Dallas Simon

ONALASKA – A man is behind bars after shooting his brother to death Sunday afternoon in Onalaska.

Dallas Joseph Simon, 55, was arrested for murder after he shot his brother, 57-year-old Kevin Simon, to death after a brief altercation. Dallas Simon was booked into the Polk County Jail with a murder charge and a bond set at $100,000.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from Dallas Simon who stated he and his brother, Kevin Simon, got into an altercation and he shot him. Deputies responded to the residence, off of May Drive in Polk County, and found Kevin Simon deceased at the property.

Investigators arrived on scene and began to process the crime scene and interview witnesses. Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Robert Johnson conducted the inquest and ordered an autopsy to be performed by Jefferson County.

FILE PHOTO

A 19-year-old female is still hospitalized after she was shot in Goodrich last week.

On the night of Jan. 30, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the Siesta County Subdivision after receiving 911 calls of a shooting victim. At the scene, the 19-year-old female was found to have a single gunshot wound to her abdomen during an altercation involving several people that were attending a party at the location.

Others that showed up believed to have escalated the altercation. The victim was transported to Kingwood Hospital where she is listed at this time in stable condition in the intensive Care Unit.

Detectives have conducted interviews with several persons present at the time of the shooting and is asking that anyone with information to provide to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division at 936-327-6810.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PCSO A cargo trailer was stolen from an Onalaska residence on January 1, 2021.

ONALASKA – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is seeking assistance in obtaining information in regard to a theft that occurred on Jan. 1, at a residence in the Pine Harbor subdivision, in Onalaska.

At approximately 2 a.m., the suspect(s) hooked up to the victim’s 2021 Cargo Express Enclosed Utility Trailer, and took it from the victim’s property.

COURTESY PHOTO Cargo trailer

Anyone who knows the identity of these suspects or has any information in reference to this case that will help with the investigation, is asked to submit a tip at p3tips.com, (the P3 App), or call Polk County Crime Stoppers at 936-327-STOP, where they can remain anonymous and may collect a cash reward for information leading to an arrest. People may also contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division directly and speak to a detective at 936-327-6810.

JASON CHLAPEK I PCE JT Drake (seated) recently organized a lemonade and hot dog stand that raised more than $4,000 dollars – all of which went to Making Sports Possible. Jason (second from left) and Gisele Ivy (third from right) are the co-founders of MSP, which helps underprivileged youth in Polk County pay for sign-up fees and equipment to play sports. Also pictured are JT’s parents Rachel (far left) and Marty Drake (second from right) and his sister Sully (far right).

Local youth raises $4K for nonprofit sports organization

JT Drake likes to play sports, particularly baseball.

JT, 7, plays Little League in Livingston and Select in Kingwood. Recently, the son of Marty and Rachel Drake did something that most children his age wouldn’t think about doing – start a fundraiser.

JT was the brainchild behind a hot dog and lemonade stand that brought in more than $4,000. The money isn’t going to his college fund either.

Each dollar of the $4,076.37 that JT and his family raised that Saturday afternoon was donated to a local nonprofit organization called “Making Sports Possible.” Gisele and Jason Ivy are the heads of MSP, which provides funds for sign-up fees and equipment for underprivileged children who otherwise can’t afford to play.

“I wanted to make sports possible so more kids could play,” JT said.

The Drake family began selling hot dogs, cookies and lemonade on their front lawn at 10 a.m. that day and stopped selling at 3 p.m. While the entire amount was not raised in that five-hour window, there were other methods people used to donate to JT’s cause.

“People also mailed money in and we had a lot of online donations,” Rachel Drake said. “We posted on social media that we had a lemonade stand.”

Last Tuesday, Gisele and Jason Ivy presented a trophy to JT at Bull Shack Coffee and Smoothies. The couple also has a connection with the Drake family, which includes younger daughter Sullivan, or “Sully.”

“We know Marty and Rachel from coaching the Go-Getters with Marty,” Gisele said. “We know their heart. We were surprised when we found out that JT wanted to do it, but we weren’t surprised that they did it because JT is such a sweet boy. It’s a blessing and perfect timing.”

MSP was organized in 2017 and started paying for underprivileged Polk County youth to participate in sports in 2018. The organization partners with youth basketball, baseball, football, soccer and softball leagues in Polk County.

“We saw the need to pay for some kids to play sports when my nephews played,” Jason said. “You would have kids show up one year then not show up the next because they didn’t have the funds to play.”

