June 17 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Great leaders don’t just know what to do. They know what they stand for.
Join Demetress Harrell, Executive Director of Hospice in the Pines, on Wednesday, June 17, for Chamber University as she explores Core Values: The Foundation of Leadership. Learn how clearly defined values guide decision-making, build trust, and create stronger leaders and stronger organizations.
Register today >>> bit.ly/CU-0617
(Nacogdoches, TX) – The Nacogdoches Public Library is joining other libraries across the country in celebrating reading with the universal theme of Unearth a Story. Kids are not the only ones who can join in on the fun and win prizes. Some of the adult programs include Fiber Arts Club on the first Monday of each month, Books & Banter on the second Thursday of each month, two America 250-themed Paint Parties in June, weekly citizenship classes, and Bad Art Night in July. Adults can earn prizes at the end of the summer by attending library programs and tracking their reading using the ReadSquared app. For more information on specific program times and how to track your program
attendance and reading, please visit nactx.us/library or visit the library. All library
programs are free, but some may require registration.
Every day, people in this region pull out their phones and search for something.
“Plumber near me.” “Best barbecue in Lufkin.” “Accountant Nacogdoches.” “Veterinarian Angelina County.”
And every day, Google decides which businesses show up first.
If your business isn’t appearing when people search for what you do — in the area where you do it — you’re handing customers to the competitor who does show up. Not because they’re better. Because Google can find them easier.
That’s what search engine optimization is. Not a trick. Not a gimmick. Just making it easier for the people searching for you to actually find you.
And the fundamentals are simpler than most business owners think.
Start with what you own
The single most impactful thing a local business can do for its online visibility is claim, complete, and actively manage its Google Business Profile.
This is the box that appears when someone searches for your business or your business type in a specific area. It shows your name, address, phone number, hours, reviews, photos, and a link to your website. For many customers, this is the only thing they see before deciding to call you or keep scrolling.
If your profile is incomplete — missing hours, no photos, outdated information — Google treats it as a lower priority. A complete, active profile with recent photos, accurate information, and a steady stream of reviews signals to Google that this business is real, relevant, and worth recommending.
Here’s a checklist that costs nothing and takes an afternoon. Make sure every field is filled out. Add at least ten photos — your building, your team, your work, your vehicles. Write a description that clearly states what you do and where you serve. Choose the most accurate business categories. Verify that your hours are correct, including holiday hours.
Then keep it alive. Post updates. Add new photos quarterly. Respond to every review — thank the positive ones, address the negative ones professionally. Google is watching whether your profile is active, and activity gets rewarded with visibility.
Reviews are your secret weapon
In a community-driven market like East Texas, word of mouth has always been the most powerful form of marketing. Google Reviews are the digital version of that.
A business with 150 reviews and a 4.7 rating looks fundamentally different in search results than a business with 8 reviews and no responses. Not just to Google — to the person searching. Reviews are social proof. They answer the question “can I trust this business?” before the customer ever makes contact.
The businesses that accumulate reviews consistently aren’t the ones with the best service — though they usually do have good service. They’re the ones that ask. Systematically. After every completed job, every positive interaction, every satisfied customer.
“Would you mind leaving us a review on Google? It really helps.” That sentence, repeated consistently, is one of the most valuable marketing activities a local business can perform.
Your website needs to speak Google’s language
Your website is a 24/7 representative of your business. But it’s also a signal to Google about what you do, where you do it, and how authoritative you are.
A few basics that make an outsized difference.
Page titles. Every page on your website has a title tag that appears in search results. If your homepage title says “Home” or just your company name, you’re wasting the most valuable piece of real estate in search. “Commercial HVAC Services in East Texas | Your Company Name” tells Google exactly what you do and where — and matches what people are actually typing.
Content. Google rewards websites that publish useful, original content regularly. A blog post answering a question your customers frequently ask — “How often should I service my commercial HVAC system?” — is another chance for Google to match your business with someone searching for that answer.
Mobile experience. More than half of all searches happen on phones. If your website is slow, hard to navigate, or difficult to read on a mobile device, you’re losing potential customers and Google rankings simultaneously.
The layers most people don’t see
Everything above is actionable and effective. It’s also just the surface.
Beneath it is a technical infrastructure that determines whether your website can compete for the most valuable search positions. Site architecture, schema markup, backlink profiles, page speed optimization, security protocols, crawl error management — these are the mechanics that separate businesses appearing on page one from businesses buried on page three.
