I've been doing a lot of observing lately and wanted the good people of this county to know a few things:

First of all the people in Precinct 1 have a wonderful commissioner. Rufus Ward is the best person for that job. Sure there has been some controversy in the past, but it's not exactly as people have been hearing. He is not a crook by no means. This is a situation that has been blown out of proportion. I have to admit there are a few things that I do not agree with Mr Ward on. One being his favoring the Marvin Nichols Lake.
 

This situations with Mr Ward all came about when Commissioner Joseph Hausler went to the then Judge Powell Peek. Then He and the Judge went to Val Varley. Now I'm not a rocket scientiest or someone that is in the "Click" but I don't understand why Joseph Hausler did this. At the time this all came about Joseph Hausler was going to school on county time to get his surveyors license. He was also working for Royce Hammett Surveying on county time, and helpling people with their title work and helping the Appraisal District research deeds. During this time he was hardly ever doing "county" business. Only his business for personal gain.
 

Now my questions are:

Doesn't he know that everyone knows that he was the one that instigated this whole situation?Has he not been Abusing his Official Capacity? According to the Texas Association of Counties a commissioners duties do not include any of the above.  I can understand if you were doing this for the County's gain and not yours. I know that Hausler monitors this site regularly, and I hope he enjoys reading about all the good that he has done and is doing for Red River County. We all know that he will be running the county until Mr Harville gets a belly-full, and sets him straight.

I encourage all the tax payers and active voters of Precinct 4 to open your eyes and get a good look at what you have put in a place to take care of your money. Looks like he has spent it very well this past couple of years.

Name withheld by request.
                                                                     

i really don't know the other commissioners, but i think Elmer Caton is an honest guy.  He will make his choice according to who he thinks is best. We can all guess and say i told you so it we are not Right.  They have to make a choice  who they think is best. That is what we elect them for because we think they can do the job.  Have a little confidence in the people  we elect.

As far as having your name withheld.  There is nothing any one can do if you write a letter voicing your opinion on this sight. That is what it is far. If you don't want people to know how you feel , then don't sign your name, but don't act like your afraid.    

Enjoy your web sight.

Ann Burkett

 Read My Response Here

                                                                                                                      2/3/2007

I, for one, think you are right on the money in predicting who will be appointed County Judge. I don't know who the man is who put in an application in Bogata. don't think the Commissioners will appoint Mark Perkins because by appointing him, it would be too obvious and too many people read your website to be blindsided by a maneuver like that.

I will lay down money -- they will only go through the motions when it comes to Royce Abbott's application. I'm sure they know that he would shake the dirt out of the rug if he were appointed. (and if he is not appointed it will  be apparent to the public and your large following of readers why) I don't know Royce Abbott, but I do know people who know him and  I think that he would be fair and honest, exactly what this county needs).

I know Mark Whitehouse and I know how he operates. Mark Whitehouse is an honest man and I would lay down money,  if  appointed, he would run that office with some good ole fashioned integrity. I believe he would resign before he compromised his values (So, if Mark Whitehouse ever resigns the post, we will know why)

People who never paid attention to local politics are paying attention now. Personally, I wouldn't  want to be in politics. It has been my observation whether it be big business or politics--------Everybody needs a fall guy.

Name Withheld by Request                        
                                                                                 

I agree with Patsy Guinn. Perhaps what we need to do is Pray. Everything will come out in the wash…..in God’s time. The guilty parties will come to light when the time is right.
My mother  also had a saying, "I would rather be punished by man than by God". Someone took Al Peek from his loved ones, someone took Jennifer Bench from her loved ones and God knows who they are.
Like Ernest said, in his editorial, they walk among us……..go to church with us and go about their daily lives just like anyone else. I wonder, do they ever feel guilty for what they’ve done? When they look in the mirror…..do they see the ghost of that person?  When they hear the name mentioned….. do they cringe knowing that they are responsible? When they look at the one, who they hold  most dear to their hearts do they say "God please don’t punish me by taking my loved one"?
We cannot let Al’s memory die and we cannot let Jennifer Bench’s mysterious disappearance  die either.
All we can do is pray……..and if everyone who visits this website will commit themselves to a prayer each night…maybe through God.. we can find either answers or justice for Al and Jennifer.

Name withheld by request

P.S. You are picking up Supporters and Publicity with your website, that in itself is a giant step in eliciting public awareness..                                                                      

1/27/2007

I don’t think there was anyone in Red River County who didn’t like Tebo Peek , Hazel and Al. I didn’t now their daughter because I moved into the area after she’d married but I always heard good things about her. They were a wonderful family and where you saw Tebo…..you saw Al. He always rode shotgun with his Daddy.
Al was the friendliest little fellow and always had the biggest smile on his face. He was a good and kind person and because of these traits, you had a glimpse of the man he would become.
He was one of those rare persons, who never changed. Al was honest, had a heart as big as Texas, was a hard worker and loved everybody.
I guess that’s why his murder shocked the entire community. Everybody loved Al.

