News

By TONI WALKER

MORRIS COUNTY – Candidates have been set for the county- wide elections to be held March. 6. Open county positions will feature several new faces to the political scene.

Several positions only had one candidate file, and in most of those cases, the incumbent will remain in their position. District Judge Robert Ralston was the only candidate to file for the position of District Judge, 276th Judicial District, and will therefore remain in the position. Other incumbents facing no opposition are County Clerk Scott Sartain, District Clerk Gwen Ashworth, Precinct 4 Commissioner Todd Freeman, Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Nikita Fridia, and Precinct 2 JP Jennifer Easley. Each of these candidates will be the only candidate for their respective positions on the March ballot. Of the unopposed incumbents, three are running on the Democratic ballot, and four are listed as Republicans.

By TONI WALKER

Year in Review, part 2

With the changing year, The Steel Country Bee is finishing up our Year in Review article. In last week’s article, we recapped the big stories from January through June of 2017. This week’s story will highlight the headlines from July through December.

JULY

The Daingerfield State Park hosted the first-ever Freedom Fest. The event featured various events throughout the weekend, including games and activities for children and a 5k run/walk. The event culminated on July 1 with the park’s weekly dance, held at the pavilion.

Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD picked two DHS alumni to take the helm at the junior high and South elementary. Daniel Pritchett, a 1995 DHS graduate, was hired to take over at South, while Amy Billingslea (DHS, ’79) was chosen to lead Daingerfield Junior High School following the retirement of Linda Rhymes.

By TONI WALKER

DAINGERFIELD – A Daingerfield native will be coming home to help promote her new book. Mavin Shanta (Hood) Riley, a 1986 graduate of Daingerifeld High School, will be in town on Jan. 27 to launch her new book, “Lord Why Me?”

Riley grew up in the Piney Heights neighborhood and attended Daingerfield Schools throughout her school years. After graduating, Riley attended Cedar Valley College in Lancaster, where she received her Associates in Science degree in 2004.

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Robert hunt, left, presents his wife, Officer Debbie Hunt, with a personalized rifle display commemorating her time in law enforcement. Officer Hunt is set to retire on Dec. 31.

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By TONI WALKER

DAINGERFIELD – Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies came out to show their support as the Daingerfield Police Department honored one of their own upon her impending retirement.

Officer Debra Hunt has been with the Daingerfield Police Department on June 1, 1995. In the last 22 years, Hunt has served multiple rolls with the department, serving as the Daingerfield School Resource officer early in her tenure. For the last several years, Hunt has supervised the trustee program. She could be seen supervising inmates as they mowed and cleaned up around the city.

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By TONI WALKER

LONE STAR – An Arkansas man is being held after a traffic stop in Lone Star turned up a controlled substance.

On Dec. 18, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Morris County dispatch received a call about a person who was trying to sell illegal narcotics from an 18 wheeler. Officer Stephen Rathbun witnessed a vehicle matching a description on Main Street, which he pulled over for a defective brake light. The driver of the 18 wheeler was identified as Robert Eugene Turner, 38 from Little Rock. Officer Rathbun began speaking with Turner, who showed multiple signs of deceptive behavior. Officer Rathbun received consent to search from Turner. A search of the cab was done and suspected cocaine was located.

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By STAFF REPORTS

On Dec. 8, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a victory for Texas homeowners in a case involving homestead exemptions in Kilgore Independents School District. Paxton’s announcement came after the Gregg County Court granted all relief requested by the attorney general in the local option homestead exemption case involving Kilgore ISD’s violation of Texas Senate Bill 1. The decision by the Gregg County Court comes nearly two months after the Texarkana Court of Appeals affirmed the right of Attorney General Paxton to continue the lawsuit and pursue compliance with the law.

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