TxDot Expansion Uncovers a Surprise
Contractors working for Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) uncovered a piece of La Grange history while working on improvements to the intersection at US 77 and SH 71 Business. The contractors were drilling a hole for a new traffic light pole in the parking lot at Pharmhouse Drug when they struck some old underground fuel tanks. That corner of the intersection used to be the location of Erwin Petzold’s Gulf Station, which opened in 1924. The tanks were full of water when the contractors uncovered them. The contractors excavated the tanks and pumped them out on Tuesday.
Passing Of Pioneers
This week brought news of the death of three of Fayette County’s most interesting pioneers. David Ramjohn, left, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, died April 22. He was the CEO of La Grange’s AlgEternal Technologies, which was a national leader in the use of algae for everything from agriculture to health and beauty. His visitation will be Saturday April 27 from 5-7 p.m. at Koenig-Belville Funeral Home. Fayetteville’s C.H. Harvey, center, created the Fayette County Panthers six-man football team, which played from 2015 through 2019 and he also created the Texas Six-Man Independent Bowl Series, which teams around the state participated in. Harvey was a Vietnam Vet and passionate advocate of honoring local Vietnam Vets. Harvey’s obituary appears on page D3 today. Also on D3 today is the full obituary of Myrtle Crosby, right, beloved local LGISD teacher who also taught generations of students to play the piano.
Shakespeare’s 460th Birthday
William Shakespeare would have turned 460 on Tuesday. To honor the occasion, La Grange 6th grade English teacher Emily Ayres took her students outside for a celebration of “Sonnets and Scenes.” Ayres talked with the students about the play “The Taming of the Shrew” and had students do cold readings of an Act Two scene between sisters Bianca and Katherine. Emily Ayres, seated left, is in her first year at LGISD. She is the daughter of Shakespeare at Winedale founder James “Doc” Ayres.
Child, 10, in Gonzales Suspected Shooter in Cold Case Murder
On Jan. 18, 2022 the Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Lazy J RV Park located at 85 Wild Meadow Nixon, Texas for a report of an unresponsive male at the location. The RV Park owner received a call from Holmes Foods that one of his tenants had not reported to work in two days. The owner entered the RV after repeatedly knocking on the door and not receiving an answer. The owner discovered Brandon deceased. Responding Deputies discovered Brandon O’Quinn Rasberry White Male DOB 0831-1989 had been murdered. Brandon had been shot in the head one time. The Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and the Texas Department of Public Safety Ranger Division conducted the investigation. Several items of evidence were located, collected and sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory in Austin, Texas for forensic analysis. Investigators also wrote search warrants for GEO Location data on Brandon’s Cellular Phone as well as any other cell phones in the area at the time of the murder, that didn’t provide any new leads.
