409-296-BANK
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Volume 32, Issue 26
50 cents
TBCD Renews General Managers Contract
Melissa Davis Turns 100 Years Old
Chambers County Sheriff's Office Makes Arrest
Written and submitted by Becky Davis Cook There’s always that one teacher that you remember your entire life. Sometimes it’s your very first teacher...your
By Wade Thibodeaux Trinity Bay Conservation District Board of Directors met in regular session on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at 9:00 am. in their office located at 2500 State Highway 124 in Stowell, Texas. One of the items on the agenda, and an item that went to executive session, was the renewal of the General Managers contract. After a 45 minute executive session, the Directors emerged to take no action on the contract because the contract had an automatic renewal clause that renewed for another six months. No information was given pertaining to compensation or any additional amounts of payment over the existing contract. The Directors also tabled an agenda item that dealt with filling the vacant Directors position. The position had been filled at a previous meeting, but the appointee resigned
By Wade Thibodeaux Sheriff Brian Hawthorne reports that yesterday at approximately 2:00 p.m. Deputies with the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Unit, observed a white in color 2011 Ford F-250 traveling westbound near the 814 Mile Marker of Interstate Highway 10 near Anahuac,Texas. Deputies observed the vehicle commit a traffic violation and subsequently conducted a traffic stop. The driver was identified as, 35 year old, Antwone Smith of South Carolina. Deputies conducted a roadside investigation which led them to believe that a crime may be occurring. Deputies requested a Deputy with
before he was sworn into the office claiming a conflict of interest with his new employer. The almost three hour meeting was filled with agenda items that dealt with items such as a presentation for the Kore Power project that is being discussed in the Anahuac area and a plea for assistance with water lilley's from farmer Steve Fitzgerald. Staff reports about the activities of the District showed normal operations in the drainage and utilities departments. The routine items were approved and the financial report showed $7,363,576.63 in total cash and CD's. The next regular meeting of the Trinity Bay Conservation District Board of Directors will be Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at 9:00 am. in their office located at 2500 State Highway 124 in Stowell, Texas.
a K-9 respond to the scene. A K-9 unit with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, arrived on scene and gave a positive alert for the vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted which resulted in Chambers County Deputies locating two large black bags containing $888,050.00 in U.S. currency. A records check indicated that Smith had prior convictions for narcotics violations. It is believed that the U.S. currency found inside the vehicle is proceeds from the illegal sale and distribution of narcotics and subsequently seized. Smith was taken into custody for Money Laundering greater than $300,000 and transported to the Chambers County Jail without incident. “Many thanks to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Chambers County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this investigation,” said Sheriff Hawthorne.
Kindergarten or PreK teacher. Other times, it may be that teacher who showed you love and affection. My very first teacher turns 100 years old on June 30, 2021 and
she happens to be my mom! I’d like to share a few memories of Melissa Davis with you. Many of you may have had her as your first teacher and maybe some of these stories will resonate with you, too! My mom, Melissa Davis, was born in Batson, TX on June 30, 1921. She was the oldest of 5 children born to Celestine and Walther Strahan. Melissa was always a go-getter from the start! She loved learning and would often “get her lessons” by a kerosene lantern at night. She met the love of her life, my dad, Riley Davis, while working in a cafe in Daisetta, TX. My oldest half-brother, Mike, said that she was the prettiest woman he had ever seen and asked our dad to marry her! After 2 weeks of courtship, they were married on Feb. 28, 1944 in Liberty, TX and had 51 years together. Melissa and Riley had 6 children between them,
Charles, Damon, Mike, Patricia, Tommy and Becky, and raised them in Stowell, TX after my dad, who worked for the Sun Pipeline Company, was moved from the Texas Valley to the SunField Camp. They bought an acre of land on Van Ostrand Lane and built a house in 1959. They lived there until Mom moved to Santa Fe, TX to live with her son in 2016. Mom always had a love for children and learning. When I was 4 years old, she started a Kindergarten at our home in Stowell. Daddy built a “School Room” onto the house and Jack and Jill Kindergarten was established! All the tables and chairs in the School Room were built by Daddy and made to last! Of course, there had to be a playground for recess, so Daddy installed two swing sets, and with the help of Roy Lee Dunigan, a (contd on page 8)
County Begins Ditch Cleaning Program
This map shows the road ditches and priority that are scheduled to be cleaned by a contractor hired by Chambers County.
By Wade Thibodeaux Chambers County Commissioner Precinct 1 Jimmy Gore told constituents recently during an impromptu drainage meeting that the County would soon begin a drainage ditch cleaning program through a contractor that was approved in Commissioners Court.
That contractor has started working and will eventually clean over 150,000 feet of Chambers County ditches in the Winnie Stowell area. In addition to this work being done, Chambers County crews are now working on Fridays in addition to their normal four ten hour days of Monday through Thursday. This
TAP TO PAY & BE ON YOUR WAY!
will allow work that has been stacking up to begin the process of getting caught up and allowing crews to take advantage of the Summer weather to catch up on some of this work. County crews have cleaned and cut to grade the ditch on the South side of Franzen road and this should help with the drainage in the subdivision
known as "Teacherville". The map below indicates the ditches and their priority number that the contractor is working on in the Winnie Stowell area. Of the roadways highlighted, there is not a strict order in which they’ll be cut. However, they have been categorized into priority classes, 1, 2, and 3. Priority 1(Red) roads are classed as large capacity ditches and/or drain into large outfalls, hence first priority. Priority 2(Yellow) can be large or medium capacity and generally drain to priority 1 ditches or small outfalls/swales. Priority 3(Green) generally are small capacity and are in good shape already and would only need to be cut if the cutting of another ditch requires it, and/ or drain into priority 1 and 2 ditches. While the wheels of government turn slow, it appears as though some major work will be accomplished in the near future.
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Opinion & Entertainment
Wednesday, June 30, 2021 Disclaimer: This column is the opinion of Publisher Wade A. Thibodeaux and may contain subject matter on a variety of topics, but usually contains humor of some description. An occasional serious thought may be thrown in to entice the reader to think.
