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Wednesday, Wood County December 28, 2016 Vol. 1 No. 22 Two Sections MONITOR 50 cents www.woodcountymonitor.com Tim Boswell retires from the bench By LARRY TUCKER Gohmert, a friend of Bo- former law partner, Att orney [email protected] swell’s and a former judge John Alexander of Winns- himself. boro spoke about Boswell. “I An overfl ow crowd in the Former Wood County have to tell you, I think Tim’s district courtroom at the Judge Don Hightower start- a mighty fi ne judge and I Wood County Courthouse ed the program with a few don’t say that just because he gathered Wednesday to say remarks. “I just want to say has been my friend for over goodbye to 402nd District thank you, we have been 40 years. He has those four Court Judge Tim Boswell so blessed for you to have att ributes I think are most who is retiring after serving served us these years,” High- important in a judge,” Alex- 17 years on the bench. tower said. The room was fi lled with Another good friend and See BOSWELL, Page 10A well-wishers that includ- ed other judges and United Judge Tim Boswell receives a flag which has flown over the capitol from Con- States Congressman Louie gressman Louie Gohmert. (Monitor photo by Larry Tucker) YEAR IN REVIEW Jeff Fletcher has spent 10 months planning for taking office as district judge. He will be sworn in on Jan. 1. Highlights, low moments of 2016 ranked “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” the community, interest or signifi - Fletcher prepares to meet is not only a classic movie, but a cance in and out of the communities fi tt ing title to apply to the events and importance – as the top stories of challenges as district judge that made up the top news stories in the year. With editors of the former By LARRY TUCKER Mineola, Quitman and Wood County Wood County Democrat and Mineola [email protected] during 2016. Monitor reviewing stories, two lists of The Monitor editorial staff in Quit- top stories were compiled from Larry Come Jan. 1, Jeff Fletcher will be the man behind the bench as 402nd Judicial District man and Mineola have collected Tucker’s and Doris Newman’s per- Judge Tim Boswell steps down after 17 what we view - either by impact in spectives. years in the seat. The incoming district judge won the pri- After over 100 years of having a foot- Spring Elections. It was an elec- mary and since there was no Democrat op- ball program, on Dec. 15, 2016 the tion year and in Wood County the ponent, Fletcher has been able to plan the 1Mineola High School Football 1top two law enforcement offi cials transition from att orney to judge over the Team was state champions for the fi rst will change. Tom Castloo defeated Ed past 10 months. time ever. It brought a celebration that Shadbolt in a run-off for sheriff and Jeff One of Fletcher’s top concerns was could be felt throughout East Texas, in- Fletcher defeated Brad McCampbell to courthouse security. He and Wood Coun- cluding neighboring communities who replace District Judge Tim Boswell who ty Sheriff -elect Tom Castloo have worked cheered for the team. retired after 17 years on the bench of the with County Judge Bryan Jeanes and The Yellow- 402nd District county commissioners for funding and By DORIS NEWMAN jackets were Court. By LARRY TUCKER plans for tighter security. [email protected] picked in July by The race for sheriff [email protected] “The commissioners did a great job Dave Campbell’s Tex- drew four candidates: See FLETCHER, Page 4A as Football to win the 3A District 1 title but, just Castloo, Shadbolt, Dwaine Daugherty and incum- to make things interesting, the team started off bent Sheriff Jim Brown. Castloo led the voting their season with two losses. with 3,170 votes with Shadbolt named on 2,648 Those were the only ones of the year as ballots. Daugherty came in a close third place they allowed only 15.5 points per game with 2,464 votes and Brown with 1,968. QISD searching for new A.D. in regular season play and 8 per game The run-off election was a tight race with Quitman School District is beginning to during district. That defense, plus of- Castloo recording 2,991 or 50.26 percent search for a new athletic director and head fense, which included 13,835 yards of the vote and Shadblolt at 2,663 or 49.74 football coach, according to a statement is- rushing by Jeremiah Crawford and percent. On the night of the returns were sued by Superintendent Rhonda Turner Chantz Perkins, equaled the state all fi nally tallied, Castloo was relieved. The district is cur- championship. “Wow, that was close, a 50-50 