Explosive growth, winter storm Uri, increased property tax valuations, a new water source and key political figures who were thrust into the limelight were just a few 2022 highlights in Collin County last year.

On Halloween, major news rocked the county when a federal lawsuit was filed against Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis, First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye, County Judge Chris Hill and County Commissioners Darrell Hale, Susan Fletcher, Cheryl Williams and Duncan Webb.

The suit was filed by current and former employees in the district attorney’s office including Chief Investigator Kim Pickrell, Deputy Chief Investigator Keith Henslee, former prosecutor Fallon LaFleur, prosecutor Vykim Le, former receptionist Jane Doe 1 and former communications director Jane Doe 2.

Willis denied the claims made in the 75-page lawsuit during a Nov. 16 press conference saying, “these accusations are false” and “the things they allege simply did not happen.”

Since Willis’ press conference, the Collin County Commissioner’s Court has contracted law firms to represent both Wirskye and Hill and the commissioners. In one of the letters of engagement, projected costs for the firm representing Wirskye could cost up to $980 hourly.

U.S. Rep. Van Taylor withdrew from the Republican race for District 3 earlier this year after news surfaced of an extramarital affair between Taylor and Tania Joya, a former jihadist, that lasted several months.

“About a year ago, I made a horrible mistake that has caused deep hurt and pain among those I love most in this world,” Taylor wrote in an email to supporters after his March 2 announcement. “I had an affair, it was wrong, and it was the greatest failure of my life.”

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