The City of Lufkin invites everybody out to enjoy a day of fun and excitement at the Mike Love and Associates July 4th Celebration at Ellen Trout Park. The fun begins at 1:00 pm and continues until after dark. The fireworks extravaganza will take place at 9:15 pm and will be choreographed to music on K-Fox FM Radio. In addition to the fireworks, many activities are planned such as a fishing derby, music, food, arts and crafts, moon walk, a big slide and games.

Music entertainment will be provided throughout the day along the lakefront. The Ellen Trout Zoo and Z&OO railroad will open at 9:00 am and close at 8:00 pm. The Lufkin Independent School District will provide shuttle buses from Lufkin High School to Ellen Trout Park from 5:00pm till 8:45 pm. Handicapped parking will be limited due to new construction at the Zoo. Vendor spaces are still available, so contact the Parks Department at 633-0250 for any information on this year’s festivities.

Lufkin is taking steps to increase the efficiency of its recycling program due to changing times, city officials said.

Restructuring the program will counteract the toll of a wavering economy on the selling price of recycled materials. The sale of recycled materials is one way the city re-cooperates program cost.

"Pricing has always gone in cycles, but people who have been in this business a long time said they had never seen prices fall so far so fast," said Lynn Winthrop, assistant director of solid waste/recycling. "For example, cardboard that we have been selling for $120 per ton was only bringing $20 per ton when the prices fell. Prices have started creeping back up, but it's been a slow climb. Cardboard is currently at $70 per ton, and is expected to make another jump in July, but will still be a long way from what we were used to getting."

The city is holding onto a stockpile of recycled materials in hopes a price increase is just around the corner, Winthrop said.

"We're also focusing on material that needs little or no sorting and material that brings higher prices," he said. "We've also had to reduce our temporary labor force accordingly." Read more about it in the Lufkin Daily News.

City of Lufkin offices will be closed Friday, July 3, for Independence Day. Residential garbage collection will not be affected. All residential recycling will be collected on Thursday. There will be no recycling collection on Friday.

New! You can now review and comment on proposed ordinances. Visit our Ordinance Comment page and download the proposed ordinances. After your review, use the form to submit comments to the Director of Planning and Zoning. Be sure and enter your name, address and email address so we can contact you about your comments.

You can also send a comment to the Mayor and the Councilmembers. Use our new form to comment on a number of listed subjects or create a new subject. The form will be received by the Mayor, all Councilmembers and the City Manager and Deputy City Manager.

Lufkin's water system could get an additional $400,000 to use toward developing the AbitibiBowater purchase if approved by the Senate, according to a senator's press release and city official.

Earlier this year through the efforts of U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, the city got $450,000 in funding as part of a federal Omnibus Appropriations bill. Hutchison worked to secure the possibility of the current proposed funding, but now the decision is left to the Senate.

"As population in the region continues to grow, demand for water is also increasing," Hutchison said. "This funding will help alleviate water supply problems in the area and increase growth potential in the Lufkin area." Read more about it in the Lufkin Daily News.

The June 16 Council meeting Webcast is now available. The next council meeting will be on July 7 at 5:00 pm. This council meeting will also be broadcast on SuddenLink Channel 15. Click here for a schedule. Archived webcast videos are available for all council meetings for the past three years. Be sure and check out our featured videos of public events.

The June edition of City Hall Update is now available. City Hall Update is a short streaming video covering upcoming events, new facilities, and construction status within the City. City Hall Update is also available on SuddenLink channel 15 and Consolidated Communications' digital TV system. This edition was shot in City Hall using chromakeying and a virtual set.

Veterans of all ages, who took part in numerous American wars, stood teary-eyed and at attention with their hands either over their hearts or at full salute Sunday, as Kelly Page delivered a stirring performance of the National Anthem at the Flag Day Celebration at Lufkin's City Hall.

The numerous veterans in attendance stood one by one and called out their name, military branch and years of service as the rest of the audience applauded. E.G. Ratliff delivered two poems written about the Stars and Stripes, Mayor Jack Gordon delivered a proclamation and Navy veteran Hunter Hayes spoke to those in attendance about what our flag stands for.

"One of our nation's greatest attributes is our ability to adapt and change," Hayes said. "But what has not changed is the thing our flag represents, and that is the freedoms we have enjoyed since our nation was created."

At 6 p.m. the crowd rose as one and joined millions of other Americans around the country in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

"That we have taken the time out of our own lives to come here on this day and honor something greater than ourselves shows the love we have for our country and our flag," Hayes said.

"This is our way of honoring those who have sacrificed so much."

Article by Nick Wade, Lufkin Daily News Watch the Video!

The City of Lufkin is beginning a campaign to deter people and businesses from littering.

Purple signs reading "Purple Pride Do Not Litter," will be placed around Lufkin, warning people they can receive fines up to $500 if they are caught littering.

Assistant Director of Solid Waste and Recycling Lynn Winthrop says that the campaign is about community pride.

"With all of the positive things happening in Lufkin, we don't want to get bogged down with unsightly trash blowing along our roadways and clogging up our drainage ditches,."

Assistant City Manager Keith Wright, who had the idea for the campaign, said that "we have a real litter problem in the community," and says he sees these signs, along with substantial fines, as a way to keep the city of Lufkin litter-free. Read more about it in the Lufkin Daily News.

Based on information obtained from conference calls with Texas Department State Health Services this afternoon, meetings with the local hospitals, and the Angelina County Health District we are opening City parks to all normal activities.

We still encourage everyone to be conscientious and continue frequent hand washing, stay at home if you are sick, cover your cough/sneeze, and use alcohol based hand sanitizers.

Provided for your information is a copy of a press release from the DSHS.

There is more information on our Swine Flu Information page.

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