NETX Crossroads February 2023

ROSSROADS

Hot Link Heritage

Celebrate 100 years of Texas State Parks at local venues

By TONI WALKER, page 16

By RYLEIGH STEGALL, page 32

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Bowie County man uses YouTube channel to be a fisher of fish and a fisher of men

By TONY BASSO

Following his passion for fishing, New Boston native, Caleb Hensley, has seen much success on his YouTube channel, 903 Fishing.

“The reason why I started the channel is to help fishermen catch crappie, more crappie,” said Hensley. “I also do a little bit of other fishing as well, but the main reason why I started it is just to spread my love and joy for fishing to other people that maybe can’t go fishing.”

“I’ve had quite a few disabled people that say that they can’t go fishing so they live their fishing through my videos,” said Hensley. “But I also try to provide crappie fishing tips and tricks for those who watch to learn.”

“The old school crappie fishing is what I’m known for,” said Hensley.  “Minimal electronics, not the big fancy live scope and all that stuff.”

“Now I will fish with it on occasion, but the average fishermen cannot afford those types of things and neither can I,” said Hensley.  “My channel is for beginning, intermediate and advanced fishermen.”

“I think all three of those types of fishermen can learn something from my channel,” said Hensley.

Hensley and 903 Fishing recently landed a whopper -  40,000 YouTube subscribers.

“From what I have heard from YouTubers that have been doing this for quite a while, they said that I am doing extremely well,” said Hensley. “Two and a half years on the channel and just hit 40,000.”

“We are on the road to 50,000 subscribers,” said Hensley. “That’s my new goal right now.”

“That’s the motto that we have on the channel is ‘Road to 50 K’, and I’m excited to see how we continue to grow,” said Hensley. “I would like to hit a hundred thousand subscribers.”     “That’s a big milestone on YouTube,” said Hensley. “I just want people to learn.”

Hensley says his lifelong love of fishing is somewhat of a family tradition.

“I grew up fishing on Wright Patman,” said Hensley. “The spillway is where probably the very first couple memories that I have of fishing came from.”

“I was probably four or five years old and my dad took me out there, his dad started taking him out there around that same age,” said Hensley. “We moved from New Boston to Malta in the country, and we had several ponds out there around us.”

“I would just leave at daylight in the summertime and my folks wouldn’t see me till dark because I’d be pond hopping just doing any type of fishing that I could around in the country.”

Hensley gives the credit for his success as a YouTube fisherman to God.

“My channel is a Christian based channel and I really stress the fact that I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if it wasn’t for the Lord,” said Hensley. “I do live shows every Sunday, and I take prayer requests there and I’ve really seen the power of prayer work through my channel.”

“In my videos at the very end, I always say, God bless, and I really mean that,” said Hensley. “I think God triggered me to do this to help spread the word.”

“I also have on my boat a Bible verse, Matthew 4:19, Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men,” said Hensley. “I honestly think this is the way that God is letting me spread the word about him as well.”

Hensley has even been able to reel in a few sponsors for his YouTube channel.

“I am sponsored by ACC Crappie Stix and I honestly believe that they’re the best crappie fishing rod on the market,” said Hensley. “I’m also sponsored by Runcl and I use their fishing gloves, tackle boxes and sunglasses.”

“I’m also sponsored by a local mechanic in Tyler, Texas Matt Rowan at In and Out Power Sports,” said Henley. “I just recently partnered with Slab City Jigs out of Granger, TX.”

“We have come up with the Signature 903 Fishing Jig Series,” said Hensley. “They are available at slabcityjigs.com in kits or individual packs.”

“I also want to thank my sponsors as they are a part of my success,” said Hensley.

You can watch Hensley on the water at 903 Fishing on YouTube. 903 Fishing can also be found on Facebook and Instagram @_903fishing_ and TikTok @903fishing.

Ruby+Begonia

A project of healing and hope in Mount Pleasant

By RYLEIGH STEGALL

Candles, wax melts, body scrubs, beard oil, room sprays, and so much more than we can even think of. Ruby + Begonia is a store that the minute you walk in you are greeted with love and open arms.

Ruby + Begonia started as a need for an outlet to help fill the void in owner Sabrina Vaseleck’s heart after her mother’s passing. She craved a way to help her with the grieving process; in a positive pursuit to guide her days and a way to distract her brain at night. She needed something to pour into, just the way her mother poured into her.

She says, “In a tiny farmhouse in Fredericksburg, TX, snuggled alone in a warm, cozy blanket, tears flowing, candles all lit throughout the room, and books about the art of candles and soap-making in my lap... the idea for my company was born.”

When Sabrina’s’ mother was going through chemotherapy she couldn’t tolerate all of the big brand candles, plug-ins, and body products that Sabrina used in her home. She was already so incredibly sick, and they seemed to just make her worse. After doing some research and discovering all of the chemicals and toxins in everything… she threw everything out.

She then started experimenting with making her own, cleaner products in hopes that her mom could handle them. She made her very first candle and organic soap just before her moms’ death which was only six months after her diagnosis.

They all called her mom “Ruby Begonia.” Since she had always wanted to be named after a jewel or a flower and somehow Ruby Begonia just stuck. When trying to honor her mother she couldn’t imagine a better fit than her nickname for her little company. With her in mind, Sabrina wanted her company to match her moms’ heart. She wanted her shop to signify grace, kindness, humor, lots

of color, warmth, authenticity, and all the little good things that bring us the simple joys in life.

Her products are made from only the highest quality ingredients, such as hand-poured candles, whipped soaps and sugar scrubs, room and body sprays, bath bombs, shower steamers, and so much more. Each product is handcrafted, and a piece of her heart is put into every single item on her shelves.

While she is still learning to hone her craft, she hopes to share her journey with this incredible community as time goes on.

Sabrinas’ mom, Pat Boykin, fought an incurable, extremely rare form of cancer, with grace and beauty, until the very end and she just want to bring something beautiful, like her, into people’s homes.

Sabrina states, “I’m so grateful to everyone for being so amazingly supportive in the last year since I opened. I feel like everyone that steps foot in my store is a part of our story; following along in a project of healing and hope. And for those of you who haven’t visited yet…I can’t wait for you to fall in love with all things Ruby + Begonia the same way that I have.”

