ELECTION DAY – Polling locations across Wise County are open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. today for the general election. Wise County voters are divided into 25 voting precincts based on where they live. Be sure to note that Precincts 2-7 and 2-8 will vote at a new location this year: Assumption Catholic Church, 1305 S. Deer Park in Decatur, not the Decatur Civic Center as in year’s past. .A complete list of polling locations was featured in the weekend Wise County Messenger still available on newsstands. A sample ballot can be found at wcmess.com/ballot. Don’t forget that a new state law requires that you have a valid photo ID in order to vote. Local results will be posted online tonight as they are available at WCMessenger.com. Full coverage of the election will also be featured in the midweek Wise County Messenger on newsstands tomorrow. Find a full list of local polling locations below.
ELECTION MISCONCEPTIONS – On the eve of Election Day, commissioners attorney Thomas Aaberg cleared up misinformation about when newly elected officials will take office. He told commissioners Monday that there’s been a misconception that the newly elected county officials will take over from the interim officials as soon as the votes are canvassed. He explained that under the law, the interims were appointed to a term of office that ends Dec. 31, 2014, and the newly elected officials will win a term that starts Jan. 1, 2015. “I just wanted to clear that up and wanted to make sure everyone understood that’s what is supposed to happen or what under the law is supposed to happen,” he said. He said if everything remained the same, the newly elected officials would not take office until January. Toward the end of the discussion, interim County Judge Glenn Hughes announced his plans to resign as soon as the votes are canvassed, which Aaberg said is within the law, according to the Secretary of State’s office. Whoever wins the judge’s post today would likely be appointed interim judge to finish Hughes’ term and would start in January the term to which they were elected. Read more in the midweek Messenger on newsstands Wednesday.
3 CHARGED IN ROBBERIES – Three Wise County residents have been charged with robbing a Round Rock bank. Husband and wife Rodney Hurdsman, 46, and Stephanie Hurdsman, 39, of Paradise were charged with aggravated robbery of the Regions Bank in Round Rock on July 15 and again on Sept. 25. Kenneth Ulledahl, 22, also of Paradise was charged with aggravated robbery for the July robbery but not the September robbery. The Hurdsmans were arrested by the FBI at a casino in Shreveport, La., Sept. 29 in connection with a robbery of a bank in Benton, Ark., on June 16.
LADY EAGLES WIN BI-DISTRICT – Behind merciless hitting, brilliant decision-making and pinpoint serving, the Decatur Lady Eagles dispatched Venus in three sets, 25-6, 25-3, 25-7, in their Class 4A Region I bi-district volleyball match at Chisholm Trail High School. Makayla Mayfield buried 12 kills and Courtnie Roberts 11. Stormi Leonard handed out 31 assists and blocked four shots. Cooper Martin served four aces.
CHICO, PARADISE OPEN PLAYOFFS – The Chico Lady Dragons and Paradise Lady Panthers will open the playoffs tonight. Chico takes on Collinsville in a 2A Region II bi-district match at TWU at 7 p.m. A few miles away in Krum at 7:30, Paradise will play Callisburg in a 3A Region II bi-district tilt.
RAINY, COOLER DAY AHEAD – Rain moved into Wise County this morning and is expected to stick around throughout the day and possibly into tonight. Temperatures behind the cold front are also expected to keep dropping throughout the day to around 53 by 5 p.m. Overnight lows are expected to dip into the mid-40s. The temperature at 7:50 a.m. was 56 degrees.
DRY AGAIN – Rainfall was below average for a second straight month. During October, Wise County officially received 2.32 inches of rain for the month, well below the average of 4.47 inches. That puts us at just under 6 inches below normal for the first 10 months of the year. Temperatures during the month ranged from a high of 99 on Oct. 7 to a low of 42 on Oct. 4.
SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION – A Free Scholarship 101 presentation is 6 tonight at Weatherford College Wise County. It will cover scholarship information, FASFA, SAT/ACT testing, admissions, plus what makes you a better applicant. Freshman-senior high school students and parents are invited. RSVP by calling the Extension office at 940-627-3341.
AUTHORS VISIT BRIDGEPORT – Nine local authors will visit the Bridgeport Public Library from 5-7 p.m. Thursday. Join them for book discussions, autographs, silent auction and refreshments.
SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS – Boyd Spirit of Christmas applications are now available at city hall. Applications will be due Monday, Nov. 17.
BEADING CLASS – The Decatur Public Library is having a holiday beading class 1 to 4 p.m. every Wednesday in November. Participants will make a holiday ornament as they learn the steps for beadweaving. The class is free, but registration is required. Call 940-393-0290, stop by the library at 1700 Farm Road 51 South, or sign up online at www.decaturpubliclibrary.com.
FUNERALS – Graveside service for Etta Love, 91, of Bridgeport is 2 p.m. Wednesday at Paradise Cemetery. Jones Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport is handling arrangements.
MEMORIAL service for Nevaeh Denise Michele Rogers, an infant, of Bridgeport is 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Chapel at Jones Family Funeral Home.
SERVICE for Eileen Kaye Howden, 50, of Boyd will be held at a later date. Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd is handling arrangements.
MASS of Christian burial for Rita Hurtado, 52, of Boyd is 10:30 a.m. today at Christian-Hawkins with burial at Boyd Cemetery.
GRAVESIDE service for Luis Carlos Infante, 23, of Decatur is 11 a.m. today at Oaklawn Cemetery. Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur is handling arrangements.
NO SERVICE is scheduled for Kasi Dawn King, 26, of Sunset. Coker-Hawkins is handling arrangements.
GRAVESIDE service for Rhonda Zulynn Roshchyn, 46, of Decatur is 11 a.m. Thursday at Oaklawn Cemetery. Family visitation is 6-7 p.m. Wednesday at Coker-Hawkins.
Local polling locations include:
Precinct 1-1: Decatur City Hall, 201 E. Walnut, Decatur
Precinct 1-2: Ag Extension building, 206 S. State, Decatur
Precinct 1-22: Ag Extension building, 206 S. State, Decatur
Precinct 1-3: First Baptist Church, Corner of Farm Road 455 and Main, Slidell
Precinct 1-4: Masonic Lodge, first floor, 147 CR 2640, Greenwood
Precinct 1-5: East Wise Fire Hall, 107 CR 4421, Blewett
Precinct 1-6: Community Center, East Farm Road 407, New Fairview
Precinct 2-7: Assumption Catholic Church, 1305 S. Deer Park, Decatur
Precinct 2-8: Assumption Catholic Church, 1305 S. Deer Park, Decatur
Precinct 2-9: Alvord City Hall, 215 W. Elm, Alvord
Precinct 2-10: Victory Baptist Church, 4346 N. Texas 101, Sunset (Park Springs)
Precinct 2-11: Crafton Baptist Church, fellowship hall, 2590 Farm Road 2127, Crafton
Precinct 2-12: Chico Public Library, 106 W. Jacksboro, Chico
Precinct 4-13: Bridgeport High School, One Maroon Drive, Bridgeport
Precinct 4-14: Bridgeport Lions Hall, 1107 8th St., Bridgeport
Precinct 4-15: Norma Coble Civic Center, 51 Runaway Bay Dr., Runaway Bay
Precinct 4-16: Boonsville Community Center, West on Farm Road 920 off County Road 3743, Boonsville
Precinct 4-17: First United Methodist Church, activity center, 301 S. Oak, Paradise
Precinct 2-18: Bridgeport Recreation Center, 1102 Lawdwin, Bridgeport
Precinct 2-19: Lake Bridgeport Fire Hall, 301 S. Main St., Lake Bridgeport
Precinct 3-20: Cottondale Community Center, 161 CR 3571 off Farm Road 2123, Cottondale
Precinct 3-23: Boyd Community Center, 420 E. Morton Ave., Boyd
Precinct 3-24: Newark Fire Hall, 406 Hudson St., Newark
Precinct 3-25: Boyd Community Center, 420 E. Morton Ave., Boyd
Precinct 3-27: Boyd Community Center, 420 E. Morton Ave., Boyd
The most recent Appeals Court decision restored the state’s Voter ID law, meaning those wishing to cast a ballot will need to bring a photo ID with them to the polling place, along with their voter registration card.
Acceptable forms of ID:
Texas driver’s license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
Texas concealed handgun license issued by DPS
United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
United States passport
Voters who don’t have an ID when they show up at the polling place will be issued a provisional ballot, which can become official if they return with an ID within a given number of days.
