Ozona History

February 21, 1935
Reports of recent depredations by wolves on livestock ranges in this county heretofore free of these pests have resulted in the employment of a full-time trapper to rid the county of these and other predatory animals. Action by the county Commissioners Court in its recent session resulted in the employment of Bert Herrington, who will be assigned to trap in this county under the direction of C. R. Landon, chief of the predatory animal division of the Bureau of Animal Industry. Mr. Herrington will be paid half by the county and half by state and federal funds assigned for that purpose.

February 22, 1945
Hancock's Cafe opened under new management last week. Mr. and Mrs. B. O. Franklin, who have operated a cafe in Sheffield for many years, purchased the stock and equipment of the local cafe from J.I. Hancock and have re-opened the business. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Cade are to manage the Ozona business, although Mr. and Mrs. Franklin have been here since the opening getting the business in operation. Mr. Hancock has also sold his lease and equipment in the Crockett Hotel to Mr. and Mrs. Ben Williams, who are now operating that business. Mr. Hancock, in the cafe business here for over 15 years, has not announced his plans for the future.

February 17, 1955
Mr. and Mrs. J.K. Sparks had a close brush with death early Wednesday morning when they were both overcome by gas fumes in their home at Todd Field. Both are recovering in the Ozona hospital after being for a time on the critical list Wednesday morning. A broken gasket in a gas refrigerator supply line was blamed for the near fatal accident. A quick-thinking neighbor of the Sparks, Mrs. R.B. Stephens, probably deserves credit for saving the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Sparks. Mr. Sparks drives the school bus transporting school children from the Todd Field area to Ozona. When the bus failed to pick up her children at the usual hour, Mrs. Stephens went to the Sparks home to investigate. She found the couple unconscious and the house filled with gas fumes.

February 18, 1965
Groundwork was being laid by two groups of Ozona citizens who are seeking a charter for a new state bank in Ozona following completion of the filing of preliminary applications for charters with the State Banking Department during the past week. This groundwork includes the solicitation for stock subscriptions, the preparation of statistical and other information which will be useful in making a case before the banking commission and the preparation of the necessary papers incident to such an undertaking. One of the proposed banks is to be the Crockett State Bank of Ozona, Texas, and the other is proposed as the First State Bank of Ozona, Texas.

February 20, 1975
Weapon arsenal confiscated by local lawmen. Sub-machine gun, carbines, sawed off shotguns, and the ammunition to go with them. A car full of weapons was picked up by local lawmen Sunday afternoon following a tip that two men were attempting to sell a weapon in Sonora. More than enough to start a small war.