HEAVY RAINS BRING FLOODING ISSUES — Storms brought heavy rain, and lots of it, on Wednesday. Rainfall totals included 4.78 inches in Runaway Bay, 3.8 in Greenwood, 3.6 in Bridgeport, 3 in Decatur and 2.92 in Alvord. The Wise County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated as the rising water caused flooding issues around the county. As of Wednesday night, at least 38 areas on local roadways were affected by flood water, with another 12 roads projected to have flooding issues by late last night or this morning. A full list is available here. Flood warnings were also issued for the Big Sandy Creek near Bridgeport and the West Fork Trinity River near Boyd through Friday afternoon. As of 8 a.m. Thursday, the West Fork Trinity River was nearly two feet above flood stage and is expected to rise another foot or more by this afternoon. The Big Sandy was almost half-a-foot above flood stage this morning and is expected to rise another three feet by this afternoon.
OFFICIALS CONFIRM FIRE VICTIM AS ROY COOPER — Wise County officials on Wednesday formally confirmed the identity of the victim after a structure fire in Decatur Tuesday night as Roy Cooper. The fire was reported at 7:08 p.m. in the 600 block of County Road 3051. “Wise County EMS Rescue-1 and Decatur Fire Department arrived on scene approximately seven minutes [after the initial 911 call] and observed a single-family residence heavily involved in fire,” Wise County Fire Marshal Jeff Doughty said in a press release on Wednesday. “They immediately started to extinguish the fire and were notified that a victim may still be inside the residence.” According to Doughty’s press release, the body of rodeo hall of famer Roy Dale Cooper, 69, was found inside the residence at approximately 7:30 p.m. following the fire. Wise County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Jan Morrow pronounced Cooper deceased, and his body was sent to the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office. “The Wise County Fire Marshal’s Office, Tarrant County Fire and Arson Investigators Task Force, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, and Texas Rangers are investigating the origin and cause of the fire and related death,” Doughty said in the press release. “This is an ongoing investigation.” Read more online here.
LAKE CLOSED — Lake Bridgeport was more than two feet above conservation level as of Thursday morning. Wise County Park’s boat ramps, swimming area, and day use recreation areas were closed Wednesday evening. Camping facilities remain open. At 6 p.m. Wednesday, Tarrant Regional Water District closed Lake Bridgeport to all recreational boating.
MORE RAIN IN FORECAST — Storm chances return overnight into Friday morning. Rain chances are 40 percent tonight and 80 percent on Friday. Some storms could be severe.
STATE TRACK — Decatur’s Parker Williams and Matthew Cannon (pole vault), along with Hope Escobar, Maya Conrad, London Gilbreath, Jayden Oates and Jadyn Kelley (4×100, 4×200, 4×400), and Bridgeport’s Anna Green (high jump) will compete at the 4A state track meet today at the University of Texas at Austin’s Mike A. Myers Stadium. Paradise’s Channing Beauvais (high jump), along with Jacob Chism, Chase Harmon, Elijah Jennings and Luke Brown (4×200) will participate in the 3A meet, also scheduled for today. Results will be available online at wcmessenger.com when made available.
MOBILE FOOD PANTRY — The Decatur Cares Mobile Food Pantry will be open 7:30 to 9 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church of Decatur. There will be produce, protein and other items available for 225 families. Volunteers are also needed to help set up, distribute food and clean up, 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. See more at the Decatur Cares Facebook page.
CONSERVATIVES MEETING — The Wise County Conservatives group meets tonight at Rise Church in Decatur. Social at 6:30 followed by a presentation on “Islam: Faith, Culture and Practice” at 7.
CEMETERY MEETING — The annual meeting of the Lone Star Cemetery Association is 10 a.m. Saturday at the cemetery.
CITY-WIDE CLEANUP — The City of Boyd’s annual city-wide cleanup day is Saturday. City residents can bring by trash, scrap and other acceptable waste. Additional roll-offs and compactor trucks will be available onsite provided by Waste Connections. Brush from recent storms will also be accepted. Tires will also be accepted this year.
PLAYOFF SOFTBALL — Boyd (26-4-2) will face Mount Vernon in Game 2 of a 3A Region II area series 7 p.m. tonight at Ennis High School. Decatur (14-8) opens its 4AI area series against Brownwood 6:30 p.m. at Graham High School. Paradise (19-8-4) battles S&S in Game 1 of its 3AII series 6 p.m. at Denton High School.
PLAYOFF BASEBALL — Decatur (15-14-1) opens the 4A Division I playoffs with a doubleheader against Fort Worth Carter-Riverside 11 a.m. today at Boyd High School. Game 2 will be played 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1. Boyd (25-5) faces Cedar Hill Trinity Leadership in a 3AII doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. at home, with Game 2 following 30 minutes after Game 1. Paradise (11-8-2) opens its 3AII first-round series against Duncanville Village Tech with Game 1 7 p.m. at Eaton High School. Alvord (16-6) takes on Seymour in a 2AI winner-take-all matchup 6 p.m. at Graford High School.
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER SERVICES — The annual National Day of Prayer hosted by Wise Republican Women is 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at the Wise County Courts Complex, on the North Lawn. Prayers will be lifted up for the various areas of our communities, state and nation. Bring a chair, water and possibly an umbrella. Parking will be available across Main Street, by Emmanuel Baptist Church. Another National Day of Prayer Gathering will be 6:30 to 8 p.m. today at the Gateway Food Truck Park in Alvord.
FUNERALS — Service for John Michael Bell, 74, of Decatur is 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Johns Baptist Church in Decatur with burial at Oaklawn Cemetery. Family visitation is 6-8 p.m. Friday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
SERVICE for Cayden Lee-Byron Parker, 18, of Paradise is 4:30 p.m. Saturday at New Roads Fellowship in Decatur. Hawkins-Decatur is handling arrangements.
MEMORIAL service for Darlene Nelson, 75, of Boyd is noon Saturday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd.
FUNERAL for Mike Hamblin, 66, of Decatur is 2 p.m. Friday at Hudson & Torres Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport with burial at Eastside Cemetery.
MEMORIAL service for Dana (Nard) Harris, 76, of Bridgeport is 2 p.m. May 17 at Redeemer Church-Wise County in Bridgeport. Hudson & Torres is handling arrangements.
SERVICE for Susan Jeannette (Cole) Boston, 69, of Springtown is 2 p.m. May 17 at Alexander’s Midway Funeral Home in Springtown.
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