Jason Ivy graduated from Livingston in 1998 and joined the Army, where he served for 10 years. He and his wife, Gisele, LHS Class of 1994, moved back to Livingston in 2008.

“One year we had a pair of brothers on a team that had to share the same bat, the same glove and the same helmet,” Gisele said. “They couldn’t be on the field at the same time.”

Those instances inspired Jason and Gisele to put their heads together and try to figure out a way to not only make sure Polk County youth didn’t have to share playing equipment, but also make sure they had enough money to sign up to play.

“We reached out to friends and tried to fund it ourselves,” Gisele said. “But then we got together and decided to start this nonprofit.”

MSP also has a governing board of six members. In the previous three years, the organization has helped an average of 50-60 youth participate in sports.

“Almost every member on our board has been a member of the board since we started this organization,” Jason said. “Everybody continues to be an internal part of what we do. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible. We’re grateful for each and every board member. It’s a big family-oriented organization. The more people know about us, the more the funds increase. We want to help more kids and reach out to the community.”

A year ago, MSP was planning its annual color run fundraiser when Covid-19 hit. That fundraiser, as well as others, were canceled.

MSP also had raffles, motorcycle rides, sold tacos and set up booths at Hometown Christmas. The timing of JT’s fundraiser couldn’t have been more ideal.

“It was a God-send that he decided to do that right then and there,” Gisele said. “We were pretty low on funds and this is our biggest sign-up season because it’s baseball, softball and soccer all at the same time. This is the time where we have the most kids, so for him to decide to do that was amazing.”

According to the Ivy’s, JT’s fundraiser was the only fundraiser that MSP had this year. In addition to baseball, JT also plays basketball and golf, but baseball is his favorite.

JT plays on the coach-pitch level in both Little League and Select. Although he can play catcher, any of the three outfield positions, shortstop or third base, JT has his favorite position.

“My favorite position is third base because you have to have a strong arm in order to get the ball over to first base,” he said.

After the five-hour fundraiser, there was still plenty of food left. JT’s generous nature kicked in when he and his family were deciding what to do with the leftovers.

“We had leftover hot dogs and we gave them to people who didn’t have a house,” JT said.

POINT BLANK — The City of Point Blank brought in nearly $10,000 more than expected during the 2019-20 fiscal year.

Point Blank Mayor Mark Wood reported to council aldermen during the monthly city council meeting on Oct. 12 that the total income for the previous fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30 was $121,270. The projected total income for the fiscal year was $111,400.One of the things Wood believes helped the city was its sales tax revenue. It has gone up each of the last seven years from $40,964.50 in 2013-14 to $76,854.20 in 2019-20.

“One of the more interesting charts is the sales tax that the city’s received during the fiscal year,” Wood said. “In 2014, we were at $40,000, which averaged about $3,400 a month. Now we’re getting $76,000, which is averaging $6,400 a month. This substantial increase is due to getting all of the people on the tax rolls that needed to be. This has stayed constant.”

During the previous fiscal year, the lowest the city took in sales tax revenue was $4,177.51, which was during the statewide shutdown because of Covid-19. However, the city bounced back to collect more than $6,000 per month in each of the last five months of the fiscal year, including a seven-year high of $9,055.57 in August.

“This comes from people living up here as opposed to just using their summer or vacation homes,” Wood said. “Instead of going back to Houston, they’re either working up here or moving up here. If you look at Point Blank, you won’t see any houses for sale. This is unusual and I don’t know how long it’s going to last; if it’s purely Covid-related or if it’s an honest increase in population. This is Precinct 4 and this is where thepredominant development in San Jacinto County is. It’s a little hard to tell how much of this is actually from Covid and how much of it is real growth. We’re a retirement community and I don’t see anything dynamic. It’s pretty interesting.”

While there is some growth in Point Blank, Wood said that growth in commerce would be more beneficial as opposed to just residential growth. He also said there have been rumors going around that his city has been mentioned in the talks of being in or along the Interstate 14 corridor, which is expected to follow the US Highway 190 corridor.

"I don’t think a lot of people want growth,” Wood said. “It would be nice to have some jobs and industry here. There’s a lot of things going on.”

Courtesy photo - 2020: A Google Map view of the Forest Cove subdivision from the year 2020.

POINT BLANK – Point Blank city council aldermen decided to table an agenda item regarding the Forest Cove subdivision during last week’s city council meeting on Nov. 9 at the Point Blank Civic Center.

The issue regarding Forest Cove is its drainage. The subdivision was platted in 1979.

