By Scott Harvey

Commerce – Commerce Police are investigating a reported break-in at the city's water treatment plant that resulting in gallons of raw sewage being dumped into a local creek.

The incident occurred sometime Monday evening.

A broken valve led to the sewage spill, which dumped into an unnamed tributary of the Sulphur River, which feeds Cooper Lake. It was unclear of how many gallons actually spilled into the creek or how much of the waste will be diluted.

By Scott Harvey

Commerce – A Commerce business is hoping to retrieve its license after having it revoked following a New Year's Day shooting.

The City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday regarding an appeal of a dance hall license at The Lodge. One person was stabbed and two shot following an altercation at the business. Four individuals would later be arrested.

Council was to address the issue two weeks ago but failed to meet a quorum.

By Scott Harvey

Paris – A Richardson man has been arrested by Paris Police after receiving word the individual was selling crack cocaine.

Police obtained a warrant Monday to search Jimmy Don Williams' vehicle, which was sitting in the 400 block of West Campbell Street. The search would reveal a substantial amount of crack cocaine and over $1400 cash in the vehicle's console.

The 46-year-old Williams was placed under arrest for possession of a controlled substance in a drug free zone.

By Scott Harvey

Fannin County – Three sheriff's deputies in Fannin County were injured Sunday while responding to a report of a mentally distraught woman, armed with two large kitchen knives.

The incident occurred along a county road north of Ravenna.

In an attempt to subdue the subject, all three were cut, suffering minor injuries. They would later be treated and released from Red River Regional Hospital in Bonham.

No charges are pending, as the woman was transported to a mental facility.

By Scott Harvey

Greenville – Area school districts are continuing the process of evaluating their superintendent.

Last Thursday, the Greenville ISD opted to give Don Jefferies a one year extension and $5,000 raise. Jefferies took over at the post in 2008.

Recently, both Commerce and Fannindel ISD's elected to extend their superintendent's contracts by an additional three years.

By Scott Harvey

Sulphur Springs – A series of meetings last week to discuss downtown revitalization in Sulphur Springs was well attended by the community.

Ian Lockwood, a senior transportation engineer who assisted in the 2008 Main Street project says the main concern expressed was a change to and limitation of parking availability, especially for bank and courthouse employees.

By Scott Harvey

Invahoe – A local volunteer fire department with severe financial troubles is asking for a final push in donations to keep the service operable.

Officials with the Ivanhoe Volunteer Fire Department in Fannin County say they've received little support from the community.

Now the department, which only has one functioning fire truck, could close. That would put a strain on other area departments trying to pick up the slack, also resulting in slower response time.

By Brad Kellar

– A second suspect has pleaded not guilty to a charge she set a child on fire.

Misty Laverna Dale Mayo, of Kaufman, has also pleaded not guilty to multiple indictments alleging indecency with a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. An interim hearing has been set for March 3.

Mayo and Charles Duane Mayo Jr. were alleged in the indictments to have acted together to molest child victims on multiple occasions during 2007 and 2008.

By Brad Kellar

Greenville – The murder trial of Royse City resident David Earl Hickman has been scheduled for August 2. Hickman has been charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting death of Jason Herrington of Quinlan.

Prosecutors have chosen not to seek death by lethal injection for Hickman, 30, which means the defendant would receive an automatic sentence of life in prison if he is convicted of capital murder.

By Brad Kellar

Hunt County – A hearing is scheduled Tuesday for a Wills Point man, charged with the shooting death of a Quinlan-area resident.

Larry Dean Campbell is seeking a reduction in bond, the appointment of an attorney, or both.

Quinlan Police responded Saturday to a call of shots fired at a home in the 2400 block of Cottonwood in the Waco Bay subdivision. Deputies found James Michael McKinnis lying in the front yard of the residence with apparent gunshot wounds.