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Thursday, January 10, 2008	De Leon Free Press — De Leon, Texas 76444	Volume 117, No. 27

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Front Page Headlines

By Jerry Morgan, Reporter

Around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday, January 2, burglars shattered the glass rear door of the Lone Star Shell Convenience store at the intersection of Highways 6 and 16 and entered the closed business.

The thieves were particular in what they were after: primarily Marlboro cigarettes.

Approximately $1,500 in merchandise was missing, not counting the cost of repairing the broken glass door. In addition to Marlboros, Camels, Newports and cigarette lighters were taken.

The thieves didn't discover where the cigarette cartons were stored, or the loss would have been far greater.

The break-in was discovered around 5:00 a.m. by DeLeon PD officer Donna Turnbow.

SMASH AND GRAB IN ACTION. Bandits are pictured early last Wednesday morning filching cigarettes, mainly Marlboros, during their three minute burglary. The same pair likely hit at least two other area convenience stores the same evening.

The store's video security system was in operation during the break-in and recorded high quality images of two burglars, both believed to be male and wearing ski masks, gloves and other winter clothing.

The pair were in the store for only around three minutes as they sacked up individual cigarette packages taken from the shelves.

On the same night, burglars made an apparent attempt to smash the front door of Proctor Grocery. The glass in that door, however, does not shatter, but spiders, similar to auto windshields.

According to store manager Ryan Roberts, no entry was gained and the store's alarm system was never set off. It will cost him $400, however, to repair the door.

Also on the same night, burglars broke into the Country Corner store in Desdemona. After damaging but failing to gain entry through the front door, they broke out a large picture window.

Once inside the store they stole various tobacco products, soft drinks, energy drinks and ice cream.

They also managed to turn on the gas pumps and pumped $31 worth of gasoline, leaving the nozzle on the ground and the pump running. They also left the ice cream freezer door open, causing some product loss due to melting.

Store owner Terry Denson described his total loss as in excess of $1,000. The burglary was believed to have occurred around the same time as the DeLeon break-in and was discovered around the same time.

Whether there is any connection between the perpetrator(s) of the latest incidents and the Freddies Short Stop burglary almost one year earlier is unknown. The burglar(s)' methods of entry and items of interest were very similar, however.

Several involved in the incident seemed to make the same comment about the Marlboro bandits, “This wasn’t their first rodeo.”

Police Chief Ralph Dickey requests anyone who may have seen anything or have knowledge that might be helpful in solving the burglary to please call him at 254-893-3244.

By Laura Kestner, Editor

The Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District met in regular session, Thursday, January 3, with Directors Ed Dittfurth, Jerry Hinshaw, George Bingham, Jerry Fronterhouse and Fred Parker present.

Bingham presided due to the absence of Chairman Rodney Stephens.

Also present were MTGCD staff members Joe Cooper, general manager; Sharon Mainord, administrative assistant, and Wes Burris, field technician. There were three audience members, including two members of the media. There were no participants for the Public Comments section of the agenda. >>Full Story<<

By Jerry Morgan, Reporter

There were more pigs than usual and fewer sheep and market steers at the DeLeon Livestock Show last Saturday, January 5.

As a result, the conclusion of the swine portion of the show, which normally marks the noontime lunch break, did not occur until after 1:30 p.m.

The show judge, Loren Sell, Ag Science teacher from Perrin-Whitt, was a competent and thorough judge who took the time to individually visit with each student exhibitor and explain the basis of his judging. He also fully described his evaluation for the show crowd after the judging had been completed. >>Full Story<<

The County Livestock Barn will be a busy place this coming weekend and early the following week as the 2008 edition of the Comanche County Livestock Show takes place.

DeLeon schools will be closed on Monday, January 14, as more than 60 students will be taking part in the judging along with around 100 of their show animals. >>Full Story<<

“Because of my concern over several issues that have not been resolved in the State Legislature, I announce my candidacy for Texas House District 59,” said Ernie Casbeer. He added, “I send my sincere thanks to those in De Leon who voted for me in 2006, and I ask that you support my campaign again.”

Some of the issues that concern Casbeer are:

• Schools, which are saddled with unfunded mandates, public-private vouchers, and “teaching the test”

• Trans-Texas Corridor, giving foreign developers Texas profits

• Water and the Safe Drinking Water Act, not raising levels of allowable pollution

• Energy questions

• Texas’ prison system.

Casbeer is in his 39th year of teaching government, economics, and world history at McGregor High School, with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Arts Teaching (MAT) from Tarleton State University.

Ernie and his wife, Catherine (“Cat”), live in Oglesby where he currently serves as secretary in the Oglesby Lions Club, and is a member of the Masonic Lodge. They have three daughters and two grandchildren and are members of Zion Lutheran Church in McGregor, where Ernie is an usher and was congregational president and treasurer. He is a director of Rocket Federal Credit Union, having served as president, secretary/treasurer, and chairman of the Supervisory Committee.

“It is time District 59 had a representative dedicated to serve the people of the district, instead of the failed leadership in Austin and the special interest groups,” he said. “I’m running to serve you, and not for the glory of holding office.”

FRIGID ROLLOVER. Late Thursday afternoon, January 3, the van upside down in the background, driven by Julia Hernandez, 22, of Dublin, with three child passengers, suffered what may have been a tire blowout while heading east on Highway 6, near the Highway 1496 intersection. Hernandez apparently locked her brakes and skidded off the roadway, where the wheels dug into the soft dirt on the roadway shoulder and the vehicle rolled over at a relatively slow speed. None of the passengers were reported to have been wearing seatbelts. Hernandez was initially believed to be uninjured, but was then placed on a stretcher and transported to Comanche County Medical Center by ambulance. No one at the hospital would provide any information on Hernandez’ condition, even the minimal amounts of information currently permitted by law. None of the children were believed to have suffered serious injury. Above we see DeLeon PD Sergeant Dustin Paulsen shielding one of the young passengers from the cold south wind by wrapping the child with his warm police uniform coat.