News

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – The A&M-Commerce women's soccer teams came up big yesterday with a 5-0 shutout of Dallas Baptist. It took just under 12 minutes to notch all five goals early in the game, allowing the Lions to play conservative and defensive the rest of the afternoon.

By Kevin Jefferies

Hunt County – 19 year old Brandon Dale Woodruff is being held in Hunt County Jail on $2 million bail on two capital murder charges in connection with the deaths of his parents, Dennis and Norma Woodruff. Brandon Woodruff was taken into custody Monday in Texarkana. His address is listed as the same residence where Dennis and Norma Woodruff were found shot and stabbed to death last Tuesday by a family friend.

A possible motive for the murders is still not being released by officials.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – The No Child Left Behind Act rates 90% of Commerce ISD teachers as highly qualified, according to the latest reports presented to the Commerce Board of Trustees. Highly qualified teachers, according to the Act, are one with a bachelor's degree, full state certification, and have shown competency in the core academic area assigned.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – A&M-Commerce head soccer coach Neil Piper notched his 100th career win Sunday as the Lions shut out Texas Women's University 3-0. The milestone sets Piper as the only A&M-Commerce soccer coach to reach 100 victories, and every one has come with the Lions. Piper has averaged 13 wins each of his 8 seasons with A&M-Commerce and ranks among the nation's active leaders in winning percentage.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce –
COMMERCE HIGH SCHOOL TIGERS

The Commerce Tigers defeated the Winnsboro Red Raiders Friday 14-10. The third district match for the Tigers was on the road against a Winnsboro squad determined to stay alive in the playoff hunt in District 11-3A. But a late fumble on an option pitch gave the Tigers great field position, a go-ahead touchdown on a 10-yard run by Travis Burnett, and the lead.

By Kevin Jefferies

Royse City – Still no arrests in the double slaying of a couple living near Royse City. Dennis and Norma Woodruff were found murdered Tuesday in their double-wide trailer just northeast of Royse City. The cause of death and a possible motive are not being released by police. A cause has been determined by the Dallas County Medical Examiner, but investigators are withholding the information because only the killer would know how the couple were killed.

By Kevin Jefferies

Royse City –
No solid leads in the slayings of 33 year old Dennis and 32 year old Norma Woodruff just northeast of Royse City earlier this week. Hunt County Sheriff Chief Deputy Robert White says no solid motive has been found for the murder of the couple whose bodies were found Tuesday by a family friend. White said some of the family members and associates of the couple have been spoken to by investigators, but many have been in Texarkana attending services.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce –
COMMERCE HIGH SCHOOL TIGERS

The Commerce Tigers are on the road this week in game 3 of district play as they face the Winnsboro Red Raiders. Commerce is 4-3 overall and 1-1 in District 113-A after a win last week over Emory-Rains on Homecoming. They face a 3-4 overall, 1-1 in district Winnsboro squad that is coming off a 25-7 win over Quinlan Ford. Winnsboro finished with 450 yards of offense against the winless Panthers with 416 of those on the ground.

By Kevin Jefferies

Royse City – The bodies of Dennis and Norma Woodruff were discovered in their Hunt County home Tuesday evening. The couple had been murdered. Police say there was no sign of forced entry and nothing appeared to have been stolen from the residence. The Hunt County Sheriff is looking for possible suspects and a motive in the case.

By Kevin Jefferies

Commerce – The Commerce City Council passed the second reading of a zoning ordinance officially designating a corridor district in regular session this week. The new classification was made as part of the Strategic Economic Plan for Commerce and seeks to connect A&M-Commerce with downtown under new zoning policies. The corridor will run along Live Oak St. from Highway 50 to Washington St., and along Monroe St. past A&M-Commerce to Live Oak.