News

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – The completion date for construction on the new Commerce City Facilities has been pushed back to November. The Project Manager with general contractor Harrison, Walker, and Harper told the Commerce City Council in regular session this week that the move-in date for the city facilities is now expected to be in mid-to-late November.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – A reminder that Commerce has entered Phase 2 of its Drought Contingency Plan. The plan restricts outdoor watering to the hour of 8pm to 10am. The city hopes to see an overall reduction of 10% in water usage in Commerce.

Some other restriction in place under Phase 2:
Washing of vehicles or filling of pools and hot tubs is prohibited except between 8pm and 10am.

Ornamental fountains or ponds cannot be operated except when necessary to support aquatic life.

By Kevin Jefferies

Rains County – Rains County has issued an emergency seven-day outdoor burn ban for all unincorporated areas of the county. The ban went into effect Monday. Dry conditions and lack of rain that has affected all of Northeast Texas prompted the Rains County Commissioners to enact a burn ban much the same as most other surrounding counties.

By Kevin Jefferies

Hunt County – A second man involved with two armed robberies in south Hunt County has pleaded guilty to reduced charges and been sentenced to prison.

47 year old Steven Lee Sherrod was indicted on two counts of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He pled guilty to lesser charges of robbery and the unauthorized use charge yesterday and received 10 years for each robbery count and two years for the automobile theft count.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – The Commerce City Council voted to move into Phase 2 of the city's drought contingency plan in regular session last night. Commerce has been under Phase 1 for about a year now, which asked citizens to voluntarily engage in water conservation. Now, mandatory restrictions on water usage are in place.

Commerce City Manager Bill Shipp said the move shouldn't come as a surprise.

By Kevin Jefferies

Hunt County – A Quinlan-area man will remain in jail in connection with an arson that involved his own grandchildren. James Ray Collard Jr. is being held on a dozen felony counts including arson, aggravated assault, and endangering a child. Collard has amassed over $285,000 in bonds.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – Dr. Lawrence McNamee, a longtime professor at East Texas State University (now A&M-Commerce) died in his home Monday. He was 89.

McNamee was almost always seen wearing his Pittsburg Pirates cap and earned his reputation traveling the world writing about boxing. He was also a professor of English, Shakespeare, and journalism.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – The Commerce ISD Board of Trustees passed a resolution in regular session last night calling for the formation of the district's own police department. The move comes after the district and the City of Commerce could not reach an agreement for hiring a Student Resource Officer for the schools. Several searches were conducted looking for a proper candidate, but no one was found that made all parties comfortable for the new position.

By Kevin Jefferies

Bonham – Bonham police are investigating a stabbing that occurred Friday evening. Police received several 911 calls around 6:30 Friday evening concerning an assault by a man with a knife. Units were dispatched to the 800 block of South 4th Street where they found a 42 year old white male laying in the front yard with several stab wounds.

By Kevin Jefferies

Hunt County – A man found guilty in a Quinlan-area murder has been given 50 years in prison. Cory Joe Locke was sentenced Friday in the murder of Michael Patrick Bates. Locke was one of three people charged in the June 2005 death of Bates. Dena Waldon and Paul Russell Jr. have also been indicted on charges of murder, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated robbery. Russell has trial pending. Waldon agreed to testify against Russell and Locke for a guilty plea on the aggravated robbery charge and a probated sentence.