The Monitor Staff Reports
ATHENS–When the dust settled, election night Precinct 2 Commissioner Wade McKinney emerged as the next Henderson County Judge. He garnered 58 percent of the ballots, collecting 5,869 votes to attorney Weinstein’s 4,221 votes in the Republican Primary.
The new father was grateful to those who voted for him, expressing their confidence in his continued leadership as the presiding officer of Commissioners Court. “I’m very proud of what we have accomplished over the past 20 years,” he said, noting that the county is completely debt free having paid off the bond that built the jail, — an avenue of additional revenue for the county in housing out-of-county and Federal inmates.
Returning to the court is also Precinct 4 Commissioner Ken Geeslin, who remained victorious over challenger Kelly Harris for a second time.
Kevin Pollock will continue as JP2 in Seven Points. Voters cast nearly 59 percent of their ballots for him and 41 percent for Dale Blaylock, a former JP2.
Other winners statewide in Republican Primary.
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz won his party’s nomination for a second term in office as did Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in their contested races.
“I am deeply grateful that Republicans in Texas turned out and put their confidence in me to continue leading the fight for Texas values in Washington,” Cruz stated on social media. “The last five years have been an incredible honor and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish for 28 million Texans, from stopping national Democrats’ liberal agenda of bigger government, amnesty, and gun control, to working to fulfill our promises under new Republican majorities – including historic tax cuts, major regulatory reform, and the confirmation of principled, qualified, constitutionalist judges. I’ve worked hard to fulfill the mandate they gave me and will continue doing so as long as I have the privilege to represent them.”
George P. Bush won’t face a runoff despite three challengers, having collected 58.18 percent of the vote for General Land Office Commissioner. Jerry Patterson came in a distant second with nearly 30 percent of the vote.
Neither will Ag Commissioner Sid Miller (55.83 percent) or Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick (75 percent).
Other winners in contested Republican Primary races include:
• Presiding Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Sharon Keller; Place 8 Judge Michelle Slaughter
• Dist. 2 State Senator Bob Hall
• Dist. 2 State Rep Dan Flynn
• 5th Court of Appeals Dist, Place 11 John Browning.
Many of these will face a Democrat candidate in the General Election.
All 11 Republican Propositions won majority favor by wide margins. The odd-numbered propositions gained the lowest percentages of approval as shown: Prop 1 by 67 percent, Prop 3 by 85 percent, Prop 5 by 78 percent, Prop 7 by 68 percent, Prop 9 and 11 by nearly 87 percent.
Prop 10 won 94 percent voter approval for setting a 4 percent rollback rate on property tax increases.
Mar
09
Posted by : | On : March 9, 2018
Mar
09
Posted by : | On : March 9, 2018
Special to The Monitor
ATHENS–The Henderson County Jury that returned a guilty verdict against 30 year old Daniel Joseph Scott on Tuesday, heard from two additional witnesses Wednesday morning before sentencing him to 70 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Institutional Division. Under current Texas law, he will not become eligible for parole until 2046.
Scott shot his wife of 12 years, Alisha Weaver Scott, in the head with a .357 revolver two days after Christmas, 2016. The couple had three small children who were not home at the time.
Scott claimed on the night of the murder that he had been playing with what he thought was an unloaded gun by practicing his “quick draw” in the living room while Alicia was in an adjoining room on her phone. He described to investigators that he was “spinning and clicking” the gun multiple times and that on the last time, the gun went off shooting his wife in the forehead as she walked into the room. He speculated that his wife had heard the clicking of the gun which prompted her to come into the room.
After Henderson County Sheriff’s Investigators obtained a search warrant for the house, they located the pistol on a couch in the living room. It was a six-shot revolver fully loaded with five live rounds and one shell casing. None of the live rounds had a primer strike indicating that it had been struck by the firing pin which occurs when the hammer falls.
