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Beaumont, TX — February 27, 2024 - Del Papa Distributing, a leading beverage distributor serving Southeast Texas, is proud to announce the presentation of a $50,000 check to the Southeast Texas Food Bank. This donation is the result of a match grant initiative, where the public was invited to contribute alongside Del Papa Distributing to reach a combined goal of $100,000.

SETX, we have finally received a noteworthy amount of rainfall in many of our areas. Hopefully, all of you received some rain as our trees are in desperate need of rain! Some areas experienced dramatic rainfall amounts of 5-inches or more, and while most of us did receive substantial rainfall, the amount does little to diminish our rainfall deficit. Gardeners let’s hope weather conditions will begin shifting toward more typical patterns since the end of summer is here, finally relaxing the blistering grip. Autumn officially strolled in on September 21st, with slightly cooler, more comfortable outdoor temperatures. Readers, before you know it, we will be ‘de-bugging’ houseplants before relocating them indoors!

From salads and snacks to breakfast, lunch and dinner, rounding out a full menu of healthy meals shouldn't be a chore. A Brunch Fruit Tart is a nutritious way to start your morning, and a fresh twist on Pesto Pasta Salad can make lunches or your evening side an enjoyable way to stay on track. Bowls filled with grains, veggies and a favorite protein are all the rage, and these Orange Shrimp Quinoa Bowls are no exception when you're craving a combination of your personal favorites.

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The CTE Advisory Board met Tuesday with CTE Director Penny Singleton and Automotive Teacher Al Waits. This meeting was to create a partnership with area Ford car dealerships. VHS CTE will partner with the dealerships for job shadow experiences and school guest speaking events. The goal is to have students start a safety, engine and electrical system online training module in high school in addition to the handson we already provide so that the auto students will be job ready post graduation. Pictured is VHS Auto Teacher Al Waits with Ford reps Chase WIlliamson, Matt Northrup, & Billy Machesua.

Gardeners, it’s hot outside, so schedule gardening chores early in the morning, or late in the evening, drink plenty of water, and keep a sweat towel handy… enough said! A quick few words if you planted a spring vegetable garden, as most are struggling now or if like mine, a pleasant ‘recent’ memory, with all plant remnants removed. It’s time to top dress each garden bed with amendments to add structure and to reinvigorate the soil, by adding worm castings, composted manure, topsoil, and compost. Use a broadfork, garden fork, or spade to turn the soil amendments (these garden implements are less damaging to the microbiome created in the garden spot) into the soil. Create a homogeneous mixture throughout the soil by turning them into the soil, moderately. Doing this will allow nutrients to be readily available for ‘replanting’ garden beds, since some nutrients (micronutrients) might be in short supply or completely depleted due to the spring gardens’ harvest! Plant a summer garden with vegetables that can handle Texas’ heat, such as peas (cow & pinkeye, purple hull, black eye), okra, Chinese long bean, and various varieties of squash, and numerous melons.

At Sam Houston State University, professors can provide students with firsthand experiences thanks to community collaborations. Chemistry professor Darren Williams has partnered with Huntsville Police Department (HPD) for 10 years, allowing his students to benefit from meeting and interacting with crime scene investigators and learning about the resources the department uses for real investigations.

Figs absolutely enjoy our SETX climate with numerous varieties which grow quickly, producing bountiful harvest. The LSU Purple fig (Ficus Carica) produces dark purple, beautiful, flavorful fruit perfect for eating fresh from the tree, poaching in red wine for dessert, or when used to make preserves, conserve, or jelly.