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COMANCHE -- County Judge James Arthur issued an order on Tuesday, June 24, declaring an emergency total burn ban, citing current weather conditions.

According to the county’s emergency web site, www.comanchefire.com, no controlled burns, trash burns, outdoor cooking or burning in containers is allowed for the next seven days.

Violations of the emergency order are Class C misdemeanors, punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.

For the emergency ban to continue in effect beyond seven days, the Commissioners Court must act to extend it.

The Commissioners Court will next meet in regular session on Monday morning, June 30, at 9:00 a.m. in the County Courtroom. It has already acted to ban aerial fireworks from sale in the county.

By TIM WHITE, Sports Editor

Jason Ferguson was selected by the DeLeon school board Friday, to be the Head Football Coach and Boys’ Athletic Director for the Bearcats for the coming school year.

NEW COACH. Jason Ferguson, DeLeon’s new Head Football Coach and Boys’ Athletic Director, and his wife Vicky.

“It was a thorough selection process to find the best person for the district,” said Dr. Randy Mohundro, DISD superintendent.

“A tough, grueling process,” added board member Brad Sanders.

Coach Ferguson was chosen from a host of candidates because of his character, background and experience. He has coached at Blooming Grove as the defensive coordinator on a team that made the 2007 playoffs. He also served as the track coach for girls and boys, as well as the girls’ athletic coordinator.

Ferguson also coached at Hubbard as defensive coordinator. He was raised in Pilot Point. He received his college degree from Midwestern State University. Ferguson’s defensive background is expected to play a major part in his coaching philosophy.

“Pressure,” said Ferguson. “Pressure is the key to strong defense. With pressure, you can dictate what the other team can do. When you do that, you are free to do what you want to do. On offense, I believe in controlling the clock. That means run, run, run. No mistakes. No turnovers. Keep the ball away from the opponent.”

By LAURA KESTNER, Editor

There’s a new “old” business in town, with Mozelle’s Restaurant again open for business.

MOZELLE’S. The new owner of Mozelle’s Restaurant, Rebecca Limmer, right, and her daughters, Keisha and Britteny, and Britteny’s husband, Hugo. Each of these family members will work at the newly-reopened restaurant.

Rebecca Howard Limmer returned to DeLeon recently and purchased the restaurant that Mozelle Pruitt operated for a number of years, as well as the house where Mozelle lived.
“I worked for Mozelle as a waitress for about five years,” Limmer said, “that was about nine years ago. I wanted to leave the name of the place “Mozelle’s” in memory of her.” Pruitt passed away in January of 2006.

Although it’s been quite some time since the restaurant operated under the name Mozelle’s, it was open for several months a while back, under the name “The Gulch.”

After leaving Mozelle’s, Limmer said she “went trucking” for a while.

“And I met Ervin Limmer, and we got married and opened a business in Stephenville, Pinky’s Bail Bonds,” she said.

Rebecca Limmer will operate the restaurant with her family. Her children, Britteny, 18, and Keisha, 13, will work there, as will Britteny’s husband, Hugo Fuentes, who was once a cook at Garza’s Restaurant here in DeLeon.

Rebecca also has two sons, 17 and 15, and Ervin has three children ranging in age from two to their late 30s.

Although they’ve lived elsewhere for a while, Limmer said they’ve been coming to DeLeon weekly for some time. “We’re members of St. Joe Baptist Church,” she said. “And we’d notice, when we’d drive by on our way to church, that the restaurant was for sale. One day we just decided this is what we wanted to do. We even thought about it right before Mozelle passed away, but we were all busy doing other things and just didn’t do it at that time.”

Rebecca said she kept in touch with Mozelle through the years. “I even went to the nursing home and saw her,” she said. “That’s why we kept it as Mozelle’s, to honor her.”

Although they do not serve breakfast yet, Limmer said she plans for that, “further down the road, maybe a month or so.”