I believe, one day, we will find out who killed him. The Secret will become too much of a spiritual burden to take it to the grave. Someone will tell before they die.
I don’t believe you can just say "I’m sorry Lord" and all is forgiven , I believe God expects us to do what we can to make it right or as right as we can before we are truly forgiven.


Please do not print my name when you print this letter for obvious reasons.

Name Withheld by Request
                                                                             

                                                                                                               1/27/2007

1/27/2007

1/22/2007                    

I wanted to write and tell you that I am sorry that you didn't get a favorable response from superiors of Ranger Lough.  I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to know that there has been "wrongs" committed, but yet, no one will help.  As I previously have stated, I spoke with Ranger Lough and I have filled out paperwork with the FBI in Tyler....all to no avail!

I also do not know anything about the Townsend charges except to ask that our local authorities please be careful not to label a man without PROOF!  Most know the story of my brother and know that he had bogus charges "stacked" on him by a multiple-convicted felon (I still don't understand why he was a "credible witness"), and received 20 YEARS in a RR County courtroom because the felon said he "knocked on the door, kicked it open, and threatened to kick my ass"...RR listed that as Burglary of a Habitation.  We went to court that day with plans on going grocery shopping that afternoon.... we just knew that JUSTICE would prevail because surely they would not take the word of a multiple-convicted felon.  Upon receiving the 20 years on such a charge, my brother took a plea on a Sexual Assault of a Child charge. He regrets it to this day.  It didn't matter that the DNA was NEGATIVE!!!, it didn't matter that my brother offered to take a lie detector test, that the "victim"- (who was almost 15) had a known crush on my brother and had reason to be mad at him because of a statement he made at a party, it also didn't matter that we had her recorded on tape recanting her statement....nothing mattered but a conviction....AND IN MY OPINION, it was because I "pissed" them off by handing out flyers about corruption in RR County.  I know most would say, "Why would he plea out to crime he didn't commit?"  The answer was simply put to me by my brother after he took the plea....he looked and me and said, "Janice, I got 20 YEARS because someone said I knocked on their door, kicked it open, and kicked his ass!  What do you think I would get on such a charge with a court-appointed lawyer that I can't trust?  They offered to run it concurrently and told me how I can later get it off of my record.  I had to do what I had to do to come home to my family the fastest.  I can serve it with the 20 years, then get it off my record after I come home."  My brother will come out of prison as a convicted sex offender....a label that he will carry for the rest of his life (although one tactic his attorney used to get him to plea was that he could get out on the 20 years and go to a "psychologist" to prove he wasn't a S.O., yea right!!!)  It is a horrible label and their should be substantial proof.  I had always heard that DNA could prove innocence...but, it doesn't!  I hate the fact that fighting RR county probably made the situation worse on my brother.  He has now served almost 5 years and has used his incarcerated time wisely.  He has not been in any trouble and I pray that the "Powers that BE" will not try to keep him just because I have "bucked" the system.

Good luck in fighting the corruption!  My prayer will always be that someone will feel guilty enough to tell the truth.  I wish they had to live with the hurt and pain that I see in my parent's eyes as each year passes by without my brother.  I am a firm believer in the fact that what you wrongfully do to others will come back on you "ten-fold" and that if you know that a mistake was made, then you do whatever you have to do to correct it.  I had people approach me saying that they knew my brother was innocent, but they were afraid to go against RR because of the fear of retaliation...some of those worked at the Sheriff's office.  I just wonder how they sleep at night knowing that there are people suffering because of their silence!  It's never too late to right a wrong!

Janice Patterson
 

December 26,2006

                                                                                                         December 20, 2006

I know from first hand experience that if you make statements about the government or law enforcement in this county that you are denied the business of the county government, and are subject to harassment and intimidation by some of the officials.  They will not hesitate to tell other people to not use your business, and to try to make you think that they have a reason to get you into the legal system, and if you fall into their trap, can possibly trump up charges to get you into the system.  If they will do these things, they would stop at nothing!

 I have now twice received  telephone calls from Texas Ranger Roger Lough using his title and official capacity in an attempt to intimidate me into removing  statements I made on this website. This time Ranger Lough called me about the statements made below about the gentleman from Bogota.  He used his Official Title and attempted by his choice of words to make me believe that I had to come down to the Sheriff's department to talk to him in a room.  Ranger Lough said to me that "You need to come down to the Sheriff's office, and we will go into a room and talk about this."   I as a law abiding citizen who has never been in trouble with the law, and has no criminal history see this as an attempt at intimidation,  and Official Oppression which is  a Class A Misdemeanor in the Texas Penal Code §39.03 9(a) 2.  Ranger Lough's tactics did not work, and for his benefit I have now added the fact in the article below that I have a witness to the mess going on in Bogata, and have a copy of the tape, if he wishes to push the matter.   Just for the record, Texas Ranger Roger Lough was also using his official capacity in an attempt to violate my first amendment right to free speech.

