P.O. Box 65, Newton, Texas 75966 409-379-2416
NEWTON COUNTY NEWS
WEATHER PROBABLE CAUSE OF DEADLY CRASH - Anita Gene Cochran Edwards, 57, of Bon Wier was pronounced dead on the scene by Newton County Justice of the Peace A.J. Satterwhite following an accident Friday morning on FM 363 near the Jasper-Newton County line. Ms. Edwards vehicle is believed to have hydroplaned during the heavy rain, hit a bridge and was subsequently struck on the driver’s side by an oncoming vehicle driven by Margaret Wright, 38, of Longview. Ms. Wright was taken to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital. Her injuries were reportedly not life threatening.
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Political Calendar
The following candidates have authorized the Newton County News to include their names in this calendar for the upcoming Republican and Democratic primaries in Newton County. If you are a candidate and wish to appear in this space from now through the primaries and any run-offs, please contact the Newton County News at 409-379-2416.
Newton County Sheriff: R.E. “Bug” Davis (R); Eddie Shannon (D); and Joe Walker (D).
Tax Assessor Collector: Melissa Burks (D).
County Treasurer: Ginger Arnold (D).
Commissioner Precinct 1: Bill Fuller (D); and Steve Riley (D).
Commissioner Precinct 3: Prentiss Hopson (D); Kenneth Weeks (D); James Day (D).
Constable Precinct 1: Odis Lane (D).
Constable Precinct 2: Les Amburn (D); Sam Jones (D).
Constable Precinct 3: Thomas “Tom” Hennigan (D); Steven Lowe (D).
EAGLES SIGN ON FOR THE FUTURE - Newton Eagle teammates and longtime friends Brent Spikes and Trevor Holmes signed letters respectively with McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. Newton Athletic Director and Head Coach W.T. Johnston, Mrs. Mona Barbay, plus the young athletes’ family members gathered for the big moment last Wednesday. Future McNeese Cowboy Brent is the son of Terrie and Alfred Spikes. The Lumberjacks’ Trevor is the son of Julie and Randy Holmes.
Child Wanders Away From School, Found Nearby
A four-year-old child left the Pre-K classroom at Burkeville Elementary to use the restroom one day last week and ended up at a snow cone stand.
Burkeville Superintendent Paula Quick told the NEWS that the little girl was found by another parent who was bringing her son to school. The four-year-old’s reason for leaving? “I missed my mama and went to look for her.”
Mrs. Quick, who quickly apologized for the child’s exit from the campus without being seen, stated that the student’s family was immediately notified and all other parents of children in the district were also informed, by telephone, of the incident.
The same day, all doors were fitted with bell alarms, plus fencing to prevent any other similar incidents in the future, will be installed around the elementary as soon as possible.
Mrs. Quick said that the child was taken back to the classroom and the teacher spoke with all the students about the incident.
Deweyville Swing Bridge Finally On Registry Of Historic Places
EDITOR’S NOTE: Many thanks to the Orange Record and writer Greg Hayes for contributing so much material for this article. Your generosity is most sincerely appreciated.
Ed Gallagher’s 7-year project was finally completed Friday, February 3 with the dedication of the swing bridge crossing the Sabine River into Louisiana on State Highway 12 into the National Register of Historic Places.
Mr. Gallagher, a member of the Newton County Historical Commission, began working to get the bridge on the registry since 2004. Notification of acceptance came last June.
“2004 was when I started getting all the stuff together,” he said. “Newton County only has three things on the national register, so this was a pretty important project for us.”
The Deweyville Swing Bridge is the oldest of its type in the State of Texas, according to the National Park Service. Constructed in 1938 as a work-relief construction project during the Great Depression, it is not only unique but still functional as well.
Three years after he began his quest, in 2007, Gallagher received confirmation that the bridge was eligible for the national register, from both the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Historical Commission. In September of 2008, he sent nomination information to the commission. A year later, on September 19, 2009, the commission’s state review board approved the request. Then the project hit a snag beginning in the middle of the Sabine River - the State of Louisiana.
“The State of Louisiana was the hold up, as we had to rewrite everything for them as the bridge connects Texas and Louisiana,” Gallagher said.
After the rewriting and resubmitting of the bridge information, the Louisiana National Register Review Committee approved the request on April 7, which led to the bridge finally being placed on the national register last summer.
The Deweyville Swing Bridge joins its sister bridge, the Cow Bayou Swing Bridge on State Highway 87 in Bridge City on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Newton County Historical Commission would like to thank Ed Gallagher for hanging in there and making it happen!
SAMSON ENERGY, LLC DONATES TO THE DEWEYVILLE AREA - Through volunteer activities and charitable giving programs, Samson Energy seeks to improve the quality of life in the communities in which their employees live and work. Samson Energy’s core values including being community minded while working to achieve environmental and safety excellence. On January 25, 2012, Samson Energy donated a check in the amount of $18,000 to Newton County Precinct Commissioner Leanord Powell, to help with the revitalization of a basketball court and playground facilities in Deweyville. Pictured above are Newton County Judge Truman Dougharty, Eddie Taylor from Samson, Newton County Commissioner of Precinct 4 Leanord Powell, and Kurt Primeaux from Samson.
