Woman gets black Eye on Black Friday

Mother claims toddler caught in the middle
of supercenter melee

LIVINGSTON — A Houston woman spent the final moments of her Thanksgiving holiday in jail after a physical altercation at the start of the “Black Friday” sale at the Livingston Walmart Supercenter. 

Rhonda Lynette Bland, 42, of Houston was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct,  both Class C misdemeanors at about 11 p.m. Thursday.

Det. Leon Middleton of the Livingston Police Department said Bland was weaving her way through the crowded store and was being belligerent to other customers and using foul language. 

Alicia Spore, 22, of Livingston said her mother “suckered” her into helping her bag bargains at Wal-Mart. Spore said she had never before been to Black Friday events. 

Rhonda Bland

Spore was attempting to push her shopping cart down the aisle with her 2-year-old child inside between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Thursday when another shopper’s cart collided with hers. 

“I just stopped. I didn’t want to start anything because it was so crowded,” Spore said. “A woman behind me started cussing and this woman (later identified as Bland) stuck her finger in my face and said “you’re not going to talk that way in front of my f---ing child.”

Spore added that throughout the ordeal that ensued, she never saw a child with Bland. 

DPS Trooper Sammy Lattner was working security at the store Thursday night with Middleton.

Both officers said Bland swung at Spore and missed. Spore, who could not escape from Bland due to the crowd, swung back and — as is apparent in the photo taken by Polk County jailers — her punch hit Bland in the eye.

Lattner said witnesses believe the toddler was also struck in the “free for all” that followed.

Middleton said military personnel who were also shopping in the store broke up the fight. A store manager escorted Spore and her child to the front of the store where officers interviewed her. 

During that interview, witnesses pointed out Bland and identified her as “the woman who caused all the trouble.”

Lattner added that of the approximately 25 witnesses who came forward, all blamed Bland for the incident. 

Spore said she asked Bland to back up.

“Our noses were almost touching,” Spore said. 

“She pushed me in the face and told me to back up. I leaned over the buggy and put my arms over my child to protect her. Then (Bland) swung at me.”

Spore said she shouted for her girlfriend, Winona Osborn who is a recent Livingston High School graduate who served as student commander of the JROTC, and now is a criminal justice major and ROTC cadet at Angelina College.

Spore pushed her buggy toward Osborn and Osborn took charge of the toddler.

Spore said she then punched Bland in the face, sending her into a glass display case. 

Osborn told Spore that five men lifted her up and away from Bland. While Spore was in the air she kicked her foot and landed another blow on Bland’s face.

Spore said the men put her down to help quiet her daughter who was screaming for her. Someone had begun escorting Bland to the front of the store. 

Another store manager who Spore identified as “Dwayne” escorted her and her family to the front of the store. 

Det. Middleton emphasized that the incident was not due to customers fighting over a bargain, but was solely due to Bland’s intoxicated state.

“We were talking to Ms. Spore when witnesses pointed out Ms. Bland and said, ‘that’s the woman that caused all the problems, and I think she’s drunk’,” Middleton said. 

“When we confronted her she was definitely intoxicated and she was arrested for public intoxication right there. We gathered more information and charged her with disorderly conduct for fighting,” Middleton added. 

An ambulance was called at Spore’s request. 

She said her daughter was evaluated at Memorial Medical Center-Livingston because she was afraid that the youngster would develop signs of a head injury later in the night. 

During the interview Friday, Spore said the child only had a small red mark on her cheek and was fine.

Spore’s shirt was ripped off during the fight, which left her with “sort of a burn mark.” Spore said, fortunately she was wearing an undershirt. She has another bruise from where Bland grabbed her by the arm.

Cpl. Lattner said the rest of his shift was uneventful. 

“By 1 a.m., it was a cakewalk,” Middleton said. “It was as quiet as a routine week night at the store.”

Both Lattner and Spore said they’ll pass on spending any part of future Thanksgiving weekends fighting the crowd.

Texas history on CSPAN 3 for the Thanksgiving weekend

Save Texas History Symposium session on the Mexican retreat after San Jacinto to air

AUSTIN — The nation will feast on some Texas history — among other things — this weekend when CSPAN 3 airs a session from the 2011 Save Texas History Symposium.