Wade In the Shade by Wade Thibodeaux A couple of years ago, I bought a new truck. This truck was new to me, but it was not brand new, and it was a decent looking truck so I decided to get personalized licence plates. I wanted to get Tx Media on the plates because that is the name of the parent corporation that owns all of the newspapers and because maybe, just maybe it would keep somebody from towing my truck if I happened to park in an area where I wasn't supposed to park during an event that I was covering. Sometimes, we have multiple events on the same day or night usually, and if I'm just running in for a quick picture, I usually don't feel like parking in the last row of the thousand acre parking lot and having to walk 30 minutes in and 30 minutes out for a 10 minute picture. So, I have been known to park in a not so designated parking spot and I tell myself that maybe the powers that be will
figure out that it's somebody from the media and maybe wait awhile before calling the tow truck. That would give me time to take my picture and be gone before the wrecker showed up and attached himself to my truck. My plan was working great except for the fact that Tx Media was already taken and not available for personalized plates. However, Media Tx was available and after some considerable thought and justification of the price tag for the plates, I purchased them. I placed them on the truck and I haven't been towed yet. Then a stick in the spokes of the plan came along and I saw another truck that I just had to have and I bought it. Now, don't go getting all excited thinking that we are making lots of money in the newspaper business and able to buy a new truck every year because these are like 2007 year model trucks and just new to me. How-
ever, they do get me around the countryside and are a lot less expensive than those 2021 models. The second spoke in the plan came along about two months after I purchased the second truck. I received an email from the personalized plate people that Tx Media was now available and because I had expressed an interest in those plates previously, they wanted to let me know that they were available for purchase. I inquired about trading in the previous plates, but to no luck. What's a guy to do??? Yes, you guessed it, I purchased the second set of plates. Now, these two trucks are pretty much identical except the one I drive has leather seats and a better stereo and the one my son drives has cloth seats and a standard radio. Mine is pearl in color and Wyatt's is white. He has told me on more than one occasion that somebody has flagged him down or followed him into a parking lot thinking that it was me, only to find out that it was Wyatt. Now, all of this to tell you that something strange(maybe) happened the other day while I was at one of my favorite eating establishments. I came out of my lunch meeting and found a note
on the windshield of my truck. It simply said "Liberal Press" on a small tear off sheet of a spiral bound notebook. At first I thought that it was a joke because of a couple of pranksters that had been eating lunch in the restaurant. I called both of the suspected culprits and of course both denied the possibility that it was them. I even asked one of them for a sample of their handwriting to compare the note to their handwriting. I thought surely one of them
THE HOMETOWN PRESS
would confess, but neither would crack and so I got to thinking that maybe it wasn't them and maybe it was some non local who had a vendetta against the media. It's a crazy world that we live in and one can never be too careful about these types of things. I haven't asked the management of the restaurant to pull the video footage of the parking lot yet, but I'm thinking that maybe I should, just for safety reasons. That would be just my luck, to
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be attacked by some lunatic over a case of mistaken identity. If I figure out who the culprit is, I'll post a picture of them in the paper so that everybody can be vigilant. Be careful out there and think twice about those personalized license plates.......people can misinterpret your message and you can never hide out anywhere because people will know it's your truck. Till next time, I'm.........Wade in the Shade.
Tumbleweeds
RUNNING FOOT RACES AROUND THE COUNTRY By Tumbleweed Smith
Mary Kaplan lives at Sunrise Beech near Kingsland. She has an unusual addiction: she runs foot races. She has run at least a 5K in every state, winning first place every time. She has run in every Texas county, all 254 of them. Her final county was Sterling and the event was celebrated in Sterling City’s 1910 State Hotel. Members of the 254 Running Club were on hand to congratulate Mary. She is the first person to do that. Since then, 3 other members have accomplished the same thing. The club has 30 members and runs in counties that don’t have an organized race. “We don’t have meetings, we don’t have officers, we just have a good time,” says Mary. “Anyone can join.” Mary grew up in Ohio and graduated from nursing school there. “My sister was a nurse, too and we were moving around every two years and didn’t make any plans for retirement and what have you so we decided to go into the Air Force for 2 years and it wound up to be 30. We went in as First Lieutenants.” Mary earned BA and MA
degrees while in the Air Force and retired at age 56. Mary started running while serving in the military. “At our annual physical we had to walk 3 miles or run a mile and a half. I chose to do the walking. But in 1983 they changed and said everybody had to run 3 miles. So I started then and haven’t stopped.” Mary weighs 115 pounds and stands 5 feet 2 inches. She runs 6 days a week. “I run for an hour and cover about 4 miles. I try to do about 100 miles a month. I’ve done that for the last 2 years. I don’t run on Fridays because I usually race on Saturdays and Sundays. So far I’ve run 1,610 races.” I interviewed Mary on her 82nd birthday last April. That day she ran 8.2 miles. “That was my present to me, the fact that I could do it. I usually run a 5K in 35 minutes.” She is running out of space to hold all her trophies. Mary keeps setting new goals. Besides running in every state, and every Texas county she is now running in towns with unique names. “Like Bangs, Best, Veribest, Cut ‘n Shoot,
Dime Box, Fairy, Turkey, Tarzan, Weeping Mary. Last weekend I ran in Wealthy. I’ve also run in Welfare. When my friends hear about a town with a funny name, they tell me about it. And I’ve done most of my family names. I ran in Lorena, which is my aunt’s name. I ran in Jean, which is my sister’s name and Harold, my husband’s name.” She competes in the Senior Games, both short and long races, including one half marathon. She has also competed in swimming events. She was the Senior Games Athlete of the Year last October. She has been featured in the magazine Runner’s World. When I asked Mary about the benefits of running she replied, “I can eat what I want to eat.” Then she was off to run in Kyle and Gustine. www.tumbleweesmith.com
Tumbleweed Smith’s column in the Hometown Press is presented by
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR ■ East Chambers regular school board meetings are held on the second Monday beginning at 6pm in the 216 Champions Loop Winnie, TX 77665
THEME: GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD ACROSS 1. *____ Code, or self-censorship guidelines for movies 5. Ship pronoun 8. ____ vera plant 12. Tiny piece of anything 13. Dateless one 14. Twist and distort 15. "Animal House" party garb 16. Cantatrice's offering 17. Frost-covered 18. *Mary ____, star of 52 films and recipient of 1976 Academy Honorary Award 20. Rounded protuberance 21. Breaks off 22. Crime scene acronym 23. One who insists on implementing #1 Across 26. Anxiety, pl. 30. U.N. working-conditions agency 31. A-one 34. Do like exhaust pipe 35. Students' dwellings 37. Between sol and ti 38. Parkinson's disease drug 39. Larger-than-life 40. For the most part 42. ____ Aviv 43. Allow to rejoin 45. Between Paleocene and Oligocene 47. FEMA provisions, e.g.
