VOL 6 ·ISSUE 29
WALKER COUNTY
PRESS
PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Permit #60 WINNIE, TX
Thursday May 26 , 2022
Have a safe Memorial Day from Walker County Press HISD Preliminary 10 Year Old is Sworn In as Officer Budget Looking Good
By Wade Thibodeaux The Huntsville ISD Board of Trustees met in a workshop setting on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 6:00 pm. in the Hawkins Administration Building to begin their very first peek at what the 20222023 budget will look like. The District is looking at preliminary property values in the $4.5 Billion range, which is about a $500 Million increase over last year. This increased value is coming from about 75% of that being new growth and the other 25% being increased property values. Hopefully, this will translate into a very similar budget to last year’s with a minimal or no increase
in the tax rate. More information will need to be gathered and figures will have to be firmed up before the tax rate can be set, but the increase in growth will help to keep the tax rate in control. Trustees looked at an approximate $150Million balanced budget that showed no significant changes in staffing and an overall increase in pay for the District’s employees, including teachers. A stipend is included in the preliminary budget for returning employees and no increase in health insurance cost for employees is anticipated. The budget has anticipated the cost of supplies, fuel, and other goods going up
as well as a 15% increase in property and casualty insurance, but once again the revenue from the new growth is offsetting those increases. The District still has to issue some $37 Million in bonds to complete the projects included in the recent bond proposals that the voters approved, but due to the great rates on the previous bonds issued, no increase in the I & S tax rate is anticipated. Trustees will continue to work on the budget during regular meetings and workshops that will be held throughout the Summer until they set the final budget and tax rate later in the Summer/ early Fall.
By Wade Thibodeaux Riverside, Texas, the tiniest resort town on the Trinity River, is no longer the one horse town it once was. Riverside has seen exponential growth in the last few years and is now home to a bank, three convenience stores
with gas pumps, and Tallents full service grocery store with Bar-B-Que. These establishments are joined by Dollar General and a soon to be Family Dollar/Dollar Tree, the long standing Post Office, a drive through liquor store, and even a
used car lot in the name of D & D Car Sales. If you’re hungry, there are several restaurants including Daisy’s Diner, Fat Boy’s Pizza, Total Cajuns’ Restaurant, and Frank’s Tacos. Riverside is a far (contd on page 10)
Riverside, Texas is Growing
10 year old Davarjaye Daniel is sworn in last week. By Wade Thibodeaux Devarjaye Daniel who The Office of Inspector is a young man who is General at TDCJ held a battling terminal cancer. swearing in ceremony last The young man is not week on Tuesday, May letting cancer stop him 17, 2022 for 10 year old from chasing his law en-
forcement dreams. He had hoped to be sworn in by 100 law enforcement agencies, but he has surpassed that number and is approaching 500 different agencies. He is following in the footsteps of his military father Theodis Daniel and he is inspired by Abigail Arias who lost her battle with cancer just over a year ago. He vows to keep her legacy going and is showing the World Abigail’s reach. Devarjaye walks into a room and leaves a path of sunshine and smiles. The OIG is proud to have conducted this ceremony and to welcome Davarjaye to their team.
By Wade Thibodeaux On Monday, May 16, 2022 Walker County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle traveling south on IH 45 that turned in to a vehicle pursuit ending in Montgomery County. At approximately 9:30PM, Walker County Sheriff’s Office Deputy activated his marked patrol’s overhead emergency lights after observing
about 95 MPH and started to cut across the median from IH 45 main lanes to the southbound feeder. By the Shepard Hill Road overpass the pickup cut across and at that time deputy lost visual of the pick-up. A Deputy traveling on Shepard Hill Rd was able to catch up and see that the vehicle had wrecked out and confirmed (contd on page 10)
Traffic Stop Turns Into Pursuit a traffic violation on a silver Chevrolet pickup traveling south on IH 45 by mile marker 101. Running the license plate through Walker County Communications it was revealed that the vehicle was involved in an aggravated robbery and reported stolen out of Dallas Police Department. The silver pick up continued to travel south bound and picked up its speed at