Sabrina Vaseleck, the maker behind all of the amazing work, is truly an inspiration. While having to cope with the loss of her mom she created something beautiful and shared her amazing talent with all of Mount Pleasant. Her shop is located on North Madison Street across from Sugar Emporium and beside Norma’s Beauty Salon. She is open Wednesdays-Fridays from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm and on Saturdays from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm. Make sure to stop by so you can be amazed by all of what she’s created.

Sabrina Vaseleck with her momma, Pat Boykin, whose battle with cancer became the inspiration for Ruby & Begonia.

Hot Link Heritage

Popular festival returns to downtown Pittsburg featuring birthday celebration, cookoff

Staff Report

Get ready for the return of the annual Texas Hot Link Festival to downtown Pittsburg April 29 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The 10-hour, jam-packed event brings together the best of live music, rich cultural heritage and great food to satisfy almost any tastebud. This year’s festival will also include a centennial birthday celebration honoring Camp County legend and race car driver/designer Carroll Shelby. Featuring a spectacular display of cars both past and present, a world-class chili cook off will also pay tribute to Shelby, who would have turned 100 on Jan. 11. Shelby, who died in 2012, was born just west of Pittsburg in Leesburg.

The festival, which started in 2019, celebrates Pittsburg’s unique distinction as the Hot Link Capital of Texas. The Pittsburg-based event attracts hundreds of hot link loyalists and diehard foodies and offers cooking competitions using not only namesake ingredients, but also dishes made with sausage and chicken as well as other cultural cuisines, desserts and now chili.

At first glance, combining the legacy of a car design genius with a food competition featuring chili might seem the most unlikely paring. But Shelby actually co-hosted a chili competition himself in 1967 and gained national notoriety for helping to make the dish famous in the Lone Star State. At Shelby’s sprawling property in the Big Bend area, the first known World Championship Chili Cook Off took place in the small town of Terlingua. A few years later, Shelby formally co-founded the International Chili Society (ICS).

This year’s Shelby-inspired competition will be sanctioned by the Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) which today oversees nearly 400 domestic and international cookoffs and raises $1 million annually for charity. Winners at the Pittsburg event will receive points to qualify for the 56th Annual Terlingua International Chili Championship which is presented by CASI the first Saturday in November each year. Festival creator and hot link historian Sabin Warrick is excited to add the chili competition to this year’s lineup of unique experiences.

“Carroll Shelby is an international icon and most of the world doesn’t know he was born in Camp County, Warrick said. “The Texas Hot Link Festival is honored to get to share in the celebration of Carroll Shelby’s 100th birthday by featuring activities during the festival that are directly connected to his legacy.”

Car enthusiasts will also be treated to “horsepower heaven” with a host of Shelby Cobra cars and other classics on full display at the festival.

“Carroll Shelby was born in 1923 when hot links were taking off in this community,” Warrick said. “ I’m not sure if Carroll ever ate hot links, but I’m pretty sure he was aware of its existence and local popularity. Carroll moved to Dallas and created a whole new identity for himself by racing cars. His persona reflected his rural heritage with his kind, country-boy smile and magnetic personality. Along the way, he built some great cars with Ford and others, raced against the greatest cars in the world (and won) and was the creator of some revolutionary ideas in the auto industry. In his later years, he came back to Camp County because he felt he had more in common with the people here than any other place on the globe.”

In addition to birthday celebration activities throughout the day, much of the downtown, main street area will also be transformed into zones of activity and entertainment. Food and craft vendors will set up shop to sell a variety of culinary eats and treats as well as one-of-akind merchandise and artwork in the Artisan’s Alley area. Festival goers will enjoy all-day, live music and entertainment on the Century 21 Premier Group Main Stage. Fresh produce

At left, Warrick’s Hot Links owner Gene Warrick is joined by his son Sabin Warrick in the restaurant in the early 1970s.

and other unique, locally-grown products will also be sold inside the Pilgrim’s Farmers Market area. Load Trail’s Man Cave will feature the latest in heavy-duty trailers and other outdoor equipment and provide a place to unwind. Kids and the kids at heart will also have plenty of games and attractions to enjoy while hanging out in the UT Health-Pittsburg Mini Link Zone.

“The purpose of the Texas Hot Link Festival is to celebrate our hot link heritage in Pittsburg, Texas which dates back to 1897,” Warrick explained. “There are numerous families who lived out this hot link journey over the century. Images are clear to me of white meat aprons, number 3 wash tubs and hand crank stuffers. I can remember community cracker boxes, butcher paper on grease and latent masonite tables cleaned with lye soap.”

Warrick’s family has a direct connection to the delicacy which was first brought to Pittsburg by German descendant Charles Hasselback in the late 1800s. Now a trademarked, internationally-recognized brand, the Warricks first made their mark selling hot links in the 1940s. By 1960, the E.B. Warrick Hot Links business, then located at 156 Marshall St, was born. In 1962, Gene Warrick, Sabin’s father, opened Warrick’s Hot Links and later it became what is today the Pittsburg Hot Link Restaurant.

“Saturdays in downtown were bustling with business when the wagons came to town...to eat hot links four for a nickel, watch a movie and buy some candy,” Warrick said. “We don’t need to lose our history. We need to celebrate it.”

Help continue the tradition and join the celebration in downtown Pittsburg Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m.to 8 p.m. To sign up for cooking competitions, as a food or crafts vendor or an event sponsor, go to www.TexasHotLinkFestival.com.

Dillinger’s 4D Fishing embodies

Faith, Family, Fishing

By TIM EMMONS

Vision and passion are key when you start your own business.

Add faith in Jesus and helping others, and you have one of the most successful molds in business representation.

Mike Dillinger adheres to this mold as he displays his passion for Jesus, his family, fishing, his fishing business, helping kids in the classroom and helping kids in general on a daily basis.

Dillinger has lived in Cass County for most of his life. He graduated from Atlanta High School in 1994 and graduated from Tarleton State University in 1999.

He is involved in volunteer work with youth of all ages and is currently the Director of the Alternative Education Center at Queen City ISD.

“I love working with the students in my building and helping them make better decisions,” Dillinger said. “I have been at Queen City for 7 years now.”

His children have picked up on his passions especially for fishing.

“As my oldest son was entering into Middle School he wanted to fish in tournaments. This led me to help start the fishing team at his school,” Dillinger remarked. “At that point I looked into purchasing a boat so I could spend more time with my boys and help them pursue their dreams. I have upgraded to a new Skeeter ZXR21 and we enjoy spending time on the water.”

