Commissioner cleans up roadsides

Clarksville Times Photo by Lou Antonelli A tractor hauls the blade vertically and trims along the right of way on Taylor Street Monday morning.

By LOU ANTONELLIManaging Editor Residents in the southwest corner of Clarksville have been hearing loud buzzing sounds on the breeze for the past few weeks. That’s because Precinct 3 Commissioner Jeff Moore has been using his public works equipment to trim tree limbs and branches overhanging roads and sidewalks. The City of Clarksville, always struggling to keep up with clean up efforts, got a great boost from Moore when he recently volunteered to have his employees to the trimming in the parts of the city in his precinct. That includes the southwest and northeast parts of the city, which are connected on the map by a strip running through downtown and including the square. Mayor Ann Rushing says the city is grateful Moore volunteered to help. "This has been a great benefit to us,” she said. Moore is using a mower blade on a boom which can be elevated at any angle. It’s usually used to clear out ditches. The city has agreed to do the clean-up, following after his cutting with a backhoe to scrape up the limbs and branches. By mid-week Moore was planning to trim along Donohoo, which may require lanes be blocked for a while..

Boil Water Notice for Community Public Water Systems June 22, 2019

City Utility Director Matt McAdoo uses a backhoe to start tearing off the pavement.

Due to a water main break at the intersection of Church and Locust, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the City of Clarksville public water system to notify all customers to boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). Children, seniors, and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria, and all customers should follow these directions).

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.

In lieu of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the public water system officials will notify customers that the water is safe for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

Once the boil water notice is no longer in effect, the public water system will issue a notice to customers that rescinds the boil water notice in a manner similar to this notice. Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses).

 You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail. If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Matt McAdoo with the City of Clarksville at 903-427-3834.

The Clarksville Public Works Department is currently making repairs to the water line and should have the water restored soon to the residents that are affected. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience while we repair the water line that is affected. The public water system customers and the executive director shall be able to reach the public water system at one of the numbers listed in this notice.

If a customer, individual, or employee wishes to contact the executive director, please call (512) 239-4691.

Three sought on drug charges

 The Red River County Sheriff’s Office needs your help locating the people in these photographs.

Nathan Ray Champ Thomas of Red River County is wanted for Multiple Counts of Manufacture or Delivery of Substances in Penalty Group 1 which are Felony Warrants. Nathan Thomas is 29 years old and is described to be 6’08” tall, 180lbs, with brown hair and green eyes.

Jackson

Thomas

Burns

Arlo Docion Burns of Red River County is wanted for Multiple Counts of Manufacture or Delivery of Substances in Penalty Group 1 which are Felony Warrants. Arlo Burns is 45 years old and is described to be 6’06” tall, 160lbs, with black hair and brown eyes.

Jacquelyn Nichol Jackson of Red River County is wanted for Manufacture or Delivery of Substances in Penalty Group 1which is a Felony Warrant. Jacquelyn Jackson is 31 years old and is described to be 5’03” tall, 240lbs, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

If you have any information that might lead to the arrest of any of these people, you remain anonymous, and if your information leads to his arrest you become eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

There are multiple ways to leave a tip:

• www.785tips.com or www.427tips,com
• 903-785-TIPS or 903-427-TIPS
• www.P3Tips.com
• Smartphone app P3 Tips

Lamar and Red River County Crime Stoppers will not pay rewards for information provided through any source other than calls to its program. Calls may be made to Lamar County Crime Stoppers by any method mentioned above.

Times takes four awards in annual press competition

The North and East Texas Press Association held its annual convention April 4-6 in Tyler. The award winners in the Better Newspaper Contest were announced at a luncheon Saturday.

The Clarksville Times took four awards in the Medium-sized weekly newspaper category.

Ed Pryor won second place for Column Writing. Lou Antonelli won two writing awards, third place for News and third place for Features. The Times took 4th place in Headline Writing.

Operation Big Red Culminates in nine Arrests in Red River County

Approximately 100 law enforcement officers from across Texas converged on Clarksville, Texas, this morning to arrest nine men and women who now face federal and state drug charges, U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown announced today.

