SMITH COUNTY, TX (KLTV)- An East Texas superintendent wants his district to join many more in telling state leaders 'enough is enough' when it comes to relying on state tests to rate campuses.

Dr. Randy Reid told KLTV 7 the school board is looking over a resolution that is spreading statewide. The resolution asks state leaders to move away from standardized tests like this year's STAAR test to rate campus performance. Instead, Reid suggested the state look at each district's end-of course exams.

"What we're trying to say with this resolution is that we agree wholeheartedly with accountability for schools in the State of Texas," Reid said. "We also believe that we've entered a period maybe where testing has taken a life of its own and maybe has gotten outside of the realm of being helpful and has become such a burden to many of the school districts around the state that it may actually be impeding our ability to educate kids.

Released by TJC:

Tyler Junior College is hosting a weeklong 50 Gallon Challenge from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, March 26-30, in the Apache Rooms of Rogers Student Center on the TJC main campus.

TJC’s Center for Student Life and Carter BloodCare are cohosting the event.

“We will need more than 400 donors to be able to reach this goal,” said Vincent Nguyen, TJC director of student success. “For every 50-person milestone that we reach, there will be various door prizes given and every person who donates will be entered to win.” 

Donors also receive free food and a T-shirt.

A single pint of blood can save up to three lives, so 50 gallons could impact more than 1,200 lives.

“We are asking for everyone’s help,” Nguyen said. “This isn’t just a TJC event, it’s a community event.

Released by the Tyler Convention and Visitors Bureau:

Spring is springing!  With that change in seasons comes an annual surge of blooming flowers and tourists to Tyler, TX. 

For three weekends tourists can tour the trails and attend annual events scheduled all over Tyler. The Azalea and Spring Flower Trail features a ten mile tract of beautiful azaleas, dogwoods, spring flowers and of course, the ambassadors of the Trail, the Azalea Belles will be on hand to greet guests and pose for pictures. 

This annual event will kick-off on Friday, March 23, with a ribbon cutting and opening ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. at the Pyron Home located at 212 W.