McReynold honored by DETCOG
January 21st, 2009
Diboll Free Press
State Rep. Jim McReynolds of Lufkin was honored as “Deep East Texas Legislator of the Year 2008″ at the Deep East Texas Reception Jan. 12 honoring state officials and legislators from the area. The event was held the night before the convening of the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature.
“This is an opportunity for us as a region to unite for our common good,” said Stephen F. Austin State University President Dr. Baker Pattillo. “There are a couple of members from our board of regents here tonight. This will be a good opportunity for us to not only talk with legislators and state officials, but also the commissioners, mayors and county judges from east Texas about each other’s concerns and what we can do to help each other.”
The legislator of the year award is given to a legislator that has shown outstanding efforts on behalf of the people of Deep East Texas. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, a past recipient of the award, made the presentation.
In accepting the award, McReynolds called the other Deep East Texas representatives and State Sen. Bob Nichols to join him on the stage.
“It took the whole legislative delegation from Deep East Texas to accomplish what we did in the last legislative session. We went to the mat for you then, and we are ready to do it again,” McReynolds said.
The event, honoring State Officials and Legislators from the Deep East Texas area, was held
Echoing McReynolds comments, Burke Center Executive Director Susan Rushing said “things happen when we all work together. We would not have the new Psychiatric Center serving Deep East Texas if the counties and hospitals had not worked together to get it. … Representative McReynolds and Senator Nichols are effective champions for mental health services in the region.”
The sponsors for the 2009 reception include the Deep East Texas County Commissioners and Judges Association, the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, The Burke Center, the Texas Forestry Association, East Texas Support Services, Inc., the City of Lufkin, the City of Jasper, Polk County, Jasper County, Tyler County, Nacogdoches County, Houston County, The Jasper Economic Development Corporation, Stephen F. Austin State University, the Lower Neches Valley Authority, the Sabine River Authority, David J. Waxman, Inc., The Deep East Texas Foundation and First Bank and Trust East Texas.
More than 250 people packed the atrium of the Omni Downtown Hotel in Austin for the event.