Copperas Cove Leader-Press (Copperas Cove, Tex.), Vol. 118, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, December 28, 2012 Page: 3 of 14
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Dec. 28, 2012 Copperas Cove Leader-Press Page 3A
Commissioners court discusses road closures
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Staff writer
At its last meeting of
2012 yesterday, the Coryell
County Commissioners court
designated Dec. 27 as a day to
honor the service of Lt. Ken-
neth Green, administrator of
the Coryell County Jail since
2001.
Green is retiring from
that position as of Dec. 31,
and went out with recognition
by the Texas Commission on
Jail Standards, who recent
completed a routine unan-
nounced inspection of the
county's jail facilities on Dec.
17.
In a letter to Coryell
County Sheriff Johnny Burks,
the commission's executive
director said that the certifi-
cate of compliance given to
the sheriffs office “demon-
strates your outstanding lead-
ership and the diligent work
of your staff in complying
with minimum jail standards.
In addition, this achievement
is a direct result of your
office's commitment to excel-
lent and is an example of ded-
ication and professionalism in
maintaining a safe, secure and
sanitary facility.”
In addition to recognizing
Green, the county commis-
sioners also left the burn ban
in place, with the upcoming
New Year's Eve holiday. The
burn ban does not include
items such as sparklers. How-
ever, rockets and items
designed to fly are banned.
The commissioners
approved an agreement
between the county and the
Texas Department of Transpo-
ration for the FM 929 bridge
project. These improvements
are in the Coryell Creek area
and TxDOT will be responsi-
ble for securing all rights of
way. The rights of way acqui-
sition will cost the county
about $1,116, with the state
paying the rest of the total of
$ 11,164 before the proj ect can
get underway.
With this and other proj-
ects taking place in the coun-
ty, such as on Old George-
town Road, commissioner
See COUNTY, Page 6A
Photo by MARY MAYBURY
CCHS senior Kariem Johnson and parent volunteer Teresa Russell help wrap gifts for out-of-state visitor Bob Leo.
This is part of a fundraiser for Project Graduation which provides a fun and safe environment for seniors on gradua-
tion night. From graduation until 7 a.m. the next morning food and games are provided as an alternative to activities
involving possible drugs or alcohol.
Project Graduation
wraps gifts, raises
funds for lock-in
By MARY MAYBURY_
Staff Writer
Project Graduation helped
Wal-mart customers wrap gifts
last weekend to raise money for
their annual lock-in. The gift-
wrapping was free, however,
donations were accepted to sup-
port their event.
“The funds go to the all-night
lock-in that is held on graduation
night,” said co-chairperson of
Project Graduation Charles Lyons.
“The purpose is so that the stu-
dents will have a safe place to cel-
ebrate after graduating.”
Lyons said the organization is
trying to give the teenagers a
chance to think about what it
means to be a high-school gradu-
ate and hopefully they will avoid
behaviors such as drinking and
driving and doing drugs. The proj-
ect is always run by a senior par-
ent or parents.
Lyons said that the project is
not affiliated with Copperas Cove
Independent School District but
has the district’s support.
“I have four boys, so I am all
about supporting organizations
like this,” said Bob Leo, a father
from Tallahassee, FL., visiting
Copperas Cove for the holidays.
“It is also a great way to get the
gifts in the house without them
knowing what they are.”
Lyons said the lock-in was
held at the Copperas Cove High
School last year. Before that, it
was held at Camp Triumph Chris-
tian House and Cinergy Cinemas.
Lyons is not sure where the
lock-in will take place this year,
but said he knows it will be a lot
of fun.
“In the past they’ve had a
disco, bingo, casino-like activities
and lots of games,” said Lyons.
“There have been inflatable sumo
wrestlers, basketball, video
games, a giant game of Twister,
and the Who’s Who? game where
we show the students baby pic-
tures and they need to guess who
it is.”
Co-chairperson Dorothy
Lyons said about 325 to 350 stu-
dents out of 450 graduates partici-
See GRADUATION, Page 6A
ommumty shows
Alyssa holiday spirit
By MARY MAYBURY
Staff writer
Santa was able to make a
stop at 10-year-old Alyssa
Ranard’s home last Friday to
visit with her and her family.
Alyssa, who was diag-
nosed with metastatic osteosar-
coma in June, had been recent-
ly making the transition to Hos-
pice because chemotherapy had
stopped working on her tumors.
Lynette Sowell has been fol-
lowing the family’s story and
accompanied her husband CJ
who played Santa. Sowell said
this was Santa’s first time visit-
ing with Alyssa.
“It was all he could do to
keep from crying because he
has such a heart for children,”
said Sowell. “They took lots of
pictures and CJ answered many
questions about Santa, and he
left with them believing he was
the real thing.”
While they were there,
Alyssa asked Santa for a
Playstation Portable for Christ-
mas. Sowell said that when her
husband plays Santa he gets
lots of requests from kids and
you can tell by the parents’
reaction if they’re getting what
they asked for.
“When I saw Sonya
(Alyssa’s grandmother) shake
her head no, it almost broke my
heart,” said Sowell. “When we
left that night, we both agreed
that we had to do something.”
Sowell said she put in a
call to her Facebook friends
and within 30 minutes they had
enough to cover the Playstation
Portable and by morning
enough came in to buy not just
Alyssa her game unit, but a
memory card, one game, plus a
baby doll and a Play-Doh set
for her four- year-old sister
Peyton and a small gift for
eight- month-old baby sister
Riley. The Facebook fundraiser
reached parts of Killen as well.
By Sunday evening six more
games were donated by Lucky
7 Liquor off Stan Schluter
Loop.
“The community is what
See ALYSSA, Page 6A
Photo courtesy of Sonya Brend
CJ Sowell, dressed as Santa Claus poses with 10-year-old Alyssa, four-year-old Pey-
ton and eight-month-old Riley while visiting her last Friday.
First Texas Bank holds open house
Photo by LYNETTE SOWELL
Emily Munn helps her mother, Kay, select cookies from
the First Texas Bank's Christmas Eve open house
spread. The bank employees all bring holiday cookies,
brownies, cupcakes and other desserts to the annual
event.
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Staff writer
Even with a short work day
on Christmas Eve, the employ-
ees at First Texas Bank's Cove
Terrace office made the day a
time of celebration and said
thank you to their customers.
“This is just a little some-
thing we do every year to thank
our customers,” said Sarah
Kindler, loan officer. “Every-
one volunteers to bring some-
thing.”
The table was covered with
Christmas cookies, brownies,
cupcakes and even a sliced loaf
of cranberry-pistachio bread.
With the morning more
than half over, most of the
plates on the table were half
full of goodies.
“We haven't had the foot
traffic like we usually do,” said
Kindler. “I don't know if it's
because Christmas Eve is on a
Monday, and everyone's
already left town, or what.”
Kindler also speculated
that some customers may have
already finished business the
Friday before, and might have
already headed out for the holi-
day.
That didn't dampen any-
one's spirits as employees and
customers alike treated them-
selves to the goodies, with
some bringing a few bites home
for later.
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Copperas Cove
Christian Church
Sunday School - 10am
Worship Service - 11am
Wednesday Bible Study
6:30pm
Frank Somera, Jr. - Pastor
1908 Morrow Drive (Off S. 25th)
Copperas Cove, Texas
547-2486
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Copperas Cove Leader-Press (Copperas Cove, Tex.), Vol. 118, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, December 28, 2012, newspaper, December 28, 2012; Copperas Cove, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth627618/m1/3/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .