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ATV fun ends in tragedy
Monitor Staff Reports
STYX–At least one family has been devastated by a fatal
accident occurring near Styx on Farm-to-Market 85 involving two all-terrain
vehicles.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety the incident occurred at
6:20 p.m. Saturday, and left one young man dead.
Robert Wayne Wallace, 24, of Kemp was killed when he was ejected from his
ATV. He leaves a wife and a 4-year-old daughter.
Wallace, his wife Amber Nicole, 23, and best friend James “Bubba” Whiteley,
24, were enjoying some recreation on their ATVs Saturday.
Whiteley was in the lead on a 2006 Suzuki with Wallace following on his 2006
Kawasaki traveling east on FM 85 about seven miles west of Seven Points,
Senior Trooper James Martin told The Monitor.
Whiteley slowed to turn off the roadway when Wallace struck his ATV from
behind, Martin said.
All three were ejected from their vehicles. Wallace ATV flipped over into
the westbound lane and was struck by a pickup truck.
All three suffered bruises and abrasions, however, Wallace died from his
injuries.
They were transported to East Texas Medical Center in Gun Barrel City for
treatment.
Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Dale Blaylock pronounced Wallace dead and
ordered an autopsy.
Wallace came to live with the James Whiteley family of Styx when he was in
junior high and remained with the family until he married and lived on his
own.
Whiteley and Wallace were raised as brothers.
They both attended and graduated from Kemp High School in 2001.
Wallace played football for four years, and became the team quarterback. He
was named co-offensive player of the year in 2001, according to a school
annual.
He also played basketball, baseball, and participated in track and field.
Most recently, Wallace was employed with Kevin Hazelip Concrete.
Robert Wayne Wallace
Council redraws boundary
By Kerry Yancey
Monitor Staff Writer
EUSTACE–Eustace City Council members voted 3-1 to allow an edge-of-town
resident to de-annex his property.
Stephen Estes told the council at their regular Jan. 4 session he
voluntarily annexed his property into the city, but had yet to receive city
services after three years of paying city taxes.
Estes recalled he annexed his property after attending a town meeting where
council members warned of the possibility “Gun Barrel City would swallow us
all.”
“My well went dry this summer,” he told the council. “I could have spent my
tax money to fix my well.”
Council members noted no official request for services had been forwarded to
the council for action.
Estes said he had spoken with city employees several times about getting
city water, but admitted he had not submitted an official request to the
council.
City secretary Drucilla Haynes pointed out there were concerns raised at the
series of town meetings three years ago about individuals being forced to
abandon their wells to take (and pay for) city water.
Out-of-city residents considering annexation were told they would not be
forced to pay for city water, which the city might not be able to provide
anyway, due to the cost of installing lines, Haynes said.
“I acknowledge that,” Estes said. “My main point was this voluntarily done
as a property owner. I should be able to de-annex now.”
Mayor Laura Ward warned Estes that state law prevented him from seeking
voluntary annexation back into the city for 10 years, if he de-annexed his
property.
“If at that point (less than 10 years in the future), you wanted to make
that decision, you can’t,” she said.
Councilman Chuck Powers, who was the spokesman at the series of town
meetings on annexation, said he would not oppose someone seeking to
de-annex.
“If someone doesn’t want to be with us, that’s fine,” he said. “I just want
everybody to understand about that 10 years (time requirement).”
As a general law city, Eustace has to operate by different annexation rules
than Gun Barrel City, Powers pointed out.
Powers made the motion to allow the de-annexation. Councilman Scott Purl
opposed, saying the action would set a precedent.
In other business during a 30-minute regular session, the council:
• agreed to purchase a four-wheel drive half-ton pickup from Lewis Chevrolet
in Canton for $22,500, with the city paying $5,000 down and approximately
$350 per month for 60 months.
City employees have been using their own vehicles, and have been getting
stuck often at the No. 4 well site, the council heard.
• formally hired Jason Case as a city police officer.
Case has been working for two months, but his employment was not approved
last month, because the agenda item was not properly worded.
Council members took no action on a related agenda item, the termination of
former officer James Thompson, after police chief Robert Walker said
Thompson had resigned.
• accepted the recommendation of the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission to
reject a request from the Grace Outreach Fellowship Church, who had sought
permission to build a women’s shelter on land behind the church.
That land is in the 100-year flood plain, and the church did not have a
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality permit to build, the council
heard.
• named council member Karyn Mullin as a co-signee on city checks, replacing
former mayor Robert Pickle.
First 2007 baby arrives
at PKH
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
KAUFMAN–It took him a while, but he got here as soon as he could.
Nathan Allen Hall arrived at 11:57 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5, and became the first
baby of 2007 to be born at Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman.
Little Nathan weighed 7 pounds 6 ounces and was 19 ¾ inches long.
The proud parents are John Hall and Karen Hardin, of Seagoville
John Hall is a fork lift technician with Crown Lift Trucks in Arlington.
Hardin is a stay-at-home- mom.
A basket of goodies donated by local businesses was presented to the new
parents Monday.
Contributors included Beall’s, Brookshires, Family Dollar, Flower Country,
Pizza Hut, American National Bank, David’s Supermarket, PHK and Especially
for You.
The couple had a new home built in Seagoville. It was completed in April,
2006.
Mom and Dad had lots of good things to say about their hospital stay and the
staff.
“This hospital is great. The nurses here are wonderful,” Hall said.
Hall said he spent many summers in the Tool, Seven Points area when he was
growing up, spending much of many summers with his grandmother, who is now
deceased.
Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
A basket of goodies donated by local businesses greeted
the first baby of 2007 at Presbyterian Hospital of Kaufman.
Pictured are dad John Hall (left) holding basket and mom
Karen Hardin holding baby Nathan Allen Hall.
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