MUGSHOT Anna Marie Todd

A mother is behind bars in connection with the death of her child.

Anna Todd, 21, turned herself in on Monday after a warrant was issued for her arrest. Her arresting charge was injury to a child with serious bodily injury.

Todd’s 16-month-old child died on Aug. 4, 2020, at the family’s home located in Wild County Subdivision. That day, Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives were called to the family home due to the 16-month-old receiving a gunshot wound to the chest area.

It was determined through detective’s investigations that a firearm was left on a table next to the bed where the family was sleeping. The father of the child left for work with Todd overseeing the children.

An older child picked up the firearm discharging the weapon one time into the victim who was lying on the bed. The child victim was transported to Memorial Herman Hospital arriving at 10:30 a.m. and pronounced deceased at 10:35 a.m.

An autopsy of the child was conducted at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences which along with the medical examiners findings, evidence discovered at the scene and witness statements obtained the case was presented to the Polk County District Attorney’s office which resulted in the arrest warrant being issued. Todd was booked into the Polk County Jail where she was released the following day on a $50,000 bond.

Polk County Sheriff Lyons wishes to express to the public the importance of firearm safety and allowing child access to unsecured firearms inside your home. If any citizen wishes to receive professional awareness to firearm safety, Lyons ask that you contact his office at 936-327-6810.

COURTESY PHOTO

Gaming enthusiasts have waited a few long months for the luckiest spot in Texas to resume operations. The most fervent of which were in the parking lot Thursday morning at 9 a.m. when Naskila Gaming again opened its doors to welcome guests.

Naskila closed over the last half of December and all of January to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19.

"We have a great crowd here today and I think everyone is excited to get back to Naskila, because we've missed them as much as they've missed us," marketing operations manager Laura Shelby said. "We've been closed since Dec. 10 and I think a lot of that is just excitement to be back and getting out of the house and it is a place they enjoy coming."

The number of games at Naskila have not increased over the 790 that were in place before the closure. However, they are now over a larger area, allowing for more space and larger walkways throughout the gaming floor. A room once used as a banquet area now holds over 100 machines.

For now, the facility is non-smoking where games are played. There is an area that before served as the front entrance that has been set aside for smoking.

Masks are required and social distancing is encouraged. Dividers have been placed between each game that gives a bit more privacy and each player their own space.

"A lot of other gaming places around the country are using them and it allows us to have every machine on," Shelby said of the dividers. "People aren't having to pick like, 'Oh, my favorite machine is turned off today,' or that sort of thing. It is also for people feel more safe that they can sit and gamble and not have to worry about it."

Employees are tested each week for Covid-19. In addition, everyone who enters Naskila is scanned by a new tool that the group hopes will eliminate any spread of the virus while out for entertainment.

"It is an infrared temperature taker. When you step into the right place well, it scans you and gives the security guard your temperature. It actually shows up on the screen."

Taking every precaution since the virus became an issue, Naskila established the Clean Team, a group of neon-shirted workers with the responsibility of keeping germs to a minimum. There are approximately 75 on the crew that rotate in three different shifts. Signs are posted on each of the electronic Bingo units to let gamers know they can press a button for a Clean Team member to disinfect wherever a customer is playing.

"We also installed 25 antibacterial wipes (stands) that our guests can just take at will and wipe down the machine if they choose to."

With freezing weather expected, Shelby said she did not anticipate the casino closing. It has remained open through hurricanes and floods and is able to operate on generators if the power becomes an issue. There is an EMT staff and a clinic on the site, making it one of the safer places at any time.

"It is nice to be back and have a purpose," she said of the return. "Everybody was ready to come back. Being off for a little bit is nice, but everybody gets bored. This week, we went through some training and it was just nice to see everybody. We missed each other just as much as we missed seeing the guests."

FILE PHOTO Naskila logo

Naskila Gaming Center reopened its doors after a two-week hiatus last Monday.

The gaming center is the second-largest employer in Polk County and is on the ground of the Alabama-Coushatta Reservation. Naskila closed for two weeks (Nov. 2-15) as a safety precaution due to an increased number of Covid-19 cases in the region.

“We have four days under our belt and our guests have been very supportive of our efforts to keep people safe,” Naskila Chief Marketing Officer Scott Smith said. “We had a lot of support during the shutdown and we have the same level of support now that we’re reopened. The two weeks gave us a chance to evaluate our procedures and redouble our effort to protect the community, team members and the tribe.”

During the two weeks, employees still earned paychecks. Smith said he and his team are very grateful to the A-C tribal council for continuing to pay employees during time away.

“We paid our employees during the two weeks,” he said. “The tribe has been so supportive of team members not only with wages, but also with benefits. It’s spectacular. I can’t say enough about the tribal council and what they’ve done to keep our team members paid.”

Naskila closed its doors last spring and didn’t reopen until Sept. 10. Smith said during that time, the gaming center staff had plenty of time and opportunities to examine how Naskila should reopen.

