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Traffic stop nets large cache of marijuana
By Phillip Williams
Mirror Correspondent
A traffic stop in the Pritchett area Saturday morning led to the recovery of 63 marijuana plants and a Pritchett man's arrest on a charge of delivering the drug, said Upshur County Sheriff's Capt. Gary Roberts.
Billy Jack Shirey, 54, was charged with delivery of greater than a quarter pound, but less than five pounds of marijuana, Roberts said. Shirey was released on a $1,500 personal recognizance bond set by Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Rhonda Welch, the captain said.
Roberts gave this account Tuesday of events surrounding Shirey's arrest:
Sheriff's Deputy David Thompson was on another call on Lemon Road when a male drove by, and Thompson observed what he believed was marijuana sticking out the sport utility vehicle's back window. Thompson stopped the vehicle at 10:36 a.m., spoke to the driver, and could see marijuana plants about 4-5 feet tall in plain sight inside the vehicle.
Some 54 plants were recovered from the vehicle. Thompson asked for and received the suspect's consent to search his residence, where the deputy found nine more plants inside a camper trailer.
In addition, the man was found to possess a small amount of marijuana on his person, and "several gallons of nutrients for growing marijuana" in the vehicle. Roberts estimated the recovered marijuana's street value at about $1,000-1,500.
Thompson, the K-9 officer for the Sheriff's Office, arrested the suspect, and was assisted in his investigation by the office's female drug dog, Chiva, said the captain. |
Meet the Board
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| Downtown merchant Stephanie Chance distributes suggestion cards to residents at the “Meet the Gladewater Main Street Board” watermelon social July 20 at the courtyard beside Decorate Ornate. Brookshire’s provided water and Jody Roberts supplied the watermelons at the meet-and-greet. The board will review the suggestions at Main Street’s next meeting on August 5. Jim Bardwell/Mirror photo |
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Woman takes plea deal for burning diner
By Phillip Williams
Mirror Correspondent
GILMER – A Winnsboro woman who admitted burning her sister’s rural Upshur County diner was sentenced to four years in prison July 15 after pleading guilty to arson as her trial was about to begin.
Kimberly Ridings, 49, was sentenced by 115th District Judge Lauren Parish on a plea bargain, said Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd in a July 19 news release. Attorney Craig Bass represented her.
Ridings was charged with the Jan. 12 arson of Sissy’s Diner on FM Road 2455 in northwest Upshur County, said Byrd. A jury was chosen July 12 and the defendant, who had no prior arrests, was seeking probation, Byrd said.
The case “centered around a family dispute,” Byrd wrote. Donna Banks, who was owner financing the diner, had employed her sister, who came to Banks “claiming she was due and owed money. Banks told her she did not have any to give,” Byrd wrote.
About 2 a.m. Jan. 12, Ridings loaded up gasoline, went to the diner, and poured gas on the outside of the building, the district attorney said. The defendant “took a book of matches from her pocket and started a fire,” he wrote.
Ridings tried to extinguish the fire and stated it was “only smoking” when she left the scene, Byrd continued. However, when the Perryville and Simpsonville Volunteer Fire Departments arrived, along with others, at 4 a.m., the restaurant “was fully engulfed in flames. The building was a total loss,” Byrd wrote.
The book of matches used to start the blaze...
Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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Longtime Glade mortician dies
By Adam Holland
ETCN Special
Johnnie McCauley, the son of Gladewater’s earliest funeral home to serve black residents, was remembered Tuesday for his attention to detail, service to fellow morticians and appreciation for families in their time of vulnerability.
“He’s the only one we’ve used since being in Gladewater,” local resident Lovenia Owens said. “He worked with me when my husband died ... That’s the reason I just fell in love with him.”
McCauley, 81, died Sunday at a Tyler hospice center following a lengthy illness. He owned McCauley & Sons Funeral Home in Gladewater for more than 40 years, and he directed Bigham Mortuary in Longview for about 25 years. He was also a past board member for the National Funeral Directors and Morticians’ Association, according to Longview resident and Gladewater native Vabbie Fortson.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Lois, two sons and six daughters. Services are scheduled for 4 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 300 W. Upshur Ave. in Gladewater.
Despite his death, funeral directors in Gladewater said local mortuaries will likely continue to serve either predominantly black or non-black customers. However, McCauley & Sons, like other mortuaries, never refused nor will ever refuse service to any customer based on race, directors said.