48. *Instrument central to 1945's "A Song to Remember" 50. Manage without help 52. *Marx Brothers' 1933 classic 55. Florentine iris 56. Fourth largest Great Lake 57. *Hitchcock's "The Man Who ____ Too Much" 59. Make children, biblical 60. Malicious look 61. Highest volcano in Europe 62. Object of worship 63. Always, in verse 64. Like happy people's glasses DOWN 1. *Humphrey Bogart's Fedora, e.g. 2. At the summit 3. Hanna-Barbera anthropomorphic bear 4. Kellogg's Sugar ____ 5. Leather razor sharpener 6. Often used to pull #22 Across 7. Archaic expression of surprise 8. *Like "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" 9. Mary's pet 10. Nabisco sandwich 11. Former times 13. *"The Snows of Kilimanjaro" type of adventure
Solution on page 3
14. Straining sound 19. Nautical measures 22. Party bowlful 23. Pressed beverage 24. Skip the big wedding 25. Waterwheel 26. *Drew Barrymore's grandfather 27. What actors do 28. Mature, as in fruit 29. Like an expired cracker 32. Surveyor's map 33. "Mai" follower 36. *Hattie ____, first African-American to win an Oscar 38. City in France 40. Prefix for central 41. Deep throat, e.g. 44. Middle 46. Slow ____ or pressure ____ 48. Baby food, e.g. 49. More unfriendly 50. *Ginger's dance and movie partner 51. Therefore or consequently 52. Mark for omission 53. Archaic "to" 54. Back-to-school purchase, pl. 55. ____-Wan Kenobi 58. *Bing Crosby's 1944 movie "Going My ____"
or any members, to join them for Chicken Foot on Thursdays at noon, and Bingo on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. For more information, please call 267-3700.
■ The Wellness Center at ■ The Lily Bayside invites seniors, Valley Food
located at 1222 N. Main St. in Anahuac, distributes food to those in need on the fourth Saturday of each month. Anyone wishing to donate canned goods, money or volunteer is of the encouraged to do so. Pantry,
The Hometown Press The Hometown Press, ID#006414 is published weekly on Wednesday, except for the Wednesday immediately following Christmas, by Hometown Press, Inc., 2028 State Hwy 124 or P.O. Box 801, Winnie, TX 77665. Annual instate subscription rate is $25.00 and out-of-state is $25.00. Second Class postage is paid at Winnie, TX Postmaster. Change of address may be sent to Hometown Press, P.O. Box 801, Winnie, TX. 77665. Phone: 409296-9988, Fax: 409-296-9987, email: htpress99@gmail.com Periodical Class Permit #006414 Winnie, TX 77665 STAFF BOX Publisher: Wade Thibodeaux Advertising Deadline is noon Monday for Wednesday paper.
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THE HOMETOWN PRESS
Local News
Wednesday, June 30, 2021 PUNISHMENT RANGE
Thirty-Two individuals were arrested and booked into the Chambers County Jail between Sunday, June 20 and Saturday, June 26 . Warrants from last week are also as followed. The individuals have been magistrated and formally
informed of the charges against them. However, just because these individuals were arrested and magistrated does not mean they are guilty of the crimes they are charged with committing. Also, not everyone charged with a crime
is alleged to have committed the crime in Chambers County, but perhaps was simply arrested in Chambers County on outstanding warrant(s) while in Chambers County. Instances in which individuals were arrested on outstanding
warrants, their original conviction and the reason they are on probation or parole, if available, is included in parenthesis set.
• First degree felony: punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison and a $10,000 fine. • Second degree felony: punishable by up to 20 years and a $10,000 fine. • Third degree felony: punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. • State jail felony: punishable by up to two years in prison. • Deferred adjudication probation: typically offered to the first time offenders. Defendants’ judgement is deferred until later, if ever. If they successfully complete the terms of their probation, they are not judge and thus have no criminal conviction in connection to the offense. However, if they accept deferred adjudication probation but fail to abide by the terms of their probation, they could be sentenced to the maximum time in prison allowable under the law without the benefit of a trail by jury. • Class A misdemeanor: punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000. • Class B misdemeanor: punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Patti Henry District Clerk Passports M-F 8 am-11 am & 1pm-4pm
Jimmy Gore Commissioner Pct 1
409-296-8250
409-267-2432
Jimmy Sylvia County Judge
409-267-2440
Gore Propane is now hiring for Bobtail drivers, must have CDL/Hazmat. Competitive salary and benefits. For further information call (409)389-2242 or (409)267-5412
Total Main Jail:
32
Emergency Order Issued to Restrict Movement of Deer from Breeding Facilities Where CWD has Been Detected Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has issued an “emergency order” to impose additional movement and testing restrictions on deer breeding facilities that are affiliated with six deer breeding facilities where Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been positively detected. Existing rules already restrict the movement of deer from 264 sites
in 95 counties that are directly linked to these CWD-positive facilities, but further measures are necessary given the gravity of this situation. TPWD and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) are addressing risks and improving management strategies to protect big game resources from CWD in captive or free-ranging cervid populations. Both
agencies recognize the need for full cooperation and partnership among government agencies, deer breeders, private landowners, hunters, conservation organizations and the general public in managing CWD in Texas. “This is a terribly unfortunate development that we are committed to addressing as proactively, c o m p r e h e n s i v e l y,
and expeditiously as possible,” said Carter Smith, TPWD Executive Director. “The health of our state’s free-ranging and captive deer herds, as well as affiliated hunting, wildlife, and rural based economies, are vitally important to Texas hunters, communities, and landowners. As such, our primary objectives are to enhance testing at sites that received deer from
affected facilities and avoid the unintentional release of CWD-positive deer. Along with our partners at TAHC, we will continue to exercise great diligence and urgency with this ongoing investigation.” Officials have taken action to secure all cervids at the CWD-positive facilities with plans to conduct additional investigations for CWD. In addition, those breeding facilities that received deer or shipped deer to those facilities during the last five years are under movement restrictions and cannot move or release cervids until cleared by a herd plan. The additional measures included in this emergency order include enhanced testing requirements for facilities with close epidemiological ties to the CWD-positive facilities and antemortem testing of deer from all movement qualified deer breeding facilities prior to transfer to a release site. These requirements are necessary to further minimize risk of CWD spreading into Texas’ free-ranging white-tailed deer herd, and to protect the captive deer breeding
industry. “The TAHC is committed to working with TPWD and affected stakeholders and landowners to address this latest development in Texas’ CWD history,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC Executive Director and State Veterinarian. “The TAHC will continue to use its veterinary and epidemiological expertise to facilitate and contribute to the state’s CWD herd management and surveillance strategies.” “The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission and TPWD are deeply concerned about the gravity and the urgency of the CWD challenges now confronting us,” said Arch H. “Beaver” Aplin, III Chairman TPW Commission. “Please also know that the engagement and input from everyone interested in deer management will be important as we work together along with TAHC to try and arrest the spread of this insidious disease.” “I am proud of the partnership between TAHC and TPWD and the dedication of the two agencies to address Chronic Wasting Disease in this state,” said
