People, Places & Events

BBVA Compass buys Guaranty Bank
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
KAUFMAN–After much speculation and anticipation, Monday it was announced that BBVA Compass had scooped up most of the assets of Guaranty Bank, whose parent company was shut down over the weekend.
BBVA Compass is the U.S. banking branch of Banco Bilboa Vizcaya Argentaria SA, the Spanish financial giant.
Austin-based Guaranty Bank was closed by federal regulators Friday and proceeded to sell almost all its assets to BBVA Compass.
Bank customers saw little change as the banking complex assumed control of the Guaranty branches around the state.
The Guaranty Bank in Kaufman opened for its regular business hours Monday. Both the drive-through window customers and lobby customers continued their financial transactions in their usual way.
The only change customers will notice is when calling on the phone, the receptionist greets them with “Guaranty Bank, BBVA Compass.”
Bank employees are instructed to direct all questions to the corporate office, located in Birmingham, Ala. However, as of yet, they have no phone number to give out to the general public.
In addition to the recent purchase of the assets of Guaranty Bank, in late March, 2008, BBVA Compass applied to merge the Laredo National Bank, State National Bank and Texas State Bank with Compass.
Those transactions were approved by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta by the end of that month.
State National was absorbed by Compass at the end of March, 2008, followed by Texas State and Laredo National by the end of 2008.
With these business transaction completed, Compass Bank ranked as the fourth-largest bank in Texas and among the top 25 in the nation.
Compass Bank assets total $58.6 billion, with 593 branches spread across six Sunbelt states.
The majority of the branches (328) are located in Texas, and 43 percent of the bank’s deposits are in Texas facilities.