“It was immediately apparent to officers that his story about spinning and clicking the gun was not possible,” said District Attorney Mark Hall who prosecuted the case with First Assistant Nancy Rumar. He also told lead Investigator Ray Yockey on a recorded conversation that Alicia stepped in front of the gun all of a sudden, which was inconsistent with his statements that he “aimed” the gun and “pulled the trigger” while he was “looking right at her.”
“It is simply not plausible that she could be fast enough to step in front of a bullet that has been ‘aimed’ by a person ‘looking right at’ the victim” when he pulls the trigger,” said Hall. “When that is added to everything else that was and had gone on between the two not just in the few days leading up to her death, but for years, the jury obviously believed that he intentionally and knowingly shot and killed his wife.”
Scott had told investigators that they had not been having any problems or arguing prior to the shooting. But when the cell phones of both Scotts’ were forensically examined it revealed that there had been some type of ongoing dispute since Christmas Day leading up to minutes before Alicia’s death. In addition, it showed that Daniel had been communicating his desire to find a new love interest in some sort of internet classifieds, within hours of the shooting.
In both the guilt-innocence and sentencing phases of trial, a longtime friend of the Scotts that had lived and traveled with them extensively for a number of years, related in graphic detail a pattern of sexual and physical abuse that he had observed over the years. His warnings to the family of Scott about Daniel’s violent nature and the abusive acts toward Alicia, had gone unheeded.
The defense vigorously questioned and attacked the thoroughness of the overall investigation and highlighted other things that could have been done, however as Investigator Yockey responded, “This was not a ‘Whodunit’”
“Even though the defendant tried to come up with an explanation as to why this was an accident, it just didn’t wash, according to Hall. As far as the quality of the investigation was concerned, Ray Yockey did everything necessary for us to be able to put together a strong case. It’s not uncommon for the defense to attack the investigation when that is the only thing you have to hang your hat on.”
“Ray Yockey and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office mobilized every resource and person necessary to immediately begin working this case, and they delivered. I just wish that everyone in the county could fully comprehend what it takes, and what they do on a daily basis to keep us safe. I for one, and most certainly speaking for many in our community, am proud of the work they do.”
Mar
07
Posted by : | On : March 7, 2018
By Denise York
Monitor Staff Writer
KAUFMAN–Kaufman County Commissioners Court voted to accept a donation of 2.6 acres of land designated as the site for the new Kaufman County animal services building. The land, donated by JLM 786 Kaufman, LLC and Dassons Forney 208, LP is located just north of Crandall on FM 148 near the construction site for the new elementary school.
The property is being deeded to the county contingent on its use for animal services. If the county does not build the animal facility there, the property will revert to the original owners. The donation ends a more than year-long search for a suitable site for the construction. Last summer, a site near the Kaufman County Poor Farm and Kaufman County fairgrounds was under consideration, but opposition from the Historical Commission among others caused commissioners to look further.
The new site on FM 148 will provide a more centralized location and save time and money transporting animals. Currently, the county has an agreement with the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake and must transport animals to Tool.
Project Manager Pam Corder told The Monitor this location is also very close to the Spay and Neuter Center in Crandall, which will make it convenient when animals are adopted. “No name has been officially chosen for the center, but we know adoption will be in the name because that is our focus, to get these animals into good homes,” she said.
“One of the ideas we’ve come up with is to run some sort of a contest for local schoolchildren to design the logo. Then we can educate them about responsible pet ownership at a young age,” Corder said. Although there are some preliminary design plans drawn, no expected date for groundbreaking was discussed.
In other business, commissioners:
• approved purchase of equipment to outfit six Police Interceptors for Sheriff’s Office from Cap Fleet Upfitters in the amount of $57,394.68.
• approved purchase of CP1200 69” 9-Wheel Pneumatic Roller from Bane Machinery for Pct. 2 Road & Bridge in the amount of $77,909.
• paid bills in the amount of $1,355,228.54, of which $1,004,000 was road bond expense.
• heard reports from Tax-Assessor Collector, Treasurer, Public Works and Fire Marshal’s Office and Racial Profiling Report from Kaufman County Constable Pct. 3 for 2017.
