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Bad smell leads to dead body
Monitor Staff Reports
TRINIDAD–Henderson County Sheriff’s deputies came upon a
badly decomposed body of a man while making a welfare concern call in
Trinidad last Thursday.
Positive identification of the deceased has not been confirmed, however,
preliminary evidence suggests they found the body of Charles Robert
Moose, 61.
A concerned neighbor reported that no activity had been observed in or
around a residence at 300 Boot Ranch Rd. in the Key Ranch Estates
subdivision for about six weeks.
Deputy Sheriff Brian Hall checked out the residence at about 7 p.m. when
he smelled a strong odor or decomposing flesh.
He was soon joined by three more officers and a forced entry was made.
The body was found in the hallway at the bathroom door.
Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Tommy Barnett ordered an autopsy, and
the body was transported to Southwest Forensic laboratory in Dallas.
Malakoff schools cut $40,000
off budget
The average taxpayer to save about $200 over
last year
By Michael V. Hannigan
Monitor Staff Writer
MALAKOFF–The final tally is in, and the Malakoff ISD tax rate will fall
nearly 22 cents per $100 valuation this year.
The MISD Board of Trustees last week approved a tax rate of $1.16 for
Fiscal Year 2007-2008, down from last year’s $1.377.
This year’s tax rate breaks down into $1.03 for Maintenance and
Operations (M&O) and 13 cents for Interest and Sinking (I&S), which is
set aside to pay the district’s bond debt.
The tax rate will help fuel a budget of $13.8 million for the general
fund, food service account and debt service, about $40,000 less than
last year.
Included in the budget is a 3 percent increase for non- teachers, and a
state-mandated $425, plus their annual step increase for teachers.
Superintendent Dr. John Spies told trustees that employees account for
71 percent of MISD’s M&O.
Only one taxpayer, Phil Tucker, was on hand for the district’s public
hearing on the budget Aug. 30.
Spies said that the lower tax rate should mean lower taxes for district
residents, even after taking into account rising property values.
Using the average home value in the district, $135,752, and the average
value increase of 3.1 percent, Spies showed that the average homeowner
would see a savings of about $217.
Spies also told trustees the school district will spend 65.86 percent of
its budget on instruction in the coming year, crossing the 65 percent
mark the state will make mandatory next year. This year’s state-mandated
level is 60 percent.
MISD was above the state mandate last year as well, Spies said. Last
year, 64.86 percent of the budget was aimed at instruction with the
state mandate being 55 percent.
Seven Points hosts Saturday Car
Show
 Monitor
Photo/Pearl Cantrell
These kids can hardly believe that ’Mater from Disney Pixel movie
“Cars” is at the car show in Seven Points. ’Mater is a 1947 original
Chevy pick-up, owned by Dan Summerall. It took second place in the
original ’40s pick-up truck category.
 Monitor
Photo/Pearl Cantrell
This 1949 Ford street rod, owned by Seven Points resident Tommy Taylor,
took first place in its division. Notice the drive-in service clipped to
the driver's side window. It's a "Tweety". See full photo coverage in
Sunday’s edition of The Monitor, Sept. 9. |