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Three arrested in drug sting
in Mabank
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–Three Mabank residents and a toddler were caught in a drug sting
conducted by the Kaufman County Narcotics Division last week.
According to a news release from the Kaufman Sheriff’s Office, the three
suspects met undercover officers at the Shell Station at the corner of
U.S. Highway 175 and State Highway 198 in Mabank Sept. 3.
The trio sold the officers $300 worth of methamphetamines.
Seeing the 3-year-old in the back seat, the investigators immediately
arrested the adults, instead of continuing the case back to their
supplier.
Holly Woods, 29, Alicia Hojem, 23, (who claimed to be the child’s
mother) and Ronny Hale, 35, all of Mabank, were taken into custody on
various drug-related charges and for endangering a child.
By Tuesday, bonds were set at $75,000 each. They are being held in the
Kaufman County Law Enforcement Center in Kaufman.
The location of the sting was most likely within 1,000 feet of the
Mabank Intermediate School and thus within a drug-free zone, which
carries stiffer penalties, should the three be convicted.
During the booking process, investigators learned Hale was also wanted
on an outstanding warrant in Dallas County, and that he had previously
been convicted for sexual assault of a child in January, 2000.
Hale had been sitting in the back seat next to the toddler, while the
two women, supposedly a couple, conducted the drug transaction,
according to the news release.
The child was turned over to the Texas Department of Family Protective
Services.
Holly Woods
Alicia Hojem
Ronny Hale
City water meets state standards
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
KEMP–The TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) notified the
city of Kemp that tests showed its drinking water exceeded the maximum
contaminant levels for both Haloacetic acids, (HAAS) and Trihalomethanes
(TTHM’s).
These results were from readings conducted in the third and fourth
quarters of 2007, the TCEQ report states.
“The city has corrected the problem by upgrading chemical pumps to
facilitate more reliable introduction of water processing chemicals,”
James Stroman, city administrator said.
“Since then we have had no high readings. The water quality has
constantly gone up for the last 20 years,” he said.
The two contaminants occurred after the addition of chemicals (such as
chlorine) required to treat the water came in contact with
naturally-occurring organic matter already in the water, Stroman
explained.
“We’re on the shallow end of the lake so after a heavy rain we do get
sediment and a high algae content,” he said.
“The water has always been fine, but TCEQ now tests for HAAS and TTHM’s,”
he added.
The higher readings that occurred in 2007, brought the running average
to .068 mg/L, (milligrams per liter) about .008 above the .060 mg
established for HAAS by the Environmental Protection agency (EPA).
The TTHM’s level set by the EPA is .080 milligrams per liter.
“Currently the TTHM’s have been well below the .080 mg/L
Due to the running average, the city is required to issue the notice for
the second and third quarters of 2008, Stroman said.
“Flushing schedules have also been modified to ensure the appropriate
flow of higher quality, potable water,” he added.
Vanilla Ice comes to Gater’s
Friday
Special to The Monitor
GUN BARREL CITY – Rap artist Vanilla Ice will be in concert Friday,
Sept. 12 (tomorrow) at Gater’s Sports Bar & Grill, located at 623 S. Gun
Barrel Lane, Suite A in Gun Barrel City.
With his 1990 hit single “Ice Ice Baby” on album To the Extreme, Vanilla
Ice became the second white rapper to top the charts.
Born Robert Matthew Van Winkle, a Dallas native, he is best known for
“Ice Ice Baby” and “Play That Funky Music.”
To the Extreme stayed at the top of the charts for 16 weeks at number
one and sold more than seven million copies.
After a roller coaster ride of popularity, Vanilla Ice took a couple
years off, re-emerging in 1994 with his album Mind Blowin’.
His albums include:
Hooked, released in 1989 , with singles “Play That Funky Music” and
“Satisfaction.”
To The Extreme, released in 1990, with singles “Ice Ice Baby,” “Play
That Funky Music,” and “I Love You.”
Extremely Live, released: in 1991, with singles “Rollin’ In My 5.0,” and
“Satisfaction.”
Cool As Ice, released in 1991, with singles “Cool As Ice,” and “Get Wit’
It.”
Mind Blowin, released in 1994, with single “Roll ‘Em Up.”
Hard to Swallow, released in 1998 with single “Too Cold.”
Bi-Polar, released in 2001, with singles “Elvis Killed Kennedy,” and
“Insane Killas.”
Platinum Underground, released in 2005, with singles “Survivor,” “Ninja
Rap 2,” and “Ice Ice Baby.”
In 2002, Vanilla participated in the reality show Celebrity Boxing, in
which he was defeated by actor Todd Bridges. Two years later, he starred
in the second season of VH1’s hit series The Surreal Life.
He appeared on the British reality show The Farm, in which he came in
second place. He also starred in The Helix...Loaded, a parody of The
Matrix.
In June 2005, Vanilla won the second round of NBC’s Hit Me Baby One More
Time and also starred in The Surreal Life: Fame Games in 2007.
Van Winkle currently lives in Wellington, Florida with his wife, Laura
(whom he married in 1996), and two daughters, Dusti Rain and Keelee
Breeze.
To reserve your tickets by credit card, call (903) 880-9960.
Vanilla Ice
Homecoming Queen nominees
Monitor Photo/David Cason
Mabank High School Homecoming Queen will be chosen at half-time of the
Friday, Sept. 13, football game. Nominees are (from left, front row)
seniors
Shelby Nicole Smith, Anissa Blake Aguirre, Whitney Michelle Cathey,
Erica
Marie Umana, Morgan Renee Savage and Ashley Marie White; (back row)
juniors
Whitney Shae Evans, Caitlin Jess Duran, Brittani Paige Wood, Alison
Nicole
Castle and Taylor Nicole Chapa. |