split. It’s rently taking applica- tions and will do so un- See NEWMAN, Page 10A See TUCKER, Page 12A til Jan. 15. “We are in the initial phases of a search for an athletic director. The job has been posted at www.quitmanisd.net, Mayor reports city’s A+ grade to council Region VII, Texas As- sociation of School Ad- By DORIS NEWMAN meeting. tive outlook.” John Woodard [email protected] ministrators, and should The mayor reported that “A lot of big brokers and even soon be on the Texas High School Coaches the city had met with its banks get that,” he said. He contin- Association Site. We have initially set Jan- Mayor Rodney Watkins bond people who review ued that he did not think there is a uary 15 as a closing date for applications; saved the good news until cities every two years, and negative outlook, with “a lot more however, that is a soft closing date. We nearly last during the reg- they rated the city with in Mineola in new construction that want to fi nd the right fi t for our district ular Mineola City Council an A plus again. But, he we have had in a decade.” and the right person to lead and build the meeting last Monday. said there was a qualifi er As he has done other times before, athletic program.” The meeting had wound “with a negative outlook.” the mayor complimented the staff Turner said the district has formed a down to mayor’s com- Rodney Watkins However, Watkins said he saying that knowing the city’s fi nan- focus group concerning the position. ments, which was second thought that the A plus cial straits not too long ago, it was to last on the agenda of the fairly was “phenomenal” and he was told See A.D., Page 4A routine business in the December “don’t get hung up on” the “nega- See MINEOLA COUNCIL, Page 9A Quitman Workforce Solutions office is among six closing The Quitman Workforce Solutions offi ce is among ly on Dec. 12 by the Workforce board and the chief for WSET. “Workforce Solutions East Texas is commit- six that the agency will be closing, eff ective Friday. elected offi cials board, which is comprised of 14 coun- ted to keeping up with the ever-changing needs and A press release from the East Texas Council of ty judges in East Texas and the mayors of Longview accessibility of our 14-county region customers. While Governments stated they will close offi ces in Emo- and Tyler. Funding reduction led to the closure of the yes, some of our offi ce doors may be closing, know ry, Gilmer, Carthage, Jeff erson and Pitt sburg as well. six centers as the $31 million budget decreased almost that we have established several new service methods The release states that the Workforce will continue to $730,000 this year. The closures were designated to the in order to continue meeting client needs. We’re not maintain all of the services that are available in exist- centers in the region with the lowest foot traffi c, which just in a building anymore!” ing offi ces in Athens, Canton, Henderson, Longview, averaged 68 visits each in the last year. The VIP Call Center will be available beginning Jan. Marshall, Palestine and Tyler. The Quitman offi ce has “Our New Pledge is ‘Serving You Where You Are’,” 2 and nearly all of the services previously handled by just recently moved into a new location. said Doug Shryock, director of Workforce & Econom- a staff member in an offi ce will be available over the The reduction in centers was passed unanimous- ic Development at ETCOG, the administrative agency See CLOSING, Page 10A Church Directory ...........................8A Letters to the Editor ...................... 2A Club News ....................................7A Opinion ........................................ 2A Section B Inside: Classifieds ...................................3B Police/Fire Reports ...................... 5A Wood County teams, players Soldier shares scripture Community Calendar..................... 2A Sports ................................Section B www.facebook.com/WoodCountyMonitor on All-District Football Team at Christmas gathering 2A Wood County Monitor • Wednesday, December 28, 2016 Tucker’s Turf Letter to the Editor By Larry Tucker To the editor, Here’s a diff erent per- spective on the Mineola Yellowjackets’ state title Missin’ the tunesmiths push from the standpoint of having blue chip talent For all that it was political- decades. the genre. His relationship with his wife Su- that played for but didn’t ly, 2016 was even tougher The Hag wrote and sang from the heart. san and best friend Townes Van Zandt gave win state, yet set in mo- on rock stars, singers and He was a true prophet of the working man.