Category: Howe News Bulletin

In a press conference earlier today, Grayson County Sheriff Tom Watt stated that on July 19, Fire Marshal Kevin Walton and Assistant Fire Marshal Kerry Price were terminated from the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office.  Watt said the action was due to findings of an Internal Affairs Investigation that began on July 11, 2017.  Walton and Price now have five days to appeal their decision.

The investigation found conduct that could be considered criminal in nature; specifically Forgery of a Government Document.  The information from this investigation has been forwarded to the Grayson County District Attorney’s Office to determine if criminal charges will be filed.  Due to possible criminal charges, Watt said that it is still considered an open investigation.

The documents were inspection forms in regards to protective equipment which eventually became related to an audit.

Watt stated that the Grayson County Fire Marshals were transferred from Office of Emergency Management to the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office a short time ago.

“During that handoff time, we received the information from the Office of Emergency Management’s (Coordinator) Sarah Somers,” said Watt.  “We looked into it and determined that indeed there was something there and we needed to investigate it.”

Watt will wait until the appeal process concludes before seeking to fill the positions.

Click here for the photo gallery of the press conference.

Persons who had reserved seating from last year have until August 3, 2017 to renew their seats.  On August 7, 2017 reserved seating will be open to the public for purchase.

Reserved seating of $25 per seat assures you a designated seat for the varsity games for the five home games of the season.  Game admission tickets are $5.00 for adults and $3 for students and must be purchased at the gate. Reserved seats may be purchased at the high school office.

In a five-hour special meeting, the Howe ISD Board of Trustees listened to two architectural firms and four construction companies that came to sell their services for the upcoming planned new construction for an intermediate school.  In order to build the facility, a November bond would have to pass which would allow for the relief of the overcrowded elementary and middle school campuses.

The board took no action in determining an architectural firm and decided to get more background information on the two companies (Corgan Architects, and WRA Architects) that made presentations.  They did, however, decide on a construction company.  Howe ISD Superintendent Kevin Wilson made the recommendation to go with Gallagher Construction due to their resources and the ability to get the project done with less of a possibility for a delay.  The board also discussed that since the fact that the ISD had previously determined the delivery method they wanted, it made Gallagher the best fit.   Gallagher also has a relationship with Howe as they constructed the current High School in 2000.  Clint Catching made the motion to accept Gallagher Construction while Jeff Denham second the motion.

Three other construction companies made presentations to the board which included Lee Lewis Construction, Inc., Piazza Construction, LTD, and Plyler Construction.  Wilson stated that each company would have been very capable of providing the needs of the district.

The board will meet next Monday to determine the architectural firm.

A detailed article will appear in Monday’s Howe Enterprise.

Photos from the meeting

J.C. Waller, Jr. passed away peacefully from this earth on July 4, 2017, at the Texoma Medical Center in Denison, TX.

He was born in the Farmington Community on September 14, 1926, the son of James C. (Tack) Waller and Annie Marie Barrow Waller. He lived his entire life within five miles from where he was born.

J.C. attended Farmington School and then graduated from Howe High School. He then served in the United States Army in Germany.
He married Carrie Ellen McLain on October 2, 1970, at the First Christian Church in Van Alstyne, TX. They have one son, Joe Henry Elliott of San Diego, CA.

J.C. was always involved in the local community. He was a member of the Howe Methodist Church, Howe City Council, Volunteer Fire Department serving as Fire Chief, Howe Athletic Booster Club, Howe PTA, Howe Ag Booster Club, Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society and he was a co-originating member of the Howe Ex-Student Association. He was also a member of the Hall Cemetery Board. J.C. and his wife co-authored the Hall Cemetery Book. J.C was a Howe FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer and was involved in the Loy Lake Livestock Show, Grayson County Fair, he was a life member of Texoma Exposition and Livestock Show and a volunteer for Howe FFA students at Loy Lake. He was the Chamber of Commerce “Citizen of the year” in 1997. J.C. served behind the scene for all the organizations his wife was involved in. 

J.C. is survived by his wife Carrie of 46 years, son, Joe and his sister, Oma Waller Church of Dallas, TX.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Harold Lloyd Waller, sister, Annabelle Waller Selby, and sister, Helen Waller Robertson.
Donations may be made in J.C’s honor to the Save the Church Fund, P.O. Box 250 Howe, TX 75459.

Visitation will be held on Friday, July 7th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne, TX.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, July 8, 2017, at the Howe Methodist Church in Howe, TX with Pastor Zach Landis officiating. Burial will follow at the Hall Cemetery in Howe, TX. Services are under the direction of Scoggins Funeral Home & Crematory, 637 W. Van Alstyne Parkway Van Alstyne, TX 75495.

Pallbearers will be Erick Akins, Randy Matthews, Chris Renfro, Tommy Robinson, Billy Joe Wheeler and Mike Thurston. Honorary Pallbearers will be James Rogers, James Lassiter, and Ray Selby.

The online register book may be signed at www.scogginsfuneralhome.com

On June 28 at approximately 6:11 am, the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a possible burglary in progress at Cavender Motors in Van Alstyne with a description of a vehicle leaving the business.  The deputy arrived in the area and made contact with a vehicle matching the given description being driven by Scott Culley, a 41-year-old white male. The deputy noticed brush guards on a trailer being pulled by the vehicle.  A representative from Cavender Motor’s arrived on the scene claiming the items on the trailer belonged to their company and the driver did not have permission to remove them from the property.

Culley was arrested for Theft of Property $750<$2500 ENH.  He is currently in the Grayson County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

It is unknown at this time if any other parties were involved, the Sheriff’s Office is still investigating.

In a separate, but possibly related incident later that evening at approximately 10:37 pm, the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a fire at Cavender Motors in Van Alstyne.  The fire is being investigated by the Grayson County Fire Marshal.  Unknown if the two incidents are linked but are under investigation.