Sex Offender Who Shot Deputy in the Face Receives Life Sentence
News Release – Aug. 11, 2022 AUSTIN –Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Criminal Prosecutions trial team secured a guilty verdict this week against a man who committed Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant. Shazizz Mateen shot a sheriff’s deputy in the face, blinding him for life. Mateen was sentenced to life in prison and assessed a $10,000 fine by an Austin County jury. It was on November 1, 2018, that Mateen shot and...
Observing National Health Center Week In Sulphur Springs
Sulphur Springs Mayor Doug Moore recently issued a proclamation designating this week as National Health Center Week in Sulphur Springs, and encourages all Americans to take part in “celebrating the important partnership between America’s Community Health Centers and the communities they serve.” Kasey Smith, director of community development for Carevide, and Sulphur Springs Mayor Doug Moore. For more than 50 years,...
HHSC Receives Federal Grant To Expand Fraud Prevention Efforts
News Release Agency Works To Develop Innovative Strategies To Prevent Fraud AUSTIN – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) a federal grant of more than $400,000 to further the agency’s fraud prevention efforts for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). HHSC has prevented the misuse of more than $147 million in public funds since 2017 by identifying...
Trustees Approve 40 Personnel Changes For Sulphur Springs ISD
Sulphur Springs ISD trustees approved 40 personnel changes at the regular August school board meeting held earlier this week. SSISD logo Overall, SSISD Board of Trustees accepted nine resignations, and approved 23 new hires and eight in-district personnel changes. The changes involve every campus except Austin Academic Center, although the bulk of the personnel changes are at Douglass Early Childhood Learning Center, Sulphur Springs...
Pizza — And Medicare Explained
Community members are invited attend the special educational lunch, Pizza And Medicare Explained, hosted on Aug. 23 at the Senior Citizens Center. Baucom Insurance’s Agent Pilcher (Billie Ibarra) will present information on what Medicare is, its parts and potential penalties. The presentation is for educational purposes only, with no plan-specific benefits or details to be shared. Pizza will be provided, thus, those attending...
Hopkins County Drought Conditions Persist, In Spite Of Rain
Burn Ban Still Fully In Force In Hopkins County, 1 of 224 In Texas Under Burn Ban Although some areas over the past week have experienced a couple of good downbursts, the rain was nowhere near enough to offset the drought conditions Hopkins County is still experiencing. Thus, the burn ban enacted July 11, 2022, is still effective on Aug. 10, 2022 and for the foreseeable future for Hopkins County, according to Hopkins County Fire...
10% Pay Increase, Additional Positions For HCSO, HCFD Projected In 2022-2023 County Budget
Increased Property Values & Sales Tax Cited For Proposed Reduction in Hopkins County Tax Rate A 10% pay increase for all county employees, and funding for additional positions for the sheriff’s office, and an additional position within the clerk’s office were among the items projected in the 2022-2023 county budget. Increased property values and sales tax returns were cited for a propose reduction in Hopkins County tax...
Pizza For Breakfast – Why not?
By Johanna Hicks, Hopkins County Extension Agent, Family and Community Health Agent, [email protected]. If you have ever visited the Texas Hill Country around Fredericksburg or New Braunfels, you are aware that the peak of peach season has arrived! Although a little later this year due to the Texas heat and dry conditions, peaches are still sweet as can be. Texas A&M AgriLife’s Dinner Tonight program has a Peachy Prosciutto Pizza...
Chamber Connection – Aug. 10: Learn More About Stew Contest At Stewcomers Meeting
By Butch Burney Monday, Aug. 15, is the final day to get your applications in if you are interested in being in this year’s Leadership Sulphur Springs class. Leadership Sulphur Springs is a community leadership development program sponsored by the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce. The course was created in 1989 with the concept of offering leadership training and community involvement for emerging business and community leaders. It...
Surviving Drought Requires Planning
Mario Villarino, DVM, Ph.D. By Dr. Mario A. Villarino, Hopkins County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, [email protected] Surviving drought requires planning for it. Your plan should include strategies for finances, grazing management and stock reduction, as well as for vegetation recovery after the drought ends. It is important to implement a grazing plan that promotes vegetation recovery. For example, if warm...
