This document summarizes several stories from the Trinity Standard newspaper. It describes an adoptable dog named Sassy available from Paws of Trinity County animal shelter. It also summarizes the results of the 4-H shooting competition and cook-off, naming the winning teams. Finally, it provides a brief overview of items discussed at the Trinity County Commissioners Court meeting, including ambulance contracts, speed limit signs, and grant project updates.

1. CMYK
PAGE 8A • TRINITY STANDARD • THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015
from page 1ACity
This is Sassy. She’s a Beagle mix. She has received her shots
and been wormed. She’s a very sweet, social 6-8 month old girl.
If you are interested in Sassy, please come by Paws of Trinity
County and check her out!
Paws of Trinity County is a 501c3 non profit. They accept strays/
owner surrenders when space is available. Please call first before
bringing an animal to Paws.
For more information on adopting an animal from Paws, visit
their Facebook page, Paws of Trinity County or call 936-594-
5570
(Photo Source: Paws of Trinity County)
4-H from page 1A
Cookoff from page 1A
What’s Cooking has
participated in the cookoff since
its inception, helmed by Don
Arnold, who passed away last
year. His wife Brenda, and her
helpers Savannah and Rosann
Joslin, participated in his honor.
Kickapoo Pit Crew, consisting
of Joe Ned Dean, Keith
Thornton, Marcus White,
and Danny Stanfield, also
participated but didn’t place.
Next year, if all goes well, the
VFW plans to add a second prize
money pot.
Gibson announced plans
to solicit donations from the
community to put together a
$1000 prize for the team that
collects the most points.
“Each team will earn points
towards a cumulative score,”
Gibson said. “For example, there
was a team that didn’t participate
in the beans category. Under
next year’s rules, they would
have started with a 30 point
deficit.”
The goal for the VFW is to
raise $1000, but the amount may
be less next year.
The cookoff also features the
lowest entry fees for this type
of contest.
For pictures of the winning
teams, see B1.
The top three highest scoring
Senior teams have the opportu-
nity to participate in the state
competition, which is being held
in Rosenberg this June during
the State 4-H Round-Up.
The County Extension Agent,
Armon Hewitt, was on hand at
the competition and scored the
targets.
The Trinity County Senior
teams placed second and third
at the district match so they will
go to the state competition this
June to compete against other
state clubs. There are usually
35+ teams and over 100 shooters
competing at the state competi-
tion.
This year’s Trinity County
team members advancing to
state are: Sean Luis, Jacob
Hoelewyn, Kaylee McClintock,
Hannah Dial and Colby Ebarb
from the Groveton community;
Hunter Thompson and Parker
Hay from the Trinity Commu-
nity; and Dustin Pickle from
Apple Springs. Participants have
the opportunity to win scholar-
ships for their shooting skills.
Volunteers that would like to
assist in the shooting competi-
tions must take a three day 4-H
shooting sports coaches train-
ing session. Trinity County has
a dedicated group of volunteers
that have been through the
course and spend many hours
assisting and overseeing the
young shooters and their safety
skills.
Trinity County also has teams
from the Groveton 4-H Club
competing in the State Forestry
contest this week and two teams
competing in the state wildlife
contest in May. They will have
three teams competing at the
multi county livestock judging
contest at Texas A&M on April
25 and nine members compet-
ing in the District 5 Roundup at
SFA in the Fashion Show, Duct
Tape Design contest and Duds
to Dazzle Contest.
For pictures of the winners,
see B2.
Court from page 1A
In other business addressed
by the commissioners, con-
tracts were ratified for the two
ambulance service providers in
the county, with an exclusive
911 contract being awarded to
Ventura EMS by the county and
an exclusive service contract be-
tween the county and Groveton
EMS awarded for the assistance
of $1,000 per month. Each con-
tract came after discussions and
collaboration between Trinity
County Judge Doug Page and
the respective services’ own-
ers, Keith Shelley and David
Robison.
A public hearing was set for
the date of May 11 to establish
a speed limit, install speed limit
signs, weight load limit signs
and other types of signs in the
Lake “L” Estates subdivision.
