NEWSBRIEFS

Three injured Saturday in Gause highway crash

GAUSE—Three persons were taken to a hospital Saturday night after a two-vehicle collision in Gause.

State Trooper Michael Tice said the accident occurred at 9:40 p.m. at the intersection of US 79 and FM 2095.

He said vehicles were operated by Mark Merchant, 61, of Henderson and 72-year-old Hubert Hearne of college Station.

The trooper said Merchant’s passenger, Mary Merchant, was flown to St. Joseph’s Hospital, Bryan, by medical helicopter.

Mark Merchant was transported to the same hospital by an AMR ambulance crew, the trooper said.

According to the DPS, Hearne was taken to St. Joseph’s by private auto.

Damages to both vehicles were termed “extensive.”

In addition to the DPS, the Milam County Sheriff’s Department and the Gause Volunteer Fire Department responded to the accident scene.

Fire calls listed for area VFD members

Calls during the past week, dispatched at the Rockdale Police Department during the past seven days, were listed as follows:

• 12:59 p.m. July 31, oversized load hit power lines and broke utility pole in 100 block of North FM 486 in Thorndale, Thorndale Volunteer Fire Department.

• 3:53 p.m Monday, smoke detector going off in 900 block of South Texas 36, Milano Volunteer Fire Department.

• 12:37 a.m. Sunday, vehicle hit tree at Belton-Yoakum intersection in Rock-dale with power lines down, Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department.

• 5:50 p.m. Tuesday, trash fire reported out of control behind residence on Griffith Lane with structure threatened, Thorndale Volunteer Fire Department.

The Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the same call 10 minutes later but call was canceled after it was advised fire was under control.

Commissioners look at plans for ex-hospital

CAMERON—Milam County Commissioners, meeting Monday at the courthouse, viewed a detailed set of plans by architect Stan Graves for turning the former Cameron hospital into county offices.

That proposed move has been in the planning stages for several months.

County Judge Steve Young said the next step, still three to four months away, to obtain a complete set of plans, then go out for bids.

“Then we will see what kind of expenditures we’re looking at,” he said.