“I’ve been fishing most of my life. I started off fishing in ponds on family land,” Dillinger added. “As my children continued to grow, they would go fishing with me. Fishing is peaceful and allows me to relax.”

Dillinger and friend, Michael Benson, started the Queen City Bass Fishing Association in January of 2017.

Since then, it has taken off and grown in popularity both locally and nationally.

“High School Fishing is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. What the youth choose to do today will shape what they become tomorrow,” Dillinger said. “Fishing is a lifelong sport that can give people an opportunity to participate at the high school level, collegiate level and professionally. Those of us who are not able to fish professionally can still enjoy local tournaments and opportunities to get out and experience our local fishing hole.”

At some point Dillinger decided to take his passion for fishing beyond the water and launch his own fishing lure production company.

“4D Fishing is a fishing lure production company named after the four Dillinger’s in my immediate family; my two sons Carson and Jackson, my late wife Karen and myself,” Dillinger stated. “4D Fishing started selling product on September 1, 2019.”

“4D Fishing offers a full line of hand tied custom jigs, spinnerbaits, buzz baits and custom poured soft plastics,” Dillinger remarked. “In addition to fishing lures we also have a line of fishing apparel. All of my products are made from the best materials with the greatest care.”

As is stated on its website “4D Fishing is dedicated to providing a high-quality fishing product, which is highlighted by quality Gamakatsu Jig Hooks, Heat Cured/Chip Resistant Powder Coated Paint Jobs and Hand Tied Jig Skirts.”

Aside from business, Dillinger started a youth fishing camp to help teach young anglers how to use up-to-date technology on the water, fishing techniques and much more.

“In July of 2021 I started “Fishin’ with Faith”. This is a youth fishing camp for students in grades 7-12,” Dillinger said. “This 3-day camp is designed to provide instruction on the latest and greatest fishing techniques and technology, along with talking to the student anglers about Jesus Christ.”

Mike Dillinger used his vision and passion for fishing and turned it into a successful business he named 4D Fishing.

“I decided to start this camp after much soul searching and reflection. Life throws each of us curve balls from time to time. In October of 2020 my wife Karen passed away from COVID-19,” Dillinger said. “Each of us has a choice when faced with adversity in life. I decided to help others using my passion for fishing and Jesus. This is my focus in the ventures that I enter or the paths that I walk down.”

In that first camp Dillinger lined out some motivational speakers and professionals to speak to the campers.

“There were great motivational speakers and professionals from the fishing world there to talk to the kids,” Dillinger added. “Guests of the camp included: Clay Dyer, Bobby Barrack, Brian Thomas, Chris Brasher, Jeff Gage, Cannon Bird, John Locke and Ron Riemar.”

In thought of his passions for both fishing and making lures Dillinger alludes to why he is hooked on both.

“I love throwing a Flippin Jig with an X-Craw trailer on a brush pile or a lay down. It is amazing to catch a fish on a lure that you created or designed,” he said. “I enjoy making fishing lures. It has become my passion and I enjoy sharing this passion with others.”

Being able to share his passions with others and with his passion set firmly in Jesus you can guarantee at some point Dillinger will hook more than fish as a fisher of men.

You can check out 4D Fishing on its website (https:// www.4dfishing.org), on its Facebook page or on Istagram (@4dfishing).

Veteran returns home to continue serving

By TONI WALKER

Many times, veterans return from duty looking for a way to continue serving others. Veteran Joe Austin, II, has returned home and is working to help those who, like him, have spent years serving their country.

Austin, a 1995 graduate of Daingerfield High School, spent over 18 years in the United States Air Force. He recently returned to Daingerfield after his father, an Army veteran, fell ill.

“My dad was really sick from Covid-19 in 2020,” Austin said. “He is an Army veteran and did a tour in Vietnam, so I knew he was tough. After his remarkable recovery, I decided to move closer to him to be able to cherish every day he’s still here. I refer to them as “bonus” days because at one point, the doctors did not expect him to survive.”

Austin and fiancé, Teleshia Coleman, opened a business in Daingerfield, Vault 101, where Austin was a real estate agent/broker, and Coleman operated a medical spa. But Austin continued looking for ways to serve his community. This is where Veterans Evaluations (VES) came in.

Veterans Evaluation Services is a company the Veterans Affairs (VA) uses to help veterans get their disability exams to qualify for or increase their VA benefits. Veterans Evaluation Services, a Maximus company, honors America’s Veterans and transitioning service members and supports them in the medical disability exam process. We provide high-quality, timely reports through fair and objective evaluations performed by trained professionals in a respectful and hospitable environment. They work with Veterans, providers, and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) to provide support in the medical disability claims process. We also provide medical disability exams for transitioning service members participating in the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) and Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) programs.

Austin and Coleman wanted to bring the service to Daingerfield in order to minimize travel for veterans in the immediate and surrounding communities. Teleshia Coleman, FNP-C leads the Nephrology & Family Practice Clinic at Titus Regional Medical Center in Mt Pleasant, and previously conducted VES evaluations throughout the state of Texas. She is no stranger to the process and detailed examinations that are involved with the veteran appointments. Austin and Coleman have worked to make their location at Vault 101 an approved VES facility and expect to have more providers on-site in the future which will allow them to expand their operating hours.

According to Austin, at their facility they will conduct examinations on veterans and send the reports with supporting documentation for VES and the VA

to make their determination concerning the veteran’s serviceconnected and new disability claims. The process is rather cut and dry, as veterans simply file their initial claim with the VA. The veteran can state that there is a VES location in Daingerfield they would like to use, and the VA will schedule the exams. Veterans do not have to live in Morris County to use the Daingerfield VES location. According to Austin, they already have both local veterans and those who travel for their services.

It is Austin’s goal that each veteran who chooses to use their VES location feels welcome.

“As a veteran, I truly thank each veteran for their service. I try to meet each veteran personally to say “hi” and make them feel welcome. Teleshia always has a smile and makes them feel comfortable,” Austin said. “We have had many veterans utilize our services, and as we grow, we hope we can assist even more veterans.”

Anyone with general questions with general questions regarding VES may call Austin at 430-226-8000 or 430-226-8001.