Former Log Cabin police chief
indicted for theft
Monitor Staff Reports
ATHENS–Former Log Cabin police chief Rebecca Sheree “Becky” Baskin was indicted for Theft by a Public Servant by the Henderson County Grand Jury July 17.
Baskin, 50 was arrested at the Log Cabin Police Department office June 3, following an investigation by the District Attorney’s office and the FBI, shocking city officials.
She originally was charged with theft of property, more than $1,500 and less than $20,000. In an emergency session, the city council named former officer Jeremy Nash as the interim police chief.
Long-time Seven Points investigator Wayne Nutt, who retired after 26 years in law enforcement in December, 2007, was named the city’s police chief June 22.
The indictment against Baskin was one of 55 True Bills returned by the grand jury, according to information released by DA Scott McKee.
The grand jury also returned indictments against:
• Jared Wayne Rice, w/m (white male), 33, Gun Barrel City, indicted for Aggravated Kidnapping; also indicted for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
• Jason Eric Page, w/m, 34, from Trinidad, indicted for Indecency with a Child.
• Timothy Lee Bartlett, w/m, 40, from Chandler, indicted for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
• Jaimee Dvonne Sipriano, b/m (black male), 28, from Athens, indicted for Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon/Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon/Assault Family Violence with Prior Conviction.
• Michael Jeremy Washburn, w/m, 28, from Gun Barrel City, indicted for Injury to a Child.
• Jonas Michael Snyder, w/m, 33, from Mabank, indicted for Arson.
• Justin Allen Artis, w/f (white female), 23, from Dallas, indicted for Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon.
• Theresa Halsey, w/f, 52, from Brownsboro, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance; also indicted for Abandoning/Endangering a Child.
• Teresa Musser Lusk, w/f, 38, from Gun Barrel City, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Wesley Samuel Ryan, w/m, 45, Seven Points, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Brittany Jean Smith, w/f, 24, from Kaufman, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance; also indicted for Fraudulent Use/Possession of Identifying Information.
• Jack Arnold Hankins, w/m, 44, from Athens, indicted for Driving While Intoxicated, Third or Subsequent Offense.
• Russell Woodrow McEwin, w/m, 21, from Tool, indicted for Possession of Marijuana.
• Chris David McPherson, w/m, 39, from Longview, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Kedrick Lamont Hurd, b/m, 29, from Athens, indicted for Driving While Intoxicated, Third or Subsequent Offense (two indictments).
• Russell Cates, w/m, 31, from Seagoville, indicted for Burglary of a Habitation (three indictments).
• Billy Jack Lewis, w/m, 34, from Athens, indicted for Theft with Two Prior Convictions (two indictments).
• Charles Wayne Pyburn, w/m, 21, from Mabank, indicted for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.
• Tzigane Gypsy Homolka, w/f, 30, from Athens, indicted for Forgery by Passing.
• Bobbi Jo Brazeal, w/f, 23, from Dallas, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Cha Daniel Tidwell, w/m, 39, from Athens, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance
• Shun Bonnewell Cameron, w/m, 41, from Athens, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance (repeat offender enhancement).
• Donna Kye Wells, w/f, 45, from Palestine, indicted for Forgery by Passing.
• Britt Howard Hambrick, w/m, 44, from Gun Barrel City, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver/Possession of a Controlled Substance (habitual criminal enhancement); also indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Keith Edward Nix, w/m, from Kemp, indicted for Theft over $1,500.
• Lori Denise Moran, w/f, 36, from Mabank, indicted for Credit/Debit Card Abuse (two indictments).
• Jerry Lee Syfrett, w/f, 39, from Gun Barrel City, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver/Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Kendra Michelle Pigott, w/f, 21, Bullard, indicted for Driving While Intoxicated with a Child Passenger.
• Eddie Casnave, b/m, 38, from Tyler, indicted for Burglary of a Habitation.
• Cody Lynn Trammell, w/m, 23, from Malakoff, indicted for Evading Arrest.
• Timothy Bruce Lightfoot, w/m, 33, Brownsboro, indicted for Burglary of a Habitation.
• Mandi Lynn Pritchett, w/f, 27, from Mabank, indicted for Escape While Arrested (repeat offender enhancement); also indicted for Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance.
• Ryan Michael Martin, w/m, 30, from Kemp, indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver/Possession of a Controlled Substance; also indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
• Jerry Don Wilson, w/m, 41, from Eustace, indicted for Failure to Comply with Registration Requirements.
• Ava Jean Starek, w/f, 44, from Kemp, indicted for Forgery by Passing.
• Nathaniel Wayne Peasley, w/m, 18, from Mabank, indicted for Burglary of a Habitation (four indictments).
• Rodney Blake Heyward, w/m, 21, from Rowlett, indicted for Burglary of a Habitation (four indictments).

HC Clover Kids meet Aug. 30
Special to The Monitor
ATHENS–The Henderson County 4-H Clover Kids will have a meeting Sunday, Aug. 30, at the extension office to kick off the new 4-H year.
The meeting will be a show and tell starting at 2 p.m.
Clover Kids must be between the ages of 5 and 8, or in kindergarten through second grade.
They may bring whatever interests them and tell about it during the program.
September will be our horticulture meeting and they will learn about growing plants.
Clover Kids takes part in lots of community service and will be having at least two field trips. Come and bring a friend.
Each month will be a different program for them to learn more about 4-H.
Clover Kids introduces youngsters into the 4-H program.
Henderson County Clover Kids was started in 2000.
As a Clover Kid, the children are not able to compete for places in the competitions offered.
Each time they participate in a project they will receive a participation ribbon.
Clover Kids follow all the same rules as the older 4-Her’s, but are not placed.
The cost of being in Clover Kids is only the cost of the project entered.
For example, the cost of the food show is the price of groceries purchased for the recipe prepared.
The fashion show will be the cost of the outfit being modeled.
They can have up to five entries in the project show, with the cost being for the supplies used.
If they participate in Roundup the cost will be for poster board or whatever item is used for their presentation.
They do not need to purchase an animal for the livestock show.
We are only able to show borrowed animals that are to be sold in the premium auction Saturday afternoon.
Please contact Jean Everett at (903) 675-5396 to learn more about Clover Kids or Hilary Grider at the AgriLife Extension Office (903) 675-6130.