“Things are very different,” he said. “The one area that has been great is our guests have been so cooperative with our procedures. We have had zero resistance to our social distance policies. The people have been wonderful. No significant changes. We are testing team members on a weekly basis, but we just evaluated the clean team. They’re highly visible and wiping stuff down. Being closed for seven months gave us time to plan. We saw what was working at other places and we have a really strong program. We’re going to continue to make it better and focus on the safety of the community. We also opened with a no-smoking policy and moved 106 machines to our patio where the buffet used to be. That was a major redesign to promote social distancing. Our smoking area was self-contained previously. Initially there was some push back on social media, but our guests have been so cooperative with our policies.”

Smith said Naskila is open 24/7 again. He also said attendance is pretty close to normal.

“Our head counts are very similar to this time a year ago,” Smith said. “You can tell that it means a lot to people to be able to get out of the house and do something.”

FILE PHOTO - NKGCO 038 Logo

LIVINGSTON — Texas’ U.S. senators have been sent nearly 12,000 letters over the past six weeks asking them to save the 700 jobs connected to the Naskila Gaming electronic bingo facility. The letters provide a grassroots complement to more than 70 civic and business groups who have also urged the Senate to ask and keep this major East Texas employer open.

The 11,700 letters urge Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to help pass H.R. 759, a bill that would effectively stop the state of Texas’ efforts to close Naskila down. The U.S. House unanimously passed H.R. 759, authored by U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, more than a year ago. The Senate has not moved forward with the bill — putting Polk County’s second-largest employer at risk.

Naskila, which is operated by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, continues to have overwhelming support in East Texas. More than 70 groups — including county commissioner courts, local Republican parties and chambers of commerce — have approved resolutions or other statements of support for keeping Naskila open.

Included on the list of groups supporting Naskila are the Polk County Commissioners Court, Polk County Chamber of Commerce, Polk County Republican Party and Polk County Higher Education and Technology Foundation.

“Texans are speaking with a loud, clear voice in support of Naskila Gaming,” said Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Council Chairwoman Cecilia Flores. “We are grateful for the support we’ve received from our visitors and from respected civic and business leaders throughout this region. We hope the Senate will listen to Texans who want to protect these jobs.”

Naskila is responsible for 700 direct and indirect jobs in East Texas and a recent study estimated that Naskila generates $170 million in annual economic activity for the region. More than 1 million people visit the facility per year. Even when closed for several months during the pandemic, Naskila continued to provide pay and benefits for its employees. Naskila reopened Sept. 10 with new safety precautions in place.

Another 1,000 jobs are tied to the electronic bingo facility operated by Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in El Paso. The state is also trying to shut that facility down. However, it is not trying to shut down electronic bingo on the Kickapoo tribal land in Eagle Pass, near the Texas-Mexico border.

H.R. 759 would ensure that the facilities in Livingston and El Paso are governed by the same federal law as the Kickapoo facility.

“We want to offer electronic bingo without state interference, just like the Kickapoo Tribe,” Flores said. “It’s very concerning to Naskila employees and their families that the Senate has not acted. We have broad, diverse support in East Texas. The Senate needs to approve this bill and save these jobs by the end of the year.”

In August, 19 members of the U.S. House who represent Texas — ten Republicans and nine Democrats — sent Cornyn a letter urging him to support H.R. 759.

“Rather than spend untold sums on legal fees and litigation, costing the State of Texas millions of dollars, we believe we could better enact our time and resources by enacting H.R. 759, which would create an economic boost to two hard hit areas of the state with no cost to the taxpayer,” the congressional letter said.

PHILLIP SCHMITTEN | TCNS CORRESPONDENT Maria Casas prepares some pico de gallo for the arriving customers.

GROVETON — Very recently a new restaurant opened in Groveton; Habaneros is the name, and you can find it next door to Los Jalapenos Restaurant next to B&B Grocery.

The restaurant, formerly known as Wagon Wheel has some new owners, Edgar and Lori Abshire, and they serve up some excellent Tex-Mex food.

Manager and co-owner Lori Abshire sends out a big thank you to the residents of Groveton, who have been so wonderful with their support and patience while the new eatery gets settled.

“The folks here have been absolutely wonderful to us,” Lori said. “We plan on staying as long as Groveton will have us.”

The Abshires have been in the restaurant business for more than 20 years and bring their excellent venue to Groveton.

“We love the town and the people are so very friendly,” Lori said.

They offer seating for up to 70 and have a party room for those special occasions. Lori Abshire wants to thank Groveton for making them feel so welcome and look forward to many years of service.

“We have applied for a liquor license and are look forward to adding Margaritas to our menu real soon,” she said. “We are currently looking for local help as of now all of our staff comes from Lufkin and we would really like to hire some local talent.”

So, if you are in the mood for some fantastic Tex-Mex, look no further than Habaneros.

JASON CHLAPEK I PCE Joyce Knierim (right) of McWilliams & Son presents a check to Noah’s Helpers to purchase tools that were stolen from the volunteer group’s trailer last month. Members of Noah’s Helpers are (from left) Larry Jander, Bill Brewster, GB Wise, Willard Moody and Craig Knowler.

