News Stories

Thursday, July 22, 2010 Edition

Lovelady superintendent retires

The Lovelady I.S.D. Board of Trustees presented newly retired Superintendent John W. Reynolds with a plaque to be permanently placed on their wall of honor, thanking Reynolds for his many years of dedicated service and commitment to continued improvement of Lovelady I.S.D.

Reynolds served Lovelady I.S.D. from 2004-2010. He retired on June 30, ending his 43-year career as an educator.

Welcome Guide offers plethora of information

The newest edition of the Houston County Welcome Guide is hot off the press and full of photos, and stories about local points of interest.

This year’s theme is “Gateway to the Texas Forest Country”. Photos by local residents who entered the Courier’s photo contest are featured on the cover.

The 48-page guide includes information about local governments -- city, county and school districts. Of special interest are photos of new construction sites in the area.

Tourists, new residents and long-time residents will enjoy colorful photos and stories about the places where people in Houston County play.

The 2010 Houston County Welcome Guide will be included with the Sunday, July 25 issue of the Courier.

Additional copies will be available at the Crockett Area Chamber of Commerce, the Crockett Public Library, city offices, Bella’s, Treasure Attic and other area businesses.

A child is missing

By Lynda Jones
Managing Editor

A child doesn’t come from school on time. Grandpa, who has Alzheimer’s, wandered off and it’s dangerously hot outside. The scenarios are endless and they are frightening not only for the families, but also for law enforcement officers. A new tool for finding missing children, the elderly (Alzheimer’s and dementia patients), autistic, cognitively impaired and otherwise disabled individuals and college students missing on campus is in the toolbox of Houston County law enforcement officers.

Houston County Sheriff Darrel Bobbitt arranged for Chris Bray of North Carolina to train area law enforcement officers on the use of the “A Child Is Missing” alert program on Tuesday, July 20 at the Crockett Civic Center. According to Bobbitt, 19 agencies were in attendance.

Bobbitt reminded the audience that law enforcement is charged with protecting those who can’t protect themselves. He presented the “A Child Is Missing” (ACIM) alert program as a tool that will make looking for missing persons easier. “This program is all of a sudden going to expand your coverage,” Bobbitt told the audience of nearly 70 people. Bray said that every 40 seconds, a child goes missing in the United States. Every day, more than 3,000 children and elderly (many with Alz-heimer’s) are reported missing, he said.

With ACIM, once a law enforcement agency calls for help, 1,000 phone calls are made in 60 seconds to area homes and businesses. In some cases, the calls are made in multiple states across the nation. The program differs from the Amber Alert system, Bray said, in part because evidence of abduction or danger is not required to activate ACIM. A description of the abductor also is not required to activate ACIM.

Another difference between the two programs is that an Amber Alert cannot be activated for anyone over 17 years of age. Although the program’s name is “A Child is Missing”, an ACIM alert can be activated for all ages, if the missing is an individual with a disability such as autism, cognitive disability, Alzheimer’s or dementia. ACIM can help with any missing senior citizen over the age of 65, whether the individual has a disability or not. The program also helps to locate college students who are missing on campus.

In short, “A Child is Missing” works in tandem with Silver and Amber Alerts. ACIM is a formal part of the Silver Alert system in Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee. The ACIM alert can be activated in conjunction with the Silver Alert in any state. Another aspect of the ACIM program that law enforcement agencies find attractive, Bray and Bobbitt both emphasized, is that it’s free.

ACIM is a non-profit organization funded by grants and contributions. The average recovery time when ACIM assists local law enforcement agencies is 90 minutes, Bray said.

Bray explained that the first step of the process begins when someone calls the local law enforcement agency to report a missing child, senior citizen with Alzheimers or dementia, or individual with a disability (such as autism, cognitive impairment, etc.). The local agency will go to the caller’s location to investigate. If the officer determines the case is appropriate for an ACIM alert, he will call ACIM. When ACIM receives the information, the team there pulls up a satellite picture of the location and draws a radius to determine where the phone calls should be made. Next, 1,000 phone calls are made within 60 seconds. Bray and Bobbitt both emphasized the importance of speed in initiating a search.

