Weather wreaks havoc on travelers
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com
      Traffic on U.S. 59 near Hillje was snarled in the midst of the pounding rain Monday night as emergency responders scrambled to two separate motor vehicle accidents. No major injuries were reported. "Traffic was the worst thing," Louise Volunteer Fire Chief Bobby Popp said. "The traffic was backe...
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Police Blotter
      City Arrests Alcohol, drugs Larry Falcon, 45, of 409 Mayfield Ave. was arrested at 1:47 a.m. Saturday, Feb.
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Tips needed on stolen, torched car
By BARRY HALVORSON news@leader-news.com
      A car found on fire in Wharton County Saturday has been reported stolen by the Houston Police Department. "It is going to investigated by the Houston PD, but we're going to assist in the effort," Wharton Sheriff's Lt. Daniel Marek said.
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Slip-Sliding Away
      A pickup towing another heavily-laden truck, headed south, slid into a culvert and onto its side around 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the entrance to Jr.'s Texas Best Smoke House on U.S. 59 in Mackay. No one was hurt in the accident, and the occupants removed the vehicle from the ditch on their own.
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Friends rally to help Johnson family
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com
      Saturday's beautiful sunny skies and mild temperatures made a perfect setting for Saturday's fundraiser for lawman Tommy Johnson Sr., an event which netted major cash. Mike Ryan of Ryan Services, an event's organizer, said final figures aren't completely compiled, but the event netted "probably ...
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Paintball raiders a danger to all
By BENJAMIN C. SHARP news@leader-news.com
      There's been no injuries and only minimal damage so far, but that's not stopping Wharton police from taking a series of paintball gun shootings seriously. If unchecked, the incidents could easily get out of hand, police said, leading to potentially grave consequences both to property and person.
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