Features

   The Mid-December edition of City Hall Update is now available.

   We talk with City Manager Paul Parker updates us regarding City of Lufkin's economics and we talk with Tara Watkins about the upcoming Junior League New Year’s Eve event.
 

    To see a best-of for City Hall Update 2011 click here for Episode One and click here for Episode Two. Each are one hour programs containing some of the best interviews for the year.

   City Hall Update is a short streaming video covering upcoming events, new facilities, and construction status within the City. City Hall Update is also available on SuddenLink channel  15.

   You may have received a mailed offering of water line coverage by a company called Home Service. This company is not affiliated or associated with the City of Lufkin or its water Utility service. The Home Service company is offering a Water Service Line Coverage policy which they state covers the line from the utility service connection to the edge of the Home, however, their policy has many exclusions to this coverage nor does it cover any interior plumbing issues. This service offering appears very official and even contains a deadline to respond by for the service. Similar offerings are currently under review by the Attorneys General offices in Boston and Miami. Please remember that Home Service’s Mail-out is an offering of service and is in no way mandated or affiliated with the City of Lufkin. To see a short PSA concerning this please click here.

   This year’s lighted Christmas parade and was held on Tuesday, November 29 at 6 PM in downtown Lufkin. Known as one of the highlights of the holiday season the Main Street Lufkin Christmas Parade is a treat for young and old alike. Smokey the Bear, the largest shopping cart in East Texas and even real snow were all part of the 180 entries in this year’s Christmas Parade. The theme of “Christmas Around the World” was evident in the colorful lighted floats and vehicles that included commercial and non-commercial entries.
 

   First place in the commercial division was Texas Home Health. Second place went to Southland Rehabilitation Center and A-1 Party Rental took Third. Etoile ISD took first place in the non-commercial division followed by the Angelina County Sheriff’s Department and Kurth Memorial Library.
 

   See the Lufkin Daily News article about this year's parade here. To see the video of the event click here.

   If properly used and maintained, an electric space heater can be a safe effective way to keep your house warm during the winter months. Unfortunately, many people don’t follow the manufacturer’s safety recommendations. If you will be using an electric space heater to heat your home this season, take the time to make sure it is safe by inspecting it and following the safety recommendations below.

• With it unplugged, inspect the cord for fraying, cracks and heat damage.

• Look at the heater itself for damage dust or debris that could cause a fire or an electrical short.

• Make sure that no parts (guards etc.) have been removed and/or are missing.

• When plugging in the heater, be sure not to run the cord through a doorway or window where it could get damaged.

• Never run a cord under a rug or use an extension cord to plug in your heater.

• Place your heater at least three feet away from anything that can burn (This is the leading cause of space heater fires).

• Avoid placing things where they can fall or get knocked into the heaters “danger zone” by a pet or child.

• When it is time for bed or you need to leave the house, turn off the space heater.

• Also, never use a stove or oven to heat your house. It is dangerous and inefficient.

If using a gas heater, you should inspect it much like an electric heater.

An additional hazard with gas heaters is carbon monoxide; a colorless odorless gas that is produced when things burn. If not properly maintained, gas heaters can produce deadly levels of carbon monoxide. So, have your gas heaters serviced if they produce a yellow or orange flame and at least once a year.
 

   Whether a space heater, stove water heater or even if you have an attached garage, make sure you have a working Carbon monoxide detector.