“No one has ever been turned down for any reason by any of the funeral homes,” said Leward LeFleur, director of Croley Funeral Home in Gladewater and Gilmer. “If someone needed help from one of the other funeral homes, I knew I could get on the phone with (Dearion and Davis Funeral Home) or Johnnie and ... anything that needed to be done would get done.”
McCauley was born January 28, 1929 in Dallas, and was raised in nearby Winona.
McCauley’s father, O.W. McCauley, founded McCauley & Sons in 1935, when the Boston Red Sox operated a minor league baseball team in Gladewater, and four years after the first nearby oil well blew in.
McCauley did not follow his father’s footsteps initially, choosing instead to serve as a band director. He worked for schools in Carthage, Paris and Wichita Falls until the 1960s when his mother died and his father took ill, his wife said.
His father died in 1966, two years before McCauley graduated from mortuary school, his wife said.
McCauley & Sons remained Gladewater’s only funeral home known for serving black customers until the 1990s, when Dearion & Davis opened.
Dearing & Davis Funeral Director Rodney Hawley, and owner Gregory Dearion, attributed their starts to McCauley. During a spring 2009 community-wide appreciation service for McCauley, Dearion said McCauley gave him his start, and that his father worked with O.W. McCauley.
Hawley said Tuesday his admiration for McCauley started in youth, when he joined the director on funeral services. McCauley told Hawley’s parents that Hawley would one day direct, provide music for and preach at funerals. While he does not preach, Hawley also serves as a musician at services.
“He taught me a lot of what I know,” Hawley said. “My grandfather and uncle, we all got our start with him.”
Fortson said her mother, Owens, wanted to plan an expensive, elaborate funeral when Owens’ husband passed away several years ago. Fortson said she still remembers the words McCauley said that forever left him dear to Owens’ heart.
“When my father passed away, my mother was grief-stricken, and she wanted to have an elaborate service,” Fortson remembered. “(McCauley) said to her, 'I know you loved Cleon, and I know Cleon loved you, but you’re going to have to live after the (funeral) service. I know you want the best, and I’m going to give you the best. I can sell you anything you want in these books, but I know until you get your money started, you’re going to have to live.’”
After the service, Owens stipulated in her will that, if she died after McCauley, she wanted no other funeral home to take care of her needs but McCauley & Sons, Fortson said.
“When someone could not make a person presentable, they would say, 'If Johnnie couldn’t do it, it couldn’t be done,’” Fortson said. “We didn’t worry about anything. It was a wonderful service, and you were not broke after the service.”
The Better Business Bureau gave McCauley & Sons its highest accreditation rating, according to its website. The bureau’s only recorded complaint against the mortuary in the past three years has been resolved, records showed.
Hawley added that Gladewater is like a family, and that everyone works together including in the funeral industry. There has never been an issue between funeral homes about which segment of the public it serves or does not serve, he said.
“We just call on each other,” Hawley said. “Even in the days of (late mortician) Malcolm Stone, the white funeral home which turned into Stone-Goodwin, they always had a good relationship with Mr. McCauley.”
LaFleur added that McCauley served people’s needs with dignity for many years in Gladewater, and that his character will be hard to replace. He likened McCauley’s death to the 1952 death of Croley Cook, who founded Croley Funeral Home in 1882. After Cook’s death, a huge void remained in the community, but his family picked up his business where he left off, and it still provides services “exactly the way he (Cook) would have done them.
“You think along the lines of what that person would have wanted, and obviously, it’s going to continue,” LaFleur said. “(McCauley) has a lot of traditions and ideas and ways of doing things that might have passed away with him, but we’ll continue to do those things here in Gladewater because it’s the right way to do them.”
Visitation for McCauley’s is scheduled for 9 a.m. until noon at Bigham Mortuary in Longview, and 12:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday at New Hope Baptist Church, at 413 Roden Lane in Gladewater. The family will receive friends at New Hope beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Burial will take place at Gladewater Memorial Park on Thursday.
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Road upkeep slows traffic
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| Local drivers endured an all-day headache on U.S. 271 South Thursday as traffic backed up while highway crews resurfaced the road.
Jim Bardwell/Mirror photo |
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Upshur County tax valuations fall by $102M
By Phillip Williams
Mirror Correspondent
GILMER – Certified taxable valuations in Upshur County for 2010 dropped $102 million from the level for 2009 due to a 26 percent drop in mineral values, Upshur County Chief Appraiser Sarah Curtis said Monday.
