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Merry Christmas!
No newspaper on the 27th — See you in
January.
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Front Page Headlines
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By Jerry Morgan, Reporter
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COMANCHE -- County Clerk Ruby Lesley
reports on Tuesday, December 18, that two additional individuals
have filed as candidates in the March 4 Democratic primary
election.
Sherman Sides of DeLeon has filed as
a candidate for County Commissioner, Precinct 3. The only other
candidate that has filed for that race is Mike Carlin of DeLeon.
Daniel Helm of Comanche has filed as
a candidate for County Commissioner, Precinct 1. The only other
candidate that has thus far filed in that race is Dock Green of
Sipe Springs.
The filing period for county and
district primary elections ends on Wednesday, January 2, as 6:00
p.m. In addition to County Commissioner, Precincts 1 and 3, other
county offices up for election in 2008 include Sheriff, County
Attorney, Tax Assessor/Collector, Constable, State Representative,
State Senator.
The last day to register to vote in
the March 4 party primary elections will be February 4. Early
voting opens on February 19 and continues through February 29.
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By Jerry Morgan, Reporter
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Sales tax receipts reported in DeLeon
in 2007 have remained virtually unchanged from 2006. The total
receipts reported by the State Comptroller’s Office for DeLeon in
2007 are $179,875.30, versus $180,086.21 for 2006. The difference
amounts to only 12/100th’s of 1%.
Sales tax receipts are widely
followed as one of the best readily available measures of
aggregate economic activity in a given tax collecting entity,
whether a municipality, a county or other.
By that yardstick, DeLeon’s economy
has held its own in what has been a relatively bad year for the
area.
Sales tax receipts for Comanche
County fell by over 13% in 2007.
Sales tax collections for the City of
Comanche dropped by 2.3% from 2006 to 2007, and the City of
Dublin’s tax receipts fell by 3.5%.
Sales tax collections increased in
2007 over 2006, however, in Stephenville (up 7.2%), Eastland (up
10.6%) and Brownwood (up 5.2%). |
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1ST TEAM
Mitch Barefoot |
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2ND TEAM
Josh Beaty |
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HONORABLE MENTION
Kevin Smith |
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By Laura Kestner, Editor
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The DeLeon City Council met in regular
session, Thursday, December 13, 2007 with all members present and
addressed a lengthy agenda.
There were no “Citizen Presentation”
participants, but three individuals were present to discuss their
water bills. Jean Childress was concerned because her bill had gone
up, and wondered if it was going to continue to rise. Council members
explained several factors in the recent rate increase -- including an
increase in what the Upper Leon River Municipal Water District charges
DeLeon for water. Childress said she’d already stopped running her
dishwasher to conserve water, and made several jokes about hoping she
wouldn’t have to bath less often. “I was just wondering if it’s going
to keep going up,” she said. >>Full Story<< |
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STEPHENVILLE -- State Representative
Sid Miller officially announced that he would seek a fifth term in
the Texas House of Representatives. In making his announcement,
Miller, a DeLeon native, the Chairman of the Texas House
Agriculture and Livestock Committee and an appointed member of the
state’s Agriculture Policy Board, said that he looks forward to
continuing representing the values of the hardworking families of
District 59. Miller adds that he still has much work to do in
helping to preserve and strengthen the Texas agriculture interests
that his committee oversees. >>Full Story<< |
By Laura Kestner, Editor
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 It’s
easy to believe Mary Riggs when she says that thanks to her new
business -- Hog Town General Store -- she’s living her dream. As
she describes the process of going into business -- from having
the building built to painting the sign herself and stocking the
store -- her sentences are laced with laughter and you know she’s
really enjoying herself. >>Full Story<< |
Special to the Free Press,
By Dr. Randy Mohundro
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Facility updates and decisions were
the main focus of the regular monthly meeting of the DeLeon ISD
Board of Trustees as they met on December 17. The Board was
briefed by the administration on progress of the work being done
at the former DeLeon Hospital/Clinic facility. >>Full Story<< |
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DeLeon City Hall will close at noon,
Monday, December 24, and remain closed all day Tuesday, December
25, for the Christmas holiday. City Hall will also be closed
January 1, 2008.
Due to the Christmas Holiday water
cutoffs will be on December 27, 2007 instead of the 21.
The trash pickup for the west side of
town will remain the same for Monday, December 24, and Monday,
December 31, but those on the east side of town, scheduled for a
Thursday pick-up, will have their trash picked up on Friday,
December 28, and Friday, January 4.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from all the City employees. |
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FATALITY CRASH. This was the scene early Thursday morning,
December 13, moments after DeLeon Volunteer Firemen had used their
Jaws of Life to open the door on the above pickup which had
crashed headon into a pecan tree. Pamela McLearen, 46, of DeLeon
was traveling westbound on Highway 6 when her pickup left the
roadway on the south side, a short distance west of the Leon River
bridge. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the
Peace Bill Koenig. Deputy Ken Maltby, EMS Director Danny Owen
(back to camera) and several DeLeon firemen are shown. Highway 6
as it goes up the hill to the west can be seen to the right of the
photo. There were no witnesses to the accident, and no certain
cause for the pickup leaving the roadway, although there was a
heavy frost at the time. The accident is believed to have occurred
around 8:25 a.m. and discovered and reported shortly thereafter by
another motorist. McLearen is reported to have been on the cell
phone talking with her husband, Alan, at the time of the accident
and to have given no indication of trouble prior to the crash. |
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