom Celebration. Activities include amusement rides, go karts, inflatables, a water foam spray
area, a giant water slide, weenie dog races, motorcycle parade, car show and parade, dance, historic fly over, food, beverages, and vendors. Admission to the festival, concert, and fireworks show is free to public; however, prices vary for individual activities and rides. Community groups and vendors are encouraged to be a part of the event. For vendor and sponsorship information, please contact the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex at 903-237-1230.
www.facebook.com/EastTexasReview • www.EastTexasReview.com • @EastTexasReview
June 8-15, 2017
TISD Hires Coach From Page 1
The board finalized the nomination at a specially called meeting Monday afternoon. Traylor has spent the past 17 years as offensive line and running backs coach at Gilmer High School. During his tenure there, Gilmer won state titles in 2004, 2008 and 2014, also reaching the finals in 2007 and 2012. During the 2014 season, Gilmer scored 950 points, the second highest such total in Texas high school football history. Priest has high hopes for future REL teams under Traylor’s guidance. “I am excited to have Kurt Traylor as the new head football coach at Robert E. Lee,” he said. “During our search it was clear Coach Traylor was the right fit for the job. He is an East Texas guy with great passion for the game and a strong work ethic. Our goal was to get someone who could not only successfully lead the football program, but understood the importance of building relationships with the middle schools, faculty, staff and most importantly the community.” Traylor has impressed a great many with his coaching brilliance. “Kurt is one of the best football coaches that I’ve had the opportunity to coach against,” said Carthage ISD Head Football Coach Scott Surratt. “He is a great motivator, has a great mind for the game of football and will do great as the head football coach at Tyler Lee.” Traylor’s reputation has reached even to the university level. Southern Methodist Head Coach Chad Morris is highly impressed with Traylor’s standing. “I’ve known Kurt for many years, and consider him to be one of the brightest minds in the business,” he said. “His ability to develop young men into leaders is what sets him apart from others. His reputation across our state for the type of person he is and the programs he has been associated with is as good as anyone I’ve known. There is no doubt that Coach Traylor is ready for this challenge, and his players will be ready for any endeavors they will encounter both on and off the field.” SMU Assistant Head Coach Jeff Traylor added his endorsement. “Kurt Traylor is one of the most loyal and hard-working coaches I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” he said. “His teams will be as prepared for life as they will be on the field. I can’t wait for Tyler to get to know Kurt, Allie, Rylie, Will and Kole.” J.B. Grimes matriculated as offensive line coach at the University of Connecticut and at Texas A&M, giving him unimpeachable standing as a supporter of the new REL coach. “Kurt Traylor, whom I worked with at Texas A&M, is as good as I have ever been around,” he said.
Local/State
June 8-15, 2017
3
Patterson Nissan Shows New Look From Page 1
Ty and his wife Kelsey Patterson
This past weekend proffered such activities as first-hand tours of the new dealership, showing off its sprawling showroom designed for maximum customer experience. There were also performances by the Pine Tree High School Jazz Band, face painting, fire safety lectures and the Hospitality Health ER ice cream truck. Owners Trey and Tiffani Patterson along with Ty and Kelsey Patterson provided excellent host services. Aptly named Gilmer caterer Lori Eats laid out spreads of delectable edibles while the Hospitality Health ER kept the champagne cold and flowing. Jan Maynard was recognized for her exemplary work with local Nissan dealerships. Most important of all, this new dealership’s opening created 30 new local jobs.
State Representative District 7 Jay Dean, Jennifer Harris, Honorable Judge Bill and his wife Suzanne Stoudt; and Neal McCoy
Trey Patterson receives Longview Chamber of Commerce Member plaque from Ambassador Heather Watson
Zac Terry, Cindy Terry, Barbara Smith, Elaine Reynolds and Tammy Skinner
Summer Art Classes for Kids at LMFA From Page 1 drawing, painting, mixed media or other visual art mediums. Most classes are available in 2-hour blocks throughout the day. Add lunch or an extra block to keep your young artist happy and inspired! City ArtWorks offers age appropriate classes throughout the day that are sure to fit with busy summer schedules. “ArtSmart” classes are for children ages 4 – 5 “Imagination” classes are for children ages 6 -12 “Studio Time” is also available for the more experienced youth artists looking to sharpen their skills
Juneteenth at Broughton Park
From Page 1
The deadline to register to participate in the parade is Wednesday, June 14. In addition, other activities planned at Broughton Park for the weekend of Friday, June 16 through Saturday, June 17, include a softball tournament, entertainment, youth activities, and vendors at Broughton Park. During the Juneteenth park activities, Longview area civic clubs, cultural groups, service organizations, and individuals are invited to take part in the day’s activities. Park space is available for display, food sales, carnival games, exhibits, and demonstrations. Additional Juneteenth Activities being planned by other community organizations include a golf tour-
Vision Services Optometry & Optical
A scene from Juneteenth Black Rodeo event in 2015
nament, rodeo, and beauty pageant. For more information, contact the City of Longview Broughton Recreation Center at 903-237-1276. Schedule: • June 9,10,11 - Golf Tournament at 7:00 a.m. at Alpine Golf Course • June 9 - Juneteenth Pageant at 3:00 p.m. at Longview Community Center • June 16-17 - Softball Tournament at 8:00 a.m. at
Wellness Pointe accepts most medical and dental insurance plans, CHIP, Medicaid, and Medicare. Affordable payment options are available for qualified patients. Walk-ins and new patients are welcome at all locations!
