By Scott Harvey

Greenville – Carolyn Corbin is the keynote speaker during Thursday evening's sellout banquet of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and Greenville Economic Development Corporation.

Corbin is president of the Center for the 21st Century, which provides presentations, consulting and organizational training in critical 21st century issues. Banquet guests will hear Carolyn's speech titled Moving Greenville Forward: Doing life together in a world gone Wiki.

By Scott Harvey

Winnsboro – The ongoing debate over a Canadian Oil Company's plan to build a pipeline through East Texas continues Thursday in Winnsboro.

"The substance that is going to be carried in the pipeline is a hazardous, toxic, most dirtiest oil in the world. It's referred to as tar sands oil and/or oil sands," says Eddie Radillo, member of STOP (Stop Tar Sands Oil Pipeline).

Members of the organization are concerned over what may happen in the event of an oil spill and how such a pipeline may devalue their land.

By Brad Kellar

Greenville – The Greenville City Council has passed an exterior lighting ordinance aimed at curbing light pollution.

The new design standards will be in place for all future multi-residential and commercial projects.

The regulations apply to all new, expanded or redeveloped multifamily complexes, town homes and single family attached structures where exterior lighting currently exists or is proposed.

By Scott Harvey

– The cities of Kaufman and Canton have been recently recognized by the Texas Department of Agriculture as Certified Retirement Communities (CRC).

The distinction is designed to help attract retirees and potential retirees through additional advertisement. According to the Agriculture Department, Texas has become the No. 2 retirement state in the nation and retirees spend an average of $42,500 each in their communities.

By Scott Harvey

Quitman – Just days after a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the drive-by murder case of a Winnsboro woman, a retrial is issued for one of the suspects.

19-year-old Ty Jordan Evans will again be tried with the murder of 24-year-old Anna Marie Moore. Evans' brother, Demarcus Hearn, also faces charges in Moore's death as the driver of the car from which shots were fired.

Moore was shot in the head in May, 2009 as she sat on her living room couch with her children. A retrial date has not been set.

By Brad Kellar

Greenville – A local juvenile has been arrested in connection to numerous graffiti incidents.

Between December 22 and January 13, Greenville Police received nearly a dozen reports of criminal mischief involving graffiti. The offenses occurred across a large area of the City, including downtown and some businesses in South Greenville.

Sulphur Springs – Dr. Andrew Fisher has been selected as the new Director for the Paris Junior College - Sulphur Springs Center, following the retirement of long-time director Linda Bennett.

By Scott Harvey

Yantis – An investigation is underway into the seizure of 30 starving horses from a Wood County property Monday, in which the owner has yet to be found.

The horses were rescued at a property on CR 1960, near Hwy 154 in Yantis. Living conditions are being described as unbearable, and the horses' only source of food was the dried up ground.

The rescue was too late for many of the animals, as numerous carcasses were found in a back pasture.

By Brad Kellar

Hunt County – Charles Raymond Barnes, Jr. was taken into custody after authorities received a tip regarding his whereabouts.

An arrest warrant was issued for Barnes on January 2 after he was believed involved in at least one South Hunt County burglary. He was found hiding inside a home in the area early Saturday morning.

A female, whose name was not immediately released, was also arrested for hindering apprehension. A second suspect, Charles Massey, is also sought in reference to multiple burglary warrants.

By Scott Harvey

Wood County – Preliminary autopsy reports are showing that last week's death of an Alba-Golden High School student was accidental.

16-year-old Loren Saunders was apparently the victim of an unintentional self inflicted gunshot wound.

Last Tuesday's incident occurred at Chaney Point RV Park #2 on CR 1590 in Alba.

The accidental ruling was based on interviews conducted by Wood County investigators Saunders' father, his friends, the community, plus evidence from the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences.