Recent New Texas Law Allows Murder Charges For Fentanyl Distribution
December 29, 2023 – House Bill 6 submitted during the 88th Texas Legislature was eventually signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in June of 2023 becoming enforceable September 1, 2023. This bill along with three others were touted by Abbott as “representing a significant step in the state’s fight against the deadly opioid that will prosecute fentanyl deaths as murder, ensure death certificates reflect when...
Two Drug Dealers Charged With Murder in Wooten Overdose Death
December 28, 2023 – Two local suspects have been arrested and charged with supplying contraband to 21-year old Brayden Wooten who was found deceased on December 23rd. The suspects are identified as Xavier Hill and Bryson Lacy. Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum An investigation was conducted upon law enforcement finding pills containing Fentanyl and continuing with investigators tracking down two individuals suspected of being...
Candidates for the November 7th, 2023 District 2 Election
Below is a list of the current candidates for the November 7, 2023 District 2 Election. Part of Texas including Hopkins, Hunt, and Van Zandt Counties have been unrepresented since Bryan Slaton was removed on May 9th, 2023. The Texas House unanimously voted to remove him. Early voting will begin Monday, October 23, 2023. Kristen WashingtonDemocratic Party Jill DuttonRepublican Party Heath HydeRepublican Party Brent MoneyRepublican...
Texas Attorney General Shoots Down Franklin County’s Fight Against Solar Plant
August 17, 2023 – Angela Comenero who is serving as provisional attorney general for the State of Texas dealt a blow this week to nearby Franklin County who has been searching for solutions to fight proposed solar plants. Angry residents in Franklin County have asked their county commissioners to impose restrictions on proposed solar farms in their county, including a 180-day moratorium on commercial solar development. The...
Texas Education Leaders Prepare For Special Session On Teachers Pay And School Vouchers
While there’s still time this year for Texas lawmakers to carve out legislation to raise teachers’ pay, educators are still disappointed that they will enter the school year uncertain about what those raises could be. Despite entering the regular session with a record $32.7 billion surplus for Texas, legislators failed to reach an agreement on teacher pay increases. Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde...
Investigations Against DPS Troopers Currently Underway
A state trooper’s claims that superiors ordered officers at the border in Eagle Pass to push migrants back into the Rio Grande and deny them water has sparked a state investigation, the Texas Department of Public Safety stated Tuesday. The trooper also reported that razor wire deployed by troopers has injured people — including a woman who had a miscarriage while entangled in the wire. Travis Considine, a DPS spokesperson, said in an...
Texas Prepares To Deploy Buoys In Effort To Prevent Drownings And Border Crossings
July 10, 2023- Texas has begun rolling out what is set to become a new floating barrier on the Rio Grande on Friday. Gov. Greg Abbott’s multibillion-dollar effort to secure the U.S. border with Mexico. Abbott broke the news at a ceremony at the Capitol, where he signed six Bills related to border security, including legislation that gives more power to federal agents to arrest and search migrants suspected of committing state crimes,...
Cars Registered In Texas After 2025 Will No Longer Need To Pass A Safety Inspection, But Owners Will Still Pay The Fee
June 1, 2023- Many Texas drivers will no longer be required to have their cars pass an annual safety exam after state lawmakers removed the rule from Texas code. Texas is one of 13 states that mandate annual inspections for cars. That will change in about 18 months now that the Texas Legislature has given final approval to House Bill 3297. Supporters of the bill called the safety inspections time consuming and inconvenient. Opponents...
Eoline Arnold
Eoline Smith Arnold of Sulphur Springs passed away at the age of 104 on Sunday, April 30, 2023, nine days before her 105th birthday. Governor Gregg Abbott and Mayor John Sellers had recognized her as the oldest living resident of Hopkins County. She was born on May 9, 1918, in Hopkins County, Texas, the fourth daughter of Robert E. and Lora Adair Smith. Eoline, a life-long resident of East Texas, married Harold Arnold on June 7, 1938,...
Representative Slaton Files HB 2811, Authorizing Sheriff-Led School Protection Forces
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Today, Representative Bryan Slaton of HD-2 filed HB 2811, allowing school districts and local sheriffs to partner together to create school protection forces. The bill authorizes a school board to enter into an agreement with their county sheriff who can form and operate a Volunteer School-Protection Force, made up of former police officers, military veterans, and individuals deemed competent by...
