Rains County Leader (Emory, Tex.), Vol. 121, No. 4, Ed. 1 Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Page: 1 of 14
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Bains County Leader
Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1887
Web: www.RainsCountyLeader.com
e-mail: rainsleader@earthlink.net
Vol. 121, Issue 4 - 1 section, 14 pages plus inserts
EMORY, TEXAS - TUESDAY, JULY 1, 2008
PRICE 500
THIS
WEEK
Kitchen Scents
Tourney turns
out 73 teams
With up to $10,000 in
prize money on the line,
73 two-men teams ponied
up the registration fee to
compete in the first
annual Axton’s Texas Top
Teams Bass Tournament
on Lake Fork last week-
end.
page 5
Rick Rumfelt’s daddy
had this business of find-
ing the right mate all fig-
ured out: The sign of a
good woman is when you
find biscuit dough on the
axe handle, he told his
son. Well, our guest said
he found that good
woman.
page 4
Would you
risk it all
for freedom?
This interesting article
by John W. Whitehead of
The Rutherford Institute
highlights the forgotten
sacrifices of the lesser
known signers of the
Declaration of Indepen-
dence. Take a moment to
reflect on the courage of
our forefathers while cel-
ebrating our nation’s
independence.
page 3
CAFFEY MURDER
EMORY
Daughter to stand trial as adult
By CAROLYN HILL
Rains County Leader staff
The fourth member of a quartet of
suspects charged with capital murder
in the slayings of Penny Caffey, 37,
and her sons, Matthew, 13, and Tyler,
8, has now been certified to stand trial
as an adult.
Caffey’s teenage daughter, Erin, who
was T6 at the titne the murders took
place on March 1, appeared in the
Rains County Eighth Judicial District
Court of Judge Robert Newsom on
Wednesday, June 25. The Rains Coun-
ty Attorney’s office presented evidence
in a nearly four-
hour-long closed
hearing that in-
cluded the testi-
mony of several
counselors, psy-
_-chologists and ju-
illiMPMl vepile probation
' ^9 officers before
Judge Newsom
T/. _I certified Erin Caf-
ERIN CAFFEY fey to stand trial as
an adult.
A special session of the Rains Coun-
ty Grand Jury was held Monday, June
30, and officially indicted her on one
count of capital murder in the death of
Penny Caffey.
Previously arraigned on one count of
capital murder and being held at the
Rains County Jail on $ 1.5-million
bonds are Charlie James Wilkinson,
Charles Allen Waid, and Bobbi Gale
Johnson. yAll three pled not guilty at
their May 7 arraignment hearing before
Judge Newsom.
County Attorney Robert Vititow and
Assistant Attorney General Lisa Tanner
responded to the pleas by saying that
the state would seek the death penalty
in the cases of Wilkinson and Waid.
The state will not seek the death penal-
see ERIN page 3
Development
Corp. disburses
grants to local
businesses
By JAXIE MORGAN
Rains County Leader staff
gfe C I x
Me i
RAINS COUNTY
Courthouse roof stalls capital spending
By CAROLYN HILL
Rains County Leader staff
The commissioners court Thursday,
June 26, tightened its belt on capital
spending awaiting the cost of replacing
the decking on the historic couqjy
courthouse.
The decking is in such irregular con-
dition, with peaks and valleys, that the
roof sub-contractor will not warranty
the slate installation unless the decking
is replaced or repaired and offers a
smooth surface
In addressing an agenda item on the
courthouse parking lot, County Judge
Joe Dougherty updated the court on the
roof and balance of the budgeted
$150,000 restoration contingency fund.
He said that through approximately 10
to 12 unexpected construction prob-
lems that have arisen and were not
funded in the scope of the restoration
project, $212,500 has been expensed
out of the contingency fund. Dougher-
ty added that some credits are due to
the county and he believes that once
those credits are pulled back into the
expenses, the contingency balance
In an effort to help local businesses
get into compliance with the city of
Emory's health and safety ordinances,
the Emory Development Corporation
(EDC) voted some time ago to offer
business enhancement grants that
would pay 60 percent of the cost of
improvements, up to a maximum of
$3,000.
At Thursday’s EDC board meeting,
Clyde Smith, Director of Economic
Development, announced that three
businesses had taken advantage of the
grant to install grease traps, upgrade
fire safety systems, and provide handi-
cap accessibility.
Elle Moisdon, owner of Chateau
Bistro, received $3,000; David Baker,
see GRANTS page 8
POINT
TamaleFest
this weekend
By CAROLYN HILL
Rains Couniy Leader siafT
Leader photos by EARL HILL
A LEGAL SCHEDULE - Eighth District Judge Robert Newsom (right) consults with Assistant Attorney General Lisa Tanner (in white
suit) and defense attorneys in the Caffey murder case in an effort to schedule hearings and set the first trial in the murder cases.
