Hood County News from Granbury, Texas • Page 2

CIRCULATION For delivery or billing questions, subscriptions and vacation stops Phone 817-573-7066 or 817-279-9718 Delivery in county: Granbury, Lipan, Tolar, Paluxy, Cresson, Bluff Dale, Glen Rose, Rainbow and Nemo 6 mo 1 Year $39 2 Years 3 Years $100 Delivery to remainder of Texas: 6 mo 1 Year $59 2 Years 3 Years $150 Delivery to out of state: 6 mo 1 Year $79 2 Years 3 Years $210 College student subscription (in Texas, start date through .9 months $48 00 CLASSIFIED Have a car to sell? Want to rent your house? Planning a garage sale? Phone: Metro Toll Free: Fax: email: Classifi ed billing questions? Call 817-573-7066 and ask for classifi ed billing. CLASSIFIED DEADLINES Wednesday issue ...................1 p.m. Monday Saturday issue ......................1 p.m. Thursday RETAIL ADVERTISING The Hood County News P.O. Box 879 1501 S.

Morgan St. Granbury, Texas 76048 Other questions? Call 817-573-7066 or 817-279-9718 Penny Holloway executive Mary Dixon executive Lisa Riley executive Karen Chandler executive Danielle Daily assistant www.hcnews.com INFO 123rd Year USPS 249-520 P.O. Box 879 1501 S. Morgan St. Granbury, TX 76048 www.hcnews.com Phone: 817-573-7066 Fax: 817-279-8371 The HOOD COUNTY NEWS is published at 1501 S.

Morgan Granbury, TX 76048 twice a week for $39.00 per year in Hood and Somervell Counties and Bluff Dale. Elsewhere in Texas is $59.00. Elsewhere in U.S.A., $79.00. Periodicals postage paid at Granbury, Tx. 76048.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the HOOD COUNTY NEWS, P.O. Box 879, Granbury, Tx. 76048. Any erroneous refl ection upon character, standing or reputation of any person, fi rm or corporation, which may occur in the HOOD COUNTY NEWS will be gladly corrected once brought to the attention of publisher or editor. The publisher is not responsible for copy omissions or typographical errors that may occur other than to correct them in the nearest issue after it is brought to his attention and in no case does the publisher hold himself liable for damages further than the amount received by him for actual space covering the error.

The HOOD COUNTY NEWS is an award-winning member of the Texas Press Association, North East Texas Press, West Texas Press and National Newspaper Association. Publisher, Jerry Tidwell Asst. publisher, Joe Thompson manager, Rick Craig Editor, Roger Enlow Sports editor, Rick Mauch Press, Dan Martin or Vincent Hernandez Newspaper In Education, Martha Pyron WELCOME TO THE HOOD COUNTY NEWS 2009 Hood County News, All Rights Reserved HOW TO CONTACT US 2A Hood County News FROM PAGE ONE Saturday, August 1, 2009 www.hcnews.com 5 00 ShowBiz Cinemas 6 Granbury 1201 Waters Edge Dr. (817) 573-MOVIE showbizcinemas.com Bargain Tuesdays! $5 Tickets $1 Hot Dogs ALIENS IN THE ATTIC Sat Tue 12:05 2:25 4:50 7:00 9:15 FUNNY PEOPLE Sat Tue 12:30 3:30 6:30 9:25 G-FORCE Sat Tue 12:20 2:40 5:00 7:15 9:20 HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE Sat Tue 1:00 4:20 7:30 ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS Sat Tue 12:10 THE PROPOSAL Sat Tue 2:20 4:40 7:05 9:30 THE UGLY TRUTH Sat Tue 12:00 2:15 4:30 7:10 9:35 Last Puzzle Solution S-917 I A I A I A A A A I A I A A A A A I A I I A I A A I A A A A A A When Times Are XPERIENCE OUNTS Social Security Disability Personal Injury Medical Malpractice Catastrophic Accidents Product Liability Oil Field Accidents Railroad Claims Wrongful Death Premise Liability Law Offi ces of Terry K. Fleming 36 Years of Practice 1-800-444-0738 TARRANT COUNTY OFFICE 4100 International Plaza, Ste 532, Ft.

