A 74-year-old man from Hawkins was critically injured the afternoon of Wednesday, March 20, when his pickup collided with a semi tractor-trailer at the intersection of Loop 564 and FM 1254 near … more

Wood County Crime Stoppers announces its new board officers: President Vanessa Blackwell, Vice President Greg Hollen, Secretary Silvia M. Reyes and Treasurer Cindy Dunsworth. Crime Stoppers … more

Contracts were extended to three top Yantis school officials Monday. The school board unanimously voted to retain business manager Belinda Brown for another year and dean of student services Janan … more

Quitman ISD trustees on Monday approved the purchase of a 2019 Ford F-350 pickup for the agriculture department. The truck will be purchased from Brian Toliver Ford of Quitman at a cost of $46,383. … more

Registration is under way for men and women golfers to play in an area-wide golf tournament April 9 at the Holly Lake Ranch golf course, starting at 11:30 a.m. Players may sign up in the church … more

The Alba-Golden school board on Monday decided to take bond options for school improvements to the public. The issue was not listed as an item on the regular board meeting agenda but stemmed from a statement by Superintendent Dwayne Ellis and subsequent discussion. The manner and timing of public disclosure and debate is yet to be determined.

Describing how initial serious discussions regarding the present school infrastructure needs began in 2010, Ellis commented, “At some point we must decide: Is this the project we want done? The board needs to instruct me on requirements. I need to hear from everyone. This must be a board decision.”

A lively discussion ensued... more

Discussion Monday night among MISD trustees suggests a majority of board members support hosting a regional Career and Technical Education (CTE) hub in Mineola. The question boils down to how to fund its construction.

Mark Parkerson, the district’s director of special programs, told the board that he believes MISD would need to pitch in $1.5 million to $2 million to bring the project to fruition.

Mineola’s CTE program is expanding as more and more students opt for career training classes. According to Parkerson, 85 students will take industry certification exams this spring. He expects that number to grow to 160 next year. Further, 869 seats are filled in CTE courses this spring, up about 20 from the fall semester. School districts in Lindale, Grand Saline, Alba-Golden and Yantis have expressed interest in joining a regional CTE hub. Also, Sanderson Farms and Morton Salt have shown interest in utilizing a CTE hub for employee training. more

If Mineola ISD is to develop a $4 million to $5 million regional hub for Career and Technical Education (CTE), the time to do so is now, say proponents of such a project.

The point of a CTE hub is to train young people to meet the needs of the workplace while lifting wages and promoting the overall economic wellbeing of this region of Texas. The Mineola Foundation, a stalwart supporter of CTE, believes skills training can play a vital role toward that end.

Already, the school district has secured a $258,000 Texas Workforce Commission grant for welding equipment and a pledge of $500,000 from the Mineola Economic Development Corp. It intends to seek additional grant funding from the federal government and is pursuing a $636,000 Texas Education Agency grant for HVAC education and training. School districts in Grand Saline, Lindale, Yantis and Alba-Golden have signaled interest in sending students to a regional CTE hub, and two potential sites have been identified. Morton Salt and Sanderson Farms from the private sector are on board, as is Tyler Junior College, which would work in tandem with the MISD to staff the center, according to the project’s backers. more

For Mike Holbrook, a group of local high school students literally brings music to his ears – his and many more.

Those 12 kids from Mineola, four from Quitman, two from Sulphur Springs and one from Harmony display the skills demanded by Lake Country Symphonic Band’s repertoire of concertos, suites, marches, show tunes, pop songs and variations of well-known classics.

“The kids who are playing with us – for their age group – are on top of their game,” said Holbrook, director of the Lake Country Symphonic Band. more