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News

Around Town

Myrtle Cemetery Shareholders to Meet

Shareholders (plot owners) of the Myrtle Cemetery Association will hold their annual meeting at the Myrtle Cemetery Chapel on Aug. 19, 2019, at 7 p.m.

ERSPA Members to Meet

Citizens Accused

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Ashton Taylor Thompson, 23, Ennis. Probation violation - accident involving damage to vehicle =$200 (MB), no bond set; probation violation - criminal mischief GT=$500 LT$1500 (MA), no bond set. Booked on 08/15/19 by ECSO.

Trajuan Lovell Paul, 26, Ennis. Probation violation - revoc/possession CS PG2 LT1G/(FS)/no bond, no bond set. Booked on 08/12/19 by ECSO.

Michael Alan Salazar, 41, Ennis. Parole violation, no bond set. Booked on 08/09/19 by Ennis PD.

I-45 car chase through Ferris, Palmer

Palmer police with the assistance of Ferris Police were involved in a high-speed vehicle pursuit on IH-45 in the early evening hours of Aug. 13.

Four suspects were arrested after the vehicle crashed at the intersection of IH-45 and Red Bud Lane. Another suspect fled the scene on foot and is still at-large.

Italy adds SRO presence to campus

Italy ISD schools begin classes on Monday and among the new faces on campus will be new Resource Officer (SRO) Bob Willbanks, a reserve Lieutenant with the Italy Police Dept.

He is attending the National Association of School Resource Officer training in Frisco this week and will be ready to assume his post on Aug. 19.

The addition of Officer Willbanks to the schools’ police force will add a measure of safety for the students, teachers and

administrators at the school. He will start by getting to know the students and staff during the first weeks of the school year.

Have fun as a family without breaking the bank

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Raising children is no small task. Parents face numerous challenges when raising their kids, and while it may not be the biggest hurdle they face, the cost of raising a family can sometimes seem daunting.

State rules Spurgeon’s death a homicide

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ACCIDENT

Five people perished in the March 24, Sunday morning headon collision on SH 34 in Bardwell, including Michael Spurgeon, Sr., the Police Chief in Bardwell, his adult son, along with two children and their father in another vehicle. The investigation remains open, though some details have surfaced.

The Ennis News edition on July 24 reported on the crash report and included the diagram by police of the sequence of events. Copies remain available.

EISD Rocks the Return

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BACK TO SCHOOL

Ten campuses and over 5,000 students donned backpacks and headed to school on Thursday, most of them smiling. Ten weeks of summer couldn’t contain the energy of starting fresh, seeing friends again and meeting new teachers. Ennis schools were brimming full of bright eyed and bushy tailed students this week, and the new beginning continues on Monday, Aug. 19.

Family recalls 1893 rape, murder

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HISTORY

In 1893 one of the most gruesome murders in the history of the Ennis area took place. The fatal rape and mutilation of 15-year-old Frantiska (“Frances”) Cervenka, a daughter of Karel Cervenka, a well-known Czechoslovakian farmer, held the attention of the state for a week as horrific details of the crime were reported and two suspects, Abe House and Ed Gibson, were arrested. The horror of the killing was likened to “those perpetrated by Jack the Ripper.”

EISD adds Moore to Admin. staff

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SCHOOLS

New head of Ennis schools, Jay Tullos, announced an essential administrative hire in James Moore, a native of Houston who grew up in the Nacogdoches area.

He will serve as the Executive Director of Accountability and Compliance, the same job description that Dr. David Averett held. The latter accepted a position at his alma mater, Waxahachie, at the end of June. He is the WISD Executive Director of Secondary Learning.

Castellaw family identified in old photo

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One of the pictures included in last week’s column was misidentified. The picture of the Castellaw family should have listed the males in the picture as Jack Coleman Castellaw and his son, Jack Pender Castellaw. The image, now in the Ennis Heritage Society collection at the Ennis Public Library, was mislabeled.

Local historian and genealogist Bobbie Dlabaj noticed this and wrote to me at once to correct the misinformation and to share the history of this once prominent Ennis family. Her email follows: