News

The Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD met in their regularly scheduled monthly meeting on May 16. With all incumbents being re-elected, the board voted to keep the same officers as they had this year.

Prior to calling the meeting to order, Superintendent Sandra Quarles introduced the Girl’s 3A State Champion 400 meter Relay Team to the board. The team, along with their coach, Dana Carter, had returned on Saturday, May 14, from the State Track Meet in Austin. Where the team barely missed setting a new school record in the 400 meter Relay. The team, consisting of Layla Johnston, Denver Mims, Alexis Porter, and Chablis Barber, showed off their gold medals while Coach Carter displayed the Championship plaque. The board acknowledged the girls accomplishment, and congratulated Coach Carter on becoming a State track champion as a coach after having previously won a championship as an athlete.

Outstanding Avinger students received ribbons, plaques, medals and scholarships at the Academic Awards Program held at Avinger High School May 19. A graduating class of nine seniors shared in sixteen different scholarships, ranging in value from $100 to full tuition for both the valedictorian, Aleshia Fort and the salutatorian, Paige Hill. Several memorial scholarships were awarded in honor of past students and faculty. Other endowments came from a wide variety of organizations including a church, a bank, a utility co-op, an athletic booster club and a rodeo association, as well as the Chamber of Commerce, the 1936 Study Club, Life Scholars and Cress Community Foundation.

UIL awards were presented by Mrs. Teresa Potts, Avinger High School UIL Director. Mrs. Becky Powell presented awards for Advanced Performance in STAAR Level 3.

Are you considering buying, building or renting a home? Does your current home need urgent repairs? The Rural Development Agency of the USDA may be able to help. Financial assistance is available to individuals and families that includes long-term, low-interest loans, loan guarantees and grants. Funds are available for building, purchasing or renting a home, as well as making repairs and improvements to remove health and safety hazards. The programs are designed primarily to assist lowincome applicants in communities of less than 35,000 residents.

Want to know more? Make plans now to attend the Housing Finance Workshop offered by the USDA Rural Development agency. The workshop will be Tuesday, June 7 at 6:00 p.m., at the Hughes Springs Community Center at 902 East First Street.

Three incumbent council members ran unopposed in the May 7 election. Council members Genneter Ellison, Lee Newsom and Ryan Watkins were sworn in for another two-year term by Mayor Reba Simpson at the regular meeting of the Hughes Springs City Council on May 17.

In other business, the council voted unanimously to place on next month’s agenda an action item to work with KSA Engineering services on getting bids for the painting and repair of the 200,000-gallon elevated water tower located on FM 161 South. The tank was installed in 1996, and this will be the first major repair to the facility. The entire project is anticipated to take from five to seven months, at a projected cost of $319,000.00. At next month’s meeting, the council will also consider an action item concerning replacement of the pumps at the wastewater treatment facility.

On Friday, April 1, Morris County Sheriff ’s Deputy Justin Maiville observed a traffic violation in the Daingerfield area and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. Deputy Maiville identified the driver as Ternick Raynun Luckey, 49, of Daingerfield. Deputy Maiville quickly developed probable cause that drug activity was being conducted, and found Luckey to be in possession of narcotics. Luckey was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Penalty Group One, less than One Gram, which is a State Jail Felony, and is punishable by up to two years confinement in a Texas State Jail facility, and a fine of up to $10,000.

On Tuesday, May 3, the Morris County Sheriff ’s office received information regarding narcotic activity at a residence within the city of Daingerfield. Chief Deputy Robbie Gray, Investigator Hershel Stroman, and Deputy Stephanie Smith went to the residence. Once contact was made, consent was given to the deputies to search the premises. The consensual search led to the location of illegal narcotics and the arrest of Abigail Zambrano, 26, of Mount Pleasant, for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Penalty Group One, less than One Gram, which is a State Jail Felony.

On Monday, May 9, Deputy Stephanie Smith observed a traffic violation and conducted a vehicle stop in the Daingerfield area. Deputy Smith identified the driver and passengers inside the vehicle, and observed suspicious behavior, which prompted a narcotics investigation. Deputy Smith’s investigation led to the recovery of illegal narcotics and the arrest of Julie Summerlin, 35, of Mount Vernon, for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Penalty Group One, less than One Gram. This charge is a State Jail Felony.

By: Toni Walker Editor news@steelcountrybee.com

Greer Farm has not been sold, and the farm will continue to operate as usual, under the continued ownership of Sid and Eva Greer.

By: J. Leslie Riseden

Special Contributor to the Steel Country Bee

Aleshia Fort and Paige Hitt have attended Avinger School together since kindergarten. For thirteen years, these two seniors have enjoyed a friendly competition that has -- at times -- served to spur each other on to excellence. That friendly competition has landed them at the top of their graduating class of 2016.

By: Toni Walker

Editor

news@steelcountrybee.com

“All good things must come to an end.” That saying is as true in business as it is in life. And, the time has come for Gene and Vickie Nixon’s restaurant venture in Daingerfield to end. Kissin’ Kousins, located across from the Morris County Courthouse, has closed their doors after 13 years.

“This was a hard decision, but it is time for us to start the next chapter in our lives,” said owner Vickie Nixon. “We have many good memories, and have met a lot of great people,” she added. Nixon added that, since the first of the year, they have seen a decline in their business.