EAST TEXAS REVIEW NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION

“You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live.

And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

The community COMMUNITY . GOSPEL . BUSINESS . EDUCATION . HEALTH . POLITICS . OPINION Complimentary Copy

Vol. 29

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER TYLER, TEXAS

GOV. GREG ABBOTT Names Chair Appoints five; Appoints Chief JP Steelman to Chair state fire Commission

Emmanuel Elueze, MD, PhD

“We again had a very successful year and all programs matched.”

See Story Below

See Story Below

NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION

April 1, 2021

See Story Below

Shining star returns to visit

By Joycelyne Fadojutimi www.easttexasreview.com

“The company you keep can hinder you. It is better to be called names than be removed from school,”

school spotlight

PINE TREE HIGH SCHOOL

L-r: Front row: Danielle Raven, Carly Jones, Akiyah Clark, Saniyah Jimmerson Back row: Deriana Green, Malaysian Cooper, Lania Polk, Dayla Schelling, Scencier Tatum, Jakadise Rosborough with Dedrick Weathersby

Kameron Benefield

See Page 9

See Page 9

Contd. on Page 3

The University of Texas DEADLINE Health Science Center at Tyler LOOMS succeeds with 2021 Match Day

“We again had a very successful year and all programs matched.”

Erin Brogan

-- Distinguished actor, author and recording artist Dedrick Weathersby.

Dr. Emmanuel Elueze, UTHSCT’s designated institutional officer and vice president for medical education and professional development.

(Tyler, Texas) — The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT) had another successful medical residency “Match Day” this year, filling all of its 61 slots with new resident physicians who will start their medical training in East Texas July 1, 2021.

Contd. on Page 3

Secretary Hughs

reminds eligible Texas voters of April 1 voter registration deadline

Contd. on Page 5

Gov. Abbott names Chair, appoints five Giddy Energy, LLC

Chief JP Steelman appointed to chair state fire commission Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Christopher G. Cantu, David Coatney, Michael Glynn, Clyde Loll, and Tim Smith to the Texas Commission on Fire Protection for terms set to expire on February 1, 2027.

Additionally, Governor Abbott named J.P. Steelman as chair of the Commission.

The Commission develops

and enforces statewide fire service standards and provides education and assistance to the industry.

Christopher G. Cantu of Round Rock is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones.

He previously served in the United States Air Force, earning the rank of Colonel and received an Honorable Discharge.

Contd. on Page 15

files bankruptcy

AG Paxton ensures forgiveness of $29 Million in electric bills for 24,000 Texans

Contd. on Page 5

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STATE/NATIONAL

A pril 1, 2021

A pril 1, 2021

EDUCATION

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DEDRICK WEATHERSBY: Shining star returns to visit “The company you keep can hinder you. It is better to be called names than be removed from school,”-- Distinguished actor, author and recording artist Dedrick Weathersby.

by Joycelyne Fadojutimi www.easttexasreview.com

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Virtual, In Person or Hybrid... your child’s success depends on you.

As a parent, you have to be involved in your child’s education to make sure he or she has everything they need to succeed.

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He is a born-and- raised native of Longview, Texas. Dedrick Weathersby is a successful singer, actor, writer, and businessman, but his roots mean a great deal to him. Furthermore, he is a 2017-2018 Broadway World Awards nominee for Best Actor in a musical, Best Lead actor in a play, and Best Solo Performance. During a recent visit home, he addressed Foster Middle School students. They listened in rapt attention.

He was once one of them, even back then he knew Foster Middle School would be a springboard for his career in entertainment. Weathersby was six years old when he settled his mind on acting. His mother and teachers could see his thespian talents even then as he identified with the casts of television shows and longed to follow their lead.

His teachers guided and directed him as he honed his talents, staying after school to work on theater productions.

Teachers Mattie Cuba and Cheryl Mitchell not only helped him with his training for an entertainment career but would drive him home after rehearsals.

Mitchell even gave Weathersby unscheduled speech lessons during his lunch breaks. Unsurprisingly, his mother THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS continued from page 1

“We again had a very successful year and all programs matched,” said Dr. Emmanuel Elueze, UTHSCT’s designated institutional officer and vice president for medical education and professional development. “Match Day is one of the most significant days in the lives of medical school graduates. It is the day they find out where they will spend the next two to five years in residency training in their medical specialty. Unique to this year’s incoming resident physicians is the fact they make up the first class of medical school graduates in history to complete their residency interviews completely online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) uses a mathematical algorithm to make the matches for medical school graduates from around the world to programs in which they have indicated interest, and which have indicated an interest in them as applicants.

The match process begins in the fall during a medical school student’s final year when they apply to the residency programs of their choice. Applicants interview throughout fall and early winter, rank the programs in their order of preference and send those lists to NRMP which processes them to match with programs that also ranked the applicants.

was his biggest fan.

He loved it when she would tell him, “You did good. You are my star.”

However, his time at Longview High School (LHS) brought mixed reviews.

As a tenth-grade soccer player, he was the subject of negative rumors because he was different and eventually falsely accused. He recalls being led away in handcuffs through LHS breezeway.

His good grades did not protect him from trouble. His fair weather “friends” disappeared. It was a hard but valuable lesson.

