During the 2012-2013 school year Brownwood High School implemented a new program with the help of health science teacher Annalyn Deen.  A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) class was added to the health science track to allow senior students to become certified nursing assistants by the end of the school year.  This is a State of Texas mandated-course that has very specific requirements for each student to pass.

“We had a total of six girls start the program this year,” said Deen. “At the end of the year all six students passed the grueling state test.”  Catherine Daniel, Miranda Chandler, Shayla Biessener, Dara Wise, Linda Luna, and Christina Gutierrez were required to perform 5 of 37 skills on residents in the nursing home and then take a 70 question written test, a process that took from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on April 29th.

Law enforcement arrests and reports released Friday, May 17, 2013.

Wednesday, May 15

*8:03 AM – Brownwood Police were dispatched to the 1600 block of Calvert Drive regarding two students fighting.  According to the report, an investigation determined that an offense of disorderly conduct-fighting had been committed and both juveniles were issued citations.  The investigation also found that an assault had occurred on May 14th and criminal prosecution was requested by the mother of the victim, the report states.

*11:15 AM – Brownwood Police met with a complainant at the law enforcement center regarding an assault.  According to the report, the complainant’s ex-boyfriend had assaulted her earlier in the day.

*3:34 PM – Brownwood Police were called to the 2000 block of 12th Street regarding an unwanted person.  According to the report, the complainant stated that her ex-boyfriend entered her residence through an unlocked back door and then left through the front door.  The complainant stated that he has also been calling and texting her several times even though she has advised him not to contact her, the report states.

*5:35 PM – Brownwood Police were called to a north Brownwood residence regarding an assault.  According to the report, a juvenile victim stated that she was assaulted while at school and was being bullied by another student.  The child had obvious injuries to her face, the report states.  An investigation to identify the juvenile suspect, who is known by first name only, is continuing, according to the report.

The Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce honored local law enforcement officers and agencies on Friday at their 5th annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Luncheon held at the Brownwood Country Club.

Agencies recognized at the luncheon included Brown County Adult Probation, Brown County Constables, Brown County Court at Law, Brown County District Attorney, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Brownwood Police Department, Early Police Department, Justices of the Peace, Lake Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.   Each agency was recognized and given the opportunity to present departmental awards.

The Brownwood Police Department presented their Officer of the Year award to Corporal Aaron Taylor.

Recently the downtown area of Brownwood received a new addition to its character.  After years of success in Brownwood, the Turtle Restaurant was recently adorned with their newly handmade sign which was crafted by Blackout Signs of San Marcos.

“The artistic design is colorful by day and de-light-ful at night.” owner Mary Stanley said, "It was about time to put up a landmark.  We feel the joyful style of the sign represents our restaurant well.  The Turtle may be slow to get somewhere but it arrives in style."

Now the Turtle is clearly marked on the downtown stretch of Center Avenue in Brownwood along with another landmark sign for the Lyric Theatre added in the last few years.

Brownwood Independent School District issued the following statement regarding Thursday's brief lockdown of schools:

Coggin Elementary and Brownwood Intermediate schools went on lockdown, Thursday, May 16th, for a brief period around 1:10 pm.

Initial reports of a suspicious person with a gun were quickly determined to be false and the lockdown was lifted when it was discovered that the man was carrying a screw-gun.  School officials responded immediately to the report and secured students and staff on both campuses while the situation was investigated by district administrators.

The situation lasted approximately ten minutes.  Due to the brief span of the lockdown period, the district's e-alert communications system was not activated before the "all-clear" was given. Had the situation been verified as an actual emergency, alerts would have been sent out via email, Brownwood ISD Mobile App, website and social media.

The “all-clear” message was posted on the Brownwood ISD website at approximately 1:45 pm and subsequently through the district’s social media channels.

Brownwood Police Department’s Assistant Chief James Fuller recently attended a 3-day Critical Incident Stress Management class in Plano, Texas in order to learn more about how the police department can help their employees who suffer a traumatic incident or loss.

The reason for taking the class, Fuller stated, was to provide more resources to those suffering through a traumatically stressful event such as and death, divorce, injury/illness, or other painful experiences and situations.  The workshop was designed to provide assistance in individual and small group settings, teaching attendees tips on how to get victims of traumatic stress to open up.

"National Police Week (May, 13-19) is a great time to remember and honor fallen officers and also to realize that law enforcement officers are human—they have families, hobbies they enjoy and at the same time they are human and feel pain and hurt like everyone else,” said Fuller.  “The problem is we have a job to do while we are experiencing the trauma.  We are the ones that run to danger, feeling the same trauma as the public that is experiencing it, but it’s our duty and responsibility to perform during problems.”

Law enforcement officers must hold themselves emotionally “together” during an incident and are forced to react to it later, according to Fuller.  He stated that it is important to be reminded that we all need to understand the dangers of law enforcement.

He stated that he had the chance, through the class, to learn not to try to cure/relieve a mental problem, but to provide guidance in dealing with mental trauma, something that has been lacking in the Brownwood Police Department for many years.

Global agriculture’s challenge to feed two billion more people by 2050 on Planet Earth would have made a sensational episode of some 1960s-1970s hit drama television series. Agricultural technology innovations could have been the ultimate mission. Agriculture faces a daunting task to feed and clothe a world population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050. The current population is about 7.1 billion people. Over the last decade, the global population increased by 12 percent.

To fill 2 billion more mouths, worldwide agricultural productivity must increase by 70 percent to 100 percent, according to the United Nations. Making the challenge even more…challenging…. is that agriculture will have to produce more food with less land and water.

Feeding and clothing 9 billion people will require major technological breakthroughs and the collaboration of people and organizations worldwide.

