Arp News

Several East Texas fire departments rushed to fight a Smith County house fire Saturday evening.

By KELLY GOOCH Staff Writer TROUP -- Troup residents will vote on alcohol measures now that enough petition signatures were obtained.

Arp firefighters will have new life-saving equipment thanks to a $40,024 federal grant.

East Texas students are gearing-up on their science and technology skills, using Mars as a model.

Gilmer QB Darian "Stump" Godfrey was named the 2009 Mr. Texas Football by Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine with the release of the publication's winter edition.

FREDERICK and Valerie Howell have jived, waltzed and tangoed their way through 60 years of marriage.

By BRIAN PEARSON Business Editor Charlie Turner stood like the Statue of Liberty in the middle of Old Bullard Road on Friday morning, a sign held high to stop motorists so children could cross the street to get to Rice Elementary School.

With clear skies and calm winds, East Texas was greeted with the coldest temperatures in 14 years last night.

Ishimoto Yasuhiro, , "Untitled", from the series Katsura, 1953-54. Gelatin silver print, printed 1980-81. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Gift of the artist in memory of Ishimoto Shigeru.

The No Refusal campaign, launched by Smith County area law enforcement over the New Year's holiday, resulted in 15 people being charged with driving while under the influence.

Few towns have a name as simple and short as Arp, which sits on a railroad line and Texas Highway 135, 18 miles southeast of Tyler in Smith County.

Schools on the list had 50 percent or more students failing TAKS reading, writing, math, social studies or science tests or were rated academically unacceptable during at least two of the 2007, 2008 and 2009 academic years.

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs on Wednesday, Dec. 2 introduced her agency's Leadership Circle program to recognize local governments across Texas striving to meet a high standard for financial transparency online.

"Transparency is very useful. It engages citizens, it empowers citizens and what it allows citizens to do is hold government accountable," said State Comptroller Susan Combs before recognizing five local governmental entities for transparency initiatives.

It was unsettling to discover some school officials were unaware their athletes and fans could, potentially, be in danger.

A 17- or 18-year-old male Troup High School student was removed from the scene of a one-car crash near Troup at about 8:45 a.m. today by air ambulance.

By DAYNA WORCHEL Staff Writer A Smith County man entered a plea bargain on Tuesday in Judge Kerry Russell's 7th District courtroom for his sixth driving while intoxicated offense, which is a second-degree felony.

Hay grown by Hayden Moore of Bullard was judged tops at the East Texas State Fair on Monday.

East Texas' three top-ranked teams held their No. 1 spots in this week's Associated Press Top 10 polls.

By DAYNA WORCHEL Staff Writer A 20-acre grass fire burned on private property off County Road 26 in Smith County on Sunday.