Archive - Aug 30, 2012 - News Article
AUSTIN, Texas — During the Labor Day holiday period alcohol-related crashes killed fewer people in Texas last year than in any year since 2003.
But, state officials don't want this lower number to put Texans at ease. Law enforcement will still work thousands of overtime hours this month to crack down on drinking and driving during the holiday. The Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) "Drink. Drive. Go to Jail." campaign begins August 17 and runs through Labor Day.
A Labor Day event, “Burgers Buy the Pool,” will be held on Monday, Sept. 3. This event is being held as a fundraiser, hosted by JavaJax in Sweetwater, for the Nolan County Girl Scouts to help with their efforts in restoring the swimming pool at Camp Boothe Oaks.
Improvements to the pool are necessary in order for the Girl Scouts to have an energy efficient, ADA compliant swimming pool that would draw full enrollment for a Summer Resident Girl Scout Camp to once again be held at the local camp facility.
Freddie the Fire Truck is back in Sweetwater after a hiatus from teaching the children of Sweetwater about fire safety.
Freddie the Fire Truck came to Sweetwater Fire Department about 20 years ago. He had served a long life of educating and entertaining local children. Freddie the Fire Truck has had some rough times in the recent past, with Freddie getting to be the age he is, and unfortunately, was unable to continue his work with the local school fire prevention and safety programs due to his advanced age and the wear and tear of Freddie's components.
The vote on the city's tax rate for the 2012 Tax Year was held at a brief Sweetwater City Commissioners' meeting on Tuesday morning, August 28, 2012 at City Hall.
The commission approved the ordinance fixing and levying the rate of $.463 per $100 valuation, under the motion stating "that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of $.463000, which is effectively a 15.41 percent increase in the tax rate."
A record vote was also taken of the attending commission members, in which they were in unanimous approval.
During the special-called meeting of the SEED (Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development) Board of Directors on Monday morning, August 27 at the Chamber of Commerce, approval was given toward the incentive proposal for Cornett Computer Repair and Sales.
With the incentive, Benny Cornett, the owner of the local business, will be able to continue with the expansion of his business which will include a sixty-plus mile radius of Sweetwater, work with government and commercial entities, and programming for statewide projects.
The Sweetwater Police Department (SPD) received 53 calls for service, issued nine citations and made two arrests on Aug. 28, 2012.
The SPD received 17, 911 calls.
Calls for service:
• Assault — Sweetwater area.
Arrested by SPD:
• Brian McQueen, 25 — Warrant.
• Wayne Holstine, 41 — Driving while license invalid.
The Nolan County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) had 10 calls for service, served no civil papers and made one arrest on Aug. 28, 2012.
Arrested by NCSO:
• Steven Clark Rains, 29, of Roscoe — Assault causes bodily injury/family violence.
Calls for service:
Sweetwater's weather for Thursday will be sunny with a high near 93. Winds will come from the north at 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight, expect mostly clear skies and a low around 68. North winds at 5 to 10 mph will become light and northwestern in the evening.
Visit weather.gov to learn more about the local forecast.
