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Morrison to step down
By Brenda Brown
Mirror Editor
Gladewater ISD’s superintendent announced last week he will retire
in December.
Mike Morrison, who has led the district since January 2006, announced his
decision and tendered his resignation to the school board June 30, during
a budget meeting.
Morrison said Tuesday morning that he will have spent 32 years in education
by the time he retires and he looks forward to pursing other options.
The 54-year-old plans to stay in town and said his wife Jan will continue
teaching fifth grade math at Weldon Intermediate. He added he will continue
serving as choir director at First United Methodist Church.
“Gladewater is a good school system,” Morrison said. “I’ve
enjoyed working with the people, and the board is very solid. The school
system is good and the community is good.” He said it was a difficult
decision, one made after much prayer and contemplation.
GISD School Board President Garth Cockerell said Monday morning that Morrison’s
resignation is effective Dec. 19. The superintendent told the board he wants
to spend more time with his family.
Cockerell said trustees accepted Morrison’s resignation...
...Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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Motorcyclist killed, passenger hurt in crash
A White Oak man was killed and his passenger remains hospitalized following
a car-motorcycle accident July Fourth that occurred just south of town. The
driver of the car, Darvin Lavel Jackson of Tyler, was arrested and charged
at the scene with intoxication manslaughter.
Dan Mack Spivey, 71, was pronounced dead at the scene Friday night by a
Smith County justice of the peace. He was driving a Harley-Davidson and Jackson
was driving a Honda car when Jackson reportedly rear-ended the bike as both
drove southbound, about a mile outside of the city limits.
The accident occurred around 10 p.m.
Cheryl Carper Dehring, 53, also of White Oak, is reported in critical condition
at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. The investigating trooper reported
neither of the motorcyclists was wearing a helmet.
Other charges pending against Jackson include outstanding county warrants
for driving without insurance, failure to appear in court and speeding. He
remains in the Smith County Jail pending $250,000 bond on the manslaughter
charge.
The county’s judicial Web site indicates Jackson had previous convictions...
...Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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Sanders Street home damaged in fire
By Brenda Brown
Mirror Editor
A Sanders Street residence sustained heavy smoke and water damage in a
fire that ruined a portion of the seven-bedroom home Monday afternoon in
north Gladewater.
Firemen responded to a call that came in at 12:56 p.m. Monday and found
portions of the roof over the frame part of the home fully involved. Another
part of the house, constructed of Austin stone in the 1930s, did not burn
but its interior sustained smoke damage.
Aaron Bradley was alone when the fire broke out. His father Alton was at
work in Longview and his mother Lind was shopping when their residence at
1113-1/2 Sanders caught fire.
The blaze began in the area of a porch on the north side of the wooden
part of the home, which at one time housed the Sandbox Daycare Center owned
by Melody Taylor.
Ms. Taylor, who still lives next door and operates a new daycare, said
Tuesday morning that her neighbors were devastated but counting their blessings
that nobody was seriously injured in the blaze.
One firefighter, Lt. Kyle Moore, was temporarily overcome by heat and was
treated by EMTs at the scene. He was later taken by private vehicle to a
Longview hospital ER, where he was treated for dehydration and a possible
shoulder injury. He was released Monday night.
The temperature—and humidity—were overbearing Monday afternoon...
...Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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25 indicted by Upshur Grand Jury
By Phillip Williams
Mirror Correspondent
GILMER—The Upshur County Grand Jury returned 25 indictments, eight
of them sealed, and no-billed one case on July 1, said District Attorney
Billy Byrd’s office.
The open indictments, including amounts of bonds, are as follows:
*Joshua Lee Presley, 48, of Big Sandy, aggravated sexual assault of a child
on Nov. 23, 2007. Presley is under $100,000 bond in county jail.
*Michael David Grooms, 21, of Gladewater, theft of property of the value
of $1,500 or more but less than $20,000 on May 1, $5,000
*Spencer Lee Smith, 35, of Harleton, harassment by persons in certain correctional
facilities on April 15, 2007, $5,000
*Robert Wayne Shaw, 49, of Gilmer, driving while intoxicated; subsequent
offense on Jan. 14, $5,000
*David Randel Cook, 51, of Gilmer, aggravated assault/threaten with deadly
weapon on May 11, $25,000
*Michael Joel Black, 30, of Gilmer, was named in two separate indictments
on charges of “aggravated assault/threaten with deadly weapon” and “tampering
with or fabricating physical evidence.” He is charged with committing
both offenses May 11. Bond was set at $25,000 on the aggravated assault charge,
$5,000 on the other charge.
*Lanny Don Langford, 54, of Diana, tampering with or fabricating physical
evidence on May 11, $5,000
*Christian William Smith, 17, of Big Sandy, aggravated assault with deadly
weapon on May 2. Smith is under $50,000 bond in county jail.
