East Texas

By COSHANDRA DILLARD
Staff Writer

QUITMAN -- Wood County commissioners will begin a search for a new Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, following the resignation of Judge Larry Jones. Jones, who told commissioners this week he is retiring at the end of this month, will serve in the position until Sept. 1. Commissioners will hold a special meeting at 11 a.m. today to conduct interviews for the unexpired term.

Applicants received as of Friday are Miles Tucker, Ruth Ann Roderick, Anita Tucker, Neil Mosley, Robert Elias and Ron Walenta.

Interviews will be conducted in closed session and a decision, if any, will be announced at the conclusion of those interviews, Jeanes said.

Jeanes said since the resignation was not received by 10 a.m. on Aug. 19, the commissioners were unable to place the item on the Aug. 22 agenda, so Jones also presented his resignation during the public comment section of the regular meeting Friday.

At 63, Jones said he was simply ready for retirement and had discussed it with commissioners previously.

"I will miss working with other JPs and county officials," Jones said. "The Justice of the Peace is a community level court and you have interactions with a lot of people. It was good to end my career in that office."

Jones was appointed Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 in 2004 and then was elected in 2006. An attorney, Jones has worked in the Smith County District Attorney's office, the 7th District Court and Court of Appeals in the 1980s.