Most business owners don’t need to understand these things in detail. But they do need to know they exist, because these are the factors that determine whether your online presence is truly working for you or just sitting there looking respectable while your competitors capture the traffic.
The businesses in East Texas that consistently appear at the top of local search results didn’t get there by accident. They got there by treating their online presence as an asset worth investing in — not just once, but continuously.
Lee Allen Miller is the founder of MSGPR Ltd Co, a full-service creative agency in Lufkin, Texas, and author of Entrepreneurship God’s Way. For more insights on marketing and business growth, visit msgpr.com.
How Can We Do the Right Thing When We Are Afraid?
“If I saw soldiers hurting Jesus, I’d want to help, but I might be too scared,” says Lucas, 9. “I’d probably hide behind a camel.”
Fear can stop us from doing the right thing. In John 19:38–42, we meet two men who were afraid, but they still found the courage to do what was right.
“Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple,” says Ella, 11. “He believed in Jesus but was afraid of what other people would think.”
Joseph was a rich man and a respected member of the Jewish council, the same group that had pushed for Jesus’ death. He had a lot to lose. Following Jesus publicly could mean losing his position, his reputation, or even his life. But after Jesus died, Joseph made a brave choice. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body so he could give him a proper burial.
Then comes another surprise. Nicodemus, the same Pharisee who once visited Jesus secretly at night, showed up with a mixture of spices to help bury Jesus. He brought about 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes. That’s a huge amount! It shows how much he honored Jesus.
“Nicodemus used to be sneaky about meeting Jesus,” says Mia, 12.
Both Joseph and Nicodemus had been silent before. But now, when Jesus’ closest followers had scattered in fear, these two stepped forward. They weren’t loud or flashy, but their actions spoke loudly. They showed love and respect when others walked away.
“It’s like when you stand up for someone being bullied,” says Hannah, 11. “You might be scared, but you do it anyway because it’s right.”
We all face moments when doing the right thing feels scary. Maybe someone makes fun of your faith, or you’re afraid to speak up when others are mean. Like Joseph and Nicodemus, we can find courage by remembering who Jesus is and what he did for us.
Courage doesn’t mean we’re not afraid. It means we choose to do what’s right even when we’re afraid. Joseph and Nicodemus had stayed quiet during Jesus’ ministry, but when it counted most, they stepped up.
Most of us don’t have boldness. We want people to like us. The desire for approval from others makes us timid and cautious. Remember, Peter denied Jesus three times during his trial.
In Acts 4, we see Peter and John boldly proclaiming Jesus’ death and resurrection. About 5000 people trusted Christ as their savior. Religious leaders were astonished at their boldness. Then the Bible text simply says, “And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13b).
Joseph gave his own tomb for Jesus’ burial. That fulfilled another prophecy: “And they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at His death” (Isaiah 53:9). Even in death, Jesus fulfilled God’s perfect plan.
God can use anyone: shy or bold, rich or poor, young or old. When we take a step of faith, even a small one, God can turn it into something big.
Think About This: Joseph and Nicodemus were afraid, but they still did the right thing. You don’t have to be fearless to follow Jesus. You just have to trust him enough to take the next step.
Memorize This Truth: “After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission” (John 19:38).
Ask This Question: When you’re afraid to do the right thing, how can remembering Jesus’ love help you be brave?
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Kids Talk About God is designed for families to study the Bible together. Research shows that parents who study the Bible with their children give their character, faith and spiritual life a powerful boost. To receive Kids Talk About God twice a week in a free, email subscription, visit www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org/email.
July 4 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Show off your patriotic spirit and enter our Freedom Over Crockett Red, White and Blue Dessert Contest!
Create your dessert for Independence Day and bring it in to the Moosehead Cafe on the Fourth between 10 and 11 AM.
Winners will be announced at the Civic Center field during the festivities that evening!
Get creative, have fun, and help make Crockett shine Red, White, and Blue this Fourth of July!
June 11 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Leadership never graduates, and neither do the connections and impact that come with it. This gathering is just for Leadership Lufkin graduates and is a chance to reconnect, catch up on what’s ahead for Leadership Lufkin, Leadership Tomorrow, and Leading Edge, and find simple, meaningful ways to stay involved. Whether you’re looking to mentor, volunteer, support a program, or plug back in, we’d love to have you in the room.
