LARUE, TX (KLTV)-- After weeks of sleepless nights and agitating days, tonight residents in one East Texas neighborhood will finally find peace in their own homes, but not for long.
About a month ago a produce farmer leased a plot of land off County Road 4710 in Larue, just south of Athens.
There he installed a propane fueled cannon that shot off riffle-like blasts every few minutes to keep animals out of his crops.
The county forced that cannon off today., but residents said this temporary fix just isn't enough.
The quiet neighborhood is a pleasant surprise for Stephanie and Jason Chancellor
"It's a relief but you also wonder when is it going to get turned back on again because you know, it's only for a temporary amount of time," Stephanie Chancellor said.
She's talking about a cannon. The Chancellors said since mid-August it has been disrupting them and their neighbors.
"Gunshots.. It pretty much sounded like a high powered rifle," Jason Chancellor said.
"We hear it everyday and it doesn't just go at night it goes all day long.. every four minutes.." Stephanie said.
But today it stopped.
According to county officials flames were shooing out of the cannon, violating the burn ban.
They said the owner has agreed to turn it off...for now.
"I would hate to say it, but the longer the burn ban.. the quieter it is," Jason Chancellor said.
And the Chancellors aren't the only ones upset. We found a complaint letter on the Henderson County Precinct Four constable's door. In it the resident says the unsettling blasts sometimes go off every 8 seconds.
But other neighbors, who didn't go camera, said the produce farmer is just trying to make a living and it's no big deal.
For the Chancellors and their baby..it's just too much to take
"We can't take walks, he can't have his nap time, he can't sleep good because he's constantly hearing boom boom boom," Stephanie said.
"There's other ways around this. They make game fences, they make hog-proof fences, there are hot wires. There are so many different other options than just the loudest thing possible. I really want to see the cannon gone," Jason said.
The chancellors said they moved to the country for the peace and quiet.
And want that back, for good.
We tried contacting the produce farmer for comment. He doesn't live in the neighborhood and he has not returned our calls.
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