*Donnie Charles Evans, 17, of Duncanville, burglary of a building on April
10, $5,000
*Chad Marvin Sikes, 17, of Gilmer, burglary of a building on April 10,
$10,000...
...Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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Republican Women to meet
LONGVIEW—The Republican Women of Gregg County will meet at 11:30
a.m. Wednesday, July 16, at Johnny Cace’s restaurant.
Speaker Mary Tipps, executive director of Texans for Lawsuit Reform, will
speak about proposed legislation for the 2009 session.
For more information contact Marty Johnson, president, at 903-746-0281. |
Second Recycle Day is Saturday
Gladewater’s second Recycle Day kicks off bright and early Saturday
and organizers hope more people will take part this time.
Last month, 96 vehicles were counted during the four-hour collection
time at City Hall. This Saturday, organizer Judy Burlison hopes to break
that record and keep even more recyclable items out of the area landfill.
Allied Waste Services rep Gene Keenon said he would have considered it
successful if 75 vehicles brought recyclable goods, especially considering
there was a bit of scattered rainfall on the morning of the first collection.
Recycle Day will be held the second Saturday of each month, from 8 a.m.
to noon at City Hall. The volunteer-driven program, which works in conjunction
with the city’s waste disposal company (Allied Waste), is on six
months’ probation. If Gladeites participate, recycling days will
continue indefinitely; if not, citizens can continue to fill landfills
with their recyclable trash, Ms. Burlison said.
Recyclers learned in June they don’t have to sort their recyclables...
...Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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Upshur Commissioners Court News
By Phillip Williams
Mirror Correspondent
GILMER— Upshur County Commissioners Court on June 30 approved an
interlocal agreement with Kilgore College to assess and collect taxes for
the school.
Only the portion of the county lying in Gladewater ISD pays taxes to the
college. County Tax Assessor-Collector Mike Smith presented the proposed
agreement to the court.
In other business, the court approved consolidating the Lafayette community
voting box into the Ewell voting box, and authorized County Clerk Peggy Lagrone
to seek the U.S. Department of Justice’s clearance for the action.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Joe “Buddy” Ferguson proposed the move,
saying it will save the county “quite a bit of money.” Ferguson
said the county was having trouble finding election workers for the
Lafayette voting box, which he said has a very small voting turnout.
Lafayette voters would vote at the Union Ridge Community Center under the
consolidation.
In other business, commissioners approved Ms. Lagrone’s proposed
Record Archives Plan after she summarized it during a brief public hearing
preceding their regular meeting.
No members of the public commented on the plan. Ms. Lagrone said it had changed
substantially from the plan approved last year...
...Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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Genealogists meet July 12
TYLER—Carolyn Earle Billingsley, Ph. D., noted research consultant
and lecturer, will be the featured speaker at the East Texas Genealogical
Society’s meeting on Saturday, July 12, at 2 p.m. in the Taylor Auditorium
at the Tyler Public Library. The title of her lecture is “The Reality
of Researching Your Indian Ancestors.”
Refreshments will be served. ETGS meetings are free and open to the public.
For more information visit www.etgs.org or contact June Everheart at 1stvp@etgs.org or (903)877-4501. |
Upshur Demos nominate Griffith for JP
By Phillip Williams
Mirror Correspondent
GILMER—A committee from the Upshur County Democratic Party on Thursday
unanimously chose Michele Griffith as the party’s nominee for Precinct
1 Justice of the Peace in a special Nov. 4 election.
Ms. Griffith, 38, of Diana, was selected from five applicants, four of
whom were interviewed by the committee in the presence of a representative
of The Mirror. The fifth didn’t attend.
The nominee, who will face Republican Wyone Manes in November, is chief
deputy clerk for Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Lyle Potter’s office
in Gilmer. She has worked there nearly six years.
Ms. Griffith and Ms. Manes will vie for the unexpired term of Tim Cariker,
who resigned effective May 31 rather than face potential criminal charges
stemming from his alleged conduct in office. Ms. Manes, 55, was the unsuccessful
Democratic nominee for the office in the 2006 general election, losing
to Cariker, a Republican.
Cariker misused his county office staff to perform work for his private
law practice, and reimbursed the county $2,000 before leaving office, said
Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd. County commissioners appointed
H. Deloyd Bailey to replace Cariker with the understanding Bailey wouldn’t
run in the November election.
Winner of the special election will take office as soon as the votes
are canvassed to begin serving the nearly 26 months which will remain on
Cariker’s 4-year term. Voting boxes in the precinct are southeast
Gilmer, Diana, Union Grove, East Mountain, West Mountain, and Glenwood.
Besides Mrs. Griffith, applicants for the Democratic nomination who appeared
before the 4-member committee Thursday were George (Lon) Cox, Ray Stroman,
and Ken Stephens.
The other applicant, Paula Gentry, was considered but didn’t attend
Thursday’s meeting...
...Continued in this week's edition of The Gladewater Mirror.
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