SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 THE LUFKIN DAILY NEWS LUFKINDAILYNEWS.COM THE FIRST AMENDMENT Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a OPINION redress of grievances. 4B The Lufkin Daily News editorial board Take some time away from all the noise Keven Todd President & Publisher hile many folks are spending more this week for a break — you’ll be glad you did. no reason to panic, we must maintain our [email protected] time at home, it’s easier than ever to With that, here’s the latest information on commitment to the common sense practices Wbecome consumed with the events our state’s fight against the coronavirus. that have allowed Texas to lead the way in our Jeff Pownall of the day. Whether we’re Coronavirus update. Gov. Abbott re- response to this pandemic — wearing a face Managing Editor diligently refreshing our cently announced that Texas students will be mask in public, washing hands regularly and Stacy Faison Jenna Lenderman newsfeed on Facebook or returning to school for in-person instruction maintaining social distancing. News Editor Advertising finding ourselves glued to this fall. While there will certainly be higher As a reminder, the deadline to apply for the television to get our fix safety standards in place than in years prior, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding Josh Havard Leslie Nemec Sports Editor Advertising of a seemingly never-ending Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commis- through the Small Business Administration news cycle, it can feel sioner Mike Morath indicated that there will (SBA) is Tuesday, June 30. Additionally, the Melissa Crager Uriel Vega impossible at times to find also be flexibility for families with health con- SBA has recently resumed accepting PPP Charm Editor Graphic Artist some peace of mind. cerns so that their children can be educated applications, and revised the loan forgiveness And while it’s important remotely, if the parent so chooses. Though application process to include the EZ PPP ap- OUR OPINION to stay informed and con- TRENT ASHBY additional guidance for school districts is ex- plication, which requires fewer calculations nect with others in challeng- pected to be released in the coming week, the and less documentation than the full appli- ing times, it’s also important to prioritize time reopening of Texas’ schools will allow both cation. For more information on eligibility Father’s Day away from all the noise to find some peace and teachers and students to provide and receive requirements and how to apply, visit sba.gov. quiet. Whether you take a daily walk outside quality instruction in a setting that is most As always, please do not hesitate to contact without your phone, spend extra time working conducive for academic success. our office if we can help you in any way. Our Dads are just as in the yard or garden, wet a line with an old While recent reports have shown an uptick District office may be reached at 634-2762. important in the friend, or simply cook a meal without the tele- in the number of positive COVID-19 cases Trent Ashby is the state representative for District 57 that vision on in the background, finding time to across the state, it’s important to remember includes Angelina, Houston, Leon, Madison, San Augustine development of a child unplug and unwind will help us find the peace that Texas has an abundance of hospital beds and Trinity counties. His email address is trent.ashby@house. of mind that has been so elusive over the last available to treat individuals that have con- state.tx.us. He and his staff are available during the week at as the mothers are several weeks. I encourage you to make time tracted the disease. Though there is certainly (512) 463-0508 or 634-2762. he first observance of Father’s Day was on July 5, 1908, in Fair- HEADLINES IN Local HISTORY mont, West Virginia. Just two months prior, the first modern JUNE 21 TMother’s Day celebration was held in the Five years ago West Virginia town of Grafton. ■ Winners of the 2015 Fruit, Vegetable & Canning Spotty Father’s Day observations oc- Show hosted at Angelina County Farmers Market curred until the 1920s, when the celebra- include Carolyn Williams, Barbara Jones, Angier tion faded into obscurity for a time before Peavy, Sharon Adams, Michael Isenberg and Raniece the holiday was promoted again in the Isenberg. 