LIVINGSTON – Since its inception in 2004, Noah’s Helpers has been taking care of building projects throughout the community.

The volunteer group, which is part of First United Methodist Church in Livingston, has spent the last week building an extension to the Mannafest food bank. The project is expected to be complete next week.

“Mannafest has added a 30x40 addition and we’re framing it out so we can build walls and they can expand their operation,” Noah’s Helpers director Willard Moody said. “We’re also taking out walls and making a big waiting room area for their clients to come and get food and a new restroom.”

Last month, a burglary on the FUMC property resulted in Noah’s Helpers’ trailer being burglarized and several tools were stolen. But, a local business came to the aid of Noah’s Helpers in the form of a donation.

“We responded to a Facebook post about their incident,” Joyce Knierim of McWilliams & Son said. “McWilliams & Son donates to almost every nonprofit organization that goes on in Polk County. One of our biggest contributions from McWilliams & Son is we give back to our community. Our community gives to us, we give back to them.”

When Noah’s Helpers started, the group built wheelchair ramps, porches, stairs and handrails. It also took care of minor home problems.

“We do this kind of work for nonprofit organizations,” Moody said. “We don’t do projects of this magnitude too often. We probably build 3-4 wheelchair ramps a month.”

Moody said Noah’s Helpers has 11 active members. He also said that Mannafest is a food bank that was started by several churches here and it has its own board now.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JILLIAN PHILLIPS STEPTOE A winter storm blew through Trinity County on Sunday, chilling noses and toes and creating pastoral scenes.

A winter storm unloaded more snow in Texas than some areas have received in decades at the end of the weekend.

The snow, stretched all the way from the northernmost parts of Colorado beginning Saturday, to eastern Texas by Sunday, according to Accuweather.

The swath of heaviest snow, with 6-9 inches of accumulation in 24 hours, stretched from near Lubbock to Abilene and just west of Waco, which received 4.4 inches of snow on Sunday, making it the highest snowfall total the city has received since 1982 and the 10th highest 24-hour snowfall total on record, according to the National Weather Service.

Snow-covered, slippery roadways were reported throughout the region, including along some of the major highways such as interstates 20 and 35.

But for those who didn't need to travel, the snow was mostly fun and games.

AccuWeather National News Reporter Bill Wadell interviewed some residents of Stephenville, Texas, who told him they haven't seen this much snow in years. Some residents were seen using the hood of a car as a sled for multiple people. Stephenville reported 8 inches of snow by Sunday evening.

The worst of the storm stayed to the south of Dallas, where a rain and snow mix throughout Sunday led to only a trace of snow accumulating.

Farther south, however, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted a video on Twitter showing snow covering the grounds of the Governor's Mansion in the capital city of Austin. The city officially reported 1.3 inches at the Austin–Bergstrom International Airport, but just north of town, 3-5 inches of snow was reported.

amanda curtis

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JASON CHLAPEK I PCE A patient rolls up her sleeve prior to receiving the Covid-19 vaccine Tuesday morning.

JUST A LITTLE PINCH

When it comes to combating illness such as viruses, influenza or a pandemic as Covid-19, most health officials would say that it’s better to be proactive than reactive.

On Tuesday, the Polk County Office of Emergency Management teamed up with Dr. Raymond Luna, CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial Hospital, Brookshire Brothers, Angelina County & Cities Health District, Texas Department of State Health Services and various volunteers to administer the first round of Covid vaccines for area residents. The vaccine clinic took place at the Polk County Commerce Center in Livingston, where 200 proactive residents received their first dose of the two-dose vaccine.

“The vaccine was administered to front-line workers, who are in Phase 1A of the Texas Vaccination Plan, and Phase 1B, who are persons over the age of 65 or 16 and older with at least one chronic medical condition,” Polk County OEM Coordinator Courtney Comstock said. “We have been directing people to go to the Brookshire Brothers website to get on the vaccine list. That’s where these persons were pulled from (Tuesday).”

The OEM is implementing its health district’s mass vaccination plan to vaccinate residents in larger numbers. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities have already been vaccinated by federal pharmacy partners.

To date, more than 1,600 Polk County residents have received their first dose of the vaccine, with 49 of those being fully vaccinated and other residents in the process to receive the second dose. The OEM has reached out to the state to request larger future vaccine allocations.

“All area COVID-19 provider partners are coordinating together to plan for future vaccination clinics,” Comstock said. “We’ll continue to coordinate with our Covid vaccine partners to schedule future clinics like this and we’ll schedule appointments with residents who have signed up on the Brookshire Brothers website. We have requested that the state expedite the approval of additional providers of the vaccine. The state health department has released instructions on how persons can register to receive the vaccine. If they’re able to travel to a nearby county. We’re asking the community to be aware that other providers will be added to the Polk County list.”

Although the Brookshire Brothers waitlist has been temporarily suspended due to vaccine shortages, partner agencies are working together to find solutions that incorporate those on the current list, and residents are encouraged to check back often as the county anticipates the waitlist will reopen when additional vaccine is allocated.

