Wildcats Soccer Team Earns 2-2 Tie With Good West Mesquite Team On The Road Tuesday Night
The Wildcats Soccer Team battled a good West Mesquite team to a 2-2 tie Tuesday night, January 14, on the road. The Wranglers came into the contest with a 4-1-1 record.
Omar Hernandez scored both Wildcats’ goals, the first on a penalty kick and the second assisted by Kevin Yanez.
Wildcats Coach Alexi Upton said West Mesquite is a really good team that will win their district. He added they are as good as any team the Wildcats will play. Coach Upton said the Wildcats played incredibly with great defense. He said he is proud of his guys.
The Wildcats season record is now 2-4-2.
The Wildcats will play next in the Terrell Tiger Winter Classic Soccer Tournament this Thursday through Saturday.
Lady Cats Basketball Team Goes To 0-2 In District Play As Lindale Cruises To 60-38 Win In SSHS Gym
The Lady Cats Basketball Team got off to a slow start against Lindale in a district game in the main gym at Sulphur Springs High School Tuesday evening, January 14.
The Lady Eagles built their lead throughout the game taking a 60-38 victory. The Lady Eagles led 14-6 after one quarter. The Lady Cats rallied in the second quarter and got as close as 20-16 before Lindale finished the quarter strongly to take a 30-19 halftime lead. The Lady Eagles increased their lead to 42-27 after three quarters.
The Lady Cats were plagued by turnovers. The Lady Cats had a roster of only seven players while freshman Kenzie Willis and senior Colbria Harrison could only watch the game wearing boots due to injured ankles.
Freshman Addisyn Wall led the Lady Cats with 12 points. Sophomore Hannah Cordell scored 10 points. Junior Nylah Lindley had 8 points. Senior Kate Womack added 5 points. Junior Bre’Asia Ivery scored 3 points. Lindale got a game high 13 points from juniors Lily Chamberlain and Shailan Davis.
The Lady Cats slip to 0-2 in district play and 7-18 for the season.
The Lady Cats play their third district game of the season Friday at Greenville at 6:15 p.m., right before a Wildcats and Greenville game at 7:30 p.m.
Sulphur Springs Man Jailed For Failure To Comply With Sex Offender Registration Requirements
A 34-year-old Sulphur Springs man, a registered sex offender, was arrested Tuesday evening after he failed to notify police of a new online account, according to arrest reports. James Andrew Keahey’s arrest Jan. 14 marked the second time he has been arrested for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements, according to jail reports.
Sulphur Springs Police Detective Jason Reneau said he received a tip that James Andrew Keahey has a Facebook account. As a registered sex offender, Keahey is required to provide certain information annually to authorities, and to notify them within seven days of opening any new online accounts, Reneau explained.
Officials checked the lead and discovered an account believed to be Keahey’s account, according to the police detective. Keahey was contacted about the online account and arrested at 5:42 p.m. Jan. 14 for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements, a third-degree felony offense, according to police and arrest reports. The 34-year-old Sulphur Springs man was released from the county jail Wednesday, Jan. 15, on a $50,000 bond, according to jail reports.
Jan. 14, 2020, was the second time Keahey has been arrested on the charge. He was also arrested Dec. 6, 2018, for sex offender failure in duty to register annually for life, according to jail reports.
Sulphur Springs Man Receives 18-Year Prison Sentence For Choking Assault Of His Wife
Ricky Lee Wyly II, 41, of Sulphur Springs was sentenced by 8th Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt Tuesday, Jan. 14, to 18 years in prison for the July 5, 2019, assault of his wife that impeded her breathing.
Assistant District Attorney Jodi Cox described the case as “a domestic violence case where a husband physically assaulted and terrorized his wife and children with his violent behaviors.”
The family of the woman reportedly contacted authorities on July, 5, 2019, regarding concerns for her safety and the safety of her children. Sulphur Spring Police Department responded quickly and intervened to help her, according to Cox.
Wyly was arrested July 5 on misdemeanor warrants, but released the next day. An indictment signed during the Aug. 1 Grand Jury session accused Wyly of impeding the breathing or circulation of a female household member by applying pressure to her neck or throat during the assault on July 5, according to jail and arrest reports. On Aug. 16, deputies arrested Wyly on the indictment, according to jail and arrest reports. Wyly has remained in Hopkins County jail since his arrest on the charge, according to jail reports.
Wyly faced a punishment range of 2 to 20 years in prison on the felony assault impeding breathing or circulation charge.
“Mr. Wyly has built a resume’ that shows he is unable to be in society without resorting to behaviors that are violent or detrimental to others,” Cox said.
Wyly’s criminal history, which dates back to 1997, includes burglary, theft, marijuana and firearms arrests. He also had a prior conviction for manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, for which he was sentenced to time in prison, according to jail and court reports.
“Because of this, Judge Northcutt sentenced him to 18 years in prison. Not only are the victim and her children safer, but Hopkins County is safer because of this sentence,” said Cox.
