Our Viewpoint
Fish hatchery will proceed as normal

After months of uncertainty, the Texas Legislature agreed to release stamp money earmarked for the Jasper County fish hatchery so the project can proceed as originally planned.

Lawmakers had threatened to move the money into a general fund to be used on other projects.

Remember, the stamp was originally formed to raise funds for the new fish hatchery to increase bass production in the area.

The fish hatchery will provide an economic shot in the arm for Jasper County when it is completed. The new and improved facility is expected to increase production of bass to three to four milliion a year.

As it has been well documented, the bass in Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend are already a valuable commodity to this area. Taking this away would have been a sad decision by lawmakers who are supposed to take care of the best interests on their constituents.

If the stamp money had been taken away, the fish hatchery would have still been built but it would have taken longer to finish the project.

Now we are on target to be completed in two years and that is a good sign for all involved.

Roses go to….

t How about them Bulldogs? It took three games but Jasper is moving on to state to take on Abilene Wylie today at 7 p.m. in Round Rock. A victory propells them to Thursday's final.

t Woodville's baseball squad was eliminated but the Eagles still showed why they are force in Class 2A baseball.

t To all the contestants participating in this weekend's Miss Jasper pageant. Your hard work will pay off this week, win or lose because you took the time to participate in the scholarship pageant.