News

    In many ways, Joe Hermes and Harrison Stafford have led parallel lives. The friends both left Edna after graduating high school, and they both came home not long after. Both men love history, and are involved in “civic service,” as Hermes, Edna’s mayor, calls it.     He insists, “I am not a politician.”     Harrison Stafford served as Jackson County Judge from 1991 until his retirement in 2011 and Hermes has been the mayor of Edna since 1987.     Today, the two men finish each other’s sentences, banter back and forth about Hermes being younger, and Stafford being “more handsome,” but in school, they were not close.  Hermes graduated in 1961 in a time when grade levels stuck together and friendships weren’t often formed outside of classes.

By Jessica Coleman    
Staff Writer
    27-year-old Edna resident Matthew Wayne Pillow, who was shot by Edna Police Patrolman Luis Chavez after allegedly pulling a knife on the officer following a shoplifting incident, remains in the hospital as of press time. 
    Pillow suffered several injuries internally as well as injuries to his arm and hand, according to Jackson County Sheriff Andy Louderback. Louderback addressed the Jackson County Commissioners in Commissioners Court on June 11 and updated them on the status of the defendant and the case.
    Pillow was set to be released into the custody of law enforcement between June 10 and 12, but complications arose over the weekend making it necessary for him to remain hospitalized. Barring further complications, he could be released by Wednesday, June 15. 

By Jessica Coleman    
Staff Writer
    27-year-old Edna resident Matthew Wayne Pillow, who was shot by Edna Police Patrolman Luis Chavez after allegedly pulling a knife on the officer following a shoplifting incident, remains in the hospital as of press time. 
    Pillow suffered several injuries internally as well as injuries to his arm and hand, according to Jackson County Sheriff Andy Louderback. Louderback addressed the Jackson County Commissioners in Commissioners Court on June 11 and updated them on the status of the defendant and the case.
    Pillow was set to be released into the custody of law enforcement between June 10 and 12, but complications arose over the weekend making it necessary for him to remain hospitalized. Barring further complications, he could be released by Wednesday, June 15. 

By Jessica Coleman    
Staff Writer
    Alvin Svoboda loves movies. He speaks of cinema and its related theater business with passion, knowledge, and wisdom. He can tell you many stories he has collected in his 58 years in the movie business at the Ganado Cinema. 
    Having opened on June 6, 1941, the cinema celebrates its 75th anniversary this month, and what better way to honor the business and its history than to show the very first movie ever to grace the screen?
    Svoboda is celebrating the 75th anniversary of his beloved theater with the community by holding a free show on Sunday, June 12. A screening of a video by the Shiner Hobo Band will begin at 1:15 p.m. followed by The Lady From Cheyenne at 2 p.m. Patrons will enjoy free popcorn as they step back in time in the Ganado Cinema. 

By Jessica Coleman    
Staff Writer
    Kyle Coffey readily admits he has not always been on the right side of the law. He is proud of the way he’s turned his life around today. However, because of his past some may find it surprising that he is the one coming to the defense of an officer after rumors flew following an officer-involved shooting in Edna on June 2. Coffey said it was the right thing to do, especially given how quickly rumors flew after the incident.
    On June 2, Edna Police Officer Luis Chavez, an eight-year veteran of the force, responded to a report of a shoplifter from Conner’s Corner Store on S. Highway 59 in Edna. What was expected to be a routine stop ended with the suspect going at the officer with a knife, and the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Matt Pillow of Edna, wounded critically but not mortally.

Update June 3, 11:30 a.m.:  The suspect's condition is listed as critical but stable. 

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer

By Jessica Coleman
Staff Writer
    Edna Police, Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Ganado Police Department along with EMS and fire organizations responded to an incident that ended with a suspect being shot on June 2.                                                     

Here’s what we know: 

•  Around 4 p.m. a call came in to law enforcement from Conner’s Corner Store regarding a shoplifter who had just left the store. The caller reported the suspect was on foot, traveling toward the stoplight at Wells St. He was described as a male, wearing a camouflage hoodie and khaki pants.

• As officers approached, the suspect fled, and a chase ensued.

• An officer radioed with a call of “shots fired.”

• The suspect fell in the grass where N. Wells St. meets Kleas St. 

• The unidentified suspect was transported by ambulance to an area hospital, and was alive at the time of transport.

By Jessica Coleman    
Staff Writer 
    Spring has arrived, and with it has come baby animals. With the arrival of baby animals often comes a human hypervigilance regarding rescue that wildlife organizations end up picking up the tab for. 
    Animals, especially wildlife, often appear abandoned or distressed to those who don’t understand their instinctual behavior. Well-intentioned humans may see a fawn alone in a field and think it is abandoned or orphaned. They may not know that does leave their fawns alone for long periods of time, to dissuade predators by keeping her scent away from the baby. 

By Jessica Coleman    
Staff Writer 
    Spring has arrived, and with it has come baby animals. With the arrival of baby animals often comes a human hypervigilance regarding rescue that wildlife organizations end up picking up the tab for. 
    Animals, especially wildlife, often appear abandoned or distressed to those who don’t understand their instinctual behavior. Well-intentioned humans may see a fawn alone in a field and think it is abandoned or orphaned. They may not know that does leave their fawns alone for long periods of time, to dissuade predators by keeping her scent away from the baby. 

By Jessica Coleman    
Staff Writer
    As Edna residents prepared to wind down for the evening on May 31, their homes fell dark. Many homes on the south side of town lost power around 8:30 p.m., beginning with a dimming of the lights which eventually faded into complete loss of electricity. 
    AEP representative Elgin Janssen said the entire ordeal began with a bird’s nest on a transformer which caught fire, causing the equipment to need to be shut down in order to safely clear debris. Around 10:30, lights came back on, and then almost immediately off again, due to another transformer failure. This time, the entire city of Edna was affected. 
    Crews worked for hours to restore electric services to Edna, finally restoring services around 2 a.m. 
    Edna isn’t the only area affected by outages. Kingsville lost power Tuesday evening and isn’t slated to have power again until 1 p.m. Wednesday.