Religion & Lifestyle
Wednesday,June 30, 2021
Sunday Observations from Christy
In the eighth grade, I was the starting center on our basketball team. The week we were to play our biggest rival on our home court, I came down with the flu. I thought I was well enough to play, but my mother thought otherwise. We lived within walking distance from the school, so while mother thought I went to bed early, I slipped out the window. As much as my team and coach were glad to see me, I will never forget the disappointing look on Mother’s face when I walked in the house late that evening. “A foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” (Proverbs 10:1) Danny R. Biddy, Chaplain: Chambers County Sheriff’s Office & Fellowship of Christian Cowboys
CWD Positive Deer (contd) Coleman Locke, TAHC Chairman. “Because of this collaboration, Texas has led the nation in CWD management techniques and will continue to improve the overall understanding of the disease.” As the state veterinary diagnostic laboratory, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL), uses surveillance testing to help wildlife producers and wildlife/
animal health agencies to ensure the health of species susceptible to CWD. With the expected increase in CWD testing, TVMDL, a state agency within the Texas A&M System, has committed additional resources to ramp up testing capacity. “Working with TPWD, the Texas A&M System will use all of its resources to perform these tests quickly and efficiently,” said Texas A&M University System
Assemblies of God
First Baptist Church of Winnie Winnie 409-296-4072 Brian Johnson, Pastor Sunday School.................9:15 am Sunday Morning Worship..10:30 am SundayEvening Worship...........6:00 pm Wednesday: Kids for Christ.................4:00 pm Youth (Grades 7-12)........4:00 pm Adult Bible Study/Prayer Meeting.6:00 pm Sweet Home Baptist Church Hankamer 409-374-2208 Pastor: Ronald Smith Sunday School.................9:30 am SundayMorningWorship.........10:30am Wednesday Dinner......................6:00 pm Wednesday Bible Study Adult, Youth and Children’s.....6:30 pm Mt. Horeb Baptist Church Campbell Rd &Ave G • Stowell 409-296-2938 Sunday School.........................8:00 am Sunday Morning Worship.........9:00 am Monday Mission & Teachers.......6:00 pm Wednesday Prayer Meeting & Choir
Baptist
First Baptist Church of Anahuac 405 South Magnolia • Anahuac 409-267-3262 Sunday School..............9:00 am SundayMorningWorship.....11:00 am Evening Worship..........6:00 pm Wednesday Prayer Meeting.....6:30 pm First Baptist of Fannett Highway 124 • Fannett Sunday School.................9:30 am Sunday Morning Worship...10:45 am Sunday Discipleship Training.......5:00 pm Sunday Evening Worship.............6:00 pm Wednesday Prayer Meeting......7:00 pm First Baptist Church of Hamshire Highway 124 • Hamshire 409-243-2163 Sunday School.................9:15 am Morning Worship.........10:30 am Evening Worship............6:00 pm Wednesday Discipleship....6:15 pm First Baptist Church of Stowell W. Main &VanOstrand • Stowell 409-296-4510 Sunday School.........................9:30 am Sunday Morning Worship......11:00 am Sunday Evening Worship........6:00 pm Wednesday Bible Study............7:00 pm OutdoorsMen Church of Winnie Hwy 124 in Winnie Saturday.......6:00pm (covered dish meal at service)
St. Paul Baptist Church First Street • Stowell 409-296-2750 Sunday School.........................9:45 am Sunday Worship....................11:00 am Monday Brotherhood............7:00 pm Tuesday Mission.....................6:30 pm WednesdayPrayerMeeting...........7:00pm
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When was the last time you put others ahead of self? At all? This last week has had me wondering about the “me first” plague that seems to have taken over, and I am bewildered. What has happened to society? You don’t have to spend a penny to think of others. Most of the time you don’t even have to get off your couch. It truly is that simple. Follow me if you will. To the person that texts or calls you, a polite acknowledgment is not only the proper thing to do, it may just ease the mind
of the person you acknowledge. Many suffer from anxiety, a simple thing to you of no acknowledgement, may lead that person to hours of wondering if they did something wrong. Think of others, and at least say, I will get back with you. To the person that opts to go to work or school with a cold, or fever, they may think it’s no big deal…. It’s just a cold. But to the coworker or friend that takes that virus home, and gives it to their child recovering from RSV, it could be deadly. Just because it’s no big deal to you, it could be deadly to someone else. Think of others, just stay home. To the person who opts to do a shabby job one day, thinking who cares if that ditch isn’t mowed right, or debris is left, it’s no big deal. To the person with water in
their home, it’s a big deal. Think of others, just do a good job. To the person struggling to get a wheelchair loaded, for goodness sakes, help if you can. A stroller. Hold a door. Step up and coordinate an effort. Do something that has zero benefit to you, but benefits others. In other words, do unto others….. you know, Luke 6:31. Help one another. It’s that simple. Over the last few days, I had someone I didn’t even know, bring me something from across the state, because I inquired! My first Christmas gift has been bought, but seriously she did NOT have to do this. She thought of others. Co workers not in my department who are kind enough to chat me daily, just because we check on each other. They don’t have to do that. They think of others.
My mom cooking me dinner…. Three times this week. Because she wanted to. She didn’t have to do that. She thought of others. Happy Sunday peeps. You know this world is rough. It’s mean. It’s heartbreaking, but right in the middle of crazy, you can make a difference. Simply think of others. Before you. Your immediate pleasure. Get back to thinking, how will my action affect others. Stop being so damn selfish. Go make a difference, and help one another. Little moments of kindness are true moments of gold to the person in need. Go reflect the gold, go be kind….. and go…… be second. Striving to always be first skews our responsibilities, strive to be second. But always be first when stepping up to help.
Chancellor John Sharp. CWD was first recognized in the United States in 1967 and has since been documented in captive and/or free-ranging deer in 26 states and three Canadian provinces. In Texas, the disease was first discovered in 2012 in free-ranging mule deer along a remote area of the Hueco Mountains near the Texas-New Mexico border and has since been detected in 228 captive or free-ranging cervids, including whitetailed deer, mule deer,
red deer and elk in 13 Texas counties. For more information on previous detections visit the CWD page on the TPWD website. CWD is a fatal neurological disease found in certain cervids, including deer, elk, moose and other members of the deer family. CWD is a slow and progressive disease. Due to a long incubation, cervids infected with CWD may not produce any visible signs for a number of years after becoming
infected. As the disease progresses, animals with CWD show changes in behavior and appearance. Clinical signs may include, progressive weight loss, stumbling or tremors with a lack of coordination, excessive thirst, salivation or urination, loss of appetite, teeth grinding, abnormal head posture, and/or drooping ears. To date there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or noncervids. However, as a precaution, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend not to consume meat from infected animals. For more information about CWD, visit the TPWD Chronic Wasting Disease page or the TAHC web site. A full list of TVMDL’s test offering are available on the TVMDL website and laboratory experts are available to answer any questions by calling 979-845-3414.
