There will also be Mutton Bustin' and Calf & Sheep scrambles, as well as the Go Texan Shrimp Boil/Fish Fry on Friday, and the BBQ Cook-Off on Saturday.

Friday night will be Go Blue Night!

Get tickets here.

I. Stats (:30)

Summary: There are currently 438 inmates in custody in Henderson County Jail, including 101 contract inmates. The average for the year is 410.

Comments: "It's been going up a little bit, and then of course our contract inmates have crept up," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

II. Budget (1:32)

Summary: Sheriff Hillhouse has been busy working on the FY 2024 budget, which was approved by County Commissioners Tuesday morning. One highlight of the new budget is the approval of a new investigator for the Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Comments: "We've seen a lot of kids, unfortunately, but we knew that was going to happen when we took on the bigger caseload," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

III. New Laws (3:36)

Summary: The state saw hundreds of new laws go into effect on Sep. 1. Sheriff Hillhouse highlighted a few.

* More training: All law enforcement officers must now take training on child death investigations. "Everybody's going to receive that training," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Those deputies or police officers are the ones out there taking the initial reports."

* More school officers, active shooter training: All schools statewide will have someone armed on campus. Also, every state officer must have 16 hours of active shooter training every two years. "There were a lot of schools that added more police officers to their ISD PDs, which I think is a good thing," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

* School safety meetings: County Sheriffs are now responsible for holding two school safety meetings per year with all the school districts and emergency management stakeholders. "I'm hoping to have our first meeting around November," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

* Fentanyl: If someone overdoses on fentanyl, the person who sold the fentanyl can be charged with murder.

* Boating charge enhanced: Boating while intoxicated with a child younger than 15 on the boat is now a state jail felony. "I think this is a law that needed to be on the books," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

IV. Deputies of the Quarter (10:33)

Summary: Wednesday, Sheriff Hillhouse was honored to present three outstanding employees with awards for their service and dedication to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. Investigator Jose Romero was named Deputy of the 3rd quarter of 2023. Communications Officer Sarah Fisher was named Communications Officer of the quarter. Detention Officer Michelle Briggs was named Detention Officer of the quarter.

Comments: "All three of these individuals in the last couple of months have gone above and beyond," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "They're outstanding employees."

===

This week, Sheriff Hillhouse talks about the importance of the Crime Stoppers program in Henderson County.

I. Stats (2:14)

Summary: There were 410 inmates in Henderson County Jail as of Wednesday morning, with 90 of those being out-of-county inmates. The average population for the year is 408.

Extra: There have been 85 dogs or cats picked up by animal control in the past two weeks.

II. Crime Stoppers (3:27)

Summary: Crime Stoppers is the only way to provide anonymous tips to law enforcement in Henderson County. If a tip leads to an arrest for a felony offense, the tipster could receive up to $1,000.

Quote: "I think a lot of people might know about it, but I don't thing a lot of people use it," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

More: In the podcast, Sheriff Hillhouse discusses the history behind the Crime Stoppers program.

Contact: To give Crime Stoppers an anonymous tip, you can call 800-545-8477, download the Crime Stoppers app, or visit the local website at http://hccstips.com.

==

This week’s edition includes a Most Wanted Felon, a busy Fourth of July, and the Deputies of the Quarter.

I. Stats (1:14)

Summary: There were 395 inmates in the jail Wednesday morning, with 87 of those being contract inmates. The average population for the year is 408.

Also: Sheriff Hillhouse added a new stat to the list. In the past two weeks, the Sheriff’s Office has picked up 35 dogs or cats.

II. Most Wanted Felon Caught (2:50)

Summary: This week, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Brandon Truitt, 38, who was on the Kaufman County Most Wanted list. He also had warrants for his arrest issued out of Henderson County and Brazos County. His warrants included drug charges, bail jumping, evading arrest, and parole violations.

Also: Truitt was arrested by Deputy Edwin Rodriguez and K-9 Valco. Deputy Rodriguez stopped Truitt on Loop 7 and while stopped, Truitt exited the vehicle and ran into a heavily wooded area. Valco was able to go into the woods and find Truitt.

Quote: “We're very thankful that Valco was actually there this time and got him apprehended, and he is now in custody,” said Sheriff Hillhouse.

III. Busy Fourth of July (4:54)

Summary: The Sheriff’s Office stayed very busy in the days leading up to July 4. Sheriff Hillhouse said his department worked two drownings, a fire, and a total of eight deaths over that period.

Quote: “I've seen a lot of busy holidays in my career,” said Sheriff Hillhouse. “This is actually probably the busiest Fourth of July that I have ever seen.”

IV. Deputies of the Quarter (7:27)

Summary: Wednesday, Sheriff Hillhouse was honored to present three outstanding employees with awards for their service and dedication to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. Investigator Wayne Nutt was named Deputy of the 2nd Quarter of 2023. Communications Officer Milinda Kay Wood was named Communications Officer of the Quarter. Detention Officer Zoe Tunnell was named Detention Officer of the Quarter.

Quote: “It's really, really hard for us to just pick one,” said Sheriff Hillhouse. “There's always something that happens in the quarter that kind of stands out, and so we try to remember those and recognize them once a quarter.”

==

This week, Sheriff Hillhouse talks about a drug-related shooting and the dangerous drug fentanyl.

I. Statistics (0:37)

Summary: There are currently 414 inmates in the jail, including 98 contract inmates. The daily average for the year is 411 inmates.

II. Shooting Death (1:11)

Summary: Last Friday, April 21, authorities received a call reporting gunshots in the Bonita Point subdivision outside of Gun Barrel City. Soon after, another call came in reporting a female victim who had been shot. Responding units found the victim slumped over in a truck, and despite attempts to revive her, she passed away on the scene.

The victim was a 25-year-old female who had been living in the Gun Barrel City, Payne Springs, Cedar Creek Lake area for some time.

392nd District Judge Scott McKee issued search warrants, and officers began canvassing the area and interviewing witnesses. During the search, officers uncovered numerous firearms as well as methamphetamine, heroin, and a significant amount of fentanyl. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

A suspect in the shooting was recently arrested for aggravated assault and was found to be taking fentanyl. Medical personnel at the jail had to use Narcan to combat the fentanyl intoxication, the first time that has happened at the jail.

More: Fentanyl is a highly dangerous and addictive synthetic opioid that is more potent than morphine. It is often used to cut other drugs, such as heroin, and is a major contributor to the opioid epidemic in the United States.

The amount of fentanyl found at the residence where a female victim was shot and killed is concerning to law enforcement officials.

Quote: "The amount of fentanyl that we located at this residence alarms me and alarms all the investigators here. It's here, and we knew it was here, but they had quite a bit there,” said Sheriff Botie Hillhouse

III. First Responders Rodeo (11:34)

Summary: The Henderson County First Responders 37th Annual PRCA Rodeo is scheduled for April 28-29 at the Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex. Gates will open at 6 p.m. and the rodeo will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission for adults is $20 and $12 for kids aged 4-12. Children 3 and under get in free. Bullfighters Only (BFO) will perform following the rodeo.

Tickets can be purchased from Elder Dodge, Cowboy Headquarters, Cavender's, Boot Barn, Verabank, and First State Bank. For more information, call 903-677-6313.

There will be a raffle each night of the rodeo for two Radical Arms SR-15223s, and a ticket will cost $10. The raffle ticket will be good for both Friday and Saturday night draws. BYOB with a 20-quart max cooler charge of $20, but absolutely no glass is allowed. The GO TEXAN Committee will host a fried fish and crawfish boil Friday night and a BBQ cookoff on Saturday. Contact Stephen Magee at 903-677-2292 for more information.

Quote: "This event is growing so much,” said Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, “We've sold it out the last two years in a row. We couldn't do it without all of our great sponsors."

==

In this week's episode, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, the Deputies of the Quarter, and the Henderson County First Responders Rodeo.

I. Statistics (1:49)

Summary: There are currently 391 inmates in Henderson County Jail, with 104 of those being contract inmates. The average inmate population for the year is 412.

II. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (2:35)

Summary: National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is April 9-15 and is a time to recognize the hardworking individuals who are the first point of contact in emergency situations. These professionals work tirelessly to ensure that emergency responders can quickly and effectively provide assistance to those in need.

Quote: "They are the backbone of this office, in my opinion," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "They take care of all of the citizens. They take care of every first responder in Henderson County."

III. Deputies of the Quarter (6:08)

Summary: Last week, Sheriff Hillhouse presented three outstanding employees with awards for their service and dedication to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Samuel Addkinson was named Deputy of the 1st quarter of 2023. Communications Officer Amanda Rose was named Communications Officer of the quarter. Detention Officer Jacklyn Hart was named Detention Officer of the quarter.

IV. First Responders Rodeo (10:22)

The Henderson County First Responders 37th Annual PRCA Rodeo is scheduled for April 28-29 at the Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex. Gates will open at 6 p.m. and the rodeo will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission for adults is $20 and $12 for kids aged 4-12. Children 3 and under get in free. Bullfighters Only (BFO) will perform following the rodeo.

Tickets can be purchased from Elder Dodge, Cowboy Headquarters, Cavender's, Boot Barn, Verabank, and First State Bank. For more information, call 903-677-6313.

There will be a raffle each night of the rodeo for two Radical Arms SR-15223s, and a ticket will cost $10. The raffle ticket will be good for both Friday and Saturday night draws. BYOB with a 20-quart max cooler charge of $20, but absolutely no glass is allowed. The GO TEXAN Committee will host a fried fish and crawfish boil Friday night and a BBQ cookoff on Saturday. Contact Stephen Magee at 903-677-2292 for more information.

==

In this podcast, Sheriff Hillhouse discusses the law enforcement imposter who approached him at the Livestock Show, and talks about getting ready for the Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo.

I. Stats (1:50)

Summary: There are currently 425 inmates in Henderson County Jail, with 105 contract inmates. The average for the year is 413.

More: Remember, contract inmates bring income into the County. The average number of contract inmates for the year is 96.

II. Fake Officer (3:44)

Summary: While at the Henderson County Livestock Show last week, Sheriff Hillhouse was approached by Dallas Browning, who identified himself to the Sheriff as a Winnsboro, Texas, police officer. Browning did this two different times. During the Livestock Show, Browning also told other Sheriff's Office deputies he was a Winnsboro police officer. Later in the week, the Sheriff received a report that someone was following students around and making them uncomfortable. That person turned out to be Browning, who denied doing anything wrong. Later, Browning went to the Ag barn at a local school and told students he was a DPS officer. Monday, Sheriff Hillhouse pulled records and learned Browning is not a certified peace officer. Browning was arrested for Impersonating a Public Servant.

Quote: "For him to come up to other law enforcement officers and tell them that he's a police officer doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me," said Sheriff Hillhouse, "because we do have the tools and we can find these things out if it is the truth. What really concerns me is why is he telling these students. Why is he contacting these students? What's really going on in the background?"

More: Browning is facing up to 10 years in TDCJ for the Impersonating a Public Servant charge.

III. First Responders Rodeo (11:04)

Summary: The Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 28-29. The rodeo is a fundraiser for the Henderson County Peace Officers Association and the Henderson County Fire Chief's Association. Learn more and get tickets here.

==

In this episode, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse highlights some important work done by the Sheriff's Office auto theft and burglary investigators.

I. Stats (:57)

Summary: There are currently 430 inmates in the Henderson County Jail, with 111 of those being contract inmates. The average for the year is 411 inmates.

Quote: "With 430 in custody, that's a lot of people," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Over 100 of those are contract inmates, but that's pretty much where we were all year last year."

II. Auto Theft Investigations (3:09)

Summary: The Sheriff's Office investigator attached to the East Texas Auto Theft Task Force out of Tyler has recovered several vehicles in recent weeks. He has recovered a tractor-trailer, a truck, and a skid steer.

Quote: "He has recovered over $180,000 worth of stolen equipment here in the last month," said Sheriff Hillhouse, "so he's done an outstanding job."

More: In many of these cases, the stolen vehicles found are from other counties.

III. Burglary Investigations (6:20)

Summary: A Sheriff's Office Investigator working burglaries in the Sand Flat area of Henderson County, north of Athens, was able to make an arrest for Burglary of a Habitation and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. Investigators found evidence during the execution of a search warrant tying the suspect to the burglaries. ... A different Investigator located some stolen property on social media and was able to track those items down. No arrest has been made yet because investigators don't believe the individuals who had the property knew it was stolen; investigators believe it was sold to them.

Quote: "(Investigators) do an outstanding job; they work hard," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "They're supposed to be working 8 to 5, Monday through Friday, but that never works out. They're going to use every tool in their toolbelt to get these jobs done."

IV. Rodeo (11:11)

Summary: Organizers are excited about the Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo. This year's event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 28-29. The rodeo is a fundraiser for the Henderson County Peace Officers Association and the Henderson County Fire Chief's Association. Learn more and get tickets here.

==

On this week's podcast, Sheriff Hillhouse discusses investigating a threat made against Cross Road ISD, including using the Crimes Against Children Task Force.

I. Jail Statistics (:45)

Summary: There are currently 435 inmates in the jail, with the average for the year being 404. There are currently 107 contract inmates.

Extra: The highest number of inmates in the jail this year was 437.

II. Threat in Cross Roads (2:00)

Summary: Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a threat made against Cross Roads High School. The threat was written on one of the bathroom walls. The Sheriff’s Office responded with multiple deputies, including the Crimes Against Children Task Force. This is an ongoing investigation.

In a letter posted on Facebook, CRISD Superintendent Richard Tedder said, “Every precautionary measure is being taken. Additional security measures will be in place until the investigation is completed. Information will be given as deemed appropriate when it is received.”

Quote: "They do have some leads, which makes us feel really good," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

Extra: The Sheriff's Office has extra resources deployed to the Cross Roads area.

III. Crimes Against Children Task Force (6:50)

Summary: The Crimes Against Children Task Force has been deployed to investigate the threat made at Cross Roads ISD. The Task Force is one of the first of its kind in Texas. It currently has five investigators from the Sheriff's office who are dedicated and trained to handle investigations involving crimes against children, including child death, physical abuse, child neglect, and sexual abuse of children.

Quote: "This is threats made against the school district, which is threats made against children," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Extra: The deputies assigned to the Crimes Against Children Task Force have had specific training relevant to the investigation.

IV. Deputies of the Year (15:40)

Summary: Last week, Sheriff Hillhouse was honored to present Deputy of the Year for 2022 to three outstanding employees. These employees all do an exceptional job, and Henderson County is lucky to have each of them. David Robertson was named Deputy of the Year. Sarah Kidd was named Communications Officer of the Year. Nathan Patterson was named Detention Officer of the Year. Help us congratulate each of them!

==

In this week's podcast, Sheriff Hillhouse talks about investigators finding the first methamphetamine lab in a long time.

I. Stats (1:03)

Summary: There are currently 429 inmates in custody in the jail, averaging 395 for the year. Of those, 110 of those are contract inmates.

Extra: After a drop in the numbers through the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, the jail statistics are returning to normal.

II. Methamphetamine Lab (1:57)

Summary: Tuesday, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Investigators executed a search warrant issued by Henderson County Judicial District 392nd Judge Scott McKee at a residence in Indian Harbor about a fraud investigation. During the search, Investigators located a methamphetamine lab in production, mail from several homes, and multiple Texas identification cards belonging to citizens.

Several subjects were located at the residence and arrested.

* Todd Gregory was arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance over two hundred grams and outstanding warrants.

* David Walker was arrested for outstanding warrants.

* Brittany Burruss was arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance over two hundred grams and fraud.

* Summer Bashaw was arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance over two hundred grams.

* Stephanie Smith was arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance over two hundred grams.

* Tina Bailey was arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance over two hundred grams.

* Caleb Cook was arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance over two hundred grams.

* Natalie Stiles – Smith was arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance over two hundred grams.

* Franky Williams was also arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance over two hundred grams.

Extra: Methamphetamine labs have become rare in Henderson County because of the availability of cheap meth from Mexico.

Quote: "It's been over 10 years, probably around 12 years, when we were just getting meth lab after meth lab," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "That's when I was working narcotics. That was from 2005 to 2009, so it has been a while."

III. First Responders PRCA Rodeo (10:27)

Summary: Organizers are excited about the Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo. This year's event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 28-29.

Remember: The rodeo is a fundraiser for the Henderson County Peace Officers Association and the Henderson County Fire Chief's Association.

==

This week, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about the Crimes Against Children Task Force protecting a minor, Valco the dog making a couple of arrests, a scam making the rounds, and the First Responders PRCA Rodeo.

I. Stats (1:12)

Summary: There are currently 401 inmates in the Henderson County Jail, with 77 of those being contract inmates. The average jail population for this year is 386.

Extra: Since it is the beginning of the year, the average will fluctuate. There were over 400 inmates in the jail for most of 2022.

Quote: "It should start climbing here pretty soon," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

II. Task Force Arrest (2:52)

Summary: Henderson County Crimes Against Children Investigators received information in reference to a 23-year-old man coming to Athens to pick up a 14-year-old girl to allegedly marry her. He instructed the girl to meet him in a local store. Investigators set up surveillance on the location and observed the male, later identified as Joseph Melton, arrive at the store and go directly to where he instructed the female juvenile to be. He was immediately arrested at that time. A search of his vehicle was conducted, and Investigators located a 9 mm pistol and marijuana inside the vehicle.

Quote: "It was a great operation," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "It all came together and clicked just like we thought it would. That Task Force is going to be a valuable unit for Henderson County."

III. Valco Makes Arrests (6:33)

Summary: Last week, the police dog Valco helped make a pair of arrests of suspects who were uncooperative or hiding.

Quote: "He made two great arrests for us last week," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Deputy Rodriguez is doing an outstanding job with him."

IV. Scam Warning (10:54)

Summary: The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has received calls about an ongoing phone scam in which residents receive a phone call saying they have missed court and need to send money so a warrant will not be issued. These callers identify themselves as employees of the Sheriff’s Office. If you receive these calls, please hang up the phone and DO NOT send any money to them.

Quote: "I assure you, no one at the Sheriff's Office is going to call you and ask for money," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

V. First Responders PRCA Rodeo (15:05)

Summary: Organizers are hard at work preparing for the Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo. This year's event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 28-29.

Quote: "We're well on our way," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Everything is looking good,

and we have some great sponsors who are getting behind us as always."