The growing demand for food can only be met by unprecedented technical and agronomic knowledge sharing across the globe.

Collaborative sharing

Collaborative sharing will involve growers, agricultural support companies, academia, policy makers, government agencies, and many others. Innovation will deliver the tools to help growers succeed at the local level.

Dr. Gary Butka, a leading physician and cosmetic surgeon in Brownwood, TX announces his latest acquisition in cutting edge aesthetic technology; Symphony RF™.  Dr. Butka is the first in West Texas and one of the first in the United States to use Symphony RF™ technology, which revolutionizes wrinkle relaxation to the forehead area without the use of an injectable toxin such as Botox Cosmetic®.  It is known to have long-lasting results.

Dr. Butka and his skilled team is one of the first to have this technology in the State of Texas and his facility is one of a few throughout the nation to be named a center for Symphony RF™ technology.  The Symphony RF™ technology was released by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004, but has only recently been introduced to the cosmetic market for the used of ablating the nerves that cause wrinkles on the forehead.

For more than two decades, similar radio frequency technology has been safely used in lifesaving cardiology treatments to correct abnormal heartbeats, and for the relief of severe back pain.  Symphony RF™ technology makes use of radio frequency for cosmetic purposes by targeting corrugator nerves in the forehead that cause “frown lines” between the eyebrows.  A combination of technologies allows physicians to precisely locate an area for treatment and then apply a specific dose of therapeutic radio frequency energy to a portion of the targeted area.  The result is reduction and softening of wrinkles in the brow line with results lasting over a year.

The 50th annual Brown County Rodeo is fast approaching and organizers are getting set for a great lineup of events and activities including the rodeo parade.

As a major component to the rodeo each year, the Brown County Rodeo Parade will travel through Downtown Brownwood and feature a wide assortment of entries. Entry forms are now being accepted for the parade which will take place Saturday, June 8th at 10 AM.

Coggin Avenue Baptist Church will host their second annual Family Outdoor Expo at Riverside Park from 10:00am-4:00pm on Saturday, May 18th at Riverside Park in Brownwood.  The public is invited to attend this free event. It is designed to bring families together for a fun-filled day enjoying many outdoor booths and activities.

Along with the outdoor events, there will be a canned food drive for Good Samaritan Ministries and participants are invited to help “stock the truck.” There will also be concessions for sale which will benefit the CABC Youth Group.

Events to be enjoyed include:

• Remote Control Truck Races
• Kayak Paddling
• Archery
• Nerf Crossbow Range
• Live Catfish Pond
• Rock Climbing Wall
• Putt-Putt Golf
• Disc Golf Course : First 500 players will receive free Frisbees

Tickets are now available for the Big Country Fellowship of Christian Athletes annual all-star events, including the men’s and women’s all-star basketball games which will be held at the Brownwood Coliseum next month.

Tickets that include both of the basketball games are currently available for $10 each at the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce. These all-star boys and girls basketball games are scheduled to be held at the Brownwood Coliseum on Thursday, June 6th.  The girls will play at 6:00 p.m. followed by the boys’ game at 8:00 p.m.

Coaching the girls’ basketball South team will be Early High School Head Coach, Kristi Sandoval.

The FCA all-star volleyball game will take place at noon on Saturday, June 8th, 2013 at Abilene Christian University's Moody Coliseum.  The 14th Annual Myrle Greathouse All-Star Classic Football Game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 8th at Shotwell Stadium.

Law enforcement arrests and reports released Thursday, May 16, 2013.

Tuesday, May 14th

* 10:19 AM – A Brown County Sheriff’s deputy was called to a property on Farm Market Road 585S regarding theft.  According to the report, a homemade welding trailer had been stolen from the property between the hours of 5:00 pm on May 9th and 9:30 AM on May 14th.

Wednesday, May 15th

*12:30 AM – Brownwood Police were dispatched to the 800 block of 1st Street regarding suspicious circumstances. According to the report, the complainant stated a male subject opened a bedroom window and walked through her house.

*8:25 PM – A Brown County Sheriff’s deputy was called to a residence regarding theft.  According to the report, the complainant stated someone had stolen a vehicle transmission that was lying beside his pickup.

*Brown County Sheriff’s Office arrested 21-year-old Grant Jay Bear on two warrants related to burglary of a building.

*Brownwood City Marshal arrested 34-year-old Larry Wayne Durham, Jr. on five warrants related to driving while license invalid, two counts of failure to appear, failure to maintain financial responsibility and ran stop sign.

This year Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, recognizing that some individuals in our communities go above and beyond to support the mission of BBBS, added a new annual award for Individual Partner of the Year. BBBS Lone Star serves 106 counties in Texas including Brown County. Nominations from all over the state were accepted for this new award. Jared Trowbridge, Vice President of the Brown County Board of Directors was honored Tuesday, May 14th at the Annual All Region Board Meeting in Irving, Texas as the 2013 Individual Partner of the Year. Trowbridge was presented the award to a standing ovation crowd.

Impressed that such a young man was making such a significant contribution for the children in our community, newly appointed, BBBS Lone Star CEO, Rob Roby said, “I need to watch out for you. You’ll be after my job someday.”

Brownwood ISD students on a school bus were involved in a two-vehicle accident at the corner of Avenue I and 9th Street on Thursday afternoon.

Shortly after 4:00 pm, a Student Transportation Services bus was struck as the driver of a 1987 Oldsmobile turned the corner onto Avenue I from 9th Street.  The driver of the bus stated that the other driver “just didn’t turn sharp enough” causing the vehicle to strike the front driver’s side wheel on the bus.