Currently, lunch is an all-you-can eat buffet, with such Texas favorites as chicken fried steak and hamburger steak and vegetables such as mashed potatoes, corn, cabbage and turnip greens.

“At night people can just order off the menu,” Limmer said. “But on Friday night we have all-you-can-eat shrimp and fish, and Saturday we also offer an all-you-can-eat shrimp and catfish buffet but people can also have steak. We cook it fresh when people order it, because if we leave it out on the buffet it gets all dried out.”

Although there is currently ample seating, Limmer said they plan to add a patio area in the near future.
Limmer said it’s good to be back in DeLeon. “In the long run, I think it will be better for the future, especially for my kids,” she said.

Mozelle’s is located at 1000 W. Navarro (Hwy 6 west). For more information, including hours, call 893-7090.

By LAURA KESTNER, Editor

Bryan Butler, DeLeon’s newest police officer, was sworn in Friday, June 20, 2008, to begin his first full day of duty.

NEW POLICE OFFICER. Bryan Butler being sworn-in by City Secretary Karen Wilkerson.

Butler, a 2002 graduate of DeLeon High School, has lived in the DeLeon area since 1993. He graduated from the police academy in Brownwood in October of 2007.

“I went to work for the Sheriff’s Office in October of 2004, and I worked at the jail for three and a half years, and for approximately 7 months as a deputy.”

Butler said that although he enjoys law enforcement work immensely, it wasn’t in his original plans. “I always thought I’d be a football coach and history teacher,” he said. He added that his own coaches -- including Rusty Bennett, Mark Lewis, Grady West, Billy Fox, and Dudley McCarty -- had made such a good impression on him that he naturally felt drawn to that kind of work. But I kind of just put college off, and just never got there.”

Butler said that while he was working at Bruner Dodge in Stephenville, his mother noticed an ad in the Free Press where they needed a jailer in Comanche. “I went over there and applied,” Butler said. “I didn’t think I’d get it, but I got the job.”

Being around law enforcement officials on a daily basis proved to be inspirational for Butler.
“I thought about going to the police academy, but I kept putting it off, and putting it off, but finally here I am,” Butler said.

Butler is married to the former Dosha Singleton, a teacher at DeLeon Elementary. They are currently living in the Rucker Community.

Butler said working in DeLeon would be nice on several levels.

“I think it’ll give me more time to spend with my wife,” he said. “It’ll definitely be closer to home.”

According to the DeLeon Police Department, the attempted abduction of a 14-year-old girl on Thursday, June 12, is still under investigation.

“We’re definitely making progress,” Sgt. Dustin Paulsen said, “with help from Mark McDonald, of the Comanche County Constable’s Office, and Ed Dyson of the Comanche Police Department.

Altogether, there have been eight reports of a man approaching females, the youngest of which was 11, and attempting to persuade them into entering his vehicle. “He asked for directions,” Sgt. Paulsen said, “and has, on at least one occasion, asked the female to get in the pickup with him and show him where a particular address is.” The suspect did try to forcibly take the 14-year-old.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 20s, driving a dark blue or black 4-door pick-up.
Based on these incidences the DeLeon Police Department urges all female citizens to use caution when alone and dealing with strangers until the suspect is apprehended.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the DeLeon Police Department at 893-3244, or the Comanche County Crime Stoppers at 325-356-3737.

The 7th annual DeLeon Quilt Show is scheduled for June 27, 28, and 29, at the DeLeon City Hall.

Quilts from numerous area ladies will be displayed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $2. Ribbons will be awarded to Viewer’s Choice quilts.

The display categories include: pre-1940s; hand pieced and machine quilted; machine pieced and hand quilted; handmade; machine made; appliqued; mixed technique; utility; baby quilts and wall hangings. There is no fee to enter quilts.

To enter quilts bring them to DeLeon City Hall auditorium from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday.

For more information contact La Joyce Johnson at 254-893-2634, or send an e-mail to sharon@thirdwednesdayquilters.com

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