Winn Reaches Plea Agreement; DA Puts His Investigations on a Case by Case Basis
“It will be on a case by case basis. Hopefully, it should not affect too many cases. We will just make sure that the defense is aware of the situation.” District Attorney Will Ramsay made the preceding statement following a plea bargain reached for Daniel Madison Winn, 35, in 8th Judicial District Court Tuesday. Ramsay, who had named Gary Young of Lamar County as special prosecutor for the case, made his statement in response to KSST...
Allen Sentenced to Life in Prison
April 21, 2015 – Late Tuesday afternoon, Robert Dwayne Allen, 46, was sentenced to Life in prison by 8th Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt. He is eligible for parole after 30 calendar years and will be credited for the time he has served in Hopkins County Jail. Judge Northcutt found Allen in violation of parole as true and found Allen guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child, which was the original charge. Allen...
SB1158 Goes Before Senate Finance Committee
“Give us a chance to vote,” was the plea of Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom as he addressed the Texas State Senate Finance Committee Tuesday morning in Austin. Senate Bill 1158, which allows voters in Hopkins County to cast ballots related to an increase in sales tax or continue with the 7-cent increase in property tax that will fund construction of the new jail presently under construction. District Senator Bob Hall...
Option County Jail Sales Tax Resolution Unanimous
On April 13, 2015, the Commissioners Court of Hopkins County, Texas endorsed S.B. 1158, a resolution that would provide Hopkins County Texas voters with the opportunity to determine whether to fund the county jail obligation through a local option sales tax, instead of property taxes. The resolution was passed with a vote of 5 to 0. Back in November, 2013, Hopkins County approved general obligation bonds to fund the $16 million...
Newsom, Commissioners Return to Austin to Promote SB1158
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom and the County Commissioners are expected to make a trip to Austin early this week to attend a discussion of Senate Bill 1158, which would allow the county government, with voter approval to pay for their new County Jail by an increase in the sales tax. The discussion will take place Tuesday at 9 a.m. before the Senate Finance Committee in the State Capitol.
County Jail Sales Tax Bill Stalled in Committee
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom says Senate Bill 1158, which will allow the county to pay for their new County Jail using an increase in the sales tax in lieu of property taxes with voter approval, remains in a Senate committee. State Senator Bob Hall has requested a hearing for the bill. The bill would still have to navigate its’ way through the House. The current Legislative session goes through the end of May. Click...
Proposal to Change Voting in Hopkins County
In hopes of being included in a pilot voting project by the Texas Secretary of State, Hopkins County government is holding some meetings. The project would allow county voters to cast a ballot at any polling place in the county on election day. It would also allow the county to reduce polling sites, perhaps from 21 to 14. County Judge Robert Newsom hopes rural schools choose to be polling sites.
62nd District Court April 20th Jury Cancelled
April 20, 2015 at 9:00 A.M. for the 62nd District Court, Judge Will Biard has been cancelled.
City Council Opposes SB 1158
Representatives of Hopkins County Commissioners Court and a candidate for Place 3 on the council addressed the Sulphur Springs City Council Tuesday night during their regular April session. However their request for support of Texas Senate Bill 1158, which is somewhere under a stack of bills in the Senate Finance Committee, were rebuffed not only by a six to one vote of the council but also by the statements of city staff including...