Luna, a longtime family medicine practitioner, could easily be nicknamed, “Dr. Emergency.” Since coming to Livingston in 1985 to join Dr. Jerry Wood’s practice, the bicycle-riding physician and Livingston city council alderman has worked with multiple emergency situations.

“I volunteered to be a county medical officer a long time ago,” Luna said. “I’ve worked closely with the OEM and the health department during tornadoes, hurricanes, Zika virus and anything that involves emergency or medical aspect to it.”

For additional information on the vaccine, people are encouraged to contact the Angelina County & Cities Health District hotline at 936-630-8500.

FILE PHOTO - Coronavirus

President Joe Biden set a goal Tuesday for 70% of the country’s adult population to receive at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot by July 4.

Polk County is well on track for that mark when considering those who are 65 years of age and older. Of that age group, 67.80% in Polk County have been vaccinated with at least one dose, and 57.63% have been fully vaccinated.

The totals aren’t as impressive amongst younger adults.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 14,540 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose of COVID vaccine, and 10,612 people in Polk County have been fully vaccinated. There have been 24,102 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the county.

The Polk County Office of Emergency Management has a total case count of 3,282 locally, with 1,493 of those confirmed positive, 1,789 probable and 136 cases that are active.

They are still encouraging residents in Polk County to get vaccinated and remind all that COVID-19 is a vaccine-preventable disease.

The virus and its impact are not diminishing. According to the health district, numbers in COVID-19 cases and COVID hospitalizations each day have slightly increased. There have been 112 fatalities and an estimated 3,034 recoveries.

A pause was placed on the administration of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine April 13, but lifted April 23. The Texas Department of State Health Services recommends vaccine providers in Texas resume administering the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine following the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The pause was recommended after reports of six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals following administration of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. During the pause, medical and scientific teams at the FDA and CDC examined available data to assess the risk of thrombosis involving the cerebral venous sinuses, or CVST (large blood vessels in the brain), and other sites in the body (including but not limited to the large blood vessels of the abdomen and the veins of the legs) along with thrombocytopenia, or low blood platelet counts.

The teams at FDA and CDC also conducted extensive outreach to providers and clinicians to ensure they were made aware of the potential for these adverse events and could properly manage and recognize these events due to the unique treatment required for these blood clots and low platelets, also known as thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).

The two agencies have determined the following:

· Use of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine should be resumed in the United States.

· The FDA and CDC have confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.

· The FDA has determined that the available data show that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older.

· At this time, the available data suggest that the chance of TTS occurring is very low, but the FDA and CDC will remain vigilant in continuing to investigate this risk.

VACCINE INFORMATION (POLK):

PROVIDERS:

Brookshire Brothers Pharmacies:

936-327-4354 in Livingston, 936-398-9227 in Corrigan, 936-646-2488 in Onalaska

CVS:

936-327-2561

Address: 1500 W. Church St., Livingston, TX 77351

Vaccine: Phizer

Vaccine Days: 7 days a week

Administration Fee: No Charge Appointments: Online at https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Wal-Mart Pharmacy:

936-327-1294

Address: 1620 W. Church St., Livingston, TX 77351

Vaccine: Check availability online

Vaccination Days: Check availability online

Administration Fee: No charge Appointment Scheduling Information: https://corporate.walmart.com/covid-vaccine To Schedule an Appointment: Online at https://www.walmart.com/cp/1228302

Walgreens:

936-327-1086

Address: 1501 W. Church St., Ste. 500, Livingston, TX 77351

Vaccine: Pfizer

Vaccine Days: Daily While Supplies Last (check availability online)

Administration Fee: No Charge Appointments: Online at https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19/location-screening

Health Center of Southeast Texas:

936-327-4660

Address: 204 West Park Drive #200, Livingston, TX 77351

Vaccine: Call to check availability

Appointments: Call 936-327-4660

West Park Primary Care:

936-328-5820

Address: 210 West Park Drive, Ste. 104, Livingston, TX 77351

Vaccine: Call to check availability

Appointments: Call 936-328-5820

Livingston (HealthMart) Pharmacy:

936-327-5510

Address: 714 W. Church St., Livingston, TX 77351

Vaccine: Call to check availability

Vaccine Days: Daily While Supplies Last (check availability online)

Administration Fee: No Charge

Appointments: Call 936-327-5510

Polk County Emergency Management:

Clinic Location Address: Given upon Appointment

Vaccine: Moderna

Vaccination Days: Fridays

Administration Fee: No Charge Appointments: Online at http://www.etxcovidvaccine.com

Angelina County & Cities Health District:

Sign up at: www.etxcovidvaccine.com. Those without internet access, can call the Coronavirus hotline at 936-630-8500 to register for a vaccine.

FILE PHOTO

By Chris Edwards

Officials and the Texas Workforce Commission are warning the public about a rise in identity theft tied to unemployment benefits.

