Friday, July 25, 1997
Area news roundup
Temps around area hit unofficial 100s
The mercury keeps inching upward in Abilene. Thursday's high
of 98 made it the hottest day of 1997 so far - one degree closer
to the three-digit number that signifies summer in Texas has really
arrived.
Although unofficial temperatures reported around town were
as high as 104, Abilene has not hit 100 degrees yet this summer.
That's unusual, said Mark Deutschendorf of the National Weather
Service in San Angelo.
"Most of the time you have at least hit it once,"
he said.
It seems terribly hot outside, but even so - this is expected
in July.
"The average high for late July is 96," Deutschendorf
said. "It seems like we're getting right about average every
day."
And there's still no relief in sight; no rain and no break
in the string of high temperatures are predicted.
"I guess the only good news would be relatively low humidity
in the afternoons," Deutschendorf said.
An unofficial reading of 103 was reported at Anson.
New IGA to be built in Clyde
Construction is expected to begin Aug. 17 on a new Lawrence
Bros. IGA grocery store on the south access road of Interstate
20 to replace the one that burned June 5.
The new store, in the same location as the old one in Callahan
Plaza, is scheduled for completion Oct. 23, said Kyle Lawrence,
one of the owners.
The Lawrence family, based in Sweetwater, will purchase the
land they previously leased from James Parker of Abilene.
The new store will be 28,000 square feet, 40 percent larger
than the previous store, Lawrence said. The building that housed
Reel Action Video next door will be torn down to make room for
the new building.
The added space in the new store will be used to double the
deli and fresh produce sections and enlarge the bakery, floral,
and full-service meat departments, Lawrence said. The frozen food,
dairy, and over-the-counter drug areas will also be expanded.
Cross Plains chamber honors volunteers
CROSS PLAINS - The 44 current community volunteers who ensure
the safety of the community were honored Thursday night at the
Chamber of Commerce banquet.
The volunteers are from the Emergency Medical Service and the
Volunteer Fire Department. Each volunteer was presented a certificate
by state Rep. Jim Keffer, while the chamber presented plaques
to both groups.
Each year at the banquet, the chamber chooses different citizens,
businesses or community groups to honor. Last year five individuals
were honored for their lifelong contribution to the community.
Snyder man found guilty of sexual assault
SNYDER - A 20-year-old Snyder man was found guilty Thursday
of sexually assaulting a woman twice on March 1.
Torrance Leandrew Bean, 20, was charged with sexually attacking
a 19-year-old Snyder woman on 32nd Street and in Winston Park.
He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and assessed a $10,000
fine. Judge Ernie Armstrong said he will set a formal sentencing
date at a later time.
Bean's trial started Monday in 132nd District Court and went
to the jury Thursday afternoon.
State rests in Eastland murder trial
EASTLAND - The state rested its case Thursday afternoon in
the second murder trial of Thomas Howard "Jerry" Hennington
III.
The defense will present its case beginning today in 91st District
Court. Hennington was assessed a 99-year sentence in 1990 for
the shooting death of Leslie Renee Roberts in Ranger. The 11th
Court of Appeals ordered a new trial.
The final witness for the state on Thursday was Pearline Roberts,
the dead woman's mother. In tears, she recalled when she last
saw her daughter.
Texas Ranger Gene Kea spent several hours on the stand over
two days. He was led through two versions of the murder by both
sides.
One account had an Eastland man, Randy Wells, firing the fatal
shots. According to that account, given in a written statement
signed by Hennington, the two men went to Fort Worth after the
shooting and pawned the pistol and a ring taken from Robert's
purse.
Later they retrieved the gun and threw it in the Brazos River
at Waco, according to the statement.
A statement given by Wells, who currently is in Eastland County
Jail on a variety of charges, told a different story.
According to his statement, the same three people were at the
scene when Shirley Hennington, the defendant's wife, drove up
in a jealous rage.
She broke Robert's car window and fired two shots, according
to Wells' statement, and then her husband fired two more.
Shirley Hennington was tried for the murder but the trial ended
in a hung jury.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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