==

This is the first podcast of 2023 for Sheriff Botie Hillhouse. We paused these interviews late last year because things had slowed down. But we're back and will post new podcasts every other week.

I. The Statistics (1:45)

Summary: There are currently 382 inmates in jail, with the average for the year at 385. There are 60 contract inmates.

Last Year: For 2022, the Sheriff's Office responded to 24,122 calls for service, made 2,018 arrests, and delivered 1,213 dogs or cats to shelters. Deputies closed out 12,070 cases in 2022.

Other Highlights: Henderson County established a new communication system and worked with the District Attorney's Office, HELP Center, County Attorney's Office, and other stakeholders to create the Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Quote: "When you think that we have six deputies on the street at any one time, they are very, very busy," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

Extra: Listen to the interview starting at the 5:51 mark to learn more about the Crimes Against Children Task Force.

II. Cold Cases (11:00)

Summary: Last week, the Sheriff's Office received a tip in the Heather Cannon missing person case. Deputies searched a property outside Athens on Highway 175 in response to the tip. While the search did not turn up anything new, Sheriff Hillhouse said his office continues to follow up on cold cases.

Quote: "Anytime we get the information, we're going to take that information and follow up on it as soon as we can," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Extra: Listen to the interview starting at the 12:52 mark to learn how new technology impacts cold cases.

III. Deputies of the Quarter (16:09)

Summary: Sheriff Hillhouse recognized three outstanding employees as Deputy of the 4th Quarter of 2022. Deputy David Robertson was named Deputy of the Quarter. Communications Officer Lacee Meador was named Communications Officer of the quarter, and Detention Officer Nathaniel Patterson was named detention Officer of the quarter.

Extra: Make sure to listen to the interview starting at the 17:47 mark to hear how Detention Officer Nathaniel Patterson saved someone's life.

==

A plane crash and a missing person leads off this week's Sheriff's Report. Remember, Sheriff Hillhouse listens to tips from the public, so send your tips to the Henderson County Sheriff's Department Facebook page or call 903-675-5128.

I. The Stats (1:37)

Summary: There were 395 inmates in the Henderson County Jail Wednesday morning with 66 of those being out of county inmates. The jail has averaged 442 inmates this year.

Additional: This is the first time since the beginning of the year that the jail population has been below 400.

II. Plane Crash (3:20)

Summary: A single-engine plane crashed into the shore of Lake Palestine just outside of Chandler last Friday, Oct. 21. The pilot was killed in the crash. The Department of Public Safety announced the pilot was Jimmie A. Blackwell, 79, of Cedar Park. Nobody else was injured in the crash.

Quote: "At this time we don't know exactly what happened," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "The plane left Pounds Field in Tyler and in a very short amount of time ... it crashed into Lake Palestine."

Additional: The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

III. Missing Person (6:47)

Summary: The Sheriff's Office is still looking for Cody Eugene Gates who was last seen on Sept. 8.

Quote: "Still, as of today, we haven't been able to locate him, his family hasn't been able to locate him," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "This isn't normal behavior for him."

Additional: Cody Eugene Gates is a 45 year old white male 5 foot 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds. Cody is normally seen wearing a baseball cap however he is known to shave his head. Cody was last seen with an unknown female by the name of Sam. It has been reported that at one time Cody was driving a 2004 White Dodge Avenger with a possible Texas license plate of PLN 2426. Cody is known to frequent the Van Zandt or Smith county areas.

If you know the whereabouts of Cody or how to reach him please notify Henderson County Sheriff's Office's Investigator Sherry Powers 903-675-5128.

(Cody Eugene Gates)

III. Report Livestock (9:15)

Summary: During drought conditions, livestock can wander looking for food. They can sometimes go through fences and wander far making it difficult for Sheriff's deputies to find the correct owner. Sheriff Hillhouse is asking livestock owners to call the Sheriff's Office to let them know where your livestock is so they have your contact information in case your livestock meanders away.

Quote: "If you do have livestock here in Henderson County, if you would please reach out to the Sheriff's Office at 903-675-5128, ask for dispatch, and let us know that you have livestock in a particular area," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Additional: If the Sheriff's Office cannot immediately find an owner, the law requires deputies to open and estray investigation. The Sheriff's Office will have to call cowboys in to round up the livestock and impound the animals. If after a certain amount of time the owner hasn't been found, the law requires the livestock to be sold at auction and the money to be used to pay for impounding the animals.

==

It’s been almost a month since our last Sheriff’s Report.

“It’s been pushing a lot of paper, doing a lot of administrative stuff,” said Sheriff Hillhouse.

But we’re back because the Sheriff’s Office recently broke up a burglary ring and the Deputies of the Quarter were announced. The Sheriff also talks about the HELP Center and Maggie’s House Child Advocacy Center breaking ground on the new Legacy Center.

I. Stats (:52)

There are currently 419 currently in the jail with 78 of those being contract inmates. The average for the year is 444.

“It is a slower season and our jail count is going down a hair,” said Sheriff Hillhouse.

II. Burglary Ring (2:22)

On Oct. 5, Henderson County Sheriff's Office Investigators executed two search Warrants at 106 Anglin Street as well as 119 Thunderbird Drive in the city of Athens in reference to string of Burglaries that have occured inside Henderson County.

The evidence collected dury the investigation enabled investigators to recover thousands of dollars of stolen Items. The following suspects were arrested at the time of the search warrant for outstanding warrants as well as on site drug charges: Darrell Joe Riggins, Jesse James Green, Brian Ascencion Geddie, Wendy Peele, Jami Nicole Branch Woods, and Ryan David Woods.

On Oct. 7, 12 additional warrants were issued in reference to results of the search warrant and more to follow.

“They’ve just got tons of recovered stolen property in the office that they’re trying to sort through now and get back to the rightful owners,” Sheriff Hillhouse said.

III. Legacy Center Groundbreaking (4:33)

The Henderson County HELP Center and Maggie's House Child Advocacy Center celebrated a groundbreaking Sept. 28 to mark the start of construction on a new facility.

The Legacy Center will be a 4,000 square-foot facility and will be adjacent to the HELP Center on North Palestine Street. The Legacy Center will be used as a local, regional and statewide training facility for the HELP Centers and Maggie's House Multi-Disciplinary Team and will house the Center's the boardroom.

The HELP Center and Maggie's House have seen a significant increase in cases in recent years, including a 30 percent increase last year and the year before. That increase is driving the need for additional services for the child victims they serve, which means more staff and room for those staff and services.

In addition to the additional staff, Henderson County is initiating a Crimes Against Children Task Force, which will include Henderson County Sheriff's Office deputies being embedded at the HELP Center. Those deputies will be dedicated to working child abuse cases across the county.

“Our relationships are getting stronger,” said Sheriff Hillhouse. “The cases that come in, we’re going to be able to take care of them faster, better, and get the results we need to take care of our citizens and our kids the best we can in a quicker fashion.”

IV. Deputies of the Quarter (8:30)

Wednesday, Sheriff Hillhouse presented Deputy of the Quarter to three employees. Deputy Cliff Arnold was named Deputy of the 3rd Quarter, Deputy Kelly Bailey was named Detention Officer of the 3rd Quarter, and Communications Officer Madison Grubbs was named Communications Officer of the 3rd Quarter. Help us congratulate them for their outstanding service to Henderson County!

==

It has been nearly a month since our last interview with Sheriff Botie Hillhouse but we're back to talk about what's going on in the Sheriff's Office. This week, we discuss the jail, an important arrest, an the Crimes Against Children Task Force.

I. Stats (:57)

Summary: There are currently 442 inmates in the Henderson County Jail with 74 of those being contract inmates. The average for the year is 445.

Important: The maximum capacity of the jail is 509. Sheriff Hillhouse said he has to report to the Jail Commission when the jail reaches 90 percent capacity, which for Henderson County is 458.

Important: The Sheriff said all jailer positions are currently full, which has only happened one other time in his career that he remembers.

Quote: "We're doing good in the jail division," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "We need a couple of dispatchers and deputies now."

II. Man Arrested (4:14)

Summary: Tuesday, Sheriff's Deputies arrested a man wanted for Burglary of a Habitation in connection with a pair of incidents Aug. 26 where two women were threatened by the man. Sheriff Hillhouse asked the public for information about the man on the Sheriff's Office Facebook page and the community responded with tips that helped lead to the arrest.

Remember: Sheriff Hillhouse pays close attention to tips from the public that come through the Sheriff's Office Facebook page, are called in to the Office (903-675-5128), or Henderson County Crimestoppers (1-800-545-TIPS).

III. Crimes Against Children Task Force (8:04)

Summary: The new County budget includes an additional deputy for the Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Remember: In January, Henderson County officials announced the formation of the task force to handle crimes against children. The task force includes the District Attorney's Office, the County Attorney's Office, the Sheriff's Office, the Help Center and Maggie's House Child Advocacy Center, and other stakeholders. The task force will include Sheriff's deputies embedded at Maggie's House with prosecutors assigned solely to working crimes and children cases.

Important: Several cities and school districts have joined the task force since it was started earlier this year.

Quote: "We are very thankful that Commissioners Court gave us another investigator to work these types of crimes," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

The Henderson County 4-H Horse Judging Team won the American Quarter Horse Youth Association (AQHYA) World Championship on Aug. 1 and these ladies have their eyes set on more.

Please listen in to hear the passion of these students and learn more about the impact of Henderson County 4-H programs.

==

In this podcast episode, Sheriff Hillhouse talks about a federal jail inspection, a hay theft, purchasing a new building, and new locks, cameras, and intercoms for the jail.

I. Stats (:32)

Summary: There were 447 inmates in the jail at the time of this interview including 83 contract inmates. The jail is averaging 444 inmates daily for the year.

II. Federal Jail Inspection (1:23)

Summary: A U.S. Marshal was in Athens this week to conduct a federal jail inspection at the Sheriff's Office. This inspection is because of the contract inmates Henderson County keeps for the U.S. Marshal's Office.

Quote: "We get inspected by the state every year," said Sheriff Hillhouse, "but now since we house the federal inmates we also get inspected by the United States Marshals to make sure that we're staying within all their standards, which are actually more than the state standards. But everything went well with that inspection."

Remember: Of the 83 contract inmates currently in the jail, 75 of those are from the U.S. Marshal's Office.

III. Hay Theft (2:48)

Summary: Sheriff Hillhouse reported that about 20 round bales of hay were stolen in Eustace recently.

Quote: "Which is detrimental to somebody right now with the price of hay," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "I thought this may start happening and it has started happening so I just wanted to let folks know.

Remember: If you do have hay, do everything you can to protect it. If possible, make sure to get hay away from roads.

IV. Sheriff's Office to Buy Property (7:48)

Summary: Commissioners Court this week gave the Sheriff's Office permission to purchase a neighboring building that has been housing a bail bond company.

Quote: "Here in the main hallways of the Sheriff's Office we're running out of space," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "We need more office space and this was a cheaper route."

V. New Locks, Cameras for Jail (9:43)

Summary: Henderson County has entered into a contract with Sydaptic, Inc. to install a control system including door controls, sally port door controls, intercoms, video cameras, circuit boards, and backup batteries. The cost of the system will be about $675,000.

Quote: "It's been a good system," said Sheriff Hillhouse, "but it's not working like it needs to now and it needs to be replaced."

Remember: The Jail was opened in 2008, however, the hardware, cameras, and electronics were 20th-century designs from the start in order to save money. They are now antiquated.

==

The new year for 4-H officially gets underway on Sept. 1, but AgriLife Extension Agent Angela Hemphill says there is an important date to remember before that, plus there's a big Open House coming up.

If you have any questions about 4-H, contact Angela Hemphill at 903-675-6130 or email achemphill@ag.tamu.edu.

I. Open House (:59)

Summary: Henderson County 4-H will host an Open House during Food Truck Friday on Sept. 9. The event is from 6-7:30 p.m. at the TVCC parking lot in Athens. This will be a chance to meet and talk to current 4-H members and leaders and learn about 4-H. You will also have the chance to sign up for 4-H at that time.

Quote: "You can learn about the different projects that we have and our council officers will be doing different games and activities with the kids," Mrs. Hemphill said. "So it will be a great family event already with all the food trucks and things there to do, and we'll just add a little something to it."

Remember: 4-H is open to students from 3rd through 12th grade. Students K through 2nd grade can be a member of Clover Kids.

II. Livestock Judging Project Meetings (3:40)

Summary: There will be an orientation meeting for anyone wishing to be a part of the Livestock Judging Project at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 11, at the Senior Citizens Center at the Fairgrounds. There will be another opportunity to attend an orientation meeting for this project at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 7, also at the Senior Citizens Center.

Quote: "We have to have a quick turnaround on this so we can practice for upcoming events," said Mrs. Hemphill.

Remember: You cannot be a part of the Livestock Judging Project without the student and parent attending one of these orientation meetings.

II. County 4-H Clubs (6:05)

Summary: There are 11 4-H clubs throughout Henderson County so there is always a place to plug in.

Quote: "And if there's not one close to you, we can get one started if you're willing to step up and help with that," said Mrs. Hemphill.

Remember: Henderson County 4-H is always looking for volunteers to help with the program.

==

Last week, Judge McKinney signed a declaration of a Local State of Disaster in Henderson County because of the drought and recent wildfires. Also last week, Gov. Greg Abbott added Henderson County to his disaster declaration

Tuesday, Commissioners Court extended the Local State of Disaster for 30 days after hearing from Henderson County Fire Marshal Shane Renberg. Renberg told the Court the county had experienced 84 fires in the past seven days.

In today's County Report, Judge McKinney talks about why these declarations are important and what they mean. He also thanks county firefighters for their work.

"Thank your first responders," he said. "They can always use donations."

The Local State of Disaster is posted below.

==

Sheriff Botie Hillhouse spends most of this week's Sheriff's Report talking about a standoff situation in Payne Springs, but first we discuss the stats and budget season.

I. Stats (:47)

Summary: There are currently 448 inmates in the jail with 82 of those being contract inmates. The average for the year is 444.

Remember: The record number for inmates in the jail is 462.

II. Budget Season (1:31)

Summary: It is budget time for Henderson County government. Group budget sessions with Commissioners Court began last week. Sheriff Hillhouse said he works between 60 and 80 hours just preparing his side of the budget and getting ready for talks with Commissioners.

Quote: "We usually do two solid, full days a week on nothing else but working on the budget," Sheriff Hillhouse, "and that goes on for sometimes two months."

III. Standoff (4:01)

On Monday, July 26, at approximately 6 p.m. the Eustace Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle that was occupied by a male and female subject. The vehicle evaded law enforcement and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The vehicle traveled to the Cedar Creek Cove subdivision. Subjects stopped the vehicle and fled on foot.

Law enforcement began searching the area for the subjects. At approximately 7:19 p.m., officers observed the male subject run into a travel trailer on Eskota Street. The male subject stated he had hostages and officers observed him with what appeared to be a long rifle. The subject advised he was not coming out.

The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Team and Negotiators Team were deployed to the location to attempt to apprehend the subject. The suspect called the Sheriff’s Office and gave his phone number to dispatch so negotiators could make contact with him. Negotiators began speaking with a male subject who said his name was Mike. During negotiations, deputies could hear a female subject with the male who did not seem to be in distress. Negotiations continued and the male subject advised he would come out and give up at 9:30 p.m. While speaking with negotiators he became upset saying that he needed to be left alone and he would now come out at 9:35 p.m. Tactical Team members observed a laser coming from the travel trailer toward officers. Negotiators spoke with him about the lasers and he said he was just making sure they were working properly.

At 9:35 p.m. the subject did not come outside as he stated. The negotiators continued to speak with him on the phone. While attempting to get him to come out peacefully the Tactical Team saw the travel trailer was on fire. The male subject quit speaking with negotiators. The Tactical Team deployed CS gas into the travel trailer. As soon as the gas was deployed, the Tactical Team saw the female subject attempting to exit the travel trailer coming out onto the roof. As soon as she came out onto the roof the male subject came out onto the roof.

The Tactical Team began giving commands to both subjects. The female followed commands and surrendered without further incident. She was identified as Kristin Odell who had an outstanding arrest warrant and was placed under arrest. The male subject would not comply with commands. The Tactical Team deployed 40 mm less lethal rounds striking the subject attempting to get him to comply. The subject was not responding to those less lethal rounds and the fire in the travel trailer began getting larger. Two Tactical Team members were deployed onto the roof of the travel trailer to attempt to detain the subject. Those Tactical Team members deployed a taser and the subject was then detained, taken into custody, and identified as Micheal Downey.

The Payne Springs Fire Department and Eustace Fire Department arrived on the scene and quickly put out the fire.

The Henderson County Fire Marshals Office began investigating the fire which was set in the travel trailer before the subjects were taken into custody.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Eustace Police Department, Department of Public Safety, Log Cabin Police Department, Payne Springs Police Department, Henderson County Fire Marshals Office, Payne Springs Fire Department, and Eustace Fire Department.

"We would like to thank all first responders who assisted in this incident. This situation was addressed and had an excellent outcome due to the excellent work that was done by all first responders who assisted," said Sheriff Botie Hillhouse.

Odell was arrested for the outstanding arrest warrant, evading arrest with a motor vehicle, and evading arrest.

Downey was arrested for an outstanding parole violation, evading arrest in a motor vehicle, and evading arrest. He could also be facing more charges in the near future.

==

In this week's report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about shutting down three game rooms in the Mabank area and a construction theft case that points to the importance of law enforcement agencies working together.

I. Stats (:42)

Summary: There are currently 457 prisoners in the Henderson County Jail with 83 of those being contract inmates. The average for the year is 444, which is the highest it has ever been in the county.

Quote: "(The jail) is crowded and it sounds like it is that all throughout the state," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Everybody is needing bed space right now. It sounds like county jails are full."

II. Game Rooms (1:32)

Summary: The Sheriff's Office worked with the Mabank Police Department on an investigation into illegal gambling at game rooms. The investigation resulted in search warrants being executed at three game rooms last Friday. There were eight people arrested with an arrest warrant pending for a ninth. In total, there were 28 charges including 10 felony charges. Law enforcement seized $50,000 in cash, two vehicles, and a firearm. There were two arrested for possession of suspected methamphetamine.