Broughton Park • June 17 - Live Entertainment at 1:00 p.m. at Broughton Park • June 17 - Car Show at 2:00 p.m. at Broughton Park • June 17 - Three Point Shootout at 3:00 p.m. at Broughton Gym • June 17 - Parade lineup 9:00 a.m./parade at 10:00 a.m. at Ryder Dr. • June 24 - Juneteenth Rodeo at 7:30 p.m. at the Rodeo Arena
www.facebook.com/EastTexasReview • www.EastTexasReview.com • @EastTexasReview
4
Opinion
June 8-15, 2017
Are We Caught Up in a Forever War?
On May 22, Salman Abedi, 22, waiting at the entrance of the Arianna Grande pop concert in Manchester, blew himself up, killing almost two dozen people, among them parents waiting to pick up their children. Saturday, three Islamic terrorists committed “suicideby-cop,” using a van to run down pedestrians on London Bridge, and then slashing and stabbing patrons of pubs and diners in the nearby Borough Market. By all accounts, the killers bore no special grudge against those they murdered. They appear not even to have known their victims. Why, then, did they kill these strangers, and themselves? A BBC eyewitness suggests a motive: “They shouted, ‘This is for Allah’, as they stabbed indiscriminately.” The murderers were Muslims. The rationale for their crimes lies in the belief that their bloody deeds would inscribe them in a book of martyrs, and Allah would reward them with instant ascension into the paradise that awaits all good Muslims. Ideas have consequences. And where might these crazed killers have gotten an idea like that? Is there a strain of Islam, the basis of which can be found in the Quran, that would justify what the murderers did at London Bridge? On Palm Sunday, an explosion in Tanta, 56 miles north of Cairo, killed 29 and injured 71 Copts as they prayed at the Mar Girgis church. A second blast at a church in Alexandria killed 18 and wounded 35. On May 26, masked gunmen stopped two buses carrying Coptic Christians to
Saint Samuel the Confessor Monastery in Egypt, and opened fire, killing 26 and wounding 25. “I call on Egyptians to unite in the face of this brutal terrorism,” said Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of al-Azhar, Egypt’s 1,000-year-old center of Islamic learning. Yet, years of such atrocities have effected a near-complete cleansing of Christianity from its cradle provinces in the Holy Land. If these persecutors and killers of Christians are apostates to Islam, headed to hell for their savageries, why have not all the imams of the world, Shiite and Sunni, risen together to condemn them as heretics? Clearly, from the suicide bombings and shootings of civilians in the Middle East, now across the West, there is a belief among some Muslims that what the killers are doing is moral and meritorious — taking the martyr’s path to salvation. When have the imams of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and West ever stood as one to condemn all such acts as against the tenets of Islam? In condemning the London Bridge attack, Prime Minister Theresa May said that recent atrocities across England were “bound together by the single evil ideology of Islamist extremism.” Correct. There is an extremist school of Islam that needs to be purged from the West, even as this school of fanatics is seeking to purge Christianity from the East. We are at war. And the imams of Islam need to answer the question: “Whose side are you on?” Are honor killings of girls and women
Patrick Buchanan
caught in adultery justified? Are lashings and executions of Christian converts justified? Do people who hold such beliefs really belong in the United States or in the West during this long war with Islamist extremism? Other questions need answering as well. Is our commitment to diversity broad enough to embrace people with Islamist beliefs? Is our First Amendment freedom of speech and of religion extensive enough to cover the sermons of imams who use mosques to preach in favor of expelling Christians from the Middle East and an eventual takeover of the West for an Islam where Sharia replaces constitutional law? Are such Islamist beliefs not intolerable and perilous for our republic? Clearly, the West is in a civilizational struggle, with the outcome in some doubt. Four years after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese empire had ceased to exist. Japan was smoldering ruins, its navy at the bottom of the Pacific. An American proconsul, Doug-
las MacArthur, was dictating to the Japanese from the Dai-Ichi building. Today we are in the 16th year of a war begun on 9/11. We are mired down in Libya, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Our victory in Afghanistan is being reversed by the Taliban. While the ISIS caliphate is being eradicated in Raqqa and Mosul, its elements are in two dozen countries of the Mideast. Muslim migrants and refugees, ISIS and al-Qaida among them, are moving into Europe. Terrorist attacks in the West grow in number and lethality every year. The new normal. Now, second-generation Muslims within Europe seem to be converting to a violent version of Islam. To fight them, we are being forced to circumscribe our sovereignty and empower police and intelligence agencies of which free men were once taught to be wary. Wars, it is said, are the death of republics. And we now seem to be caught up in an endless war.