Ranger Lough also called me about my statement about him in the response to Terry Reed's letter.  He used his official Title when he did it then also "This is Texas Ranger Roger Lough" he said on the telephone call to me.  In this instance I changed the statement I made because I let him intimidate me, but the first statement was the truth.  Ranger Lough did take a statement from Jimmie Townsend's niece about Steve Peeks drug lab, and because he took that statement, he does have the ability to verify that he did it, but I let him intimidate me the first time into changing it.  The statement is sealed in the court records, and all of us know it and I should not have changed what I said at that time, but I am correcting that mistake here.   

Mr. Henslee, Thank you for this website . I find it very refreshing to hear "The Rest of The Story". I sincerely believe you deal with the facts, and facts just simply don't lie. Thank You  very much for your honesty. I use to think Red River County was a very nice place to raise a family, but over the years I have changed my mind about that . We have become so Drug Infested that it is no longer the place I came to years ago. I hope something will be done and soon!

Name Withheld by Request

Read Editorial Reply

5/25/2006  08:02

Seems like Conway should start in kindergarten again, doesn’t it? If I was him, I’d be ashamed to let people know I was so illiterate, and to know that he led the county in more ways than sheriff, he was a highway patrol for years and believe me that’s scary, too. I’m ashamed for anyone to know that I’m from Red River County and at one time I believed it was the only place to be. I loved this county because I was born and raised here.

Please withhold my name because of my children and grand-children that have to live in this county. It seems that everything right done by someone it’s held against their children and grandchildren.

I have noticed a recent entry concerning the rape of a female Red River County inmate, by a county jailer, while being transported to the hospital. I also was previously employed with the Red River County Sheriff's Office, and just happened to be on duty the night of this incident. It is an embarrassment to me, as I'm sure it is to many county residents, that something of this nature could happen inside a county Law Enforcement facility. Although, I do feel that there was an incident, few people ever knew about, which is equally embarrassing to the county residents. I do believe the crime this county jailer committed was wrong, and the punishment he received was well deserved. My concern with this is, the incident I mentioned previously, was kept very quiet, and was quickly and discreetly resolved. This being due to the fact that this employee just happened to be a relative of our chief deputy Larry Spangler. I'm sure myself, and other county residents would like an explanation as to why there was no charges filed in this case. I would like to specify a few things. In this instance, the inmate did not claim to be forcibly assaulted. There were sexual acts, as well as letters containing sexual content being passed from this jailer to the inmate. On more than one occasion these things were witnessed by other inmates, as well as jail staff. I myself did personally read one of these letters in my opinion this previous employee was given special treatment do to the fact she was related to Chief Deputy Spangler. I ask you; is this not a prosecutable offense as well?????????  

Name Withheld By Request                                                             

Name Withheld by Request

Mr. Henslee,

 I would like to inform the citizens of Red River County that there tax dollars are being used to build a road around property that Commissioner M. D. Whittle owns. They have hired a private construction company to build the road. This road only leads to his personal property. The construction of this road will give him access to his property on a third side. He already has access to this property on two sides. I don't recall seeing where they took bids for the construction of this road. In my opinion this is being done as a personal vendetta and will only enhance the value of his property.  Just thought the tax payers should know what part of their money is being spent on.

Thank you for your time,

Jeff Pennington

5/1/2006  23:59 

I have lived in this county all my life and never took interest in the politics until I became of age to vote.  Now I know how a mushroom must feel.  As a tax payer, I like to see where my (and yours) hard earned dollars go.  I hope you all feel the same way; so I would like to shed some light on a situation that I happen to have knowledge of.
 

We all know by now how things are pushed through here in "Stagnant River" county.  Now let me get to the point by sharing something with you tax payers that you probably do not know.  I understand that each precinct has a budget and no one ever seems to be satisfied with their roadways.  I am a resident of precinct 2 and pay close attention to the lack of interest our commissioner has for our roadways that have to be traveled daily by school buses.  One roadway in particular is virtually impossible to pass during wet weather, due to the fact that if a bird flies over and tinkles, it floods.  Our bus must travel this route,  not to mention the many families that live on and commute to and from work in these conditions.  Then we have another road that has maybe two families and is NOT traveled by a school bus.  This is the county road that goes right by the commissioners house.  He has a significant amount of property on this road and has applied a multitude of gravel (35+ loads).  I lost count!  Would this not be to his advantage?  How will this effect the value of the land on this roadway? 
    