Quote: "These cases are very work intensive as far as putting all the pieces of the puzzle together," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Remember: Game room operations take time because the machines themselves are not illegal. The Sheriff's Office charges these owners with engaging in organized criminal activity, a felony offense.

III. Construction Theft (8:19)

Summary: Last Friday, July 15, the Sheriff's Office received a call about a possible theft in progress outside of Gun Barrel City. Because deputies were not near the area, the Sheriff's Office contacted the Gun Barrel City Police Department. GBCPD sent out officers who caught and detained a suspect. After deputies arrived and investigated, they arrested the suspect for attempting to steal the metal from the construction site.

Quote: "I want to thank the Gun Barrel Police Department," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "They didn't have to go out there in the county to detain the individual, but because they did, and we worked so well together with the other agencies around, we were able to catch him."

This interview was recorded Wednesday, July 13, at the Henderson County Justice Center with Sheriff Botie Hillhouse and Michael V. Hannigan.

==

This week, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about the law enforcement labor shortage and the opportunities at the Henderson County Sheriff's Office. He also congratulates the Deputies of the Quarter and the new deputies who were sworn in last week.

I. Statistics (:54)

Summary: There are currently 449 inmates in the jail with 85 of those being contract inmates. The average for the year is 443.

II. Deputies of the Quarter (4:42)

Summary: Wednesday, Sheriff Hillhouse presented the Deputy of the Quarter awards. Communications Officer Sarah Kidd was awarded Communications Officer of the 2nd quarter. Detention Officer Madyson Daille was awarded Detention Officer of the quarter. Deputy Meagan Hogan was awarded Deputy of the quarter

III. Swearing in New Deputies (8:18)

Summary: Sheriff Hillhouse swore in four detention officers as deputies last week after they graduated from the Police Academy and passed their State exam.

Quote: "It is nice to have a pool of detention officers who do want to go farther in the career," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

IV. Sheriff's Office Career Path (10:20)

Summary: The Sheriff's Office offers a path for those looking for a career in law enforcement. An individual can join the Sheriff's Office as a detention officer and go to work immediately. The Sheriff will help them get their jailer's license and then, if the individual wants, help them get their peace officer's license.

Remember: For more information on joining the Sheriff's Office, call 903-675-5128.

==

In this episode of the AgriLife Report, Extension Agent Angela Hemphill discusses the upcoming Micro Mysteries STEM camp and results from the State 4-H Competition.

I. Micro Mysteries STEM Camp (:57)

Summary: The 4-H STEM Camp called "Micro Mysteries" begins July 12 and will run every Tuesday and Thursday through the month. The group will meet from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Henderson County Courthouse meeting room on the third floor. The target age is grades 3 through 8, but high schoolers are welcome. The cost is $30 for 4-H members and $40 for nonmembers.

Quote: "We are going to be diving into micro science," Hemphill said. "So we're taking it from a detective standpoint."

Remember: To register, contact Angela Hemphill at 903-675-6130 or achemphill@ag.tamu.edu.

II. 4-H State Competition (4:45)

Summary: Henderson County performed well at the Texas 4-H Roundup and the Horse Judging Team came home as State Champions. Others competing for the County at the state level were the Livestock Judging, Livestock Quiz Bowl, Andrew Childress in the food show, and the Robotics Team.

Quote: "It went amazing," Hemphill said. "We took a very large crew. We took 12 kids to state this year, which is the most we've taken in quite a while.

Remember: The Henderson County 4-H Horse Judging team will compete in Nationals in October. Students making up that team include Karli Rayburn, Elley Chiesl, Bella Bridges, and Kurtlee Smith.

==

In this week's episode, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about a manhunt Thursday, June 23, that prompted online rumors about an active shooter and a deputy getting shot.

I. Statistics (:45)

Summary: There are currently 445 inmates in the County Jail with 87 of those being contract inmates. The average for the year is 443.

Notable: On Monday, there were 462 inmates in the County Jail, the highest number in the history of the facility.

II. June 23 Manhunt (3:11)

Summary:

Sheriff's Investigators went to a residence off West College Street in Athens to recover a stolen vehicle where a suspect confronted them with what appeared to be a long rifle. The suspect pointed the weapon at Investigators and an Investigator fired a shot at the suspect, who fled the scene on foot prompting a manhunt.

The Sheriff's Office contacted several agencies -- including APD, DPS, the Texas Rangers, and the TDCJ canine team -- and began a search for the suspect. During the search, multiple other individuals not connected with the original incident were arrested.

Eventually, the suspect -- Raymond Loden -- was found and arrested for outstanding warrants, Aggravated Assault With A Deadly Weapon, and numerous other charges. When officers found the suspect's weapon it turned out to be an air rifle.

Sheriff Hillhouse said the entire incident took about four hours.

Notable: While law enforcement searched for the suspect, rumors began circulating on social media. Those rumors included saying there was an active shooter and also that a deputy had been shot. Another rumor claimed a store had been broken into. None of these rumors were true.

Quote: "I will put out the information the public needs to know as quickly as possible," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "If an active shooter was to happen, that information is going to be sent out very, very quickly."

Notable: Sheriff Hillhouse said dealing with these types of rumors can actually hinder an investigation.

Quote: "Unfortunately ... as we were trying to conduct the investigation," Sheriff Hillhouse said, "we spent a lot of time also trying to put out fires of an active shooter, of a deputy being shot."

Remember: If there is a dangerous situation, the Sheriff's Office will make a public announcement.

==

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about the bomb threat against the County Courthouse and a Monday that included a juvenile held against her will, a stabbing, and an unusual drug arrest.

I. Stats (:38)

Summary: There are 455 inmates currently in custody at the Henderson County Jail with 95 of those being contract inmates. The average for the year is 441 inmates.

Remember: Henderson County gets paid to house contract inmates.

II. Bomb Threat (1:07)

Summary: The Henderson County Courthouse, Courthouse Annex, and Judicial Complex were shut down and evacuated Tuesday morning because of a bomb threat. The buildings reopened around 1 p.m. after being searched by ATF bomb-sniffing dogs brought in from Brock(outside Weatherford). The Sheriff's Office has a suspect in this case.

Quote: "I really do appreciate all the help we received from all the other agencies," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Remember: A bomb threat like this is a felony offense. In the interview, Sheriff Hillhouse also reviews what happens when there is a bomb threat.

III. Juvenile Held (8:14)

Summary: Early Monday morning, the Sheriff's Office received a report of a juvenile being held against her will. The residence was outside of Malakoff. The Sheriff's Office sent a tactical unit and those inside the residence gave up without incident. The initial arrest was for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. The ensuing search also turned up a large amount of narcotics leading to a second arrest. The juvenile victim is doing OK.

III. Stabbing Victim (10:38)

Summary: While the Sheriff's Office was dealing with the juvenile being held against her will, a call came in about a stabbing in the Seven Points area. A man called in saying he had been stabbed. While deputies were en route, a second man called in saying he had mistakenly stabbed his brother while trying to murder his mother. He was arrested for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. The victim was transported to the hospital with serious injuries but it looks like he is going to recover.

Quote: "We'll file the case with the DA's Office and then put it to the Grand Jury and see if the Grand Jury wants to indict on other charges," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

IV. Postal Drug Bust (12:30)

Summary: The Sheriff's Office Narcotics Team became aware of a suspect with an arrest warrant for possession of a controlled substance. The suspect was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service and was a mail carrier with the Athens Post Office. Investigators discussed the case with DPS and a DPS trooper was able to locate the suspect while on his mail route. The trooper made an arrest on the warrant and a subsequent search of the U.S. Postal Service vehicle turned up a substantial amount of methamphetamine.

Quote: "It appears that while he was doing his mail-carrying, he was also delivering meth to certain residences," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

Other: The Sheriff's Office turned the vehicle over to the U.S. Postal Service with all the mail in it so they could distribute the mail.

==

Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses a manhunt and a murder investigation in this episode of the Sheriff's Report.

I. Stats (:38)

Summary: There are currently 453 inmates in Henderson County Jail with 95 of those being contract prisoners. The average population for the year is 441.

Remember: We've taken a break from the podcast so the last time we reported the stats was in April.

II. Manhunt (1:58)

Summary: The Sheriff's Office conducted a manhunt for Ryan Phillip Rasch Tuesday, May 31, off CR 3603 south of Brownsboro. He was wanted for a felony arrest warrant. He evaded police initially, but Sheriff Hillhouse called in support, and between law enforcement and information from local residents, Rasch was apprehended.

Quote: "We just surrounded the area," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "He didn't have anywhere to go and we were able to apprehend him with the community telling us which way they last saw him. It came together great."

Also: The new radios made a big difference during this manhunt.

III. Murder Investigation (5:10)

Summary: The Henderson County Sheriff's Office arrested three men in connection with a murder on Friday, May 27. Arrested were Dalan Clowdus, Steven Clowdus, and William Hux.

Thursday, May 26, Investigators received information about a missing persons case which led to the discovery of the body of the missing person in a shallow grave on property off of Green Tree Acres Road. The investigation led to arrest warrants for the three men.

Saturday, May 28, Investigators were able to locate the location of the murder and collect physical evidence from the scene.

Quote: "We were able to gather a lot of physical evidence there tying everything together," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

==

In this week's episode of the Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about recovering several stolen vehicles and this weekend's Cops and Kids Picnic.

I. Stats (:55)

Summary: There are 457 inmates currently in the jail with 99 of those being contract inmates.

Remember: The Sheriff's Office is still looking for more jailers. You can join the Sheriff's Office and they will help you get your jailer's license and start your career in law enforcement.

Quote: "If you want to start a career in law enforcement, this is an excellent place to start," said Sheriff Hillhouse

II. Stolen Vehicles Recovered (2:15)

Summary: Earlier this week, the Henderson County Sheriff's Office received a request from the East Texas Auto Theft Task Force to check out a residence outside of Eustace. Two deputies were dispatched and as they were on the property two other vehicles pulled in. When the deputies tried to make contact, those vehicles drove off and through some dangerous driving escaped. Deputies were able to recover three vehicles, two trailers, two motorcycles, and a side-by-side ATV that had been stolen.

Quote: "We do have some leads and we will continue to work the case with the East Texas Auto Theft Task Force," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

Remember: The Henderson County Sheriff's Office has a deputy assigned to work with the East Texas Auto Theft Task Force on a daily basis. (Listen to the interview and hear the Sheriff explain how the task force works.)

II. Cops and Kids Picnic (8:37)

Summary: The 2nd Annual Cops And Kids Picnic is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at Kiwanis Park in Athens. There will be free hot dogs, chips, and drinks plus vendors, an auction, and giveaways. The Sheriff's Office and Athens PD will be on hand to meet with the public.

Quote: "It was a lot of fun last year," said Sheriff Botie Hillhouse.

Remember: This event was started by one woman, Susan Paul, and has grown into a large event.

==

In this week's Henderson County AgriLife Podcast, Agent Angela Hemphill talks about the upcoming 4-H District 5 Roundup and future plans.

Summary: Henderson County 4-H is in District 5 and will be having its "Come Alive in D5" district roundup April 28-30 in Tyler. The district includes 22 counties and there will be many contests like the Food Show, Fashion Show, Horticulture ID, Robotics Challenge, and Ag Products ID.

Quote: "We've been prepping our kids really hard," Hemphill said. "We've got just a ton of contests that these kids have been working hard towards."

Remember: There's still time to join 4-H in Henderson County and take advantage of special camps this summer. Just contact Angela Hemphill at 903-675-6130 or achemphill@ag.tamu.edu.

==

In this episode of the Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses the graduating class from the Jail Academy, Telecommunicators Week, the Deputies of the Quarter, and the Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo, which is just a week away.

I. Stats (:40)

Summary: There are 457 inmates currently in the Jail with 101 of those contract inmates.

Quote: "We have (U.S.) Marshal inmates, Van Zandt County inmates, and now we have more Rockwall inmates, which we haven't had in a while," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Remember: The county makes money by housing contract inmates.

II. Jail Academy (1:28)

Summary: Henderson County graduated its most recent Jail Academy last week. This 3.5-week academy provides graduates with their state jailer's license.

Quote: "We still have some openings in the jail, so if you're interested please come and see us," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "If you want a career in law enforcement, we can definitely get you started."

III. Telecommunicators Week (3:52)

Summary: National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is April 10-16. Telecommunicators Week honors the thousands of men and women who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance to the world’s citizens.

Quote: "That's one of the most stressful positions in law enforcement," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

Remember: Last year, Henderson County Sheriff's Office dispatchers handled 57,131 calls for service plus another 35,718 calls through 9-1-1 for other agencies.

IV. Deputies of the Quarter (5:47)

Summary: Sheriff Hillhouse recognized three outstanding employees this week. Deputy Mitchum Patterson was named Deputy of the quarter. Communications Officer Shelby Hill was named Communications Officer of the quarter. Cpl. Stewart Jock was named Detention Officer of the quarter.

Quote: "I was honored to be able to recognize them," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

V. First Responders Rodeo (7:35)

Summary: The Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo is scheduled for April 22 and 23. Both nights will include PRCA rodeo action and the Bullfighters Only show.

Friday will also be Go Blue Day in the county and include lots of activities for the kids, the Go Texan Fish and Crawfish Boil, and finish with a concert by the Wesley Pruitt Band.

Saturday will feature the Go Texan BBQ Cookoff and a concert by Jason Boland and The Stragglers.

You can get tickets for these great events here.

==

In this week's AgriLife Report, Carolyn Tyler talks about how to participate in the Walk Across Texas program.

According to the website, Walk Across Texas "is an eight-week program designed to help Texans establish the habit of regular physical activity. Each adult team may include up to 8 team members, all working together to reach the 832-mile goal to make their way across the state of Texas."

"The whole idea behind this program is if we establish weekly walking habits that we will continue those," Tyler said.

Tyler -- along with the Anderson County extension agent -- created a Facebook group called Commit to be Fit to help residents organize teams and participate in Walk Across Texas. You can join that group here.

"The group is amazing, encouraging, and uplifting and a good thing to be a part of," Tyler said.

The 8-week challenge begins May 1, but join the Commit to be Fit group now to get important information.

You can learn more by calling Tyler at 903-675-6130 or emailing her at carolyn.tyer@ag.tamu.edu.

==

This week's AgriLife Extension Service Podcast features Agent Carolyn Tyler talking about the worksite wellness programs she is conducting for Henderson County employees that are also available to the public.

I. Worksite Wellness Programs (1:47)

Summary: The AgriLife Extension Service is providing a wellness program for county employees. This program can help lower insurance costs and impact the bottom line by lowering days lost due to illness. Tyler can also bring this program to small businesses throughout Henderson County.

Quote: "One of the parts of my job that I enjoy the most is being able to interact with people and offer classes to show them that living a healthy life is very simple," Tyler said.

Remember: Henderson County businesses and groups can have Tyler present wellness programs by calling 903-675-6130 or emailing carolyn.tyer@ag.tamu.edu.

II. This Topic (6:43)

Summary: Tyler will be hosting another "Coffee and Conversation" health topic in conjunction with Gibson Pharmacy in Athens on Wednesday, April 13. The event will be at 10 a.m. at Gibson Pharmacy and this month's topic will focus on how senior citizens can be more active.

Quote: "Everyone is invited," Tyler said. "We're fun, we're friendly, it is casual conversation. It is a good opportunity to network with other people, as well."

Remember: "Coffee and Conversations" is free to the public at Gibson Pharmacy.

==

In this week's episode of the Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about an aggravated kidnapping case, arson arrest, the accidental shooting of a child, and the First Responders PRCA Rodeo.

I. Stats (:45)

Summary: There are currently 448 in custody in the jail and 93 of those are out-of-county contract inmates.

II. Arrest for Aggravated Kidnapping (1:36)

Summary: The following is the press release issued by the Sheriff's Office for this arrest. There is more in the podcast.

Sheriff Botie Hillhouse today said six people were arrested late Tuesday and charged with the aggravated kidnapping of a female victim who was held against her will and tortured.

“We received a call about a suspicious person, discovered this troubling case and quickly made arrests,” Hillhouse said.

The woman had met the suspects online.

Hillhouse said she had been severely tortured during her captivity.

173rd District Judge Dan Moore issued the warrant allowing Hillhouse’s Tactical Team and the District Attorney’s Office to search a residence on Waverly Way in Athens.

392nd District Judge Scott McKee issued the arrest warrants for the following people who were each charged with aggravated kidnapping:

Felicity Emanuelle Walker, 22;

Summer Syler Lawrence, 45;

Breonna Cheyenne Johnson, 22;

Amanda Marie Andrews, 22;

Shayne Joseph Anderson, 30;

Charles K. Bryant, Jr., 21.

Hillhouse said the victim was being treated for her injuries.

III. Arson Arrest (5:45)

Summary: The Henderson County Sheriff's Office was able to arrest two suspects on Arson charges thanks to help from the community. On March 24, the Sheriff's Office received a call about a burglary in progress and while deputies were en route it developed into a fire. Sheriff Hillhouse was able to post a photo on Facebook of one of the suspects from a video provided by the homeowner. That resulted in a tip that led to the arrests.

Quote: "I just want to say thank you for the people who pay attention to our Page and reach out to us with the tips," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Remember: You can reach the Sheriff's Office at 903-675-5128, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously at 1-800-545-TIPS, or contact the Henderson County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

IV. Accidental Shooting (8:28)

Summary: On March 22, the Sheriff's Office investigated the report of a gunshot victim. They found it was the accidental shooting of a 13-year-old boy by an 11-year-old boy with a .22 caliber rifle. A third, younger, child was also at the residence. The victim was shot in the chest and was taken to Children's Medical Center in Dallas, but he is OK.

Quote: "When our kids are home alone and no adult supervision is around we've got to have our guns locked up. We've got to keep them safe," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

V. First Responders Rodeo (11:47)

Summary: The Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo is scheduled for April 22 & 23 at the Regional Fairpark. Tickets are available here.

==

In this week's podcast, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses a continuous sexual assault of a child case, an animal cruelty case, the Jail Academy, and the First Responders Rodeo.

I. Stats (:57)

Summary: There are currently 452 in the jail with 96 of those being contract inmates.

II. Continuous Sexual Assault of a Child (1:40)

Summary: On Sunday, March 13, Sheriff's deputies met with an individual in reference to a continuous sexual assault of a child case. Later that day, the Sheriff's Office received a call from a residence in Safari Waters about a male with a gun to his head threatening to kill himself. When the Sheriff's Office responded, deputies learned the subject was the suspect in the child sex assault. The Sheriff's Office was on the scene for about three hours negotiating with the subject before "deploying a less-lethal round" giving deputies the chance to disarm him.