County Judge Dean Fowler said he could not tell whether the drop would result in a county tax increase until he receives further information from the County Tax Assessor-Collector’s office.
The total taxable value, released last week, fell to $1,973,466,542 from $2,075,788,227, Curtis said. Taxable mineral values dropped $189,954,000, she said.
The certified overall market values for the county meantime dipped from $3,261,323,120 for 2009 to $3,199,186,962, the chief appraiser said.
The mineral values declined because the “average market price of minerals” fell, Curtis said. She noted that the 2010 mineral values are based on the 2009 market, and the state’s using a “market adjustment factor” also had a role.
The appraisal district received protests on 1,303 property valuations, 852 of which were either settled without a hearing before the Appraisal Review Board or withdrawn, Curtis said.
Of the remaining 451 scheduled for hearings, nobody showed up...
Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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Tucker takes position as new auditor
By Phillip Williams
Mirror Correspondent
GILMER – Janice Tucker has been appointed interim Upshur County Auditor by 115th District Judge Lauren Parish, the judge's office announced July 19.
Tucker had been assistant auditor to former County Auditor Gary Smith, who resigned effective July 9 to become business manager for the city of Gilmer. Assistant auditor since December 2008, she was named interim auditor the week of July 12.
A spokeswoman for Parish said last week it is unknown when the judge will appoint a permanent replacement for Smith. As of Monday, none had been announced.
County Judge Dean Fowler recently said the timing of Smith's resignation slowed the county's budget process for the forthcoming 2010-11 year "a little bit."
County commissioners also recently approved Parish's request to move the Auditor's office from the third floor of the courthouse to the Upshur County Justice Center, which houses the judge's office.
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Local housing assistance in jeopardy after ETCOG partner stops program
From Staff Reports
Some East Texas homeowners – one in Gladewater and others in the Overton area – won’t be getting any help with their homes being repaired anytime soon – after it was reported today that Center for Housing Resources, of Dallas, dissolved its home repair program effective immediately during the Center’s board of directors meeting held last week.
Center for Housing Resources has provided roofing, accessibility, modifications, and home repairs to East Texas residents since 2002 through a partnership with ETCOG. Through the partnership, Center for Housing Resources provided all funding and assigned contractors for all projects. Through ETCOG identified eligible clients and assisted clients with the program intake process. “This information took us completely by surprise,” stated Luke Kimbrough, Director of Public Information and Regional Services, “We are seeking every possible avenue to retain this funding for East Texas residents.”
As a result of the program dissolution, clients expecting services will not be served at this time. Approximately twenty-five clients have already completed paperwork and have been assigned a contractor by Center for Housing Resources and are waiting for their home repairs. An additional thirty-two clients have been determined eligible and have been issued program intake packets. Without funding from Center for Housing Resources, ETCOG cannot project when these clients will be served.
ETCOG officials said one client in Overton who is expecting services and three others who are in the intake process, will be affected by Center for Housing Resources actions. In addition, a Gladewater client is in the intake process.
“Since learning of the decision made by the Center for Housing Resources board of directors, we have been working diligently to identify other available resources for funding. Unfortunately, no other funds are available at this time. We will make it a priority to serve these clients first as funds become available, but we cannot estimate when that will take place,” said ETCOG Housing Manager, Karen Cline.
ETCOG officials said they are working to develop a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization within the Housing program to pursue additional Housing funding...
Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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Budget workshop date changes
The Gladewater City Council will hold its first budget workshop Thursday, Aug. 5 at 9 a.m.
The meeting was originally scheduled for this Thursday, July 29 at 9 a.m., however scheduling conflicts by council members caused the date change. The meeting will still be at the Lee Library meeting room.
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Gladewater ISD back-to-school information
For your convenience, enrollment forms will be available for download on August 2nd at www.gladewaterisd.com.
• Gay Avenue Primary - New students may register beginning on August 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Meet the Teacher Night will be from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on August 19. Students should bring supplies to Meet the Teacher Night.
• Broadway Elementary - New students may register beginning on August 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Meet the Teacher Night will be from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on August 19. Students should bring supplies to Meet the Teacher Night.
• Weldon Intermediate - New students may register on August 16 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and on August 17 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Meet the Teacher Night will be from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on August 19. Students should bring supplies to Meet the Teacher Night.