Worth 817-738-7196 HOOD COUNTY OFFICE 2441 E. Hwy 377 Ste 110, Granbury 817-579-7196 Fax: 817-579-7176 SE HABLA FREE CONSULTATION LICENSED TO PRACTICE IN TEXAS AND THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN, WESTERN EASTERN DISTRICTS, 5TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES YOUR LOCAL WEATHER LOOKING BACK 30 years ago in 1979: According to weather watcher Bill Quinn at deCordova Bend Estates, the mercury reached 100 degrees 14 days in July. 20 years ago in 1989: Granbury City Council members propose a tiny tax increase to the city property tax rate from 28.45 to 29.08 cents per $100 valuation. 10 years ago in 1999: Elton Garland Williams, the Will Rogers of Hood County, turns 90 and is surprised by a host of family and friends who gather to celebrate his birthday. Sat Partlycloudy withisolated thunder- stormspossi- ble.Heatin- dexnear 105F.

Sun Partlycloudy withastray thunderstorm. Mon Sunny.Highs 101to105F andlowsin themid70s. Tue Abundant sunshine. Highs98to 102Fand lowsinthe upper70s. Wed Moresun thanclouds.

Highs98to 102Fand lowsinthe upper70s. Keff er visits Granbury From left, county judge Andy Rash, state Rep. Jim Keff er (R-Eastland) and Granbury mayor David Southern visit Thurs- day after Keff er addressed a joint meeting of the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs. ROGER ENLOW HOOD COUNTY NEWS July rain Little raindrops make a puddle Wednesday afternoon in a Hood County garden. MARY VINSON HOOD COUNTY NEWS KILLINGS: Authorities say defendant was with victims before they disappeared DEVELOPER: Cries innocence FROM PAGE ONE LAKE: Costly dredging on option FROM PAGE ONE is responsible for dredging the lake.

The Brazos River Authority has no funds budgeted for dredging. my knowledge, the BRA has never dredged the said BRA spokeswoman Judi Pierce. For property owners thinking about digging out, there are a few guidelines. When dredging up to 50 cubic yards, a BRA permit is required. The permit form asks for a scale drawing of the area to be dredged, approximate amount of material to be removed and a plan for where be disposing of the material.

(It go back in the lake.) For dredging more than 50 cubic yards, a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is required, along with permission from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Due to environmental restrictions, dredging may not be done from April June. COST OF DREDGING Chad Litchfield, of Litchfield Sons, reports an increase in dredging with the lake being down. an individual calls us, and by the time we get out there other neighbors are joining he said.

The cost for professional dredging can run around $1,000 (and up) under a boat slip. The cost goes up considerably when an entire canal needs to be dredged. Before moving to Hideaway Bay, Herr lived in Laguna Vista on a canal that was silting in. of the neighbors contributed and I think we spent about $25,000 total, to have the channel dredged to about 7 she said. Following the flooding and extensive debris fields during the spring and summer of 2006, the same channel is now a mucky mess barely deep enough for turtles to swim.

Without the right equipment, the process can be cumbersome for a homeowner to undertake as a project. Litchfield said that his work barge has a large container to hold the dirt. take it to the nearest boat ramp and off-load into dump trucks for hauling CONSTANT LEVEL LAKE? Like most folks who bought waterfront property here, Moore was led to believe Lake Granbury was a level Moore recalls, were told it was a constant level lake by the Realtor. I blame her. She probably told us that because what she was So where did this talk get started? BRA officials state never told anyone that Gran- bury was a lake.

In fact, the boat dock permit states quite the opposite. A portion of the permit reads, water level in the lakes will not be The permit further states that depending on conditions such as evaporation, water use and rainfall, the level could drop as much as 30 feet. SILTING IN Sometimes more than a rain shortage leaving boats high and dry. Moore feels that improper drainage in the neighborhoods surrounding the lake contributes to the silt deposit in the canals. As the bottom fills in with silt and debris, less water in the canal.

we bought this place in 1997, my wife could jump off the dock and the water was over her Moore said of his Indian Harbor property. Now about 18 inches, and you dare jump in that muck, Moore stated. amazes me that people in the big, humongous homes he said. really taxed hard for waterfront property. But we have waterfront any Moore explained.

you want my money in taxes, then there should be some 817-573-7066, ext. 255 convicted on multiple counts of wire fraud and interstate transportation of stolen goods and served eight years at Bastrop, a federal corrections institution. According to documents obtained by the Hood County News, a Rhode Island district court ordered him to pay more than $26 million in restitution. The case, Christopher said, involved a situation back in 1987 when he sideways with this day, I believe I did not do anything to have merited a federal charge, let alone a guilty Christopher said. the simple truth is, I was found guilty on a very technical piece of the law.

