Author: Howe Enterprise

In a letter from City of Sherman attorneys to City of Howe’s attorney James Tidwell, Sherman confirmed the termination and cancellation of the wastewater agreement between the two cities, effective April 30, 2023. The initial partnership between the two cities on wastewater dates back to 1968.

According to the letter from Sherman, on April 29, 2021, Sherman sent a letter to Howe Attorney James Tidwell and Howe’s city administrator providing notice of multiple events of default of the contract for not paying in a timely manner. Also, attached was a 2-year notice of cancellation of the contract based on the verbiage within the terms. A recent Howe agreement with a developer allowed the debts to Sherman to be paid in full recently. However, this does not alleviate Sherman’s direction of severing the contract and ending Howe’s wastewater treatment by May 15, 2025.

“Sherman appreciates Howe making efforts to pay the amounts it promised and was required to pay under the Agreement in response to that written demand. However, in the two years since that written demand, Howe has failed to provide evidence that it has taken necessary actions to establish alternative means for wastewater treatment and processing, as required under Section II of the Agreement,” the letter states, dated May 3, 2023. The letter goes on to say, “Sherman is no longer willing to reserve capacity in its wastewater system for the benefit of Howe to the detriment of Sherman citizens, businesses, and other ratepayers.”

The document was released by Howe City Councilwoman Sarah Myrick on her Facebook page (listed below) who stated the citizens of Howe have a right to know the (wastewater) situation is not resolved. Howe Mayor Bill French stated on his campaign for re-election Facebook page on April 20, 2023 that he had discussed with Sherman Mayor David Plyler regarding the ongoing relationship and that Sherman will not cancel the existing wastewater treatment agreement with Howe.

“According to Mayor Plyler, there is not, nor has there been, any recent or ongoing discussions to terminate the agreement and stop serving Howe’s sewage and wastewater needs. Any statements to the contrary are rumor or misinformation,” stated French two weeks ago.

Myrick sent the Howe Enterprise the following quote, “Howe faces challenges but together, we will work through them. I respect my neighbors enough to communicate with them to the best of my ability, even when I don’t have all the answers. The mindset that leadership doesn’t need public input to solve problems has no place in our city hall.”

Sherman’s most recent letter to Howe outlines several guidelines for the termination of the contract which is to be placed in front of the Howe City Council.

Howe has a city council and mayor election this Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 7 am to 7 pm at 700 W. Haning Street.

On April 14, 2023, Jeffrey Lynn Brown, 47, of Bonham, was sentenced to 40 years in prison on three separate cases of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) with the intent to deliver. 15TH District Court Judge Jim Fallon sentenced the defendant per the terms of the plea agreement with the State.

On October 5, 2022, Howe Police responded to a report of an overdosed individual at a residence. Officers’ investigation led to the discovery of approximately 212 grams of methamphetamine that the defendant, who was present at the scene, admitted to possessing and selling.

On October 29, 2022, Denison Police conducted a traffic stop on the defendant. After asking the driver, Brown, why he failed to immediately stop for officers, the police were alerted to items of drug paraphernalia and ultimately conducted a search of both the defendant and his vehicle, resulting in the defendant being found in possession of approximately 40 grams of methamphetamine.

On November 11, 2022, Sherman police responded to a welfare concern of an individual passed out in a vehicle at Town Center. When they arrived, police located the defendant who woke up when the police attempted to rouse him. During his interaction with police, the defendant admitted he had meth on his person. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed an additional 40 grams of methamphetamine.

“People who participate in spreading the scourge of methamphetamine on our society by selling it should be punished severely,” said Assistant District Attorney Nathan Young. District Attorney Brett Smith added, “The defendant demonstrated that he was not going to stop selling meth until he was locked up. This lengthy sentence will remove him from the streets for the safety of our community.”

The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney J. Kerye Ashmore and Assistant District Attorney Nathan D. Young. The defendant was represented by criminal defense attorney Britton T. Brooks.

HOWE, Texas – After five years of service to his community, the Howe Police Department’s first-ever K9 cop is hanging up his leash.

K9 Loki, a 13-year-old Jack Russell/Fox Terrier mix, joined the police department in December 2017 after being donated to his owner and handler, Sergeant Keith Milks, by a San Antonio-based non-profit organization that trained him to sniff out drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

In those five years, Loki has played a key role in targeting narcotics traffickers and abusers in Howe and throughout Grayson County. K9 Loki conducted 208 narcotics detection deployments, resulting in the seizure of pounds of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, as well as firearms, vehicles, and tens of thousands of dollars from drug traffickers. His efforts led to the arrest of more than 90 suspects.

“He was always focused and driven, and the best partner I could ever have,” said Milks. “All he wants to do is work.”

Other law enforcement agencies frequently requested the assistance of K9 Loki and he lent his nose to the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, the Denison and Sherman Police Departments, State Troopers, Game Wardens, and the DEA and ATF.

K9 Loki will enjoy his well-deserved retirement with the Milks family and their two Corgis.

The city will honor K9 Loki at its city council meeting on April 18 at 6 p.m.