Wharton pediatrician and “avocational archeologist” Dr. Gregg Dimmick tells the story of the Mexican Army’s retreat after the battle of San Jacinto in the segment, which will air at 10:20 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 27; at 5:20 p.m. on Saturday Dec. 3; and at 4:20 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4 on CSPAN 3.  For schedule updates, check http://www.c-spanvideo.org/schedule/

Dimmick was one of the speakers at the 2011 Save Texas History Symposium, held at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center Oct. 1. Proceeds from the annual Save Texas History Symposium go toward the General Land Office’s Save Texas History program, which promotes education and preservation of historic documents and maps.

Dimmick, author of Sea of Mud:  The Retreat of the Mexican Army after San Jacinto, tells of his work that literally rewrote the history of the Mexican Army’s ill-fated 1836 retreat from Texas, in which more than 2,500 Mexican soldiers and 1,500 female camp followers became bogged down in the muddy fields of what is now Wharton County.

To learn more about Save Texas History, visit www.SaveTexasHistory.org.

NWS update

As of 3:21 p.m. National Weather Service meteorologist Kent Prochazka says the most intense portion of the thunderstorms are currently directly over Onalaska, tracking along the Trinity County line and headed for Leggett and Moscow.
Smaller cells are moving through Segno and the Alabama-Coushatta reservation, also headed for Moscow and Corrigan.
"More showers and thunderstorms are moving into the area and there is definitely more rain ahead, so enjoy it while you can," Prochazka said.
He added that the City of Livingston was outside the track of the worst storms.
The tornado warning for Polk County has expired. A severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect until 5 p.m.

TORNADO WARNING

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for western Polk County, central San Jacinto County and southern Trinity County until 3:30 p.m.
Doppler radar indicates a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. This storm was located near Coldspring, moving north at 30 mph. This storm has a history of producing tornado damage.
Locations in the tornado warning include but are not limited to Leggett, Lake Livingston State Park, Seven Oaks, Onalaska and Livingston.
Precautionary/preparedness actions,
The safest place to be during a tornado is in the interior hallway or a room such as a closet on the lowest level of a sturdy building. Use blankets or pillows to cover your body and always stay away from windows.
If you are inside a mobile home or vehicle, evacuate them immediately and seek shelter inside a sturdy building. As a last resort, seek shelter in a culvert, ditch or low spot and cover your head with your hands.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 4pm CST for the warned area.

Severe thunderstorm watch through 4 p.m.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of Eastern Texas and coastal waters.   Effective from 9 a.m.  until 4 p.m. CST Tuesday: Hail to 1.5 inches in diameter...  thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph... and dangerous lightning are possible in these areas, the NWS said. The Severe Thunderstorm Watch area is approximately along and 105 statute miles north and south of a line from 45 miles south southwest of College Station Texas to 45 miles east southeast of Lufkin Texas. Remember... a Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes. As the upper wave shifts eastward through southern Texas and air mass continues to destabilize... thunderstorms are expected to intensify through the day.  Elevated storms developing over portions of southeastern TX will have an increasing chance for severe hail the next couple of hours. As the air mass continues warming...  the wind threat should increase this afternoon. Aviation... a few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to 1.5 inches.  Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with  maximum tops to 450. Mean storm motion vector 24030.

DETCOG board to meet at Cho-Yeh Thursday

LIVINGSTON – The Board of Directors of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) will hold their regular monthly meeting on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011 at the Camp Cho-Yeh Convention Center in Livingston.  A luncheon will be served at noon, with the board meeting to follow.

Welcoming members and guests to Polk County will be Polk County Judge, John Thompston; Polk County Commissioner, Bob Willis; the Mayor of Livingston, Clarke Evans; Livingston City Commissioner, Ray Hill; Alabama-Coushatta Representative, Ronnie Thomas;  Trinity River Authority Representative, Bill Holder; and Polk County Minority Representative, Elgin Davis.

DETCOG’s President, Lonnie Hunt, would like to extend an invitation to the meeting to all interested parties.  Anyone needing information concerning these meetings may contact the Deep East Texas Council of Governments office in Jasper at 409-384-5704.

DOJ rejects Texas' redistricting plan

DC Court denies summary judgment for preclearance of State House, State Senate and Congressional maps. Court will draw interim maps.


