Nine Months?
We had a brief conversation with a Grimes County DA investigator early last week regarding our concerns about the seemingly too long delay in addressing the October shooting death of Bedias resident, Anthony Williams. GCDA Investigator, John Wren, shared that two persons were arrested some time ago and were released on bail. The case is now pending Grand Jury presentation (awaiting evidence processing, including ballistics testing and additional witness interviews).
I guess the crime TV shows we see weekly do not reflect the reality of crime fighting we experience in real life Grimes County and in Texas. Investigator Wren shares that “Evidence is typically sent to DPS for testing as the State provides that service for free. The backlog with DPS is long because they service all 254 counties with limited resources. Our office went through a private lab, at our expense, to get the evidence turned around quicker than it otherwise would have been. And our office is in regular communication with the victim’s family.”
Nine months seems much too long to do the ballistics and other testing in the case of such a serious crime.
The Bedias community had a serious wildfire outbreak the week of July 19. At least one home was lost along with much of the possessions for a Bedias family. We must be very aware of the present fire danger and diligently watch out for our neighbors. As a side note, one of the responding volunteer fire departments had to stop on the way to suppress a carelessly started grass fire before even getting to the Bedias fire.
The Bedias Museum & Library hosted an End of Summer Splash Day Saturday. Also look for second Saturday Story Times (2 p.m.), third Thursday Christian Movies (5 p.m.) and more. Visit www.facebook. com/BediasLibrary. home for more information.
Bedias Civic Club offers first Thursday potlucks, and second Tuesday movies at the civic center. Visit, www.facebook.com/ BediasCivicClubAssoc for more information.
The Bedias Food Pantry is open the third Saturday each month from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. for both canned goods and the produce day. For more information visit the pantry Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ BediasFoodPantry.
Drop Mackie a note if you are new to the Bedias community and if you are not receiving our Bedias bimonthly newsletter in your mailbox. Mackie would like to welcome Bedias newcomers and any new veterans who have moved into the Bedias area and introduce them to the community. Drop Mackie a note, mackiebobo44@ gmail.com, to learn more and to update your contact information for the women’s club annual Veterans Day dinner.
Bedias Women’s Club is taking reservations for booths for the Bedias Country Market slated for Oct. 27 at the Bedias Civic Center. Inside booths are $20 and outside booths are $10. Contact Mackie for a reservation or any member of the women’s club. This is our fundraiser to fund our annual Veteran’s Dinner and local scholarships for Iola and Madisonville ISD.
Want to know more about the Bedias Civic Club, Bedias Women’s Club, and other civic organizations active in the Bedias area? Visit the Bedias Civic Club page, www. facebook.com/BediasCivicClubAssoc, visit the Bedias Women’s Club website, BediasWomensClub. com; visit www.facebook. com/BediasFoodPantry, to learn about food pantry operations, visit our Civic Center Events and Activities page, www.facebook. com/BediasCivicCenter, or visit our Bedias News page, www.facebook.com/ BediasNews, and please share your thoughts and suggestions.
Happy birthday to Evelyn Ford, Bobby Isbell, Walt Rogers and Meagan Dean. Happy anniversary to Don and Julie Dean and Tammy and Ray Curtis. Congratulations to everyone else celebrating personal and family occasions. Drop us a note if you want to add someone to our birthday, anniversary, or concerns list.
Please take care when driving near road construction and repair areas. Please uphold our brave law enforcement officers, volunteer fire fighters and other first responders. Please uphold the Anthony De’Milo Williams, Jr. family, who lost his life to an October drive by shooting in our little town of Bedias. Mackie asks for us to hold Ben White in our prayers. Please also hold Roy Willis, Bob and Jackie Jones, Joe and Betty Williamson, MaeDell Younts, Philip Upchurch, Lew Gears and Aidan Fedor in your hearts and prayers.
Do you have a community or church event you would like included in our weekly column? We would love to share your news with our readers. Send news to Editor- BUMCNL@msn.com, and please follow us at www.facebook.com/BediasNews.
“Two are better than one: If one falls down, his friend can help him up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
Bedias News