3 Incumbents File Candidacy For May 2 Elections In Sulphur Springs
Candidate filing opened Wednesday morning in Sulphur Springs with both incumbents filing applications for school board and one incumbent filing for city council.
Incumbent Robbin Vaughn is seeking a third term on the school board. She was first elected to the board in 2014. She has served as secretary and vice president, and is currently serving her second consecutive term as president of the school board.
Vaughn is a juvenile probation officer with the 8th Judicial District Juvenile Probation Office in Sulphur Springs.
Incumbent Robert Cody is also seeking a third term on the school board. He too was first elected to the board in 2014. He previously served as board secretary, and was re-elected in 2019 by his fellow trustees as vice president of the board.
Cody is the Corporate Controller for GSC Enterprises, Inc. in Sulphur Springs.
Candidate filing for a place on the ballot for two full-term seats on Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. weekdays through Feb. 14. Applications are available in SSISD Tax Office, located in the SSISD Administration Building, 631 Connally St.
Incumbent John A. Sellers also filed candidacy Wednesday morning for Place 7 on the Sulphur Springs City Council. Sellers is completing his third term on the council, has served and in December was selected to again serve as mayor. He has been marketing director for City National Bank of Sulphur Springs since 2006.
Candidate filing for Places 1-3 and Places 5-7 on the May 2 Sulphur Springs City Council ballot continues from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Feb. 14, at City Hall, 201 North Davis St. Residents should see City Secretary Gale Roberts for an application packet.
How To Assess Tree Damage After A Winter Storm
By Dr. Mario Villarino
The recent winter storm left trees looking like there is no tomorrow. Major limbs have been broken or damaged, foliage has been shredded or stripped, or the bark has been torn or gouged. But what at first glance may look like mortal wounds are not necessarily fatal to a tree.
Trees have an amazing ability to recover from storm damage. According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the first step is to assess the damage. Before writing off a damaged tree as a goner, evaluate trees by asking the following questions:
- Other than the storm damage, is the tree basically healthy and vigorous? If the tree is basically healthy, is not creating a hazard, and did not suffer major structural damage, it will generally recover if first aid measures are applied immediately after the storm.
- Are major limbs broken? The larger a broken limb is, the harder it will be for the tree to recover from the damage. If a majority of the main branches are gone, the tree may have little chance of surviving.
- Has the leader (the main upward-trending branch on most trees) been lost? In species where a leader is important to upward growth or desirable to appearance, it may have to be a judgement call. The tree may live without its leader, but at best wold be a stunted or deformed version of the original.
- Is at least 50 percent of the tree’s crown (branches and leaves) still intact? This is a good rule of thumb on tree survivability. A tree with less than half of its branches remaining may not be able to produce enough foliage to nourish the tree through another season.
- How big are the wounds where branches have been broken or bark has been damaged? The larger the wound is in relation to the size of the limb, the less likely it is to heal, leaving the tree vulnerable to disease and pests. A two- to three-inch wound on a 12-inch diameter limb will seal over with new bark within a couple of years.
- Are there remaining branches that can form a new branch structure? The remaining limbs will grow more vigorously as the tree tries to replace its missing foliage. Look to see if branches are in place that can eventually fill out the tree’s appearance.
- Is the tree of a desirable species for its location? If the tree is in the wrong location (such as a potentially tall tree beneath a power line), or an undesirable species for the property (messy fruit, etc.), it may be best to remove it if it has serious damage.
The questions listed above are intended to help you make informed decisions about your trees. In general, the answer as to what to do about a particular tree will fall into one of the following three categories:
- Is it a keeper? If damage is relatively slight, prune any broken branches, repair torn bark or rough edges around wounds, and let the tree begin the process of wound repair.
- Wait and See. If a valuable tree appears to be a borderline case, resist the temptation to simply cut the tree down and be done with it. In such cases, it may be best to stand back for a while and think it over. Remember that time is on your side. After careful pruning of broken branches, give the tree some time to recover. A final decision can be made later. The majority of trees may be classified into this category.
- Say Goodbye. Some trees simply cannot be saved or are not worth saving. If the tree already has been weakened by disease, if the trunk is split, or more than 50 percent of the crown is gone, the tree has lost its survival edge. Remember, photosynthesis is the process by which plants grow. Photosynthesis requires sufficient leaves (or needles) to capture sunlight and feed the tree. Significant loss of limbs and leaf sites will drastically reduce the tree’ss photosynthesis capacity an ultimately, its ability to recover and survive.
Some trees may have damage that is too close to call or may have hidden damage. To help with such questions, a tree professional may be needed to help you decide what to do about your trees. Do not hire just anyone who slows up at your door following a storm. Ask around for references and experiences by friends and neighbors. Contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 for more information or if you need more assistance.
Candidate Filing For City Council, School Elections Begins Jan. 15
Candidate filing for places on the May 2 city and school election ballots begins Wednesday. The cities of Cumby and Sulphur Springs are planning for council elections, while Sulphur Springs and Yantis school districts will hold trustees elections.
Sulphur Springs City Council
Candidates may file for one of six places on the May 2 Sulphur Springs City Council ballot.