“The drainage has been happening since it was first platted,” Point Blank Mayor Mark Wood said. “Forest Cove has a rough infrastructure where the roads are not in good shape. You’ll see that throughout the city.”

Wood and other council aldermen are going to research the problem before coming to a consensus on what to do. The decision could be made by next month’s city council meeting, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 14.

During the month of October, Point Blank made a profit of $9,631.71. The city’s net operating income is now $6,382.80.

The sales tax revenue compensation for the month of October was $8,284.01. Wood doesn’t know if these types of numbers are permanent or temporary though.

“We made money during Covid because the people who own lake houses either moved up here or spend more time here,” he said. “I don’t know if the growth is permanent, but you don’t see houses for sale. It’s an interesting phenomenon that I didn’t anticipate.”

Wood also discussed how the city determines how much money to spend on street repairs per subdivision. He also talked about the outdated POA assessments.

“The POAs were set up in the 1970s and they have never upped their assessments,” Wood said. “There’s not a property tax base in Point Blank either. What we do is set a budget for what we think we can spend on streets for the fiscal year. We had a really good year last year and we try to spend it based on the percentage of miles in each subdivision.”

The actual street mileage for the North Woods subdivision is 4.57 miles, Governor’s Point is 4.07 miles, Forest Cove is 2.574 miles and the remainder of the city is 4.925 miles. Last month, the city spent $500 on street repairs (Forest Cove $79.75, Governor’s Point $126.09, North Woods $141.58, rest of city $152.58).

MUGSHOT David Lynn Turner of Houston

The San Jacinto and Montgomery County Sheriff’s offices are seeking potential victims in connection with an ongoing sexual assault case.

According to a release from Multi-County Crime Stoppers, on May 4, the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted a joint investigation into allegations of sexual assault made by several victims describing similar incidents.

During the investigation it was learned that the suspect, David Lynn Turner of Houston, targeted several of his victims through various social media platforms and dating apps.

The release states Turner, a former reserve Texas Peace Officer in Harris County between 2012 and 2015, is alleged to have driven the women to remote locations in San Jacinto and surrounding counties under the guise of "Ghost Hunting," where he would then force himself upon the women in various ways.

As a result of the investigation, Turner was arrested on May 4 and charged with two counts of sexual assault, and currently is being held in the San Jacinto County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

The release states that law enforcement officials believe Turner's activities began in December 2018 in the greater Southeast Texas region, with potential victims from Beaumont, Galveston, Katy, The Woodlands, Coldspring and Livingston.

San Jacinto County and Montgomery County detectives continue to investigate, and are seeking contact with possible additional victims, the release states.

Anyone with information or interactions associated with David Lynn Turner or similar incidents are encouraged to contact the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office at (936) 653-4367 or the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at (936) 760-5800.

To remain completely anonymous, call Multi-County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-392-STOP (7867).

JASON CHLAPEK I PCE Bob Bass of the Allison, Bass & Magee, LLP law firm talks to Polk County commissioners Tuesday morning.

Polk County could be getting solar power in the next few years.

Commissioners approved a measure to establish a reinvestment zone for the purpose of tax abatement to provide economic development within the county Tuesday morning. The reinvestment zone consists of a total of 5,939.349 acres in the eastern portion of the county.

“Solar power will bring jobs and new industry.,” George Riggs of Long Road Energy said. “It builds the tax base and it’s more revenue for the landowners. The more projects you have like this, the more opportunities you have for storage of equipment, warehousing and repair facilities. It brings a whole new dynamic to the area. In addition to timber, you have a whole new industry.”

The county has been in talks with solar companies for nearly four years. The project is expected to break ground during the first quarter of 2021 and completion is projected for the fourth quarter of 2022.

“This process has taken about four years,” Riggs said. “Normally it takes about 3-4 years to get it approved. Once we break ground, it’ll take a year to a year and a half to complete. This is our first East Texas project. We chose Polk County because the close proximity to the transmission lines that service this area.”

Riggs is a former commissioner in Pecos County. Most of his company’s work is done in West Texas.

Bob Bass of the Allison, Bass and Magee, LLP represents the county through this agreement. He talked about the process to get these projects approved and ultimately finished.

“(Long Road Energy) came to us with the proposal,” Bass said. “These projects are built in a reinvestment zone. There’s several layers of this process. First, the developer goes out and leases ground from the landowner so they have a place to build. Next they go to the taxing entities to tie down their tax burdens. Then they have to essentially find a buyer for the power and go to a lender to borrow the money to fund the project. This is basically the second step toward that. We hope it will develop and I expect that this project will go on through.”

