News

Judges Kevin Stancik and Jerry Hensley weigh an alligator gar at the 2014 TGWA Whisker's & Red's Fishing Tournament on March 14 at the Brackenridge Main Event Center. The alligator gar weighed 78 pounds and was 65 1/2 inches long.

Deputy Chris Marlow with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, confiscated 120 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop on Hwy. 59 on March 2. According to a spokesperson with the JCSO, the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, driven by Rebecca Garza of Harlingen, was stopped for speeding. Marlow discovered the marijuana hidden in the truck’s fuel tank. Garza was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana over 50 pounds, less than 2,000 pounds. She bonded out the next day with a $100,000 bond. The drugs were submitted to the Texas DPS Crime Lab for analysis. No cash was found during the stop, but the truck was seized subject to civil seizure/forfeiture laws.

Desmond Earls was happy with his new living room floor that was constructed by the organization Mission Jackson County.

Several homeowners in Jackson County were pleased to find their homes updated and renovated by the organization called Mission Jackson County. From left is Jailen Prince, Madyson Tones, Lasonya Robinson, Jennifer Granberry, Debra and Johnathan Matocha.

The Edna City Council will discuss the hazardous conditions at G.W. Carver Elementary school at its March 20 regular council meeting. The school was heavily damaged during a fire that occurred on March 13.

Council will also discuss and consider a request for a specific use permit from Joyce Jarratt to own and operate a real estate office at 1101 N. Wells St., discuss and consider a petition for repairs to alleyways, discuss a report from KSA Engineers regarding streets and drainage projects, discuss and take action on the purchase of flag poles for the city's special project, and discuss and take action on a proposal to partner with Edna ISD for pipe fence improvements at Shelby Park.

The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 20 at Edna City Hall, 126 W. Main.

Two juveniles have been detained in a second fire that occurred on the G.W. Carver campus earlier today. According to Edna Police Chief Clinton Wooldridge, the 14-year old suspects were seen running from the building that housed the gymnasium. They were detained by witnesses who saw them fleeing. The juveniles were transported to the Victoria County Juvenile Detention Center and will be charged with arson, a second degree felony, Wooldridge said.

The fire was put out in about 10 minutes by the Edna Fire Department and minimal damage occurred.to the building.

Wooldridge emphasized the dangerous conditions of the buildings and said parents should not allow their children to go on that old campus.

He added that no one had been arrrested for the first fire and the investigation is still ongoing. He did not say if today's suspects were connected to the fire that burned the second grade wing on March 14.

By Lisa Shapiro, staff writer

A second fire took place at George Washington Carver School in the morning of March 17. Edna Police Chief Clinton Wooldridge said the fire was in the gym at G.W. Carver School. Wooldridge said witnesses saw smoke and two juveniles coming out of the building.

"Contents inside the gym were on fire and took about 10 minutes to put it out," Edna Fire Marshal Loyd Chase Jr. said. "Only Edna Fire Units responded to the fire."

Two juveniles were detained by the Edna Police Department and were taken to the Victoria Juvenile Facility.

They are beng charged with arsony.

The Edna Fire Department received a phone call regarding the fire at 10:15 a.m. and arrived at 10:19 a.m. at the scene to put out the fire, Chase said. 

"A state fire marshal also responded back to the scene yesterday, and we are working together to help investigate this incident," he said.  

The old G. W. Carver Elementary School suffered extensive fire damage this evening when the former second grade wing caught fire. The school had been vacant since the new Edna Elementary School opened several years ago. The building is now owned by the G.W. Carver Reunion Committee. According to one of the Edna Volunteer Fire Department personnel, the call came in around 8:15 p.m. that the school was on fire. No one was reported injured and there is no reported cause at this time. Read the full story in the next issue of the Jackson County Herald-Tribune.

By Chris Lundstrom
Publisher/Editor
        The City of Edna will not be relocating their offices any time soon. After considering the purchase of the former First Victoria bank building in executive session, Mayor Joe Hermes announced in open session that council had no interest in offering to purchase the building and would be proceeding to get cost estimates for other solutions.
    Council was considering the purchase of the now vacant bank building to possibly move the city administration offices. The center of the issue is the current police department building that is in bad condition and a city fire truck that doesn’t fit in the station. Moving the city offices would allow the police department to move next to the municipal court and the current police department building to be torn down for space to build a new fire department.

Female Terrier found on County Road 311 near the bridge. No collar or tags.
Please call (361) 489-9903 to claim.