Trump’s Lousy Poll Numbers Spell His Doom By Froma Harrop
Thing about Donald Trump is he doesn’t have the numbers. That became apparent starting on Election Day, when he trailed Hillary Clinton, a flawed candidate, by 3 million votes. And that was a high point. Ever since then, except for a few blips, Trump’s numbers have been going down, down and down. A Quinnipiac poll taken on Inauguration Day had 44 percent of voters disapproving of how he was handling the job, versus 36 percent approving. New presidents are usually given the benefit of the doubt. Some Trump voters argued — and Clin-
ton voters hoped — that once Trump settled in that august office, he would act less crazy, leave policy to the experts and be tamed by the Republican leadership. None of those things has happened. Hence, a recent Quinnipiac poll shows his disapproval numbers soaring to 55 percent of voters, while the percentage approving stays stuck. Other polls report similarly grim numbers. And that was before Trump traumatized the civilized world by announcing plans to pull America out of the Paris accord on global warming. Seven in 10 Americans — including almost half of self-identified Trump
MIssion - Why We Exist
To continuously improve communication between the people of East Texas.
Vision - What We Want To Be
One of the best community papers in the Nation. Provider of positive and edifying news about people, places and businesses.
Publisher/CEO
Joycelyne Fadojutimi
Marketing/PR Keisha Roland
Graphic Artist Cris Bell
Distribution Teddy LaRose
Contributing Writers
Patrick Buchanan • Kelly Bell • Froma Harrop Jacob Sullum • Nathaniel Sillin • Carrie Pomerantz Dr. Michael Guido • Johann Christoph Arnold East Texas Review is published at 517 S. Mobberly Ave., Longview, TX 75602 Email us at joycelyn@easttexasreview.com Visit us online: EastTexasReview.com Like us on: facebook.com/EastTexasReview
The entire contents of the East Texas Review are copyrighted 2017. Any reproduction or use in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The Publisher welcomes input from the public. You may write or e-mail your comments. East Texas Review reserves the right to edit and make appropriate modifications. The opinions published by contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the views of East Texas Review or its advertisers. Submission deadline - Every Friday.
voters — favored our staying in, according to a Yale poll. Can Trump’s lousy numbers go lower? Sure. The story of possible collusion between the Trump camp and our Russian adversaries grows more baroque by the day. His advisers’ serial lies about contacts with Russian officials were already gridlocking the brain. Now comes news of Trump’s plan to return “diplomatic” compounds in Maryland and near New York City, seized as spy centers, to their rightful Russian owners. It’s time we learned to pronounce Vnesheconombank. VEB is a Russian state-owned bank controlled by Vladimir Putin. It’s been hurting ever since
the Obama administration slapped sanctions on Russia over its military intervention in Ukraine. (Our European allies, Japan, Canada and Australia did likewise.) A former State Department official recently revealed secret efforts by the incoming Trump administration to lift the sanctions. Funny that the Great Dealmaker was apparently not demanding anything in return. Trump son-in-law/adviser Jared Kushner met with VEB’s chief during the transition, and our intelligence professionals want to know what transpired. At the time, Kushner was seeking foreign investors to prop up his troubled office tower at 666 Fifth Ave. Not that we would think ill
of the president, but all this kissing up to Russia makes one suspect that Putin has the goods on the guy. Putin is clearly having a high old time humiliating Trump and, by extension, the United States. His pathetic economy may be smaller than South Korea’s, but playing America for a fool has done wonders for his numbers. Putin’s approval rating among Russians now passes 80 percent. Whenever things get tough, Trump goes to his base for some unconditional love. And what are coal miners getting for their affection? Well, Trump ditched a bunch of environmental regulations, and in May the number of U.S. coal jobs rose by, count ‘em, a measly 400. When Trump said he was
withdrawing from the Paris agreement for the sake of Pittsburgh, the mayor of Pittsburgh unhelpfully noted that 80 percent of his electorate voted for Clinton. And it wasn’t from a lack of gratitude that his constituents turned their backs on the polluter president. The renewable energy industry employs 13,000 people in Pittsburgh. By contrast, coal mining in all of Wyoming, the nation’s top coal producer, employs fewer than 7,000. Numbers, numbers, numbers. They reflect a growing doubt that the Trump ship will ever be steadied. The question remains whether other Republicans want to go down with it. Trump and family, one assumes, are already locating the lifeboats.
