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LUFKIN — A Lufkin man and woman were arrested Wednesday night for reportedly breaking into vehicles in the parking lot of Pilgrim’s Pride. Georgia Ann Taylor, 44, and Walter Allen Starnader, 46, were reportedly caught in the parking lot with stolen items from two vehicles, according to a Lufkin Police report. They were charged with burglary of a vehicle. Starnader received an additional charge of possession of drug paraphernalia for 0.1 grams of marijuana in his possession. They were arrested and taken to the Angelina County Jail

EAST TEXAS — The Better Business Bureau has alerted East Texans of a scam aimed at local hotels to get credit card information from guests over the phone. The calls are typically made in the middle of the night from a person claiming to be a hotel employee. The caller says the hotel computer has crashed and asks the guest for credit card information. The caller may also offer a discount on the room for the inconvenience.

EAST TEXAS — A 29-year-old Rusk man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for threatening President Barack Obama. Robert Lee Berkley Jr. was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison on July 12 by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis. Berkley, who was imprisoned in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice center in Rusk, wrote a letter June 16, 2010, saying he planned to travel to Washington to kill Obama and his family after he was released from prison. Berkley confirmed his plan during at least two interviews with law enforcement officers. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 23.

ALTO — Fourteen days after the Alto City Council sent its police force on a six-month furlough in June, the Wall Street Journal got wind of the story and ran an article entitled “The Day the Law Left Town.” The next day, Forbes and the Business Insider caught onto the story. By July 7, Alto had attracted the attention of the CBS News Morning Show. A cursory Google search of “Alto Texas police” yields ten of eleven first-page results about the potential for increased crime rates in Alto since the council furloughed the police force. The national coverage of the issue has left some Alto citizens perplexed and some outraged.

The Corner Market convenient store, robbed at gunpoint July 19, was one of the latest locations hit in Alto. Minister Frederick Shaw said he thinks coverage doesn’t help the crime situation. According to Sheriff Campbell, several towns in East Texas have disbanded their police forces before. “Several times before New Summerfield, Wells and Cuney have furloughed their police forces. Though this is the largest town to do away with their police department that I can remember.”

The Cherokee County sheriff’s department tries to keep a patrol car in the area at all times, yet some citizens are concerned the national coverage will cause an influx of crime from out-of-town offenders. Sheriff Campbell said national coverage has not yet greatly increased the number of crimes committed by outsiders. He said most of the crimes committed in Alto are done by locals.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department’s non-emergency telephone lines have now been restored and are fully functioning once again. The department began experiencing telephone problems around 7:00 Saturday night. All 911 calls to the Tyler Police Department were being routed through the Smith County 911 Center. Officials said the department is still received all emergency 911 calls and there was no delay in response times for emergency calls for service.

HENDERSON — Henderson ISD trustees froze teacher pay and took actions on a construction model to move them one step closer to a November bond election. Director of Human Resources Stacey Sullivan said Thursday the 2010-11 salary schedule will be in effect for teachers in the 2011-12 academic year, as approved by the school board Wednesday night. “The schedule reflects no increase in salary whatsoever,” Sullivan said. Trustees also selected a construction method for a possible November bond election. The school board chose the construction manager at-risk model, which calls for a construction manager to complete the project within a guaranteed maximum price. Trustees also selected Claycomb Associates as the architect firm to represent the district on the bond.

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville Police Department officers Christopher Bell and Jonathan Shobert arrested seven women Sunday afternoon who descended upon Nu Time Truck Stop at 729 Frankston St. to brawl about a man. Soni Brooks (pictured), Terrie Dirck, Brittany Spink, Elizabeth Cova, Skyla Singleton, and Christina Thornton, ranging from ages 20 to 38, were each charged with riot participation and bail was set at $1,000. Shana Darty, age 19, incurred additional charges for threatening to injure nearby witnesses and failure to provide accurate information to authorities. Authorities set Darty’s bail at $10,000 for threatening retaliation, and $1,000 for falsifying information, according to police reports. JPD Detective James Oden said the feud began earlier in the afternoon when Thornton and Brooks exchanged threatening text messages. “Soni had been bragging about sleeping with Christina’s ‘baby daddy,’ as they call it in Jacksonville,” Oden said.

The altercation began around 4 p.m. when a white car pulled into the first pump, said Nu Time Truck Stop worker Javed Ahmed. A woman dressed in black emerged from the car and began stirring up controversy with another customer. Ahmed said shortly thereafter another car pulled up to the gas station, and more women emerged to join the fight. The fighting subsided when the police arrived, but re-ignited after a few minutes. “You’ve got to know this crowd. They’re frequent flyers. We get a report on one of them every week. Common sense is not their strong suit,” Oden said. Ahmed said the altercation lasted approximately 10 minutes, and within 25 minutes, it was over. “They were all regular customers,” Ahmed said.

LONGVIEW — A 37-year-old Longview woman is accused of trying to pass a forged check from a Judson-area church. Longview police arrested Natalie Kristi Midler shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday, after security noticed that she tried to cash a check made out to her from Northwood Baptist Church on Tryon Road, according to arrest reports. A teller at Texas Bank and Trust contacted church personnel, who said that several checks had recently been stolen from the church and that no check had been issued to Midler, reports showed. Furthermore, Midler had not authority to cash a check. She remained in the Gregg County Jail on $2,500 bond Friday.

HALLSVILLE — West Harrison Fire and Hallsville Fire responded to a grass fire on Normal Lee Lane Friday afternoon. When the fire crews arrived five acres were involved. Two unoccupied mobile homes were destroyed. The fire is currently under control and crews are working to put out a few hot spots. No injuries have been reported at this time. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined.

