Tag Archives: COVID

Meet A&M Student, Tommie Ringo

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 Tommie Ringo, a junior here at Texas A&M University – Texarkana, is a Psychology major with a minor in Sociology. Originally from the small town of Pineland, Texas, he was encouraged by a friend who was looking into coming to A&M. Ringo was initially undecided on where to go to college, but his friend and the A&M campus life made it an easy pick. He mentioned in an interview that he admires our campus and appreciates how clean and well kept the buildings and the grounds are. Ringo has had a wonderful time since starting college at A&M. However, this semester has been particularly challenging for Ringo.

   Ringo looked forward to returning to campus for the Fall semester after working hard all summer. He anticipated getting back into the rhythm of day-to-day life before the COVID-19 outbreak, however, he is yet to see that happen. Due to Coronavirus, he says that the atmosphere is “A bit different than usual. A lot has changed in the UC.” The university looks vastly different without its many students heading to and from their classes. Like Ringo, most students are now taking online or hybrid classes this semester.

     For Ringo, he mentioned that online classes can be a bit difficult for him. He would rather have all face-to-face classes, but says, “I understand the necessity for it…” With Ringo not being much of a fan of online classes, he has had to accept the impact COVID has made on the university concerning how classes are being held this semester. He is currently taking four classes, three of those being online and one face-to-face. It is the one face-to-face class with Dr. Murray that has made all the difference for Ringo.

      Ringo is taking Intro to Sociology with Assistant Professor of Sociology, Dr. Murray. Ringo is enjoying the class very much. He mentioned that Dr. Murray has done a great job of handling the class amongst the challenges that the pandemic presents. He also says that she has helped to create “a sense of normalcy in the classroom” which he appreciates. He says that the interactions with his peers and the hands-on learning in the classroom are the highlights of going to class. Currently, Ringo is taking each day as it comes, which is probably the best way to handle a time such as this. Once classes return to normal he plans to get back to campus and enjoy being around other like-minded students.

City Councilmember of Ward 3, Betty Williams

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A member of the local City Council, Mrs. Betty Williams of Ward 3, has been determined elected for another term. Williams was unopposed for her seat on the council for the November 2020 election. She will be serving another three-year term on the council.

     Williams, a retired public school teacher, was selected by a previous council member to join Texarkana’s City Council. She has held the position since January of 2017. This is when the City Council term-limits were changed from two years to three. She says her time on the council has been, “a learning process. I’ve never done anything like this before.” Although her educational background has helped with her current position. She says, “Being a former educator has helped me to be a good listener to understand the needs of others.”

        In the interview, she emphasized what a pleasure it is to be a part of the City Council. She says,” I will say that I’ve enjoyed every bit of it. I’ve only missed one meeting in four years and that just shows you that I care about this position and it is a pleasure to serve my community.” She is excited to be serving another three years on the City Council. She especially emphasized how excited she is to be able to do more for her ward. 

     Williams works hard on the council taking calls from her constituents and determining anything regarding her ward and anything that is brought forth to the council. The City Council determines policies, plans, enacting local legislation, and the city’s budget. These topics are discussed at the local city council meetings. 

     According to The City of Texarkana’s website, “City council meetings are normally held the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of Texarkana, Texas City Hall, 220 Texas Boulevard, Texarkana, Texas.” 

     These meetings are open to the public so anyone is free to attend. Williams encourages citizens to get involved in the community in any way they can. She says, “It’s the only way to bring about change.” Anyone can get in contact with the local councilmembers. The contact information is available on the city’s website.   

     Williams is currently spearheading the removal of substandard housing in Ward 3. She mentioned, “This will encourage new development, help our tax base to grow, and help maintain property values.” Williams also mentioned what she would like to see for the city of Texarkana by saying, “My wish for our city is that everyone would take pride in their property by removing litter from their curbs and alleys.  We also need to have a push to discourage littering. Our schools and community organizations could certainly help raise awareness and educate people to be more environmentally responsible.”

     Soon the city council will begin discussing the budget for the next fiscal year. Williams mentioned, “It will soon be time to start the budgeting process for the next fiscal year. Every city has an unlimited number of needs and a limited amount of resources to meet those needs. Developing a budget is a process of ascertaining your needs, prioritizing your needs, and reaching a reasonable compromise with the resources available. Because of the impact the Coronavirus has on the local economy, it’s made it more challenging to project revenue from sales tax and etc. Every aspect of the budgeting process will be more challenging for the coming year. It should be noted that we also solicit the help of leading business people, in our community, with the budgeting process.”

   Additionally, Williams has dedicated much of her time to the community after her family relocated in 1980. Coming from a family of teachers, she has an impressive 34 years of experience working in the public education system as a teacher herself. Williams has spent 20 years working at Highland Park School. She soon began volunteering at Highland Park right after her retirement in 2000 and has continued to do so until this year due to COVID. She mentioned how the school feels like home to her. Adding, “I just love going to that school.” Additionally, she is a member of the Literacy Council. She says, “I’ve been involved with the literacy council for 20-25 years. I still have a student I read with every weekend.” 

Find out more about Mrs. Betty Williams here.

Learn more about the Literacy Council here.

Find out more about The Texarkana City Council here.

Get in contact with a Local Councilmember here.

See what’s going on in Texarkana here.