During the discussion, Smith
asked County Attorney Joe Bell
about the legality of 4-wheelers
being driven on county roads, an
issue that the other three com-
missioners concurred was also
a problem in their respective
precincts. According to Bell,
4-wheelers were allowed to
cross the roads, but not on the
roadways.
County Auditor Sheila John-
son gave the commissioners the
quarterly report for the county’s
fee-collecting offices and the
monthly expense report.Accord-
ing to Johnson, Trinity County’s
income is at 91% overall for tax-
es and the general fund’s income
is at 86% while expenses are at
50% for the month of March,
figures she said were “really
good”.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Rich
Chamberlin gave updates for the
road improvement projects fund-
ed with monies from the CETRZ
and Hurricane Ike 2.2 grants. He
said that out of 17 roads slated to
receive loads of rock in Precinct
2, only two remained. He said
that weather permitting, the re-
maining few loads of rock would
be delivered. Judge Page also
gave an update on the water tow-
er project in Trinity, on which
construction of the structure will
begin next week.
In other business, pauper fu-
neral applications were reviewed
on behalf of Carl Kappel and
Leslie Hughes Dunlap. Dunlap’s
was approved, while Judge Page
said he would look further into
Kappel’s.
Bro. Jack McMahon of First
United Methodist Church of
Groveton gave the invocation
to begin the meeting and also
spoke during the public forum
portion. He thanked the commis-
sioners for their involvement in
the Davy Crockett Bear Chase
Marathon, which took place last
weekend. He called the event
a “rousing success,” despite a
near-certain forecast of inclem-
ent weather.
With several grant projects
in place during the fiscal year,
the general fund construction
in progress increased by $1.5
million. The budget to actual
comparison for the general
fund showing the city’s total
expenditures were within the
budget by $77,000.
Resolution #15-0004
Doug McCormick, a
representative of Entergy, went
before the council to speak about
how customer load growth in
industrial, commercial, and
residential sectors in Texas and
the South has created a need for
Entergy and three other non-
ERCOT electric utilities to look
for ways to meet the growing
demand.
McCormick explained “non-
ERCOT” as being the name of
the electric grid that covers 90%
of Texas that all the utilities on
that bid went into competition
several years ago. Entergy Texas
will need an additional 2,000
megawatts by the end of 2016
and 8,000 megawatts by 2025.
The current lag time between
the infrastructure being put in
place and when the utility can
begin to recover the expense is
too long.
Two bills in the Texas House
and Senate, SB 841 and HB
1535, will better synchronize
this timing issue, making
modifications to the Public
Utilities Regulatory Act, which
regulates those few utilities
still under the Public Utility
Commission of Texas.
The bill will reduce the
time between construction
and recovery, allow for faster
development of needed
infrastructure in non-ERCOT
areas, allow for better financing
terms and fewer expensive
rate cases, support economic
development by timely meeting
customers’ needs for services
and put non-ERCOT utilities on
a more even playing field with
the ERCOT utilities.
Resolution #15-0004
supporting the House and Senate
bills was passed by the Council.
Other Business:
• Received a report from City
Administrator Jo Bitner on
the monthly funds as of
April 9, which amounts to
$792,823.46
• Appointed Susan Madeley
Stevenson, Jessica Parrish,
and LaRuth Gates to
replace Selam Rippey, Polly
Simmons and Marty Shaw
at the Blanche K. Werner
Library Commission.
• Received a report and a
Certificate of Appreciation
from the Trinity Lions Club
for their help with the Gun
Show in March.
• Approved a motion to
prohibit food and drinks in
the Council Chambers
• Approved a Proclamation
for National Day of Prayer
• Received a report from
Kenneth Newton on the
DETCOG meeting he
attended in March
• Approved Ventura EMS’
request to construct a
radio antenna on top of the
water tower for better EMS
communications
• Received a report on the
water tower construction
from City Administrator
Jo Bitner
Brooke Ross, director of Social Services at Avalon Place, was
recognized as well as other social service workers for Social
Worker Month in March. She works daily to help residents and
families cope with problems in their everyday lives.
(Photo Source: Avalon Place)
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