Weathersby quickly learned the importance of the company he keeps hence, he squeezed onto the straight and narrow and, like the eagle he is, soared away from the chickens and turkeys who had dragged him down to their level. He never again got into trouble. He looked strictly ahead toward his dream of blessing himself and those around him through music, storytelling and acting.

During his address at Foster, he asked students to raise their hands if they participated in extracurricular activities, regardless of what it waschoir, athletics, theater or any other

such activities. He then asked them pointedly if they thought they could be successful in their chosen activities if they never practiced. This time, no hands were raised as they answered a resounding no.

“Your practice right now is going to class, practice is being on time and not tardy,” he told them. “The game is the game of life, so you must be ready by practicing. It is better to be bored and do your schoolwork so you can have fun later. Laziness does not get you anything or anywhere.”

He also advised his listeners to write down their dreams and start working right now at making those dreams come true.

Weathersby started fulfilling his own dreams by attending now-closed Morris College before moving on to the University of Texas at Tyler and studying marketing. Success came on strong as his debut album Remembering James Brown took off like a rocket. The single This is a Man’s World was downloaded on Spotify/ Apple iTunes collectively more than 4000 times in twenty-four hours.

NRMP reports that this year’s 2021 match was the largest in history with 38,106 positions offered—with 35,194 first-year positions (Post Graduate Year 1 or PGY1) offered, which was a 2.7 percent increase over 2020. They also reported that concerns about the impacts of “virtual recruitment” on applicants matching into PGY1 positions due to the COVID-19 pandemic were not realized.

UTHSCT had 61 openings that all filled on the first day. UTHSCT offers nine residency programs that include two in family medicine, two in internal medicine, general surgery, occupational medicine, psychiatry, rural family medicine and rural psychiatry.

“Our successful Match Day enrollment is a reflection of how competitive our programs are,” said Dr. Julie V. Philley, executive vice president for health affairs at UTHSCT. “This year, we are adding two new residency programs: one in family medicine in Athens and another in rural psychiatry in Pittsburg.”

UTHSCT currently has 117 resident physicians enrolled. Peggy Pazos, executive director for graduate and undergraduate medical education reports that 33 will be completing the program in June. With 61 incoming new resident physicians, UTHSCT will have 145 in the new academic year that begins on July 1, 2021.

“2021 will be a record year for the total number of incoming resident physicians,” Pazos said. “They are coming from several medical schools close by in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma as well as schools in states farther away like Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia and even from other countries including Barbados, the Caribbean, Colombia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines.

Led by Julie V. Philley, MD, UTHSCT is an instructional site of The University of Texas at Tyler that will soon be home to a new UT medical school, pending regulatory and accreditation approvals. For more information, visit www.uthct.edu.

With a mission to improve educational and healthcare outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate programs to 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UTHSCT and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with innovative medical research, medical education and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston. For more information, visit uttyler.edu.

Contd. on Page 7

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OPINION

A pril 1, 2021

ANTI-ASIAN BIAS IS PERVASIVE When I studied Chinese two decades ago, I could not believe how white peers reacted. Imagine how Asian Americans feel.

A pril 1, 2021

STATE/NATIONAL

THANK YOU

to those businesses helping at this time

By Jill Richardson As our nation grapples with its legacy of anti-Asian racism, it is important to consider the subtler forms of racism too. Racism occurs on a spectrum, from social degradation all the way to — as we saw recently in Atlanta — mass murder.

I cannot speak for Asians, nor do I wish to.

But as a white woman who majored in East Asian studies and learned Chinese in college two decades ago, I learned a lot about biases others may not see.

It started with my parents. My mom loves “culture” and “languages” — but it turned out that her affection did not extend to Chinese. “I’m sorry,” she would say to me on the phone. “I just don’t find China interesting.”

What an odd thing to say. My parents could appreciate that my language skills would be an advantage in my job, but the all-consuming love I had for learning about China? That was weird. By “culture,” my mom meant European culture.

My non-Chinese peers, meanwhile, treated Chinese as if it were incomprehensibly foreign, like it could be understood by nobody.

Once, after college, I went to a Chinese restaurant with coworkers. The server’s English was shaky, but I could communicate with him easily in Chinese. I watched a coworker act as if the waiter were not capable

of communication at all, which was rude and dehumanizing.

At school, peers would say things to me like “Ping ping ting ting — hey what does that mean in Chinese?” I hope I replied, “You just said ‘I’m an idiot,’” but I think usually I was too stunned to respond.

Other times, when people heard I studied Chinese, they would try to relate by saying things like “Oh, my aunt’s been to Japan.”

They are actually different countries. Imagine saying “You’re studying French? My aunt’s been to Germany.”

The comment I heard the most was “Did you know they eat dogs in China?” Imagine if a routine response to telling someone you are American is, “Don’t they eat testicles in the U.S.?” (Google “Rocky Mountain oysters” if you are not familiar.) It is the same.

If I were able to learn this much about anti-Asian bias just by telling people I had studied Chinese, imagine what Asians and Asian Americans experience.

My experience differs from those of Asians and Asian Americans because the microaggressions I encountered were about a passion of mine, but not about my identity, culture, or family. I can opt out of dealing with these microaggressions at will because I am white.

Unlike me, Asian Americans are still treated

like perpetual foreigners, even though some of their families got here decades before mine did. My family immigrated to this country about a century ago — after the passage of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act barred Chinese people from coming here but before the KKK-supported 1924 immigration act that would have kept my Eastern European ancestors out.

