By Scott Harvey

Sulphur Springs – A San Antonio man is arrested in Sulphur Springs after police were called to a report of counterfeit $20 bills being passed out.

44-year-old Mark Anthony Merryman was located inside the Quality One Inn, where police discovered a printer and large quantity of bogus bills in his room. He's been charged with forgery and the Secret Service has been notified.

Area businesses and residents who feel they may have been victimized should contact Sulphur Springs PD.

By Scott Harvey

Idabel, OK – Oklahoma authorities are continuing to investigate the death of Paris teenager Sharonda Bronner, whose body was found in an Idabel community center bathroom last week.

The 15-year-old Bronner was a former student of Paris ISD, but had withdrawn from classes several months ago. Grief counselors have been available at district campuses.

There has still been no word on how Bronner died. Instead, investigators need that piece of information to help identify possible suspects.

By Scott Harvey

Texarkana – An appeals court in Texarkana has dropped one of two convictions for a Paris man, citing double jeopardy as the reason.

Michael Lee Alberts Sr. was convicted on two counts of indecency by contact and one count of indecency by exposure of a child. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment on each of the first two charges and four years on the second.

However, Alberts challenged that the convictions revolved around the same incident.

By Brad Kellar

Hunt County – Trial has been scheduled for a Greenville man, charged with aggravated robbery and kidnapping at a Hunt County game room a year ago.

24-year-old Michael Ray Bell's alleged accomplice, Jackie Lawrence Scott, is facing trial early next year on the same charges.

Bell pleaded not guilty to both counts in June. A hearing has now been set for March 8.

By Brad Kellar

Caddo Mills – A judge has again denied bond for a Caddo Mills murder suspect.

Randall Douglas Smith's bond was cut half from $1 million to $500,000 in late September, but in October denied a further reduction in the bond. Bond was again denied on Nov. 30 and then on Monday.

Smith remains in custody at the Hunt County Jail, and was indicted Friday for the reported shooting death of Gregory Poteet, also of Caddo Mills.

His defense attorney had filed another motion, claiming the defendant could make a $50,000 bond.

By Scott Harvey

Commerce – The Commerce City Council Tuesday is schedule to address proposed changes to the City's Charter as part of its regular session agenda.

Members of the city's Charter Review Committee have recently been working to determine if any changes are needed to the charter, the document containing the rules and regulations governing how the City Council, city administration and related agencies do business.

By Scott Harvey

Greenville – A new feature with the City of Greenville's emergency notification system will allow citizens to add the phone number from the message sent to a cell phone contact list.

This will enable any citizen who may miss the intended call to dial the displayed toll-free number back and listen to the message. The number is 1-866-419-5000.

By Scott Harvey

Sulphur Springs – Sulphur Springs ISD trustees will hold their regular monthly meeting at noon Monday at the Administration building.

Members will hear administrative updates on school programs such as the High School's unacceptable accountability rating, progress reports on NO Child Left Behind, and a federal Head Start review.

By Brad Kellar

Quinlan – Authorities have arrested three Quinlan residents in a suspected methamphetamine distribution operation.

Taken into custody last week was 26-year-old Amada Michelle Kethcum and 32-year-old Jaclyn Rena Tuttle. A third suspect, Stephen Lewis Banniser, turned himself in to Titus County authorities and was transferred to the Hunt County Jail for arraignment on 13 felony drug counts.

All three remained in custody at last report.

By Scott Harvey

Mineola – A Mineola man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to burning down the city's historic Magnolia House, the childhood home of former Gov. Jim Hogg.

James Allen Vaughn is alleged to have been on a crime spree the night he set the fire. Investigators say Vaughn burglarized Harvest Acres Baptist Church, a building at Alba-Golden ISD, plus attempted to burglarize First Baptist Church.