Joe Austin II and Teleshia Coleman are truly vested in Daingerfield and the surrounding areas. Joe is the Owner/Broker of Vault Realty assisting buyers/sellers in Northeast Texas, Dallas, and Houston. Teleshia is the owner of Tymeless Vault Medical Spa which provides many procedures such as Botox, Microneedling, IV Hydration, Fat Burning Injecting Shots, Massages, Facials, and Nail Services. Both businesses are in Vault 101 in Daingerfield where veterans are also seen for their appointments. These business owners truly have a heart for the community.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Celebrate 100 years of Texas State Parks at local venues

By TONI WALKER

State parks are always a good way to enjoy and commune with nature, as well as recovering from a stress-filled, everyday life. This year, there are 100 special reasons to enjoy any of the many local Texas State parks, as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department celebrates and commemorates the 100th Anniversary of Texas State Parks. Several of those parks can be found in Northeast Texas, making them an easy day trip or weekend get-away.

According to the TPWD website, began in 1923, when Governor Pat Neff persuaded the legislature to create the State Parks Board. He later regarded this action as his most important achievement as governor. In a 1925 speech, Neff notes that a parks system would afford a place where people “might go and forget the anxiety and strife and vexation of life’s daily grind.”

Since 1923, Texas State Parks has been dedicated to protecting the best parts of Texas’ vast natural and cultural beauty. Originally envisioned as a series of roadside stops for highway travelers, today the Texas State Park system has grown to a network of parks, historic sites and natural areas that welcome millions of visitors every year. In 1933, President Theodore Roosevelt charged the National Park Service to lend their services as part of his New Deal program. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), built our park infrastructure putting out-of-work Americans back on the

job. Texas State Parks transformed from a handful of undeveloped properties into a robust system of over fifty parks. Texans added camping, fishing, and hiking to their family traditions.

As mentioned, there are several state parks located in the East Texas area: Cooper Lake-South Sulphur Unit and Cooper Lake-Doctor’s Creek, both in Sulphur Springs; Lake Bob Sandlin, in Pittsburg; Daingerfield State Park, in Daingerfield; Atlanta State Park, in Atlanta; Caddo Lake, in Karnack; Martin Creek, in Longview; and Tyler State Park, in Tyler. Daingerfield, Caddo Lake, and Tyler were created by the CCC. These parks, along with others throughout the state, kicked off this hundredth anniversary year with first day hikes. Nearly 8,000 participants took part in ranger-led hikes on Jan. 1. A slew of other special events are planned for the hundredth anniversary celebration. From Dutch Oven cook-offs and demonstrations and kids fishing days, to Buffalo Soldier re-enactments, hikes, and more, something for everyone can be found at the area parks and those throughout the state.

In addition to the in-park celebration, Texas State Parks is hosting a photo contest throughout 2023 in honor of its 100year birthday celebration, with the chance to win park passes, H-E-B gift cards and even a curated state park experience. The

contest will have four seasonal prize winners before the public votes on the grand prize winner at the end of the year. The contest kicked off this month with the theme of “New Year, New Adventure” and will offer a new theme every season.  A panel of TPWD judges will select quarterly winners who will each receive a Texas State Parks Pass valued at $70 and a $100 H-E-B gift card donated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF).

Voting for the grand prize winner begins in December. The lucky winner will receive a Texas State Parks Pass, a $500 H-EB gift card donated by TPWF and a VIP-curated experience at a Texas State Park.

All entries must be taken at a Texas State Park or Natural Area and uploaded to the Texas State Parks Photo Contest website or tagged on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtags #TexasStateParks and #TexasParks100, between Jan. 1 and Nov. 27.  Note that an individual’s social media account privacy settings may affect entries.

Participants may submit multiple entries. For details about

the contest, including a link to the contest rules and a gallery of entries, visit the Texas State Parks Photo Contest website.

Each park offers activities every year, not just for the hundredth anniversary. From swimming, fishing, and hiking, to camping, cooking, and more, there truly is something for everyone at local state parks. Check with a local park and find an event for your family to enjoy.

And park staff are not limited to serving inside their parks. Many parks offer special programs for summer library events, and staff helps with community events, as well. From January through December, there is always something going on in our local state parks. Stop by one and open the gift of nature and the outdoors as they celebrate 100 years.

For more information on the Centennial Celebration (including other upcoming community events), the history of Texas State Parks and how to make a day visit or overnight reservation, visit the Texas State Parks 100 Years website at TexasStateParks.org/100years.

Linden Honors Vietnam Vet Sgt. John O’Neal Rucker

By SHAWN LARSON/EMILY SANDERS

The family of late local Sgt. John O’Neal Rucker, the last enlisted American service member to lose his life in Vietnam will be honored with other Vietnam War Veterans at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 4 at the courtroom of the Historic Cass County Courthouse in downtown Linden, Texas, with the 50th-anniversary commemoration of the end of the Vietnam War.

According to the History Channel, “The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. More than 3 million people (including over 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War, and more than half of the dead were Vietnamese civilians.

“Opposition to the war in the United States bitterly divided Americans, even after President Richard Nixon signed the Paris Peace Accords and ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973. Communist forces ended the war by seizing control of South Vietnam in 1975, and the country was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam the following year.”

The unpopularity of the Vietnam War, “the never-ending conflict,” put the soldiers in the crosshairs of political policies and social change. The soldiers, many of whom loved the United States and volunteered to serve or were drafted into service never saw the fanfare of those who served in World War II, instead were treated with indifference, or unnecessarily demonized for a conflict they never created.

Only years later as wounds healed within the country, but not necessarily with the soldiers, the country and communities like Cass are beginning to treat the soldiers with the honor they deserve. People began to hear the stories of the people who lived through the conflict, and how it affected them and their families.

One such story can be told about Sgt. Rucker, a Linden native who he and his family will be honored at the event,” Cass County Judge Travis Ransom says he “anticipates members of the community, and especially Vietnam Veterans to be present, including those in American Legion and VFW.”

The story of O’Neal started in Kilgore Texas, born in March 17,

1951, and shortly after that moved to Linden Texas, his hometown. After graduating from Linden-Kildare High School, even though he had a high draft number, he volunteered for the Air Force in February 1971. O’Neal told his parents and friends he wanted to serve and make the Air Force a career. When the Air Force asked him for his assignment preference during basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, he volunteered for service in Southeast Asia. O’Neal was initially assigned to NKP, Thailand in April 1972.