I am just another white woman. Nobody calls me “exotic” or sexually fetishizes me for my race. Historically, racism has been carried out in the name of protecting people like me from non-white others, not in the name of protecting others from me.

These less violent forms of anti-Asian racism still contribute to a pattern of dehumanization that can lead to the kind of racist, sexist violence we saw in Atlanta. We as a nation condemn anti-Asian racism in all its forms.

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DEADLINE LOOMS continued from page 1

AUSTIN – Texas Secretary of State Ruth R. Hughs reminded eligible Texas voters of the upcoming April 1st voter registration deadline for the May 1st election. The Secretary issued a final call to action to voters, community leaders, and elected officials to encourage their fellow Texans to register and prepare to vote in the upcoming election.

“Exercising your right to vote and making your voice heard is a fundamental part of our democracy,” said Secretary Hughs. “I encourage all eligible Texans who have not already done so to register to vote by April 1st so that they can actively participate in shaping the future of Texas.”

Texans should begin by checking their registration status on the Texas Secretary of State’s website on the “Am

I Registered?” page.

If you have moved to a new address within the same county or have changed your name, you can update your information online.

Eligible Texans who are not already registered to vote may complete and print a voter registration application here, or request an application from their county elections administrator. Once completed, eligible Texas voters should submit the application to the county voter registrar in their county of residence. Completed voter registration applications must be postmarked by April 1st in order to be accepted.

Voters with questions about how to cast a ballot in the upcoming May 2021 uniform election can call 1-800-252VOTE or visit VoteTexas.gov for more information.

GIDDY ENERGY continued from page 1

TEXAS: A STUDY IN PRIVATE GAIN AT PUBLIC EXPENSE My family spent the Texas freeze cold and dirty and parched while utilities bilked us and politicians fled to resorts.

By Denita Jones

We used every coat, blanket, sweater, and pair of socks in the house — even when we slept.

We only cooked once a day. We couldn’t bathe or do laundry. Unlike many families, we had water — but it looked almost like milk coming out of the tap.

It was the Texas freeze, and we were cold and dirty and hungry and parched.

In some ways, we were lucky. At least 80 people died, and possibly many more.

And even now, we still have neighbors without water coming over to shower and use our bathroom.

Our state is a cautionary tale about power generation that’s privatized and poorly regulated. The big companies who run so much of the grid in Texas failed to winterize their infrastructure, leading to massive blackouts and tremendous suffering.

We knew this could happen, because it already did. These same failures wreaked havoc after a winter storm back in 2011, but politicians — often with industry donations in their pockets — failed to fix the problem.

A decade later, the blackouts were five times as destructive — and could have been even worse. Reports now say we were just four and a half minutes from a total grid failure in Texas, which could have caused blackouts for weeks and even months.

Unfortunately, we have a governor and conservative legislators who seem to care more about private profits than our lives

and health. They care more about golfing and going to resorts in Cancun than whether my children have heat or drinking water.

It was the corporations, utilities, and regulators who failed. But it’s ordinary folks who bore the brunt of losing power who are being forced to pay — literally.

The state’s grid manager overcharged Texans by at least $16 billion during the storm, leading to power bills that ran thousands of dollars during the blackouts. And authorities are now saying they won’t even bother to sort out the over-charges.

Why are they doing this? Because they can. Our deregulated, privatized utilities in Texas are designed for private gain at public expense.

This was true even before the freeze. This summer they charged me so much for electricity that I had to choose between eye appointments, doctor visits for my kids, and power enough to run the air conditioner in the unforgiving Texas summer.

And this is hardly the only crisis we’re living through right now.

Last May, my boss reopened my place of employment without any safety precautions. I’d been promised the opportunity to work from home to help my kids with their online schooling. They went back on that promise, so I was forced to quit.

Now, the governor has gone ahead and thrown out every single remaining COVID-19 safety measure — even with every new aggressive virus variant now present in Texas. This will force millions more of us to make dreadful choices.

Is this leadership?

All of these issues are interlocked — jobs that don’t pay enough, utilities that cost too much, the lack of basic public health protections at work. These bad policies hit us in the Black, brown, and immigrant communities the hardest. But no matter where we come from or what we look like, all of us deserve better than this.

That’s why I organize with the Poor People’s Campaign — to help other low-income parents fight for a $15 minimum wage, paid sick leave, and affordable health care and housing. If there’s something worse than not being warm or bathed or properly fed for weeks, it’s having lawmakers who bring home huge paychecks and ride out storms in resorts while we suffer.

We need to use our collective voice to make them change. It’s you and me that will make the change, together.

Vision Services Optometry & Optical

Wellness Pointe accepts most medical and dental insurance plans, CHIP, Medicaid, and Medicare. Affordable payment options are available for qualified patients.

Walk-ins and new patients are welcome at all locations!

Attorney General Ken Paxton released the following statement in response to the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing

by Griddy Energy, LLC: “My office sued Griddy Energy, under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, to hold them accountable for their escalation of last month’s winter storm disaster by debiting enormous amounts from customer accounts as Texans struggled to survive the storm,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I ensured that Griddy’s proposed bankruptcy plan takes an important step forward by offering releases to approximately 24,000 former customers who owe $29.1 million in unpaid electric bills. Griddy and my office are engaged in ongoing good faith negotiations to attempt to address additional relief for those Griddy customers who have already paid their storm-related energy bills.”

