Dime Box Fire, Giddings Fatality

Lexington Leader

• A home in Dime Box was completely consumed by fire early Sunday morning, June 12, just before 8 a.m. Verlene McNeil called the 911 dispatch system at 7:59 a.m. to report that her house, located on CR 430 was on fire. Dime Box Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched, along with Giddings VFD and Lincoln VFD and Lincoln VFD. Sergeant Ray and Corporal West with the Lee county Sheriff’s Office also went to the scene. When fire fighters arrived, they found the wood frame home fully engulfed and the fire had spread into the surrounding area, consuming vehicles and other items in the yard. The cause of the fire was determined to be a pan of grease on the stove. Water was used to try to extinguish the fire by a home member, which caused the burning grease to splatter everywhere. Everyone got out of the home and no one was injured.

Giddings Times & News

• Work is already underway to demolish the Homeside press box at Buffalo Stadium in Giddings. The GISD School Board unanimously approved the demolition and press box replacement at its Tuesday, June 7 meeting to the tune of $550,000. Assistant Superintendent Andy Masek says that the replacement of the press box is for safety reasons. “The old press box was built in 1980,” he says, “It’s a wooden structure, and for safety, we wanted to get a new one up there.” The new press box will be in three segments. The middle segment similar in size to the old press box and measures 30 feet long. On its right will be a 12-foot by 8-foot box for home team coaches, and on the left will be a 8x12 foot box for the radio team. The announcer, game clock, scoreboard keeper, and statistcians will occupy the main box. With the old press box, all of the personnel were crammed together. Removal of the old press box will be completed in June. The metal substructure and concrete footings for the new boxes will be completed in July, and the new boxes will be installed during the first two weeks of August.

• An apparent accident claimed the life of Manuel Alvila sometime during the day of Friday, June 10. The Alvila family lives on about nine acres of land about six miles north of Giddings. Manuel Alvila had departed home around 7:30 a.m. and wasn’t heard from the rest of the day. The next morning around 8:30 a.m., a family acquaintance flew a drone over the Alvila’s property. Drone images revealed what appeared to be a pickup truck submerged in a pond located in close proximity of the house, and the top of the truck was visible. The images also revealed a body floating in the pond close to the truck. Investigators were able to quickly locate Alvila and his pick-up. A dive team from the Department of Public Safety assisted with the retrival of the truck and body from the pond. Investigators did not suspect any foul play, and it is the opinion of the sheriff’s office that it was accidental.

Manuel’s wife, Esmeralda, told investigators she believed her husband may have gone to chase a stray bull off their property before heading to work.

Wharton Journal Spectator

• Wharton County has more murder suspects than they have staff to prosecute the crimes and there is no indication things will get anything but worse. “The Wharton County District Attorney’s Office is struggling to keep up,” DA Dawn Allison said, “even with assistance from the Texas State Attorney General’s Office, a prosecution assistance program provided without direct cost to Wharton County.” The DA’s office currently operates with a full-time investigator, three assistant district attorneys, three legal assistants, and a receptionist, in addition to Allison. A grant will fund a contract attorney next year.

Burleson County Tribune

• A Bryan man was killed on Saturday, June 4, in an ATV accident on Ridgewood Drive in the Beaver Creek Subdivision. Brian Alonzo Valadez, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene at about 8:30 p.m. by Burleson County Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Bill Orsak. Orsak said the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and body. Valadez was traveling at an unsafe speed to negotiate a curve.