In July he went TDY to Da Nang with the 18th SOS and was PCS’d to Da Nang two days before the fatal rocket attack. O’Neal was scheduled to return to Thailand before coming home. Instead, he lost his life when on January 27, 1973, 11 hours before the ceasefire took effect, Sgt. John ‘O’Neal’ Rucker became the last American who died at Da Nang during the Vietnam War and that war’s last enlisted casualty.

From the AC-119 Gunships website on Sgt. Rucker his is memorialized as “Sgt. John O’Neal Rucker, Crew Chief, 18th SOS, Nakhon Phanom and Da Nang, 1972-73.

O’Neal was assigned to aircraft maintenance for the 18th Special Operations Squadron’s Stinger aircraft. Several of his friends and crewmates told his parents that they’d had rocket attacks a week earlier and that this one occurred when O’Neal was off-duty, sleeping in the barracks. O’Neal was 21 years old.

Shortly after the cease fire took effect, the Department of the Air Force and the Republic of South Vietnam joined together to erect and dedicate a memorial at Da Nang Air Base to recognize all Americans who lost their life protecting freedom. The memorial park included a plaque honoring Sgt. Rucker.”

Colonel Hoover, Da Nang’s Commander, sent this letter to O’Neal’s parents:

“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Rucker,

Today is the 34th day into the cease-fire agreement and phasedown of United States Air Force activities in the Republic of Vietnam. The particular significance of this day is the fact that at 9:30 this morning, a group of USAF and Vietnamese personnel paused to dedicate the Da Nang Air Base Memorial Park.

This dedication, attended by approximately 400 people, while

recognizing the overall contributions of all Air Force personnel here at Da Nang and those who died in the cause of freedom, gave special recognition to your son, Sgt. John Rucker.

The Park contains an engraved marble plaque in his honor, and I want to assure you that his memory and supreme sacrifice will not be forgotten. The attached Memorial Brochure will help you better sense the spirit of today’s activity. I was extremely proud to have your son under my command.

Sincerely,

WILLIAM W. HOOVER, Colonel, USAF Commander”

“On November 11, 1973, the people of Linden, Texas erected and dedicated a monument in the courthouse square in memory of Sgt. John O’Neal Rucker. We can say it no better than Paul Rowan, who interviewed dozens of Linden’s folks shortly after O’Neal died in Vietnam and wrote an article for the Fort-Worth Star-Telegram. He said, “Sgt. Rucker will be worth remembering because he died in the service of his country and with a firm trust in God. In Linden, a man can make no higher marks in history.”

Now years later, February 4, he will be honored again. Ransom said looking forward to the event, following courthouse commemorations would be a wreath-laying ceremony, with members of the AC119 Gunship association on hand, with at least one member of the association present who served with Rucker. He said the event was put together through the AC-119 Gunship Association, (ac119gunships.com), as well as the local and regional chapter of the Air and Space Force Association, (afa.org)

Project Linus

Saying it with a blanket

By ELIZABETH LANNING

Since late July 2022, Northeast Texas has been enriched by an organization that focuses on children who have endured severe sickness or some trying trauma.

Debra Beaumont, previously an accountant in the Air Force, was introduced to this organization while in Oklahoma City visiting a quilt show. It was there she learned about Project Linus. Named from the character Linus in the Peanuts comic strip, the objective of Project Linus ”is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer ‘blanketeers.’”

Begun in December, 1995 after Karen Loucks was inspired to make blankets for her local children’s cancer center, Project Linus now has over 300 chapters nationally and has donated over 7,500,000 blankets to children.

Charles Shultz, creator of the Peanuts characters, was aware of these efforts, and was pleased to have Linus inspire this means of supporting children in need.

After learning of this organization and their service to children, Beaumont started sewing quilt tops to help, and then joined the local chapter in her area when she moved to New Mexico.

But when she moved to northeast Texas, Beaumont discovered that no local Project Linus existed in the area. She sewed for Quilts of Valor for several months, but she just couldn’t get Project Linus out of her mind.

She sewed six quilts and sent them to other Project Linus chapters, and then after the tragedy at Uvalde, she sent more quilts to children there.

One morning at about 2 a.m., Beaumont awoke still thinking of Project Linus. She decided to fill out the necessary paperwork right then and start a local chapter.

The fledgling group’s first meeting was in July, 2022—“All two of us,” Beaumont chuckled. The first blankets were distributed in the end of July and beginning of August, and a total of 292 blankets had been distributed in northeast Texas by the end of the year.

All of this has been accomplished with only a couple hundred dollars in monetary donations, as well as many, many in-kind donations including much time and fleece.

“To me, the fact that we almost hit 300 in the first six months we were active…that is unreal,” she said happily.

As a 501(c)3, volunteer-run organization, Project Linus is always looking for donations of materials and especially time. Beaumont currently has about 25 volunteers—some blanketeers, and some who collect items.

“Like one lady in Leesburg who goes to estate sales and buys fabric and yarn; all things we need,” Beaumont explained. “We crochet around the fleece. We take any goodquality yarn and fabric that’s kid-friendly,” she added.

But more volunteers are always welcome, especially blanketeers.

Each blanket is uniquely handmade, and children of all ages are served. For young children, 1.25 yards of fleece is required. Those who are 8-12 years of age require 1.5 yards of fleece, and older kids need 1.75 yards per blanket.

But most of the children they serve are ages 3-12. Most of these handmade gifts are donated to CASA, SAFE-T, Chil-

The Pittsburg ER has received several blankets from Project Linus Northeast Texas Chapter which they give to children as a special gift of comfort.

dren’s Advocacy Center (CAC), and family abuse centers, but Sheriff’s Offices, Police and Fire Departments, and especially hospital emergency rooms are also recipients.

Beaumont also has a “near-future dream” of putting eight blankets in each local ISD: four boys’ and four girls’ blankets for younger and older children.

Sometimes, if Beaumont receives a special request, she will try to fill this order. During the Christmas season, Beaumont adopted four angels from Camp County Christmas for Kids who specifically asked for a blanket.

A handmade blanket is not the same as buying one at Walmart, Beaumont explained.

Project Linus helps children who have been through tornadoes including the November tornado that ripped through Morris and Titus counties.