The nonprofit group the Lone Star Project is reporting that a three-judge panel in the DC Federal District Court denied a motion by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott that all three Texas redistricting plans be approved without a trial on the merits of the plans.
The Court ruling has the practical effect of blocking the use of the Republican plans for the 2012 elections.
Congressional, State House and State Senate plans used for the 2012 elections will now be drawn by a three judge federal panel in San Antonio. The Texas Court is expected to order new plans by the end of November.
"Texas Republican's opted to draw illegal redistricting plans by undermining the rights of millions of Texas voters, said Matt Angle, executive director of the Lone Star Project. "The DC Federal Court rebuked that strategy today."
"The Court has justified the efforts those with the courage and tenacity to fight Texas Republican leaders. Leaders like Representative Marc Veasey, Senator Wendy Davis and Tarrant County Commissioner Roy Brooks deserve credit for standing up for Texas voters."
Texas Republicans have pursued a cynical strategy to draw overtly partisan maps by undermining the voting strength of Hispanic and African American voters. They attempted to avoid strong enforcement of the US Voting Rights Act by avoiding the US Department of Justice and seeking approval directly from the federal courts. The GOP strategy has failed badly. After squandering hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in taxpayer money on legal and administrative fees, the GOP plans cannot be used for the 2012 elections.
The Court order states:
"Having carefully considered the entire record and the parties’ arguments, the Court finds and concludes that the State of Texas used an improper standard or methodology to determine which districts afford minority voters the ability to elect their preferred candidates of choice and that there are material issues of fact in dispute that prevent this Court from entering declaratory judgment that the three redistricting plans meet the requirements of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act." (emphasis added)
and  "the District Court for the Western District of Texas must designate a substitute interim plan for the 2012 election cycle by the end of November.

See the Court Order Here

Additional weather alert

The National Weather Service is reporting that conditions are favorable for tornadoes and hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter for the Southeast Texas area, including Polk County. 
Wind gusts of up to 70 mph are predicted with dangerous lightning possible. 
The watch area extend 50 miles north and south of a line from 40 miles southwest of Huntsville to 45 miles northeast of Port Arthur. 
A tornado water means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and near the watch area. Be on the lookout for threatening water. 




This weather alert is NOT part of a planned nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System. At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, all broadcast media wil air a 30-second test of the national EAS system. Viewers should not confuse this planned test with any current weather information.

Tornado Warning

Good news: It's raining.
Bad new: We're under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. tonight. We're report any serious weather-related news or warnings here as the situation changes.

One car rollover traps driver Friday


Livingston Police Officer Kaleb Barker examines an overturned vehicle on U.S. 59 South at the intersection with Business 59 that occurred at about 7 p.m. Friday. The driver was freed from the vehicle by Livingston firefighters and  taken to Memorial Medical 
Center-Livingston by Americare EMS. The cause of the crash is under investigation. When the vehicle came to rest, the sign was resting on top of it. TxDOT crews were called to attempt repairs or erect temporary signage.
Officer Dallas Early and 
Sgt. Darrell Newman spoke to several witnesses at the crash scene. 

TxDOT to hold I-69 open house in Cleveland Thursday

AUSTIN—The I-69 Segment Two Committee will host an open house this week to give Texans another opportunity to talk to members and to comment on the group’s recommendations and priorities for the development of I-69.

Citizens are invited to attend Thursday’s open house from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Cleveland Civic Center, 210 Peach Avenue. No presentation will be given so citizen can come and go at their convenience. 

The informal setting is designed to give people a chance to talk to committee members and provide feedback on proposed recommendations.

Background information will be available on the purpose and history of the I-69 Advisory Committee as well as the five I-69 Segment Committees. Also available for viewing will be an I-69 informational video and maps with the Segment Two Committee’s preliminary comments, recommendations and priorities. Citizens are encouraged to review the maps and contribute ideas and feedback. 

“Citizen input and participation is important in the Segment Committee process,” said Andy Dill, Segment Two Committee member and President of the Community Chamber of Commerce of East Montgomery County.  

“I encourage citizens to attend the open house because their comments and ideas will be used in the Committee’s final recommendations.” 