Quote: "Everybody worked together. It's nice to see when you get out on the scene like that and everybody organizes together and they know what to expect from each other without having to communicate," Sheriff Hillhouse said after describing the tactical operation.

III. Animal Cruelty Case (7:48)

Summary: On March 3, the Sheriff's Office received a report of horses not being cared for on CR 3800. The Sheriff's Office found more than 30 horses in poor condition with three dead. After investigation, the Sheriff's Office found that the owners were from out of town and had a man and woman who were supposed to be caring for the horses. The man and woman were arrested on multiple counts of cruelty to animals. The horses were moved to a different location and are still in the possession of the owners.

Quote: "They just weren't getting enough food. They were in bad shape," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Remember: The SPCA will be providing an investigator to the Sheriff's Office for animal cruelty cases. This investigator hasn't been assigned yet but is coming.

IV. Jail Academy (12:19)

Summary: The Sheriff's Office began its most recent Jail Academy Wednesday.

Quote: "We're fortunate enough to be able to teach our own academy instead of having to send them to other areas," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Remember: If you are interested in a career in law enforcement, the Sheriff's Office is a great place to start. You can become a jailer and the Sheriff's Office will help you get your license.

V. First Responders Rodeo (14:24)

Summary: The Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo is scheduled for April 22 & 23 at the Regional Fairpark. Tickets are available here.

==

The Henderson County Livestock Show is scheduled for March 21-26 at the Henderson County Fair Park Regional Complex.

In this edition of the Henderson County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Angela Hemphill takes listeners through Livestock Week and the various events.

"We are really excited," Hemphill said. "Everbody is gearing up, all of our 4-H and FFA kids across the county."

After canceling the show in 2020 and having a shortened event in 2021 because of COVID, the HCLS is back to normal this year.

"This year we are back full force and we would like the public to come out and cheer on these kids who have worked so hard with their projects," Hemphill said.

You can learn more about the Henderson County Livestock Show here.

==

In this week's Henderson County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Podcast we talk with Agent Angela Hemphill, who is in charge of the 4-H program and youth development.

"I get to go into the schools and do different programs around the county to teach kids different awesome things about agriculture," she said.

Topics covered in this podcast include:

I. S.T.E.M. (1:35)

Summary: S.T.E.M. stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Henderson County 4-H doesn't just do agriculture, it also has a robotics team and has photography projects, for example.

Quote: "We have lots of things to offer," Hemphill said. "Our robotics teams -- we have a junior through senior -- we've been competing all over the state of Texas."

Remember: The 4-H isn't just about agriculture.

II. Hatching in the Classroom (2:54)

Summary: Hemphill has been working with students at Bel Air Elementary School in Athens recently. She takes fertilized eggs and an incubator into the classroom to teach students about agriculture. The program takes students through the whole life cycle.

Quote: "I am really glad to be back in the schools this year (after COVID)," she said. "I love being in the classroom with those kids. They're so much fun."

III. About 4-H (6:14)

Summary: There are 11 4-H clubs currently active in Henderson County with most of them meeting once a month. Some of the clubs concentrate on specific topics, like the rifle, archery, and shotgun club.

Quote: "You don't have to have a house with land to be a 4-H member," she said. "We have so many projects that you can do from a small environment."

Remember: 4-H is open for kindergarten through 12th grade and isn't just about agriculture.

If you want to learn more about Henderson County 4-H, contact Angela Hemphill at 903-675-6130 or email achemphill@ag.tamu.edu. You can also find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hendersoncounty4h.

==

Henderson County Judge Wade McKinney explains the grant process as county officials continue to push forward on several high-tech projects, including broadband service expansion; emergency communications enhancement; and even energy savings.

Highlights

-- The Importance of Technology. (:42)

-- Communication Grant. (2:45)

-- Project Steps. (4:00)

-- Broadband Project. (5:45)

-- Planning and Research. (8:03)

-- Build It, They Will Come (10:24)

-- Other Issues. (11:30)

Wade McKinney Quotes

"Grants are avenues for opportunities to develop. … With the increase in technology and the expense, they're becoming more and more important. "

"Preventative maintenance pays you out in the long run."

==

In this episode of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Report, Extension Agent Carolyn Tyler talks about the upcoming Youth Livestock Show. This year's Livestock Show is scheduled for March 21-26. You can check out the Henderson County Livestock Show website at https://www.hclsathens.com/ for more information.

Highlights

* About Texas A&M. (:34)

* Livestock Show season. (2:06)

* Henderson County Livestock Show. (3:42)

* What is Livestock Week like? (4:21)

* Setting eggs. (7:06)

* Being a Livestock Show mom. (7:58)

* Scholarships and awards. (10:26)

Carolyn Tyler Quotes

"It's exhausting and thrilling all at the same time."

"We're teaching them, I think, life skills and how to be responsible for something larger than themselves. So, I truly see the value in the Livestock Show projects."

==

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about the jail having more inmates than ever before, a terroristic threat at Kemp ISD, and the upcoming First Responders PRCA Rodeo.

I. Stats (1:00)

II. Terroristic Threat at Kemp ISD (3:04)

III. First Responders Rodeo (9:32)

==

This is the first episode of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Podcast, which will be posted each week to let you know what is going on in the Henderson County Extension Office.

Today's guest is Extension Agent Carolyn Tyler. Carolyn takes the time to explain the history of the Extension Service and discuss the three agents in Henderson County.

Highlights from the podcast:

-- What is the Extension Service. (1:00)

-- History of the Extension Service. (1:32)

-- Goal of the Extension Service today. (2:27)

-- Partnership with County Government. (3:13)

-- Spencer Perkins, Agriculture and Natural Resources. (4:33)

-- Angela Hemphill, 4-H and Youth Development. (5:14)

-- Carolyn Tyler, Family and Community Health. (5:45)

You can contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office by calling 903-675-6130 or through the website at https://henderson.agrilife.org/.

Saturday, January 29, the Sheriff’s Office received a call at approximately 6:20 p.m. in reference to an eight-year-old child, Zayden Worley, being shot in the head on County Road 2911. Deputies responded to the residence and upon their arrival observed the child on the back porch with subjects attempting life-saving measures. 

It was reported that the child was on the back porch when a stray bullet from a wooded area struck the child. Investigators immediately began searching the area and speaking with neighbors. There were three juveniles at the residence alone when the shooting happened.

The child passed away at Children’s Hospital in Dallas. An autopsy was conducted by Southwestern Institute on Forensic Science in Dallas.

A search warrant for the property was issued by Henderson County Judicial District 392nd Judge Scott McKee.

Investigators have continuously worked this case and the physical evidence recovered from the scene and autopsy show the initial report of how this happened is not possible. 

Investigators have followed the physical evidence and witness statements and the 14-year-old brother is now in custody for the offense of murder.

The Sheriff’s Office is being assisted in the investigation by the Henderson County Attorney’s Office, Henderson County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Rangers, Texas State Game Wardens, the Children’s Advocacy Center, and Child Protective Services.

==

A winter storm could be on the radar for Henderson County later this week.

The National Weather Service in Fort Worth predicted, "A mix of winter precipitation is possible Wednesday evening through Thursday. Details about precipitation type and amounts are uncertain at this time, but at least minor travel impacts are anticipated."

With last year's devastating snow storm in mind, Henderson County Judge Wade McKinney and Fire Marshal and Emergency Management Coordinator Shane Renberg met Monday morning to coordinate planning in the event of severe weather.

NOTE: Please sign up for Henderson County's CodeRED notifications. You can learn more here.

Highlights from this podcast include:

-- Now is the time to prepare. (1:13)

-- Getting shelters ready and checking fuel. (2:25)

-- Things residents can do to get ready. (3:10)

-- CodeRED system. (5:01)

-- Danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. ( 3:47, 6:30)

===

In this week's episode of the Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses a proposal to bring an SPCA of Texas investigator to the county and the Deputies of the Year.

Highlights in this episode include:

-- Stats: There are currently 441 in custody with 89 of those contract inmates. (1:23)

-- Still looking for jailers. (2:08)

-- SPCA of Texas reached out to Henderson County about embedding an investigator in the county. ... "I'm very excited about this," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "This is going to help us tremendously." (2:28)

-- The SPCA investigator will be working on animal cruelty cases. (3:18)

-- Last year, the Sheriff's Animal Control Division, which consists of three deputies, handled 1,757 animal complaint calls. Of that, 242 were animal cruelty investigations. (3:16)

-- The plan won't cost the county any money other than providing a radio for the investigator. (4:25)

-- The Sheriff talked about how the SPCA has resources and facilities that the county does not have. (4:38)

-- "This is just a win-win for everybody," said Sheriff Hillhouse. (5:57)

-- The Sheriff's Animal Control Division picked up 1,304 animals in 2020. (6:27)

-- Sheriff Hillhouse announced the Deputies of the Year this week. (9:57)

==

In the first podcast of 2022, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse reviews the county's statistics from 2021.

Highlights from the interview:

-- There are currently 423 inmates in custody with 92 of those being contract inmates. (1:14)

-- Jail visitation is currently shut down because of COVID. (2:00)

-- The Sheriff's Office is still hiring new detention officers. (4:56)

-- The average population in the jail for 2021 was 413 with a high of 453. The jail averaged 109 out-of-county inmates, which brought in $1.8 million dollars to the county. The Sheriff's Office booked in 3,816 individuals in 2021. (7:00)

-- Dispatch in 2021 handled more than 57,000 calls for service and over 8,600 9-1-1 calls. (7:57)

-- The Patrol Division answered calls/took reports on 474 Theft/Burglary cases, 456 Assaults, 3 Murders, and 1 Attempted Murder. (8:21)

-- The Sheriff Office investigated 260 crimes against children in 2021. (9:05)

-- The Sheriff's Office rolled out a new communications system in 2021. (10:12)

-- A new K-9 officer joined the Sheriff's Office in 2021. (12:54)

-- Sheriff Hillhouse talks about the Sheriff's Office, District Attorney, County Attorney, and Maggie's House Child Advocacy Center working together to start a task force for child crimes. (15:28)

-- The Henderson County First Responders PRCA Rodeo is scheduled for April 22 and 23. (26:35)

This interview was recorded Wednesday, Jan. 5, at the Henderson County Courthouse Annex.

==

In the first episode of the County Report for 2022, Henderson County Judge Wade McKinney talks about attending a Coffee with Cops event in Athens and the increase in COVID cases in Henderson County.

I. Coffee with Cops (:40)

A Coffee with Cops event was held Wednesday morning at the Athens McDonald’s owned by Kevin and Jeaneane Lilly. Coffee with Cops brings police officers and the community members they serve together to discuss issues and learn more about each other.

Officials who were there included Athens Police Chief John Densmore along with several members of the Athens Police Department, Judge McKinney, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, 392nd District Judge Scott McKee, District Attorney Jenny Palmer, State Rep. Keith Bell, and Congressman Lance Gooden.

“It was really a fun event,” said Judge McKinney. “Just getting together and getting to visit. People from all walks of life here in the County and City came together and just sat down and had a visit over a cup of coffee.”

II. COVID Update (5:09)

COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Henderson County along with increased hospitalizations in the region. (Henderson County is part of Trauma Service Area G (TSA-G), which serves Tyler/Longview and includes about 968,000 people.)

Since Dec. 27, hospitalizations in TSA-G have gone from 4.62 percent of hospital capacity to 9.27 percent.

At the time of this recording, there were 207 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in TSA-G.

“This whole thing is about hospital capacity,” Judge McKinney said. “COVID – be it the original, be it delta, be it omicron – all puts a strain on the system.”

He reminded everyone to continue washing their hands, social distancing, staying away from crowded places, and staying home if they don’t feel well.

==

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses a shooting incident, thefts of trucks and construction equipment and materials, another arrest in the ID theft case, and the Deputies of the Quarter.

I. Stats (0:35)

There are currently 441 inmates in the Henderson County Jail with 110 of those being out-of-county contract inmates.

II. Shooting (1:25)

The Sheriff's Office investigated reports of a disturbance in the Golden Oaks Subdivision on Saturday, Dec. 4.

The investigation showed the incident began as a family disturbance where one man allegedly shot at another man. Afterward, the shooter went through the neighborhood shooting at residences.

The suspect was arrested and charged with multiple felony offenses.

Luckily, nobody was injured in the incident.

III. Property Theft (3:54)

Last week, Sheriff Hillhouse reported that Ford F250's were being stolen. This week, he said the thefts have expanded to other trucks, mostly of the four-door variety.

In addition, Sheriff Hillhouse reported that there has been an increase in thefts at construction sites. Material and equipment are being stolen.

The Sheriff reminded residents to protect themselves by securing their equipment. He also suggested installing video cameras.

"Cameras are cheap now," he said, "and if you can put up any type of surveillance it will help us."

IV. Another Fuel/ID Theft Arrest (9:00)

Recently, an arrest triggered by a fuel theft led to the discovery of a stolen identity ring. This week, deputies were able to make another arrest in that case.

"He's going to be tied into the same suspects we arrested a couple of weeks ago," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

In the first arrest, deputies found 64 instances of fake credit cards with stolen identities. This week's arrest turned up 12 more instances of stolen identity.

The Henderson County Sheriff's Office is working with other law enforcement throughout the state and into Oklahoma on this case.

"The investigation is just getting larger," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

V. Deputies of the Quarter (13:17)

Sheriff Hillhouse named the Deputies of the Quarter Wednesday morning. The following is from the Sheriff's Office Facebook Page:

Sheriff Botie Hillhouse had the honor this morning to recognize the Deputies of the 4th quarter for 2021. Investigator Cayce Hampton was named Deputy of the Quarter. Communications Officer Sarah Nutt was named Dispatcher of the quarter. Detention Officer Laurie Shelley was named Detention Officer of the quarter. They all have gone above and beyond serving the citizen of Henderson County and Sheriff Hillhouse wanted to say thank you to each of them for their service.

This interview was recorded Wednesday, Dec. 1, at the Henderson County Courthouse Annex.

==

In this week's County report, Judge Wade McKinney chats with Election's Administrator Paula Ludtke about changes brought on by redistricting.

Redistricting caused small shifts to the Commissioner Precinct lines and bigger changes to the voter tabulation districts (formerly known as voter boxes). Commissioners  Court approved new political subdivision maps as part of that process on Nov. 8.

Now it falls to the Elections/Voter Registration Office to apply those changes to Henderson County voters.

"The past three weeks, we've been going through maps and going through streets," Ludkte said, adding that she and her staff have been breaking out each street in reference to the new maps.

"So you have to go into the software system and go house by house by house especially on the new boundaries," said Judge McKinney.

While going through this process, Ludtke has also come up with a plan to consolidate the County's voting centers from 23 down to 17.

That plan will go before Commissioners Court for approval on Tuesday, Dec. 7.

IMPORTANT: The Elections Office will be mailing out new registration cards to Henderson County voters in January.

==

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about a local fuel theft that has led to a multi-state identity theft scam, warns Ford F250 owners about recent thefts, and talks about the late Kay Langford.

I. Stats (:58)

There are currently 428 inmates in the jail with 106 of those being out-of-county contract inmates.

II. Fuel Scam Leads to Identity Thefts (1:51)

On Nov. 12, Sheriff Hillhouse published a post on the Sheriff's Office Facebook Page asking for help locating some trucks that were involved in stealing fuel at an Athens area gas station.

On Nov. 19, one of the trucks returned to the station where deputies made contact and initially arrested the suspect for possession of methamphetamine and cocaine.

Further investigation showed the suspect in possession of gift cards that had been altered with credit card information stolen from at least 64 individuals.

"They're still running the scam so we still have a lot more work to do," said Sheriff Hillhouse, "but we're glad to get him off the street."

Sheriff Hillhouse said his office is working with multiple agencies in multiple counties on this case.

"It goes from Houston to Oklahoma and other states," he said. "It's a big case."

III. Warning to Ford F250 Owners (5:15)

The county has experienced a rash of Ford F250 thefts, Sheriff Hillhouse said, with as many as five stolen in the past week.

"We're in one of those unfortunate cycles right now," he said.

Officers have been able to recover one of the trucks, but they are obviously being targeted at this time.

"So if you have a Ford F250 please be aware," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

IV. Constable Kay Lanford Honored (8:15)

==

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses the evacuation of Eustace because of a gas leak, an animal cruelty case that turned into an aggravated assault, and the American Legion Post 310 Deputy of the Year.

I. Stats (1:40)

There are 423 inmates currently in Henderson County Jail with 106 of those being out-of-county contract inmates.

II. Eustace Gas Leak (2:07)

A natural gas leak in the Purtis Creek area of Van Zandt County last Friday prompted the evacuation of the Eustace area.

Sheriff Hillhouse said the County's emergency management team, led by the County Judge, was activated after being alerted about the gas drifting into Henderson County.

"We dispatched several units out there," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "We had to do an evacuation of the entire City of Eustace and some of the surrounding areas."

The Senior Citizens Building and the Living For The Brand Cowboy Church were opened as shelters. The shelters stayed open through the night with residents allowed to return to their homes in the morning.

There were no injuries reported because of the leak.

"It was a major undertaking," said Sheriff Hillhouse, who praised the communication and teamwork between various departments and agencies.

"It makes me feel good about how well all of our agencies work together here in Henderson County," he said. "That is not the case all across the nation. When we get something major like this, we all come together and we're all in it together trying to do what's best for the citizens."

III. Animal Cruelty/Aggravated Assault (8:28)

Tuesday, Sheriff's deputies responded to a report outside of Athens that someone shot a dog. Later it was reported that someone allegedly pointed a gun at the dog's owner as well.

The dog did not survive.

Deputies conducted interviews and executed a search warrant on a residence in connection with the incident.

One person was arrested on site and charged with aggravated assault for pointing a pistol at the dog owners. Investigation into the animal cruelty case continues.

IV. Deputy of the Year (11:50)

Members of American Legion Post 310 presented their annual First Responders awards this past weekend and recognized Henderson County Deputy Edwin Rodriguez.

"He does an outstanding job here at the Sheriff's Office," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

Deputy Rodriguez is a patrol deputy and also over the Sheriff's Office honor guard.

