This Justin, Texas

EVANS RESIGNS AS CITY MANAGER – Justin City Administrator and recently-appointed City Manager Mike Evans has announced he is retiring, and today is his last day. The city council held a special meeting Wednesday night to name a possible interim, but they decided to use a search firm to choose a city manager. City Secretary Kim Strange said the council has not yet chosen the search firm, but when they do, the firm will most likely provide the city with an interim city manager. Voters approved the city manager position in last November’s general election, and Evans was appointed as city manager by the council in December.

Flower Mound police arrested Anthony Tri Huynh, 40, Saturday in connection with the shooting death of Justin resident Lamont White, 54 on Jan. 1 in Flower Mound. Police say Huynh shot White, who had parked outside a commercial building in the 500 block of Flower Mound Road after leaving his workplace in Lewisville. They believe Huynh followed White and possibly used a strobe feature on his flashlight to get White to pull off into the parking lot. Lewisville police had arrested Huynh Saturday in connection with another shooting that day outside the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel. An investigator noticed that Huynh’s vehicle matched the description of the vehicle used in the Jan. 1 shooting. Officers recovered the weapon believed to have been used in both shootings. Huynh has been charged with murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and remains in the Denton County Jail with bond set at $1.5 million.

EDC DIRECTOR WANTED – Justin’s Economic Development Corporation Type A and B boards voted Wednesday to advertise for the position of EDC executive director. The director’s job has been vacant following the resignation of Chantal Kirkland last September. Justin City Council member David Speicher attended Wednesday’s meeting and suggested that the boards consider combining the position of EDC director with the city manager position approved by voters last November.

CITY TO SELL WATER TO ENERGY COMPANY — The Justin City Council last month agreed to sell water to Carrizo Oil and Gas Inc. for the fracking of a gas well located on the south side of town east of the railroad tracks and north of Trail Creek Lane. The company will use water from a city fire hydrant about 100 yards from the well site as well as a secondary source outside the city. The fire hydrant provides 230 gallons per minute. The frack job is expected to begin Monday, Jan. 7 and last approximately six days. The item initially caused some concern with at least a couple of council members who feared that selling a large amount of water to a private company during drought conditions might not be a wise decision. A company spokesperson pointed out that the agreement allows the city to discontinue supplying water in case drought conditions affect supply. The council voted 4-1, with Lisa Westkaemper casting the lone opposing vote, to allow the agreement for a 10-day time span, a reduction from the original 90-day timeline.

The Justin City Council Monday passed an ordinance establishing a city manager position for the city and then appointed current City Administrator Mike Evans as city manager.

Funeral for former Justin Mayor Jon W. Beck, 77, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, at the Justin United Methodist Church with burial at Justin Cemetery. Beck died early Friday in a Dallas hospital following a brief illness. Family visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at the church. Lucas Funeral Home in Justin is handling arrangements.

Denton County commissioners this morning put the county-wide burn ban back in place. Fire Marshal Jody Gonzalez told the court that Denton is currently the 11th driest county in the state, and the driest in a 16-county North Texas region. He said that the frequency of grass fires over the past week had also increased. [...]

The totals weren’t available until early this morning, but Justin voters approved a proposition for a city manager form of government by a vote of 734 to 469, or 61 percent to 39 percent. Voters in Justin and other parts of the Northwest ISD also approved a $255 million bond issue, although final numbers are [...]

A rumor of an alleged planned shooting at Northwest High School that spun “out of control” today was based on a false-alarm incident the week before, according to district officials.

Justin Police Officer Kevin James was named Law Enforcement Officer of the Year at Thursday night’s Heroes of Denton County Awards and Recognition Gala at the Speedway Club. James was injured last year when he was shot in the line of duty.

The Denton County Health Department (DCHD) announced this week that insect repellent is available to county residents in an effort to combat West Nile virus.

Adam Joshua Cortez, 31, of Justin was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Dallas to 30 years in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release following his conviction in May for attempted enticement of a minor.

The Northwest Texans game against Grapevine has been moved to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Northwest ISD Stadium. The game was originally scheduled for Friday night in Grapevine but had to be moved due to lighting issues at the stadium.

The Justin City Council tonight will hold a second public hearing on the proposed 2012-2013 tax rate of 66 cents per $100 valuation. The public hearing is at 7 p.m. in the city hall council chambers at Justin City Hall, 415 North College St. The council will vote to implement the tax rate on Sept. 17.

Due to strong winds tonight from Hurricane Isaac, aerial spraying against West Nile virus has been pushed back to Friday and Saturday night this week. The spraying was originally scheduled to begin tonight in Justin. For maximum efficiency and effectiveness, winds must remain at 10 miles per hour or below and consistent for aerial spraying.