The following steps are being taken to ensure Texans are protected: • Through the bankruptcy plan, Griddy will release all outstanding payment obligations for those Texas consumers who were unable to pay their energy bills due to the high prices charged during the storm.

• Texas will abate the state court lawsuit and Civil Investigative Demand and Griddy will work with it in good faith to resolve these matters.

• Texas and Griddy will work in good faith to address relief for Texans who have already paid.

Information about Griddy’s Chapter 11 case, including access to Court documents, is available here: http://www.cases.stretto.com/ griddy.

GOSPEL SPOTLIGHT

The Meaning of

Easter

A pril 1, 2021

Easter

Dedrick Weathersby talks to Foster Middle school students

Moreover, he has authored five books, the latest being Fabrics, a twenty-day affirmation book.

It reflects his firm belief that if you remember your own humble beginnings you can use these moments in future endeavors. Three of his published works are children/ youth books, one adult book and one that is inspirational. But that is not all.

There is more.

In February 2019, Weathersby opened his musical stage play

1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV

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How long before I am able to function like I did before? How long before I stop crying whenever someone before? How long before I stop crying whenever someone mentions the name? mentions the name?

We think sometimes thinkas ofagrief as a condition - an illness V. Stanmore Director We sometimes of grief condition - an illness that that V. Stanmore Director has to run a course. particularWith course.

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Webe will be back to normal.

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It is a transition.We do not getget better. reconstruct in of thethe faceloss. of theWe loss.

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We may experience all sorts emotions - guilt, anger, loneliness to name may find it difficult to concentrate, distressedby by so so loneliness - to name a- few.

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Wefind mayourselves find ourselves avoiding othersororangry angry influence theinfluence ways that may avoiding others the normal of may life. We may struggle withfaith, our faith, trying sortout outall all at the normalatirritants ofirritants life. We struggle with our trying to to sort our whyto this had to happen. our questions ofquestions why thisofhad happen.

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903-236-3755 903-236-3755oror 903-235-3759 903-235-3759

www.stanmorefuneralhome.com www.stanmorefuneralhome.com

Pastor and Educator Earl Bonner with Accomplished Actor, Singer and Author Dedrick Weathersby on his visit to Foster Middle School.

Dedrick Weathersby with Francisco Rojas Longview ISD Communication Specialist

Remembering James: The Life and Music of James Brown in cooperation with Boxcar Theatre and the creators of Speakeasy San Francisco. He is eternally grateful for how Boxcar Theater (unlike anyone else) was willing to give him a chance on this production.

NONA SNODDY

were clearly not about these pagan fertility symbols, but were intended to commemorate Jesus’ rising from the dead and ascending to heaven after his death. That the celebration takes place at a time when the cold, seemingly dead earth comes back to life at Springtime is perhaps a fortuitous reminder that there is something of a resurrection built into nature.

The seed must die and be buried in the earth in order to spring back to life. Early Christians were encouraged by Jesus’ resurrection to believe that by dying with Christ in their heart they might, like the seeds in Spring, rise to new life in heaven.

–Christopher Simon

501 E. Austin 501 E. Austin Marshall, Texas Marshall, Texas

DEDRICK WEATHERSBY continued from page 3

Word Search

“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Easter is the oldest and arguably the most important celebration in the Christian church, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion and death. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs after the vernal equinox, leading some to suggest that the holiday has pagan roots. This idea is reinforced by the fact that the name of the holiday is connected to the Anglo-Saxon word “Eostre,” which was the name of the goddess of Spring.

The fertility symbols that have somehow accreted onto the modern holiday, such as eggs and rabbits, adds further credence to that view. However, early celebrations of Easter

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EDUCATION

A pril 1, 2021

RE-ELECT

6

City Council District 2

Making Your Voice Heard Loud and Clear

306 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Longview, TX 75602 • 903-753-1774 Sunday School 9:00a.m.

Sunday Worship 10:30a.m.

Remember, Experience Counts

OUR JOURNEY CONTINUES

EARLY VOTING

City Hall, 300 W. Cotton St.

2717 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Longview, TX 75602 | 903-757-6440

Pastor H.C. Rockmore

Sunday School 9:45a.m.

Sunday Worship 11:00a.m.

Monday: April 19 to Friday, April 23: 8am - 5pm Monday: April 26: 8am - 8pm Tuesday: April 27: 8am - 8pm

ELECTION DAY:

SATURDAY MAY 1, 2021

2101 W. Marshall Ave., Longview 903-759-1401 | www.highridgelv.com

Pastor Tim Ingram

First Service: 9:00 am 2nd Service: 10:30 am 3rd Service: 12 Noon

Stamper Park Resource Center, 502 S. Center St. From: 7am -7pm

His resume` includes performances in National Shows, off-Broadway, regional and Broadway musicals. He started his own show, touring the country and employing sixty-four artists, including BPOC. As a recording artist he has more than a million streams.

He owns Weathersby Productions, LLC and is executive director of Super Bad Theater Company.

Best of all, he has given numerous scholarships in Longview, Hallsville, and Mansfield, Louisiana. He even managed to participate in Longview’s Thanksgiving Food Drive.