Government Hype Helps Terrorists By Jacob Sullum
John Kelly, the secretary of homeland security, seems to be moonlighting as a publicist for ISIS. How else to explain his recent fear mongering warnings about terrorism on Fox News? “I was telling Steve on the way in here,” Kelly said, referring to Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy, “if he knew what I know about terrorism, he’d never leave the house in the morning.” Kelly’s remarks complemented the efforts of terrorists, who aim to provoke an emotional response that grossly exaggerates the threat they pose. “It’s everywhere,” Kelly said. “It’s constant. It can happen almost here anytime.” He probably meant it can happen here almost anytime, but you get the idea: The threat of terrorism is so severe and pervasive that it’s foolhardy to venture past your front doorstep. Contrary to Kelly’s claims, terrorism is not everywhere, nor constant. It is a rare event that is much less likely to kill you than myriad hazards that somehow do not deter us from leaving our homes in the morning. From 1970 through 2016, according to numbers from the Global Terrorism Database, terrorist attacks killed 3,662 people in the United
States. Nearly 3,000 of those deaths, 82 percent of the total, resulted from the attacks of September 11, 2001. Counting 9/11, the average is 78 deaths a year, which makes the annual risk of dying in a terrorist attack within the United States 1 in 4.2 million for a random American. The lifetime risk, based on a life expectancy of 78.8 years, is roughly 1 in 53,000. Those risks pale beside many we face every day without being paralyzed by fear. If Steve Doocy is looking for reasons to stay home, he should worry less about a terrorist attack and more about a car crash, which, according to the National Safety Council, is about 465 times as likely to kill him. The odds that Doocy will be killed by assault with a firearm, drowning, or exposure to excessive natural heat are, respectively, 143, 45, and three times as high as the odds that he will be murdered by a terrorist. If he cowered in his home, Doocy still might fall down the stairs, a kind of mishap that each year kills nearly 30 times as many Americans as terrorists do. Some risks are smaller than the chance of dying in a terrorist attack. Based on terrorism deaths since 1970, you are less likely to be killed
by lightning, a dog, or stinging insects. But that is true only if we include the 9/11 attacks, which were highly unusual and are unlikely to be repeated. If we limit the analysis to the years 2002 through 2016, the annual risk of dying in a terrorist attack is about 1 in 25 million, while the lifetime risk is 1 in 317,000. By that measure, lightning is twice as dangerous as terrorists. Why does Kelly seem determined to make us worry about terrorism far more than is rational? Perhaps because his budget depends on an inordinate fear of terrorism. In a 2014 Cato Institute policy analysis, John Mueller and Mark Stewart estimated that annual counterterrorism spending by federal, state, and local governments had risen by $75 billion since 9/11. They found that the additional spending could be justified only if it saved something like 11,000 lives a year. That is not remotely plausible, but Kelly is doing his best to convince us otherwise by magnifying the terrorist threat and alluding to secret knowledge of attacks averted. “The good news for us in America,” he said, “is we have amazing people protecting us every day.” He mentioned several agencies, but his own got top billing.
www.facebook.com/EastTexasReview • www.EastTexasReview.com • @EastTexasReview
Business
June 8-15, 2017 By Nathaniel Sillin
Prepare for Major Life Expenses with Tax-Advantaged Accounts
College tuition, a new pair of glasses and retirement may seem unrelated, but the tax law says otherwise. By knowing how and where to save your money, you could pay for each of these expenses with tax-advantaged – or in some cases income-tax-free – money. Individual Retirement Agreements (IRAs) and 401(k)s are perhaps the two most well-known examples of these types of accounts. But they’re not alone. With educational and medical expenses in mind, consider the following types of accounts and how you might be able to use one to help write-off, but if you invest in your state’s plan, there yourself or your family. might be a state income tax write-off. As new parents ourselves, my wife and I made the decision to start preparing for our son’s education with a 529 college savings plan. However, the state where we live doesn’t offer a tax incentive. After diligently researching our options, we chose to establish the account in another state. Many states let non-residents invest in their 529 plans and you can compare the state-based benefits, inInvest your college fund vestment options, fees and contribution rules when in a 529 plan. State-sponsored 549 choosing your plan. The plans come in two forms. College Savings Plans NetPrepaid tuition plans let work (CSPN) has tools to you lock in today’s rate for compare 529 plans by feain-state public schools and tures or by state. If the money is spent 529 college savings plans allow you to invest your sav- on qualified educational ings based on your goals expenses, such as tuition, and risk tolerance. Contri- fees or school supplies, you butions aren’t a federal tax don’t pay federal income
tax (and may not have to pay state income tax) on investment gains. Provide financial support for a disabled person using an ABLE account. News of a life-changing disability could come at any time. Following the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act in 2014, states can now sponsor ABLE savings accounts. Like 529 plans, contributions may be tax-deductible on the state (but not federal) level and the investment earn-
ings can be withdrawn taxfree to pay for qualified expenses related to a mental or physical disability. Beneficiaries must meet two criteria to qualify for an ABLE account: the disability must have begun before they were 26 and it must have “marked and severe functional limitations.” Anyone can contribute to the beneficiary’s ABLE account, and there is a limit on the total annual contributions – $14,000 as of 2017.
their employees. Employees can fund the accounts by putting aside a portion of their paychecks. You can then spend the money on qualified medical expenses, including eye exams, glasses and dental procedures, without paying income tax. FSA accounts have a useit-or-lose it provision and the money you don’t use could be forfeited at the end of the year. Employers could, but aren’t required to, allow employees to roll over up to $500 each year or give them an additional two-and-a-half-month grace period to use the money. Bottom line: Paying for higher education, covering expenses For individuals dealing medical-related and saving for retirement with a disability and those taking care of a loved one, an are three important financial ABLE account could make it easier to manage and plan finances. Generally, if you have a disability you’re disqualified from some types of federal government aid if you have over $2,000 in assets. The first $100,000 in an ABLE account doesn’t count against the limit for non-Medicaid services, and the entire account balance doesn’t count against the Medicaid limit. Collectively known as ABLE 2.0, several new bills may increase the annual contribution for those who have a disability and are goals. Incorporating tax-adworking, increase the eli- vantaged accounts into your gibility age to 46 and allow long-term plan could be a families to rollover money win-win for your wallet. You from a 529 college savings might be able to save money now by lowering your tax plan to an ABLE account. Make medical expenses bill and lower your effective more affordable with an costs later by withdrawing FSA. Some employers of- and using the money for fer a Flexible Spending Ac- qualified expenses. count (FSA) as a benefit to
Which Credit Cards Are Right for You?
By Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
Dear Carrie, I’m inundated with credit card offers and they all seem to be trying to outdo each other. How can I figure out if any of them are worth it? —A Reader Dear Reader, You’re absolutely right that credit card sales pitches are everywhere. Whether in the mailbox or online, none of us can escape the constant barrage of offers and incentives. From a marketing perspective, that makes a lot of sense. Credit cards are increasingly a part of everyday life and companies know we not only fall for their pitches — we also rack up the debt. Don’t get me wrong. I’m in favor of using credit cards wisely — they certainly make life a lot easier. But I also always urge caution. Not only can credit cards cost you extra money in terms of fees, interest or a damaged credit score, they can make it more difficult to spend mindfully and they can also increase your financial risk by encouraging you to carry more debt. As you review your options, here are a few things to think about: • Look at what a card will cost you. An initial low interest rate, cash back, bonus points or miles may be desirable, but also think about annual fees, foreign transaction fees, late fees and penalties. Some cards with great sounding benefits charge a whopping annual fee. • Decide which reward is the most valuable for your situation. Cash back can be great and easy to understand as a benefit. Travel points or miles can add up to cut your travel costs. But which type of reward is best for your lifestyle? Once you decide that, get into the details. For instance, if you’re looking at cash-back offers, don’t just focus on the percentage back. Look at the percentage on specific types of purchases — gas, groceries, general — and how that fits with your spending. Travel cards also vary in how points are accumulated and redeemed.• Read the fine print. None of us like to do it, but here’s
5
where you really need to pay attention — especially when it comes to introductory offers. That teaser rate may be great for a few months, but be sure you know when and how it will increase. There may be no annual fee for a year, but what will it be after that? The point is that the great sounding offer may not be so great once you dig a little deeper. • Manage your cards wisely and think of your credit score. Opening too many accounts in a short period of time can be a red flag to the credit bureaus. Also, you have to be careful with how much credit you use. • Don’t give in to store incentives. While 10 percent off a purchase may sound good at the time, to me, opening a store card just to get a one-time discount is usually a bad idea. Chances are you won’t use the card that often and there’s no long-term benefit. Plus, if you open the account impulsively at the counter when you’re checking out, you’re definitely not looking at the fine print. • Do a little online comparison-shopping. Once you have an idea of the type of card that suits your needs, comparison shop. There are a number of websites that help you compare credit card offers and details. Creditcard.com or nerdwallet. com could be a good place to start. • Consider your own financial goals. How you use credit should be part of your overall financial plan. While things like mortgages and student loans can actually work in your favor because they’re generally low cost and used for a greater purpose, consumer debt can derail you if you’re not careful. No matter how many cards you have, make a commitment to charge only what you can pay off each month. Finally, it’s a good idea to check your credit report before you apply for any new cards. Having a higher score can be helpful in getting a better deal. Then once you have the right cards for you, you can just ignore all those other offers!
www.facebook.com/EastTexasReview • www.EastTexasReview.com • @EastTexasReview
6 Gospel Spotlight
June 8-15, 2017
For Every Child, a Father
W
By Johann Christoph Arnold
this responsibility. Today, however, too many men do not lead, and often they are not even there at all. riting about Mother’s Day We men need to be fathers, not only to our own is a joy. But writing about children, but to all the children whose lives we touch. Father’s Day is sadder and Even men without children of their own can embody the more difficult. Today more best attributes of fatherhood. In this sense, fatherhood than half of U.S. children is a duty that is entrusted to every male, and true men spend at least a part of their will be like fathers to all children. Over the years I have childhoods living apart known many coaches and teachers in high schools and from their fathers. How do we do justice to elementary schools who were the only father figures Father’s Day in an increasingly fatherless society? many of their students knew. I had a good father, and even though he was gone a lot In a time when true fathers are so hard to find, we because of pastoral duties, I knew he loved me. He also would do well to heed the Cuban writer José Martí, who set firm boundaries and taught me to love and respect said that “the greatest aim of our education should be to my mother. He was a leader and a role model. I believed make true fathers out of the boys, and true mothers out he could do anything he set his mind to. of the girls. Everything else is secondary.” I’ve been married for 46 years. My eight children are There is deep wisdom is these words. Boys hunger for all grown. I know I was not masculine role models, and sufalways a good father, even fer when they do not find them. though I wanted to be one. But Conversely, those who do find with 42 grandchildren, as well true fathers can one day become as the many other children good fathers and leaders themI meet every day, I welcome selves, and leave behind a legacy the chance to make up for lost that will change still more lives. time! Daring and fearless, these The Fifth Commandment in men will enter into the battles the Bible tells us to honor both of life as good soldiers, ready father and mother, and that when for challenges and combat. And people heed this rule, things like soldiers anywhere, they will will turn out well. But how can a remain alert and ready for duty father expect to be honored – that is, to be loved and respect- 24 hours a day. They will not be afraid to lead, or to learn ed – if he does not live a life worthy of these things? from their mistakes. In this way they will make a differIf a man is lazy, dishonest, impure or indecisive, we ence for their own children and for the world around can expect no better in his children. On the other hand, them. a father who loves and respects his wife – and who leads Men, let’s encourage one another to become true fathers his family with decision and dedication – is the greatest again. In an age when fear dominates every relationship, gift a child can have. A child’s emotional stability dewe need real fathers more than ever – men who are beapends on his or her father’s example. Because the first cons of light, and who provide companionship, love and five years of a child’s life are the most formative, this hope in a world filled with loneliness, pain and despair. example should be present from early on. Do you have such a father? If you do, you are truly From earliest times, men have been expected to lead fortunate. Take a moment on this Father’s Day to be their families, and we men should be proud of bearing grateful for him and to thank him.