Methodist
Nondenominational
Game Won, Victory Lost
Cornerstone Church 3810 Hwy. 124 • Stowell 409-296-2481 Sunday Worship Service.........10:00 am Wednesday Family Night......6:30 pm Cornerstone Church 1100 Oak Street • Anahuac 409-296-2481 Sunday Worship Service.....10:30 am
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Church Services
St. Mary Baptist Church Hwy 61 &Albritton •Hankamer 409-374-2182 Sunday School.........................9:30 am Morning Worship..................11:00 am Wednesday Bible Study.........7:00 pm SunlightMissionaryBaptistChurch Spikes Rd • Hankamer Sunday School.........................9:45 am Sunday Morning Worship......11:00 am Wednesday Evening..................7:00 pm LaBelle Baptist Church 9400 Hwy 365 • LaBelle 409-796-1240 Sunday School.......................10:00 am Sunday Adult Worship............11:00 am Sunday Children’s Church......11:00 am Sunday Evening......................6:00 pm Wednesday Bible Study.............7:00 pm First Baptist Church High Island Sunday School.........................9:30 am Sunday Worship....................10:30 am Sunday Evening Worship..........6:00 pm Wednesday Prayer & Bible......7:00 pm
Catholic St. Louis Catholic Church 315 W Buccaneer Dr • Winnie 409-296-4200 Weekday Mass Wednesday..................8:30 am Spanish Friday....9:45 am English at Arboretum Saturday...Reconciliation 3:00-3:45 pm Mass in English...............4:00 pm Sunday Mass in English.....7 am & 10:30 am Spanish Mass........................noon Holy days......8:30 am & 6:30 pm Our Lady of Light Catholic Church S. Main St • Anahuac 409-267-3158 Confession:Saturday...............5:00 pm English: Sunday.......................8:30 am Spanish: Saturday...................6:00 pm Thursday...................................6:00 pm
St. Mary’s Catholic Church Hwy. 365 & IH-10 • Fannett 794-2548 Saturday Mass.........................5:00 pm Sunday Mass............7:00 & 11:00 am St. Martin DePorres Mission Boyt & Kidd • Cheek 409-794-2548 Sunday Mass............................9:00 am
Church of Christ Winnie Church of Christ 2559 Hwy 124 • Stowell 409-899-1737 • 409-363-9898 Sunday Bible Class.................9:45 am Sunday Morning Worship.......10:45 am Sunday Evening Worship......5:00 pm Wednesday Service................7:00 pm Church of Christ Oak Street • Anahuac 267-6445 Sunday Bible Class.................9:30 am SundayWorship Service......10:30 am SundayEvening Worship.......6:00 pm Wednesday Service................6:00 pm
Episcopal Trinity Episcopal Church Washington & Light St • Anahuac 409-267-6582 Sunday Holy Communion.......9:00 am
Latter Day Saints
Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints Menely Road • Winnie Sunday Morning.....................9:00 am Wednesday Youth Activities.....7:00 pm
Lutheran
Hope Lutheran Church 9th & LeBlanc - Winnie 409-296-2377 Sunday Worship............9:30 am Sunday School............10:45 am
First United Methodist 204 Trinity St • Anahuac 409-267-3242 Sunday School.......................10:45 am Sunday Worship....................11:00 am St. James Methodist Ed Hopkins @ Texas St • Anahuac Sunday School.........................9:30 am Sunday Worship 1st & 4th Sunday.....................................11:00 am Wednesday Bible Studies......6:00 pm Faith United Methodist Highway 365 • Fannett 409-794-1121 Sunday School......................10:00 am Sunday Worship....................11:00 am UMYF 2nd and 4th Sunday.....5:00 pm Middleton Memorial Methodist Wallisville Rd • Wallisville 409-389-2218 Sunday Worship......................9:00 am St.PaulUnitedMethodistDoubleBayou www.stpauldoublebayou.com Sunday School........................10:45am Sunday Worship .................... 9:00 am Wednesday Bible Studies.........6:30 pm St. Mathew’s United Methodist 1312 Weeks Ave • High Island Sunday School.........................9:00 am Sunday Worship Service.........10:00 am UMYF.............................................3:00 pm First United Methodist Highway 124 @ Freeman • Winnie 296-4382 Sunday School.........................9:30 am Sunday Worship....................10:45 am UMYF.......................................6:00 pm Sunday Worship......................9:30 am Sunday School.......................10:45 am
SmithPoint Community Church Smith Point Sunday School.......................10:00 am Sunday Morning Worship......11:00 am Trinity Church 1324 Hwy. 124 • Winnie Sunday Happy Hour...............9:00 am Morning Worship.................10:00 am WednesdayEveningWorship....7:30pm House of Prayer Fannett Elementary School 409-794-9470 Sunday Services.............2:00-5:00 pm HankamerCommunity Fellowship FM 1663 @ FM 1724 • Hankamer Sunday School.....................10:00 am Sunday Praise & Worship..11:00 am Wednesday Bible Study........7:00 pm Lighthouse of Hope Church 507 6th St. Winnie, Texas (at the corner of 6th St. and Oak St.) 409-782-5354 Sunday Worship....................10:00 am Wednesday Worship..............6:30 pm Word of Life Church Please call (351) 999-4923 to participate in our phone church services: Adult Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Church services 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 pm
Pentecostal
Calvary Tabernacle 1210 FM 1406 • Winnie 296-2020 Sunday School........................2:00 pm Sunday Worship.....................2:45 pm Thursday Evening...................7:00 pm (Children’s Church, Youth Service & Bible Study) - Pastor Carl A. Vickery Calvary Tabernacle UPC 11185 Mahon Rd, Fannet Pastor Steve Adams 409-201-8033 Sunday 1pm, Thursday 7pm First UnitedPentecostal Church 1352 Walter Street • High Island 286-5444 Sunday Worship....................10:00 am Tuesday.....................................7:30 pm
PAGE 5
Business Directory
THE HOMETOWN PRESS
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