911 NW Loop 281- 211, Suite 24 Longview, Texas 75604 www.easttexasreview.com Phone: 903-236-0406

Mission - Why We Exist To continuously improve communication between the people of East Texas.

Vision - What We Want To Be One of the best community newspapers in the nation.

Provider of positive and edifying News about people, place and businesses.

Publisher/Editor Joycelyne Fadojutimi, PHD Marketing/PR Keisha Roland Contributing Writers Denita Jones Jill Richardson Mechelle Agbayani Mills Graphic Artist Kuneho Designs Website Design Joe Fuentes CEO/Media Quest East Texas Review Newspaper is not responsible for any discrepancies or changes since the publishing of this issue. At the time of publication, to the best of our knowledge, all information was accurate though not guaranteed. The entire content of East Texas Review Newspaper is copyrighted 2020. Any reproduction of use in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. East Texas Review Newspaper reserves the right to edit and make appropriate modifications. The opinions published by contributing writers does not necessarily reflect the views of East Texas Review Newspaper or its advertisers.

April 1, 2021

April 1, 2021

BROGAN AND BENEFIELD EARN 1ST AND 2ND IN EASTMAN BLACK HISTORY ESSAY AND ORATORIAL CONTEST

Color in the pictures that need water to live.

How to conserve water in the yard.

Make sure outside hoses and sprinkles don’t leak.

Sponsored by

the City of Longview Water Department

8

Water lawns and gardens in the morning on hot summer days, so the water isn’t evaporated quickly by the heat.

Use a broom to clean off sidewalks instead of hosing them down with water.

Use a bucket of water to wash cars and bikes. Use Short bursts of water from the hose to rinse them off.

During the week of “Snowpocalypse”, two Pine Tree students competed in an oratory contest. Instead of hosting the event in person this year, Texas Eastman, sponsor of the 2nd annual Black History Essay and Oratorical Contest, held the event online, and students delivered their speeches through Microsoft Teams to a panel of judges. A few days later, Eastman shared the speeches on Facebook during their celebration of Black History Month and their African-American employees, and student winners of the contest were announced.

Junior Erin Brogan placed 2nd, winning a $1500 scholarship. Brogan honored Virginian native Bessie Blount Griffin, the inventor of the first feeding tube. Brogan was inspired to research Griffin because has a family member who uses a feeding tube, and Brogan admired Kameron Benefield Erin Brogan Griffin’s indomitable spirit.

As a child, Griffin was told by her teacher that she was using the wrong hand to write. In inaugural contest, senior Kameron the development of blood transfusions defiance, griffin refused to write Benefield won the contest this year and for soldiers. Drew later decided to begin with her hands and instead learned a $2000 scholarship. He delivered a training young blacks to become leading to write with her toes. She later served as moving speech about the Father of the surgeons after his blood was not allowed a wartime nurse, teaching soldiers to write Blood Bank, Charles Drew, a black man to be used for white soldiers. without their hands. She also became a who attended college on an athletic Benefield won 2nd place in the handwriting expert who worked with the scholarship and became the first person Eastman contest last year, is a U.I.L. Virginia Police Department. to learn how to separate blood in order to academic competitor, and earned Brogan has also won awards in UIL provide blood transfusions. His discovery academic all-state for football. He plans Ready Writing, Spelling, and math events. was widely used during the war, and to attend Prairie View A&M in fall 2021 After placing 2nd last year in the the United Kingdom asked him to lead as an engineering major.

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A p r i l 1, 2021

A p r i l 1, 2021

School Spotlight Pine Tree High School

Pine Tree High School

Art Students win Awards Pine Tree High School art students recently competed in the Region 7 VASE District art competition. This year, PTHS had over 40 student artworks submitted to the online judging process out of 890 total artworks competing.

Even with a new system of submitting online, Pine Tree ISD had 24 student artworks receive regional medals with 4 those students receiving Area medals and advancing to the state competition.

Pine Tree has continued to show strong at competition year after year and this was year no exception. Congratulations also goes to Carmen Gadt, Caitlyn Rutledge, Meagan Fogle, and Wayne Gaddis for helping inspire these students to create amazing artwork that led to these accolades.

The following is a list of medalists.

Esther Alvarez - Regional Medalist Osiris Barrios - Region and Area Medalist, Advancing to state

Marrissa Bean - Regional Medalist Angelina Bynum - Regional Medalist Landon Dennis - Regional Medalist Abby Herrada - Regional Medalist Natalie Hunt - Regional Medalist Haley Phillips- Regional Medalist Israel Prosser - Regional Medalist Dominic Rizsak- Regional Medalist Sandra Rodriguez - Region and Area Medalist, Advancing to state Ariel Sanchez - Region and Area Medalist, Advancing to state Madalyn Scaggs - Regional Medalist Ada Stafford - Regional Medalist Rylie Waclawczyk - Regional Medalist Ian Vazquez - Region and Area Medalist, Advancing to state Marissa Saunders - Regional Medalist Neftali Barrios- Regional Medalist Dashonteyona Bell - Regional Medalist Jaliyah Bradley - Regional Medalist Marco Echave - Regional Medalist Alivia Leary- Double Regional Medalist Melina Venegas - Regional Medalist

These 4 artworks that will be advancing to State.