We men need to be fathers, not only to our own children, but to all the children whose lives we touch.
Facing Fear By Michael A. Guido, D.D. Fear comes from many difference sources. It can be a person or a place. Sometimes it erupts when everything seems calm and serene. Often it seems to grip us when we know we are in the center of God’s will doing God’s work and trusting that we are doing it in His way. All of us have those moments of being jolted by uncertainty and feelings of insecurity. It was no different with David. In Psalm six it begins with a statement that suggests that he is trying to deflect God’s wrath. “Oh Lord,” he cries, “do not rebuke me in your anger!” Does this suggest that he is afraid of being punished for some sin he has committed? Or might he fear God’s judgment for something he did in the past while he was still a sinner? Could it be that he is afraid to ask for healing as he was going through a time of sickness? He admits to “being weak,” his “bones being troubled” and his soul being “greatly troubled.” He really needed help as all of us do from time to time. But notice what he did: he did not focus on his pain and problems, he focused on the mercy of God! “Have mercy on me!” he cried. He needed God’s help! And in the midst of his fear – whether it was his sickness or some sin from the past that haunted him – he had full confidence in God’s mercy and believed that He would hear him and heal him. When we are overwhelmed by the issues of life, only our faith in God’s mercy and power can restore us. Prayer: Increase our faith, Father, and give us the assurance that You will protect us in every situation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. Scripture for this Week: Psalm 6:2 Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint; heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.
www.facebook.com/EastTexasReview • www.EastTexasReview.com • @EastTexasReview
State Sales Tax Revenue $2.5B in May From Page 1
“Growth in sales tax revenue occurred across most major industry sectors, including oil- and gas-related sectors. Only the construction sector showed a slight decline.” Hegar also said state franchise tax revenue for fiscal 2017 totaled $3.2 billion in May, 8.9 percent less than in May 2016. Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in May 2017 is up 3.2 percent compared to the same period a year ago. Sales tax revenue is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 56 percent of all tax collections. Motor vehicle sales and rental taxes, motor fuel taxes and oil and natural gas production taxes also are large revenue sources for the state. In May 2017, Texas collected the following revenue from those taxes: • Motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $379.7 million, down 1.1 percent from May 2016; • Motor fuel taxes — $304.4 million, up 6 percent from May 2016; and • Oil and natural gas production taxes — $267 million, up 79.9 percent from May 2016. The increase is due in part to refunds provided to natural gas severance taxpayers in May 2016, which resulted in artificially low tax collections during that period. For details on all monthly collections, visit the Comptroller’s Monthly State Revenue Watch.
Sacred Music Camp for Kids at KC Campus
Kilgore College’s sacred music camp for children, “The Music Machine at KC,” will be held Monday through Saturday, Aug. 1419, on the Kilgore campus. Open to children who have completed K-6th grade, the camp is limited to 50 students. Registration is $135 per student during early registration through June 30 which includes all camp materials, supplies and a daily lunch. Late registration, July 1-22, is $150 per student. There is a discount of $10 for the first additional child registered from the same family and $5 more for each additional child from the same family. The camp will offer classes on hymn study and traditional Christmas carols while also preparing a sacred children’s musical. It will conclude 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, with a final children’s performance in Van Cliburn Auditorium on the Kilgore campus. To register by mail, visit www.kilgore.edu/camps and click on “Music Machine at KC” to find the link to download the registration form. The camp is hosted by the KC Music Department and sponsored by the Kilgore Ministerial Alliance. Mary Heiden, KC’s chair of music and dance, will serve as director of the camp.
