News around the area

Dr. Kevin Eaton will be the interim president of Weatherford College

The recession seems to be slowing, at least some.

Volleyball!

More info on the Rodney Swindle case

A Weatherford man, 49, pled guilty to racing causing death, a felony, earlier this morning.

Rodney Swindle will receive a 10-year, probated sentence, a $2,000 fine, 300 hours of community service, as well as other probation terms.

The accident, which happened in Jan. 2007, resulted in the death of Willie “B.B.” Fielder, a former Weatherford High School running back.

Drugs or alcohol use was not involved in the case, Swain said.

“The charge in this case was not related to some sort of drag race, as the offense of ‘racing’ might imply,” Jeff Swain, assistant district attorney, said. “The essential allegation in the indictment in this case is that Swindle’s vehicle was accelerating to the top of a bottleneck on South Main Street along with another vehicle and that neither would allow the other to pass, the result of which was an accident causing the death of Mr. Fielder.”

Don Schnebly, district attorney, said Fielder’s family was consulted extensively  before making the decision to offer a plea.

The next hearing in the case will be July 17 at 9 a.m. in the 415th District Court. Jail time, which as a condition of probation may be up to six months, will be set for Swindle’s probabtion at that time.

A few more Weatherford legends

Steve and I talked to some residents about local mysteries and ghost stories this morning. A caller named Melissa regaled us with tales of the Greenwood Cemetery “witch’s tomb,” and Nadeen Murphree recalled the story of the Curtis Mines, where lost gold was supposedly buried on what is now Weatherford College. Afterward, Ann Friedman at KYQX found Web links to some very entertaining legends.

The Legend of Weatherford, Texas

The Lake Monster of Weatherford, Texas

Did Lincoln survive?

All of this, is of course, what my Uncle Donnie would call “hooey,” but after all, isn’t that what the Internet is for?

Aledo HS Class of 2010 Habitat House

I spoke with Lindy Shelton, volunteer coordinator at Aledo Project Celebration, today about that Habitat House the Aledo High School class of 2010 is building, and she told me that there would not be a build on July 11, as had been previously reported. The day was previously scheduled as a make-up day.

The next work day will be Aug. 1, when volunteers will be landscaping. Before you put on your work coveralls on, though, cool your heels, because all the volunteer spots have already been filled. If you still want to help with Habitat, though, they’re always looking for volunteers, so check out their site.

As for next year, Shelton says the class of 2011′s plans are still up in the air, but she hopes they’ll follow in the class of 2010′s footsteps.

Where you send letters

Do you have something you want to tell the staff of Parker County Today? Is it positive? Is it negative?

Good, because I’ll accept either one. Send your comments on the most recent issue of Parker County Today to darren@communitymg.com. I’m trying to start a “letters to the editor” department, but that means you’ll have to do some writing.

News on the new president at Weatherford College

WC president Joe Birmingham announced that he’d be retiring a few weeks ago, which means the Weatherford College will be looking for its new president.

Soon.

Linda Bagwell, WC’s director of communications and public relations, says the topic is not on the agenda for the July 9 meeting of the board of trustees, but that board chairman Frank Martin hopes to have an interim president named by the middle of July.

In the meantime, the board will stay busy during the summer, including the construction of some new parking lots and reports on from Wise County officials on the new Wise County Campus.

Bagwell says WC plans to take their time reviewing candidates through the new year in hopes that they’ll select a new president sometime early next year.

So, in the short-term, nothing, but, there is certainly more to come.

First post on the new blog

OK, I let the other blog lapse. I don’t have an excuse, other than I was bored, and I wanted to do something more substantial. Well, here it is. Or, the precursor, at least.

The plan is to have a few weighty post on here every day. I’ll do the reporting if you’ll leave the comments. I’m checking into a few stories right now, and as soon as I know more, I’ll post it. Enjoy.