New facility expected to add jobs, value to county by end of 2022
Waxahachie Daily Light
Mirroring what the Midlothian City Council approved a week ago, Ellis County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a property tax abatement and performance agreement for SunOpta Grains and Foods Inc. for its planned new facility in Midlothian’s RailPort Business Park.
The Commissioners’ Court approved an 8-year tax abatement agreement with SunOpta that will begin at the end of 2022, when the proposed facility is expected to be complete. The abatement amount will be 65 percent for the first four years, and 55 percent for the next four years. The abatement will apply only to new taxable value and to real property; inventory will be taxed at the full rate.
May 4 Residents in the southern part of North Texas awoke on Tuesday morning to roof damage, fields of debris and downed trees and power lines following a night of severe storms and tornadoes. Two confirmed tornadoes swept through Blum and Ellis County, near Waxahachie and Forreston, on Monday evening, bringing with them winds up to 130 miles per hour and large hail, according to Juan .
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North, Central Texas Pummeled by Tornadoes, Hail May 4, 2021
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth reported that its preliminary storm results survey from the severe weather that swept north and central Texas on May 3 showed two EF-2 tornadoes and three EF-0 tornadoes. The storms also pelted the area with hail.
An EF-2 tornado with winds up to 120 mph occurred in Ellis county from 8:44 pm to 8:57 pm Monday evening, the NWS reported on Twitter. The tornado tracked 5.2 miles between Waxahachie and Forreston where it crossed I-35E. Just after 9 p.m. on Monday, flipped over vehicles were reported on I-35 near Waxahachie, about 30 miles south of Dallas, according to Accuweather. The Associated Press reported that at least three three large trucks were among the vehicles that were toppled.
‘We tried everything we could to get them out’: North Texas first responders team to help injured drivers after tornado topples 18-wheelers We were able to get down there and help our neighbors to the south of us. It was a win-win for everyone, said Red Oak Fire Chief Ben Blanton. Author: Matt Howerton Updated: 11:11 PM CDT May 4, 2021
FORRESTON, Texas The National Weather Service said Tuesday that an EF2 tornado capable of producing winds up to 120 mph was to blame for frantic and chaotic moments WFAA witnessed on I-35E Monday night in Forreston.
Around 9 p.m., the tornado danced across the highway and flipped over three semi-trucks. It also pushed the dividing median into northbound lanes.