Lady Tigers’ impressive playoff run ends

By BRUCE E. WILLIAMS

Sports Correspondent

The Clarksville Lady Tigers bid to advance to the UIL class 2-A Region II basketball tournament this weekend in McKinney came to an end on Tuesday night in Commerce, as first year Head Coach, LaTisha Hearne's team fell 55-48 in a tough battle to Hawkins.

Clarksville ends an exceptional run with a 20-13 season record. Hawkins improves to 30-1 and will play on Friday in the two day regional event. At stake will be an opportunity to advance to the State Tournament in San Antonio the following week, should Hawkins be able to secure a pair of wins.

The surprising Lady Tigers, champion of District 15-2-A, pulled ahead 30-29 at the intermission, but with all-state point guard LaQuisha Clark in foul trouble during the night, Clarksville went scoreless in the third quarter, while Hawkins answered the call in the frame by scoring 12 points to move to the fourth leading 41-30. The Lady Tigers outscored their opponent 18-14 in the fourth period.

Perhaps one of the telling stories in the game was that Clarksville was outscored 30-12 as far as points in the paint is concerned, and Hawkins pulled down 13 offensive rebounds, while Clarksville grabbed just five. The game was tied just once, but there were five lead changes according to the official statistical UIL Box Score report.

Hearne's team was led in scoring by Clark who finished her outstanding high school career with a game high 22 points. She was the lone Lady Tiger to reach double figures in scoring. Tyteanna Rosser added nine points for the Lady Tigers, who finished their district run with a perfect 12-0 record.

Hawkins was led by Jaco Logan with 17 points. She was one of three players to score in double figures for Hawkins as Lynli Dacus added 12 points, while Jordyn Warren contributed 11 points. Makaiya Owens, a senior, canned six points for Clarksville but also hauled down 11 rebounds to lead the Lady Tigers.

The list of senior athletes who will not be a member of the Clarksville team next season  includes' Makiyla Bradley, Laura Faulkner, Dee Jackson, and Owens in addition to Clark.

Score by Quarters

Clarksville  10  20  0  18  48

Hawkins 14 15 12 14 55

Lady Tigers advance to area round

By BRUCE E. WILLIAMS

Sports Correspondent

Clarksville Lady Tigers first year Head Coach LaTisha Hearne received her first playoff win on Tuesday night as the Lady Tigers earned a bi-district basketball championship with a 49-37 win over the Beckville Ladycats in a game played at Queen City High School.

The win lifts the Lady Tigers season record to 19-13, while Beckville, the fourth seed from District 16-2-A,  ends the year with a 15-15 mark. Beckville was 7-5 in district play.

Clarksville, the champion of District 15-2-A with a perfect 12-0 record, never trailed in the game after senior Dee Jackson nailed a jumper after almost three minutes of game action. Clarksville held Beckville without a field goal in the initial period, and led 15-3 when the teams moved in to the second quarter.

The Lady Tigers would move to a 21-3 advantage with 6:33 left in the opening half, when Madison Gill canned the first two buckets in period two, and Makaiya Owens contributed a basket off the break, after recording a blocked shot. With 3:06 left in the period, Ashley Rosser drained a three pointer as the Clarksville lead moved to 30-8, before the Lady Tigers ended the first half with a 32-15 lead.

LaQuisha Clark, a senior, joined Madison Gill, a junior, in sparking the Lady Tigers win offensively, as Clark scored a game high 14 points, and Gill contributed 11 points.

Owens had several key block shots in the game that also helped pave the way to the win, and Makiyla Bradley contributed with baskets off the break, and defensive pressure.

The contest appeared to be out of reach in the third period when Clarksville built a 39-17 advantage with 4:29 remaining, when Clark capped a 7-2 run with a free throw. However, the Lady Tigers would not be heard from again during the quarter, as Hearne's team entered the final period leading 39-25.

The Clarksville lead dropped to 41-30 with 6:48 left in the contest, but Tyteanna Rosser stepped up to deliver a three point bomb with 6:21 left giving the Lady Tigers a 44-30 advantage. Beckville managed to again cut into the deficit, closing to within 44-35 with 4:09 left. Clark delivered a pair of beautiful drives into the lane for buckets, and Owens produced a key block down the stretch as The Lady Tigers charged to victory.

