Upshur County News

The Gilmer Independent School District's Summer Food Program, which serves free breakfast and lunches for youngsters ages 1-18, is "going fairly well" overall, despite almost no participation at two of the six serving sites, said Gilmer ISD Food Service Director Roberta Jones.

Upshur County Sheriff's Deputies busted two methamphetamine labs last week. At about 6:30 a.m. last Wednesday, deputies Chad Lanier, K-9 officer David Thompson and his K-9 partner Chiva, Deputy David Cruce, Deputy Cedric Story and Sgt.

BY PHILLIP WILLIAMS Special Correspondent GILMER -- Republican Party of Upshur County Chairwoman Brenda Patterson on Wednesday denied a contention that the local party censured a GOP officeholder, County Clerk Peggy LaGrone, as retaliation for the clerk's adversarial relationship with the chairwoman.

The Upshur County Grassroots TEA Party rally will be July 4 on the Upshur Country Courthouse lawn at 100 West Tyler St., Gilmer, starting with live music from the band Voice of Light at 10:30 a.m. until noon.

Mark Vogl of Gilmer was named Confederate of the Year for 2009 for the Texas Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans at the recent Texas Division Reunion in Waco.

BY PHILLIP WILLIAMS Special Correspondent GILMER -- A 38-year-old Gilmer man died late Wednesday night in a local hospital from injuries received in a two-vehicle accident, which injured his 3-year-old son earlier that evening, authorities said.

BY PHILLIP WILLIAMS Special Correspondent GILMER -- An investigation into Upshur County Judge Dean Fowler's ties with a now-imprisoned former Gilmer attorney has cleared the judge of any criminal wrongdoing, District Attorney Billy Byrd said.

Twelve guilty pleas and four motions to revoke probation were heard June 8 to 12 in 115th District Court in Gilmer, with Judge Lauren Parish presiding.

A Gladewater woman was placed in the Upshur County Jail Tuesday after turning herself in to the Gladewater Police Department and telling them she had murdered her husband.

Pct. 1 Comm. James Crittenden said that Upshur County Clerk Peggy LaGrone used the a oeNa word in describing her plans to get rid of an employee in the Clerka s Office after her election in 2006.

Lightning and wind caused numerous power outages Wednesday night and Thursday, affecting SWEPCO and Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative customers in Gilmer and Upshur County.

To quote Motley Crue, "smokin' in the boys room" wasn't the death of Michael McMillan.

Standing in front of a row of archery targets Wednesday, Cole Easley pulled back the string of a bow and aimed for a bulls-eye. The arrow flew, missing the target and flying into a bale of hay.

An Upshur County woman has died following a two-vehicle wreck Saturday morning. According to Department of Public Safety reports, Nina Crow, 69, of Diana, was traveling north on U.S. Highway 259, just north of Farm-to-Market Road 3245, about 8:20 a.m. when she stopped in the roadway due to possible mechanical problems.

An early morning accident in Upshur County takes the life of an East Texas woman.

The Upshur County Sheriffa s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating an alleged assault on a convert to Islam in the county.

More than 1,000 AEP/SWEPCO power customers in Gregg County are without power this morning, according to the SWEPCO Web site.

A Gilmer man was arrested May 30 in Marion County and charged with indecency with a child by sexual contact.

The case of Sabine Independent School District Superintendent Stacey Bryce, who was charged with driving while intoxicated, has been filed formally in county court in Upshur County, according to Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd.

An Upshur County jury indicted a Gilmer man this week on a charge of endangering a child.