Register to attend: bit.ly/LLAA-0626
June 6 @ 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Roof Ryders would like to thank our community for keeping us in business… but we’re not doing it with just a “thank you” post.
We’re throwing a full-blown Community Roundup — and YOU’RE invited.
Come enjoy:
Free Food
Water Slides
Mechanical Bull
Bounce Houses
Pony Rides
Live Entertainment
Family Fun & More
This event is our way of giving back to the people who have supported us, trusted us, and helped build Roof Ryders into what it is today.
Bring the whole family and come meet the new Roof Ryders brand as we celebrate this next chapter together.
We can’t wait to see y’all there.
And a big thank you to our top sponsors who helped make this event happen.
Texas Farm Credit
Done Once Done Right Garage Door
Blume Windows
Summer brings out the most aggressive weeds in East Texas. Crabgrass, dallisgrass, nutsedge, spurge, and a long list of broadleaf weeds all thrive in the warm, humid conditions found throughout the Lufkin and Nacogdoches area. Once established, these weeds can spread with remarkable speed, and the difference between a manageable lawn and an overrun one often comes down to how quickly and strategically homeowners respond.
Warm-season weeds are built for the climate they encounter in East Texas summers. They germinate quickly, grow aggressively, produce heavy volumes of seed, and often tolerate heat and drought better than desirable turf grasses. Left alone, a few scattered weeds can multiply into hundreds within a matter of weeks. Many summer weeds also have deep taproots or spreading rhizomes that make removal far more difficult once plants mature.
Identification is an important first step. Crabgrass forms pale green, low-growing clumps that spread outward in a star pattern, especially in thin turf and bare soil. Dallisgrass grows in taller, coarser clumps with seed heads that rebound almost immediately after mowing; its deep roots make it one of the most difficult lawn weeds to eliminate in the region. Nutsedge is frequently mistaken for grass but grows faster, has a distinctive triangular stem, and spreads through underground tubers that resist traditional weed killers. Broadleaf weeds like spurge and clover tend to take advantage of thin turf and are often early indicators of a lawn needing better density overall.
The most effective summer weed control focuses on early action. Young weeds are significantly easier to manage than mature ones, and catching weeds in their early stages prevents them from going to seed and multiplying further. Different weed species also require different treatments — applying a single general-purpose product across an entire yard rarely produces strong results, since grassy weeds, broadleaf weeds, and sedges often respond to very different approaches.
Lawn health plays a substantial role in long-term weed control. Thick, healthy grass naturally crowds out invaders by limiting the space and sunlight weeds need to establish themselves. Proper mowing height, deep and infrequent watering, and attention to bare spots and compacted soil all strengthen turf and reduce weed pressure over time. Scalping a lawn during summer has the opposite effect, weakening grass and creating open space where weeds eagerly take hold.
Weeds often reveal underlying issues as much as they cause them. A sudden explosion of weeds in a particular area usually indicates a problem — thin turf, drainage trouble, compaction, or disease — that needs attention on its own terms. Addressing the root cause typically produces far better long-term results than repeatedly treating the visible weeds alone.
With the right combination of early action, targeted treatment, and consistent lawn care, summer weed pressure can be brought under control — and a healthier lawn becomes its own best long-term defense against future invaders.
Class 26-65 Completes Grueling 16-Week Course
With a packed crowd featuring family, friends and other supporters, Angelina College on Monday graduated nine new firefighters in a celebration held inside AC’s Community Services building.
Cadet Ryan R. Chapa received the award for Highest Academic Achievement, while cadet Chase D. Lacey received the Most Outstanding Cadet award after votes from his classmates.
Chief Jason Pope addressed both the cadets and the crowd, lauding the cadets’ choices to enter the profession and enduring the grueling 16-week course. Pope reminded them their commitment to the academy extends to both the profession and real life.
“It takes a special person to do the work that firefighters do,” Pope said. “When these men walked through the door on the first day, it was apparent they were not prepared for what was coming. They had that ‘deer in the headlights’ look, and for good reason.
“But they learned discipline, accountability, responsibility, trust and dedication – not only to the fire service, but to life in general.”
Keynote speaker Captain Williams Gates of AC’s Fire Academy shared the true definition of a fireman.
“Ever heard the expression ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’?” Gates asked. “It’s from Shakespeare, and there’s more to the quote. It actually reads, ‘You must be a jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than a master of one.’
