Wise County Messenger Update Friday, May 9, 2008

BREAKING NEWS - HIGH SPEED CHASE - A high speed chase which began in Runaway Bay ended in Young County Friday morning with shots reportedly being fired but no injuries. The chase began when a Runaway Bay officer attempted to pull over a man who was driving the wrong way on U.S. 380. The driver sped into Jack County, sometimes reaching speeds of 90 miles per hour. The Runaway Bay officer was joined in the pursuit by Jack County Sheriff's officers and Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers as the driver sped through Jacksboro and continued west. According to police radio reports, the driver attempted to ram two troopers before his car was disabled by spikes placed in the roadway near Olney. The report said shots were fired, but no one was injured. The man, whose identity was not available, was arrested by Young County authorities. HAWKINS FIRED - Rhome City Council members voted unanimously to fire City Administrator Jennifer Hawkins Thursday without cause less than two months after she took the job. Police in the Denton County city of Oak Point arrested Hawkins last week on misdemeanor charges of abusing her previous job as that city's administrative services coordinator. The council met behind closed doors in executive session Thursday for more than an hour to hear Hawkins' version of events. Council members emerged from the session and said they had lost confidence in her ability to continue as city administrator. FATALITY WRECK - A Paradise woman was killed in a two-vehicle wreck in Bridgeport yesterday morning just before 10 a.m. Officers said Juanita (Cotton) Stanfield, 83, was eastbound on Farm Road 920 in a passenger car when she ran the red light at the intersection with Texas 114 and collided with an 18-wheeler. The driver of the truck, a 45-year-old River Oaks man, was not injured. Justice of the Peace Terri Johnson pronounced Stanfield dead at the scene. Stanfield's funeral is set for 3 p.m. Sunday at Balsora Baptist Church. Family visitation from 6-8 p.m. Saturday at Jones Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport. AFTERNOON ACCIDENT - A three-vehicle accident on FM 730 around 5 p.m. Thursday sent a Decatur man to the hospital with possible broken bones. Holt Daniel Sherrod, 29, of Decatur was southbound on 730 in a pickup truck when he attempted to make a left turn onto CR 4360. As he turned he collided with a northbound truck pulling a trailer driven by Mark Spillman, 47, of Springtown. Spillman pushed Sherrod's truck northbound, then Sherrod's truck spun off Spillman and collided into a truck driven by Judy Pierce, 52, of Boyd. Meanwhile, Spillman's truck disconnected from the trailer and continued through a fence and pasture. Sherrod was transported via air-ambulance with a possible broken arm and broken leg. No other injuries were reported. The accident shut down 730 until law enforcement directed traffic through the intersection at 6:15 p.m. EAGLES WIN - The Decatur Eagles continued their quest for a state title last night in Windthorst where they won again. They used another solid offensive performance to beat District 5-3A champion Vernon 10-4 in game one of the best-of-three area championship. Game two is tonight in Graham and game three, if needed, is scheduled for Saturday in Wichita Falls. In Class 5A softball, the Northwest Lady Texans will tackle Coppell in the regional quarterfinals at Birdville tonight at 7:30. The series will continue Saturday at 2 p.m. followed by game three, if necessary at 4 p.m. AUSTIN UPDATE - Bridgeport's Candice Brister had a good day on the greens yesterday in the first round of the Class 3A girls' state golf championship. The standout senior fired a 74 for the day and is tied for sixth place overall. However only two strokes separate the top seven girls going into the final round today. TRACK - The state track and field meet gets under way this morning with Bridgeport's Kassie Daugherty (discus) and Paradise's James Hodges (3200) taking center stage. Tonight, Decatur's Cynthia Carillo and Cassie Partridge (shot put) will fight for the gold. Tomorrow, Alvord's Paige Klein