Category: County

Cross Roads Shooting Victim in Stable Condition

The 11-year-old Cross Roads boy who was accidentally shot in the chest with a shotgun yesterday is in stable condition at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office officials said this morning.

Police are still not releasing the boy’s name because he is a juvenile.

In a press release, Chief Deputy Botie Hillouse said the shooting happened about 1:37 p.m. Thursday, June 26, in the 14000 block of FM 59 in the Cross Roads area.

According to the press release, it appears that the shooting was accidental and was done by a second juvenile male.

A search warrant was issued by Henderson County Court-at-Law Judge Nancy Perryman to search the premises. According to the press release, “the investigation into the shooting and into the accessibility of the firearm to the child is ongoing.”

Henderson County Sheriff Investigates Cross Roads Shooting

The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that a young man was apparently accidentally shot by his brother in Cross Roads this afternoon.

Officials are not releasing any names at this time because they aren’t sure all the family has been notified. Henderson County Now is respecting that decision.

According to police, the call came in at about 1:37 p.m. that there had been a shooting at a residence in the Cross Roads area on FM 59.

The young man was shot in the chest with a shotgun. Sheriff Ray Nutt refused to speculate on the extent of the injury, but said the young man was still alive.

He has been taken to ETMC Athens and plans call to careflight him to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.

Nutt said a press release would be issued after police finish their investigation.

Don’t Miss Out on Juneteenth Parade, Festival

paradeBy James Robertson/Special to HCN

On January 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln delievered a speech known as the Emancipation Proclamation. In this proclamation President Lincoln declared “that all persons held as slaves, are, and henceforward shall be free.” The proclamation had little impact on Texans because of the presence of minimal Union troops within the state to enforce the new Executive Order.

On June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was delivered, Union forces, led by Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston with news of wars end and that the enslaved were free. As General Lee surrendered Texas slave masters lost influence and Union soldiers and slaves overcame the resistance against the proclamation. Several stories try and account for the two year delay but whether or not any of them hold truth the point is that African Americans were no longer bound by slavery.

Today the ancestors of these slaves celebrate June 19th as the end of slavery in Texas and across the nation and you can see why. Although the proclamation was delievered two years earlier, the slaves in Texas toiled for another two years and thus slavery had not ended in 1863 but in 1865. Continue reading “Don’t Miss Out on Juneteenth Parade, Festival”

Commissioners Talk eFiling, Contracts

Post by Henderson County Now.

 

By Michael V. Hannigan

Henderson County Commissioners Court met for its regular weekly meeting Tuesday morning. I was at the meeting and reported from the meeting on Facebook. (See post above.)

Below are the items I reported about.

eFiling Fee

Commissioners discuss an optional $2 transaction fee for eFiling, and by taking no action eliminated the fee for now. The fee would have gone to the county.

Commissioner Ronny Lawrence said we are “fee’d to death” and said he wasn’t for this action.

Commissioner Ken Geeslin ripped the state for instituting a $20 filing fee last year and now another $2 fee. He said eFiling should be more efficient, not cost more, so he is also against it.

County Attorney Clint Davis told the court the intent of fee is to help counties to recoup cost of implementing eFiling, because many counties may be incurring costs to do so. However, Henderson County is already well along in that regard.

eFiling will not be mandatory until 2015 and that may be pushed back, said Commissioner Wade McKinney.

ETMC EMS Contract

The commissioners approved an ETMC Emergency Medical Services contract with the county for ambulance service.

The contract is for five years with two automatic extensions.

Commissioner Ronny Lawrence questioned the automatic extensions of contract at 5 an 10 years.

“We might could get a better deal (later),” he said.

An ETMC representative at the meeting said it would be hard to get better than free to the county. Currently, the cost is placed on the patients.

Lawrence said maybe the county could get more first responders or get more money for first responders.

Commissioner Wade McKinney noted that the previous contract had been structured the same way and that either side can get out of the contract with notice.

The contract passed 4-1 with Lawrence voting no.

Odyssey Project

The court approved a pair of documents to move forward with the Odyssey Project (scope of work and charter).

The Odyssey Project is the process of switching the county to a new software system.

Commissioner Wade McKinney told the court that the project is ahead of schedule because of the enthusiasm of the county employees for the change. He said local employees are excited for the training.

Recycling Contract

The court approved an electronic recycling contract for Pct. 4 Commissioner Ken Geeslin.

Pct. 4 is trying to be a total recycling location and can currently offer single stream, glass, oil an oil filters. But it cannot currently do electronics.

Geeslin said he has found a company to come pick up electronic devices every six months to haul them off for recycling at no cost to the county.

The court approves contract unanimously.

Update On Airport Runway Project

Listen to interview with Steve Grant

Athens Airport Advisory Board member Steve Grant spoke to the City Council Wednesday, asking for the city’s approval to use Phil Becker as an unpaid consultant and liaison to the Texas Department of Transportation. Becker is an aviation engineer who lives in the county and has decades of experience. Grant called Becker’s offer to volunteer his work for the city “a gift.”

Wednesday’s presentation was for information purposes only. The City Council will vote on the request Monday night.

Along with his presentation regarding Becker, Grant also updated the council on the proposal to lengthen the runway at Athens Airport. Listen to the interview above for more.