But God blessed my socks off during that In 2006, after serving his time, Christopher landed in Hood County. According to Fountain Village promotional materials, he came here at the request of a friend, who wanted him to see a potential development site. It was then, the article said, that the dream of Fountain Village Garden Homes was formed. But while Christopher was living a dream, those who crossed his path may have begun living a nightmare. The dozen or so contractors and business representatives who met with Deeds last month complained of unpaid bills, multiple business names allegedly connected to Christopher, and smooth excuses for not paying debts.

The businesses represented at the meeting included plumbing, landscaping, concrete, survey, carpet and dirt work firms, officials said. Bill Black, of Black Resources, Inc. in Granbury, among that group, but is nevertheless scheduled to face Christopher in court. Christopher and his Cortez Energy Partners colleague and Fountain Village associate Don Bailey, sued Black over an alleged agreement that involved the development and operation of various oil and gas leases in Colorado. Cortez allegedly was to provide investors for drilling on Colorado property owned by Black.

The Cortez lawsuit accuses Black of fraud. counter suit claims the investors that the Cortez pair were to provide never materialized. attorney has filed for a summary judgment hearing, which is scheduled for Sept. 3 in district judge Ralph court. Black declined comment to the Hood County News, citing the pending lawsuit.

Regarding his investigation of Christopher, Deeds would not provide further details due to the ongoing investigation. Christopher said he would like to see invoices proving he owes anyone anything. the best of my knowledge, I owe anybody in Granbury any he said. does any company that I have ownership Christopher said he does not own Fountain Village Bailey does. It is Bailey, he said, who is responsible for any debts tied to the development.

Fountain Village promotional materials name Don and Sandy Bailey as financial saying that he (Bailey) is the owner, and has always been the Christopher said. the developer, I was the front guy. the guy making it all happen. can be angry at Christopher continued. like the way done some things.

But he fought a valiant battle to get things done, and still trying to get it One representative of a business allegedly owed money by Christopher told the Hood County News that Christopher told her he had sold his interest in the business to Bailey in May. When asked whether such was the case, Bailey told the Hood County News: know how to respond. I have a recollection of any May When questioned regarding the alleged debts, Bailey said neither he nor Christopher should be held personally responsible. General Motors pay a bill, General Motors (executives) get tarred and he said. Deeds said his investigation does not include Bailey.

all about Charles he said. 817-573-7066, ext. 258. a Somervell County field by a seismograph crew in December 2005 were determined to be those of the victims. Less than a year later, in October 2006, Buttrey was picked up on an Arlington misdemeanor assault warrant in Phoenix and extradited to the Tarrant County Jail in Fort Worth.

While incarcerated there, he was charged with the murders. Following arrest on the warrant, reports said that investigators commented they had always considered Buttrey a person of extreme interest in the killings. (Buttrey) was in car with them (Steele and Tiner) the night they disappeared, chief deputy McCravey said. car was found within reasonable walking distance of where Buttrey was picked up the next morning by his The site of the vehicle location was on Peak Road near Comanche Peak. The keys were inside it.

g.engel@hcnews.com]817-573-7066, ext. 251 FROM PAGE ONE BY GARY ENGEL HOOD COUNTY NEWS Especially on the westbound Highway 377 exit, drivers must feel like in a high-stakes carnival event where the good chance of a rear-end collision is concerned. Call it Granbury police capt. Alan Hines said these are the most common types of accidents city officers work, handling four to five per month, and most of them are at that location. They are usually a result of drivers following too closely, and influenced by a variety of factors, the officer stated.

setting) sun, the off- ramp full, and not paying cause wrecks at that particular spot, Hines said. Wherever driving, Hines said to allow sufficient clearance from the car in front and be cautious of the actions of other drivers. Where the Morgan Street exit is concerned, Hines said people should watch for those who are changing lanes on Highway 377 to make the off ramp from the inside lane. is a problem area at he said. in that area use extreme More advice for all driving locations: Folks should have their seat belt on, and another area one may not have considered head rest adjustment, for the driver and passenger.

do not want the head rest so low that it hits you on the Hines noted. allows the head to travel over the top of the head That could lead to the painful injury known as A common rule of thumb for following another car has been established in the driving world. to use the two-second rule. When behind another vehicle, pick a landmark near the side of the road and count, one thousand-one, one thousand-two. If your vehicle passes that same landmark before getting to the count of two, too close.

Hines said for the Morgan exit, anything longer, like a three-second rule, is probably not practical because drivers are cutting into the outside lane to make the ramp. that causes them to brake harder than normal, so allowing more time could cause more Hines noted. Officers do not issue citations for following too closely, Hines said Rear-end crashes problem in Granbury.