Gunter News

The Gunter fire department spent much of their day trying to control a grassfire off maples road just east of the city.

The Children's Chorus of Greater North Texas is auditioning and registering singers in grades K through 2 for Music Makers and grades 3 through 9 for Concert Choir.

LUV Homes of Denison staff and volunteers hosted a flea market on April 26, 2008 that raised $1,006 for the Alzheimer's Association.

In a small town where a sense of community reigns supreme, the vision of The Mission program is to provide less fortunate neighbors with food and life enrichment.

Dear Gunter Gal,

I am excited about Gunter Police Department’s new K-9 officer, Dolton. Is there anything he needs that isn’t already being provided?

Signed,

Delighted About Dolton

Dear Delighted,

I checked with Gunter’s Police Chief Tony Thomas to find out if Officer Dolton was completely outfitted with everything he needed.

According to Chief Thomas, “We haven’t gotten funding to purchase Officer Dolton a (bullet-proof) vest yet, but would really like him to have one.”

So, readers, if you would like to help provide Dolton a bullet-proof vest, please contact Chief Thomas at 903-433-1717 or CityofGunter@axcessisp.net.

Signed,

Gunter Gal

GunterGal@GCECisp.com

The City of Gunter is adding a new officer to their Police Department. The new officer, Dolton, will specialize in fighting drug use, searching for lost persons and performing other duties. What makes Dolton so unique is he’s not human…..he’s a dog and is Gunter Police Department’s new Canine Patrol.

Two-and-a-half year old Dolton, a German Shepherd weighing 68 pounds, is trained to detect marijuana, methamphetamines, amphetamines, cocaine (both crack and powder forms), ecstasy, firearms and a few other scents. He is also skilled in tracking (both lost persons and criminal searches), building searches and handler protection.

Gunter will be one of only two police departments in Grayson County that has a Canine Unit (Sherman being the other city).

“We (Gunter) have to start acting like a bigger city now so when we become a big city we will be ready" - Gunter Police Chief Tony Thomas

According to Chief Thomas, “Most people here in Gunter have no idea what comes through our city on a daily basis. With the increased patrolling of I-75 for drug transportation, many of those people are now traveling Hwy. 289/Preston Road as an alternate route.”

Currently, officers must obtain a search warrant to look inside a car if they suspect drugs are in it. Canine units, however, can conduct “open air” searches where the dog merely walks around the vehicle. If the dog “hits” (detects a scent), the car doors are then opened and the canine begins its search inside the car.

Since Gunter’s Police Officers do not patrol with partners, having a canine officer capable of conducting building searches is very important for officer safety as well as catching criminals. Also, since Officer Dolton is trained to track missing persons, he will be instrumental in finding lost children or other people who might get lost.

Dear Gunter Gal,

Is the city ever going to patch the holes on Tiger Lane? I’m considering buying a Jeep just to get my kid to the Middle School.

Signed,

Perturbed About Pot Holes

Dear Perturbed,

Yes, that one hole that is just off Hwy. 289 is a doozy! And how about that speed bump? Yikes!

I checked with city of Gunter employee, Kevin Price, regarding scheduled pot hole repairs. Price said that the city has temporarily patched some of the holes on Tiger Lane until the school year ends. Once school ends, they will be completely re-topping Tiger Lane. They estimate it will be mid to early June.

Price also noted that Preston Glen Drive will be re-done, pot holes in The Woods of Preston will be fixed and other repairs around Gunter made.

Signed,

Gunter Gal

Have a question about Gunter? Send it to Gunter Gal at GunterGal@GCECisp.com.

Dear Gunter Gal,

The speed limits in town changed unexpectedly recently. And the new speed limits don’t make any sense. The new school zone limit is higher than the previous one just down the road. Why were they changed and who came up with the new speed limits?

Signed,

Pushing the Limits

Dear Pushing,

I know what you mean……one morning I pulled out onto Hwy. 289 and was greeted by one of the new speed limit signs. I checked with Mayor Mark Millar to find out what had happened.

To answer the second part of your question first, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) determines the speed limit on Hwy. 289. So, the City of Gunter has no voice in the process.

According to Millar, the subject of speed limits came up quite some time ago when Gunter’s new Elementary School was about to open. Gunter ISD contacted the City to request that the school zone be moved from the old Elementary School to the new one. The City contacted TxDOT’s District Office who sent a traffic engineer to Gunter to perform a traffic study. They recorded traffic information along Hwy. 289 for approximately three days.

Millar said, “Texas state law requires TxDOT to set speed limits within no more than five mph based on the traffic study conducted. Gunter’s study determined that the speed limits should be higher in some sections and lower in others. “

School zone speed limits can not be less than 15 mph under that section of road’s regular speed limit. Thus, when TxDOT raised the speed limit of that section of Hwy. 289 to 50 mph, the school zone’s maximum speed became 35 mph. So the location of the new school versus the previous site doesn’t have any bearing on the new school zone speed limit.

By the way, kudos to the Gunter Police Department for monitoring that section of Hwy. 289 very closely to enforce the new school zone speed limits!