In other items, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office decided to stay with its current resident banking and commissary service, a community development block grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture in support of Dallardsville-Segno water improvements was approved, and a resolution adopting civil rights plans and procedures was approved. Commissioners court meets again at 9 a.m. Nov. 24.

JASON CHLAPEK I PCE A pair of photo exhibits commemorating Polk County’s 175th birthday will be on display at the Polk County Historical Museum until April 10. Polk County celebrated its 175th year on Tuesday.

Polk County turned a year older on Tuesday.

The county celebrated its 175th year of existence, and the Polk County Historical Museum hosted a celebration Tuesday. The birthday celebration took six weeks to plan, according to museum curator Betsy Deiterman.

“We had to be sure of the date, research the founding of the county and how the division was made, the legislature, then go through the archives and pick interesting pictures,” she said. “This was a come-and-go acknowledgement of the birthday for Polk County. We gave away a limited supply of gift bags. Patrons saw lots of photographs from many decades. The oldest photographs are framed and the oldest was in the 1880s.”

A pair of photo exhibits are on display at the museum until April 10. These displays are in commemoration with the county’s 175th birthday.

“I pulled 75 pictures that people normally don’t get to see,” Deiterman said. “I think we need to acknowledge that Polk County has been here 175 years and it’s a notable number.”

Some of the photos on display are in need of identification, according to Deiterman.

“Many of our pictures don’t have identification or dates,” she said. “We’re asking people that if they recognize anyone in the pictures to please let us know. We have a form for people to fill out if they recognize people or dates.”

A decade and exactly four weeks after Texas became a state – March 2, 1836 – Polk County was formed on March 30, 1846. The county was formed out of neighboring Liberty County.

The county was named after then-President James Polk. The 11th President of the United States was an advocate for Texas statehood.

FILE PHOTO Mosquito on human skin

East Texas has received its fair share of spring precipitation throughout the past few weeks. In Texas that usually means the heat and everyone’s favorite insect to hate — the mosquito — are right around the corner.

For many, the mosquitoes are already here, along with millions of their friends.

So why is Commissioner Guylene Robertson parking the truck that sprays for mosquitos down Precinct 1 county roads?

As it turns out, she also isn’t too fond of the insects. Yet, through conversations with commissioners from Polk and surrounding counties, she found that they aren’t spraying either.

Health effects are the main reason, as pesticides can cause both acute and chronic problems. Acute health effects appear shortly after exposure to some pesticides and can include skin and eye irritations, headaches, dizziness and nausea, weakness, difficulty breathing, mental confusion and disorientation.

“The times have changed environmentally, and things that were considered safe in the past are no longer acceptable or recommended,” Robertson said. “At this time, motor-driven mosquito spraying is in that category.”

Precinct 1 was the only in Polk County that has sprayed for mosquitoes over the past few years. However, the City of Livingston continues to do so. Roberston said the decision not to spray was one that was difficult.

“Due to the hazards and concerns environmentally Polk County Precinct 2, 3, and 4 have not sprayed for mosquitoes for several years,” Robertson said. “This summer, Precinct 1 will now be doing the same, while observing all environmental safety aspects.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), several organophosphates, a class of insecticides, are highly toxic and poison insects and other animals, including birds, amphibians and mammals. Until the 21st century, they were among the most widely used insecticides available. Around 36 of them are presently registered for use in the United States, and all can potentially cause acute and subacute toxicity. Organophosphates are used in agriculture, homes, gardens and veterinary practices.

The EPA has a few suggestions in preventing mosquito bites. The first is to eliminate any standing water (even small amounts) to prevent mosquitoes from laying their eggs. If water cannot be eliminated, as in ornamental water features, use mosquito larvicide products (available at many retailers) or other pest control measures to minimize breeding opportunities. You may be able to add fish that eat larvae to a pond. Adding a fountain or aerator will keep the water and mosquitoes moving.

The agency suggests use of window and door screens to keep mosquitoes from entering your home, workplace, or children’s schools. Dress in light-colored clothing, long pants, and long sleeves. EPA-registered insect repellents will also prevent bites. Products that are EPA-registered have been confirmed to be safe and effective when label directions are followed.

There are several different homemade concoctions that can be found on the Internet. We have provided one such mix below.