In a nice addition, the American Legion also recognizes the spouses of their award winners, so there is a Certificate of Appreciation that goes to Jessica Rodriguez for the sacrifices she makes.

"It's not a regular 8 to 5 job. We call them at the drop of a hat and they've got to go," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "I think it is very nice of the American Legion to recognize the spouses of the winners of the awards."

==

Henderson County Commissioners this week approved a statewide settlement agreement with Johnson & Johnson over claims the company's deceptive marketing tactics contributed to the ongoing opioid crisis.

This settlement is with Johnson & Johnson and is separate from the multistate agreement with four drug companies over the same issues. That settlement has been dubbed the "Global Opioid Settlement."

Henderson County was a litigant in the Johnson & Johnson case, which County Judge Wade McKinney said separates the company and the state from the Global settlement and includes the following:

* Payment of the settlement money in one year instead of up to 18 years.

* A guaranteed amount of money.

"The Global settlement wasn't guaranteed in a sure-enough dollar amount because it was subject to offsets and credits," Judge McKinney said.

Judge McKinney said the settlement money should be coming to the County around Jan. 1.

He did emphasize that, unlike the tobacco industry settlement, this settlement isn't for billions of dollars so don't expect a huge windfall. The most important part of this settlement is that 70 percent of the money will go toward opioid abatement.

"This truly is different," Judge McKinney said. "This settlement agreement looks forward to treating the opioid addictions."

This agreement does not stop the County from seeking settlements from other drug companies.

According to the National Institutes of Health, opioid sales have quadrupled since 1999 and one out of every three opioid prescriptions is abused.

A coalition of organizations has started HOPE Henderson County to bring opioid prevention, treatment, and recovery services to the county.

HOPE Henderson County will hold an “Opioid Awareness” workshop from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20. This workshop will be held in the multi-purpose room at the St. Edward’s Education and Ministry Center, 1310 S. Palestine St, Athens, Texas 75751.

==

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about a raid on a game room, two separate stabbings, and a drug bust that included heroin and morphine.

I. Stats (:35)

There are currently 445 in custody with 98 of those being contract inmates.

II. Game Room Bust (1:12)

Tuesday evening, deputies executed a search warrant on a game room and the residence of the game room's owner located on the same property between Eustace and Payne Springs.

Sheriff Hillhouse said there were two arrests, methamphetamine was found in the game room, and about 35 gaming machines were seized.

"It was another successful operation," he said. "We're looking forward to the other game rooms in the area. Hopefully, they will just close down before we get to them because we're having to do them one at a time, but we're slowly but surely getting there."

III. Stabbings (3:35)

Sheriff Hillhouse said the Sheriff's Office investigated a pair of stabbings on the same day last week.

One was in a subdivision south of Chandler, where two people were stabbed. The victims are OK, but the Sheriff's Office is still searching for the suspect.

Later, the Sheriff's Office received a call about a stabbing on the west end of the county near Payne Springs. The investigation showed it was an attempted burglary where the owners came home and confronted the suspect, who stabbed them. They defended themselves, injuring the suspect who was later taken into custody.

"We had two stabbings calls back-to-back which is odd, we usually don't have a lot of these," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

IV. Drug Bust (6:22)

A traffic stop led to the arrest of a man for heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and morphine.

Michael Shane Thomas, 37, was stopped around 10:30 p.m. on West Main Street for a faulty brake light. He told Deputy Jonathan Barrios he was carrying drugs.

Eventually, he surrendered a black, sticky substance believed to be heroin and a plastic wrapper containing cocaine.

He was also in possession of marijuana and morphine.

"We don't see a lot of heroin, but it is seeming to be more often," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

==

It was a very busy week for the Henderson County Sheriff's Office. This week, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about opening up visitation at the jail, the annual jail inspection, a burglary arrest, helping Cherokee County, multiple drug arrests, and visiting the kids at Noah's Ark Christian Academy.

I. Stats/Jail (:31)

There are currently 434 in custody with 101 of those being out-of-county inmates.

Visitation resumed at the jail this week thanks to there being zero cases of COVID-19.

"Jail visitation is now opened back up on its regular days," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

The Sheriff's Office also received a visit from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards for the annual inspection. This inspection is unscheduled and Henderson County officials never know when it is going to happen.

"Glad to say that once again we passed the jail inspection," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "I'm proud to report that this year is probably the best that we've done on our paperwork and our maintenance."

II. Burglary Arrest (4:10)

The Henderson County Sheriff's Office made quick work of a burglary case this week.

Early this week, a burglary in progress was reported on Highway 19 South. Deputies and Investigators responded and their investigation led to suspects at a residence trying to break into vehicles. Three were arrested and are currently in jail.

III. Cherokee County (5:30)

Henderson County assisted the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office on a case involving multiple sexual assaults of a child spanning over 40 years. The crimes were committed in California before the suspect moved to Texas.

Cherokee County asked for Henderson County's Bearcat armored vehicle while making the arrest to ensure the safety of their deputies, so Sheriff Hillhouse sent the vehicle and a team to assist.

"It was down a really long driveway," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "We really felt that (the suspects) would know we were coming way before we got there."

"We were proud to assist them," he said.

You can learn more about this case from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office here.

IV. Drug Arrests (7:41)

Investigators and deputies have made multiple drug arrests this past week.

"(Deputy) Jonathan Barrios is just a hound out there that finds it all the time," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

V. Noah's Ark (8:55)

Sheriff Hillhouse and members of the Sheriff's Office have been at Noah's Ark Christian Academy in Malakoff the past couple of weeks visiting the children.

Two weeks ago, the sheriff was there for Farm Day and brought a miniature heifer and then this past week members of the Sheriff's Office were there for First Responders Day.

"I had fun when I was there two weeks ago. I know the guys who went last week had a lot of fun," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "We always enjoy going out there and building those relationships with those kids and just seeing them smile."

After recording this week’s podcast, the Sheriff’s Office conducted the successful search for and arrest of a fugitive and the return of a 15-year-old girl whose mother reported her missing.

“This is one of those really good days,” Sheriff Hillhouse said. “The deputies and all of us in the Sheriff’s Office are grateful this incident was resolved quickly by our entire team.”

==

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses the arrest of a Henderson County jailer and a Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animal case. He also announced the Deputies of the Month.

I. Stats (1:00)

There are currently 446 inmates in the jail with 101 of those being out-of-county contract inmates.

II. Jailer Arrested (2:03)

Sheriff Hillhouse said his Office suspended, investigated, and arrested a jailer who worked at the Henderson County Jail.

Timothy Grosskopf, 42, was arrested Friday, Oct. 8, on a charge of Official Oppression for violating an inmate’s civil rights while he was at work.

According to the Sheriff, Grosskopf conspired with inmates to have another inmate assaulted.

III. Dog Killed (4:55)

A Trinidad man was arrested by one of Sheriff Botie Hillhouse’s Deputies Sunday for shooting his neighbor’s dog. William Harper, 56, was charged with a felony for Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animal after he shot a dog with a rifle, belonging to a neighbor, who called the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Hillhouse said the suspect claimed the dog was over on his property, but the deputy investigating the incident found the dog was shot on its owner's property.

"There was never any other reports of this dog being vicious," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

IV. Deputies of the Quarter

Sheriff Hillhouse announced the Deputies of the 3rd quarter of 2021.

Deputy Eduardo Gonzalez, Detention Sgt. Gwen Miller, and Communications Officer Milinda Wood were all recognized and given certificates for their outstanding service to the Sheriff’s Office.

"These three kind of stood out and have been helping us in a stressful time when we're short-handed," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

==

In this week's County Report, Judge Wade McKinney talks about redistricting, broadband, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and 4-H Week.

I. Redistrict (:30)

Henderson County has received its initial redistrict assessment from the law firm of Allison Bass & Associates, the same firm that has helped the county with redistricting the past three times.

The numbers show that Henderson County will have to go through redistricting because of a shift in population growth. The overall population for the county is 82,150.

"We were a little bit disappointed in what the total number was," Judge McKinney said. "We were expecting it to be closer to 90,000."

According to the Census numbers, Precinct 2 has grown faster than the other precincts.

In addition, likely changes to the county's State House districts will force the county to redraw some voter districts.

Because of delays in the release of Census data, officials only have a few weeks to complete this year's redistricting efforts.

"This is going to take place, most likely, not on a regularly scheduled Commissioners Court meeting," Judge McKinney said.

Watch this space for redistricting updates and announcements about public hearings on redistricting.

II. Broadband (13:12)

Judge McKinney, along with members of several county EDCs, met with officials from the East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) Wednesday at the Athens Partnership Center to discuss broadband in the county.

The meeting was a continuation of discussions about expanding broadband infrastructure in the 13-county region through federal grants.

This week, the discussion was about the "middle mile," which is the segment of a communication system connecting the core network to locals.

"The only way to build a solid foundation to actually have this here is a middle mile network," said Judge McKinney. "That's what we were reviewing."

Unfortunately, a network like that is very expensive, which is why ETCOG is trying to secure federal funding. But that takes time.

Stay tuned.

III. Domestic Violence Awareness Month (20:34)

Henderson County Commissioners approved a resolution proclaiming October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the county.

Judge McKinney read the proclamation on the courthouse lawn Tuesday afternoon.

The Judge also discussed the unique situation in Henderson County with nonprofits, law enforcement, and prosecution all working together to face the domestic violence problem.

"Our organizations in this county work hand-in-hand with each other, propping each other up because they don't all do the same thing but they all have the same objective," Judge McKinney said.

IV. 4-H Week (26:10)

This is 4-H Week in Henderson County!

"Folks, we have got a great 4-H program," said Judge McKinney, who was in 4-H when growing up.

The 4-H program is part of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

"We've got some great agents were here in the county promoting this," Judge McKinney said.

==

This week, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses last week's game room raid, the new radio system, and this weekend's Pow Wow in Chandler.

I. Stats (:44)

There are currently 439 in the jail with 102 of those being out-of-county inmates.

II. Game Room Raid (1:27)

The Henderson County Sheriff's Office conducted a raid on a game room last Wednesday, Sept. 29. The game room was located between Payne Springs and Caney City.

"It was a very successful investigation," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

Deputies arrested five individuals on charges including gambling, engaging in organized crime activities, and manufacture of a controlled substance (methamphetamine). They also seized the motherboards from approximately 50 games and $65,000 cash.

Sheriff Hillhouse said an added benefit of this raid was that other game rooms shut down voluntarily after the raid.

"So focusing on this one game room is affecting other game rooms throughout the county," he said. "The ultimate goal is to get them gone."

III. Mobile Radios (7:53)

The process of installing mobile radios in county vehicles has been completed, according to Sheriff Hillhouse.

"It was quite an undertaking getting all the mobiles installed, but we finally finished that," he said.

Now, the county can start helping local fire departments and police departments get their equipment programmed and online.

Sheriff Hillhouse said the new digital communications system has performed better than he expected, and that is saying something.

"I never really dreamed that we would be able to pretty much cover the entire county on a portable radio and we're able to do that," he said. "The mobile radios have higher wattages so there's really nowhere in the county now that we can't talk back to dispatch."

IV. Chandler Pow Wow (11:42)

Saturday is the annual Chandler Pow Wow at Winchester Park. Sheriff Botie Hillhouse will be joined by District Attorney Jenny Palmer as they ride the Sheriff's Office BearCat in the parade.

"There are always lots and lots of people that come out to the Pow Wow," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Lots of vendors."

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. Afterward, the Sheriff and DA will be at Winchester Park to enjoy the festivities. Stop by and say hello.

==

This week, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about jail visitation being banned for 14 more days, recovering multiple stolen vehicles, and becoming a board member of the .....

I. Stats (:53)

There are currently 429 in the jail with 104 of those being out-of-county inmates.

II. Visitation (1:37)

In-person visitation in the jail has been suspended for another 14 days because of COVID-19.

Sheriff Hillhouse said the COVID-19 numbers are down in the jail with two inmates positive and half a dozen quarantined, but he wants to be careful with this issue.

"I do not feel comfortable opening visitation back up until it is completely gone from out of the jail," he said.

III. Stolen Vehicles (3:47)

The investigation into the theft of a 2013 Bobcat Skid Steer led to the Tuesday night recovery of that vehicle plus a Ford 3/4-ton pickup and a 2016 John Deere tractor.

The theft of the Skid Steer was reported on Sept. 7. The case was turned over to Investigator Tell Walker, who is also a part of the East Texas Auto Theft Task Force. Walker's investigation led to Deputy Jonathan Barrios checking out an address in Mabank where the stolen vehicles were found.

There were no arrests Tuesday night, but the investigation continues.

"It was an extremely large recovery," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

The recovered vehicles were stolen out of three different counties.

"So it looks like it is a pretty good-sized ring we're getting in the middle of," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Hopefully they'll stop stealing stuff and hopefully we'll be able to prosecute them."

IV. Mental Health Board (7:35)

Sheriff Hillhouse started his rotation on the Andrews Center board this week. He will be part of the board for the next two years.

Sheriff Hillhouse said the county has worked with the Andrews Center on mental health issues in the jail for many years. They also work with the Andrews Center with residents in the county who are having a mental health crisis but are not in custody.

"This is an opportunity to grow the relationship with the Andrews Center," he said.

Sheriff Hillhouse said mental health is a big issue across the state.

"There's not enough bed space for inmates and there's not enough civil bed space," he said.

==

Henderson County Judge Wade McKinney shares good news on the COVID-19 front during this week's County Report. He follows that up with Henderson County becoming a sponsor of the Cain Center.

I. COVID-19 Update (1:06)

COVID-19 hospitalization numbers have come down significantly. Since Sept. 5, hospitalizations in Henderson County's region (TSA-G) have come down 25 percent.

As of the time of this podcast, DSHS reported 601 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in TSA-G.

"We are looking on the backside of this wave," Judge McKinney said. "We're feeling good."

The numbers here locally have also come down substantially.

"When you have that type of decrease in hospitalizations the relief that our medical community is beginning to feel, there's some hope there for them," Judge McKinney said.

This "third wave" of COVID-19 has been the most severe and was connected to the Delta variant.

Health officials continue to say that vaccinations are the best defense against severe illness from COVID-19 and Henderson County has maintained about 1,000 vaccinations a week throughout the third wave.

II. Cain Center (11:30)

Henderson County is sponsoring a room at the Cain Center, which will give the county additional space for judicial hearings.

"There has always been a need for additional judicial space, at least in my terms," said County Judge Wade McKinney. "We were excited for the Cain Center to come back and provide us with that space."

Judge McKinney said the County has a good relationship with the City of Athens.

"It has been a great partnership to help with each other's needs," he said.

==

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about two laws that have gone into effect this month: Constitutional Carry and new punishments for fentanyl.

I. Stats (:32)

There are currently 409 in the jail with 95 of those being out-of-county inmates. The jail is averaging 407 inmates for the year, which is an important number because it means the jail is at 80 percent capacity.

"When we hit 407, we have to continue to notify the Jail Commission," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

II. Legislative Updates (1:25)

The Sheriff's Office is doing Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) training this week to review new laws passed by the State Legislature. Sheriff Hillhouse said District Attorney Jenny Palmer was conducting the legislative update for local peace officers.

There will be six classes this week.

"I really feel like it is great when you have the prosecutor who is going to prosecute most of these cases train law enforcement," Sheriff Hillhouse said, "so you will know what her outlook is on each one of these new laws."

Any law enforcement officer is eligible to attend the classes.

III. Constitutional Carry (3:45)

The Constitutional Carry law eliminates the requirement for residents to get a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun.

Sheriff Hillhouse said he doesn't foresee the new law changing anything for the Sheriff's Office.

"We're going to treat every contact that we have as if they have a weapon until we know they don't have a weapon," he said. "We're going to be on alert anyway and basically expect everyone to have a weapon. It's not going to affect the way we do our job."

IV. Fentanyl (8:06)

A new law that went into effect on Sept. 1 enhances the criminal penalties for manufacturing and distributing fentanyl. Under this law, the punishment for the manufacture or delivery of 4-200 grams of fentanyl is a minimum of 10 years in prison or a maximum of life in prison. The minimum sentence increases to 15 years for an amount of 200-400 grams and 20 years for an amount of over 400 grams. 

Sheriff Hillhouse said fentanyl is a very dangerous drug that can easily cause overdoses.

"We do not see it a lot," he said, "but it is all over the country, it is all over the state. It will be here, there's no doubt in my mind that it will be here."

Sheriff Hillhouse said fentanyl is even a danger for the deputies.

"If you get that powder on you or ingest it, bad things can happen," he said. "It's a very big concern for me and our deputies out there in the field trying to get it off the streets."

==

In this week's podcast, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about COVID-19 in the Jail, teaching at the Texas Jail Association Conference, an arrest in the construction theft cases, and additional personnel being added to the Sheriff's Office.

I. Stats and COVID-19 (1:48)

There are currently 411 in custody, including 100 out-of-county contract inmates.

So far this year, the Jail is averaging 407 inmates, which Sheriff Hillhouse said is a very important number.

"When we hit 407, that's when the Jail Commission really starts looking at us because ... we've reached 80 percent capacity and they really start watching to make sure nobody is overcrowded," he said.

Henderson County has asked for and received another 14-day ban on in-person visitation because of COVID-19. Sheriff Hillhouse said the numbers are coming down, but there is still some COVID-19 in the building.

"As long as I have the virus inside the jail and I've got potential people under quarantine, I want to keep visitation closed," he said.

Sheriff Hillhouse said if things continue as they are, he expects visitation to resume after this 14-day ban.

II. Texas Jail Association Conference (6:18)

Sheriff Hillhouse has been asked to teach two sessions Thursday at the Texas Jail Association Conference in Galveston.

"It's an honor to be chosen as a sheriff to go down there and talk," he said, "and instructing counties all across the state of Texas."

Sheriff Hillhouse will be teaching about issues being seen in jails today and he will be a co-instructor along with the Texas Jail Commission and Texas Association of Counties.

III. Construction Theft Arrests (7:51)

Sheriff Hillhouse said the county has seen an increase in construction material thefts over the past couple of months, particularly of wood.

The Sheriff's Office was able to arrest two individuals in connection with these sorts of thefts thanks to a cooperative effort with the Gun Barrel City Police Department and the Mabank Police Department.

