Ward & Smith law firm opens Tyler office

The business litigation and intellectual property law firm of Ward & Smith has opened a office in downtown Tyler.

“This office will help us better serve our many clients with intellectual property matters pending before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Tyler and throughout the district,” said founding partner T. John “Johnny” Ward Jr.

At 110 N. College, Suite 1118, the new office is near the Eastern District headquarters and will be staffed by a firm attorney two to three days per week. Office visits can be made by appointment only at (903) 500-2750.

Food Club Frenzy back at Brookshire's

Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy stores have brought back the Food Club Frenzy contest to give customers a chance to win $500 and a Chevrolet Camaro valued at about $40,000.

Through March 6, customers can purchase five Food Club items in a single transaction and earn a chance to win. Customers fill out an entry form on the bottom of a qualifying shopping receipt and drop it in the store’s entry box.

One winner per store will be drawn to win $50 for each Food Club item he has — up to $500. For 20 Food Club items, the customer will be entered to win the car.

On March 7, one additional customer will be selected to have a chance to win the Camaro. Five winners will be selected to participate in a key-off to win the grand prize at Texas Motor Speedway on April 14.

For information, visit brookshires.com.

Marketing firm opens Longview offices

Texas Classic Productions, the company hosting the East Texas Oilfield Expo, has opened an office in Longview.

The office, at 2107 Courthouse Drive, Suite 106, feature expanded facilities to accommodate the company’s growth.

The 2011 East Texas Oilfield Expo, held in July, featured more than 300 exhibitors and had an estimated financial effect on the Longview area of more than $1.8 million, according to Cherri Hayes, marketing director.

The 2012 event is set March 7 and 8 at Longview’s Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center. Haynes said booth space has been doubled compared to 2011.

For information, visit TexasClassicProductions.com, or call (866) 918-5550.

Conservation program signup deadline set

The ranking period cut-off for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Stewardship Program is Jan. 27.

Producers interested in the program should submit applications to their local NRCS office by the deadline so their applications can be considered during the first ranking period of 2012.

“CSP gives conservation-minded producers the ability to apply and build on their current stewardship efforts,” said Service State Conservationist Salvador Salinas. “Farmers and ranchers actively engaged in natural resource conservation practice have the opportunity to earn financial rewards through CSP.”

CSP is a voluntary five-year program offered to landowners statewide through continuous signup.

For information, visit www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov.

Veteran nurses join health center staff

Registered nurse Margarita B. Hart has been named nurse manager for the intensive care unit and the emergency department at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.

In addition, registered nurse Deirdre Leung, a nurse practitioner who specializes in caring for patients with cancer, has joined the hospital’s Cancer Treatment and Research Center.

Hart was director of the cardiac catheterization lab at a university-affiliated hospital. She also had served as director of the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Hart received her master’s degree in nursing from Lubbock Christian University and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Tech University.

Leung is a certified oncology nurse with five years’ experience working with cancer patients. She is also certified in advanced cardiac life support.

She received her nurse practitioner certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler.

Turfgrass conference set Feb. 2 in Overton

The annual East Texas Turfgrass Conference scheduled Feb. 2 in Overton will cover topics such as drought recovery, weed and insect and disease management.

“The main part of my presentation will be to inform individuals how to best prepare their turfgrass for a drought in 2012 – if it occurs,” said Jim McAfee, Texas AgriLife Extension Service turfgrass specialist, Dallas.

The program is designed for professionals who maintain school district grounds, city parks and recreation facilities, as well as workers at commercial lawn and landscape companies, according to Randy Reeves, AgriLife Extension agent for Harrison County and one of the program coordinators.

McAfee noted that though professional managers of turfgrass have the option to irrigate, it was hard to keep up with water needs in 2011.

In addition to McAfee’s presentation, programming will include “IPM and its Role In Local School Districts,” “2012 Weed Control Management On Turf,” “Disease Management on Bermuda and St. Augustine,” “Turfgrass Insect Update,” “Irrigation Efficiency In Times Of Drought,” and “Laws and Regulation Update For Applicators.” The conference will adjourn at 3 p.m.

Private pesticide license holders will earn five continuing education units from the Texas Department of Agriculture, four hours in the general category and a half hour each in integrated pest management and laws and regulations, according to Reeves.

Fee for the event is $30 and will include lunch. The event will be held at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton.

Registration for the program will begin at 8 a.m. and will be payable at the door. Credit cards will not be accepted; only cash or checks, Reeves said.

The Overton center is about two miles north of Overton in Rusk County on FM 3053. For maps and detailed driving directions, go to http://overton.tamu.edu and click on “Info, Maps and History,” or call Reeves at (903) 935-8413 for information.

U.S. oil, gas rig count drops 20 to 1,987

HOUSTON — The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. was down by 20 this past week to 1,987.

The Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that 1,191 rigs were exploring for oil and 791 for natural gas. Five were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week Baker Hughes reported 1,700 active rigs, 187 fewer than this year.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Pennsylvania gained three rigs and Alaska gained two. Arkansas and North Dakota picked up one apiece.

Wyoming lost eight rigs, Colorado lost six and Oklahoma dropped four. Louisiana, Texas and West Virginia dropped two apiece, and New Mexico lost one.

California was unchanged.

— Editor’s note: Deadline for submissions for the Longview News-Journal’s Sunday Business Digest is 5 p.m. Tuesday. Submissions may be faxed to (903) 757-3742; emailed to melswick@news-journal.com or mailed to: Mike Elswick, business editor, Longview News-Journal, P.O. Box 1792, Longview, TX 75606. For questions, call (903) 237-7737.