“These young men have endeavored to pursue a career that requires constant and continuous improvement in their craft.”
Gates also challenged the cadets to “find your mentor.”
“This is just the first, tiny little step in this process,” Gates said. “I had so many great mentors, and they taught me how to act, how to be and what to do. And hopefully, as your career progresses, you will become that mentor for others.”
Chapa, the class valedictorian, recalled the cadets’ expectations in the beginning, and how those expectations evolved into reality.
“When we first started, all we knew was lights and sirens and running into buildings,” Chapa said. “But along the way, we learned there’s so much more than that. It’s waking up every day and learning something new when your brain’s still hurting from all the information you learned the day before. It’s learning how to stay calm when everything around you is falling apart. It’s trusting your brothers with your life and having their backs at all times.”
“We earned this together.”
Lacey, a military veteran, praised his classmates for their willingness to learn from what he called “by far, the oldest cadet in the class.”
“I was by far the oldest, and they never let me live that down,” Lacey joked. “Every single one of these guys picked up what I had to share from my own experiences, and they’ve molded themselves into great leaders. They’ve pushed themselves beyond what they were capable of doing.
“I couldn’t be any prouder of all of them.”
Graduating fire cadets, along with their hometowns of record, were as follows:
Mason R. Bass (Nacogdoches), Austin R. Cadroy (Orange), William Castillo (Cushing), Ryan R. Chapa (Lufkin), Jaime Flores II (Lufkin), Garrett D. Hogg (Hudson), Chase D. Lacey (Etoile), Elijah E. Loper (Alto) and Aden M. Morris (Livingston).
Instructors and staff for Class 25-65: Jason Pope, Chief Training Officer, Angelina College Fire Academy; Shawn Dillon, Assistant Coordinator, Angelina College Fire Academy/Nacogdoches Fire Department; Kim Capps, Public Safety Specialist; and William Gates, Angelina College Fire Academy.
For further information regarding Angelina College’s Fire Academy, contact Jason Pope at jpope@angelina.edu.
Gary Stallard’s email address is gstallard@angelina.edu.
Funding to Support Launch of New Electrical Lineworker Program, Expanding Workforce Training Opportunities in East Texas
LUFKIN, Texas — Angelina College is proud to announce that the Angelina College Foundation has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation to support the launch of a new Electrical Lineworker Program. The funding will help establish a workforce training pathway designed to prepare students for careers in the electric utility industry—one of the most in-demand trades in Texas and across the nation.
The Electrical Lineworker Program will equip students with the technical skills, safety knowledge, and hands-on experience required to enter the workforce as qualified lineworkers. As demand for reliable energy infrastructure continues to grow, driven by population growth, storm recovery efforts, and grid modernization, trained lineworkers are increasingly critical to communities throughout the region.
This grant reflects the CenterPoint Energy Foundation’s commitment to investing in education and workforce development. Angelina College is grateful for the Foundation’s partnership in making this new program possible and looks forward to connecting graduates with meaningful career opportunities in the energy sector.
“This grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation is a tremendous investment in the future of our students and our community. The Electrical Lineworker Program will open doors to well-paying careers and help meet a critical workforce need in East Texas.”
— Aaron Smith, Electrical Lineworker Instructor, Angelina College
The grant was awarded through the CenterPoint Energy Foundation as part of its focus on education and community vitality. Angelina College Foundation submitted the application on behalf of the college as part of ongoing efforts to expand technical and workforce education programs available to students in the region.
About Angelina College: Angelina College is a two-year community college located in Lufkin, Texas, dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality education, workforce training, and community enrichment. Through its technical programs, transfer pathways, and continuing education offerings, Angelina College serves thousands of students each year across the East Texas region.
About the CenterPoint Energy Foundation: The CenterPoint Energy Foundation invests in nonprofit organizations and educational institutions in the communities CenterPoint Energy serves. The Foundation focuses on education and community vitality, supporting programs that create lasting impact for residents across its service territory.
Media Contact:
Krista Brown
Angelina College
3500 South First Street, Lufkin, TX 75901
[936-671–4780] | [kbrown@angelina.edu]
Texas Forest Country Living is a digital online magazine featuring the lifestyle and community of the Texas Forest Country region. The Counties include Angelina County, Nacogdoches County, Sabine County, Tyler County, Newton County, San Jacinto County, San Augustine County, Jasper County, Houston County, Shelby County, Trinity County and Polk County
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