March 2013 - Page 2 of 30 - Henderson County Now

Athens man sentenced to 35 years for multiple thefts

District Attorney’s Office press release

On Monday, March 18, Dale Forbus Reynolds, 38, of Athens was sentenced to 35 years in the Texas Penitentiary after admitting his guilt to multiple thefts in the Lake Athens and Baxter areas as well as a possession of a controlled substance offense that occurred on Sept. 14, 2012 and an evading arrest charge from Oct. 19, 2011. District Attorney Scott McKee prosecuted the case in Judge Mark Calhoon’s 3rd District Court.

Reynolds committed numerous thefts just outside Athens in November and December of last year. The cases were investigated by Investigator Michael Shelley of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office after numerous victims reported items stolen from their properties. During his investigation of the thefts, Shelley received information that Reynolds was a potential suspect. Reynolds was eventually arrested on other outstanding warrants. Sheriff’s investigators recovered about $10,000 in property as a result of the investigation. Among the items recovered were hand tools, power tools, trailers, an ATV and various firearms.

Investigator Nick Webb along with Shelley interviewed Reynolds after his arrest and eventually confessed to at least part of the thefts.

Reynolds possession charge stemmed from a traffic stop of his vehicle by Captain Bryan Tower of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. During the traffic stop, Tower discovered that Reynolds had an active warrant for illegal dumping. After being searched incident to his arrest, deputies discovered methamphetamine in his pants pocket. Reynolds was subsequently indicted for possession of a controlled substance less than one gram.

McKee credited the work of Henderson County Sheriff Ray Nutt and his team for solving these burglaries.

“Although much of the property stolen was recovered and returned to the victims, their sense of security cannot be returned,” said McKee. “I’m glad he is behind bars and out of our neighborhoods.”

Cardette group honored for dance skills, academic excellence

The Cardette Showgirls were recently recognized both for their dance skills and for excellence in academics at a recent competition in Denton. Pictured are (front) Cree Harrell, (second row, from left) Brittany Isenhower, Jaimee Bowles, Bria Molock, (back row)Aly Peterson, Megan Perry and Victoria Corley. (PHOTO COURTESY TVCC)

By Jennifer Hannigan/TVCC Public Information

The Cardette Showgirls were recognized both for their dance skills and for their academic excellence at a recent competition in Denton.

The Showgirls are a group of elite Cardettes who perform at special events separate from the main Cardette dance team. The group of seven dancers competes against other schools each spring at the American Dance Drill Team School National Competition.

This year, the group took third runner up in the dance portion of the competition. For that part, said director Darla Mansfield, the group competes in Division III with other schools of similar size.

The Cardette Showgirls chose a routine this year comprised of several songs, all of which carried a theme about candy.

For the second part of the competition, the ladies are rated based on their GPA. The TVCC group’s cumulative 3.41 GPA was the highest in the group.
That GPA earned the Cardettes the distinction of being named the competition’s National Collegiate Academic Champion. This is the second year in a row the TVCC dance team has earned that title.

“Not only are these girls talented dancers, but they are also able to maintain a high collegiate GPA while being involved in so many events as Cardettes and Showgirls,” said Mansfield.

“To carry this title two years in a row is such an honor for the team and a testimony that these girls know when to be serious and know when to have fun. Saying that I am proud of them doesn’t express the half of it.”

The group also took the title of academic champions for Division III.

Athens Ribbon Cutting: Williams Pest Control

The Athens Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting today for Sunnystate Pest Control Brisbane. Their services have been of immense value to the local community over the past 25 years.

Williams Pest Control, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this month, is a full-service pest control company with highly-trained personnel to address any of your pest control needs. They have an extremely large service area to accommodate the many communities of Cedar Creek Lake. They’re even looking into using an app, as other pest control businesses are using software to increase their brand awareness.

Owner Larry Williams is a graduate of the Texas A&M Philip J. Hamman Termite Control Training School. As a 1977 Graduate of Mabank High School, growing up in the area has greatly impacted the amount of knowledge he has with the pests that plague the Cedar Creek Lake area.