1930s. At that time, trade groups that would ■ More than 100 compete at wild, wild west second benefit most from the holiday — such as annual Pineywoods Cattle Baron’s Clay Shoot at Pines manufacturers of ties, tobacco pipes and Gun Club on Lake Road. any traditional gift to fathers — were asked Ten years ago to help promote the holiday in order to ■ Officials worried about the declining state of raise awareness at a national level. And disrepair of historic Glendale Cemetery. by 1938, the Father’s Day Council, founded ■ Angelina College Community Services announce the by the New York Associated Men’s Wear school will host Kid’s College 2010. Retailers to help with commercial promo- Twenty years ago tion, got on board as well. ■ Residents turn backs on council after being denied While Americans initially resisted a forum to speak. NAACP members converge on mayor Father’s Day due to its commercialization, and city council. by the mid-1980s the holiday had become ■ Kurth Memorial Library construction moving along. “a second Christmas for all the men’s gift-oriented industries,” according to the From the pages of The Lufkin Daily News, compiled by Father’s Day Council. The History Center, TheHistoryCenterOnline.com. A bill to approve national recognition of the holiday was introduced in Congress in 1913, but as many of us recall, it wasn’t un- TODAY IN HISTORY til 1966 that President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation The Associated Press designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. And it wasn’t until six years Today is Sunday, June 21, the 173rd day later, in 1972, that the day was made a per- of 2020. There are 193 days left in the year. manent national holiday when President Today’s Highlight in History: Richard Nixon signed it into law. By con- On June 21, 1989, a sharply divided trast, Congress passed a law designating Supreme Court ruled that burning the the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day American flag as a form of political protest in 1914 — 58 years earlier. was protected by the First Amendment. While it might have taken our country Join me in celebrating our teachers On this date: a while to finally give dads the due respect In 1954, the American Cancer Society we had been paying to moms, no child can ur teachers are true heroes. They rose the opportunity to meet Santa. Special needs presented a study to the American Medi- deny the influence their father has had to the occasion when we had to close students can become overwhelmed when cal Association meeting in San Francisco in molding them into the people they are Ocampuses because of COVID-19 and visiting Santa at the mall due to all of the which found that men who regularly today. After all, little boys want to grow up went to online teaching sounds and lights. Collaborating with Herty smoked cigarettes died at a considerably to be “just like Dad.” And little girls will and/or packet learning. Primary’s PTK, Badders Law Firm and higher rate than non-smokers. always be “Daddy’s little girl,” no matter They reached out to their Brookshire Brothers, Ms. Murphy helped set In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Miller how old they are. students and did a great up a night of calm environment for Herty v. California, ruled that states may ban Whether busting their tails at jobs that job adapting to change. We and Coston students to enjoy interacting materials found to be obscene according to often keep them away for long hours from usually have a banquet with Santa without environmental stressors. local standards. the families they work so hard to provide to recognize our teachers Jamie plans to collaborate with community for, coaching sports teams for free in what of the year, but unfortu- partners again this year to provide the Sen- meager off-time they get, or taking care nately, we were not able to sory Santa experience. Jamie has a son, Ja- Have your say of business around the house to ensure this year. I wanted to ac- cob Bosquez, who plans to become a Special LYNN TORRES To submit a letter to the editor, bring it to us at the roof over your head doesn’t leak, your knowledge those teachers Education teacher. Jamie’s daughter, Claire 300 Ellis Ave. in downtown Lufkin, mail it to P.O. father is always there for you, all the time. who were selected by their Solly, is currently a seventh grade student. Box 1089, Lufkin, TX 75902-1089, or fill out our And while threats to daughters of “riding peers as the top teacher on their campus. Dyson Nickle was selected as the Second- easy-to-use form at lufkindailynews.com/letters. in the back seat with a shotgun” on their Congratulations to the following: ary Teacher of the Year. He received his Or you can email your letter to news@lufkindaily- dates might be idle, don’t think that bluff Ace: Lidge Proutt; Anderson Elementary: Bachelors of Applied Arts and Sciences news.com. is too far off the mark from what Dad will Lauren Roberts; Brandon Elementary: degree from Stephen F. Austin State Univer- Please limit your letters to 350 words. actually do to anyone who tries to hurt his Donna Martin; Brookhollow Elementary: sity. He taught at Kennard High School, St. Be sure to include a daytime telephone number Cyprian’s Episcopal School and Pineywoods little girl. Ana “Elise” Lillard; Burley Primary: Anna on your letter. According to the U.S. Census Bureau Hidrogo; Coston Elementary: Jamie Murphy; Community Academy before returning to All letters are subject to editing for length and