Late night shopping and live entertainment in downtown Nacogdoches

Come Shop Downtown Nacogdoches this Friday, May 2 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. First Friday Nights continues this month, with live entertainment and great late night shopping. Sponsored by the Nacogdoches Main Street Program and the Downtown Business Association, May marks the ninth month of First Friday Nights.

Enjoy late-night shopping at 22 different shops while listening to great music as you meandering your way through the brick streets. This month downtown veteran Mark Scott will perform a variety of covers from patriotic tunes to classic Beatles songs, you won’t wan to miss his performance on the Plaza Principal Stage. Scott has previously performed downtown at Music to Lunch By.

“This is a great opportunity for Nacogdoches residents to enjoy the beautiful brick streets of Nacogdoches and all of our charming stores,” Nacogdoches Main Street Manager Sarah O’Brien said. “With Mother’s Day around the corner I can’t think of a better way to get your shopping done.”

For a complete list of retail stores that will be open late or for more information on First Friday Nights, contact the Nacogdoches Main Street office at 936-559-2573.

Water resources discussed at Chamber luncheon

Click here to read full story by MICHELE MARCOTTE, The Daily Sentinel.

Water is a big issue in Texas, and as the population continues to grow it will only get bigger, according to SFA forestry professor Kenneth Farrish.


SFA Forestry professor Matthew McBroom discusses the availabilty of water in East Texas compared to the remainder of the state during the Chamber of Commerce Fourth Friday Luncheon. Photo by Michele Marcotte/The Daily Sentinel.

Speaking before the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce's Fourth Friday luncheon, Farrish, along with colleagues Matthew McBroom and Hans Williams, offered insight into the effect growing urbanization has on East Texas reservoirs, and how the Water East Texas Center (WET) will address this and other water-related issues.

"You can expect the reservoirs," Williams said. "They're coming, and it's unreasonable to think that they won't."

Nacogdoches welcomes Meadow Ridge Stables

The Daily Sentinel recently attended a Nacogdoches County Chamber ribbon cutting for Meadow Ridge Stables 3418 C.R. 228, (936) 679-3571, www.meadowridgestables.com.

Owner Lori Pruitt welcomed sponsors, Chamber members and guests.

Meadow Ridge Stables is a horse facility serving our community with a variety of services. Boarding, is their primary business. In addition, they also offer lessons, horse shows, birthday parties, clinics and camps throughout the year.

Driving Jacks - celebrate saving lives

New Chamber member, SFA Driving Jacks, cut the red ribbon in the Baker Pattillo Student Center that houses the organization's new office on the third floor.


The Nacogdoches County Chamber held a ribbon cutting Wednesday for SFA Driving Jacks at the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

“The Driving Jacks are among several SFA organizations that take advantage of their Chamber memberships to reach the Nacogdoches business community,” said Kim Snyder, Chamber chair.















Above: A Driving Jack models cool t-shirt.

Left: Pictured from left are Kim Luna Snyder, Lonnie Luna and Shirley Luna.

“We appreciate the contribution the Driving Jacks make to keep SFA students safe,” she said. “Their volunteerism also makes Nacogdoches a better place to live.”

Driving Jacks President Matt Bodin and his fellow officers welcomed the program’s sponsors, Chamber members and guests.

Contact the group at: 936-652-6600 or www.drivingjacks.com.

Lehmann Eye Center hosts Lasik Seminar

The Lehmann Eye Center is hosting a Lasik Seminar Tuesday night - May 20th - at 6:30 pm at their office. This is a great way to learn about Lasik eye surgery!

Plus, everyone who attends and qualifies as a candidate for LASIK will receive a $200 OFF Bilateral LASIK certificate!

LASIK SEMINAR
Lehmann Eye Center
5300 North Street
Nacogdoches, Texas 75965
PLEASE CALL TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT!
936-569-8278
800-753-3846

Chamber ready for 11th Annual Blueberry Golf Bash

Trish Clayton and Ralph Ervin, co-chairs of the 11^th Annual Blueberry Golf Bash, test out sponsor signs for the tournament, scheduled for Friday, May 2 at Piney Woods Country Club.

Clayton said that a few team and individual golfer slots are still available. Ervin noted that sponsorships are also available. Contact the Nacogdoches County Chamber, 560-5533 or download registration info at www.nacogdoches.org

(Photo: Bruce R. Partain)

Appreciate the art of after-hours mingling

The Art Center hosted the Alive After Five, a Nacogdoches County Chamber event, on Thursday, April 17, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Attendees enjoyed delicious hors d'ouvres and refreshments while viewing pieces submitted for the Texas National 2008, a national competition created by SFA, and the Roger Shimomura: An American Foreigner, a collection featuring paintings, prints and theatre pieces address sociopolitical issues of Asian America.