Donations to Project Linus can be made online as well as in person. There are drop-off locations in the Camp, Morris and Titus county libraries. A Project Linus sign identifies these drop boxes. If someone has extra material from a family member who used to sew, these items can be used to build a comforting blanket for a child. Fox Country Quilt in Commerce also collects items for Beaumont and has collected about 20 quilts for her already. The First Baptist Church in Texarkana also has a drop box for donations of yarn and fleece.

The blankets are made of the fleece, and the yarn is used to crochet a trim around the edge of the blanket.

Beaumont is particular about the materials that go into a child’s blanket. She inspects them and will re-donate the materials to other local organizations if she deems them too moody, or inappropriate for a child.

But nothing goes to waste. All scraps are saved and used in making dog beds.

Beaumont likes to speak to various ladies’ groups and tell them of the need for more blankets for children. She also hopes to contact women’s groups in local churches and garner more volunteers.

Beaumont described a couple of ways to help. Checks sent to her address, donations of materials, and gift cards to stores such as Hobby Lobby, Michael’s Crafts, etc. as well as online donations to projectlinus.org are always gratefully welcomed. Beaumont noted that if donations are made online, special care must be taken to enter “northeast Texas” in the dropdown box, else local donations will be sent to the national headquarters rather than local needs.

They are also seeking a building or store-front in which the organization can meet and sew.

“I do believe we’re going to make a difference,” Beaumont said. “I love doing it,” she added. “The only thing I don’t like about it is that I don’t have enough time to quilt!”

Beaumont may be reached at PO Box 721, Daingerfield, TX 75638, or by email at debb.projectlinus@gmail.com, as well as on Facebook at Project Linus—Northeast Texas.

Carson House Entrepreneur built original boarding house in Pittsburg

Not all houses are given another chance, but the Carson House has been presented with an extension on the loan of life. After being cleaned from top to bottom, scrubbed until the floors shown, repainted, and refurbished, it has welcomed several visitors since September when it opened as Carson House B&B.

Built by Pierce Ligon in 1878 before Pittsburg was an incorporated city, it came into the hands of William Henry Carson in December, 1887. The upstairs was still unfinished in this new home, and the family couldn’t actually move in until July, 1888.

Carson worked for the Yellow Pine Lumber Company in Colmesneil, Texas and was eventually made general manager of the company when it was sold and the name changed to the Yellow Pine and Tram Company.

But Carson was an entrepreneur. He owned a lumber mill in Colmesneil, as well as in a small community in Louisiana later named Carson. He paid his mill employees in metal coins of five, ten, 25, and 50 cent denominations that could be spent at the company commissary or exchanged for regular money.

According to his daughter, Alice Carson Parker, William Carson had a rather talkative parrot that lived at the mill in Colmesneil. But the mill burned at one point, and the parrot had been so frightened that he lost much of his loquaciousness.

During his time in the lumber business, which took him over parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, Carson managed to procure some curly pine wood. Curly heart pine, found in some longleaf heart pine trees, is quite rare as only one log out of several hundred will have this curly grain in the wood. Nonetheless,

Story & photos by ELIZABETH LANNING

by 1898 Carson was able to garner enough of this wood which he used as wainscoting on the wall in the main hall and up the stairs.

Because the Carson House operated as a boarding house in the late 19th century, several of the early citizens of Pittsburg, who became rather prominent in later years, either stayed or were even born there. W.C. Hargrove brought his bride to Pittsburg in September 1894, and Carson’s mother-in-law and wife had a reception for them in the house.

A.V. Tapp lived in the home during his early years as a child, and Roy Lockett claimed to have been born there on June 29, 1885.

When Mark and Sondra White purchased the Carson House, they knew they wanted to settle down in Pittsburg. But they also wanted to keep the history of the house alive and refurbish it with a feeling of “stepping back in time.”

The Whites are looking forward to their Grand Opening and official ribbon cutting to take place in March.

They also are working with local business to offer more personal experiences. They have partnered with Peonies Day Spa to offer a special stay at the Carson House coupled with a massage or facial. Sondra has always liked to cook, and customers have recently discovered that her Caramel Apple French Toast is an experience of its own.

Learning from her grandmother and Mark’s mom, as well as working closely with chefs at restaurants, Sondra has learned much about “what tasted right and what didn’t.”

In the near future, Sondra is looking forward to starting Cooking at the Carson House which will showcase videos of what tastes right and how to make it.

Curly pine wainscoting in the main hall and stairway.

The new cookstove in the kitchen of the house over a century ago.

One of the upstairs rooms in the early part of the century.

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Hughes Springs

Weathering the Storm

By EMILY BAIN SANDERS

November 4th started out just like any other fall day in Hughes Springs, Texas.

With the Thanksgiving Holiday looming, many folks were getting prepared for large family meals with extended family and friends.

Unfortunately for the east Texas town of close to 1,600, a cruel tempest was also looming and only just beginning to take on its menacing formation which would manifest in an ultimately brutish touchdown in the heart of Hughes Springs.

Categorized as a two on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, or EF2, the tornado’s intensity could produce winds from 111-135 miles per hour. The roaring squall winded its way throughout northeast Texas, eventually finding its target in the quaint small town on the southwestern corner of Cass County.

It began in the early evening, just about suppertime, with a deluge of rain and heavy winds. Alarms abruptly began sounding off when it became clear that a tornado’s arrival in the area was imminent. Mothers, rocking their little ones to sleep quickly made their way to hallways and bathtubs; Parents covered their children with blankets and mattresses and tried to keep them calm as a screeching whirlwind mercilessly chugged through like an angry locomotive.

The town’s volunteer fire station was a total loss by late evening. A labyrinth of trees pulled up by their roots encircled city hall and the park on East Main Street.

Truly, it was a haphazard maze of destruction and debris, with downed and twisted power lines; homes and vehicles significantly damaged or totaled.

The early dawn on November 5 saw the sunrise shed bouncing beams of light that reflected the totality of mayhem the beastly storm left behind. The lovely sunrise stood out paradoxically as the light from the early fall morning shimmered upon sheer destruction.

Near the debris of what once was the fire station, Hughes Springs Fire Chief Jay Cates could be seen somberly accessing damages, a look of hopeless devastation on his face.

Almost two months on, Cates and other community members finally start to see the brighter side as things begin to look less bleak.

The resourceful, east Texas town banded together quickly to establish some semblance of harmony and accord in the total chaos the twister left behind.

Though Cates said nothing comes easy with a storm like this, he has been amazed at how the community–as well as neighboring communities–has really banded during such a tough, laborious time.

“As far as our community coming together, we couldn’t ask for anything better,” Cates said. “All neighboring fire departments have donated or loaned to help with equipment lost or damaged.”

The storm left Hughes Springs Volunteer Fire Department two trucks in operating order–a grass truck and a tanker.

Avinger reached out and loaned the department a pumper, while three of the damaged department trucks are still in Longview for repair.

As snow flurries started to fall one Thursday afternoon in late December and temperatures began to rapidly dip, Cates coordinated with locals in an effort to get the tanker and grass truck shelter from the unsuitable winter weather.

“With the weather that’s coming in, I’ve been looking for a place to store the trucks,” Cates said. Stephen McKinney offered up a bay at the Westmoreland Storage Facility to stash the two trucks for a couple of days. If water were to freeze in one of the water pumps, Cates said it would cost roughly $10 grand in damages.

The pumper on loan from Aviger is stowed in the temporary fire station–a building just next door to where the old one stood firmly almost two months ago. Though the building is sturdy and a great asset for the fire department to utilize, it can only store one vehicle, so of course the chief is using it to store the pumper loaned out to them.

“We’re thankful to have this place,” Cates said. “We have an office, kitchen ... It’s a very nice building, formerly used by the ambulance service.”

Cates said it would be ideal if the department could find a double RV shed that folds in to keep the two remaining vehicles stored in closer proximity to the building they are using. This way, all fire engines and equipment would be in one spot and more easily accessible for emergency situations. An RV shed used for this purpose would have to be about 30 feet long, with walls and a door to keep out unsavory weather.

The fire chief counts his blessings though, in awe of the generosity the department has received in donations of equipment.

“I went down to the fire deparmtnet in Humble, Texas and they

donated just a ton of equipment to us, it was a lot of equipment,” Cates said. “All neighboring fire departments helped us out, of course, Avinger loaned us the pumper, but New Diana, Talco and others have helped us and we’d like to express how thankful we are to them all for their help.”

Cates said he remains optimistic about the new structure that will be built to serve as the fire department’s permanent home.

“I believe we are going to rebuild a station even better than the one we had before,” Cates said.

Although much of the community experienced massive property damage or heavy debris he said he was thankful and relieved that there were no casualties in Hughes Springs.

One thing that had really shaken Cates–and many others–was that one of their own firemen was actually inside the fire station as it was ravaged and torn apart by the menacing whirlwinds. The firefighter and a station dog rode out the storm by taking cover underneath a fire engine together.

Amazingly, both the firefighter and the hound came out unscathed.

“We are very, very blessed no one was killed,” Cates said. “It’s a wonder that no one here was killed or seriously injured.”

Police Chief Randy Kennedy echoed Cates’ sentiments, while looking toward the future for the city’s soon-to-be-built fire department.

“We are working closely with our insurance company and there is a plan in place where we can get a new department built,” Kennedy said. “From my understanding, it’s called a turn-key project in which the insurance company would be responsible for contracting the companies to build the new fire department.”

Kennedy said they are trying to salvage parts of the fire station slab to utilize in rebuilding.

“Whenever they get through with rebuilding infrastructure, the insurance company will turn the keys of the building back over to the city and we’ll have a new fire station,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy and Cates approximated it would take about a year before the project would be completed in full, with a brand new accessible fire station.

One cannot tell a story about the coming together of a town like Hughes Springs without describing the type of gritty, generous, and resilliant blue-collar folks who live there.

A cheerful, quaint town full of friendly faces, a lot of the residents of Hughes Springs descend from very resourceful, hardy folks. The Cass County town, just a mile from the Morris County line, first had a cabin built on the land in 1839 by a man named Reese Hughes. Hughes built his cabin near three mineral springs. First dubbed ‘Chalybeate Springs’ according to Texas Almanac, the settlement soon came to be known as Hughes Springs.

It was when the East Line and Red River Railroad were built through the area in 1876 that the settlement began to grow as it became a station on the line. Just two years later, a post office was established and since the foremost attraction of the area was the mineral/chalybeate springs, which were considered medicinal, Hughes Springs became known as a popular health resort of the time—which seems to explain a lot of the town’s old whimsical charm.

Hughes Springs’ reputation as a shipping and supply point for area farmers made it a spot for great trade as well. The 1884 saw and grist mills, as well as cotton gins, seem to speak to the resilience of the area’s people, as well as their earnestness and penchant for hard work.

The many people there today are descendants of the blue-collar sawmill or cotton gin operators, farmers, railroaders and the roughnecks who manned oil fields. Though amicable, these are tough folk; they’re not ones to back down easily but are certainly ready and willing to help their neighbors out of a jam.

Brittany Gonzales-Jones began her job with the Hughes Springs Chamber of Commerce just three months before the disaster hit in early November. However, she and the chamber, along with city officials and volunteers quickly kicked into high gear and got to work helping with cleanup of debris and finding shelter and homes for families who were displaced. Some families were placed in rental houses in nearby Daingerfield, Texas.

“A few of the churches offered up their parsonages,” GonzalesJones said. “First Baptist Church posted lunches daily. I know two times Pilgrims Pride came in and hosted to serve chicken in the week and a half following the tornado.”

Latter Day Saints came down to help out with varying issues, she said, and Assembly of God opened their doors seven days a week for those in need of staple items– including tarps and first aid kids.

“They all opened their doors so that people could come in and get those resources needed,” she said.

As a non-profit organization, the chamber was able to establish a donation account with funds available for those in need.

“Anything that is donated will be used to hand out to those affected in the Hughes Springs area zip code,” Gonzales-Jones said.

The relief account is ‘the First National Bank of Hughes Springs Disaster Relief Fund’ for those who would like to donate.

“As previously posted, help for our November tornado victims is on the way here,” Gonzales-Jones posted to the HSCOC Facebook page in late December. “We mentioned there was a donation account set up for those who wanted to give monetary donations, as well as a committee that was put together to oversee incoming applications requesting those funds.”

“If you would like to request a three-page application and submit requests for funds to help with tornado damages, please email hsdrelief9@gmail.com or pick one up from City Hall.”

