GRASS FIRE FORCES EVACUATION – Eight grass fires were reported yesterday in Wise County. Several homes in the Jamberly Hills subdivision northwest of Cottondale were evacuated for two hours, while firefighters worked a 50-acre grass fire off County Road 3657 Monday afternoon. Firefighters from Salt Creek, Cottondale, Bridgeport, Lake Bridgeport, Briar and Reno responded to the blaze toned out at 3:31 p.m. Department of Public Safety troopers assisted with the scene. Salt Creek firefighters were assisting Poolville with a structure fire when the fire was reported at County Road 3657. The fire jumped County Road 3673 in multiple spots, according to Salt Creek Fire Captain Robert Allen. He said the fire’s forward progress was stopped by 4:30 p.m. No structures were damaged. Residents were allowed to return home shortly before 5:30 p.m.
DECATUR ISD LOOKS AT HIGH SCHOOL EXPANSION – Decatur ISD trustees gave Superintendent Judi Whitis the go-ahead to get estimates for adding classrooms, a media room, weight room, locker room and coffee shop at Decatur High School. The district has $5.8 million earmarked in its reserves for construction projects.
FIRE MARSHAL HIRED – Wise County commissioners decided Monday to split the fire marshal’s job into two positions – fire marshal and emergency management coordinator. Responsibilities for both previously fell under one job title. Current Deputy Fire Marshal Jeff Doughty of Paradise was hired as fire marshal, and firefighter Cody Powell of Chico was hired as emergency management coordinator. Both will be paid $59,300. The commissioners’ decision did not add a position to the fire marshal’s office but instead split responsibilities between two already established positions. Read more in the midweek Wise County Messenger on newsstands Wednesday.
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR HIRED – Wise County commissioners Monday hired Keith Stone as public works director to replace longtime director Tom Goode, who is retiring Jan. 31. Stone and Ross Jones were interviewed individually by commissioners during executive session before Stone was offered the job. He will be paid $66,000. Stone and Jones are both current public works department employees. County Judge J.D. Clark confirmed after the meeting they offered Jones a department head job that will be open Friday – director of 911 addressing. Current director Phyllis Shaw is retiring. Clark said if Jones accepts the position he will oversee 911 addressing and the county’s 108 dams under the National Watershed Coalition, which was previously a responsibility of the public works director. Clark said Jones initially declined the job in executive session, but commissioners have given him time to reconsider before posting the position. Read more in the midweek Messenger.
PARADISE ROBBER STILL ON LOOSE – Police are still searching for a man who robbed the Paradise Market last Friday. An employee at the store said the suspect never brandished a weapon or spoke during the robbery, only motioning for the clerk to put money in an insulated cooler bag. The man stole over $1,700 from the store before fleeing on foot. As of Monday, Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin said no arrests have been made.
GIRL KILLED IN ATV ACCIDENT IDENTIFIED – A 10-year-old Azle girl was killed Sunday afternoon near Boyd when an ATV drove off the road and overturned in a ditch, Department of Public Safety spokesman Lonny Haschel said. Delaney Moore was a passenger in the ATV and was ejected when it hit a curve on County Road 4591. She was transported to Wise Health System but did not survive.
HOOPS SCHEDULE – Tonight’s district basketball games include Saginaw at Northwest, Krum at Decatur, Bridgeport at Argyle, Boyd at Paradise, Chico at Muenster, Alvord at Perrin and Midway at Slidell.
LEARN SCIENCE AT THE LIBRARY – Kids are invited to join the after school science fun at Chico Public Library at 4 p.m. today. Participants will learn how to make a snowstorm in a bottle. Call Michelle, 940-644-2330.
BANQUET RSVP – Today at 2 p.m. is the deadline to sign up for the Decatur High School football banquet, which is 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the high school cafeteria. Cost is $20 per person. RSVP to Linda Hudler at the high school. If you’d like to attend the program only (no charge), it starts at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
HISTORICAL ORGANIZATION MEETINGS – The Wise County Historical Society, Inc. meets at noon and the Wise County Historical Commission meeting starts at 1 p.m. Thursday, both at the Wise County Heritage Museum, 1602 S. Trinity St. in Decatur. Lunch will be served, so RSVP to the museum by 3 p.m. Wednesday. The meetings are open to the public.
FUNERALS – Memorial service for Lisa Sipes, 53, of Bridgeport will be held at a later date at First Presbyterian Church of Bridgeport. Jones Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport is handling arrangements.
SERVICE for Marilyn Seymore, 83, of Bridgeport is 1 p.m. Wednesday at Jones Family Chapel in Bridgeport with burial in Concord, Ark., on Friday. Family visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
SERVICE for Thomas Munger, 70, is pending at Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
GRAVESIDE service for James Redwine, 76, of Chico is 11 a.m. today at Pleasant Grove No. 3. Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport is handling arrangements.
GRAVESIDE service for Rowdy Vincent, infant, of Chico is 2 p.m. Thursday at Jim Ned Cemetery in Runaway Bay. Family visitation is 10-12 p.m. at Hawkins-Bridgeport prior to the service.
FUNERAL for Rayleigh Ann Fitch, infant, of Boyd is 1 p.m. Saturday at Hawkins Funeral Home Boyd with burial at Boyd Cemetery. Family visitation is 6-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
SERVICE for Charles Nelson, 74, of Haslet will be at a later date. Hawkins-Boyd is handling arrangements.
FUNERAL for Frank M. Davis Sr., 87, of Boyd is 10 a.m. today at Temple Baptist Church in Flower Mound with burial at Roselawn Memorial Park in Denton. Dalton and Son Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