The operation today involved approximately 100 law enforcement officers. Seven entry teams, including four SWAT teams, executed search and arrest warrants throughout the Clarksville area. This operation comes at the culmination of a multi-year investigation that has already led to the arrest and prosecution of four federal defendants - Brian Bradley Beers, Kevin Wayne Guess, James Wayne Johnson, and Billy Carl Webb, Jr. - and two state defendants. The investigation also led to the identification, arrest, and conviction of Marvin Earl Baty for a murder he committed in Oklahoma.

The following agencies were involved in the operation today: Texas Department of Public Safety, including the Special Response Team, Special Weapons and Tactics Team, Criminal Investigation Division, Aircraft Operations Division, Highway Patrol Division, Victim Services, and Communications Services; Red River County Sheriff’s Office; Clarksville Police Department; Mt. Pleasant Police Department SWAT team; Texas Parks and Wildlife; Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Marshals Service; and Texas Child Protective Services.

U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown also announced today that seven Clarksville, Texas, men have been charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine. Marvin Earl Baty, a 44-year-old man, Jacory Dewayne Coulter, a 33-year-old man, Gregory Lamont Dillard, a 48-year-old man, Victor Gonzales, a 44-year-old man, Miguel Angel Hernandez, a 57-year-old man, and Neopholis Dontray Scales, a 33-year-old man, were named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on February 20, 2019. Four defendants have been arrested and will appear today before Magistrate Judge Roy S. Payne in the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas.

According to the indictment, beginning in or before January 2016, Baty, Coulter, Dillard, Gonzales, Hernandez, and Scales conspired to possess with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine. Additionally, the indictment alleges that during that time each defendant possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

If convicted, Baty, Coulter, Dillard, Gonzales, Hernandez, and Scales, face a minimum of ten years and as much as life in federal prison.

This case is being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Red River County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan R. Hornok.

The Red River County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with Operation Big Red has so far obtained State Indictments for Manufacture or Delivery of Substances in Penalty Group 1 on twelve defendants. George Edward Proby Jr., a 43-year-old man, Evelyn Jean Owens Proby, a 51-year-old woman, Sarah Elizabeth Teas, a 33-year-old woman, Delbert Bernett King III, a 39-year-old man, Krystal Shantell Forte, a 38-year-old woman, Wiley Joe Bates, a 41-year-old man, and Edward Ellis Taylor, a 56-year-old man. All defendants are from the Red River County area. This is an on-going investigation which may result in additional charges and arrests.

These cases are also being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Red River County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Red River County Attorney Val Varley.

An indictment is not evidence of guilt.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Former Clarksville Postmaster Jerry Lester passes away

Jerry Ray Lester, age 81, of Clarksville, passed away, Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at his residence. Jerry was born, January 1, 1938, in Terrell to Edgar P. and Willie Nichols Lester. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Betty Aslin. Jerry retired after thirty-five years with the U.S. Postal Service and was Postmaster for the City of Clarksville. He served in the U.S. Navy and was an avid sports fan. Jerry was an exceptional softball pitcher and pitched for the U.S. Navy Softball Team. He brought his talents back home and struck out many a batter in the summer softball leagues. Jerry also coached several youth baseball teams through the years.

Graveside services are scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at Aikin Grove Cemetery with Rev. James Brown officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Clarksville Funeral Home.

Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Mildred Barger Lester of Clarksville; one son, Justin Lester of Clarksville; two daughters, Janette Braden of Clarksville and Lorri Olglesby and husband, Donnie of New Boston; cousins, Roby Johnson of Kaufman, Leon Lester of Wills Point and Stephen Johnson of Lubbock, eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.clarksvillefuneralhome.com.

New tourism promotion

Painting of the first quilt blocks to promote the Historic Red River County Barn Quilt Trail began on Tuesday, April 2, at the DrillTech facility.  DrillTech owners Gary and Julie Davidson have donated the space for the project. Here, Julie Davidson shows off a work in progress. Painting the durable signs will take many days and many coats of paint. Planning for the Historic Red River County Barn Quilt Trail began last spring and is a project sponsored by the Clarksville Main Street Board.