News

By Lindsey Vaculin

General Manager

Milam County Commissioners approved stipend pay for Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace and OK’d a health insurance move during its meeting on April 10.

Commissioners appointed Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Sam Berry to act as temporary JP for Precinct 1 until further notice and to compensate him at the rate of $800 per pay period. Berry will take over former JP Rick Gommert’s duties. Gommert resigned during the Commissioner’s March 27 meeting.

The court also approved moving the county from Scott and White Health Insurance to the Texas Association of Counties Health Benefits Pool for health insurance. The county will save a projected $120,518 of the cost of health insurance with the move.

All county employees will be able to keep their current Scott and White providers under the new plan. The process of moving everyone over to the new insurance plan will start immediately.

Milam Community Theater will present its last weekend of “Don’t Dress For Dinner” on April 15 and 16 at the Williams Event Center, 408 S. Columbus. The British classic is set for performances Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students. Get your tickets at the door. Pictured above in a scene from the play are,  Brenda Sanders, Marissa Hunt, Bill Whitmire, Kyle Deal and Debbie Cable Brown.

The City of Cameron will host a citywide cleanup on April 8 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Residents can bring their water bill to any drop off site for disposal free of charge.

Regular trash items must be separate from brush and limbs. You will be turned away if your brush and limbs are not separate.

Disposal collection will be at the City Yard, 701 E. Main Street and the lot behind the sewer plant or brush and limbs only.

Items that will be accepted are: unbundled brush, furniture, yard waste, appliances that don’t contain Freon. Please make sure items are separated by categories above to make disposal faster.

Items that will not be accepted are: paints and thinners, anti-freeze, pesticides, herbicides, gasoline, other automotive products, used motor oil and oil filters, no items containing Freon, and tires.

For more information, contact Cameron City Hall at (254) 697-6646.

By Lindsey Vaculin

General Manager

The Cameron City Council moved forward with its work to update the city’s water and wastewater systems with the purchase of Inframap software during its meeting on April 3.

The software, purchased from HD Supply Waterworks, will allow the city to map out water and sewer lines, valves, fire hydrants, meters, etc. on a tablet and computer. The software will allow the city to keep better track of those things for future employees. Employees will be able to do work orders on site.

The council heard a presentation about Inframap during the meeting.

Public Utility Director Gerald Brunson said the system would be a big help to his department with keeping track of where infrastructure is in the ground and what type of material was used in that spot.

Cameron ISD students enjoy a night of reading as DKG presented Book-A-Palooza at Ben Milam on April 4. The event featured storytime with book characters, food, games and free books for all children.

A free come and go benefits fair for veterans will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on April 8 at the VFW Post 2010 located at 1129 North Highway 36 in Cameron.

All area veterans are encouraged to attend. The event will provide veterans with access to representatives who can discuss pending claims, health care needs and answer questions pertaining to employment, education, low-interest land and home and home improvement benefits.  

Veterans wishing to inquire about initial claims should bring their Discharge documents; pending claims can possible be addressed if pertinent case information is provided.  

Milam County Veterans Service Officer Ken Janicek will be present as well as representatives from the Waco VA Regional Office, The Central Texas VA Health Care System and Vet Center personnel from the Killeen location.  

For more information on the benefits fair, please call Ken Janicek at (254) 697-7031.  

While the books are still closing on the 2017 Milam County Livestock Show, organizers are happy with another successful event.

One hundred and nine 4-H and FFA exhibitors qualified for this year’s premium sale concluding the show Saturday night. Sale proceeds have already topped $202,000 while tallying continues through this week with added money and donations still being accepted.  

Cameron 4-Her Mason Leifeste won Grand Champion in the steer show with his heavy weight steer, while Thorndale FFA member Carlee Clark took Reserve Champion honors with her heavy weight steer. 

Thorndale 4-Her Riley Clinard won Grand Champion honors in the swine show with her light heavy weight pig. Thorndale FFA members Mason Fisher won Reserve Grand with his medium weight swine.

The Cameron Police Department is asking the public’s help in locating Martin Wonceslao Zuniga. 

Zuniga  is a 19-year-old Hispanic male. His date of birth is June  24, 1997. 

According to Cameron PD Corporal Chris Ashworth, Zuniga is wanted on a charge of failure to appear for dangerous drugs out of Bell County, as well as bond forfeiture for a theft charge out of Milam County. Zuniga is also wanted for questioning related to crimes that have occurred in Cameron.

Ashworth said Zuniga is described as 5 foot 4 inches tall with brown eyes and black hair, and weights 140 pounds. 

If anyone has information the whereabouts of this subject they are asked to contact the Cameron Police Department at (254) 697-6574.

Car enthusiasts can enjoy a wonderful display of new and old cars at the Cameron Car Club’s Classic Car Show on April 1 at the downtown mall.

“This is our ninth year for our car show,” Cameron Car Show organizer Tom Kelly said. “We began as a part of our old Dewberry Festival.  When that was canceled we carried on as the Cameron Car Club Classic Car Show.”  

Kelly said this year’s show will feature a food vendor from Thorndale and several arts and crafts vendors.  

There will also be a silent auction, door prizes for participants, a 50/50 jar, goodie bags and they are giving away a Cameron Car Club six-pack cooler bags to the first 75 cars that register. 

Kelly said that cars from Austin and Bryan and all points between are expected to come.  

The show will begin at 9 a.m. and go until 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon.  

By Lindsey Vaculin

General Manager

Milam County Commissioners approved abatements for two new businesses and accepted the resignation of Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Rick Gommert during its meeting on March 27.

Gommert resigned his post in a letter to the court. Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Sam Berry will cover Gommert’s duties until the March 2018 election. The magistrate duties and on call duties will be split among the remaining three JPs.

Milam County Judge David Barkemeyer said that depending on March’s primary election the court may make an appointment at that time.

Barkemeyer said that if there is no Democratic challenger in the primary the court will probably appoint the winner of the Republican primary to the position until January’s election. If there is a challenger, they will look at leaving Berry with those duties or finding another resolution.