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  • Forestry company conducts lengthy controlled burn

                                   JASON CHLAPEK | PCE A controlled burn took place southwest of the Livingston city limits Thursday. The burn lasted from 9 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.

    By Jason Chlapek

    Clouds of smoke could be seen for miles Thursday afternoon.

    And no fire departments were called to the scene.

    That’s because it was a controlled burn.

    The controlled burn took place southwest of Livingston in the vicinity of Farm-to-Market Roads 350 and 3126.

    The project was conducted by Lone Star Forestry LLC out of Huntsville.

    “We had zero issues,” Joe Pfluger of Lone Star Forestry said. “We burned 320 acres and did another 360 acres in San Jacinto County on Friday."

    The prescribed burn began at 9 a.m. Thursday and was completely put out by 6:30 p.m.

    Lone Star Forestry services Grimes, Polk, San Jacinto and Walker counties, to name a few. Pfluger also said that the prescribed burns revolve around one thing.“It’s all about the weather,” he said. “Weather is our boss. We’re looking for the right weather conditions such as wind, wind speed, temperature, humidity, the fuel on the ground, homes, people, airports, funeral homes, anything you could think of that cause issues with smoke. We wouldn’t want to be blowing into the city limits or the homes around us. We get a bunch of blocks set up and we wait for the right conditions to do the burn.”

    Lone Star Forestry recently received some grant money from the US Forest Service to help fund controlled burns. Pfluger believes controlled burns are necessary.

    “This is something that people should want more of,” he said. “The biggest part of the prescribed burn is to prevent wildfires. Fire is something of nature and has been for thousands of years. It’s by all means a good thing.”

    The irony behind prescribed burns is that they can reduce wild fires.

    “Prescribed burns reduce the fuel that’s out there,” Pfluger said. “Every year, pine straw and leaves fall and they accumulate. They’re tender blocks waiting to be lit. If we can keep a burn schedule of 2-3 years, we can eliminate the fuel. You’re also protecting the timber investment. It also enhances wildlife habitat and we want to get the woods back to their native state. You want to drive through the woods and see a grassy meadow underneath the trees. If it’s a controlled burn, it’s a good thing.”

  • Tyler County cross-country runners place at Regional meet

    11JASON CHLAPEK | PCPC Spurger Pirates Colton Fredieu and Luis Jimenez cross the finish line.

    BY CHRIS EDWARDS

    HUNTSVILLE – Tyler County was well-represented at the UIL Region 3 Cross-Country Regional Meet.

    The meet, for the 2A through 6A conference schools, was held Nov. 9-10 in Huntsville at Sam Houston State University, and found teams from Spurger; Colmesneil; Warren and Woodville competing in the 2A and 3A events, respectively.

    For the Spurger Pirates, the boys placed in eighth, overall, with 223 points.

    In the girls’ two-mile run, Katy Curry came in 55th place with a time of 15:36.60 and Jillian Leasman placed at 111th with a time of 18:34.50.

    The boys had six runners compete in the three-mile run. Jose Jimenez placed at 24th with a time of 19:26.80. Luis Molina Jimenez came in 53rd place, with a time of 20:26.70, and Colton Fredieu came in right behind at 54th with the same time. Nicholas Wilson got a 65th place finish with a time of 21:12.20; Bryce Oseguera got the 100th place finish with 25:01.80 and Coby Anthony got the 104th place with 25:32.90 on the clock.

    The Colmesneil Bulldogs’ cross-country runners put a team of six girls in the two-mile run and Treston Horton running in the boys’ three-mile event. Horton placed 66th with a time of 21:20.20.

    For the girls, Katherine Vargas-Martine placed 18th, with 14:39.40; Alyssa Mabry came in 37th with 15:04.70; Bernice Pittman placed 87th with 16:47.30. Erin Frazier got 97th place with a 17:05.20; Karen Vargas-Martinez got 113th with 18:41.20 and Katelyne Guerrero placed 115th with a time of 18:48.

    The Warren Warriors cross-country boys had a team consisting of Jerrod Yeagin (#42, 18:21.70); Eli Carrell (#105, 20:46.40); Arturo Bustamante (#118, 21:26.50); Jonathan Lee (#126, 22:02.80); Jerry Don Brinkley (#133, 23:01.30); Juan Lianes (#137, 23:45.90) and Corley Dilbeck (#138, 24:03.70.) They placed 15th in the three-mile event with a total of 378 points.

    Abby Carroll from Warren also ran in the 3A girls’ two-mile run and finished 24th with a time of 13:57.70.

    The Woodville Eagles were represented in the 3A girls’ two-mile run with a ninth-place finish for a team of seven Lady Eagle runners.

    Here are the results for Woodville individual runners at the meet: Kristina Nash (#60, 14:55.50); Brittany Lilley (#63, 15:00.30); Raegan Frantz (#71, 15:23.30); Ryleigh Stewart (#85, 15:23.30); Aubrianna Torres (#96, 15:50.40); Ashley Davis (#118, 16:35.30) and Kenadi Frauenberger (#129, 17:28.20.) The Lady Eagle runners accumulated a combined 258 points.