Mr. Lovell Goes To Washington

By Jim Lovell

Special to The Messenger

HOUSTON COUNTY – DETCOG (Deep East Texas Council of Governments and Economic Development District visited Washington D.C. during the week of Feb. 12, during the National Conference of Regions, also meeting with decision makers to represent our area. 

Lonnie Hunt, DETCOG Executive Director and Houston County Judge Jim Lovell were present to attend the conference, speak on issues important to our area and were able to see some of the most iconic sites in our nation’s capital. 

Lovell provided The Messenger with his thoughts on the trip and what the group was able to accomplish:

“I was proud to represent Houston County as County Judge and the 11 DETCOG Counties as an officer on the DETCOG Board during the trip to Washington D.C. I sincerely appreciate the support and confidence of the people of Houston County.

The DETCOG officers attended the National Conference of Regions in Washington DC last week and took advantage of opportunity to meet with our federal legislators and their staffs at the Capitol. They listened to our issues and concerns to help the citizens of Deep East Texas. 

Thank you to the offices of Rep. Pete Sessions, Rep. Brian Babin, Rep. Nathaniel Moran, Rep. Morgan Luttrell, Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz for welcoming the DETCOG delegation and working to help the citizens of Deep East Texas.

A tour of the capitol was provided along with a trip to the Arlington National Cemetery, where the delegates watched the ceremony of the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.

Among other monuments visited were The Lincoln Memorial, The Jefferson Memorial and The White House on Pennsylvania Ave., which has been the workplace and residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800.”

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]