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Read the clues to fill in our healthful habits crossword, then find and circle the words!

R R V I O E T I Y

1. Check out some new, healthier ______ for favorite comfort foods like macaroni and cheese.

2. Try some ______ vegetables like kalettes – (a cross between Brussels sprouts and kale) snacks or purple potatoes or rainbow carrots (orange, red, purple, white).

3. Play soccer, dance, fly kites – find a type of ______ different you like and have fun with it for 30 - 60 minutes a day. homework 4. Spark your energy each morning with a good ______.

5. Eat three meals and don’t forget 2 - 3 small ______.

Ideas To “Chew” On!

Every day we make choices about the food we eat. We may grab something tasty that is not very nutritious. If we keep lots of healthful food choices around the house it will be easy to grab a tasty bite that is better for us.

Here are some choices for meals and snacks. Do you know which one would be a better choice? Circle it.

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Y R U D J R T D M

Breakfast: 1. A. bacon, eggs, fried potatoes B. oatmeal, fruit, milk

M N N F K C L P I

R U H F E I T L F

L T M E C P Y O B

S R S R B E P R R

N I L E V S E S L

A T E N M A J N R

C I E T K R Y L X

K O P F R C S P J

S N A J K T L W Q

E S Q U B R U S H

T H O M E W O R K

U H M L M H T P S

H L C U I L N P U

E S I C R E X E K

6. Choose snacks that will give you lots of ______: nuts, veggies with low-fat dip, fruit.

7. ______ your teeth twice a day and floss too.

8. Get your ______ done, then, if allowed, enjoy playing a computer or video game.

9. _____ is important for resting and repairing our bodies, so get a good night’s sleep.

10. Visit a ______ for a checkup and an eye exam; and the dentist to check your teeth.

Snacks: m! m m h 1. A. nacho chips with cheese dip B. baked tortilla chips with salsa

2. A. pancakes with fruit B. fried egg, bacon and cheese sandwich

2. A. chocolate chip cookies B. rice cakes with a little peanut butter

Lunch: 1. A. corndog, french fries, soda B. boiled hot dog, baked beans, milk

Supper: 1. A. cheeseburger, fries, soda B. turkey burger, fruit salad

2. A. grilled chicken patty, salad, milk B. chicken nuggets, onion rings, milk shake

2. A. pepperoni and cheese pizza B. vegetable and cheese pizza

?! ?

Newspaper Fun! Created by Annimills LLC © 2020

It’s easier to keep on a healthful track if your family and friends do too. It’s fun to cook and exercise with others. We’re checking out the sports and activities at our school and local Parks and Recreation Department for upcoming spring months. That will keep us moving!

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7 We’re good We can fill your sources of lunchbox with fruits protein. and vegetables that Eat lots of March Families may grab a you like. Let’s cut out quick takeout meal when brightly colored 8 into good I’m so fun shapes from your they are pressed for time fruits and nutrition! “beat.”

12 favorite cheese too. or on the go. Takeout veggies.

9 5 meals can be a tasty treat, but 11 h fres 6 home-cooked meals are less fiber 4 expensive, and we know exactly 3 half which ingredients we’re using. sugar fat Try half of When families plan menus together we can choose our favorite meals. When a frozen Check we shop together we can look for the freshest foods – vegetables and fruits 2 banana for a out – and everyone can choose the kinds that he likes the most. By checking sweet cool treat. whole labels on packages, we can learn which foods have the best ingredients.

10 grains!

Dairy When we cook at home we can adjust our recipes to use 1 small amounts of healthful oils, salt or sugar. Some families are steaming or baking part of their favorite meals. s les plate Fruits Grains group Plate Vegetab * based on Read the clues to fill in the crossword: M USDA calcium energy muscle y source 1. Choose foods from each of the food ______ P la every day: vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins and dairy.

8. Notice that ______ of the area of MyPlate is for vegetables te 2. ______ are low in fat, sugar and calories and high in fiber and fruits. * and vitamins, like vitamin A, which is good for our eyes and skin. Moderate amounts of fat 9. We can buy ______ vegetables, ones that were frozen right 3. Many fruits have ______ and are famous for vitamin C, after picking or canned soon after – they are all good for us. are good for your brain! which helps to repair body tissue and heal cuts.

10. We can use less ______, go light on the salt shaker and add flavor 4. Low-fat milk and cheeses will give you ______ for strong bones and teeth. to our cooking by adding herbs like basil and spices like cinnamon.

5. Meat, fish, beans, eggs, peanut butter and nuts have lots of protein 11. Some ______ is needed for our body and brain to function well. to help build ______. Choose lean cuts of meat if possible.

I’ve Choose liquid fats like olive oil rather than solid ones.

6. Oats, brown rice, popcorn and buckwheat are whole grains “bean” 12. Eat ______ treats in small amounts: dark chocolate, half of a with lots of fiber and carbohydrates that give us ______. here before. frozen banana, a yogurt or low-fat ricotta cheese parfait with 7. “My________” lets us see at a glance what, and how much, we are eating. nuts and fruit.