The Lady Tigers will face Honey Grove in the area round of post season play later this week.

Red River County man sought on seven warrants

Red River County Sheriff’s Office needs your help locating this man.

 Casey Andrew Clark of Red River County is wanted for a total of seven warrants:  Taking or Attempting to take Weapon from a Peace Officer (SJ/FEL), Possession of Substance in PG 1 (SJ/FEL), Resisting Arrest Search or Transport (MIS/A), Evading Arrest or Detention (MIS/A), Theft (MIS/A), Display Fictitious Motor Vehicle Registration (MIS/B), and Violation of a Protective Order (MIS/A).

Casey Clark is 29 years old and is described to be 5’10” tall, 210 lbs, with brown hair and green eyes.

If you have any information that might lead to the arrest of Casey Clark, contact Lamar and Red River County Crime Stoppers. You remain anonymous, and if your information leads to his arrest you become eligible for a CASH reward of up to $1,000.

• 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 Crime Stoppers by any method mentioned above.

Commissioners to meet Monday, will consider Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution

Red River County Commissioners will have their last regular meeting of 2019 on Monday, Dec. 23, at 10 a.m. at the courthouse annex.

The agenda is as follows:

1) Call the Commissioners Court Meeting to Order.

2) Call the roll.

3) Consider for approval minutes from the previous meeting of the Commissioners Court.

4) Public Comments.

5) Consider for approval Order Setting Terms of the Constitutional County Court for 2020.

6) Consider for approval Order Designating Day of the Week Commissioners Court will meet.

7) Consider for approval Resolution to Declare Red River County a Second Amendment Sanctuary. The resolution reads as follows:

WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States is the Supreme Law of our Nation. The Second Amendment to the Constitution states “A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”; andWHEREAS, the Texas Constitution, Article 1, Section 23, states “Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State.”  Due to dual sovereignty structure of the Constitution, the Federal Government has no authority to enforce State laws and the states cannot be compelled to endorse Federal laws; and
WHEREAS, the last protectors of the U.S. Constitution are the County Sheriffs and “We the People of the United States of America”, and our ability to fulfill that role successfully rests on our Second Amendment rights. We, the People of Red River County, Texas, through this Resolution, hereby declare our rights, our freedom and our liberty as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America, andWHEREAS, it is the desire of the Red River County Commissioners Court to declare its support of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Texas Constitution protecting citizens inalienable and individual right to keep and bear arms. The members of the Red River County Commissioners Court took an oath to support and defend the United States Constitution, the Constitution of the State of Texas, and the laws of the State of Texas, insofar as they are constitutional; andTHEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Commissioners of Red River County, by the authority granted to the Commissioners by the laws of the State of Texas, and the people of Red River County, Texas, to stand and defend their rights and liberties, which are guaranteed by the United States and Texas Constitutions, are hereby declared
RED RIVER COUNTY A SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY COUNTY
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Commissioners Court affirms its support for the duly elected Sheriff of Red River County, Texas in the exercise of his discretion, affirms his resolve to support decisions by our Sheriff to uphold the laws of the State of Texas and to uphold the Constitution of the State of Texas and the United States.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Commissioners Court will not authorize or appropriate government funds, resources, employees, agencies, contractors, buildings, detention centers, or offices for the purpose of enforcing laws that have been found to unconstitutionally infringe of the rights of the citizens of Red River in the State of Texas.APPROVED by the Red River County Commissioners Court on this, the 23rd day of December, 2019.L.D. Williamson, County Judge

8) Consider for approval Resolution for Joint Primary Election to be held on March 3, 2020, and if necessary, the Primary Runoff Election on May 26, 2020.

9) Consider for approval moving Box #2 from St. Paul Methodist Church, 403 W. Pierce Street to the First Baptist Church, located at 1501 US Hwy 82 Bypass, Clarksville.

10) Consider for approval Resolution for Appointment of Mac Varley to a new two-year term on the Red River Appraisal Board of Directors to begin January 1, 2020.

11) Consider for approval accepting Request for Proposal for Administrative Services for the TDHCA HOME Program.