$10 per week • Don’t let your competitors attract all the business! Call 296-9988
Clark Freight Line Bus Pg Ad:May 21 ad 11/29/17 11:39 AM Page 1
Bus Pg Ad:May 21 ad 6/28/17 1:11 PM Page 1
Winnie Dairy Queen Hwy 124 South P.O. Box 981 Winnie, TX 77665
(409) 296-2116
Clark Freight Lines, Inc. Pasadena, TX 281-487-3160 Beaumont, TX • W. Memphis, AR Birmingham, AL • Nashville, TN
www.clarkfreight.com
“Trucks Move Your World”
$10 per week • Don’t let your competitors attract all the business! Call 296-9988
$10 per week • Don’t let your competitors attract all the business! Call 296-9988
McCall BS pg:May 21 ad 6/28/17 1:10 PM Page 1
C & V WRECKER SERVICE
$10 per week • Don’t let your competitors attract all the business! Call 296-9988
Craig Stowe Owner
PO Box 1376 2425 Hwy 124 S. Winnie, TX 77665
409-296-9542
NEW NUMBERS: CJ 281-460-4625 Brenda 281-460-4639
$10 per week • Don’t let your competitors attract all the business! Call 296-9988
$10 per week • Don’t let your competitors attract all the business! Call 296-9988
Classifieds
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Free for individuals selling personal items
THE HOMETOWN PRESS
Call (409)296-9988 • Fax (409)296-9987 htpress99@gmail.com
PAGE 6
Let our readers know about your garage sales, help wanted, services.... Deadline: Monday before publication at 12 noon
FOR RENT
FOR RENT
Palms RV Park 721 9th Street, Winnie. Showers, laundry room, wifi, propane bottle exhange, privacy fence, security cameras. 409.673.5927 For Lease 4 BR 2 bath 1 car garage. 936 Van Ostrand, Winnie. $1550.00/ month. Call 409-363-4570
House for rent: brick house, 3 bed 2.5 bath, inside has washer, dryer & refrigerator. very nice house. one month $1,200. One year contract please call 832-298-8159 House for Rent 3 BR 1 1/2 bath $1100.00/ month and $1100.00 deposit. No utilities. Call Reenay 409-201-0399 For Rent 3BR House Kitchen Appliances, Central Heat/Air $1250.00/ mo 409-651-0578 1600 sq. ft. for rent. Window display, Highway frontage 409-781-0918 1000 sq. ft. office space for rent. 409-781-0918. FOR SALE
4x5 Round bales stored outside for cows. $35.00 each. Call 409-781-2236
.ARBO:RETUM o:F.WINNIE RE Due to our continued success, we are now taking applications for full time and part time positions. Great work environment and only 25 miles from Port Arthur or Beaumont.
Certified Nurse Aide
We offer competitive pay with benefits. Come join our TEAM. Apply in person at 1215 HWY. 124, Winne, TX 409-296-8200
FOR SALE Handyman needed for only Cub SI40 farm tractors a few hours work around the - 14’50’ mobile home house and yard. 409-296-6224 large dog house metal General Labor crew needed. Duties include: shoveling, weed- garden tiller - 3 drilling eating/mowing, pouring concrete, rigs want to buy disk laying pipes and clearing land. - brush hog - tractor w/ Background check and drug screen required. Tempto-hire - $12.00 front loader. 281-788-7838
FOR SALE
HELP WANTED
per hour.
Call us at 835-5566.
Part time maintenance man needed. Apply at Winnie Square Apartments 218 W Magnolia Ave #33 Winnie TX 409-296-2100 FOR RENT House for rent in Winnie. 3 bed, 1.5 bath + game room, fenced backyard. Brick house in nice neighborhood. $1,200 month +deposit. 409-789-0289 One BR apartment $600.00/per month, $600.00 deposit. No utilities Call Reenay 409-201-0399
FOR LEASE Horse and cow pasture for lease. One mile from Winnie. 20 acres and 2 barns. $100/month. 4 0 9 - 4 6 6 - 6 4 1 7 , 4 0 9 - 2 9 6 - 9 2 6 7
Cat 3406, new rods &main bearings, marine gear includes PTO & hydraulic pump. Shaft is 2 1/2" x 12'3" w/4 blade prom 3 drum winch & stainless cables. Engine on stand to hear run in Oak Island. 936-546-4401
7 1/4 acres furnished house lots of outside equipment. 409-284-5543
2005 Crown Vic Intercepter: Clean, dependable, new tires, brakes, great ac, etc., $3, 800.00. 281-414-6353
Trailer axles $40.00 - $100.00 each, PVC pipe 1 1/2 to 4" $50.00, Call 409-457-5204 Commercial gas tank for sale $700. refrigerator for sale $80. please call 832-298-8159 2012 Jeep Compass runs good. A/C works but does not cool well. Work vehicle $5000.00 Call 409-277-1065 Queen size bedroom set, includes dresser with mirrors and one nightstand. $300.00. Call 409-291-1288 4x5 Round bales Horse quality in barn $50.00 Call 409-781-2236 2000 Ford gas tractor parts. Call for prices Located in Stowell 4 0 9 - 4 5 7 - 5 2 0 4 Window air conditioner $50 Located in Stowell 4 0 9 - 4 5 7 - 5 2 0 4 4 tires size 33x12.50 R18LT $100 Located in Stowell 4 0 9 - 4 5 7 - 5 2 0 4 Metal Shelves $10 each 4 available Located in Stowell 4 0 9 - 4 5 7 - 5 2 0 4
Set of metal steps. $40 Located in Stowell 4 0 9 - 4 5 7 - 5 2 0 4
Disk and scoop for tractor $25 each Located in Stowell 4 0 9 - 4 5 7 - 5 2 0 4
SERVICES
Canal City lot for sale by Garry Brattenowner on the middle canal Experienced Handyman. undeveloped Lot #302, No job too small or 1468 Van Sant Gilchrist 409-354-8280. TX call Alan 409-939- large. Horse hay 4x5 fertilized 3240 no texts $30,000 Jiggs Bermuda in barn $50.00/ 2004 40' Mountain Air roll. Call 409-781-2236 motorhome, made by sale: Bradford, Newmar. 250 Cummings For Brangus, and Hereford diesel, 6 speed Allison bulls. Call 713.875.5703 transmission $25000.00 Call or
409-277-0883 409-277-9872
Trailer axles $40 - 100 each Located in Stowell 4 0 9 - 4 5 7 - 5 2 0 4
Part-time shop help needed for weekends and some weekdays. If interested please call 409-296-6980.
Name:_________________________ Address:________________________________ City, State, Zip:__________________________
$25.00 Mail Check or Money Order to: The Hometown Press PO Box 801, Winnie, TX 77665 409-296-9988 We Accept Most Major Credit Cards
ESTATE SALE - LOG HOMES PAY THE BALANCE OWED ONLY!!! AMERICAN LOG HOMES IS ASSISTING JUST RELEASED OF ESTATE & ACCOUNT SETTLEMENT ON HOUSES.