HOMEMADE MOSQUITO SPRAY RECIPE

• 1 bottle of blue mint mouthwash 
• 3 bottles (per 12 oz) of stale beer (take the cheapest – it works as well)
• 3 cups of Epsom salt

Pour beer and mouthwash into a container (an old saucepan, a bucket), stir and add the salt. Mix up the solution properly until salt is dissolved. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Shake well before use and spray areas where you spend time outside.

BRIAN BESCH | PCE The Polk County Historical Commission held a Texas Historical Marker dedication for Lt. Col. James M. Parker. The Polk Countian was part of the Doolittle Raid, the United States’ first attack on the Japanese mainland in World War II. The dedication was Saturday morning at Restland Memorial Cemetery off Highway 59. Saturday coincided with the 79th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid. The Polk County Museum, located at 514 Mill Street in Livingston, has an exhibit honoring Parker that will continue until May 22.

Historical marker video

COURTESY PHOTO Polk County implemented a burn ban Tuesday.

Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy put a burn ban in place for unincorporated parts of the county Tuesday.

The ban was put in place because of drought conditions caused by a lack of rain int he area. There were other circumstances as well.

“Fire events in neighboring counties and drying out of fuel material,” Samuel Murra of the Polk County Office of Emergency Management said. “We’re getting really dry and KBDI (Keetch-Byram Drought Index) is getting high.”

Murra, the Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator, said La Nina is likely the reason for the lack of rain. La Nina conditions historically translate into warmer and drier than normal conditions for Texas during the winter and spring fire season.

A La Nina advisory was put into place Nov. 12. The Climate Prediction Center believes that La Nina will likely continue into the spring.

Murra said the burn ban is at least the second put in place this year. One was put in place following the tornado that touched down in the county in late April.

While the burn ban only applies to unincorporated areas of the county, the city of Corrigan also issued a burn ban. The city of Onalaska is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss whether or not to put a burn ban in place.

“Be careful, especially with yard work,” Murra said. “While mowing, make sure you’re not accidentally causing a fire. Be careful with cigarettes or any ignition sorts. Always be cognizant of what’s going on.”

JASON CHLAPEK I PCE This stretch of land along US Highway 190 in between Livingston and Onalaska had frost on it Tuesday morning. Polk County and several other counties in Southeast Texas experienced a freeze warning Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Polk County experienced freezing temperatures Monday night and Tuesday morning.

For the first time in the fall season, temperatures in parts of Polk County were at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below. The low for Polk County was 27 degrees in between Dallardsville and Livingston in the eastern portion of the county.

“This was our first freeze warning for the fall season,” Polk County Emergency Management Director Courtney Comstock said.

According to Comstock, a freeze warning is put in place when expectations of a freezing temperatures are projected. Much of the region was projected to have freezing temperatures Monday night and Tuesday morning, according to the Houston/Galveston Weather Forecast Office.

Livingston was projected to have a low of 29 Monday night, while Lufkin was projected for a low of 26.

COURTESY PHOTO Polk County rescinded its burn ban on Tuesday.

Consecutive days of rainfall last weekend led to a rescinded burn ban Tuesday morning.

Polk County Commissioners called an emergency meeting to rescind a burn ban that was originally put in place Nov. 17 and extended to 30 days on Nov. 24. But substantial rainfall last Friday and Saturday prompted commissioners to lift the ban.

“Because of the rainfall we received over the weekend, our drought conditions improved and our commissioners decided it was safe enough to lift the burn ban,” Polk County Emergency Management Director Courtney Comstock said.

The Texas Forest Service and the Polk County Office of Emergency Management both agreed that it was safe enough for commissioners to lift the ban. However, there are a few reminders to citizens who wish to burn outdoors.

“Use caution when proceeding with any outdoor burning, be mindful that conditions may change quickly and individuals burning outdoors are responsible and liable for any fire damage from such burning,” Comstock said. “We recommend any persons contemplating a sizable amount of debris for outdoor burning contact their local VFD for recommendations and assistance. Never leave fires unattended.”

MUGSHOT LOU ANN HUDSON

Nine people are in custody after a successful drug sting conducted by the Polk County Sheriff ’s Office.

On March 10, detectives with the PCSO narcotics unit assisted the criminal investigation division with an ongoing investigation re-garding an overdose, in which one person was found to be deceased and three others admitted into hospitals. The drug was believed to be cocaine laced with an un-known chemical.

During the investigation, it became known to detectives that the cocaine was laced with fentanyl, a very dangerous and deadly drug. The investigation led to information that the drug was possibly obtained from an unknown address off of E. Capps Road in Polk County from a person known as “Mom-ma Lou.”

