News

Hughes Springs Junior High teacher Roger Reece talks to the Senior Mustangs at their January meeting. Mr. Reece visited, along with his woodworking class. The students told the Senior Mustangs the things they are doing in woodworking and showed items they are making.

A Southern Cross marker dedication memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., March 30, at the Snodgrass Cemetery in Mount Pleasant.  The service will honor two Civil War veterans.
This will be a tribute to Chaplain David S. Snodgrass, General and Staff Officer, Corp Division and Brigade Staff, Non-Com., Staff and Bands, enlisted man, Staff Department, CSA. Chaplain Snodgrass is the father of the sons who were previously honored by a memorial dedication service on March 19, 2011. Their names are David, George, John, Thomas, and William Snodgrass. The Snodgrass Family was highly revered in Titus County, as was mentioned in Traylor Russell’s book about Titus County.

The Whatley Center for the Performing Arts at Northeast Texas Community College will host a performance of the national tour of Shakespeare's comedy ‘As You Like It’ on April 5 at 7:30 p.m. The show is presented by The Acting Company of New York.

Tickets to the NTCC performance are $25 for adults and $5 for students. ‘As You Like It’ is sponsored by J.T. and Kaye Brison.

The tour schedule began at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis in January and will cover 29 cities in 22 states in the coming months. Dan Rothenberg, artistic director of Philadelphia’s Pig Iron Theatre has directed Shakespeare’s lushly lighthearted comedy.

"The Acting Company has a reputation for producing theatre at the highest of levels. We are very pleased to host them during their national tour," Carolyn Franks, director of the Whatley Center, said.

March 1 through May 31 marks the most dangerous season on Texas roadways for alcohol-related traffic crashes. That’s why the Texas Department of Transportation is reminding motorists to line up a P.A.S.S. – a Person Appointed to Stay Sober – because even “buzzed” driving is drunk driving.

In 2011, spring accounted for 26 percent of all alcohol-related traffic crashes in Texas, according to TxDOT, more than any other season.  At the same time, weekends continue to claim too many lives – more than half (58 percent) of all alcohol-related crashes occurred on a weekend in 2011. With spring break and holiday weekends approaching, TxDOT wants motorists to know that consuming just a few drinks can still impair a person’s ability to drive, and it has launched a public safety campaign to let them know of the effect alcohol has on driving.

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
Instead of curling  up in a ball of hurt, hate and resentment, John-Michael Keyes and his wife Ellen have gone forward since the death of their child in a school shooting to bring many messages to others. Mr. Keyes spoke at Region 8 Service Center to a room full of educators, law enforcement and first responders to tell the journey of his life since Sept. 27, 2006, when his daughter was killed by a gunman who had invaded Platte Canyon High School.
Emily had just turned 16 prior to the shooting and was in her high school English class when the gunman burst in. He released all the boys and some of the girls, keeping seven girls in the room, one of them Emily. Later when SWAT went in the building, he used Emily as a human shield and shot her in the back of the head just before he was taken down.

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
Permission was granted by the Hughes Springs Independent School District board of trustees and in no time, a second officer and a second vehicle were procured to further protect the children at school. Officer Jeff Pilgrim joins Officer Wayne Mosley as a security officer for the school district.
Five years ago the district created its own police department.
“Terry Giddens first had the idea of hiring an officer when he was exploring ways of adding to our technology curriculum at the high school,” Superintendent Rick Ogden said. “We felt like it would be a very positive presence on our campus, plus it would allow us to offer another career and technology class.
At this time we hired Officer Mosley and he began teaching three criminal justice classes along with being our police officer.

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
Repairmen from the Kansas City Southern Railroad worked on repairing the railroad overpass on Highway 11/49 in Daingerfield last week.
The overpass was damaged when it was hit by a large machine that was carried on a fifth wheel flatbed pulled by a 2006 Peterbilt on Feb. 18.
Daingerfield Police Chief Tracey Climer said the police department provided traffic services for the railroad company March 7 when both westbound lanes were closed.
 

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
Daingerfield police officers arrested three people on drug charges in three separate incidents last month, according to Daingerfield Police Chief Tracey Climer.
Paulette Robinson, 23, of Stockton, Calif. was arrested Feb. 14 and charged with possession of a controlled substance, Penalty Group 1, 1 gram, which is a State Jail felony.
“Officers Amanda Solis and Will Henderson stopped a taxi cab from the Houston area on suspicious activity,” Chief Climer said. “After contact, a back seat passenger was found to be in possession of a controlled substance, ecstasy.”
Karla Spence, 49, of Daingerfield was arrested Feb. 24 and charged with possession of a controlled substance, Penalty Group 1, less than 1 gram, a State jail felony, according to Chief Climer.

Ella Beth Edge

Ella Beth Edge was born on Feb. 8, at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview. She weighed 7 pounds and was 19 ¾ inches long.
She is the daughter of Bradley and Melissa Sue (Nix) Edge of Sulphur Springs.  Very proud grandparents are Mike and Brenda Sue Nix of Hughes Springs and Steve and Wanda Reed of Sulphur Springs.  
Ella Beth’s great-grandparents are Homer Ray and Mary Nix, the late William Ray and Bonnie Caperton and the late Mary Beth Nix, all from Hughes Springs.