The I-69 Segment Two Committee is one of five regional citizen advisory groups meeting throughout the I-69 system to help the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plan projects along the route to meet local and regional needs and improve mobility throughout the area.  Committee members represent Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO), cities and counties and other groups with an interest in transportation such as chambers of commerce and economic development organizations.

Members of the five segment committee’s will finalize priorities and recommendations later this year and submit a report to the I-69 Advisory Committee. 

The advisory committee will use the recommendations to craft a plan to guide I-69 development in Texas. This plan will then be presented to the Texas Transportation Commission. 

Visit www.txdot.gov/DrivenByTexans or call 512 334-3841 to learn more about I-69 Texas and how to submit comments.

I-69 Segment Two Committee Open House

Thursday, November 3, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Cleveland Civic Center

210 Peach Avenue

Cleveland, TX

Early voting turnout light

Need more information before you cast your ballot in the Nov. 8 constitutional amendment election? Visit www.votetexas.org or http://scotthochberg.com/amends.html (a website maintained by Texas Rep. Scot Hochberg of Houston.
Two items will decide how Texas deals with future droughts.

U.S. 59 Bypass reopening momentarily

Lt. Matt Parrish of the Livingston Police Department said U.S. 59 should be reopening just after 5 p.m.
Traffic is backed up to the entrance off the U.S. 59 access road into the Wal-Mart/Chevron/Taco Bell parking lot.
Parrish said the closure was prolonged because officials had to call in a hazardous materials cleanup crew out of Lufkin.

Hwy 59 Bypass closed at U.S. 190

The southbound lanes of Hwy. 59 Bypass are closed due to a multi-vehicle crash at about 1:45 p.m. Monday. The collision is currently under investigation by Livingston police. Above, Livingston Police Chief Dennis Clifton and Fire Chief Corky Cochran talk with Street Supervisor Hec Long about strategy for reopening the roadway as quickly as possible.  Initial reports indicate only one person suffered minor injuries. Motorists can use Business 59 or the Loop 59 access road as an alternate route.
Watch for updates on the changing roadway conditions.

Point Blank resident Steve Watson took this photo of the massive blaze in 
Palmetto Pointe that reportedly involved mostly  waterfront mobile homes.

3 Point Blank homes destroyed in fire, explosion

Photo courtesy KHOU 11 News
A fire in the Palmetto Pointe Subdivision destroyed three homes and
several outbuilding at about 4:45 a.m. Wednesday. No injuries have been reported.

POINT BLANK — At about 4:45 a.m. Glenn Dickson said he was awoken by the sound of what he thought was a jet plane crashing. The noise was from several independent propane tanks exploding during a house fire in the Palmetto Pointe Subdivision near Point Blank in San Jacinto County. 

Dickson told reporters with KHOU 11 that he didn't believe anyone was injured or killed in the fire that destroyed three homes. 

Onalaska Fire Chief Jay Stutts said his department was called to assist Point Blank at 5:09 a.m. Onalaska Volunteer Fire Department dispatched an engine, two tankers and eight firefighters to supplement San Jacinto County crews already at the scene. 

OVFD was just returning to their station at 8:30 a.m. 

"Three structures were already on the ground when we got there," Stutts said. We were just trying to keep it from going further."

One homeowner woke up with his house on fire, but he got out fine," Stutts said. 

Other outbuildings burned in addition to the independent propane tanks were ignited from the actual structure fire.

Most of the homes affected were weekend residences, officials said. 

Spooktacular events at Texas State Parks

Spooktacular events at Texas State Parks

Get goose bumps at special Halloween themed events at state parks across Texas. Don't be afraid to pick one or two!

iWarrior Pathfinder retreat offers recovery from loss, help in overcoming life’s major obstacles

Robin Craig 

LIVINGSTON – Is your life out of balance? Do you feel overwhelmed with feelings of loss?  How are you doing with those resolutions you made in January to develop healthy habits like exercise, eating nutritious meals and keeping a positive state of mind?

Two unique Texans have paired up to help others bring physical, emotional and spiritual balance to your life.

Stanley Bronstein – a CPA, attorney and author from Galveston who now lives in Arizona – offers a simple solution.

“Life is simple. People make it complicated,” Bronstein said.

Stanley Bronstein

That may sound like an empty platitude, but no one has walked the walk more seriously than Bronstein has. After decades of battling weight issues, Bronstein stopped struggling and managed to lose well over 100 pounds.