12) Consider for approval renewal of bond for County Auditor Camille Hines.

13) Consider for approval accepting donations to Pct. #2, as follows: - $2,000 from James Easley for rock on CR 2221. - $1,000 from Charley Louie for rock on CR 2221.

14) Read into the minutes Certificate of Completion of Participation at the 2019 School for County Tax Assessor-Collectors for Tonya Martin.

15) Consider for approval line item transfers.

16) Consider for approval budget amendments.

17) Consider for approval all valid claims.

18) Adjourn.

Rep. Ratcliffe statement on vote against Trump impeachment

WASHINGTON – Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) issued the following statement on his vote against the impeachment of President Trump:

“In a betrayal of the Constitution, Democrats finally got what they’ve been gunning for since the very day President Trump was duly elected to serve in the Oval Office. Despite failing miserably in their prolonged, desperate campaign to frame him for crimes he didn’t commit, they moved forward with a vote to remove a sitting president from office based on nothing more than their personal and political opposition.

“This is the thinnest, fastest and weakest impeachment our country has ever seen – rooted in a congratulatory phone call where there are no crimes alleged, where there is no victim, and where Democrats themselves could never decide what to even accuse the president of doing wrong. The Founders intended impeachment to be used for actions so extraordinary that it would happen only three times in almost 2 1/2 centuries. Alexander Hamilton warned of impeachment being used politically by the party that had the most votes. Today’s impeachment is the Founders’ worst nightmare.

“When voters go to the polls next November, I hope they’ll hold Democrats accountable for wasting countless hours and taxpayer dollars on this disgraceful impeachment hoax that was designed to control the outcome of the 2020 election.”

Christmas on Main Street is Saturday

Clarksville’s gala Christmas on Main Street will be held from 3:30-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. It will include a free outdoor showing of “The Polar Express” with free popcorn and hot chocolate, with the movie to start at 6 p.m. sponsored by Peek Insurance. Oncor has agreed to temporarily dim nearby street lights for better viewing conditions. 

There will be wagon rides starting at 5:30 p.m., and an-other fun downtown scavenger hunt will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Correct entries will be eligible for prize money donated by Clarksville PRIDE.

The drawing for the Scavenger Hunt, as well as the $500 gift card and the two turkeys, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Entry forms have been printed in the Clarksville Times (see Page 2) and may be filled out and dropped off at any of these participating businesses:

Vintaj Cowgirl, High Cotton Boutique, Victoria’s Antiques, 101 Mercantile, Clarksville PRIDE, Red River County Historical Society, Clarksville Main Street, Carriage House-Clarksville, Two Rivers Antiques, G’s Farmhouse Finds, Radio Shack, Cheryl’s Fashions, Penny’s Christmas Creations at Italian Bistro, Clarksville Florist, and Simply Southern.

Downtown businesses will be open until late for shoppers, until 7 p.m., on Thursdays Dec. 12 and Dec. 19. There will be special activities each of these Thursday nights. There will be a paint party at Simply Southern.

On Dec. 12 there will be a magic show from 5-6 p.m. and then a visit from the Grinch from 6-7 p.m. in the building Pride’s Corner in the southeast corner of the square. The Clarksville Community Choir will sing on the square at 6 p.m. on Dec. 19. There will also be another visit from Santa Claus.

Three dead following Johntown explosion

Red River County Press Release

On 10/13/2019 at approximately 1:35 pm The Red River County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Private Road in the rule area of Johntown. The Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call advising a residential structure had exploded which possibly had three people inside.

It was believed that the explosion happened on 10/12/2019 at approximately 7:00pm and First Responders were notified when a family member went to check on a love one that they were not able to get ahold of since the previous day. It is unknown at this time what the cause was for the explosion and the bodies of three individuals have been recovered.  The names of the deceased are not being released at this time due to it still being an ongoing investigation.

Multiple Agencies assisted the Red River County Sheriff’s Office including the Bogata Fire Department, The Talco Fire Department, The Paris Fire Department, The Longview Fire Department, The Bogata Police Department, DPS, The State Fire Marshall’s, The Highway Department, and many more.

Sheriff Jimmy Caldwell would like to thank all of the different Agencies that responded and assisted with this tragic accident.