4 Log Home kits selling for BALANCE OWED, FREE DELIVERY 1) Model # 101 Carolina 2) Model # 203 Georgia 3) Model # 305 Biloxi 4) Model # 403 Augusta
$40,840...BALANCE OWED $17,000 $49,500...BALANCE OWED $19,950 $36,825...BALANCE OWED $14,500 $42,450...BALANCE OWED $16,500
NEW - HOMES HAVE NOT BEEN MANUFACTURED
TexSCAN Week of June 13-19, 2021 ACREAGE
INTERNET
AT&T Internet. Starting at $40/month w/12-mo agmt. Includes 1 TB of data per month. Get More For Your High-Speed Internet Thing. Ask us how to bundle Hunting/investment/recreational property. We and SAVE! Geo & svc restrictions apply. Call us today have some of the best in Texas! From the Hill Country (Edwards, Menard, Coke, Val Verde County, free 1-855-439-5457. ranging exotics) to South Texas (Kinney, Duval, Live MAINTENANCE Oak County, whitetail, hogs). Large or small acreage. 30-year fixed rate owner financing, only 5% down. Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the Call toll-free or email for individual prices and terms, most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. www.ranchenterprisesltd.com, 800-876-9720. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off and 0% financing for those who qualify. PLUS Senior ANTIQUES & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-815-5722. Indian Artifact Show & Old Coins, Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. 6th St., Abilene, TX TRUCK DRIVERS 79601. Showtime: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat., July 10th. Call We’re Hiring Truck Drivers. Need your CDL? Attend 979-218-3351. our driving school! Delivering Promises and Driving EVENT Success – CRST – The Transportation Solution. Apply Wylie – Bluegrass on Ballard, Sat. June 26. Music 1-9 now at jobs.crst.com/newspaper. p.m.; Arts & Crafts 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (WylieTexas.gov); Be Your Own Boss, Choose Your Own Routes! Classic Car Show 4-9 p.m. (pre-register for car Looking for CDL drivers to deliver new trucks all show at DiscoverWylie.com). Event will be held in Historic Downtown Wylie on Ballard Avenue. over the country, starting in Laredo, TX. Experience preferred. Must have DOT physical and be willing DiscoverWylie.com. to keep logs. No DUIs in the last 10 years, clean GENERATORS MVR. Quality Drive-Away. Apply online at GENERAC Standby Generators provide backup www.qualitydriveaway.com or call 574-642-2023. power during utility power outages, so your home and REAL ESTATE family stay safe and comfortable. Prepare now. Free 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!). Request a free How much is your home worth? It may be worth more quote today! Call for additional terms and conditions. than you think. Free Valuation of your home 281-5131-855-704-8579. 2476. www.brittimesrealty.com/home-value.
LOG HOMES
Log Homes – 4 Log Home kits selling for balance owed, free delivery. Model #101 Carolina, bal. $17,000; Model #203 Georgia, bal. $19,950; Model #305 Biloxi, bal. $14,500; Model #403 Augusta, bal. $16,500. View plans at www.loghomedream.com; 704-602-3035.
Make any plan design changes you desire! Comes with Complete Building Blueprints & Construction Manual Windows, Doors, and Roofing not included BBB NO TIME LIMIT FOR DELIVERY! A+ Rating *OFFER NOT AVAILABLE TO AMERICAN LOG HOME DEALERS*
WANTED FREON WANTED: We pay $$$ for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals. Call 312-291-9169 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com..
Texas Press Statewide Classified Network 221 Participating Texas Newspapers • Regional Ads Start At $250 • Email ads@texaspress.com NOTICE: While most advertisers are reputable, we cannot guarantee products or services advertised. We urge readers to use caution and when in doubt, contact the Texas Attorney General at 800-621-0508 or the Federal Trade Commission at 877-FTC-HELP. The FTC web site is www.ftc.gov/bizop.
Wade A. Thibodeaux
Publisher wade@txmediacorp.com 409.656.5677
PO Box 801 • Winnie, TX 77665 (409) 296-9988
FREE WANT ADS POLICIES TWO KINDS OF WANT ADS
DRIVEN TO BE THE BEST
Be Your Own Boss, Choose Your Own Routes! Looking for CDL drivers to deliver new trucks all over the country, starting in Laredo, TX. Experience preferred. Must have DOT physical and be willing to keep logs. No DUIs in last 10 years, clean MVR.
Apply Online at www.qualitydriveaway.com or call 574-642-2023
PAID/BUSINESS WANT ADS
FREE WANT ADS
for NON-BUSINESS PURPOSES:
Individuals & Non-Profits (furniture, clothes, garage sales, etc) Ads are inserted on a space-available basis with no guarantee of insertion.
All business want-ads, Including small & home businesses (babysitting, yard services, house cleaning etc.) 1 time - $10; 4 times - $32; 12 times - $72 • Include payment w/ ad • Online: thehometownpress.com • Cash, check, money order or credit cards accepted.
TO PLACE WANT ADS: www.thehometownpress.com Drop Box: Market Basket,Winnie Mail: P.O Box 801 Winnie, Tx 77665
DEADLINE is Noon Monday for the current week’s issue. Free ads run space permitting. Must resubmit to re-run. Limit of 25 words per ad. Ads will be run on a space available basis.
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PAGE 7
Culture/Lifestyle
THE HOMETOWN PRESS
net down, accidently knocking the lure out of its mouth. It lay there for several seconds, not sensing it was free.
WOODS, WATERS, and WILDLIFE
FISHING FOR YOUR FORK By John Jefferson
The first fish I caught were two little perch that bit on small pieces of earthworms or bits of bread squeezed into little balls. We were at Grandmother Jefferson’s house on the Guadalupe River, west of Sequin. I was about eight or nine. My tackle was a bamboo pole with braided cotton line, a bottle cork-bobber, and small hook. That was life’s second milestone. My first fight was earlier. But
Welcome Neighborhood Net Readers!
catching two fish – that was a turning point! Later, I caught my first “big fish” at Uncle Josh Munro’s “camp on Beech Creek, west of Silsbee. The bobber jerked straight downward! I raised the pole and the fish resisted for maybe eight or 10 seconds. It was what East Texans called a “blue-channel catfish”, about nine inches long. I ran all the way up the big hill to the house to show it to him. During interviews with successful anglers, I’ve asked what the first fish was they caught. Most didn’t remember; some guessed it was a perch or catfish. That’s a start. It doesn’t require much equipment, and almost all of Texas has plenty of fish in rivers, creeks, lakes, and ponds. Most are caught fishing from the bank. Texas has three main catfish species: Channel cats (most prevalent), blue catfish (the largest: state record 121.5 pounds!), and flatheads, also called “yellow” or ”Opelousas” cats. Most weigh under five pounds. All three are fine eating! Many are caught on rods and reels or poles, but some people em-
ploy trotlines, throw lines, limb lines or jug lines. Catfish eat insects, fish, crawfish, and are also taken on commercial catfish bait. If it’s the gooey kind, DON’T GET IT ON YOUR HANDS! Punch your hook in with a screwdriver and pull it out with the line. Cube type baits are easier to handle and can be stored in your freezer. I had a rank bucket of punch bait once that mysteriously disappeared. You could smell it through the garage door. Catfish loved it! Wives - not so much. Sometimes catfish will mouth a lure. One July Fourth, we canoe-fished early morning. We were about to quit when I got a strike on a grub. I cast again and hooked it, but it didn’t feel like a bass. It began pulling us up into a long cove. Thinking it was a carp or a catfish, and knowing my line was old, I didn’t resist. It towed us about ¼ mile around a bend to the end of the cove, taking about ten minutes. Finally, it surfaced in shallow water. The yellow cat weighing about eight pounds was as exhausted as I was. Vicky stuck the
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Had I realized that I would have jumped in after it. Slowly, it sank out of sight. Holding my head in
my hands, after a quiet pause, Vicky said, “We’ll stop at H.E.B. and I’ll get some fillets.”
