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Cold Springs Storage in Van Alstyne has donated a storage facility for Tim and Kathy Becker who lost their home to fire on April 5.  For those wanting to make donations to the family who lost everything, they can contact Kathy Becker directly at 309-269-9059.

The Beckers lost everything in the fire and have been able to get clothing from Peggy’s Porch.  Monetary donations are being held by the Howe Chamber of Commerce for those interested in making a deposit into that account with Independent Bank.  100 percent of the funds earmarked for the family will go to the Becker family.

Marvin Edward (M.E.) Curtis, age 75 of Howe, passed away on April 10, 2016.  He was born November 16, 1940 in Katie, OK, the son of Ama Harrison and Ruby Inez Stevens Curtis.  He joined the National Guard in 1956 and was mobilized with the 49th Infantry Division and served a year at Ft. Polk, LA.  He met Marie at Southeast High School in Oklahoma City in 1956.  They were married on February 22, 1958 in Oklahoma City.  After high school, they moved to Garland, TX where M.E. worked for Safeway until he went to work for Texas Instruments in 1960.  He worked for T.I. at several locations including Dallas, Sherman, Lubbock and Abilene.  After 30 years, he retired and built M&M’s Place in Howe, TX.  There M.E. started the tradition of the “round table” sessions which continues today at the local Quick Check store.  M.E. and Marie loved to travel with friends.  They loved going to Lake Texoma, where they enjoyed entertaining friends and family at the lake house.  They also enjoyed country music, dancing and singing karaoke.

M.E. was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers (Hubert, Lloyd, Glenn, and Bill) and sister Marilyn.

M.E. is survived by his loving wife Marie, sister Roselyn Brooks and husband Eddie of Katie, OK., daughter Paris Palacios and husband Lee of Howe, daughter Allison Curtis and fiance Joshua of Howe; grandchildren Corey Curtis and Casie of Howe, Syreeta Carter and husband Jay of Plano, Sarah Palacios of Abilene, Keith Roper and wife Patty of Rockwall, Shannon Trammell and husband Matt of Denton, Alandra Roper and fiance Brent of Howe, Lane Roper of Howe; great grandchildren Alex, Olivia, Molly, Malachai, Mattie Jo and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at 2 PM at the First Baptist Church in Howe, TX.  The family will receive friends on Wednesday, April 13, 2016 from 6 to 8 PM at the Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne, TX.

The pallbearers will be Corey Curtis, Keith Roper, Brent Lingle, Jay Carter, Lane Roper, Alex Moore, and Corey Williams.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the American Lung Association.

Marvin “M.E.” Curtis, former owner of the former M&M’s Place and M&M’s Hardware, passed from this earth on Sunday, April 10 after a long battle with illness.  Family night will take place Wednesday evening at Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne from 6 pm to 8 pm. The funeral will be at the First Baptist Church Howe at 2 pm on Thursday.

Full obituary coming soon.

 

The long awaited secret has been revealed.  Palio’s Pizza Cafe is to open in approximately a month and a half in Howe.  Owner Harry Awad says that Howe’s location the smallest town size of any of the 42 Palio’s locations, but thinks the future of the city is bright.

Full story in the coming weeks.

Tim and Kathy Becker’s Howe home suffered a total loss to fire last week.  The loss has left them in tears and without anything.  The Howe Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting donations that will go to help the family.  If interested in helping, please deposit funds into Howe Chamber of Commerce account at Independent Bank (with notation for Becker family) and 100 percent of that money will go towards purchasing the family materials of need.

The family needs everything from forks and spoons to couches and beds.  The chamber is getting the family in touch with Peggy’s Porch for clothing needs.  A fundraiser is being planned as the local churches are being asked to make announcements on Sunday to their congregations for help.

The Beckers moved to Howe nine years ago from Illinois.  “We’ve never needed anything and never asked anyone for anything before.” said Kathy Becker.  “But we need help now.”

Insurance covered the mortgage payment, but the family has to come up with money to have the house demolished as well as a new start.

April 6th – At approximately 6:45 pm off-duty Officer Keith Milks observed a reckless driver on US Highway 75 and saw the occupants throwing beer bottles from vehicle as it was heading toward Howe. Officer Milks notified Officer Jordan Clark, who was on-duty. Officer Clark stopped the driver, a 41-year-old from Holdenville, Oklahoma, on the Valero gas station parking lot and eventually arrested him for DWI and Possession of a Dangerous Drug (un-prescribed medication in his pocket).  A search of the vehicle revealed less than two ounces of Marijuana in the 21 year-old (of Holdenville, Ok) passenger’s purse, leading to her arrest. The third occupant in the vehicle, a 40-year-old man (of Henrietta, Ok), was arrested for Public Intoxication.

You never know when an off duty police officer is driving near you.

SHERMAN, Texas – Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), chairman of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on cybersecurity, will chair a Congressional hearing in Texas’ Fourth District, which will include several U.S. Representatives.

The hearing, titled “Cyber Preparedness and Response at the Local Level,” will assess how state and local first responders prepare for, respond to and investigate cyber incidents. Additionally, the hearing will provide insight into training opportunities for state and local officials to bolster their cyber preparedness and response. It will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 7 in the J.E. and L.E. MaBee Foundation Banquet Hall, Wright Campus Center, Austin College, 1301 E. Brockett, Sherman, TX, 75090.

Ratcliffe is chairing the hearing back home to help expose the prevalence of cyber incidents addressed every day by state and local first responders throughout the country.

“Cybersecurity isn’t just a national security issue – it’s a community issue. Cyber incidents are making up a growing portion of the challenges our state and local first responders face on a daily basis, and they need to be prepared for these evolving threats,” Ratcliffe said.

“It’s important to take a step away from Washington to adequately evaluate cyber preparedness through a local lens, and I’m holding my subcommittee hearing in Sherman to offer that opportunity to those in Congress who will be joining me in leading the charge on this important issue.”

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, expressed his support for Ratcliffe’s leadership on cybersecurity.

“I applaud Rep. Ratcliffe’s leadership on legislation to strengthen our efforts in cyberspace. Cyberattacks against the United States occur every minute of every hour of every day. We must redouble our efforts to ensure we properly protect our networks. Rep. Ratcliffe’s hard work on this important issue has been invaluable,” McCaul said.

Ratcliffe is chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies and formerly served as a federal law enforcement official. In 2015, his original legislation (H.R. 3490) passed the U.S. House of Representatives to help provide state and local law enforcement with the tools they need to fight cyber-crime. This year he’s continuing his focus on brining cybersecurity measures up to speed with the sophistication of cyber threats at both the national and local level.