The city was scheduled to have a regular election for two places on the ballot this year, those for Places 6 and 7 currently held by John Sellers and Doug Moore. Sellers is completing a full term. Moore was first appointed to fill the seat of Dan Fronberger, who resigned, until the May 2019 election; he was then elected by voters to serve the remaining 1 year of Froneberger’s term on the city council.
The resignations of Erica Armstrong, Jimmy Lucas, Norman Sanders and Jeff Sanderson last month necessitate a special election to fill unexpired term seats for Places 1-3 and Place 5 as well. The Rev. Harold Nash was appointed Dec. 13 to serve as Place 2 councilman until the May 2020 election.
Candidate filing for Places on the Sulphur Springs City Council will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays Jan. 15-Feb. 14, at City Hall, 201 North Davis St. Residents should see City Secretary Gale Roberts for an application packet.
Cumby City Council
Candidates may file for places on the ballot for Places 1 and 2 on Cumby City Council. Applications are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, Jan. 15-Feb. 14 at Cumby City Hall, 100 East Main St. Applications may also be downloaded from the Secretary of State’s website, completed, notarized and mailed to the Cumby City Hall, according to city staff.
Alderman Place 1 became open when Doug Simmerman was elected mayor in November. The Place 2 seat opened with the resignation of Kristin Thompson last fall. The council on Sept. 21 appointed Audri Mayo to the Place 2 council vacancy. The council had planned to rescind that appointment at the October meeting, but Mayo resigned first.
Sulphur Springs ISD
Candidate filing for a place on the ballot for two full-term seats on Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. weekdays, Jan. 15-Feb. 14. Applications are available in SSISD Tax Office, located in the SSISD Administration Building, 631 Connally St.
Robbin Vaughn and Robert Cody currently serve in those seats on the school board.
Yantis ISD
Candidate filing for two full 3-year seats on Yantis ISD’s Board of Trustees will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, Jan. 15-Feb. 14, in Yantis Middle School Building in the Administration Office, 111 South Main St.
Melissa Stephens and Jennifer McKeever currently serve in those seats.
The Sulphur Bluff Lady Bears Basketball Team Gets District Win Over Avery
The Sulphur Bluff Lady Bears won their second district game of the season outscoring Avery, 42-38. In the tight game, the score was tied 6-6 after the first quarter and 18-18 at halftime. The Lady Bears went up 28-26 after three quarters and then wrapped up the four point win in the fourth quarter. For the Lady Bears, Skylar Stanley had a team high 12 points along with 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Bailey Neal had 11 points, 4 rebounds, a steal and an assist. Angel Brown had 10 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Jada Wade scored 7 points and had 2 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. Tori Raine had 2 points and an assist. Lydia Drummond had 2 rebounds. Molly Kelley had 2 rebounds and an assist. Lady Bears Coach Zandra Peyton said her team ran a press break really good at the end of the game. She said the team tightened up their 2-3 defense at the half to make it harder for Avery to score. The Lady Bears of Sulphur Bluff will play host to Bloomburg Tuesday night.
Basketball and Soccer on Tap on Tuesday Game Day
There is Lady Cats Basketball and Wildcats and Lady Cats Soccer on this Tuesday game day.
The Lady Cats Basketball Team hopes to even their season record in district play as they play host to the Lindale Lady Eagles Tuesday evening in the main gym at Sulphur Springs High School. There will be a JV game at 5 p.m. with the varsity game to follow at around 6:15 p.m. The Lady Eagles come in 1-0 in district play after a win on Friday against Mount Pleasant, 59-57. The Lady Cats are 0-1 in district play after their loss to #12 ranked Royse City, 65-41 Saturday at home. The Lady Cats are having a tough time with injuries. Saturday senior Colbria Harrison injured an ankle right before halftime against the Lady Bulldogs. Saturday the Lady Cats were also missing freshmen Kenzie Willis, out with an ankle injury, and Serenity Lewis, out with a bone bruise in a foot. The Lady Cats still have seven players based on the roster for Saturday’s game. Several JV players have been promoted. KSST Radio will bring you the Lindale and Lady Cats varsity game Tuesday at around 6:15 p.m. featuring live video and audio streaming. After the game, the contest will be posted to YouTube and will be broadcast at a later date on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
The Lady Cats Soccer Team will be at home at Gerald Prim Stadium hosting the Princeton Lady Panthers. There will be a JV contest at 5:30 p.m. The varsity match starts at around 7:15 p.m. The Lady Cats are hoping to get their first victory of the season. They tied North Lamar, 2-2 at home on January 7 and then went 0-2 in the Pine Tree Lady Pirate Showcase this past weekend losing to Jacksonville and host Pine Tree. The Lady Cats are 0-2-1
Meanwhile the Wildcats Soccer Team is playing at West Mesquite. There will be a JV game at 5:30 p.m. The varsity is set to begin at around 7:15 p.m. The Wildcats are 2-4-1 for the season. They were 1-2 in the 2020 Lobo Invitational Tournament in Longview this past weekend losing close games to Lufkin and Forney and getting a big win against Jacksonville.
