Shelby County Today

October 15, 2019 - The M.P. Baker Library of Panola College will be co-hosting a local author showcase with the Sammy Brown Public Library on Monday, October 21st from 2:00 – 4:00 PM in the Murphy-Payne Community Rooms at Panola College. Five East Texas area authors will be on hand to sell and sign copies of their various works. Authors include Ryan Burchett, Dr. Barbara Cordell, Bill O’Neal, Elizabeth Powell, and Louis Powell. Several genres will be represented at the event.

Ryan Burchett is the pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Garland, TX. Ryan graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, and with his Master of Arts in Church Ministries from the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. 

In Walking Together Through Trials: And How God is STILL Good, Ryan tells the story of the ongoing challenges he and his wife, Lindsie, face through her dealings with ataxic cerebral-palsy with neuropathy. Told from his perspective as the caregiver, Ryan is open and honest about the inner struggles he faces, along with Lindsie's physical challenges and how both endure through various challenges, trials, and some victories. 

Dr. Barbara Cordell holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Health Counseling and Education, Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialist, Univ. of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX and several certificates in Holistic Nursing.

Dr. Cordell has published 30+ academic articles in peer-reviewed journals, including three on Auto-Brewery Syndrome. Her work has appeared on National Public Radio, 20/20, and BBC. Cordell is a holistic nurse with forty years of experience and dozens of published articles including research on Auto-Brewery Syndrome (ABS). When her husband Joe, was diagnosed with ABS she took a deep dive into the literature and research in order to help him and others get well by writing a book on the science and stories of the rare disease.

In My Gut Makes Alcohol!, Dr. Cordell takes a close look at all the science, new and old that surrounds ABS. She reveals the painful experiences of ABS patients and in doing so, exposes the medical community’s resistance to new knowledge and potential for cruelty. 

Texas author, Bill O’Neal has written more than forty books and three hundred articles and book reviews on the American West, including gunfighters, lawmen, and ghost towns; Country music, with emphasis on Texas artists; baseball, such as his study of the Texas League, and children's books, including one on the first Thanksgiving held in Texas. O’Neal’s latest non-fiction title is Billy and Olive Dixon: The Plainsman and His Lady. 

Billy Dixon triggered the most celebrated shot in the history of the West at the Battle of Adobe Walls in 1874. A few months later, while serving as an army scout, Billy earned a Medal of Honor during an even more desperate engagement, as one of six men battling for their lives against a band of 125 warriors at the Buffalo Wallow Fight. Both of these actions took place in the Texas Panhandle, where Dixon became an icon of heroism. 

A fellow adventure-seeker, Olive King, came to the Panhandle from back East to visit her cowboy brothers. She became a frontier schoolmarm and she met her famous neighbor, Billy Dixon. Billy and Olive fell in love, married, and had eight children. In later years, Olive persuaded Billy to dictate his memoirs to her, and the result was a classic frontier biography, Life of Billy Dixon: Plainsman, Scout and Pioneer. Their story is captured in Mr. O’Neal’s manuscript.

Beth Powell grew up in the small East Texas town of Carthage where she still lives today. In 2005, Beth retired from her career of 34 years as an income tax professional. After retirement, she and her husband, Louis, traveled as much as possible. They have 5 married children and enjoy 15 grandchildren.

In 2010, her husband began going on mission trips. She did not want to go and was not happy being left home alone. But, through time, God changed her heart. In 2018, Beth began a year long journey with a new friend in China. The two have never met, but their hearts are forever joined in friendship and Christian love. This extraordinary friendship caused her to step way outside the box of her happy normal life. Encouraged by her husband, she began to write the story of this friendship. It became a book, Ying Yue and Me. She grew up hearing that God can use anyone, and has chosen to live that truth.

Louis Powell has centered his life around family and work. In July 2010, the day after burying his mother, he left on his first mission trip with his church. It was to Ghana, Africa. The trip changed his life in a profound way and left him with a burning desire to help bring Christian awareness to others, especially those who cannot read. He began to teach about Jesus Christ and the Bible, domestically and then internationally. Through his non-profit organization, Unless They Hear, he distributed thousands of audio Bibles that reached into 50 countries.

Louis has a master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Louisiana Baptist University. He has taught and witnessed to people in 17 countries in Latin America, the Amazon Jungle, Europe, and Asia, and specifically China, having made 19 trips there.

His life changed focus when a young Chinese lady asked him, "Will I be alone in heaven while my family and all my ancestors will be burning in hell, since I am the only family member to hear about Jesus?" For the next several years, Louis concentrated his studies on answering this question from the pages of the Bible. Gaining much more than the answer to this one question, he wrote Seven Resurrections, which mixes God’s plan of salvation with detailed End Time explanations. Louis explains the seven resurrection events of the Bible and presents them as an important truth that many overlook in their biblical studies.