However, if you fall outside of their catchment area of service then it might be worth taking the time to learn about pest control companies closer to you.

For assistance with your pest problem in Minnesota, you could enlist the help of Adam’s Pest Control, Inc. for a range of pests including weeds, insects, bedbugs, mice and spiders – https://www.adamspestcontrol.com/.

Obituary: Mike Hutchison

Funeral services for Mike Hutchison, 62, of Mabank will be held 1 p.m. Thursday, March 28, 2013 at First Baptist Church of Mabank. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery in Mabank.

Mike Hutchison was born on Sept. 8, 1950 in Kaufman to the home of Jessie and Marie (Heffington) Hutchison, and passed away on March 26, 2013 in Tyler.

For the first 50 years of his life he lived within one block of the house in which he grew up. He graduated from Mabank High School in 1969. While still in high school he worked for Hyde’s Furniture in downtown Mabank and stayed there for 28 years until it closed in the early 2000s. He spent seven years working at Groom and Son Hardware until he found his niche in insurance. At the time of his death, he was working at McAfee Insurance in downtown Mabank.

Hutch served six years on the Mabank ISD Board of Trustees from 1995 to 2000 and 13 years on the HCAD Board.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Reba Morton; brothers Jerry Dewayne Hutchison and Jess, Jr. Hutchison.

Left to cherish his memory is the love of his life, Janice, whom he married on June 16, 1989 and his children Stephanine Stewart and husband Chris of Scurry, Kristen Meine of Gun Barrel City, Brad Harris and wife Stacy of Longview, Lisa Burton and husband Eric of Burleson; sisters Martha LaRue and husband Mike of Mabank, and Patricia Cope of Arkansas; 11 grandkids, numerous nieces, nephews and many many friends.

Visitation was 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 27, 2013 from at Moorhead Epps Funeral Home.

Making a Splash: Organizers break ground at Kiwanis Park

Organizers get ready to break ground Wednesday, March 27, at Kiwanis Park for a splash pad. (MICHAEL V. HANNIGAN PHOTO)

By mvhannigan

There wasn’t any water in sight when more than two dozen officials from Athens’ government and civic organizations gathered in Kiwanis Park Wednesday morning.

But it was still a big day for the Splash Pad project.

Members of the Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club joined city officials, including the mayor and city administrator, to ceremonially break ground on the project this week just six months after it was first announced.

A splash pad, for those uninitiated, is a water feature that includes no standing water. The pads usually have nozzles that spray water into the air, buckets that drop water, rainbow tubes that spray water, mushroom showers, tree showers, etc.

There were 12 gold shovels which, according to Chamber Board Chairman and pastor at Athens Life Fellowship Church Mark Allen, represents perfect government in the Bible.

“It is like a perfect melding of us all coming together as a city. We are representing it by 12 shovels saying this is is perfect government, and that we do it together and that we work together and we can accomplish more together,” he said.

“I really believe the best days for Athens are ahead, I really do believe that. And as we continue to work together we will see even greater days,” he added.

The Splash Pad is a combined project by the Athens Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club, the Athens Leadership Institute (ALI, which is a chamber program), and the city.

Splash pads have become very popular in recent years at least in part because of the low cost of maintenance.

While organizers were able to turn dirt to get started, there is still fundraising to do. The project is about $50,000 short of its projected cost.

Enough has been raised to start the splash pad, but the rest of the project money is for items like fencing, parking, sidewalks and complying with the all-important Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rules so that children in wheelchairs can enjoy the water.

One of the best aspects of the project, according to chamber board member Kim Hodges, is how it has become a true community effort. Donations have ranged from a child giving the money she received from the Tooth Fairy to a $25,000 corporate check.

This week, Girl Scout Troop 1999 brought in $67 … all raised in pennies.

If you would like to make a donation to the project, please call Kim Hodges at First State Bank, 903-676-1923.