• Gladewater Middle - New students may register beginning on August 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enrollment packets for all students are available from August 12 through August 18 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Class schedules will be available for 6th grade students on August 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 7th grade students on August 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and 8th grade students on August 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Gladewater High School - New students may register on August 9-10, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Class schedules will be available for current students on August 12 from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on August 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
GISD will begin classes on Aug 23.
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Getting Carried Away
Cluster balloon comes to race
LONGVIEW – Have you ever dreamed of being carried into the sky by a giant bouquet of colorful toy balloons? That’s the idea behind cluster ballooning, and it’s coming to the Great Texas Balloon Race July 30th and 31st.
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| Pilot John Ninomiya takes flight under a canopy of cluster balloons. Ninomiya will be one many pilots visiting the area this month for the Great East Texas Balloon Race in Longview. Courtesy photo |
Cluster balloon “pilot” John Ninomiya will inflate and assemble a giant cluster of helium balloons at the Balloon Race infield, then at around 6:45pm Friday and Saturday, he will strap on a harness attached to the balloons and let them carry him away.
Ninomiya, who has almost 20 years experience as a hot-air balloonist, decided eight years ago to fulfill a childhood dream by learning to fly with just a cluster of helium balloons. Since that time, he’s made over forty helium cluster flights. He calls all of those flights a magical flying experience.
With only a half dozen cluster pilots worldwide, cluster ballooning remains something between an extreme sport and a personal eccentricity. But with the overwhelming popularity of the Disney motion picture “Up”, the notion of cluster ballooning is on every kid’s mind.
“This promises to be one of the most unique and exciting attractions ever to come to The Great Texas Balloon Race,” said Bill Bussey, hot air balloon pilot and Race founder. “I think just about every kid, at one time or another, has held a helium balloon and wondered what it would be like to ride that balloon into the air. This will be an attraction that the whole family will be talking about.”
The Great Texas Balloon Race is July 31-August 1, 2010 at the East Texas Regional Airport. Advance Tickets are $12 per day and are available at area Super 1 Foods beginning June 2nd. Tickets are available at the gate
for $15 per day. Children under 12 are admitted for free, as well as active military members with ID.
See this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror for a schedule of Balloon Race events. |
Gladewater woman indicted for forgery by Gregg County Grand Jury
From Staff Reports
A Gregg County grand jury returned 16 sealed indictments and 46 open indictments this week in the 188th District Court.
The open indictments are:
• Alicia Diane Tinker, 37, of Gladewater, forgery;
• Gary Dean Presswood, 50, of Gladewater, evading detention with a vehicle;
• Kelly Madelna Madden, 44, of Gladewater, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon;
• Rachelle Marie Grabowski, 34, of White Oak, driving while intoxicated with a child passenger;
• Mike Anthony Evans, 51, of Gilmer, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon;
• Judith Michelle Owens, 29, of Overton, forgery;
• Adrian Diaz Ramos, 31, of Kilgore, forgery of a government instrument and possession of a controlled substance;
• Andres R. Lara, 65, of Kilgore, aggravated assault with serious bodily injury with a deadly weapon;
• Enrique Vega Lara, 55, of Kilgore, aggravated assault with serious bodily injury with a deadly weapon;
• Juan Jose Mijangos, 52, of Kilgore, aggravated assault with serious bodily injury with a deadly weapon;
• Mark Brown, 45, of Kilgore, delivery of a controlled substance.;
• Dustin Charles Bennett, 30, Diana, burglary of a building;
• Joshua Eldon Alford, 27, of Longview, criminal mischief valued more than $20,000 and less than $100,000 and evading arrest with a motor vehicle;
• Ronald Wayne Gray, 25, of Longview, burglary of a building and evading arrest;
• Byron Marcel Houston, 28, of Longview, burglary of a building and evading arrest;
• Kendrick Lloyd Alexander, 30, of Longview, evading arrest or detention in a motor vehicle;
• Brian James Defoy, 21, of Longview, forgery;
• Joshua Todd Murray, 21, of Longview, aggravated robbery;
• Colton Lee Campbell, 20, of Longview, aggravated robbery;
• Chase Anthony Hagler, 27, or Longview, burglary of a habitation;
• Willie Houston III, 31, of Longview, assault with a deadly weapon and evading detention with a vehicle with previous convictions;
• Daniel John Barrientos, 40, of Longview, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon;
• Catrina Turrubiartes, 20, Longview, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon;
• Leslie Nicole Mason, 35, of Longview, debit card abuse...
Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror. |
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