On the receiving end of the calls, residents will hear a message that their local law enforcement agency is looking for the missing person and request their help. The message also gives the phone number of the local law enforcement agency to call if a resident sees that person.

Bray said it is very helpful, and an important part of the process, for people to take just a few minutes to stop what they’re doing, go outside, and take a quick look around their home or business when they get an ACIM call. Unlisted phone numbers and cell numbers are not in the ACIM database, so if anyone wants their unlisted or cell phone number listed, they can do so at www.achildismissing.org.

ACIM is also a law enforcement resource that can identify sexual offenders living in the particular area where the child went missing.

Renaissance event held

The Crockett American Legion Hall and grounds were converted to the Renaissance Period last Saturday, July 17.

The American Legion Post was raising funds for the family of Tory Lee Cantu of Corsicana. Cantu was 13 when she died last spring due to complications from her treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Entertainment for the fundraiser was provided by the Society for Creative Anachronism, also known as the Society or the SCA.

Pictured above, to the left, is a helmet exhibited in the American Legion Hall. Also pictured above are Lord Fiachatheblue, a Centurian mounted on Ike, and Lady Cambria, mounted on Tinkerbell.

Sheriff’s report - Wrong turn gets truck stuck on tracks, driver arrested on PI charge

On July 15, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a cell phone and the caller advised that his vehicle was stuck on the railroad tracks located on CR 2121 and he was requesting that all trains be stopped.

Deputy Larenzo Simpson responded to the call and upon arrival found the caller, identified as Bryan Kyle Swoveland, age 34, of Latexo, outside of his vehicle and was intoxicated.

It was learned that Swoveland was driving on Cr 2120 and when he turned off of Cr 2120, he turned onto the railroad tracks at the railroad crossing instead of CR 2121. Swoveland’s vehicle was stuck on the railroad tracks.

A wrecker was called to the scene to tow Swoveland’s vehicle. He was arrested and taken to the Houston County Jail and booked in for public intoxication.

Senator Cornyn urges continued support for rural Texas counties

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, joined a bipartisan group of 28 other Senators in urging the Obama administration to include a long-term reauthor-ization of the county payments program, known as the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self - Determination Act (SRSCA), in its 2012 budget.

“The 12 counties and 52 school districts in Texas that depend on this funding are very appreciative of Senator Cornyn for his stance on our behalf,” Houston County Judge Lonnie Hunt wrote in an email. “The vast majority of the funds provided through the SRSCA are used to directly fund jobs in road maintenance and public works and positions within the public school system,” states the bipartisan letter to the President.

“These are essential services for the citizens of these rural communities,” the 20 Democrats and nine Republicans wrote to the President. “President Theodore Roosevelt understood the value of conserving our forest lands and placing them in the public trust.

“He likewise understood the economic burden this places on rural counties to provide essential infrastructure like roads and public schools with their tax revenues reduced by the presence of federal lands in these counties.” The Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act of 2000 provided six years of funding to 12 East Texas counties that house Texas’ four national forests. In 2007, Congress extended the program for one year.

In 2008, Congress once again provided a four-year extension from FY2008-2011. The letter sent this week urges the President to include a reauthorization in the 2012 budget. House members are also sending a similar letter to the President. Hunt went as a member of the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition to Washing-ton in June to lobby for the extension of funds.

Failure to extend the program would result in a loss of financial support for construction, roads, education, conservation, and various other government-funded services and projects for rural counties already facing budget shortfalls. In fact, Texas stands to lose $3.46 million in SRSCA funding in 2012, according to a National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition.

According to a National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition publication, Houston County received $890,094 in SRSCA funds in FY2008, $801,084 in FY 2009, $721,965 in FY 2010, and expects $606,067 in FY2011. The total of SRSCA payments to Houston County for 2008-2011 is $3,019.210.

The FY2012 estimated payment will be only $196,361 if the program is not extended, according to the coalition’s literature.

A copy of the senators’ letter to the President can be found at: http://wyden.senate.gov/download/?id=3878fad6-ccad-43b9-8b96-beaa980da6f5

Arrest Report