News

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – Five people have filed for open spots on the Commerce School Board for the May 13th election, and one person has filed for one of three open spots on the Commerce City Council.

For school board, Donna Tavener has filed for the unexpired term of Sarah Sienty in Place 2. Mary Hendrix was appointed to serve in the position after Sienty died last year, but will not be running for the remaining year of the term.

By Kevin Jefferies

Hopkins County – Hopkins County investigators have arrested a man on burglary charges and recovered enough allegedly stolen items to fill four pick-ups and a trailer. 59-year-old Richard Bob Porter was taken into custody for burglaries in Hopkins and surrounding counties. Investigators had also previously arrested 32-year-old Weldon Jason Hill of Commerce in connection with the crimes. Items recovered include heavy duty construction equipment, lawn equipment, electrical equipment, and tools.

By Kevin Jefferies

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – The Commerce City Council last night voted to enter into an agreement with A&M-Commerce to erect an emergency siren system for Commerce. Preliminary costs estimates have the system running around $100,000, with the city and the university splitting the cost. Exact costs, however, will not be known until final bids come in.

By Kevin Jefferies

Greenville – The Greenville Independent School District has named a lone finalist for superintendent. Lloyd Graham, current superintendent of the Stafford ISD near Houston, has been named the new superintendent for Greenville schools by unanimous vote. 50-year-old Graham served as Superintendent in Stafford since 2003, and previously served as superintendent and high school principal for the Round Top-Carmine ISD.

By Kevin Jefferies

Hunt County – Early voting for the March 7th primaries begins tomorrow, and voters will find something new at the polls. Electronic voting machines have been put into service all across Texas. Traditional paper ballots will still be available for those that choose to cast their vote using that method. Those ballots will be tabulated by a machine, however.

By Kevin Jefferies

Greenville – An announcement is expected today naming the new superintendent for Greenville Schools. Trustees were scheduled to finish up their in-depth interviews over the weekend with the remaining three candidates for the job. A public meeting on the selection process is scheduled for this evening at 6pm at the Wesley Martin Operations Center in Greenville. Once a candidate is selected, they will be named the lone finalist for the position.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – The Commerce Chamber of Commerce held its 97th annual banquet last night, and Sue Porter was named Citizen of the Year. Porter worked tirelessly with victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita who had been evacuated to Commerce. She coordinated efforts with local organizations to help provide food, shelter, clothing, and more to those displaced by the hurricanes.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – The search continues for a Student Resource Officer for Commerce schools. Two rounds of interviews have been conducted, but the right person for the job has not been finalized. Commerce City Manager Bill Shipp said finding the right person for the job, and to start off an entire program, is essential.

SHIPP:

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – Texas A&M University-Commerce officials are not satisfied with the response from Disney over racially charged scenes depicting the university and Commerce in the movie Glory Road. University President Dr. Keith McFarland said the response received from Walt Disney Studios chairman Richard Cook read more like an explanation and justification than an apology for inaccuracies casting a negative light on the former East Texas State University and the City of Commerce.