Sheriff Hillhouse said the GBCPD officers were able to get a vehicle description, which they passed on, and Mabank PD was able to locate the vehicle. Then Sheriff's deputies were able to go, conduct an investigation and arrest the two suspects and recover some of the material.

"I don't know that we've seen another theft case like this since then, so hopefully we've got that squashed," he said.

"I was very proud of Gun Barrel reaching out, Mabank keeping their eyes open, and everybody working together and we had a good outcome," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

IV. New Positions (11:05)

Henderson County Commissioners Court approved the 2022 budget last week and with it some new funding for the Sheriff's Office. The new budget calls for adding two new crime scene investigators, two new deputies, and four jailors as well as increased pay for current employees.

"I want to thank the Commissioners," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Budget season is always stressful. It is stressful for every department head and I know it is extremely stressful for the court, trying to do the right thing for Henderson County. I just want to tell them thank you."

==

Henderson County Commissioners Court approved the tax rate and 2022 budget Tuesday morning. Henderson County Judge Wade McKinney discussed the budget and provided a COVID-19 update in this week's County Report.

I. Budget and Tax Rate (:28)

Tuesday, Henderson County Commissioners approved the 2022 budget of $46,723,499. They also approved the tax rate of .446487 per $100 valuation.

That tax rate is .0156 -- or about a penny and a half -- lower than last year.

"We keep our rate flat and steady to better serve the public," said Judge McKinney.

Commissioners Court did look to add funding to law enforcement during this budget cycle.

"Not only investing in facilities but also investing in the personnel," said Judge McKinney.

The new budget calls for nearly $1.8 million in additional spending at the Sheriff's Office by adding two new investigators, two new deputies, and four jailors as well as increased pay for current employees.

The additional money is to help retain good officers in Henderson County and to make becoming a peace officer more attractive.

The County will also be investing money into the facility, particularly the jail.

"To have quality law enforcement, quality facilities, you have to make these investments," Judge McKinney said.

In addition, Commissioners approved adding a crime victims coordinator to the Henderson County District Attorney's Office.

II. COVID-19 Update (18:34)

COVID-19 statistics continue to go up across the board in the region that includes Henderson County. Testing, hospitalizations, and fatalities are all on the rise.

Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in our region went over 800 patients for the first time this past weekend. (Henderson County is part of Trauma Service Area G (TSA-G), which serves Tyler/Longview and includes about 968,000 people.)

"It's really never been higher," Judge McKinney said.

The one bright spot is that vaccinations have stayed steady with more than 1,000 shots given each week in Henderson County over the past six weeks.

===

This week, Judge Wade McKinney provides a COVID-19 update and talks about the start of redistricting.

I. COVID Numbers (:50)

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Henderson County's region (TSA-G) keep going up, with 776 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at the time of this interview. The region sets a new record for the most hospitalized nearly every day.

** Texas separates the state into 22 regions called Trauma Service Areas, or TSAs, for hospital data. Henderson County's region is designated TSA-G and includes Tyler/Longview. TSA-G includes about 960,000 people.

Locally, the Athens hospital has been averaging between 50 and 60 COVID-19 patients.

Additionally, the number of COVID-19 fatalities is rising with Henderson County seeing at least one death in six of the last seven days. According to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), there were 16 COVID-19 deaths in Henderson County in August.

There is some good news, according to Judge McKinney, who tracks the statistics daily. He said the increase in cases seems to be slowing.

"That's what had us so concerned in the beginning during this spike, was that rate of increase was so drastic," he said.

But now that rate of increase is slowing.

"When you see a slowing of that increase, it gives you some indication that maybe a plateau is coming," Judge McKinney said.

The number of people getting vaccinated also continues to climb, according to the Judge.

"Over the last five weeks, we have averaged at or above 1,000 doses a week being administered," he said.

During the interview, Judge McKinney also talked about Commissioners Court approving a plan that would provide payments from American Rescue Plan Act funds to flow from the County, through the Hospital Authority, to UT Health East Texas - Athens. You can read more about that program below.

IV. Redistricting (26:20)

Henderson County has a new population, according to the 2020 Census. Judge McKinney said that number is 82,150.

He said the new numbers do show that Henderson County will have to redraw county precincts to balance the population.

"We should have our initial documents in the next week to 10 days, which will set the stage for us to start the redistricting process," Judge McKinney said.

===

This week, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about extending the ban on visitation 14 days, K-9 Valco's first arrest, and Labor Day weekend.

I. Stats (:37)

There are currently 431 inmates in the jail with 105 of those being contract, out-of-county inmates.

II. Visitation (1:10)

While the number of inmates with COVID-19 has come down, there are still six inmates positive and two dorms on quarantine. Because of that, the current ban on in-person visitation has been extended 14 days.

"Visitation is still closed for a couple more weeks," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Hopefully, with that being done, we can get the virus out of the jail and open it back up where folks can come see their loved ones."

Phone and video visitation are ongoing.

III. Valco's Arrest (3:16)

Friday, Aug. 27, a criminal trespass arrest turned into a chase when the suspect ran away from custody. The suspect entered a house and hid from officers.

Deputy Meagan Hogan and K-9 Valco were called and entered the house. Valco alerted on a closet where the suspect was found.

"He's only been here a couple of months, but he got his first arrest," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "It worked exactly how it is supposed to."

IV. Labor Day Weekend (5:44)

Monday, Sept. 6, is Labor Day and that means the Sheriff's Office is getting ready for extra visitors to the county, particularly to the lake areas.

"Labor Day weekend is usually a very busy weekend for us," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Sheriff Hillhouse said the Sheriff's Office will have boats out on Lake Palestine and Cedar Creek Lake this weekend, and will have extra deputies patrolling the roads.

"If you need some help, we'll be out there," he said, "but we'll also be out there looking for violations of the law and trying to keep everybody safe."

==

In this week's episode, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about COVID-19 in the jail, a shooting that turned into a murder, and multiple drug arrests.

I. Stats (1:40)

There are currently 424 in the jail with 102 of those being out-of-county inmates.

II. COVID-19 (2:52)

Cases of COVID-19 in the jail have gone down, according to Sheriff Hillhouse.

"We're down to one inmate that has tested positive right now and then nine other inmates in quarantine," he said. "I do have three detention officers that are out with it and seven or eight other employees out with it."

There were about 40 inmates who were positive for COVID-19 when visitation in the jail was stopped.

"This is just proof that if we can quarantine and lock people down we can try and get control over it," he said.

Sheriff Hillhouse said he is going to ask for an extension to the original 30-day visitation shutdown to protect the inmates.

III. Shooting (5:12)

Sheriff Hillhouse discussed a shooting last week that ended in a man's death.

Wednesday, Aug. 18, Huey Edward Nichols, 85, was charged with Murder and is in the Henderson County Jail.

According to Sheriff Hillhouse, Nichols said he felt threatened so he fired a single round from a 38-caliber revolver through his screen door, striking the victim in the upper abdomen. The victim died the next morning.

According to Sheriff's Investigator Daniel Wright, the victim went to the home in the 14000 block of VZCR 4811 to check on the welfare of the suspect, which is in Henderson County. There were no signs of forced entry or a struggle, though the suspect said he was threatened.

The family of the victim said they regularly drop by unannounced to check on the status of the neighbor.

The case will be taken to the grand jury and will move forward from there.

IV. Narcotics Arrests (7:59)

Deputy Jonathan Barrios has been busy! The Deputy has racked up a series of narcotics arrests recently.

"Just this last week he's made five narcotics arrests from Gun Barrel City to the City of Athens," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "He's just working hard."

"It's getting that stuff off the street and that's the main goal," he said.

==

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==

This week, Judge Wade McKinney talked with Michael V. Hannigan about Census data and its impact on county redistricting. He also gives a COVID-19 update.

I. Census Data (1:00)

Data from last year's Census count is starting to trickle out, but slowly.

"We are still waiting for the complete data to come in from the U.S. Census," Judge McKinney said.

That data is important because it is used to redraw the county's precincts every 10 years, a process that is now due. However, the delay in releasing the information has the redistricting process running up against next year's election cycle.

Judge McKinney said the data was delayed in 2010 as well and at that time primary elections were moved back to allow more time for redistricting. It would take the State Legislature to move the primaries, he said.

The Judge said the improvements in software should help the County accelerate the actual drawing of the new maps. He said the time period for public input on redistricting would stay the same, however.

The County has retained the firm of Allison, Bass & Associates to help with the redistricting process. According to Judge McKinney, the law firm has worked on the County's redistricting efforts for the past 30 years.

"We're in good, capable hands," he said.

II. COVID-19 Update (11:18)

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Henderson County's region (TSA-G) were at  551 at the time of this podcast. Hospitalizations continue to go up, otherwise, there has been no substantial change in the COVID-19 situation in the county since last week.

Judge McKinney said the local hospital is as full as it was in January during the height of the pandemic.

Last week, the judge provided a more complete COVID-19 update which you can hear/read below.

The Judge did say that vaccinations are trending in a positive direction, with more than 1,000 doses being given in the county each of the past three weeks.

"From all indications, the vaccine helps prevent the serious illness and severe hospitalization," he said.

==

This week, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse has a reminder about the importance of public tips. In this week's episode:

I. Stats (:49)

This week, there are 426 in the jail including 102 out-of-county inmates. The past few weeks, the jail has been averaging over 400 inmates.

The Sheriff also talks about the importance of the out-of-county inmate contracts, which are on pace to bring in more than $1 million.

"We've got a $13 million budget between law enforcement and the jail operations here, so we're about one-third of the county budget," he said.

II. COVID (3:04)

COVID-19 cases in the jail have gone down.

"It's getting a little better," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

Visitation at the jail has been shut down for the past three weeks as the Sheriff's Office worked to slow the spread of COVID-19. Sheriff Hillhouse said the jail is down to seven positive cases and there are 64 inmates quarantined. That is substantially less than when the outbreak started.

"Our numbers are going down," he said, "which makes us feel better to know that closing visitation and locking everything down like we had earlier works."

III. Public Tips (4:51)

Tips from the public led to the arrest of two men Tuesday, according to Sheriff Hillhouse. You can read about those arrests here.

Sheriff Hillhouse said this was a great example of how important tips are for the Sheriff's Office.

"We listen to you and if you have any information please notify us," he said, "because we can take those tips and turn them into cases and get some of these folks off the street and get some drugs off the street also."

"We take your tips very seriously," he said.

If you have a tip:

* Call the Sheriff's Office at 903-675-5128.

* Call Crimestoppers at 1-800-545-TIPS.

* Contact the Sheriff through the Facebook page.

IV. Cops and Kids Picnic (8:11)

The Sheriff along with members of the Sheriff's Office were at Faith Fellowship Church Saturday afternoon for the first Cops and Kids Picnic. The event was a success and Sheriff Hillhouse said he is looking forward to next year.

"It turned out great," he said. "We had lots of kids, and lots of parents, interacting with the deputies. We just had a really good time."

==

I. Stats (:49)

There are 428 inmates currently in the Jail with 107 of those being out-of-county contract inmates.

II. Radios Online (1:21)

The new communications system is up and running with deputies using handheld radios. The equipment for patrol cars still needs to be installed.

"The portable radios are better than the system we were working on," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "It's working great. We're all excited, you can actually hear."

Sheriff Hillhouse gave a demonstration of the new radios during the podcast.

"It's like they're sitting in the room with you," he said.

III. Visitation Shutdown (7:07)

Visitation in the Jail has been suspended for 30 days because of a COVID outbreak within the inmate population.

"We've been struggling there for a few weeks," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

The Sheriff said the situation is getting better, but nearly 25 percent of the inmate population is still on quarantine for infection or first-hand contact. In addition, there are 15 employees of the Sheriff's Office infected or with first-hand contact.

IV. Academies (10:58)

Students of the Jail Academy conducted by the Sheriff's Office graduated last week. This week, it was students sponsored by the Sheriff's Office who graduated from the Police Academy.

"I'm excited to help these young officers further their career," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

The two graduations highlight the process outlined by the Sheriff in a recent podcast.

Those starting out in law enforcement can work under a temporary jailer's license for a year. During that year, the Sheriff's Office will send you to school to get a permanent jailer's license. If you want to become a peace officer, there are opportunities for the Sheriff's Office to send jailers through the police academy.

If you are interested, visit the Sheriff's Office to pick up an application or call the office at 903-675-5128 to get an application emailed to you.

V. Cops and Kids Picnic

The Cops and Kids Picnic will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at Faith Fellowship Church. There will be hot dogs and drinks, door prizes, and the Sheriff's Office will be there with patrol cars, K-9 units, and the armored vehicle.

"It is going to be a lot of fun," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "I always enjoy doing events like this."

==

This week's County Report with Judge Wade McKinney focuses on COVID-19.

I. Current Stats (:38)

As of this recording, there were 438 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in TSA-G. Henderson County is part of Trauma Service Area G (TSA-G), which serves Tyler/Longview and includes about 960,000 people.

Hospitalizations in the region have increased by 158 patients in the past six days. Prior to this, the fastest increase in hospitalizations in our region was a 141-patient jump in the 14 days from Dec. 24 to Jan. 7.

"When you look at the accelerated rate of hospitalizations across the region, it is arguably worse in that aspect than it ever has been," said Judge McKinney.

In addition to the COVID-19 surge, hospitals are also dealing with staffing shortages and an increase in non-COVID illnesses.

II. Emergency Management Committee (9:30)

The Henderson County Emergency Management Committee has been meeting weekly about COVID-19 issues. These meetings have at times included representatives from UT Health East Texas and State Rep. Keith Bell's office.

Judge McKinney said there is very little the County can do in direct response to the current surge.

"The Governor's Executive Order ties the hands of any local government or official from imposing restrictions of any type to help meet the needs of the pandemic," said Judge McKinney.

The Judge said the County can help by working with UT Health East Texas regarding personnel retention.

"To be sure that our hospital system here stays very strong," he said.

The County has also started working with the Hospital Authority Board to make sure there's a system in place for the County to be able to send some of the federal ARPA money to the hospital for personnel.

In addition, Fire Marshal Shane Renberg has been in contact with local VFDs to ensure they have access to masks and gloves.

III. Governor's Actions (16:30)

Gov. Greg Abbott did announce a series of actions this week aimed at COVID-19.

* Using staffing agencies to find out-of-state medical personnel to help hospitals

* Asking hospitals to voluntarily postpone elective medical procedures

* Opening more antibody treatment centers

* Increasing vaccine availability

IV. Vaccinations (21:04)

While the idea of COVID-19 vaccinations has become controversial, political and medical leaders around the state are urging Texans to get the vaccine.

During a NET Health press conference on Monday, officials from both UT Health East Texas and Christus Mother Francis both said that 95 percent of the COVID-19 patients in their hospitals were unvaccinated.

Here in Henderson County, there has been a jump in the number of people getting vaccinated with more than two thousand getting their shot in the past two weeks. That's at the highest level since March.

Judge McKinney said that vaccinations have become readily available. By far the favorite vaccination source in Henderson County is the local pharmacy.

==

FEMA is updating its National Flood Insurance Program pricing for the first time in 50 years, "so policyholders can make more informed decisions on the purchase of adequate insurance and on mitigation actions to protect against the perils of flooding."

To explain what that means, we talk with Henderson County Floodplain Administrator Joy Kimbrough (pictured above).

The new plan, called Risk Rating 2.0, goes into effect for new and renewing policies on Oct. 1, 2021 and for everybody by April 1, 2022.

"It's a plan that is set up to be a more equitable pricing structure for those who are required to have flood insurance or for those who want to have flood insurance," Mrs. Kimbrough said.

Mrs. Kimbrough said up to 80 percent of homeowners with flood insurance. That could have a huge impact on Henderson County.

"Henderson County is basically a basin," she said. "We have the Trinity River on our western boundary, Lake Athens right in the center, which is mostly a spring-fed lake, and the Neches River on the eastern boundary of our county. And the Kickapoo watershed that runs practically through the center of the county from almost Chandler to the other side of Murchison."

"So we have many areas of our county that are not located in flood plains that flood," Mrs. Kimbrough said, "and that's one of the biggest takeaways from all of this, is just because you're not in a flood plain doesn't mean you're not going to flood."

According to a FEMA press release, "The new methodology allows FEMA to equitably distribute premiums across all policyholders based on the value of their home and the unique flood risk of their property. Currently, many policyholders with lower-value homes are paying more than they should and policy-holders with higher-value homes are paying less than they should."

Mrs. Kimbrough advised Henderson County residents to make sure they understand this new pricing structure by talking to their insurance agents or researching the new Risk Rating 2.0 plan online.

"One of the most important things is to find out your risk," she said.

==

Henderson County Judge Wade McKinney opens up this week's podcast with a discussion about the Certified Property Value for the county before moving on to the latest COVID update.

I. Certified Property Value (1:00)

(Early in the podcast, Michael V. Hannigan says Certified Tax Rate when he means Certified Property Value. This discussion is about property value.)

The Certified Property Value was delivered by the Appraisal District to the county last week. According to the report, the market value of Henderson County property is $11.1 billion and the taxable value is about $8 billion.

The value of the property in the county has increased since last year and Judge McKinney talks about three reasons that may happen:

-- More people wanting to move to Henderson County, driving up the cost of housing.

-- People converting exempt property -- such as land used for agriculture -- into taxable property, like housing.

-- Pressure from Austin to increase values.

The property value is important because it is one-half of the equation determining property taxes. The other half is the tax rate.

The county is currently going through the budget process, which Judge McKinney describes.

"We run through, line by line," he said. "There are about 7,000 lines in the county budget and we touch each one of those."

In the coming weeks, Commissioners Court will work to set the tax rate for 2022. Those meetings will be announced on the county website at www.henderson-county.com.

II. COVID Update (22:53)

As of the time of this recording, there were 280 hospitalized COVID patients in the Trauma Services Area (TSA) that includes Henderson County. The rate at which hospitalizations are increasing is as fast — or faster — than at any time during the pandemic.

- Reminder: Texas is separated into 22 regions called Trauma Service Areas, or TSAs, for hospital data. Henderson County's region is designated TSA-G and includes Tyler/Longview. TSA-G includes about 960,000 people.

As hospitalizations increase, staffing has become a problem for hospitals in the region.

"Staffing today is much more difficult to get," County Judge McKinney said. "Your rural areas are really feeling that stress."

Judge McKinney said he is hearing from the medical community that the majority of those being hospitalized are unvaccinated.

