by Senator Robert Nichols
As we start the Thanksgiving week, I want to take a moment to wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday. This season is a welcome chance to pause, gather with loved ones, and reflect on the many blessings we share.
Here are five things happening around your state:
- East Texas groundwater battle continues
Over the past several months, East Texas has been home to a closely watched legal dispute involving applications for high-capacity groundwater wells in the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District (NTVGCD). These applications raised concerns about potential impacts to the Carrizo–Wilcox Aquifer, an important water source for many East Texas communities. Earlier this fall, Wayne-Sanderson Farms LLC, which operates in the region, challenged the NTVGCD’s handling of the applications, and the parties reached a court-approved settlement that voids the district’s prior vote deeming the applications administratively complete and pauses the issuance of any large-volume permits until additional aquifer studies are completed. This month, the permit applicants sought to intervene and set aside that final judgment, but the judge denied the request. The applicants may still choose to appeal, but they have also filed a separate lawsuit in Cherokee County district court seeking to compel the NTVGCD to act on their pending permit applications. I will continue to closely monitor this issue and work to safeguard East Texas groundwater.
- Texas A&M Forest Service awards grants to rural volunteer fire departments
The Texas A&M Forest Service recently announced $164 million in new grants to rural volunteer fire departments through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program. Created in 2001, this program helps departments purchase firefighting vehicles, rescue equipment, protective gear, dry-hydrant systems, and training they might not otherwise afford. It also supports recruitment efforts and provides emergency assistance following disasters. Eligible departments include recognized volunteer departments and part-paid departments with 20 or fewer paid staff. With demand for grants often exceeding available funding, this year’s allocation is especially significant. A total of 558 fire trucks and 321 slip-on units will be awarded statewide, giving rural departments the tools they need to respond quickly and safely during emergencies. I’m proud to support these first responders and our commitment to public safety in East Texas.
- GLO submits grant application for construction of the East Texas Veterans Cemetery
This month, the Texas General Land Office submitted a federal grant application to construct the new East Texas Veterans Cemetery. This project would provide a burial option for the more than 32,000 veterans who call East Texas home. The cemetery is planned for a 64-acre site in Harrison County on land generously donated by Tyler resident Debra Christian. Texas currently operates state veterans cemeteries in Abilene, Corpus Christi, Killeen, Mission, and soon Lubbock, leaving much of East Texas without a nearby option. The initial cemetery plan includes burial plots, columbaria, a scattering garden, a committal shelter, and an administration and information center. Once the land donation is finalized, the state will select a contractor and submit a final bid package to the VA. If the project stays on schedule, construction could begin after federal approval.
- The Mid-America Baseball League welcomes two new East Texas teams
The Mid-America League, a semi-professional baseball league, has added two new East Texas teams set to begin play in summer 2026: the Beaumont Oil Barons and the Nacogdoches Niners. Founded in 2024, the league features college players, undrafted athletes, and former professionals, with existing teams in Fort Smith, Joplin, Abilene, Texarkana, Sherman, and White Oak. Each team plays a 64-game season from May through August. The addition of these two East Texas franchises brings new summer recreation to our communities while also supporting local economic development and community pride. I look forward to cheering on the Oil Barons and the Niners as they bring new energy to our region’s sports lineup.
- TxDOT announces 25-year streak of daily road deaths
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced this month that Texas has now gone 25 years without a single day free of traffic fatalities. Since the last death-free day on November 7, 2000, more than 91,000 people have been killed on Texas roads. TxDOT urges drivers to help prevent these tragedies by keeping speeds reasonable, buckling up, planning ahead for a sober ride, avoiding distractions, and giving space to emergency or roadside crews by slowing down or changing lanes when safe. With the holidays approaching and more Texans traveling, it is especially important to stay alert and make safety a priority every time we get behind the wheel. Be careful out there.
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