Three-time Emmy award winner Robin Craig of Houston and Onalaska has her own mission to lighten a tremendous burden that many women carry.

Craig was suddenly widowed in 2005. She says the experience left her feeling like a “lost member of society.”

Her lakefront property adjacent to her family’s home offers a sanctuary and she feels a special affinity for residents of the Lake Livingston area who may be trying to face their own major life transitions.

 She turned her 25 years of experience in radio, television and film into a multimedia resource for other widows via “Today’s Widow,” her blog on the Houston Chronicle; a weekly web TV program that airs at 9 p.m. Tuesday nights at www.robincraigdirect.com, in addition to Facebook and Twitter feeds. 

Since her husband’s death she has won three daytime Emmys for her “day” job as a television producer. 

During the second week after her husband’s death, Craig said her body jolted forward and she heard her inner voice say, “I have to help the widows.”

Her focus is on helping people find new meaning and purpose to their lives after personal loss.

“Losing a spouse is like losing half of your body. You have to learn to live again as a single and it can be very frightening and alienating. I want people to know that they are not alone and there are those who truly understand what they are going through,” Craig said.

Making problems smaller

At 5-feet, 8-inches tall, Bronstein weighed 325 pounds when he applied a principle he embraced in his law practice to his own health habits. He had no trouble simplifying complicated problems for his clients, so he used that skill to his own benefit.  He had to find a method to exercise with minimum risk of injury, so he we went to a local pool and walked for 50 minutes in chest-deep water.

The water took a lot of the stress off his joints (including a previously ruptured Achilles tendon.

During earlier attempts to reach a healthier stature, Bronstein focused on losing weight. This time he focused on walking daily and eating better. That’s it. Soon he logged 17 days in a row.

As his 50th birthday approached, Bronstein decided he wanted to commemorate the half-century mark by walking five hours. He reached that goal and has never looked back.

He makes walking a priority. He doesn’t shoot for setting speed or distance records, he just makes sure he walks at least an hour and a half every day. He’s logged 7,946.55 miles since July 1, 2009, and lost well over 100 pounds.

In addition to “The Path of the Warrior Walker,” Bronstein penned “50 Questions Only We the People Can Answer” after walking five hours a day in all 50 states and talking with residents there.

Just one of the issues that have to be addressed is the obsession with fast food.

“We need to make a statement to these marketing people that we’re not going to eat this garbage. If we stop eating it, they will go out of business,” he adds. 

“The fatter we get the more we want these unhealthy foods. That creates more health problems and we begin a spiral of pills and procedures instead of changing habits.”

“America is a sick country, but it’s still America and America has proven time and time again that when it makes up its mind and wants to do something, there’s no limit,” Bronstein said.

Craig and Bronstein have joined forces to offer two iWarrior Retreats at the Miraval Resort in Tucson, Arizona (which Craig quickly adds is “Oprah’s favorite spot”). 

The goal is to help others regain balance in their own lives.

Each day of the retreat will begin with a walk and move into educational programs and one-on-one work with Craig and Bronstein. 

Participants will enjoy delicious healthy meals and luxurious spa treatments and a one-hour consult with a Miraval nutritionist. Guests will also be able to participate in other various programs and lectures at Miraval.

The first of the iWarrior Pathfinder Retreats is set for Nov. 13 through 17. A second event is planned Jan. 8 to 12 to help get your New Year off to a great start.

While you consider whether to join Bronstein and Craig for these retreats, you can find additional details at each of their websites. 

At www.robincraigdirect.com, you can find links to retreat information, recent episodes of Robin’s web broadcasts and links to her blog. You can also make your reservation and download free copies of Bronstein’s latest two e-books.

At Bronstein’s site, www.iwarriorwalk.com you can get loads of information on how Stanley achieved his remarkable weight loss, his motivation for becoming a lawyer as well as a CPA and how to start your own walking program and chart your progress. 

The retreat will take you four days into your journey to regain balance in your life, but if you just can’t attend there is plenty of support from both websites to get you moving in a positive direction. 

Each retreat event is limited to 25 participants, so book your reservation now. 

Officials widen search for missing Chester teacher, her son

John Fisher Sr. appeals for helping in finding his family.