Detectives began investigating the E. Capps Road area, making contact with numerous residents to inquire about “Momma Lou” and her whereabouts. Narcotics detectives located Lou Ann Hudson, also known as, “Momma Lou,” just off of E. Capps Road.

Narcotics Detectives also found many others to be at the residence and on the property, and were identi-fied as Justin Sanders, Sibbie Hoffer, Billy Lafour, Steven Shelby, Stacy Allen, Clinton Moore, Joshua Jones and Desiree Allen. While speak-ing with Momma Lou at the residence probable cause was obtained to apply for a search warrant, which was granted for the residence and property.

Detectives conducted the search and found all above listed individuals to be in possession of what Narcotics Detectives knew to be Methamphetamine. Ad-ditionally items were found and seized from the resi-dence that are known to be used in the distribution of illegal narcotics.

Hudson was placed under arrest and charged with Pos-session of Controlled Sub-stance. Sanders, Hoffer, La-four, Shelby, Allen, Moore, Jones and Allen were also all placed under arrest and charged with Possession of Controlled Substance.

All the above listed de-fendants were taken to the Polk County Sheriff ’s Office Jail and booked in on their charges.

**PLEASE BE ADVISED**

The PCSO is seeing a dangerous trend of drug dealers and cartels cutting various drugs with fentanyl which is leading to death and/or serious hospitalizations. The public needs to be aware of the danger of using any controlled substance, as PCSO is seeing an emerging pattern of cases where fentanyl is unexpectedly being added to cocaine/methamphetamine and other drug combinations.

BILLY LEE LAFOUR

CLINTON WARREN MOORE

DESIREE MICHELLE ALLEN

JOSHUA DATHAN JONES

JUSTIN TAYLOR SANDERS

LOU ANN HUDSON

SIBBIE CAROL HOFFER

STACY MARIE ALLEN

STEVEN ADAM SHELBY

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

FILE PHOTO - Law Enforcement flashing lights

GOODRICH — The body of a Livingston teenager was found after a possible homicide in Goodrich Tuesday.

The Polk County Sheriff’s office received a 911 call Tuesday morning in reference to a deceased male found in an area off of FM 1988 East in Polk County.

Sheriff’s office investigators, along with the Texas Rangers, responded to the scene on Lone Wolf Road. The scene was processed and evidence collected. Justice of the Peace Darrell Longino conducted the inquest and ordered for an autopsy to be performed by the Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The victim has been identified as 19-year-old Brodrick Cooper of Livingston.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation is continuing as a possible homicide. The body is said to have been recovered from the road. As of Tuesday, it is thought that an altercation occurred at the location.

Friends on social media have messaged that Cooper died from a gunshot.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information please contact their office at 936-327-6810 or Crime Stoppers at 936-327-STOP.

COURTESY PHOTO Troy Fortenberry accepting award from Rep. Ernest Bailes

Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD Trojan Troy Fortenberry receives a recognition from the State Legislature, presented by Rep. Ernest Bailes, noting his participation in the State Track Tournament, held May 6-8 in Austin. Fortenberry, the lone high-school student participating from San Jacinto County, placed ninth in the Pole Vault with a leap of 12 feet 6 inches.

COURTESY PHOTO Byron Allen Richards

June 12, 1941 - Jan. 5, 2021

Byron Allen Richards died and went to his eternal home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus, on Jan. 5, 2021, in Lufkin, at the age of 79 years. He was born in Houston on June 12, 1941, to Ransom Allen Richards and Marjorie Nell Singletary Richards.

Byron was a loving husband, father, brother and grandfather. He worked and retired from banking after more than 40 years of service, ending his career at First Bank of Groveton when he retired in 2006. Afterwards, he was appointed as Mayor of Groveton, where he served for 10 years until his death. He loved Groveton and the surrounding communities. During his term as Mayor, he oversaw multiple projects for the city, including improvements to the community water and sewer system, positioning the City of Groveton for long-term viability. He was most proud of the project he worked on for more than six years — restoring downtown Groveton. He worked diligently in applying for numerous grants to fund the renovation. Under his leadership, the city has been able to invest more than $50 million into its infrastructure. He loved to help people and recently answered the call to become a volunteer chaplain. Byron served as the assistant chaplain of CHI St. Luke’s Health Care for two years and enjoyed visiting with patients twice a week every week. He never missed a day. Byron was a past member of Lion’s Club and was voted citizen of the year during 2019-2020. He also enjoyed motorcycles, especially Harley Davidsons. He liked going on motorcycle trips and when he wasn’t tinkering with that then his other “pride and joy” was his classic Ford truck.

