It is officially summer at Northeast Texas Community College and the campus is buzzing with activity. NTCC has been featuring programs and parts of its campus throughout the summer.

The Texas heat will continue after a rainy period earlier in the week. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures may soar to the high 90s.

TRIBUNE PHOTOS / MIRANDA OGLESBY Talco’s annual firework show dazzled the skies Tuesday as the area gathered to celebrate Independence Day. .

The Community Events Calendar is published as space permits. Events will also be published on our website.

AUSTIN — As the Texas population continues to boom, TxDOT is drafting a record-breaking 10-year transportation plan and now the public is invited to weigh in on the projects proposed in their communities. To help guide transportation projects over the next decade, TxDOT is seeking public input on the draft 2024 Unified Transportation Program (UTP), the state’s 10-year transportation plan.

The Texas Senate on the first day of the Legislature’s second special session unanimously passed a tax bill last Wednesday that increases the homestead exemption and includes a pay hike for teachers, the Austin American- Statesman reported. The first special session ended with the Senate and House unable to agree on how to provide property tax relief.

Outdoors Writer Bassmaster recently unveiled its annual list of America’s 100 Best Bass Lakes. Not surprisingly, several Texas reservoirs made the grade.

Outdoors Writer The folks with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s public hunting program launched the agency’s 2023-24 menu of drawn hunts around the July 4 holiday. As always, there are a passel of low cost, high quality hunting trips on the list offering hunters the opportunity to go after a wide variety of big and small game, upland game birds and migratory birds/waterfowl, all at bargain prices.

The NTCC Continuing Education Department wrapped up its third pickleball class June 29. Thirteen students completed the course.