The Hunstville Item

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A 44-year-old Texas man was executed Thursday evening for raping and murdering an 11-year-old girl, despite pleas from his attorneys he was too mentally impaired to qualify for capital punishment. Full Story »

Four Huntsville homes will open their doors for the third annual Holiday Historic Homes Tour on Saturday. The Joshua Houston Jr. Home, Wynne Home, Kellogg-Pritchett Home, and Gibbs-Powell Home will be open to the public for an afternoon of tours, snacks, refreshments and holiday relaxation. Full Story »

Defense attorneys rested their case in the punishment phase in the capital murder trial of Texas Department of Justice inmate Jerry Duane Martin Thursday, bringing a psychologist, an attorney and a TDCJ classification expert to testify. Full Story »

As Huntsville businesses steadily acquire the newly adopted Mixed Beverage Late Hours License, bar owners and Huntsville police are proceeding with caution. Full Story »

State Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, filed for re-election to the Texas Senate on Thursday. “While Texas state government is in good shape relative to other states, I’m concerned the about effects of the current recession on the state’s next budget,” Ogden said. Full Story »

WASHINGTON — Casting its first votes on revamping the nation’s health care system, the Senate rejected a Republican bid Thursday to stave off Medicare cuts and approved safeguards for coverage of mammograms and other preventive tests for women. Full Story »

HUNTSVILLE — Prison officials were moving forward with plans to execute a 44-year-old man Thursday evening for raping and murdering an 11-year-old girl, despite pleas from his attorneys he is too mentally impaired to qualify for capital punishment. Full Story »

DALLAS — Two workers doing maintenance on the icy roof of towering Cowboys Stadium slipped and tumbled at least 50 feet Thursday morning before landing on a rain gutter. Authorities said both workers suffered “significant injuries.” Full Story »

Candidates can start filing today for the March 2 Democratic and Republican primary elections. Candidates seeking office in Walker County can file with Republican Party chair Russell Martinez or Democratic Party chair Tom Wood. Full Story »

The Walker County Fair-grounds will be transformed into a recreation of first-century Bethlehem this weekend for the seventh annual Journey Through Bethlehem event. Full Story »

The sentencing trial of Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmate Jerry Duane Martin continued Wednesday, with defense attorneys beginning their case by bringing six witnesses to the stand. Full Story »

FORT WORTH — An Army psychiatrist who may face the death penalty after the mass shooting at Fort Hood was charged Wednesday with 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder relating to the scores of soldiers and two civilian police officers injured in the attack, military officials said. Full Story »

Samuella Wynne Palmer officially deeded her family home to the City of Huntsville in 1998-1999, with the provision that it be used as a “cultural activities center” and for “historic preservation projects or activities.” Full Story »

The Huntsville City Council discussed several items but took no major action during its regular meeting Tuesday night at City Hall. Full Story »

Ben Bius will officially file the necessary documents with the Republican Party of Texas in Austin to be a candidate for the 5th Senatorial District in the March 2 Primary on Thursday. Full Story »

CENTERVILLE — The punishment phase of Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmate Jerry Duane Martin’s capital murder trial began Tuesday with six witnesses taking the stand for the State. Full Story »

The Belle Chanson women’s choir of Huntsville will perform two Christmas concerts benefitting the Wynne Home Arts Center Thursday at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Full Story »

Walker County resident Johnny Holland is announcing his candidacy for Precinct 3 justice of the peace. Holland is seeking the position after currrent Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Lloyd Roark announced he is retiring when his term expires Dec. 31, 2010. Full Story »

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama announced Tuesday he was dispatching 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, accelerating a risky and expensive war buildup, even as he assured the nation that U.S. forces will begin coming home in July 2011. The first new Marines will join the fight by Christmas. Full Story »

Sam Houston students with parents will be able to find some relief from studying as the semester ends. Sam Houston State University’s Student Advising and Mentoring Center will host Parent’s Finals Relief on Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center. Full Story »

Walker County Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Lloyd Roark announced Monday that he is not seeking re-election to office. Roark said he plans to retire when his current term expires Dec. 31, 2010, when he will have been in office 32 years. Full Story »

Texas State University System Board of Regents chairman Ron Blatchley and Aldine school district superintendent Wanda Bamberg will address approximate 1,504 degree candidates during the winter commencement exercises on Dec. 18-19. Full Story »

CENTERVILLE — Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmate Jerry Duane Martin was found guilty of capital murder Monday for his role in the 2007 death of TDCJ Officer Susan Canfield during an escape from the Wynne Unit. Full Story »

Huntsville Police are seeking leads after a violent attempted robbery in the parking lot of a local apartment complex Thanksgiving night. Full Story »