By Scott Harvey

Sulphur Springs – After nearly 20 years in office as Hopkins County Commissioner for Precinct 3, Don Patterson will not seek another term and will retire.

Patterson is the first local elected official to announce his plans for the 2012 election season.

The first day a person can file as a candidate for county office is November 12, and the end of the filing period is December 12.

By Brad Kellar

Greenville – In what Judge John Horn referred to as a budget reflective of the state of the economy, Commissioners signed off on $100,000 cuts from each county precinct's road and bridge fund.

The Sheriff's Office also took at $250,000 hit, lowering their budget to $3.37 million.

The $32.9 million total budget for Hunt County included a tax rate of 50.75 cents per $100 valuation, unchanged from the current fiscal year.

By Cindy Roller

Cooper – Delta County residents are invited to a "State of the County" speech by Judge Herb Brookshire on Thursday.

The event is part of the Business After Hours series through the Delta County Chamber of Commerce. Thursday's event runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the District Courtroom of the County Courthouse in Cooper.

Refreshments will be served and door prizes given away.

By Scott Harvey

Paris – Paris residents receiving mail items from security alarm companies are being warned by police that this is merely a sales pitch, and is not endorsed by their department.

By Scott Harvey

Commerce – The new residence hall at Texas A&M University-Commerce begins to house its inaugural class of students this week as freshmen arrive on campus.

By Associated Press

– Testimony is drawing to a close in the murder trial of a former Greenville resident charged in Kansas with shooting his estranged wife, their two teenage daughters and the wife's grandmother.

The final day of testimony in the trial of 48-year-old James Kraig Kahler is expected Wednesday, with closing arguments Thursday. The victims were shot to death in late November 2009 at the wife's grandmother's home near Topeka, Kansas.

By Brad Kellar

Greenville – A Royse City man charged in a 2008 shooting death in Hunt County forgoes a trial, pleading guilty to the charge.

Jury selection had been scheduled Monday for David Earl Hickman, but the suspect instead pleaded guilty to killing Jason Harrington, of Quinlan, and was sentenced to life in prison.

Prosecutors had previously stated they would not seek the death penalty should he be convicted. Hickman will have to serve at least 30 years before being eligible for parole.

By Scott Harvey

Hopkins County – A house fire in rural Hopkins County leaves the structure heavily damaged, but no one was injured.

Firefighters from Hopkins County, North Hopkins, Miller Grove and Arbala responded to the blaze shortly before 3:30 p.m. Monday along CR 1174.

The local Red Cross provided rehab to the first responders on the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

By Scott Harvey

Greenville – Hunt County officials today are scheduled to consider keeping the current tax rate as is and significantly reducing spending as part of the new budget.

County Judge John Horn has proposed a tax rate of 50.75 cents per $100 valuation, less than the effective tax rate which would generate the same revenue as the current fiscal year. Under the plan, each county precinct's road and bridge fund is reduced by $100,000 and the Sheriff's Office budget was reduced by $250,000 to $3.37 million.

By Scott Harvey

Commerce – The establishment of a Foreign-Trade Zone to boost the capability of the local economy now seeks approval from the federal government.

The Commerce City Council and Commerce ISD Board approved resolutions last week for the FTZ, which has also been presented to the City of Greenville and Greenville ISD.