News

The Northeast Texas Community College Learning Resource Center (LRC) and Culinary Arts School will host their second annual Edible Book Contest on Tuesday, April 1. This event challenges participants to depict a favorite book through edible art. The contest is open to the general public and all experience levels are welcome.

Contest entries are available online at www.ntcc.edu/ediblebooks. These should be returned to the LRC by Monday, March 31. While there is no cost to enter, late entries (day of) will be charged a fee of $2. Entries should be presented for judging at the LRC (center of main NTCC campus)between 10:00-10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1. Edible books will be on display and winners will be announced at 1 p.m. Winners do not have to be present at the ceremony to win.

Northeast Texas Community College will host a job fair on Thursday, March 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Union Building (SUB) on the main NTCC campus. 

The event is free to the public. More than a dozen local and regional employers will be in attendance.

“We realize that the job market is tough right now. We are offering this fair as an opportunity for job seekers to get face time with area hiring managers,” Alex Ortega, NTCC Advisor/Recruiting Specialist, said. “We have had good success with these events in the past and we generally end up having between 20 and 30 local employers represented.”

After a one-year break, Bricks and Bloom will again usher in Spring on the downtown brick streets of Gladewater. 

The lawn and garden show, sponsored by the Gladewater Mirror Newspaper, will bring flower and plant vendors, as well as advice and tips from area Master Gardeners, together in one place Saturday, March 22, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on East Pacific Avenue.

“We received a lot of calls asking if Bricks and Bloom would be held this year and when we found out it had no sponsor, we decided to sponsor the event ourselves,” said Mirror publisher Jim Bardwell. “It was a great success two years ago. We are providing the venue downtown for all the vendors and we hope this will become an annual event for Gladewater.”

 

To read more, see our online edition at: http://www.etypeservices.com/Pittsburg%20GazetteID315/

By Jana Logan

 

Voting was light in Tuesday’s primary elections.  Bad weather could contribute to only 17 percent of the 7,077 registered voters casting ballots, with early voting accounting for over half of the registered votes.

The upset of the election was local businessman Steve Lindley defeating third term incumbent Vernon Griffin for County Commissioner for Precinct 4.  

“I plan to be a good steward of the taxpayers’ money,” Mr. Lindley said. “Decisions make in Commissioners’ Court are important to our county and I will represent my precinct to the best of my ability.”

Mr. Lindley received 60 percent of the votes, for a total of 214, while Mr. Griffin received 121 of the ballots cast.  Also on the ballot was Brian Wall, who received 21 votes.

In other contested local races, incumbent Teresa Bockmon, who took office in 2011, won with 807 votes over Melisa D. Tidball’s 177. 

 

By Jeremy Weber

jweber@campcountynow.com

 

Pittsburg Fire and Rescue now has a new instructor as career firefighter Mark Davis recently completed state training. Mr. Davis is now certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection as a Level I and Level II Fire Emergency Services Instructor. 

The training was completed online through Fire In Texas, the same company that provides instructor training for Kilgore College. In addition to online classes, Mr. Davis attended a skills day where he presented a lesson plan and was graded on his teaching skills.

“We currently have Christopher Osthoff as our Level II instructor, but he has indicated that he will be retiring in a few years. I indicated that I was interested in stepping up to take on that role,” Davis said. “Having both of us trained will make for a seamless transition when he retires.”

 

By Jeremy Weber

jweber@campcountynow.com

 

An important change is coming to the Pittsburg ISD schedule beginning this fall. During the regular February board meeting last Monday, the PISD Board of Trustees approved moving to a nine-week grading period over the current six-week format.

Deputy Superintendent Beth Anne Dunavant presented a report to the board on why this move is necessary. She said that the fall semester is longer than the spring semester, which means that the number of class days do not even out under the six-week grading period.

Jonathan Hill, Pittsburg High School Principal, said he thinks the new grading period “will present some new opportunities to the students and staff of PHS.”

 

By Jana Logan

The Camp County Commissioners met March 10 to proclaim Poison Prevention Week, approve sale of surplus equipment, approve authorization of grant and approve 2013 Financial Reports for the year ending 2013.

In attendance at the meeting were County Judge Thomas Cravey, Commissioner Precinct 1 Bart Townsend, Commissioner Precinct 2 Steve Hudnall, Commissioner Precinct 3 L. H. Calhoun Henderson, Commissioner Precinct 4 Vernon Griffin and County Auditor Donald R. Porter.

A Proclamation was approved designating the week of March 16–22 as Poison Prevention Week in Camp County.  This has been an annual event in Camp County for the past 52 years.  It brings awareness to the causes and preventions of accidental poisonings.

 

To read more, see our online edition at http://www.etypeservices.com/Pittsburg%20GazetteID315/

Toby Cason, PA-C, has joined the ETMC First Physicians clinic in Pittsburg as an orthopedic specialist.

The East Texas native comes to ETMC from Texas Arthritis and Rheumatology Specialists in Tyler. He also serves as a physician assistant with the Texas Army National Guard, 136th Military Police Battalion in Tyler.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce and his master’s in physician assistant studies from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He also earned a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Texas at Tyler.

 Prior to becoming a physician assistant, Mr. Cason worked as an athletic trainer for a number of organizations, including a junior college, a Big Ten football team and a professional baseball team.

 

The Northeast Texas Community College Hanson-Sewell Center in Pittsburg is hosting an exciting travel-study opportunity this spring. The day trip, which will include a tour of Caddo Lake, lunch at Big Pine lodge and a stroll in downtown Jefferson is scheduled for Thursday, April  17. 

A chartered bus will leave the Hanson-Sewell Center (237 College Street in Pittsburg) at 10 a.m. The group will enjoy lunch at the Big Pines Lodge and Watering Hole in Karnack before heading to Caddo Lake. Later, participants will board The Graceful Ghost, a replica of an 1800’s era steamboat, to tour the unique scenery of Caddo Lake. The Graceful Ghost is the last known wood-burning, steam-powered, and stern paddle-wheel touring vessel in the world. A knowledgeable guide will provide guests with a colorful narration of the history of Caddo Lake and the surrounding areas. 

 

Keep Texas Beautiful and the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Don’t mess with Texas program are inviting students across the state to get creative about litter prevention. In an effort to promote positive litter habits among young Texans, the organizations partnered to launch the first Don’t mess with Texas Elementary School Art Contest.

All entries must be submitted by April 18, 2014. It is open to all Texas elementary school students enrolled in kindergarten through 5th grade. The contest is sponsored by H-E-B and Central Market, and students can submit artwork that promotes the Don’t mess with Texas and/or Keep Texas Beautiful litter prevention slogans in order to encourage the protection of our Texas roadways and environment. 

 

To read more, see our online edition at http://www.etypeservices.com/Pittsburg%20GazetteID315/