As I mentioned,TxDOT has the right to determine and post the new speed limit signs in Gunter. The City of Gunter does have the right to not adopt them, but if they don’t, then the City and its Police Department cannot enforce them. Thus, if the speed limits are not adopted by the City then Gunter would essentially have no speed limits whatsoever along Hwy. 289.

Do you have a burning question about Gunter or the surrounding area? ;-) Write me at GunterGal@GCECisp.com.

Gunter folks have an opportunity to “Perk Up Our Park!” Saturday, June 21st, from 9 a.m. to noon, volunteers are needed to help assemble table and bench kits. The kits are being donated by Smith Design and Dee Smith will be instructing volunteers on assembling them. Hot dogs and drinks will be provided by Landmark Bank for those volunteering.

At the same time, Gunter’s Police Department will be volunteering their time to repair and repaint the playground equipment and other areas of City Park.

Councilwoman and Park Board Member, Leiliani Holloway, and Gunter Police Chief Tony Thomas are coordinating the effort.

We are so excited to be able to do this for our park!

enthused Holloway. “Smith Design is very generous to donate the tables and benches and I am delighted our police department is so willing to give of their time to beautify our park.”

Holloway also noted that June is the perfect time to do the repairs and add the tables and benches. “With the upcoming 4th of July event, it will be great to have everything looking so nice for it,” Holloway said.

Gunter’s police officers Chief Tony Thomas, Sergeant Bryce Kennedy and Corporal Julie Steenbergen, travelling together in one of the department’s patrol trucks, were on their way back from a meeting Thursday, May 22, about 1:30 p.m. when they received a dispatch call about a reckless driver on a motorcycle on Highway 289 who was passing people and driving erratically.

Gunter police spotted the motorcycle at Highway 289 and Sharp Road in Gunter and both vehicles entered the intersection of Hwy 289 and FM 121 near the same time. Chief Thomas, who was driving, turned on the police truck’s lights in an attempt to pull over the motorcycle. The motocycle’s driver, who had a female passenger, turned westbound on FM 121.

Gunter police’s Cpl. Julie Steenbergen called for assistance from Tioga Police Department but no one was available. She then contacted Collinsville Police who started toward Tioga.

The motorcycle’s driver turned onto Kardum Lane east of Tioga. Gunter’s police vehicle had lost sight of the motorcycle but saw the dust and continued the pursuit down Kardum Lane.

The driver and his passenger made their way back to Hwy. 377, headed north and were met by the Collinsville unit. Still refusing to pull over, Collinsville police initiated pursuit with the vehicle too. Once in Whitesboro city limits, Grayson County Sheriff’s Department, Whitesboro Police and Grayson County’s Constable’s Office joined in the chase.

With speeds reaching up to 150 mph, the motorcycle continued fleeing and crossed the Red River on Hwy. 377. Finally, about 12 miles into Oklahoma, near Kingston, the driver wrecked the motorcycle as he tried to turn onto a gravel road.

Arrested at the scene by Oklahoma’s Highway Patrol was Jared Hawkins, 36, of Plano. Hawkins was being held in Marshall County jail on a charge of possession of a stolen motor vehicle. His passenger, an unidentified female, was determined to not be involved with the crimes committed and was released.

Gunter Police Department Chief Thomas said they will be charging Hawkins with kidnapping, reckless driving and evading arrest with a motor vehicle.

Celina, Prosper, Gunter, and Weston fire departments responded to an electrical fire spewing smoke into the Celina High School library at 3:15 p.m. today.

Rundown of calls by the Celina Fire Department from May 19 to 25 compiled by Jim Kilpatrick.

A high speed chase that started in Gunter, Texas, early Thursday afternoon had law enforcement in hot pursuit of two people on a motorcycle, reaching speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour.

Wilson N. Jones Medical Center Foundation awarded $20,000 in scholarships at a Community Scholarship Awards Banquet on April 17th held at the Austin College Wright Center.

Cherokee County Christian School pre-K students, from left, Lane Gilchrest, Landon Gates, Mya Gunter and Baileigh Barrera design their own floral arrangements at Flowers by Janea flower shop in Rusk - just in ... via Jacksonville Daily Progress

“She had been abandoned; her mother I guess didn't just want to throw her away. Her mother put her in the backend of the pickup and later called the place to make sure someone found the baby.”

On April 5, 1990, Bill Kotch of Jones, Oklahoma, found himself in an unbelievable situation. via KXII-TV Sherman

Members of the band are Deborah Leake, vocals, George Kirby, fiddle, Mike Gattis, vocals and lead guitar, Tom Hackney, rhythm guitar and vocals, Mike Vaughan, drums, Gregg Gunter, bass and vocals, and Bill ... via North Texas e-News

A fire ripped through a garage in Van Alstyne on Monday. Firefighters say it happened Monday afternoon on Oil Mill Road in Van Alstyne. via KXII-TV Sherman

“The store owner was so impressed that I recognized some of these names that she lowered the price”

L illian Wolfe , who died March 14, touched so many lives it would be impossible to enumerate them. via Dallas Morning News

Local Crime Blotters TX DPS News Release for 3/10/2008 Updated: From news release: At approximately 5:45 AM Texas Highway Patrol Troopers were called to a two vehicle crash in Northeast Collin County. via KTEN-TV Denison