Last week Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a news release highlighting the wave of fraudulent unemployment claims using stolen identities, statewide. “Unscrupulous criminals are victimizing Texans by stealing their identities and filing false unemployment claims,” Paxton said.

Paxton urged Texans who have received documents from TWC regarding benefit claims they have not made to report the claims and to “take appropriate steps to protect your identity.”

According to TWC, identity theft is one of the fastest-growing internet crimes in the country, with cases happening at record rates. The TWC unemployment insurance division’s primary goal is to pay benefits to recipients as soon as possible, according to its website, but to also implement and maintain rigorous measures to identify and prevent fraud.

Unemployment benefits identity theft occurs when a fraudulent claimant uses another person’s personal information, such as their name and Social Security number to file a claim in order to collect unemployment benefits.

“A growing cybercrime community on the Dark Web traffics in these stolen identities, passing them from hackers to fraudsters seeking to monetize your information,” a TWC news release stated.

According to TWC, when a claim is submitted for unemployment benefits, letters are sent out to both the employer as well as the claimant in order to confirm the application.

When someone receives a letter from TWC asking to verify an identity when a claim was not filed should report the incident to TWC, via its identity theft portal, located at https://www.twc.texas.gov.

From the period of March of last year to April of this year, of the 4.48 million UI claims received by TWC, more than 611,000 were tagged as suspicious.

The AG’s website also has resources explaining what identity theft is and what to do if one’s identity is stolen.

COURTESY PHOTO Former Coldspring resident Marcos Morse was arrested in Guymon, Oklahoma last week on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Morse had a pair of warrants out of Polk County for those crimes.

By Jason Chlapek

A suspect with outstanding warrants in Polk County and Coldspring ties was brought to justice Wednesday evening in Oklahoma.

Marcus Morse, 23, was arrested by the Guymon Police Department in Guymon, Oklahoma. Morse had two warrants from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.

At approximately 4:20 p.m. Wednesday, the GPD received a call from the PCSO that they had warrants for Morse’s arrest. GPD officers attempted to serve the warrants to Morse at his residence, but he wasn’t there.

They learned that he was working at Seaboard Foods in Guymon, and they went there to make contact. GPD officers made contact with Morse an hour later and informed him of his warrants.

Morse was placed in handcuffs and taken to the back of a patrol unit where he was transported to the Texas County Detention Center without incident. He was awaiting extradition to Polk County at press time.

One Polk County resident who is pleased that justice was served is Hope McWhorter. Her 14-year-old nieces were the victims.

“My nieces will get justice from this monster,” McWhorter said.

Morse graduated from Coldspring-Oakhurst High School in 2015 and worked at the San Jacinto County Jail at one time. McWhorter said that she and her family took him and his family under their wing.

“We took them in when they were living in a shelter in Houston,” she said. “We got his baby brother graduated when their mom ran off on them. My husband took (Marcus) under his wing and took him to work on pipeline with him. We also helped him financially. There is so much to list.”

McWhorter said the incidents took place in October. Morse left for Oklahoma shortly after.

“I would encourage kids to speak up if this is happening to them,” McWhorter said. “People will protect them. Listen to your kids or any kids if they’re trying to talk to you.”

PHOTO BY TONY FARKAS TxDOT employee Wayne Byers spreads a compound to help melt ice and snow.

From rescheduling certain sporting events to clearing roads of dangerous conditions, workers at local, county and state levels as well as possible, given the nature of the weather event that shut the area down last week.

Trinity City Manager Steven Jones called the weather last week unprecedented, and while water pressure was a problem at first, it was handled within a matter of hours.

“The Trinity water system is up and running,” he said. “Other than people having personal problems, all is good with us. Our system was prepared for this; what happened was a mechanical function, a pump, which was repaired within a couple of hours, and a pipe burst which was fixed right away.”

PHOTO BY PHILIP SCHMITTEN Apple Springs resident and neighbor Dreux Land distributes some water to the folks in Groveton who are still without. Good neighbors and great citizenship are what help make this a wonderful place to live.

The city wells did perform, and any lapse in service was because of problems with Trinity River Authority equipment.

Throughout the county, TxDOT scraped roads and applied a compound to melt the ice.

Groveton Acting Mayor Ralph Bennett was out as long as possible each day, helping where he could, and inspecting streets for signs of water breaks.

There was a major line break and Fourth and Crow streets, and Bennett asked residents to call the city if they suspect there are more water leaks.

All area of town should have water restored by Wednesday, he said.

Area schools from Apple Springs to Trinity went to remote learning and were closed for the week, although in Groveton, the school was on its winter break and only had to cancel some sporting events.

Apple Springs Superintendent Cody Moree said he decided Feb. 12 to switch to remote learning for two days in light of forecasts, and then extended it through Monday.

“Our greatest concern was for our students and families who spent extended time without power, heat and water,” Moree said. “But we are looking forward to getting back to face to face learning ASAP.”

Centerville Superintendent Mark Brown also closed the campus, and while the first two days featured remote learning, the district will file an inclement waiver with the state to excuse the remaining three days.

Trinity ISD was closed through Tuesday, and was to resume classes Wednesday, according to Superintendent John Kaufman.

PHOTO BY TONY FARKAS TxDOT employee Keith Rogers uses a front-end loader to remove snow and ice near the intersection of Main and FM 355 in Groveton.

Other than two small water line breaks, there was minimal damage to the facilities, he said.

The biggest obstacle, though, was delays in the delivery of food and milk to the cafeteria, and drinkable water was in high demand and short supply. 

“We could have opened the district on Monday, but we have many students and staff members who are still without water, and I wanted to give our community and staff a few more days to try and recover,” Kaufman said. “This was a very damaging storm to our community and effected everyone in our town. The school district is very aware of the needs of our families and want to be very sympathetic to their concerns. I would like to thank the community for being patient and working with us as we try and navigate through these difficult times.”

In a news release, Entergy Texas expected all customers who can safely take power were able to turn the lights on by the end of the business day on Friday.

At the state level, Gov. Greg Abbott, after issuing an emergency declaration for all Texas counties on Feb. 14, on Saturday announced that President Joe Biden approved a partial emergency declaration for Texas.

FEMA added 33 Texas counties to the list on Monday, but Trinity County was not included at that time.

Additionally, Abbott temporarily waived regulations from the Department of Motor Vehicles to aid in the response to winter weather and power outages throughout the state.

These waivers allowed commercial vehicles to travel in Texas as long as the vehicle is registered elsewhere and doing emergency response.

These waivers are helping increase the delivery of water, food, and other supplies to Texas communities dealing with power and water outages.

PHOTO BY PHILIP SCHMITTEN Trinity County Judge Doug Page looks on as Apple Sprints resident helps some of the waterless victims of Groveton with a helping hand, distributing free water to those who are in need.

“As we continue to bring power and water back online throughout the state, it is essential that we deliver the food, water, and supplies that Texans need during these challenging times,” Abbott said. “These waivers will help us provide more of these vital resources to communities across the state and ensure that Texas families have the supplies they need to stay safe as we work to overcome this emergency.”

Since the Legislature is in session this year, Abbott added a mandate for the winterization of Texas' power system to the list of emergency items the state must tackle. 

Abbott also requested a Major Disaster Declaration — which includes Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program — from the White House. This declaration will allow eligible Texans to apply for assistance to help address broken pipes and related property damage.

The state is also working to distribute food, water, generators, and additional supplies to Texas communities, and warming centers are established every day. For winter weather resources, including a map of warming centers and ways to help Texans in need, visit: https://open.texas.gov/winter

Expressing concern about financial challenges Texans will face as a result of the winter storm, Abbott will address the need to ensure that Texans are not left with unreasonable utility bills they cannot afford because of the temporary massive spike in the energy market.

The meeting include committee leaders, including Sen. Robert Nichols, who represents San Jacinto County.

The Railroad Commission of Texas, which oversees public utilities, prioritized natural gas deliveries for human needs with an emergency order on Feb. 12, and recently extended it through Tuesday.

This action helps ensure the availability of gas supplies to gas-fired generation facilities in Texas during this critical period. The Commission took this action to help protect public health and safety during this extreme weather event.

Onalaska ISD logo

ONALASKA - The Onalaska ISD school board met for their first meeting of the year to discuss logistics of 2021, including renewing the contract for Superintendent Anthony Roberts for another year with the district.

The board approved Feb. 15 to be a staff development day in order to make up for the January in-service date that was canceled. This day will serve as a holiday to students as it is also Presidents Day.

School board elections will take place on May 1, pending anyone chooses to run against the current incumbents for positions 3 and 6. Any parties interested in filing for a spot on the ballot can do so by visiting the Onalaska Administration office located at 134 North FM 356 in Onalaska, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Additional information, as well as the candidate packet, can be found at onalaskaisd.net by clicking on the “Superintendent’s Office” tab at the top and scrolling to the bottom link that says, “Click here for School Board Election Information”

While government mandates offer paid sick leave to school faculty expired on Dec. 31, but the board voted to extend the benefits. This will allow faculty and staff to take time off due to exposure or infection of Covid-19 and will remain in effect the rest of the year.

For a calendar of future Onalaska ISD board meetings and other district events, please visit https://www.onalaskaisd.net/ , click on the “Superintendent’s Office” tab at the top, scroll to the bottom and click “School Board Agendas”.

EMILY KUBISCH-SABRSULA I PCE David Johnson swears in newly re-elected Mayor Chip Choate before being sworn in himself as Municipal judge.

ONALASKA - Re-elected Mayor Chip Choate opened the monthly Onalaska city meeting with news of an agreement made with TXDOT to allow the city to place flags on the Kickapoo Creek bridge, outside of the guardrails. Traditionally, the city has put flags along Highway 190 on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Veterans Day, but has been unable to along the bridge due to TXDOT regulations.