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A pril 1, 2021

A p r i l 1, 2021

COMMUNITY NEWS

Scam Alert: Survey scam is back with COVID-19 twist

By Mechele Agbayani Mills

It’s not uncommon for consumers to fall victim to email survey scams. Online surveys have become a haven for Internet scam artists who use them to steal personal and financial information from their victims by using trending topics and the names of logos of well-known organizations. BBB is warning consumers about phony online surveys claiming to be from pharmaceutical company Pfizer seeking information about their COVID-19 vaccine, and advises consumers to be on the lookout for email or text variations of this scam claiming to be from other vaccine producers.

How the Scam Works: You receive an email or text message that claims to be from Pfizer, one of the pharmaceutical companies producing an approved COVID-19 vaccine. In some versions the message claims that you will receive money for completing a quick survey. Other versions offer a “free” product.

It sounds easy, but don’t click the link!

These survey scams have a variety of tricks.

The link may lead to a real survey, which upon completion, prompts you to sign up for a “free trial offer.” Victims reported to BBB Scam Tracker that they entered their credit card information to pay what they thought was a shipping fee. Instead, the scammers billed them many times

more and never sent the product. In other versions, the form is actually a phishing scam that requests banking and credit card information.

Spam filters typically filter out malicious email scams,” Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas said. “However, every once in a while, one will slip through the cracks. In general, it’s best not to click on links that come in unsolicited emails.”

BBB provides the following tips on how to spot a survey scam or other malicious email: • Personalized email. Scams often pretend to be personalized for you, but unless you subscribed or opted in to receive an email from a business or organization with whom you have a relationship, they are actually blast emails.

• Urgency to act immediately. Scammers typically try to push you into action before you have had time to think.

Always be wary of emails urging you to act immediately or face a consequence.

• Typos, strange phrasing and bad grammar. Scammers can easily copy a brand’s name, but awkward wording and poor grammar are typically a giveaway that the message is a scam. For example, one version of the survey scam impersonating Pfizer uses the wrong

company logo.

• Links in disguise. Hover over URLs to reveal their true destination. Typically, the hyperlinked text will say one thing, but the link will point somewhere else.

Make sure the links actually lead to the business’s official website, not a variation of the domain name.

For More Information Read more about coronavirus scams on the Federal Trade Commission’s website and on BBB.org/coronavirus. Learn more about the disease at the CDC’s FAQ page.

BBB has identified many ways in which scammers are cashing in the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about clinical trial scams, contract tracing cons, counterfeit face masks, and government agency impostors.

If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB.org/ ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams. Find more information about scams and how to avoid them at BBB.org/AvoidScams. Sign up for BBB Scam Alerts to receive weekly notices of emerging scams to avoid.

Mechele Agbayani Mills is president and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas.

Gov. Abbott names Chair, appoints five

Chief JP Steelman appointed to chair state fire commission Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Christopher G. Cantu, David Coatney, Michael Glynn, Clyde Loll, and Tim Smith to the Texas Commission on Fire Protection for terms set to expire on February 1, 2027.

Additionally, Governor Abbott named J.P. Steelman as chair of the Commission.

The Commission develops and enforces statewide fire service standards and provides education and assistance to the industry.

Christopher G. Cantu of Round Rock is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones.

He previously served in the United States Air Force, earning the rank of Colonel and received an Honorable Discharge. He is a member of the Air Force Association, Round Rock Rotary and is a Board Member of Catholic Charities of Central Texas.

Cantu received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Texas Tech University, a master’s degree in Information Management from Webster University, and a Master of Arts from Air University in Military Science.

David Coatney of College Station is Chief Executive Officer for the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and was an active firefighter for over 33 years prior to joining TEEX. He is chair of Texas First Responder Advisory Council, senior member of Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, and a member of TDEM Advisory Committee, FEMA Region 6 Advisory Committee, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Coatney served in the United States Army and the United States Air Force Reserve, receiving an

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Honorable Discharge from both branches.

Coatney received a Bachelor of Arts in Occupation Education and a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from Wayland Baptist University and a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Texas A&M University.

Michael Glynn of Roanoke is a Fire Captain for the Fort Worth Fire Department and an adjunct instructor at Tarrant County College. He is the president for the Fort Worth Firefighters AssociationIAFF Local 440, trustee for the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters and a member, service representative and labor education instructor for the International Association of Fire Fighters. Glynn received an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science from San Antonio College and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University.

Clyde Loll of Huntsville is the Vice President of Compliance and Quality, Health, Safety and Environment for Gulf Coast Marine Contractors, LLC. He is serves on the board of the International Board of Certified Safety Managers and is a member of the American Society of Quality and the American Society of Safety Professionals.

Loll attended San Jacinto College and Sam Houston State University.

Tim Smith of Lubbock is an Emergency Room Nurse Administrator for Star ER in Lubbock. He is Fire Chief/EMS Director for the West Carlisle Volunteer Fire Department, serves on the Board of Directors for Regional Advisory Council

RAC-A, and is president of both the Lubbock County Fire Fighters Association and State Firefighters and Fire Marshals Association. Smith received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lubbock Christian University and a Paramedic Certification from Texas Tech University.

J.P. Steelman of Longview is the Fire Chief of the City of Longview and an instructor at Kilgore College Fire Academy.

He serves as regional director for the Northeast Region of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association and is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Texas Task Force-1, Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System, Texas Emergency Management Assistance Team, and the East Texas Council of Government Homeland Security Advisory Committee.