LIVINGSTON — Detectives from the Polk County and Tyler County Sheriff’s Offices held a joint press conference in Livingston Tuesday issuing a public plea for help in finding Lettie Fisher and her son John Fisher Jr., who were last seen Sept. 19. 

The search effort began on Sept. 22 when John Hensarling, an employee with the Corps of Engineers at Dam B  (also known as B.A. Steinhagen Lake) found their abandoned gray Toyota Four-Runner. 

John Fisher Sr. was flanked by family members and fellow church members at Tuesday’s event and joined in the plea for information about the whereabouts of his wife and son. 

Lettie Fisher

John Fisher

Of all the possible scenarios for what happened to his family, Fisher said he believes someone abducted his wife and son as they scouted out potential fishing holes on Sept. 19.

“If you have my family in captivity, please just set them free … put them out on the road and we will get them home,” Fisher said. 

Polk County Sheriff Kenneth Hammack said there is no indication that the pair were abducted and  Tyler County’s Chief Investigator A.R. (Bud) Sturrock  said no one should fear for their safety in the Chester community where the Fisher’s live. 

“I believe whatever happened to them, happened in Tyler County near Dam B,” Sturrock said. 

Sturrock and Polk County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Craig Finegan laid out a time line that law enforcement agencies have developed during the two-week investigation.

Lettie Fisher, 79, and John Edward Fisher Jr., 32,  left their home on Hwy. 287 in Polk County four miles from the Tyler County line and drove to Memorial Medical Center in Lufkin for an appointment where detectives observed the two on security video leaving the hospital at about 11 a.m. 

John Fisher Sr. told reporters his wife is a breast cancer survivor and the appointment was for an X-ray to ensure a port-a-cath device that had been implanted as part of her cancer treatment remained stable.

Another witness reported seeing the Fishers’ vehicle traveling west on Hwy. 287 in Polk County around 12:30 p.m., which leads detectives to believe the pair went home where they changed clothes and loaded fishing equipment into the vehicle.

The clothes the Fishers were wearing in the hospital security video were found at their home and some fishing tackle is missing.

At about 1:25 p.m. a vehicle fitting the description of the Fishers’ was seen on security video from a convenience store at the intersection of U.S. 190 and Hwy. 92 traveling in the direction of Magnolia Ridge State Park where the vehicle was later found.

An employee of Magnolia Ridge State Park called the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office the morning of Sept. 22 and reported the vehicle had been parked near the entrance since the previous Monday. 

TCSO deputies accessed vehicle information and determined it belonged to John Edward Fisher Sr., and deputies contacted him. 

During that meeting, Fisher Sr. told deputies that Lettie and John Jr. came to the area to fish the creeks. 

After an extensive three-day search of the area by TCSO, with the assistance of Texas Equusearch, nothing was found that indicated the Fishers had been in the area. No fishing equipment was found. 

Lt. Finegan said during the press conference that the Fisher vehicle was to be processed by technicians from the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab and it has remained sealed at the Polk County impound yard since it was towed from the park. 

Until technicians unseal the vehicle, detectives could not answer the question as to whether they may have had some sort of car trouble. 

Fisher Sr. said Lettie, a retired Chester schoolteacher, would never have stopped to assist someone on the side of the road. 

One witness statement indicated John Jr. was driving that morning. 

“He definitely wouldn’t stop for someone. He probably wouldn’t even stop for me,” Fisher Sr. said. “If someone stopped to talk to her, Lettie would speak to them, but she would never pick someone up.”

The couple has been married for 40 years. 

The two sheriff’s departments and the Texas Rangers are expanding the search area to include other favorite fishing locations and south to Houston. 

Finegan said he will contact law enforcement officers in Kinder and Shreveport, La., two destinations where Miss Lettie enjoyed playing slot machines. 

“We are asking everyone to talk to her friends and their friends. If you have seen or heard anything that could help in this investigation, please contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 936-327-6810 or Tyler County at 409-283-2172,” Finegan said. 

He specifically asked if anyone found unattended fishing equipment in the area around Dam B, to please contact investigators. 

“We’re certainly not here to prosecute someone picking up abandoned equipment in the woods. We’re just hoping for a positive outcome and saying our prayers for Lettie and John Jr.’s safe return,” Finegan said.  “If you have a hunch about something, I’ll sit down and talk to you, or just call me.”