Defense attorneys are (I to r) Ted Beaty, attorney for Charles Waid; Doug Parks (behind Tanner) lead attorney for Waid; Mack Hobb,
attorney for Charlie Wilkinson; Eddy Northcutt, attorney for Bobbi Johnson; William Howard McDowell, attorney for Erin Caffey; and Ron
Fergurson, attorney for Wilkinson. The state is seeking the death penalty against Wilkinson and Waid, which requires a second attor-
ney with capital trial experience assigned to their defense team. The conference was held Wednesday, June 25, following a four-hour
closed hearing that resulted in Erin Caffey being certified to stand trial as an adult. Not shown is County Attorney Robert Vititow.
should fall slightly under the $150,000
budgeted.
A cost to re-deck the roof was not
presented Thursday. However, the roof
repair and unknown cost caused sever-
al capital improvement items to be
tabled.
The first, while not really a capital
improvement expense, was repair of
the courthouse parking lot. A short dis-
cussion was held noting that a cost to
repave or repair the parking lot is
see COURTHOUSE page 3
Kick up your heels and have a hot
time at TamaleFest in Point this week-
end, July 4 and 5. Sponsored by the
Point Volunteer Fire Department as its
primary fundraising event, TamaleFest
will offer good food, cool country
sounds and lots of hot tamales . . .
while they last!
Each year the PVFD orders more
and more tamales and each year they
are sold out. This year 600 dozen
tamales have been ordered! Count ’em
up, that’s 7,200, folks! But, step up
quick because they’re sure be sold out
fast as a New York minute.
Tamales, barbecue sandwiches and
cold drinks will be served at the Point
Fire Station both Friday and Saturday.
While mom and dad enjoy a cold
drink, the kids can have a blast at the
bounce house that will be set up.
Bring out your lawn chair and enjoy
The Wallace Family in a Gospel Con-
cert on Friday evening.
Saturday offers a barbecue dinner
served with all the trimmings at the
Point Civic Center. Then you’re invited
to move back over to the fire station for
a great concert and dance by Second
Hayward Band.
All proceeds from TamaleFest go to
support the Point Volunteer Ffire
Department.
ET POLICE ACADEMY
A ^
RAIN
^REPORT
by Henry Potts
June 28 ......
June 29 ......
^ Total for week
Total for month
^ Total for year .
.0.40
. 0.65
. 1.05
.5.18 \
28.37
V
Graduates first Emory class
By CAROLYN HILL
Rains County Leader staff
With more than 50 family
members and friends as wit-
nesses, the East Texas Police
Academy graduated 11 candi-
dates in a ceremony held Fri-
day evening, June 27, at the
Heritage Center in Emory.
The graduates made up the
first ETPA peace officer certi-
fication class to ever be held in
Emory.
Graduating at the top of the
class as Valedictorian was
Heather Morgan. As top
marksman. Jay Brooks earned
the title of Top Gun.
Also graduating were Jan
Lively, Dallas Kipp, Kindelle
Scott, Todd Clower, Jimmy
Castleberry. Jacob Smith, Dar-
ren Renshaw. Rachel Pearson
and Robert Morgan.
A welcome was given by
Brian Ruthven, director of
ETPA, followed by an invoca-
tion by Jay Brooks. Senior
Instructor Richard Almon
introduced several distin-
guished guests including DPS
Trooper Cody Sanders and
other law enforcement officers
in attendance.
Texas Ranger John Vance of
Company B was the guest
speaker.
Ruthven, Almon and Les
Ferguson presented the diplo-
mas and the top student and
top marksmanship awards.
Heather Morgan and Rachel
Pearson gave comments from
the class before comments
from Almon and closing
remarks from Ruthven.
A reception was held for all
family and friends following
the ceremony. Punch and
cookies were served
TOP COP GRADS - The East Texas Police Academy graduated its first peace officer certification class held
in Emory on Friday evening, June 27, at The Heritage Center in Emory. Graduates shown above are front
row (I to r): Jan Lively, Dallas Kipp, Todd Clower, Jimmy Castleberry, Top Gun Jay Brooks; second row: Jacob
Smith, Kindelle Scott, Darren Renshaw, Rachel Pearson, Robert Morgan and Valedictorian HegtHBPMor-
* —j ♦ *. •- -
V ■ •
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Hill, Earl Clyde, Jr. Rains County Leader (Emory, Tex.), Vol. 121, No. 4, Ed. 1 Tuesday, July 1, 2008, newspaper, July 1, 2008; Emory, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth767816/m1/1/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rains County Library.