The Pleasanton Express Online Edition

Current Weather

Complete Forecast

Lotto Results

Online Poll

A VETERAN SALUTE
., . - Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Express photo by Gerald Black

VFW Post 6970 members hoist the U.S. Flag promptly at 11 a.m., on the 11th day of the 11th month in recognition of Veterans Day. Hoisting the flag are Jose Dominguez (center) and Jr. Vice Commander Ken Buccafurri. Members of the post in formation form two rows and render a salute....

[ Full Story ]

BLENDING IN TO DEFEND
., . - Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Photo COURTESY Pfc. Cody Thompson- Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO

U.S. Army Soldiers, Sgt. 1st Class Henriques Ventura, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Spc. Henry Schorsch, of Jourdanton, Texas, (left to right) scan the surrounding hillsides for anti-Afghan forces during a patrol in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, Nov. 1. The Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team 4th Infantry Division, continue to provide the province with security assistance. Spc. Sgt. Schorsch is the son of Grady and Renee Schorsch and was also featured on the front page of the November 4 issue of Stars and Stripes, Mideast Edition. To see the photo essay, visit www.stars.com, click on e-edition. Search the archives in the Mideast Edition for November 4, 2009....

[ Full Story ]

Community Thanksgiving Service this Sunday
., . - Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Atascosa County Ministerial Alliance announced this week plans for its 16th annual Community Thanksgiving Service.

This year’s service is hosted by the congregation at Hosanna Baptist Church, 237 School Drive, in Poteet.

The service will begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, November 22, and will be followed by a finger food fellowship in the church fellowship hall.

Several area pastors will lead the service and Rev. Joe Berkley, the new pastor at Poteet United Methodist Church, will bring the Thanksgiving message.

The churches will exchange Advent Wreaths and a Love Offering will be received for The Refuge, Atascosa Pregnancy Care Center, for its ongoing ministry needs. All who attend are encouraged to bring sandwiches, chips, dips, cookies, and...

[ Full Story ]

4-year-old son killed in crash; mother critical
Gerald Black, News Editor - Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Luca Moya

A former Charlotte resident, Emika (Carreon) Moya, was still in critical condition Tuesday in Christus Spohn Hospital in Corpus Christi following a head-on crash on Friday, November 6.

The accident claimed the life of Moya’s 4-year-old son, Luca Moya. The accident occurred shortly after 7 a.m. in heavy fog on U.S. Hwy. 59, said DPS Trooper Chad Fritz of Goliad County.

The trooper said a westbound 18-wheeler tractor truck moved left into the eastbound traffic lane, colliding head-on into Moya’s vehicle.

Emika, husband Regan, and son Luca Mateo Moya, have been making their home in Beeville. Emika teaches speech at Goliad High School in Goliad. She was driving from home to work, 29 miles away, when the accident occurred in heavy fog. The accident scene was l...

[ Full Story ]

Accidental shooting claims 6-year-old
Gerald Black, News Editor - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
A 6-year-old boy was shot and killed Sunday afternoon, November 8, around 4 p.m. in northern Atascosa County.

Atascosa County Sheriff’s Deputies believe the shooting was accidental.

Officers were called to the shooting involving a child in the 300 block of Post Oak, located off of Stacy Road in the Oak South Subdivision. The officers responding included Deputies Jesse Martinez, Chris Tharp, E.J. Lazano, Sgt. Inv. Norma Cordova, DPS Trooper Brett Peters and Texas Ranger Shane Staley.

Chief Deputy David Soward said officers arrived to find the body of a 6-year-old male in the bedroom of a mobile home and the boy suffered a single gunshot to the head from a 12-gauge shotgun.

The boy was pronounced dead at the scene by JP2 Judge Kyle Bradley and was i...

[ Full Story ]

Trains collide near Campbellton, 8 cars derailed
Gerald Black, News Editor - Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Union Pacific crews were at the crash scene within hours to begin cleaning up wreckage and repairing rail lines near Campbellton. (Express photo by Jack Garcia)

The alert Union Pacific train conductor jumped from the train in the nick of time as his locomotive took a side track and just before it rammed into the back of another train parked on the side spur just north of Campbellton on Wednesday, November 4.

Union Pacific spokesperson Raquel Espinoza said the railroad company is investigating how the switch was changed that made the southbound train move to the side rail. “Any speculation as to the cause would be inappropriate at this time. Investigators are looking for any contributing factors of the accident,” Espinoza said.

The conductor was on the southbound train, traveling from San Antonio to Corpus Christi pulling cars loaded with grain around 12:45 a.m. on Wednesday. Realizing the train was exiting the main rail line ...

[ Full Story ]

Arrest made for theft
., . - Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Pleasanton Police Officer Paul Chrisman is pictured arresting a suspect on alleged theft charges on Sunday, November 8. Police received a report of a theft in progress around 12:40 p.m. at the Tractor Supply Store on West Oaklawn. While in route to the store, Officer Chrisman spotted the suspect’s vehicle from a description he had been given. The vehicle was leaving the scene of the crime so Chrisman initiated a traffic stop. The officer received the driver’s permission to search the vehicle. During the search, Officer Chrisman recovered the items allegedly stolen from Tractor Supply Store, which included a leaf blower and a pair of boots. In addition, the officer also discovered more than $100 worth of meat, allegedly stolen from the Walmart store in Pleasanton. Police identified...

[ Full Story ]

Group meets to lay out study plans for river
., . - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Those attending the meeting about the Atascosa River seemed to pack the meeting room Thursday night at Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District.

Despite the size of the group attending, at least half were from those groups planning to study the river, or state and federal agencies.

Local residents – those with property along the river – did attend the Nov. 5 meeting and expressed their concerns about the low quality of water, as well as the low level of water (even areas of dry river beds).

Studies have been made of the river’s condition as recent as two years ago. However, the group told those attending that at least one of the agencies had been reorganized.

The new study will be an attempt to adopt acceptable levels for water bodies (lik...

[ Full Story ]