The casual event will give community members an opportunity to visit with these East Texas authors while hearing about their books. For those interested in learning how to publish their own work, these authors can provide more insight into the process. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. For more information please contact the M.P. Baker Library (903-693-2052) or the Sammy Brown Library (903-693-6741).

October 7, 2019 - Panola College inducted new members into the Pi Beta Chapter of the national Phi Theta Kappa honor society on Wednesday, October 3. The induction ceremony was held in the Frances B. Ross Ballroom of the Charles C. Matthews Foundation Student Center.

Phi Theta Kappa advisors Emily Zabcik, Chasity Klingler and Roberta Collinsworth, professors of math, along with Mitchell Fountain, Phi Theta Kappa President, inducted the new members. Cristie Ferguson, Panola College Director of Library Services was the speaker.

New inductees include Corey Branton, Timpson; Sarah Kushner, Carthage; Cami Hicks, Carthage; Jason Tillman, Beckville; Perla Mateos, Center; McKenzie Ingram, Beckville; Covie Latham, Beckville; Jaycee Coleman, Beckville; Hannah Menefee, Tenaha, and Hunter Gibson, Shelbyville.

The Pi Beta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa is a long-standing organization at Panola College. Members may attend monthly meetings and participate in community service projects. To be eligible for Phi Theta Kappa membership, Panola College students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above, and have completed a minimum of 12 transferable hours through Panola College.

From left, Phi Theta Kappa President Mitchell Fountain, Jason Tillman, Perla Mateos, Sarah Kushner, Cami Hicks, Corey Branton, and PTK Treasurer Milagros Luna.

Current and former students with Karen King at TETA Theatrefest include, from left, Jasmine Ryan, Panola Graduate 2019, Sam Houston, JR; Niki Lawhorn, Panola Graduate, 2018, Sam Houston, Senior; Karen King; Nathaniel Endsley, Panola Graduate, 2019, SFA, JR, Maria Mejia, Panola Sophomore, Catalina, Zoyquilla, Panola Sophomore.

October 2, 2019 - Panola College students, along with drama professor Karen King, earned recognition at the Texas Educational Theatre Association (TETA) Theatrefest 2019 in Dallas, September 25-29. King was presented with the 2019 TETA Founders Award.

Students participating were selected to serve as interns during the event. They include Bethany Crowe, Eric Dominguez, JoBeth Eddings, Raven Farmer, Justin Gonzales, Austin Graham, Haley Green, Tony Jeter, Clayton Jones, Keath Kibbey, Nicholas McCalister, Maria Mejia, Sarah Owens, Abigail Parrish, Peyton Proffitt, Hannah Williams and Catalina Zoyoquila.

Bethany Crowe, a current Panola student, won the TETA's GOT TALENT Show. Universities were on hand for student auditions during the event, and Keath Kibbey received an acceptance letter from the University of Texas at Arlington, and scholarships offers from Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas Lutheran, University of the Incarnate Word, Texas A&M Commerce, and others.

"Our Panola College students were chosen to go to TETA and were awarded internships, which meant that these students had rooms at the Hyatt Regency Reunion Tower, convention fees of $120 per student, and eight meals comped for the five-day event.  This amounted to a value of around $12,000," King said.

September 30, 2019 - Panola Volleyball improves to 17-3 on the season after defeating TJC, West Plains and Hutchinson College at the TJC Invitational Tournament. 

On Friday, the Fillies swept TJC (25-17, 25-23, 25-16) in an exciting rivalry match. The outside duo of Mylena Testoni and Mikayla Ware led the offense yet again. Testoni led with 12 kills, Ware followed with 11 and Nyah Walker chipped in seven. Maria Idjilov dished out 35 assists. Hannah Floyd led the defense with 14 digs, Ware followed with seven and McKenzie Dimery added six. The Fillies were a force at the net with six players having at least one block assist. Riley Seegers led with three block assists, while Ware and April Brown added two apiece, respectively. 

Next, the Fillies faced Missouri West Plains and continued their success by sweeping the Grizzlies (25-23, 25-17, 25-20). Offensively, Testoni led with 15 kills, Ware followed with 12 and Walker chipped in 10. Idjilov ran the offense adding 43 assists. Floyd came up big for the Fillies with a season-high of 23 digs, followed by another double-double from Ware with 15 digs, while Testoni and Idjilov added six of their own. At the net, Ashton Brown led with five block assists, while Testoni and Brown followed with four apiece.

On Saturday, the Fillies had their 12th sweep in a row defeating Hutchinson (25-16, 25-23, 25-17). Ware led offensively with 10 kills, followed by Testoni with eight, and Walker chipped in six. Idjilov dished out 30 assists, while adding three service aces. Ware had another double-double leading the defense with 16 digs, followed by Floyd with 11, while Erin Perez and Testoni added six of their own. Ashton Brown and Idjilov led at the net with two block assists apiece. 

The Fillies return to action October 4th in Baytown facing Lee College at 6:00 PM and October 5th in Brenham facing Blinn College at 2:00 PM. GO FILLIES!