Great entertainment and door prizes were donated by SFA College of Fine Arts and all Chamber members were entered in a $1,000 cash drawing! The SFA Steel Drum Band entertained during this event.

Garrison groundbreaking

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Garrison for the new construction project for the Garrison Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center on April 8, 2008.

Lunch at the Hotel Wiley in Garrison followed the ceremony.

According to an article published in The Daily Sentinel on March 16, 2008, nursing home administrator Glynn Yarbrough said the recent purchase of a four-acre site on Main Street will increase the current capacity from 43 to 90 beds, and it will offer a secured unit for residents with advanced dementia.

"Through this new endeavor, we anticipate the availability of local skilled nursing care and long-term care will continue to flourish in the Garrison, Timpson and surrounding areas," Yarbrough said. "We will be able to offer full-scale rehabilitation services, including Medicare Part A rehab services."

More April Ribbon Cutting Celebrations

ServiceMaster Clean

The Daily Sentinel recently attended a Nacogdoches County Chamber ribbon cutting for ServiceMaster Clean, 1300 North Temple, Diboll, TX 75941 (936) 634-6982 / (800) 514-8712.

Owners Raymond and Kim Smith welcomed sponsors, Chamber members and guests. ServiceMaster Clean serves the East Texas area and provides a variety of services - residential and commercial.

Give them a call for any job!
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Charlie's Catering, Inc.

The Daily Sentinel recently attended a Nacogdoches County Chamber ribbon cutting for Charlie's Catering, Inc., (936) 205-0775.

Owners Charles Moss and Russell Tautenhahn welcomed sponsors, Chamber members and guests, cut the red ribbon and then served a delicious fajita lunch with all the sides and banana pudding for desert - yum!

Charlie's Catering serves the East Texas area and can handle anything from small parties and office gatherings to large crowds - black tie to chicken fry!

Community Collision Center welcomed by community!

The Daily Sentinel recently attended a Nacogdoches County Chamber ribbon cutting for Community Collision Center, 2220 N. Stallings Dr., (936) 560-1610. KYKS visited as live remote from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Owners Anthony and Debra Gross and their staff welcomed sponsors, Chamber members and guests.

Ribbon Cutting guests enjoyed mixing, mingling, prizes and lunch.

The Grove Apartments celebrate with springtime ribbon cutting

Tuesday, April 8, the Grove Apartments celebrated with a ribbon cutting at their location, 1602 Cardinal St., (936) 715-9670.

General Manager Christine Clyburn and her staff welcomed sponsors, Chamber members and guests.

Americana Festival - April 12 - Downtown

Grab your blankets and lawn chairs and head to downtown Nacogdoches next weekend for an exciting lineup of live musical performances, art shows, musicians’ workshops, delicious food, a crawfish boil and much more at Americana Music Fest April 12.
This year’s festival is presented by the Pinetop Mystics and celebrates the various genres of music indigenous to the United States, including country, jazz, bluegrass, gospel and rock. Local, regional and nationally known acts will perform from noon to 10:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Click for festival information - including stage schedule.


“We couldn’t be more thrilled with our musicians for this year’s festival,” Nacogdoches CVB Meeting & Event Coordinator Ashleigh McCorkle said. “Both David Olney and the Gourds are first-rate musical acts that really exemplify what Americana music is all about.”

Regional promotion for Nacogdoches County

Left, Carolyn Rowden, Garden Estates of Tyler sales manager and Tyler Chamber Day attendee, reviews the Nacogdoches County Chamber Guide and Directory at the exhibit in Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.

The Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce attended Chamber Day as an exhibitor at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport on Thursday, March 26.

“This important event helps promote regionalization as well as our local communities,” said Henry Bell, chief operating officer of Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce.

From 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., Chamber staff and volunteers shared all things good about Nacogdoches with those flying in or flying out of the airport. Then, from 5 to 7 p.m., more than 200 Tyler Area Chamber members and guests came to the airport lobby for their March after business hours mixer.

Click HERE for full story found in Hot News.


Above, Chamber board member Corey Ashley visits with his family who live in Tyler. Corey's family from left, nephew Grayson, Corey, mom Susan Ashley, nephew Keaton and sister Hallee Delaney.

Right, Sharon Steadman, Tyler resident, and her cat prepare to board a plane at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. Their travel destination is Chicago - for an international ragdoll cat show.

Photos by Kelly Daniel.