The good news is that vaccinations in Henderson County are increasing.

Judge McKinney also discusses the recent executive order from Gov. Greg Abbott and the fact that the county really can't do much in response to the COVID increase.

"The last order was a real cleanup of all the previous ones," he said. "Local government, and any form of local government, is barred from taking any of the previous options that were available, being a mask or vaccination or those type of things."

NEWSLETTER:

 Get updates from the Sheriff’s Office, Commissioners Court, the District Attorney, County Attorney, and all departments from your Henderson County Government.

I. Border Dispute (1:13)

Kaufman County brought its problem with the border between it and Henderson County to the public again this week, this time with a Facebook post.

Kaufman County believes a small area near Kemp known as "the notch" should be in Henderson County, even though it has been in Kaufman County for decades. Judge McKinney said it has been there since the 1890s.

The Kaufman County post says the General Land Office (GLO) has "clarified" the issue and that, "Residents in the area in question, which is approximately six miles long and 1,200 ft. south of the original Kaufman County line, can now call Henderson County their county of residence."

But in today's podcast, Judge McKinney explains that the GLO has had no communication with Henderson County and that the current GLO online map still shows the notch.

Judge McKinney also reiterated Henderson County's position, which is that there is a way to dispute a boundary in Texas law and Kaufman County hasn't followed the law.

"The proper method that is recognized to be lawful is in Chapter 72 of the Local Government Code," he said, "and that is what really lies at the issue of this. When you have an issue you must follow the lawful methods to bring resolution."

"The method they have chosen to proceed is not the lawful method," he said.

According to Judge McKinney, the first step would include Kaufman County calling for a survey, but that hasn't happened.

"Until Chapter 72 is followed there's nothing we can really do," he said.

II. COVID Update ( 9:08)

Henderson County is experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

"We are really beginning to see it locally," said Judge McKinney. "We've had an increase in the returns of positive tests, pretty substantial over the past couple of days, back up to where we were several months ago."

He said the increase is due to the Delta variant being more prevalent in the county now.

At the same time, there has also been an increase in the number of people getting vaccinated. The numbers went from an average of 421 earlier in the month to more than 750 last week.

In talking about these statistics, Judge McKinney praised the improvements in communications between local government and the medical community, saying things are much better now than they were a year ago.

While there are more cases, there also seem to be fewer deaths, according to medical officials.

"That's going back to the vaccinations that have taken place in the county," Judge McKinney said.

"The vaccine is the key factor now versus before," he said, "that is causing for lower morbidity rates, protecting those who are most susceptible and most at risk."

While the vaccine seems to be working, there is still a hesitancy to get the vaccine in our region.

III. ARPA Update (24:20)

Last week, Judge McKinney explained how Henderson County is set to receive $16 million in federal funds as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds are "to respond to the Covid-19 public health emergency and its economic impacts."

Henderson County has now put out Request for Qualifications (RFQs) for grant coordinators to help administer the ARPA funds.

"Hopefully we'll have some good candidates come in that the court can choose from," Judge McKinney said.

==

(NOTE: There was a fan running in the room while the podcast was recorded. We apologize for the background sound.)

This week's episode includes a COVID-19 status update for the county plus Judge Wade McKinney discussing the $16 million the county is getting as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). Joining the judge is Michael V. Hannigan.

I. COVID Stats Rising (1:20)

There has been an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Henderson County's region in the past couple of weeks. Hospitalizations have once again moved into triple digits in our TSA.

As of the time of this recording, there were 132 hospitalized COVID patients in the region.

* Reminder: Texas is separated into 22 regions called Trauma Service Areas, or TSAs, for hospital data. Henderson County's region is designated TSA-G and includes Tyler/Longview. TSA-G includes about 960,000 people.

Judge McKinney pointed out that at our highest levels in January, hospitalizations were in the 600s.

"We're not near those levels," he said.

II. Delta Variant (5:55)

One characteristic marking the current spike is the speed at which it is spreading. Henderson County Jail has gone from zero to 44 cases in about a week, according to Sheriff Botie Hillhouse.

Although state reports aren't specifically identifying the number of Delta variant cases, the assumption is most of the new cases are of that variety.

"The Delta variant is much more contagious is what we've been told," said Judge McKinney.

III. Vaccinations (7:37)

According to reports, vaccinations are working. This doesn't mean people who are vaccinated can't get COVID, but rather that if they do they won't get as sick.

Even with these reports, there is still "vaccine hesitancy" among the population, particularly in the rural regions of the state.

About 30 percent of Henderson County residents who are 16 and over have been vaccinated and that number is similar to surrounding counties.

"That number seems to be holding in our region, that about 30 percent have chosen to be vaccinated," said Judge McKinney.

The numbers seem to be higher for older residents.

IV. County to Get $16M (18:10)

Henderson County is set to receive $16 million in federal funds as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds are "to respond to the Covid-19 public health emergency and its economic impacts."

Judge McKinney shared a detailed presentation with Commissioners Court last week describing this program. You can watch that presentation below starting at the 25:03 mark.

These funds can be used in a limited number of areas, Judge McKinney said, which means Commissioners Court will have to make some decisions. Those include:

* Responding to the public health emergency or negative economic impact.

* Responding to essential workers with premium pay.

* Responding to a reduction in revenue to local government.

* Allowing for necessary investment in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.

While those terms seem very broad, Judge McKinney said there's already a 200-page "interim final rule" with details and requirements. That led to the first decision, which was to find a firm to help keep everything on track and do all the federal reporting.

"This is not a short-term project," he said, "this has until 2026 to be completed. It is a long-term project and takes some professional reporting."

Expect to hear plenty more about ARPA funds in the coming months.

NEWSLETTER: Get updates from the Sheriff’s Office, Commissioners Court, the District Attorney, County Attorney, and all departments from your Henderson County Government.

==

This week, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses a murder case, a crack cocaine arrest, and rising COVID-19 numbers in the jail.

I. Stats (:32)

There are 450 currently in the jail with 110 of those contract inmates. The average for the jail hit 400 for the first time.

II. Murder (1:15)

On July 16, Jason Charles Smalley, 46, was arrested following the death of Stoney Conley, 32, and charged with Murder.

The two men were at a residence in the 3800 block of Oakridge Road in Athens smoking methamphetamines in a vehicle. Smalley told police they thought they saw someone near a shed, so he ran into the residence and retrieved a .22 caliber firearm. He then began shooting several rounds towards a person he said he could only see from the waist down.

As he approached the body, Smalley said he realized it was Conley. He tried to hide the weapon and called authorities.

Sheriff Hillhouse said there could be additional charges filed.

III. Crack Cocaine Arrest (5:55)

Sheriff Hillhouse described how Deputy Luke Rachel apprehended a convicted felon with a substantial amount of crack cocaine and a loaded 9mm handgun last week.

The deputy noticed two dark objects being thrown from a window prior to stopping a vehicle for a traffic violation. The objects turned out to be a handgun with nine rounds in the clip and a Nike bag with two plastic baggies containing a large amount of crack cocaine.

A passenger in the vehicle, Hasani Pariall, 32, was arrested and charged with tampering with physical evidence for disposing of the items prior to the stop, manufacturing, and delivery for the crack cocaine, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

Sheriff Hillhouse said there was about 150 grams of crack cocaine, which is a substantial amount.

"Our main problem here is meth," he said, "but this just goes to show there's still other drugs out here and in large amounts."

The Sheriff went on to explain how cocaine gets turned into crack.

IV. COVID in the Jail (11:31)

Sheriff Hillhouse reported there are 44 jail inmates and two jailers who have tested positive for COVID. Twelve of the jail dormitories are in quarantine.

To put these numbers in perspective, this outbreak matches the largest during the pandemic.

"It hit us hard here in the jail, all of a sudden, in the past week or so," he said. "Luckily right now everybody is doing OK, but I do have a lot of cases."

Sheriff Hillhouse said many of the protocols put in place during the pandemic are still in place, including having trustees clean the jail twice a day. The only difference is visitation has resumed.

"But there's really no contact between the inmate population and their loved ones," he said. "It's all through a glass."

Sheriff Hillhouse said the focus is containing the virus and getting the inmates over the COVID.

NEWSLETTER: Get updates from the Sheriff’s Office, Commissioners Court, the District Attorney, County Attorney, and all departments from your Henderson County Government.

==

This week's guest on the County Report is Pct. 1 Commissioner Wendy Spivey. She is a sixth-generation Henderson County resident and is the first woman elected to Commissioners Court in 60 years.

County politics run in her family. Her great-great-grandfather Marshall Kinabrew was the mayor of Athens in the late 1880s and her grandfather, Leo Kinabrew, was Pct. 1 Commissioner in the 1960s and 1970s.

Although Commissioner Spivey has only been in office since January, she ran the Pct. 1 barn for a couple of years due to the passing of Commissioner Ken Hayes and an injury to Commissioner Scotty Thomas. Because of that, she has more experience than many first-year commissioners.

"I've learned from two of the best," she said.

I. Learning (4:47)

While she has experience running the precinct barn, being a part of Commissioners Court is a new experience for Commissioner Spivey.

"That is one thing I did not do when I was the administrative assistant," she said, "is come to court and sit up there as Commissioner and do the budgets."

"I'm looking forward to learning," she said.

II. Why Become Commissioner? (6:15)

Commissioner Spivey said she had never considered running for Commissioner until Scotty Thomas suggested she'd do a good job.

"I prayed about it and prayed about it for eight months before I just felt like the good Lord told me 'You can do this,'" she said. "And I'm so glad I did because I feel like this is something I am supposed to be doing."

III. Biggest Precinct (7:47)

Pct. 1 is physically the biggest precinct in the county. It is more than double the size of the smallest precinct, which is Pct. 2.

"Pct. 1 has 201,845 acres," she said, "and Pct. 2 has 87,000 acres."

The physical size of the precincts can be so different because they are drawn to balance the population.

One of the ways the precinct deals with such a wide area is by identifying which roads handle the most traffic.

"We're trying to redo those roads first," Commissioner Spivey said.

The precinct has also purchased a new piece of equipment -- a Bomag -- to get longer-lasting roads.

IV. Broadband (14:14)

Commissioner Spivey identified internet infrastructure as one of the challenges facing Henderson County.

"Out in the rural part of the county we don't have very good reception," she said, "and that's a challenge."

V. Protecting Taxpayer Dollars (16:03)

Commissioner Spivey also highlighted fiscal responsibility as an important challenge for the county.

"We want to spend the taxpayer's dollars wisely," she said.

Commissioner Spivey also talked about the importance of connecting with her constituents and listening to the voters.

Commissioner Spivey finished the interview by highlighting her staff.

"They do a splendid job and I couldn't ask for a better group to represent Pct. 1," she said.

NEWSLETTER: Get updates from the Sheriff’s Office, Commissioners Court, the District Attorney, County Attorney, and all departments from your Henderson County Government.

==

This week, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talked about the Deputies of the Quarter; the Cops and Kids picnic; and the need for jailers.

I. Stats (:40)

There are currently 429 in jail with 108 of those being out-of-county inmates.

II. Deputies of the Quarter (1:42)

Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse recognized the outstanding work of three employees as Deputy of the 2nd Quarter for 2021. Investigator Kenneth Slaton was named Deputy of the Quarter, Sgt. Maria McCarley was named Detention Officer of the Quarter, and Wendy Rollins was named Communications Officer of the Quarter.

"They work really hard for this office and for the county," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "I always know if I need something I can pick up the phone and call one of these three individuals and they just always go above and beyond."

II. Cops and Kids Picnic (3:50)

Sheriff Hillhouse talked about the upcoming Cops and Kids Picnic, which is being planned by Susan Paul.

The event will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at Faith Fellowship Church. There will be hot dogs and drinks, door prizes, and the Sheriff's Office will be there with patrol cars, K-9 units, and the armored vehicle.

"Hopefully there will be a great turnout. I think it is going to be a lot of fun," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "It's an opportunity for the community to bring your kids out and get to know your local law enforcement."

You will be hearing more about this event as it draws closer.

III. Need for Jailers (6:55)

The Henderson County Sheriff's Office currently has openings for detention officers.

"If you are interested in a career in law enforcement, this is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "This is exactly how I started my career."

Those starting out can work under a temporary jailer's license for a year. During that year, the Sheriff's Office will send you to school to get a permanent jailer's license.

For those who want to become a peace officer, there are opportunities for the Sheriff's Office to send jailers through the police academy.

If you are interested, visit the Sheriff's Office to pick up an application or call the office at 903-675-5128 to get an application emailed to you.

"If you want to be a Texas peace officer, you can come to work here and we will get you the training you need to make your goals come true," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

NEWSLETTER: Get updates from the Sheriff’s Office, Commissioners Court, the District Attorney, County Attorney, and all departments from your Henderson County Government.

This interview was recorded at the Henderson County Courthouse Annex on Wednesday, July 7.

==

This week's guest on the County Report is County Judge Wade McKinney. He was raised in the Eustace area and is married with four children. His family has been in Henderson County for more than 100 years.

I. Longest Serving on Commissioners Court (1:57)

Judge McKinney has served the most time on Henderson County Commissioners Court. He spent 20 years as Pct. 2 Commissioner before being elected County Judge.

"I have a love for county government," he said. "I believe county government is that portion of our system that impacts everyone in their daily lives."

II. Remembering the Past (5:25)

Judge McKinney looks back at the slower pace of government when he first joined Commissioners Court and how technology has changed that.

"I reminisce a lot about the quote-unquote good old days and the fun we used to have around the table," he said, "but there was very serious business taken care of then just as there is today, it's just done at a faster pace."

Looking at his connection to the past, Judge McKinney said he feels a responsibility as the keeper of Commissioners Court's institutional knowledge.

III. Community Challenges (14:12)

When asked about the challenges facing the county, Judge McKinney spoke about community-level issues like broadband infrastructure and substance abuse.

As an example, he spoke about the new HOPE Henderson County program to combat opioid use.

IV. Taxes (21:16)

A second major challenge for Henderson County is making taxpayer money go as far as possible as the cost of doing business continues to rise. Another factor impacting county spending is unfunded mandates from the Legislature in Austin.

"You have to manage your expenses as compared to your revenues," Judge McKinney said.

The Judge used the county's new radio system as an example of how planning pays off for Commissioners Court.

V. Different Cultures (32:34)

Because of the physical size of Henderson County, it has distinct regions: the west end, or Cedar Creek Lake area; the center, or Athens area; and the west end, or Brownsboro and Chandler area.

"We are as wide as Van Zandt County and Kaufman County combined," Judge McKinney said, "and because of that geographical distance, we actually have three cultures in this county."

The example used in the podcast for this is a burn ban and how often one end of the county is dry while the other end is not.

NEWSLETTER: Get updates from the Sheriff’s Office, Commissioners Court, the District Attorney, County Attorney, and all departments from your Henderson County Government.

==

In this week's episode, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse covered additional charges that were added following an arrest for child pornography, new K-9 deputy Valco, and the near-miraculous restoration of the original Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

I. Stats (1:22)

At the time of this podcast, there were 417 in custody in the jail; 101 of those are out-of-county contract inmates.

We talk all the time on the podcast about the importance of out-of-county inmates because they bring revenue into the county. Sheriff Hillhouse said he is projecting that the jail will make between $1.8 and $1.9 million in 2021 through contract inmates.

II. Child Pornography (4:20)

Last week, the Sheriff's Office arrested Jose Alfaro in Athens for possessing more than 150 child pornography videos. You can read the original press release here.

Since the arrest, Alfaro has also been charged with the intent to promote child pornography. In addition, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a federal detainer on him because he is in the country illegally.

During the podcast, Sheriff Hillhouse discussed how the county has prioritized crimes against children. The Sheriff's Office has three dedicated investigators working on these types of cases.

"The statistics will show you that it is needed, unfortunately, here in Henderson County," Sheriff Hillhouse said.

III. Welcome Valco (10:18)

The newest deputy at the Sheriff's Office is K-9 Valco, who came on board this week.

Sheriff Hillhouse, who was a K-9 handler during his career, discussed the importance of the program and how much ongoing training there is between K-9 and handler.

"They pay for themselves three-fold, over and over again, they are well worth their money," he said.

Sheriff Hillhouse also pointed out the K-9 program is paid for through drug arrest forfeitures.

IV. Facebook Back! (19:13)

Sheriff Hillhouse was locked out of Henderson County Sheriff's Office Facebook page on April 6. Since then, he has tried repeatedly to restore access.

Well, the page unexpectedly reopened on July 1.

Sheriff Hillhouse invites everyone to follow the Facebook page for updates.

FOLLOW: Get updates from the Sheriff’s Office, Commissioners Court, the District Attorney, County Attorney, and all departments from your Henderson County Government.

==

This week's special guest on the County Report is Pct. 4 Commissioner Mark Richardson. He is in his first term. Commissioner Richardson has lived in Henderson County his whole life and his family has lived in the Baxter Community since 1855.

I. Becoming A Commissioner (2:48)

Commissioner Richardson was elected in a special election following the death of Commissioner Ken Geeslin and is in his first term. He is not new to county government, however, and has been a part of Pct. 4 for 21 years.

II. About Pct. 4 (6:42)

Commissioner Richardson discussed the size of the precinct. Because the precincts are drawn to try and balance population, Pct. 4 tends to be larger in area than the other precincts.

"It is a big span," he said, "when you get a call and you're on one end of precinct and a tree falls on the other end of the precinct it can be a good drive."

"In a lot of the rural areas, you don't have a lot of population. You have big acreage and there may be one home to a hundred acres," Commissioner Richardson said. "There are some places out in our precinct that are 2,000 and 3,000 acre tracts of land."

III. Road Challenges in Pct. 4 (14:18)

Commissioner Richardson discusses the specific problems faced by his precinct, including the different types of soil across the county. Pct. 4 has a large section where the predominant soil is sand.

The Commissioner said in the sandy section of his precinct, gophers can cause major damage to roads.

"A gopher can bore under the road and then when we get a big rain, it washes that hole out from the size of a gopher to the size of a basketball," he said. "It undermines the road and when a heavy truck like a trash truck comes across it, it caves in all the way across the road."

IV. Challenges to the County (19:33)

Commission Richardson identified unfunded mandates from the State Legislature as a major challenge.

"We try to do the best we can with taxpayer money," he said.

V. Pct. 4 Staff (25:26)

Commissioner Richardson took time to praise his staff at Pct. 4.

