News

A mother and daughter previously employed by the Milam County Tax Office were arrested Jan. 22.

According to the Milam County Sheriff’s Office jail log, Lydia Cervantes, 55, and Laura Renee Cervantes, 26, were arrested Monday but were released on bail the same day. 

Lydia was charged with two counts of forgery of vehicle registration and filing false names, a third degree felony. Laura was charged with one count of forgery of vehicle registration and filing false names.

According to the probable cause affidavit on Nov. 2 an investigator for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles received information alleging that Lydia had transferred a motor vehicle title using a false sales price to circumvent remitting the required sales tax. The vehicle was transferred to Lydia Cervantes from Olivia Cervantes. The investigator also discovered that Motor Vehicle Clerk Laura Cervantes processed the transfer. Olivia Cervantes is Lydia’s daughter-in-law.

Texans bundled up earlier this week as temperatures dipped into the teens across Central Texas. Above, the temperature was a chilly 16 degrees on Wednesday morning and reached as low as 10 degrees across the area. While it turned out to be a very cold day, much of the winter precipitation being called for missed the Milam County area on Tuesday. The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for much of Monday night and Tuesday, though little to no accumulation fell here. A Hard Freeze Warning and Wind Chill Advisory was issued for Central Texas through Wednesday morning. Temperatures this morning are in the teens, with wind gusts dropping the wind chill into single digits. All Milam County schools cancelled classes on Tuesday due to the threat of ice. Temperatures will return to the 60s this weekend.

Members of the area police departments and the Milam County Sheriff’s Department will be a little safer due to a grant from the governor’s office.

Governor Greg Abbott announced on Jan. 9 that Texas will be providing $23 million in grant funding for rifle-resistant vests to police departments across the state. 

The Cameron Police Department will receive $6,300 in grant funds for 10 vests. The Milam County Sheriff’s Department will receive $25,743.50 for 26 vests. The Thorndale Police Department will receive $1,518 for three vests.

The Milam Appraisal District is seeking information from local agricultural producers. Each year the District asks for specific input from local farmers to be used in setting agricultural value for the purpose of taxation. The survey is an opportunity for local farmers to provide the information used in the appraisal of agricultural land. 

The survey asks for specific information on agricultural land lease prices as well as crop income and expenses. All information received will become part of a study that is used to set agricultural values for Milam County land owners. 

“The input we receive from local producers is extremely important to us,” Dyann White, Chief Appraiser said. “Without it, we must rely solely on Federal and State databases that don’t always give us the most accurate information for Milam County.” 

Cameron Elementary was recently given a $2,000 gift card from the Waco 100 Zach and Jim Show as part of the show’s Pay it Forward Initiative. The show hosts came out and presented it to the school. Pictured are CES Principal Wendy Mahan and Vice Principals Laci Rasberry and James Henderson with the incentives, prizes and equipment purchased with the prize money for students at CES.  

The boil water notice for the City of Cameron has been resinded.

On Jan. 5 the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality required the City Of Cameron public water system to issue a Boil Water Notice to inform customers, individuals, or employees that due to conditions which occurred recently in the public water system, the water from this public water system was required to be boiled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

The public water system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water distributed by this public water system used for drinking water or human consumption purposes and has provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling prior to use as of Jan. 8.

If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact City Hall at (254) 697 - 6646.

A frequently traveled road in north Milam County will be closed beginning Jan. 8 for a bridge replacement.

According to Texas Department of Transportation’s Public Information Officer Bob Colwell, the TxDOT contractor will close FM 485 at the Cow Creek Bridge beginning Jan. 8. The Cow Creek Bridge is located approximately 0.3 miles east of the intersection of FM 485 and FM 2269. 

The road will be detoured through Cameron, so residents can expect more traffic moving down US 77 and SH 36.

Colwell said a signed detour will be in place to direct traffic to use FM 2269, US 190/SH 36 and US 77.

He said TxDOT would like to remind all motorists to obey all warning signs, watch for workers and equipment, buckle up and drive safely.

This a $669,000 project to replace the existing bridge structure on FM 485 at Cow Creek. This project is contracted to Knife River Corporation out of Waco. This project is expected to be complete by May 2018.

The 37th Annual Central Texas Cow/Calf Clinic will be held Friday, Jan. 5, at the Milam County Youth Exposition Building, 301 S. Houston Street in Cameron. 

This program is presented by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension of Milam, Robertson, Bell, Burleson, Falls and Williamson Counties. 

Registration is from 7:30-8:30 a.m. with the presentations starting at 8:30 and concluding at 3 p.m. Three hours of CEUs will be given for pesticide applicators license holders. 1-IPM and 2-General.

Please RSVP with the the Milam County Extension Office (254) 697-7045 for a meal count by Wednesday, Jan. 3. Cost is $20. 

The City of Cameron has announced holiday trash pick up schedules.

If you have trash pick up on Mondays and Thursdays your trash will be picked up Tuesday and Friday, Dec. 26 and 29 and Jan. 2 and 5. 

If you have trash pick up on Tuesdays and Fridays your trash will be picked up on Wednesday and Saturday, Dec. 27 and 30 and Jan. 3 and 6. 

Normal trash pick up will resume on Monday, Jan. 8.

A Cameron man involved in two local robberies back in 2014 is now the prime suspect in another late night armed robbery.

The Cameron Police Department said an arrest warrant has been issued for 20-year-old Jordan Keshone Smith of Cameron in connection to the Monday night armed robbery of the Dollar General in the 1700 block of West 4th.

According to CPD, officers responded within a minute to the store after getting a call in reference to an armed robbery in progress. Due to the quick response, the suspect, identified as Smith, had to flee the scene empty-handed. During the ensuing investigation, officers were able to recover several items, including the weapon used.

Smith, who is a local resident, is now thought to have left the area and may be hiding out in the Killeen area, where he is thought to be suspected with several robberies there.