Sturrock also cited the importance of sharing details, even if they seem trivial.

“I’ve seen a case that a thimble made a difference,” Sturrock said. 

“So far this case is an ‘incident.’ It’s like they fell off the face of the earth. It’s very suspicious as to what has happened to them,” Sturrock said.

Mr. Fisher doesn’t know,” he added.

“I lay in bed at night and just pray and cry that they will be brought home,” Fisher said. “I can’t even go to church. Every Wednesday night, my son is sitting on one side of me, and my wife on the other. My friend here always counts attendance, but my son always leans over and tells me first, ‘Daddy, there’s 17 tonight’.”

“I’ll never give up hope until something is found.” 

News Alert: Dangerous wildfire conditions predicted for Friday

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Critical fire weather conditions are forecast Friday for a large portion of Texas, east of a line from Childress to Midland to Van Horn.

Warm temperatures, dry air and gusty winds are expected. Those dangerous conditions will be made worse by the unrelenting drought that has left an overabundance of dried and dead vegetation in its wake.

“The threat of wildfire is ongoing, and introducing wind into the mix is a cause for concern,” said Tom Spencer, Texas Forest Service Predictive Services department head.

“Fires pose a threat to public safety,” Spencer added. “If a fire starts accidentally in your neighborhood, be on the alert. If they ask you to evacuate, by all means, do it.”

Since wildfire season started on Nov. 15, 2010, firefighters have responded to 23,835 fires that have burned more than 3.8 million acres and destroyed 2,763 homes. Another 34,977 homes have been saved by firefighting efforts.

Search continues for missing mother, son

John Fisher Jr.

Lettie Fisher

LIVINGSTON — The Polk County Sheriff's Office and Texas Ranger Ron Duff are joining the search for a missing Chester woman and her disabled son which was launched Sept. 22 when a park ranger discovered the woman's car at Dam B.
Tyler County Sheriff’s department has been searching for Lettie Fisher, 79, of Chester and her son John Fisher, 31, since Thursday, Sept. 22 when her abandoned grey Toyota 4Runner was discovered by a Park Ranger from the Corp of Engineers. 
The park ranger first noticed the vehicle the previous Monday. 
“It is normal for people to park their vehicles at Dam B while they are fishing,” said Tyler County Sheriff David Hennigan.   The Park Ranger was off work Tuesday and Wednesday and when he returned to work Thursday, the vehicle was still there in the same location. 
The Fishers belongings were in the vehicle, including Mrs. Fisher’s purse.  This is when the Tyler County Sheriff’s Department was notified. 
Fisher’s husband of 42 years, John Fisher, 62, of Chester, was contacted by the Sheriff’s Department.  John explained that his wife and son, John Fisher Jr., age 31, commonly left home for several days at a time and he had not been worried about them.  According to reports, the mother and son would go fishing at Dam B, then travel to Lake Charles, La. to have fun for a few days and spend time with relatives that live in the area.  Then, they would come home.  The Fisher’s son has special needs and wears a prosthetic leg. 
    The search for the pair began with Tyler County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Tyler County Search and Rescue team on the ground in the Bar Pitts vicinity of Dam B at Magnolia Ridge. 
“Soon after the search on foot began, we called in the canine officers from Texas Department of Criminal Justice Gib Lewis unit and the cadaver canines from the Winn Unit of TDCJ on Friday,” said Sheriff David Hennigan.  Also assisting in the search was the National Parks Service.
Several of Mrs. Fisher’s former students from Chester ISD have helped with the search.  Over the weekend, the Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter was brought in to fly over the area. 
“This is one of the most extensive search and rescues I have been involved with in my career,” said Hennigan.  “We brought in the Texas EquuSearch boat with the side sonar and also a team of divers with underwater cameras.”  On Monday, the canines were brought in again to search the area.  At 4:30 p.m. Monday, The Tyler County Sheriff’s department made the decision to refocus their investigation. 
“We have determined that they are not in this location after a five-day search and we are going to have to consider foul play,” said Hennigan.  “I will keep officers at Dam B while we begin to look elsewhere, just in case something turns up in the area where their vehicle was abandoned.”  
Investigators know the pair visited a convenience store in Corrigan on Monday morning Sept. 22 and also the Exxon station at Dam B the same day.  “If anyone has any information on Mrs. Fisher or John Jr., contact the Tyler County Sheriff’s Department,” said Hennigan.
The Fishers also have family members in Polk County, including Chief Deputy Byron Lyons.