"I've got a great group of guys there," he said.

==

Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

==

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses a Seven Points murder, a case involving illegal drugs and credit cards, and Narcan training for the Sheriff's Office.

I. Stats (:37)

There are currently 424 individuals currently in the Henderson County Jail; 107 of those are out-of-county inmates.

II. Murder Suspect (1:45)

Joshua Jones, 37, of Seven Points was arrested June 17 after the shooting death of Jason Blake, 44.

The Sheriff’s Office received calls regarding a disturbance at a residence in the 27000 block of West Oak Ridge Road at approximately 8:15 p.m.

When Deputy Luke Rachel arrived on the scene he observed Jones outside the residence and Blake out by the roadway. Deputy Rachel detained Jones and began life-saving measures on Blake but was unsuccessful.

According to the initial investigation, shots were fired with a shotgun by the suspect inside and outside the house before the victim was shot in the back and died on the scene.

There were multiple witnesses to the offense that were interviewed which confirmed what Investigators had learned during the investigation.

There was a child involved in the incident and Sheriff Hillhouse discussed the importance of the Child Advocacy Center in such cases.

III. Mushrooms and Credit Cards (7:13)

A man was arrested for aggravated assault with a handgun and possession of a substantial amount of illegal mushrooms and methamphetamines on June 19.

Earl Kenneth Vess II, 36, was arrested in the 100 block of Arrowhead Street. Earlier, he had brandished a handgun, threatened a woman, and fled from Deputy Jarod Mills on foot.

Vess was taken to the County Jail and charged with:

Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of methamphetamines, possession of illegal mushrooms, evading arrest, possession of a firearm by a felon, and fraudulent usage of identifying information for the credit cards and social security card he had but were not his.

"Identity theft is a big issue," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "People are always trying to seek out your identifying information and use it."

IV. Narcan Training (12:18)

Members of the Henderson County Sheriff's Office received free Narcan training this week thanks to HOPE Henderson County.

"We're glad to be part of this program," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "We're glad they brought this training here for free and are giving us the Narcan for free. It could save a life."

HOPE Henderson County includes:

-- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler

-- UT Health East Texas Athens

-- East Texas Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (ETCADA)

-- Henderson HELP Center

-- East Texas Community Clinic

==

Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

==

This week's guest on the County Report is Pct. 2 Commissioner Scott Tuley. He is in his first term as commissioner. He is married to Angie Tuley and the couple has three children.

I. First Term (1:38)

Commissioner Tuley said he ran for office to "give back to the community, to help people with their problems."

The Commissioner said he's learned a lot in his first two years.

"It's not all about roads and ditches and drainage," he said. "It is far more."

In the podcast, Commissioner Tuley speaks about working with Commissioners Court on issues across the county.

"It's all about 26 departments coming in during budget and doing the best thing for the taxpayer," he said.

II. Population Growth (8:45)

Commissioner Tuley talks about the population growth in Pct. 2 (and Pct. 3) and how that with impact both the upcoming redistricting and property values.

"Everybody is migrating," he said.

As an example, Commissioner Tuley points out that about 450 houses were built in the Henderson County part of Mabank since last year and all of them are already sold.

He added that he knows of one house sold in Pct. 2 that wound up with 18 different bidders and when it was finally sold, it went for $125,000 over the list price.

"That's just one house," he said.

III. Pug Mill (15:01)

Commissioner Tuley discusses the impact of the Pct. 2 pug mill purchased in 2018. This piece of equipment gives the county the ability to produce road material, lowering the cost of road construction.

"Just Pct. 2 alone, in our first two-and-a-half years we've saved somewhere about $2.4 million in being able to redirect that funding to be able to do more roads," he said.

Now, the other Henderson County precincts are taking advantage of the pug mill as well.

While talking about roads, Commissioner Tuley also discusses the difficulties facing the county when it comes to road repair. For instance, weather issues currently have Pct. 2 about six weeks behind schedule.

IV. Drainage Issues (29:00)

Commissioner Tuley speaks about the drainage difficulties in some of the subdivisions around Cedar Creek Lake.

He said some of the problems are because of the design of the subdivision.

The County's right of way is basically just from the ditch on one side of the road to the other.

"And that's really all we can do unless the property owner wants to work with us," he said.

Commissioner Tuley also talked about how keeping the bar ditches and culverts clean is the responsibility of property owners.

"We try to do everything possible to move water through the culverts or down the road," he said, "to get to the drainage pipes that are feeding the lake or wherever else (the water) was supposed to go in the 70s or 80s. It's a challenge."

==

Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

===

In this week's Sheriff's Report, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse spoke about an operation to recover around 30 dogs from a location on the east end of the county Wednesday and gave a warning to Cedar Creek Lake boat owners.

I. Stats (:35)

The podcast starts as it always does with the stats and this week shows the Sheriff's Office has been busy. The jail booked in 110 individuals over the past week and there are 434 currently in custody.

II. Dogs (1:28)

The Henderson County Sheriff's Office Animal Control Division, patrol deputies, and the Athens Animal Rescue Shelter were on the east end of the county to recover about 30 dogs on Wednesday. The dogs are mixed breed.

Sheriff Hillhouse said it wasn't a breeder, but rather a pet owner who wound up with too many.

"Basically, it just spun out of control," he said. "They weren't neutered."

The Sheriff said most animal control cases in the county are like this and not usually breeders.

The best way to avoid this situation is to neuter your animals.

Sheriff Hillhouse praised the Athens Animal Rescue Shelter for their help and urged listeners to support the Shelter. You can do that by following their Facebook page and responding when they run short on supplies.

III. Boat Security (9:43)

Sheriff Hillhouse said his office has recently received reports of boats being vandalized on Cedar Creek Lake. He said it appeared someone was trying to steal the boats.

He said owners often tie their boats up after using them and never check on them again until the next time they are ready to go out on the water. That makes the boats an easy target, and makes it difficult for deputies to determine when a crime was committed.

"Check your boats every day," he said, "make sure nothing is missing."

Sheriff Hillhouse said the Sheriff's Office is patrolling the lake looking for suspicious activity, but he wanted to warn owners of what is happening.

"Please watch your property because there are people out there right now trying to take it and vandalize it," he said.

===

Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

==

On this episode of the County Report, we talk with Henderson County Clint W. Murchison Memorial Library Director Michelle Zenor. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and received her Master's in Library Science (MLS) from Texas Women's University and a Master's in English from the University of Texas at Tyler. She has been the director of the Henderson County Library since 2018.

Last year, the library celebrated its 100th birthday.

The library is located at 121 South Prairieville Street in Athens and serves the entire county.

Topics discussed in this podcast include:

I. Collections (2:47)

The library has about 40,000 items you can check out. That includes books, DVDs, and books on CD. They also have access to about 35,000 items online that can be checked out.

"Altogether, we have about 75,000 items you can access with your library card, which is free to residents of Henderson County," Zenor said.

II. Services (3:28)

The library provides services like making copies, fax, or scanning the hard copy of a document into a digital document. These are just a few examples.

While there are charges for some services, "our goal is to be the cheapest place in town to do this," Zenor said.

III. Programs (4:49)

"A lot of people don't realize that the public library has a busy season and it is summer," Zenor said.

The library's Summer Reading Program has been very popular this year with hundreds of students participating. The program also includes live performances at the Henderson County Performing Arts Center and field trips.

You can sign up for the Summer Reading Program through July.

IV. Joining the Library (8:18)

A library card is still your passport to adventure and county residents can get their Henderson County Library card free.

"We want you to have a library card," Zenor said. "Everybody is welcome to come get a library card."

V. Young Children (11:18)

"Our most important patrons are the littlest," said Zenor, "because reading is fundamental."

The Henderson County Library has programs for children that begin soon after birth.

"It's never too soon to start reading to a child," Zenor said.

VI. Staff (13:35)

There are seven staff members at the library.

"I work with the most creative, most dedicated, most helpful ladies that we have here in the county," Zenor said. "And I am so proud of them and I love working with them every day."

VII. The Steps Project (15:25)

Artist Maddie Hanratty turned the front steps of the library into a work of art recently.

"She spent almost the entire month of May hand-painting, freestyle, the steps to look like a stack of four children's books," Zenor said.

===

Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

===

I. Stats (:30)

There were 94 individuals booked into the jail in the past week.

II. Online Solicitation of a Minor Arrest (1:15)

Sheriff Hillhouse talks about this week's arrest of James Bond, 50, for online solicitation of a child. The following is from the press release:

Investigators and Deputies arrested an armed man Tuesday for online solicitation of a child online after they were forced to breach his residence.

James Bond, 50, was arrested in the 100 block of Chapperall Drive and was also charged with Aggravated Assault Against a Public Servant.

Hillhouse’s team approached the home, announced their presence, and eventually breached the door of the residence to gain entry. Inside, they found Bond in the residence armed with a rifle. He pointed the loaded weapon at one of the Investigators but eventually surrendered.

It was Investigator Cayce Hampton who obtained a search warrant from 392nd District Judge Scott McKee to initiate the arrest.

III. New K-9 (7:44)

The Sheriff's Office is getting ready to welcome a new K-9 officer to the family. Sheriff Hillhouse said they have already picked out the new dog, who is named Valco.

Deputy Meagan Hogan will be going to train with Valco starting next week.

IV. Instructor's Course (12:14)

Sheriff Hillhouse said there are deputies going through a course to become peace officer instructors. The benefit, according to the Sheriff, is convenience and low cost.

"We try to host a lot of law enforcement training here at the Sheriff's Office," he said. "It's not only for the Sheriff's Office, it's for any law enforcement agency that has the time and can take the classes."

The Sheriff's Office does not charge county law enforcement agencies for this training.

V. Facebook Page (15:59)

The Sheriff's Office had to start a new Facebook page. You can find that page here.

===

Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

==

County Clerk Mary Margaret Wright was the special guest for this week's County Report podcast. She has lived in Athens most of her life. She is in the middle of her second term as County Clerk.

Topics covered in this podcast:

I. What does the County Clerk do? (I:45)

"The County Clerk's Office is basically the record keeper for the whole county," Wright said.

Just a few examples of the type of records handled by the County Clerk are birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, plats for subdivisions, misdemeanor court cases, civil cases, and DBAs.

II. How big is the County Clerk's Office? (3:32)

There are 13 employees: five in the criminal division and the rest work in the main office.

The County Clerk's Office is constantly busy. For example, there are about 600 marriage licenses each year.

III. Cattle Brands (5:45)

The County Clerk's Office maintains the records on cattle brands, which is something that has particular importance this year.

"The people that have cattle brands will re-register their brands starting August 31, 2021," Wright said. The registration process will end Feb. 28, 2022.

"That keeps what they have on file as their brands up to date," she said.

IV. Challenges and Changes (7:03)

Wright said the pandemic was the biggest challenge she's faced in her time as County Clerk.

"When we had to do everything online, we learned a lot during that time about what we could do," she said.

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Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

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In this week's podcast, Sheriff Hillhouse talks about a safe Memorial Day, a big fireworks heist, a woman who woke up to a stranger in her house, and the First Responders Rodeo.

I. Stats (:42)

The jail booked in 85 individuals in the past week. There are currently 130 contract inmates.

II. Memorial Day (1:14)

"Everybody had a lot of fun. There were a lot of people out," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "There were a lot of events going on all throughout the county, but on our end, it was pretty peaceful which is excellent. It is exactly what we want."

III. Fireworks Stolen (2:46)

The Sheriff's Office is working a Theft over $30,000 case. Monday, May 31, a local fireworks vendor reported that they had an 18-wheeler with about 13 pallets of fireworks stolen from their location.

The value of the fireworks alone was over $60,000.

The truck was recovered on May 31 in the Dallas area. When it was recovered, there was only about $15,000 in fireworks remaining.

"We did get some of the property back, which is always a blessing," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Now we've just got to figure out who stole the items."

IV. Woman Awoken By Stranger (5:49)

Friday, May 28, a woman reported being awoken a little after 8 a.m. by a stranger patting her.

The subject was still in the yard when Sheriff's Deputies arrived. He was arrested for having methamphetamine and for burglary of a habitation.

V. Rodeo (9:44)

The Rodeo Committee was scheduled to meet at the Fairpark Complex this afternoon to close out the past PRCA rodeo and get started planning for next year.

The PRCA Rodeo is put on by the Peace Officers Association and the Fire Chief's Association.

"We were very, very blessed and very pleased with the turnout we had at the First Responders Rodeo last year," said Sheriff Hillhouse, "and we hope to make this next year bigger and better."

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Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

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Pct. 3 Commissioner Chuck McHam was the special guest for this week's County Report podcast. Commissioner McHam is from Chandler and is in the first year of his second term as a commissioner. He received an Ag Education degree from Texas A&M University and taught Ag at both Martin's Mill and Brownsboro.

Topics covered in this podcast include:

I. On Becoming Commissioner (2:11)

"I always knew when I retired I wanted to do something with the community," Commissioner McHam said. "This kind of fell into place. So I decided to run for commissioner of Pct. 3."

II. Spending Tax Dollars (4:39)

"People want to make sure their tax dollars are being spent wisely and we try and do that," he said. "I wanted that whenever I was in the public. I think that's our big challenge, to make sure we spend the taxpayers' money wisely."

III. County Budget Cycle (7:10)

"It's a long process," he said, "and I never thought about that when I was running for commissioner. But between the first of July and the first of September, the commissioners will spend a great deal of their time here at the courthouse and not on the roads."

IV. Working With Commissioners Court (9:55)

"Ever since I've been on Commissioners Court, we've had a great relationship," he said. "We get along well together. There are things we disagree on, but we're able to sit down during court and figure out a way to make it work."

V. Roads (12:20)

Commissioner McHam said that the hot mix (asphalt) for a mile of road costs about $85,000.

"That's just in material," he said. "That's if you don't have to base work and you don't have to replace any culverts. That's just the two-inch layer of asphalt is $85,000 a mile."

VI. Weather (16:30)

Commissioner McHam discusses the impact of the February ice storm and recent rains on the roads.

VII. Bridges (18:00)

Pct. 3 is unique in Henderson County because of its bridges.

"The other precincts have anywhere from two to four bridges in their entire precinct," he said. "I have 22."

VIII. Communications Committee (20:57)

Commissioner McHam is on the Communications Committee which is working to bring the new digital system online.

"We've spent a lot of time on it. I think it is going to be an asset for the county," he said.

IX. Growth of the County (26:02)

"People want to move to Henderson County," Commissioner McHam said. "We can see that with the prices of property."

X. Conclusion (27:41)

"I want to tell the people of Henderson County that I appreciate the responsibility they bestowed on us," he said. "I hope that they see and recognize the things that we're doing. We're trying to make Henderson County better."

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Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

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In this week's podcast, Sheriff Hillhouse talks about the budget process, a big weekend in Athens, and patrolling the lakes during the summer.

I. Stats (:18)

There are currently 424 inmates in Henderson County Jail, including 133 contract inmates.

II. Budget Time (:58)

Henderson County Gov has begun the budget process for 2022. The deadline for departments to submit their proposed budgets to the County Judge is this Friday.

"I've been in budget mode for a while now, but especially the last couple of days," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "We're looking at all the line items and seeing what expenses we think we are going to have in the year of 2022."

The Sheriff's Office has a budget of more than $13 million, divided between law enforcement and the jail.

III. Walk-a-Mile and Fiddlers (9:50)

This is a big weekend in Athens with the East Texas Crisis Center Walk-a-Mile in Her Shoes event Saturday morning and the Old Fiddlers Reunion. Both events are on the square in Athens.

The Sheriff's Office is always a big participant in the Walk-a-Mile with a team walking and Sheriff Hillhouse being the one to officially start the walk.

"It's a great event, it is a fun event," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "It is guys coming out to walk a mile in red high heels. It is a fundraiser for the East Texas Crisis Center."

You can learn more about this event on the East Texas Crisis Center Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/etccathens

IV. Patrolling the Lakes (16:00)

Fiddlers weekend is the traditional start of summer and that means a lot of work for the Sheriff's Office.

"The summer months are extremely busy for us here at the Sheriff's Office," said Sheriff Hillhouse.

The Sheriff discussed how deputies patrol Lake Palestine and Cedar Creek Lake during the summer months and particularly during the holidays.

"We just want everybody to No. 1 take care of each other," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Be safe, do the right thing. Have a lot of fun, but you have to be safe and do the right thing."

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Henderson County Gov podcasts are available on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify (below).

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With the rain early this week -- and more rain expected -- Judge McKinney discussed the County's emergency response team, including an upcoming meeting to plan for future emergencies.

Monday, the problem was flooding.

"We want everyone to remember what has become cliche and buried into our collective consciousness: Don't Drown, Turn Around," said Judge McKinney.

There were a few county roads that were closed Monday because of water and those were announced on the Henderson County Texas Facebook page.

"That is something we are very please with how it worked, getting information out quickly so that the public would know what the conditions were," said Judge McKinney.

Judge McKinney also talked about an upcoming public meeting of the local Emergency Planning Committee.

"This committee is tasked with identifying possible hazard issues," he said, "that could lead to an emergency in the future and to help in mitigating those."

You can also listen to this podcast on Spotify.

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In this week's podcast, Sheriff Hillhouse reminds everyone that the annual Peace Officers Memorial will take place at noon Thursday, May 20, on the Courthouse Square in Athens.

The guest speaker for the event is Jimmy Cotton of Cowboy Heritage Church in Freestone County.

"He is outstanding. He's motivating," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "We are looking forward to what he has to say."

The event is hosted by the Henderson County Peace Officers Association and is open to the public.

"You are remembering your fallen heroes that have served and tragically lost their lives here in Henderson County," said Sheriff Hillhouse. "There are more of them than people realize."

Other topics in the podcast include:

-- Weekly stats (:37): As of Wednesday morning, there were 408 inmates in the jail, including 127 contract inmates.

-- High-Speed Pursuits (1:27): There have been two pursuits this week. One happened Monday morning and went through Athens, Malakoff, and finished in Trinidad. The other saw the driver try and get away in reverse, something the Sheriff said he has never seen before.

-- Jail Vaccinations (6:31): NET Health provided a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in the jail, giving vaccinations to 38 inmates.

-- Facebook (15:35): The Sheriff's Office Facebook page is still down and it looks like the Sheriff may have to start a new one.

You can also find this podcast on Spotify.