7
Local/State
June 8-15, 2017
Dump the Pump Touts Public Transportation From Page 1
The APTA Transit Savings Report for April reveals that a two-person household that downsizes to one car can save an average of $9000 per year. There is more. Widespread use of public transportation helps communities expand and profit. For every dollar invested in public transportation, a full four dollars comes back in economic returns. Mayors statewide already know that communities with extensive public transportation systems are more competitive, inproving life both for communities and their residents. Consider the following: Benefits of using public transit • In 2014, Americans took 10.8 billion trips on public transportation--the highest in 58 years. • Since 1995, public transit ridership is up 39%, outpacing population growth, which has risen 21%, and vehicle miles traveled, which rose 25%. • People ride public transportation 36,000,000 times every weekday. • Public transportation is a $61 billion industry em-
ploying more than 400,000 people. • More than 7200 organizations provide public transportation in the United States. How public transportation saves money • Using public transportation is the most effective way of beating high gasoline prices. • Public transportation provides an affordable and, for many, necessary alternative to driving. Public transportation provides economic opportunities and furthers community growth and revitalization • Every $1 billion invest-
ed in public transportation supports and creates more than 50,000 jobs. • Every $10 million in operating investment yields $32 million in increased business sales. • From 2006 to 2011 residential property values performed 42% better on average when located near public transportation with high-frequency service. Public transportation saves fuel and reduces congestion • Public transportation has a proven record of reducing congestion. • The latest research indicates that in 2011 U.S. public transportation use saved 865
million hours in travel time and 450 million gallons of fuel in 498 urban areas. • Without public transportation, congestion costs in 2011 would have risen from $121 billion to $142 billion in 498 urban areas. Public transportation reduces gasoline consumption • Public transportation use in the United States saves $4.2 billion gallons of gasoline yearly. • Households near public transit drive an average of 4400 fewer miles annually than households with no access to public transit. Public transportation reduces carbon footprint
• Public transportation use in the United States reduces our nation’s carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons annually. This is the equivalent of Washington D.C., New York City, Atlanta, Denver and Los Angeles combined stopping using electricity. • One person with a 20mile round trip commute who switches from driving to public transit can reduce his or her daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds--more than 4800 pounds per year. • Just one commuter who switches to public transportation can reduce a household’s carbon emissions by 10%, and as much as 30% if he or she stops using a second car. Public transportation enhances personal options • Public transportation provides personal mobility and freedom for people from all walks of life. • Access to public transportation gives people options to commute to work, go to school, visit friends or go to a doctor’s office. • Public transportation provides access to job opportunities for millions of Americans.
Talk, Text, Crash Campaign Strives to Educate By Kelly Bell, East Texas Review driving the TxDOT is aggressive-
Stacey Riddle knows the bottomless despair of every parent’s nightmare. En route home from spring break last year her daughters nineteen-year-old Brianna Robinson and seventeen-year-old Jade Robinson were killed when the driver of the car they were riding in took her eyes off the road to check her text messages, veered into the wrong lane and hit an 18-wheeler head-on. “I keep waiting for Brianna and Jade to walk through the front door, but I know they never will again,” Riddle said. “People are constantly on their cell phones. They don’t consider that using their phones while driving can have tragic consequences and forever change their lives, the lives of their loved ones and the lives of people they don’t even know.” With the summer season upon us, the highways will be packed with vacationers, and the Texas Department of Transportation is encouraging motorists to stay off their phones and watch the road. With a full one in five of all Texas crashes associated with distracted
ly pursuing its “Talk, Text, Crash” campaign. TxDOT Executive Director James Bass emphasizes the sobering implications of distracted driving. “Last year 455 people were killed and more than 3000 were seriously injured in crashes due to driver distractions,” he said. “These crashes are highest among young drivers, and we’re grateful to parents like Stacey Riddle who are willing to share their stories in the hope of sparing other families the grief they’ve endured. We ask all drivers to always keep their eyes and attention on the road, and avoid distractions of any kind.” Safety experts caution drivers against using cell phones, texting, message checking and all smartphone functions. In 2016 a horrific 109,658 crashes were associated with distracted driving. This was 3% higher than 2015. Stats indicate just holding a cell phone, using a Bluetooth or any other hands-free device is dangerous. The month of June will showcase television commercials, billboards and digital ads urging motorists to
Jade Robinson, 17, and her older sister Brianna, 19: Killed last year in a tragic distracted driving crash in South Texas
give full attention to their driving. Texas Mutual Insurance Company is collaborating with the TxDOT in hosting interactive driving safety events at shopping malls statewide to educate drivers on how distracted driving-related crashes have already affected Texans. There will even be distracted driving simulators. Beside cell phone use, drivers are commonly distracted by such activities as eating, drinking, reading, grooming, programming a GPS and adjusting radio dials. The
TxDOT advises drivers to: • Give driving 100% of your attention 100% of the time. • Put your phone away or turn it off before getting behind the wheel. • Pull off the road to a safe location before texting or talking on the phone. • Tell family, friends and co-workers you will not respond to calls while driving. • Use a smartphone app that sends auto-reply texts when you’re behind the wheel.
$5M Career Grants Awarded to 26 ISDs, Colleges
AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission has awarded 26 grants totaling $5 million to public community and technical colleges and independent school districts for programs that focus on supporting high-demand occupations through the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant program. “I congratulate these JET grant recipients as they work to enhance educational curriculum and high-demand job training for students in our high schools and community colleges,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “Through innovative partnerships between employers and educators, Texas students will have the
education and skills to succeed in the workplace.” Qualifying educational institutions were awarded a grant for the development of programs or courses leading to a license, certificate or post-secondary degree. TWC previously awarded 25 grants totaling $4,986,000 to public community and technical colleges and independent school districts. The equipment provided through these funds were used to train 5,394 students for jobs in high-demand occupations. The JET program provides funding for equipment to eligible educational institutions for the purpose of developing career and technical education courses.
