USDA’s Farm Service Agency is happy to announce that producers can apply, starting January 6 until March 5, for the new quality loss Adjustment program, or QLA.

The QLA program assists crop and forage producers who suffered a quality loss due to natural disasters in 2018 or 2019.

Losses must have been a result of qualifying drought, excessive moisture, flooding, hurricane, snowstorm, tornado, typhoon, volcanic activity, or wildfire.

A harvested eligible crop must have had at least 5% quality loss reflected through a quality discount, or forage crops, a nutrient loss (such as total digestible nutrients).

Please contact your local FSA office to discuss eligibility, calculate payments, and submit your application. Our FSA team can assist with forms and documentation required to apply.

Visit farmers.gov for more information on the quality loss adjustment program and many other disaster assistance programs offered by USDA.

Do you know a child ages 0-21 who shows signs of developmental delay, on-going learning problems, behavioral or medical problems that interfere with learning? If so, please contact your local school district or Titus County Shared Services, 2230 N. Edwards, Mt. Pleasant, TX 75456, TX 75456; phone ( 903 ) 575-2079, Marilyn Logan.

USDA encourages producers to complete enrollment in key safety net programs

The USDA Farm Service Agency encourages early enrollment in the agriculture risk coverage and price loss coverage programs. The deadline to enroll for the 2021 crop year is March 15. These programs provide important crop risk protection so beat the rush by enrolling now. If enrollment contracts are not signed by the deadline, you will be ineligible to receive ARC or PLC payments for the 2021 crop year. Contact your local FSA Office to make an appointment. To find local office information visit farmers.gov.

Dr. Ron Clinton

The Whatley Center for the Performing Arts at Northeast Texas Community College is pleased to announce that it will be returning on Friday, March 5, for a socially-distanced piano concert featuring NTCC President Dr. Ron Clinton. The event is limited to 100 guests, and tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for 17-and-under. Virtual live-streaming tickets are also available for $15. All proceeds from the concert will directly benefit the NTCC Eagle Food Pantry, which provides much-needed food and other services to NTCC students.

“It was so disappointing that we were unable to have our regular season this year due to COVID-19, but we are looking forward to starting back up with a wonderful piano concert by our very own talented college president,” Carolyn Franks, Director of the Whatley Center, said. “In addition to social distancing and limiting the number of seats, we are implementing other measures to help ensure a safe and comfortable environment for our guests.”

Clinton joined the NTCC faculty when the college opened in 1985, teaching music, humanities, and philosophy before joining the administrative team. He was named President of NTCC in 2017. Before his time at NTCC, Clinton performed extensively throughout the United States, Asia, and South America as a concert pianist, appearing as guest soloist with symphony orchestras in Houston, Austin, Lubbock, South America, and the Republic of South Korea. He received his Doctor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Piano Performance, where he studied with William Race and performed in masterclasses with such notable artists as Augustin Anievas, Claude Frank, Anton Kuerti, and Leon Fleisher.

In addition to his work at NTCC, Dr. Clinton has also served as an “artist in residence” at Mokwon University in Taejon, South Korea. He has been a faculty member at the Conservatory of Music at the University of Southern Chile in Valdivia, Chile, where he taught piano, served as guest conductor of the Conservatory Orchestra Austral de Chile and performed concerts throughout the country. It included performances at the prestigious International Frutillar Music Festival in southern Chile. His solo and chamber music performances have been recorded and broadcast over PBS stations throughout the United States.

You can only purchase in-person tickets by calling the Whatley Center Box Office at 903-434-8181. All tickets are first-come-first-served, and we are selling only 100. You can buy Virtual Streaming tickets online at www.ntcc.edu/clintonconcert. We will e-mail a link to the high-definition streaming event to ticketholders 48 hours before the concert. We are also recording the performance, and it is available for viewing through midnight on Sunday, May 7. A high-speed Internet connection is necessary for an optimal viewing experience.

Tickets are also now on sale for The Orchard Ensemble Chamber Music featuring Mark Miller, violin; Ute Miller, viola and Evan Mitchell, and piano. The concert is on March 21 at 2:30 pm and will also be limited to 100 seats. You can also purchase tickets for this event by calling the box office at 903-434-8181.

Do you know a child ages 0-21 who shows signs of developmental delay, on-going learning problems, behavioral or medical problems that interfere with learning? If so, please contact your local school district or Titus County Shared Services, 2230 N. Edwards, Mt. Pleasant, TX 75456, TX 75456; phone ( 903 ) 575-2079, Marilyn Logan.

USDA encourages producers to complete enrollment in key safety net programs

The USDA Farm Service Agency encourages early enrollment in the agriculture risk coverage and price loss coverage programs. The deadline to enroll for the 2021 crop year is March 15. These programs provide important crop risk protection so beat the rush by enrolling now. If enrollment contracts are not signed by the deadline, you will be ineligible to receive ARC or PLC payments for the 2021 crop year. Contact your local FSA Office to make an appointment. To find local office information visit farmers.gov.