SSPD Nabs Brownsville Couple
Sulphur Springs PD Sgt Buddy Williams arrested a Brownsville couple shortly before midnight on felony drug charges. He pulled the pair over on the south service road in Cumby and a search of the vehicle turned up 25 pounds of suspected marijuana hidden in the gas tank. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dk)

Sulphur Springs ISD Update
Former Sulphur Springs ISD Board member Tom Sellers is heading up a committee called “Classrooms for Kids”. He and other members of the committee will be speaking to various civic groups and organizations to promote the upcoming $32 million bond issue.

Sulphur Springs ISD trustees gave permission to the Wildcat Quarterback Club to sell assigned parking spaces at Football Games this year. Money raised will be used for weight training equipment and other needs of the football team. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dk)

SSPD Recovers Stolen Truck
Sulphur Springs police have recovered a late model pickup truck stolen from Kilgore. The vehicle, which was found abandoned in a parking lot at a business on Hillcrest drive had had the plates removed, but was found to be stolen by officers running the VIN on their computer. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dk)

Snakebites Increase In NE Texas
Health officials say the number of snakebites is increasing in East Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist David Sierra said the arrival of warmer, drier weather increases the number of human/snake encounters because the reptiles seek cooler places where prey such as mice may be hiding. The snake responsible for more bites than any other in this area is the copperhead. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dk)

House Speaker To Raise Funds For Gohmert
Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is coming to Tyler next month to raise funds for Republican congressional candidate Louie Gohmert, a Mt Pleasant HS Graduate. Gohmert is challenging incumbent Max Sandlin for the first congressional seat. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dk)

Comptroller Wants Feds To Look Into CHIP Finances
Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn is asking for a federal investigation into mishandled contracts in the Texas Children's Health Insurance Program. A state auditor's report last week cited $20 million in unnecessary payments to the company that oversees CHIP. Governor Rick Perry's office said it would ask the Attorney General Greg Abbott to determine if the state can recover the overcharges. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dk)

Former Commerce Mayor Dies
Services are planned for Thursday for former Commerce Mayor Charles Muller. Muller, a renowned architect designed over 500 buildings in Commerce and North Texas and was active in numerous civic organizations. He was 86. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dk)

Train Derails In Paris
A train derailed in West Paris yesterday afternoon. An engine with six cars was moving in the 700 block of West Center when the last car flipped over causing a chain reaction derailing the rest. Paris police report that no one was hurt and no hazardous material was released. The accident is under investigation. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dj)

Cooper ISD Hires New Superintendent
Cooper Independent School District Trustees have named Lynn Burton of Mount Vernon the interim superintendent and single finalist for the permanent position. Burton has served Mount Vernon as superintendent since 2001 and will begin his new duties Aug. 19. Former Superintendent Russ Perry resigned to take a position with Nueces Canyon Consolidated School District in Southwest Texas. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dj)

Bonham Stockyards Back In Business
The Bonham stockyards were back in business Monday for the first time since it was closed in a financial scandal 2 years ago. Cattleman claim they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Bonham Livestock Auction, and the closing was followed by a state and federal investigation shut it down two years ago. The former owners of the auction were charged with several counts of theft by check. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dj)

Ardmore Bandit Caught After Shots Fired
Carter County authorities along with Ardmore and Dickson police chased an armed robber and then opened fire on his pickup. Police say 48-year-old Roy Carl Bales robbed the Ard-Mart convenience store armed with a .22 caliber handgun. He fled in a stolen pickup after taking an undetermined amount of cash. Authorities caught up with him near Dickson where they fired shots convincing him to give up. Bales has outstanding warrents from Florida. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dj)

Two Teens Chased In Oklahoma
Two Arkansas teenagers led law enforcement in three Oklahoma Counties on a chase in a stolen vehicle early Monday morning. Authorities say a 14 year old and a 15 year old stole a car from an EZ Mart parking lot in DeQueen, Arkansas just before 4am. Police from De Queen chased the teens into Mc Curtain County where Oklahoma authorities joined in on the pursuit. The chase ended three miles south of Caney, on highway 69 after Atoka Police put out tire spikes. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dj)

Comptroller Blasts Governor Again
Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn on Monday called for a federal investigation of a rural children's health care initiative that lost $20 million, saying top officials in Gov. Rick Perry's office have connections to contractors under scrutiny. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dj)

Man Who Put Boy In Oven Found Not Competent
A judge ruled Monday that a man accused of killing a 6-year-old boy whose body was found in an oven is not competent to stand trial. During a 15-minute hearing, two reports from doctors were presented that concluded Kenneth Lee Pierott, 27, is not competent to be tried. Prosecutors offered no evidence to dispute the reports. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dj)

Arkansas Tax Good For Texas Business
Merchants on the Arkansas side of Texarkana say a state sales tax increase for court-ordered education improvements is hurting business. The state increase bumped sales taxes in Texarkana, Ark., to 10 percent. On the Texas-side, the sales tax is only 8.25 percent. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dj)

Gov. Rick Perry Seeks To Halt Fraud In Government
Gov. Rick Perry on Monday ordered state agencies to work harder to stop fraud. Perry says fraud increases the price employers pay for worker compensation, drains the unemployment insurance fund and steals from the poor. The order targets fraud in government, the unemployment insurance program and the health care system. (Reported: 2004-07-13, by dj)