Texas

Sid Miller: Wichita Falls plant will catapult Texas to top of industrial hemp production

Published

7 months ago

June 12, 2024

Sid Miller: Wichita Falls plant will catapult Texas to top of industrial hemp production

Cecil Witherspoon
| For the Times Record News

Many of Panda Biotech’s top workers and executives joined local leaders and Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller to celebrate the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of a new 500,000-square-foot hemp processing plant in Wichita Falls.

Miller said the single plant will also put the Lone Star State at the top of the country for industrial hemp production.

The plant puts Wichita Falls at the top of the list for industrial hemp production in North and South America, and it is the second-largest industrial hemp production facility in the world.

“Texas will be a leader, the leader in the Americas as far as hemp production,” Miller said. “We’ll be number one because of this one plant.”

Panda Biotech President Dixie Carter said the company chose Wichita Falls because of a good facility and family ties.

“We have a ranch, for more than 20 years, down the road in Seymour,” Carter said. “We spent so much time in Wichita Falls. This city, this region, it means so much to my family personally.”

The combination of a great building that just needed to be brought back to life and the city made the plant’s location an easy decision, she said.

Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce President Ron Kitchens said Wichita Falls is now home to an industry leader in industrial hemp production.

“It means creating an entire new industry here. And not just a new industry for Texas. This is the largest facility in all of the Americas,” Kitchens said.

The plant began production in recent months and will eventually conclude staffing with longterm hires.

Kitchens said the plant will receive financial gains for creating local jobs.

“It’s just about how many jobs they produce over a year, and they get an incentive based on job creation,” Kitchens said.

The facility is already fully operational and is expected to be at full capacity for staffing and production by early 2025.

“Right now we are 100% operational and running every single bit of fiber we can get our hands on,” Carter said.

Miller said he anticipates more industrial hemp production to follow in Panda’s footsteps.

“I think the demand will continue to grow. With this plant opening, I expect more plants to open around the state, so this is a great day for Texas farmers,” he said.

Although initial plans for the plant called for a 2021 opening date, the pandemic pushed things back.

Kitchens said finally getting the equipment needed from Europe, where hemp processing is an established industry, has allowed Panda to prepare for the future.

“We don’t do this in the United States, so the equipment was all manufactured in Europe,” Kitchens said. “COVID killed it, we’re now on track. The past no longer matters. It’s all about always going forward.”

More: Panda Biotech teams with Ute tribe on Wichita Falls plant

More: JCPenney says store closing due to lease terms at Sikes Senter

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Texas

Dinner at Dallas restaurant becomes holiday tradition for North Texas families

Published

7 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Dinner at Dallas restaurant becomes holiday tradition for North Texas families

Holiday traditions run the gamut in North Texas. For some, it means a yearly dinner at a popular Dallas Chinese restaurant. But not just any dinner. These are gatherings reserved months in advance. And Wednesday’s festivities just happened to fall on Christmas day and the start of Hanukkah.

Ask April Kao when they plan to close the Royal China restaurant for the night, and she’ll tell you simply whenever the last person leaves. It’s what she’s grown accustomed to. When the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, with all its excitement and frenzy, comes breezing through the front door of the Royal China restaurant off Preston Road and Royal Lane.

Kao and her husband George, both owners of the restaurant, said opening on December 25 was never part of the original business plan.

“We didn’t used to open on Christmas day,” she said. “And in 2008 after the renovation, people begged and begged, ‘Please you have to open.’”

So, they did, and there’s been a massive turnout ever since. People from surrounding neighborhoods in North Dallas and people from different faith communities rely on Royal China.

“Before we open the door, we have lines outside and it’s getting busier and busier. So we take reservations a year before,” Kao said.

One Dallas family made reservations during the summer just to be sure their 15-year tradition wouldn’t miss a beat.

“My son-in-law, Berry, was the one who first suggested that we come to a Chinese restaurant on Christmas day,” said Lynn Harnden. “And we make our reservations like in July to be sure to come.”

As the years pass, seats are added to the reservation. This year, the Hardens occupied two tables with seventeen guests.

As for upholding family traditions, the Kaos have their own wall of memories at the restaurant. It’s a reminder of how far they’ve come from 1974, when George Kao’s father came from Taiwan with a dream and a plan.

“He is very proud,” he said. “He would smile. He’s smiling from above.”