www.facebook.com/EastTexasReview • www.EastTexasReview.com • @EastTexasReview
8
Health
June 8-15, 2017
Local Physician Talks
Dr. Christopher Yancey
D
By Joycelyne Fadojutimi and Kelly Bell, East Texas Review r. Christopher Yancey is a local. He attended Mozelle Johnston Elementary School, Judson Middle School and Longview High School. His brothers became engineers, but when the oilfields stopped producing, one of those brothers advised Christopher to take another route--specifically the one leading to medicine. He had the grades and did indeed take this direction. He has spent the past 20 years as a beloved specialist in delivering babies and treating some forms of infertility. He loves his work, and his patients love him. Yancey has served as Chief of the Division of OB/ GYN at Longview Regional Medical Center. He matriculated from the University of Texas Medical School in Houston and University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. He is a member of the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, and the Wiser Society. In addition, Yancey is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “I love delivering babies,” he says. “My work has diversity of what I do. There is more than delivering babies in my practice. I have delivered everybody, and have walked with some to the grave.” Still some of his patients are have difficulty having children. This condition is known as infertility. Infertility is the inability of a sexually active, non-contracepting couple to achieve pregnancy in one year. Some of his patients cannot become pregnant, while others cannot carry a pregnancy full term. The emotional heartbreak of this state is crushing. When couples cannot conceive, it is vital that both husband and wife see the doctor because in 30% of cases, the problem lies with the man. Age is another factor. A 21-year-old woman has time on her side, but if a woman is 38 and still childless, she needs to attend to her biological clock while it is still ticking. There are many factors to consider.
Smoking, specific lifestyles and some medications can cause infertility. Women who smoke increase the chances they will be unable to become pregnant or will suffer miscarriage. Yancey urges them to wisely manage their lifestyles so as to not work against themselves. “Healthcare is a relationship,” he says. “So, I do my part and you do your part so the couple can achieve the goal of having a baby.” Yancey treats specific aspects of infertility, recommends other infertility specialists if necessary, and sends husbands to urologists for examination and treatment when needed. He also has personal reasons for pursuing this calling. “My wife and I always wanted a large family, but wanted to wait until I finished school,” he says. “The prospect of starting a family was exciting. First bath, first words, first steps, riding a bike, coaching little league, dance recitals, pinewood derby, fishing, bedtime stories, tea parties, playing dress up, building forts. It was all too exciting. When do we start? Sign us up.” It did not work out as expected. One year, two years, and then three with no babies. When they went to an infertility specialist he could find no problem to treat, and told them they would likely never have children. Knowing she would be crushed, Yancey did not share this last bit of information with his wife. The loneliness of infertility set in--the sensation of having lost something precious before even having had it. It is a problem one has to experience to understand. The afflicted must resist becoming embittered, especially around those blessed with children. It was doubly difficult for Yancey because of the medical capacity in which he served. “I was an obstetrical resident in a large, inner-city hospital. We cared for people who did not want to get pregnant,” he says. “We cared for people who did not need to get pregnant. We cared for patients with serious drug problems, prostitutes, people angry at their unwanted pregnancies. I didn’t understand. It just wasn’t fair.” Yancey gave his wife a yellow lab puppy--Sadie Haw-
kins Dance. This wonderful canine became a substitute child. Climbing fences, climbing onto furniture and climbing onto them. She was priceless therapy, going everywhere with them. “She loved riding in the car. We would never dream of putting her in a kennel if we went on a trip, so she went with us,” he says. “She was our child and she was our therapy, but what she did most for us was be there. She would be there as we suffered the pain of infertility. She never spoke, she never gave advice, she never told us she knew ‘how we felt.’ A lesson in unconditional love.” In time the couple’s problem was solved, and they were blessed with two wonderful children who came to love Sadie as much as their parents did. She was their first child. Their struggle with infertility taught them the value of life, and Sadie taught them the value of “being there.” Yancey’s devotion to his work and a compulsive fixation on doing everything in his power to help his patients has actually led to him being labeled “overcautious.” He readily admits to this, and that this tendency stems from his own, personal experience with the heartbreak of infertility. His treatment of childless couples and his success in treating them means he has no interest in case numbers. “I’ve never kept up with how many babies I’ve delivered because then they just become a number,” he says. “Every delivery is its own story, life and family--not just a number.” He knows well how infertility infuses its victims with a life perspective incomprehensible to those who have never experienced it. “This life perspective deepened for me because of a yellow Labrador who provided comfort and taught empathy,” he says. At age 13, Sadie developed a tumor that slowly crippled her. As she slipped away, all Dr. Phillip Yancey could do was “be there” for her. He was. For more information or to contact Dr Christopher Yancey, please call (903) 757-6042.
With every heart we help, we help another heart keep smiling. That’s why our patients say their heart belongs to Longview Regional Medical Center. Our cardiac care team 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
We offer: Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Chest Pain Center Heart Risk Assessment P.A.D. Coalition Stroke Center
2901 N Fourth Street • Longview • 903-758-1818 • www.LongviewRegional.com Longivew Regional is recognized as Certified Stroke and Chest Pain Accredited facility
www.facebook.com/EastTexasReview • www.EastTexasReview.com • @EastTexasReview