During his announcements, the mayor also encouraged meeting-goers to reach out to their representatives, James White and Robert Nichols, citing their inaction on legislation to assist the Alabama-Coushatta reservation in retaining their gaming activities. With hundreds of bills already filed for the 87th legislation, which will start at noon on Jan. 21, 2021, there is still time to reach out to representatives to better help the tribe, which helps bring millions of dollars to East Texas and Polk County.

For a list of representatives by zip code, visit www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative.

The city approved several hires and appointments, including Onalaska-raised Simon Prince, who will serve as a full-time officer with a standard probationary period. Chief Jessica Stanton said his prior experience includes working in Cleveland and in San Jacinto County before deciding to move back.

Other positions include the re-appointment of David Johnson for Municipal Judge, Associate Judge Greg Magee, city council member Paul Laverty, and newly appointed Attorney and Prosecutor for Onalaska, Chris Thompson. Thompson will replace David Mormon, who earlier resigned after 17 years with the city to take on a judgeship for Walker County.

Shirley Gilmore was also continue serving as Mayor Pro-tem.

City Events

On Nov. 21, the Onalaska Volunteer Fire Department will hold a blood drive from 2:30-7 p.m. Those wishing to participate must sign up online prior to giving blood.

Sign-up forms can be found at tinyurl.com/y56z8mkp.All. Successful donations will include a free Covid-19 anti-body test.

The Second Annual Onalaska Reindeer Dash will be on the afternoon of Dec. 5, which the Christmas Parade immediately following. Parade participants will toss candy and parade-goers are encouraged to practice social distancing to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

For more information on the race or parade, contact Tammy Seader at 936-646-5000 or visit the city’s Facebook Page. Parade forms are also available online at cityofonalaska.us.

The City of Onalaska meets every second Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. at City Hall. Public comments can be made at beginning of the meeting.

Photo by Emily Kubisch-Sabrsula Mayor Chip Choate swears in newly hired Police Officer Heather Perry.

POLK COUNTY — The city board met for a quick meeting this month to provide information on early voting and ongoing city events.Canyon Park Months after a tornado struck the area several structures in the Canyon Park subdivision are still in violation of city ordinances, but will continue without penalty, as plans to correct or condemn structures are finalized with Onalaska Fire Marshall Lee Parish. A request to allow the full-time residents of a motor home within city limits in Canyon Park was made and denied. While the Canyon Park POA approved the structure, Parish stated that in the past similar mobile home requests have been denied within city limits, which falls in line with the current city ordinance in place.

Other Business
The board accepted the resignation of Jeremy Williams in good standing, and welcomed Heather Perry onto the police force for a standard probationary period. She is a graduate of the Angelina Police Academy in Lufkin, and Onalaska Police Chief Jessica Stanton said references spoke highly of Perry and that she led by example in the academy and strived to motivate the other cadets around her. Announcements Early voting is underway in Polk County. A schedule of times, places, sample ballots, and accepted forms of identification can be found at https://www.co.polk.tx.us/page/polk.co.clerk.election. A precinct map is also available.

Twin Harbors will host a drive-thru Trunk-Or-Treat celebration on Saturday, Oct. 31 from12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Twin Harbors POA Pool Parking lot at 274 Valley view Drive in Onalaska. For any questions or if you wish to pass out candy, contact Barbara Dickens at 281-630-5120 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. fire department will hold their annual letter drive soon, their only fundraiser this year since the barbecue event was canceled due to the tornado. The City of Onalaska meets every second Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. at City Hall. Public comments can be made at beginning of the meeting.

MUGSHOT Emmanuel Smith

CLEVELAND — Two people have been arrested in the April 22 shooting death of a Cleveland resident.

Emmanuel Smith, 20, a resident of the Porter/New Caney area, was arrested in Montgomery County in connection with the shooting death of Clay Heard. A second suspect, who was not identified at this time, is currently being held in Montgomery County Jail on drug charges.

Detective Gary Sharpen of the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Office said that the two men were found in the Home Depot parking lot in Conroe and were arrested by tactical officers of the Houston Police Department and agents of the Department of Homeland Security.

Heard, who is from Cleveland, was found shot in the head in a ditch in south San Jacinto County, and police began investigating the death as a homicide. Over time, SJCSO detectives, Texas Rangers, Houston Police, Homeland Security and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.

The arrest involved a tactical team because it was believed that the two men were most likely to be armed, Sharpen said.

The case remains under investigation; however, Sharpen said the crime appears to be drug-related.

According to reports, on April 22, at approximately 4:30 p.m., the SJCSO received a call about an unresponsive male laying in the ditch, about two miles down Forest Service Road 201 from FM 1725 in the Cleveland area, deep inside the National Forest.

Deputies arrived and found the victim, who had been shot one time in the head, and then immediately notified the SJCSO Detective Division.

Smith has been charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse. He is being held on a $1 million bond.

MUGSHOT Misael Ortuno Gomez Jr.

WILLIS — A Willis man was seriously injured after being shot three times in the stomach on Wednesday, and a suspect in in custody on a charge of aggravated assault.