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Texas

Pleasant Christmas weather for North Texas before storms return Thursday

Published

19 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Pleasant Christmas weather for North Texas before storms return Thursday – CBS Texas

Watch CBS News

First Alert meteorologist Brittany Rainey has the latest forecast.

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Texas

Texas A&M vs. USC Prediction, Odds, Picks – December 27, 2024

Published

1 day ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Texas A&M vs. USC Prediction, Odds, Picks – December 27, 2024

Data Skrive

The Las Vegas Bowl features a battle between the Texas A&M Aggies (who are 3.5-point favorites) and the USC Trojans on December 27, 2024 at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The over/under is set at 52.

Facing the Texas Longhorns in their most recent game, the Aggies lost 17-7. Last time out, the Trojans fell to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, with 49-35 being the final score.

Keep up with college football all season on FOX Sports.

Joel Klatt explains how ‘USC is spiraling and in trouble’ | The Herd

FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt joins Colin Cowherd to discuss USC losing 19 players to the transfer portal and why it is troubling.

Texas A&M vs. USC Game Information & Odds

When: Friday, December 27, 2024 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada
TV: ESPN
Live Box Score on FOX Sports

More College Football Predictions

Texas A&M vs USC Betting Information updated as of December 25, 2024, 2:45 a.m. ET.
Favorite	Spread (Odds)	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline	Total	Over Moneyline	Under Moneyline
Texas A&M	-3.5 (-111)	-180	+149	52	-109	-111

Texas A&M vs. USC Prediction

Pick ATS:
Texas A&M (-3.5)
Pick OU: Under (52)
Prediction: Texas A&M 28, USC 24

Predictions are made by the Data Skrive betting model.

Learn more about the Texas A&M Aggies vs. the USC Trojans game on FOX Sports!

Texas A&M vs. USC Betting Insights

Per the spread and over/under, the implied score for the tilt is Aggies 28, Trojans 24.
The Aggies have a 64.3% chance to claim victory in this meeting per the moneyline’s implied probability. The Trojans hold a 40.2% implied probability.
Texas A&M has compiled a 3-9-0 record against the spread this season.
USC has put together a 7-5-0 record against the spread this season.

Texas A&M vs. USC: 2024 Stats Comparison

	Texas A&M	USC
Off. Points per Game (Rank)	30.3 (52)	29.8 (55)
Def. Points per Game (Rank)	21.2 (23)	23.5 (47)
Turnovers Allowed (Rank)	13 (28)	18 (71)
Turnovers Forced (Rank)	17 (61)	16 (69)

Texas A&M 2024 Key Players

Name	Position	Stats
Marcel Reed	QB	1,572 YDS (61.1%) / 12 TD / 4 INT 501 RUSH YDS / 6 RUSH TD / 45.5 RUSH YPG
Le’Veon Moss	RB	769 YDS / 10 TD / 85.4 YPG / 6.4 YPC 10 REC / 141 REC YDS / 0 REC TD / 17.6 REC YPG
Amari Daniels	RB	661 YDS / 8 TD / 55.1 YPG / 4.8 YPC
Noah Thomas	WR	34 REC / 545 YDS / 6 TD / 45.4 YPG
Taurean York	LB	57 TKL / 6 TFL / 2.5 SACK / 1 INT
Nic Scourton	DL	29 TKL / 11 TFL / 4 SACK
Will Lee III	DB	37 TKL / 0 TFL / 2 INT / 2 PD
Dalton Brooks	DB	44 TKL / 5 TFL / 1 SACK

USC 2024 Key Players

Name	Position	Stats
Jo’Quavious Marks	RB	1,133 YDS / 9 TD / 94.4 YPG / 5.7 YPC 47 REC / 321 REC YDS / 0 REC TD / 29.2 REC YPG
Miller Moss	QB	2,555 YDS (64.4%) / 18 TD / 9 INT -18 RUSH YDS / 2 RUSH TD / -2 RUSH YPG
Ja’Kobi Lane	WR	36 REC / 398 YDS / 9 TD / 36.2 YPG
Jayden Maiava	QB	906 YDS (61.2%) / 7 TD / 2 INT 49 RUSH YDS / 4 RUSH TD / 5.4 RUSH YPG
Easton Mascarenas	LB	84 TKL / 4 TFL / 3 SACK / 2 INT
Kamari Ramsey	DB	44 TKL / 4 TFL / 2 SACK
Mason Cobb	LB	61 TKL / 2 TFL / 2 INT / 2 PD
Jaylin Smith	DB	49 TKL / 3 TFL / 2 INT / 2 PD