ANGELINA COUNTY — An alleged Moffett methamphetamine cook was released from jail last week only to be arrested again Thursday after the federal government indicted him on his existing charges. David Arthur Dunman Jr., 52, was taken into custody Thursday by Angelina County investigator Mark McLin on three federal charges, according to jail records. Dunman had been in jail since December, after his second methamphetamine arrest inside a three-month window, without the option to bond, but on July 12 was released on a $100,000 bond, jail records state.

The federal charges Dunman faces include manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance; possession of certain chemicals with the intent to manufacture; and maintaining a place for the manufacture, distribution and use of methamphetamine. While not commenting directly on Dunman’s case, McLin said the charge of “maintaining a place for the manufacture, distribution and use of methamphetamine” is a charge specific only to the federal government. According to the federal penal code, it carries a sentence of up to 20 years and/or a fine of up to $500,000.

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Louie Gohmert expressed his disappointment after the Senate voted 51-46 to reject the Cut, Cap and Balance Act. Gohmert said, “It is apparent the Senate Democrats have turned their backs on the desire of the vast majority of the American people. Not only has it been 814 days since the Senate last passed a budget, it seems as if they are trying to stifle job growth and the U.S economy all together. By refusing to even allow the Cut, Cap and Balance Act to come to the floor for a debate today, they have simply refused to address the major issues we so desperately need to tackle – real spending cuts, caps on future spending and a balanced budget. The House Republicans offered a proposal centered on true, solution-based principles, that itself was a compromise, because we realize the urgency to resolve this debt crisis in America.

Gohmert said that America’s true strength is from the foundation of our principles and the people willing to stand and defend them. It’s time to stand firm on principles to build a better nation. It’s time to implement ideas that will notably rein in our federal spending and reduce the trillion dollar deficit spending. It’s time to stop playing party politics and reassure all Americans that the United States is still the place of opportunity for our children and grandchildren.”

Congressman Louie Gohmert is the Vice Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime,
Terrorism and Homeland Security.

GILMER — Former Gilmer Fire Chief Mike Melton on Friday pleaded guilty, and accepted an agreement that puts him on 10 years of probation and requires him to pay about $16,000 in restitution, attorney David Griffith said. Melton, 53, was indicted in December on charges of misappropriation of fiduciary property ranging from $1,500 to $20,000. He resigned his position as Gilmer fire chief in October amid the investigation.

Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd has said the indictments stem from January 2008 and included abuse of checks and credit cards belonging to the Gilmer Volunteer Fire Department. Melton became Gilmer’s fire chief in 2005. The fire department elected Jerry Taylor to serve as its new chief in January.

LUFKIN — The Zavalla police chief fired after two months on the job spoke out Thursday about his termination, expressing indifference. According to KETK, in a phone interview, 69-year-old Jim Hodges maintained his reputation of being a man of few words in saying he didn’t have a lot to say about being let go earlier this week by the Zavalla City Council and Mayor Greg Fletcher. “They can do what they want to do and there’s not a whole lot I can do about it,” Hodges said. “If they had something on me, they should have told me. They’ve got it like they want it now and God bless ’em.”

Hodges was put on paid suspension last week while Fletcher launched an in-house investigation of alleged complaints against the chief. Monday night a special meeting was called with 72-hour notice given to the community via a memo posted on the front door of city hall. Hodges, who lives in Lufkin, said 72-hour notice had been given to everyone but him. “I had been on suspension, and I’m not going down there to look at the door when I’m on suspension,” he said.

In a phone interview Wednesday, Fletcher said he called Hodges and left a message for him Monday morning about the meeting. Hodges, who said he was out of town at the time, said that wasn’t the case.

KILGORE — The Kilgore College Rangerettes announced new freshman members Friday after a week of pre-training and tryouts. The new Rangerettes were chosen by outside judges, director Dana Blair and assistant director Shelley Wayne. The Rangerettes are returning 36 sophomores to the line. The new freshman members of the 2011-12 Rangerettes, listed by hometown:

Austin – Stephanie Arino, Ashley Bonner, Sheridan McDowell, Kristin Page and Sarah Treptow
Beaumont – Stephanie Aumiller, Rebecca Fertitta and Bethany Metreyeon
Corpus Christi – Lesly Powell
Dallas – Katy Hunter, Carly Marston
Carrollton – Mary Alice Van Natta
Cypress – Alexandra Genest
Flint – Arlin Busano
Flower Mound – Shelby Holly and Ria Romano
Garland – Whitney Robertson and Jessica Wright
Keller – Whitney Early
Longview – Brianna Hines
Lufkin – Morgan Berger, Leslie Clothier and Jessica Stovall
Marshall – Caitlyn Glorioso
Nederland – Mackenzie Jardell
Orange – Jordyn Ewing
Pasadena – Bethany Phelps
Pearland – Julia Harkness
Richardson – Allison Lindsteadt
Spring – Briana McLaughlin
Texarkana – Haleigh Wright
Troup – Nikki Fulps
Tyler – Abigail Massey, Hannah Price and Brittany Rodriguez
Wylie – Kathar

The Rangerettes were the first of their kind when they began in 1940 as a vision of the late Gussie Nell Davis. The organization created a unique combination of dance moves and precision drills that quickly earned them the reputation not only as the originators of dance/drill teams, but as the best in the world. Known for their high kicks and the jump splits, the organization has traveled around the world and entertained millions.

HENDERSON COUNTY — A Van Alstyne man dies after a one-vehicle motorcycle crash in Henderson County. According to Department of Public Safety officials, Bradford Martin Boyd, 53, was pronounced dead around 8:30 Wednesday morning. Troopers say the wreck happened around 1:00 after Boyd failed to yield at a stop sign near the intersection of Lazy Launch and Shady Shores Drive. They say he ran into a dry lake bed.