Casts members from the newest production at the A&M-Commerce Playhouse join the Morning Blend.

Holly Stone and Gerald Taylor, The Bird and the Bee

Hear comments from A&M-Commerce President Dan Jones and Provost Larry Lamanski as they provide an update of activities and projects on campus.

University Community Update, Nov. 12

By Scott Harvey

Texarkana, TX – An appeals court in Texarkana has reversed the conviction of a Paris woman, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The court changed the four year sentence of Stephanie Lester after they found that the small folding knife she used in a stabbing was not a deadly weapon.

The victim had a shoulder wound and defensive wounds on her arm.

By Scott Harvey

Hopkins County – Hopkins County authorities have arrested two people on unrelated charges of sex crimes against children. No names were immediately available.

One of the suspects is a 50 year old Sulphur Springs man, who's charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child. The offense allegedly occurred 10 year ago.

The other suspect, a 17 year old man, residence unknown, is charged with 7 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and 8 counts of indecency with a child.

By Brad Kellar

Hunt County – A local organization is looking to help children of domestic violence this holiday season.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Hunt County is seeking individuals who wish to sponsor a CASA Kid at Christmas. CASA volunteers represent abused and neglected children while they are in foster care.

By Brad Kellar

Commerce – A not guilty plea is heard in an aggravated assault case.

Patricia Price, of Commerce, entered the plea Monday during a court hearing and a tentative trial date was set for April 12.

Price was indicted in August in connection to the September 2008 incident where she's alleged to have cut a male victim.

By Scott Harvey

Hugo – A traffic stop in Oklahoma lead to the arrest of a Greenville man, charged with possession of marijuana.

Hugo police stopped James Russell Bills for a defective brake light and saw an open container in the car. They then searched inside and found a quantity of marijuana.

Bills was booked into the Choctaw County Jail on several charges, including felony possession with intent to distribute. Bond was set at $25,000.

By Scott Harvey

Hawkins – A Hawkins man is given life in prison after violating his parole.

A Wood County District Judge sentenced Joseph Aldon Burl Beck after he sexually assaulted an Oklahoma woman. The victim testified in the trial that Beck continued to be a threat to her safety and frighten her.

Beck had been on parole numerous times for multiple offenses when the woman was attacked.

By Scott Harvey

Wylie – A 27-year-old North Texas man is shot and killed by policy in Wylie following a standoff that lasted several hours.

Jeremy Bates was said to have been intoxicated and head butted his mother, Susan. Officers were forced to open fire on Bates after he pointed a rifle at Wylie and McKinney SWAT officers.

The incident is under investigation by the Texas Rangers.

By Scott Harvey

Wood County – A 62-year-old Wood County man is ordered to pay $4.35 million in restitution to his 8-year-old foster daughter for possessing pornographic images of her and two other victims on his computer.

The victim and her four siblings have since been separated from the man and send to different homes. They were placed with the man and his wife as foster children.