DECATUR WRECK - Early this morning a man driving a SUV pulled in front of a rock hauler at the intersection of U.S. 81/287 and U.S. 380 in Decatur. The accident occurred at 3:40 a.m. The driver of the SUV failed to yield at the stop sign at the bottom of the ramp leading from U.S. 81/287 North onto U.S. 380. He drove into the cab of a westbound tractor-trailer. The driver of the SUV suffered serious injuries. He had to be extricated from the vehicle. He was flown to a Fort Worth hospital. Investigators have not yet released the name of the victim. The driver of the 18-wheeler was uninjured. Traffic was shut down in both directions on U.S. 380 for about half-an-hour to make room for a CareFlite landing.
DWI CONVICTION - Late Thursday morning, a Wise County jury handed Richard McDuff, 52, formerly of Rhome, an eight-year prison sentence and a $5,000 fine for a felony DWI charge. It was his third DWI conviction. The jury could have given a maximum 10-year prison sentence. The district attorney asked the jury to give McDuff a minimum sentence of six years. McDuff was arrested near midnight on Oct. 14, 2008, in Decatur. His two prior DWI convictions came in 1993 and 2001, both in Tarrant County.
NEED RECIPES? - First Financial Bank in Boyd, Decatur and Bridgeport are selling cookbooks for $15. Proceeds benefit Relay for Life.
OPEN HOUSE - Decatur Middle School's open house is Monday, March 8. Parents can come and go from 5-6:15 for meet the teacher night. From 6:15 to 7 will be parent meetings, 7th grade in middle school gym and 8th grade in multi-purpose gym. At 7, Jeffrey Dean will present a plugged in parenting seminar.
UMPIRE CLASS - A girls softball umpire certification class is at 8 a.m. Saturday at Decatur City Hall. Call Mike Maxson at (940) 577-1297 for information.
RECEPTION - Legend Bank-Decatur will hold a reception 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today to welcome new President Dwight Reeves.
BRIDAL FAIR - The 2010 Wise County Bridal Fair is 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Garrett Creek Ranch Conference Center. Admission is free. Visitors can tour the ranch, visit with professional florists, cake decorators, photographers, decorators and entertainers. Prizes will be raffled. For more information, call (940) 433-2055 or e-mail info@garrettcreekranch.com.
MISS EIGHTER FROM DECATUR - The Decatur High School "Miss Eighter from Decatur" beauty and talent show featuring DHS boys is at 8 p.m. Saturday at the DHS theater. The contestants represent various school organizations and groups. Adult tickets are $5 and students are $3.
FISH AND BINGO - The Boyd Area Buyers Association is hosting a fish fry 5:30 to 7:30 tonight at the Boyd Elementary parking lot. Proceeds will benefit Boyd FFA, 4-H and FCCLA. Bingo will be held at 7 p.m. at the Boyd Community Center with proceeds benefiting South Wise Services Food Pantry.
TECHNOLOGY SESSIONS - Teens will teach technology at the Decatur Public Library at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 9. The Teen Advisory Board will introduce Twitter, Facebook, iPhone and more. Sign up at the Decatur Public Library for the free program. For information, call the library at (940) 627-5512 or visit the Web page at www.decaturpubliclibrary.com.
FUNERALS - Service for Aurora Krichick, 57, of Galveston is pending at Jones Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
FUNERAL for Richard L. Potter, 52, of Decatur is 11 a.m. today at Coker-Hawkins Chapel in Decatur with burial at Fairview Cemetery.
FUNERAL for William "Red" Ivy Jr., 85, of Bridgeport is 2 p.m. Sunday at Hawkins Funeral Chapel in Bridgeport with burial at East Bridgeport Cemetery. Family visitation is 4-6 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
