Decatur, TX - Wise County Messenger

VOLUME 129 - NO. 18 SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2009 DECATUR, TEXAS 26 PAGES IN TWO SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS 75¢teach water safety andsurvival skills for childrenas young as 6 months isoffered at Fit-N-Wise.See story, page 2ACooper Friday night in girlsregional playoff action inLubbock. Did the Sissiesadvance to Saturday’sregional finals?See Sports, page 1Bwww.wcmessenger.comSaturday to view videohighlights of the DecaturHigh School boys’ areachampionship game withGlen Rose. You can alsofind video of Tuesday’sgirls’ area championshipgame between Decatur andBridgeport.DecaturFort WorthDecaturBridgeportNewarkDecaturSlidellSee pages 12A and 14ANews Briefs ..... 3A Classifi eds .........5BOpinion ........... 4A Wise Business ....12BLifestyle .............6A Sports .........1B-4BWise County MessengerP.O. Box 149115 South TrinityDecatur, Texas 76234gEARLY CALL— DecaturfirefighterJed Boydsurveys thedamageinside S&JPharmacyThursdaymorning.The causeof the fireis stillunknown.Messenger photoby Joe DutyBy ROBERT MORGANreported, which caused a lot of internal heat, andthat’s what destroyed everything and why flamesThree area fire departments responded to a fire were not noticeable from outside.”next to the Wise County Medical Center around Bennett said the owners of the pharmacy plan12:15 Thursday morning.to operate out of a temporary building at the sameHeavy smoke was seen coming from the roof location as they rebuild. S&J also own pharmaciesin Sanger and Krum.of S&J Pharmacy and Gifts, located on EagleDrive across the street from Decatur IntermediateSchool, when the Decatur Fire Department cility that shares the same building, suffered mi-Healthline, a medical equipment and oxygen fa-arrived on the scene. The business was a total nor water and smoke damage but was not affectedloss as all the inventory was destroyed by intense but it was expected to reopen this weekend.heat.Firefighters from Rhome and Bridgeport assistedwith the fire.Decatur fire marshal Deroy Bennett, along withinsurance investigators, are still looking into the A temporary building was scheduled to be delieverdto the site of the fire Friday, and Bethcause of the fire. Bennett said it was not suspiciousin nature.Mitchell, S&J’s marketing director, said they“There is nothing suspicious about it. We know hope to have a temporary store up and runningit was an interior fire, but we have not concluded by Monday. The store in Alvord will be able to fillour investigation yet,” he said. “It appears the fire any perscriptions needed, Mitchell said. S&J haswas burning inside for quite awhile before it was been in Decatur for the past three years.Messenger photo by Joe DutyDecatur High School students (left to right), junior Francisco Perez, junior Donovan Recklin, senior Cody Byrd, sophomore Dusty Humphreyand junior Emanuel Flores, show their paintings that were displayed at the art show during the Fort Worth Stock Show. All five won honorablemention for their artwork and are students of DHS art teacher Brenda Sutton.By TRAVIS MEASLEYaffordable than others,” Lorancesaid. “But we need to shop theFor the third week in a row, current piece of property outthe Rhome City Council met first to see what type of price weWednesday in a lengthy executivesession to discussanother plot for the firecan get before deciding to buythe sale of propertydepartment.”currently occupied byRepresentatives fromthe fire department toLove’s gave a presentationto the council atmake way for a Love’struck stop. The councilits Jan. 8 meeting, requestingto purchasevoted unanimously toput the property up forthe property on Oldbid after more than anSchool Road as part of ahour of discussion.12-acre package neededRhome mayor Markfor a Love’s truck stop.Lorance said bidding LORANCE Public reaction at thatout the property is themeeting was initiallyfirst step in the process of findinganother affordable piece of cerns about noise pollution andnegative. Citizens voiced con-land on which to relocate the the effects on local businesses,fire department. Last week, but since then, Lorance said hethe council began searching for has received positive feedbackavailable land within the city from much of the community.limits, and Lorance said the city “I have received some surprisinglypositive reactionshas identified multiple locationsthat fit its needs.from people I thought would be“We have a few interestingoffers for new land, some more Continued on page 5ABy BRIAN KNOXWise County motorists could soonsee tangible effects of the recentlyapproved economic stimulus plan.On Thursday, the Texas TransportationCommission approved spendingapproximately $500 million ofthe funds from the American Recoveryand Reinvestment Act for roadmaintenance and rehabilitationprojects throughout the state. Fourof those maintenance projects totalingmore than $4 million will be inWise County.The largest project will be the repairand repaving of approximatelysix miles of the southbound lanes ofU.S. 81/287 from near Farm RoadMessenger photo by Joe Duty407 at New Fairview to County Road WISE WORK — Road projects funded4840 south of Rhome. That project by the U.S. economic stimuluswill cost an estimated $2.9 million. package will begin this summer.In another project, the northboundlanes of U.S. 81/287 will be textured partment of Transportation Areafrom the Wise/Tarrant County line Engineer Bill Nelson said the textojust south of CR 4840. Texas De-Continued on page 2ACarrier RoutePresortBULK RATEU.S. POSTAGEPAIDDecatur, TXPermit No. 88THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009WISE COUNTY MESSENGERHERE’S WHAT YOUMAY HAVE MISSEDIN LAST SUNDAY’SNORTHWESTIN NEWS...■ Fire destroys apharmacy■ Wise County getsmoney for roads■ Rhome seeks bidsfor fire departmentpropertyIN SPORTS...■ Bridgeport girls’basketball team leavesLubbock without a win■ Paradise wraps uppreseasonINSIDE ...LEARNING TOSWIMA new program geared toIN SPORTS ...REGIONALPLAYOFFSBridgeport took on LubbockON THE WEB ...DECATURFire destroys pharmacyDECATURStock show artistsBASKETBALLHIGHLIGHTSLog ontoAREA DEATHSAND FUNERALSWILLIAM L. DWYERMARTHA VILLANUEVAPATRICIA ANNSANDERSJEAN MCCOMISCHARLIE ANNMCGLAUNJAMES BRADFIELDRICKY STUBBLEFIELDWEATHER...INDEXRHOMECity to seek bids on firedepartment propertyWISE COUNTYMoney for roadsU.S. 81/287 and Texas 114 roadprojects to be funded by stimulus planSUBSCRIBE TODAY!www.wcmessenger.com/subscribeMessenger photo by Joe DutyI CAN READ IN RED, I CAN READ IN BLUE — In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday (March 9), students at Prairie View Elementaryin Rhome Monday participated in several activities highlighting the author’s work. Above, Erik Premont, Dayton Williams andMiranda Kelley read “Cat in the Hat.”ALVORD • AURORA • BOYD • BRIDGEPORT • CHICO • DECATUR • GREENWOOD • NEWARK • NEW FAIRVIEW • PARADISE • RHOME • RUNAWAY BAY •SLIDELL