Additionally, he is board member of See Saw Children’s Place Daycare, past president of the Longview (Greggton) Rotary Club, and a panel member of the Sabine Industrial District Citizen’s Advisory Panel. Steelman received an Associate of Applied Science in the area of fire protection technology and his fire protection certification from Kilgore College Fire Academy. He also completed the Executive Fire Officer Program with the National Fire Academy, Texas Fire Chiefs Academy through the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, and the Texas Fire Service Chief Executive Officer Program through the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service.

These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.

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COMMUNITY HEALTH

A pril 1, 2021

Women’s Health receives a Boost

Carlos E. Quezada, MD, FACOG: Innovative, multilingual, trailblazer in robotic surgery, topmost physician makes Longview, Texas home

By Joycelyne Fadojutimi Longview Regional Medical Center has hired board-certified gynecologist/obstetrician Dr. Carlos Enrique Quezada. In view of present health trends, COVID-19 is not the only health threat faced by East Texas ladies.

WOMEN’S HEALTH AND FIBROIDS A 2016, National Institute of Health research indicates that fibroids affect 65% of all women by the time they reach age fifty.

As many as half of all afflicted women experience severe menstrual periods that lead to pain, reproductive problems, depression, emotional problems, and menstrual bleeding so copious it causes anemia. Along these lines, uterine fibroids are the leading cause of hysterectomies in American women. Consequently, uterine fibroids is a major public health problem resulting in $34.4 billion in medical costs annually without the desired results.

Quezada aims to educate individual women on their specific and personal health issues, thus lessen the need for hysterectomies that results in early menopause and hot flashes. Although during his twenty-one years of treating and caring for women, he has dealt with several kinds of medical problems, he specializes in gynecology, obstetrics, minimally invasive gynecological surgery, infertility, and hormone replacement therapy. He is a trailblazer in robotic surgery for various female pelvic issues, including pelvic reconstruction. He hopes to use all his skills to decrease the need for hysterectomies.

“There are some procedures I want to bring,” he says. “It will bring improved outcomes with-

out having a hysterectomy.”

Quezada can best be described as a mixture of state-of-the-art cutting edge technology Doc. found in big cities, but who is actually a small town kid, loves country music, matured in the U.S. Navy, is fervently proud of his Texas heritage, is a dedicated husband, father and brother with a touch of Latino flare. He also has a predilection for smaller cities like Longview, Texas.

“We went all over the world when I was in the United States Navy,” he says. “When I got to San Antonio in 2011, it was not the same town I [had] left. It had gotten very big. I was missing the feeling of my small town.”

Longview’s size and modest night life also appeal to this devoted healer.

“I like the community,” he says. “The drive [to work] is quick, and at my age, I don’t need night clubs.”

FAMILY AND FAITH His devotion to family and faith is also remarkable. Now that his children are grown, he has more time to dote on his adoring wife Christie and worshipping at their non-denominational church.

“I am madly in love with my wife,” he says. “I cannot be who I am without her. We are looking forward to putting down deeper roots and making Longview our home.”

EDUCATION A native of Laredo, Quezada was four when he accompanied his adoptive grandparents to San Antonio, where he became an ardent San Antonio Spurs fan. After attending South San West Campus, he moved on to Palo Alto College and served as

president of Alpha Theta Pi honor society. He pulled down his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and joined the Pre-Med Honor Society.

DR. CARLOS QUEZADA Furthermore, he attended the University of Texas Health Science up in Longview, and now call Center in San Antonio with a it home. Considering his endfull scholarship from the Navy, less litany of credits, he is a true earning his Doctor of Medicine blessing to his new port of call, degree. While still in medical Longview Texas. school he established the MiliQuezada is board-certified by tary Medical Honor Society be- the American Board of Obstetfore joining the Navy and com- rics and Gynecology, worked as pleting a residency in obstetrics Chief of Obstetrics and Gyneand gynecology at the San Di- cology at the naval hospital in ego-based Naval Medical Cen- Bremerton, Washington, where ter in 2003. After twelve years of he was also adjunct faculty for touring the world in the Navy, the Family Medicine Program. he returned to San Antonio.

He also served as adjunct faculMILITARY SERVICE ty at Christus Santa Rosa Family Quezada spent a total of six- Medical Center in San Antonio, teen years in the Navy, being and for the Obstetrics and Gynestationed at various points of cology residency at University call in Europe, Asia, and all Hospital in San Antonio. across America, and rising to the AWARDS rank of lieutenant commander.

He has earned numerous He now heals as a civilian. awards and recognitions along EXPERTISE AND with his professional memberEXPERIENCE ships. He is a member of the Dr. Quezada is a fellow of the American Congress of ObstetAmerican College of Obstetrics rics and Gynecology, the Amerand Gynecology (ACOG,) a ican Association of Gynecologic past member of the Texas Med- Laparoscopists, and the Ameriical Association, the American can Institute of Ultrasound MedCollege of Obstetrics and Gy- icine. He maintains his certificanecology, Bexar County Med- tion with the American Board ical Society, and the Mexican of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

American Hispanic Physicians While in the service he served in Association. While with ACOG, the US Navy Medical Corps. His he served as treasurer for Sec- ability to speak English, Spanish tion V, District XI, representing and Italian is another blessing San Antonio in women’s health for his patients. matters. Although they folFor more information and/ lowed a long and winding road or to schedule an appointment he and Christie finally pitched please call (903) 753-7658.