Misael Ortuno Gomez Jr. is being held in the San Jacinto County Jail on a $100,000.00 bond after being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to SJCO reports, on April 21 at about 5 p.m., deputies were notified about a shooting in the 100 block of Foxfire Lane in Willis. The victim was shot three times in the midsection of his body.

Law enforcement personnel immediately began lifesaving procedures, along with the Bear Creek Fire Department firefighters and EMS crews. The victim was then taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital where he went into surgery and was listed in stable condition.

The report states that further investigation revealed the name of the suspect, who had fled back into the house at the original address and barricaded himself in.

The suspect reportedly was heavily armed, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, its 30-man SWAT Team, a robot, Bomb Squad, and two drones were sent to the scene.

Officers began a search of the area, which was about eight to 10 acres large with outbuildings and houses; however, the suspect had fled out the back door of the house, the report states. He was arrested Thursday without incident.

MUGSHOT Blake Ellery Partain

APPLE SPRINGS — A Kennard man was arrested Sunday for a one-vehicle crash that left a woman dead.

Blake Ellery Partain, 29, is facing a charge of intoxication manslaughter in connection with the death of Chelsea McBride, 29.

According to reports from the Department of Public Safety, troopers were notified of a one-vehicle crash on FM 357, about 2 ½ miles north of Apple Springs.

The preliminary crash investigation indicates at about 2 a.m., a 2009 Dodge pickup, reportedly driven by Partain, was traveling north at an unsafe speed when the driver drove off the roadway to the right, then crossed back over the roadway and struck a tree. The pickup then caught on fire.

McBride was pronounced deceased at the scene by a Trinity County Justice of the Peace, the report states.

During the investigation, Partain was determined to be intoxicated and taken into custody, the report states.

This crash remains under investigation.

COURTESY PHOTO Family honors former volunteer by providing produce to the community.

LIVINGSTON— Former Center of Hope volunteer Patsy Wilson would have been pleased to see families in need receiving bags of oranges during the holidays.

Patsy's family decided to honor her after she passed Sunday. They are providing many in the area with one of her favorite memories.

"Growing up in Tyler, her favorite thing at Christmas time was she would get an orange," Patsy’s daughter-in-law Leigh Wilson said. "It was outside the means of her family's budget, but it was always their treasure at Christmas. She loved it and would always bring Cuties over here (to Center of Hope) at Christmas time."

The family decided to buy as many of the small oranges as possible, bringing them to Center of Hope for families to enjoy. They purchased 112 bags of Cuties from Walmart and 3,024 candy canes.

"We were actually thinking that maybe we would work with the Center of Hope and start an annual citrus drive for the mission Christmas time — the Patsy Wilson Citrus Drive," Leigh said.

Patsy retired in 2003 and volunteered at Center of Hope. She was part of move to the center's current location and is remembered as a compassionate person who helped others. Always involved in the community, her focus was preventing childhood hunger and spreading joy. 

The family is asking that all expressions of sympathy for Patsy be sent to the Center of Hope to continue her legacy. They are challenging all who are able to help during the holidays.

"She had a heart for single parents struggling to feed their babies," daughter LaJuana Lattimore said of Patsy. "She made sure that every mother that needed food for her babies got it."

Patsy worked in food service in the Humble Independent School District for 37 years. She was a dietitian and constructed menus for school children.

"This is the way that we are expressing our grief for her, because this would just freak her out," Leigh said. "She would be like a kid in a candy store."

For families to receive donations by Christmas, the Center of Hope is asking that blessings of food or funds are submitted as soon as possible. The center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays 1-3:30 p.m.

Those hoping to submit produce are encouraged drop off items at 12:30 p.m. for 1 p.m. distributions. Center of Hope serves approximately 100 families on each of the two days per week.

The center is located at 600 South Washington in Livingston and may be reached at 936-327-7634.

COURTESY PHOTO Patsy Wilson

MUGSHOT Sandy Lynne Sweet

Two suspects are behind bars after Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives and deputies conducted a drug sting on Sunday.

PCSO narcotics division detectives and patrol deputies arrived at a residence on Boatdock Street in the scenic loop area to conduct an investigation into the possession of illegal narcotics. Detectives had received numerous tips in reference to the high traffic volumes and the belief of narcotics transactions taking place at the residence.

MUGSHOT Rick Edward Rule

Detectives have been conducting a lengthy investigation into this residence due to the narcotics tips. While on scene, deputies identified Rick Edward Rule, 56, and Sandy Lynne Sweet, 58, inside the residence.

During the investigation, probable cause was established for the search of the residence and a search warrant was obtained. A search of the residence revealed several firearms, methamphetamine, a large amount of what is believed to be heroin and fentanyl, as well as items used to ingest and distribute the narcotics.

It was known to detectives that Rule was a convicted felon still out on parole and due to this fact, Rule was not legally allowed to possess firearms. Rule and Sweet were both charged with manufacture and delivery of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl, and Rule was additionally charged with tampering with evidence and four charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by felon.