JAILER ARRESTED FOR IMPROPER RELATIONSHIP — A jailer at the Wise County Jail was arrested this weekend after an investigation into a possible improper relationship with an inmate. Anayde Rivera, 33, was charged with improper sexual activity with a person in custody, a second degree felony. Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin said Rivera was arrested around noon Sunday while trying to cross the International Bridge in El Paso. Akin said after they were advised of a possible improper relationship, a cursory investigation confirmed some of the alleged information and the investigation was turned over to a Texas Ranger. Evidence was then collected to obtain an arrest warrant. Rivera, whose employment was terminated last week, is expected to be transported back to Wise County in the coming days.
RUNOFF EARLY VOTING BEGINS — Early voting in the May 24 primary runoff election begins today. Local races still to be decided include county clerk and Precinct 4 commissioner on the Republican ballot. Other races on the Republican ballot include five local Republican precinct chairs, attorney general, the commissioner of the General Land Office and railroad commissioner. The Democratic runoff ballot includes four state races: lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller of public accounts and commissioner of the general land office. Early voting will take place 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily today through Friday at the four regular early voting locations: the Wise County Court Office Building, 308 W. Main St. in Decatur (parking and entrance on north side of building), Boyd Community Center at 420 E. Morton Ave., Alvord City Hall at 215 W. Elm and the Bridgeport Law Enforcement Center at 1000 Thompson. A full story was featured in the weekend Wise County Messenger on newsstands and online at wcmessenger.com now.
POWERFUL STORMS — A fast-moving storm prompted a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Wise County Sunday evening. High winds caused power lines to spark and knocked out power to 360 Oncor customers in the Boyd and Aurora area. As of 7:20 a.m. Monday, 25 customers in the area remained without power. The estimated repair time is by noon. Today’s high will “only” be 89 degrees, but temperatures in the upper 90s will return for the remainder of the week.
MISSING WOMAN FOUND — First responders searched Saturday through this morning for a missing woman in the Boonsville area and found her safe just after 8 a.m. Monday. Sharon Thun, 79, had last seen Saturday after she left the area on County Road 3840 with her beagle dog. Medics had been called to check on her as Update was going to press. The dog was found safe as well.
FIRE DESTROYS BUILDING — Fire destroyed a metal building housing a mobile home RV and other items on County Road 4421 between Decatur and New Fairview Saturday morning. East Wise, Decatur, Rhome and Newark firefighters battled the blaze just east of U.S. 81/287. Wise County EMS also responded. Wise County Fire Marshal Jeff Doughty said the building was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. “It looks like it started in the bay where the mobile home is. That is where the bulk of the fire is,” Doughty said. The building contained four different bays. Billows of smoke poured from the building as firefighters worked the scene. The fire was originally reported as an airplane hangar. A small airfield is in the area with several hangars at residences.
MCDONALD’S FIRE — Fire forced the evacuation of the Decatur McDonald’s Sunday. The fire on an outside wall was quickly contained and extinguished. Decatur Assistant Fire Chief Deroy Bennett said it appeared a cigarette was tossed into the landscaping mulch and sparked a fire that caught the plywood in the wall on fire.
STATE TRACK RESULTS — Chico junior Brennan Anderle jumped 6-04 to place fourth Friday in the 2A boys high jump at the University of Texas at Austin’s Mike A. Myers Stadium. Alvord’s Laney Mitchell finished sixth in 12.46 in the 2A girls 100. In 5A, Northwest’s Anaya Potter finished seventh in the girls high jump at 5-04. Andrew Lutkenhaus ran 1:57.25 for eighth place in the boys 800. Kenan Reil was sixth in the boys 110 hurdles (14.33), seventh in the boys 300 hurdles (38.22) and ninth in the boys long jump (20-10.75). The Texans’ 4×400 of George Wheatley, Lutkenhaus, Sam Smith and Reil clocked 3:22.59 and finished seventh.
PLAYOFF BASEBALL RESULTS — Decatur (15-15-1) was knocked out of the postseason after suffering a 17-0 loss to Stephenville in the 4A area round Friday. Boyd (23-6-2) was swept in a 3A area matchup by Pottsboro after a 2-1 loss in Game 2 Friday.
DISD HIRES BASKETBALL COACHES — Decatur ISD has filled its two high school basketball head coaching vacancies, and one is a familiar face. The school board Thursday approved the hiring of Jacob Bell as head boys’ basketball coach and Drew Coffman as head girls’ basketball coach. Coffman was previously DHS boys basketball coach. Read more online at wcmessenger.com.
BLOOD DRIVE — The City of Bridgeport will host a Carter BloodCare blood drive 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesday at 2159 10th St. The Carter BloodCare bus will be in the parking lot. Donors can secure a spot with any of these options: call 800-366-2834, visit CarterBloodCare.org and click the Donate Now tab or call Natalie Bilby at 940-683-3413.
DECATUR SCHOOL BOARD — The Decatur School Board will canvass the vote from the May 7 election, seat new board members and elect new officers at its meeting at 6 tonight at the DISD Administration Building.
NEW FAIRVIEW COUNCIL — The New Fairview council will choose a mayor pro tem and discuss filling the open Place 3 seat during its meeting at 7 tonight.
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY MEETING — The Wise County Genealogical Society will meet 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Decatur Public Library. The program will be on understanding our DNA results. Bring your laptop with your DNA results.
DECATUR XC MEETING — The Decatur High School Cross-Country kick off meeting is 6 tonight in the DHS cafeteria. This meeting is for all interested runners and parents for the 2022-23 school year. Contact coach David Park at david.park@decaturisd.us.
FUNERALS — Graveside service for Billy Cobb Sr., 65, of Bridgeport is 11 a.m. Tuesday at Sweetwater Cemetery in Decatur. Family visitation is 9:30-10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
SERVICES for Tina Turvaville, 59; LaWanda McAlister, 67; and Kathleen Ashely, 90, all of Decatur are pending at Hawkins-Decatur.
GRAVESIDE service for Connie Mayo, 67, of Chico is 2 p.m. Tuesday at Ryan Cemetery in Ryan, Okla. Family visitation is 6-8 tonight at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
SERVICES for Allen Williamson, 47, of Runaway Bay and Margaret Reynolds, 75, of Chico are pending at Hawkins-Bridgeport.
SERVICE for Johnny Ray Gaston, 74, of Fort Worth is pending at Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd.
GRAVESIDE service for William Homer Hamilton, 79, of Bridgeport is 2 p.m. Wednesday at Eastside Cemetery in Bridgeport. Hudson & Torres Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport is handling arrangements.
SERVICE for Jason Wayne Schulz, 48, of Boyd is 11 a.m. June 4 at Western Star Cowboy Church in Springtown.
SERVICE for Joe Ted Fortenberry, 70, of Fort Worth, formerly of Slidell/Greenwood, is 1 p.m. Saturday at the Gage Cantina in Decatur.
