Haven For Heroes

Former restitution center would make great home for veterans

The Northeast Texas Intervention Center opened in 1999 near Maud as a place for inmates on probation to live while working to pay court-ordered restitution to those who were victims of their crimes.

In 2011 it was closed and the state moved its mission to Longview.

Cass County holds the deed to that property and wants to put the building to good use.

A couple of years ago an idea was floated by the Texas State Office of Violent Sex Offender Management to house about 65 sex offenders at the center.

To say it didn’t go over well with the area’s residents would be an understatement. They fought back, contacted their elected officials and the plan was quashed.

But now the center may see a new use—one we suspect few residents would object to.

Catherine Beets, Cass County’s chief adult probation officer, would like to see the center used to house veterans.

They would live there and pay a reasonable fee that would be used for building maintenance.

The center has been vacant since 2011 and so far about $17,000 has been spent on refurbishment. To get it back up to snuff will require another $25,000, Betts told Texarkana Chapter No. 278 Vietnam Veterans of America during a presentation this month. Utility expenses would require about $70,000 a year, she added. Hopefully grant money will help out. But there will likely be a shortfall.

So that means the local community and area will have to step up.

We live in a patriotic area. One with many people who have served their country. But lets face facts— too often we talk a good game about supporting our veterans but our deeds fall short of our words.

Veterans come home with scars, and those lasting reminders can’t always be seen. These vets need help. And sometimes they need a place to call home.

No doubt there are still many details that need to be worked out. There are considerations such as applications and admissions, transportation, access to health care, etc. It’s not going to be as easy as it looks at first glance. But we like the idea. The center would be a place where vets could live with other vets, people who know the score firsthand.

This sounds like a plan we can all get behind. We wish Betts the best with this project. We know our readers do as well.