Although investigators have no indication of foul play, family members hope that anyone who saw the pair will contact either Tyler Co. investigators, the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 936-327-6810 or Polk County Crime Stoppers at 936-327-7867.

Morrison Drive Fire

Firefighters from the North Dakota Forest Service

 

Reports of smoke in a wooded area in a remote area behind the old Livingston High School campus, Livingston Volunteer Fire Department was able to track the fire to a distribution feeder power line right-of-way located on property owned by Polk County Enterprise Publisher Alvin Holley at 3:42 p.m. Monday. The nine LVFD firefighters were joined by crews from the Texas Forest Service and North Dakota Forest Service. The NDFS crews have been deployed to Texas to assist with this year's record fire season.
The fire was contained to a 1.43 acre area, according to TFS Regional Fire Coordinator Ricky Holbrook. Damage was limited to understory in the wooded area and a deer feeder in the tract located between the old school campus and Morrison Drive.
LVFD Chief Corky Cochran said he believes the fire began when a limb fell across large powerlines in the right-of-way.

East Texas News - Polk County Publishing Company: 'via Blog this'

Students showed a variety of reactions to first day of school for Livingston ISD Tuesday.

LISD enrolled 40 new students Monday and 15 students Tuesday at primary campuses alone.

SHECO restores power to 7,300 of 10,000 locations

by Polk County Enterprise on Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 12:00pm

LIVINGSTON — The thunderstorm that blew through Polk County just after 5 p.m. Wednesday knocked out power to 10,000 people served by Sam Houston Electric Co-Op, according to spokesman Keith Stapleton. The high wind and lightning also prompted eight calls to the Livingston Fire Department in a two-hour period.

Among the first of those series of calls was caused by downed power lines on Old Bold Springs Road behind Livingston Junior High.

Stapleton said a tree broke off about 15 feet above the ground and fell across two power lines.

"Sparks from those live wires hit the dry grass and started the fire," Stapleton said.

Firefighters established a perimeter around the site in the pouring rain until SHECO crews were able to turn off the power.

It took technicians about two hours to repair damage at that site, then firefighters used a brush truck to knock down flames that continued to burn after the rain.

LVFD was also called for a downed power line on Abbey St. in Livingston which threatened a nearby house.

They also responded to a woods fire on Marston Road; 4044 Hwy. 59 North; a false alarm at the Center For Sight; a woods fire off Jack Nettles Road before returning to the Old Bold Springs Road fire.

Corrigan VFD also responded to a house fire as the storm began.

Livingston firefighters were en route to assist, but were diverted to the Marston fire and Onalaska VFD assisted Corrigan.

SHECO crews worked through the night restoring power throughout the system from Huntington to the Liberty County area.

As of 6 a.m. technicians had reduced the number of outages to 6,500. By 10:30 a.m. they were down to 91 outages affectging 1,300 people, Stapleton said.

Rainfall totals varied from a half-inch to one report of 1.5 inches, according to Emergency Management Coordinator Larry Shine.

"Since temperatures will be back over 100 degrees, that is not going to bring significant relief to our drought conditions. The burn ban will remain in effect," Shine said.

Zero Tolerance Weekend

The first night of the joint Zero Tolerance Weekend by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Polk County District Attorney's Office as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens netted several arrests.
DPS Troopers located and arrested a suspect with an outstanding warrant for aggravated sexual assault of a child. Trooper Kevin Burman transported the suspect to the newly expanded jail where he is being held in lieu of $100,000 bond.
An important aspect of no refusal weekend is that all drivers and boats who fail field sobriety tests and refuse a breath test are compelled to immediately provide a blood sample that is tested for the blood alcohol concentration or other illegal drugs.
The first suspect to refuse to voluntarily provide a blood sample had admitted to having "four or five drinks" prior to the time Sgt. William Jerry (who invited this reporter on a media ride along) observed his failure to stop at a stop sign on FM 2457 at Blanchard Baptist Church.

Zero tolerance weekend