Catfish are second only to largemouth bass in popularity among Texas Anglers, primarily due to their availability, distribution, ease in catching, and delectability as table fare. They’re great eating! Limits on size and number of catfish anglers may catch in a day are generous , but new regulations will become law on September 1 on many waterbodies. If you’re fishing this summer, check the 20202021 TPW Outdoor Annual for regulations through August 31. The new regs will appear in the 2021-2022 Outdoor Annual around August 15 and will apply beginning September 1. Community Fishing Lakes provide catfishing in many towns and cities throughout Texas. Google Texas Community Fishing Lakes. Blue catfish photo by John Jefferson.
Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt The Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine’s Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt (GOSH) returns for another year of summer fun across Texas. Travel to various locations regionally or statewide, take a selfie and post it with the hashtag #GOSH2021. Discover history, wildlife, parks, waterways and quirky attractions — plus iconic Texas food stops as a “bonus” to enjoy along the way. The GOSH 2021 challenge ends at midnight on Labor Day, Sept. 6. Select from six regions, including Dallas, Central Texas, Houston, Panhandle, South Texas and West Texas. Register on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine website or the TPWD Facebook Page, then find the spot, take a smiling selfie and tag it on Twitter or Instagram. Participants can also post and tag it on the TPWD Facebook Page with #GOSH2021. Partakers can visit locations regionally or
statewide and complete one or all GOSH activities. "We are so ready to have fun outdoors again," says Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine editor Louie Bond. "GOSH inspires those day trips that make lifelong memories. Pack the ice chest and your swimsuits and hit the road for a summer of fun. Share selfies everywhere you go, and you'll have bragging rights at Thanksgiving for being great Texas adventurers." In South Texas, snap a selfie at one of the park’s wildlife watching or nature trails at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. With the Gulf of Mexico in the background, take a breezy break at the wooden beach picnic shelters at Mustang Island State Park. Grab a photo in front of the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum’s seven flags or holding a copy of the Laredo Morning Times, with seven flags on its banner. Visit GOSH 2021
South Texas Region for more information. See how to enter, rules, where to upload your selfies and more information on challenge locations regionally or statewide at TPWD GOSH 2021. Those who complete activities regionally will receive a TPWD certificate and a shout-out in a future issue of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine. If participants complete all 30 activities (36 with bonus activities in each category) on this year’s TPWD Great Outdoor Scavenger Hunt, they will receive a downloadable certificate and a two-year digital subscription to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine, plus some epic bragging rights. Regional graphics highlighting GOSH challenge locations across Texas can be found on the TPWD Flickr Page.
Community
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Melissa Davis Turns 100 (contd)
merry-go-round was also built. The pole for the merry-go-round is still standing in the yard in Stowell! The first class had only 10 students and they attended for only 3 hours in the morning. Word quickly spread about the Kindergarten and Mom soon had to open a second class that ran for 3 hours in the afternoon. Her old records show that she often had 27 to 30 students in each class, morning and afternoon! She ran a Kindergarten until it was officially offered at East Chambers and then she switched to teaching PreK students. She taught generations of students for 28 years in that little room! Daddy often disrupted the classes by walking through and handing out candy that he carried in his pockets, despite Mom’s protests. He told the students that he was the principal and could do whatever he wanted to do! Every year, Mom would hold a graduation ceremony at either the High School Auditorium
or the Methodist Church. All the gowns were handmade by Mom, pink for girls and blue for boys. Daddy made the caps and covered them with matching fabric. Mom ordered special Jack and Jill diplomas and handed them out to the students one by one as they walked across the stage. She was always so proud of the progress that her students made each year! In May 1986, my mom, Melissa Davis, was named Educator of the Year in Winnie! It was an honor that she cherished all of her life. She was so humbled by the honor. She said that the ceremony was something that she would never forget. The plaque hung on the wall in her home and she was always so proud to talk about the honor with all of her family and friends. Mom retired from teaching to care for Daddy after he became ill. She was devoted to his care and took a part-time job at Little Pair convenience store in Stowell. She loved working at that little
To order, contact Wade Thibodeaux at (936) 581-5161 Texas Media Corp
store because so many people would stop in just to say hello. After Daddy passed away, she worked full time at Little Pair until it became Jack’s Grocery. She was asked to stay on at Jack’s and she worked there until she was 90 years old! So many former students would stop in to say hello, drink a cup of coffee with her and share stories with her. She would talk to me every day and recount who she’d seen and what was discussed. Her days working at the convenience store were filled with joy. She’d get up at 3 AM every morning so she could open the store by 4:30 AM. She always said that the farmers and others needed her to be there so they could get ice for their ice chests and coffee to wake up! One particular morning, her car wouldn’t start so she decided that she would just walk to the store which was a little over a mile away from her home. Mom told me that when people started arriving to get their ice
and coffee, they asked where her car was. She told them it wouldn’t start, so she walked. She told me they fussed at her and told her to call them and one of them would pick her up. She didn’t think it was a big deal that she walked... she was just 85 years old! Mom has a huge family who loves her. I figure out with the use of a spreadsheet, that she has 6 children, 18 grandchildren, 35 greatgrandchildren, 17 great-
THE HOMETOWN PRESS
great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-great grandchildren! She loves to tell stories about all of her children and believe me, there are enough stories to write a book! Melissa is currently residing at The Rio in Texas City. She is surrounded by many people who love her and her positive outlook on life. Her secrets to a long life...have a strong faith, don’t stay angry and eat a sweet potato every day! She says
PAGE 8
that she can’t believe that she’s 100 years old but she’s glad to still be here. She told me just this past week that she figures God is still not down with her yet. There are still memories to be made...\ One more thing...if people would like to send her a birthday card, they can send it to Melissa Davis, The Rio at the Mainland, 1011 Mainland Center Dr, Texas City, TX 77591.