will compete in the 100, 200 and 400 and teammate Travis Montgomery runs in the 200. Also, Boyd's Katy Mark will compete in the 800 while Hayden Eubanks chases the title in discus and Hodges seeks another crown in the 1600. TOP TEACHERS - Northwest honored its "teachers of the year" at the Shining Stars Gala Thursday night at Texas Motor Speedway. Trudi Davis, a kindergarten and first grade teacher at Lakeview Elementary School in Trophy Club received the honor for elementary teachers and Northwest High School 10th grade English teacher Bobby Morris was the secondary teacher of the year. STAMP OUT HUNGER - The National Association of Letter Carriers is holding its annual food drive tomorrow. People are encouraged to leave non-perishable food items by their mailbox tomorrow. Mail carriers will pick it up. All proceeds benefit WARM. LION'S CLUB GOLF BENEFIT - The Decatur Lions Club will host a fundraising golf tournament tomorrow morning at the Decatur Golf Club. Registration begins at 7:30 and shotgun starts at 8. The event will raise money for Boy Scout Troop 121. For more information contact Brock Smith at (940) 627-6333. BUTTERFIELD STAGE DAYS - This is a big weekend in Bridgeport. There will be a Butterfield Stage Days Parade and dedication of the new stage coach at 5 p.m. Saturday. The fourth annual Bridgeport Idol contest is set for 3 p.m. Saturday in Harwood Park. The "stick horse rodeo" is set for 2 p.m. Saturday in Harwood Park and the Rodeo is each night. There will be a dance following each rodeo performance. RODEO REMINDER - Fans are reminded to wear pink tonight for the 7:30 p.m. performance of the Butterfield PRCA Rodeo. Aflac in Bridgeport is sponsoring the Tough Enough to Wear Pink promotion, benefiting the Mary's Gift mammogram program in Wise County. Karl Klement Dodge in Decatur, the rodeo's title sponsor, is also part of the promotion. World Champion Trevor Brazile competes tonight. RIBBON CUTTING - The Decatur Chamber of Commerce hosts a ribbon cutting at 11:30 this morning at Floors and More, 109 N. State Street on the west side of the Courthouse Square. FFA BANQUET - The Decatur High School FFA Banquet is Monday at Decatur's Multi-Purpose Building. A silent auction is at 5:30 p.m. and the meal is at 6 p.m. Reservations are required for the meal. Call Susan Williams at (940) 466-3381 or (940) 627-4565 today for reservations. DECATUR YOUTH FOOTBALL - Sign-ups will be Saturday for football players and cheerleaders at IGA from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and for football players at Harmon Park all day. Grades 1-6 are eligible to participate. TEEN COURT - Wise County Teen Court will be Monday at Bridgeport. This will be the last teen court date until the fall. Officers should arrive at 5 p.m. and court begins at 6 p.m. Those who need to turn in community service papers can mail them to Teen Court, P.O. Box 124, Paradise, TX 76073. BAKE SALE - First Financial Bank Decatur will host a bake sale today benefiting Mary's Gift of the Wise Regional Health Foundation, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ST. JUDE'S TRAIL RIDE - The Sheriff's Posse is hosting a St. Jude's Trail Ride Saturday. Riders meet at the Sheriff's Posse Arena at 8 a.m. then travel to the starting point. For more information, contact Marvin Smith at (940) 389-5997. Lunch will be provided. BAKE SALE - Alvord Middle School cheerleaders are having a bake sale Saturday at Bowie Trades Day, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. PLAY - Off 380 Players Production of "Always Patsy Cline" continues tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a 2:30 p.m. matinee Sunday at the Bridgeport Stage, 1009 Halsell. Tickets are $10 and available at the box office. FUNERALS - Memorial service for Brenda Allen, 50, of Decatur will be at noon Saturday at the home of Ruby Farley, 400 CR 4374 in Decatur. MEMORIAL MASS for Irene Schedcik, 93, of Bridgeport will be at 10:30 this morning at St. Johns Catholic Church in Bridgeport. Jones Family Funeral Home is handling both services. FUNERAL for Gladys Banks, 99, of Boyd is pending at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.