there are 19.7 million children — more Dunbar Primary: Angela Duncan; Garrett SFASU, where he completed his Master of clarity, and unsigned letters will not be used. We than 1 in 4 — living without a father in the Primary: Christine Heaton; Hackney Pri- Arts of History. He was employed by SFASU will only publish one letter per writer during a home. Consequently, there is a ‘‘father fac- mary: Martha Trejo; Herty Primary: Angela as an academic adviser for 11 years. He 30-day period. tor’’ in nearly all of the societal ills facing Fuller; Kurth Primary: Courtney Dempsey; decided to go back to teaching and was hired America today. Research shows that when Lufkin High School: Abby McCarty; Lufkin at Lufkin Middle School as a seventh grade a child is raised in a home without a father, Middle School: Dyson Nickle; Slack Elemen- Texas History teacher. He has shared his love the child is: tary: Elli Williams; Trout Primary: Megan of history as a teacher, field trip organizer Your elected officials ■ 4 times at greater risk of poverty. Sullivan. and sponsor for both UIL Social Studies and Let your elected officials know what you think. ■ More likely to have behavioral prob- From these top teachers, two were selected Model UN. He put together a living his- Here is contact information for each. lems. to represent the district on the regional level. tory event in Groveton, where he brought ■ 2 times at greater risk of infant mor- Jamie Murphy was selected as the Elemen- together living historians from as far away U.S. White House cruz.senate.gov tality. tary/Primary Teacher of the Year and Dyson as Illinois to put on an event that has allowed Comment Line ■ More likely to go to prison. Nickle, the Secondary Teacher of the Year. students to interact with personas from the (202) 456-1111 U.S. Rep. Louie ■ More likely to commit crime. Jamie Murphy is a Special Education 1860s. Close to 500 seventh grade students Gohmert ■ 7 times more likely to become preg- teacher who has taught for seven years. She attend this event, making it one of the largest Gov. Greg Abbott 2234 Rayburn HOB nant as a teen. has spent most of her teaching career at field trips organized within the district. Mr. Room 200, State Capitol Washington, D.C. 20515 ■ More likely to face abuse and neglect. Coston Elementary as a Resource Special Nickle is married to Lena Nickle and they Austin, TX 78701 (202) 225-3035 (800) 252-9600 ■ 2 times more likely to suffer obesity. Education Teacher. Jamie originally worked have three children who are all Lufkin High gohmert.house.gov (512) 463-2000 ■ 2 times more likely to drop out of high as a paraprofessional in Special Education School alumni. gov.texas.gov/ State Sen. Robert school. Classrooms where she fell in love with help- Please join me in celebrating all of our Nichols You think you bleed Astros orange, Cow- ing special needs students. She is a graduate teachers, congratulating our Campus Teach- Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick P.O. Box 12068 boys blue or Rockets red because you were of Stephen F. Austin State University where ers of the Year and Regional Teachers of the Capitol Station Austin, TX 78711 born that way? You were raised that way, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Year, and thanking them all for their decision P.O. Box 12068 (512) 463-0103 on the knee of the man who taught you Special Education. to “Choose Lufkin!” Austin, TX 78711 robert.nichols@senate. everything you know about sports. A project dear to Jamie’s heart was Senso- Lynn Torres is the superintendent of Lufkin ISD. Her email (512) 463-0001 state.tx.us So while we’ve all been guilty of buying ry Santa, which gave special needs students address is [email protected]. ltgov.state.tx.us 202 E. Pilar, Room 208 that tie, tech gadget, wallet, T-shirt or cof- Nacogdoches, TX 75961 fee mug to honor “The World’s Greatest U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (936) 564-4252 Dad” on one Father’s Day or another — MALLARD FILLMORE By Bruce Tinsley 517 Hart, Senate and Dad treasures those gifts, don’t get us Office Building State Rep. Trent Ashby wrong! — let’s give Dad the gift he gave us Washington, D.C. 20510 Room E2414 growing up: our time. (202) 224-2934 Capitol Extension Hang out with the old man today while cornyn.senate.gov/ P.O. Box 2910 fishing, grilling or just shooting the breeze. Tyler office: Austin, TX 78768 If work has your dad on the road or in (903) 593-0902 (512) 463-0508 another town, or if you no longer live in house.state.tx.us/ the same area, pick up the phone and call U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz members/member- the guy! Dirksen Senate Building, page/?district=57 And for those of us whose fathers are no Suite SDB-40B 2915 Atkinson Drive longer alive, don’t think that means they Washington, D.C. 20510 Lufkin, TX 75901 are no longer with us. Dad will always be (202) 224-5922 (936) 634-2762 there for you, watching over you.