Byron is preceded in death by his parents, Ransom Richards and Marjorie Richards; and his brother, Gary Neil Richards. His survivors include his loving wife of 38 years, Sandra Richards; of Groveton; his sons, Gregory A. Richards and wife, Kimberly Richards, of Kerrville, and Ty Wenglar, and wife, Cathy, of Austin; daughters, Gina Diane Hollis and husband, Ron Hollis, of Austin, and Tia McLaughlin and husband, Grant McLaughlin, of Lovelady; his grandchildren, Macy, Alex, Emily, Mikinna, Micheala, Jonah, Brook Elizabeth, Jaxson, John Paul, Zohe Marie, Vivian, Reagan, and Liam; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Celebration of life services will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, at Pennington Baptist Church in Pennington, with the Rev. Bud Magee officiating and the Rev. Drew Scott assisting. The family understands that friends may not want to attend the celebration of life due to concerns over the spread of COVID. Friends are welcome to send their fondest memories, stories or prayers by emailing them to Bryon's son, Greg, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

In lieu of flowers, the family invites friends to purchase a commemorative paver for the Groveton downtown sidewalk. Please contact City Secretary Donna Dial for details.

Please share your memories with the family and sign our online guestbook by visiting www.grovetonfuneralhome.com

COURTESY OF OFFICIAL COUNTY WEBSITE The Tyler County courthouse

WOODVILLE – The Tyler County Commissioners Court approved a resolution in opposition to two pieces of legislation they say would, if passed, “silence county officials.”

The officials adopted several resolutions and proclamations during its regular monthly meeting on Monday morning. The first resolution the officials approved was to voice opposition to Senate Bill 234 and House Bill 749, of which County Judge Jacques Blanchette said “is of a concern to all of us who hold public office.”

The bill in the Senate (by Sen. Bob Hall) and the House bill (by Rep. Mayes Middleton) would prohibit the usage of county funds to support any non-profit organization engaging in legislative communication.

Blanchette said information is going around about the bills, which are among the thousands of pieces of legislation up for examination in the current legislative session, and other counties across the state are voicing similar opposition.

“It is just simply our way of enjoining ourselves to the other counties who are expressing themselves and their voices to the legislature in the opposition to any of our efforts to speak out to the legislature regarding laws they pass that place burdens upon us that are in turn passed on to the taxpayer,” Blanchette said.

The second item under the heading “Resolutions/Proclamations” was to proclaim the month of April as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in Tyler County.

CASA board member Donnie Wayne Gulley spoke to the issue before the officials on Monday morning. Gulley, who was a foster child himself, said he has striven to be an advocate for abused and/or neglected children who are in the foster care system.

Gulley said that through the last year there were 188 confirmed victims of child abuse and/or neglect in the county last year, which he said was “188 confirmed victims too many,” along with 87 total children in the child welfare system.

He outlined the process of the Court Appointed Special Advocates and what they do. “The difference that CASA makes for children who have experience abuse or neglect is definitely life-changing,” he said, and spoke of his own experience and memories of abuse at 18 months old when he was removed from his first home.

“We can stop the cycle of abuse by being a much-needed voice of support,” Gulley said.

Library funding discussed

Pct. 2 Commissioner Stevan Sturrock brought an agenda item up for discussion concerning funds allocated to the Allan Shivers Library in Woodville. Sturrock said that he has researched commissioners court minutes from the 1950s or 60s and could not find anything that specified how county funds to the library were to be applied.

Sturrock wanted to bring the item up so that the court could have, in writing, a way for the facility to use county funds in whatever ways its governing board sees fit.

Blanchette and Pct. 3 Commissioner Mike Marshall are both on the library’s board, and former county employee Kay Timme was recently appointed. “The concept is certainly laudable and has a lot of merit,” Blanchette said of Sturrock’s agenda item. He recommended suspending any action until more information comes from the governing board for the library. He also described its funding structure, which comes from three different entities: Woodville ISD, the City of Woodville and Tyler County, and is supplemented further by grants, fundraisers and donations.

Timme read the deed for the library, which states that if there is a failure to keep the facility going on the part of the three contributing entities, the funding would revert back to a foundation associated with the Shivers family.

Other documents that Timme uncovered spelled out what particulars the county is responsible for funding, which include the staff along with books and professional supplies.

