News

Bret McCoy’s speech to the Texas Water Development Board was met with a standing ovation from most of the approximately 350 people that attended a public hearing April 29 regarding the Marvin Nichols Reservoir. Mr. McCoy is a Daingerfield resident and current chairman of the Region D Water Planning Group.The meeting was held for public comment about an ongoing conflict between Region C and Region D water planning districts. Region C, covering the Dallas area, wants Marvin Nichols Reservoir built in Region D and Region D does not. Texas Water Development Board Administrator Kevin Patteson had issued a draft recommendation in March that would allow keeping Marvin Nichols in Region C’s water plan. The meeting was held at the Mount Pleasant Civic Center.

 

Recognizing the plight of the honey bee and having a desire to help them survive, a local man has not only started keeping hives, but offers bee removal service to the area.

 

“Last year about May I caught my first swarm in Hughes Springs,” Greg Bankard said. “They were in a tree. I shook the limb and got them in a box, closed it up and took them home and got them started. I have gotten a few more swarms started and I now have a total of six hives. I lost three over the winter though because of the cold weather.

 

“Last summer the drought hurt them too, as there just wasn’t a lot of food for them.”

 

Since Mr. Bankard is in the tree removal business, he has a chance to come in contact with swarms of bees.

 

“In addition to taking swarms out of trees, I also take them out of people’s houses if they get in walls,” Mr. Bankard said.

 

A Daingerfield man was arrested after an assault was reported to the Morris County Sheriff’s office on April 28, according to Sheriff Jack Martin.

 

“Deputy Will Henderson, Deputy Hershel Stroman and Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Raymond Haley responded to the emergency call,” Sheriff Martin said. “Deputy Henderson identified the suspect as John Eric Hammershick, 27, of Daingerfield, and observed cuts and abrasions on his hands.

 

“Interviews were conducted with the victim and a witness, and Mr. Hammershick was placed under arrest for injury to an elderly or disabled person, which is a State Jail Felony, punishable by a term of up to two years in a Texas State Jail Facility and a fine of up to $10,000.

 

“He was also charged with criminal mischief, a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by confinement in county jail for a term of up to one year and a fine not to exceed $4,000.”

The Morris County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint on April 9 of stolen firearms taken from the residence of the late Cason Fire Chief, Jimmy Wardlow, according to Morris County Sheriff Jack Martin.

 

“An investigation conducted by Deputy Ross Dickson determined that Joshua David Hitt, 24, of Cason, entered Chief Wardlow’s residence and removed several firearms. Deputy Dickson recovered the firearms and placed Mr. Hitt under arrest.

 

Mr. Hitt has been charged with burglary of a habitation, which is a felony of the second degree and is punishable by up to 20 years confinement in a Texas Prison and a fine of up to $10,000.”

Treasure Trails Spring 2014 promises to be a treasure-filled event with many citizens planning yard sales on May 9 and 10. This is a great time to do some spring cleaning and make some money.

 

In Hughes Springs downtown merchants will spill out onto the sidewalks with their wares during this two-day event.

 

Maps are available at city hall offices.

 

Other area cities are joining in Treasure Trails this year.

 

In Avinger, call 903-562-2151 or 903-601-1370; in Daingerfield call 903-645-2646; in Lone Star call 903-656-2272; Mount Pleasant call 903-572-8567; Omaha call 903-884-3080; and in Pittsburg call 903-856-3442.

 

A motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene after he crashed his motorcycle into a ditch west of Daingerfield on Highway 49 around noon on May 3. Morris County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Frank Sisk pronounced Frank McGee, 47, of Grand Prairie, dead at the scene.

 

Department of Public Safety Troopers worked the scene of the fatality. Officials said Mr. McGee was traveling eastbound toward Daingerfield when his motorcycle left the highway and went into a ditch.Mr.

 

McGee’s body was sent to Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas for an autopsy.

By Marlene J. Bohr

mbohr@steelcountrybee.com

 

A public hearing is planned to discuss zoning changes in Lone Star, according to action taken by the city council at its April 24 meeting.

 

Chris Biggers with Dunaway Associates, a consulting firm from Fort Worth, spoke to the council and requested that certain land be zoned commercial. The land he was referring to is ‘approximately 1.38 acres located on the east side of Main Street, also called Highway 259, on the northeast corner of Highway 259 and Bunt Drive. Mr. Biggers provided drawings and photographs of the proposed project.

 

The zoning map shows the parcels are semi-developed. The business would be in a 12,000-square foot building and would be a ‘neighborhood grocery-type business’ that would also have fuel pumps.

 

By Marlene J. Bohr

mbohr@steelcountrybee.com

 

Election Day for cities and schools is Saturday, May 10.

 

An election will be held for the city of Lone Star as eight people have signed up to run for three positions. The terms of EarlAlexander, Jerri Chism and Martha Wexler are expiring and all three incumbents have signed up to run for another term. Challengers include Bradley L. Harmon, James Barrett, Larry Jones, Elizabeth Kienzle and Keith Reiter.

 

The cities of Daingerfield and Hughes Springs will not have an election.

 

Daingerfield-Lone Star Independent School District will not have an election; however, Hughes Springs ISD and Northeast Texas Community College will have elections.

 

Hughes Springs has three places coming up for renewal/replacement.

 

Daingerfield Volunteer Fire Fighters work quickly to extinguish a fire inside this house at 301 Madison Street in Daingerfield on May 1. The fire started in the bedroom of the house, according to Fire Chief Jimmy Cornelius.

By Marlene J. Bohr

mbohr@steelcountrybee.com

 

Daingerfield Police Department and The Northeast Texas Area Crime Stoppers are requesting your help with a recent theft, according to Daingerfield Police Chief Tracey Climer.

 

“On or about Sunday morning, April 27, an unknown actor or actors stole a 2013 TopHat 6’x12’ cargo trailer from the parking lot of the First Baptist Church in Daingerfield. The trailer has an expired Texas license plate number 110803H.

 

If you have any information on this stolen trailer, contact the Daingerfield Police Department at 903-645-2114 or the Morris County Sheriff’s Office at 903-645-2231.

 

The Northeast Texas Area Crime Stoppers is also involved in seeking information regarding this crime.