If that doesn't get you stirred then check this out.  How many county road right-of-ways are 60 feet wide?  I know of one;  one where he was land locked and 'somehow' won a lawsuit taking 60 ft. right-of-way for 2 miles.  This is quiet extreme considering 1 mile would have given him access to his land.  At the present time he is building the last mile of 'his' road.  So tax payer, how does it rub you to know that your tax dollars are benefiting only one, the commissioner of precinct 2?  This new addition will provide him with a road on two sides of his property, again to his prosperity and at our expense.
    

I personally invite every tax payer of the county to come and see for themselves this waste.  Not to mention that Judge Peek has already advised him against these actions.  This road is in the middle of a privately owned ranch and I can't help but wonder what the expense will be to build and maintain this road; and all for one undeserving individual. 
   

I also happen to know how he obtained the right-of-way.  If you are a member of the GOB's and your wife used to be responsible for jury selection, who knows what could happen.  One of the jurors sells him farm supplies, another is a life long neighbor within spittin distance of his residence.  A couple of the others got discounts on watermelons for life and the list goes on.  At least 5 were well acquainted with him.
   

What if this was your land taken by the corruption?  Remember it is your tax dollars funding his escapade.  Don't take my word, travel by our commissioner's house on 'Northwood's road' that connects Bagwell to Manchester, the 35+ load road, plus new bridge!! Many of you folks that are familiar with this road will think you're on U.S. 82.  Then pull out your maps and locate CR 2356, it is in front of the old Boulware store on FM 410 North.   Follow this county road until you reach a 90 degree curve to the left, instead of turning, go straight through the entrance way.
 

You are now on a private ranch known as Graff Ranch.  I'm sure some of the employees or the foreman will be glad to show you where you are being screwed.  You can also check out these facts at the court house, no telling what else you could find.  Be careful, you know what happens in "Stagnant River" county when you dig!
   

I cannot say the commissioner hasn't been busy, his agenda is quiet hectic.  If you spot him, ask him about your road, our neighbor has to maintain some roads around here using personal equipment. Ask him what all went missing (herbicide spray, etc.) after he lost the election....

THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Name Withheld by Request
 

Name Withheld by request

Name Withheld By Request

Name Withheld by Request
 

Received  4/16/2006  20:23

Mr. Henslee:

In your response to a citizen’s e-mail on your site, you made the following statement: 

I know for a fact that Terry Reed watches this site constantly as does every other person who works in the county government. If you and others like you will post your ideas, and opinions, little by little they will sink in, and a change will occur. No matter how small it is, it is worth it. People are not subject to change rapidly, and a little step at a time is what I have been seeing since 2003, although the everyday citizen who does not interact with the C government on a daily basis does not necessarily notice it. I DO! So please get everyone you know who is tired of the Corruption to post their opinions. This in and of itself will bring about change.   Exposure of actions brings about change. 

You may want to mark this date on your calendar, but I totally agree with you on this point.   

I do monitor the postings on your site often and I do realize that almost 50% of those who voted in the run-off election are looking for change to take place within the sheriff’s department.  I realize that there are citizens who are displeased with county law enforcement due to personal issues or negative contacts with law enforcement or correction officers, some of which started years ago.  I also realize that I serve at that will of the people and I have the responsibility to serve in the interest of the people and in my opinion, it would be very foolish of me, not to take note of that.  

As you implied in your response, change occurs “one little step at a time”.  Since I was appointed to office in May of 2005, I have been taking those little steps to prepare for the larger ones.  I think you will agree with me, that you can not build a house before you have the foundation or the groundwork in place. 

I may not agree with your methods; however: I firmly believe that we and the other citizens of this county fundamentally want the same things for the sheriff’s department.  A department that’s professional, progressive, and provides the services that our citizens deserve.  I also believe that community involvement is essential to reaching these goals, therefore the “opinions and ideas” of our citizens are always welcome and encouraged. 

I wouldn’t classify myself as a “good ‘ole boy”, rather I am someone who loves Red River County and who wants this to be safe and secure place for my family and yours.  I have often said that I had rather be a short-term sheriff who made a positive difference than a long-term sheriff who didn’t accomplish anything.  Therein is my commitment, Mr. Henslee – If I don’t believe that I am making that positive difference then I will not seek re-election at the end of this 2 year term.  My opinion is if you’re not moving forward then you’re in the way. 

I purposely excluded other county departments from my letter because I am speaking for myself and I have no control of other departments. Therefore I am only representing my piece of the (county government) pie.  I have read your posting policies and I am aware that this probably will not be posted, however you now know my opinion.  I ask that if you do post this letter then post all of it. 

Respectfully,

Terry Reed