County resident receives grant
A Cass County resident was one of 10 to receive part of 1.6 million dollars in grants from the USDA for green energy projects.
According to the USDA, “USDA Rural Development Texas State Director Lillian Salerno announced that USDA is investing $1.6 million in renewable energy projects and energy efficiency improvements in Texas. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) delivers on the President’s Justice 40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. These investments will cut energy costs for farmers and ag producers that can instead be used to create jobs and new revenue streams for people in their communities.”
“These energy-saving investments by the Biden-Harris Administration will bring critical cost-savings to farmers, ranchers and other small business owners who represent both the heart and the backbone of rural economies in Texas,” said Salerno. “These Biden-Harris investments will free up dollars for more job creation and the production of more food and fiber, which is so necessary not just for rural Texas but for the rest of the country that depends on Texas.”
This funding is part of the President’s “Inflation Reduction Act” which is part of his fight for climate initiatives. He has also attached it to his economic plan.
Jennifer Hamilton, a sole proprietor, will use her $67,000 grant to purchase and install a combined 79.2 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic solar system at two poultry farms. The arrays will be placed outside of Douglasville and Atlanta, Texas, and in rural Cass County, Texas.
Hamilton has owned the poultry farms for over 10 years. The new system is expected to replace 78 percent of annual electricity use and save $16,200 annually.
In a nearby county, Allen C. Curry will use a $164,000 grant to purchase and install more energy efficient doors, fans, controllers, curtains, and electronic systems.
Curry operates a family-owned poultry facility outside Pittsburg Texas in rural Camp County. Curry has been operating poultry houses since 1993. The new system is expected to replace 30 percent of annual utility use, saving $20,571 annually.
“Today’s announcement is part of a $207 million national announcement highlighting 675 projects in 42 states through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) program. USDA continues to accept more of a retirement community.
Scholastically, the county’s levels of higher education are well below national levels. Those that have a master’s degree or higher are only 5% compared to a national level of 13% and a bachelor’s degree of 12% compared to the national level of 21%. The County is right at the national level of 28% for “some college”. Probably bringing up the report card rating is the fact that those who have a high school diploma or equivalent are well above national ratings, at 42% compared to the national numbers of 26%. Rounding out the numbers. Those who have a “Less than high school diploma” list at 12% compared to the national figure of 11%.
The C+ job rating based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living along with the educational data could be a sign or spell problems for the county. It would mean that there are great public school systems, but once the kids go off to college, they don’t come back home; Instead finding better job opportunities outside the area. The problem in part is potentially the chicken and egg scenario. To attract businesses with the demand for employees with higher education, you need to have residents living in your area with a higher degree.
On the flip side, to attract young professional families you need to have places for them to work. Our current median household income is 54,303.
There may be some positives in the future though, as some areas of the county continue to improve their infrastructure and rural broadband remains a hot-button topic, possibly leading to better broadband services. With that, along with the good cost of living, and that it has a nice, safe, small-town feel to it, may attract younger families back to the community that can work from home. The additional challenges though would be providing additional family dwellings. Currently, Atlanta,
Linden and Hughes Springs are or already have upgraded their parks to make them more up-to-date and family- friendly.
Compared to other counties in Texas out of 204 noted, the county ranks 36 for the “Lowest Cost of Living in Texas”; 45 for the “Best Counties to Buy a House in Texas”; 49 for the “Best Counties for Outdoor Activities in Texas; 50 for the “Best Counties for Retirees in Texas”; 78 for the Counties with the Best Public Schools in Texas; 84 for the “Best Counties for Families in Texas”; 106 for the Best Counties to Live in Texas and 158 for the “Most Diverse Counties in Texas.”