The deadline for those applying for the assistive funds is Feb 28, 2023.

Brookshires, as well as the chamber’s annual Holiday on First Street, was able to donate funds to the account and Gozales-Jones said she believed the local Dixie League had discussed donating as well.

Gonzales-Jones said she is proud of how her community has come together to help and, quite literally weather the storm. Full Throttle Fitness recently held a Bench off fundraiser for the fire department, for example.

“The city has been helping as needed going out to help residents,” she said “My husband (Rock Jones) works for the city, and the next day they went straight to work getting things in order and helping people.”

The tornado hit just days before the chamber’s annual event, Holiday on First Street, which is held the Monday before Thanksgiving.

“The town still came together and it was really nice to see people out and about,” Gonzales-Jones said.

The same went for Cork and Fork, Hughes Springs’ annual Christmas lighting. Normally it would be held at the park on East First Street, but considering the park was heavily hit with debris and damage, their options were either to cancel or move the event.

“The chamber talked to the city manager, who was very much in favor of pushing forward and keeping with the holiday spirit, so we pushed it to another area park and had the lighting at the pavilion,” Gonzales-Jones said. “There was a moving outpour of citizens, city, and committee members—we didn’t let this slow us down at all.”

Gonzales-Jones said she was just three houses down from where the tornado hit the town. She said she quickly got herself and her kids in the bathtub, realizing that she had actually left the bathroom window open.

“I remember hearing the sirens go off the first time, but not the second time, when it hit,” she said. “Because the window was up … everything sucked out and it was silent…and then it blew in.”

It was the calm just before and the air sucking out of the room that she found most eerie–a feeling and sound she said she would never forget.

“We and a lot of others were very blessed,” she said “I’m very

thankful no one was injured or worse in Hughes Springs, though, sadly, there was at least one (casualty) in East Texas.”

For more information on how you can help, or how to access funds if you’re in need, contact the Hughes Springs Chamber of Commerce by the email mentioned above, message the chamber’s Facebook page, or call them at 903-639-2351. Funds can be accessed to pay for gas to pick up debris, fix shattered windshields, and much more.

Gonzales-Jones said David Thompson was appointed to oversee debris cleanup in the Hughes Springs and Daingerfield areas. Thompson told her in late December that there is still a phenomenal amount of debris. Volunteers have picked up piles and piles of debris but are still searching for a solution on where to put the piles.

“They’ve been picking up tons of debris, but there’s just nowhere to put the piles of debris,” Gonzalez Jones said. “So, we may be short on places to move all this debris, but one thing we aren’t short on is volunteers.”

Small east Texas towns like Hughes Springs, which know how to come together during tough times are rarely, if ever, short on volunteers.

Kincade Henry Riding the road to rodeo success

By RYLEIGH STEGALL

Kincade Henry, our hometown cowboy, competed at the Las Vegas NFR on December 1 through December 10, 2022. While competing he placed first in two rounds and received two gold belt buckles. He also placed second twice and sixth once. He is grateful beyond means with all of the support and encouragement that he has received from his friends, family, and community.

Kincade graduated high school from Chapel Hill, he then went to Panola College for his associate’s degree. While at Panola he was on the College Rodeo team and is now an Alumni for Panola. He is now currently at A&M Commerce to get his bachelor’s degree and is on the college rodeo team as well.

His road to the NFR was long, but he stuck through and got to live out his dream. Kincade started roping at 13 years old, every

Kincade Henry is a Mount Pleasant rodeo cowboy whose star is on the rise after a great performance at his first ever National Finals Rodeo earlier this month.

night he would come home and rope, practice, and work on technical skills. When starting his professional career he set an expectation for himself to make it to the NFR at 18 years old but he said that he didn’t have his full talent locked in quite yet.

Kincade’s whole goal was to make it to the finals. When he first started in the year 2020 he placed 31st in the world. 2021 was a rough year for him but he finished strong and placed 17th in the world. With this placement, Kincade said, “This was a hard pill to swallow when you finish 17th and they take the top 15 in the world.” In 2022 he felt like he had the right horsepower and the right ability. Everything was lining up for him until mid-July, his good horse got hurt so he had to send him home. At this time, he was in the top five in the world, but after his horse got hurt he went a month and only won one time. With only winning once and his horse being hurt, he was over everything and wanted to come home. But he stuck it out and stayed at it to finish. He was in the top 15 till the last couple of days of the season. At the last rodeo, he had to place sixth or better to have a place in the top 15. He ended up splitting fifth and sixth at Pasadena, TX. This got him into his first NFR.

While in Las Vegas he didn’t really know what to expect for his first NFR. In his first round, he made a good run and placed second, and then in his second round, he didn’t have a great run. He said that the whole time it was like a rollercoaster. The experiences that he learned from his mistakes were greater to him than when he won. He said that he can’t complain too much since he had a great finals for his first one and was able to learn a lot. With everything you do, you either try to build confidence or you learn something from it so that when you

come back you have a better idea about it.

Kincade’s goal for the 2023 NFR is to bring home the World Championship to his hometown. He is currently taking a break to clear his head. He’s doing some hunting and just hanging out with family and friends. But in the next week or two, he is going to start back practicing and conditioning. He tries to not look at the big picture as much as he looks at the next step to take to win the world championship. He is going to try and get a second horse to take the pressure and stress off of his horse Mario, since they go to 85 rodeos a year. He will still be practicing and taking Mario to places that have the right setups and the winning setups. He’s doing this so that he can ride Mario at his next NFR and also at the next two or three NFRs or hopefully the next four or five. He is going to be practicing every day to work on his talent and conditioning. He has built a lot of confidence from this past NFR and is going to continue making changes for the next and following NFR.

Kincade loves being able to live out his childhood dreams and is amazed at the amount of support that he has from his family, friends, and his community. He lives by the quote “Don’t be scared of failure be scared of being in the same place a year from now.” He has been using this quote since he was in high school. He wants to thank everyone for all of the support while in Vegas. He also wants to thank everyone for taking the time out of their day to line the road when he was coming home and for all of the texts and phone calls that he received to encourage him.

Kincade has made Mount Pleasant and Northeast Texas proud with his achievements in 2022, and he leaves little doubt that 2023 and beyond will just bring bigger and better.

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