Library board member Josh McClure also spoke on the topic, specifically to the inclusion of the word “may” within Sturrock’s agenda item, as in “Tyler County may support the Allan Shivers Library in the amount agreed upon by the Commissioners’ Court…,” which McClure said could be problematic in the future, with regard to whomever might be elected to serve in the future and their desire to fund or not to fund.

“I do think that wording needs to be visited,” McClure said. “If the policy said ‘may,’ and then one day someone who doesn’t support the library is voted in…and says ‘Hey, we don’t have to do this,’…it would put more of a burden on the county.”

Other Business

During Monday’s meeting, the commissioners also approved the following items:

• A proclamation recognizing March as Red Cross Awareness Month in Tyler County

• A resolution for an indigent defense grant program

• A proclamation to proclaim March 1 through April 3 as “It’s Dogwood Time in Tyler County”

• Billie Read and Walter McAlpin were re-appointed to the Tyler County Hospital Board of Managers to begin serving new two-year terms.

• The starting of procurement services for engineering and administrative services for the fiscal year 2021-22 TDA CDBG grant cycle, along with the appointment of a rating committee were both approved.

COURTESY PHOTO Robert and the snowman

Onalaska man in final round to win custom motorcycle from television show

Over three decades ago, a motorcycle crash nearly killed Robert Rolin.

However, the Onalaska resident is now surviving several rounds of voting and close to winning a custom motorcycle from the television show Orange County Choppers.

"Paul Teutul and his son started a show called American Chopper," Rolin said of the television show's beginnings. "It was him and his son building motorcycles in their garage. They built some really nice custom bikes. They built showcase bikes. They started building for celebrities and superstars.

"I was on Facebook one day and saw this thing that said "dream chopper." It said enter a contest to win a dream chopper. It also helps the Hudson Valley SPCA in New York."

Rolin said when he signed up, there were 70,000 other people who did the same. He won the first round and the group shrunk to 9,000. He won a five more rounds and has just three more competitors in his way of the grand prize.

Also included in the grand prize is an appearance on the television show and a feature on the cover of Cycle Source Magazine.

A vote is free, but additional votes can also be purchased to accumulate more. The money donated goes to helping animals.

The competition runs until 10 p.m. Thursday evening.

Rolin says he has many groups voting for him, with numbers in the hundreds. However, the other contestants have similar backing.

"It's very humbling. I am kind of a private guy and I keep to myself. Me and my son have a company; we build houses. It is my son's company, but I work with him."

If Rolin wins, Teutul will build a custom motorcycle for him. Rolin has a history with motorcycles, some good and some nearly fatal.

COURTESY PHOTO Robert's red motorcycle.

"I lost my left arm in a motorcycle wreck back in '87. It was a rainy night and back then, I had about the fastest 750 made. I had a real need for speed when I was a youngster. I was just going really fast and the road that I was on was a two-lane road. One lane went up about an inch, so when you change lanes, it threw you to the left. I went too far and hit the curb and there was a fire hydrant. It hit my arm and just took it right off at the shoulder."

Rolin said the officer that responded didn't even notice his arm missing, because his leg was so badly injured. The officer was actually a high school classmate of Rolin. The officer ran across the street to a corner store and filled an ice chest with ice and poured it into Rolin's leg, likely saving that limb.

That officer is also one of the voters helping Rolin.

"I almost died and it tore my right leg up. I don't have a quadricep in my right leg. I lost five inches of my femur, but they put a steel rod in my leg and it has held my leg together. Here 33 years later, I am still getting along."

Though it was difficult to get back on a bike, he still rides today, owning a Harley-Davidson trike.

Rolin said he is a positive person, who tries to promote ability instead of disability.

"I hope that I can inspire one person. Just because they might have lost their leg or their arm or had some kind of disability or even people that just have low self-esteem -- you have to just get out there and try. I hope, if I win, I really want to promote that disabled people can do things. I'm just a normal guy that doesn't have a left arm. I want to get up there and show the world that we can do things. If you are disabled, don't give up. I boat, I water ski, I hunt, I fish and I build houses -- I never let it slow me down.

"It took me two years to get out of a wheelchair. Once I did, I've never looked back. I try to live life. I ended up raising five kids and having a great life. I didn't get back on a motorcycle for about 20 years. Once I did, I loved it. This (contest) has been a great experience, it has brought me back to the policeman that was on the scene and people that I remember from my high school. It has been a great experience, but I still want to win."

To help Rolin win, go to dreamchopper.com and place a vote.